The Dwarves of Glistenveld News

Happy Easter everyone!

New Features:

1. Easter Mode - For the next few weeks, easter mode will be available! In easter mode, there are easter eggs sprawled about each map, and mobbits are larger than normal. You can disable this under Options > Gameplay > Seasonal.
   
2. Tunnels - Tunnels have a new feature in both the campaign and caverns mode! In some levels of the campaign, you may find goblin scouts appearing from some tunnels. If they see a threat they may even bring reinforcements next time. If you want to keep their numbers now, you'll want to either avoid them or wipe them out. In caverns mode tunnels chosen at random will glow red and start spawning random enemies.
   
3. Goblin Warriors - A new class of goblin that focuses on exploration and combat. These guys can call for reinforcements, so watch out! More details in the recent blog post (link below). We've updated the campaign and tutorial with these guys.
   
4. Wells - A new tier 2 tech for the tech tree is 'Wells'. Wells are a building that upgrade Claims, and further increases your population cap by 1, while also having a lot more hitpoints. So for example, if you claim your first spring, you can then spawn 3 new dwarves. If you then upgrade that claim to a well, you can spawn a 4th dwarf.
   
5. Iron Tools - Iron tools used to be part of the smithing tech, but has been moved to its own tier 2 tech. Smithing has gained the ability to make helmets instead (see below).
   
6. Helmets - Now part of the smithing tech, helmets are a wearable armour item that protects your dwarves in 2 ways. First, that dwarf will no longer suffer critical damage when they fumble in combat. Second, when they're low hp and a hit would normally defeat them, the helmet is broken instead, protecting them from that last hit. More details in the recent blog post.
   
7. Caverns Mode: Clan Colours - In the latest caverns mode (V0.36), you can now choose a clan you played with in the campaign, and your dwarves will match the name, colours and emblem that you chose.
   
8. Caverns Mode: Starting Conditions - Also in the latest caverns mode, you are given the option of how you start the game. There are 3 options for this release: 'Regular start', 'traveling settlers' and 'goblins everywhere'. Regular start is the same setup as before. Traveling settlers starts with 6 dwarves and no buildings assembled, but the adjacent caves are already connected to you. Goblins everywhere is like regular start, except that a) goblin camps more common, b) goblins can randomly appear in almost any type of cave. If you're looking for an extra challenge, give this one a try!
   
9. Dwarf Names - We've done some work on our name generator, and now dwarves will have much dwarfier surnames! More details in the recent blog.
   
10. Meals - We've removed 'Moderate Meals' and renamed 'Basic Meals' to 'Meals', which now provide a fair amount more nutrition than the ingredients that went into them. There are now 3 recipes: The first crafts 1 Meal, the second 2 meals, and the third 3 meals, each taking the same time to craft. This allows you to craft a lot of meals rapidly if you have the food variety to do so.
    
11. New & Altered Abilities - We've made a variety of changes to abilities. Some replaced, some added; the full details can be found in this blog post: Root-pulling Stubborn Guzzlers. As a quick summary, for miners: Structure-sense and hard-hat have been merged, heavy-hauler and toothed-pick are two new level 5 abilities, and tunnel-vision is a new level 8 ability. For foragers: moisture-eyes has been replaced with root-hugger, root-puller is a new level 5 ability, and creature-friendly is a new level 8 ability. For warriors: rock-puncher has been replaced with wall-puncher, and back-breaker is a new level 8 ability. For engineers: reconstruction is a new level 8 ability.
    
12. New Traits - We've added 7 new traits to the game. Negative: Accident-prone and berserker. Neutral: Stubborn and Kleptomaniac. Positive: Thinker, guzzler, and candle-bright. See the blog post link above for more details.
    
13. Walls - When you build walls now, your clan's emblem will appear on top. Coupled with this change, allies will no longer mine walls that belong to you. This problem was most noticeable in caverns mode.
    

Fixes & Improvements:

1. CPU Usage - Fairly significant improvement to CPU usage. We shifted some performance hungry threads to the back-burner, as they were (most of the time) non-essential.
   
