Horn Call & 500 Einherjar System & Shrinking Zone & Improvements
Vikings!
In this update, the Horn begins to sound, inviting to take part in the Challenge.
As mentioned before, its arrival will happen in multiple iterations, as it is a grand-scale event system. Today, it brings a very short playable teaser of the Challenge, offering a quick glimpse before sending you back home.
This patch has a larger-than-usual disk size as it already includes content that will become available in future updates.
After 15 minutes in Singleplayer Survival, you will hear the horn and feel the earth shake, signaling your invitation to descend. This will also appear in Co-op in upcoming patches.
The core of the Challenge is to search for rare loot, mine precious ores, and safely bring them back home. Then, use these resources to build special structures, strengthen your survival, and fuel your coming adventures. (New buildings and crafts related to the Challenge soon). But there's much more to its concept, which will be unveiled as we progress.
Horn Call
When the horn sounds, it can be heard throughout the realm, and even the ground shakes.
You can then press Enter to accept the call and be transported (instantly in this patch).
500 Einherjar System
There are 500 warriors participating in the Challenge.
They are AI directed and highly optimized.
Shrinking Zone
The Challenge is introduced in circles, which vary greatly and have a dynamic atmosphere and zone.
It always shrinks inward toward the center, pushing the player deeper through the circles.
Auto Focus Improvements
Enabled auto targeting focus starting from the first attack rather than activating immediately. Also made it convenient to cancel targeting by canceling the stance.
Made auto targeting available for players in co-op mode.
Fixed Recent Crashes
Fixed some crashes that appeared in the last patches.
Deathmatch Servers On
Turned Deathmatch servers (EU, NA) back on.
Additional Improvements
Fixed the deer hooves shaking strangely when dead.
Fixed the bow hit camera shake occurring for the client when hitting the host.
Fixed the issue where the client was sometimes incorrectly seen holding the stance from the host's view.
Thank you for the feedback guys. We hope you enjoy this update!
Skål! Blackrose Arts
Post-Update Fixes & Improvements
Greetings!
This patch follows up on the previous update, addressing its combat related bug fixes and improvements.
Fixed incorrect attack angle during basic attacks in some cases.
Fixed click attacks not queuing in certain cases, which caused frustration.
Fixed double attacks for directional combat type.
Fixed queued attack not starting after a clash sometimes.
Slowed down overall combat slightly, especially the speed of stabs.
Updated physics to make actions more stable and authentic.
Slightly increased stamina regeneration speed.
Improved shield mechanics and added the attack queuing feature for it.
Further increased distance from bot enemies.
Fixed directional cursor not appearing when switching through the new tab.
Fixed hit markers being visible from hits by hired warriors.
Fixed some effects being visible for clients when experienced by the host.
Adjusted turn caps during attacks for smoothness.
Made character scream less often during fights.
Made it possible to dodge in the direction of the ASD button using the Spacebar, while still allowing jumping when moving forward.
Enabled auto targeting by default, with the option to toggle it in the control settings.
Made it possible to enter stance mode during an ongoing basic attack.
At the end of the month we will have an update focused on new content!
We are continuing to work on the Einherjar Challenge, and as previously mentioned, the horn will begin sounding in Survival mode in the November update, summoning warriors to descend to its battlefield.
Here is some work in progress.
From the screenshot, you may have already guessed what it's for - a special way of transportation to descend to the Challenge battlefield.
Our current main focus is on upcoming new content, but in today’s patch, we have addressed control and combat related feedback that we decided to tackle sooner.
We believe this update will be helpful for many Survival players. We have implemented tangible improvements to enhance stability and visibility during fights, introduced an alternative simplified control scheme, and added new settings to let you customize combat complexity to your preference.
Let's take a look at this patch!
Simplified Attack Control
A new attack control type for clicking attacks has been introduced.
Instead of being directional, this type is simplified to specific angles, with the possibility of combo attacks in the opposite direction. The side mouse buttons control alternative attack angles.
You can switch back to directional attacks in the new combat settings.
With this new type, the cursor for the attack appears as a simple dot.
Additionally, you can still hold the attack button to enter stance mode, allowing you to control the cursor that appears with the mouse for desired attacks.
Queuing Attacks
If the attack button is clicked during an ongoing attack, the next attack will start automatically after the current one.
This helps reduce spam clicking, allowing players to press it once when the timing feels right.
Also, enjoy more comfort while chopping trees.
Updated Attack Animations
Attack animations have been adjusted to be less jelly-like, more predictable, and to land much closer to the center of the screen.
