Journey to the West News

Update of 4/3/2022

This week, we updated 3 new challenges, enhanced the Evil Build for Holy Monk, added “Golden Finger” after finishing chapter 1 as a reward that can help with the next run. We are also developing a points shop to facilitate additional reward and benefit that can be accumulated after each run. Stay tuned for future updates!

Please note that this update patch includes a change on map algorithm, so loading an existing game save after updating the game will lead to an exception.

[h2]Major Updates[/h2]

• Enhance Holy Monk Evil Build
  • Adding a new Evil Barrier system to assist evil build. The evil barrier works as an HP reduction status to block incoming HP damage. Evil barrier can be obtained by dealing HP damage to enemies with Evil status when your HP is full. Evil barrier reduces by half each turn.
    
  • Adjusted a few cards of Holy Monk to associate with this new system.
  
• Add three more challenges in challenge mode: try to beat the difficult combat with a given deck!
  • Wukong encounters the Desert Kings alone this time
    
  • White Dragon helps the Emerald Dragon King and Princess avenge their family
    
  • Holy Monk has to face the Emperor of Hell while surrounded by 4 Imps
    
• Now after beating chapter 1, you will earn a Golden Finger. It will appear as one of the rewards in the initial event of the next run to help you kick start next level. (Golden Finger: next 3 combats, all enemies will only have 1 HP.)
  

[h2]Optimization[/h2]

[h3]Performance[/h3]

• Pooling and optimize combat effects to speed up combat
  
• Avoid duplicated effects in combat scene
  
• Visual effect memory usage optimization
  
• Sound effect memory usage optimization
  
• Other optimizations to improve performance: add more profiling info, track destroying objects, and lazy load journal data
  

[h3]UI Improvement[/h3]

• Pooling status UI to improve combat scene
  
• White Dragon’s Guardian Swords are fixed now to enhance the visibility of each Guardian Sword.
  

[h2]Balance [/h2]
Game Logic

• Trial 1 will not reduce the number of camps.
  
• Jade Lute Spirit will not appear if the player is Holy Monk. The change is related to the final chapter of the story.
  
• Card matching game is now pseudo random.
  
• Player cannot be charmed.
  
• Black Market requires at least 400 gold to enter.
  

Wukong

• Fiery Golden Eyes: removes blind -> removes a random status from each enemy
  
• Burn the Golden Goose: converts each status count to 1 Burning -> converts each status to 1
• Burning, regardless of count.
  
• Every Hair Counts: add the “Retain” keyword.
  
• Ghost Hunter gives 2 invincible if any target's intent is Attack.
  

White Dragon

• Second to None: 15 damage -> 16 damage, Energy cost 0->1
  
• Preservation: gains X Spirit Power -> gains X Spirit Power and X Blessed.
  
• Well Prepared: 50% additional damage/75% while upgraded ->75% additional damage/100% while upgraded.
  
• Dragon Rush: 9 damage to one enemy. -> 9 damage, and additional damage to Wet/Freezing targets.
  

Holy Monk

• Add “Evil Barrier” for Holy Monk’s evil build.
  
• Absorb Evil:: absorb HP from targets with evil -> absorb MAX HP
  
• Absorb Life: add “Exhaust” keyword, Energy cost is 1-0.
  
• Resurrect: remove “Exhaust” keyword.
  
• True Evil: add “Exhaust” keyword. Changes buffs and debuffs to evil.
  
• Upgraded Greater Good: increase Good count to 2 -> reduces energy cost by 1
  
• Good Deeds: remove “Exhaust” keyword.
  
• Swift Move: Energy cost 2->1.
  
• Ritual: Energy Cost 3->2, lose 10% HP.
  
• Double Down: Remove “Exhaust” keyword. Rare -> Uncommon.
  
• Endless suffering: damage 5xNumber of debuffs-> applies evil to evil enemies at the end of round.
  

Neutral Card

• No balance patch.
  

NPC

• Fix maximum block for Master of Thunder Tower and Rhino King.
  
• Lord of Chaos: Plane travel sends all non-player characters to another plane.
  
• Moon Rabbit Fairy drops Medicine Pestle instead of giving it directly to the player.
  

Companion
In general, reducing companion card count to avoid diluting the player’s deck. And adding Retain/Exhaust/Ethereal keywords to improve the usefulness of cards.

• FireFox:
  • Increase scratch damage.
    
