Swordhaven: Iron Conspiracy — Fantasy RPG from ATOM devs

[MrTwinkls]

I just found out that AtomRPG devs used mugshots for some of the ingame FMC portraits. Apparently one of them was even briefly famous ten years ago.

► Show Spoiler

What about portraits in Swordhaven? Are they cool or generic?

[rusty_shackleford]

What about portraits in Swordhaven? Are they cool or generic?

One of them is definitely a painted over Riker from TNG. I'm guessing most of them probably went under my radar due to cultural differences or obscurity.

[Decline]

As long as they don't self-**** it will be great

well they stopped posting news on their VK page back in 2022, changed Russian flag on their site to the ****** white-blue-white one, and already stated that this game will only have one language (English), and others will be added depending on how many times it was wishlisted.

Gamedevs not trying to be treasonous fifth-columnists for five minutes getting entangled into political squabbles they understand nothing about instead of just making games challenge rating:

[rusty_shackleford]

As long as they don't self-**** it will be great

well they stopped posting news on their VK page back in 2022, changed Russian flag on their site to the ****** white-blue-white one, and already stated that this game will only have one language (English), and others will be added depending on how many times it was wishlisted.

Gamedevs not trying to be treasonous fifth-columnists for five minutes getting entangled into political squabbles they understand nothing about instead of just making games challenge rating:

They're ukrainians you dip

If anything, they've been far more silent on the invasion issue than devs that aren't even remotely from ukraine/eastern yurop

[Decline]

well they stopped posting news on their VK page back in 2022, changed Russian flag on their site to the ****** white-blue-white one, and already stated that this game will only have one language (English), and others will be added depending on how many times it was wishlisted.

Gamedevs not trying to be treasonous fifth-columnists for five minutes getting entangled into political squabbles they understand nothing about instead of just making games challenge rating:

They're ukrainians you dip

Is this supposed to be a counterpoint to what I just said?

[rusty_shackleford]

Is this supposed to be a counterpoint to what I just said?

yes

[Decline]

Is this supposed to be a counterpoint to what I just said?

yes

[MrTwinkls]

well they stopped posting news on their VK page back in 2022, changed Russian flag on their site to the ****** white-blue-white one, and already stated that this game will only have one language (English), and others will be added depending on how many times it was wishlisted.

Gamedevs not trying to be treasonous fifth-columnists for five minutes getting entangled into political squabbles they understand nothing about instead of just making games challenge rating:

They're ukrainians you dip

If anything, they've been far more silent on the invasion issue than devs that aren't even remotely from ukraine/eastern yurop

Can confirm.
All they did was posting antiwar (not anti Russian mind you) statement and that's it. Flags on website were fixed very quickly (probably was done by some aggrieved person, like many other software by devs with hohols on team).
Even absence of Russian language in Swordhaven is based on steam wishlists by regions. It's just another case of crowd mentality and unlucky witch hunting in my opinion.

[Decline]

Can confirm.
All they did was posting antiwar (not anti Russian mind you) statement and that's it. Flags on website were fixed very quickly (probably was done by some aggrieved person, like many other software by devs with hohols on team).
Even absence of Russian language in Swordhaven is based on steam wishlists by regions. It's just another case of crowd mentality and unlucky witch hunting in my opinion.

Thanks for the clarification not-rusty, I will now take a closer look at this game.

[1998]

First big update planned for end February, including new locations outside Swordhaven.

Announcement: February Update

Greetings, friends!

We hate to keep you waiting for any longer, so here is a post announcing the first big update for Swordhaven, planned to release around the end of February.

In short, most of our work this month and the next revolves around the suggestions you've provided to us on Steam, Discord and other platforms.

Now, let's discuss them in detail. Please note that even if you don't see your suggestion in the list below, it doesn't mean it was ignored. To keep this post (somewhat) concise, we're only mentioning the things we are currently working on, not everything that is planned.



1. Game Balance and Weapon Techniques:

Weapons, from the initial ones you start with to craftable and higher-tier weapons found throughout the world, have received a significant overhaul.

Now weapons in each tier are more in line with one another, hopefully fixing the issue of one weapon choice being more viable than the other, as happened with Martial Arts in the current version.



