Frozen Flame News

[h3]Magic Rework[/h3]

We want to start this changelog by telling a story of the players, who lived...

You might have noticed, that the world of Arkana is filled with magic. It permeates through all: the landscape, its inhabitants and ancient artifacts. And now you have a chance to take control over it, all you need to do is to find magical items.

Two spell books have been hidden on the Cradle of Keepers. With their help you'll be able to walk on water, enhance your speed, create spheres of light and.. jump really high. Just take care of your knees, alright? You don't want to repeat the fate of a "Falling Wizard", do you?

What else is there to know?

The pages of these books contain countless ages of Arkana's history, and they can be easily worn out if used too frequently. Not to worry, though - there's nothing you can't fix on a good old workbench.

You can also simply lose your books. But your pal Bonehead got you covered and extended his stock. He might even have some books, if you suddenly find yours missing.

Note: this is the first glance on the future of magic in our game; it will see more changes and improvements in later updates!

[h3]Book of Recipes[/h3]



Every master chef deserves to be immortalized in history! And with our new book of cooked recipes it's now possible. You can access it by opening the second tab of the cooking menu.

It'll make cooking known dishes much easier. Just press the recipe you want to cook and it'll automatically add all the needed ingredients. Bon Appetit!

[h3]Ancient Valley[/h3]



Ancient Valley is the first step to the long and treaturous way to the Citadel of the Frozen Flame.

It's much more dangerous than Cradle of Keepers, but still hospitable enough for semi-comfortable life:

• Plentiful natural resources for your building and developing needs, and many ruins and abandoned houses to explore.
  
• At night the roads are overrun by dangerous skeletal revenants, making night travels quite unsafe.
  
• New challenges for your marksmanship, speed and attention.
  

The Portal to Ancient Valley can be opened from the Cave of Chronos.

Note: It's been a long time since we last visited the Ancient Valley, and the game changed a lot since then. We're still working on this location, and its final gameplay and quallity will be much different from those seen in the first stage of CBT.

[h3]Players' Names in Dreamside Launcher[/h3]

We fixed the issue causing your PC name being displayed as your in-game name. Now it's properly showing your Xsolla ID.

If you wrongly assigned your E-mail as your ID during your registration and would like to change it for another nickname, please message us at [email protected] or our Discord channel.

[h2]Other Changes[/h2]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• Sentinel of Chronos now protects structures from any player attacks [don't forget to activate it].
  
• Added a repair tool for building structures [available in modules menu].
  
• Different weapons now inflict different damage to modules as intended.
  
• Increased the lighting distance for torches.
  
• Fixed creatures' behaviour in Ancient Valley.
  

[h3]Map[/h3]

• Added new flame pedestals to Cradle of Keepers' starting area.
  
• Visual improvements to Cave of Chronos.
  

[h3]UI[/h3]

• New icons for ingredient types.
  
• General character UI fixes, including hints.
  
• Increased the size of scrolling bar in inventory.
  
• Improved gamepad navigation for cooking UI.
  

[h3]Sounds[/h3]

• Updated waterfall sounds.
  
• Fixed crystal consumption sounds.
  

Other

• Visual improvements for face structures and textures.
  
• You can no longer build in the Cave of Chronos.
  
• Titans of Ancient Valley are temporarily invulnurable.
  
• Removed quests from Ancient Valley.
  
• Titan Hights and Swamps are blocked off by deadly weather conditions.
  
• Disabled alpinism for now.
  

[h2]Fixes[/h2]

[h3]Technical[/h3]

• Fixed dodge roll stamina consumption.
  
• Fixed Ancient Valley waterfall.
  
• Fixed Frozen Cursed spawn animation in Prologue.
  

[h3]Bugs[/h3]

• Character no longer enters a combat stance in customisation menu.
  
• Challenges completed in Cradle of Keepers now appear on the map.
  
• Fixed lighting for some monsters.
  
• Idols now properly display a glowing sigil.
  
• Sword and Shield combination now does reasonable damage.
  
• Boars no longer lay their sounds on top of each other.
  
• Ingredients' special effects now correctly apply to dishes.
  