  • Decrease Fire Manipulation energy cost.
• Shadow Fairy: Increase Healing amount.
  
• White Tiger: Remove Slash. Adjust the importance of Roar and Stomp.
  
• Azure Dragon:
  • Adjust the importance of Poison Knows Poison.
  • Poisoned Weapon is now Innate.
• Vermillion Bird
  • Flame Armor now grows with level.
    
  • Add an energy increase mechanism for Flame Wings.
• Celestial of Fortune:
  • Remove Recycle card.
  • Hand of Fate is Retain
• Heaven Guardian:Guardian’s Courage: Reduce the energy cost by 1. Gain 1 Strength.
  
• Celestial of Wealth: Gold Strike, Gold Armor, and Gold Offering now grow with level.
  
• Celestial of Longevity:
  • Persistence now grows with level.
    
  • Adjust the importance of Enchantment.
    
  • Remove Rejuvenate and Longevity.
• Peach Fairy:
  • Adjust the importance of Sweet Charm and Deep in the Roots.
    
  • Deep in the Roots: Energy cost is 0.
• Vanquisher of Evil: Sword Breaker now grows with level.
  
• Haunting Beauty:
  • Adjust the importance of Confusing Spell and Sacrificing Ritual.
    
  • Beautiful Kisses now grow with level.
    
  • Beautiful Kisses discards cards instead of exhausting, heals more HP.
• Dark Unicorn:
  • Lunar Eclipse now grows with level.
    
  • Soul Ritual can target regular enemies.

Relics

• Golden Finger: next 3 combats, all enemies will only have 1 HP (Golden Finger will appear as one of the choices in the initial event).
  
• Seven Treasures Tree: Gain 50% additional Block from cards. -> Gain 50% additional Block from cards and negate positive strength.
  
• Realgar Sword: Applies 1 bleeding to target -> deals 50% additional attack damage to the bleeding targets.
  
• Chaos Axes: rare->uncommon.
  
• Space Circle can only reduce the energy cost of 1 card.
  

Consumables

• No balance patch.
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]
Game logic bug fixes

• Fix double spirit pact when Sky Chaser grabs player's Spirit Pact card after summoning.
  
• Vermillion Bird reincarnation bug fix
  
• Fix achievement bugs (single relic and burning achievements)
  
• Fix a bug where Scarlet Needle ignores invincibility and evasion, and applies bleeding regardless
  
• Fix a bug when Stargazing is targeting hair cards and the player is not Wukong.
  
• Fix a bug that damage will not trigger Sword Dancer's attack.
  
• Fix a bug that escaping with a NPC teammate will cause game-over.
  
• Fix a bug that Lady Green's tail lash can ignore evasion and invincible to apply entangled.
  
• Fix a bug where Reality Rift is always targeting the player.
  

Localization and text bug fixes

• Fix status description issue: no space only in English
  
• Card description bug fixes and adjustments
  

UI and Effects bug fixes

• Refer to UI and Effects optimization.
  

Assets bug fixes

• Refer to UI and Effects optimization.
  

Audio bug fixes

• No bug fixes this week
  

Update of 3/27

All new trial levels 17-19 are now open! Are you ready for new challenges?

[h2]Trial 17[/h2]

Normal NPC now have more challenging behaviors and enhanced skills. All the numbers below are base values, which will be impacted by trial factors.

Chapter 1

• Spider Egg: gain 6 block when born
  
• Spider: attack applies 1 poison
  
• Fire Spider: attack applies 2 burnings regardless of dealing HP damage or not
  
• Poison Spider: chant gain 16 block
  
• Grey Spider：Weave deal 11 damage
  
• Skeleton：bone armor gains 8 block
  
• Elite Skeleton：start with 3 consititution
  
• Wolf Cub：attack damage +1
  
• Wolf Mother：Protect gain additional 2 block, Angry deal 100% more damage
  
• Wolf Alpha：Howling applies 3 strength, Attack applies 2 Scratch Marks
  
• Brown Bear: gain 8 block
  
• Grey Bear: increase damage to 9
  
• Lazy Bear: gain 15 block when sleeping
  
• Fat Rabbit: Attack damage +1
  
• Sneaky Rabbit: Sneaky count increases by 2 each round
  
• Thief Rabbit：Rabbit Strike damage +1
  
• Regular Rat：Bite attack 1 more time
  
• Explosive Rat：deal 10 damage when dying
  
• Mold Rat：Bite applies 1 vulnerable
  
• Bandit Spearman：shuffles 2 Wound cards
  
• Bandit Archer：Shooting Star attack 1 more time (2 dmg x5）
  

Chapter 2

• The Tiger Knight: cancel intent if receive more than 54 damage
  
• The Goat Hunter：cancel intent if applied more than 3 debuffs
  
• The Deer Wizard：caoncel intent if played required number of cards to be mod of 4
  
• White Ghost：Guardian gain 18 block, HP increases to 160
  
• Jade Princess：Gain 3 evasion every round. Beautiful Kisses applies 3 Charmed.
  
