I’d like to share a new update. Unlike my regular ones, which happen almost daily, this time I decided to spend more time and focus on a more solid content update. This release represents about 3–4 weeks of work.
Please don’t expect anything extremely large, but I really hope you’ll enjoy it.
So, what’s new?
The biggest change is the first pass on the opening sequence. You’ll now see a bit of the backstory—what’s happening in the world and how your character ended up in the middle of a trench with no memory of his past. These cinematics are still work-in-progress and contain many placeholders, but I hope they already help create a stronger impression of the dark world of Verden.
Spoiler alert:
Other updates include many new equipment pieces and weapon modules scattered across the map, some new areas to explore, and general polishing of existing locations. You’ll also encounter a few new NPCs along the way.
One more thing that has been reworked is melee hit detection. Melee attacks now trace along the full swing path and can register multiple hits instead of relying on a single forward check, making combat feel more predictable and consistent.
On the gameplay side, revolvers (yes, we finally have one) and shotguns now reload per individual shell. Grenade damage has been reworked, enemy AI received another pass, and a new test enemy class has been added. There are also many small tweaks and balance adjustments.
On the performance side, the water system has been completely reworked, NPC loading logic improved, and overall optimization polished.
Finally, an important update for supporters: one of the most requested cosmetic packs is ready—the CULTIST shotgun. As a small bonus, it also includes a unique helmet item. More content is on the way.
I hope you enjoy this update. As always, feel free to ask questions or share feedback—I read all your messages. You can reach me on Discord, via the website (trenchtales.com), or here on Steam.
Thank you so much for your support.
One important note: if you’ve already played the game and choose to continue instead of starting a new game, after the cinematic you should still have your character with all unlocked equipment. However, you might be missing two weapon classes — pistol and carbine — since these are now picked up during the early game events. To fix this, find the nearest Church member, and you’ll be able to get your weapons back free of Ash.