WolfQuest: Anniversary Edition News

This beta is available in the Steam Public Beta branch (see instructions below) for Windows computers only.

NOTE: Multiplayer IS compatible with the last released version, 1.0.8f, so you can play MP games with others who have 1.0.8f.

[h2]BETA 2 (26 January 2022)[/h2]

[h3]NEW:[/h3]
* Lost pups will sometimes howl back at the player, and if they do, their icon will appear on the compass briefly to help you find them.
* New volume sliders in Audio Settings for Nearby Howls and Animal Sounds.

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Elk weave back and forth less when being chased.
* Increased ambient occlusion during rain, snow, and nightime, to improve game visuals.
* In Wolf Customization, names that are too short (two characters or fewer) are now flagged as such.
* Reduced moose and mule dear health levels in spring and early summer, to match elk and be more realistic.
* Upon reaching rendezvous site, the spiral camera movement stops after awhile.
* On World Map, you can now edit the name of a custom marker without moving it to your current location.
* Added special alert if game cannot sync files to server because player is not logged into their OneDrive account.
* New method for loading terrain materials to reduce memory load (currently only in Amethyst).
* Tweaks to snow coverage on terrain.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Wolf bodies can get wonky if you enable Photo Mode and then orbit the camera around.
* Mate sometimes moves too fast in water when chasing prey.
* Prey charging attacks should now do damage properly, without allowing bulls to spam them.
* Mate is stuck holding pup on contours.
* After a certain sequence of events in multiplayer games, a player can get the wolf of another player in their carousel.
In multiplayer, problems ensue if a client disconnects before getting spawned into the game.
* Problems ensue if mate goes hunting when pups are responding to feeding by it.
* Pups don't sleep when player is away on an excursion.
* In Wolf Customization, wolf is facing away after a certain sequence of player actions.
* In Wolf Customization, wolves with inherited black variation coats can't be edited.
* Sow grizzly does not respect fur settings.
* Terrain issues.
* Typos.
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[h2]BETA 3 (27 January 2022)[/h2]

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Terrain in main menu sometimes changes to springtime when returning from Slough Creek game.
* No trees in main menu if game is set to Basic Sky & Vegetation when launched.
* In Slough Creek games, Endless Summer quest does not show on Quests panel.
* Multiplayer: Game progress stalls if host dies while Name Rendezvous Site or similar panels are displayed.
* Multiplayer: Sometimes notification incorrectly says that host has disconnected.
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[h2]BETA 4 (28 January 2022)[/h2]

[h3]NEW:[/h3]
* Regenerate Family Snapshot button added to Pack Info during the Journey to Slough Creek quest, in case player changes their mate's name.

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Mate is now more attentive to finding food when moderately hungry.
* Volume in Audio Settings has a more useful dropoff curve now (might need readjusting depending on your custom settings).
* Low FPS Alert should be more reliable now, much less likely to be triggered when FPS is good.
* On Account panel, new toggle to hide your email address (for streamers).
* Achievements layout adjusts better at lower resolutions.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* New Trial Mate music doesn't loop.

[h2]BETA 5 (30 January 2022)[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Moose get tired more quickly when fleeing.
* Late summer mule deer fawns do a bit more damage when kicking.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Pack Info layout has several extra columns.
* In Amethyst, the new Regenerate Family Snapshot confirmation alert refers to pups.
" In Load/Save Game panel, multiplayer games have Mate line even though there are no mates in MP games.
* In multiplayer games, some alerts like Revive don't respect the Hide HUD setting.
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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.

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Five more tags added for multiplayer games.

BUGS FIXED:
* NPC wolf response howls not reliably synced in multiplayer games.
* When near the edge of Slough Creek map, trees at opposite end of map don't render.
* Cougar whiskers are black, should be white.
* Text edits.

This beta is available in the Steam Public Beta branch (see instructions below) for Windows computers only.

NOTE: Multiplayer is NOT compatible with the last released version, 1.0.8c, so you can play MP games only with others who have the beta.

