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Sunderfolk Update #4 - 1.5 Patch Notes & Summary

[p][/p][p]Hey Guardians!
[/p][p]Our first new content patch is here! Read on to see what’s changing and being added to Sunderfolk. 
[/p][h2]What’s New in Sunderfolk [/h2]
  • [p]Now introducing One Shot Mode - A new way to play your favorite Sunderfolk missions outside of the main campaign! [/p]
    • [p]A full rundown can be found HERE! [/p]
    • [p]Choose your difficulty mode and heroes before jumping in[/p]
    • [p]Select any of the Sunderfolk missions from the campaign, including bosses.[/p]
    • [p]4 new missions have been added exclusively to One Shot Mode. [/p]
    • [p]Grading System: Increase your mission rank, up to the coveted S grade. 
      [/p]
[p]Perfect for game nights where you just want a bite, instead of a whole meal!
[/p]
  • [p]The New Missions - These are exclusive to One Shot mode and will test your acquired strategies to their limit. [/p]
    • [p]Snack Run - Guide a Beetle to delicious treats. Hazards abound! [/p]
    • [p]Slip & Slime - Slip and slide your way to survival. [/p]
    • [p]Proving Grounds - Fight waves of enemies and emerge victorious. [/p]
    • [p]You Asked For This - Developed with the Sunderfolk Discord community! [/p]
[p]It's finally here!!! Now who's getting the first S grade?
[/p][h2]Quality of Life Updates[/h2]
  • [p]Game Start Revamp - Choose your preferred game mode: Campaign or One Shot Mode. [/p]
    • [p]The first player to join becomes the designated party leader, and selects the party's game mode and campaign from their Controller app.[/p]
      • [p]Players will no longer need to navigate menus using the main screen—Once the QR code is scanned, the Controller app can be used to control and navigate the main menu. [/p]
    • [p]A new image carousel has been added to the Game Start flow. [/p]
  • [p]Skip First 3 Tutorial Missions -  Now you can jump straight into your next campaign. They will still be available in One Shot Mode.  [/p]
  • [p]New Targeting Colors - Customize your battle experience![/p]
    • [p]To change your targeting colors, navigate to Shared Settings -> Visuals -> Combat(Colors). [/p]
    • [p]You can customize between Movement, Attacking, and Interaction text and visuals.  [/p]
[h2]General Bugs & Issues Fixes[/h2][h3]Main Screen / UI[/h3]
  • [p]Updated the text in the Tavern and Tavern Upgrades UI to clarify the randomized meals players receive via the Meals System. [/p]
  • [p]Removed UI “hover” behavior in Shared Settings to avoid accidental or unintended actions from players. Menu items in the left panel must now be clicked/selected instead of hovering over to change the contents in the right side. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed a bug that could lead to a softlock when resuming the campaign after patching the game to the latest version. [/p]
  • [p]Adjusted the Mission Summary text for the mission “The Fungal Vale” to help remove confusion about whether the side objective to save the Prophet and Sentinel was successful. [/p]
  • [p]A Mushroom Ally NPC name has been localized for all non-English languages and will no longer show the developer name. [/p]
[h3]Personal Screen / UI[/h3]
  • [p]The Arcanist’s Passive ability information is now correctly displayed during the level-up screen. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue that did not recognize players having the required gold amounts for town upgrades if the gold was gained during the same town session. [/p]
  • [p]Interacting with Tuya during her “Hide and Seek” conversation in town will now only cost 1 Conversation Point instead of 3. [/p]
[h3]Combat[/h3]
  • [p]The “Explode” action has been adjusted to accurately reflect the affected range, and doesn’t affect other characters or objects outside of the intended range. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where the game could softlock after the Bard was knocked down after performing their Ultimate attack. [/p]
  • [p]Trinkets are no longer consumed after being activated during the last attack action when the “Auto-end Turn” setting is enabled. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where Fire created by the Pyromancer's skills did not appear on the map board over other ground objects. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where the Button Mushroom ally did not teleport into a Mycelic Core hex during the “Lost in the Swamp" encounter. Silly little guy![/p]
[h3]The following two fixes contain major spoilers for the story of Sunderfolk. [/h3]
  • [p]Fixed an issue where the nameplate for the Lich would disappear when they were in the north section of the map.[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a bug during the final mission “Sundered Shadows” that caused multiple Shadow Heroes to spawn in the final fight.[/p]
[h3]Miscellaneous[/h3]
  • [p]Berserker and Rogue passive icons have been added for a clearer visual for when their passive abilities are active. [/p]
  • [p]Added patch notes and game Discord links to game start carousel. [/p]
[p]We always encourage more feedback and suggestions for future updates! The best places are on our socials and on our Discord server. [/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for playing, and we’ll see you in Arden. 
[/p][p]The Sunderfolk Team[/p]

Sunderfolk is one of the few games I've played that feels like actual DnD, and its new, free update just added one shots

Of all the amazing games that have launched this year, Sunderfolk is perhaps one of my favorites. Inspired by tabletop Dungeons and Dragons, it doesn't quite have the scope of Baldur's Gate 3, but it's got a unique brand of spunk and chaos that makes it stand out from the deluge of DnD games that have appeared in BG3's wake. Played by syncing your mobile device to a PC or console, it's got the chill feel of a cozy games night, coupled with narration from Overwatch and Apex Legends' Anjali Bhimani that feels a little more loose than Amelia Tyler's stellar performance as the narrator. All in all, it's a fun, easy-to-pick-up fantasy experience that's perfect for those who aren't looking for a complex BG3-style adventure and can't manage to wrangle their pals to sit down and play in person. And guess what? It's newest update makes it even better.


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Sunderfolk One Shot | Arrives October 22!

[p]Hey Guardians!
[/p][p]Patch 1.5 arrives on Wednesday, October 22nd, and with it comes our first major content update! Patch 1.5 not only includes quality of life updates and bug fixes, but it also features a brand new game mode: One Shot Mode!
[/p][h2]One Shot Mode[/h2][p][/p][p]One Shot Mode is the  star of Patch 1.5, and one of the features that we’re incredibly excited to show off! [/p]
  • [p]One Shot Mode is a new way to play missions outside of the main Campaign. [/p]
  • [p]All heroes and missions from the Campaign are included, as well as four new missions exclusive to this mode![/p]
  • [p]You can play solo, or with up to three of your friends just as you would in a campaign. The biggest change is that you can swap characters in-between missions, so you can now try out new heroes and strategies![/p]
  • [p]Note: Your ongoing Sunderfolk Campaigns will not be affected by playing missions in One Shot Mode.[/p]
[p]The biggest changes from the main campaign to One Shot Mode are:[/p]
  • [p]Sinclair doesn’t like one-off customers. No tavern means no food buffs! [/p]
  • [p]Gear is pre-arranged per level - You’ll get recommended gear options and can choose which you’d like to bring, but different options are locked for now. [/p]
    • [p]Before starting each mission, players will be able to swap out their gear, including Skill Cards, Fate Cards, and Equipment. However, what you receive depends on the level of the mission you’re playing. That just means you won’t be able to use your Ultimate ability in Act 1 missions. [/p]
  • [p]Your level in the main campaign does not affect what level your One Shot Mode characters are. Which missions you select during the One Shot Mode is what will determine the level and equipment your heroes receive. [/p]
  • [p]The addition of a scoring system! [/p]
[p]Now, about those scores… 
[/p][h2]One Shot Mode Scoring System[/h2][p]One Shot Mode features a way to track your progress in missions and get graded on your performance. [/p][p]Teacher’s pets unite! 
[/p][p]One Shot Mode features a way to track your progress in missions and get graded on your performance. Each mission may have different grades depending on what the objectives are, but you will generally be scored on:[/p]
  • [p]Gold earned[/p]
  • [p]Enemies (killed and remaining)[/p]
  • [p]Lives used [/p]
  • [p]Objective bonuses [/p]
[p]Each mission will have its own criteria for the objective bonuses, and different modifiers may be active depending on the type of mission you’re playing. This also includes the four new missions.[/p][p]The scores range from C through S, with S+ being the top score you can achieve in a mission. Try out different heroes and see how far you can climb!
[/p][h2]New Missions[/h2][p]While every single mission from the main Campaign can be selected to play, we know you like a challenge (especially given how you voted for the community mission…) so we’ve created new hardcore missions for veterans of Sunderfolk to try! 
[/p][h3]Snack Run [/h3][p]Guide a Beetle to retrieve their treats from the Ancient Fortress.[/p][p][/p][p]Snack Run features a familiar friend - A nice little beetle buddy! Name both the Beetle and their snacks, then guide the little beetle buddy towards their meal! This will feature a new way to turn and move an ally, so keep a close eye on the interact prompt. 
[/p][p]Now with 50% more turning power. 
[/p][h3]Slip & Slime[/h3][p]Survive while keeping Slime from building up. [/p][p][/p][p]While walking on hazards is usually discouraged, Slip & Slime has you feeling silly if you DON’T step on that slime. Clear the slime before it covers the whole room (and you) in a slimy mess! Pay attention to the forecast, or else you’ll find yourself creating even more slime. 
[/p][p]A slime storm, at this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the underground, localized entirely within this cave?
[/p][h3]Proving Grounds[/h3][p]Engage in high-level combat with waves of Monsters.[/p][p][/p][p]If fighting off waves of enemies that are randomly determined each time is your thing, we’ve got the perfect mission for you. Proving Grounds lets you take on groups of familiar enemies and see if you can survive and thrive. If not, we recommend taking a Medic bug. 
[/p][p]Pictured: A medic bug taking my kill. Not Pictured: My undignified yell. 
[/p][h3]You Asked For This [/h3][p]Developed in collaboration with the Sunderfolk Discord community, help Sinclair and friends transport some suspicious product![/p][p][/p][p]You asked, and our designers delivered! You Asked For This features mimics, revenants, teleporters, and even some familiar allies! All you have to do is deliver chests into the exit hex. It’s super easy, trust us!
[/p][p]While developing One Shot Mode, the designers set out to create a mission that had its foundations set by our community. We created a series of polls that allowed players to vote on what hazards they’d face, how long the mission would be, up to even the level your heroes are. We can’t wait to see how players face their own creation. 
[/p][p]Read more about the history of how this this mission came to be in our development series:[/p][p]Help Design a Sunderfolk Mission! - Part 1 [/p][p]Haha yes… easy…so easy. 
[/p][h2]Stay Tuned[/h2][p]Patch 1.5 will not only have the One Shot Mode, but will feature some quality of life updates, including a new way to change the colors you see in combat. [/p][p][/p][p]Full details will arrive in our patch notes when the content drops. Plus, we’re still working on some more fun things, including another popular community request! 
[/p][p]We’d love to hear from you! Share your feedback and future update ideas on our socials and on our Discord server. 
[/p][p]Thanks for playing, and we’ll see you on October 22nd! [/p]
  • [p]The Sunderfolk Team[/p]

How Cinematics are Made in Sunderfolk

[p][/p]
How Cinematics are Made in Sunderfolk
[p]By: Neo Zhang[/p][p][/p][p]Hi there! I’m Neo, a Game Designer on Sunderfolk. You might’ve seen some of my work on monster, encounter, or hero design, but today, I want to share a behind-the-scenes look at Sunderfolk’s cinematics. These were all created in collaboration with our awesome animation, 3D and VFX team too. Here’s a quick guide on how Sunderfolk’s cinematics came to life![/p][p]How It Began[/p][p]Originally, it was unclear whether Sunderfolk would include cinematics. However, shortly after I joined the team (due to my background in game design and film) I was tasked to explore whether we could create a quick, effective cinematic using only the gameplay assets we had at the time.[/p][p]I put together a rough cut of what became our first cinematic “Bug Rollout” which ended up as the final cinematic for the Act 1 mission, Tower Defense. Since then, we got a dedicated budget for cinematics! While a few received high-quality custom animation to really deliver the narrative quality we wanted, the majority of them are still made entirely with gameplay animation assets, using the same approach on Bug Rollout. Here’s how we do it![/p][p][/p][p]Step 1: The Story[/p][p]The first step is understanding the narrative we want to create for our players. In Tower Defense, the setup is simple: Monsters are attacking Arden, and as the Hero, you join the fearless (and adorable) Guard Bugs to defend the city's last line of defense: the Gate.[/p][p][/p][p]From there, I normally like to identify three key story beats that not only highlight the stakes but also set up what players are about to face in the mission:[/p]
  1. [p]Monsters attacking the Gate[/p]
    1. [p]A great chance to showcase the enemy lineup the player will be up against.[/p]
  2. [p]The Guard Bugs stepping up to protect Arden[/p]
    1. [p]This sets the tone for the type of mission: a defense scenario.[/p]
  3. [p]The first Defense-type mission in the campaign[/p]
    1. [p]It’s a new encounter style for the player at this point of the game[/p]
[p]Step 2: Research and Brainstorm[/p][p]This cinematic falls under our “Low Budget” category, which means the goal is to reuse as many existing assets as possible. So the next step is checking what animation we already have! Luckily, when I joined the team, most of our characters already had their animations rendered and ingested, so I had a clear idea of what I could work with from the start. Another important consideration is understanding where the cinematic will play and how to create a seamless transition between the cutscene and gameplay.[/p][p]Scouting[/p][p]First, I scout the environment to find camera angles that effectively tell the story. I also am careful to avoid unfinished areas or requesting new geometry solely for the cinematic.[/p][p]Rampager[/p][p]I found this great fidget animation* where the Rampager beats its chest and lets out a loud scream. Perfect! It instantly sells the idea that this monster is a serious threat, and reinforces that Arden is in real danger. The Rampager is the strongest enemy the player has faced so far, so great plus.[/p][p]I also noticed that the landing frames in its attack animation felt really powerful and weighty, definitely something I could use to add impact to the scene.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]*Fidget Animation = A subtle movement animation added during a character’s idle that conveys a sense of liveliness, rather than feeling completely still.[/p][p]Guard Bugs[/p][p]We’ve got four different types of Guard Bugs, and I imagined them working together like a Power Rangers-style team. Since they all share the same rig and animation files, it makes things a bit easier, but also challenging.