Build 0.4.2009 Live! (Bleeding)

Build 0.4.2009 is live! This build is being sent out through the bleeding channel and includes one new Amelia H-scene (preview here), a new story chapter, new places to explore, side quests, NPCs, towns, soul retrieval, an overhauled spell and holster system, and much more! There are also various tweaks, bugfixes, and some general QoL tweaks and fixes.

Steam/Uncensored builds will be updated in February, depending on how quickly we fix bugs.

You can download the new build via the Launcher, which is available here if you do not already have it installed.

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Sorry about the especially long wait on this one. This is a massive update that sets the game's structure up for final release and it required a herculean art and coding effort to tear up the foundations of the game and rebuild where necessary. Chapter 1 to Chapter 4 are now directly connected, which means Act 1 of the main story is now complete. With that said, here's an expanded list of the changes:

Chapter 2: On The Run

This is a chapter that takes place in cyberspace. Seiko is a secret AI project created by a defunct techno-cult prior the warlock invasion. Her datacenters are being targeted by Jen's army. How does she end up as an ally of the human resistance? Find out in the cybernetic out-of-body experience that is Chapter 2.

The Vanaheim:

The Vanaheim is a pre-war aircraft carrier that serves as GARDA's home base. All your immediate comrades live onboard, including Amelia, Jack, and Yin. Also onboard is a settlement of refugees named The Ark. You will also find the the Crew Quarters and Commander's Office here, which houses the main characters.

New Inverness Expanded:

New places have been added to New Inverness. Within, you'll find a bounty of items, enemies, and survivors in the snow.

Astoria:

Your efforts in Chapter 1 lead to the resettling of Pier 48. The new residents have named it Astoria after a town east of New Inverness. The residents decided its name upon finding a displaced Astoria sign that made the ten kilometer journey unscathed.

Exodus: 

Some survivors have settled in an underground mall east of the Main Street area. You don't have much business here yet, but you get the feeling there's something strange going on.

New Quests:

Foraging with Piro: After finding your way to Rockefallen's entrance in Chapter 3, Piro asks for some help reclaiming lost items. Should you take this chance to know her better?

Survey Drones: Arthur, a crew member onboard the Vanaheim, wants your help jump starting the Search-and-Rescue Drones program.

The Hermits: You've heard rumors of a hermit family in New Inverness somewhere, all alone. Can you convince them to move to a safer place?

Lost Souls: What's this eerie flame in your room? Follow Seiko's instructions and find out.

NPCs:

It's not just you, Piro, and the 'Locks in New Inverness anymore. Say hi to your new neighbors! This one took a lot of work...

Spellscards and Toolspells:

The bones of the Spells system have been added. Spells and Toolspells can be selected in the new Equip menu, accessible from the Pause menu. Currently only Butterfly Ball and the drones are accessible, but new ones will be added.

Soul Retrieval:

Patrons who submitted a Soul Retrieval Form can now have their Souls retrieved inside New Inverness and placed in drones. This system will be expanded later.

Other Changes (Since V.0.3.1581):

• Clothing Battle Damage no longer automatically heals on partial health replenishment. To repair clothing, replenish a character's healthbar to full.

• Amelia's Battle Damage skin now has pasties so non-R18 builds can also get battle damage.

• Character models got a minor art polish pass on the faces and skin textures.

• Characters now look at each other when talking.

• Background music will now continue to play while levels load.

• Equip menu added.

• Inventory and Quest Journal Menu received a face lift.

• More tutorials added (WIP).

• Tutorials now all have a reminder for how to find them again on the final page.

• Quests now have images in the Journal.

• Items now get directly added to the player's inventory when interacted with.

• Skip button added to dialogue.

• Dialogue Text Size in Accessibility Settings now affects Manga Text Bubbles.

• Onscreen UI indicators have been added to doors, fast travel elevators, tilt-rotor travel, etc.

• UI should now gracefully respond down to narrow aspect ratios down to 4:3 and up to ultrawide resolutions.

• 18+ Experimental goop rendering added

• Enemy AI now assign a Priority Enemy in their behaviour when they are attacked, which does two things:

  • This allows for Defend-the-Objective combat scenarios to work since you can aggro them away from an objective.

  • This also slightly optimizes the AI code since they no longer need to iterate through the Tracked Characters array every AI tick to check Threat Level.

• Combat balance adjustments.

• Background Music for Chapter 1 has been changed.

• Fix an auto-repeat button bounce issue in Menus.

• Fixed a bug where you can load a save even where there isn't one in the Rest Point menu, which softlocks the game on a black screen.

• Fixed a bug where Use indicators pop up above tutorials.

• Various optimizations all over the game, including UI, Game Systems, Models & Materials, Rendering, etc.

• Various edits to screenplays, item descriptions, UI, tutorials, etc.