As most of you know, Skald modding has been in beta for PC on the "experimental branch" for the last couple of months! Well, today we're moving it to the main branch so it'll be easier for everyone to enjoy the user-created content or even make their own!
The game is also coming ON SALE for a few days, so be sure to point friends, family and small children to our Steam page!
Start Brewing!
Skald user-created content is hosted on mod.io so find it there today! We already have a good handful of modules from some of our talented community creators! To get started on downloading or creating mods, have a look at our tutorials (also on mod.io): In particular, you may want to have look at the "How to play Mods" tutorial!
To stay posted, be sure to follow the Skald Twitter, Bluesky and Discord if you haven’t already!
Keep being awesome and have a fantastic week! AL
New Modules and Updated Toolset
Greetings one and all!
We have some cool news for those interesting in playing or creating mods for “Skald: Against the Black Priory”: A big update to the SkaDE tool and a bunch of new content for you to play!
NOTE: The modding enabled build currently exists exclusively on the Steam and GOG Experimental branches. See the guide on how to play here!
Module Creator Contest Winners
The module creator content has finished with 5 submissions! There is some truly AMAZING work in these modules, and hours of fun, so I highly recommend you go check them out!
In fact, I’m so happy with all the great work the community has done that we’ll be awarding a 100 USD gift card to all 5 creators! Raw Fury will be reaching out to you shortly!
“An old friend’s magical experiment has gone awry, opening a temporal gate that floods the village with unstable energy. To set things right, you’ll journey to the past and the future, solving puzzles and battling foes across time.”
“In this short adventure, you are a Seeker or, more precisely, you aspire to become one. Explore the Beltar Mansion and get to know its residents and guests. Ask questions. Learn secrets. Save a man from something that came crawling from beyond. Prove yourself.”
This one seems a bit unfinished but I appreciate the effort in any case so I’m including it as well.
Updated Toolset
The SkaDE toolset has gotten a major overhaul. I’ve added a bunch of QoL features as well as added in ALL the graphical and audio assets from the core game. Yes you read that right: You can now use all the Skald assets ever created in your projects!
What’s more, I’ve also added a full copy of the main game data on mod.io. This can be used by modders for learning purposes as it allows them to dissect the main game’s data. Check it out!
SkaDE Tool 1.0.3 CHANGE-LOG
Button of selected draw-mode in map editor is highlighted
Keyboard shortcuts are now available for draw modes (hover over button to see the tooltip indicating the shortcut)
There are now options to toggle or un-toggle all draw layers
Loading and saving now uses a more modern interface for file-selection
The editor remembers the last folder you loaded a project from between sessions
Bundled in all the graphical assets from the main game
Touched up the graphical asset preview feature in the editor
Added audio assets (music and FX). These can now we “pre-viewed” (listened to) from the editor
Removed some of the redundant “Go to…” buttons that were connected to fields not referring to objects
CORE GAME 1.0.7c CHANGE-LOG
Fixed issue where certain items were not available when playing modded versions of the main game (such as tomes)
Fixed issue where a few quests were when playing a modded main campaign: “Gnawing at the Roots” and “Lost Sailors”
Ok, that’s it for now! To stay posted, be sure to follow the Skald Twitter, Bluesky and Discord if you haven’t already!
Cheers!
AL
The Skald Data Editing Tool
Ho ho ho!
It's the most wonderful time of the year and I come bearing gifts: The Skald Data Editor tool (SkaDE for short) enters open beta today and YOU'RE invited!
What is it?
In short, the SkaDE toolset is a bundle of tools that I made to make Skald. In other words, they are the actual tools I used to make the game.
What I'm releasing into BETA today is the first step towards bringing these tools to the community. This means that, for now, only a reduced tile-set is available (should be enough to get you started on that Ultima clone you're dreaming about).
You can read more about the tools in the tutorials linked below. Modding also has its own subchannels on the Skald Discord.
Finally, it is worth reiterating that the current version of the tools and the modding implementation in the game itself is in a very early Beta stage. There are a lot of rough edges so be patient.
How to Use the Tool and Get Content
Skald modding lives on mod.io! This is where you'll find all the content created, sample projects and all the tutorials for the SkaDE toolset.
A WORD OF WARNING: You need to swap branches to play the version of the game that supports mods (see guide above). The reason we keep it on the experimental/Beta branches is that the build is less stable that we hoped. This will improve but for now these builds should ONLY be used for testing mods – not general play of the vanilla game.
At the time of writing, there is not really any user-created content up so you may need to check in over the coming weeks. Which leads me to...
A Contest!
The Task
Using the SkaDE tool you are to create a small, playable adventure.
