Swordai News

Playtest 7 will start at 1pm Pacific on 9-3-2025 and will run through 9-8-2025. This playtest features tons of changes based on your feedback from playtest 6 as well as a greatly expanded quest line, new 1vX NPC code that is unparalleled in the slasher genre, a new enemy type, new control options, tons of QoL and more.

Right after playtest 6 I also released a new official game trailer. Huge shout out to everyone who participating in the filming. The trailer is absolutely fire and I'm super grateful for all the help from the community. ICYMI:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

What's new in Playtest 7?

Below is just the highlights, for full patch notes see discord.

1. Content
   
   • Greatly expanded the main quest line
     
   • Significant updates to the ice cave including new sections, new chests/secrets, and a new NPC type
     
   • Added a new 1vX AI module that makes the harder AIs riposte transfer, target switch, etc in 1vX scenarios.
     
   • A new kata, called the Kata of the Fading Sun. Currently Raydil has the #1 time.
     [previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
     
   
   
   
2. Community Feedback
   
   • Killing another player near their bind stone banishes them to a far away bindstone
     
   • When you go through a red portal you will not be sent to a bind stone that is being camped
     
   • Ability slot unlocks no longer require Kata's instead those have greatly increased quest rewards
     
   • The entrance has a PvP toggle
     
   • Ice golem hitboxes have been reworked to use the Basalt Golem code base
     
   • Greatly improved the directionality of the audio to give a better indication of direction and distance
     
   • You can now practice specific phases of the initiation trial and other challenges
     
   • You can now practice defending against kicks at the block trainer
     
   • Player loot crystals now persist for 30 minutes and are visually distinct from NPC crystals
     
   • Tons more, thanks so much to all of you who dropped suggestions in discord
   
   
   
3. QoL
   
   • You can now search and filter your inventory
     
   • Added new control schemes such as "Freeblock" which lets you update your block direction in real time while holding RMB.
     
   • Added a "Buffered Kiai" option that applies your kiai to the next attack rather than the current one
     
   • Added control presets that load in specific recommended configurations
     
   • Katas now show a preview of the next orb
     
   • The arena is greatly streamlined, NPC duels are greatly sped up if two npcs are fighting and players are queued, npc's auto spawn if you are waiting for an opponent, etc
     
   
   
   
4. Bug Fixes
   
   • Fixed issues with swords not loading in properly
     
   • Fixed a couple of issues with NPCs not resetting properly between duels
     
   • Fixed a bug where you could get stuck on the "play now" screen
     
   • Many more
     

Can't wait to see you all at the next playtest. Here's the hype video!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[p]I'll be hosting a 2v2 tournament on Saturday August 30th at 1pm pacific time on the NA East freeform server. To participate, please join discord and see the signup instructions. If you don't have a partner, you can just show up and pair up with someone that day.

The 2v2 tournaments are always a ton of fun and are a great way to hone you skills with Playtest 7 approaching! All fights will be done with the pure loadout and weapon rack swords so that everyone is on equal footing. [/p][p][/p][p]If anyone would like to practice or find a partner, you can also join Saturday duels at 1pm pacific time on August 23rd. Usually we do a mix of duels, team fights, 1v2s and 2v2s (example video below). Its a great way to meet people and improve.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[p][/p][p]Huge thanks to everyone who tried the game this playtest. It was awesome to hop on and fight with you all. Had a blast in duels, 3v3s and getting stream sniped with Firebox in the tower by players hunting my bounty. [/p][p]Counting only new players who hadn't launched the game before this playtest, there were over 10,000 tower runs, over 100K PvE kills, 30 million online damage dealt by players, 16K PvP kills and 34k chests looted. [/p][p]Several gold nametags were claimed by, @GK (won two categories), @HotsaucE who already had one, @Cable, a guy with a blank name who probably needs to dm me if he wants the reward, and @☣ZomBiE. I will award the name tags and sort that out the chests winner late this week.[/p][p][/p][p]Anyone who has access to the playtest is welcome to keep playing, servers aren't always up inbetween playtests but there is probably roughly 90% uptime, details are here: [/p][p]https://discord.com/channels/1139642147356811465/1176902764232720424/1396693288073035810[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I will plan on updating the short term roadmap and making a video or something sharing my thoughts and takeaways either towards the end of this week or early next.[/p][p][/p][p]Truly grateful to everyone who gave the game a chance. Super excited to keep on building.[/p]

[p]Join us this weekend (July 17-21) for Swordai playtest 6 and battle the upgraded Flame Acolytes, experience the new Endboss, duel Elder Xun, fight the updated Puppeteer, take the new Combat Trial, and much more.[/p][p][/p][p]Playtest 6 features everything from major QoL improvements, control improvements, optimization work to new enemies, new abilities, and new quests. The playtest will only run for 4 days so don't miss it![/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[p][/p][p]Playtest 6 will start on 7/17/2025 and features a ton of improvements based on your feedback and new content. [/p]

• [p]There is a new End boss with a massive persistent health pool (per region eg. NA/EU/ASIA). When a region defeats him, players who dealt damage to him will get special rewards based on their damage contribution.[/p]
• [p]A new "Combat Trial" has been added to the entrance, test your skills on the official leaderboards.[/p]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p]

• [p]Entrance redesign. Cultivation and ability crafting are now accessible in the tower entrance along with katas, the combat trial and other training modes. There are also new NPCs to duel.[/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]QoL and control improvements. Based on feedback from Playtest 5, I put a lot of work into the angle before click controls, fixed some bugs related to the turn cap and made dozens of other little tweaks to make the game feel smoother and more responsive. [/p]
• [p]Tutorial rework. The tutorial has been significantly expanded and improved to better teach the core combat system[/p]
• [p]AI improvements. In addition the the new end boss AI, all of the npcs have gotten a bit of an upgrade. You can see a sneak peak of the boss AI as it was being developed here:[/p]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

• [p]And much more, see discord for full patch notes.[/p]