Update 10: The Grand Design Part 1

This is Part 1 of our Grand Design Update. We decided not only did our game need improved visuals, but it needed lots of gameplay changes, the following patch notes are structured differently than our usual patch notes. We wanted to provide more insight into the decisions we made. There are a lot more changes than the ones listed.

This update went through a lot of iterations. Some highlights are that we reworked every artifact in the game, doubled enemy counts, cut their health in half, and reduced their speed.

Some insight on our short-term plans, we plan on working on build diversity, balancing, performance, UI Polish, and QoL.

You can always give feedback to us directly on the Steam forums or at our discord

Major Changes

• Removed Curses
  Dev Note: Curses were not fun at all, and removing them was the best option.
• Debuff Tag is now the Slow Tag and reworked how Slows
  Dev Note: Debuff Tag was just a slow enemies tag, so this helps with clarity.
• Properties are no longer gained every 6 levels but are added to the normal artifact pool
  Dev Note: We felt this limited builds too much
• Reworked Boons
  Dev Note: Boons didn’t feel good as implemented, it was an artifact you obtained from a map objective, so we reworked them and other existing map objectives
• Consolidated many artifacts together
  Dev Note: Let’s be honest, so many artifacts we just trash, so we are focusing on having more interesting artifacts, also there was quite a bit of artifacts with negative downsides that didn’t enhance any kind of build, so those negative effects were removed.
• Implemented a new system for bosses and enemies increasing the total amount of 20 and adding a 5th boss.
  Dev Note: This new system is in its early stages, but with the changes to enemy art and how we handle enemies this will increase the enemy variety, especially as the system becomes more developed
• Removed Abilities and ability power artifacts
  Dev Note: Abilities went through many design changes throughout development, and they were not hitting the mark, often the effects were not noticed, so we took the effects we liked and turned those into artifacts.
• Updated map graphics
  Dev Note: The maps needed some visual improvements, and we have more planned!

Performance

• Improved performance issues from spawning enemies
• Improved performance issues from dashing
• Improved performance issues when collecting souls
• Improved performance issues caused by the environment

Gun Balance

• All Guns: Critical Damage 75% -> 50%
• Cathilan’s Repeater: Critical Chance 1% -> 5%
• Cathilan’s Repeater: Range 125 -> 110
• Goruk’s Doorbell: Damage 6 -> 8
• Goruk’s Doorbell: Critical Chance 1% -> 5%
• Dretch Bane: Critical Chance 1% -> 0%
• Dretch Bane: Damage 5 -> 7
• Dretch Bane: Fire Rate 360 RPM -> 400 RPM
• Adiras Wrath Fire Rate: 96 RPM -> 120 RPM
• Adiras’ Wrath: Critical Chance 1% -> 10%
• Orik’s Flightline: Critical Chance 1% -> 0%
• Orik’s Flightline: Fire Rate 420 -> 480 RPM
• Harrath's Peace: Critical Chance 1% -> 5%
• Madrugar: Critical Chance 1% -> 0%
• Madrugar: Fire Rate 500 RPM -> 600 RPM
• Borrilis Blaster: Critical Chance 1% -> 0%
• Shrike: Critical Chance 1% -> 5%
• Brog’s Motivator: Damage 15 -> 16
• Brog’s Motivator: Critical Damage 1.75 -> 2

Soul Balance

• Trinket Master: Trinket Chance 3% -> 5%
• Eldritch Soul: Pickup Range 25% -> 20%

Rune Balance

• Edge Runner: +1 Damage Taken -> 20% Speed
• Edge Runner: Damage 50% -> 40%
• Removed Deck Builder, and moved its effect to an artifact

Dev Note: I used this Rune every single run, and I believe that runes should vary depending on what build you want to do, so having a Rune that is something that you always felt you had to grab is not something that I liked.

Artifact Balance

• Moved various artifacts to different decks
• Converter Artifacts are no longer considered harmonies

Gameplay Balance

• Zoomed camera in by 10%
  Dev Note: After spending hours playing with and testing out a more zoomed-in camera, I believe it is a net improvement to the game in every way.
• Damage Taken Knockback Strength: 800% -> 1200%
• Starting Pickup Range: 80 -> 75
• Starting Dash Speed: 4 -> 5
• Dash Charge Cap 15 -> 12
• Base Trinket Quality: 0.01% -> 0.001%
• Tribulations no longer scale enemy density higher, since the base enemy density is now higher
• Ichor Flask Drop Chance Cap: 100% -> 80%
• Trinket Drop Chance Cap: 100% -> 30%
• Meta Progression: Health 5 -> 50%
• Meta Progression: Speed 5 -> 25%

Fixed

• Zho-Ikmet’s Sagacity not being considered a Harmony
• Fixed Aetheric Gloves giving more than intended Pickup Range
• Fixed Critical Damage scaling harder than it should
• Fixed enemy blasts counting as player blasts in some cases
• Fixed enemy knockback resistances not working as intended
• Fixed y-sorting on sprites not working