Vagrus - The Riven Realms News

[p][/p][p]We are absolutely stoked to announce that our expansion, At the Heart of Ruin, is finally OUT! As usual for us, the project’s scope was vast, and after putting as much as we could into it, be they stories, features, locations, factions, artwork, enemies, or rewards, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved and excited to see what you make of it![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]To coincide with the release, we’ve also just dropped our Ruinous Supporter Pack, which is a great way to support our small team while getting your hands on some optional Companion cosmetics.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]If you’re wondering what’s in this expansion, in brief, we can tell you that you are in for a dark fantasy narrative adventure that focuses on a small but dense, multi-layered region. It is set in the Mountains of Fire, where the crumbling remnants of the old Dwarven kingdom of a lost age endure.
[/p][p]The expansion has many facets and a lot to offer – stories, locations, and features we’ve lovingly crafted – and here are the most prominent elements to expect:[/p]

• [p]A savage, imperiled new region free of Imperial dominance and brimming with danger[/p]
• [p]A slew of new locations and enemies in the usual art style and quality of Vagrus – more than in any single DLC before[/p]
• [p]A large cast of NPCs, most of them new, while others are recognizable faces from old stories[/p]
• [p]Three scavenger factions that are nemeses of each other, with their own quests and rewards[/p]
• [p]Unique quests available through committing to one of two new minor factions[/p]
• [p]Our most ambitious narrative undertaking since the release of the base game, both in complexity and narrative impact[/p]
• [p]Expansive, branching, dark adventures that build on the rich lore of the Riven Realms[/p]
• [p]Replayability due to the sheer volume of divergent outcomes, stories, rewards, and opportunities[/p]
• [p]Exploration Encounters, a brand new game feature that offers procedurally generated challenges, obstacles, and chances to get loot outside the narrative-heavy sections
  [/p]

[p]Traversing most of these new territories is unique and separate in some ways from the rest of Vagrus, and to those who have any burning questions, we’ve put together a post addressing them all. Take a look if you’re keen to understand everything a little better.
[/p][p]To celebrate the release, we are running a sale on Steam! Whether you’ve been waiting to begin your journey as a vagrus or looking to expand your caravan’s adventures, there’s never been a better time to dive into the dark and treacherous wastelands of the Riven Realms.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]It’s also worth mentioning that more content in At the Heart of Ruin is forthcoming. There’s one storyline in particular that we’ve decided to flesh out further, and you can expect regular, free updates that build on what’s already there. As for the details, we’ll get into those soon! Stay tuned.
[/p][p]Otherwise, what are you waiting for? Get out there and get into it! Oh, and if you have the time, drop us a review, we’d appreciate it – every little bit helps. Perhaps above all else, stay wary, stay awesome, and conquer the wasteland!
[/p][p]– The Lost Pilgrims Team[/p][p]
[/p]