Combat Settings
Combat Settings have been added to the pause menu, allowing for easy tweaking and experimentation with different combat options.
First Person Visibility
The attachment method for the first-person camera has been changed to resolve previous issues.
It now provides better visibility, even when close to other objects or characters.
The hands and weapon are not as close to the camera, and it works better with different field-of-view (FOV) settings.
Auto Approach
Added a new feature that automatically steps forward depending on character movement during attack release. This allows the character to close the distance and reach the enemy more frequently, making fights look more natural overall.
As you can see in the GIF, the character steps forward when moving backward during an attack release.
Enhanced AI Distance
Updated the distances between characters during fights to provide more space and possibilities of pushing enemies forward, while reducing the likelihood of being pushed back.
Additionally
Enhanced the feel of impacts.
Updated several dual-wielding animations.
Adjusted the transition from first-person to third-person camera.
Changed the default feint button.
Made autofocus (targeting without holding the attack button) savable after a button press or from the settings.
Thank you for the feedback guys. We hope you enjoy this update!
Skål! Blackrose Arts
Hotfix - Resolving Building Issues
Greetings!
Here’s what’s in this hotfix:
Fixed an issue introduced in the last patch where certain objects weren’t spawning correctly when interacting with water.
Fixed the bug where the building object preview stayed after switching to a weapon.
Fixed a rare bug preventing the build button from working despite having enough resources.
Fixed the rabbit trap mistakenly acting like a beehive and not saving properly.
Changed the introductory closure button to Enter.
Tweaked the map spawn area edges to prevent confusion when navigating.
Skål! Blackrose Arts
Challenge Introduction & Important Co-op Fixes & Save Fixes & Water Fixes
Vikings!
This update brings significant fixes to many issues present in the previously added co-op testing, as well as enhancements to Survival gameplay. Additionally, we are beginning to roll out developments related to the third point of our roadmap. As noted earlier, these will be released in iterations, today's is just the introductory one.
For Survival, we are creating a vertically multi-layered world consisting of different realms, along with a special event system called Challenge.
You are Einherjar, a chosen warrior who dwells in the mountains of Asgard, near the mighty hall itself. When the horn thunders across the skies, you descend to the eternal battlefield.
There, you fight to claim precious loot and be the last one standing.
Upon your return, trade, craft and build with your hard-won spoils, live, fueling your adventure through the relentless cycle of death and rebirth.
The mentioned horn will start calling in the next one or two updates, and we will share more details in them.
*These GIFs are teasers for upcoming patches, not today's patch.*
Let's take a look at the today's patch!
Challenge Introduction
We've added an introduction on the first game load, a new tab in the Survival menu, and made some preparations to the map. During the initial game load, you may notice Jormungandr moving around the world.
Co-op & Save Fixes
Resolved an issue where the client wasn't saving during the first host save in co-op.
Fixed some building objects not placing in co-op for clients.
Fixed some building objects sometimes not saving in co-op.
Fixed co-op saves in some cases overlapping with single-player saves.
Made dropped items saving in co-op.
Adjusted the co-op UI to prevent incorrect overriding of existing saves.
Resolved an issue where one player would spawn on another player's head.
Fixed an issue where the hotbar would occasionally disappear for the host.
Multiplayer Sleeping Fixes
Resolved an issue where a character would spawn under the ground when disconnected instead of sleeping and wouldn't register hit effects.
Fixed a lag issue when near a sleeping player.
Water & Swimming & Sailing Fixes
Resolved a swimming issue that caused the host to crash.
Fixed underwater air from clients incorrectly showing for the host in co-op.
Fixed an issue where players could "fly" from swimming.
Improved how air consumption works underwater, making it deplete slower.
Addressed an issue causing characters to walk underwater in rare cases.
Enhanced the swimming mechanic to be smoother.
Fixed a bug causing players to spawn outside the ship in co-op after saving.
Other Improvements
Resolved an issue with inventory from combat game modes overlapping with Survival mode inventory in certain cases.
Tweaked further the wet-cold effect to prevent unnecessary damage from popping up.
Fixed a not frequent but irritating UI icon highlight bug.
Fixed a bug where a distant mountain would sometimes unload its material.
Reduced the second respawn cooldown for the bed to 10 seconds.
Deathmatch Maintenance
Deathmatch mode multiplayer is in maintenance until the November update.
Co-op Banner Privatization Changes
The banner is no longer required for quests. You can now place beds without it and area privatization. Share a house in co-op mode with a friend without any issues now.
