Soulmask News

[h2]Hello, chieftains![/h2]

It's been almost two weeks since our first major update, and we hope you've been having a blast in the new Soulmask world!
We're still focused on addressing a series of issues that remain after this comprehensive improvement. For instance, last week, Laura hosted a "Thrill Seekers" event on our Discord channel (if you haven't joined our official Discord yet, what are you waiting for!).

We're incredibly grateful for the community's enthusiasm, and we've received valuable feedback on this new version. As always, we particularly appreciate your suggestions for improvements, which we're already working to implement.

Let's dive into ZIMA's responses to your feedback. All these improvements are in the pipeline and will be part of future updates! 1. First, from Equivocus and xPh3n: The improvements are great and all, but has Soulmask gone a bit too soft? We're itching for more hardcore, brutal survival challenges!

A: We're thrilled to hear from our hardcore players, and we're working on it! We're planning to roll out a batch of custom options soon, allowing players to better tailor the difficulty. This includes toggles for a series of modifications we've made in Early Access.

Additionally, we're planning to launch new "Hardcore Mode" official servers. Still yearning for the most primitive Soulmask survival experience? You'll be able to feel the full pressure of this world again!

2. From idiotica and Jestersuave: The Hitstun mechanic is wrecking the combat system - it's just too darn powerful!

A: Trust us, we've heard this one a few times! We've been scratching our heads trying to figure out how to balance this without going from one extreme to another. Finding the sweet spot between Parry Hitstun and Empty Resilience Hitstun benefits is like trying to walk a tightrope - it needs some careful thinking.

That's why in last week's update, we made some changes on both the Active and Passive aspects. On the Active side, we added a new active skill called "Recover Sense." It's a long-CD ability that lets you break free from controlled states like Parry Hitstun and Empty Resilience Hitstun, giving you at least one chance to turn the tables when you're on the back foot.

We're also tweaking the Hitstun mechanic itself: When a Chieftain is caught in a Hitstun, each hit they take now reduces the Hitstun duration. This maintains the control aspect of Hitstun without leading to excessive damage.

3. from theothergaia: Boss health scales with the number of participants, including tribesmen followers! This makes our loyal companions more of a liability than an asset in Boss fights!

A: To clarify, the Boss stat scaling does have a cap - it maxes out at 10 participants. We totally get that in solo play, you don't want your tribesmen to accidentally crank up the difficulty. So, we're thinking of adding a toggle for "Boss health scaling" in the custom settings.

Down the road, we might even refine this system further. For example, a Chieftain + tribesmen team might cause less of a Boss health bump compared to a full player party. We'll keep you posted when we nail down the final plan.

4. From Battch and Battz ツ: The "Steel Body" ability is overpowered, especially when combined with hammers, dominating PVP.

A: We hear you. That's why our recent update introduced a new bow skill called "Eclipse." It fires a black arrow that temporarily nullifies all Superarmor effects in the area. This should make Chieftains think twice before spamming "Steel Body" and other Superarmor effects.

5. From ごえもぉん: Any chance we could get a better way to manage our mounts?

A: We know everyone's tired of juggling their animal companions and livestock in the same messy pile. Good news - we're working on a shiny new animal management system, coming your way soon! We're also throwing in some custom sliders for mount limits and other tweaks.

But that's not all, folks! We're also beefing up the mount recall system. Soon, you'll be able to summon your trusty steed from up to 100 meters away. No more losing your ride in the wilderness!

6.Both DOSorDIE and Jestersuave have repeatedly expressed this hope: More custom options!

A:As you might have noticed from our previous answers, we're big on customization. As a sandbox survival game, we prioritize tailored experiences for both single-player and private servers. Rest assured, more custom options are on the way, including adjustable drop level, boss damage coefficients, and more!

7. Jengster raised a concern about our PVP official servers heading south and dying out too quickly.

A: We've noticed this trend and believe it's time to discuss implementing a season function for PVP servers. Don't worry - we'll approach this carefully and give you plenty of options. We'll dive into the details soon, aiming for a solution that keeps everyone happy. And yes, a seasonal race for PvP servers will be our direaction going forward.

Additionally, as one of our most important gameplay aspects, we plan to make plenty of experimental trials on PvP servers, including more diverse gameplay and mechanics of PvP season. Keep an eye out for more future updates!

Chieftains, your passion for the new version of Soulmask is truly inspiring. While we couldn't address every issue here, know that we're constantly working on improvements. (For a taste of what's to come, check out yesterday's patch - our tribesmen are now civilized enough to close the door behind them after using the Outhouse!)

Stay tuned for more update previews coming soon. Until next time, Chieftains!

