Swordai News

[h3]Major Updates and New Features[/h3]
The latest patch notes reflect what has been added since the last Steam update, alongside a sneak peek at the exciting features planned for this weekend.

1. [h3]Recent Patch Highlights - Improved Weapon Mechanics:[/h3]
   
   • Introduced unique charge speeds, stamina drain, and base damage values for each of the four base sword types.
     
   • Black Claymore: Slowest charge speed (2s), highest base damage (90).
     
   • Katana: Fastest charge speed (1s), with unchanged base damage (60).
     
   • The variation in these stats creates distinct playstyles for each weapon type.
     
   • Slower weapons excel in riposte and Kiai-focused combat, while faster swords reward aggressive, combo-heavy strategies.
     
   • Holding charged attacks for extended periods enhances the versatility of slower swords.
   
2. [h3]New Multiplayer Features[/h3]
   • Multiplayer Interactions Framework: Established foundational code to enable player-to-player interactions, paving the way for future systems like parties and guilds.
     
   • Dueling System:
     • Players can challenge each other to duels in the entrance area.
       
     • Introduced ranked duels with an Elo rating system.
       
     • Leaderboards are now available to track duel Elo rankings.
   
   • Trading System: Players will be able to trade items with others in the entrance area. (This is coming in a later update, pending bug fixes.)
   
3. [h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]
   
   
   
   • Fixed an issue causing AI to improperly combo after kicks in certain scenarios.
     
   • Resolved a bug with ability crafting costs incorrectly displaying in Hotbar tooltips.
4. [h3]Gameplay Adjustments[/h3]
   
   • Tower Respawn Timers - They are now situational:
     
     
     
     • 30 seconds if another player recently damaged you.
       
     • 15 seconds if you died to NPCs and there is someone nearby to spectate.
       
     • 5 seconds if you died to NPCs and no one is nearby to spectate.
   • Katas Available in the Entrance: Players can now access katas directly in the entrance area.
5. [h3]Developer Notes[/h3]
   This patch introduces significant changes to core combat mechanics, with a focus on weapon differentiation and strategic depth. The groundwork laid for multiplayer systems will support future features, making Swordai a more dynamic and interactive experience.
   

As always, your feedback is invaluable—thank you for being an integral part of this journey! Stay tuned for the next update, and I hope you enjoy exploring these new features and improvements.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2321890/Swordai/

As the year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank everyone for your continued support and enthusiasm for Swordai. It’s been an amazing journey developing this project alongside such an engaged and passionate community.

Whether you’re climbing the tower, perfecting your duels, or just enjoying the freeform modes, I hope Swordai brings you some fun and challenge this holiday season.

Wishing you all a joyful and relaxing holiday filled with warmth, good vibes, and plenty of victories—both in-game and in life. Here’s to an even better 2025 together!

[hr][/hr][h2]Patch Notes[/h2]
This week has seen a range of updates focused on refining combat mechanics, UI customization, and bug fixes. As always, your feedback continues to shape these improvements.

1. [h3]New Features and Updates[/h3]
   
   • Soft Feint Toggle: Added a control setting to disable "Soft Feint." When off, starting a new attack immediately after releasing the current one won’t feint—it will do nothing instead.
     
     
   • Riposte Damage Reduction Overhaul:
     • Damage reduction is now continuously active after blocking an attack until the riposte window expires.
       
     • This simplifies the mechanic, ensuring consistency and better usability in 1vX situations while reducing spam effectiveness.
       
     • Tweaks were tested in Saturday duels and received positive feedback.
   • Rotatable and Repositionable Ability Hotbar: Players can now rotate and move their ability hotbar.
   • Enhanced Freeform Scoreboard: Added new stats, including attack accuracy, block accuracy, damage per attack, and more. These stats offer insights into individual performance and areas for improvement.
   
   
   
2. Partial Block Logic Rework:
   • Full blocks now require:
     
   • Correct block direction AND Either sword capsule interception OR facing the correct direction with block initiated at least 150ms ago (ping-adjusted)
     
   • This change reduces partial blocks due to high ping or attacks hitting odd hitboxes (e.g., feet) while maintaining partial blocks for back hits.
     
   • The goal is to favor consistent gameplay over hyper-realistic physics.
3. Kick Mechanics:
   • Cooldown increased from 3s to 8s but resets on a successful kick.
     
   • Kicking increases incoming damage by 10.
4. [h3]Combat Adjustments[/h3]
   • Combo Parry: Temporarily added to the pure loadout for further testing.
     
   • Combo Parry Shout Removal: Removed the shout effect to reduce confusion with Kiai and balance its already high difficulty.
     
   • Adjusted Overhead Swing: Added one additional frame to the "parryable only" phase.
     
5. [h3]UI and Quality of Life Improvements[/h3]
   
   • Updated the Forgotten Knight area to make locating him easier.
     
   • Addressed targeting inconsistencies in the team deathmatch arena.
     
