We've been monitoring the forums closely since yesterday and found out several very annoying bugs thanks to you. We're rolling out a hotfix in a beta branch to help fix these issues.
How to I switch to the Beta Branch?
Open your Steam Library
Right click Solasta: Crown of the Magister
Click on "Properties"
Select the "Beta" Tab
Select "Springhotfix" in the list
Done! It should now download the update. If not, just close and restart steam
What does it fix?
Fix being unable to save
Fix being unable to load after a game over
Fix being unable to leave Caer Cyflen after the tutorial (you may need to load a previous save)
Fix some crashes occurring when using the Dungeon Maker
Fix Sorak Saboteurs having Sneak Attack when they are supposed to
Fix a crash when starting a fight via proxy spell (like Dancing Light or Flaming Sphere)
Fix some other rare crashes
Note: Being unable to cast spells is not a bug, make sure you have a free hand to cast somatic spells or disable the spellcasting component option in the setting menu.
Why is it on a Beta Branch?
Considering how quickly we rolled out the hotfix, we couldn't extensively test it to make sure everything is stable - however we also didn't want players getting stuck because they can't save during the entire weekend. The safest option for us is thus to release the fix in a Beta Branch, so that those affected can switch to this new version and get the fix, but at the same time if that new version has some other larger problems it doesn't affect the rest of the playerbase.
How can I go back to my previous saves to finish my run from before Spring update
Do the same as above to swap branch, but instead of "Springhotfix", select "Januarypatch"
Note: Be careful, save files from after Spring Update won't be compatible with the old "Januarypatch" version.
Solasta Spring Update & Dungeon Maker - Patch Notes
Hey there folks!
The Spring Update should now be live, with a plethora of changes and new content! With the addition of the difficulty options, side quests and background quests, your Solastan experience is getting closer and closer to the final release. Well bugs and polish aside of course, Early Access has proved quite effective at finding and squashing them so far! But enough talk, it's time to dive into the patch notes.
[previewyoutube="2ZJ89PET_Qg;full"]
Old Save Files are NOT compatible
As stated in our previous articles, due to changes in existing systems save files from previous versions will NOT be compatible with the Spring Update. That said, we're adding a lot of side content in this new update, so restarting a fresh run will give a new experience where you don't have to run after the main quest!
Note that we will put the previous version of the game (January Update) on a separate Steam branch so that you can keep playing with your old saves if you want to. And although one is never safe from a bad surprise during Early Access, save compatibility should hopefully be preserved from the Spring Update onwards.
Spring Patch Sales & Price Increase
Solasta will be discounted when the Spring Update hits the store on March 25th until March 31st, after which the price of the game will increase from $35 to $40 in anticipation of the 1.0 release. This is due to the fact that Steam prevents games from discounting within 30 days of a price increase, so we unfortunately cannot increase the price when 1.0 gets released while also having a launch discount. So if you want to jump in Solasta at Early Access price, make sure you don't miss the Spring Update sales!
New Content / Feature:
The Dungeon Maker (Beta)
[previewyoutube="WkArBjQNIDM;full"] The Dungeon Maker is an in-game tool available directly in the main menu which allows you to create, edit and play custom maps. The video above is a quickstart guide - if you need a more in-depth guide, it is available in our Forums over there.
How do I share the dungeons I created?
You can access your custom dungeon folder by simply clicking the in-game "Browse Files" button in the Dungeon Maker menu. The folder can also be manually found there: C:/User/_YourUserName_/AppData/LocalLow/Tactical Adventures/Solasta/UserContent/Locations Whenever you create a map in the Dungeon Maker, the game will create a .json file containing all the information with the same name there.
Where do I share the dungeons I created?
For the moment we're still working on Steam Workshop Integration. In the meantime, you could always drop by good ol' NexusMod where many other mods are already available (reminder: mods are community driven, Tactical Adventures has no control over them and cannot guarantee that they work properly).
How do I play a dungeon I just downloaded?
Simply copy paste the .json file into you custom dungeon folder, that you can either access by clicking the in-game "Browse Files" button in the Dungeon Maker menu, or manually opening C:/User/_YourUserName_/AppData/LocalLow/Tactical Adventures/Solasta/UserContent/Locations The new dungeon should then appear in-game in the Dungeon Maker list.
Will you update for the Dungeon Maker in the future?
Of course! You might have noticed the Dungeon Maker is still lacking quite a few features, and that's because the Dungeon Maker will still be in beta when we release the full 1.0 version of Solasta (we've got to make sure we wrap up the main campaign properly first). There are tons of things we want to add later - quest systems, dialogs, merchants, more environments... Make sure you tell us what you'd like to see first!
Major Changes:
Tweaks / Improvements
Bugfixes / Others
Known Issues
Next Update?
Aside from hotfixes, we've got our sight now locked onto the final 1.0 release. Keep an eye out for more information about our official launch date!
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Spring Update planned for March 25th!
Hey there folks,
We know you're eager to have a go at Solasta's Spring Update, so we're just going to come clean with the date. You'll be able to enjoy everything we've been talking about the last few weeks on Thursday March 25th - including the brand new Dungeon Maker. Alright, now for more information about this upcoming patch...
