Striving for Light

Improvements:

• Eternal Sands trap is now much smaller and moves much slower.
  

Fixes:

• Fixed descent defense tower not being healed up when it get defeated
  
• Decreased tidal crab AoE hitbox size to prevent unfair player hits
  
• Fixed wrong audio bus for bloodstained chest sound effects
  
• Fixed wrong audio bus for corrupted merchant boss
  
• Controller input information is now on stats window and skill gem window is now hidden when now playing with controller
  
• Fixed missing tag for "Ascend" map mod
  
• Fixed unlock weapons/skills dialog being removed from unlock npcs in town which had to be re-triggered on activating introduction dialog
  
• Fixed descent expedition UI scaling on other language settings
  

Improvements:

• Phoenix fire line AoE attacks have been redesigned
  
• Void enemies have received redesigned AoE effects
  
• Cave enemies have received redesigned AoE effects
  
• Plenty of enemy AoE effects have been redesigned (Izamuth, map bosses, ...)
  
  
  
  
  

Balancing:

• Descent Defense tower upgrades now do not get reset when the tower gets destroyed. This should make the Descent Defense event easier later during your run.
  

Fixes:

• Fixed stats window re-opening when entering the skilltree if it has been closed with crafing or skill gem button in previous skill tree sessions
  
• Fixed language setting not being saved and reset on game restart
  
• Fixed smith and librarian triggering dialog at first interaction that not enough light is available to unlock new weapons/skills, even though you have enough light
  
• Fixed wrong assigned minimap icon for awakened gatekeeper leaderboard stone in town
  

🌟Improvements:

• Improved Softcore Mode: When you die on softcore all world events are deactivated to prevent you from re-dying when re-spawning on bloodstained chest border for example or getting you locked into a specific event
  
• Void trap now has an indicator for the orbit of the trap crystal to make it easier to predict the trap movement
  
• Implemented further checks if data from our server API's is corrupted or incomplete that would make the game crash when interacting with the leaderboards
  
• Reduced initial dropped item movement speed out of chests
  
• Adjusted some map brightness levels
  

⚖️Balancing:

• Trap amount on all map modifiers was reduced to +10% (was +20% before)
  
• Trap amount scaling on all maps was reduced and maximum amount of possible traps on maps got reduced
  

🔧Fixes:

• Fixed Guardian Aegis Ability Effect not being hidden directly when the guard shield runs out
  
• Fixed a bug that caused health points UI being slightly desynced when switching scenes in rare cases
  

Update 0.9.0.7

New Features:

• Unspent Skillpoint Indicator: A new UI element has been added for indicating your amount of unspent skillpoints. Located at the top left just below the circular EXP indicator it will remind you how much unspent skill points you currently have.
  
  
  
  
• New Sound Effect System: The sound effect system was completely reworked to prevent destroyed and removed audio sources like projectiles to also interrupt the current sound effect playback before it was finished. 
  

Improvements

• Petrified Heart charges are now saved when you exit the game and continue your run later.
  
• Reduced loading times when entering and exiting the skilltree.
  
• General improvements to loading routines for reduced loading times and improved performance on scene switches.
  

Fixes:

• Further fixed Golden Lifecasque messing with your HP and also killing you when you had the ability active an switching scenes. This time for real ...
  

🌟Improvements:

• Loot is more physically dropping out of chests
  
• Trinket active abilities now stay active when you switch scenes and continue when also entering a new map or environment. This should make all trinkets with longer durations more useful.
  
• Further Improved Skilltree Algorithm: Further improved the balancing of node variety when a lot of skills have been unlocked. Also fixing a unwanted side effect of yesterday's patch, which caused some skill nodes to spawn more frequent as intended.
  

⚖️Balancing:

• Golden Lifecasque: Fortify cooldown was reduced to 25 enemies (was 30 enemies)
  
• Guardian Aegis: Guard ability duration was increased to 10 seconds (was 6 seconds) also cooldown was reduced to 25 enemies (was 30 enemies)
  

🔧Fixes:

• Fixed Golden Lifecasque  messing with your HP and also killing you when you had the ability active an switching scenes. (v.0.9.0.6a)
  
• Fixed crash when applying shard of power on emerald staff. (v.0.9.0.6b)
  
• Fixed trinket being hidden behind chests
  
• Fixed missing descent expedition device map icon
  

Update 0.9.0.6

New Features:

• New Legendary Trinket - Golden Lifecasque: Granting you life, melee, projectile damage, and movement speed. Also granting the active ability Fortify, which temporarily grants you 8 max life and 8 health that will vanish after the effect duration.
  
  
  
• Improved Skill Tree Algorithm: As you unlock more skills, the likelihood of base skill nodes appearing in the skill tree increases, ensuring a balanced range of possibilities. We've implemented a new weighting system that boosts the spawn chances of rare essential nodes as your skill count grows. This enhancement means you're now more likely to encounter skill nodes for things like condition damage, companion damage, or increased melee/projectile damage within the skill tree (with a lot of skill unlocks).
  
• Reworked Awakened Gatekeeper System: Map tiers now increase the chance of spawning an Awakened Gatekeeper on the current map. The higher the map tier, the higher the chance you will encounter these new and challenging uber boss versions. The Awakened Gatekeeper Chance is now directly indicated on the map tooltips.
  