[h3]Known issues[/h3]

• Russian language isn't fully supported yet.
  

We look forward to seeing you in the world of Arkana!

If you would like to know more about the game, join us on Discord, check out all of our other Social and Community channels.

[h2]Main Changes[/h2]


[h3]Revamped Building System[/h3]


We finally did it! Affordable housing for each and every soul of Arkana is now a dream come true! And if any Cursed would tell you otherwise - smash them with a tough log, so you'll have a solid foundation for your future house.

The tech tree now includes a couple of new items: wood and stone hammers. You can equip them to open the building menu. We've also enhanced the modular building system by removing most limitation, so that you'll be able to unleash your creativity and build wherever you want to, be it by the river or at the top of a mountain.

Just try not to forget the basics of physics: objects can't just float in the air - they need some form of support or holding. The color-indication system will let you know which modules are immovable even to the Furious Grunt, and which would fall apart if you sneeze hard enough.

Currently only a few basic straw and log modules are available, but there are many more that we work on and that will be added in future updates.*

[h3]New Challenges[/h3]

Now there are more unique challenges in Cradle of Keepers. They were left behind by the ancients, and will test your courage, marksmanship and even cooking skills, rewarding you with Memory Shards if you succeed.

[h3]The Plagued Thresher[/h3]


At last, the Plagued Thresher returned to the Noxious Temple. Refreshed and furious. Rumors say he holds a mysterious artifact, that can unlock one's hidden potential. We highly doubt he'd just give it away out of generosity, so you'd better prepera for a hard battle.

[h3]Sanctuary of Chronos[/h3]


Many of you liked the "Under construction" message. So did we! Dispite that we reluctantly did what we had to and removed it. Now the Cradle of Keepers portal leads to the Sanctuary of Chronos.

This Sanctuary efffectively is a crossroads, with portals leading to many different locations across the lands of Arkana, which are now... temporarily sealed. You'll have to find a way to open them later on.

In the Sanctuary's centre you'll find an altar, that will unlock new abilities those, who collected the Ancestral Vestige and Ancestral Essence.

[h3]"Fog of War"[/h3]


Arkana is now covered in impenetrable fog. You'll have to explore new areas to cleanse them from the fog.

[h2]Other Changes[/h2]

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• Reworked the Tech Tree.
  
• Players start the game with an empty Energy bar. It no longer replenishes upon death.
  
• Sentinel of Chronos no longer requires foundation to be placed.
  
• Increased the amount of time Sentinel of Chronos works if fueld with Blue Crystals.
  
• By popular demand you can now gain Memory Shards by leveling up.
  
• Impreved monsters' combat behavior.
  
• Simple recipes are now more easy to cook.
  
• Reduced the time it takes to cook a dish.
  
• Difficulty of encounters with elite monsters now scales with the amount of participating players.
  

[h3]Map[/h3]

• Memory Shards no longer drop from secret chests.
  
• Changed some memorials' images.
  
• Increased the drop rate for Branches and Fiber in Cradle of Keepers.
  
• Some say there's a Pestilent Boar frolicing in the poisonous area of Cradle.
  
• Added the fourth mark for the Plagued Thresher.
  
• The Noxious Temple now houses more Cursed camps and hold more resourses.
  
• Implemented minor changes to the memorials' placement.
  

[h3]UI[/h3]

• Visual improvements to the loading screen.
  
• Improvements to the Skill Tree.
  
• Removed the "Cataclysm" memo.
  
• Visual improvements to the character UI.
  
• Visual improvements to the cooking UI.
  

[h3]Sounds[/h3]

• Added new sounds for the Skill Tree.
  
• Added new sounds for the challenges.
  
• Added new sounds for the Floaters.
  

[h3]Other[/h3]

• Added new idle animations for the Cursed.
  
• Added staggering to boars.
  
• Added construction hammers.
  
• Added new spawning animations and VFX for the Cursed.
  
• Updated the icon for Powdered Herbs.
  
• Added VFX for player's death bag.
  
• Improved the dodging animation.
  
• Optimised the object draw distance.
  
• Optimised grass visuals.
  