The theme of the adventure shall be “Low Level Adventures” – How does a hero take their first steps to become an adventurer?
The adventure must be based on the SkaDE sample project. Note that this is a nearly empty project and you can change any aspect of it – it’s just a way of ensuring that the scope remains manageable
The adventure must contain both a surface level and a dungeon level (as in the sample project)
There must be both dialogue and combat
There must be 15-30 minutes of gameplay for a “fresh” player (the jury will spend around 20 min with each contribution)
You are free to collaborate!
Winner and Prizes
We'll pick three winners of a Steam gift card to the value of 100 USD. Your submission will also be featured on the devlog.
Our assessment will be based on:
Creativity
Fun of play
Overall impression
How to Submit
Upload the module to the Skald mod.io and use the tag "XMAS CONTEST". Uploading mods is super easy - just remember the tag so that we can find your submissions.
Date
The final date for submission is January 15th.
That should be enough to get you started so head on over to Skald on mod.io and start hacking or go to the Discord to find people to collaborate with!
I'm really excited to see what the community does with this. I'll be putting out more tutorials over Christmas as well (they may be handy for the contest) so keep an eye out for those.
Best of luck and seasons greetings,
AL
Nominate SKALD for the Steam Awards!
Greetings,
Firstly, we want to say a massive thank you for all of your support this year. We're now sitting at over 2,000 Steam Reviews, have received amazing encouragement and feedback from the community and are so pleased to hear players are enjoying playing SKALD with Controller and on Steam Deck!
We know competiton is fierce and there are so many incredible games that have released in 2024, but If you're one of those players who've loved your time with SKALD, we'd humbly request your support in this years' Steam Awards!
We'd humbly like to request your support in the Outstanding Story-Rich Game Awards as we've loved hearing how much you've enjoyed the game's narrative twists and turns and are grateful for all the kind words!
Regardless of where you do cast a vote, though, we wanted to express our appreciation. Launching SKALD has been a dream come true and it wouldn't have been possible without your support.
That's not all from us, though! We've got something really exciting cooking that we'll be talking a lot more about before the end of the year!
AL
1.0.6c Hotfix Patch now available
Greetings Adventurers,
1.0.6c Hotfix Patch is now live.
Patch notes
Disabled being able to change to "window mode" on the Steam Deck
Set Bard HP/level to correct amount (3). For already created characters, the HP amount will adjust next time you level up
Please note that this patch is currently only available for Windows players. The update will arrive on Mac in the coming days. Keep an eye out for your game to update to version Core 1.0.6c.
Steam Deck VERIFIED! Controller Support! New Class & more!
Strum your lutes RPG-fans!
A new major update is out: The Bard class, Steam Deck and controller support, more art, new portraits, raised level-cap and the list goes on (see full version notes at the end of this post).
We’re participating in the Steam Turn-Based RPG Fest this week and this means we’re going on sale with 25% off both the main game and the Reinforcement Pack!
Skald was already value-packed but this is just next level. Buy the game for yourself or as a gift and be sure to take the opportunity to upgrade to the Deluxe edition if you’ve not already done so!
I’m pretty happy to finally get the bard in there. It was one of the most frequently requested new features of the game and I agree that it really felt like something was missing without it. The class is a Rogue subtype that comes with its own, custom magic-school. They even play their lute while casting spells.
And did I mention that we added a good handful of new backgrounds as well?
And in case you’re tired of looking at the same old faces, we also added 11 new portraits for you to select! Huzza!
In addition to adding new portraits, we also took the opportunity to add a bunch of missing illustrations to the game. These are all by MechaBarbarian and I probably don’t need to tell you, they are stunning. Can you find them all?
This one was another frequently requested matter: Full controller and Steam Deck support! We even got the green checkmark from Valve telling you we’re Steam Deck supported.
All in all, I’m super happy with how the game plays using controllers. There’s still a handful of minor idiosyncrasies but RPGs are complicated and there are only so many buttons! I’m sure we’ll iron it out by the next update.
What’s Next?
We’re aiming for a new major update around Christmas. I can’t say too much about it but it’s sure to make a lot of you happy and to keep you entertained for a long time. More info to follow.
I would also like to ensure all the crowdfunding backers who still have outstanding rewards that you’ll be getting more info on this soon. There’s a lot of moving pieces and I just need to be sure not to screw this one up. More info to follow (I promise).
So, what are all the “moving pieces”? Well I can’t really say anything other than that I’m lining up the next project for High North Studios. Sadly, it’ll be some time before I can tell you what it is, but I’ll say this much: If you liked Skald, you’ll LOVE this.
More info to follow!