Home office perk: Warming your lap with cats. Provides heating and relaxation!
Spring Update Community Stream
As per usual, we'll be hosting a stream on Twitch to accompany the update. Join us on the day before the patch, Wednesday March 24th, at 9 am PDT / 12 pm EDT / 5 pm CET to discover the new content at our side and ask us any question you can think of! The participants this time will be Mathieu, Creative Director, Xavier, Gameplay Director, Pierre, Marketing Director and myself Emile, Community Lead. Make sure to follow us on Twitch so that you don't miss the stream!
We'll mostly be playing around with the Dungeon Maker and show a few sidequests, then we'll be taking requests!
Reminder: Save Files Compatibility!
As stated in the previous update, we want to remind everyone that save files will become incompatible with the Spring Update, so you'll have to start fresh! For those who want to finish their current run, we will put the previous version of the game (January Update) on a separate Steam branch so that you can keep playing if you want to.
Background Quests
In this Spring Update, we'll be solidifying and enlarging the foundations of the house rather than building a new floor. For those who aren't used to having bards or pompous wizards in their party, that meant we won't be adding new quests to the main campaign in this update, to avoid spoiling too much of the story before the release of the full game.
... Well, truth be told we are adding a bit more to the main campaign: you'll now be able to come back from the Wizard's Tower and talk to the Council at Caer Cyflen, after which if you try to continue the main storyline you'll meet the End of Early Access message. But this time, it won't send you to the main menu - you'll be free to explore the world and take on side quests! Indeed, you will no longer be limited to the main story quests, with the addition of 8 backgrounds quests which will give you a little more insight about the past of your party members, depending on the backgrounds you picked during Character Creation. Those quests are fully fleshed out with dialogs and new locations, and will be available at different times.
The Aristocrat Quest will drag you into a little conflict about inheritance, but not everyone will play fair...
The Lowlife Quest will make use of your former connections to find something that was stolen, though you might run into a bit of trouble too...
Note that the background quests are not equal in difficulty (some unlock much earlier than others) - and may be challenging if tackled immediately when unlocked! We still need to polish the difficulty there, so we're looking forward to your feedback on these newly added background quests. Also, for those who may not remember the Wizard's Tower is the location that previously marked the end of the Early Access.
Adventuring Board
The Background Quests isn't the only thing that will make you squeeze more hours out of Solasta (well, aside from the Dungeon Maker and the custom dungeons people will be making). We now have an Adventuring Board where you can take a break from saving the world and get to help the local populace! These small quests will encourage you to go back to previously visited locations and will feature new encounters. Now don't worry - while these quests will help you get some more experience and items, you can absolutely focus on the main campaign and forget about them if that's not your thing.
I get to slay more monsters AND I get paid for it? I love this job.
Caer Lem after the outpost has been re-established and (tentatively) repared
Let's Talk Difficulty
Are you scared that all of these changes we previously talked about will be making the game too easy? My oh my, don't be. First of all, remember that we're adding difficulty settings in this update - meaning that if you find the game too simple, don't hesitate to crank up a few notches.
You can find Difficulty Settings in the "Game" Tab when changing the settings
Second, keep in mind we still need to do a final balance pass before the full release of the game - so some encounters that you consider too easy or too hard may very well be different when 1.0 hits the store, nothing is set in stone. While some fights may be easy on purpose (for story reasons or simply because we know the next long rest is still quite far away), some simply haven't been revisited yet by the design team.
Third... Some bosses will now have access to legendary actions. For those who may not be familiar with the tabletop ruleset, some powerful creatures have access to legendary actions which allow them to act outside of their turn - usually right after a party member acts. In the Early Access, the two bosses with legendary actions are Aksha and Razvan - you will need to tackle these fights with care or you'll regret it!
Aksha using a Legendary Action to cast Dark Veil outside her own turn
Remember that you can change the different difficulty sliders (not just the preset) at any time, even during combat. If an encounter is particularly tough, don't hesitate to tune down a few difficulty options and revert them to normal after the fight is over. Note: Currently all the settings, including difficulty ones as you can change them at any time, are saved game-wide. This means if you set your game difficulty to "Scavenger" and load a save, you will still be in "Scavenger" difficulty regardless of what the difficulty setting was when you made that save.
You can change a whole lot of things, including attack modifiers if you feel like it's too hard to hit your foes
Preserve Random Seed - Changing the Timeline
In this update, we have decided to turn "Preserve Random Seed" off by default when launching Solasta for the first time (it used to be on by default). Too many players were unaware of this being an option and were struggling in some encounters where they had a really rough start, making them think the RNG gods were dancing on their grave by forcing them to roll poorly.
For some who may not understand what "Preserve Random Seed" did, think of it like time travel. When activated, you stay in the same timeline: If you look through the window and see a bird landing on a branch, then go back in time and look through the window again, you'll see the same bird landing on that same branch at the same moment. However when deactivated, you go into a different timeline every time you load - whenever you'll look through the window, the bird may not land on the same branch, it may be a different bird, or there might be no bird whatsoever. To go back to Solasta: with "Preserve Random Seed" on, if you roll 5 on your attack roll and reload, you'll roll 5 again on that same attack every time (the timeline remains the same). With "Preserve Random Seed" off, you may roll a 12 after reloading, or 18, or 2, or even 5 again.