• Scorpian Warrior：Restriction gain 25 block. Scarlet Needle applies bleeding regardless of dealing HP damage.
  
• Giant Bat：Gain 5 fly when taking off. Start with 5 fly。Soaring Vampire deals 14 damage.
  
• Harpy：
  • Feather Blade deals 6 damage.
  • Demonic Scream applies 3 frail.
• Demon Hunter: act twice when he has buff or debuff.
  
• Painted Spirit：Painted Skin every 2 rounds.
  
• Yasha：
  • Gain 6 fly when taking off. Start with 6 fly.
  • Trident Thrust deals 20 damage, applies 3 frail.
• Dream Walker:
  • Hypnosis gains 2 more block when chanting.
  • Dream eater shuffles 3 Forgotten.
• Dark Spector:
  • Absorb Constitution absorbs 3 cons and gains 17 block when chanting.
  • Absorb Block absorbs 15 block.
• Light Spector:
  • Absorb Strength absorbs 3 strength and gains 17 block when chanting.
  • Absorb Life absorbs 13 HP.
• Crab Guardian: Arterial Pinch applies 4 bleeding. 4 Malleable.
  
• Catfish Guardian: Layered Bubble applies 2 vulnerable. Bubble Attack applies 1 frail.
  
• Plum Blossom Fairy: starts with 12 block. Sweet Plum applies 6 Regen.
  
• Orchid Fairy: starts with 12 block. Orchid Discourage reduce 3 strength and gain 15 block when chanting
  
• Bamboo Fairy: starts with 12 block. Bamboo Fast Growth gain 15 block
  
• Daisy Fairy: starts with 12 block. Daisy Allure reduces 2 constitution
  
• Thorn Spore: starts with 5 block
  
• Toxic Spore: starts with 5 block
  
• God of Agriculture：2 Thorns Aura
  
• Coffin Monster: Consume reduces 20% HP per round.
  

Chapter 3

• Golden Eblow：
  • Fake Buddha increased to 400
    
  • Buddha’s Punishment attack 1 more time
    
  • Bottomless Bag deals damage equal to 15% MAX HP.
    
  • Spiked Club Swing deals 40 damage
• The Rhino King：
  • Thick Skin: gain 30 block each round, 400 block max.
    
  • Rhino Armor: 50 block
• The Golden Roc：
  • Fly gains 12 fly.
    
  • Golden Feather Strike: 7 damage x 6.
    
  • Necro Flame: gain 35 block when chanting, applies 6 burning.
• The Cyan Lion:
  • Lion’s Pride: if deals HP damage, the HP damage is at least 9.
    
  • Roar：30 damage。
    
  • Lion’s Strength: gain 3 strength each round.
• The Citrine Elephant:
  • Dash：applies 3 Rupture
    
  • Protection: protects 3 rounds, gain 45 block
    
  • HP+100，12 Strangle.
• Emerald Dragon Princess:Summon a water guardian at start. Immune to Wet, deals 20% more damage to targets with wet.
  
• Emerald Dragon King: Summon a water guardian at start. Immune to Wet, deals 20% more damage to targets with wet.
  
• The Sword Dancer: Sword Dance deals 40 damage and accumulates 200, gaining 5 evasion. HP increases 100.
  
• Lohan of Peace：Lohan Strike attacks 1 more time, HP+100.
  
• Lohan of War: Hunt Dragons attacks 1 more time, HP+100.
  
• Rodent Duchess: summon at least 3 mice, each mouse starts with 10 block. Demonic Siren shuffles 3 Seduced or Charmed.
  
• Celestial of Wishes:
  • Blood of My Blood: +4 constitution，+4 strength.
  • Phantom Strikes attacks 1 more time
  • True Mirror: creates 2 mirrors
• Moon Rabbit Fairy:
  
  
  • Rabbit Holes: 4 invisible, Rabbits HP x3.
    