Dynamic Depth of Field Improvements
Changed the dynamic camera's Depth of Field effect approach to reduce blurring and ensure the effect is applied where needed. You can turn it off if you prefer.
Thanks for the feedback guys. We hope you enjoy this update!
Skål! Blackrose Arts
Hotfix - Fixing Recent Quest Issues
Greetings!
The latest patch brought an issue that prevented some quests from being completed. This small patch resolves that problem.
Additionally, the patch reduces hostile raid frequency during the initial days of survival.
Skål! Blackrose Arts
Building Process Improvements & New Building Objects & Survival Enhancements
Vikings!
We've been holding off on the first update related to the third roadmap point mentioned in our recent updates. However, we'll start rolling it out and share more details with the September update. This will be coming in parts, as it's complex and includes a completely new activities system, a Survival map expansion, and things many have been waiting for a long time.
Today's update introduces enhancements to the building process, new construction objects, and improvements to the Survival gameplay.
Let's take a look at the patch!
Building Process Improvements
When a built object is deconstructed, it will now give all the building resources. This is designed to encourage creativity and experimentation, especially as we introduce more complex building in the future.
There's a direct link between the current health of the object and the resources you receive. For example, if the object is at half health when dismantled, you'll get half of the resources.
Additionally, we've adjusted the system so that some objects won't remove connected components when dismantled, until further system improvements. This resolves the issue of incorrect destruction of interconnected objects in specific cases.
New Building Objects
Tub
Bonfire
A large bonfire that offers more comfort and casts light over a greater distance than a campfire.
Wood Stack
Wood stacks can be used to store wood instead of chests or as decorative elements.
Shelf
A large shelf to enhance your home decor.
Chest (New)
Changed the chest for a more authentic appearance.
Hanging Brazier
One more way to light up the environment.
Snapping Test & Question
While advanced and user-friendly snapping for construction is planned for future updates, we'd like to know if its absence prevents you from diving into creative building. When we add more objects for custom constructions, will snapping become a must-have for you, or is the current free-placement system sufficient?
This patch adds snapping for Log 1 for testing.
Temperature Improvements
Improved the cold and wetness mechanics, addressed irritating damage effects from rain and storms too early.
As you ascend into higher elevations, like mountains, the cold intensifies, and you'll begin to experience these effects.
Additional Improvements
Added bed notifications to clarify that after placing the bed, you also need to press E to set the spawn point.
Other small UI fixes.
The character now actually has a fire effect when on fire.
Fixed the button camera targeting not working in the Intro.
Thanks for the feedback guys. We hope you enjoy this update!
Skål! Blackrose Arts
Viking Combat Video Showcase – Physics & Progress & Tips
Vikings!
As shared in recent updates, we've made a video showcasing the combat system’s progress, along with some tips on its special features.
Check it out!
Thank you to everyone who’s been helping us improve it. The combat system will keep evolving, and we’d love to hear more of your feedback as we refine the experience.
This video highlights the progress we've made on the combat system from past updates.
We know many of you are eager for new content updates rather than just polish, and as we’ve mentioned before, that’s exactly where our focus is headed with the current updates.
Our regular update will be released at the end of the month.
This update adds fortifications to surround and defend your settlement, new adjustable fence placement, survival gameplay improvements, a nice physics adjustment, feedback-based combat tweaks, and bug fixes.
Next month, we will have 2 updates instead of the usual monthly 1.
Let's take a look at today's patch!
Fortifications
Added fortifications to defend your settlement. You can control the gates and attack enemies from above.
There are 3 tiers with different building costs and durability. Additionally, a lean-to has been added, which can be used as cover.
Also, we understand that more plains are needed, and this will be in the next map expansion updates.
Adjustable Fences
Changed the old fence and made its snapping height adjustable during placement.
This means that even if the landscape is not flat, you can still surround your settlement.
Adjustable Ladder
Use it to get where you need, for example, climb to your fortifications.
There's no option to climb it vertically yet, however, you have full control over its placement angle.
Settlement Raid Adjustments
Slightly increased raiding frequency on more days survived.
Just a reminder, you can repair fences and fortifications with a hammer.
Less Dumb Deer
Instead of getting stuck in place as it used to before in some cases, the deer should step back when you approach and then start running.
Comfortable Building Deconstruction
We heard feedback that the process of hitting to destroy buildings is not comfortable, so we made it easier. To deconstruct an object you placed, just press the Middle mouse button while aiming at it with the hammer in hand. You can still hit things to deconstruct them if you prefer.