This is where you can find Preserve Random Seed in the option menu
This means before the patch, some unlucky players ended up with terrible rolls on their first round and had one character die straight away, making them reload and... see the same things happening again. Now with the option off by default, this will no longer be the case. You might wonder, why was it on by default in the first place? Well, almost all tacticals - such as XCOM, or Final Fantasy Tactics - preserve random seed. There are multiple of reasons why. For instance, it encourages players to not reload every time they have a bad roll (since the player knows they can't get out of it), saving time in the long run and making them play with the consequences of their action. It also encourages the player to change their approach instead of brute forcing the save/reload option for better rolls - if a frontal confrontation doesn't work out, maybe it's time to use the dodge action on that frontline fighter and not just keep pressing that attack button, or cast Shield of Faith for more AC instead of Guiding Bolt for more damage.
That being said, we also understand that most RPGs don't have the issues it brings up - and Solasta is a Tactical RPG, not just a tactical, which is why we've decided to turn that option off by default. We invite everyone to give your feedback on that decision, as our hearts still waver between the two options for the full release - both having strong arguments for and against. Note that "Preserve Random Seed" will always be available in the game settings, we're just talking about the default setting of that option.
Bug Fixes for Everyone!
As usual when we release a large patch, it will be full of bug fixes! Things like Rangers and Paladins not being able to use scrolls, fear and paralysis not allowing you to roll a saving throw at the end of each turn or the game sending the cleric instead of the rogue to disarm traps should now hopefully be a thing of the past. Clear the way old bugs, and make way for new bugs that the Spring Update will bring - hopefully smaller and less annoying ones though.
Achievements Incoming (WIP)
Some of you may have noticed a lone hidden achievement popping up a few weeks ago on Solasta. That was us testing around to make sure the system was working properly (unfortunately, Steam achievements can only be tested live). Now, you can probably imagine what's coming next!
We're still missing the icons for now, but don't worry everything will be ready by the time we release the full game!
Achievements, that's what! Yes that was quite obvious, I know. The entire list of achievements will be coming to Steam and GOG in the Spring Update, although they are still being worked on - the icons and localization are still missing for now, though they are still 100% functional (meaning you can unlock them normally). Note that not all achievements can be... well... achieved, due to the fact that some require you to complete quests that are not available in the Early Access version of Solasta, so you'll have to wait until the full launch to get these ones. Regardless, have fun hunting them down!
Spring Update Discount & Price Increase
Solasta will be discounted when the Spring Update hits the store on March 25th until March 31st, after which the price of the game will increase from $35 to $40 in anticipation of the 1.0 release. This is due to the fact that Steam prevents games from discounting within 30 days of a price increase, so we unfortunately cannot increase the price when 1.0 gets released while also having a launch discount. So if you want to jump in Solasta at Early Access price, make sure you don't miss the Spring Update sales!
Alright folks, this is the end for today! See you on March 25th - or 24th if you're joining our Dev Stream. Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Spring Update, coming soon! What's in it?
Hey hey hey,
Now that the Dungeon Maker has been revealed, it's time for more good news. We will be releasing a Spring Update soon - in a matter of weeks! Exciting news isn't it, now stay with me for a bit longer to read about the upcoming content that you'll be able to enjoy... At least some of it! You'll have to come back next week for a date and the rest of the exciting changes we'll be bringing to Solasta now that Winter is over!
As you can see here, the entire Tactical Adventures team is hard at work to bring you the Spring Update
Important Note: Save Files Compatibility!
Unfortunately as you may well remember, we've always said that there might be a point during Early Access where save files become incompatible with a new update... And this will be the case for the Spring Update. As we revamped many systems in the background, we had to break things to move forward.
Now the good thing is, this should be the only time it happens before the 1.0 launch - and on top of that, load times are now significantly faster. Also, we're adding a lot of side content in this new update, so restarting a fresh run will give a new experience where you don't have to run after the main quest!
For those who want to finish their current run, we will put the previous version of the game (January Update) on a separate Steam branch so that you can keep playing if you want to.
Dungeon Maker, coming through!
Many of you have been asking when you would be able to try out the Dungeon Maker - well, wonder no more! The Dungeon Maker will be included in the Spring Update, and will be directly accessible from the in-game main menu. Keep in mind that we're working on the Dungeon Maker and that it will still be in beta when Solasta 1.0 launches, as we're still prioritizing the main campaign above all!
[previewyoutube="WkArBjQNIDM;full"]
Here's a screenshot of the updated Dungeon Maker UI, which will be available in the upcoming update
As a reminder, you can read more about the Dungeon Maker in our previous article, which goes over several questions regarding the tool. Our interview with Wccftech is also a good source of information as it is fairly lengthy and detailed!
New Martial Feats
An important feedback we received from players was that most of our feats were just too passive - a flat bonus here and there, but nothing that would really change how you would play a character. So we went back to the drawing board to bring a new set of feats (as well as adjusting some existing ones)!
Longsword in one hand, Rapier in the other. With Ambidextrous, those d6 are turning into d8!