Community Manager Peter
Lead Producer ZIMA

Join discord: https://discord.com/invite/4G2K7FDbtp

[h2]Dear Chieftains,[/h2]

In this virtual world, we believe what we're after is joy and challenges instead of argument and fight. So we sincerely call upon all players to try their best to maintain a wholesome and friendly game environment together.

Any and all cheat codes, third-party tools, and other forms of cheating are not tolerated in the game. After confirmation, the cheating account will be forever banned and revealed in the community. We also encourage you to report to us via the Report interface and cleanse the game environment.
Soulmask values the fairness in the game and would do anything to maintain it. Our operation team will vet these illegal behaviors and take measures accordingly only to official servers. Should any player be found misbehaving, we'd have to resort to Warning, Mute, and even Account Ban, all in an attempt to protect the players' interest and ensure that every player can enjoy a fair and positive game.　　Thanks for your support and understanding!

[h3]Behaviors that cause your game account to be banned:[/h3]

1. Any modification or testing of the game client, including but not limited to decompiling programs, packet spoofing, and damaging the game client.
   
2. The use of any third-party software, including but not limited to cheat codes, modifiers, scripts, and attachments.
   
3. Use DDOS Attack or other technical means to obtain in-game interests.
   
4. Exploit game bugs and procedure loopholes to gain interests, to disturb the gaming order, or to achieve personal purposes that cause loss to other players.
   

[h3]Behaviors that cause your game account to be muted:[/h3]

1. Send words to pose officials, GMs, or administrators.
   
2. Post abusive, threatening, harassing, obscene, pornographic, hate speech, defamatory, or otherwise offensive comments.
   
3. Negative comments on religion, international politics, terrorism, nationalism, racial discrimination, or other sensitive topics.
   
4. Post ads, external links, and other content unrelated to the game.
   
5. Talk about using illegal means or exploiting game loopholes to undermine fair gaming.
   

[h3]Behaviors that cause your in-game buildings to be demolished:[/h3]

1. Use bugs to build your base inside a mountain, underwater, on the map edge, or at other places.
   
2. Erect unauthorized building shapes.
   

[h3]FAQs:[/h3]

Q: Where can I report the bad behaviors of other players?

A: If you find inappropriate or illegal behaviors, you can use the in-game report page or inform our staff in the community. We'll give it due punishment to cleanse the game environment.
Q: Is it possible to unblock my account after lending it to someone else whose behavior resulted in a ban?

A: No. The subject of our punishments is accounts, not individuals. Besides, the account's bad behaviors have ruined other players' experience and should be punished. We hereby remind players that do not share your account with others to avoid other losses.

Q: Why was I punished? I didn't use any modifier or cheat software.

A: Soulmask assumes a zero-tolerance attitude toward cheating of any sort. Installing cheating software and using or try using illegal third-party software are all illegal and may lead to an account ban. If there is a cheater in your tribe and other members obtain interests via this cheater, directly or indirectly, it may cause the entire tribe to be banned, the level of which depends on how bad the influence it has caused. The final explanation of this goes to the official team of Soulmask.

Q: I was punished for no reason, how do I appeal?

A: Our team will go through vigorous checks before giving punishments to prevent mistakes. If you're not convinced, please inform our staff in the community. We'll process your appeal.

Q: How do I appeal when I find illegal behaviors on a private server?

A: Soulmask values the fairness in the game and cracks down on illegal behaviors on the official server currently, but we've also passed the account ban directive to private server creators. If you find illegal behaviors on a private server, we suggest you contact the private server creator to deal with this.
How to ban players on the private server?

• Execute the GM command: AddServerPermissionList 1 steamID(e.g. 76561************)
  

How to unblock players on the private server?

• Execute the GM command: RemoveServerPermissionList 1 steamID(e.g. 76561************)
  

How to mute players on the private server?

• Execute the GM command: AddServerPermissionList 4 steamID(e.g. 76561************)
  

How to unmute players on the private server?

• Execute the GM command: RemoveServerPermissionList 4 steamID(e.g. 76561************)problems on a private server, please contact its creator.
  

Q: Why can't I log in to online mode with my family-sharing account?

A: All players who are using the Steam Family Sharing function, please note that we enabled this function to let the game owner share the game with another Steam user more conveniently. But we also noticed that some cheaters were exploiting this mechanism. To foster a nice gaming environment, we've decided to suspend this function on the official server. Your understanding will be appreciated.

Dear Chieftains,

To provide a better gaming experience, the server will undergo maintenance. It will be temporarily unavailable starting from August 1, at 7:00 AM UTC, with an expected downtime of 30 minutes. This update includes a client update, and chieftains will need to update their client to enjoy the game normally. We are very grateful for your understanding and support.

