Below the Stone News

Just a small set of fixes based off of recent feedback on our Discord. Trying to make sure that controller players have a stable experience.


[h2]Hotfix[/h2]

[Fixes]
* Fixed not being able to click on/type in textboxes, like the one for typing the name of a new character on the main menu screen. This also applies to any other text box in game and any other UI elements that have focus.
* Fixed an issue where selecting the profile trash can button with controller would play the select sound twice.
* Fixed an issue where clicking the profile trash can button with controller would cause the code to be double executed, due to Unity shenanigans.

[Tweaks]
* Tweaked the spawn chances of some creatures in the desert biome on Layer 2.

Final Remarks:
Please let us know if there are any persisting issues regarding UI with either the keyboard or controller. We know there are people who are having trouble playing the game at all due to the controller bugs. So we want to make sure they are all fixed so those people can now play.

Sorry for the holdup with the bugs that came up in Alpha 0.2

This update just fixes some issues that basically made it impossible to play due to UI based dimming not being disabled in some cases. This was because it was basically old logic that never got fully removed.
So now it is all fixed.

Thank you for your patience.

Here is the change log:


[h2]Quality of Life Features / Bugfix Update[/h2]

[Controller]
* Fixed issue where you could not select anything in the audio settings menu.
* Fixed an issue on the player save screen where selecting, then deselecting the trash icon would cause you to be stuck on that option, which made some people accidently delete their saves.
* Improved left stick controller UI navigation.
* Removed "Activate Control" from controller UI hints.
* Added item stats display to crafting and shop UIs for controllers.

[New Features]
* Added lodestone (with special structure) that players can use to find other nearby dungeons.
* Added titanium sword
* Added titanium axe
* Added silver sword
* Added silver pickaxe
* Added "damaging exhaust" to escape pod that B U R N S nearby creatures when you take off.

[Tweaks]
* Increased spawn chances for the mission ores (prismium, corbomyte, rosalite). So these missions should be a lot easier now.
* Refactored bones (skeleton) ai so that there is one skeleton object. This allows us to make it so the chances of skeletons wielding crossbows is less likely, which is what we did in this case. So now, skeletons have a 25% chance of wielding crossbows.
* Added titanium to material filter list for blacksmith. Along with some other QOL tweaks to the filter UI.
* Rebalanced all existing melee weapons (with some exceptions) to line up with the existing balancing of tin/copper melee weapons. This change mostly applies to tin,copper,iron,titanium,silver,platinum.
* Tweaked the "mining strength" of pickaxes so each next one is better than the last. Some pickaxes didn't have better stats.
* Some tiny tweaks to the player's main light, should look a bit more "reddish" around the edge. To look more like torch light.
* Item tooltip now shows up in blacksmith when you mouse over any part of the crafting item button. Before, it only showed up if you moused over the item image.
* Removed "collect fossil" mission from foreman mission pool. (May come back at some point)
* Reduced the amount of items you can get in tutorial area from boxes and other breakable things.
* Made "ui background dimmer" even more dimmer. Which helps make the UI contrast more with the background now. And bring it more into focus.
* Added notification that pops up when you press the "summon escape pod" button. This only happens for the first few times of going down into the caves. So it won't happen every time.

[Fixes]
* Fixed frost troll movement bug.
* Fixed problem where profile slot trash icon was not animating on mouse over.
* Fixed the glow weed in swamp biome being unpickable (replaced old prefab with new one)
* Updated toad's bestiary description. Sorry, toads don't fly anymore :(
* Fixed being able to open the journal while on pause screen. This issue also applied to being able to interact with other things on the pause screen that you probably shouldn't have.
* Fixed creature icons in bestiary being squished (now has fixed aspect ratio).
* Fixed scroll bars of creature descriptions in bestiary starting in the middle. They now start at the top, as they should.
* Fixed an issue where a dialog window that transitioned into another UI menu (like blacksmith) would "undim" the background. Even though it should've stayed dimmed. †

[Misc]
* Added trademark to main menu

[Footnotes]
† We may have introduced some other bugs while fixing this bug, so please let us know if you encounter them so we can fix these asap.

WOW. What an amazing milestone.

Thank YOU for taking the time to write us a review for Below the Stone, either already, or in the near future. It's amazing getting to wake up in the morning as an indie developer, and read so many of your positive reviews. Reading your reviews is what gives little indie studios like us the motivation to get up in the morning.

Many of you already know, the game is quite early, and we plan on sending you MANY big updates in the future to fill your content cravings, both for the end of this year, and many years to come. Make sure you keep up with us on the Discord and stay tuned for the mini quality of life update later today which will be addressing many of your suggestions, and Holiday update next week!

Again, thank you for taking the time to review Below the Stone!

- Mike @ Strollart; Below the Stone

We want to have at least two smaller scale, immediate content updates, with a large focus on bug/issue fixes. We want to address immediate player requests before focusing on the next big content updates we have in mind for next year. 2024 will be a huge year for our studio and the game as a whole, so come join us in the festive gifts we want to give to you!





- Player guidance.
- New content (such as lodestone) which will help with player guidance.
- Combat/progression balancing.
- New weapons/Tools.
- Controller bug fixes.
- Address immediate bugs/issues players discovered.





- Holiday content update, fun things for players to do during their holiday off, farm some unique holiday items in the game
- Holiday healing items
- Gifts waiting to be opened at the kingdom!
- Candy Cane tools to acquire
- Things are looking much more festive around home!
- Closes at the end of December





- Additional content for layer 2 biomes (Such as the Mole, and Stone Golem enemies)
- Combat/progression balancing
- More quality of life additions

In the new year, we're going to begin a devlog style series on the official Below the
Stone/Strollart YouTube channel. We'd also like to do regular monthly music videos featuring new biome tracks being created for the game, and regular dev streams by Below the Stone team, aiming to stream on Friday/weekends. We want to be more open with our development since we just launched into Early Access to show what we have in mind for the game's future.

Please let us know what you think we should focus on next, and join our discord too if you hadn't yet!

- Mike @ Strollart; Below the Stone