HELLCARD update for 9 March 2023

Hello!

We have been busy implementing balance and quality of life changes based on the feedback we got from you via the feedback widget, steam community, and on our (shameless plug) community discord server.

Full Companions Hands

Thank you to everyone who voiced their opinion on the subject of Advanced Singleplayer Mode (which was a working title of this change). We had simultaneous discussions on this subject both here on Steam and on Discord. There were voices for both keeping the current two-card system and switching to the full-hand option.

We prototyped this and tested it extensively. What we implemented as the solution is the most convenient option that is "the best of both worlds". You can play as you used to with two card suggestions but at any moment you can right-click any card to switch to your companions' full hands. That way the screen is not cluttered and you can have full control over the choices if you find the suggested cards suboptimal.

Balance

The most important change is the gem economy. We reduced the cost of selected options in locations to zero. This should have a colossal impact making the game more fun to play with better deck mobility. It also required some rebalancing of artifacts like the Golden Onion.

Aside from that, more balancing changes took place. We are looking into Stamina builds but these changes are coming at a later date.

Languages

The game can now be played in Bulgarian and Traditional Chinese, thanks to our awesome community translators! During Early Access keeping the game translated as it changes couldn't be done without community translators. If you would like to help translate Hellcard into your language, please get in touch! Either on our Discord Server or here on the Translations subforum.

Quality of Life

There is a slew of minor additions based on your feedback and requests when it comes to the interface. Mostly counters, some pinging improvements, more options when it comes to large GUI, and, last but not least, a sound notification when matchmaking finds a lobby.

Full changelog

There are also a couple of bug fixes. You can read the full list of changes below:

Changelog full:
Version 0.5.230309 - 9 Mar 2023

• Implemented full companion hands in singleplayer. Click RMB on any card to toggle between your and your companions' hands.
• Added Traditional Chinese and Bulgarian languages thanks to our awesome community translators!
• Added plaques with type info (Attack/Skill/Influence) to cards
• Removed Show All checkbox from resolution options
• Lowered Main Menu's music volume
• Updated translations
• Balance: reduced cost of Patch Up Wounds, Absorb Energy, Search, Scoop, Fix Your Gear, Transcribe, and Stash actions to 0
• Balance: Golden Onion artifact makes one of your locations cheaper by 1 Gemstone. It used to lower the cost to zero. Since now some location options are free it would be too powerful
• Balance: Dice artifact randomizes Mana between 1 and 8. It used to give max 6.
• Balance: Exploding Eyeball artifact deals 20 damage in near range and 10 damage in far range. It used to deal 15 and 5 dmg respectively.
• Balance: Flawed Ruby artifact reduces mana by 2 in the first turn. It used to reduce mana by 3 on the first turn
• Balance: Friendly Toad artifact heals by 10 HP, used to heal 7HP
• Balance: Iron Pan artifact reduces ranged damage to 0. It used to reduce the damage by half.
• Balance: Iron Snowflake artifact gives block equal to twice the damage received, used to grant fixed 5 block after receiving 10 damage. Now it's easier to use and should be more universal
• Balance: Tiny Anchor artifact heals by 66% Max HP when HP is lower than 33% Max HP. It used to trigger at 10% and heal by 50% Max HP. The trigger condition was too difficult to achieve
• Balance: changed rarity of Whale Figurine artifact to Legendary
• Balance: Wooden Bowl artifact now leaves 1 Gemstone instead of zero.
• Balance: Fix your gear option in the Armory now grants +2 block to all players for the next battle instead of 5.
• UX: added an option to return to the previous card while viewing upgrades
• UX: added cards counter for the local player
• UX: added gems counter for teammates in battle
• UX: added an option to enable pinging while targeting
• UX: added sound playback for VO volume setting
• UX: split Big UI setting into Big Monster UI and Big Cards UI
• UX: added icon indicators for Arrows, Bolts, Bombs, Runes, Scrolls, and Swords in card tooltips
• UX: Dice artifact now shows how many mana points were randomized this turn
• UX: added a sound notification when a game in Quickplay is found
• Fixed Travel Light achievement not unlocking while taking location temporary artifacts (extra mana or block during next battle)
• Fixed Consolation Prize achievement being granted without spending any Gemstone on the Gamble action
• Fixed skill cards not counting as bolts for the Acorn artifact
• Fixed locations that remove or upgrade cards not refreshing properly
• Fixed lobby rejoin allowing to match 11 and 12-floor characters
• Fixed removing cards at the end of the game counting as discard
• Fixed a rare issue with the character progressing to the 13th floor and crashing
• Fixed Arcane Stupor not increasing added cards' cost

EDIT:
I forgot to mention, that our bundle with Riftbreaker will be ending on Monday! Last chance to grab that Ashely outfit for Rogue!
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/30523/HELLCARD__The_Riftbreaker/

As always,
Stay Safe in Paper Dungeons ːarchduckː
Konstanty