Our goal here was twofold - to give martial classes more options to use their bonus action and reaction, and to differentiate weapons playstyle. Dual wielders now have access to Ambidextrous and Twin Blade to increase both their offensive and defensive options, Two-handers can now dish out even more punishment with Follow-Up Strike, Shield users can now use their shield to greater effect against ranged attacks with Raise Shield, and every melee combattant benefits from Rush to Battle to catch up to pesky ranged opponents. Ranged characters can now also have a decent shot no matter the circumstances with Take Aim, and even spellcasters are receiving some love with buffs to Powerful Cantrip and Uncanny Accuracy.
While not everything might be perfectly balanced in these new options, we hope you'll give us plenty of feedback to finetune them - and most of all, we hope you'll have fun with them!
With Follow-Up Strike you get to smash things more often, which in my book is always a win.
Level Cap Increased to 8
The Spring Update will also increase the level cap from 6 to 8, which will unlock the following:
Here's a little level 5 Wall of Flame to warm up the room! (warning: friendly fire may occur)
Hunting Down the Early Game Difficulty Curves
Throughout the Winter Update we've seen a lot of players struggle against Soraks - and while our reptilian foes are supposed to be challenging, we don't want them to become frustrating either. There are two particular difficulty spikes early on that we identified: one being the first time you face a Sorak party when trying to escape Caer Lem (in front of the firecamp), and two being when you fight a large group of them after the library in the Tower of Magic.
To make things a little more fair, we've removed one Sorak from both of these encounters to start with. Originally we expected the "surprise round" in these encounters to have a greater impact in leveling the playing field, but at the end of the day those fights were still a little too tough. Note that if you find these fights too easy as a result, you can always pump up the challenge by tweaking the difficulty settings that will be added in the Spring Update.
This encounter which previously featured 3 Warriors and 3 Saboteurs (6) is now 2 Warriors, 2 Saboteurs and 1 Skirmisher (5)
There are many other encounters that we will tweak before launch, and not always to make them easier (for instance some of the later boss fights are a little too simple). However, most won't be included in the Spring Update as we want to prioritize finishing the entire campaign before polishing the rough edges. We've also seen some more experienced tabletop players talking about encounter balance using CR. This is definitely something we're keeping an eye on, but keep in mind that fights play out very differently on Tabletop and in a video game. This is why even though some encounters may be considered deadly when checking a CR encounter calculator, they seem very manageable in Solasta - monster AI, unlike human Dungeon Masters, don't adapt very well on the fly, and they can be far more predictable.
Revising the Soraks
Another issue in general with the Soraks is that their stat bloc didn't mesh well with their intended CR level. This is partially because we originally designed the Soraks as if they were a playable race with class levels and such - which is a little bit of an older mindset dating back to the 3rd edition. Consequently, Soraks had similar traits to low level adventurers, with relatively low HP but high defensive capabilities (both AC and Saving Throws) - which were further boosted by the Child of Darkness buff when not under bright light conditions.
That brought up two major issues:
So once again, back to the drawing board we went - this time taking more time in comparing them with 5e monsters of similar CR. As a result, we further fleshed out our different Sorak archetypes to give them more specific roles. Note that these won't necessarily make them easier to face - some may even end up deadlier than before!
You won't be confusing them with each other anymore! Read below for more explanation on what changed
Sorak Skirmisher: The Skirmisher was a little too dangerous for its CR (1/2), especially since it was difficult to catch with its Shadow Escape power and the fact that it hid behind its beefier friends. As a consequence, we slightly lowered its AC, Dexterity Saving Throw, Attack Bonus and Damage Bonus, and its poison now deals 1d4 instead of 1d6. Its role remains to stay far and chip away the party's HP.
Sorak Warrior: Up until now, the Warrior felt like a bigger Skirmisher with very similar stats and slightly higher HP. To differentiate it from its ranged counterpart, the Sorak Warrior is now a big beefcake, with significantly more HP but less AC and a significantly weaker ranged attack (no poison). Its role is reinforced into blocking the party from reaching more juicy targets behind it, but itself will be a little less dangerous than before.
Sorak Saboteur:The Saboteur remains in its role of mobile melee damage dealer, with a nerf to their Dexterity Save which used to go through the roof and a little less poison damage (d4 instead d6) on their bite attack. It already had a fairly defined role compared to the two previous archetypes, as it trades its ranged attack with mobility, Doom Laughter and Call of the Night.
Child of Darkness buff now scales, making it less of a headache to deal with at lower levels
Most importantly we've made adjustments to the Child of Darkness buff, which now scales with the type of Sorak. Low CR Soraks like the Skirmisher, Warrior and Saboteur will receive a smaller buff overall (+1 instead of +2), and only when in Darkness (not in Dim Light) - while higher CR Soraks like the Acolyte will get a small buff in Dim Light, but a larger one in Darkness. Get your torches out folks!
All in all these changes should make fights against Soraks not necessarily much easier, but at least a little less RNG dependent. We invite you to give feedback once the Spring Update comes out to help us further fine tune them!
And what else? What else!
