The snow settles on Bossgard's frozen plains, Hel-O-Ween is almost over and while the Vikings are gathering for some well-deserved rest, the Devs are gathering for the weekly stream, but not before dropping an update.
Before we give the patch notes, a few words about what our plans are for pretty much the rest of the year.
The short version is that we want to push the solo mode (Bossgard) as far as possible by the end of the year. What you can play now is a very barebones version, the combat is there, enemy spawn zones are there, the boss fight is there, but they're just proof of concept, a base upon which we can start building properly.
If we were to describe our end-goal for the solo mode in a few broad strokes, we'd have to say that more than anything Bossgard has to feel a bit different every time you go through it while maintaining as much of the player's agency as possible. We want to reduce hand-holding to a minimum and try to give the player tools, rather than straight-up solutions to overcoming the cold, the enemies and the final Boss.
New enemies will keep bolstering Bossgard's fauna, new mechanics will be added to empower the player (e.g. a building system, allowing for deployment of turrets, palisades, traps etc).
The ultimate goal is to make this game mode playable in multiplayer as well, but that's still far off in development, corner stones need to be laid beforehand.
Long story short, the solo mode will be our main focus for the time being, but rest assured, multiplayer content will still be coming to Multiplayer as well. The remaining 5 Vikings will be added and more Bosses will definitely be part of the game by the time the game goes out of Early Access.
Without further ado, here's our patch log. If you're here for the stream - enjoy! If you're reading this from the future - we hope it was cool xD
The Great Hel-O-Ween Update
The light grows dim. The air becomes heavy. Visions of an untimely end fill the minds of our brave Viking heroes. A few moments pass. Darkness engulfs all there is. Everything becomes nothingness and the black abyss of the night swallows all.
You are alone.
Suddenly a chuckle is heard. Then a giggle. Laughter breaks out. The rattling of what seem to be hollow bones joins the unholy cacophony which now fills the air.
You know what this is. Everybody knows.
IT’S A PARTY OF COURSE!
The festival of Hel-o-Ween is upon Bossgard and oh, the gifts it brings! And what updates!
Here’s what’s up…
NEW OUTFITS
Each Vikings gets a new unlockable outfit. This year’s new fashion line-up includes:
Werewolf Innes - Unleash your inner beast and stick a tail on the fiercest archer in Bossgard! Witch Asha - Who says mages are poor melee warriors? It’s time to cast “Smush” on your enemies! Bunny Miko - This murderous rabbit is here to haunt and hunt its foes. Gravedigger Magnus - This mysterious stranger needs nothing more than its trusty shovel to best any warrior and monster. Necromancer Edith - It was only natural for Edith to fully turn to her darkest side.
Every Hel-o-Ween outfit can be unlocked by visiting Hel herself!
SKELETON SKINS!
Dress up? How about dress… down? Who needs clothes (or skin or muscle for that matter) when you can enter the battlefield barebone-style. Literally.
Each Viking gets a new Skeleton skin that completely replaces the regular fleshy version. Make sure you visit your favorite auntie Hel to unlock these skins!
ENTER THE FROZEN WASTELAND OF BOSSGARD
The gates of Bossgard have opened. What lays beyond is a desolate land ruled by the great Evil Eye, slayer of Gods and destroyer of worlds. Do you even dare to step into its domain?
You can now play a very early version of our open-world singleplayer mode - Bossgard. This is a survival action-adventure in which you battle minions, gather resources and strive to survive while trying to unlock the area Boss. Great rewards await those who succeed, but be prepared for a challenge.
Features:
A third-person action adventure in the Bossgard universe. Play as any Viking you have unlocked using all the regular powers you would normally use in multiplayer. Survive the frozen wastes by firing up Fire Shrines to keep you warm. Be prepared to get lost in a harsh environment that is hell-bent on seeing you undone. Earn ludicrous amounts of Shards… should you defeat the Boss.
