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VALHALL: Harbinger News

Hotfix - Addressing Object Placement In Water

Greetings!

The latest patch had a bug related to placing objects in water. This is why you may have encountered issues with fishing trap placement. This small patch resolves the problem.

Skål!
Blackrose Arts

Co-Op Testing & Diverse Survival Improvement & Better Animations & Combat Tweaks

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

In today's update, we have added Survival Co-Op, which allows you to play together with your Steam friends.

This is an early version of co-op. As you may know, it's a further point on the roadmap, however, we decided to add it earlier because it was a very popular request from players.

Sometimes, we touch upon certain elements from future points of the roadmap, which might be a bit confusing. To clarify, we are currently approaching the 3rd point of the roadmap. These 2 are big, especially the combat upgrade. We are finishing them while simultaneously adding and fixing many things based on player feedback, and preparing something special for the 3rd point.

There are bugs to fix and additional co-op features that we will add later. We welcome your feedback on it during the process.



Let's take a look!


[h2]Survival Co-Op[/h2]



There is a new Survival menu available in the Multiplayer tab. You can choose the save you would like to use to host. Then your friend can see your server in the Join tab and connect.

At the moment, there is no strict player amount limit. Of course, more players will put more strain on the server, but you can try with as many as you want. This is for testing purposes, later, we will set an optimal number.

You can also fight each other, loot, and destroy buildings if you want.



We've already fixed a huge number of Survival multiplayer bugs, but there are still some remaining. Hiring warriors has some issues, and ships don't work in co-op yet. We will address these problems.

To avoid issues with saving, in this patch, it is recommended that the client (someone who is connected to the host) exits the game first, followed by the host shutting it down.


[h2]Extended Combat Tutorial[/h2]

Added more information to the combat tutorial and an enemy to fight in the process. We will be adding more things to it from time to time.


[h2]Intro WIP[/h2]



We keep working on it, its fuller demonstration will be in the next update. Here are the gates you reach after you finish the path by following voices.

The issues with voices' sound position not being heard understandably and the issue with the sound stopping have been fixed. Fixed music not muting.


[h2]Animation Improvements[/h2]

Updated one-handed weapon idle and movement animations (improved walk, run, jump).

Slightly refined dual-wield animations. Adjusted first-person view bow animation.

Resolved issue with AI running animation slowdown.

Enhanced inverse kinematics to apply animations more naturally and reduce excessive stretching of body joints.


[h2]Faster Attack From Stance[/h2]

You attack faster from the stance as you are already partially in wind-up when you move the mouse in this state.


[h2]Important Combat Fixes[/h2]

Fixed helmet blocks its own character's attacks.

Fixed a bug where riposte was not working when holding the attack.

Fixed a visual effects particle issue with the huge shield bash.

Fixed some weapons not triggering death animations.

Fixed a bug where the character capsule collision would not disappear after death animations. This issue was also causing slight lag in multiplayer near the dead player, which has been fixed.


[h2]Combat Improvements[/h2]

Updated the way AI maintains distance, should provide you with more space.

Increased the speed of unarmed movement compared to armed.

Changed the fists key (X by default) to toggle off too instead of only toggling them on.

Deathmatch bots now occasionally switch to using shields.


[h2]Damage Post-Effects Update[/h2]

Changed how low health and damage receiving post-processes work. They should now be much clearer and less confusing.


[h2]Character Physics Improvement[/h2]



Improved body physics with world collisions, the character can now pass through obstacles where it would previously get stuck. Check out how the body bends.

Resolved issues with flax and other elements that were affecting character physics in strange ways.


[h2]Menu Updates[/h2]

Fixed Escape key in Audio settings discarding edits.

Fixed Ambient sound reset issue.

Fixed a button in the main menu not working in certain cases and updated the positions of the modes.

Fixed a bug in the main menu unexpectedly returning to the main screen.


[h2]Fixed Reconnection[/h2]

Fixed an issue where sometimes the game couldn't reconnect to a restarted server without restarting the game.


[h2]Survival Improvements[/h2]

Fixed hammer does not always destroy/repair objects due to physics.

Added the possibility to repair all objects.

Changed repair costs to 0.

Reduced crafting times.

Fixed a small hole in the pond.

Fixed player character's eyes not being visible.

Resolved a game crash related to a specific map area.

Improved the realism of grass bending.

Added a new one-handed battle axe for crafting, which is more durable and deals nice damage.


[h2]Ship Fixes[/h2]

Fixed the recent issue of ships getting stuck and resolved border collisions that were affecting sailing.

Increased the maximum sailing speed by 30%.


Thank you guys for sharing feedback. We hope you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts

Hotfix - Addressing Animal Death Issues

The new physics in the latest patch introduced a few bugs for animals. This minor patch addresses problems such as animals dying without allowing looting and ragdoll-related issues.

Skål!
Blackrose Arts

Active Combat Physics & Intro WIP & Numerous Survival and Combat Improvements

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

Today, we have a special update for the combat system, as it now incorporates active physics.

