Witchfire News

[p]Patch 0.7.2 is live! Mostly buffs and improvements, you can find the details below.[/p][p]Unless a hotfix is needed, this is our last patch for a while. We're working on one more juicy patch (new enemy included!) coming at the end of next week at the earliest. Enjoy the Webgrave Update, and keep that feedback coming! ːdemonheartː[/p][p][/p][p]P.S. And here's a miniFAQ that was attached to the hotfix 0.7.1 info, in case you missed it:[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Changes to weapons and gear[/h2][p][/p][h3]Changes to Koschei[/h3]

• [p]Stamina cost added to swarm launch[/p]
• [p]Diminishing M1 projectile base damage for multiple hits of the same target[/p]
• [p]Fixed looped Koschei’s reloading animation when no ammo can be inserted to the magazine[/p]
• [p]Designer notes: Koschei is overperforming right now, mostly because of its unique M1 mechanic. We want to bring it in line with other weapons, while keeping both its basic functions and unique capabilities fun and powerful, so we’re apllying a careful, steady approach to changes. It’s possible that this is not the last change we make to Koschei.[/p]

[h3]Changes to Iron Cross[/h3]

• [p]Significantly increased the range of Iron Cross[/p]
• [p]Reduced the range of Iron Cross Mysteria 3 from 200% to 150% of base range[/p]

• [p]Designer notes: the initial range reduction wasn’t motivated by the spell outperforming. Because it was so massive, it had a significant impact on performance. At the same time, after performing necessary checks on enemies in range, the furthest of them still weren’t affected by the spell, because there was no clear line of sight between them and the Cross. So we basically wasted resources on nothing. We tried to reduce the range so it performed the same in most situation, but overshot quite a bit and nerfed it in the process. This is an attempt to remedy that.[/p]

[h3]Changes to Nemesis[/h3]

• [p]Fixed Nemesis wisps targeting wrong enemies from across the level[/p]
• [p]Increased Nemesis wisps travel speed[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Other changes and tweaks[/h2]

• [p]Changed the way how the player stats are displayed[/p]
• [p]Designer notes: Easier now to understand if you are under base (100) or total max for the given stat (200). Exception: HP and SP, that are basically points.[/p]
• [p]Hermitorium arrival (short) cutscene added[/p]
• [p]Watch Commander health significantly lowered[/p]
• [p]High Executioner health slightly increased[/p]
• [p]Velmorne miniboss icons should follow their position now[/p]
• [p]Spiderwoman is now less susceptible to stun damage[/p]
• [p]Tweaked Blackened Salt and Corpse Wax drop rates[/p]
• [p]Tweaked the attenuation settings of the Gatekeeper’s power sources, to make them easier to locate[/p]
• [p]Velmorne undergrounds, esp. boss area, render significantly faster[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Bugfixes[/h2]

• [p]Fixed “mission complete” SFX not playing after killing Town minibosses[/p]
• [p]Fixed potential progression blocker in Hermitorium (Sanctuary door not interactable)[/p]
• [p]Fixed “Free Arcana Bead” incorrectly consuming required items[/p]
• [p]Fixed Stigma Diabolicum critical damage multiplier[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with incantations’ incorrect icon and type displayed in the Workshop[/p]
• [p]Fixed cutscenes breaking sounds when leaving to main menu when they are playing[/p]
• [p]Fixes to Crossbowman and Watch Commander behavior[/p]
• [p]Fixed Effigies and Totems trap spawning[/p]
• [p]Designer notes: these traps have been present in the game since early access launch, but their spawning logic has been broken for quite a while. For Steam players, it might be the first time they see them outside of the Duel event.[/p]
• [p]Numerous visual fixes across all of Velmorne[/p]

[p][/p][h2]UI changes[/h2]

• [p]Added notification star on portal in the Hermitorium which is displayed when there’s new destination available[/p]
• [p]Made hotspots in the Handbook more snappy. They should now feel better to use, especially in cases when two hotspots are close to each other[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue with incantations having incorrect icon and type displayed in the Workshop[/p]

First and foremost, we’re overwhelmed by the response Webgrave received - thank you! And thank you for your feedback, it means a lot and helps us improve the game. We have identified some things which require a fair amount of tinkering, but there are also smaller fixes and fine-tunes which we can perform already, so, without much ado, here is a change list for the first Webgrave hotfix, aka. what we have been working on since yesterday:

• Fixed Arsenal stat to correctly affect reload;
  
• Increased base reload speed for Hypnosis and Ricochet;
  
• Fixed Chronoclast's black screen issue;
  
• Added reminder explaining Chronoclast;
  
• Temporarily disabled FSR due to stability issues - a permanent fix is in the works;
  
• Less flytraps per arena;
  
• Town minibosses now drop either Incantation 2 or 3;
  
• Koschei's auto reload speed now ramps up slightly slower;
  
• Shadow Orbs are now instant pickup, like all other enemy drops;
  
• Fixed an incorrect Gnosis 6 description that suggested you get a 6th rosary slot;
  
• Tweaks to herb spawns;
  
• Fixed The Oracle not consuming charges on M1.
  

Additionally, we have prepared a mini FAQ which may answer some of the questions you have been asking across all the communication channels:



That’s it for today - we will be back with another batch of fixes and updates soon, please stay tuned and keep the feedback coming.

Cheers!

We know that labelling an update as “the biggest yet” is often overused, but we mean it when we say it: Webgrave is massive. And it has just gone live, accompanied by our biggest sale ever: 20% off.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

You can find the full patch notes in this post on our blog – click through if you’re curious about everything that’s been going on under the hood.

If, however, you’re more inclined to read about what Webgrave brings in a compact, easy-to-digest manner, this is the place for you: here are the most important things about the update.



Over the Early Access period we have been expanding the world of Witchfire by giving you more places to explore. Back in March, you found the navigation chart for Witch Mountain behind the throne room in which Dimacher resides. Today, there is one more document for you to find – one which will enable you to choose Velmorne as the destination in the portal in the Hermitorium.



Be warned – the blighted town is not a welcoming place. And while the screenshots may paint a picture of a deserted, quiet zone, once hell breaks loose, you may have trouble catching your breath.

Webgrave introduces several new types of enemies who will challenge your skills and test your might. If you watched the trailer above, you already know that Townswoman (who we showed a few weeks ago) is a rather nasty, handsy type. We have also shown you the Executioner before, but the more eagle-eyed among you may have already spotted even more new opponents patrolling the streets of Velmorne.

I won’t spoil the surprise, but let me tell you – your tier lists of enemies in the game may need to be updated once you meet your demise at the hands of these newcomers. Luckily for you, we’re not leaving you empty-handed.



The Rosary reveal seemed to have been well received, and we hope the sentiment stays when you actually experience it. It’s one of the several elements that make Webgrave a literal gamechanger.



The passive skills it offers provide a healthy boost to many gameplay aspects, and we’re sure it will take almost no time at all until you’re compiling location and usage guides for other players to enjoy.

We’re excited to see what configs you’ll come up with – and if you happen to craft a great setup, don’t be a stranger! Pop into our Discord and share it in the #builds channel.



Webgrave also brings a huge overhaul to some of the key aspects of the game.

The Workshop has been rebuilt so that it now allows you to guide the research path of gear in a more meaningful way – catering to your needs and tastes far better than before. And while we had some people moaning that it takes out the fun and the element of surprise from the party, let me be clear: it was never random.



The stats – and by extension, levelling – are also transformed. Gone are the old categories. In their place, we’ve introduced a more RPG-esque system based on Flesh, Blood, Mind, Witchery, Arsenal, and Faith.



The Ascension Shrine now presents a more comprehensive representation of what will change when you level up your character, so be sure to stop by and explore it.

Especially since the progress of those who played before has not been lost – you will be given a special item which will allow you to reassign points according to the new categories while retaining your overall level.

Gnosis hasn’t been left untouched either. We’ve added two more levels – but instead of eyeballing it in a spreadsheet and slapping new labels on what we had before, we’ve put in a lot of effort to rebalance the entire system. We added new level-up objectives in the process and made sure that you understand what levelling Gnosis up entails. It’s not a mere bump of a number on the character screen – it changes the face of the game, even more so than before.





Webgrave contains an answer to your requests for a proper tutorial for the game.

There is now a whole new level that serves as a prologue to the events of Witchfire. It introduces you to the basics and gives you a hands-on (or hands-on-weapons) experience, rather than a few prompts to read and forget.



We are also introducing a game handbook, available in the main and pause menus of the game. It’ll help you get up to speed on the UI – or remind you of what you may have forgotten if you’ve taken a break from hunting the Witch’s minions.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]



To tie it all up, we’re also expanding what you can wield in the game: three new guns are joining the arsenal:

The Oracle – a sniper rifle which can ignore the presence of walls and make a certain elf green with envy.


The Nemesis – a lever-action rifle – we hope you’ll like it as much as we do.


The Koschei – a very special piece of kit which won’t just be available for research, but will require you to jump through some hoops in the form of a special quest.


And just so you had a quick guide to what’s new:

There are a lot of secrets we haven’t revealed in the Webgrave Dev Diaries published over the past few weeks, and Velmorne is waiting for you to explore right now.

If you’re still not sure whether to give the game a try: Witchfire is currently available at 20% off, for the first time ever. With all the new content and mechanics, there has never been a better time to join the hunt.

And if you’re already the owner of the game?

Go ahead, download the update and grab your gear — an exciting new chapter begins right now.

Good hunting!

In our final blog post before the release of the Webgrave update, let’s talk onboarding.

Because nothing is harder to do, yet more important, than proper onboarding.

Most games get it wrong. Too much information or too little, poorly explained mechanics, a wall of text instead of action. There are very few games whose opening segment is both exciting and properly teaches the gameplay loop. Gears of War. Bioshock. Portal. Half-Life 2. Maybe Sekiro.

For a long time, Witchfire got it wrong, too. Our excuse was that we’re an Early Access title. We didn’t want to invest heavily in the tutorial knowing many things can and will change. We also assumed most players buying Early Access titles are experienced gamers who’d grasp concepts without much introduction.

We were, of course, wrong.

If there’s one game design book everyone should read, it’s The Gamer’s Brain by Celia Hodent. I’m not kidding – I genuinely don’t think a more important or better book on game design exists. And while I could quote an endless number of wisdom nuggets from it, here’s one that has stuck with me:



Yes, it’s better to annoy a veteran slightly than to have them miss something crucial. As an example, we had a FromSoftware fan and seasoned gamer play Witchfire. He progressed far but was frustrated by some aspects. When we asked him to record his gameplay, we were shocked to discover he wasn’t using Dash – around which our entire core combat loop is designed. Once he started using this feature, it was like he was playing a different game.

So we pushed hard, and the Webgrave update will feature an additional Prologue section to improve the onboarding process. Here’s a few screenshots:


It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. And let me tell you, for a segment this short, it took an insane amount of time to get even close to right. Back in 2011, I designed a parody of silly tutorials and their pacing…

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
…and even Ubisoft themselves did it:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
But today, after watching people play the new Witchfire tutorial – ignoring hints or doing exactly the opposite – I am much, much less critical of these elaborate segments, especially in games targeting casual players.

Witchfire isn’t exactly that kind of game, though. Witchfire is a gamer’s game, so we won’t teach you how to “look around.” Still, we do teach a lot, employing various techniques, both intrusive and subtle. We hope you’ll forgive us – and find the Prologue useful.

But onboarding doesn’t end there.

Understanding a game is one thing; remembering how to play it after a break is another.



And so, ladies and gentlemen, we’re introducing an interactive help feature. One video is worth a thousand words… (Note: this is a video of the prototype. We’ll fill it with proper categories and content… tomorrow. Yolo.)

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We hope both new and veteran players will find this feature handy.

And last but not least… Here’s Koschei.



It destroys …but will not be easy to obtain.

Good luck.



We may have taken a week off from writing to spend more time working on the game, but the community hasn’t been resting on their laurels. It’s fantastic to see, and we cannot wait for your thoughts and comments on Webgrave once it drops on Monday. Before that happens, let’s take a look at some of the more interesting posts from the past few days.

[h4][Marks task as partially done][/h4]

Over the past months, there have been several threads with really valuable feedback, and this one is no different. What is different is timing. Webgrave will address some of the critiques from this - and many other - threads, so we’re counting on your opinions to keep coming our way to make Witchfire better.



The newly revealed interactive help (which will surely evolve over time), the changes to the Workshop and stat systems - it’s all there to make the game more enjoyable. Witchfire will remain challenging, make no mistake, but it’s like a battle between fire and ice. We create a mechanic or a path, and you find a way to…

[h4]… circumvent it.[/h4]

We like to think we know our maps - after all, we designed and built them. We may leave a few secrets here and there, just for giggles, but we generally believe we’ve explored most nooks and crannies, at least collectively. And then someone like Labonski comes along and proves us wrong, demonstrating that jumping in that one spot might yield results we never foresaw, and showing us there are new pathways to explore.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

And you know what? It’s fantastic. It may not be like discovering yet another path from the Templar’s Well to the Gorgons’ Labyrinth, but I know the thrill. I vividly remember my (successful) attempts to glitch onto Normandy’s “roof” in Mass (D)Effect 1 on Xbox 360 - good times. I wonder what exploits you’ll discover in Velmorne.

So we can patch them.

Or not.

Last minute edit:

It turns out that Labonski just managed an even more impressive feat, beating Witchfire in its current, pre-Webgrave state without leveling… anything. He even went as far as to de-level his save, bringing all statistics down to zero. No ascension, no secondary weapon, no demonic weapon, no spells (light or heavy), no relic, no fetish, no ring, no mysterium upgrades. Such minimalism would put monks to shame.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
I mean… Hot damn, hats off, well done.

[h4]Gatekeepers gonna gatekeep. Somewhat.[/h4]

We have quite a lot of stuff in our backlogs (fun fact: we have two of them - one for internal ideas, and the other for suggestions from you, the players), but few entries have as much mileage and as many notes saying “gotta get back to it” as the Gatekeeper. We know this trap needs a rethink and a redesign, and we’ll get to it in due time. Just letting you know that we understand why you’re not enthusiastic about it, and it won’t remain in its current shape forever.

Visit the thread.

[h4]Warm and fuzzy feelings.[/h4]

While scouring the vast archive of feedback you’ve provided, we come across all sorts of comments - some make us reconsider and question the choices we’ve made (see the previous paragraph). Others tell us we’re wrong. But every once in a while, a comment genuinely makes us smile. This is one such comment, because it seems to support the idea that - at least for some of you - we’ve managed to capture lightning in a bottle and create a game that feels like home. Thanks.



Oh, and by the way - remember when two weeks ago I said I wouldn’t be surprised if, by the time Webgrave launches, we hit compilation number 62750?

I think I may have been a tad too conservative with my estimates, as with four days till launch, we’re already at 63630.

I can already hear the footsteps of the approaching changelog, and they are heavy. It’s going to be bigger than the Galley Slave…

Webgrave arrives Monday. We’ve shared quite a bit about the update, but we haven’t spilled all the beans. We’ve left plenty for you to discover, and we’d be thrilled if you decided to embark on a journey to Velmorne once the update drops at 6 PM CEST (12 PM EST).

See you there, preyers!