Soulmask FAST Q＆A 05
[h3]Hello, chieftains![/h3]
We've got a ton of questions to answer this week! When I put out the call for questions on Discord, you all came out in full force (not that we're surprised).
Zima and Royce were overwhelmed by your enthusiasm...
(Check out this cute fanart by @Lanre Valari on Discord!)
Without further ado, let's dive into this week's Q&A!
[h3]Q: Can we get a new system for enhancing our main characters? Something like sacrificing/enhancing masks, adjusting stats, etc. That would solve a lot of our problems![/h3]
Ever since our last dev log about the initial character, your feedback has been pouring in – and we're truly grateful for all the amazing ideas!
We have been really inspired by your creativity. However, as we mentioned in our previous updates, implementing these suggestions requires developing an entirely new system. We need to carefully integrate everyone's feedback and design it thoughtfully. Our goal is to deliver a system that meets your expectations once it's complete.
[h3]Q: I really don't want to run your random dungeons. A bunch of bugs, and the monsters that spawn randomly turn out it's always wasting my time...[/h3]
Improving the random dungeons' reward-to-effort ratio is one of our top priorities in the short term. Bug fixes are also a big focus – here are some of the dungeon issues we addressed in this week's update:
These improvements were introduced in Thursday’s update. Random dungeons are a key part of our game, and if you had any less-than-ideal experiences with them in the past, now is an excellent time to give them another try!
[h3]Q: Can we fight while riding mounts? Or could mounts potentially fight alongside us?[/h3]
We understand that players are eager to have animals assist in battles. However, domestically raised animals tend not to be very aggressive. From a design perspective, adding mounts to the combat system means carefully balancing their survivability vs. damage output – and to be honest, nobody wants to see their loyal mount go down.
We've considered the idea of combat for mounts, and while it's an exciting concept, it would require extensive reworking of many combat actions. Therefore, we won't be able to implement it in the short term.
Currently, our primary focus is on the tribesmen and followers. Mounts will continue to serve as reliable transportation companions, allowing us to dedicate more attention to ensuring their survivability.
[h3]Q: Could we get more custom options for solo mode/private servers, like campfire/portal limits?[/h3]
Good suggestion! We will certainly consider it for future updates. The goal is to give you more freedom to adjust coefficients without compromising the core experience. This may take some time, but we are committed to providing greater flexibility.
[h3]Q: Is there any way to change a tribe member's appearance?[/h3]
Maybe we didn't clarify, but the basic body shape and appearance of tribesmen are inherent attributes, just like their abilities... Appearance is part of their strength, chieftains!
However, we will continue to add more custom options like hairstyles and tattoos...
[h3]Q: Why can't we reset followers' stats?[/h3]
There might be some confusion regarding item descriptions. There are two types of reset tisanes in the game. The Mysterious Tisane is specifically for resetting the stats of your initial character. For tribesmen, you will need to use the Mysterious Bodyshaping Pill to reset their stats.
[h3]Q: Your bears are just insta-killing me with no mercy![/h3]
The lethality of our adorable black bear was indeed too high. We've adjusted its instant kill mechanism and optimized its AI. While it remains a formidable challenge, you won't feel as desperate when facing it now.
[h3]Q: The efficiency of the granary is dropping, and the tribesmen there aren't working at all?[/h3]
This is a confirmed bug where granaries too close together can severely tank tribesmen productivity. We've issued a temporary fix in this Thursday's patch, but expect a proper overhaul of how multiple granaries interact in the near future. Stay tuned!
[h3]Q: Any chance of an official weekend PVP server? It would be great for those who are busy with work during workdays.[/h3]
While we currently have no plans to change the existing rules on our official servers, this indeed on our schedule - we would like to try more variations for official server rules. The possibilities are endless!
For now, quite a few community servers seem to be hosting weekend PVP events, so that could tide you over in the meantime.
[h3]Q: Can our tribesmen hunt automatically?[/h3]
From a production standpoint, tribesmen are better at breeding and slaughtering. The risks associated with hunting are huge; I don't think you want to experience the feeling when your tribesmen are at risk under the stare of a horned eagle...
That said, you're more than capable of taking down high-level monsters, as for the the basic animal resources? Breading can fulfill your requirements! If you have a big appetite for the elevated resources of monsters, equip your weapon, my fellows!
[h3]Q: PLEASE make the jaguar look better![/h3]
What, you got something against our cute kitties??
I know, there are still plenty of improvements to make. But as long as we're not completely buried under an avalanche of feedback, you can count on us to keep chipping away at issues big and small. The next community Q&A isn't too far off, so stay tuned!
Community Manager Peter
Lead Producer ZIMA
Join discord: https://discord.com/invite/4G2K7FDbtp
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/4150709171077410039
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/4152961604365703736
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/4152961604369532190
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/6189715263306614009
We've got a ton of questions to answer this week! When I put out the call for questions on Discord, you all came out in full force (not that we're surprised).
Zima and Royce were overwhelmed by your enthusiasm...
(Check out this cute fanart by @Lanre Valari on Discord!)
Without further ado, let's dive into this week's Q&A!
[h3]Q: Can we get a new system for enhancing our main characters? Something like sacrificing/enhancing masks, adjusting stats, etc. That would solve a lot of our problems![/h3]
Ever since our last dev log about the initial character, your feedback has been pouring in – and we're truly grateful for all the amazing ideas!
We have been really inspired by your creativity. However, as we mentioned in our previous updates, implementing these suggestions requires developing an entirely new system. We need to carefully integrate everyone's feedback and design it thoughtfully. Our goal is to deliver a system that meets your expectations once it's complete.
[h3]Q: I really don't want to run your random dungeons. A bunch of bugs, and the monsters that spawn randomly turn out it's always wasting my time...[/h3]
Improving the random dungeons' reward-to-effort ratio is one of our top priorities in the short term. Bug fixes are also a big focus – here are some of the dungeon issues we addressed in this week's update:
- Reduced the number of monsters near dungeon portals to make it safer to enter/exit
- Fixed one-way doors and teleport locations to prevent players from getting stuck
- Optimized level layouts to reduce repetition while exploring
These improvements were introduced in Thursday’s update. Random dungeons are a key part of our game, and if you had any less-than-ideal experiences with them in the past, now is an excellent time to give them another try!
[h3]Q: Can we fight while riding mounts? Or could mounts potentially fight alongside us?[/h3]
We understand that players are eager to have animals assist in battles. However, domestically raised animals tend not to be very aggressive. From a design perspective, adding mounts to the combat system means carefully balancing their survivability vs. damage output – and to be honest, nobody wants to see their loyal mount go down.
We've considered the idea of combat for mounts, and while it's an exciting concept, it would require extensive reworking of many combat actions. Therefore, we won't be able to implement it in the short term.
Currently, our primary focus is on the tribesmen and followers. Mounts will continue to serve as reliable transportation companions, allowing us to dedicate more attention to ensuring their survivability.
[h3]Q: Could we get more custom options for solo mode/private servers, like campfire/portal limits?[/h3]
Good suggestion! We will certainly consider it for future updates. The goal is to give you more freedom to adjust coefficients without compromising the core experience. This may take some time, but we are committed to providing greater flexibility.
[h3]Q: Is there any way to change a tribe member's appearance?[/h3]
Maybe we didn't clarify, but the basic body shape and appearance of tribesmen are inherent attributes, just like their abilities... Appearance is part of their strength, chieftains!
However, we will continue to add more custom options like hairstyles and tattoos...
[h3]Q: Why can't we reset followers' stats?[/h3]
There might be some confusion regarding item descriptions. There are two types of reset tisanes in the game. The Mysterious Tisane is specifically for resetting the stats of your initial character. For tribesmen, you will need to use the Mysterious Bodyshaping Pill to reset their stats.
[h3]Q: Your bears are just insta-killing me with no mercy![/h3]
The lethality of our adorable black bear was indeed too high. We've adjusted its instant kill mechanism and optimized its AI. While it remains a formidable challenge, you won't feel as desperate when facing it now.
[h3]Q: The efficiency of the granary is dropping, and the tribesmen there aren't working at all?[/h3]
This is a confirmed bug where granaries too close together can severely tank tribesmen productivity. We've issued a temporary fix in this Thursday's patch, but expect a proper overhaul of how multiple granaries interact in the near future. Stay tuned!
[h3]Q: Any chance of an official weekend PVP server? It would be great for those who are busy with work during workdays.[/h3]
While we currently have no plans to change the existing rules on our official servers, this indeed on our schedule - we would like to try more variations for official server rules. The possibilities are endless!
For now, quite a few community servers seem to be hosting weekend PVP events, so that could tide you over in the meantime.
[h3]Q: Can our tribesmen hunt automatically?[/h3]
From a production standpoint, tribesmen are better at breeding and slaughtering. The risks associated with hunting are huge; I don't think you want to experience the feeling when your tribesmen are at risk under the stare of a horned eagle...
That said, you're more than capable of taking down high-level monsters, as for the the basic animal resources? Breading can fulfill your requirements! If you have a big appetite for the elevated resources of monsters, equip your weapon, my fellows!
[h3]Q: PLEASE make the jaguar look better![/h3]
What, you got something against our cute kitties??
I know, there are still plenty of improvements to make. But as long as we're not completely buried under an avalanche of feedback, you can count on us to keep chipping away at issues big and small. The next community Q&A isn't too far off, so stay tuned!
Community Manager Peter
Lead Producer ZIMA
Join discord: https://discord.com/invite/4G2K7FDbtp
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/4150709171077410039
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/4152961604365703736
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/4152961604369532190
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646460/view/6189715263306614009