The planned rebalance aligns much more closely with how our team envisions this battle system. Halberds hit hard but can only strike once per turn, while knives are the quickest, albeit weakest, hitters, boosted by their bleeding potential. Staves and mauls offer a variety of defensive fighting options, while two-handed swords provide the highest offensive potential. Sword-and-shield users excel at tanking, and axes trade off some defense for increased damage. Clubs may not inflict as much damage as some other weapons, but they can completely demolish armoured foes. Spears fall somewhere in between, and martial arts provide either a highly mobile or high-damage-dealing style, allowing for various combinations to accommodate a wide range of builds.

Ranged weapons will also receive a lot of care, making the hassle of always requiring ammo worth it, through improved damage potentials and range.



Craftable weapons, shields, armours and items you have previously witnessed in a rather undercooked state are now also balanced out, making crafting much more viable, and the interface changes should make the process smooth.

To highlight each weapon type's strengths and weaknesses we have revamped some techniques, keeping usefulness and damage potential in combat as our highest priority.

As we mentioned once before, now, just like you asked, all skills will feature a default 100% chance to hit against an enemy with 0% resistance, so you will only have to worry about one to hit dice roll instead of two when performing a weapon technique.



Some weapon techniques have switched places. For example, the valuable but damage-less debuff skill for halberds, Bannerman's Cry, will be moved to an earlier tier, where it will be much more viable.

We will also be opening the fourth Technique skill, since now most players will be able to reach a level where they will be able to get those, thanks to the new content.

Shields have also been revamped for the upcoming update. With new, higher blocking chance percentages and Stamina debuffs, they will now represent a trade-off between defense and mobility.

Same can be said for armours and jackets, which were rebalanced. Both of them will provide their own unique bonuses and will feature their own flaws.

Healing will also receive an upgrade based on your suggestions. Now, the amount you heal operates on a spectrum, with both maximum and minimum amounts influenced by your skill. This change allows for events like critical success in healing.

Additionally, you won't need to worry about the destruction of your mortar and pestle while crafting, as all crafting tools will have a set number of uses. They are generous but finite, so at some point, you will need to purchase a replacement.

Potions and poisons are still somewhat more WIP than other craftables, but these will also get some tweaks and new additions.

The way information about current buff or debuff effects and resistances will now become way more elegant thanks to our 2D artist.

There is still a lot of testing to be done, but the update's battle system can be considered semi-final. We hope it will leave a good impression, and we look forward to your feedback!



2. New Locations:

We will be adding the first legendary weapon master to the game, and his secluded woodland hermitage is just one of the several locations we have in mind.

You will finally get to visit the outskirts of Swordhaven—two major locations that are home to a tavern, numerous market stalls, an ore foundry, and of course, a blooming conflict that your character will have the opportunity to resolve or exacerbate.



One of the first planned dungeons is currently in the works, featuring a vast cave system and—well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?

In the new part of the country you will get to fight feather-beasts, evil snapping turtles, and a larger variety of human enemies with new tactics and more complex AI behaviour patterns such as proper patrolling of areas, calling for help, and more.
All that on an expanded pool of new random maps.



3. Tweaks and QOL Improvements:

We're planning to add such features as better inventory sorting buttons and NPC name highlighting. We are also working on optimization-related tasks which will ease up on the CPU power consumption, give out more FPS, and reduce load times.

The locations that you can see in the current version of the game are also planned to receive some attention before the update hits. We are working on a range of improvements, including visual upgrades for villages and dungeons, adjustments to loot spots, the addition of new enemy encounters on the maps, and the expansion of some NPC dialogues.



4. Conclusion:

It goes without saying, that the update will fix a numerous amount of bugs, but to keep this post a bit shorter, we will save a complete report on those for the appropriate future patch note.

In conclusion we would like to thank you again for your great contribution to the development process. Nothing beats creating something side by side with fellow lovers of the genre! We hope you are stoked for the update! We sure are

[Rand]

I don't like karate ******** in my medieval fantasy.
I especially don't like it when it is portrayed as "high damage".
It is not. It is a last resort for the unarmed.
In the real orient, you got yourself a weapon if you could. And most traditions trained with common weapons at minimum.
Because weapons are levers and wedges. Simple machines that multiply your strength tremendously.
Peasants were disarmed usually and had to make do with sticks and rocks and fists, but they are in virtually every way inferior to a decent weapon, which is why they were legally disarmed.

