Quest Master News

[h2]It's Time For Questmas![/h2]

Explore cozily cold Castle Town in the Winter Event, lasting until the end of 2024!



[h3]Winter Badge[/h3]

Earn the exclusive Winter Badge by simply starting up the game during the Winter Event!



[h3]Papa Claus Is Coming To Town[/h3]

A new NPC is visiting Castle Town, Papa Claus!
Make sure to talk to him to earn the other exclusive rewards that you can get during the Winter Event!

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[h3]Coldfang Grotto Sneak Peaks[/h3]

As a reminder, we’ve decided to move the release of our final major update in Steam Early Access to Wednesday, Dec 18th, to ensure everything is polished and ready, including press materials like our updated roadmap.

We’re excited to officially unveil Coldfang Grotto, the Ice Dungeon Theme! With this update, you can craft, share, and play icy dungeons using a frosty new tile set, bringing all the chilling aesthetics and mechanics you’d expect from a classic Ice Dungeon.❄️

As promised, here are more sneak peeks for Wednesday's major content update!


You can freeze objects, like items or enemies, inside Ice Blocks! Sunlight can melt these Ice Blocks, allowing you to make push puzzles like these!


The Ice Boomerang allows you to freeze water (and much more!) to create temporary ice paths!

Join our Discord!
You can also follow us on Twitter/X.

See you this Wednesday for our final major update in Steam Early Access, Quest Masters!

Hey everyone, Jeron here!

We’ve got an important announcement about the next big update for Quest Master. The newest dungeon theme—one that many of you have been speculating about—was originally planned to release today, Monday Dec 16th. However, we’ve decided to push the release to Wednesday, Dec 18th to finish preparing some press related items that are worth to include with the press release we are doing with the update, like the updated roadmap!

Now, let’s address the big question we know many of you have been asking… and confirm what you’ve been guessing: it is the Ice Dungeon theme! We’re thrilled to officially announce Coldfang Grotto, the frosty new tile set for the Dungeon Maker. With this update, you’ll be able to craft, share, and play your own icy dungeons, complete with the chilling aesthetics and features you’d expect from a classic Ice Dungeon.

We also want to highlight the incredible music for Coldfang Grotto, composed by the one and only @Wayne | Composer. If you were a fan of Wayne’s fiery, dramatic score for Emberstone Quarry or the vibrant, adventurous music he created for Castle Town, then you’re in for a treat. His work for Coldfang Grotto is packed with atmosphere, mystery, and icy grandeur, and we’re so excited for you to hear it in all its chilling glory!

To help make the wait a little easier, we’re bringing not one but two exciting things to you on Monday:

Friday’s Surprise Update is now coming today as a little treat to start your week on a high note!

We’ll also be sharing animated GIFs and details about Coldfang Grotto to give you an early look at the tools and features that will soon be in your hands.

We can’t wait to see what this community creates with Coldfang Grotto. Your talent and creativity continue to amaze and inspire us, and we’re confident this frosty theme will lead to some of your most imaginative and exciting dungeons yet.

Thank you for your patience, support, and enthusiasm—it’s what makes this community truly special. We’ll see you in Coldfang Grotto on Wednesday, and we’ll have plenty to share with you later today to tide you over!

[h2]Please Hold While Geoff Steals the Spotlight[/h2]

We’ve decided to move the Major Update to Monday, December 16th, instead of this Thursday, to avoid being overshadowed by the Game Awards and to ensure Quest Master gets the spotlight it deserves.

This also gives the team a little extra time to add more love and polish to the update. To ease the wait, here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming your way! 🎉



[h2]Clarification On "Final"[/h2]

To clarify, “final major update” refers to the last big update before our 1.0 release.

The 1.0 release itself will be our biggest update yet, far surpassing anything we’ve released before. Plus, weekly content updates will continue right up until 1.0!

And that’s not all: if Quest Master thrives post 1.0, we’re ready to support the game with exciting new content for years to come. Fingers crossed! 🤞

If you haven't, join our Discord!
You can also follow us on Twitter/X.

Hey Quest Masters!

Jeron Moore here—Executive Producer at Apogee and Game Director for Quest Master. Today, I’m thrilled to share an exciting update that will take your dungeon-making and adventuring experience to the next level: a major overhaul to Quest Master’s music!

As you know, Quest Master is still in Early Access, and we’ve been listening to your feedback as we continue building the game toward its 1.0 release. Before we unveil the final dungeon theme update in the coming weeks, we’re excited to introduce a big change to how the music sounds as you create and play through dungeons.

[h2]Musical Journey from Retro to Orchestral[/h2]

Since Early Access launched, Quest Master has featured two soundscapes:

• Maker Mode: Lush, detailed orchestral renditions of dungeon themes.
  
• Play Mode: Nostalgic 16-bit, SNES-inspired renditions of the same music.
  

This dual-layered approach, where the music seamlessly transforms between modes, has been one of Quest Master’s standout features. Unfortunately, certain tracks were impossible to listen to, as Play Mode featured exclusively chiptune music.

When starting the game for the first time now, you are given the option to choose between a preferred style of music. Choose Chiptune to get the same experience a it has been so far. Choose Orchestral however, and the game will prioritize playing the orchestral versions of the soundtrack in places like the title screen, play mode, and even swap out fanfares like acquiring an item for the orchestral version.



For more fine-grain control, you can configure the music selection in a lot more detail in the audio settings if you change your mind later!



