Wildixir v0.8.31 — visual improvements, clearer combat and controller fixes

Hey everyone,

The Wildixir demo has had a busy day! Today’s updates include quite a few visual improvements, clearer event instructions, and some fixes inspired by your feedback. Everything below is included in the latest demo build, v0.8.31.

Characters and forest events

• Iva’s artwork has been refined, including her hands, staff grip, potion flask and satchel.
• Chests have a more detailed design. Once looted, they no longer keep glowing as though there’s still a reward inside.
• The wandering wisp is larger and easier to spot. A trail of softly glowing turquoise particles now leads towards its destination, replacing the straight line and yellow circles.
• The flower event and several other forest-event objects have received a visual touch-up.
• Floating labels now blend into the forest more naturally, without the solid black rectangles behind them.

Clearer combat

• Player, elite and boss health displays have been improved. Elite names and health bars now stay in front of creatures and scenery, with extra space above their heads so antlers don’t cover them.
• Dash recharge is now visible just below your character’s health bar. The indicator turns gold when your dash is ready, with a brief cue when it finishes recharging.
• Temporary invulnerability now uses a soft glow around your character’s silhouette instead of the blue circle.
• Fire-ring visuals have been tidied up, with the flames pointing inward from the edge.
• Feeding roots have clearer markers and health displays, making it easier to find what’s protecting the boss.

Elite health — BEFORE

Elite health — AFTER

Dash readiness beside your character

Menus and event fixes

• Controller navigation now starts on the main action or the first item instead of automatically selecting Back. The recipe book also opens at the beginning.
• Switching difficulty or trial selections no longer makes the setup screen jump and lose your scroll position.
• After you pick up the broken retort, the instructions now tell you to deliver it. Its reward screen also has a proper retort icon instead of the two overlapping circles.

For those looking for more of a challenge

There’s now an optional higher difficulty setting: roughly 20% more regular enemies, 10% faster enemy movement, and more frequent elites, with a limit of three active at once. Trap timings and warnings stay the same, and this setting doesn’t add a seed bonus.

I’ve also been working on the full game: Mora and Rowan have cleaner hands and weapon grips, Rowan’s head and sickle have been refined, and Wild Hunt now has 40% faster enemies and 40% more frequent waves. Mora, Rowan and the trials remain part of the full game; the demo still features Iva in the Enchanted Forest.

Character artwork — BEFORE / AFTER
Iva is playable in the demo. Mora and Rowan are part of the full game.

Thanks for spending time with Wildixir and telling me what feels awkward or unclear. Some of today’s fixes came directly from those observations, and I really appreciate it.

The free demo is available now on Steam. If you already have it installed, let Steam grab the latest update before your next run.

Let me know how it feels!

Alexframe