Project Warlock II News

Hey Warlocks,

We've prepared a hotfix to address a couple of issues that popped up after releasing the Reworked Chapter 2 Update. Thank you for the ongoing reports and feedback, they are truly invaluable to us!

[h3]Changelog 0.7.0.27[/h3]

• Fixed a bug where weapon names would not update in Weapon Shop after purchase in Chapter 2
  
• Fixed localization issue for Urd’s description in Character Select in Polish language
  
• Adjusted Demoness, Wraith and Demonface physics - these monsters should not clip through the floor anymore.
  
• Added combo texts back to the Combo Display
  
• Fixed an issue where Barrels would not count towards Combo Meter
  
• Fixed an issue where secret character in E2M7 would be the same one as in E2M4
  
• Fixed an issue where firing the preloaded winchester would not be possible if magazine was empty
  
• Fixed an issue where ammo would be displayed incorrectly on Dual SMGs
  
• Fixed an issue where SMG reload was not needed when shooting
  
• Adjusted Lavaworm Boss Fight
  • Removed Monster spawning projectile, Lava Worm shoots a homing projectile instead
    
  • Added monster spawners on switch activation

[h3]Hey, Warlocks![/h3]

Welcome to the Chapter 2 Rework update! Urd is back, and ready for rampage!

Let's start off with a brief trip down memory lane, to when we released the Reworked Chapter 1. Our main idea was to expand and emphasize on what made Project Warlock II a proper sequel to Project Warlock. We've taken a few pages from our original playbook, brought them up to modern standards, and introduced them to Palmer's campaign. It wasn't perfect, but it felt like we were heading in the right direction. We're also circling back a bit by reintroducing Fire and Ice spells for Palmer in place of Phantom Palmer and Ammo Refill. Fire and Ice just feel like Palmer's elements, and they're back. These aren't the only Palmer changes you'll see in the patch notes, keep reading!

After launching the Reworked Chapter 1 it was time to polish the ongoing Chapter 2 Rework. The whole process had 2 goals:
1. Unify the character progression systems - we decided to move away from Wargression, as having 3 different character progression systems would be too disorienting in the long run. We're still thinking on ways to use the Wargression system in the future, as some of you were really fond of its idea.
2. Update Urd's arsenal to bring it up to Chapter 1 standards - Urd's arsenal was simpler than Palmer's - mainly due to Wargression system as well as the Spell Book. Now that Urd has access to Weapon Upgrades, as well as Stats, Perks, and Passive upgrades, she has a fully upgradeable set of weapons. You'll notice a few familiar guns from the previous Chapter 2 version, But the majority of her arsenal is brand new.

Along the way we've made more changes to how Chapter 2, and, to be honest, the whole Project Warlock II plays out. Reworked Chapter 2 brings a fresh HUD for Urd AND Palmer, as well as brand new SFX to the whole game, including new sound effects for weapons and monsters, and new music tracks for Chapter 2. We've also revised the level design of Chapter 2, and made some adjustments to encounters, and, most notably, the Lava Worm fight happens in E2M7. Not that long ago we've come up with a brand new World Difficulty Level system. After completing M7 of each Chapter the increased world difficulty level allows Elite monster variants to spawn. They are deadly, and should make the second part of each chapter more interesting. We've also adjusted difficulty levels across the board, and let us tell you... the Hardcore is really... hardcore.

We'd like to offer a huge thanks to our brave Discord Playtesters who helped us along the way by providing a ton of valuable feedback. Thank you for all the bug reports, suggestions, and discussions we had over the course of the playtest.