This is a huge new part of the game we have while working on the main game modes. It’s still in a super early phase and its pretty barebones, but we’ve enjoyed toying with it and we feel you will too. A LOT more content will come to Bossgard, but we’d really like your opinion on what we’ve achieved so far.
So far Bossgard is about hunting powerful creatures we refer to as Elites across a frozen wasteland. When defeated, these Elites drop Evil Stones. These stones will allow you to summon the end Boss (should you manage to collect 10 of them). You must do all of this while maintaining Warmth. If either Warmth or Health drop to 0, it’s game over. Minions will keep spawning as you play. In this early version they’re not that complicated or smart, but there is a risk they can gank on you, so beware. As you slay Minions you’ll earn Fire Essence. Spend this at either Fire Shrines or Health Shrines to sustain your chances of survival.
We designed Bossgard to be a place that it’s easy to get lost into. The constant blizzard limits your vision, but there are landmarks scattered across the map that can help you navigate. Perseverance (and visual memory!) will help you prevail.
PUMPKINS!
Viking versus Viking maps will feature Trick-or-treat pumpkins which will reward or punish those that destroy them. Be prepared to enjoy a refreshing Rage Potion… or just as well be prepared to be crushed by a surprise Gorillabunny.
THIRD PERSON CAMERA (Mostest veriest experimentalest!)
You can now play Viking Versus Viking in third person mode. This is still under a lot of testing and there is a chance it might glitch (and annoy you) BUT it’s also quite cool and the game looks good, so we decided to let our players enjoy it.
We’ll keep working on it of course, but you can toggle it from the Options Menu -> Input. As always, do let us know what you think!
So this is it, the big Hel-O-Ween update. We won’t shy away from saying it’s our biggest update yet. We added a whole new gamemode, added a new point of view for multiplayer and gave you all the much-needed themed customization items one might require.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE
Unlocking costs for new characters has been drastically reduced from 3-4K to 1k, so now after a few rounds you should be able to unlock new characters. This is a “special offer” of sorts and will last only over the duration of the Steam Halloween event.
DISCOUNT
Bossgard is 30% up to the 1st of November so this is the best time to get in the game. The host of new features and the reduced price make this the best time to get into Bossgard!
Right, now that’s it. We’ve really put our hearts and effort into this update and we would really like to know what you think and what you expectations are for future updates.
Enjoy the update, enjoy the event and hope you have a wonderful time in-game. Tell your friends!
Bossgard awaits!
-The Sand Sailors
Friday: Play with the Devs | The gates of Bossgard
As the week steadily comes to a close, so does work on our next big update. Our last few days have been spent tweaking ogres, bread-men and mysterious lantern-wielding individuals, carefully prodding at their health, damage and behavior.
Tonight we're playing an early build of our new open-world adventure part of the game, the world of Bossgard itself, a frozen wasteland littered with dangerous monsters, held under watch by a powerful agent of the Evil Eye, The Frost Guardian, which we will attempt to best.
What you'll be seeing today will be part of our upcoming update that will hit the game next week, alongside a host of other features and content we've been bragging about.
That being said, we invite you to join our stream, give us your two cents and have a good time!
See you here at 20:30 UTC + 3!
Bossgard awaits!
-The Sand Sailors
Major Hel-O-Ween Update is on the way
Bossgard will become bigger than ever with the arrival of our new major update. New game modes, new skins, a fully-fledged third person mode and loads of new features are coming. Here's the shortlist:
A Hel-O-Ween themed update with pumpkins, skeletons and werewolves
5 new outfits, one for each Viking
5 new Skeleton Skins (again, one for each Viking)
Hel-O-Ween Boss color scheme
Trick or Treat Pumpkin map addons that either reward you... or punish you.
Palisades map addons - Take cover from enemy fire.
A third-person-exclusive game mode. Bossgard has never been so up close and personal
A third-person exclusive game map featuring interior corridors and a courtyard!