Ohhh plenty more, but you'll have to come back next week to know! Can't have everything be spoiled straight away :D
Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Dungeon Maker Showcase - Create your own Dungeons!
Hey there folks,
You wanted it, we wanted it - modding tools to create your very own adventures in Solasta. We didn't make any promises back during our Kickstarter as we weren't sure we'd be able to make it before launch... But today we're happy to announce the Dungeon Maker - a map editor that will be accessible in-game to each and everyone of you! And we're not just making promises with a few screenshots here - here's a full video to show you what the Dungeon Maker is, and how it works!
[previewyoutube="WkArBjQNIDM;full"] Will the Dungeon Maker be fully complete when Solasta 1.0 launches? No, the Dungeon Maker will be in a beta state for quite some time - even after the 1.0 launch of Solasta. In order to have a playable version of the Dungeon Maker and avoid putting the main game at risk, we've decided to start small and add features as we go (rather than being too ambitious from the start).
What are the current features of the Dungeon Maker?
What are the future features planned for the Dungeon Maker? Provided we see people using the Dungeon Maker, we plan to add a Quest system, Merchants and other environments. After that... time will tell!
Can I import my own monsters / items in the Dungeon Maker? No, at least not using the official Dungeon Maker tool on its own. That being said, it might become possible through the use of other community-created mods, as some have already started to create new classes and archetypes - so new items / monsters may not be an impossibility in the long run!
Where can I share my creation / download other people's Dungeon Maker maps? While Solasta will eventually be on Steam Workshop later, in the meantime you could always take a look at Nexusmod - where you can already find mods from community members adding new feats, archetypes and other creative ideas! Note that we (Tactical Adventures) do not guarantee anything when it comes to user created mods - some may not work at all.
When will the Dungeon Maker be available? Soon! That's all we can tell you for now :D
A little glimpse at the Adventure Book
Many of you Kickstarter Backers have been asking about the progress of our physical goods. We're happy to announce that we've finished working on the digital version of the Adventure Book - a short adventure included in the Adventure Box - and will be moving onto completing the Adventure Box next, before starting the layout of the main Solasta Setting Sourcebook (which currently sports a meaty 180 pages!)
This short adventure will take your party from level 1 to level 4 by diving deep into the Ruins of Carillach Gar!
The Adventure Book should contain everything to help new DMs run their adventure without additional material
Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Cracking Open The Difficulty Settings
Hey there folks!
This week we'll be rolling Intelligence (Investigation) checks on the Difficulty Settings of Solasta. We briefly talked about them in a previous update, but it's time to get into the nitty gritty details - this way you'll know exactly your options at launch!
But before that, let's give a warm hello to our 3D Programmer's sleepy doggo, Newt.
Preset Difficulty Settings
As with most games nowadays, we will be offering you a few preset difficulty settings to choose from when you start a new adventure. Note that each of those preset can be manually adjusted at any time during your campaign (we'll be going into more details in the next section).
Iron Man has not yet been implemented, but we haven't forgotten about it!
Story Mode, as its name implies, allows players who are not familiar with RPGs to simply enjoy the story. In this mode, damage taken by your party will be severely reduced and you will receive bonuses on most of your dice rolls, as well as having your character automatically revive at the end of each fight. Some features are disabled, among which needing food to rest, having to roll concentration checks when hit and spellcasting being restrained by the spell components.
Explorer Mode offers a more difficult challenge already. While the party still retains some bonuses to their rolls and a slight damage reduction, monsters will mostly be operating at full capacity so don't lure yourself into thinking that it will be a walk in the park. For players who aren't so familiar with the tabletop ruleset, Explorer Mode might be a good starting place.
Authentic Mode is the game as we, the Tactical Adventures crew, play it. No modifiers, true RNG dice rolls that will make you curse the gods for making you miss 5 times in a row - only you, your characters, and the computer as a cold merciless DM.
If you feel like the game is going too easy on you, Scavenger is here to spice things up!
Scavenger Mode will go beyond, making monsters slighter tougher... but much more vicious! At that level of difficulty, monsters will start attacking unconscious characters to finish them off, try to shove characters off cliffs and use powerful moves more frequently (still within the ruleset limits though).
Cataclysm Mode is there for those who've played the game in and out and are looking for the ultimate challenge. Monsters at this stage are not only vicious, they are also incredibly beefed up - on top of which your party will receive 50% more damage from any source. Prepare to die... A LOT.
Custom Difficulty - Battle
As mentioned above, you will be able to pick and choose difficulty settings to your liking - and you'll be able to do so whenever you want, even in the middle of a fight if you feel like things are getting too tough or too easy!
Health Multiplier in action! Slap some extra HP on them mobs if they die too quickly for your taste.
+10 bonus to attack rolls? Parry this you filthy casual.
Are they gone now? No no no I wasn't dead, I was merely pretending.
Custom Difficulty - Health & Rest Settings
What do you mean, "am I cheating"? I absolutely rolled 10 on every single level up, promise!
Custom Difficulty - Inventory
There are three different options for the Encumbrance Rule(default: Solasta)
Loot goblins rejoice, you can pick up everything and render Scavengers obsolete! They are now unemployed! Are you happy, you heartless monsters?
