Hey everyone!
It has been a minute since the last update, and I'm here with some exciting new changes to report. This update is a big one, so there will be plenty to go over! But first, a little housekeeping...
Regarding Update Frequency
Version 0.1.1.0 is probably the single biggest update to Drowning Ashes yet, at least in terms of the amount of work required on my end to get it ready. As a result, it came through a couple of weeks later than expected. Sorry about that!
Looking back over January, I think I bit off a little more than I could chew trying to get New Game Plus and a major content update out in the same month. Going forward, I'm going to try and pace myself just a little bit more, to make sure I can keep the updates coming on a fairly regular and predictable schedule.
Having worked on 0.1.1.0, I have also had some thoughts about the order in which I might want to roll out the future updates, so expect a revised roadmap soon! In the meantime, let's get to the fun stuff!
New Content
There's a whole lot of new stuff live in this update, and I want to keep spoilers to a minimum in this post, so I'll just cover the basics here. Feel free to hit me up on the forums if you have more detailed questions!
New Areas:
Two new explorable zones have become available, each with their own recruitable fiends, new equipment, and secrets to find!
The well in the Besieged Courtyard is now accessible. What will you discover in the catacombs beneath the Palace?
The door at the end of the Hall of Trials is now open, and a large new zone awaits!
New Quests:
This version also brings new quests relating to the main story, as well as a couple of (not so) beloved NPCs!
The main story continues as you search for the first piece of the Godsdoom!
You can now advance the Brigand Boss questline... if you can find him.
You can now also complete the Wall Creeper questline, though it won't be an easy task by any means.
New Bosses:
It wouldn't be a major update without some beefy new bosses to test your team against. I won't spoil too much here, but one of the new bosses in this update is a doozy!
New Items:
New zones and new quests of course mean new items and equipment. There are plenty of new goodies to find, and with new bosses come new Ashes to temper into equipment!
Enhancement
Version 0.1.1.0 also brings the first taste of the Enhancement system. As you enter later-game zones, you'll be able to find a special resource that allows Ser Galvin to upgrade old equipment into powerful new, endgame versions. At this stage, the resource for upgrading is very scarce, but plenty more will become available in future updates!
Thunder!
Despite my best efforts to put it off, the time has come to start adding the Thunder element to the game. Expect new items, skills, and spells to go along with it. With Thunder becoming a thing a little sooner than expected, I might also merge the "The Storm" and "The Fiends" updates together, and release them next. Again, watch this space for an update to the roadmap soon!
That's all from me for now. I hope you enjoy Drowning Ashes - Early Access Version 0.1.1.0 (The Beast), and I'll catch you in the next update! Until then, may your adventures in the ruins of the Capital be glorious!
-Daniel