A new Hel-O-Ween themed PVP map - Witchmarsh!
The first version of our action adventure open-world mode will be playable! Roam the wastes, kill minions, survive the weather and locate the Boss!
All Bossgard content drop rates are increased and all characters will be unlocked for the duration of Halloween. Everything you unlock will be yours to keep!
...and a ton of other little improvements including UI work and a Quick Match mode
For more details, check this out...
We're streaming today and playing our new Third Person Game Mode!
Tune in today at 20:30 UTC+3 right here!
Bossgard awaits!
Play with the devs!
Here we go, our stream is now live and we warm-heartedly invite you to join our ridiculous battlegrounds. We used to have rules, but that's all in the past, this is anyone's game: Vikings against Bosses or Vikings against Bosses, it doesn't matter, Bossgard is just about bashing your friends.
Also, we've been hardy little workers and pushed a new update. Here's what's new!
We added pick-ups and map obstacles! Palisades and Pumpkins will now have a chance of randomly popping up on maps.
Palisades are obstacles that can block movement and damage, be it basic or Rage damage.
Pumpkins are destroyable obstacles that can Treat or Trick you, giving you Rage, Health and Berzerk Potions OR spawning various hostile Minions bent on dealing harm to any player on the battlefield! (this applies to Viking Versus Viking Modes only)
Miko and Edith have been balanced. Our two ladies have proven to be either to sickly or too strong, they're now a bit more balanced.
Fixed a bug where the game would freeze at the Map Vote countdown.
Added the Kill feed to Boss Vs Vikings gamemode
Various little bug fixes
We're hard at work for the Hel-O-Ween update, here's another teaser of the kind of content that'll be hitting Bossgard
5 new unique outfits one for each available Viking!
Again, join our online game and do honorable battle against us!
Lovingly, The Sand Sailors
We're live!
We're live! Join us for some hectic Ragnarokian multiplayer! Bossgard awaits!
Friday Stream + Hel-O-Ween preparations!
We religiously continue our series of Friday Streams with another live session of PvP, rants and overall nonsense, sprinkled with discussions about our future updates,
The live stream will be accompanied by an update we'll be pushing to live today. The update will mostly be about the new Viking Versus Viking Mode and several bug fixes. See the changelog below:
Added a "Kill feed" which displays every kill made during a game
Added "Bread Palisades" to Viking Versus Viking maps which can provide cover from enemy ranged attacks and also stop lunging melee attacks.
Added new announcer messages for when a Vik Vs Vik match ends.
Fixed an issue where players might join a lobby only to find it empty
Fixed an issue where Boss models might load up in the Valhalla scene if a certain sequence of actions was made
Updated the dodge system, shifting the Invulnerability Frames from the middle-end of the animation to the beginning. This makes dodging more reliable and changes the way players have to attack Vikings.
Updated Edith's attack moves. She now deals damage in a circle around her when using her Heavy Attack.
Work on the singleplayer free-roam Bossgard mode continues.
Hel-o-Ween in the works!
The ancient festival of Hel-o-Ween is just around the corner, and the Vikings have not been idling! The heroes of Bossgard gather in flocks in Valhalla to welcome their bony ancestors who undertake the yearly pilgrimage to Valhalla.
This year we're celebrating Hel-O-Ween with a special themed update, which will include Hel-O-Ween specific customization options and possibly a new map! We'll cover everything Hel-O-Ween related over the next week.
Till then, make sure you join us this evening at 20:00 UTC + 3 for a few rounds of Vik Vs Vik madness! See you there!
Viking Versus Viking is here!
Introducing a new multiplayer mode - Viking Vs Viking. Supports up to 6 players in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 or Free-for-All. Deploy every weapon in the Viking’s arsenal against your frenemies and make sure the Kill count goes up for you and you alone! First Norseman to reach a target score or to hit the highest number of points by the end of the timer, wins!
