The Waylanders - Game Experience Update Available
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Following several months of radio silence, Gato Salvaje Studio brings us a new early access update for their time-travel RPG The Waylanders. Apart from listing a bunch of newly added features and miscellaneous improvements, the update shares a new roadmap that now lists Fall 2021 as the game's release window.
Here are the text parts:
Hi everyone! Apologies for the lack of recent updates. We’ve been working hard to add some new asked-for features and behind-the-scenes bug fixes, as well as planning out updates you’ll be seeing over the course of the Summer.
Full Controller Support
We’ve added full controller support to The Waylanders! You can now enjoy The Waylanders using your favorite (PC compatible) controller from start to finish. The full control list is available in the options menu and should show when you turn on your controller.
You can switch between the keyboard and the controller at any time, even during play. Just press any key or button on your device and it will be detected as the default. In addition, we have designed an interface for keyboards and another for controllers, so the game will adapt to the device you use.
New Difficulty Levels
We want all kinds of players to be able to enjoy The Waylanders. With that in mind, we have added 5 difficulty levels to accommodate everyone from those who want to enjoy a relaxed experience focused on the story, to those who like extreme challenges. From now on, you can select a difficulty that best suits your taste.
PEASANT - An easy experience allowing narrative adventurers to enjoy the story and art in The Waylanders. Your party won't die in combat.
PILGRIM - Minimal challenge for experienced RPG players. Damage dealt by enemies is reduced. Improved health recovery after battle.
EXPLORER - The most balanced challenge for most players. Normal levels of health recovery and stats. Normal enemy damage.
WAYLANDER -The authentic experience of The Waylanders! Damage from enemies is augmented. No health recovery after battle.
NIGHTMARE - Think you’re a Hero? We'll see! This mode has augmented damage from enemies, no health recovery after battles and defeat will erase all saved games in the profile!
Important: Keep in mind the difficulty selection screen is only available in english. Other translations will be added in future updates.
Is the game too easy for you? Is there a fight that you can't get over and you are stuck? Don't worry, you can change the difficulty in the options menu.
Bark System
We've added the Bark System, to give the world of The Waylanders greater richness and depth. Now, virtually every NPC in the game has their own dialogues which will appear overhead. In addition, each NPC now has their own name and physical appearance.
This provides a greater level of immersion for your adventure. Some NPCs will tell you about where you are, others will give you some tips or share comments about what is happening in the story. In future updates we plan to have some of these newly named NPCs grant small side quests.
Important: Keep in mind the bark system is only available in english. Other translations will be added in future updates.
Combat Improvements
Improved Ability Queue
The Ability Queue has been improved and is now more intuitive.
Abilities depend on two factors to be able to cast: the cooldown time and the ‘resource’. By default, if a character cannot use an ability, they will perform basic attacks until they can use it.
You can now configure this in the options menu. There you can choose if your party will wait for the ability to cool down and / or to obtain enough resources, or if you prefer, they will cancel that ability and use the next one that you have assigned to the ability queue.
Numerical changes in the combat system
We've made changes to the numbers behind The Waylanders combat system, especially when it comes to damage dealt and ability cooldowns. The result is a more balanced combat experience than in previous versions.
UI Improvements
More intuitive AI management
Many players have reported that the AI management system was not intuitive. We have changed the icons for more descriptive ones that indicate the behavior of the character:
PASSIVE - You have full control over this character. The AI is deactivated and will not perform more combat actions than you order.
AVERAGE - The character will actively search for enemies to fight, but will only use basic attacks. They will only use special attacks, abilities or consumables when you order it.
AGGRESSIVE - The character will actively search for enemies to fight and use special attacks, abilities, and items automatically.
Better positioning of the information window in Tactical Pause
Information about enemies and characters during Tactical Pause has been placed in a more comfortable position. Now you can quickly consult essential information (enemy type, health, etc.), without losing sight of the battlefield.
More info about status effects
We have added more detailed information about each and every one of the game effects in The Waylanders. Consult the Codex to learn more.
Better highlight for targets in combat
The enemy you target will now be highlighted in a more intense way than other opponents. You will now more clearly see which enemy your character is attacking, reducing the feeling of chaos when there are too many enemies in combat.
Updates and improvements in help texts from the Codex
We have revised and corrected some help texts in the Codex. Now the essential information of the game is easier to assimilate.
Lighting improvements
We have made lighting improvements to multiple scenarios and cutscenes.
What’s next?
Development during Covid has been very challenging, an issue many indie developers have been experiencing over the past year. We’ve had to revamp many of our processes and change up how we work with people outside of the studio, such as our voice actors. We’ve solved many of these challenges and we feel confident that RPG fans will see the full version of The Waylanders released this Fall.
We have more to add to The Waylanders in coming updates including new pets for the Ranger class AND (what many of you have been waiting for) ROMANCES! Check out the new roadmap for more information[...]