An intro for Survival is a work in progress but has been separately added for testing.

Numerous important improvements have been made to enhance both Survival and combat, taking into consideration valuable feedback.

Meanwhile, we are preparing a substantial update for activities in Survival related to combat as well.



Let's take a look!


[h2]Active Combat Physics[/h2]



The physics in the game have reached a new level. Characters now possess active body physics, meaning they are highly interactive in a cool way, and you can use it to your advantage in battles.



And you can play with these physics in multiplayer mode.

For animals, such physics will be fully set up in future updates.

We welcome feedback, as we will be tweaking it to make it more interactive and useful. It will improve further. If you encounter a bug, please let us know.


[h2]Improved Character Stability[/h2]

The character now moves more stably. The stance mode is activated only by holding the attack button, there is no auto activation. Also, there is no longer an issue with staying in stance mode indefinitely.


[h2]Faster Loading[/h2]

With the recent changes, there is no longer a "Prepare yourself" screen. The loading is faster and includes a smooth fade-out effect.


[h2]Improved Riposte[/h2]

Riposte can now be felt more acutely, as it is faster and easier to transition into.


[h2]Berserk State Stats Boost[/h2]

Upon activating the Berserk state, it now provides a health and stamina boost.


[h2]First / Third View Perspective Saving[/h2]

Your preferred view perspective is now automatically saved.


[h2]Animated Stamina[/h2]

It should be easier to understand when your stamina is running out with a new animation.


[h2]Improved Networking Stability[/h2]

Fewer lags, a smoother multiplayer experience.


[h2]Combat Balancing[/h2]

Adjusted delay before attacking after hit reaction slightly.

Decreased damage from AI.

Stamina regenerates faster.

Attacks cost a bit more stamina. Note: we might decrease it in the next patch, let us know if you find it challenging to maintain stamina. The idea is to recover it during the fight, similar to a boost after a parry.

Sprinting costs slightly more stamina.

Parrying provides more stamina.

Reduced stamina costs for holding block.

Tweaked AI health.


[h2]Other Combat Adjustments & Fixes[/h2]

Fixed getting stuck in a block after weapon destruction.

Adjusted the shield's directional block for smoother and more effective usage.

Updated AI behavior to make movement more interesting and easier to handle when facing a few enemies.

Addressed several bugs of the Mjolnir and allowed movement during its activation.

Temporarily disabled ragdolling from kicks while alive.

The bow animations broke very badly in this update after adding physics. Initial adjustments have been made, but further work is needed.

Updated death UI animations.

Resolved the T pose when unarmed bug.

Fixed the 2h axe not causing damage in certain cases.

Corrected the character's permanent movement speed increase issue in multiplayer.

Improved the overhead one-handed attack with a faster animation.


[h2]Tweaked Sprinting Control[/h2]

Movement is more mobile, sprinting diagonally is possible, and turning right/left no longer cancels sprinting. However, sprinting cannot be initiated when moving left, right, or backwards.


[h2]More Branches & Stones[/h2]

Scattered more branches, usually found near the trees. and small stones.


[h2]Accumulations of Iron Ore & Raid Camp[/h2]



Added a location where a significant amount of iron ore has accumulated.

This location is defended by a hostile camp, eliminate them to mine a lot of ore faster.

Also, iron ore doesn't always spawn as a single entity, sometimes it appears in groups now, and there is more of it.


[h2]Ore Mining Improvement[/h2]

Fixed the issue of iron and stone ore breaking into pieces instantly. Now, they can be mined much more easily in the place they are located.


[h2]Survival Improvements & Balancing[/h2]

Added a building snap point from the roof to the celling for constructing larger houses.

Fixed stairs placement.

Fixed a crash that occurred during the camp quest.

Fixed the issue of traders not restocking over time. If the Queen bee is out of stock, please check back in 10 minutes.

Made some material improvements.

Increased timberaxe durability until new axes arrive.

Implemented diverse UI updates.

Balanced iron craft costs. The trader now sells it at a cheaper price.

Reduced crafting times for certain items.

Increased the amount of meat and hides obtained from deer.

Reduced wood costs for ship construction, but leather is now required.

Leather is now a part of the default shield crafting recipe.

You can now sell leather to the trader.


[h2]Intro Work in Progress[/h2]



Slide through the Singleplayer game modes and find the Tutorial & Path to the Gates.

This is a work in progress, which will become an intro/lore introduction for Survival later.

In the next update, we will finish the Combat Tutorial there.

The other part of it is a goal - follow the sound of voices and find the Gates while fighting enemies on the way.

We will add and show more about it in the next update.


Thank you guys for sharing feedback. We hope you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts

Big Combat Update & Directional Shield & Berserker State & Survival Additions

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

Today, we have a big combat update and various Survival improvements.

There are many GIFs here, it might take some time to load.


Let's take a look!


[h2]Combat Control Update[/h2]

The combat control undergoes another set of adjustments as we continue tuning it to become the best it can be. This round of adjustments is deeper than most of the previous ones and may require some playstyle adaptation.