Why yes, casting magic is complicated my good man! Without the proper conditions I cannot make miracles happen
Custom Difficulty - Dice Rolls
There are two options for the Random Mode (default: True Random)
Other than that, there are two other options that impact the Dice Roll:
Deactivate that option and save-scum away! No one's judging you, it's a single player game
Custom Difficulty - Story
Honestly though, slowly filling your Poked... - I mean bestiary - on your own is a pretty fun thing to do!
Custom Difficulty - Exploration
That's for all of you folks out there who can't find the damn Manacalon Rosary. Where the hell is it?!
Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Dev Diary #28 - Side Quests, Monsters and... Digging?
Hey there folks!
Following a bit of misunderstanding from our article 2 weeks ago, we've decided to rename our Dev Updates to Dev Diaries - so that people don't end up thinking they were linked with actual game patches. For those who've only started following us recently, we've been calling this line of articles Dev Updates from the very start - as they were updates on what the Tactical Adventures crew was working on. However since "Update" could also be viewed as a "Game Update" (or patch) now that the game is actually available on Steam, it was understandably making some people confused. Anyway enough prattling, let's move on to the meat and potatoes of this week!
That's it, you can stop reading now. We all know what you're really here for.
Side quests, reporting for duty!
Now that we've have a sizeable chunk of the main campaign playable, we've started working on adding some side quests into the mix! This should hopefully alleviate the feeling of the game being too linear, forcing you to rush down the main quest from one mission to another. That being said remember that Solasta is not intended to be an open world game - side quests are meant to enhance the overall experience, which is still focused on the main campaign.
Here's a little glimpse into one of the 8 Background Quests, which availability will depend on your characters' background
We plan to have two major types of side quests in Solasta. The first type, shown in the screenshot above, are fairly elaborate quests with cutscenes and oftentimes handcrafted levels - for instance, Background Quests and the Legendary Quest mentioned in last week's article. The second type are more straightforward quests with little in the way of narration, such as pickup quests asking you to clear a pack of monsters in an old location you've already visited for example. Those are mostly here to give you a little break from the story and encourage you to visit (or revisit) locations to make sure you're not missing out some cool loot and experience. That said, do not worry - you can absolutely ignore all of that and focus on the main quest if you prefer.
Another peek, this time looking at another Background Quest under construction. Let's see if you can recognize it once it is implemented in-game!
Digging a hole
No, I don't mean you - put the shovel away. Let me tell you a little story, one about the early days of Solasta. Originally, when we talked about the 3D aspect of Solasta, we dreamt big - we wanted creatures flying in the sky, swimming in the water, breaking through walls and burrowing underground. Now as always, when you have to sit down and actually make the game, you need to scope and prioritize so that you don't end up running out of time and money with a half-finished mess on your hands.
This is why of everything I mentioned above, flying is the only thing that made it into the game so far - although trust me, we really, really wanted that minotaur to be able to charge through and pulverize thin walls, but we just couldn't fit that in. And it is also why we've had creatures that can burrow in our design bucket for such a long time!
Now, before you go and get hyped about creatures actually being able to move under the map (as if they were flying, but inside the ground), let me cut that short. We thought about it, and it was creating a whole lot of problems - problems which we wouldn't have time to solve, such as creating an entirely new pathfinding AI just for these creatures so that they don't end up getting stuck between two rocks because the level isn't completely flat. Instead, burrowing will work like this.
No, giant burrowing Minotaurs won't happen. This is just us testing the feature.
Now you just have to imagine the monster not being a minotaur, having a burrowing animation and some FX of soil flying around as it burrows in / out of the ground. What do you mean, "that's everything"? You want me to curse your dice rolls with bad RNG, is that it?
Here come the Redeemers, the bane of all spellcasters!
I want to see it move
Now when we show you new monsters in Dev Diaries, it's sometimes hard to picture how they will really look like once they are implemented in-game. Which is why our lead animator has made a few gifs for us to share with you!
Swiggity swooty I'm comin' for that booty
Did I mention it can swallow you whole if it grapples you?
A little work in progress animation of our big fat Ogre playing around with his javelin.
A little side of art to go with with that?
As our Art Team has been very productive, it would be a shame to leave you without a little bit of everything they did during the last few weeks. Feast your eyes upon these babies!
Wait, I thought you were joking when you said "the floor is lava".
I'm always impressed by the level of details that goes into the props made by our 3D Environment Artist
Banishment, 4th level Abjuration spell
Death Ward, 4th level Abjuration spell
Dimension Door, 4th level Conjuration spell
Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Kickstarter Rewards - February Update
Hi there you beautiful people!
Today we'll be talking about something a little different than usual - we're going to be showing the advancement of our Kickstarter rewards (both digital and physical). While not everyone may be directly affected by it, you might still find it interesting to know how certain things came to be in the final game!
When kitty demands attention, work can wait.
Stretch Goals
If you've launched Solasta recently, you know that most stretch goals such as the additional classes (Paladin & Ranger), backgrounds (Lawkeeper & Academic) and ancestry (Half-Elf) are already available in-game. But what about the rest?