Without further ado, here are the Reworked Chapter 2 Patch Notes:

[h2]Chapter 2 Rework[/h2]
Overhauled and reworked Chapter 2, matching the quality and features from Chapter 1
[h3]Added HUB between levels to Chapter 2[/h3]

• Added Stats & Perks Shop
  
• Added Weapon Upgrade Shop
  
• Added Spell Upgrade Shop
  
• Added Passive Upgrade Shop
  
• Added Bestiary Room

[h3]New SFX for Chapter 2[/h3]
Revised the sound effects of Weapons, Monsters, as well as the Soundtrack.
[h3]Reworked Chapter 2 Arsenal[/h3]
Revised all Weapons in Chapter 2, new arsenal consists of:

• Kunai Dagger
  • Tribal Tomahawk
    
  • Tribal Spear
• Revolver
  • Buckshot Revolver
    
  • Magnum Pistol
• Pump Action Shotgun
  • Winchester Rifle
    
  • Shorty Shotgun
• Crystal SMG
  • Gatling Gun
    
  • Dual SMGs
• Dynamite
  • TNT Charge
    
  • Firecrackers
• Magic Crossbow
  • Magic Tripleshot Crossbow
    
  • Magic Ballista

[h3]Revised Chapter 2 Stats[/h3]

• Strength
  
• Vitality
  
• Spirit
  
• Capacity
  
• Poison
  
• Crystal

[h3]Revised Chapter 2 Perks[/h3]
Alongside pool of common perks, Urd has access to her individual ones:

• Poison Cloud
  
• Poison Aura
  
• Crystal Blast
  
• Crystal Aura

[h3]Revised Chapter 2 Spells[/h3]

• Temporal Speed
  
• Crystal Spell
  
• Poison Spell

Revised Chapter 2 Spell Upgrades

• Temporal Speed
  • Melee Master
    
  • Duration Increase
• Crystal Spell
  • Unstable Crystals
    
  • High-speed Crystals
• Poison Spell
  • Grand Opening
    
  • Cloud Control

[h3]Revised Chapter 2 Passive Upgrades[/h3]
Passive Upgrades are commonly shared between all Chapters
[h3]Added Rune Tasks for Chapter 2 Weapons[/h3]
Urd can augment her weapons with either Poison or Crystal runes.
[h3]Revised Chapter 2 Levels[/h3]

• Most levels received updated and balanced encounters
  
• Moved Lava Worm boss from E2M11 to E2M7
  
• Reworked E2M12 Final Boss Fight mechanics
  
• Reworked area where Lava Worm boss was in E2M11

[h2]Chapter 1 Changes[/h2]
[h3]Reworked Chapter 1 Spells[/h3]
Frost Spell replaces Phantom Palmer
Fire Spell replaces Ammo Refill
[h3]Reworked Upgrades for Spells[/h3]

• Frost Spell
  • Ice Bolt
    
  • Ice Storm
• Fire spell
  • Extended Flames
    
  • Extended Range

[h3]New SFX for Chapter 1[/h3]

• Revised Weapons Sounds
  
• Revised Monster Sounds
  
• Revised Audio Balance and Mixing

[h2]Game Difficulty[/h2]
[h3]World Difficulty Level[/h3]
World difficulty level increases after completing M7 of each chapter.
Increased world difficulty level allows Elite monster variants to spawn.
[h3]Elite Monsters[/h3]

• These monsters have a chance to appear on the increased world difficulty level.
  
• They move and attack faster and have higher health pool.

[h3]Game Balance[/h3]

• Balanced monsters and difficulty levels

[h3]Difficulty Levels[/h3]

• Adjusted difficulty levels

[h2]Weapons[/h2]

• Reworked the magazine logic
  
• Magazines now show real magazine ammo
  
• Ammo is not subtracted from the ammo pool when shooting, only from the magazine

[h2]Visuals[/h2]

• Added Emission Maps to active Upgrade Stations
  
• Added Emission Maps to doors for better visibility
  
• Added SSAO effect around sprites, when SSAO is enabled
  
• Added Visual Hint for explosive projectiles displaying their hit radius

[h2]UI[/h2]

• Overhauled Chapter 1 HUD
  Palmer's Mugshot is still in the works, therefore new HUD contains an outdated icon
• Overhauled Chapter 2 HUD
  
• Revised all menus visually

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]
[h3]Coyote Time[/h3]

• Coyote time got an update and works more accurately!

[h3]Loading Screen[/h3]

• Added new loading screen between Buckshot Software and Main Menu to prepare the assets for the game

[h2]AI/Monsters[/h2]
[h3]Flying Monsters Rework[/h3]
Flying monsters now actually fly (kinda)
[h2]Bugfixing[/h2]
Fixed over 120 bugs total found during past months
[h2]Known Issues[/h2]
- You might encounter some audio-related issues, such as sound cutting out, multiple sounds overlapping each other - we are working on fixing those and we'll have a patch ready in the next few days to address that. If you come across any audio-related issues, make sure to let us know!

- The icons for Fire Spell upgrades in the shop are placeholder and subject-to-change.

[h2]Next Steps...[/h2]
We can't wait for you to re-enter the Brutalist West and see what Urd's new arsenal is capable of. We'll be taking a close look at your endeavors, and making adjustments where necessary and can't wait for your feedback.


Have fun in the Brutalist West, and see you next time!

Hey Warlocks,

We're ready to share some exciting news about the upcoming Chapter 2 Rework. For the last couple of weeks we've been working hard on incorporating the feedback we've received from our Discord playtests, and making changes where needed. Apart from that we've also come up with tons of changes between the playtests and now, including a brand new World Level System!

[h3]\Reworked Chapter 2 will release on Thursday, November 7th![/h3]

Here are the highlighted features coming to the refreshed and improved Urd's campaign:

[h3]World Difficulty Level[/h3]
World difficulty level increases after completing M7 of each Chapter.
Increased world difficulty level allows Elite monster variants to spawn.
[h3]Elite Monsters[/h3]

These monsters have a chance to appear - the chance will increase as the World Difficulty level grows.
The Elites move and attack faster and have higher health pool.
[h3]Chapter 2 Rework[/h3]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Overhauled and reworked Chapter 2, matching the quality, progression, and features from Chapter 1
[h3]Game Balance[/h3]
Balanced monsters and difficulty levels
[h3]Difficulty Levels[/h3]
Adjusted difficulty levels
[h3]Overhauled UI[/h3]

Revised all menus and HUD
[h3]SFX Rework[/h3]
Brand new SFX for Chapter 1 and 2
[h3]The comeback of Ice and Fire[/h3]
Fire and Ice Spells are making a comeback for Palmer with brand new upgrades. It just feels right.


When the Reworked Chapter 2 goes live you can expect a full-length patch notes with all the changes compared to the previous version of Urd's adventure. You might want to prepare some snacks for that.

Hey Warlocks,

We're exited to let you know that Project Warlock II is officially a part of the Boomstock 2024 event! This celebration of retro-inspired games is packed with a fantastic lineup of games, and we're happy to showcase Project Warlock II alongside them.

As we're gearing for the upcoming Chapter 2 Rework, we’ve prepared a brand-new trailer that gives you a glimpse into what’s coming in the refreshed Urd's campaign. Get ready for adrenaline-pumping action, seriously wicked weapons, and brand new progression system for the not-so-young witch.

Check out the trailer:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Get Project Warlock II now with 35% discount![/h3]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1640300/Project_Warlock_II/

Until next time!

Hey Warlocks,

We’re back with some news about the upcoming Chapter 2 Rework, and boy, things are getting intense! Development is in full swing, and as we’re polishing the final details of Urd’s campaign, we’ve also been making major progress on Chapter 3, which is now almost fully fleshed out. We’re stoked about Kirsten’s adventure, and can’t wait to share more news after the Reworked Chapter 2 goes live.

Today we’re ready to pull back the curtain a bit more and share more about how Urd’s chapter is evolving. Let’s start with the basics - the new HUD!

[h3]NEW HUD[/h3]



This is one of the most noticeable changes we’ve made to Project Warlock II - switching from the old, classic HUD structure to a completely new one. Our main goal in this process has been simplicity. We want the HUD to be easy to read with as many details and as few elements as possible. The new structure balances the visual appeal and user experience and provides the necessary information through a modern-looking interface. Since the beginning of Project Warlock, we had different Warlock faces and expressions shown on HUD - we want to keep that in the new layout, the portrait is now bigger than before and isn’t constrained by the HUD frame anymore.

Each character is going to have a unique HUD. Reworked Chapter 2 will be released with the new HUD for Urd, and Palmer’s getting his own soon after that.

[h3]CHANGES TO LEVEL DESIGN[/h3]



Chapter 2 is getting some important improvements when it comes to level design. We’re adjusting all the levels and arenas to make sure that the action is correctly paced. One major example would be that previously monsters in arenas would spawn right after one enemy died. This wasn’t working as we’d like as it significantly slowed down the action. All spawners, including the ones in arenas are on a timer so all monsters are going to appear at a certain rate, and will not wait until you get rid of a wandering straggler before reinforcements join the fray.

[h3]URD’S UPDATED PROGRESSION[/h3]



Since we’re implementing all systems from Chapter 1 to Chapters 2 and 3, Urd is going to have her own, unique Perks in the Stat & Perk Shop. Just like Palmer’s, four of her available perks are connected with the elements she wields - Poison and Crystal, each enhanced by 2 perks.

Urd’s unique perks are:

• Poison Cloud
  Grants a 10% chance to trigger a poison cloud when killing a monster.
  
• Poison Aura
  Grants a 10% chance to apply poison effect to monsters.
  
• Crystal Blast
  Grants a 10% chance for crystal explosion on killing an enemy.
  
• Crystal Aura
  Grants a 10% chance for an additional crystal projectile when firing any weapon.

[h3]URD’S NEW ABILITIES[/h3]

Urd’s also getting a complete abilities overhaul, compared to the previous version of Chapter 2. While Palmer’s abilities are mostly utility ones, Urd is going all out with offensive spells. As we mentioned last time, the Spellbook is here to stay, although in a slightly different form. We’re saying goodbye to the Fire and Ice pages of the book since they are no longer elements Urd is associated with. Instead, the Poison and Crystal pages of the book will have separate cooldowns and are cranked up to 11.

• Temporary Speed
  This spell allows Urd to move much faster for a short time. You can upgrade the spell to extend its duration or make you invincible when using melee weapons.
  
  
• Poison Spell
  The Poison Spell deals corrosive damage over time, has no ammo limit, and can be upgraded to conjure a poison cloud which deals damage over time in an area, or poison enemies around Urd when opening the book.
  
  
• Crystal Spell
  The Crystal Spell deals crystal damage (duh…), has no ammo limit and can be upgraded to explode in an area, dealing heavy damage, or stun and penetrate enemies.

[h3]WEAPONS[/h3]

Urd’s arsenal is going through a significant overhaul. She’s keeping some of her previous weapons, but also reaching for new ones to amp up the rampage. We’ve prepared a sneak peek of two weapons coming in the Reworked Chapter 2 - Dynamite and Dual SMGs.

Dynamite

We’re working on the throw trajectory simulation. The aim (pun intended) is to make sure you know where the explosive is going to land in advance. This is a work-in-progress GIF of what we have in mind:



As you see, the dynamite trajectory is now a parabola instead of a straight line, and it detects walls. Yes, we hear you, the lighter is still not flipped correctly. Working on it.

Dual SMGs



What is it? Akimbo? Nope, that’s Palmer’s thing, but one of the upgrades for Urd’s SMG is two rapid-shooting guns. You know what they say - what’s better than one gun… TWO GUNS OF COURSE.

[h3]Upcoming Playtest[/h3]

As we’re adding finishing touches to the Reworked Chapter 2, we’d love for you to try it out before it goes live, and share your thoughts regarding all the changes. We’re planning to have a Playtest session on our Discord server in the coming weeks. If you’d be interested in being amongst the first Warlocks to step foot in the Reworked Brutalist West, make sure to join our Discord, check out the Playtest Club channel, and stay on the lookout for more news!

Until next time!