• You can now invite friends to a Local Game via the Steam client.
  

[h2]Fixes[/h2]

[h3]Technical[/h3]

• Reduced damage of the Wooden Staff.
  
• Changed the visual representation for chests, sarchophagi and obelisks.
  
• Slight corrections to the design of Cradle of Keepers.
  
• Removed the remains of the "Weird System" from our game. Not kidding. That was the actual name for it.
  
• Fixed monsters' behavior in encounters.
  
• Fixed mages' behavior in combat.
  
• Fixed the Cursed grip on their axes.
  
• Fixed wooden axe sound effects.
  
• Fixed the behavior for the Skull Hunter, the Furious Grunt, the Smoldering Warlock and the Plagued Thresher.
  
• Reduced the radius for opening the portals.
  
• Fixed the characters' bleeding sounds.
  

[h3]Bugs[/h3]

• Fixed the issue, which caused the challenges' status change before completion.
  
• Fixed issues, which caused incorrect facial animations.
  
• Fixed the issue, which caused players to return to the Character Creation after skipping the Prologue.
  
• Fixed the issue, which caused the challenge's text to change after killing the Elemental.
  
• Fixed the issue, which caused other players to slide across the map in online.
  
• Fixed the one-eyed face to no longer change the hurt eye's color.
  
• Fixed torches and lamps.
  

[h3]Known problems[/h3]

• Russian localization isn't fully implemented
  

We look forward to seeing you in the world of Arkana!

If you would like to know more about the game, join us on Discord, check out all of our other Social and Community channels .

[h2]Main Changes[/h2]

[h3]Noxious Temple[/h3]

Last update introduced a brand new poisonous area to the Cradle of Keepers. And so we continue working on it. The location is now occupied by the cursed, and you can now enter the decrepit temple and challenge its inhabitants for the Mask of the Plagued Thresher.

Sadly, the Plagued Thresher will only join us in the next update. In his absence, you can fight another specially trained cursed. And we assure you - he's just as well qualified. We checked.

Also, you might've noticed that spending time in the poisonous areas has negative concequences for your character's health. So we suggest you check out the memorial near the location's area, perhaps your ancestors left some survival tips behind.



[h3]Cooking Update[/h3]

A wise cook is more likely to not mess up the recipe. A perceptive one will make a dish of a higher quallity. A disciplinned one will make best of his ingredients to create a nutricious meal. A strong one cares more about putting down a boar than the taste or the color of his food. Not everyone is fated to become a master chef, but everyone can choose their own culinary way.

We added plenty of new dishes and changes to the cooking UI. On a related note - the campfire now burns brighter depending on the amount of fuel in it.



[h3]Energy Update[/h3]

Lo and behold, here come more improvements to the energy system, along with updated UI and icons for conditions. As a reminder - energy now applies positive effects onto characters, such as health regeneration. Food consumption increases your current energy level, and resting - its max capacity. This mechanic and its UI will be altered in accordance to the feedback collected through testing.

[h3]Updated Mithra[/h3]

Mithra's model and animations have been completely revamped! Meet Mithra 2.0: wiser, stronger and even more attractive. She still disappears without a trace at the end of the Prologue, so don't push "Skip Tutorial" button right away.



[h3]Other Changes[/h3]

• Changed the color indication for obelisks and sarcophagi. If you've completed the presented challanges, sarcophagi will now blink while obelisks will have butterflies floating around them.
  
• Added camara zoom.
  
• Added new sounds for the cursed' and floaters' attacks.
  
• Updated the portal's waypoint model.
  
• Added "floating" numbers for healing and regeneration.
  
• Enhanced the effects of cooked dishes.
  
• Introduced the 4x increase to the passive health regeneration.
  

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Improved general performance.
  
• Improved Ice Elemental's behavior in the Prologue.
  
• Changed monster spawn points in the Prologue.
  
• Removed the Essence of Ages from memorials.
  
• The mage mini-boss is now a bit less threatening. Still dangerous, though.
  
• Slowed down crouching movement speed.
  

We look forward to seeing you in the world of Arkana!

If you would like to know more about the game, join us on Discord, check out all of our other Social and Community channels .