Full Orchestral OST: For those who aren't following us on Twitter, you probably aren't aware that we've just started our orchestral recording a few days ago. Percussions, brass instruments, wind instruments and cord instruments (as well as vocals) will be recorded separately over the next week - and with a bit of luck, we should be able to share with you a behind-the-scene video made by our audio partner G4F! In the meantime, enjoy a few pictures from the first recording sessions.
Drums are done, brass instruments are next!
Epic Quest: As this optional quest will pit you against the monster voted for by the community during the Kickstarter Campaign - a very dangerous CR 11 Remorhaz, it should not be attempted until during the later stages of the game. In its current iteration (remember that before the game launches in 1.0 there are always chances that changes can be made), you will be teaming up with good old Merton to venture deep into the Badlands, into the temple of a long forgotten god...
Think of the treasure though! Riches beyond imagination, power beyond belief!
Sorcerer Class: As a reminder, we have promised the Sorcerer as a free post-launch DLC - and we haven't forgotten about it! In the months following the 1.0 release of Solasta: Crown of the Magister, we will be working on releasing the Sorcerer class - along with other things...
The winds of magic welcome the Draconic Bloodlines, the Mana Painters and the Children of the Rift.
Digital Backer Rewards
World Map Digital File: Someone once said "Explorers are never lost, they just do accidental field work" - and trust me, you're going to be doing a lot of field work in the Badlands. Keep in mind that the World Map will only cover the regions explored in Solasta: Crown of the Magister, the actual world of Solasta is actually much vaster than that.
Current version of the .PSD file which will be made available at launch to backers (missing labels and locations for now).
Monument of the Dead: The Cataclysm left many unsung heroes in its wake - be it brave soldiers who stood against the Soraks, unwavering healers who treated uncountable wounded people or selfless travelers who stayed behind to guide as many refugees as they could. While most were forgotten with the passage of time, some names were recorded and engraved into the Monument of the Dead.
3D Concept Art of the Monument of the Dead which will appear in-game, where the name of some backers will be engraved
Dev Documents: Those lucky enough to have the Dev Documents in their Tier rewards will get a selection of various behind-the-scene files to enjoy. Note that there is a lot of very, very bad humour and french puns. Consider yourself warned.
Yes, that is a legit slide from one of our bi-weekly internal reviews. We do love our pets and memes.
Backer Character Creator Names: Here is the backers' addition to the random names generated in the Character Creator. Note that they will only appear depending on the gender and ancestry of the character - and keep in mind that changes can always happen between now and the 1.0 release.
Backer NPC Names: Here are the 20 NPCs you will be meeting during your journey that were named by backers (changes may yet occur): Karel Martel, Gorim Ironsoot, Hugo Requer, Bagmordah, Verissa Ironshell, Bradford Ravensworth, Kebra, Rogrok, Estalla Mertvykh, Lizzaria, Adam the Twelfth, Circe Geraoidin, Elderen, Kythaela Wildspring, Gromnir Stonefist, Razan Holarant, Atma Bladeburn, Bitterroot, Mogo the Poor, Mardracht.
Welcome to Gorim's Emporium, held by the one and only Gorim Ironsoot.
Backer Location Names: The 4 locations named by backers are the tavern (Gravekeep's Cask), the road between Masgarth and the Badlands (Copperhead Road), as well as two yet undisclosed locations (Sentharyllian & Hickory Corner Wood).
You arrive at the tavern of the... uh... Drowned... Crow... Yea... Improvising names is my bane as a DM.
Backer NPC Faces: There are 2 NPCs whose face will be based on pictures sent by backers, but for now they are still being worked on!
Hey there chap, you know who you are! Or at least I hope...
Backer Magic Items: There are currently 2 magic items created by backers - powerful items that you will likely be finding later in the game. One of them, the Staff of Metis, has already been completed, while the other (the Cog of Cohh) is still being worked on.
Concept Art for different versions of the Staff of Metis
Backer Statue: There will be one statue in-game based on a backer. We haven't quite decided where to place it yet, but it won't be hard to find!
Testing different textures in-game with the statue, as it dates from before the Cataclysm
Physical Backer Rewards
As a reminder, physical rewards will be sent within 3 months of the game's 1.0 release. This is still quite a fair bit away, so please bear with us!
Solasta Setting Sourcebook: Sporting a hefty 80,000 words, the Solasta Setting Sourcebook is currently being reviewed and edited before going into layout (to make it look good). With tons of information about the different factions and countries, the history of this broken world and its inhabitants - but also large sections covering the new Solastan archetypes and ancestries adapted to tabletop - this book should quench your curiosity regarding the setting in which Solasta: Crown of the Magister takes place. Take note that there will be quite a large amount of design changes in the gameplay sections compared to the video game in order to take into accounts the intricacies of tabletop implications, such as the ability to multiclass and balancing with existing archetypes in mind.
We can't wait to show you the final product! This is going to be fantastic!
Adventure Box: The Adventure Box, containing all you need to run the short level 1-4 adventure The Ruins of Carillach Gar, is also still being finalized. The 16,000 words (40+ pages) adventure booklet itself has already been reviewed and validated - and will soon be going into Layout. It will also include pre-made characters you know and love - Vigdis, Violet, Garrad and Rhuad, the party from the Kickstarter Demo The Ruins of Telema (which chronologically happens after The Ruins of Carillach Gar).