  • Moon Cake: 30 Block, gain 3 strength, 3 constitution.
• Ox Head: 14 living armor caps at 28. HP + 100.
  
• Horse Head：12 Regen caps at 24. HP + 100.
  
• Hell Judge: summon 3 slave imps. Hell Judge gains 3 str or 3 Constitution.
  
• Worm: MAX damage is 18.
  
• Voodoo Witch: summon 3 worms.
  
• Voodoo Zombie: Hp+20, gain 2 strength
  
• Voodoo Elder
  • Deadly Poison: gains 40 block when chanting, and applies 6 poison.
  • They Are Billions: 3 zombies。
• Sky Chaser：
  • Soul Bark：takes 4 cards, applies 4 weak.
    
  • HP+100.
• Sky Diver:
  • gains 7 fly, starts with 7 fly.
  • Dark Eclipse: applies 2 blind.
  • HP+100.

[h2]Trial 18[/h2]

Elites now have more challenging behaviors and enhanced skills. All the numbers below are base values, which will be impacted by trial factors.

Chapter 1

• Master Zenith：Shape Shifting recovers at least 30HP, and recovers 3 HP each round.
  
• Black Hurricane：HP +20.
  
• Yellow Phantom：starts with 3 Artifact.
  

Chapter 2

This week, we opened 3 new levels of trials (17-19), added mac build, and made decent progress on optimizations, balances, and bug fixes.

[h2]Major Updates[/h2]

• Mac build is now available!
  
• Trial 17-19 now open! We will post a separate post about detailed change log for Trial 17-19, but quick overview:
  
  
  
  • Trial 17: Normal NPCs now have more challenging behaviors
    
  • Trial 18: Elites now have more challenging behaviors
    
  • Trial 19: Bosses now have more challenging behaviors
    

[h2]Optimization[/h2]

[h3]Performance[/h3]

• Speed up asset loading, card loading, and chapter loading speed by optimizing assets size, adding image async and effects async
  
• Add safe check to improve security for game saves
  

[h3]UI Improvement[/h3]

• Add additional info for relics
  
• Add additional info for all Cards
  
• Change Chinese font to Heiti
  
• Group card by name in Journal
  
• Optimize Black Market UI
  

[h2]Balance [/h2]
Game Logic

• Explosion logic change: trigger all poison damage at once and burning counts remain the same after explosion -> each burning count will trigger 5 poison, and the equal counts of burning will be removed after the explosion.
  
  • Example 1, apply 15 poison and 2 burning together:
    
    • Before: the explosion deals all poison damage at once: 15+14+13+12+11….+1 = 120 damage. Burning counts will remain the same after the explosion.
      
    • Now: 2 burnings will trigger 10 poison at once:10+9+ ….+1=55 damage , 2 burning will be removed after the explosion, and there is 5 poison left
  • Example 2, apply 15 poison and 5 burning together:
    • Before: the explosion deals all poison damage at once: 15+14+13+12+11….+1 = 120 damage. Burning counts will remain the same after the explosion.
      
    • Now: 3 burnings will trigger 15 poison at once: 15+14+13+12+11….+1 = 120 damage. 3 burning will be removed after the explosion (2 burning left), and there is no poison left.
• Base trial factor: 80% HP -> 75% HP
  
• Change choice 2 of the “Chrysanthemum Temple” event: exchange -> transform

Wukong

• One last fight: add “Retain” keyword, Energy cost +1
  
• Harmonic Shapes: pick 1 card at hand, reduce Energy cost by 1 -> reduce Energy costs of all cards at Hand by 1 for next play
  
• Ghost Hunter: damage 15 -> 20, Energy cost 1 ->2
  
• On Thin Ice: add “Exhaust” keyword
  
• Fiery Dance: pick any number of cards to exhaust -> exhaust all cards on hand
  
• Borrowed Worship: energy cost 0->1
  

White Dragon

• Second to None: deal damage -> deal unblockable damage.
  
• Dual Attack: add “Exhaust” keyword
  
• Dragon in the Water: add “Exhaust” keyword
  
• Turn the Tide: add “Retain” keyword
  
• Dragon Scale Armor: Energy cost 0->1, living armor cap 20->16, Gain 10 living armor -> 8 living armor.
  

