Shields of Loyalty News

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DevBlog #30 – January 23, 2025

Hello, loyal players and supporters!

We’re excited to share updates on what’s coming to Shields of Loyalty. In case you missed it, here’s a quick recap of what we’ve been working on, plus some news about Update 0.9 and beyond!



[h3]What’s Coming in Update 0.9 (January 29th)[/h3]

Mark your calendars because Update 0.9 is right around the corner! We’ve been working tirelessly to enhance the game, and this patch will include some significant improvements. Along with these changes, we’ll also share some surprise news about the future of Shields of Loyalty. Stay tuned for the announcement alongside the update—you won’t want to miss it!

[h3]Localization and Language Proofreading[/h3]

We’ve heard your feedback about translations and are dedicated to improving the game’s localization. Our goal is to proofread and polish all existing supported languages, add new ones, and make the game accessible to as many players as possible around the globe.

However, we’re currently prioritizing core game development to finalize the most critical aspects of gameplay. With new systems like the spell mechanic, we’ve added many new terms to localize and verify. Rest assured, language support is on our list, but it’s not our main focus at the moment.

Good news: one of our beta testers has already helped with French text proofreading, and the results are fantastic! A huge thank you to our community members who assist us in these efforts. We’re always looking for volunteers to help with localization and proofreading—if you’d like to contribute, especially before the 1.0 release, let us know!

[h3]Spell System Updates and Teasers[/h3]

As part of Update 0.9, we’ll reveal three more spells with GIFs and full tooltips:

• Bravery: Adds +2 movement points.
  
• Willpower: Grants an additional attack or spell.
  
• Pain of the Righteous: Deals 40 magical damage.
  

Bravery

Willpower

Pain of the Righteous

In addition, we’ve added tooltips for older spells from previous sneak peeks so you can check out their full effects. Here are the tooltips for some spells shared in DevBlogs #29 and earlier:

• Fireball: Deals 40 HP damage plus 10 HP burn damage for 3 rounds.
  
• Freeze: Cannot move or attack for 2 rounds; all defensive stats are halved for 1 round.
  
• Gust of Wind: Pushes the target unit back one space and stuns it for one round. Stunned units cannot attack, defend, cast spells, or use special abilities.
  
• Locust Swarm: Affected enemy units cannot use magic, special abilities, or other actions except their standard attack for 5 turns. Damage is capped at 50HP for all attacks during this time.
  
• Thorns: Deals 50 HP damage.
  
• Hope: Increases attack by +1 and defense by 10% for all types.
  

Check out the tooltips for these spells in our previous posts:

DevBlog #29
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1318240/view/523080695502865064

A Fresh Start for Shields of Loyalty: Welcome Back!
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1318240/view/520828168477606322

Stay tuned for GIFs showcasing the new spells!

[h3]Lore Piece #14: Aglovan’s Story Continues[/h3]

Lore lovers, rejoice! The next lore installment will continue Aglovan’s journey as his story approaches its thrilling conclusion. Keep an eye out for the update to dive deeper into the world of Shields of Loyalty.

[h3]New Forum Channel: #playtest-reports[/h3]

Thanks to our beta tester Cantora, we’ve added a new channel to our Discord server: #playtest-reports. This forum will help track existing issues, suggestions, and bugs. While it’s primarily used by beta testers during development, we’ll rely on your feedback after the 0.9 release to squash bugs and fine-tune the game. Big thanks to Cantora for the suggestion!

[h3]Your Support Means Everything[/h3]

We’re as eager as you are to see Shields of Loyalty reach its full potential. Your support, belief, and patience keep us motivated. Wishlist and share the game with your friends—it makes a massive difference for indie developers like us.

Wishlist here: bit.ly/SoLWishlist

Thank you for being on this journey with us. Let’s make Shields of Loyalty the best it can be—together!

See you in-game soon,
The Shields of Loyalty Team



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Greetings, adventurers of Shields of Loyalty! 👋

We’re deep in the trenches, working tirelessly to bring you the best experience possible as we move closer to the long-awaited 0.9 release, scheduled for January 29th! And guess what? We’ll have a surprise announcement alongside it, so mark your calendars and stay tuned! 👀

[h3]Here’s a sneak peek at what we’ve been crafting behind the scenes:[/h3]
✨ 3rd Avatar Unit Animations – New animations are in the works for the third Avatar unit, adding even more life to the battlefield.
💪 Warlords' Passive Abilities – We’re fine-tuning these powers to make them impactful and strategic.
🐛 Bug Fixing – Hunting down those pesky bugs to ensure a smoother, polished gameplay experience.
⚡ Feature Implementation & Special Abilities Rework – Adjustments are being made to ensure balance and fun across the board.
📜 Spell System Tooltips – Improving clarity for spell systems so you can strategize better.
🌍 Level Design – Designing and testing levels to keep the adventure engaging and fresh.