[h3]Cooking Rework[/h3]

One day one of our developers managed to tear himself from "cooking" the game and do some actual cooking. "My god, it was so easy!" - he explaimed. But to be completely honest - his omelette ended up badly undersalted. Such a heroic deed inspired us to take a fresh look at our cooking system!

This update brings you reworked and more user-friendly cooking environment both in UI and in the process itself. Now to receive a "Michelin Star" in the world of Arkana you only need to follow a few simple rules:

• Keep the fuel and the dish apart: before you commit to serving a culinary masterpiece, you should throw in some firewood and fan up the flames.
  
• One station - one serving: only one dish can be prepared at a time.
  
• Take away a meal before cooking a new one: you can't start cooking before recovering your previous dish.
  
• Give way to bold experiments: mix and match the components to get new recipes and flavors! (and various new effects)
  

[h3]Finalizing the Cradle of Keepers[/h3]

Last update we presented you a brand new location- the Cradle of Keepers, which challanges you to activate the portal to the Ancient Valley. This time around we bring you some updates to the gameplay and visuals of the Cradle. You can now explore its new curse-afflicted area, where you'll find the key to activation of the fourth portal pillar.



[h3]Challenges Improvements[/h3]

We keep on improving our challanges, some of we have already introduced to the Cradle of Keepers.

• Firstly, we changed how the challenges are accepted and updated the descriptions. Now you won't accidentally skip the task's text by double-tapping the obelisk.
  
• Secondly, the obelisks' glow now show the challange's status: flickering means that the challange is in progress, orange glow - that the task is completed and you can claim the rewards.
  

[h3]Energy Overhaul[/h3]

From now on you will no longer suffer penalties for low Energy, but will get benefits for keeping it up instead. For example: faster movement speed and stamina recovery, elemental damage resistances etc. After recovering from death, players' Energy falls to 0, which no longer inflicts damage on your characters. And as always you can rise your fill up your Energy meter by consuming food.

[h3]Skipping the Prologue[/h3]

You can now skip the prologue. Just press "Escape" to open the menu and go for "Skip tutorial" button. You'll proceed to the character customization menu, that will take you straight to the Cradle of Keepers.



[h2]Other Changes[/h2]

[h3]UI:[/h3]

• Updated the loading screen.
  
• Updated the Health and Player Level bars.
  
• Changed how the distant objects are shown on the compass.
  

[h3]Map:[/h3]

• Visual improvements for vegetation, waterfalls, pathways and stones.
  
• Added new models for runic stones, as well as new effects and sounds for their activation.
  
• Added a sentinel and a protective barrier, that wards the players from the influence of the cursed in the Cradle of Keepers.
  
• Added new berry bushes.
  
• Added more secrets, stellas and resources to the Cradle of Keepers.
  

[h3]Gameplay:[/h3]

• Target lock is now only available for gamepad users.
  
• Added camp markers onto the map, appearing after interacting with portal pillars.
  
• Names of Mording the Fleshpecker, Drahax the Bonecutter, Archibald the Smoldering and Bullhorn fell into oblivion.
  

[h2]Fixes[/h2]

[h3]Technical:[/h3]

• Reduced the severety of mushroom poisoning (still wouldn't recommend eating them raw, though).
  
• Optimized the updates' size to reduce the load time.
  
• Changed the temperature for the TItans' Hights.
  
• Fixed the SFX for the portal and player character's jumps.
  
• Fixed the Prologue music.
  
• Fixed the visuals for damage numbers.
  
• Updated animations and SFX for the cursed enemies.
  
• Updeted visuals and SFX for Mithra's birds.
  
• Changed enemy placement for the archers' idol area.
  
• Changed the placement for the impossible-to-reach stellas.
  

[h3]Bugs:[/h3]

• Fixed the "RAM overload" critical error.
  
• Fixed the critical error that kept the Xsolla Launcher users from launching the game.
  
• Fixed the error that prevented the loading of some textures in the Prologue.
  
• Removed the "strange guy" from the Prologue.
  
• Fixed numerous collision issues, causing players to move through some objects and arrows to fly through walls.
  