[h2]BETA 1[/h2]

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Five more tags added for multiplayer games.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* NPC wolf response howls not reliably synced in multiplayer games.
* When near the edge of Slough Creek map, trees at opposite end of map don't render.
* Cougar whiskers are black, should be white.
* Text edits.
____________________

TO GET THE BETA BUILD
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.

[h3]IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Prey animals expend more energy now when fighting wolves in standing defense, reducing the damage they deal with each kick.
* Alert about not being able to mark a carcass won't appear now if the carcass can't be eaten.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* In certain circumstances, mates do not respond to secondary howls.
* World Map homesite icons don't update when quest changes.
* World Map map marker delete button doesn't appear reliably.
* Occasionally music stops playing.
* Text errors.

[h3]NEW:[/h3]
* Dispersal and stranger wolves howl in response to player howls. Howl icon appears on compass to mark location of howling wolves if 50-2000m away from player-wolf. Dispersals will howl during Find a Mate and Find a New Mate quests. Stranger wolves will howl anytime (though not every time the player howls). They will also howl sometimes without provocation.
* Damage dealt by animals is now affected by their energy level: Prey animals with high energy can do more damage than before, but deal less damage as energy level decays.
[h3]
IMPROVEMENTS:[/h3]
* Mate now won't hunt bison or other big animals unless the player literally bites them, and even then they may not, if prey is excessively formidable.
* Mate will start following the player sooner, regardless of personality.
* Made mate less likely to attack calves instead of following player's lead.
* Ravens will come a bit closer to you when eating at a carcass
* Player can interrupt the Roll mote (after first 1.5 seconds of it).
* Dispersal wolves who are waiting for a fight to end will now sit down and rest while they wait.
* Elk slow down less when running through forest.
* Adjusted player-marker color on World Map to better contrast against red hexes.
* Refinements to mate's path when running with player-wolf.
* Mate and pup nametags are enabled by default in multiplayer games, and remember their previous state (on or off) when loading a saved game.
* On World Map, pack territories and percentage readouts remember their previous state (on or off) when loading a saved game.
* Made double-tap input timing a bit more forgiving.
* Shortened the minimum duration of long-tap (to pick up pups, meat chunks, etc.), trying to find the right breakpoint between short and long taps.
* In multiplayer games, notification buttons adjust between yellow clickable buttons and keyboard-input buttons if cursor is locked or unlocked while notification is displayed.
* In multiplayer, the AFK timer is reduced from 5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, and now officially-AFK players do not delay quest progression.
* On Wolf Customization, the Wolf Name input field flashes if player clicks on Save/Continue button before giving the wolf a name.
* Snowshoe hare summer coat is darker, more realistic.
* Refinements to distant animal ambient sounds.

[h3]BUGS FIXED:[/h3]
* Multiplayer achievements killing big prey can be earned even if you died during the fight.
* Multiplayer: Sometimes player wolf does not despawn properly, causing problems in Newborn Pups scene.
* SC multiplayer: Players get stuck if Find New Den subquest was active when Raise Pups quest ends.
* Chase music keeps playing after chase ends.
* In multiplayer, pressing X key to decline to submit bug report makes wolf howl.
* Mate gets closer than intended when coming to player after running, and comes too close after you stop.
* Pups can slip out of den when mate leaves home site to go to hunt with player.
* Predators can attack den in the brief window between the mate leaving and the pups reaching the den.
* Mate struggles to bite beavers.
* Mate runs in circles with a meat chunk.
* Mate keeps returning to carcass when sent home.
* Bull ungulates do no damage during charging attacks.
* Pups come to player over a long distance when traveling.
* Mate gets stuck when returning to player or returning to den.
* Beavers play running animation in slow-motion when walking.
* Wolves kick up snow dust when on terrain that doesn't have snow.
* Large pebbles float above ground along Hornaday Creek.
* Dispersal wolves are frozen if you start sleeping as you're just awakening while they're present.
* Mysterious creek sounds in one area of Amethyst during winter.
* Chorus frogs are not calling in Slough Creek meadows in spring and summer nights.
* Terrain and water issues.