[h2]Orchestral Title Theme Showcase[/h2]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Meet the Minds Behind the Music[/h2]

We’re incredibly proud of the composers who’ve brought Quest Master’s soundtrack to life. Here’s a quick look at the talent behind the tunes:

• Chipper Hammond (Los Angeles, CA): The creator of Quest Master’s iconic main theme, Chipper has composed the music for Dewdrop Roots, Gustwind Palace, and more. Inspired by legends like Koji Kondo, Nobuo Uematsu, and John Williams, Chipper’s melodies are unforgettable. Learn more about Chipper and his work here.
  
  
• Wayne Strange (New Jersey): Known for his work on Emberstone Quarry, the ambush battle music, and the regal themes of Castle Town and Castle Aetheria (currently under renovation)! Wayne’s compositions are rich with dynamic energy, drawing inspiration from the classics (The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy). You can explore Wayne’s music on Spotify here.
  
  
• Tomas Palazzi (Venezuela): Composer for Bread & Fred and Littlelands, Tomas’s music brings Quest Master’s Sandswept Ruins to life with cinematic flair. Drawing from the spirit of traditional Egyptian music, his work blends exotic melodies with sweeping orchestral themes. Tomas has also crafted the charming themes for Lucky’s Locks and Gemini’s Shop (debuting soon!), adding depth and variety to Castle Town's soundscape. Discover more about Tomas and his work here.
  
  
• Tim Stoney (London, England): The brilliant mind behind Deepcoral Cove’s haunting theme, Tim also composed the music for the Early Access trailer, and is leading the charge on the music for the Single Player Campaign, promising a rich and dynamic score. Tim is part of Fractal Edge Music, and you can explore more of their work here.
  
  
• Brent Houston (Vav) (Mesa, AZ): Brent has created Quest Master’s chiptune adaptations and SNES-inspired sound effects, bringing retro magic to every note. Check out more of Brent’s work here.
  

[h2]Honoring the Past, Building the Future[/h2]

Quest Master aspires to be more than just a Dungeon Maker. It’s a Zelda-like dungeon builder set in a living, breathing, entirely original world. Every dungeon you create, every story you explore, and every note you hear is part of Aetheria’s history.

Through the music, you’ll feel the pull of the ancient Aetherial Network, the threads of power that connect the land. You’ll hear the echoes of Castle Aetheria, the seat of the kingdom’s secrets. You’ll sense the presence of the ancient Aetherium and uncover clues to the past that ripple through the present.

When the Single Player Campaign launches with 1.0, you’ll join Lanze, Javelyn, and Shiv as they face a journey shaped by courage, sacrifice, and discovery. They’ll brave the depths of long-forgotten dungeons, unravel mysteries buried in time, and stand against a villain cloaked in shadow and deceit whose ambitions could shatter the balance of Aetheria itself.

This update marks a major step in making the world of Aetheria richer and more immersive than ever. Whether you’re creating your next masterpiece or diving into someone else’s dungeon, the music of Quest Master will inspire every moment.

Thank you for being part of Quest Master’s journey. The legacy of Aetheria—and this game—belongs to you.

Stay inspired,

Jeron Moore
Executive Producer / Game Director, Quest Master
Apogee Entertainment


[h2]Final Major Update Launching December 12th, Next Thursday[/h2]

Hey guys, Julian here - just wanted to confirm to everyone that the final major update will launch next Thursday on December 12th! I hope everyone is excited! It will be quite the chilling experience, but there's a lot of cool new dungeon parts and mechanics, and of course an entirely new theme, to try out!

See you next week!

[h2]Spectral Rod & Spectral Blast[/h2]

A new magic rod variant arrives, the Spectral Rod!

It shoots out Spectral Blasts, a devastating magic projectile that can curse enemies. When enemies are cursed, they run away in fear from the player or are blocked from performing their attacks.



If, however, you the player gets cursed, you are blocked from using your sword for the duration of the curse.


[h2]Spectral Boomerang[/h2]

The Spectral Boomerang, similar to the spectral blast, curses objects it hits! It can of course also reveal invisible objects in the radius of its spectral light, just like all spectral objects.




[h2]Spectral Slumbering[/h2]

A new bat variant, the Spectral Slumberwing, is a naturally menacing foe that will curse anyone it touches.


These otherworldly creatures don't play around.

[h2]Fixed Diving Physics[/h2]

Previously, you were able to dive into floor tiles, which lead to weird clipping issues and hampered with diving design.

I'm glad to report that I was able to work around this physics limitation and the issue is now fixed.




[h2]Asynchronous Dungeon Loading[/h2]

I've made an effort to replicate asynchronous loading of dungeons as much as possible. Unity, being a single-threaded engine, doesn't actually properly allow accessing engine related APIs, like spawning objects, on separate threads, which is less than ideal, but loading dungeons now does not fully freeze the game window and the loading bar moves more smoothly across the screen now.


[h2]Halloween Event Extension[/h2]

Unfortunately the automatic account creation system broke silently a few days ago, which prevented new players from getting the Halloween Badge. Thus, I decided to extend the Halloween Event over the weekend until Monday, December 2th, so log in and claim that badge if you haven't already!


[h2]Quest Master is 20% off during the Steam Autumn Sale! [/h2]

Whether you’ve been waiting to dive into our Zelda-Like Maker or are thinking of gifting it to a friend, now’s the perfect time—with thousands of community-made dungeons to explore and create!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2094070/Quest_Master/