[p][/p][p]In this week’s Devlog we would like to discuss how the content was developed for our upcoming expansion, answer some frequently asked questions, share some patch notes and show you a fun interview with Indie Game Picks that is combined with a giveaway.
[/p][h3]Expansion Content
[/h3][p]In the leadup to the release of At the Heart of Ruin on the 22nd of October (accompanied by the Ruinous Supporter Pack), we’ve already talked about new mechanics and features, like the updated throw-out or Exploration Encounters, but we thought it’s also time to touch upon the narrative and graphic art side of things.[/p][p]As for the narrative, working on it was very exciting, because it returns to the first area we realized in a video game format – Scrapheap and its surroundings. In that way, it was a return to where we began as a studio and as writers for Vagrus, but we also went into a direction that involved a lot of new ground to cover. We really wanted to create a branching narrative structure this time where player choice is emphasized and followed through with the many branching, intertwining storylines. We believe that this approach not only aids immersion, but also adds a lot of replayability to those who want to see everything or experiment with how their choices are reflected in the region.[/p][p]On the graphical art front, we also raised the bar by creating more location and combat backgrounds than ever before, which helps convey the diversity within the volcanic biomes, and also aids the narrative significantly. A good example of this is the Wound’s digital painting – it’s a horrifying place beautifully realized by our talented artists, one that adds a lot to the story when you get there.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We were also able to realize more enemy and allied characters than in previous DLCs, and we had a lot of fun coming up with powerful skills for them that will certainly make things difficult for intrepid vagri.[/p][p]As a matter of fact, we’ve had so much fun creating At the Heart of Ruin, that we decided to significantly expand one of the major questlines in the expansion. However, we did not and could not want to delay the release any further, so we decided to go about it via free episodic updates. We really believe in this additional content, as it’s not “just” Events, but also completely new enemies, locations, map segments, character development, as well as twists and turns that will eventually lead to an epic finale. [/p][p]We’ll be working on these content updates parallel to our usual fixes and tweaks, and we don’t quite know how many of them will be added or when – mostly because squashing bugs in already released material trumps other things. The intensive part of this fixing process usually takes a couple of weeks with each big release like this expansion, but we’ll continue to improve Vagrus and all its elements long after that, of course. In any case, we’ll return with a plan about the post-release content updates later.
[/p][h3]Expansion FAQ[/h3][p][/p][p]We have also prepared an FAQ to provide useful information to those of you who would like to learn more or who are looking for information about a specific aspect of the expansion.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: In what part of the main campaign should I start At the Heart of Ruin? Is the expansion more geared toward a mid-game comitatus or do I have to finish most of the main game to be able to get the most out of it?[/p][p]A: Similar to the previous expansion, the opportunity to unlock the expansion’s area can happen after acquiring a stable comitatus. That means 400 Bross, 3 Companions, and 3 Renown. However, going to the new areas when you just hit that mark, you will find that only several challenges there are doable with relative ease, and the farther you progress, the more tough it becomes. That is to say that specifically the mountaineering parts are not for fledgling comitati, and you are better off with a well-prepared group, powerful Companions, and sufficient resources.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: What part of the map will this expansion cover?[/p][p]A: A fair bit of the Mountains of Fire in the west and the surroundings of Scrapheap. The former can only be traversed via mountaineering (without beasts and mounts, but with new ways to upgrade movement), while the latter works like a regular area.
[/p][p]Q: Will the path from Avernum to the Bronze Desert ever be open? I would still like to return to Scrapheap for metal as quick money in the late game.[/p][p]A: You will find that if you are tenacious enough, certain paths will open up. Naturally, to access the Bronze Desert, you still have to own Sunfire and Moonshadow.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Is the new expansion compatible with old save files?[/p][p]A: Absolutely, as all of our DLCs and updates.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Will there be a way for returning vagri to "jump start" a campaign?[/p][p]A: Not as such, but you can use older savegames just fine, or – if you lost them, for instance – reaching the required 400 Bross, 3 Companions, and 3 Renown does not usually take long for experienced players. Note, however, that the latter parts of the DLC are meant to be a challenge even for veteran comitati.
[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Will there be any new Companions added in the new expansion?[/p][p]A: We are not planning to add more Companions to Vagrus, so the last two introduced in the Old Acquaintances DLC are the final two. However, in At the Heart of Ruin, players will frequently have a chance to deploy various NPCs from stories during long questlines, making them sort of semi-Companions. They even have their own loyalty system.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Are the Exploration Encounters available in the base game as well as the expansion or are they exclusive to At the Heart of Ruin?[/p][p]A: This iteration of Exploration Encounters was tailor-made to support the narrative and gameplay of the expansion, so for now, you will only see them there. And it might be the end of them, too, because although we’ve always wanted to add them more widely, it’s not yet clear to us how the community will feel about them. We think that there’s a lot of potential in them, but adding them in a meaningful way to the main campaign would also be a colossal development investment we’re not sure we can afford. If interest toward the expansion and the Ruinous Supporter Pack turns out to be sufficient as well as the playerbase embraces Exploration Encounters and resoundingly wants more, we’ll do our best to expand them and implement them more widely.
[/p][p]Q: What is the planned price for the expansion?[/p][p]A: At the Heart of Ruin will be priced at $19.99, while the Ruinous Supporter Pack that releases at the same time will be priced at $9.99. Note that regional pricing might apply to these prices on certain platforms.
[/p][p]Q: Will the new expansion be released on all the platforms at the same time?[/p][p]A: It will be released on the 22nd of October on all platforms except for Nintendo. Due to a more complex approval process there, we need more time for that particular release.
[/p][p]Q: Will there be localization upon release? [/p][p]A: In short, no, but machine translation will cover the expansion after a while, just like they do with the rest of the game. In more detail: Vagrus will never have official localization due to it not being financially viable, but we have put in a lot of effort to integrate machine-translations that can be switched on in the game. Please note that even though kind volunteers have been improving the machine-translated texts (especially the UI elements and some other areas), the general quality of these is nowhere near the original English version.
[/p][p]Q: What will the post-launch support be like? What's the development plan for after the DLC?[/p][p]A: As usual for our releases, we will be fully supporting the expansion with fixes as required, but we will also be adding substantial extra content in the form of free updates. These will continue one of the major storylines in At the Heart of Ruin to bring it to an epic conclusion beyond what we’ve initially dreamed up for it. Exploration Encounters will also be expanded to diversify them further and build on the base feature (we have lots of ideas, but are also interested in what our players will suggest).
[/p][p]Q: What was your favourite part about creating this DLC?[/p][p]A: The many amazing locations – especially their art, the stories that reveal more about this forgotten part of Xeryn than ever before, and Exploration Encounters, because they provide a new avenue of gameplay to diversify the things you spend time with in-game. We really hope that you will enjoy these, as well as the density of content and the previously unprecedented level of meaningful and branching choices.[/p][p][/p][h3]Patch Notes[/h3][p][/p][h3][/h3][p]We have been hard at work not only to bring you the new DLCs, but to improve the gaming experience for those who have been with us for a while now, so here are a few things that changed:
[/p]

