VALHALL: Harbinger News

[h3]Dear community, [/h3]

We apologize for launching Early Access in such an early state. We see your reviews and mostly all of them are absolutely deserved.

There was no intent to confuse anyone, but as we see a lot of players missed the information in the launch update about the current state, reworks and what is already in Pre-Beta.

We are glad that you enjoy the graphics, optimization and sound design. Thanks!

But also you are absolutely right about the lack of content in the current build.
We are doing our best to change that with the next updates.

That was mentioned before, but we will notify - VALHALL: Harbinger focuses on multiplayer.
Common deathmatches, BR and Siege will become available during Early Access. Singleplayer is an option we added to test the new features and that will be developed in the future. That can be found in our roadmap.

Keep in mind, this build is not all the developments of VALHALL. Multiplayer has been cut from it after we got feedback during the September tests to improve the netcode.
ETA of its upgrade is Q1. However, if you want to try it in any state earlier, let us know.

As we see a lot of players don't use melee weapon except for Mjolnir and don't pick up dropped weapons from died enemies. By holding E you can swap currently equipped weapon while looking at the one you want to take.



A new patch has arrived. We added different weapons near spawn in Wield Mjolnir so you could test different types. It should also fix an empty folder issue that players had, let us know if you still have it.

One more time, we are sorry that Early Access launch doesn't include a lot of things you expected. We have a lot of work to do to meet and then exceed your expectations, and be sure - we won't give up.

That's why we are preparing something for increasing playability of the current tests and will add that in one of the next updates.

Skal!
Blackrose Arts

Hey Vikings!

Thanks to everyone for awaiting, we are very sorry for the confusion with the launch time. We got issues on the way and also found that ligtning strike feature in the final build causes crash in certain cases. It was cut for now, but will appear in the next patches!



We are excited to announce that VALHALL: Harbinger Early Access is live now!

Keep in mind that it launches in Pre-Beta.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

About the mods availability.

We finally have the combat system reworked and started adding the new things on its base. It's been tested in multiplayer already, and after people weren't very happy with it, we understood that need to work on netcode much more. It will appear during Early Access in Q1 in improved state.

All the previously announced content will become available during Early Access on the new level we couldn't imagine before. You can find them on the roadmap on our website.

[h3]Roadmap[/h3]

The game state you can try now is a part of a vertical slice of the new systems we are building for both old and new planned modes.

You might think - "Why do you bring the game so early in Early Access then?".
The answer is we want to open new VALHALL we're working on for tests for more people. This way we can build the new system in a right way while listening to the community, as well as have a possibility to continue independent development with your support. Earlier the tests were under NDA, now we want to progress publicly.

We want to be clear with you and suggest joining at this stage only if you are really interested in the game and already want to touch it.

While Pre-Beta doesn't provide full experience, it already has a full combat core (directional attacks, feints, dodges, advanced block, etc) and certain elements which we already added on top so you could tests it.

Weapon customization? No problem - it will appear in the November patch, we have already prepared big amount of modular items. Each is a piece of art and you will be able to build your own.



and...



That's all? Nope.
Many more weapons are in production right now.



etc.

Each weapon concept created with attention to details by a concept artist who knows what medieval battles are firsthand and "forged" by 3d artist who definitely knows what he is doing.



Dual Wield? All the animations are already done. It remains too add the logic allowing hit tracking for the secondary weapon and we will add in a patch so you could try it.



And so on.

We hope this information helps to understand what's going and at which stage is the current Early Access build. If you still have any questions or thoughts - feel free to share them with us!

Skal!

Greetings, Vikings!

Today we are excited to reveal VALHALL: Harbinger launch date! Watch the teaser to find out when Steam Early Access begins.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Launch details[/h2]
If you missed the previous update, Thor blesses you to check there information about:

• Harbinger and its Early Access launch
  
• Ultimate supporter status
  
• NDA lifting
  
• Steam keys for backers from Indiegogo
  
• Big patch note
  
• Weapon customization system announcement
  

Check previous update

More details on the Harbinger story part, game modes and other launch info are coming in the next update.

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]
Thanks to everyone who helped to test the multiplayer in a new village hub in the mid patch. We collected the issues and will be working on them, multiplayer put in maintenance again. Here is a list of other changes:

• Weapon hit collision VFX/SFX

You will notice throughout the world that you can now strike the environment. This strike is accompanied by an animation of the impact and a corresponding VFX/SFX effect. We hope that this inclusion, which we will keep upgrading for each material type, creates a higher level of immersion.

• General VFX/SFX Improvements

We have improved and upgraded the blood VFX as well as trails in weapons (both for air while slashing and for blood if you hit).

