Vanishing Realms News

This update fixes a number of minor bugs in the newer chapters, and addresses player feedback on end-game difficulty. Some players felt the end-game was disproportionately challenging, given the amount of mana that folks were typically collecting and expending in preceding areas. Additional collectible mana may now be found in locations much closer to the end-game.

To extend the original sale event, The Sundered Rift expansion is available at a 35% discount.

Vanishing Realms: Rite of Steel and the new sequel Vanishing Realms: The Sundered Rift are now available through a "Complete The Set" bundle. If you purchase both adventures through the bundle offering, the discount will apply to both games. If you already own the base game, the discount will still apply to the new sequel when purchased through the bundle.

Today's "hotfix" update fixes an issue for some Index controller users, and fixes an issue with some save games in the Expansion.

1) Expansion: previously, if you quit the game just after completing a path, but before entering a subsequent gate, you could end up without a relic upon restart. This is now fixed - when restarting the game your inventory will always contain the previously acquired relic.

2) Base Game & Expansion: Some Index controller users had issues with accidentally dropping items, especially torches and mining picks. It is no longer possible to drop these items, although torches may still be thrown. The maximum number of torches or mining picks held in inventory is now capped at two. (NOTE: the accidental dropping is heavily dependent on the index controller binding settings. Users may customize the binding they have associated with Vanishing Realms to be more/less sensitive to grip force: SteamVR, Devices, Controller Settings, Vanishing Realms, Edit Controller Bindings)

Today's update improves a few playability issues and fixes bugs in both the Base Game and the Expansion.

• Previously it was quite easy to accidentally discharge/fire a magic wand or magic item when trying to return it to the inventory belt. This is now fixed.
  
• The Inventory belt used to snap-rotate itself in 45 degree increments in an attempt to stay in alignment with the player's head position. Unfortunately, this looked somewhat clunky and could cause a 'chasing your own tail' effect when trying to add or grab from the far right or left inventory backpack. The inventory no longer snap rotates, but will instead only realign itself if the player walks by more than a half meter or so.
  
• In some situations, the Inventory belt could obscure the player's downward view and make it difficult to shoot or throw weapons at an extreme downward angle. The change to the belt described above enables a work around for this: look down and to the right, the belt will appear and lock in place, then look forward and down and commence with your now unobstructed deadly hail of arrows.
  
• Some throwable items, found in certain dungeon areas, could be picked up and thrown only once. This is now fixed.
  
• While dodging inbound projectiles, some monsters would dodge, recover, then instantaneously release their own ranged attack. At close range, this was particularly unfair as it was impossible to predict or dodge. This is fixed for Archers in the base game, and all ranged attacking monsters in the Expansion (Ogres, Snakestrikers, Pack Hunters etc )
  

• The 'HAVEN' check point was broken. Tying to load this checkpoint could cause duplicate items in inventory such as the Tome, and some checkpoints would have been unselectable from the startup menu room. This is now fixed and any save games with that checkpoint should behave correctly.
  
• If you hit Pause while the Spirit Guide is running or climbing stairs, it could cause her movement to break and she would fail to complete her guiding task with you. Sometimes hilariously, by walking only on her hind legs. This is fixed.
  
• Playability fix to the Orc Marauder's melee combat. Orcs are now a little smoother/more predictable to fight in melee combat. A bug was fixed in one attack animation, and most melee attacks slowed/smoothed.
  
• The Orc no longer shield-bashes as frequently when the player gets within close range, making it a little easier to fight with shorter-reach weapons.
  
• The blue Dragon Hunter now has less armor than the Dragonflame Hunter, animations are slightly smoother.
  
• The Stoneskin Ogre is no longer able to instantly discharge his ground slam ranged attack while dodging or taking damage.
  

Very happy to announce the completion of the new Expansion to the base game. You can check out the Expansion description by following the DLC link on the main Vanishing Realms store page. If you'd like to get the new Expansion, you'll first need to update the base game. To play, you'll need to reach the end of the base game - existing save games should all work fine.

With the completion of the shared technology between the base game and the Expansion, the base game has also finally left Early Access. Most of the goals from the original 2016 Early Access launch announcement and the later Launch Roadmap Sep 2016 Launch Roadmap had been reached within the first 18 months or so, although the game remained in Early Access for twice that period.

In response to thoughtful community feedback and feature requests, the following lists some of the additions made to the base game while in Early Access.

• Some players felt the game was too easy. A complete hard mode was added to the base game. The monster AI was extensively modified to accomplish this.
  
• Following the initial launch, some players requested additional free content. A new mid-game dungeon with a 2-story maze, 2 new mining caves and 3 new outdoor combat/exploration areas were added. This added 17 new monster combat encounters, 3 new puzzles and riddles, and introduced a new type of two-handed weapon. Steam reports average playtime for the game is 3 hours 50 minutes.
  
• Some users felt Teleportation movement broke VR immersion for them. New locomotion was added to the game, including continuous smooth/gliding and Snap Turning options.
  
• Some players struggled with aspects of the belt-based inventory system, others requested advanced features. The inventory system was simplified and upgraded and the ability to 'hot swap' weapons was added.
  
• Players requested more interaction with world items such as skulls, stones, candles, books etc. The majority of world items were updated to allow grab/throw interactions.Flammable cloth, leaves, webs, straw were added. The new interactable items were integrated into the game as hiding places for treasure, secret keys, etc.
  
• Climbing was added as an additional movement mode and retrofitted to the dungeon areas, with items added as climbing rewards.
  
• Achievements were expanded and integrated with Steam.
  
• Many players requested better support for more types of VR hardware. Hardware support for Oculus and Index was added and integrated into the training room.
  
• Some players reported frame rate drops in certain outdoor areas, especially those using the initial round of VR gaming machines. The game engine was upgraded and its rendering performance improved.
  
• Some players felt the game was beginning to appear outdated as the Early Access period extended beyond 2 years. The wild/outdoor areas were updated to include a higher level of detail. Ground which previously showed 'painted' grass now contains tall, 3d grass. Most trees maintain higher resolution at greater distance and no longer 'pop' to a different level of detail. The entire game was relit and shadow distance and resolution were improved. The appearance of many treasure items was updated with a newer generation of metalic/gold shaders.
  
• Player-reported bugs were fixed throughout the Early Access period, contributing to a stable base game.
  
  The most recent update includes the following changes in the base game:
  
  
• Index Controller Improvements. Index controllers should be better recognized when activated after the game starts.
  
• Item Drops. It's no longer possible to drop certain critical items, such as special keys or, for instance, the last mining pick in player inventory.
  
• Item Grab Improvements. There are two ways to grab items, you can click outside the item, then 'sweep' through it, or you can click within the item. This update improves the second case - all items should now respond to either method.
  
• The price of the Dragon Fire wand has been lowered so players who spent gold on the Giant's Bane weapon can more easily afford it.
  
• Monster AI. Many changes to improve the agility of monster movement, especially in outdoor areas.

Here's an excerpt from the Early Access description of the game, posted on the storefront page when the game launched in 2016, and remaining for the duration of the Early Access period:
Why Early Access?
"There are still content and features I'd like to include in the full version of Chapters 1 & 2, and Early Access gives me time to respond to community feedback.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?
“4-8 weeks for Chapters 1 & 2.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?
“Performance tuning to support a wider variety of lower-end graphics cards, customize some assets, integrate the game's achievements with Steam, address any major bugs or design issues early players may find.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?
“Fully playable.”

I am extremely grateful for the feedback and support received from the community during Early Access. At this point, development focus will shift to updating the base game and new Expansion as needed to fix any new playability issues and bugs folks may encounter.