Hello, Travellers! Hope you’re all doing well.
We’re ready to present another development update for Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon! It’s been a while, though we believe our content showcase will compensate for the wait. But before that, let’s begin with some huge news! Starting from this dev update, we’ve partnered with one of the most well-known YouTube gaming creators, WolfheartFPS, to help us prepare a video overview for each update until the game leaves early access in the next year! If all goes to plan, those will be released monthly, along with the Steam update posts. His videos will contain exclusive behind-the-scenes, never-before-shown content. That also includes heavily work-in-progress stuff that is subject to change. Wolfheart’s a pro, and he’s done a great job showcasing new additions and tweaks, so just grab yourself a drink and enjoy watching! [previewyoutube=m6MUqV4ZXJk;full][/previewyoutube] And for the written text enjoyers, below’s the update done in the old-school way. Internally, we’re now in the 0.8 beta phase of the game, and it goes without saying that the game has changed DRASTICALLY, which nearly 500 playtesters have already witnessed during closed tests. The first bits of feedback we collected were very positive, and while there’s still tons of work to be done, it seems we’re headed in the right direction!
Based on your feedback and our analytics, we wanted to address the most important matters. As a result, tons—and we’re not exaggerating—tons of stuff have changed, so not to write a novel-long, let us just point out everything we’ve been working on.
By way of clarification, we’d like to point out that version 0.7 (Quanacht Rebellion) was the last Early Access patch, and the next update will be the full-fledged release: version 1.0. The monthly updates serve as progress reports on the game's development. Additionally, version 0.8 (the one described in this development update) is available only for closed beta testers, who are diligently helping us improve the game with every iteration. However, it will not be publicly available.
1. Game rebalancing and progression improvements
TLDR: We’ve overhauled nearly every aspect of gameplay, focusing on making the progression, and the overall experience, more rewarding and fairer. [olist]
2. Magic revamp
TLDR: Magic has been completely reimagined for smoother, more dynamic gameplay. Casting spells should also feel more “snappy” and just more fun.- Casting system: Spells now offer light and heavy casting options, doubling their tactical use.
- Mana efficiency: Simply put, you can cast more spells per mana bar.
- New spells: 14 rebuilt or entirely new spells are now available, with more on the way.
- Summoning temporarily removed: Summon-related issues have been among the most frequently reported. We’re working to resolve AI issues before reintroducing this feature.
3. Quest and story enhancements
TLDR: We’ve made major narrative adjustments and introduced new quests, as well as other open-world content.- Main storyline: King Arthur has always been the highlight of the game, woven into the lore. Right in the prologue, you’ll now learn from the Once and Future King himself that he is your *SPOILER*. This allows the main storyline to have better pacing and be more flexible/less linear.
- New side quests: Around 15 new side quests in the Horns of the South, alongside extensive updates to already-existing quests, including new interactions or dependencies, and bugfixes. Just a few of the new missions will be your typical fetch quests, but let’s be honest: we all need a breather sometimes.
- Guilds: Yes, they’ve arrived: the Children of Morrigan (thieves, murderers, bad guys in general), Alchemists, and Stonewardens (tribal blacksmiths). Completing each guild’s storyline will reward you with unique abilities, grant some lore insights, and unlock alternate endings to the main story. Also, more guilds coming soon™.
- Expanded world: 10 new dungeons, redesigned zones (the Keep, Prologue, and Jail), and interiors for all houses.
- Romance: To the “Romance when?” guy who asks the question under every update post, here’s our response: romance now! A new storyline for Alisa is being made, and she can become your partner as a result.
4. Wyrdnight overhaul
Nighttime gameplay received significant changes.- New enemy: The Wyrdstalker is a new terrifying presence during Wyrdnight. Still a work in progress, but in his final version, he’ll be slowly walking towards you, constantly, during the night. Think of him as a literal stalker.
- Ethereal Cobweb: We’re changing its properties, and it’s slowly becoming a more integral gameplay element, with future crafting applications planned.
5. Crafting improvements
Crafting is now more intuitive and flexible.- Crafting logic & UI: As non-precise as it sounds, crafting’s been changed so that it… well... makes more sense now. Also, this system’s UI has been rebuilt for clarity and intuitiveness.
- Streamlined crafting: Players can now craft anywhere using a Grindstone, without having to talk to the Blacksmith.
- Enemy-themed armors: Unlock new gear by completing special quests given by the blacksmith in the Horns of the South. This will become a general theme for all blacksmiths in the game.
6. Combat, gear & enemies
Here’s what’s new on the battlefield:- New enemies: Over 10 new enemy types and revamped bosses, including a completely rebuilt Mistbearer fight.
- Gear: Over 50 new armor pieces, more than 10 weapon models, and at least 10 new variants of the currently existing ones to collect.
- Duels: This allows to engage in NPC duel-type combat without triggering crimes and other bad consequences. Future updates will expand this further, allowing for proper fight clubs.
7. Additional features
We’ve introduced several other, miscellaneous gameplay elements:- Farming: Long-awaited and ever-wanted, it’s finally in the game. Clean up your gardening tools!
- Sketching: Our unique photo mode; lets you create beautiful sketches of the game world.
- Fog of war: Maps now hide the yet-unexplored areas for a more immersive experience and fewer spoilers.
- Accessibility improvements: Better color coding, UI adjustments, and toggles for enhanced visibility and customization.
- General: All houses in Horns of the South now have interiors, NPCs follow a proper day-night cycle, Wyrdnight arrives later, and numerous other small QoL features.
- Heavy work-in-progress stuff: Crimes and sneaking mechanics still need great attention. So does the VFX optimization, especially when players are casting lots of spells.
