Renown News

[p]From the Entire RDBK team, thank you so much for checking out Renown. [/p][p]
We’d like to humbly apologise to anyone experiencing issues with the current patch of Renown. [/p][p]We’re getting some reports of folks getting kicked back to the menu, having EAC hang or not load properly. [/p][p]We’re already reaching out to our contacts at Epic Games who own Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC). [/p][p]We think we know the cause of the issue but have no ability to influence the outcome without Epic Games. [/p][p][/p][p]If you’ve ever played a version of Renown before, its best to try uninstall/delete/scrub any files remaining before installing the latest version. [/p][p][/p][p]Till then we’ve already posted this set of troubleshooting steps to try help the issue: If you’re having trouble launching or are being kicked from a server on join, this may be to Easy Anti-Cheat, try the following steps in order: [/p][p]1) Verify or Reinstall the Game Use your platform’s file verification option to check for missing or corrupted files. [/p][p]If problems continue, uninstall and reinstall the game. [/p][p]2) Check Your Antivirus/Firewall Make sure your security software isn’t blocking Renown or Easy Anti-Cheat. Add the game’s installation folder to your antivirus and firewall exceptions list. [/p][p]3) Close Background Apps Shut down unnecessary programs running in the background, especially overlays (Discord, Steam, NVIDIA, etc.) or system monitoring tools that may conflict with EAC. [/p][p]4) Reinstall Easy Anti-Cheat Navigate to Renown’s installation folder. Run UninstallAntiCheat.bat, then run InstallAntiCheat.bat to reinstall EAC. [/p][p]5) Update Drivers and Windows Outdated graphics, network, or system drivers can cause issues. Ensure your Windows installation and all drivers are fully up to date. [/p][p]6) Remove Old Renown Folders If you previously installed an older version of Renown (Backer, Demo, etc.), delete the following folder before launching the game: %USERPROFILE%\\AppData\\Local\\Renown_Combat 7) [/p][p]Physically delete any left over files after uninstalling Renown. If you’ve previously installed Renown, the game files will be located inside one of your Steam Library folders. [/p][p]The default path is typically: SteamLibrary\\steamapps\\common\\Renown However, your Steam Library may be located on a different drive (for example, D:\\SteamLibrary... instead of C:...) if you’ve chosen a custom installation location or have multiple Steam Libraries. [/p][p]If you’re not sure where the game is installed, you can always locate it directly through Steam by: Opening your Steam Library. Right-clicking on Renown and selecting Manage > Browse Local Files. Thank you again for supporting a small team of Indie developers such as ourselves. [/p][p][/p][p]We apologise again for any issues, and are actively working to get them fixed as soon as possible.[/p]

[p]Hey, Renowners![/p][p]We're thrilled to announce that Renown is now available on Steam! We wanted to thank each and every one of you for all the support you've given us over its development. Whether it's being an original backer, a community member in our Discord waiting to pickup the game, or a new arrival - we're hugely appreciative to all of you. As a team of four people, it has been a huge undertaking to get Renown to this stage and we're just getting started on our roadmap.

Lastly, if you encounter any bugs or issues, please don't hesitate to get in touch here or on our Discord, but in the meantime here's a couple of fixes for some known issues. [/p][p][/p][p]/Jesse, Alex, Charlie & Kaz
[/p][h2]Renown Troubleshooting Steps[/h2][p][/p][p]If you’re having trouble launching or are being kicked from a server on join, this may be to Easy Anti-Cheat, try the following steps in order:[/p]

• [p]1) Verify or Reinstall the Game[/p]

[p]Use your platform’s file verification option to check for missing or corrupted files. If problems continue, uninstall and reinstall the game.[/p]

• [p]2) Check Your Antivirus/Firewall[/p]

[p]Make sure your security software isn’t blocking Renown or Easy Anti-Cheat. Add the game’s installation folder to your antivirus and firewall exceptions list.[/p]

• [p]3) Close Background Apps[/p]

[p]Shut down unnecessary programs running in the background, especially overlays (Discord, Steam, NVIDIA, etc.) or system monitoring tools that may conflict with EAC.[/p]

• [p]4) Reinstall Easy Anti-Cheat[/p]