• Impulse on death

Tired of just seeing corpses fall to the floor after killing another viking? You will now feel a much improved feel upon killing another viking! When a viking dies, it is sent flying in the direction of the last hit. The amount of impulse is variable per weapon (a knife will not cause as much of an impulse as a sword)

• Weapon fall

The currently equipped weapon is now dropped upon death and is free to be picked up and used! All the previous status of the weapon is carried over, that means, if someone used that weapon to kill someone, you will inherit the blood marks present in the weapon from those kills!

• Village hub

New location for weapon testing and lobbies. It's work-in-process, we are improving the landscape, adding new props, interior, etc.

• Block reworked

Block has suffered a big rework. While more realistic, this new block system is way harder to master as it requires direct contact between weapons! You will have to point and preview where your enemy will hit in order to block it!

• New UI Bars (Smooth)

You will notice that the bars for HP/Stamina/Rage now present a much smoother feel as well as a delayed drop down (instead of instant). That gives a better read of your current situation as well as a better feel in general.

• Per stat regeneration

Health regeneration and Stamina regeneration used to be tied (they would start regenerating at the same time and cancel at the same time). These are now separate regenerations. Health regeneration will start after a certain amount of time after the last loss of health. Stamina regeneration, similarly, will start after a certain amount of time after using stamina for any action (blocking, attacking, etc).

Skål!
Blackrose Arts

Greetings, Vikings!


Today we have exciting news to share.


[h3]Official website[/h3]

There is a lot of information, we welcome you to read the update details on our new official website. It's not yet fully completed, as we are now devoting time to the progress you will find below.

Read the full update here

This is a place where the game info, news and patch details will be published. We will continue to post updates on Indiegogo with links to full notes.




[h3]Independence[/h3]

As you know we had hard times before and were considering investors to be able to implement everything at the highest level set with the reworks beginning. The strive for this level is strongly powered by the amount of attention the game got, which seemed impossible at start, the millions of views on YouTube and so many people providing feedback, awaiting the launch.

At the time of receiving the grant, the investors question was not closed.

However, during the last months of progress we assessed the strength of our boosted work and realized that we can provide enough content on our own, which means saving independence.


[h3]Early Access launch
[/h3]
As we said earlier, the feedback we receive from you is very diverse - from the requests of survival elements in a realistic setting of the Viking Age to traveling through the worlds of Norse mythology, smashing enemies with Mjolnir. All the wishes are united by the core gameplay we are working on.

VALHALL is a Viking universe. It will have different parts presented as different games, each of which devoted to its own story fitting to global lore, and corresponding game modes which differ by genre.

The first part is VALHALL: Harbinger.

It covers the beginning of Ragnarok from the perspective of the people of Midgard. While there was no visible sign of it, we start with Viking fighting with each other and their local problems. Only some of the warriors get a chance to be the first to witness the omens of the end of the world and influence the course of events.

That way this story chapter includes both realistic and fantasy settings available through different game modes.

In addition to lore-modes combination, Harbinger is being built the way you can play it from the beginning, not just test the mechanics we are adding in.

This leads us to possibility to launch Early Access earlier and continue independent development. Actual Beta tests with initial modes will take place during Early Access period.


VALHALL launches in Early Access in the 4th quarter of 2020

The date will be announced with the next update in September


There will be multiplayer battles, arenas, but also Harbinger will feature single player modes. We got a huge amount of its requests before and it fits for the development process. Let's take a look what comes first.

Wield Mjolnir evolves to absolutely another game mode with a big world, different weapons, story, Norse mythology creatures and being played solo. Mjolnir abilities will provide unique gameplay, this is not just press and throw. The mode will be available at launch and a little earlier for tests.



Multiplayer hub in Viking village, where you can fight on the arenas, will be added to the next patch and improved in Early Access.

There also will be a Massive battle game mode - a cinematic experience of being a Viking on the big battlefield.

As promised, you can find short term roadmap on our website. It covers only a part of what we will provide these months and what will be available in Early Access.





[h3]Ultimate supporter status
[/h3]
Today we grant you an ultimate supporter status.

That means you will receive game keys to all future VALHALL parts - free access to all of the next game modes of new genres.



[h3]Battle Royale
[/h3]
Another chapter of VALHALL will be devoted to BR mode. We want to give you experience of it that you could not have imagined when supported the game.

The previous map that some of you could check in Alpha will be fully reworked to become a real field to host a battle between the forces of the gods.

It will become available during Early Access separately from Harbinger.



[h3]Items[/h3]

In-game items from perks will appear in your inventory in the middle of Early Access.

We are making Weapon customization system so you could not just have your skin on weapon, but do combinations with different blades, pommels and so on.



Also you guys get a lot of items from perks and bonuses, we want to fill them with more models. We are not working on cosmetics too much yet, but you can see the quality of the items.



[h3]Keys[/h3]
Steam keys will be sent to all backers with “Early access & full game perk” closer to the launch by email. We will announce that separately. For everyone else, your tests app in the library will unlock Early Access at launch.


[h3]NDA lifting
[/h3]You will be able to make videos and stream the game without NDA a little earlier than launch. We will announce about it in the next update.


[h3]Patch[/h3]
Today’s update is the biggest for the last time and is a small part of what we are preparing for the coming patches.


New one-handed sword attack animations.
Slash : 0,40, 140,180,220,320 degrees.
Stab: left, right.




New two-handed axe attack animations.
Slash : 0,40, 140,180,220,320 degrees.
Stab: left, right.




Staged blood on weapons and fists.
Randomized sets of blood that appear by stages on weapon after you hit somebody.






New ground decals.
More different blood decals from different weapons attacks.


Knife.
Stab your foes in a quick way. Goes to 4th slot (num key 4).




Mjolnir model 2.0.
Basing on received feedback we decided to make a more canonical Thor’s hammer. We will fully finish it soon. You can find it in the patch.


Characters launching physics.
Now Mjolnir hits are more precise. Also enemies fly away more physic accurately depending of how you perform an attack.




Flying to space when dead fix.
Now your character does not explode when dies with Mjolnir in hands.


Pick up UI.
Organic weapon name showing up when aim at it.




Inventory system.
You can switch between different weapons by keys 1,2,3,4,5.
Slots:
1 – custom equipped melee weapon.
2 – custom equipped melee weapon.
3 – bow
4 – knife
5 – fists
There are certain restrictions, for example, you can't carry two two-handed axes.


Weapon swapping.
Hold E while looking at another weapon to swap with the current one.

Unarmed mode.
Press the key of the current slot number and you will holster your weapon and enter unarmed mode.




Map increase.
The first map block increase.


FPP/TPP animation system overhaul.
Weapons now have own set of animations for FPP/TPP with different blending rules. You will feel it in the game. For example, there is FPP idle with sword, FPP walking, FPP running, and the other corresponding animations for TPP. Everything blends well so your movement is diverse and smooth.




More.
Other improvements.


The next patch will be in mid September - multiplayer will come back with it.


Skål!

Blackrose Arts

Hey!


Thanks to the grant a few very talented developers joined our team.

The next update will have news about Early Access launch and NDA lifting. Also, the new website will arrive with a short-term roadmap.


[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Combat system core is ready.  It has counter attacks, feints, dodges, directional foot and separately knee attacks, soaking wounds, and so on, you will be able to read more about it on the new website.

We are upgrading it to reach the desired 2.0. As said before, there is a lack of animations, we need pretty much due to FPP/TPP, but now the work on them is ongoing and with their insert the fun will begin.

Weapon test is a new option in the menu. Today we add its early beginning with just two handed axe which animations are placeholders, but this option will grow into advanced system connected with customization. With the next update there will be more weapons and features.

• Wounds system added.
  Each body part can be wounded.
  Wounds soak differently after hit.
  Wounds look and size are different depending on attack type (slash, stab, other). To be adjusted.
  
  
  
  
  
• Blood splashes follow the attack direction and depend on attack type added
  
  
• Different swing and blood trails per weapon added.
  
  
• Souraunded audio added.
  Hit sounds in world and depend on attack type.
  Enemies cry with attenuation when fly away hit by Mjolnir.
  
  
• Pickup system fixed.
  You can pickup weapon by pressing E while looking at it. Fixed aiming bug.
  
  
• Weapon test option in menu added.
  A new map (not optimized yet) where you can take weapon and test on character.
  
  
• Two handed axe added.
  
  
• Block and counter attacks added.
  Fists block animation. 
  
  
• Multiplayer put in temp maintenance mode.
  
  
• New character added.
  
  
• Music playing at the beginning fixed.
  
  
• Attacks blending system reworked.
  Now it is possible for us to customize all the attack stages and morphes easily. It will result in much better gameplay feeling.
  

We give all backers and testers who joined us before Beta launch an exclusive legendary axe!








Guys, thank you very much for the congratulations and kind words that you wrote after the previous update! This is important for us.


If you want to support the game now
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1154320/VALHALL_Tests/


Best wishes,
Blackrose Arts