[rusty_shackleford]

sadly, monks have become (unfortunately) a staple of D&D, much to Gygax's regret

[maidenhaver]

I don't like karate ******** in my medieval fantasy.
I especially don't like it when it is portrayed as "high damage".
It is not. It is a last resort for the unarmed.
In the real orient, you got yourself a weapon if you could. And most traditions trained with common weapons at minimum.
Because weapons are levers and wedges. Simple machines that multiply your strength tremendously.
Peasants were disarmed usually and had to make do with sticks and rocks and fists, but they are in virtually every way inferior to a decent weapon, which is why they were legally disarmed.

They never present that side, because nobody wants to draw attention to a long history of repressive, oriental governments and brigandage over a defenseless population.

[Rand]

As we mentioned once before, now, just like you asked, all skills will feature a default 100% chance to hit against an enemy with 0% resistance, so you will only have to worry about one to hit dice roll instead of two when performing a weapon technique.

@rusty_shackleford or whoever.
What are they referring to here?

[rusty_shackleford]

As we mentioned once before, now, just like you asked, all skills will feature a default 100% chance to hit against an enemy with 0% resistance, so you will only have to worry about one to hit dice roll instead of two when performing a weapon technique.

@rusty_shackleford or whoever.
What are they referring to here?

might be this
viewtopic.php?p=178598-swordhaven-iron- ... vs#p178598

[Rand]

Update out:


There's lots more in the post.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app ... 8463562328

[rusty_shackleford]

those statues look like penises

[Classix]

Naaaah... it's probably just some unbloomed flower like this is a tree lol.......

► Show Spoiler

tree_mmhmmright.png

[rusty_shackleford]

In-game they look a bit less like penises, but …they still look like penises.

[Kain]

First big update planned for end February, including new locations outside Swordhaven.

Announcement: February Update

Greetings, friends!

We hate to keep you waiting for any longer, so here is a post announcing the first big update for Swordhaven, planned to release around the end of February.

In short, most of our work this month and the next revolves around the suggestions you've provided to us on Steam, Discord and other platforms.

Now, let's discuss them in detail. Please note that even if you don't see your suggestion in the list below, it doesn't mean it was ignored. To keep this post (somewhat) concise, we're only mentioning the things we are currently working on, not everything that is planned.



1. Game Balance and Weapon Techniques:

Weapons, from the initial ones you start with to craftable and higher-tier weapons found throughout the world, have received a significant overhaul.

Now weapons in each tier are more in line with one another, hopefully fixing the issue of one weapon choice being more viable than the other, as happened with Martial Arts in the current version.



The planned rebalance aligns much more closely with how our team envisions this battle system. Halberds hit hard but can only strike once per turn, while knives are the quickest, albeit weakest, hitters, boosted by their bleeding potential. Staves and mauls offer a variety of defensive fighting options, while two-handed swords provide the highest offensive potential. Sword-and-shield users excel at tanking, and axes trade off some defense for increased damage. Clubs may not inflict as much damage as some other weapons, but they can completely demolish armoured foes. Spears fall somewhere in between, and martial arts provide either a highly mobile or high-damage-dealing style, allowing for various combinations to accommodate a wide range of builds.

Ranged weapons will also receive a lot of care, making the hassle of always requiring ammo worth it, through improved damage potentials and range.



Craftable weapons, shields, armours and items you have previously witnessed in a rather undercooked state are now also balanced out, making crafting much more viable, and the interface changes should make the process smooth.

To highlight each weapon type's strengths and weaknesses we have revamped some techniques, keeping usefulness and damage potential in combat as our highest priority.

As we mentioned once before, now, just like you asked, all skills will feature a default 100% chance to hit against an enemy with 0% resistance, so you will only have to worry about one to hit dice roll instead of two when performing a weapon technique.



Some weapon techniques have switched places. For example, the valuable but damage-less debuff skill for halberds, Bannerman's Cry, will be moved to an earlier tier, where it will be much more viable.