2. Caverns Mode - Bug fixes and balance improvements: Some of the quests and objectives weren't working properly, and one of the trade-stalls was supposed sell schematics. It could be really hard to find roots so roots can now be found on the edges of caves, plus rivers should now have fish. Various cave generations would conflict, resulting in tracks underwater or buildings blocking paths; we've resolved most of the conflicts.
   
3. Dwarf/Goblin AI - Both dwarves and goblin AI teams now build more buildings, and work and fight more intelligently. More work needs doing, as they can still get stuck in certain circumstances, but it's made progress.
   
4. Smarter Engineers - If Engineers are carrying the right materials, they will now build from what they're carrying, instead of returning to storage first. This may not yet be the case for bridges / walls. Carried items are also taken into account when enabling building options in the instruction panel.
   
5. My Fort - The last level of the campaign was fairly easy to beat. On top of introducing goblin warriors to this level, we've made some improvements that means it requires a bit more strategy to succeed without sustaining losses.
   
6. Storage & Food Barrels - When using the 'Move Building' option to move storage or food barrels, the items contained within them will also be moved. This allows you to quickly move your storage zones around or place food barrels further along in the map.
   
7. Food Barrels - Now displays a graphic showing the food that's contained inside them. Mushrooms, fish and meat are shown if any of those are contained inside the barrel.
   
8. Saving & Loading - Some fixes to saving & loading. We noticed that meals and tools weren't being saved, and some stats were stacking. Storage configurations were also not being saved.
   
9. Particles - Some particles associated with units weren't scaling correctly, including the red outline when a combat ability was active.
   
10. Trade Stalls - There were bugs with trade stalls having multiple dwarves standing in them, and also being unselectable. This should now be fixed.
    
11. Attention Dialog - The little popup speech-bubbles when a dwarf has something to say were persisting and becoming outdated. Most of these should now erase themselves if attention is no longer needed.
    
12. Minimap - Some levels, especially caverns mode, the minimap was creeping off the edges of the UI. This is no longer the case.
    
13. Dwarf-List - The dwarf-list UI is now much more compact by default, so that it doesn't impede so much on the game view. If you click 'Show Abilities', the full UI emerges as before.
    
14. Cooking Station - The crafting queue icons were being erased in some circumstances, making it appear that all the crafts had been completed.
    
15. Selection & Instruction UI - These UIs have various updated icons, and we've added some graphics for the stances and equipment sections.
    
16. 'Use' Buildings - Most buildings that don't actually have a function when performing the 'use' action on them will no longer give you that option.
    
17. Steam's Stop Button - In the steam library, after you hit play, the button switches to 'stop'. This stop button was having trouble stopping the game from running, and it would freeze instead. This is no longer the case, and the game will now stop on command.
    
18. Various Bugs - Fixed a variety of bugs including tomes not doing anything, idle AI walking onto beds or traps, and some UI problems with the world map screen.
    
19. Also, the feedback form is now back in action!
    

We've released a blog post talking about the latest changes, including a few screenshots: The Easter Update.

Please let us know if you run into any issues, or if you have any feedback or suggestions for us, tell us about it either in the Discussions board or on our discord!

That's all for now, have a good Easter!

Hi everyone! We have an exciting new update for you today; a new game-mode, loads of new content and improvements!

New Features:

1. Caverns Mode - A new mode in which the environment will generate and develop around you! You have a basic starting cave with a few random resources, and as you mine out you'll discover more random caves. There are currently over 30 different types of cave to discover; some are brimming with resources, some hold other clans, others feature dangerous new enemies. Give this mode a try, and see what you can find!
   
2. Minimap - The minimap now shows what part of the map you're currently looking at, with a rectangle. It also now features exclamation marks where your objectives are located.
   
3. Damage Counters - When any unit or building is damaged, hit counters will now appear as small numbers above their head, indicating the amount of damage dealt. The hit counter appears red for regular damage, yellow for critical hits, and green for healing.
   
