Ghost of a Tale cover
Ghost of a Tale screenshot
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Genre: Puzzle, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie

Ghost of a Tale

Quick patch release (v2.6)

This is a quick patch release to fix the more significant bugs from 2.55. We’ll release another patch in the coming days to take care of the remaining bugs.

Thanks to all of you who prepared detailed bug reports. Your help is very much appreciated!

Stay tuned! :)


Fixed:


  • Some florins in containers show a placeholder icon.
  • Some items stolen from guards do not reappear after reloading a save.
  • Guards stay knocked out even after reloading a save where they shouldn’t be.
  • Rare bug where some doors could appear open after a reload where they should be closed.
  • Some floating meshes.
  • Ceiling in flooded cell is not visible.
  • Water particles are not visible in Tilo’s wake.
  • Banner disappearing instead of getting burned.
  • Missing footnote description for “Ringtail” in Silas’ dialog.
  • Table drawer in room above courtyard wall can’t be looted.
  • Skybox is visible when getting to the tunnel shortcut between holding cells and jail.
  • Inside of main tower can appear empty when standing at a certain spot on the ramparts.
  • Camera freaks out when trying to open the locked door in the barrel room.


Changed:


  • Made sure the new areas are sealed off for now (apologies to all of you pioneers out there!).


Added:


  • Added a light source in the shortcut from the jailer’s office to the drawbridge.

New build with performance improvements!

Hi guys! Here’s a new build (2.55) for Ghost of a Tale! Its main focus is on performance improvement but there’s A LOT of bug fixes, tweaks, refinements and new things at many different levels.

Be warned however that your old saves will not load in this new build! We apologize about this but we didn’t make that decision lightly: it is a consequence of the huge optimization pass and subsequent performance gains.

As always we will be on deck to quickly publish patches should anything go awry. And don’t forget to read the development update on the official site (http://www.ghostofatale.com/improved-performance-all-around)!

Enjoy! :)


Fixed:


  • Complete minstrel costume bonus wasn’t assigned at start
  • Bug when opening sewer map after buying info about spider location from Rolo
    In some rare cases Tilo's heavy item is not dropped when he dies
  • Armor encumbrance is not properly reset after loading a save
  • Light trigger missing when exiting from the rafters onto the roof in the courtyard
  • Name error in dialog of main gate guard
  • Being able to enter the passage next to Gusto & Fatale’s cell without pushing the barrel
  • Collider for grid in underground shortcut to jail is missing
  • Tilo automatically goes down a ladder when opening the inventory
  • Spider web remains visible after getting burnt
  • A splash sound can sometimes be heard when entering the jail from the courtyard
  • Rats not able to attack Tilo while in Kerold's cell
  • Tilo can get killed while climbing on the elevator when it hasn’t fully come down to rest
  • Rats can sometimes chase Tilo even though they're knocked down (funny/creepy)
  • Missing sound for Kerold breaking the rotgut bottle during dialog
  • Rat’s animation sometimes popping to idle after crossing a doorframe
  • Resistances are not properly updated when equipping clothing items
  • Rolo sometimes does not appear when exiting the jail
  • The guards’ alert icon doesn't empty itself and disappear when it should
  • Bug with resistances when equipping full costume set and unequipping items one by one
  • Knockdown timer sometimes doesn't appear on knocked-out rats
  • Gusto sometimes doesn’t go to sleep at night
  • Micro-holes/bad scintillating pixels caused by faulty tessellation algorithm
  • Grease jars don't break when thrown on planks
  • Hanging key keeps playing hanging animation even after being knocked down
  • Hanging key can occasionally land in a non-pickable position
  • Plague doctor mask vignette is not reset after loading a save where Tilo doesn’t wear it
  • Exterior sound trigger missing on top of tower when exiting main tower
  • Sometimes combat music doesn't stop, even though Tilo's not chased anymore
  • Lots of holes in the geometry!
  • Small freezes noticeable when moving from area to area
  • Costume item description panel appearing behind the inventory UI
  • Some stairs where Tilo bumps in at slow speed
  • Long pause happening whenever accessing the save/load menu


Changed / Improved:


  • Sewer key is out of the game; the jail’s master key replaces it
  • Spider webs have been replaced with new higher-quality assets
  • Tessellation shaders have been recreated from scratch with much better results (ie: humidity/wetness)
  • Most textures have been refined, doubled in size and enhanced with detail mapping
  • Rats are now a bit faster when chasing Tilo
  • Improved all vegetation shaders to show better translucency
  • Huge overall performance boost (50-75% fps gain on some machines)
  • All trees have been replaced with much higher quality assets (oaks, beech, etc…)
  • Implemented consistent wind direction for all vegetation
  • Actor detection has been redone from the ground up to take into account bonus from Tilo’s cloth items
  • You can now quickly swap tools using the mousewheel
  • The middle-mouse button now unequips/re-equips the current tool in Tilo’s hand (no need to go to the inventory anymore)
  • Implemented an entirely new zone/sectioning system, meaning there is no more streaming/stuttering
  • Rewrote entirely the load/save system to work seamlessly on PC + consoles
  • Changed and improved the overall layout of Dwindling Heights
  • Changed a few quests + dialogs + items locations in preparation for the full game
  • Tilo’s jump/climbing is now much more responsive
  • You can now use the mousewheel to turn book pages
  • Book pages now have their page number displayed
  • Tilo can now climb on a moving platform/elevator
  • Tilo's health and stamina are no longer connected to the costume he's wearing (no more health/stamina lost when changing costumes)
  • Removed trapdoor near the main gate
  • Added a separation wall in the courtyard with new building
  • Costume items belonging to the same set are now automatically sorting next to each other in the inventory
  • Removed the option to knock the helmet off of the guard for Gusto & Fatale (no more confusion between different kinds of helmets)
  • Better aiming reticle
  • It is not possible anymore to kite more than 3 rats (so you can’t lock all the rats in one room anymore)