We look forward to seeing you in the world of Arkana!

If you would like to know more about the game, join us on Discord, follow us on Twitter or Facebook or check out all of our other Social and Community channels .

When developing this update, we focused our attention on the first hours of the game, in which the player will take part in the assault upon the Citadel, and discover the freshly updated location - Cradle of Keepers.

Note: this version only includes three out of four pillars. The last one, needed to open the portal, will be added in the next update.



[h2]Main Changes[/h2]

[h3]Prologue[/h3]
The game now has a proper full-blown prologue section, telling the story of the assault upon the Citadel of the Frozen Flame. This prologue will be available soon as a stand-alone short demo-version, allowing the players to familiarize themselves with the combat and the story of the game.

[h3]Cradle of Keepers[/h3]
After beating the prologue, the player will find themselves in our new location - Cradle of Keepers. Overlooking the rest of the Arkana’s lands, it is the safest area in the game. It is the starting point on the long and treacherous journey to the Citadel. There the players will have to challenge some of the more dangerous Cursed, guarding the secret of opening the portal to the Ancient Valley.



[h3]Idol System[/h3]
Cradle of Keepers houses the portal to the Ancient Valley. To activate it, one must collect the masks of the tribal leaders, that once inhabited this area. They can be summoned with the help of the idols, but it’ll take a special kind of offering to do so.



[h3]Obelisks of the ancients[/h3]
On their journey players will encounter obelisks, holding the ancients’ Memory Shards. To obtain the shards, they will have to prove themselves worthy by overcoming various tasks and challenges.



[h3]Updated combat system[/h3]
As a wise woman said: “Fighting is bad, but fighting badly is even worse”. Following this wisdom, we decided to introduce numerous improvements to our combat system, to make battles with the local fauna and the Cursed more interesting and dynamic. One of such improvements is the introduction of the attacks that can stun or even knockdown your opponents.

[h3]Character customization[/h3]
Before embarking on their journey through the world of Arkana, players will now be able to customize the appearance of their characters. This is not the final version of this feature, and it will be updated and expanded over time.

[h2]Other Changes[/h2]

[h3]UI:[/h3]

• Updated the main menu.
  
• Changed the servers’ capacity appearance in the game menu.
  
• Updated the in-game hint icons to make them more noticeable.
  
• Changed the visuals of damage values and monsters’ healthbars.
  
• Finalized the friends’ appearance on the compass. Now you are less likely to lose each other.
  

[h3]Map:[/h3]

• Added insects.
  
• Introduced new types of chests.
  
• Updated the appearance of water and waterfalls.
  
• Introduced a new type of oak.
  

[h3]Gameplay:[/h3]

• Significantly improved the enemies’ AI.
  
• Improved the behaviour of the first-encountered creatures.
  
• Updated the loot for sarcophagi.
  
• Reduced the time you need to hold “E” to talk to the NPCs.
  
• Added new emotions: “Praise the sun”, “Kiss”, “Cower”, “Warm up”, “Take a knee”, “Point”, “Thanks”, “Wave”, “Stop”, “Shout”, “Call”.
  

[h3]Other:[/h3]

• Improved the rendering for the faraway grass and objects.
  
• Left numerous treasure chests hidden across the map. Go and find ‘em all!
  

[h3]Fixes[/h3]

• Technical
  
• Improved the visual and audio effects.
  
• Removed the ability to jump while in water.
  
• Changed how the shields operate and how much stamina they consume on successful blocks.
  
• Changed the amount of the resources collected from the ground to 1.
  
• Improved the night-time lighting.
  

[h3]Bugs[/h3]

• Fixed the level-up indicator lighting up even if the player doesn’t have enough flame.
  
• Fixed the looping sound when shooting fireflies.
  
• Fixed the animation bug for the Cursed when they take damage.
  
• Fixed the excessive twitching of the player’s head when sprinting.
  
• Fixed the Cursed Archer’s animations.
  

We look forward to seeing you in the world of Arkana!

If you would like to know more about the game, join us on Discord, follow us on Twitter or Facebook or check out all of our other Social and Community channels .