WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition News

Multiplayer in this beta IS compatible with the last patch, v1.0.8j, so you can play games with others who have that version. This patch is available for Windows and MacOS.


[h2]BETA 1 (7 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Optimizations to movement code.
* Improvements to pathfinding around large obstacles.
* Made fights not block friendly courtship interactions.
* Added custom quest intro text in Lost River for experienced wolves.
* Increased tall grass rendering distance (so fawn/calf doesn't appear before it does, at least not as noticeably)

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: "Waiting for Others" notification locks up screen so player can't do anything.
* Pack wolves turn hostile after courtship if there's more than one group present. Fixed by adding rejections to all spawned flocks sharing packs with the courting flocks
* Mate hangs around den after heading off on their own. Reason: It has been "defeated" by something and interrupted their trip, yet not properly returning home either.
* Autosave fails to fire when completing quests (so Experienced tag is not applied to wolf when completing Learn to Hunt quest).
* Pup cannot be targeted if you take it with you to hunting and then summon your mate (because your mate woofs to put all pups in the den before joining you, and the pup with you responds to that command even though far from den). (Fixed now, but it's still not recommended to bring pups on hunting or marking excursions. They really would rather stay back at the den.)
* Growling during fights still chases courtables away,
* Terrain and water issues.
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[h2]BETA 2 (8 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Emotes panel: When using controller, left/right shoulder/bumper buttons are now used to switch between emote categories.
* Emotes: Current Favorite emote is now indicated with small "Favorite" text below it, and the glow-highlight that previously indicated that is now used as better feedback about which emote is currently highlighted by mouse or controller thumbstick.
* Emotes panel: Increased delay (from 0.5 seconds to 0.75s) upon selecting an emote before right joystick is active for camera control again.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* NPC animals don't consider other animals to be obstacles (so they sometimes clip through other animals or get stuck walking in place behind them).
* Autosave fails during Age Perks/Birthday and Newborn Pups.
* Multiplayer: AFK players are still considered online for a little while in terms of quest progression.
* Mate keeps stopping mid-chase to growl.
* "Attempting to send message" notification can get stuck onscreen.
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[h2]BETA 3 (9 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Prevent autosaves in Newborn Pups scene (since those are cannot be loaded successfully).
* Updates to Game Help: Learn to Hunt.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: Spawning errors can cause lag for awhile.
* Multiplayer: Autosave fails during Age Perks/Birthday and Newborn Pups.
* Multiplayer: Can't close the "Submit report" alert after another player submits a bug report.
* Starting new courtship with NPC wolf immediately after rejecting trial mate causes problems.
* Game crashes when loading Amethyst save in winter season, or transitioning from fall to winter.
* Maximum possible initial courtship level of interest is lower than it should be.
* Bug in View Pack panel can cause interface to stop responding to clicks.
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[h2]BETA 4 (11 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* In Game Settings, increased height of Frame Rate dropdown menu to show all options.
* Enlarged Controls Mapping image (of keyboard, controller, or Steam Deck) for better readability on small screens.
* Controller: On Load Game panel, when Filter popout is displayed, pressing "B" button now closes Filter popup instead of closing Load Game panel entirely.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Pups don't consider parents to be obstacles when going places.
* Carcass chunks won't spawn in Slough Creek.
* Lost River is a lonely place (no other animals will spawn).
* Multiplayer: In Newborn Pups scene, game advances to Raise Pups when client player clicks Continue, not waiting for host.
* Controller: "Use controller?" notification appears after controller is already enabled to use.
* Elk can accidentally kill a raven, causing errors.
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[h2]BETA 5 (11 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Controller and Steam Deck: Changed Left D-pad to Nametags and Down D-pad to Photo Mode (in singleplayer) and Chat (in multiplayer).
* Setup New Multiplayer Game: Added popup about game modes.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Controller: Can't rename pack in Pack Info panel.
* Controller; Can't dismiss Disconnected from Multiplayer notification.
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[h2]BETA 6 (14 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: Sometimes pups are outside the den at the start of Raise Pups quest, until the pups exit the den.
* Multiplayer: Disconnected alert is not always displayed if game loses connection with multiplayer server during loading process.
* Multiplayer: Sometimes chat from previous game is carried over into new game.
* In Slough Creek, distant flooded ponds flicker in fog.
* Can't access UI panels after sending friend request.
* Extra notifications sometimes appear when sending messages or adding users to pack.
* Can't reject a trial wolf.
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[h2]BETA 7 (15 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Controller: Saved Game panels: Cannot use Delete Multiple option properly.
* Controller: Custom rebindings interfere with Emote panel RB/LB input.
* Some water issues in Slough Creek.
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[h2]BETA 8 (16 March 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* "Hanging with the Pups" music now plays at rendezvous site as well as at den.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: Client players can't bite newborn calf or fawn.
* Account registration: Username field accepts spaces.
* "Ride of the Wapiti" music plays during parts of the elk showdown.