We will also be opening the fourth Technique skill, since now most players will be able to reach a level where they will be able to get those, thanks to the new content.

Shields have also been revamped for the upcoming update. With new, higher blocking chance percentages and Stamina debuffs, they will now represent a trade-off between defense and mobility.

Same can be said for armours and jackets, which were rebalanced. Both of them will provide their own unique bonuses and will feature their own flaws.

Healing will also receive an upgrade based on your suggestions. Now, the amount you heal operates on a spectrum, with both maximum and minimum amounts influenced by your skill. This change allows for events like critical success in healing.

Additionally, you won't need to worry about the destruction of your mortar and pestle while crafting, as all crafting tools will have a set number of uses. They are generous but finite, so at some point, you will need to purchase a replacement.

Potions and poisons are still somewhat more WIP than other craftables, but these will also get some tweaks and new additions.

The way information about current buff or debuff effects and resistances will now become way more elegant thanks to our 2D artist.

There is still a lot of testing to be done, but the update's battle system can be considered semi-final. We hope it will leave a good impression, and we look forward to your feedback!



2. New Locations:

We will be adding the first legendary weapon master to the game, and his secluded woodland hermitage is just one of the several locations we have in mind.

You will finally get to visit the outskirts of Swordhaven—two major locations that are home to a tavern, numerous market stalls, an ore foundry, and of course, a blooming conflict that your character will have the opportunity to resolve or exacerbate.



One of the first planned dungeons is currently in the works, featuring a vast cave system and—well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?

In the new part of the country you will get to fight feather-beasts, evil snapping turtles, and a larger variety of human enemies with new tactics and more complex AI behaviour patterns such as proper patrolling of areas, calling for help, and more.
All that on an expanded pool of new random maps.



3. Tweaks and QOL Improvements:

We're planning to add such features as better inventory sorting buttons and NPC name highlighting. We are also working on optimization-related tasks which will ease up on the CPU power consumption, give out more FPS, and reduce load times.

The locations that you can see in the current version of the game are also planned to receive some attention before the update hits. We are working on a range of improvements, including visual upgrades for villages and dungeons, adjustments to loot spots, the addition of new enemy encounters on the maps, and the expansion of some NPC dialogues.



4. Conclusion:

It goes without saying, that the update will fix a numerous amount of bugs, but to keep this post a bit shorter, we will save a complete report on those for the appropriate future patch note.

In conclusion we would like to thank you again for your great contribution to the development process. Nothing beats creating something side by side with fellow lovers of the genre! We hope you are stoked for the update! We sure are

Wow, I'm surprised the character's portraits look so wholesome. Unlike the hideous shits that usually comes out of the West (like those from Owlcat). Beauty isn't death (yet).

[Ilovecheezecake]

Played it a bit. Its really good, even as a 0.4 build

[1998]

May update with new locations, looking good! Could have done without a massive sewer dungeon, but well...

Announcement: May Update



Greetings, friends!

The next content update for Swordhaven is scheduled for May, and we're not wasting any time working on it. Today, we'd like to share some information on what you can expect.







New locations

The upcoming update will feature several new locations, the most important of which are the Gate Quarter of Swordhaven and the Sewers—a sprawling dungeon filled with monsters, puzzles, treasures, and loopy loners who have found solace underground.

Several mini-bosses will also be added, not to mention a completely new monster type—a foul jelly beast that doesn't seem too strong... until you notice it can strip you of most of your armour points with its acidic spit attack!

Along with all this new content, we'll also introduce unique distinctions, new achievements, a pair of legendary weapons, fresh monster loot, and weapon techniques—one of which relies on a non-martial skill to work.



↓↓↓



Finishing touches on already existing locations

Smelters Row and the outskirts of Swordhaven, which were previously presented in their bare-bones form, will feature many more characters with quests and new skills to teach you. Some characters that were already present will now be included in these new quests.

All locations added in the last update will receive finalized minimaps, new interactable items, improved sounds, and animations we are currently developing.

Those of you who discovered the lively ghosts of Nova Drakonia will also be pleasantly surprised, for there is now another spectre added to the flock of restless spirits that roam both old and new locations.