We added a new multiplayer game mode: VIKING Vs VIKING
Up to 6 players can play 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 or Free-For-All
We rebalanced and reworked characters! Check out the new Edith!
As usual we need your help in making Bossgard bigger and better, so please do leave us any thoughts you have on the game - our Early Access' lifeblood is your feedback!
Our Stream starts at 8:30 PM UTC + 3. Update your game and join us in Viking Versus Viking battles!
Kindly, The Sand Sailors
HUGE New Singleplayer Mode in the works!
Autumn is upon us and we deemed it only natural to answer to Nature’s seasonal changes with changes of our own, in the form of a series of huge updates. To that end, the tl;dr verison is this: Viking versus Viking is this week’s upcoming Multiplayer game mode AND a Singleplayer rogue-lite open-world mode is coming to Bossgard. Buckle up, it’s a long read :)
Viking Versus Viking
The Vikings are here to undo Ragnarok and set history right, but the war against bread continues and the Bosses, avatars of the ever-elusive Eye remain as much of a threat as before. As friendships are tested and new fellowships are forged, the Vikings look for new ways of tempering their fighting skills.
And what better way is there to do so if not through a friendly bout?
Our latest update for Bossgard brings forth a feature we’ve been wanting to do ever since we finished our combat mechanics. Because hey, if 2 VIkings can fight a bread Boss, why couldn’t they fight each other?
That being said, this update comes with 2 possible game modes for Viking Versus Viking.
Free-For-All
It’s each Viking for itself in this chaotic battlefield filled with skeletons, sentry guns, poisoned shots and feral sabertooth pets. Deploy every weapon in the Viking’s arsenal against your frenemies and make sure that Kill count goes up for you and you alone! First Norseman to reach a target score or to hit the highest number of points by the end of the timer, wins!
Team Deathmatch
Up to 6 players can join in 3 v 3, 2 v 2 or 1 v 1 matches to settle to score and see who’s the toughest warband in Valhalla. All the usual combos apply so you can Gankorama, Sicken or Slo-Mo your enemies all the way down to Helheim. Split roles among you and find the optimal team composition!
Future game modes
The journey into Viking Versus Viking has just begun, Free-For-All and Team Deathmatch being our earliest and simplest incursions into symmetrical PvP lands.
Here are several game modes we want to bring to the game sometime soon. Remember, this is heavily under development.
Ragnarok Mode
Two opposing Viking Clans have set up strongholds and are trying to raid one another, hoping to prove themselves as children of Odin. Waves of Minions march against the enemy Clan and brave Viking Heroes come forth to maintain the momentum of their faithful henchmen. Across the battlefield lay dormant Giants, waiting to be challenged by the warring Norsemen, so that they may grant their loyalty, joining the ranks of the stronger Clan. As the last stones fall from the besieged Stronghold, the losing Vikings fall prey to desperation and turn their prayers to the Evil Eye, who joins the losing side in the shape of a great Boss, in hopes of proving that true, evil power will succeed where futile bravery had failed. Should the Boss fall as well, only then will the most righteous Viking Clan claim dominion over the afterlife.
Features
A MOBA-style symmetrical map but without the mumbo jumbo - straight up, fast, fun action Neutral Minion Giants that can be defeated and recruited to join your war effort. The ultimate comeback-mechanic - the losing team’s MVP takes on the role of Boss to make one last effort of saving the team.
This is still way under progress so we won’t expecting Ragnarok Mode to hit Bossgard for another month or so, but we wanted to let you know what’s in store for PvP.
Open-world rogue-lite in Bossgard
As you step on the cold stones of Valhalla’s corridors, way beyond the whisperings and mumblings of the Gods, you see a great gate, larger than any of the doors before it, colder than the most shivering Viking thoughts and stronger than the bindings of Fenrir. It is the only thing that separates Vikinghood and Godhood from complete oblivion. It is the Gate of Bossgard - the frozen wasteland caused by the distortion of the end times, the result of the Evil Eye’s meddling in Viking Chronology.
After ages of battle against the Bosses, avatars of the Evil Eye, the Gods deemed you ready - ready to step through the Frozen Gates and into madness itself. Only by your hand can the Gods hope to undo Ragnarok and set history right. Steel yourself, Hero, the journey will not be easy. You will fall. You will fail. You will try again. And again. And again. But blessed is your immortal soul for here, in Bossgard, time and nothingness are eternal. What once stood upright will stand so once more, even after a fall.
Rise again Hero, shake off the snow and dust and venture forth once more. The Evil Eye must be hunted down. History must be undone. But make haste, the Gods’ favor and warmth can only keep you alive for so long, lest you should fall and try again.
Hunt for the Eye, defeat Evil itself and undo Bossgard.
Why we're making this
Shortly after we set off to make Bossgard, we started thinking of how we could develop a solid, self-contained singleplayer experience. We always wanted to create a part of the game that would be more immersive and more player-centric than the party-game aspect of it. We needed a play space where everything cooky about the game could come together and start making sense. Bossgard is just that, it’s Nordic Mythology, mixed with silliness and our personal twist.
This whole new chunk of the game would have to be replayable and feature a completely different player point-of-view (3rd person) but would have to play out using the same combat system as in Multiplayer.
The idea of a rogue-lite quickly sprung to life and seemed the most plausible approach given our team’s size and possibilities. We started looking at what other titles are doing (and doing well) and we came up with a shortlist of features drawn based on other video games we look up to (including Risk of Rain, Warframe, Crawl, Dark Souls, even Gothic).
So here’s what’s coming:
A singleplayer rogue-lite open-world experience where you must traverse and survive the frozen wastes of Bossgard in an attempt of locating and defeating the Evil Eye.
Roam the white desert guiding yourself using the landmarks, shrines and anything that can provide aid and safety in the face of adversity.
Locate the Guardians, defeat them and summon the Boss. Bossgard is protected by the Evil Eye’s strongest Minions, each with its own gimmick.
3rd-Person combat / Bossgard features a new player perspective and is a spin-off of our Multiplayer combat system. Face the Minions of the Evil Eye in glorious 3rd person view! Deal Mighty Blows, deploy Shields and Heal yourself just as you would in Versus Mode.
The race is against the clock as you can only survive as long as the Warmth of the Gods is active. This wears out and you need to find ways to replenish it.
Level up and upgrade your character. Various stats define your Viking, making it possible to adapt your Hero to your playstyle. But whatever your spec might be, Bossgard will challenge you on all fronts.
Bossgard is dangerous and roamed by various creatures. Some you have already met as minions of the Bosses, but there are many other creatures that lurk the wastes. But beware, the weaker you are, the stronger the Minions of the Wastes grow.
Monsters are broken down into tiers and factions. Everything from hordes of simple Crumblings and Bloaters to specialized groups of casters, warriors and rangers roam these lands with one sole purpose: to see you fail.
What you earn in Singleplayer carries over to Multiplayer. The loot you get in Bossgard is yours to keep (should you make it out alive). There are also Bossgard-specific items you can show off in Multiplayer once you learn to master the Wastes.
All in all...
As you can see our it’s a pretty huge chunk of gameplay and we’re striving hard to meet our own ambition. By the end, Bossgard should feel like a well-rounded game that can be enjoyed by a variety of players, in a variety of ways.
Do let us know what you think, we’ll make sure to keep you posted. Till then, we hope you’ll enjoy the upcoming Viking Versus Viking game modes.
Thank you for reading! See you in-game!
Bossgard awaits!
Friday: Play with the Devs
The Sand Sailors are up and about with their regular Friday stream. Live gameplay, stupid comments and random what-nots about the game, our week, the weekend and life.
REMEMBER: If you have the game, feel free to join our game session for PVP/COOP!