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[h3]TO GET THE BETA BUILD[/h3]
1) In the Steam app, go to your Library, then right-click on the WolfQuest: AE name in the left column and choose Properties.
2) Then go to the Betas tab and select the WQ current Beta option in the pulldown. No password is necessary. Steam should then start downloading it. Later you can switch back to the public version in that Betas tab, by selecting NONE in that pulldown.

Patch v1.0.8j (Released on 5 March 2022)

BUGS FIXED:
* Bug Report panel won't open.
* Stranger wolf airborne scent is blobby shape.
* Plugging in controller after starting up game will reset thumbstick remappings.

To be honest, releasing WolfQuest on Steam Deck was not at the front of our thoughts since we are so busy. We'd been following Steam Deck progress since Valve announced it last summer. I submitted a devkit request, but I figured getting the game running on Steam Deck was going to be a fair bit of work, so it would not be something we would tackle for quite awhile . (As you know, we are focusing on getting the game done for PC and Mac before considering other platforms. )

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

But then Valve sent us a devkit (a sample device) in January and we tried WolfQuest on it. We were pleasantly surprised that the game ran quite well right out of the box! There was definitely some work that needed to be done for the controller support and to manage the three different input types that the Deck offers (thumbsticks, trackpads, and touchscreen). That took Andrei a few weeks of work, but as of the latest patch, 1.0.8h, we are pleased that Steam Deck users can play WolfQuest.

We know a lot of you are probably thinking, Hey! What about mobile or console? Are you working on these too? The answer is still no, not right now. Those platforms all will require many, many months of development time from the whole team. So, not until the game is completed on PC/Mac, will we have time to turn our attention to other platforms.

We look forward to hearing how Steam Deck users find playing WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition. It does seem like a nice option for people who don't want to spend what it takes to get a computer that runs modern games well or just want a handheld gaming console that can play many or most games in their Steam library. If you want to learn more about the Steam Deck, here is Valve's website about it: https://store.steampowered.com/steamdeck

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The WolfQuest saga will continue! Stay tuned for more news in upcoming devblogs. More maps and wolf customizations are also coming in 2022!

Once the game is completed on PC/Mac, we will turn our attention to other platforms.

We do not announce specific release dates. We will release them when they are ready.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Problems ensue if stranger wolf kills your mate, since they then are neither hostile nor courtable.
* Can't select emote when notification is onscreen.
* Pups eyes flicker when sleeping.
* When adding pack members, game doesn't register them until game is relaunched, and similarly for players accepting or rejecting a pack invitation.

Patch v1.0.8h (Released on 3 March 2022)

[h3]NEW: MULTIPLAYER[/h3]
* In public games, host's Pack Info panel has a button to make the game private. This hides the game in the MP lobby except for those who are in the game when the host clicks that button.
* In private games, host's Pack Info panel has a button to add other friends to the game, so it will be listed for them in the lobby.

[h3]NEW AND IMPROVED: COURTSHIP[/h3]
We have remade the courtship gameplay to fix some bugs and add new behaviors and functionality:
* If two dispersal groups come to you, interested in courtship, you can now growl at one group to send them away without sending the other group away as well.
* When encountering wolves from a rival pack, if some are interested in courtship, you must immediately show your intentions with submissive behaviors or they'll assume you are hostile and will fight you. You don't have to fight the non-interested wolves anymore, and they will stay around during courtship to ensure the safety of their packmate(s).
* Rival pack wolves aren't courtable if you've recently marked inside their territory.
* If you reject a wolf after its heart-meter fills up, it'll lose some affinity and walk away -- but then come back around in hopes it can still persuade you.
* NPC wolves can court each other (though it's rare to see this in the current game -- this is more for future gameplay in the Saga).

[h3]STEAM DECK SUPPORT[/h3]
WolfQuest now fully supports Steam Deck. We made many small refinements and improvements to controller support, as well as refinements specific to the Deck hardware and inputs, to ensure the game works well on the Deck. Most of these improvements will also make controller experience better in general.

