0.98 - Volumetric Lighting and Melee Improvements
Withering Rooms 0.98
New Features
A new quality level for the Graphics Options has been added - "Very High".
The "Very High" quality level enables volumetric lighting for all rooms. This effect is more subtle in brightly lit areas but affects outdoor and dark/dusty areas dramatically.
If you are on a desktop PC and were previously on "High" your setting will automatically be set to "Very High", as most gaming PCs should be able to run the new setting well - adjust it back down or turn down another setting(such as resolution scale or anti aliasing level) if you encounter performance issues. Steam Deck continues to default to "High".
Additionally:
- The NPCs in the Attic Prison and East Attic Stairwell in Chapter 3 & 4 now sell items relevant to Spell and Melee respectively
- Added the Spiked Coffin Shield, which inflicts bleeding build up on those who attack you while blocking with it
Balance Changes
- Shield durability now increases with Poise
- Poise damage no longer counts against shield durability
- The transition to blocking has been made faster and smoother
- The transitions into and out of melee attacks has been faster and smoother
- The Old King boss is no longer repeatable, and drops more Ancient Blood
- Monsters now gain a brief window of poise invulnerability(also known as hyper armor in some games) after their poise breaks to help prevent them from becoming stunlocked
- Bloody Ring now inflicts much less bleed buildup on the wearer
- Gold Hunter's Ring has a lower boost to Projectile Damage
- Castle Ring gives less Poise
- The church boss has been made more fair for pure melee builds
Bug Fixes
- Fix the Peephole puzzle not being completable after 0.96 in Chapter 4
- Fix the Trickster Initiate bestiary entry not being awarded upon picking up their ashes
- Fix the Grave Knight not doing damage while carrying a grave
- Fix Poncer's Chess 3 not spawning in Chapter 3 and beyond
- Fix an issue where a shield breaking could cause another left hand item to break in some rare situations
- Fix an issue where the epilogue outfit would show in the inventory during an epilogue
- Fix some visual issues with Epilogue A
- Fix a spurious 'Equip' button being visible on the title screen options menu
- Fix the Byzatine Labyrinth achievement not triggering if first accessed via the Cave
- Fix an issue where some NG+ events would not play, or would play early
- Fix "The Wretch King wants 3 Corrupted Fingers" not clearing in some circumstances(note that current games will retain this quest until completion)
- Fix the arena allowing saves just before and just after a match where it shouldn't be allowed
- Fix not being able to click on unused save game slots when creating a New Game
- Fix the hotkey icon overlapping with the remembered/permanent icon for items
- Fix an issue where Pocket Nowhere would not work in Chapter 2 of New Game+
- Fix an issue where the residents of the church would slowly drift out of their seats if left idle for a long time
New Features
A new quality level for the Graphics Options has been added - "Very High".
The "Very High" quality level enables volumetric lighting for all rooms. This effect is more subtle in brightly lit areas but affects outdoor and dark/dusty areas dramatically.
If you are on a desktop PC and were previously on "High" your setting will automatically be set to "Very High", as most gaming PCs should be able to run the new setting well - adjust it back down or turn down another setting(such as resolution scale or anti aliasing level) if you encounter performance issues. Steam Deck continues to default to "High".
Additionally:
- The NPCs in the Attic Prison and East Attic Stairwell in Chapter 3 & 4 now sell items relevant to Spell and Melee respectively
- Added the Spiked Coffin Shield, which inflicts bleeding build up on those who attack you while blocking with it
Balance Changes
- Shield durability now increases with Poise
- Poise damage no longer counts against shield durability
- The transition to blocking has been made faster and smoother
- The transitions into and out of melee attacks has been faster and smoother
- The Old King boss is no longer repeatable, and drops more Ancient Blood
- Monsters now gain a brief window of poise invulnerability(also known as hyper armor in some games) after their poise breaks to help prevent them from becoming stunlocked
- Bloody Ring now inflicts much less bleed buildup on the wearer
- Gold Hunter's Ring has a lower boost to Projectile Damage
- Castle Ring gives less Poise
- The church boss has been made more fair for pure melee builds
Bug Fixes
- Fix the Peephole puzzle not being completable after 0.96 in Chapter 4
- Fix the Trickster Initiate bestiary entry not being awarded upon picking up their ashes
- Fix the Grave Knight not doing damage while carrying a grave
- Fix Poncer's Chess 3 not spawning in Chapter 3 and beyond
- Fix an issue where a shield breaking could cause another left hand item to break in some rare situations
- Fix an issue where the epilogue outfit would show in the inventory during an epilogue
- Fix some visual issues with Epilogue A
- Fix a spurious 'Equip' button being visible on the title screen options menu
- Fix the Byzatine Labyrinth achievement not triggering if first accessed via the Cave
- Fix an issue where some NG+ events would not play, or would play early
- Fix "The Wretch King wants 3 Corrupted Fingers" not clearing in some circumstances(note that current games will retain this quest until completion)
- Fix the arena allowing saves just before and just after a match where it shouldn't be allowed
- Fix not being able to click on unused save game slots when creating a New Game
- Fix the hotkey icon overlapping with the remembered/permanent icon for items
- Fix an issue where Pocket Nowhere would not work in Chapter 2 of New Game+
- Fix an issue where the residents of the church would slowly drift out of their seats if left idle for a long time