DEFENDERS,
This is going to be a bit of a different PTR, Instead of testing new features this PTR is aimed at testing out early game changes. What that means is that going into the PTR you will be given a new profile and not a copy of your live game. Obviously this PTR is not going to be for everyone and this is really aimed at people who enjoy providing feedback to try and help improve the game.
How to Join
We want you to join the PTR! If you own Dungeon Defenders: Awakened on PC/Steam, check out our forum post that shows you exactly how to join!
PTR Reward
Given this is a smaller PTR test and the different nature of it we won’t be offering a new reward, but you are able to earn any of the previous PTR rewards if you are missing any.
You’ll be given the choice of reward in the survey. This includes the following rewards:
- Forest Ally’s Wings
- Eagle’s Wings
- Crystalline Corgi
- RGB Pumpkin Mask
- A Giveaway entry for a Golden Corgi Pet Transmog
Early Game Changes
We've heard a lot of player feedback about the early game and so one of the main goals for these changes is to increase the difficulty of the early game to help better match the power level of players and entertain players who want a harder experience. At the same time our goal is also not to make the early game too difficult as some players do want an easier experience.
That said here are the following changes
- Hard is now unlocked from the beginning.
- We’ve shifted all the difficulties down from Easy to Insane, What this means is the following:
- Easy - The difficulty of what Medium used to be.
- Medium - The difficulty of what Hard used to be.
- Hard - The Difficulty of what Insane used to be and slightly harder.
- Insane - Is what Insane used to be but with higher scaling to be a new middle ground between Hard and Nightmare.
- We’ve changed how progression unlocks work, the way it works now is the following:
- If a map is unlocked on any difficulty, you can play that map on a higher difficulty without having to play it on lower difficulties first.
- Example: If you’ve beaten The Throne Room on medium, you can play Endless Spires on any difficulty you have unlocked (Insane, Nightmare or Massacre) assuming you meet the requirements.
- Removed gear level requirements until nightmare to allow players to equip the gear they are getting as they progress.
- Insane is now unlocked after beating Easy, Medium or Hard on Campaign Summit.
- Decreased Nightmare Level requirement to 60 from 70
- Decreased Massacre Level requirement to 80 from 83.
- Added some new difficulty explanation popup for when you open the map select for the first time.
- Maps are now hidden on the map select if you don’t have the difficulty unlocked and it explains why the difficulty is locked.
- Increased IPWR on Swords and Polearms to help bring them in more in line with Staffs and Crossbows.
- Greatly Reduced the amount of stats that item effects provide in the early game
- Ex: Armor giving +50 Fortify on a piece that only gives +10 Fortify.
- Rift Bosses haven't received health or increased difficulty changes.
What’s Next?
The PTR will run for over the weekend as this is a short playtest and doesn’t need long playtimes to test. After this we’ll look at the survey data and make any adjustments needed.
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For Etheria!
Chromatic Games