[p]Navigate to Renown’s installation folder. Run UninstallAntiCheat.bat, then run InstallAntiCheat.bat to reinstall EAC.[/p]

• [p]5) Update Drivers and Windows[/p]

[p]Outdated graphics, network, or system drivers can cause issues. Ensure your Windows installation and all drivers are fully up to date.[/p]

• [p]6) Remove Old Renown Folders[/p]

[p]If you previously installed an older version of Renown (Backer, Demo, etc.), delete the following folder before launching the game:[/p][p]%USERPROFILE%\\AppData\\Local\\Renown_Combat[/p]

• [p]7) Physically delete any left over files after uninstalling Renown. [/p]

[p]If you’ve previously installed Renown, the game files will be located inside one of your Steam Library folders. The default path is typically:[/p][p]SteamLibrary\\steamapps\\common\\Renown[/p][p]However, your Steam Library may be located on a different drive (for example, D:\\SteamLibrary... instead of C:...) if you’ve chosen a custom installation location or have multiple Steam Libraries.[/p][p]If you’re not sure where the game is installed, you can always locate it directly through Steam by:[/p][p]Opening your Steam Library.[/p][p]Right-clicking on Renown and selecting Manage > Browse Local Files.

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[p]Hey, Renowners![/p][p]We're super excited to share that Renown officially enters Early Access on September 22 at 4pm BST / 11am EDT / 8am PDT for $24.99 USD with a 10% launch discount.[/p][p]Following our phenomenally successful crowdfunding campaigns and the awesome efforts from both our development team and you - our amazing community - we've finally reached this huge milestone. As a small studio often operating with just three core developers, this journey has tested us in every way imaginable, yet your support has made every challenge worthwhile.[/p][p]We take immense pride in what we've built together, and this is only the beginning of Renown's potential. While we know the game isn't flawless or as refined as our ultimate vision, we think we've crafted something special given our resources and tight-knit team. What we're delivering is not just genuinely entertaining, but a solid foundation that will evolve and flourish throughout the Early Access experience.[/p][p]Thank you for believing in us and being part of this adventure and do be sure to check out our latest community video below. [/p][p]/Jesse, Alex, Charlie & Kaz [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h2]Launch FAQ[/h2][h3]General Questions[/h3][p]Q: What is Early Access? A: Early Access allows players to purchase and play the game while it's still in development. You'll get to experience the core gameplay and provide feedback that helps shape the final 1.0 launch.[/p][p]Q: How much will the game cost in Early Access? A: $24.99 USD with a 10% launch discount. [/p][p]Q: How long will the game remain in Early Access? A: We estimate 12-18 months, but we're committed to taking the time needed to deliver a polished final product rather than rushing to meet arbitrary deadlines.[/p][h2]Technical & Platform Questions[/h2][p]Q: What platforms will be supported? A: At launch, PC (Steam!)[/p][p]Q: What are the minimum system requirements? A: We'd recommend[/p]

• [p]A 64-bit processor and operating system[/p]
• [p]OS: Windows 10[/p]
• [p]Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-2600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1400[/p]
• [p]Memory: 16 GB RAM[/p]
• [p]Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 3070 or AMD equivalent[/p]
• [p]DirectX: Version 11[/p]
• [p]Network: Broadband Internet connection[/p]
• [p]Storage: 35 GB available space[/p]