  
  
  
• Streamlined Pathfinder Experience: If you now activate a map in the pathfinder, the radial menu automatically closes, and a new bigger "enter the map" button will appear at the bottom of the screen, which should make the whole pathfinder system much easier to understand. You can now go back to the portal by pressing the "B" button on the controller or "ESC" button on the keyboard.
  
  
  

Improvements:

• Descent Expedition Device now only shows a rift instead of the full device on the minimap once the event was completed.
  
• Original OST is now the default option for the first launch for new players. This was unintended, and the soundtrack option is now set to the default original OST for all players.
  
• Improved trinket indicator visuals for active ability duration UI.
  
• Updated skill textures for bleeding blade skill nodes and meteor skill nodes.
  
• Improved meteor visuals.
  
• The game now defaults to the highest zoomed-out camera setting (was a bit zoomed in before).
  

Balancing:

• Descent Expedition enemy spawns have been drastically reduced. The enemy spawn amount now also does not scale with the overall map depth but only with the descent expedition level upgrade chosen by skygems.
  
• Bloodstained Chest events now grant experience for each enemy that was defeated in the circles. This XP also scales with your map XP modifiers.
  
• The most lethal descent expedition traps have been decreased in size or received changed animation speed to make them easier.
  
• Swift Amulet - Defensive Trinket: Now additionally grants 15% movement speed.
  
• Guardian Aegis - Legendary Trinket: Ability now requires 1 offensive, 1 defensive, 1 utility trinket (was 3 defensive trinket requirement).
  
• Heartwood Bulwark - Defensive Trinket: Now grants 2 additional max life (was 1 max life before).
  
• Elixir - Legendary Trinket: Ability now requires 1 offensive, 1 defensive, 1 utility trinket (was 3 defensive trinket requirement). Elixir now always grants 1 max life and 5% movement speed.
  

Fixes:

• Fixed placed skill gems having inactive connections to other surrounding skills.
  
• Second and enemy tags are now also added to trinket stats UI when picking them up in maps.
  
• Fixed overlapping tutorial on ground of first map.
  
• Fixed bug with highlighted enemy projectile setting not being saved.
  
• Fixed descent defense tower being able to survive on negative HP
  

New Features:

• Highlighted Enemy Projectiles: A new highlighted enemy projectile option is enabled by default for all players that adds a red outline to all enemy projectiles further improving projectile visibility. This option can also be toggled off in the gameplay options menu.
  

Improvements:

• Softcore mode is now the default selected mode for new players on the first launch (was hardcore before)
  
• Bloodstained chest border does not deal damage 3 seconds after re-entering the run on softcore mode after dying
  
• Some gatekeeper projectiles are now brighter and more red tinted for improved visibility
  

Fixes:

• Updated softcore/ hardcore tooltips
  
• Fixed wrong teleport related to descent event maps when re-entering the run after death in softcore mode
  

Improvements:

• Increased the brightness and line thickness of skill gem placement connection previews
  

Fixed:

• Fixed skill shards icon when assigning them to skill nodes not following mouse
  
• Fixed stats window preventing skill tree UI buttons to be clicked
  
• Fixed activating zoom when toggling through tooltips in stats window with controller
  

New Features:

• New Skillgem Placement System: The skillgem placement system as well as the placement preview was completely reworked. If you now want to place a skillgem you will see exactly where the skillgem will be placed and also which connections will be forged to your existing skills. This removes the randomness and makes skill gem placement a 100% accurate and predictable experience.
  
  
  
  
• New Tooltips for Stats: For all important stats new tooltips have been added to explain what each stat does. This should ease diving into the game for new players.
  
  
  
  
• New Options Menu: The options menu has been completely redesigned and is now structured in tabs which makes it much easier to find the options you are searching for. The keybindings menu was now also integrated in to the options menu and does not have to be opened by an additional scene switch. The additional space on each option tab was used to display your current screen resolution or display what soundtrack is currently selected. No more double-applying from drop down menus to ensure the right option was selected.
  
  
  
  
• Improved Descent Loot: Map shards have been removed from the Descent loot pool to increase the drop chances for more valuable loot. Skill point gems now have been added to the Descent loot pool as well.
  

Balancing:

• Tower projectile speed upgrades now increase tower attack speed by 25% (was 20%)
  
• Tower melee hammer attacks got reduced cooldown to 8s (was 10s) and upgrades now  increase attack speed by 20% (was 10%) 
  
• From all descent event chests for expedition and defense all map shards got removed from the drop pool in order to increase the chances of rarer loot being dropped. Also skill point gems have been added to the descent chest drop pool. 
  

Fixes:

• Fixed a bug that caused cutting shot to not stack when multiple nodes were taken. This might have caused other projectile on hit skills to not stack correctly. 
  
• Fixed a crash when tabbing trough tooltips in the stats window when using a controller
  

Misc:

• Updated game icon.
  

New Feature:

• Awakened Gatekeeper now have softcore achievements.
  
• The Awakened Gatekeeper Leaderboard got Softcore implementation. Now your progress in defeating all awakened gatekeepers on softcore as well as the time you completed this achievement in the season is tracked by the Awakened Gatekeeper Leaderboard in town.
  
• Sorting of Achievements: There are now 3 tabs in the achievement menu which allows you to sort between locked, unlocked and all achievements.
  
• Improved controller support on leaderboard UI: You can now use the LT/RT buttons to switch between HC/SC in the leaderboard.
  

Fixes:

• You can now use the node navigation on the controller when the stats window is open.