6. [h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]
   
   • Fixed an issue where:
   • Alt-F4 spectators would drop loot on top of the spectated player.
     
   • NPCs could mistakenly target spectators.
     
   • Shatter ability would reset repeatedly.
     
   • Block trainers would stop attacking after accumulating 3+ stacks of Winter’s Chill.
     
   • Corrected client-side charge meter prediction for smoother operation under high ping.
     
   • Resolved a loadout requirements bug impacting specific cases, including rare scenarios involving S-grade Katas.
     
   
   
   
7. [h3]Developer Notes[/h3]
   These updates aim to balance the gameplay experience by refining core mechanics while making the systems more intuitive. The riposte and partial block changes are especially important steps toward a smoother combat flow. I’ll be closely monitoring feedback from the upcoming playtests and matches.
   

[hr][/hr]
As always, thank you for your feedback—it’s invaluable in shaping Swordai!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2321890/Swordai/

[h2]Greetings, Swordsmen![/h2]
Thank you for all your great support towards Swordai!
I invite you to the Quest for the Winter Treasures.



Earn as many entries as you can from December 15th to 22nd for a chance to win a $50 Steam Gift Card!

The bravest and most skillful Swordsmen who play Swordai this week will instantly earn 10 entries, giving them a greater chance to claim this reward. May the odds be ever in your favor!

Remember to check our Community discord for the latest news and find a dueling buddy or foe!

Click here to enter the giveaway!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2321890/Swordai/

I’ve made significant updates to Swordai over the past few weeks, focusing on gameplay improvements, balancing, and bug fixes. Below is a summary of all changes, along with an exciting announcement for this weekend's events!

The servers will be opened from the 15th until the 22nd of December following our special weekend events!

[hr][/hr]

Join me for two exciting events this weekend!

[h2]2v2 Tournament: Saturday at 1 PM Pacific[/h2]


[h2]Tower Race Challenge: Sunday at 1 PM Pacific[/h2]

[h2]Prizes[/h2]
Winners of the 2v2 Tournament: Exclusive in-game titles and special cosmetic rewards.
Fastest in the Tower Race Challenge: Rare item drop boosts and leaderboard recognition.
These events will be streamed live, so be sure to tune in or participate directly!

[hr][/hr]
[h2]Patch Notes[/h2]

1. [h3]New Features[/h3]
   
   • Preliminary 3rd-Person Mode: Toggle with the Home key (default is now "V" and bindable).
     
   • Spectator Mode: Dead players in the tower now spectate the player with the most essence in the area.
     
   • Note: Fixes for far-away spectating implemented; further UI enhancements ongoing.
     
   • Combat Log Updates: Added options to display the last log line onscreen and toggle damage/essence text visibility.
     
   • Barrier Statue Challenge: Added a new tutorial element in "Beginnings" requiring players to deal 60 damage in two hits from different directions.
     
2. [h3]Gameplay Adjustments[/h3]
   
   • Animation Improvements: Smoother walk/run/idle transitions; reworked swing animations for down-left, down-right, and upright angles.
     
   • AI Enhancements:
     
   • Improved AI range and spacing to reduce missed attacks.
     
   • Some AI now utilize sprint boosts to chase players effectively (e.g., puppeteers and lost souls).
     
   • Adjusted AI difficulty scaling: higher levels are less vulnerable to spacing exploits, while lower levels retain weaknesses for new players.
     
3. [h3]Combat Mechanics:[/h3]
   
   • Introduced "perfect blocks," refunding stamina for blocking an attack within 750ms of initiating the block. Plays a unique sound and logs as "perfectly blocked."
     
   • Stagger updates: Hits 200ms after a stagger begins will break the stagger.
     
   • Removed "on-hit slow" effect; replaced with a "chase" speed buff when sprinting towards another player’s back within 10 meters.
     
   • Increased base attack damage by 20% for testing in PvP scenarios (may require NPC rebalancing).
     
   • Stamina Regeneration: Increased both idle and running regen rates significantly.
     
4. [h3]Balancing Changes[/h3]
   
   • Rewards and Scaling:
     
   • Increased tower time rewards for defeating golems and scavengers.
     
   • Adjusted tutorial flow: the tutorial is now optional, and unlocking features have been streamlined.
     
   • Added new freeform and tower modes disabling cultivation upgrades, randomizing load-outs, and preventing item portals.
     
   • Equipment Changes: Removed "undying" and "equality" from randomized load-outs as they were incompatible.
     
5. [h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]
   
   • Resolved memory leak issues on tower servers.
     
   • Fixed spectator mode bugs when viewing players across the map.
     
6. [h3]NPC Behavior Fixes:[/h3]
   
   • Coffin-spawned NPCs now return to their coffins after losing sight of their targets.
     
   • Addressed an issue where duel climb AI would fall off levels.
     
   • Fixed NPCs holding attacks too long under certain conditions.
     