It introduces numerous little subsystems that modify turn caps and camera smoothness during a fight, making holding control tighter and more focused while still allowing for broad swings and easier attacks.

We've updated inverse kinematics to provide more fluidity and responsive control to the player. The precision of cursor control during a swinging state is significantly higher, and the hand moves to the desired point more quickly.

Additionally, there are more stabilized camera movements, adjusted block animations and their inverse kinematics, and the addition of stance control to Mjolnir.


[h2]Directional Shield Block[/h2]



Combat with a shield has received new idle, walk, blocking, and stance system animations.

Blocking with a shield is now directional. Based on your mouse direction, you can choose which side you want to block.

This addition introduces a new layer to the gameplay that is more complex yet intuitive.


[h2]Animal Combat Update[/h2]



Animals can now dodge, attack more actively, and react to hits based on their body parts.

Improved their AI for more interesting fights.


[h2]AI Combat Update[/h2]

AI warriors maintain distance better, block faster, and move more realistically.

They can now dodge both backward and forward for close attacks.

Arrow dodging has been reduced.


[h2]Better Blood & Camera Effects[/h2]

Improved blood and wound effects.

Blood on the screen starts appearing when health is slightly lower than before.

Fixed issues with incorrect changes to dynamic depth of field during combat.


[h2]Helmets Actual Collision[/h2]



Added a helmet collision that you can actually hit during the fight.


[h2]Faster Riposte[/h2]

The transition into riposte is now faster, making it more useful.


[h2]Dramatic Death[/h2]



Fixed issues and reintroduced death animations. Now, there's a chance that your defeated enemy will crawl and beg for mercy instead of simply falling as a ragdoll.


[h2]Ragdoll Update[/h2]

Ragdolls have become weightier, walking over or hitting them doesn't send them far away. The same applies to animals.

Additionally, ragdoll bendings have been tweaked to be more realistic. Updated weapon impulses.


[h2]Berserker State[/h2]



We already had that effect in the Battle Arena, however, now it has become an actual game mechanic, for all modes.

Runes under the health bar are filled when you perform a kill or a block. This is a rage bar. When fully filled, you can activate the Berserker ability and initiate a special power effect with changing slow motion.

It allows for easier facing multiple enemies at once. Additionally, it feels satisfying when used at the right timing. Slow motion works only in single-player mode and provides the opportunity for more successful fights as you learn combat.

Press the V key by default.


[h2]Kick Improvements[/h2]

Fixed excessive hand shaking when ragdolled.

Added a delay so the character lies down before getting up.

Getting up after a kick no longer appears to result in getting stuck underground, but more tests are needed for this.


[h2]Auto-add Weapons In Battle Arena[/h2]

Different weapons will appear in your inventory automatically after certain waves.

The delay before starting a new wave has been increased to allow time for picking up items and preparation.

Additionally, the shield on the rock in the arena can now be picked up.


[h2]Fixed Combat Crash[/h2]

Fixed a game crash that occurred in certain cases upon landing a hit.


[h2]Customized Pause Menu Per Game Mode[/h2]

Certain options have been removed from the pause menu in specific game modes as they are not relevant to them. This also eliminates the possibility of accidentally clearing Survival saves from other modes.


[h2]Scattered Branches And Stones[/h2]

Added branches and stones around the map for gathering, providing assistance in the early game or when needed by hand, for example, after an axe has broken.


[h2]Better Gathering & Picking up[/h2]



Added gathering resources animation.

Updated resource collection holding times to make the process more pleasant.

Added sounds for pick up. Improved dropped item physics.


[h2]Footsteps Sounds Update[/h2]

New grass footsteps sounds have been added to enhance the satisfaction of walking.


[h2]Beehive & Honey[/h2]

Added a new building object Beehive.

To create it, you need a Queen Bee, which can be purchased from a trader. After some time, honey will appear, and it can be consumed.


[h2]Well & Seawater[/h2]



Added a well - a new source of fresh water, so you don't have to live near the lake to have access to it.

Added a seawater notification to eliminate confusion about which water is drinkable.


[h2]Fixed Resource Respawn[/h2]

Some important resources, such as iron ore and flax, were not respawning correctly. Now, each resource respawns correctly within its own timing.


[h2]Fixed Broken Shaders[/h2]

The last patch had some materials broken and grayed out in the game, fixed.


[h2]Other Changes[/h2]

Replaced 3 melee & 2 archers with 5 melee in Deathmatch options.

Fixed character collisions that were pushing each other in a strange way in certain cases.

Fixed the cooking types issue that was allowing hides to be cooked.

Improved the UI for moving items.

Slightly improved walking animations for one-handed weapons.


[h2]Survival Tweaks[/h2]

Increased Timberaxe durability.

Added more flax to the map.

Reduced the frequency of rain and thunderstorms.

Increased the time for fish to appear in the fishing trap.

Decreased the costs of stone building elements.

Made minor map improvements, adjusted physical materials, added more decorations around the trader.


Thank you guys for sharing feedback. We hope you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts