WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition News

[h2]1.0.9h - Released 25 January 2023[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Many improvements to memory management, making the game more rigorous about clearing out excessive memory usage, especially when returning to main menu and then starting or loading another game, and during longer sessions, especially in Lost River. Players with good GPUs and 8 to 16 GB of RAM may see general performance improvements as well. Also greatly reduces chance of crashing on Steam Deck.
* During Raise Pups quest, icons on the World Map for abandoned dens are now darker.
* In Account: Friends panel, Unfriend button changed to Modify, with options to unfriend or block that player.
* Improved colliders at base of cliffs by BCE facility in Lost River.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Mate sometimes clips through cattle ranch fence.
* NPC wolves can get into trouble in silver mine.
* Multiplayer: Occasional the Whisper /w command fails.
* Multiplayer: In certain circumstances, when joining a game when players are at the Lost River cattle ranch, player-wolf is stuck in auto-run.
* If player-wolf is turned around at game world border and runs into a boulder while auto-running, they are stuck there, cannot move around it.
* In Lost River, at several dens the den scent glow is barely visible, or not at all visible.
* Player-wolf can get into cliffs around Baer Bluffs den. (Possible fix.)
* Tweaked color balance on 10M and Aidan coats.
* Controller: Can't choose Lost River in Saved Game filter list.
* When loading a save inside the silver mine, the mine interior model is still loading and so visibly pops into view.
* Player-wolf can get stuck in closed-off room in Merriweather house. (Possibly fixed.)
* On Basic Sky & Vegetation mode, lighting brightens when going into Photo Mode when indoors.
* Many minor water and terrain issues.

1.0.9h - PUBLIC BETA

NOTE: Game saves in this beta ARE compatible with the last patch (1.0.9g). Multiplayer is also compatible, so you can play with others who have 1.0.9g.


[h3]BETA 4[/h3]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Another tweak to 10M coat.
* Improved colliders at base of cliffs by BCE facility in Lost River

BUGS FIXED:
* Controller: Can't choose Lost River in Saved Game filter list.
* On low graphics quality, missing distant terrain tile in Amethyst.
_____________________________

[h3]BETA 3[/h3]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* More optimizations to memory management.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: Occasional the Whisper /w command fails.
* If player-wolf is turned around at game world border and runs into a boulder while auto-running, they are stuck there, cannot move around it.
* In Lost River, den scent glow is barely visible at a tree root den.
* Player-wolf can get into cliffs around Baer Bluffs den. (Possible fix.)
* Minor terrain issues.
_____________________________

[h3]BETA 2[/h3]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Many improvements to memory management, making the game more rigorous about clearing out excessive memory usage, especially when returning to main menu and then starting or loading another game, and during longer sessions, especially in Lost River. Players with good GPUs and 8 to 16 GB of RAM may see general performance improvements as well.
* During Raise Pups quest, icons on the World Map for abandoned dens are now darkened some.
* In Account: Friends panel, Unfriend button changed to Modify, with options to unfriend or block that player.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Mate sometimes clips through cattle ranch fence.
* NPC wolves can get into trouble in silver mine.
* When loading a save inside the silver mine, the mine interior model is still loading and so visibly pops into view.
* A few dens in Lost River don't glow, or barely glow, in scent view.
* Player-wolf can get stuck in closed-off room in Merriweather house. (Possibly fixed.)
* On Basic Sky & Vegetation mode, lighting brightens when going into Photo Mode when indoors.
* Many minor water and terrain issues.

_____________________________
[h2]
TO GET THE BETA BUILD[/h2]
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.

1.0.9g - Released 17 January 2023

[h3]NEW in LOST RIVER:[/h3]
* Lost Luck Silver Mine, in the Temple Rocks area, is now explorable. Start a new game to explore the mine -- in new games, there are two miner's lanterns outside the mine, be sure to pick one up before going inside.
* Miner achievement for reaching deepest point in Lost Luck mine.
* Three new dens.
* Six new rendezvous sites.
* Toggle in Game Settings: Gameplay to disable the Low FPS alert.

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Modest increase of odds of cougar attack on homesite.
* Gore dialog now appears after killing an animal with different gore options (had been appearing on snowshoe hare).
* Reduced brightness in scent view when snow is on the ground In non-winter seasons.
* Snow accumulated on animals now melts quickly when indoors.
* Collector's Cache achievement can now be earned in LR as well as SC, and the requirement in either is to have eight collectible objects at your den.
* When jumping to next year, your pack name is the default selection at the end of Establish Territory quest.
* Some reductions in memory usage when going from one game scene to another.
* Terrain and water refinements.
* In Lost River, more tall grass patches added in downtown area.

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS in LOST RIVER:[/h3]
* Improved NPC pathfinding around the boulders below cliffs.
* More tall grass patches added in downtown area.
* Added a few more days in Find Mate quest before winter season begins.
* Foam now appears around wolves in all LR water bodies, including hot springs. (Did not before due to new water shaders in LR.)
* New LR-specific set of suggested pack names when naming your pack.
* Numbering of wolves in Lost River rival packs now starts at higher numbers than one (in new games only).
* Reduced pitted/jagginess of deep snow surface around rocky areas.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: If host has already earned a multiplayer achievement, then players in that session won't earn it if unlocked. (Recent regression from another fix a few weeks ago.)
* In Photo Mode, the camera icon changes position based on HUD scaling.
* For multi-part achievements, Achievement Progress alert appears even after achievement has been unlocked.

[h3]BUGS FIXED in SLOUGH CREEK:[/h3]
* If it rains after snowfall, snow coverage is inconsistent between some terrain sections, creating odd lines.
* There are no bull elk in large elk herds in autumn.

[h3]BUGS FIXED in LOST RIVER:[/h3]
* Multiplayer: In Cattle Ranch area, several issues with player-wolf getting stuck against fence or running unstoppably.
* Multiplayer: In certain situations, cattle ranch fence break and deterrents are not synce correctly between host and other players.
* In winter, the scent glow on many dirt dens is blocked by the snow mound.
* Wolves float too high in the water in some creeks.
* Leaves blow around the player when indoors.
* Beavers carry branches when going away from water, instead of when returning to it.
* Dead dog airborne scents are not the X icon.
* Distant animal vocalizations aren't audible in some seasons.
* Error in German Shepherd dog might cause issues when it's traveling.
* When snow is present in main menu, the distant hills don't have snow.
* In certain circumstances, non-host players can change the name of the pack in multiplayer games.
* In certain locations, newborns can spawn outside of tall grass patches.
* When setting up a multiplayer game, if the game cannot connect to the selected region, the player is often unable to choose another region and try again.
* Wolf growl audio keeps playing if player chooses another emote during thethx growl.
* There are no bull elk in large elk herds in autumn.
* Rival pack scent post near the Blades is just outside the correct hex.
* Natural Landmarks achievement: Blades location should unlock during Endless Summer, but does not.
* In Early Spring, tree at densite in Monday Gulch is offset from den.
* Allison Acres houses don't load soon enough when entering that area from the hilltop.
* Various issues with dens and terrain.

The next patch, v1.0.9g, is now in public beta on Steam for Windows and MacOS. This has some things that we just couldn't quite get done for the Lost River DLC release last month, so we set them aside. These include three new dens and seven new rendezvous sites. We've also made the Lost Luck silver mine (in the Temple Rocks area) explorable -- but be sure to pick up a miner's lantern before venturing into the darkness! (These lanterns are only available in new games, not in existing saves.)

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

With Lost River released, we are now focusing on the WolfQuest Saga. Tommi has been working on a major overhaul of the AI system for many months -- as usual, that took longer than expected -- but we're ready to make good progress on the Saga and the Tower Fall DLC map now. In the Saga, your wolf family will continue on over the years, continuously, as pups grow up and new pups are born. Our video Where No WolfQuest Has Gone Before has more information about our plan for the Saga. Stay tuned for updates!

[h2]PUBLIC BETA for v1.0.9g[/h2]

[h3]BETA 13[/h3]

BUGS FIXED:
* Multiplayer: If host has already earned a multiplayer achievement, then players in that session won't earn it if unlocked. (Recent regression from another fix a few weeks ago.)
* Sometimes the ranch dog floats in air.
* Various issues with dens and terrain.
________________________________

[h3]BETA 12[/h3]

BUGS FIXED:
* In certain circumstances, the game freezes on a black screen after choosing a den in early spring.
* Lost River Natural Landmarks achievement: Blades location should unlock during Endless Summer, but does not.
________________________________

[h3]BETA 11[/h3]

BUGS FIXED:
* Low FPS Alert appears in main menu when it shouldn't.
* For multi-part achievements, Achievement Progress alert appears even after achievement has been unlocked.
* Lost River: New rock den in northwest area is black at night.
* In Early Spring, tree at densite in Monday Gulch is offset from den.
* Invisible obstacles at new rock den in northeast area.
* Allison Acres houses don't load soon enough when entering that area from the hilltop.
* Some issues with camera clipping and teleporting in silver mine (possibly fixed).
* Terrain issues.
________________________________


[h3]BETA 10[/h3]

NEW:
* Toggle in Game Settings: Gameplay to disable the Low FPS alert.

IMPROVEMENTS:
* Modest increase of odds of cougar attack on homesite.
* Gore dialog now appears after killing an animal with different gore options (had been appearing on snowshoe hare).

BUG FIXED in SLOUGH CREEK:
* If it rains after snowfall, snow coverage is inconsistent between some terrain sections, creating odd lines.

BUGS FIXED in LOST RIVER:
* Distant animal vocalizations aren't audible in some seasons.
* Error in German Shepherd dog might cause issues when it's traveling.
* Silver mine isn't pitch-black when shadows are completely disabled.
* Saving and reloading game when player-wolf is in one spot in silver mine results in wolf spawning underground.
* Multiplayer: In certain situations, cattle ranch fence break and deterrents are not syncec correctly between host and other players.
* Rival pack scent post near the Blades is just outside the correct hex.
* On one trail at Allison Acres, beavers carry sticks from water instead of to water.
* Minor terrain issues.
_________________

[h3]BETA 9[/h3]

NOTE: Game saves in this beta are NOT compatible with the last patch: any new games or newly-saved games will be broken if you switch back to 1.0.8e (but will work again once this patch is released). Multiplayer is also not backward-compatible: you can only play with others who have this beta.

NEW:
* Lost Luck Silver Mine is now explorable. Start a new game to explore the mine -- in new games, there are two miner's lanterns outside the mine, be sure to pick one up before going inside.
* Miner achievement for reaching deepest point in Lost Luck mine.
* Three new dens.
* Six new rendezvous sites.

IMPROVEMENTS:
* Improved NPC pathfinding around the boulders below cliffs.
* Reduced brightness in scent view when snow is on the ground In non-winter seasons.
* Added a few more days in Find Mate quest before winter season begins.
* Snow accumulated on animals now melts quickly when indoors.
* Collector's Cache achievement can now be earned in LR as well as SC, and the requirement in either is to have eight collectible objects at your den.
* When jumping to next year, your pack name is the default selection at the end of Establish Territory quest.
* Foam now appears around wolves in all LR water bodies, including hot springs. (Did not before due to new water shaders in LR.)
* In Lost River, there's now a new set of suggested pack names when naming your pack.
* Numbering of wolves in Lost River rival packs now starts at higher numbers than one.
* Some reductions in memory usage when going from one game scene to another.
* Reduced pitted/jagginess of deep snow surface around rocky areas.
* Terrain and water refinements.
* In Lost River, more tall grass patches added in downtown area.

BUGS FIXED:
* In Slough Creek and Lost River, there are no bull elk in large elk herds in autumn.
* When snow is present in main menu, the distant hills don't have snow.
* In certain circumstances, non-host players can change the name of the pack in multiplayer games.
* In certain locations, newborns can spawn outside of tall grass patches.
* When setting up a multiplayer game, if the game cannot connect to the selected region, the player is often unable to choose another region and try again.
* Wolf growl audio keeps playing if player chooses another emote during the growl.
* There are no bull elk in large elk herds in autumn, in Slough Creek and Lost River.

BUGS FIXED in LOST RIVER:
* In multiplayer games, several issues with player-wolf getting stuck against fence or unstoppably running in Cattle Ranch area.
* In winter, the scent glow on many dirt dens is blocked by the snow mound.
* Wolves float too high in the water in some creeks.
* Leaves blow around the player when indoors.
* Beavers carry branches when going away from water, instead of when returning to it.
* Dead dog airborne scents are not the X icon.
* Various minor terrain and water issues.

_____________________________
[h2]
TO GET THE BETA BUILD[/h2]
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.

BUG FIXED: Many species of animals don't spawn.