Hello everyone! CaveVox will be participating in Steam's Medieval Fest from April 20th to April 27th.
I decided it would be good to split the April update into two parts and release it partially now. Despite this, it is extensive and relates to the world feel of the game. The second part should be expected by the end of April as a Major Update.
The previous update addressed many important issues regarding game progression. I initially wanted to make this update about improving the combat system, but halfway through the work it became clear — that something else was emerging, something I call "world feel". Therefore, the combat system has been partially updated and will be gradually improved upon.
Knowing player feedback, playing with others, and performing some analytical actions, I arrived at significant improvements in this regard. I focused on making more moments in the game feel deeper and more responsive.
Dynamic Camera
Behaves differently when: standing, walking, running, and so on. Depends on inertia and noise.
Slightly lags behind movement — making it smoother and more palpable.
Has distant blur — now there are no harsh frames.
Has blur on the sides — which is more proper and immersive.
Expanded Potion System
New types of potions.
Division into weak and strong versions. In the end, it is planned to significantly expand the potion system in the future, as well as add an overdose system that was tested but did not make it into this version.
Advanced Status Panel
Active effect icons are now visible on the screen.
When taking damage, a directional indication (damage rect) appears.
Health bar updated — cleaner and more informative. The effects system will also be expanded with future updates.
Visual Atmosphere
Added stones and grass on the surface near the dungeon entrance (previously too empty right at the entrance).
Grass block textures on the surface are now varied — without repeating patterns.
Enabled SDFGI occlusion — lighting in dungeons has become more natural, fewer artifacts.
Fixed shadows on the surface: the sky and sun are now visible, light behaves more naturally.
A slight haze has appeared, a proper background in the distance.
Interface and Controls
Item descriptions now show specific characteristics.
Equip buttons (L/R hand) moved next to the item name — more convenient and clearer.
Added SFX for option button and tab button. Now all main clickable parts of the interface emit click sounds.
Fixed focus bugs, clicks through loading, interface display.
Updated ladder detection system — it has become simpler and pays attention to height.
Under the Hood
Engine update: Godot 4.6.1 → 4.6.2.stable.
Debug UI moved to a separate window (F3) — no duplication in co-op. Also, it can now be turned on in the main menu to check FPS without starting the game — some requested this.
Improved network game stability.
A foundation for custom controls has been made in the menu — the ability to change controls to your liking will be added in future updates.
Logo
I changed the game's logo and other artwork for it. I think I will settle on this style for now; I thought for a long time about how to draw it all correctly, even though I am not an artist myself. That is, the logo is now made of red-hot lava stones, which is also related to the future story.
What's Next
There is a separate part that is in development and did not make it into this update.
In active development: improvements to the procedural dungeon generation system. This is what many want to see: points of interest, truly different levels and their meaning, and much more. This is an extensive change that enhances the significance of each section of the dungeon and prevents important moments from being lost on the player's path. I plan to release this by the end of April as a Major Update.
After that, a May update on the theme of "World Exploration" is planned.
Thank you for reading this devlog! Share the game with friends and play together!