Many of the portraits and item icons that weren't there before are currently being worked on. Some of these will be added in minor patches, so there's no need to wait for the full content update to see the portraits of boars and other critters that were previously faceless.





Quality of life features galore!

We always listen to your suggestions, and here are some we have been working on for the upcoming update:

• We are fine-tuning the sound quirks and enhancing the overall soundscape by adjusting footstep sounds based on distance and varying them according to the surface they're on;

• We are adding an improved TV mode;

• Those of you who prefer using a gamepad will find targeting and global map travel easier through a selector menu;

• The weapon mods now share an inventory;

• Crafting menu design is also in progress; it is now easier to see if you lack the skill for certain recipes, how many items you need, and so on;

• We are tweaking and enhancing the passive buffs you receive for reaching specific skill levels. For instance, maxing out your medicine skill now allows you to create two potions instead of just one.

Naturally, the list of additions also includes optimization improvements, bug fixes, typo corrections and much more.

We hope you are as excited for the big update as we are!

See you in the next post where we will announce the date.

Yours truly,
Atom Team

[1998]

New update, including "a semi-hidden romance path modded into her teammate dialogue". Sounds already very gay.




Greetings, friends!
Hope you're ready for love! Or, for finally being able to create fully integrable mods of any complexity. Or, if not that, for playing the game without the pesky issues our last patch introduced by mistake! Cuz this time, we've got a little something for everyone.
Patch v.0.5.1 fixes an array of problems you helped us discover after the last big update. It also greatly improves the existing ModKit infrastructure and adds an example mod featuring a fully functional companion for you to either bring along—or dissect to learn how the NPC creation node constructor system works. That’s something that'll help with any modding project you may have. We even threw in something we're still avoiding in the base game—a semi-hidden romance path modded into her teammate dialogue. We really hope you enjoy it. Now, onto the changelogs:


Changelog for Swordhaven v.0.5.1:
Fixed camera height inside Gate Quarter buildings;
Updated Old Quarter and Gate Quarter ambiance and step zones;
Added icons for some items;
Fixed teammate death bug on easy difficulty;
Fixed NPC and item duplication issues from the release patch (issue not present in v.0.5.0);
Fixed incorrect trigger activation;
Fixed doors in the sewer;
Fixed bugs with quest after payment (Wustus);
Killing Tomer now fails related quests;
Many distinctions now displayed as a list in the overview;
Fixed issues with some quests;
Fixed TAA mode bugs;
Added sound effects for traps and toxic sewer zones;
Fixed bugs in main quest progression with Bundza;
Improved crocodile boss cutscene sound effects;
Fixed character shaking after combat;
Shield now fades properly when fallen;
Fixed bug with money during trading;
Hunting disabled on Mysterious Mound;
Fixed various bugs with chests and inventory;
NPCs Aldar and Dobrel now appear correctly when starting a new game;
Updated and improved the Circus and Beast cutscene;
Updated map for Secluded Valley;
Fixed repeated quest encounters in beta for saves not overwritten after the bug appeared;
Removed extra scene when starting a new game;
Fixed worker animation;

Changelog for ModKit:
New location added to the world map near Clamreach;
New companion character Liris added;
Added new armour, weapons, and helmet;

[Tadeusz]

We even threw in something we're still avoiding in the base game—a semi-hidden romance path modded into her teammate dialogue.

I hope this is for the showcase only. It's interesting that they have modding capabilities long before release, don't remember any other instances of something like that.

[wndrbr]

The man with the most friends is the man with many cheeses!

[Roguey]

Typical "trad" slavic woman: unnatural-colored hair, lip piercing, old-looking dress, sneakers.

[Trickster]

I don't play games made by hohols (Euromaidan *******).

[rusty_shackleford]

Finally, a spiritual successor to Knyaz and Vseslav.

What's the top one?

[wndrbr]

@rusty_shackleford Vseslav the Sorcerer. Don't bother googling, it got stuck in development hell and was eventually cancelled.

[Acrux]

The game had it's 0.9.9 version release today, and I saw a comment from one of the devs that they plan to release the full version in about a week.