Viking Journey 1.8.1 (Upgrade Fix) 2018-28-12

Viking Journey 1.8 - The Alchemy Laboratory

Upgrade information 1.8

Viking Journey 1.7 (Build 1H704)

 

• We also extended the terrain with many new natural elements - rocks, trees and landscapes.
  
• We have also optimized the entire code base in order not to suffer from the increased performance requirements disadvantages in graphics performance.
  
• Also, the handling of the game itself - rotation lock, key and mouse operation, we have expanded. Below is the details of these changes.
  

Changes in detail

• [Q] Key: rotation lock on / off
  
• [M] Key: Opens the game menu
  
• [Esc] Key: Opens the exit menu
  
• Key [6]: Inventory menu
  
• Key [7]: Construction menu
  
• Key [8]: Mission Manager
  
• Key [9]: Opens the minimap
  
• Key [0]: Status messages of the production sites
  

• Shadows: no
  
• Clouds: yes
  
• Moon: yes
  
• Stars: no
  
• Dust clouds transport: no
  
• Drop shadow fire: no
  

• Shadows: yes
  
• Clouds: yes
  
• Moon: yes
  
• Stars: yes
  
• Dust clouds transport: yes
  
• Twinkle shadow fire: no
  

Viking Journey 1.61 (Build 1H611)

• When VikingJourney is started the first time the whole Scene and textures needs to be loaded into memory. This can take some time (on less powerful PC up to 2 minutes). In this stage all necessary preparations and caching will be prepared).
  
• Loading time depends also strongly on Screen Size & Quality settings of the Start Menu. Lower settings and lower screen size will load much faster.
  
• The next time (New game or Saved game) VikingJourney starts the Main Scene the loading time is significantly decreased.
  

Viking Journey 1.6

Enhancements in Gameplay:

• The Terrain of Skullwald, Kalstark and Westfjord has been enriched with new textures, heigh maps and additionally treasures and traps.
  
  
• Right from the beginning there're now two Swordmen in place to protect you from enemies. Later on you can icrease the number of swordmen by choosing the appropiate fief letter.
  
  
• Enemies can occur now from level 1 on. The number of enemies is related to the choosen difficulty degree.
  
  
• The Headquarter of Ranulf, the Shamane did receive some new functions. Check the tools on the table - when it appears.
  
  
• Both areas Kalstark and Westfjord - where you can transform to - has been extended (Buildings, Weapons, Treasure). The related Transform function has been improved.
  
  
• VillageGuards and Enemies did receive more detailed armor and weapons.
  
  
• The combat animations of the VillageGuards and the Enemies has been extended and optimized.
  
  
• The Player - Ulfberth got a new WeaponController , which makes the handling of Sword & Shield more accurate.
  

Enhancements in Technics:

• Lock Camera Rotation: By pressing [q] during gameplay the MouseLook Rotation will be blocked and the Camera is no longer following the Mouse Cursor. Pressing [q] again will unlock the Camera Rotation again.
  
  
• Increased Rendering Performance: from this version on we use different technics to improve the graphic performance (i.e. we're using the Vulcan API). By this the Graphic Performance on all our test maschines increases by 50-80% without showing any incompatibilty issues.
  

Tips:

Core changes:

• village guards & the enemies have now more an better weapons.
  
• during a battle the village guards can now jump away from the attacker
  
• village guards & enemies have a new dying animation
  

Some tips to survive Level 1 (more to come later)

1. Newbies in VikingJourney playing the EASY-difficulty level, get many infos, tips and additional views, which helps to understand better the way the game works. All other difficulty level, does not contain such additional help.
   
   
2. you better concentrate on setting up your economy and other essential to survive - Build Production Buildings, start rawmaterial production, make sea trade and increase silver income. But be aware: nothing works automatically - you need to find the trick, to get it work.
   
   
3. deadly traps are spread all over the island. Thorvaldson has implemented it years ago to make it difficult for enemies to overtake the island. But they are also dangerous for you. Avoid them .... later on you can ask the Shaman for a potion to make traps visible.
   
   
4. you're lacking the defending VillageGuards in the early stage. The only one who can defeat the enemies - is you. But therefore you need your very first weapon - the pike. Find it early - its nearby the headquarter, but hidden.
   
   
5. when enemies are attacking you and the people, you need to secure your village people by stopping the current production of the building. That is only way to secure them. Well, of course you can rescue dead people later (with the Shaman's help) - but this is an expensive thing.
   
   
6. when you meet the requirements - Jarl Thorvaldson will offer (on his visits) you a fief. Only with a valid fief letter you will be able to build up a protective wall around your village and get the strong figthing village guards from Thorvaldson.
   

Important NOTE:

Changes in detail:

1. In general we have increased the elements for adventures & battle and let them begin earlier in Level 1.
   
2. The weapon function of the player and its operation has been renewed. Key [1] = Attack with Pike. Key [2] = attack with sword. Key [3] = Attack with battle ax (from version 1.4). Key [4] = attack with bow. Button [5] = attack with fireball. The targeting is done with the mouse pointer.
   
3. The terrain has been expanded to include additional topologies, find objects and traps (all levels).
   
4. The sound management and sound effects has been completely redesigned.
   
5. In bankruptcy the player goes to jail instead of dying (all levels)
   
6. In the Easy Playmode, the player receives a serving of protective potion that protects him for 12 hours (in-game time)
   
7. In Easy Playmode, the player gains additional views for assistance.
   
8. The number of village guards has been increased for the difficulty levels "Middle" and "Difficult".
   
9. The animations of the bailiff Horolf have been improved and his AI extended (all levels)
   
10. New Animations and AI Behaviors for Residents (Level 2+), All Workers (All Levels), Construction Sites (All Levels), and Combat Teams (Level 2+)
    
11. The pirate port has been redesigned. He now receives palisades, a warhorn and a new AI. (from level 4)
    
12. The major tent of Ranulf -the shaman- receives additional functions, e.g. Fellow travelers on trading trips (from level 4)
    
13. The Quest manager and the reward system have been developed in content and process (all levels)
    
14. The Trading book for the maritime trade has been further developed and simplified in its use (all levels)
    
15. The watch function of the enemies (black birds, guard tower crews) receives a new monitoring function that allows the player to slip undetected.
    
16. The mobile enemies (pirates, bats, spiders) receive a revised AI that will improve the attacking ability on players & friends. In addition, the raiding parties can destroy locked gates now.