• [p]A new cargo throw-out system was implemented: read more about it in our Throw-out Revamp for Cargo article[/p]
• [p]Every cargo-related stat was upscaled to allow for differentiation; e.g., Fighters and Scouts now carry a bit of cargo as well[/p]
• [p]A new, separate Equipment slot for Protective Gear[/p]
• [p]Regeneration & Conduit (Perks) are now stackable; each stack on a Companion has a 25% chance to trigger the Perk’s effect (up to 5 stacks)[/p]
• [p]Nemesis faction losses are set to where originally intended (they were never supposed to be levelable at the same time)[/p]
• [p]Some missing DLC entitlements fixed[/p]
• [p]The button tooltips we accidentally broke are now back in action[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Interview with Indie Game Picks[/h3][p][/p][p][/p][p]This week, Indie Game Picks interviewed us, where we had the opportunity to talk about Vagrus in general, the new expansion, as well as about some future plans. You can read the interview on the Indie Game Picks website and join the Giveaway on X, Bsky and Facebook to win keys for the At the Heart or Ruin expansion and the Ruinous Supporter Pack. Good luck![/p][p][/p][p]That’s all for now! We hope you are just as excited about our DLC release next week as we are. Stay tuned for more information about the game as well as discounts, and join us on our social media platforms to spread the news about the release – it's always appreciated![/p][p][/p][p]The Lost Pilgrims Team[/p]

[p][/p][p]In this week’s Expansion Devlog, we’re keen to discuss one of the newest and most exciting features we’re adding to the upcoming expansion of Vagrus: Exploration Encounters. We are also introducing two named characters from the upcoming expansion and inviting you to participate in the giveaways we are running on two of our social media platforms![/p][p][/p][p]How Exploration Encounters Came To Be[/p][p]While it would not be entirely truthful to say that the game’s development has always followed a carefully curated path, it is not exaggeration to mention that our imaginations have run boundless thanks to that, leading to a myriad of ideas and, occasionally, feature creep. We have, however, always felt that more Events to cover simpler matters – mining salt, random encounters, or procuring scrap, for example – would have a place in the game, even if their creation may not be the best use of our writers’ time.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]During the development of our At the Heart of Ruin expansion, we reached a crucial decision point, one where we decided it was time to create an Exploration Encounter prototype, not so different from the one you see above. Thus, Exploration Encounters were born. You can expect Exploration Encounters to ship along with this ever-growing expansion. It’s just one more thing in a sea of new content we’re frothing at the bit to get out the door! While we sometimes think that we should tone down the amount of content we’re releasing, it can be pretty difficult when we’ve got such a supportive community that we want to deliver for again and again.
[/p][p]What Are Exploration Encounters[/p][p]On a basic level, Exploration Encounters are a series of procedurally generated Companion Combat encounters, obstacles, and chances to get loot. In essence, they are shorter, more gameplay-focused bits of encounters and challenges grouped by location or theme. They are meant to provide resources if you overcome the risks, and break up traveling and reading a bit. Each location tailors its challenges specifically to what characterizes it. Launching a foray into a fiery cavern filled to the brim with Salamanders is, naturally, quite different than descending into the depths of an old mine, especially one occupied by gangs in a bloody war of dominance. Similarly, fighting oversized arachnids in a labyrinth of webbed gossamer provides markedly different rewards than those found among Varnurud’s (more) delusional gangs – of which there are many![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Encounters In More Detail[/p][p]Getting started will be easy. One simply needs to find the right point of interest, go to the Story Pane, and select an Event that leads to an Exploration Encounter (you’ll find these fairly easily). This Event will provide some reference about what the player should expect from the Exploration Encounter(s) at this location, and then, typically, they’ll have to select a group of Companions if they choose to tackle one. Once started, Exploration Encounters generate challenges (combat, obstacles, loot) procedurally along certain rules tailored to the location.
[/p][p]After each challenge, test, or obstacle, you may decide to turn back or continue pushing, which creates a sort of risk versus reward gameplay segment where you need to evaluate your resources and capabilities in a dynamically changing gauntlet. Suffice to say, this is just the beginning. We’ve plenty of ideas to make this more interesting, and as always, we look forward to your feedback on changing it further in the future. Our primary focus is the expansion currently, but as things evolve, we’ll be able to better support or iterate upon what we’re building on the side, and we’re thrilled to see what you’ll think of it.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Intrepid Adventurers of the Molten Kingdom[/p][p]It’s not often that a post introduces two important, named characters, but today is one such day, since both Kharandar and Dralla will be integral figures in our coming expansion.
[/p][p]First off, there’s Kharandar – a man of action and intent. A stalwart, even noble, leader. He is the one who speaks in the expansion’s trailer. Those who follow him trust his decisions and instincts above all others. They know that when push comes to shove, Kharandar will be there, calling the shots for everyone’s benefit.[/p][p]And yet, a leader is nothing without strong advisors, lieutenants, and warriors, individuals with wise counsel to give. Kharandar needs people with know-how and can-do that rivals even the best. Dralla is one such woman, and over the long years the pair has known each other, she has demonstrated cunning, skill, and tenacity in everything she was sent to deal with. Dralla leads the scouts and reports directly to Kharandar.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]So what role will these two play in the expansion, and what kind of operation are they involved in leading? For now, we can say two things: they lead a clandestine group of Dwarves with a secretive goal, and they protect both their own and their knowledge with their lives if they must. To learn who they are, what they do, and what they ultimately wish to achieve, you will have to earn their trust first. Then, and only then, may you be able to work alongside them.[/p][p][/p][p]Ruinous Supporter Pack Giveaways[/p][p]This week we decided to make our Ruinous Supporter Pack teaser a bit more fun, and instead of revealing the full new Companion look, we only shared a close-up detail and invited the community to guess who it belongs to. If you are interested in joining the giveaways, check out our posts in the /r/Vagrus subreddit or over on X.[/p][p][/p][p]We look forward to sharing more with you soon. Until then, stay safe, stay insightful, and conquer the wasteland!
[/p][p]– The Lost Pilgrims Team[/p]

[p][/p][p]After over a year of development, the time has finally come to reveal the release date of our most ambitious DLC as of yet: At the Heart of Ruin will arrive on the 22nd of October! Alongside the expansion, our Ruinous Supporter Pack will also be up for grabs from the same day.
[/p][p]At its core, At the Heart of Ruin is a dark fantasy narrative adventure that focuses on a small but dense, multi-layered region where few dare to venture. It is set in the Mountains of Fire, where the crumbling remnants of the old Dwarven kingdom of a lost age endure, but it will take players to areas around that fiery realm, too. As we’ve recently discussed, while traversing most of these new territories, you’ll be working with a smaller party size, traversing rugged, mountainous terrain, and fighting some of the most fearsome enemies Vagrus has ever showcased. The expansion’s trailer also hints at these obstacles – and many more to discover or run afoul of.[/p][p][/p][p]The expansion has many facets and a lot to offer – stories, locations, and features we’ve lovingly crafted – so here are the most prominent elements to expect:[/p]

• [p]A savage, imperiled new region free of Imperial dominance and brimming with danger[/p]
• [p]A slew of new locations and enemies in the usual art style and quality of Vagrus – more than in any single DLC before[/p]
• [p]A large cast of NPCs, most of them new, while others are recognizable faces from old stories[/p]
• [p]Three scavenger factions that are nemeses of each other, with their own quests and rewards[/p]
• [p]Unique quests available through committing to one of two new minor factions[/p]
• [p]Our most ambitious narrative undertaking since the release of the base game, both in complexity and narrative impact[/p]
• [p]Expansive, branching, dark adventures that build on the rich lore of the Riven Realms[/p]
• [p]Replayability due to the sheer volume of divergent outcomes, stories, rewards, and opportunities[/p]
• [p]Exploration Encounters, a brand new game feature that offers procedurally generated challenges, obstacles, and chances to get loot outside the narrative-heavy sections[/p]

