VALHALL: Harbinger News

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

We keep updating the Survival map in various ways to prepare for the previously mentioned plans.

Improved the combat system, addressed the overly fast windup issue, updated movement, continue to enhance the overall gameplay experience, and made feedback-based changes to the Survival elements.

This update has a larger filesize than usual, as it includes components that will also be part of future updates.


Here is what today's patch brings!


[h2]New Island & Survival Map Updates[/h2]


Added an island where players can sail and raid in Survival.

Enhanced realism of mountain material in specific locations. Implemented landscape improvements for a more natural appearance. Reduced the steepness of the initial area. Added the first Yggdrasil branch. Incorporated more animated fog.



[h2]Quests Updates[/h2]

Added a sailing island raiding quest with a rare weapon to be picked up.

Updated several existing quests with more direct tasks.

Fixed an invalid marker in the camp raid quest.


[h2]Windup Animation Update[/h2]

Adjusted attack animations to increase their windup period.

We received feedback that the reaction time was insufficient and are working on improving the overall fight dynamics. For instance, the forward stab used to be an almost instant attack, but now there's a brief moment to anticipate the attack and react. We would appreciate your thoughts on how it feels now.


[h2]Stances System Tweaks[/h2]



Adjusted the stance system blending and made it return to idle earlier. It changes faster now and should feel more organic during combat, let us know if you have any feedback on this.


[h2]More Open Shield Warriors[/h2]



Now it's easier to land hits on enemies with shields. Their animations have been updated to be more open in certain cases, while actual blocking remains just as effective.


[h2]Bow Zoom & FPP Animation Adjustments[/h2]

Normalized bow focus zoom, it was indeed weird.

Fixed first-person perspective animation issues with the bow.


[h2]Movement Improvements[/h2]



Slightly updated animations and their playback rates contribute to a more natural movement. It's still far from perfect, but it's already better.

When walking with a weapon, there are more satisfying inverse kinematics controls.


[h2]Survival Elements Adjustments[/h2]

Added more iron ore across the map.

Made additional tweaks to fall damage.

Fixed water sound issues.

Implemented minor updates to the UI.

Updated the crafting recipe for Karvi.

Increased character swimming speed.


[h2]Karvi Control Adjustments[/h2]

Karvi has received updated parameters for its different states and should now be easier to control.


We appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

We are following the roadmap and updating the Survival map to introduce the Einherjar lore afterwards. New mythological elements will be incorporated as we build a layered world. The current Survival location is in the upper realm of Asgard, near the hall itself. After completing the series of map upgrades to give it an appropriate look and prepare everything, the possibility to descend to the lower layers will emerge. This will play a significant role in the gameplay loop systems we are working on.

This Survival map upgrade is still a work in progress. Alongside the global changes, we are also focusing on optimizing and improving smaller things, such as adding new camps to raid and more animals.


Here is what today's patch brings!


[h2]Combat Control Changes[/h2]

First of all, we have received feedback regarding the combat control and have implemented changes to address it.

Now, the combat control system is a combination of the holding mechanics with the option for a click attack.

If desired, you can click the attack button, and the action will be executed in the direction of the current cursor. For those who prefer real-time control, it is still possible to hold the attack button, allowing you to adjust the trajectory of the blade while it's in mid-air by moving the mouse. Furthermore, we have enhanced the intensity of inverse kinematics while the attack button is held.

Additionally, we have fine-tuned the stance switching to make it feel smoother and more stable.


[h2]Survival Map & Elements Updates[/h2]


You will see changes to the map in the game, however, this is only the first part of the picture, and more will become visible in the upcoming updates. We are currently implementing a vertical layering to the map and adding mythological aspects to certain parts of it.

New camps to raid have been added, placed in more noticeable locations. They will respawn every 15 minutes.

Bear attack damage has been decreased.

The maximum health of wolves has been lowered.

Additional animal spawners have been placed around the map.

Floating stone ores around the map have been fixed.

The issue with crafting two-handed axes has been fixed.

Building stone objects issue and their resource requirements have been fixed.

Crafting time for weapons has been reduced.


[h2]Mining Freezes Fix[/h2]

There are no more game freezes when you mine ores.


[h2]Survival Map Optimization[/h2]

You should feel some additional framerate in Survival. It's better while there are more active actors like animals and warriors around. It's also more stable now, espesially in the dense forest. It still has a room for further improvements.


[h2]Ship Update[/h2]


First of all, the issues with the ship that were causing strange things to happen have been fixed. It no longer sends you into the sky or underground when you step on it. Additionally, it doesn't descend at full speed nor skip on water anymore.

The ship controls have also been adjusted, making it easier to rotate now.


[h2]Almost Instant Bed Respawn[/h2]

The second death in a row will not trigger a lengthy respawn cooldown, making it easier for you to defend your settlement.


[h2]Damage & Stamina Balance[/h2]

Special attacks now require more stamina and deal greater damage compared to slash and stab attacks. The cost of common attacks is also adjusted for different weapons. Should feel more realistic.


[h2]Additional Improvements[/h2]

Fixed a position in the Northern Lights map where bots were unable to reach the player.

Reduced the collision size of the shield.

Further decreased fall damage and velocity proportion to prevent unrealistic deaths when falling from hills.


Thank you for your feedback, guys! We hope you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

After introducing the new combat systems in the last update, we have made many improvements to them and addressed feedback. The stability, smoothness, and control difficulty have become better. Survival also received important adjustments, with more fights, resulting in an overall smoother experience.

Also, we have been working on a significant Survival map update, which will be showcased in the next update.

Let's take a look at what today's patch brings!


[h2]Survival Spawn Area Adjustment[/h2]



Near the cliff where you spawn, there is now an easy way to go down.

Additionally, roaming enemies have been added nearby, and more animals can be found along the road.


[h2]Battle Stance System Improvements[/h2]



Now the stance changing is smoother, and the animations have been adjusted, along with angle readjustments to cover a wider radius.

The controls have been changed in a certain way, now, it's not necessary to drag the mouse as far as before. You can release the attack button to execute the attack even at the beginning, or you can continue holding it for more control during the flight.


[h2]Camera Shakes Changed[/h2]

We have heard a lot about camera shakes, so we reworked them to retain the weight effect but minimize motion sickness. They will be further improved in the future, but we hope they feel better for you now. Of course, you can still adjust their intensity slider in the settings.


[h2]Attacks Inertia Adjustments[/h2]

The camera inertia and dynamic turn caps during attacks have been tweaked to make the combat more controllable.


[h2]AI Keeping Distance[/h2]

AI can now attack from a larger distance and tries to maintain that distance instead of getting too close.


[h2]Combat Tuning[/h2]

Less frequent, excessive battle cries.

Shield block collision adjusted.

Stamina balance adjusted.

Special attacks and foot kicks now deal more damage.


[h2]Arena Adjustments[/h2]

Added a small delay between the waves changing.

Reduced the possibility of flying out of the map.

Enemies don't start running to you too early.


[h2]Various Survival Improvements[/h2]

Landscape adjustments with water level and weird holes fixes.

Shorter nights, longer days.

Reduced arrow crafting time.

Chopping trees gives more wood, and mining yields more ore.

Fixed replaced objects description.

Added more flax, easier to find it.

Added more animals.

Cheaper building costs for certain objects, such as beams, to facilitate easier creative building.


[h2]Active Raiders[/h2]

There are raiders that come in waves to attack your settlement, but in this patch, we have added more of those who are looking for you. They will still attack the settlement if you try to hide.

Let us know if you feel there are too many attackers now or vice versa, if there are still not enough fights.


[h2]Ragdoll Jittering Fix[/h2]

The bug that was making the character fly to the moon after the latest new combat features addition has been fixed.


[h2]Falling Improvements[/h2]

Falling damage dealing is now more organic. Instead of becoming a ragdoll instantly upon falling, your character will go through an animation first, depending on the velocity and time of the fall. This means falling from, for example, small hills will not be as problematic. Additionally, getting up after a fall happens faster.


Thank you for your feedback, guys! We hope you enjoy these changes!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

Today, we are excited to announce a major update.

VALHALL is entering Beta. The combat experience has been taken to a whole new level. We have implemented new diverse features for interactivity, improved procedural animations, changed, and tuned how certain systems work. There is room for improvement, and we are working on it further. However, we hope you already find it pretty cool. You can now control the interactive battle stance with your mouse. Additionally, there is a directional block available now.

We have also introduced a new arena map with a focus on performance, along with numerous significant gameplay improvements.

Take a look!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Here is a roadmap reflecting the main points of our current plans.

We will continue to make constant patches with new content, gameplay improvements, community requests, and bug fixes.

In the next updates, we will share more details about the Enherjar Challenge we are preparing. Overall, it is a unique combination of Survival, Extraction, and Battle Royale. Its first appearance will be as a new world event system in Survival.



In today's patch:

[h2]Interactive Battle Stance[/h2]

Your mouse movement changes the battle stance. There are not just 3 stances, but many more.

Currently, it only works for one-handed weapons. This feature has multiple goals, some of which are yet to be developed. It provides a foundation for a much deeper feint play.


[h2]Controllable Inverse Kinematics[/h2]

This allows you to move your weapon by moving your mouse. It has different phases for varying levels of control, such as the default phase, battle stance or during an attack.

However, it's not just about hand-weapon movement, it affects different body parts differently. So head now has controllable moves too.


