VOIN News

[p]Hello Vindicators,[/p][p]As the year draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on everything we've built together—and to give you a glimpse of what's next.[/p][p]First and foremost: thank you.[/p][p]Every time I read your reviews, Discord messages, and Steam discussions, or watch a clip of your incredible runs, it truly means the world. As a solo developer, the journey is often a solitary one, pushing forward on my own (though I was fortunate to collaborate with a fantastic animator and concept artist this year—their part-time help was a massive boost).[/p][p]In the most real sense, you are the reason VOIN continues to evolve and improve. Whenever I face doubt or uncertainty about the direction, I know I can turn to you. Your brilliant ideas, and your unwavering support are my compass. Your kindness and enthusiasm are a constant source of motivation to keep pushing forward.[/p][p]Thank you for being on this journey with me![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]What has been Achieved Since Early Access Started[/h2][p]VOIN entered Early Access just over a year ago, and since then, I've released multiple updates—both large and small—that have overhauled nearly every system in the game.[/p]

• [p]Monster affixes and variations[/p]
• [p]Reworked difficulty levels[/p]
• [p]New dungeon[/p]
• [p]New enemies (full spectrum of undead, Frost Giants, Axosauruses, Golems)[/p]
• [p]Arena to test your battle prowess[/p]
• [p]New frozen level[/p]
• [p]New itemization system (a complete overhaul of how items work)[/p]
• [p]Tons of new items and new weapon types[/p]
• [p]New Tree of Talents + reworked progression[/p]
• [p]Reworked/improved first-person animations[/p]
• [p]New weapon abilities system[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]Closest Plans (Next Updates)[/h2][h3]1) The White Mountain Level Rework[/h3][p]The White Mountain level is a relic from VOIN's infancy. Revisiting it now, its potential for improvement is obvious. The castle at its heart still holds charm, but the lands that stretch beyond its walls are barren—a stark contrast to the rich, detailed worlds I build today.[/p][p]I plan to transform it into a bastion that has weathered a great siege. The environment will tell a story of that conflict, strewn with the wreckage of war and echoes of the past. This redesign will hone the level's best qualities and forge its duller moments into something far more compelling.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]2) Fleshsmith Rogorog Improvements[/h3][p]Rogorog goes all the way back to my early prototypes—and he remains a compelling villain. That said, I’m not fully satisfied with how the battle currently unfolds.[/p][p]So, my current focus is on reworking three key aspects:[/p]

• [p]A visual overhaul to heighten his presence and atmosphere[/p]
• [p]A more dynamic and intuitive battle flow with multiple stages[/p]
• [p]Creating a stronger sense of escalation to make the encounter feel more climactic and rewarding[/p]

[p]
[/p][p][/p][h3]3) Frozen Level — Redesign (Yes, I hate it too)[/h3][p]I’ll be honest: The Grimmir Expanse defeated me. I overextended myself, creating a world so vast that its pacing, iteration, and consistent fun factor became a real challenge.[/p][p]Because of this, a redesign is necessary.[/p][p]I'm currently putting the final touches on the dungeon portion of the level. Yes, the locked doors to The Thousand Names Atheneum you’ve all been eagerly waiting to enter. Once that's complete, the surface area will also undergo a transformation. However, the dungeon is simply too compelling to keep hidden any longer, so here’s a sneak peek:[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][h2]About the In-Game Roadmap[/h2][p]Now, to address the elephant in the room: the roadmap.[/p][p]You've likely noticed something unusual. While I've delivered significantly more content than initially promised in certain areas, some items from the roadmap remain unfinished as the year comes to a close.[/p][p]The reason is simple, though the solution was complex: I was unsatisfied with several core systems—most notably the itemization. Implementing these fundamental changes required substantial time, but they were absolutely necessary.[/p][p]To me, systems like itemization and progression form the very foundation of the game. If that foundation isn't solid, then layering more content on top doesn't truly advance development; it only creates greater complications for the future.[/p][p]Early next year, I will release a thoroughly updated roadmap that accurately reflects the game's current state and clearly outlines the plan ahead. Please rest assured: I remain fully committed to every promise made. The features you've seen will absolutely be in the game, and there will be even more to come![/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]Happy Holidays[/h2][p]For now, I simply wish you a calm and happy holiday season. VOIN is currently on sale at 30% off, making it a wonderful opportunity to gift to your friends.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Thank you once again for playing, for your support, and for helping me shape VOIN into the game it is becoming.[/p][p][/p][p]With warm regards,
Sozidar[/p]