4. End of Level Statistics - When playing the campaign, at the end of each level, you'll now be presented with a window showing statistics. This includes: time in map, dwarf count, goblins defeated, and some teaser information like schematics collected 0/2, indicating whether or not you've missed some. We'll be adding to this list in future updates.
   
5. Spiders - Currently only featured in the new Caverns mode, we talked briefly about them in our last progress report. There are still a few features to add, like the knock-out effect, but they already have a neat spawning ecosystem. All I'm going to say is, I'm really happy with how the eggs have turned out.
   
6. Cobblestone - A new buildable floor which gives units a small movement speed boost (found on the second page of infrastructure).
   
7. Wooden Doors - A new rotatable building that allows you to block most enemies from entering, while allowing allies through. Wooden doors can however be broken down, like any other building.
   
8. Coal - New mineral used to fuel forges, craft lamp posts and used as fertiliser for saplings. The sprite will be updated in a later patch.
   
9. Iron Roots - Similar to regular roots which also produce wood, however iron roots can only be harvested using an iron sickle.
   
10. Spawning Mist - Areas of high moisture will now randomly spawn mist. If you didn't already know, mushrooms and saplings grow quicker in areas of high moisture.
    
11. Storage Full Notification - Replaced a rarely-used storage counter with a 'storage full' notification, indicating when your units can no longer find room in storage.
    
12. New Sound FX - Ballistas now have loading & firing SFX. Goblins will voice more often during combat.
    
13. Various New Items - Including potions that heal, tomes that level up your dwarves when activated and small artefacts used as currency with Clan Kindlewick (currently only found in Caverns mode). Also features the iron sickle, which is a new tool craftable after unlocking the Smithing tech.
    
14. Forager Crafting - Previously, the engineer would craft and build mobbit traps and saplings. This is now the work of the Forager.
    
15. Storage Configuration - Now features an 'All' checkbox, making it easier to restrict storage areas to specific items.
    

Fixes & Improvements:

1. AI Performance - We've made some major improvements to the performance of AI, and pathfinding. Before this update, there were points where an AI unit would get stuck and cause a drop to performance as a result. Now however, getting stuck is no longer an issue for the engine.
   
2. In-game Dialog - The appearance of in-game dialog has been refined. The name of the unit talking is separated from their dialog, and colour-coordinated based on clan.
   
3. Dwarf Classes - Small balance improvement to damage dealt by each class. Also any dwarf trying to change class that is obstructed will now give up, instead of spamming the player with voice-cues.
   
4. Campaign Improvements - Various levels in chapter 1 of the campaign have undergone improvements. We've introduced granite and coal, and many of the idle Fishbeard dwarves that you encounter will now be mining and foraging. We've also made the last enemy in chapter 1 a little harder to beat.
   
5. Tutorial Improvements - Improved clarity in places and made some dialog more concise.
   
6. Main Menu - Maps that you haven't played yet will now appear with a '(New)' next to them. This data hasn't been logged until now, so as of this update, everything will have a (New) next to it until you play it.
   
7. Unit Cap UI - The UI in the top left now better explains how the unit cap works when you hover over it.
   
8. Structure & Moisture Indicators - No longer prevent placing buildings.
   
9. Various Sprite Updates - Moderate meals, minecarts and a few other entities have undergone improvements to their graphic.
   
10. Many smaller refinements, such as a bolder bevel for buttons and headings.
    

Once again, please let us know if you run into any issues. Also, if you have a play of caverns mode, please consider sharing your experience of it with us, either in the forums or through the feedback form. What you like or don't like, what you think we should work on next; any feedback you give is gold!

That's all for now, enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hi everyone, hope you've all had a good start to the new year! It's been a while since our last post, so I thought I should give you all an update on our progress.

We resumed work on The Dwarves of Glistenveld a couple weeks ago. We're still in the middle of adding some new content, including new buildings, resources and a proper introduction of granite to the game. We've been trying to follow the principle that any new features should be functional when they go in, or at least clearly indicate that they're not implemented. That way when you see new content in the game you can be excited about it, without worrying about whether or not it works. That does mean however it can take us a bit longer to release new features, while we try to make sure it's all working.