[h2]Combat Sounds Update[/h2]

Almost all combat sounds have been updated. They now have more cinematic accents.


[h2]Realistic Hit Reactions Update[/h2]

Different body parts make the character react to hits more realistically. As you can see in the video, they now shake, bend, and touch wounds.


[h2]Directional Block[/h2]

Now you can control the block direction, choosing which side to cover more.


[h2]New Optimized Arena Map[/h2]

This new mountain peak map is focused on performance and is available in Deathmatch and Battle Arena modes. It comes with new music.


[h2]Warrior Combat AI Update[/h2]

They block and dodge more often now.

They walk unpredictably during fights.

Fixed their stopping attacks and getting stuck mid-combat.

Adjusted wave types.


[h2]Warrior Hiring Update[/h2]

Added to Survival. You can find a hiring point by a marker on the compass and hire your warriors.


[h2]Various Survival Improvements[/h2]

Fixed a foundation building quest bug.

Stone ore gives more stone.

Lowered animals' maximum health.

Brighter light on medium and low settings.

UI improvements.

More frequent settlement raid attacks.

Added a shield as a building object.


[h2]Main Arena Improvements[/h2]

Bears no longer get stuck in the hole in the middle.

Less bright post effects.

Earlier lighting change to sunset.


[h2]Raiders Attack Buildings Fixed[/h2]

They attack your buildings again.


Hope you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts

[h2]Vikings![/h2]

Today we have a significant update. Here is what the Pre-Beta 0.9.9 patch brings!



[h2]Building Freedom[/h2]



We are introducing a building system upgrade that brings freedom to your expression. Previously, the way you could build was too limited, and there wasn't anything special about it.

This update allows you to be more creative by changing the way you place elements. Now, there are no strict snapping and limitations on where certain build types can be placed. Instead, if an object touches something, it can be placed. This approach is more casual in a certain way, but it provides huge possibilities.

There are new options for object movement during placement. You can rotate the building element along different axes, and you can also move it higher and lower. The user interface will show when these options are available during placement.

There is no height limit anymore, and the problems with fence placement have been solved. We have also updated the building visual effects for more satisfying. Objects that couldn't be placed on the ground before can now be placed.


[h2]New Building Elements[/h2]



First of all, the new building objects are using Nanites, and the previous ones have been converted as well. This means that you can place a lot of them without experiencing significant performance impact. Of course, we will continue to monitor and improve overall optimization in other aspects.

We have added the first essential objects, such as logs and beams, in different sizes. You can rotate them to your desired angles. Additionally, some of the previous objects have received updated looks.



We will be adding more elements for you to build with in the upcoming updates. Some of them will be also essential, while others will be more unique and even weird. Feel free to share your feedback on which objects you would like to see added the most.


[h2]Raid Bots Fixes[/h2]

Issues that were preventing raid bots from tracking you through the map have been fixed.


[h2]Settlement Attack Wave Fixes[/h2]

Enemies will now target your settlement again (they had stopped doing so after the map transition). They will come in waves over the course of the game days and attempt to break your buildings, and kill you if you are there. To make it less easy for them, we have reduced the damage caused by burning arrows.

If you feel that there are too many waves or if vice versa, please let us know.


[h2]Death Animations[/h2]



There is now a chance that your last hit will trigger a death animation that depends on the body part hit. However, most of the time, it will still transition into a ragdoll immediately.


[h2]AI Improvements[/h2]

AI enemies now block more frequently, and their approach to the player has been updated in terms of both the way and the distances at which they engage.

They move more during fights and retreat. Archers now retreat at a greater distance, so it no longer feels like they are simply waiting to be killed by melee weapons.

Following these changes, the Arena waves and enemy HP have been slightly adjusted.


[h2]Updated Archers Reactions[/h2]

Updated hit reactions have been implemented for archers, providing a better feeling when you defeat them.


[h2]Swimming Full Fix[/h2]

All previous issues related to player swimming have now been resolved. Getting out of the water should happen smoothly, just like butter.


[h2]Unstuck Feature Fix[/h2]

This functionality broke after transitioning to UE5 but now works again.


[h2]Survival Improvements[/h2]

The lighting has been improved, resulting in less dark shadows and warmer colors. However, there is still room for further improvement in future updates.

Animals now have a higher chance of providing both meat and fat when harvested.

The visual effects for burning buildings, specifically when archers fire them with burning arrows, have been updated.

Changes have been made to the cooking UI to make it more user-friendly and easier to understand.

Issues with water opacity holes have been fixed.

Night time have been reduced.

The amount of wood obtained from different trees has been adjusted.

A new crafting recipe for a two-handed axe has been added.


We hope that these improvements enhance your experience and that you enjoy this update!


Skål!
Blackrose Arts