[p]Lightnings,[/p][p]
The time approaches…for the Steam Awards 2025. [/p][p]
VOIN has been on an incredible journey this year; from the substantial Permafrost update to a new itemization system, loadouts, and weapon skills, every update has taken us a step closer to the final vision for gameplay in VOIN, and the outpouring of support and feedback has been so encouraging. [/p][p]
That’s why I would greatly appreciate it if you would lend your nomination for this year’s Most Innovative Gameplay award in the Steam Awards 2025 to VOIN. [/p][p]
If you’d like to do so, you can nominate VOIN for this category using the box above, or on the Steam Awards 2025 page, here, any time before December 1 at 10am PT.[/p]

[p]Lightnings, [/p][p][/p][p]Update 4.1 (Version 0.4.1) is now live, addressing some of the issues that have been reported in the wake of Update 4.
[/p][p]Before I delve into the patch notes, though, I just wanted to take a brief moment to thank you all for your continued support of VOIN. As a solo developer, having such an enthusiastic and engaged community rooting for your game is the best possible outcome for all the hard work and late nights, and I appreciate it greatly. [/p][p]I have been working incredibly hard to deliver updates and exciting new content over the past few months, and whilst working on VOIN is a true joy, I will be taking a brief period of what I’d like to think is some well-earned rest for a few weeks now, just to recover and come back better than ever. 
[/p][p]And, for those of you who are watching, waiting, wanting to test your own skills in VOIN, I’m also pleased to share that VOIN now has a special Steam Daily Deal, granting a 30% discount on the game. Go forth and let the cleansing begin! [/p][p][/p][p]Now, behold the patch notes for Update 0.4.1, below:[/p][p]Bug fixes 🐛[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue with the lingering visual effect from the 'Avatar of Undeath' augment.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with the inability to attack after switching loadouts with the same weapons assigned to them.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where unique items were resetting and an additional 100K of Ichor was being added upon the first loading of a save file.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with the inability to switch Lesser Augments after all of them had been fully upgraded.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with Rune items ceasing to work correctly when a Primary Augment is applied to them.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with the 'Ring of Purging Shock' and 'Ring of Arcane Retribution' dealing too much damage.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where 'All Damage' multipliers were applying twice to the cold damage from 'Avatar of Undeath'.[/p]

[p][/p][p]A new force has awakened. Elemental fire itself has been summoned to aid you in cleansing the land of HER abominations and twisted magic.
[/p][p]This is the third major update, introducing a redefined itemization system, redesigned movement and attack animations, unique weapon skills, the ability to parry and block enemy attacks, and improvements and balance changes suggested by the community. [/p][p][/p][p]The way you find, keep, and use items in VOIN has completely changed.[/p][p]Introducing the new, revolutionary and genre-defining itemization system. No more bags stuffed with duplicates, no more endless grind for “the perfect drop.” Only the thrill of finding and getting loot, meaningful upgrades to your favourite weapons, and nearly limitless build customization.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Every item you collect is now added to The Grand Codex—a complete catalogue of all weapons and armour you’ve discovered. This catalogue is always at your disposal to keep track of your progress.
[/p][p]You no longer have to collect 100 identical copies of the same sword in search of perfect affixes or damage stats. Once you acquire an item, it will automatically appear in The Grand Codex. Return to the Molten Cathedral in Amarict and use the Codex to upgrade or exalt any weapon or item you've found.
[/p][p]You can also swap between multiple loadouts at any time, giving you true freedom on your path to cleansing these sacred lands.
[/p][p]Important note: [/p][p]All the items that you currently have (except for the unique weapons such as Winter’s Heart, Constellations, Veilrender, Mace of Spirits Repose, Fleshsmith’s Grandhammer, Flamekeeper’s Sickles and The Snakes) will be converted into Ichor when you continue your save.[/p][p][/p][p]⚠️ Even though you can continue your current save, starting a new game is recommended to fully experience the new itemization system.[/p][p][/p][p]This update doesn’t just change the way you manage your arsenal. It changes the way you wield it. Combat has always been at the heart and one of the VOIN’s highlights. In this update, I overhauled it to make it feel sharper, faster, and more visceral. [/p][p]You can now block and parry enemy attacks with a well-timed right-click (previously it was used for a Runic Strike). A perfect parry will stagger foes and even bosses, leaving them open to devastating counterattacks. Heavy attacks are now directional and tied to your movement, making combat sharper and more dynamic, so plan accordingly and use this to your advantage.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I have also redesigned the active skill system so that each weapon type has its own unique set of skills, which differ between elements (Lightning or Fire). So, every weapon type has 6 skills, for a total of 24 skills (from the previous 3).[/p][p]Yes, you read that right. Switching weapons also switches their powers on the hotbar, which means you can, for example, buff your attack speed with the two-handed sword's Runic Infusion, then switch to a two-handed hammer via a second Loadout and start whirlwinding like a maniac.[/p][p]Just a few examples: Lightning Sting is now an active skill available exclusively to swords. Two-handed hammers can now deliver a powerful blow to the ground, charging runes in the process. Daggers… well, they can be split into several copies and thrown at ovrats. Cool, right?[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]This is just a glimpse of what awaits you! Share your clips, screenshots, and feedback with me in Discord. I can’t wait to see your creativity in action.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Update 0.4.0 is a huge step toward the vision I have for VOIN. Much of what I’ve dreamed of for the final release is already here, but there’s still more to come. The next update will arrive in late October 2025, and I can’t wait to share what’s next!  [/p][p][/p][p]Your feedback is a gift I deeply value, and I intend to bring many of your ideas to life as we forge VOIN into something truly unforgettable.[/p][p][/p][p]To everyone who has already answered the call, I cannot thank you enough for your support. Join us in our sacred Discord, leave your mark with a Steam review, and prepare for what’s to come.[/p][p][/p][p]Note: ⚡ indicates changes inspired by the community!
[/p][h2]Additions 🆕[/h2][h3]Combat ⚔️[/h3]

• [p]⚡ New combat mechanics: Block and Parry 🛡️ ⚔️ Hold the Right Mouse Button to start Blocking, which completely negates any damage as long as you have Energy (previously Knockback Charges)—the yellow indicators above the Dash Charges. To Parry, Block just before taking damage.[/p]
• [p]New weapon type: Dagger 🗡️  with 5 new items.[/p]
• [p]Complete overhaul of existing character weapon animations.[/p]
• [p]New first-person animations (running, jumping, etc.) for when the weapon is sheathed.[/p]

[h3]Itemization 💎[/h3]

• [p]The way items work has been completely remade from the ground up. The new system empowers your ability to experiment, offers long-term goals, a much higher power ceiling, and completely eliminates inventory management—simplifying the process while offering more depth and freedom. Instead of managing your inventory, manage your builds and improve your Collection. I haven't seen anything like this in any other game, so I'm very eager to hear your feedback—feel free to share your thoughts in our sacred Discord.[/p]
• [p]Loadouts — the ability to have up to 6 different sets of items and switch between them easily.[/p]

[p]⚠️  Even though you can continue your current save, starting a new game is recommended to fully experience the new itemization system.[/p][h3]Powers 💪[/h3]

• [p]21 new Powers. Yes, you read that right. Powers are now defined by your weapon type. Every weapon type has unique Powers that differ. Powers are unlocked automatically as you level up (at levels 3, 5, and 8). Switching weapons also switches their powers on the hotbar, which means you can, for example, buff your attack speed with the two-handed sword's Runic Infusion, then switch to a two-handed hammer and start whirlwinding like a maniac.[/p]

[h3]Changes 🔄[/h3]