We want to reassure you: the journey toward 1.0 continues, and we’ve never been more determined to make Shields of Loyalty a game worthy of your time and excitement.

Stay tuned for January 29th, when the 0.9 update will launch along with some surprises. Thank you for believing in us and for your patience—it means the world to our small indie team!

💡 What excites you most about the upcoming update? Let us know in the comments!


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Therwall, the crown jewel of King Eldric II’s realm, has stood as an impenetrable bastion for centuries. Its towering walls, carved from the unyielding stone of the icy north, have withstood countless assaults from enemies both mortal and monstrous. But now, the castle faces its greatest challenge yet.


Among the attacking forces stands a name whispered with both fear and sorrow—Prince Desmon. Once a trusted hero of the realm and a loyal servant to Eldric II, Desmon’s betrayal cuts deeper than any sword. Years ago, he declared himself prince and attempted to overthrow the King, but his rebellion was crushed. Now, he returns, commanding the Undead horde in a twisted bid for power.


As we approach Therwall, the scene is one of chaos and carnage. The castle walls are scorched and battered, but they hold—for now. The enemy swarms like locusts, their siege engines hurling fire and destruction. Desmon’s Captain, a shadowy figure cloaked in dark armour, orchestrates the assault with ruthless efficiency, directing waves of skeletal warriors against the defenders.

The battle is fierce and unrelenting. Our forces clash with the Undead in a desperate bid to break their siege. The air is thick with the acrid stench of burning wood and the metallic tang of blood. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the attackers are driven back. The Captain falls, his dark armour shattered, and the Undead retreat into the night.


But our victory is bittersweet. There is still no sign of Prince Desmon, and the King’s fears remain. Eldric II has ordered us to seek out Alaris, his most trusted advisor and a powerful magician. Alaris, however, is a figure of controversy—once Desmon’s ally, he urged the King to dismiss the realm’s heroes following Desmon’s rebellion. Can we truly trust him to aid us now? With heavy hearts, we set out to find the magician, knowing the fate of Therwall and the entire realm hangs in the balance.


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As the siege of Therwall rages on, reports from the frontlines grow increasingly dire. The Undead are not content with sheer numbers alone; they are crafting terrible siege engines to batter down the castle walls and reduce Therwall to rubble. Their foul workshops are scattered throughout the frozen wilderness, hidden among the shadows of ancient trees and jagged cliffs.


Our mission is clear: we must strike at the heart of their operations and destroy these war machines before they can be brought to bear against our defences. But the task ahead is daunting. These workshops are heavily guarded, and the Undead have fortified their positions with traps and barriers that test our resolve at every turn.


Under the cover of darkness, we begin our assault. The eerie glow of forge fires lights our path as we approach the first workshop. Inside, skeletal workers toil endlessly, assembling catapults and battering rams with unnatural precision. The clash of steel and the roar of flames fill the night as we strike with everything we have, setting their infernal machines ablaze.


One by one, the workshops fall. The firelight dances against the snow, a grim beacon of our success. Yet, even as we return victorious, a shadow of doubt looms over us. The enemy’s numbers are vast, and Therwall’s defenders grow weary. The destruction of their war equipment has bought us precious time, but the fate of the castle—and the realm—remains uncertain.


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The chilling reports from our scouts confirm King Eldric II’s worst fears: the Undead have begun their march toward Therwall in terrifying numbers. These newly raised warriors are a twisted parody of life, their skeletal forms clad in decaying armour and wielding rusted weapons that still drip with malevolent energy. They march with an unnatural purpose, their hollow eyes burning with an eerie, green glow that sends shivers down the spines of even our most seasoned soldiers.


King Eldric has entrusted us with a vital mission—to intercept this monstrous army before it reaches the castle walls. With Therwall already under siege, the arrival of these reinforcements could tip the balance in the enemy’s favour, dooming the entire realm to darkness. As we prepare for battle, the weight of our task settles heavily on us. There is no room for hesitation; the survival of our people depends on the swift destruction of this new threat.


After days of relentless pursuit, we finally catch up to the Undead horde in a frostbitten valley shrouded in mist. The ground beneath us seems to crackle with malevolence, and the air is thick with the stench of decay. The battle that ensues is nothing short of a nightmare, a desperate clash of steel and bone. The Undead fight without fear or fatigue, but we press on, driven by the knowledge of what’s at stake.


At last, the tide turns. Whatever dark magic had animated these abominations is extinguished, their brittle bodies collapsing into lifeless heaps. The valley falls silent, save for the heavy breathing of our exhausted warriors. But victory is fleeting; we have no time to rest or celebrate. Therwall’s fate remains uncertain, and we must return to its defence before it’s too late.

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