For those of you who feel like your dwarves don't get around quick enough, the next version will feature: Cobblestone. Found under infrastructure, you place it like you would a building and it converts the ground into cobblestone, which provides a small buff to movement speed. So if being speedy is something you like, try putting well-fed, hyper dwarves on a cobblestone road!

                    

We've also been working on adding buildable doors to the game, which will block enemies but allow allies through. Originally we tried implementing it as a cleverly textured wall that dwarves can toggle, but we just couldn't get it to look or behave right. In the end we decided to make it a rotatable building in which the player chooses how it's placed using the mouse wheel. It'll have a placeholder sprite for now which we'll work on later when we have time. Note, some enemies will be able to break your doors down or get around them; so Dungeon Keeper fans, watch out!

There's a new mineral going in: coal. We've been meaning to add coal to the game to fuel forges and fires, but this alone wasn't enough of a reason for us to introduce it. After a bit of research and brainstorming however we have some other uses for coal now, like a fertiliser for farming, and with a few ideas to balance it we feel there's enough now to justify adding it to the game.

Now we have the sprites for them, we've been working on a new enemy: Spiders. Spiders are incredibly agile creatures, and can get around rocks and other objects that would normally block a unit's path. They also place down sticky webs and have a poison attack that drains a dwarf's stamina before eventually knocking them out. So don't go exploring a spider's nest by yourself! While spiders won't appear in the campaign until chapter 2, we will be introducing them as part of a new map we've been working on, which leads me onto the final update for this post:

We're planning on releasing an early version of a new mode called 'Caverns' as part of the next update. You start in a single cave and it generates the world around you as you explore. One thing I noticed as I was testing this map is it's a great way to present all the features of the game in a single level, and that we feel is something our game has been missing. Although it's less guided and there's no main plot to follow, it's already a mechanically and aesthetically vibrant map. Still, this mode is early days, and it does have a few remaining issues, so I don't want to build up too much hype for it yet.

Anyway, it shouldn't be long now before the next update. As usual we will accompany the update with patch notes in the news feed. So, stay tuned, and have a good week!

Hi everyone! I know it's been a while. We've been working on some core stuff over the past few weeks and wanted to wait until that was done before publishing a new version. Some cool new features in this one!

New Features:

1. Abilities - When your dwarves level up, you now get to choose which ability they get instead of being chosen at random. We've also introduced 10 new class abilities to go with this change: Hard-hat, Gravel-panner, Rock-tosser, Root-salvage, Dirt-tracker, Keystoning, Hard-hammer, Duelist, Shield-warrior and Survivalist.
   
2. Tech Tree - We've redesigned the tech tree UI to make room for new tiers and techs. We've introduced 2 new 'tier 2' techs to go with it. A tier 2 tech requires 2 schematics, and is unlockable once its associated tier 1 tech has been unlocked.
   
3. Farming - The first new tier 2 tech is farming, which introduces 2 new 'buildings'; a root sapling and a mushroom sapling. You can build any number of these and they'll steadily grow into fully grown roots or mushrooms.
   
4. Lamp Posts - The second new tier 2 tech are lamp posts, which are an upgraded version of support posts. Lamp posts also prevent cave-ins but provide light and an area of visibility as well, so you can keep an eye on things.
   
5. Ballista - You can now 'use' a ballista by selecting a dwarf and right clicking the ballista to fire a single bolt. This is essentially a manual way to fire them, without requiring pressure plates.
   
6. Iron Pickaxe - The old tech 'Advanced Forging' has been replaced with 'Smithing', and a new recipe has been added to the Anvil: the iron pickaxe. Along with a colour change in mining gear, the iron pickaxe is now an upgraded tool which provides +1 attack and slightly faster mining speed, as well as being able to mine tougher rocks like Granite (see below).
   
