Helm or High Water

Jordan Hobgood

Released: Feb 17, 2022
Platforms
Last updated: 31 Aug 2025, 20:12 GMT

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4 posts

26 Jan 2025Developer post
Fort Assault and Arcade Update
If you've sunken all the foes in Hunt and breached the line in Blockade Runner, get ready for the next addition to Helm or High Water; Fort Assault! In Fort Assault, the only objective is to destroy the Fort, but it may not be as easy as it sounds! First, you'll have to sink the
If you've sunken all the foes in Hunt and breached the line in Blockade Runner, get ready for the next addition to Helm or High Water; Fort Assault!
In Fort Assault, the only objective is to destroy the Fort, but it may not be as easy as it sounds!
First, you'll have to sink the ships protecting it, making sure to stay out of the Fort's range. Then, the main challenge begins! Forts are formidable enemies with more cannons and more durability than you, but they cannot repair their stone walls.
Can you and your crew out-maneuver the giant and live to sail another day?
Balance adjustments have been made to Blockade Runner as well as many optimizations to the home island, crew npcs, and ships. I also began work on adding VR-to-VR, cooperative, multiplayer, but you'll have to wait for a future update to give that a try.
Additionally, this update includes some launch commands that will be useful to arcades and streamers that auto-play the tutorial and spawn some hand held camera objects, respectively.
See below for the full update notes.
Full Update Notes

New Game Mode: Fort Assault. Destroy the enemy fort and the ships protecting it! Forts have increased durability and firepower, but cannot repair
Began the backend work to add VR-to-VR, cooperative, multiplayer
MANY optimizations to both the home island, npcs, and ships should increase frame rates for most users
Balance adjustments have been made to the new Blockade Runner game mode
Added several launch option commands including...

-arcade offers the tutorial every time the game is launched
-streamer enables the hand held camera tools for capturing game footage and hides join UI
-nolocalcoop disallows local co-op player from joining and hides join UI
More small bug fixes and changes
Original post
14 May 2024Developer post
Singleplayer and Language Update
Full Update Notes Added Singleplayer support Crew Player can drop in and out at any time Singleplayer controls Anchor and Ammo type with objects near the Map Localized game into 9 new languages Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portugese, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and
Full Update Notes

Added Singleplayer support
Crew Player can drop in and out at any time
Singleplayer controls Anchor and Ammo type with objects near the Map
Localized game into 9 new languages
Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portugese, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese
New game mode: Blockade Runner
Deliver the cargo to the fort undamaged for the full reward
A blockade of ships and forts blocks your path
New enemy factions: English and Spanish Navy

New enemy type: Fort

New sounds for hull damage, cargo damage, stone impact, ship low hp, ship sinking, and cannon reloading

Upgraded Enemy AI now allocates crew members, utilizes all ammo types, and has better aim

Added playable Concertina object. Unlockable at Weaponsmith

Helm Enemy can now be killed to stop an enemy ship from manuvering for 30 seconds

Crew player input now auto switches between controller and keyboard input

Fixed multiple issues with boarding enemies' sword mechanics

Boarding enemies now spawn in groups of between 1 and 4

Tweaked ship smoke and sinking effects

Optimized performance

Many more small bug fixes and changes
Original post
24 Mar 2023Developer post
Audio and Oculus Support Update
Added a couple of small audio features and bug fixes as well as full support for Oculus family devices. If grabbed objects feel oriented wrong on your controllers toggle the setting in the options menu outside the player house. Full Update Notes NEW Doppler effect sounds for cann
Added a couple of small audio features and bug fixes as well as full support for Oculus family devices. If grabbed objects feel oriented wrong on your controllers toggle the setting in the options menu outside the player house.
Full Update Notes

NEW Doppler effect sounds for cannonballs
NEW Cannonball splash sounds
NEW Cannon fire sounds
NEW Sounds for items sockets
NEW Anchor rework, with sound
NEW Grab Pose options for Oculus controllers
FIX Teleport control binding for all thumbstick controllers
FIX Teleport beam no longer allows you to teleport into water
FIX Spyglass grab attach point
FIX Double pistol can no longer be spam fired
FIX Sockets should no longer occasionally fail to grab dropped objects
FIX Flicker on scene load for some headsets
FIX Contact sounds no longer play in the first 5 seconds
CHANGE Boarder enemy spawn change reduced from 100% to 50%
Original post
11 Aug 2022Developer post
Swordplay and Style Update
Prepare to be boarded! The Swordplay and Style Update brings several new mechanics to the game as well as 5 new maps. Sword enemies clinging to the ropes of their ship will jump aboard if you let them get close enough. Make sure you've stocked up on swords and guns from the weapo
Prepare to be boarded!
The Swordplay and Style Update brings several new mechanics to the game as well as 5 new maps.
Sword enemies clinging to the ropes of their ship will jump aboard if you let them get close enough. Make sure you've stocked up on swords and guns from the weaponsmith.
If you survive the encounter, ditch the sea soaked rags and dress to impress with coats, gloves, hats, eyepatches, earrings, and beards to boot from the new Clothing Vendor.
Cannonball trajectory indication lines make it much easier as the Crew to aim the cannons.
The enemy ship AI has also been retooled, increasing the pace and the challenge of the game. Enemies now deftly avoid crashing (except with you), get back on track more quickly, and aim their cannons.
And much more! Check out the full notes below.
Full Update Notes

NEW Sword Combat with enemy boarders who jump onto your ship
NEW VR player is now damageable with visual, audio, and ragdoll effects
NEW Clothing vendor
NEW Character appearance UI
NEW 5 Voyage maps
NEW Post-voyage summary screen
NEW Options menu outside player home
NEW Option for VR grab: click or hold
NEW Option: Wave height slider
NEW Cannonball trajectory indicators
NEW Improved ship AI is much better at aiming and avoiding crashes
NEW Random wave height on voyages
NEW Invisible teleport surfaces in the giant gaps on the dock
NEW Fish at the fishmonger's stall can now be grabbed
NEW Main Title screen is now skippable
FIX Vender items that failed to unlock no longer disappear
FIX Compass should no longer fall through the ground
FIX Compass now works properly after scene loading
FIX Telescopes now work when there is more than one in the scene
FIX Removed unwanted collision between ship and cabin door handle
FIX Splash audio sources and particles now move properly with the player ship
FIX Cannon audio no longer pops or artifacts when MANY cannons fire simultaneously
FIX VR Hands will now only highlight one objects at a time
FIX Main title text no longer renders always on top
FIX Haptics are now working as expected
FIX Black screen fade effect is no longer rendered by incorrect cameras
FIX Ship wheel UI now turns the right way
FIX NPCs now use the full range of random skin, hair, and clothing colors
FIX NPCs no longer float in rare cases after their ship sinks
CHANGE Reduced player ship drag
CHANGE The 3rd person camera is now used by default on the Home island
CHANGE Ships now sink more slowly and in more interesting ways
CHANGE Voyages now wait 2 minutes before ending automatically
CHANGE Raising the anchor while docked now begins an automatically selected Voyage
CHANGE Flintlock reload time increased to 15 seconds
Original post

Updates & announcements

Fort Assault and Arcade Update

Singleplayer and Language Update

Audio and Oculus Support Update

Swordplay and Style Update