Holy Monk

• Endless Suffering: Energy cost 1->0, damage 5xNumber of debuffs -> 10 x Number of debuffs
  
• Best Practice: 2 turns -> 3 turns
  
• Greater Good: Random enemy +1 good ->AOE +1 Good
  

Neutral Card

• Kill the worm: Energy cost 4-> 3
  
• Parasite (curse card): Energy cost 2 -> 3
  
• Embroidered Shoe: Summons rats with life link -> escape from the combat for 1 round.
  
• BloodThirsty Blade: remove “Exhaust” keyword
  

NPC

• Emperor of Hell:
  • Wheel of Death: Gain 3 strength and 30 blocks whenever player shuffles cards -> Gain 3 strength and 30 blocks whenever player shuffles cards. End player’s round immediately on 3rd shuffle in a single round.
    
  • Sin Mark: Now Sin Mark will reduce to half at the end of the round.
• Fat Rabbit: now you can steal Fat Rabbit’s Bow from Fat Rabbit
  
• Spider Queen: Queen’s Curse on 3rd round
  
• Harpy: Feather Caller now shows damage on intent
  
• Carp King: can now swallow any minion (including Elite or Boss), or normal non-minions
  
• Princess Jade: can confuse any minion (including Elite or Boss)
  
• Nine-head Phoenix: Find Strength through Pain now applies poison to all enemies
  
• Giant Bat: increase poison count by 1
  
• Voodoo Elder: Catalyst now shows damage on intent
  
• Black Hurricane: HP range 100-110 -> 90-100
  
• Son of Fire: reduce cooldown for Concentration 4 -> 3, Necrofire Storm 4-> 3
  
• Master Zenith/Werewolf: reduce HP gain for Werewolf Shape Shifting to 15 for non-wolf characters
  
• Lohans: AI adjust for both Lohans to reduce attack synchronization, thus reduce the amount of damage in single round
  

Companion

• No balance patch.
  

Relics

• Half Moon Shovel: Deal N/3 damage -> N/2 (N=number of cards in exhaust pile)
  
• Monkey king’s belt: Deal 3 -> 6 damage to all enemies when an ally joins or leaves combat.
  
• Fortification Spell: Gain 14 blocks on second round -> gain 1 invincibility on second round
  
• Phoenix Feather Pouch: increase 3 Max HP -> 2 Max HP
  
• Tiger Hat: 4 exhaust cards -> 3 exhaust cards
  
• Silver Fox Shawl: now you can take a look at cards before exchanging it for 2 MAX HP
  

Consumables

• Water potion: 3 wet -> 5 wet
  
• Purification bottle: summons a NPC at 50% HP -> 100% HP
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]
Game logic bug fixes

• Fix Resurrection Card logic where the upgraded version did not fully recover 75% HP for resurrected
• target.
  
• Fix achievement bugs
  
• Fix Golden Robe logic bug
  
• Fix bugs when Celestial of Wealth uses gold
  
• Fix Cleaning Gem count loss after reloading
  
• Fix Monkey King Bar effect missing after shape shifting
  
• Fix replaced NPC is not recorded correctly after kill
  
• Fix steam leaderboard
  
• Fix the issue of Max HP becomes negative
  
• Fix a bug of deferred action
  
• Fix Worm Bit crash bug
  
• Fix a bug in “Far Thunder Temple” event
  
• Fix the bleed factor when Dragon Princess learns White Tiger's Card
  
• Fix a bug when dragon Princess learn Poisoned Weapon Card
  
• Fix a bug related to chanting when burning and poison are applied
  
• Fix damage count display for Emissary of Heaven
  
• Fix Reflective Guardian Swords effect remaining rounds
  
• Fix a bug when the first card in discard will always be the last to draw after shuffling
  

Localization and text bug fixes

• Fix description bug of Protection and change HP
  
• Fix description bugs for Card Glue
  
• Fix “Ethereal” keyword description in card modifier
  
• Add Rose Gold Bowl picker title
  
• Fix description of Worm Bite
  
• Fix Purification UI description
  
• Add description for doubt in start event
  
• Fix dice game UI title and description
  
• Fix description for Tiger Inside
  
• Fix description of the condendium
  
• Fix text in the lantern puzzle
  

UI and Effects bug fixes

• Fix some player effects
  
• Fix camp UI font
  
• Fix black market UI
  
• Fix the discharge button icon for Holy Monk
  

Assets bug fixes

• Some character model fixes
  

Audio bug fixes

• No bug fixes this week