[p]Encompassing several long, branching stories that will alter aspects of the broader region, this expansion has been an ambitious undertaking for our team in more ways than one. The reasons for its long development are manifold – in order to achieve the complexity and narrative depth we set out to, the expansion grew to a size that rivals many contemporary full games. We should hasten to add that true to our form, we went a little overboard in this department.[/p][p][/p][p]The latter also means that we’ve expanded some of our earlier concepts to be meatier, more fleshed-out. In the case of a specific long storyline, we decided to go way beyond our initial plans. Because of this, we’ll be expanding that particular storyline for a while after release, using several free content drops to push it to its epic conclusion. A roadmap covering the specifics will follow along in due time.[/p][p][/p][p]As mentioned above, we’re also releasing the Ruinous Supporter Pack, which is mainly for those who wish to support Lost Pilgrims in our continued endeavor to expand the Riven Realms. As a way to express our gratitude, the pack contains new cosmetics (full outfits) for all of the Companions you’ve come to love (or despise; we don’t judge). These do not alter gameplay in any way, shape, or form, but are really cool alternatives for the sake of variety. [/p][p][/p][p]The expansion and the supporter pack will be released on all platforms on the 22nd of October, except Nintendo, since their approval process is more complex and will therefore take a while longer for us to get the DLCs out.[/p][p][/p][p]As their arrival draws closer, we’d like to wholeheartedly thank you all for your continued support! Wishlist the expansion if you haven’t, share details about it far and wide if you want to help it reach more players, and of course, stay tuned for more updates![/p][p]Otherwise, stay vigilant, stay awesome, and conquer the wasteland!
[/p][p]– The Lost Pilgrims Team[/p][p]
[/p]

[p][/p][p]Hey everyone, [/p][p]We are closing off September with another article from our Devlog Series, this time discussing our solution to Cargo “overflow” as well as introducing a new character from the At the Heart of Ruin expansion. We are also revealing a new appearance from our upcoming Ruinous Supporter Pack and sharing some information about the Steam Autumn Sale starting today![/p][p][/p][p]Throw-out Revamp for Cargo[/p][p]If you have excess cargo, you’ll now be able to retain it so long as you stay put. It’ll be right there below your cargo hold’s contents under “overflow”, where you’ll initially be able to see six slots. If the cargo you would receive goes beyond those six slots, you can simply click the button next to “overflow”, and more slots will open up.
[/p][p][/p][p]You’ll be able to access Goods in Overflow as you see fit – selling, storing, or consuming them, at least until you stay on the same Node. An absolute game changer for settlements and loot therein. In other words, excess cargo will finally work intuitively.[/p][p]Maybe you get a quest reward in a settlement that’s far beyond your cargo capacity, or perhaps you pull a particularly large haul from hunting on a node out in the wasteland. Not a problem anymore – it stays accessible until you move on.[/p][p]Some of you might be wondering why we didn’t do this earlier. And the truth is, we always knew this would be a massive undertaking from a coding perspective. To achieve it, we had to rebuild both the user interface and the logic from the backend. It was a challenge, but now we’re there, it’s being actively tested. The new revamp will be released alongside our coming DLC, and it’ll be available to all Vagrus players immediately!
[/p][p]Dwarven Scout[/p][p][/p][p]While last week’s Dwarven Enforcer provided an introduction to a more clandestine Dwarven group present in the DLC, it’s obvious that any group of warriors worth their salt needs ambushers and scouts, especially on the terrain of shattered Dvendar Tharr. Resourceful outdoorsmen at heart, these survivalists are all armed with crossbows and clad mail armor. Their skill in finding paths and traversing the terrain of these mighty crags is nigh-unmatched.[/p][p]And all this makes one wonder: why do these Dwarves have need of such competent scouts? Are they planning a journey, perchance? Find out when you get to play the expansion.
[/p][p]Harvek’s New Look[/p][p]Due to the great interest in the Companion appearances from our upcoming Ruinous Supporter Pack, we decided to show you more, this time its Harvek’s new look.[/p][p][/p][p]The cold and calculating mercenary Harvek has never shied away from violence, often going to great lengths in hurting others if the job required it. In line with that, his new appearance from the Ruinous Supporter Pack imagines him as a member of the Crimson Skull scavenger gang, fully decked out in their signature skull-and-blood gear.[/p][p][/p][p]Steam Autumn Sale[/p][p]The Steam Autumn Sale has arrived! From today, you can get Vagrus at a discounted price. It’s the perfect chance to dive into the perilous world of the Riven Realms, lead your caravan across treacherous wastelands, and carve your own path through danger and discovery. Don’t miss out – the sale only lasts for a limited time. Check out our ongoing sales on GOG, Nintendo, and PlayStation, too![/p][p][/p][p]That’s all for now. Stay tuned for exciting announcements coming soon, and until then, stay safe, stay awesome, and conquer the wasteland![/p][p]
– The Lost Pilgrims Team[/p][p]
[/p]