[p]Q: Will there be controller support? A: We have minimal controller support at launch, this will work somewhat well for combat but not for the survival systems, full controller support coming soon.[/p][p]Q: Is there multiplayer/co-op support? A: Absolutely, Renown is a sandbox multiplayer experience similar to Rust meets Chivalry. You can absolutely play by yourself, but you'll encounter other real players.[/p][h2]Content & Features[/h2][p]Q: How much content is available at Early Access launch? A: All the foundational elements of a pvp survival game, Building, Raiding, Combat, Looting, PVP, PVE, Crafting, Researching, Progressing, Multiple Mixed Modes, Raid Mode, Voip, Community Server Hosting, Customization, Skins and much more. [/p][p]Q: What features are planned for future updates? A: Firstly polish all the existing features then we have a lot of systems we want to add, RP Items, Further Raiding Equipment, Transport (horses and carts), Boats, Instruments, Missions, Reputation, Leader boards and much more, check out our road map on our discord for more. [/p][p]Q: Will there be regular updates during Early Access? A: Yes! We plan to release updates as often as possible, with both content additions and bug fixes based on community feedback.[/p][p]Q: Can I provide feedback and suggestions? A: Absolutely! Player feedback is crucial to our development process. You can reach us through Discord or via Steam's forums.[/p][h2]Purchase & Access[/h2][p]Q: Where can I buy the Early Access version? A: The game will be available on Steam on September 22nd. [/p][p]Q: Do Kickstarter backers get Early Access included? A: Yes, all backers at will receive Early Access keys before the public launch.[/p][p]Q: Will there be regional pricing? A: Yes, we support regional pricing to make the game accessible to players worldwide.[/p][p]Q: Is there a refund policy? A: Standard platform refund policies apply.[/p][h2]Development & Community[/h2][p]Q: How can I report bugs? A: Please use our bug reporting system in game with detailed descriptions and screenshots when possible, or drop us a line on Discord.[/p][p]Q: Will you add features that weren't in the original plan? A: We're open to community suggestions that align with our vision, though we'll prioritize completing planned features first.[/p][p]Q: How often will you communicate updates? A: We'll provide development updates bi-weekly through Discord and Steam, plus immediate communication for any critical issues.[/p][p]Q: What if I don't like the direction the game is heading? A: We value all feedback and encourage open dialogue. While we can't accommodate every request, community input significantly influences our development priorities.

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[p]Happy September, Renowners, Mr. Z speaking here. Release is extremely close now and we'd like to keep everyone updated on our latest exploits.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Last week we did a huge stress test with our crowdfund backers to see how well the servers would hold up for launch. We'll also be discussing some of the work we'll be doing to prepare for launch.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]During our stress test we tried to see how well the game would hold up with the most players we've ever had on a single server. We're pleased to announce that the game held up convincingly at 80 players, but we were able to reach even higher to 100 with some instability. [/p][p]The goal was to discover all the performance and stability issues we could to fix things before release. We discovered a few key things, mainly that buildings are still a large source of performance degradation, but also there were many minor pieces of the code that became incredibly expensive with so many players online at once, as well inefficiencies in the way our save system functions that could only have been seen with lots of player activity.[/p][p] We had to keep a strict building limit for performance reasons, but even with that included, we had over 25 thousand building pieces in the server.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Its important to note that the goal of this stress test was to see if the game could hold up under load, that being said we learned a few gameplay problems that we'll be addressing in the next few weeks. We really appreciate all the bug reporting and feedback we've been getting lately, its helping us tremendously to improve the state of the game. With that said, we will be holding another stress test soon, although this next one will be focused more on improving the gameplay experience.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We have a few things coming soon, for the game, namely; New melee animations are on the way, Backer rewards, gameplay balancing, bug fixes and improvements to the melee combat. We'll keep you updated as they get completed, but for example we've already begun optimizing some of the performance issues we recorded and have started work on a 1 hand sword animation set that will feel like a tremendous improvement.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thank you so much to all the backers that participated in the stress test and everyone who has contributed towards our crowdfunding campaign. Your support means everything to us, because of you we have been able to stay independent this whole time, without a publisher conflicting with our creative vision for the game. [/p][p][/p][p]We hope to see you on early access launch very soon. Stay tuned for our next announcement.[/p]

[p]Mr. Z here, we've got a bit of news to go through for this update so lets get right into it. We've had a few breakthroughs development-wise, we've been quiet lately on the community front but also very busy behind the scenes as release approaches.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]To begin we'll be discussing the final pass on Combat mechanics. Currently we're overhauling the combat system, by tweaking and adding new mechanics so the combat feels release ready. Additionally, the Longsword combat animations are receiving a full update as the last pass didn't meet our combat standards. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Once the Longsword animations are completed we'll begin combat testing again immediately so we can fine tune all the values and see what other changes are needed to improve the combat feel. Shields and ranged combat will also be receiving a pass. As well, the One Handed sword and Shield variant will be getting an animation pass as we feel they also don't quite meet our standards for combat.[/p][p][/p][p]We're currently in the middle of doing a localization pass on all the text in game. We currently support the following languages.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We hope to get this in by the next patch and we'll be requesting community assistance with improving the localization.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve added a new music system to really enhance the immersion of the game, with a variety of tracks that play and change over time. This keeps the soundtrack feeling fresh throughout your play sessions and adds an extra layer of atmosphere to the world.[/p][p][/p][p]We have a server queue now, you will no longer have to compete for the single open slot on a server while joining.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]KZ has been busy doing many art fixes this month, as well as improving the performance of the survival map.

 World Polish & Fixes
KZ here, I’ve been combing through the maps, cleaning up and refining hundreds of small details to make everything feel sharper and more immersive:[/p]

• [p]Fixed foliage clipping into rocks and adjusted foliage placement across the board for more natural landscapes.
  [/p]
• [p]Addressed LOD issues and made smoother transitions to reduce visual popping.
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• [p]Cleaned up dozens of clipping issues and performed general map touch-ups.
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• [p]Gave the UI a round of polish passes to make it feel more consistent.
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• [p]Fixed asset-related crashes, corrected broken rotations, and resolved collision issues.
  [/p]
• [p]Fixed blood mask issues across characters.
  [/p]
• [p]Corrected loot spawns that weren’t working as intended.
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• [p]Adjusted animal spawn placements for better gameplay balance.
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[p] AI & Level Design Updates[/p]

• [p]Improved AI placement and refined their pathing for more believable movement.
  [/p]
• [p]Built an entirely new Training Map from the ground up.
  [/p][p][/p]
• [p]Revamped and rebalanced the Moss Map for better flow and visuals.[/p][p]
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• [p]Completed the Cathedral Credits Map, featuring backer statues and gravestones to honor supporters.[/p][p]
  [/p]
• [p]I have Re done all the cliffs on the maps with better assets now collisions are more solid and they just generally look better[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] Audio & Environmental Immersion[/p]

• [p]Enhanced river and waterfall sound effects for more depth.
  [/p]
• [p]Tweaked wading sounds and adjusted movement speed when moving through water.
  [/p]
• [p]Extended ocean ambience so waves can now be heard closer to the shore.
  
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[p]Performance & Optimization[/p]

• [p]Huge performance jump — from ~30 FPS in the last demo to 90–100 FPS in current tests this of course varies on different hardware but this is based off mid range pc results (still a work in progress). [/p]
• [p]Conducted extensive asset and texture optimization to keep performance smooth.
  [/p]
• [p]Reworked beach blocking volumes for cleaner gameplay boundaries.
  
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[p]Ongoing & Upcoming Work[/p]

• [p]Finalizing hair physics (still to be implemented).
  
  [/p]
• [p]Continuing work on tree LODs to make transitions even smoother.
  
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• [p]More Optimization
  
  [/p]
• [p]More Polish across the board Generally trying to get a solid base for EA
  [/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Volker and Phanzor have been busy putting together an official Wiki for the game. We hope to populate the wiki with as much information as we can to help players get past the learning curve in the game more easily. If you would like to help out, please contact them directly as we need some volunteers to help maintain the wiki.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]https://rdbkstudios.fandom.com/wiki/Renown_Wiki[/p][p][/p][p]We are also pleased to announce that the dedicated server tool is now available on steam for everyone to download. You will not be required to own the game to host the server as it is available on the anonymous package for anyone to install. We also put together a guide for Linux server hosting on the wiki https://rdbkstudios.fandom.com/wiki/Community_Server_Hosting_-_Linux It is also possible to host on Windows though there is no documentation currently for that. We will be updating the server page as more features are added for server admins. For any large communities interested in testing the dedicated servers before launch, please get in contact with our Community Manager Volker so we can understand your needs better and possibly schedule some tests.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The customization system now supports new skins, including all the backer skins. Backers will be getting their skins on launch day. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We would like to thank our gracious backers for helping our team make it this far, its been through your support that we've been able to develop this game as a small independent team. Release is almost around the corner, its time to start getting your friends hyped up for launch and we hope to see you raiding each other on launch day.[/p][p][/p]