   • Resolved a glitch where hovering over status effects didn’t display their descriptions.
     
   • Fixed issues with freeform floor visuals at certain angles.
     
   • Miscellaneous UI fixes and improvements.
     
7. [h3]Quality of Life Improvements[/h3]
   
   • Added a reticule animation when targeting valid objects or enemies.
     
   • Made the "Enter" key for chat bindable.
     
   • Tessellation detection updated to improve GPU compatibility.
     
   • Updated UI elements in the tutorial to better convey progress.
     
   • Adjusted the moving platform in "Beginnings" to prevent resets regardless of the time taken.
     
   • The Health bar now rounds up (e.g., 0.4 HP displays as 1 HP).

[hr][/hr]
[h3]Developer notes[/h3]
I’m closely monitoring these changes based on your feedback. The removal of the "on-hit slow" effect and introduction of "chase speed" was aimed at balancing disengagement mechanics, particularly in 1vX scenarios. Perfect blocks and stagger updates are early steps toward enhancing combat depth.



Don’t forget to join me this weekend for the 2v2 Tournament and Tower Race Challenge—your participation and feedback are vital!

As always, please share your thoughts with me on Discord or Steam discussions.
Your input is crucial as I continue refining Swordai!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2321890/Swordai/

[h2]Hey everyone![/h2]

I'm back with a new playtest from November 22nd to 25th. Don't forget to sign up, engage in duels, explore the tower, and use the new QOL patches I've implemented.

I joined Stridah on his podcast on Sunday, there was a ton of great discussion and we covered aspects of the game that I haven't talked about anywhere else so definitely check it out:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

If you missed out on the Puppeteers mask from the first public playtest, this will be your last chance to get one.



[h2]Ice Cave Map Updates[/h2]

• Playable Ice Cave Map: Introduced a new T2 map, with improvements in lighting, pathing, and performance optimization.
  

[h2]Minibosses & NPCs:[/h2]

• New Golem Miniboss added to the Ice Cave.
  
• Cave Dweller NPCs finalized, while Ice Golems use placeholder sounds and animations.
  
• Ice Cave NPCs and chests now feature loot.
  
• Future Content Indicated: White cubes/rectangles signal upcoming features. Additional miniboss content is in development.
  

[h2]Key System Updates
[/h2]Healing Flask System:

• Added a single-charge healing flask (default key: H).
  
• Reworked "Heal Self" into "Heal Other" for targeting and healing allies.
  
• Healing is now concentrated in flasks and consumables rather than abilities.
  Gear & Inventory Enhancements:
• Flask slot added to the inventory (B key), with support for equipping better flasks.
  
• Improved system for gear upgrades and inventory management.
  

[h2]Combat & Controls Overhaul[/h2]
WASD Keybind Improvements:

• New options for directional control (e.g., block/attack direction defaults).
  
• Separate attack/block modifier keys for customizable input schemes.
  
• New default: “Wait” input behavior allows direction input without immediate action.
  
• Old behaviors remain available in settings for legacy players.
  

Combat Changes:

• Adjusted overhead and angled swings for better balance and new-player accessibility.
  
• New passive ability, Reaper, provides stacking strength bonuses for skilled 1vX combat.
  

[h2]Freeform & Teamfight Features[/h2]
Teamfight System:

• /teamfight start command for Freeform PvP with team deathmatch functionality.
  
• Spectator mode, team assignment, and Final Fury mechanics included.
  

Soulwar Code Overhaul:

• Improvements to registration, management, and spectator systems.
  
• Updates lay groundwork for destructible spawn points and blessings in future patches.
  

[h2]AI, NPC, and Gameplay Tweaks
[/h2]AI Improvements:

• Enhanced NPC pathing and late-game AI abilities for better 1vX combat.
  
• Slight difficulty balancing for NPCs across progression.
  

Tutorial & Early Game Adjustments:

• Added a flask tutorial in "Beginnings."
  
• Revised initiation trial to allow progression with a D grade in the attack phase.
  
• Reduced tutorial music volume and wait times before spawning trainers.
  

[h2]Bug Fixes & Optimizations[/h2]
Performance & Visual Fixes:

• Major Ice Cave lighting optimization for low-end hardware.
  
• Fixed camera issues on uneven terrain and portal-related bugs with weapons/inventory.
  

UI & Interaction Fixes:

• Resolved UI glitches in inventory and effect displays.
  
• Additional clarity added to tutorials and map instructions.
  

[h2]Known Issues & Future Plans[/h2]

• Remaining Bugs: Occasional flask portal UI issues, pending feedback.
  
• Upcoming Enhancements: Planned upgrades to Unreal Engine 5.5 for better lighting and FPS, pending Nvidia updates.
  

This release candidate sets the stage for the playtest starting Friday, with only bug fixes and clarity improvements expected before launch. Get ready for an exciting new chapter in Swordai!

See you all next time.


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2321890/Swordai/?beta=0