The update details are as follows:

[h3][New Features and Adjustments][/h3]

• Added "Gestures" system, accessible by pressing the "H" key (by default)
  
• When tribesmen caring for bonfires are overloaded or have less backpack capacity, fuel will be directly moved to the bonfire fuel slot from chests that contain fuel
  
• The effects of Poisonous Arrows can be immunized by dodging
  
• Added an action for using Oblivion Soup; the proficiency of tribesmen can be reset directly
  
• Life Perception can now detect monuments and chests
  
• When enabled, the Lighting Module enhances the ability of Life Perception to detect and find humanoid creatures' titles
  
• Added Lighting Module toggle
  
• Tribesmen will close the door behind them after using the Outhouse
  
• When transferring preferred items to other inventories, their preference settings will be persisted by default
  
• Preference settings of items in the death package will be persisted
  
• When there's a stalled task lining up in multiple crafting queues, the continuable tasks will be prioritized upon current completion at the top of the crafting queues
  
• "Fatal Rhythm" talent updated; attacking enemies will receive a bonus while maintaining Stamina between 60%-90%
  

[h3][Bug Fixes and Optimizations][/h3]

• Fixed the issue where the name and remarks of the initial character were not saved after revival
  
• Fixed the mismatch between the arrow release position and animation when NPC uses certain bow skills
  
• Fixed the issue where blood would spew during the invincibility frames of a successful dodge
  
• Fixed the issue where damage numbers do not appear upon hitting enemy with Backstab using Gauntlets
  
• Fixed the issue where the Feed Trough cannot be repaired
  
• Fixed the incorrect size of Ostrich hatched from an Ostrich egg
  
• Fixed the issue where Chests cannot be opened if disconnected during the process of opening a Chest
  
• Fixed the issue where guide tasks may sometimes not appear after logging in
  
• Optimized the spawn height of elite Horned Eagles and elite Vultures
  
• Optimized Central Core combat effects
  

[h3]Hi Chieftains![/h3]

Welcome to a new episode of Soulmask Player Stories! Since the release date of Soulmask, we have met many Chieftains with enthusiasm and charm, their support and love for Soulmask have added a vibrant touch to our community. Their enthusiasm has inspired us to share their stories of encountering Soulmask with everyone.

This time, our protagonist is a volunteer that every player in the Soulmask Discord community knows well: Beastmama. As one of the first community volunteers for Soulmask, her passion for the game and the player community is truly remarkable—as Maggie would say, just like a mama!

So, we are excited to share her story with Soulmask and, of course, her enthusiasm for the game!

So first, Do you mind to introduce yourself a little?

So pretty much I am BeastMama, I embraced my online game name many years ago because of my love for animals even if they are pixel animals.

I am a 37 years old and help my family run their business and i pretty much play online games in my spare time, which is not much to be fair since job, family and studies takes up most of it

Mama's lovely beasties.

I am always in discord though xD - I am very passionate about what i love. (Soulmask is right up top in there ;D ) And i am extremely protective of my friends and people around me in general!

So where did you find out about Soulmask? What were your first impressions of it? As a survival game, you know.

I am part of a big gaming community - Pirate Gaming. In that community we all share games with each other and One of them pointed me to Soulmask.


My very first impressions of the game was like…Why I cannot log out of it? It felt refreshing, Felt Unique and innovative. And the more time I spent online and in the discord community the more I just couldnt get enough.

Seriously, Mama, we are very impressed with your love for the Soulmask lol, what elements led you to love it so much?

The combat, the skill variety, the npc system, and i love that you are not fully attached to 1 character. You can just jump around and be a completely different person everyday.


The mask system is so unique and new. Every single survival I play is, go here, gather this, obtain this other thing, level, craft, wear this new equipment, and become powerful


Soulmask added a whole new layer to it with the Mask system and the tribesmen!

Are there any moments in Soulmask that stick with you?

first and most was the first time i tamed a Leopard. It was Danneh the leopard. he is forever one of the best stickers in discord.

When i saw that beautiful face...i think i was laughing for 10 minutes none stop! the devs really done it with those leopard faces.


The second, was finding the first Ancient Dungeon. I swear I did not expect to find that type of Content in a tribal survival map, the feeling of wonder and surprise


Also xD when we saw the volcano was actually a part of the map you could explore, we first spent a few hours just jumping down thru the crater hahaha like idiots



Let's go back to the community: you are now our NUMBER ONE volunteer: so many players in the community have been helped by you!

At first, I felt needed by other players. I am a very experience gamer (perks of getting old) xD So i tend to learn things and advance quickly. I enjoy helping others and I noticed that the learning curve of this game could use some help until the tutorials got fully developed, Which they did.