The key can be changed in the settings under the Building section. If it doesn't show up there, press Restore Defaults in settings to make it appear.
Ship in Co-Op
It is now possible to place and sail ships in Co-Op mode.
Some minor bugs may still occur and will be fixed in future patches.
The wood cost for building a Karvi has been slightly reduced.
Character Physics
In the previous update, we adjusted the minimum distance between the player and an enemy. However, this also increased the minimum distance between the character and environmental objects even more.
We’ve changed how it works so that your character maintains the same distance from enemies but can now get much closer to objects in the world and physically touch them. This change also provides more physical interactability during combat and allows the player to pass through narrower spaces than before.
Intro Additions
Added more elements to the future intro (Path to the Gate), including environmental additions, improved effects, and enemy balancing.
The video next month will showcase more of these updates.
Combat Improvements
Added a key to lock on targeting without holding the stance, allowing you to maintain targeting while clicking to attack. This feature is completely optional, the current key for testing is N and can be changed (restore defaults in control settings if you don’t see it in the list).
Improved targeting with better character focus, less jittering, and reduced tracking of enemies from behind.
Made the slow motion key bindable in the settings.
Improved the Mjolnir impulse physics for enemies when they are thrown.
Fixed some incorrect Mjolnir animations that were playing.
Fixed many Mjolnir-related bugs and crashes, such as switching to fists after a throw.
Made block impact particles smaller and less frequent.
Reduced the frequency of grunt sounds during combat.
Improved some of the shield attack animations.
Thanks guys for sharing your feedback. We hope you enjoy this update!
Today's patch introduces new building objects, enhancements to Survival gameplay, and bug fixes. We've also addressed the latest feedback on combat and physics.
This update is not yet the big one related to the third roadmap point, which will introduce the special activity system we previously mentioned. It will take a few more updates to get there. Recently we have experienced more severe electricity outages here in Ukraine. However, the upcoming updates that are in preparation will be cool.
Let's take a look at today's patch!
New Type Of Trap
Added a new type of trap that changes its appearance once it captures something, allowing you to see what it has caught. Introduced as a rabbit trap.
Adjustable Torch Stand
Added a new object to light both outdoors and indoors. Its height is adjustable.
Placeable Lighting Optimization
More lighting sources can be built with less performance impact. Light it up.
Decorative Rugs
Added a rug and a larger rug to decorate your house.
Hired Warriors Fix
Fixed an irritating bug making hired warriors not attacking on their own when they are in Auto mode. They attack animals too, so keep an eye on them in the woods.
Well Fix
Fixed well-related bugs that prevented it from allowing drinking in both standalone and co-op modes.
Combat & Physics Realism
This update makes combat and character physics more realistic. We received feedback after the latest update and decided to address it right away. Let us know how it feels now. Later, we will make a video showcasing combat.
The character's body is now less wobbly and jelly-like. Its movements have more force, similar to combat games without physics, but it still incorporates physics, which has become more natural during interactions.
There is no more strange body bending upon hits, instead, there is a more realistic hit reaction, still affected by physics.
The character no longer flails their arms crazily. IK no longer rotates the bones in an unrealistic way during attacks.
We removed some excessive animations that were too dance-like to maintain serious combat. We tweaked AI stance animations to be less chaotic and use fewer taunts.
These changes have also affected the speed of combat, and we have balanced timings to make fights fast-paced but more thoughtful.
Tighter Control & Feel
We made many aspects of combat tighter, mostly noticeable during attack landings.
Fixed broken (too loose) controls from previous changes for playing without camera targeting. This also applies to those whose playstyle involves holding the mouse for swinging but releasing the mouse during an attack before hit.
Adjusted attack recovery timings to reduce unnatural morphing into new attacks.
Larger Distance During Fights
Increased the distance between you and the enemy during fights. This should eliminate some irritating moments and allow for more comfortable swinging.
Actually Better Ragdolls
They have undergone many iterations previously and will continue to improve, but this time the changes are easily noticeable.
Ragdolls no longer strangely follow the weapon up in the air. They are heavier and fall more dramatically.
Other Improvements
Fixed a bug preventing beehives from giving honey.
Fixed score animation popping up when hitting a dead enemy.
Adjusted enemy order in the intro and added new items to the trader list.
Improved shield block control to make aiming easier.
Further improved the AI parry chain.
Enhanced impact VFX to make hits more satisfying.
Thanks guys for sharing your feedback. We hope you enjoy this update!
