Alaloth - Champions of The Four Kingdoms News

Hello Champions!

It's me again, Alberto, Game Director of Alaloth.

This update was supposed to be very different, but as you probably noticed, we had some issues with the 1.0 launch that is not happend yet. So here I am, as usual, trying to explain things with full transparency.

Essentially, everything was ready for the planned release on the 30th, but an issue surfaced regarding the store availability of the new DLCs announced for launch, tied to the new bundles for the various Deluxe, Gold, and Ultimate editions of the game. For a development team, especially a small team like ours, planning is essential, and much rides on the launch moment and the following weeks. Not having several offers available for users would have been extremely problematic resource-wise, and unfortunately, we couldn't get support from Valve in time due to the time zone difference. We're talking about a pretty trivial issue, just a checkbox, that unfortunately caused cascading problems, leading us to this update.

So, what are we talking about, practically? Game owners would have noticed that on the 30th, a substantial update was available, which was, in fact, Arcane Arts, initially planned as a Day 1 update. This update was essentially the first part of a more extensive two-part update that would constitute version 1.0 of Alaloth in its entirety and the second part would have been released in minutes along with the official announcement. For this reason, owners found the empty link to the announcement in the in-game news hub, which was never posted due to the issues just discussed. The 1.0 version, therefore, wasn’t rolled out in full, but rather only the first part of the work was released, derived from last week's testing with players and the press[. By the way, the first Metascore that arrived yesterday was a fantastic 8.5/10, which started the day off well...


The issue was related to the Moonstone Pass and Ultimate Pack availability at launch

Among the options available, we considered reverting the work and rolling the game back to Forgemasters [October 10 build], waiting for Valve and then proceeding. This would have caused save issues and confusion, especially among new users, so at this point, we opted for a different solution: to release Arcane Arts anyway and hold back the second part of the update, considered the definitive release to pass into 1.0, for a new release date that we're currently identifying. We’re not talking about months, of course, but rather a few days, which aligns with the post-launch activities already planned for November, with press reviews happening as well

This doesn't mean, of course, that Arcane Arts wasn’t ready for launch, but taking advantage of this challenging situation, we’re trying yet again to turn an incident into something positive, as we've always did. A few extra days will allow us to resolve the store and DLC issues, and for Day 1, we'll be able to include a few things that were initially left out and planned as post-launch free updates. We’re deeply sorry for all this, and in the spirit of transparency that has always set us apart, we're here with explanations. Not having missed a deadline in 2 years before and having this silly issue on the day we’ve been so eagerly awaiting is quite disheartening, but shit happens.

I’m so sorry for the team that worked so hard to be ready, only to be held back by a mistake that’s probably on me. It’s tough to wear 10 different hats on little sleep and remember to check a small box while juggling 200 other tasks, coordinating with dozens of people, and a newborn.

Thank you for your understanding. In the coming days, we'll be detailing things that were initially planned for the days following the launch, and as always, you can find us, day and night, on Discord.

Arcane Arts changelog [which is massive] is already available in-game and we'll post it here soon, along with a detailed breakdown of the update explaining some design choices we've made even considering the feedback we've got from the community during the last week of testing on our internal branch.

Send some love to us, we really need it!

Alberto

[h3]Follow our official channels to stay up to date:[/h3]
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/919360/Alaloth_Champions_of_The_Four_Kingdoms/

Hello Champions!

This is it. Writing this feels different, it’s so personal, more than anything I've shared before. Tomorrow, Alaloth finally leaves Early Access, and while it’s a big milestone for our studio, it’s also the end of a chapter that means everything to me. This journey started not 7 years ago, but in the ‘90s when I was just a kid, entranced by D&D, spending hours in the worlds we built with nothing but dice and imagination. Those early adventures, the endless maps, and characters scribbled on scraps of paper, they’re all in Alaloth, brought to life in ways I never could have imagined back then.

For the past 7 years as indie dev, Alaloth has been a constant, mixing the creation of our world with the whirlwind of real life. Through the development of this game, I’ve experienced every emotion: the ups, the downs, and the moments that make you who you are. There’s been loss and grief, incredible happiness, and some of the hardest challenges I’ve faced. This journey demanded more than just development skills, it took everything i had.

We’re proud of what we’ve achieved as a team: Alaloth has turned into something far beyond what i ever thought possible. It’s grown into a huge game, with hours upon hours of content, the result of a relentless drive and passion. Even now, it’s hard to believe we’ve created something of this scale and depth, something that people around the world can experience. But even as we step out, know that this isn’t the end, we’re here to keep expanding this world, building more stories, and making this fantasy realm everything it was meant to be.

And personally, this moment couldn’t be more profound. Two months ago, I became father, welcoming a new baby into my life. So, here I am, at 45, managing late nights, early mornings, and the final stretch of launching this game I’ve lived and breathed for years, after 24 years in a industry i still love, despite the shit we had to deal with on the way.

It’s midnight here, and I’d planned to have this out earlier, but there was just more work to do. It was supposed to be a different update, sorry, but tonight, it felt right to set aside the work and just share what this moment means.

Alaloth will launch at 7PM CET tomorrow. We’re here, still working on those final touches, knowing they’re worth it. Thank you all for being here, for believing in this world we’ve built, and for coming with us on this journey.

See you then.

Share the love!
Alberto

[h3]Follow our official channels to stay up to date:[/h3]
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/919360/Alaloth_Champions_of_The_Four_Kingdoms/

Hello Champions!

We’re excited to announce that the test branch, originally scheduled to shut down today, will remain open until the release! We’ve rollied out an update today, reflecting the invaluable feedback we gathered during the first week of testing. Thanks to the extensive data collected, we've implemented a significant number of internal fixes. While we planned to update the test branch on Wednesday, we needed more time due to the numerous iterations we made. In this update, we’ve introduced new traits and proficiencies tailored for spell users, offering you a wealth of new character customization options. We’ve also reorganized traits into distinct categories for better clarity. Additionally, we’re excited to add part of the Grandmaster stocks, including magic robes, staffs, and a selection of recipes.

While you can start testing the Elementalist and a few other classes, please note that we’re still finalizing the requirements for casting spells. For example, to be a mage, you’ll need to wear a robe and wield a magic staff. The same goes for other classes, such as requiring knives for certain Rogue skills or two-handed weapons for Berserker skills. Dialogues, descriptions and a few card data are still missing but no worries! You need a new save in the test branch once updated.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
A new gameplay montage showing 7 minutes of Alaloth from the latest public build, Forgemasters!

We recognize that there's still much to accomplish over the weekend, but we're confident in our schedule as we work toward the full release. Thank you for your support and happy testing! If you didn't try Arcane Arts yet, just follow the instructions here. Standard version of the game, Forgemasters, has been patched too with a very few preparation fixes for the full release!

Stay legendary. share the love!

[h3]Follow our official channels to stay up to date:[/h3]
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/919360/Alaloth_Champions_of_The_Four_Kingdoms/

Hello Champions!

As promised, we’re excited to give all players who own the full game a chance to test the Arcane Arts Update ahead of the official 1.0 launch! This update, packed with massive new content, will be available at launch on October 30, but starting today, you can dive into the test branch for a full week until next Friday. While we’ve thoroughly tested everything on our side, we believe a short closed test with players familiar with the game’s systems will help us fine-tune the final touches for the big release. Your feedback will be invaluable in making the Arcane Arts Update the best it can be. You can leave your feedback on our Steam board or join our Disord posting in the dedicate #feedback channel.

[h3]HOW TO ACCESS THE TEST BRANCH[/h3]
Ready to test the new features to be released at launch? Follow these simple steps to join the 1.0 Test Branch and experience the new content firsthand. We've included some helpful screenshots to guide you through the process!