Added:


  • Added a progress bar when loading a save
  • The amount of florins in Tilo’s inventory is now displayed during dialog when money is involved
  • Started using photogrammetry assets for rocks
  • It is now possible to light up candles laying around in very dark places
  • Costume items are now affecting how much noise Tilo creates and his visual conspicuousness
  • Introduced sound attenuation which plays in when creating auditive distractions through walls
  • Added a couple of shortcuts to go from one area to the next (ie: elevator basket from top of main tower to garden below)
  • Added a visual 'splash' effect that shows how far the sound created by distractions travels
  • Added visual hud indication when Tilo is getting poisoned or burnt (providing a clear representation of his resistance to those hazards)
  • Added an option to turn off the HUD (in the debug menu)
  • Added options for controlling tessellation amount and distance
  • Added knockdown timer on unconscious rats to indicate when they’re going to regain consciousness










Development update!

Hi guys,

We realize that many of you may not be aware that we usually post a monthly development update over at the official Ghost of a Tale website (http://www.ghostofatale.com), describing what we've been working on during the past few weeks of production. So from now on we'll post a link here whenever there's a new development update available. Here's the first:

http://www.ghostofatale.com/feedback-improvements-and-xbox-one/



Screenshot by Nautilus

More bug fixes and requested features!

Hello all, here’s a new build update (1.93) for Ghost of a Tale. It should take care of the majority of remaining bugs and issues (although we’ll keep publishing updates to fix all the reported bugs of course).

Among other things it’s now possible to ask NPCs for more information about where to find some items (i.e. spider venom) and the camera doesn’t show the inside of Tilo’s head anymore! Yay! :)

Have fun and as always please keep reporting the issues you meet in the Bugs & Issues forum (and at: support@ghostofatale.com)!


Fixed:


  • Camera doesn’t show the inside of Tilo’s head anymore.
  • Reloading a game while the chase music is playing causes that music to play forever until you escape successfully from an enemy again.
  • Perform song volume can be much too loud sometimes.
  • Stairs near Silas (and leading to empty tower) block Tilo when walking with the armor on.
  • Main menu’s black background appears slightly transparent.
  • Idle stance of rats corresponds to sword & shield instead of halberd.
  • Missing sleeping particles (“Zzz”) in some cases.
  • Fade planes in final corridor and off the main gallery appear transparent instead of dark.
  • Current resolution doesn’t show as selected in visual menu.
  • Screen resolutions in the Visuals menu are not properly revealed when scrolling down with gamepad.
  • Tilo can push sleeping guards off their chair while wearing the armor.
  • Game sometimes crashes when showing the Save/Load UI (fixed in Unity 5.3.6p2).
  • Oil lamp intensity weakens too much when depleting below half point.
  • Rats can get stuck in front of an opened sliding door after reloading a game.
  • It is possible to keep refilling the lantern while running away from an oil jar and maintaining the interact button pressed.
  • Parented mouse camera mode can cause the camera to freak out in small spaces.
  • Obstacle camera correction setting sometimes reverts to active even though it’s been turned off.
  • Mouse-clicking on an empty space in a container UI is interpreted as picking up the last remaining item (or “I didn’t MEAN to take that hornets’ nest!”).
  • Grain bag near the broken cart in the courtyard cannot be looted.
  • Wrong costume message displayed when swapping costumes.
  • Corrupted animation when Tilo throws an item while wearing the armor (salute animation gets triggered).
  • Some items (ie. plague doctor hat) can get their scale values out of whack when repeatedly equipping/unequipping them via mouse-click.
  • Tilo can climb short walls while carrying a heavy item.
  • In some older saves Gusto sleeps in the air.
  • The flatulent rat is still floating off his bed in old saves.
  • Grease slicks from grease jars remain visible after reloading a save.
  • Grease vials thrown directly on rats do not make them slip and fall down.


Changed:


  • V-sync now has more refined settings (off, every 1 v-blank, every other v-blank).
  • Alert icons of enemies now have a different frame color when they see Tilo (full white) and when they can only hear him (thin black).
  • Items belonging to the same costume now appear next to each other in the inventory, always from head to toes (no more looking for items spread all over).
  • NPCs now give out more precise information about the location of the quest items you’re supposed to find.
  • The last quest now completes successfully when entering the final corridor.
  • Key from rat in barrel room can now be pickpocketed more easily from behind.
  • Removed deaths counter in statistics menu since it doesn’t really make sense within the scope of a session.
  • Replaced some of the trees with new models and better textures.


Added:


  • Spider venom location can now be revealed on your map (for a price).
  • Added master volume slider in the audio options.
  • Added texture resolution setting in visual options.
  • Added ambient occlusion setting in visual options.
  • Added antialiasing setting in visual options.
  • Smoke from torches now automatically adapts to the proper ceiling height (curling along low ceilings, rising under high ceilings).

Mouse/Keyboard fixes + Windows Anniversary update warning

This new update should hopefully fix the last remaining keyboard/mouse issues. If need be, please go to the Options->Controls menu and click on “Reset To Default Binding”. Keyboard and mouse should now work regardless of the selected gamepad preset.

Furthermore if you get parasite input from your gamepads while you play with your mouse/keyboard then you can use the “Ignore Gamepad Input” option (in the Controls menu).

Warning:


The recent Windows 10 Anniversary update (1607) has officially broken native support for gamepads. If you can remain on Windows 10 version 1511 then please do so for the time being.

What if you already upgraded to Windows 10 anniversary update? If your Xbox gamepad is not recognized at all when starting Ghost of a Tale then the solution is simple: unplug and plug it back in. The gamepad will then be recognized. Unfortunately you’ll have to do this every time you close the game and restart it.

Since this issue affects potentially a lot of Unity games (including the recently released "Inside") I’m sure Unity and/or Microsoft will come up with a fix. Meanwhile we are also looking for a more definitive solution on our side…


Fixed:


    <*> Light transitions (inside/outside) issues at night (turning dark then popping brighter again)
    <*> Settings for V-sync and sneak-desaturation are not properly restored
    <*> Silas’ first beetle does not appear in front of the cage (this is a retroactive fix, just reload your save and it should be there)
    <*> Inspect panel for clothes appearing behind the inventory UI (not 100% sure about this one but no-one has reported it in a while)
    <*> Weird noises (and sometimes video artifacts) when launching the game during the loading screen
    <*> “Ignore gamepad Input” setting is not properly restored
    <*> Missing name display error with first beetle on cage
    <*> Current gamepad preset is not correctly restored when restarting the game (you may have to reselect the preset)
    <*> Mouse and keyboard not working when using certain gamepad presets
    <*> Right stick not working on DualShock 4 when closing and restarting the game
    <*> Guards can sometimes get into an “intrigued” state (yellow exclamation mark) while simultaneously unconscious
    <*> Issue when reloading a save just at the moment when Tilo was getting into a hiding spot
    <*> Lock FPS is not properly enforced/restored

    Keyboards, gamepads, bug-fixes and more!

    (Edit: There was an issue with the publish of 1.74 so it has now been superseded by 1.75, which additionally takes care of ALT, CTRL and page up/down keys not being able to be rebound)
    ______________

    This new update ffocuses on improving the game’s controls. From keyboard remapping (including movement keys) to Dualshock 4 controller support, to better control over camera inversion settings, etc...

    In addition you’ll also find many other fixes and improvements (several of which were requested by you guys). Enjoy! :)

    Fixed:


    • Camera spinning endlessly when Dualshock 4 is plugged in
    • Impossible to click on anything or call inventory/main menu via keyboard when Dualshock 4 is plugged in
    • Gamepad preset dropdown menu remains open when leaving the Controls menu with ESC
    • Lights and shadows sliders have no effect (still need to exit light’s range first to see the effect)
    • Lights, shadows and dynamics sliders are not properly stored in preferences
    • Some floating trees are visible from the garden
    • Left-click is not working when reassigning keyboard shortcuts
    • Keypad keys can’t be remapped
    • Faustus’ mushroom quest is mentioned before player has met him
    • Faustus doesn’t give the mushroom quest if the plague doctor mask is already in inventory
    • Tilo sprints automatically when entering water while wearing the armor
    • Tilo is allowed to sprint while in water
    • Many steps are blocking Tilo when he walks slowly (ie: sneaking or walking with the armor on)
    • The back wall of the underground tunnel (shortcut to the jail) is invisible as long as the jail zone is not loaded
    • Some heavy items (ie: stools, buckets) disappear from their location
    • Fatale can’t give back the figurine because it’s not in her inventory
    • Dialog “talking” sound remains audible when reloading a save while in the middle of a dialog
    • Rebinding an unrecognized key prevent from accessing the main menu again
    • Many holes in the set’s geometry (please send screenshots if you find more!)
    • Guards' colliders are not always properly reset at reload (ie: Tilo can walk through them and they can't be knocked out)


    Changed:


    • Invert vertical and horizontal camera setting is now split into specific settings for gamepad and mouse
    • Upon trying to open a locked door (or container) the player is now made aware of which key is required
    • Pressing ESC while within an option menu now steps back one level instead of going back to the game right away
    • Removed option to show AI gizmos in the debug menu
    • Pressing ESC while the game is listening for a key to be rebound will stop the listening


    Added: