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Reanimated ARPG Wayfinder gets release date and Critical Role collab

Everyone loves a comeback story, seeing an underdog beat the odds and succeed despite adversity. Wayfinder is a game that's doing just that, with a history of coming back when everyone expected it to fail. It's beaten having its publisher shut down, a fight to retain the rights to the game, a retooling of the title which also involved it being delisted from Steam, and it's still here. That's more than many games have to suffer through, but it's still chugging away with a newly announced launch date and a collaboration with DnD juggernaut Critical Role.


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RELATED LINKS:

Indie ARPG returns to Steam with new offline mode following delisting

Indie dev delists Steam game to remove all microtransactions

Darksiders devs regain control, halt sales of online RPG Wayfinder

Wayfinder x Critical Role

With the release of Wayfinder Echoes, we were thrilled by the community's overwhelming response. Many players asked how they could support the studio. We said: spread the word. Gift copies. But ultimately, we wanted to offer a special way for players to support us directly.

We knew that if we were to offer something for purchase outside the game, explicitly intended to support us, it needed to be special. We wanted a partner who had walked in our shoes—someone who understands the challenge of fully funding and bringing to life a world they love. We found the perfect partner in Critical Role, who shares our passion for creating and funding a beloved world with the help of a dedicated community!

Here’s an early sneak peek at some of the content coming in this exciting pack!


“We are huge fans of Critical Role, so we’re super excited for this collaboration, which we hope is the first of many,” said Joe Madureria, CEO of Airship Syndicate. “If players love this Supporter Pack, we’d love to make more--with Critical Role, and other IP’s in the future!”

“We want to continue to find fun and unique ways to interact with and explore Exandria,” Shaunette DeTie, Critical Role’s Licensing Manager said. “Seeing the creative team at Airship bring elements from Vox Machina to life in Wayfinder has been such a treat for the entire Critical Role team and we hope that players find this collab as cool and enjoyable as we do.”

This pack will go live with Wayfinder’s 1.0 launch on October 21, 2024. This pack is entirely optional and directly supports Airship Syndicate and Critical Role’s incredibly dedicated and talented teams. Players can purchase it outside the game, and directly from Steam or the PlayStation Store for $19.99 USD. It includes:

[h2]Wayfinder - Critical Role Supporter Pack[/h2]
This pack comes packed with items and includes:
  • 4 Character Personas, including:
    • Grendel as Grog Strongjaw
    • Niss as Vax’ildan
    • Venomess as Vex’ahlia
  • 1 Trinket Mount & Saddle
  • 4 Character Charms
  • 15 Housing Items
  • 10 Sprays




This pack wouldn’t have happened without our incredible community seeking ways to support our dedicated team that have poured their hearts into Wayfinder – especially over the last 6 months as we transitioned to the Echoes Update. We’re proud of Wayfinder and the work we’ve done as an independent developer and publisher, and we’re grateful for those that support our journey.

In the future, we’ll be working to bring additional Supporter Packs to Wayfinder with the same philosophy above—unique and cool cosmetic collaborations with other IPs, not sold in-game so as not to pressure players into feeling a sense of requirement to purchase. We aren’t quite ready to announce exactly what they are, but if you’re familiar with Airship’s body of work, you can make some pretty educated guesses as to what’s in store…

QoL 2 Update & The Homestretch to 1.0!


[h2]Wayfinder x Critical Role [/h2]

Besides our exciting Critical Role collaboration we announced today which will bring the characters and world of Vox Machina to Wayfinder, we're also pleased to announce that Quality of Life Update 2 is LIVE!



[h2]Quality of Life 2[/h2]


We’re excited to announce that Quality of Life Update 2 (QoL2) is LIVE NOW for both Steam and PlayStation 5! We are so excited to finally welcome our PlayStation players back to the world of Evenor and incredibly grateful for their patience in this complicated transition. This update will bring a host of new features and improvements, and will be the final update as Wayfinder prepares for the 1.0 release.

[h2]Multiplayer Features[/h2]
  • Discord Invites: Steam players can now invite players to join your game directly through Discord, making it easier than ever to team up for quests and adventures. Simply create an open Discord invite, share it with your community, send an invite via Discord DM, or request to join by right-clicking a player’s username in Discord!
  • Lobby Browser: The Lobby Browser feature has also undergone some under the hood upgrades and will be available for both PlayStation 5 and Steam Players! Customize your search criteria to find the perfect match for your play style or join random games for a spontaneous adventure. We’ve heard players want a quick way to get into lobbies with friends. We’re excited to share that with the release of 1.0 we’ll have lobby codes for quick and easy invites.
  • In-Game Chat: Communication is key in Wayfinder, and we’re adding in-game chat to help you strategize and socialize with ease. Whether you’re coordinating tactics or just catching up with friends, you’ll have more ways to stay connected.


[h2]Housing Expansion[/h2]
With hundreds of free housing collectables found throughout the world of Evenor, it’s about time you have enough space to show them off! In QoL 2, we’ve expanded the housing system! Personalize your in-game home like never before with a new multi-story apartment, featuring many rooms, vaulted ceilings, and an airy balcony to take in the breathtaking views of Skylight. Your house will become a true reflection of your creativity, adventure, and achievements.

[h2]World Scaling[/h2]
In response to player feedback, we’ve added the option for world scaling to ensure a balanced experience across all areas of the game. This feature will adjust the level of enemies, difficulty of encounters, and level of loot based on your current level.

[h2]Improved Melee Combat Control[/h2]
Based on feedback, we’ve made significant improvements to melee combat control, enhancing responsiveness and precision. Players will notice full freedom of direction of all attacks for the full animation of their swings, all the way up to impact. Expect smoother and more fluid melee interactions, making it easier to land your attacks and execute combos effectively and removing some of the frustrating feelings of just missing a target that may have moved at the last second.

[h2]Improved Performance & UI Customization Options[/h2]
We’re focused on optimizing performance and providing more customization and accessibility options for the user interface. Enjoy faster load times, reduced first-time shading stutters, as well as new settings to customize your performance and tailor your UI to your preferences.

A few of the new features include:
  • Enable or disable Shadows
  • Enable or disable Ambient Occlusion
  • Enable or disable Post Processing
  • Enable or disable Screen Shake
  • Hide HUD
  • Zoom to Cursor for pannable menus
  • Travel Countdown Timer for Co-op
  • Inventory Sorting Filters
  • Quick access to Resonance Caches for Wayfinders in the Character Menu


[h2]Steam Sale[/h2]
Quality of Life 2 is a great time for new Wayfinders to jump in! On Steam, Wayfinder is currently on sale for its lowest price ever! Grab the game now to join the adventure and experience all the exciting updates firsthand. The sale is live on Steam from September 9th - September 16th.

[h2]PlayStation 5 releases today[/h2]
We’re thrilled to confirm that Wayfinder has officially released on PlayStation 5 with this update! Wayfinder has returned to the PlayStation Store, and for the first time ever, PlayStation 5 players can finally experience a whole new way to play, with the Wayfinder Echoes Update! Console players can now join the adventure with overhauled progression systems, tons of content, and performance optimizations tailored for the PS5. As is the case with all players returning since the Echoes update, progress from the live service version of the game is incompatible with Wayfinder Echoes, but all Founder Items and the Runesilver make-good will automatically be granted shortly after completing the first Codex Halls Tutorial Expedition.

[h2]1.0 Release Date & Beyond[/h2]
Finally, we’re excited to announce that Wayfinder will launch into 1.0 on October 21st, 2024 on Steam and PlayStation 5, with a release on Xbox Series X|S and Epic Games Store in the following weeks!

It’s been a long road to get to 1.0, but we’re incredibly excited about the future of Wayfinder thanks to the awesome reception from the community. 1.0 will bring the largest update to Wayfinder and include the following:

  • A brand new Wayfinder
  • A brand new open world area
  • 2 brand new Lost Zones
  • 6 brand new weapons
  • New mounts, skins, housing items and more!


We’ve said from the announcement of Echoes that Wayfinder’s future past 1.0 will be decided by the players who purchase and support the game.

Following the 1.0 release, we’re planning another major update and we’re excited to confirm today that one of the features will be full mod support on PC for specific save files. With Mods, regardless of any additional content we may add, the game will continue to exist and thrive in the hands of the community. We’ve also heard that players want to directly support us and the development of Wayfinder outside of purchasing copies for friends and word of mouth. We’re humbled, but also committed to what we had said at the launch of Wayfinder Echoes – there will be no in-game microtransactions, but we’re looking at other ways for players to help support the game.

Wayfinder 1.0 will be here soon, and we’re excited for those who have been waiting for it on all platforms to finally jump in and experience the revamped action RPG. We believe this new version of the game is better than its predecessor, and with the changes we have planned, will set it up for success for years to come.

Quality of Life 2 Update - Patch Notes

Echoes Patch 0.6.0 - QoL 2 & PS5 [WIP]


NEW!

  • Housing
  • World
  • Narrative & Quests
  • Wayfinders, Weapons & Echoes
  • Loot & Progression
  • Mutators
  • UI/UX
  • Visual Polish
  • Fixes


NEW! Echoes update (+QoL 1 & 2 updates) for PS5!

  • Discord Invites!
  • Lobby Browser updates!
  • In-game chat is back! (for PC only)
  • Player Housing expansion!
  • World Scaling!
  • Improved melee combat control!
  • Improved Performance & UI Customization Options!


[h2]Housing[/h2]
  • Player Apartments have been expanded.
  • Added an outline highlight while hovering already placed items.
  • Party member apartments are now available for fast travel from the map.
  • Fixed placement issues across various items.
  • Fixed recently collected housing items not appearing as New.


[h2]World[/h2]
  • Added a World Scaling option, allowing enemies to always scale to you personally. This option is applied via the Hosts settings and is applied to the entire party.
  • Finale encounters across the world now have more diverse encounters, including new minibosses.
  • Added a brief countdown warning upon travel in a multiplayer party.
  • Fixed chests spawning on top of each other across many Lost Zone tiles.
  • Fixed a literal ton of collision and out-of-bounds bugs.
  • Fixed so many camera clipping issues.
  • Fixed a lot of co-op combat issues relating to ability/attack visibility.
  • Fixed the Excavation Unit drill being picky about how quickly you retrieved its fuel.
  • Fixed an issue with the Fallen Greedlord dealing damage from invisible sources.
  • Fixed an issue where the Hollow Horror would fail to spawn for the Seeds of Corruption event.
  • Fixed the projectiles from Husks only appearing once during the Dread Legion hunt.
  • Fixed an issue causing Hunts to not reset properly.
  • Fixed Ryv’n dealing damage to players that dodged the pounce attack.


[h2]Narrative & Quests[/h2]
  • Added a co-op tutorial upon unlocking access to multiplayer.
  • Added a post-game notification after defeating the Precursor Reborn hunt.
  • Main Story Quest objects and interactions now have an outline highlight.
  • Fixed an issue where Wayfinder memories would fail to unlock.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented players from completing the quest No Better Friend.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented clients from progressing the quest Controlling the Chaos.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented clients from progressing the quest Unravelling Doubt.
  • Fixed an issue preventing clients from obtaining Summoning Stones from Arc Omen.


[h2]Wayfinders, Weapons & Echoes[/h2]
  • Added reorientation windows throughout all abilities and attacks, allowing you to pivot and retarget enemies fluidly.
  • Wayfinders can now early dodge out of knockbacks as you hit the ground.
  • All Wayfinder Ultimates now refresh the Heat of Battle count and timer.


Senja:
  • Doubled the amount Senja is healed from being hit while Showboating.
  • Increased damage reduction of Showboating 40% → 50%.
  • Showboat now grants knockback immunity.
  • Fixed a bug where the 3rd Instinct perk would cause the player to take negative damage (healing) from attacks.


Pummel:
  • Initial hit AP ratio increased 2.0*AP → 2.6*AP.
  • Initial hit BP ratio increased 1.0*BP → 1.4*BP.
  • Final hit AP ratio increased 2.75*AP → 3.25*AP.
  • Final hit BP ratio increased 1.8*BP → 2.2*AP.
  • Fully charged hit AP ratio increased 4*AP → 4.75*AP.
  • Fully charged hit BP ratio increased 2.3*BP → 3*BP.


Lightning Grasp:
  • AP ratio increased 1.5*AP → 2.0*AP.
  • BP ratio increased 1*BP → 1.33*BP.


Gain Favor:
  • AP ratio increased 1.5*AP → 2.0*AP.
  • BP ratio increased 0.8*BP → 1.05*BP.
  • Beginning animation and full-charge end will now properly count as Showboating.
  • Increased speed of cancel windows.


Senja and Grendel now heal 30% HP when using their Ultimates.
Extended Wingrave’s Righteous Strike range by 100 units.
Kyros’ Arcane Focus will now detonate and reapply itself upon overlapping applications.

Niss:
  • Umbral Aura: AP ratio decreased 2.5*AP → 2.0*AP.
  • Shadow Step: Fixed an issue causing Niss' Shadow Step to double hit.
  • Total AP ratio decreased 3.5*AP → 2.8*AP.
  • Gloom Shroud: Time to charge increased by 37.5%.
  • Fixed an issue causing Niss' Ultimate to gain too many stacks of Overwhelming Arcana.
  • Fixed various talent issues for Niss, including Reactivity, Counterplay, Bountiful Innervation, and Rallying Cry talents.


[h2]Loot & Progression[/h2]
  • Prime Talents now have a unique icon.
  • Prime Talents are now limited to one, locking the remaining unchosen nodes. NOTE: If you currently have two Prime Talents selected, those points will be refunded
  • Uncollected loot will now be auto-granted to players upon leaving a Lost Zone or Hunt.
  • Doubled Reward Tower XP gain.
  • Removed old unused materials from housing item recipes.
  • One-time drop pets are no longer sellable.


[h2]Mutators[/h2]
  • Players can now auto-pick up gold piles based on proximity.
  • Gloomshroud recharge station encounters have been reduced to 5s and no longer require the player to be near.
  • Golden Caches now spawn significantly less but are more rewarding.


[h2]UI/UX[/h2]
  • Added quick access for Resonance Caches to the Character menu.
  • Added toggle options for Shadows, Map Rotation, Ambient Occlusion, Post Processing, HDR, Hide HUD.
  • Added in-game text chat.
  • Fixed various UI issues, including overlapping and incorrect information.


[h2]Visual Polish[/h2]
  • Improved visual presentation of Gloom Daggers across animations.
  • Improved visuals for Echo loot.
  • Improved visuals for the Malefic Maw Echo.
  • Fixed various visual issues across weapons and HUD elements.


[h2]Fixes[/h2]
  • Fixed multiple crashes, including during quests, loading, and party joins.
  • Improved Lobby Browser refresh speed.
  • Fixed invisible players when joining lobbies from the browser.
  • Fixed achievements not updating correctly.


[h2]Known Issues + Work Arounds[/h2]
  • Awakening a weapon missing from your inventory will result in a crash - Ensure the weapon you are attempting to Awaken is in your inventory before Awakening
  • PS5 Players will need to start a new game and trigger the Founder Pack Item entitlement window (Shortly after completing the first Codex Halls LZ Tutorial) if they want immediate access to their associated Founder Pack items + Founder Coins. - A patch for retroactively granting access to these items without resetting progress is in the works, but will take some more time to create.

0.5.0a Echoes Hotfix




  • Adjusting the texture quality to low or medium will now adjust the streaming pool sizes, resulting in better performance. This pool is uncapped when using high or ultra.
  • Fixed styles resetting to default when joining a game.
  • Removed the unknown node from the world map. (what was that?)
  • Fixed the Unraveling Aurelian expedition missing from the Skylight Gloom Gate.
  • Fixed backup save data displaying incorrect timestamps.
  • Fixed party settings defaulting to public.
  • Fixed maps bouncing around on the Steam Deck.
  • Fixed being able to swap characters while downed.
  • Fixed Echo capacity stacking when swapping weapons.
  • Fixed Bone Threser weapon skin being misaligned.
  • Fixed emotes and sprays being shown as equipped incorrectly after joining a game.
  • Celestial Orrery, Miniature Breach, and Coral Crawler are now sellable.
  • Fixed Steam Deck controls defaulting to Playstation.