Open Your Steam Library and locate Alaloth – Champions of The Four Kingdoms.
Click on "Manage" and select "Properties"

In the "Properties" window, navigate to the "Betas" tab. Enter the password "arcaneartstesting" in the field, then "Check Code"

Click on the dropdown menu and select "arcane_arts_testing_branch". Close the window, and Steam will begin updating your game to the test branch version. Once the update is complete, launch the game and create a new save file (test branch saves are not compatible with the current Forgemasters version).

If you want to go back to the latest official version of the game, follow the same path and select "None". The test branch will be available today at approximately 4PM CEST, though the exact time may vary slightly depending on our preparations. It could go live a little earlier or a bit later, so stay tuned! The event will end next Friday at 4PM CEST.

[h3]WHAT TO EXPECT IN TERMS OF CONTENTS TO CHECK[/h3]

Please note that Arcane Arts content is still partially missing, so don't expect to experience everything yet. The focus of this test is on skill and spell scaling, as well as some key changes, listed here!

• Revised XP system, with Stat Points will be awarded every 2 levels, for a total of 10 Stat Points. Hero Books are back, granting an additional 10 Stat Points to develop your char, encouraging exploration and questing at the same time. Special quests will also reward extra Stat Points.
  
• Wisdom has been added as a stat, influencing Way of Gods spells and taking over Weakness and Confusion resistances, while INT remains crucial for other Ways.
  
• Grandmaster shops are currently missing, and certain skills or spells might require specific conditions, such as wearing a robe to be an Elementalist or using light armor as a rogue.
  
• Keep in mind that some text might be missing or change, and the test branch is mainly a way for us to collect data and feedback before the final iteration of the update on launch day. Also, consider that all the magic equipment such as robes, staff, wands [TBC] and wereables are not in at the moment, and will be added next week. We thought it was useful to test spells and scaling with the CS as it is now, before iterating a bit [and we did it already of course but still want you to try things a bit]
  

Participation is entirely optional, but for those interested, it’s easy to join! Please be aware that to play on the test branch, you’ll need to start a new save file, as it won’t be compatible with the current Forgemasters version [and viceversa]

Lastly, a patch for both the Forgemasters build and the test branch will drop next week, bringing new content to both versions!

Stay legendary. share the love!

[h3]Follow our official channels to stay up to date:[/h3]
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https://store.steampowered.com/app/919360/Alaloth_Champions_of_The_Four_Kingdoms/

[h2]CHANGELOG[/h2]
[h3]Added[/h3]

• Added new loot tables for Cortians, Serlians, Drolnaks, Martum Acolytes, Martum Fanatics and Crawlers.
  

[h3]Changed[/h3]

• Now when attempting to use a consumable inside an FA, a text will inform if the item was not usable at that time (e.g. attempting to use healing items when already at full health).
  
• Updated Mounts names.
  
• Now “Charge” skill and all variants for any character will deal Physical instead of Magical Damage; raise relative damage for player and enemy champions.
  
• Now the Harpy’s song skill can be interrupted while the area warning indicator is still filling up.
  
• Minor changes to aggro parameters in “Volkar’s Tomb”.
  
• Revised enemy weapons, with new values for Physical and Magical Damage redistributed and Bleed and Stun values added
  
• Changed quest item required in A Shield Against Darkness from Vaizmil’s Chalice to The Everlight.
  

[h3]Fixed[/h3]

• Fixed sitting Troll in “Windcrest Heights” being invulnerable until the stand up animation completes.
  
• Fixed Codex art for capital “Khunden-Hohn”.
  
• Correct “Holy Fire” skill description to better state the increased damage on undeads
  

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[h3]Follow our official channels to stay up to date:[/h3]
Like Alaloth on Facebook Follow Alaloth on Twitter Check out our Steam page



https://store.steampowered.com/app/919360/Alaloth_Champions_of_The_Four_Kingdoms/