[h3]OTHER IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Territory size (and to a lesser extent strength) have much more effect now on stranger wolf attacks. A good territory has two-hex buffer all around your den. Stranger wolves care about how far they have to travel in your territory to reach your pups, not about the total size of your territory.
* Multiplayer: If a player leaves the game but remains in limbo, their slot is reserved (while in limbo) so the room cannot fill while they are away.
* Multiplayer: If a player whose wolf is in limbo in a game session returns to the multiplayer lobby, a notification appears asking if they want to rejoin that game.
* Multiplayer: Leaving games should be more reliable now.
* Competitor NPCs animals eat less from carcasses, so carcasses are not consumed as quickly.
* If player fails to complete Slough Creek after advancing in age, when starting a new Slough Creek game, mate will also advance in age to keep player-wolf and mate age in sync.
* Reduced the Affinity threshold for pups in tall grass when traveling (about halfway back to what it has been previously).
* Controller: Changed left D-Pad to Chat, and moved Headcam to double-pull on left shoulder.
* Controller: Added Headcam tip for controllers on notification when eagle attacks.
* Controller: Added controller input icon for Peaceful Death.
* Controller: Refined navigation on coat selection panel of wolf customization.
* Added Nametags dropdown on Game Settings panel.
* Added Nametags option on Remap Controls panel for game controllers (currently unmapped, but available for remapping).
* Cropped the badge's pawprint icon, as it had a row of invisible pixels at the top which made the health level non-intuitive.
* Prevent usernames consisting only of numbers, as those can cause problems with the WQ account system.
* Inverted the stranger airborne scent icon, to contrast better with player's scent post icon at a distance.
* Refined elk hunt music so it switches back from showdown to chase music if solo elk starts fleeing again.
* When in Pupcam, player-wolf's head doesn't follow camera viewing direction now.
* Improved wolf's aim when urinating and appearance of urine stream.
* Reduced wolf howl volume at medium (20-100m) distances.
* Removed the Basic/Enhanced Sky & Vegetation toggle on Apple Silicon Macs (since the trees are wonky in Basic and M1s can run Enhanced.)
* Increased ambient occlusion before sunset and after sunrise to improve visuals.
* Better texture for Douglas-fir bark.
* Adjusted volume of music and sounds at end of Courtship quest.
* Made FPS display more readable.
* Assigned correct Confident Tail Wag icon on Courtship Emote wheel.
* Added a delay to prevent dens from flooding while newborn pups are in it.
* Tweaks to predator attack frequency.
* Adjusted wolf walking speed to match animation speed better.
* Cougars can attack when you are moving to a new homesite.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* NPC wolves just can't stop themselves when eating at a carcass.
* Mate won't eat a meat chunk at den (unless very hungry), even if pups are too young to eat it.
* Mate won't eat a meat chunk if it's too close to pups (even if pups can't eat it).
* Mate won't feed pups if there's a meat chunk at den, when the pups are too young to eat meat chunks.
* Mate won't drop pup during journey sometimes.
* Mate sometimes carries pup to you when you're out marking territory.
* Stranger wolves don't attack summer pups.
* At night in winter, ambient occlusion is too strong and causes dark flickering behind trees.
* Staying in den with sick pup will ensure its recovery.
* Multiplayer: Incorrect text on disconnect alerts (saying whether host or you have disconnected).
* Multiplayer: Players are stuck with black screen if they have not saved/reloaded game since starting new MP game.
* Multiplayer: Players in limbo are included in the Pack Rally requirement.
* Multiplayer: Tail keeps wagging when player goes into limbo.
* Multiplayer: When a notification is onscreen, you cannot type into text chat.
* Multiplayer: Some issues with chat input when using both controller and keyboard.
* Several things interrupt predators when en route to a homesite raid.
* Going into scent view just as you are going to sleep enables scent view, and it can't be disabled.
* Stray "100%" readout on the margin of the World Map sometimes.
* Scrolling does not reset to top of long panels such as those in Game Help.
* Error when loading game with unborn pups.
* In Setup New Game panel, depending on visible dropdowns, Start Game button navigation could jump the last one.
* On very rare occasions, ungulates spawn at den.
* Find a Den quest music doesn't play properly.
* Saving game sometimes erroneously says save exists already.
* FPS Alert is inaccurate in certain moments.
* When remapping an input with multiple actions associated with it, those associated actions were not recreated when the action was remapped again.
* Terrain edge peeks through entrance tunnel at several burrow dens.
* Sometimes damage sound effects don't play when they should.
* Pups don't close their eyes when they sleep or howl.
* White edge on right eye of Tawny wolf coat.
* Low texture quality selected incorrectly on higher graphics quality levels in Amethyst map.
* Massive lag spikes in certain, probably not too common, situations that make the game unplayable.
* Error when saving game (possible fix).
* Elk meat chunk has wrong scent color.
* Terrain and water issues.