Feudums News

[p]If you'd like more consistent, bite-size updates, or don't want to miss the updates on the single-player version, consider joining our Discord, where I’m more active. Alternatively, we have a newsletter for milestone community polls and major game updates.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Dear Ladies and Lords,[/h3][p]Hey everyone! While the season usually brings snow, hats, candy canes – and plenty of "limited deals" trying to drain your wallet – there’s no festive skin pack here. Instead, I’ve just uploaded a small "living map" update for Feudums.[/p][p][/p][h2]The Current Update[/h2][p]This is another incremental step toward the long-term goal of making the map look more alive and better represent how your serfs are actually assigned to their daily work.[/p][p]The changes are compatible with the running game sessions.[/p][p][/p][h3]Quality of Life / Vibe[/h3][p]So here comes another batch of handcrafted animations to breathe more life into your realms, including (but not limited to):[/p]

• [p]Stonemasons working their quarries[/p]
• [p]Updated Monks and Winegrowers for the Ecclesiastical Fiefs.[/p]
• [p]Improved Woodcutters with more detail.[/p]
• [p]Castle smoke effects for added atmosphere.[/p]
• [p]Finalized portraits for the new units, including an additional one (the 28th!) that will only unlock in the next game session, starting in the next 48 hours.[/p]
• [p]Several tweaks to the default rulebook — winters are now harsher for moving companies, units have been rebalanced, and more. Since rulebook adjustments are ongoing, the community Discord always has the up-to-date changelog![/p]

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Several issues in the Coat of Arms editor have been addressed, making error cases or validation errors easier to understand.[/p]
• [p]Minor fixes and improvements to in-game chat and private messaging.[/p]
• [p]Fixed the occasionally odd positioning for Castles on Hills.[/p]
• [p]Small fixes on some Improvement variations.[/p]

[p]Overall, this update focuses on polish: tightening animations, smoothing out UI quirks, and preparing the visual baseline for what’s ahead.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]What’s next?[/h2][p]Other than working on further UX fixes, I am continuing work on vassalage foundations + enhanced siege and occupation mechanics.[/p][p]Thanks for playing, testing, and sending feedback — it really helps to shape Feudums into the game we all want it to be![/p][p][/p][h2]A Glimpse into the Future[/h2][p]Work on the single-player mode has been significantly slower than I hoped — with time being tight, progress there happens in small steps. I’ll keep pushing it forward next year, but I still can’t provide an ETA for a demo or public preview. At some early point, I definitely want to make it available for an initial playtest though — so if you’re interested, make sure to stick around on Discord.[/p][p]Multiplayer development has also moved a bit slower than I aimed for — part of my weeks go into making sure I can cover the bills and pay my two contributors, which inevitably reduces the time I can spend on the project and the constant context-switching also takes a toll. Still, Feudums has seen real progress this year, with several important changes and features added. I push the project forward whenever and however I can, and that won’t change next year either. Things may slow down a little early in the year while I take a short period for financial recovery, but development will not stop. I expect it to be a bit like 2024 — which, all things considered, wasn’t too bad for Feudums, right? :)[/p][p]That said, my current plan — as long as life doesn’t throw anything really unexpected at me — is to move toward beta and an Early Access release sometime in 2026. But as a true indie, with no studio behind me and two kids to care for, long-term plans are always flexible.[/p][p]If you’d like to help Feudums move faster, you can support the project on Patreon — even a few months of support makes a real difference. With enough active patrons, I could shift more of my time from contract work back into development. Next year, I’ll also plan to look into alternatives to Patreon. I’ve wanted to explore other options for a while — I just always end up spending my free time on development instead. :)[/p][p]If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear them![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thanks again for sticking around, for your feedback, and for being part of this journey. [/p][p]It genuinely means a lot.[/p][p][/p][p]- Mat[/p][p][/p][h3]Previous Releases[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Join the Noble Houses! ➻ ✉️ Newsletter | 💬 Community Discord | 💗Patreon[/p]

[p][/p][p]The next Pretender Wars round kicks off on Friday (November 14). The round runs on the latest demo update and a few rulebook tweaks — full details will be shared on our discord alongside with the usual game session announcement![/p][p][/p]

[p]New to the game? [/p][p]This event is recommended for players already familiar with the basics — but there’s always at least another, more relaxed game running for newcomers. Whether you want to explore the systems, meet other Houses, or prepare for future battles, it’s a great place to start.[/p][p]Feeling brave or looking for battles? [/p][p]Then you'll enjoy Pretender Wars — just know it’s a high-stakes world.[/p]

[p] [/p][h3]How to join?[/h3][p]Just look for the game called Pretender Wars once it opens on Friday (tip: you can set an alert for upcoming game sessions on 💬 discord!). [/p]

• [p]The exact start time was chosen by the current Pretender - but the game won’t actually begin until at least five players have joined. [/p]
• [p]You can already start giving orders during the upcoming phase, so your initial strategy will be ready even if you’re not around when the game session launches.[/p]
• [p]The game will run for about 9,000 ticks, and several factions are likely to form along the way — so even if you join later, you won’t be at a serious disadvantage.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Winner(s)[/h3][p]The winning faction is the one that outmaneuvers everyone else by achieving one of the victory conditions. Keep in mind — there are no sieges yet; warfare focuses on raiding and blocking, like in a large-scale skirmish.[/p][p][/p][h3]Rewards[/h3][p]A heraldry package 🛡️ and the "Pretender House" achievement, that will appear on your player profile. The active pretender(s) will also receive a special, highlighted 🜲 Pretender role on our discord server. [/p][p] [/p][h3]Know Thy Enemy![/h3][p]House Elliott still sits on the throne and shows no sign of slowing down.[/p][p]Remember their Coat of Arms. Burn it into memory — so when it reappears on the battlefield, you’ll know exactly who to aim for.[/p][p][/p][h3]Tips[/h3]

• [p]Going solo in the Middle Ages was... rare and generally unwise. Players can form alliances of two or three and win together![/p]
• [p]You might need to cooperate to bring down the Pretender — but in the end, only one alliance can claim victory. Scheme wisely![/p]
• [p]Use diplomacy, trade, or steel — whichever suits your cause.[/p]
• [p]Use private messages to plot your strategies behind the Pretender’s (or any rival’s) back. There’s also a dedicated Pretender Games chat on our 💬 discord![/p]
• [p]Keep an eye on Gossips and Rumours. They can provide useful intel on your competition and the Pretender.[/p]

[p][/p][p]Also pay attention to the recent changes, there were major changes to battles, unit composition, roles, and combat edges in the latest update.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Will this round see new champions rise, or will House Elliott hold on to its claim?[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Guides & Community[/h3][p]You can find a few starting tips for the ranked games in a bite-size guide here on Steam:[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p]

[p]Join the Noble Houses! ➻ ✉️ Newsletter | 💬 Community Discord | 💗Patreon[/p]

[p]If you'd like more consistent, bite-size updates, or don't want to miss the updates on the single-player version, consider joining our Discord, where I’m more active. Alternatively, we have a newsletter for milestone community polls and major game updates.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]I've just uploaded a small patch to address a few issues related to private messaging.[/p][p]And since that’s how my Saturday went anyway, I also added a short note to the main menu explaining how the demo works and what its goals are.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][h2]Changelog[/h2][h3]Quality of Life Changes[/h3]

• [p]Added a quick status summary to the main menu to help newcomers understand how our Open Alpha demo differs from traditional marketing demos. It also includes short answers to some frequently asked questions about the demo’s goals.[/p]

[h3]Bugfixes & Misc[/h3]

• [p]Fixed some reliability and visual clues issues with Chat related to the new Private Messaging functionality. The currently active private channel is now also more clearly highlighted.[/p]

[p][/p][p]These are small things, but I didn’t want to hold them back until the next update.[/p][p][/p][h3]Previous Releases[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Until the next update... Enjoy Feudums![/p][h3][/h3]

[p]Join the Noble Houses! ➻ ✉️ Newsletter | 💬 Community Discord | 💗Patreon[/p]

[p]If you'd like more consistent, bite-size updates, or don't want to miss the updates on the single-player version, consider joining our Discord, where I’m more active. Alternatively, we have a newsletter for milestone community polls and major game updates.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Ladies and Lords of the Realm,[/h3][p]We've updated both our servers and the client for our open alpha demo today — everything should now be back online and running smoothly! [/p][p]The updated client will be rolling out on Steam any minute now. Thank you for your patience![/p][p][/p][h3]The Current Update[/h3][p]You’ll find a summary of key changes and improvements below. As always, I'm deeply grateful to have you with me on this - at times, pretty difficult - journey. Please remember that your feedback drives everything.[/p][p][/p][p]Of the two possible outcomes I mentioned in the previous update, the latter came true — I had to split my time between the project and, well, financial survival. :)[/p][p]So this one turned out to be a regular update rather than the long-awaited Siege Update. Still, as promised, several important changes related to warfare make their debut here — including refinements to the battle logic (preparing the system for integrating the siege mechanics) and a significant expansion of the unit edge system. [/p][p]The in-game chat also received new features, and the economic simulation continues to grow richer and more nuanced.[/p][p][/p][h3]A Glimpse into the Future[/h3][p]Work on the single-player mode suffered a bit more from the time constraints — progress there has been slower, but it is continuing, step by step. [/p][p]In the coming weeks, however, nearly all development energy will be focused on Siege and UX improvements.[/p][p]As the project remains entirely self-funded and non-monetized, if you’d like to help speed up development, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter, even if just for a few months. With enough active patrons, progress could move forward much faster.[/p][p] [/p][h3]Pretender Wars![/h3][p]As the dust of all these battle-related changes settles, it’s time again for a ranked community multiplayer clash! Will the Pretender manage to hold the throne this time? We will find out soon. Stay tuned, because glory (and tears and sweat) await.

[/p][p][/p][h2]Changelog[/h2][h3]Gameplay & Vibe[/h3]

• [p]Enhanced Unit Edge system: based on nearly two years of feedback and playtesting, the rules defining unit edges and how they’re evaluated have been reworked. They are now much more flexible, allowing for a wider range of interactions between units. To celebrate, the total number of available edges has nearly doubled! Enjoy discovering the new combos. :)[/p]
• [p]New units! Three new unit types have joined the roster (still using placeholder visuals, but otherwise fully functional). [/p][p]Most of the existing units have also seen adjustments - many had their roles refined or rebalanced to fit the expanded edge system.[/p]
• [p]Terrain Categories: Terrain types are now classified into groups like Open or Difficult. These categories are mainly used by edge effects for now, but more systems will make use of them later. They can be checked in the tooltip of the Terrain Type on the Tile Cards.[/p]
• [p]Battle Location Logic: Battles now always take place on the defender’s tile. Consequently, garrisons can no longer lure raiders into their own spots. To compensate, garrisons now gain local terrain expertise bonuses not only on their tile but throughout their entire Area of Control, if they’re one of the original battle participants. The Battle Card indicators have been updated accordingly.[/p]
• [p]Traversing the Untraversable: Swamplands are now officially non-traversable - but <drumrolls> with the right edges even these (and mountains) can become passable. Be careful though: if a company loses all units that make a non-traversable tile accessible and doesn’t escape within a few ticks (which it will attempt automatically if possible), it may be wiped out entirely.[/p][p]Crossing mountains and swamps is now possible... but dangerous.[/p]
• [p]Manage Unit Command: Commands are now blocked while a company is in battle. Previously, only unit transfers were blocked - now disbanding and other commands are also prevented during combat (so enemies cannot just disband their beaten armies if you're quick enough to engage).[/p]
• [p]Private Messaging: you no longer need to send notes through diplomatic proposals - the chat now supports private messages between players who have already discovered each other.[/p]
• [p]New Rumours! The world is now buzzing with more gossip about other players’ actions. Rumours are also intentionally a bit less precise now - they reveal general areas rather than exact locations, and many now reference nearby settlement or other geographic pointers for context.[/p]
• [p]Better Seasonal Warfare: during the harshest months, military companies will now lose morale whenever they move unless they are on friendly grounds (yes, diplomacy counts). Falling below the morale threshold will cause attrition to eat away at unit health. Tip: the Season Calendar tooltip lists all active seasonal effects, now including this one.[/p]
• [p]New Labourer Split: Based on community discussions, fishermen have been split into freshwater and marine variants. Their upkeep, yields, and seasonal patterns now differ. Several other labourers - like Foragers - have also been adjusted following player feedback.[/p]
• [p]In recent months, I’ve started reworking the early-game pacing in response to community feedback and related critiques. This also brought some changes to how resources behave. For example, upgrading towns and castles early on now puts a much heavier strain on your treasury, making their timing a more meaningful tactical choice. This process is still ongoing, so I’d love to hear any feedback you have. :)[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Further Quality of Life Changes[/h3]

• [p]Create Feudum now highlights relevant tiles when hovered over in the command’s tile list.[/p]
• [p]Allied Victory Conditions now come with a tooltip explaining how proportional allied goals work.[/p]
• [p]Rally Troops Command: Potential recruits are now properly sorted: first by type (lance or squad), then by tier. Don’t ask why this took so long - I already smacked the responsible dev’s hand. Unfortunately, that makes writing this changelog slower too.[/p]
• [p]Tile Card Improvements. Now includes more detailed tooltips for Movement Cost and Terrain, telling how they’re affected and how they affect other mechanics. Additional winter traversal costs are now also displayed here too (they were already visible on the Season Indicator).[/p]
• [p]Chat Improvements: The groundwork and logic for block and friend lists is now in place (though not yet active). You can, however, already report messages directly and discreetly, and the backend now includes full moderation support for these cases. Thankfully, I've never had to remove anyone from a game - but inappropriate behavior can now be stopped more easily.[/p][p]Also, chat messages can now be slightly longer! :) Just don't make me regret it! ;)[/p]
• [p]Other minor UX tweaks and visual adjustments, mostly on the Map.[/p]

[h3]Bugfixes & Misc[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue preventing the top-left tile (0,0) from being claimed. Yes. Lame.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a regression bug in the CoA editor.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a World Card infinitescroller initialization issue in a specific case.[/p]
• [p]Fixed ConditionEvaluator to correctly respect ClientMode again.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where a Laborer icon wasn't correctly displayed.[/p]
• [p]Fixed flag animations ignoring wind direction when grumpy.[/p]
• [p]Added checks for report.coordinates usage.[/p]
• [p]Chart performance optimizations.[/p]
• [p]Added optimizations for message caching.[/p]
• [p]Updated to newer Discord SDK.[/p]
• [p]Fixed several pathfinding bugs. There are still a few left - but at this rate, we’ll have more unit tests than movement options, so they'll be eventually cornered.[/p]
• [p](A host of backend fixes and improvements)[/p]

[p][/p][p]That’s all for now, thank you for your reports and support, and see you on the battlefield! :)[/p][p][/p][h3]Previous Releases[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink] [/p][p]Until the next update... Enjoy Feudums![/p][h3][/h3]

[p]Join the Noble Houses! ➻ ✉️ Newsletter | 💬 Community Discord | 💗Patreon[/p]

[p]If you'd like more consistent, bite-size updates, or don't want to miss the updates on the single-player version, consider joining our Discord, where I’m more active. Alternatively, we have a newsletter for milestone community polls and major game updates.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Ladies and Lords of the Realm,[/h3][p]Once the current game wraps up (expected today around 18:00 CET), we'll take a short technical break to update both the server and game client.[/p][p][/p][p]No new games will launch during this downtime — but we’ll be back within a few hours, and new sessions will follow right after![/p][p][/p][p]This update will include bug fixes (thanks to community reports!), new features, and gameplay tweaks. I’ll post the changelog once we’re live. :)[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks for shaping this world with us — your feedback drives everything.[/p][p][/p][h3]Previous Updates:[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p]

[p]Join the Noble Houses! ➻ ✉️ Newsletter | 💬 Community Discord | 💗Patreon[/p]