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Spark in the Dark News

Steam Scream Fest 2025 / New Patch (0.017.6)

Hello everyone!

We’ve just released the Spark in the Dark Demo (0.017.6) patch.
This update includes various fixes, balance tweaks, and minor improvements – some based on your feedback. Thank you for staying active and involved!

Also in this patch:
  • Added bleeding effects – now you can see monsters and the hero losing blood, leaving trails on the ground. The intensity of the effect reflects the severity of the bleeding.
  • Improved crowbar generation, and their durability has been increased by +1.

In addition, from October 27 to November 3, a special Halloween Horror mode will be available – as part of our participation in Steam Scream Fest! πŸŽƒ

Thank you for your feedback and continued support.
We wish you dark and thrilling adventures in Dargroth! πŸ’€

Spark in the Dark – Demo Update & Road to Early Access

Hello everyone!
We're excited to share a new update for the Spark in the Dark demo, featuring new mechanics, improvements, and many fixes.

This is the final major update for the demo. The next big step is the Early Access release, planned for Q1 2026.
In Early Access, all three Dungeon tiers will be available. Our team is currently focused on finishing the second and third tiers, along with refining the core game systems.

[h2]Spark in the Dark Update 0.017[/h2]
[h3]Save System[/h3]
Your progress is now saved when resting at a campfire. You can exit the game and return later to continue right where you left off.
If your hero dies permanently, the save file is deleted.

[h3]Revival in Monster Lairs[/h3]
After death, the hero now has a chance to wake up in a monster lair.
The system considers which monsters were nearby at the moment of death, as well as the distance and accessibility of their lairs.
The hero revives with injuries (the number depends on the difficulty level) and lies still. Monsters ignore him until he gets up β€” giving the player a chance to choose the right moment to escape.
It’s a small but meaningful second chance after death.

[h3]Dagger Throwing[/h3]
The hero can now throw daggers.
They bounce off hard surfaces, stick into wood, and stay lodged in enemies β€” you can recover them after a fight.
Initially available to the Thief and Warrior, other classes can learn this skill by finding a skill book.

[h3]Ancient Shields and New Enhancements[/h3]
Ancient shields have been reworked and new types have been added with varying weight and durability.
Shields can now have the following enhancements:
  • Reinforced Base β€” extra protection
  • Sturdy Straps β€” resistance to knockback
  • Leather Padding β€” reduced stamina cost

Some shields also feature a spike that deals small damage to monsters when they hit the shield β€” unless they attack with a weapon.

[h3]Spiders and Webs[/h3]
Sometimes, after a spider dies, you may find that its abdomen has burst open β€” and small spiderlings have crawled out.
Also, stepping into active webs now not only slows the hero but attracts nearby spiders.

[h3]Campfire Nightmares[/h3]
If the hero has absorbed too much Darkness in the Dungeon, nightmares may appear during rest.
Drinking by the fire can reduce the chance of nightmares β€” but drinking too much may cause a hangover.
New hero voice lines at the campfire have also been added.

[h3]Armor Repair and Equipment Wear[/h3]
  • Armor repair benches have been added and can be used outside of camp.
  • Weapons can now break permanently if not repaired in time.
  • Crossbows wear down with use and can be repaired just like lanterns.

[h3]Storage and Inventory[/h3]
You can now store items in containers located in safe zones.
The system respects item size and container capacity.

[h3]Controls and Gamepad Support[/h3]
  • Added key rebinding support for mouse and keyboard.
  • Added visual layouts for PS4 DualShock, PS5 DualSense, Xbox, and generic gamepads.
  • Fixed an issue with camera stick controls on gamepads.

[h3]UI Improvements[/h3]
  • Added item stat icons instead of text.
  • Added a new "Keys" category to the inventory.
  • Updated skill book illustrations.
  • Added a list of key story events to your run statistics.
  • Various other UI fixes and improvements.

[h3]Also included:[/h3]
  • Dynamic chest content display
  • Hero fatigue animations
  • Fixes and polish based on your feedback
Localization Update:
Spark in the Dark is now available in Chinese, Hungarian, and Czech!

Thank you for supporting the project and following the development! πŸ’€

Spark in the Dark – Development Update & New Demo

Hello, everyone!

We’d like to share some updates on the development progress of the game.

Our main focus right now is on the development of the second and third tiers of the Dungeon. We are adding new locations, quests, and NPCs to bring our vision of the game to life.

Once these tiers are completed, we plan to launch the game in Early Access. Based on our estimates, the game will offer around 20 hours of gameplay, as the second and third tiers are larger than the first one, which is currently available in the demo.

The progress on these tiers is 80-90% complete, but we may release one more demo update before Early Access to test all the mechanics.

While we continue working on the new tiers, we have decided to release an update for the demo. It includes improvements to the first tier, as well as some gameplay adjustments.

[h3]Spark in the Dark Update 0.016[/h3]
Key changes:
  • Expanded locations in the first tier – new areas have been added, and some existing ones have been reworked to better fit the game’s lore and atmosphere.
  • The Depth Tower has been built – an important location that will play a role in the future.
  • NPC interaction added – now you can meet a character you can talk to.
  • New books and notes added, along with new journal entries related to various events.
  • New skill – hand-to-hand combat. You can now fight monsters without weapons. Armor type and quality affect damage output.
  • Bandages added – they can be used to stop bleeding.
  • Shields can now have enhancements.
  • In the Nightmare Dungeon, areas tainted by darkness have appeared, capable of quickly consuming the hero without a lantern.




Additionally:
  • New sounds added and some existing ones improved.
  • New ambient tracks added.
  • Screen stun effect added when falling on the back.
  • Improved effects for the Collider and the Ancient Warrior Statue activation.
  • Two new achievements added.
  • Weapon generation in treasure hoard now considers the hero’s weapon skills.
  • Some weapons and armor may now be initially damaged.
  • Updated some localizations and added missed strings.

Numerous small fixes and improvements have also been made.

We appreciate your feedback, ideas, and suggestions. Thank you for following the development and supporting the project!

Wishing you thrilling adventures in the darkness of Dargroth! πŸ’€

Steam Scream 2024 / New Patch (0.015.3)

Hello, everyone!

We've just released a new patch for the demo of Spark in the Dark (0.015.3).

This patch brings some fixes, small balance adjustments, and minor improvements based on your feedback. It also includes a new location in the Dungeon.

This update enables the "Halloween Horrors" mode during the SteamScream Festival (Oct 28 - Nov 4).

Thank you for your feedback. We read nearly everything you post on the Steam forum. Additional fixes and improvements will be coming in future patches.

Enjoy your adventures in the Dungeon!

Patch for the demo (0.015.1)

Hello, everyone!

Here is a patch for the new demo of Spark in the Dark (0.015.1).

Changes:

  • Monsters now jump at the hero a bit less frequently.
  • An option to use the [R] button for reloading the crossbow has been added to the settings.
  • Improved the equipment repair window.
  • Fixed incorrect armor protection value calculation.
  • Minor improvements to item generation.


Thank you for your feedback!

Enjoy your adventures in the Dungeon.