Version Notes
FEATURES – There are now a good number of different CRT-filters to choose from – The game now natively supports controller play on PC and Steam Deck – You may now use the mouse-wheel to scroll while mousing over menus and text fields – The game’s playability on Steam Deck has been vastly improved – You can now use the move-buttons / left joystick to deploy party members in the pre-combat party placement state (until now you’ve had to use the mouse). – Pressing the “Swap Character” button (‘Q’ / RIGHT BUMPER) in combat, cycles through available targets – Character level cap is raised to 25 – Certain enemies in the late game will now scale past level 20 making the end-game slightly more difficult – Added new Bard class. This includes a new school of spells. – Added new Backgrounds: Entertainer, Laborer, Monastic, Nomad, Snake-Cultist – Fixed a bug where Horryn Guards roam around after you retake the city
ART – Added a dozen new illustrations – Added 10 new player portraits
MISC – Fixed typos – Improved font readability slightly – Song of soothing now heals less HP – Circle of Healing now heals more HP – In general, all healing effects now heal a bit more on average
Project Update: Full Control!
Greetings all!
As summer rolls into fall, it's time for a sign of life!
First of all, I've been a bit quiet over the summer as I've taken the time to rest and recover post-launch. Skald took a lot out of me and I was pretty burned out by the end. Thankfully, the game has been a success so it's been worth it.
However, I have indeed been fully back to work now for a few weeks and things are moving ahead with a new update!
I'll release more details as we get closer but as a little sneak-peak, I can tell you that I'm doing a huge lift for controller and Steam Deck play!
We're also adding a good handful of bug-fixes and minor features as well as adding in some character options, portraits and a dozen illustrations that we didn't have time to get in there before launch.
This update will drop at the end of September (and a week earlier on the experimental branch so stay posted)!
Beyond that, the road-map for the rest of the year is pretty much laid and there is some really cool stuff coming up that I can't wait to share with you! But one thing at the time...
Firstly, we want to take a moment to say a massive thank you to everyone for the support!
SKALD is sat on Overwhelmingly Positive based on over 1,600 reviews, activity is flowing on our social media channels and the feedback we've received has been incredible.
To celebrate, we've taken 10% off SKALD until August 19th! This also applies to the Deluxe Edition which has received a deeper discount, and it means you can get the Reinforcement Pack and Official Soundtrack at 10% off as well! So if you haven't visited the Outer Isles yet, there's never been a better time.
We've also put together a brand new video that shows off additional sections of the game. And we'll have more to talk about in the near future!
Have fun out there!
Got Bugs?
Our Discord community is thriving and very helpful. We have FAQs there as well as a helpdesk and channels dedicated to feedback.
We also check in on the Steam discussions regularly so feel free to leave questions there.
Finally, please consider reporting to the Raw Fury customer support desk. All tickets there also get consolidated and sent to me.
Thank you for your continued support!
AL
Version 1.0.5 is Live - Patch Notes
Version 1.0.5 is LIVE!
Our latest update is now live, please see the version notes below for full details.
Version Notes
MISC
Spellburn's damage no longer scales with Spell Aptitude - Attunement gained does.
The Herald should now be quite a bit harder to kill
The cleric spell Holy Light now purges invisibility
If you've started the quest to find Froggert when you defeat the Father, Marsa will show up in Horryn. She's standing on the main square at the western corner.
FEATURE
Now, by default, right clicking an empty tile does not cause a pop-up to appear with info on the tile's light-level and stealth modifiers. This makes it easier to use the right mouse button to highlight interactable objects. The feature can be turned back on under Settings -> Gameplay -> Show Stealth Info
Screen-shaking effects can now be disabled under Settings -> Display -> Screen Shaking
BUG
Defending condition has wrong timing description ("Lasts until end of combat"). It in fact lasts until the start of next turn.
Hammer of Light, Holy Judgement and Holy Lance did not add Spell Aptitude to the damage output.
The 'S' in "Select a maneuver to perform" flickered between upper and lower case.
The VSYNC setting was not saved between sessions if disabled
For non-numeric difficulty settings (such as "Ignore Encumbrance") the setting was incorrectly shown as "Enabled" in some cases
Trying to adjust VSYNC on Mac should no longer cause the game to freeze
Casting a spell while on a boat on the overland would freeze movement until you selected a new character
During resting and Crafting you could use hotkeys to go to states like the character-sheet or inventory. This has now been disabled as it would cause crafting ingredients to disappear.
Got Bugs?
Our Discord community is thriving and very helpful. We have FAQs there as well as a helpdesk and channels dedicated to feedback.
We also check in on the Steam discussions regularly so feel free to leave questions there.
Finally, please consider reporting to the Raw Fury customer support desk. All tickets there also get consolidated and sent to me.
Thank you for your continued support!
Week 1 Updates and Patch Notes
What a week! Skald went live to sterling reviews from both audience and press! I've been working around the clock since then trying to onboard new community members, staying on top of social media and preparing todays Update (Version 1.0.4d). See below!
Due to the amazing momentum we've been building since launch, we've agreed to extend the launch discount until June 13th. So if you have this game wishlisted, consider picking it up before the summer starts (to help you keep out of the sun)!
Also, if you’re enjoying the game PLEASE consider leaving a review. We’re above 700 reviews now and the Steam algo is all about it so please keep them coming!
NOTE: Some of you may have noticed that we posted and then removed a post very similar to this on Wednesday. This was because we tried to update the game and were very quickly made aware of a bug that interfered with some people’s saves. As a result we rolled back the update as well as the Steam post.
Version 1.0.4d is Live!
As I said, I'm working double time to patch bugs and act on feedback. I've also fixed more typos than I thought humanly possible. V. 1.0.4d should and is the first in a series of updates intended to consolidate the game after launch. We'll keep a rapid cadence for now with no more than 2d7 days between updates. Version notes at the end of this post to avoid spoilers!
Experimental Branch
We've added an experimental branch for Steam - PC. We'll be uploading new builds here about a week in advance of the Default branch and I sure would love to have your help in testing it! To join it, read this! Note that as of today, this week’s experimental branch is in sync with the Default branch. We’ll likely be adding a new experimental build early next week.
Got Bugs? Do you have bugs?
Discord is by far my favorite community and it's thriving and very helpful. We have FAQs there as well as a helpdesk and channels dedicated to feedback. If you have very serious bugs that stop you from playing the game, reach out to me personally in a DM in the Discord @SkaldRPG.
We also patrol Steam discussions constantly so feel free to leave questions there.
Finally, please consider reporting to the Raw Fury customer support desk. All tickets there also get consolidated and sent to me.
VERSION NOTES (SPOILERS)
=== Version 1.0.4d ===
FEATURES:
The life-length of combat pop-ups can be adjusted under Settings -> Gameplay -> Combat Pop-Up Length [Needs Testing]
Whether to give XP to downed characters after combat is now a setting in Settings -> Difficulty -> “XP For Downed Characters”. It is now set to “Enabled” for all difficulties except High.
The recipes listed under and ingredients “Use in” entry are now hyperlinked.
When selecting new spells, you can see all the spells in the relevant school. The spells that are currently locked are marked with a gray padlock.
Feats that increases the tier of a spell school now lists all spell available to that school
MISC:
Added some error checking to achievement setting
Fixed about 150 typos
Slightly improved mouse interactions with multi-tile prop hitboxes.
Made it so that spell aptitude increases both the min and max value of the damage / healing output.
Further worked on improving performance and limiting FPS-drops
Versioning no longer says pre-launch
Made the breath-holding puzzle under the lighthouse easier by adding 1 turn to the breath holding duration
Increased the Vitality provided by healing effects.
I made the ground tiled darker to improve readability and reduce bleeding.
Removed a few unnecessary uses of the “C-word”
BUG:
Pressing the button ‘2’ while naming saves caused the dialogue window to close.
The Steam Cloud file was visible in the save folder
Dropping items on tiles like open doors or on tiles with hidden script triggers did not cause the “bag” icon to show.
Hospitallers could not use heavy armor
Some players had the game start fine and then made a save and quit. Upon starting again the game would hang after the logo reveal – before the menus loaded in.
Ilya in Firgol had “Hound” set as her race.
The issue with the two guards in the cellar under Oleg’s house should not be less pronounced
Some props (like trapdoors) were missing labels (names)
Tried again to fix item weight bug
Circle of mental restoration stunned targets
There was a formatting issue in the credits menu with the Raw Fury names (the tabulation was too big)
Selecting a new character with a potential level up while in the Feat screen did not trigger the level up pop-up
Certain equipable items (jewelry) would be tagged as stackable and equipping them would cause the entire stack to be equipped. These stacks should now be split up upon loading as non-equippable items can be tagged as stackable.
In some very narrow cases, if Iago was somehow knocked out in the Father fight, he would occasionally NOT spawn in the sea-cave after leaving the party.
Fixed a bug where the crafting station in the brewery in Firgol was boxed in.
We fixed a bug where users running Mac Standard builds on Steam were not able to run the game. They would be informed that an executable file was missing.
KNOWN ISSUE
Enabling VSYNC on MacOS causes the title to be unresponsive. Please disable VSYNC.