7. Granite - A new mineral now exists called granite, which is too hard to mine without having given your miner an Iron Pickaxe. Granite does not yet feature in the campaign, but we'll be adding more of this mineral in the next few updates.
   
8. Items - When a unit drops items there's now a 'dropping' animation, where the items are thrown into storage. This addition goes alongside the new miner ability 'Rock-Tosser'.
   
9. Stats - Health, stamina & hunger now display more intelligently in the game view. Stat bars are hidden when they're full. HP of buildings on your team now display if they're damaged.
   
10. Unit Selection UI - Cleaned up the selection UI, arranging stances, inventory slots and commands more neatly.
    

Fixes:

1. Unit Movement - Units on different teams now properly 'occupy' the tile they're on, preventing situations where a goblin walks through your dwarf or vice versa. Units on the same team can still walk past one-another.
   
2. Targeting Enemies A - Firstly, the pathfinding to an enemy has been improved so that when an enemy moves the path to them is recalculated as needed. This stops your dwarves wandering when they're a shorter path to their target.
   
3. Targeting Enemies B - Secondly, fixed a bug where units would sometimes re-engage in battle even though the player has ordered them away. Warriors are now more consistent in auto-engaging enemies.
   
4. Objectives List - The objectives in the objectives UI are smaller now, so that the list takes up less space.
   
5. Dialog - Was occasionally entering a semi-enabled state and throwing exceptions that could cause soft-locks. Also made events more robust so that they work regardless of any problems with dialog.
   
6. All Items UI - Phantom items were appearing in the list.
   
7. Save & Load UI - Unit counts are now working, so when you look through your list of saves, you can see how many units you have.
   
8. Dialog UI - Now hides any temporary UI until dialog is finished to prevent confusion, since other UI is uninteractable anyway.
   
9. Tile Rendering - Tiles now only render wall segments if they're visible. Provides a slight performance improvement.
   
10. AI Performance - Various optimisations to AI behaviour, especially mobbits and bats.
    
11. Map Editor - Provided a number of fixes to the map editor including culling music, improving performance and added an AI tab to the teams UI.
    
12. Engine Robustness - Various engine features have been made more robust, including retaining references between saving & loading.
    

We've also released a blog post talking about the changes with a few screenshots, as well as our progress with the Mac release: Marching into 2020.

The team will be breaking for Christmas now, but we'll continue to patch the game if anything crops up. See you in the new year!

Hi everyone, hope November has treated you well so far! In this post we outline some new sound effects, a cave-like ambience track and a number of fixes.

New features:

1. Cave Ambience - Background ambience will now play in the game! This was intended to be a feature on launch but was delayed due to some technical difficulties.
   
2. Construction SFX - We've updated the engineer's building animation and added SFX for both crafting and assembling.
   
3. Fishing & Harvesting SFX - More subtle than the construction SFX, but now you can hear your forager work as well. Also a ripple will appear on the water where the forager is fishing.
   
4. Dialog Voice-cues - Characters will now make a voice cue when there's dialog. The current lines are placeholder and we'll be replacing them at a later date, once we've recorded some new ones.
   

Fixes:

1. Force Rest/Eat - The two buttons in the UI to force a unit to rest or eat are now much more responsive.
   
2. Units at low health, low stamina or a low-ish combination of both will rest of their own accord. Resting is now given priority over eating when a unit needs both.
   
3. Starting Dwarves - The traits belonging to your starting dwarves are no longer hidden in-game.
   
4. AI Performance - Various fixes to reduce the potential for lag spikes when AI units get stuck.
   
5. Fullscreen/Windowed - Attempted to fix a bug where swapping between fullscreen and windowed mode might make the game go black. We had a hard time reproducing this but we might have found the cause.
   
6. A few more tutorial updates, mostly aesthetic this time.
   
7. Map Editor - Music and ambience are muted while in the editor.
   

Also, those of you wondering where the mac release is, we haven't forgotten you! We'll probably talk about progress with the mac release in our next blog, but we're working on it.

That's all for now!