[/p][p]One animation in particular stood out: an attack animation that includes a few frames of the bug rolling. Perfect! I pictured the final bug rolling out of the gate and joining the team, a small moment that helps sell their unity and heroism.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Step 3: Storyboard[/p][p]Now that I got the bits and pieces to the story, it’s time to stitch them together into a storyboard. (Note: I’m not one of the artists on the team for a reason, so please don’t judge my drawing skills too harshly, lol.)[/p][p][/p][p]In my head, I pictured the Monsters launching a surprise attack on Arden, and in response, the Guard Bugs marching out of the gate, heroically, but with a touch of cuteness. As the final bug rolls out and joins the formation, they stand together like a squad of mighty Power Rangers, ready to defend Arden with everything they’ve got; which leaves a good impression and transitions to the actual gameplay.[/p][p]Step 4: Building the First Draft[/p][p]Next, I go into the engine and build the Timeline. It doesn’t need to be perfect at this stage; the goal is to test whether the cinematic works and if it hits the three key beats I outlined earlier.[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Good so far. It’s turning out really great![/p][p]Step 5: Feedback and Iteration[/p][p]With the draft ready, it’s time to share it with the team and get their initial feedback. The number of iterations varies, but for Bug Rollout, the responses were pretty positive! I received helpful notes on timing, ideas for hiding parts of the scene we don’t want players to see, alternative ideas to reduce scope and budget, and suggestions for improvement. Big shout out to Alvin (Animation Lead), Scott (3D Lead), and Matt (VFX Lead) who all played crucial collaboration throughout the development.[/p][p]After a few more rounds of iteration, the final call to wrap it up and hand it off to other talented team members for final animation, lighting, VFX, and audio polish. And just like that, the Tower Defense cinematic, Bug Rollout, was officially complete![/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Of course, a few cinematics had bigger budgets for custom animation, usually for pivotal story moments or when extra polish was needed. The process mostly stays the same, with some added steps where I chip in with reviewing and feedback, but that’s a story for another time![/p][p]Conclusion[/p][p]And that’s how the majority of our cinematics come to life! With careful planning, creative problem-solving, and great cross-team collaboration, we managed to create 30 cinematics within 8 months for our first studio game![/p][p]As we wrap up, here are a few more examples of cinematics made entirely with gameplay assets, plus one that didn’t make the final cut, but was too good not to share! Thanks so much for reading, and enjoy Sunderfolk![/p][p]- Neo Zhang[/p][p]Cinematic: Beetle Cage[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Cinematic: Spider Intro[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Cut Cinematic: Brave Chirp[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Thank you! [/p][p]-End- [/p]

Sunderfolk Art Week Recap

[p][/p][p]Hey Guardians!
[/p][p]Missed Art Week but want to see all of the things shared by the team? We’ve got you covered. 
[/p][h3]Day 1 - Music & Sounds[/h3][p][/p][h3]Day 2 - 3D Art & Crafts[/h3][p][/p][h3]Day 3 - 2D Art[/h3][p][/p][h3]Day 4 - Narrative & Written Works[/h3][h3]Day 5 - Wild Art Day[/h3][p]Stay connected with us through our socials and through our official Discord server for more announcements on upcoming events and updates! [/p]
  • [p]The Sunderfolk Team[/p]