And now I feel attached to the community. I feel responsible for it (even if I do not have to) Many of the players that we have in the discord deserve to be cared for and loved. and If I can do anything in my power to help, You bet I will be there to help them

I honestly couldn't have done it with all other volunteers and many other very helpful members of our community

Mama, In your community volunteer work, What do you find most interesting in the Soulmask community?

I love how we have created an environment together that players feel safe and trust to spend time in it. Some players even went as far as creating gifs and pictures of ingame content.

After having to answer that question 9000000 million times before release date....

THATS TOUGH lol. Last question: What do you wanna say to the newbie in the Soulmask?

To pve players, The Game is HUGE, the options are vast and You do not have to know everything by day one. Enjoy the ride and If you get lost and Do not know where to go or how to do something, Tag me, beastmama is here for you, or any of our incredible volunteers, We will happily help you.

To the pvp Players, The game is not perfect, But Devs are working on it day and night Tirelessly. Make sure You do drop your Suggestions in our discord, They are eager to listen to the player base.

And for the love of everything sacred ... Check the PINS!!


In the future, we will introduce more special Soulmask Chieftains like Mama, including ANYONE! But we believe that regardless of the titles they have, they all possess a commonality: the boundless love for Soulmask, just like all of you!

Maggie

Dear Chieftains,

To provide a better gaming experience, the server will undergo maintenance. It will be temporarily unavailable starting from July 25, at 7:00 AM UTC, with an expected downtime of 30 minutes. This update includes a client update, and chieftains will need to update their client to enjoy the game normally. We are very grateful for your understanding and support.

The update details are as follows:

[h3][New Features and Adjustments][/h3]

New bow skill added: "Eclipse" - Shoots a black arrow that nullifies most Superarmor effects and talents of the target and the adjacent enemies (Superarmor talents affected include: "Hardened Body", "Firm Will", "Steel Body").

While a player character is in a "Parry Hitstun" or "Empty Resilience Hitstun" state, each attack received shortens the Hitstun duration, until the Hitstun state ends.

After unlocking the "Core Functional Module" Soulmask node, a new skill is added: "Recover Sense", which can be used during "Parry Hitstun" or "Empty Resilience Hitstun", or when executed to regain control of the character.

Added Half-Height parts for thatch and wooden buildings.

Added Left Sloping Wall parts for thatch, stone, and blackstone buildings.

Improved Life Perception with the activation of Lighting Module. Allows for detection of quality of creatures.

Added coefficient manager switch: Interaction Limit for Damaged Buildings - Damaged buildings are unable to be repaired or relocated for a duration of time by default.

Coefficient settings now allow toggling on/off building number limits within an area.

Coefficient settings now support adjustment of tribe population.

Added prompts to notify of invalid Arena challenges, along with an Arena log.

Removed rule prohibiting tribesmen from using the Enhanced Tools when gathering materials.

Class skill "Unyielding Determination" now has a cooldown of 45 seconds (previously 60 seconds).
Added Oblivion Soup, which resets the proficiency nodes.

Clan interface is now sorted by tribesman names.

Constructing a Piranha Pond no longer requires an upgraded Building Workshop.

Using shield skills to deal damage now awards Shield Proficiency EXP.

Removed "Dismantle" option from the mining platform. It can now be repaired normally.

[h3][Bug Fixes][/h3]

Fixed the issue where animals summoned by Nature Enlightenment would not follow your character in certain conditions.

Fixed the issue where scene loading could encounter an error while creating characters in online mode.

Fixed the issue causing Slime Can and Fecal Tank to still inflict negative effects when dodged through rolling.

Fixed the abnormal behavior occurring from feeding multiple liquor bottles to deterred NPCs.

Fixed the issue where screen effects persist when controlling other tribesmen in a drunk state.

Fixed a potential crash issue when returning to the main menu and then continuing in single-player mode.

Fixed the issue of incorrectly displayed material quantities in crafting blueprint tips.

Fixed the issue where material would be taken from someone else's locked chest when performing crafting and sourcing material automatically.

Fixed the issue of getting stuck on the edge of a valve trap.

Fixed the issue where the quantity of animals did not decrease after transferring them to others.

Fixed the issue of not being able to use items after entering Near-death state while drawing a bow.

Fixed the issue where class abilities might become abnormal following multiple data copies.

Fixed the issue of being able to stand on anti-climb thorns in certain conditions.

Fixed climbability issues with sticky combustion cans, sticky explosive cans, and advanced sticky explosive cans.

Fixed the issue where NPCs would throw slime cans, fecal tanks, and grease tanks endlessly.

Fixed the issues of the character getting stuck by certain branches, buildings, and gaps within scenes.