• [p]⚡ Powers are used immediately, interrupting any ongoing animations.[/p]
• [p]⚡ Heavy Attacks are now directional, meaning the animation depends on the direction in which the character is moving.[/p]
• [p]Runic Strike is no longer a separate mechanic; it is now considered a regular Heavy Attack, just with a different animation. You can perform it by moving forward and holding down the Left Mouse Button. To Block or Parry, use the Right Mouse Button.[/p]
• [p]All Rune items have been reworked. They now trigger automatically every Xth hit (depends on the number of runes).[/p]
• [p]Hand of Misfortune and several other items were reworked to fit the new itemization system.[/p]
• [p]A couple Soulfruits that relied on Runic Strike were reworked.[/p]
• [p]The 'Freezing' status effect on the player now primarily reduces the speed at which Powers recharge, and only slightly affects attack and movement speed.[/p]
• [p]The majority of tooltips were rephrased to improve consistency and clarity.[/p]
• [p]Tooltips that describe various effects now include in-line icons for different types of damage, status effects, and more.[/p]
• [p]Better blood effects.[/p]

[h3]Bug fixes 🐛[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue that caused Shatterflesh's enchantment 'Perfect Impact' to apply an additional 100% physical damage multiplier.[/p]

[p]Follow VOIN on Social Media:[/p]

• [p]Threads[/p]
• [p]Bluesky[/p]
• [p]X[/p]
• [p]Discord[/p]
• [p]YouTube
  [/p]

[p]Vindicators, 
[/p][p]I'm working on a major overhaul of VOIN's itemization system, and I wanted to pull back the curtain a bit. This post is for the curious: the players who want to know why I'm making these changes, not just what they are.
[/p][p]After watching how you all play and listening to your feedback, I realized the game's current itemization system has a number of fundamental issues which couldn't really be fixed by adding things on top of it. So, I'm rebuilding it from the ground up.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]The Inventory Management System[/h2][p]Does anyone like managing inventories? At first, the ritual of visiting Satiation Stations feels satisfying. But that novelty wears off, and it quickly becomes a tedious chore of scrolling, discarding loot, and waiting through animations.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The bigger issue hits dedicated players: with over 1,300 possible weapon combinations alone, the limited inventory space actively punishes experimentation. Your drive to create and try new builds eventually hits a hard wall, forcing you to destroy your own creations. That’s the opposite of what I want.[/p][p][/p][h2]High Barrier to Entry [/h2][p]Mystery and discovery are a huge part of VOIN, but I may have leaned too far into the "mystery" part. A barrage of similar-looking stations, floating spheres, and unfamiliar terms can be overwhelming. For new players, this creates a high barrier to entry before the game has had a chance to prove how rewarding its systems can be. [/p][p][/p][h2]“I’ve Finished my Build…Now What?”[/h2][p]Whilst this is a great problem to have…it’s a problem nonetheless. The intrinsic motivation to craft your perfect set of gear is incredibly powerful, and it's what hooks many of you! But once that goal is achieved, the journey can feel…over. With no further upgrades or meaningful challenges that require min-maxing, that hard-earned power can leave the game feeling ‘solved’. [/p][p]Of course, I could have addressed these issues by adding more systems on top of the old ones: expanded storage, sorting, reroll stations, the list goes on. It’s a lot of additional work, but to me it also felt like patchwork…like trying to fix something that should just not have these issues to begin with. [/p][p]That’s why, instead of stacking new features, I went back to the drawing board with a few core goals: [/p]

• [p]Empower experimentation: allowing you to manage your build, not your inventory. [/p]
• [p]Design with the endgame in mind from the start: no hard stops to power progression. [/p]
• [p]Reduce friction, increase depth: allow for those satisfying ‘aha!’ moments of discovery, without the accompanied frustration. [/p]

[p]Personally, I think I achieved these goals and then some…[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]There are a lot of changes in this new system, so I’m going to talk you through them…literally. [/p][p]
You: Okay, I've opened my Equipment screen. Whoa, the item description looks completely different! What's this experience bar? Does that mean my gear levels up as I use it?[/p][p]Me: Exactly! The more you wield or wear an item, the more experience that item gains; this lets you unlock new augments, the new name for enchantments, on that item. The new counter on the item’s tooltip shows how many augments you’ve unlocked and how many are available for the item.[/p][p]
You: Got it. And the +11 next to the Augments are…?[/p][p][/p][p]Me: The next big change: items now have an Exaltation Level. This goes all the way to +16 (a big jump vs. the previous cap of +5!), and the higher your Exaltation Level, the more Augments you can activate. At the highest level, you can activate up to 3 Prime Augments and 2 Lesser Augments. So, you’ll level up an item to unlock a range of Augment options, then raise your Exaltation Level to activate more of those Augments at once. 
[/p][p]You: That’s awesome! And what’s this new ‘loadouts’ option?[/p][p][/p][p]
Me: You can now save multiple complete gear sets and switch between them instantly. Experiment with a lightning-fast dagger (spoiler?) build for one boss, then swap to a heavy, hammer-wielding tank setup for the next, within a couple of clicks. [/p][p][/p][p]You: But wait, does this mean I have to grind for experience on every single piece of gear in a loadout? That doesn’t sound great…[/p][p][/p][p]Me: Don’t worry. We have a great way to manage that; the Global Collections screen. Now, finding an item permanently unlocks it in your collection; the ones you’ve heard of but haven’t discovered are greyed out. When you pick up an item, you don’t get a duplicate in your inventory, you get experience for that item instead, with rarer duplicates offering higher XP. No more inventory bloat for duplicates! 
[/p][p]You: Amazing! But wait, you mentioned earlier that unlocking an item lets me use its Augment on other weapons. How does that work?[/p][p][/p][p]Me: That's the best part! Once you unlock an item, its Augment is added to the shared pool. For example, once you've unlocked the Windraiser, you can then apply its Augment to any other weapon in your arsenal. The only restriction is you have to be in your hub, Amarict, to reconfigure your loadout.[/p][p][/p][p]You:  So let me get this straight...I'm not just building a single item. I'm building a shared library of items and powerful Augments that I can mix and match across any item of the same category I own, anytime? That sounds incredibly powerful and flexible.[/p][p]Me: That’s the goal! You can just open the Augments menu, select any Augment you’ve unlocked, and slap it on your gear next time you’re in Amarict, making item customization less of an inventory-management puzzle and more of a creative sandbox. [/p][p]
You: And what about these Lesser Augments you mentioned?[/p][p][/p][p]Me: These work a bit differently. The entire list is available from the start, so you don’t need to discover them. However, they’re unlocked randomly, and their power level is capped at 5. Every time you gain an Experience level with an item, it randomly picks a Lesser Augment to unlock or level up, so if you’re looking for a specific one, you’ll have to keep using that piece of gear and hope for a little luck. The real magic is in the combinations, though; for example, you could use the same fire-damage Augment on both your weapon and your necklace and suddenly you have a level of 10, instead of 5. 
[/p][p]You: Ah! So the randomness isn’t just a gate so much as it’s encouraging me to try new builds; if I randomly unlock a high-level ‘poison on hit’ Lesser Augment, it might make me want to consider utilizing other poison-based Augments! [/p][p]Me: That's it! Instead of staring at an overwhelming list of 100 Prime Augments, you can look at the unique set of Lesser Augments you've unlocked for that item and use that as a creative starting point.
[/p][p]…and that’s the core of Items 2.0! 
[/p][p]To recap, I’m solving the original problems by: [/p]

• [p]Eliminating inventory bloat with a Global Collection system. [/p]
• [p]Lowering the barrier to entry by making progression intuitive and centralized.[/p]
• [p]Creating endless endgame goals through item and Augment collections, build experimentation and much higher power ceiling.[/p]
• [p]Building a flexible foundation instead of adding complex band-aid fixes.
  [/p]

[p]This overhaul is designed to make your time with VOIN more about creativity and experimentation and less about managing a cluttered backpack. I'm incredibly excited to get this into your hands.
[/p][p]See you next time!
Thank you ♥[/p]