The Kickstarter crew is back in action! Of course you can also roll your own characters for this adventure if you prefer.
Paintings: A few backers will also receive a painting from our Art Director! Here is the first one he painted quite some time ago, our good old fighter Garrad.
I'm really impatient to see how the other members of the team will turn out!
And that's it! There are a few other rewards which we haven't talked about, such as the OST vinyl or the small magic items, but as we don't have anything to show for these at the moment we prefer not to clutter this already fairly long news!
Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Dev Update #27 - What's cooking beyond Wizard's Tower?
Hey there folks!
With all the recent patch notes and other articles about community feedback and bug fixing, we haven't been showing you a lot of new stuff lately. This is something we intend to fix... today, now, this very round! In fact, stop whatever you're doing and roll initiative, we're getting right down to business!
... But first, here's our weekly cat allowance.
Fire in the Hole!
You know it, we know it, the adventure does not end at the Wizard's Tower. Your party will be going ever deeper into the Badlands, entering orc territory next. Now, there are tons of things we'd love to share with you - but we also do not wish to spoil everything, which is why you'll have to make do with a few pictures for now!
Step forward brave adventurers, and enter our lair...
Hope you don't mind the heat! Oh and watch your footing, or pray you succeed your Dexterity saving throw.
Welcome home, such as it is. This squalid hamlet, these corrupted lands... wait wrong game I'm being told.
"But what will it look like in-game?" I hear you asking. Well ask no more, that right there is a screenshot.
Preparing a New Batch of Monsters
Goblins and Ghosts, Ghosts 'n Goblins... I'm sure you want some new foes to face by now, right? This is why we've been hard at work on a new monster... the female orc!
What's better than orcs? More orcs!
Alright alright lower your pitchforks, sheesh! Guess that's what I get for dumping Charisma, can't roll a good Performance check to save my life. Jokes aside, we now have female orcs ready to go for when your party meets the orc tribes later during the campaign. And let me tell you, if you expect orcs to simply be savage monsters, you'll be in for a shock.
Storm, Earth and Fire, heed my call!
Without any transition, give a warm welcome to our new elemental friends! Wait... what's that? Sorry, I'm being told they might not be as friendly as I first expected. Fighting might occur, deadly injuries might ensue - consider yourself warned.
What's 40 feet long, CR 11 and devours adventurers for breakfast?
If you answered "Remorhaz", you are correct! Everyone else go back to studying the Monster Manual, it will be on the next test so pay attention during class. This mighty beast was introduced to Solasta by the community during our Kickstarter campaign, and will take a lot of preparation to take down. Able to swallow its target whole with a simple bite, the Remorhaz has spelled the end of many would-be heroes.
Giant beetles? Were giant spiders not enough?
For those who joined the Solastan community recently, you might be a little confused by the picture above. Giant beetles? What are those? Well, say hello to your spellcasters' new nightmare: the Redeemers. These gigantic insects, originally created by the old elven empire, thrived in the Badlands in the absence of their former masters - and they have evolved in some of the worst way possible.
My Tailor is Rich!
For our non-French friends, know that for some reason this was one of the first english sentence we would be taught back in the old days. And yes, it served as much as you would expect (hint: as much as a barbarian dip in a high level wizard build). Anyway, lore dump aside we have good news for you. Our magic armours are now looking better than ever, which will distinguish them from their regular counterpart!
Now you can slay while looking dapper! No, that does not mean I'm giving you a bonus in Charisma for free though.
Putting That Code to Work
While our Art team produces most of what we usually show in our Dev Updates, it's good to remember that our programmers are still hard at work. We've recently implemented quite a few improvements, such as preventing different characters from stacking onto one another while exploring or having characters orient themselves towards their enemy when taking a hit. That being said, one of the biggest improvements we're currently adding to the game are difficulty options. We've been talking about it for quite some time, but we've just now implemented it in-game - see for yourself! We'll go into more details in a future article about everything you can switch on and off in those settings.
What options do you want? All of them. You get to pick and choose what you want.
A Few Spells for the Road?
It's been quite some time since we shared some new spells, hasn't it? Those were good times. So good in fact that I've got some available to go around.
Grease, 1st level conjuration spell
Silence, 2nd level illusion spell
Sleet Storm, 3rd level conjuration spell
Alright folks, this is the end for today! Thank you for reading, and don't hesitate to drop by our Forums or our Discord Server.
Read our previous articles here:
Article by Tactical Myzzrym
Solasta January Patch - Patch Notes
Hey there again folks,
It's time for the January Patch! This small update should work out most out the bugs released with December's Winter Update, as well as a few others that thrived in our game since our Early Access came out in October. This means... it's patch note time!
But before that, say hello to Newt! She's growing so fast!
Patch Download Size
As we often see people complaining about the size of each update, I'd like to clarify once more why you're more or less re-downloading the entire game every time. Long story short, due to how Unity works (the engine Solasta is running on) we've had to make a choice between longer loading time, or bigger patch download size - and considering we're not too keen on making loading screens even longer than they already are, we've prefered to choose the latter. That's pretty much the short version of it :(
