A Merchant's Promise News

5 Big Changes:

• New Harbor Area & Game Start
  
• Updated Abacus
  
• Individual Item Prices
  
• Improved NPC feedback
  
• Better logic for trading in bulk (Ex: Crate detection vs buying & selling items)
  

Still lots to do but I think it was important to get everyone out of the Prison Starting Area. I'll be working on adding more to the Harbor Area and making it feel better and better.

Let me know your thoughts in comparison to before if you give it a try!

[h2]Patch 023[/h2]

Improvements:

• New Town: Yorlen Harbor
  
• Added NPC: Yorlen Harbor Master
  
• New Game Beginning Start/Flow
  
• Increased Player Speed
  
• Added Coin Balance/Scale
  
• Widened Dialogue Box
  
• Magistrate Routines
  
• Weather Saving (testing)
  
• NPC position saving
  
• Added Individual Item Prices
  
• More in-depth Villager buying feedback
  
• Selling to Traders influences Reputation
  
• Updated Abacus Text
  
• Updated Abacus Pricing
  
• Adjusted Item Collision Damage rates
  
• Shadows from Sun and Moon are static (better visuals/performance)
  
• Added Item Orientation Reset (Double-tap LeftCtrl)
  
• Press E to connect/disconnect from Cart
  
• Added “End of Tutorial Area” text to Tutorial
  
• Added Drink from lakes to Tutorial
  
• Added Tutorial Sign for Visible Icons
  
• Master Volume fades in
  
• Magistrates are in their offices more
  
• Added Patch Notes button in menu
  

Bug Fixes:

• NPCs walking up onto small tables
  
• Window size changing from Start Menu
  
• Damaged items being jittery if broken within cart
  
• Skyline changing after underwater in Yorlen
  
• Collecting all mushrooms caused Mushroom Lady to crash
  
• “Press E” Drink Text now shows
  
• Could not drink from Ivernox Ponds
  
• Master Volume setting not applied
  
• Talking to Harbor Workers stopped them from working
  

[h2]9:00pm to 10:00pm CST[/h2]

I'll be testing out some things and taking some notes for the update today. I'll stream while I do it if you care to join!

As usual any questions just ask!

A New Game is Required

I am still finishing and implementing things in the area to complete some of the features introduced in this patch (NPC Routines, Dialogues, Shouts (Npc to Npc dialogue), foraging, more dynamics/life to the Harbor, and Quests. I ask that bug reports and suggestions be kept to Game Breaking issues and/or Serious issues while I continue!


I'll be in Discord if you need anything,

Thanks!

Testing the many changes has just taken a little bit more time that expected. While not every single thing is going to executed perfectly I just noticed a lot of little things that I wanted to tidy up and allow for a cleaner play through and experience.

Adding a Checkpoint when leaving the Harbor

Improving the area


Here's a list of what's coming up soon if you haven't seen it already

[h2]Progress: Patch 023 BETA[/h2]

Improvements:

• New Town: Yorlen Harbor
  
• Added NPC: Yorlen Harbor Master
  
• New Game Beginning Start/Flow
  
• Magistrate Routines
  
• Magistrate Dialogue
  
• Added Individual Item Prices
  
• More in Depth Villager buying feedback
  
• Selling to Traders influences Reputation
  
• Updated Abacus Text
  
• Updated Abacus Pricing
  
• Adjusted Item Collision Damage rates
  
• Shadows from Sun and Moon are Static (better visuals/performance)
  
• Added Item Orientation Reset (Double-tap LeftCtrl)
  
• Changed to Press E to connect/disconnect from Cart
  
• Added “End of Tutorial Area” text to Tutorial
  
• Added Drink from lakes to Tutorial
  
• Added Tutorial Sign for Visible Icons
  

Bug Fixes:

• NPCs walking up onto small tables
  
• Damaged items being jittery if broken within cart
  
• Skyline changing after underwater in Yorlen
  
• Collecting all mushrooms caused Mushroom Lady to crash
  
• “Press E” Drink Text now shows
  
• Could not drink from Ivernox Ponds
  

[h2]Hand holding? No.
More Information? Yes.[/h2]

After watching several streams, gathering positive & negative feedback, and plenty of discussions in the Discord....the issue I will be diving into this week and maybe next is the Game Start and increasing the information the player can organically find within the game world.

This includes:

• No longer starting within the Prison, though you can still be sent there
  
• More direct feedback from NPC's during the trade/transaction process
  
• More upfront cause and effect with setting your prices
  
• Trying to squeeze in more targeted Dialogue.
  

Improved balancing will also be implemented to further show the progression that is needed for increasing your Merchant Status.

My goal is to have an Update ready by Friday/Saturday for those that play Beta Branch (You can too! No passcode required) to be able to jump in and start playing as I take quick notes on improvements.

[h3]A-Ha! Moments[/h3]

I have enjoyed watching so many have those "A-ha!" moments when playing as that is the absolute desire for this game, but it is easy to see that players need more information to lead them to these moments and ensure the journey through the process has better balance and less frustration.

When this update hits it will require a New Game so please take note of that.



Thank you!