Greetings, brave adventurers! The v0.8.4.0 update for Ancient Kingdoms has arrived, bringing a host of new features, balance tweaks, and bug fixes to enhance your journey through Eratiath! Dive into the details below and explore the enriched pixel art RPG experience.

✨ New Features & Improvements

• Upgraded to the new Input System for smoother controls and improved responsiveness, enhancing your action RPG gameplay.
  
• Updated multiplayer library to the latest version for more stable co-op and online multiplayer sessions.
  
• Added Vignette effect and smoother camera movement for a more cinematic fantasy adventure.
  
• Introduced smart autoscroll in chat for seamless communication in MMORPG-style interactions.
  
• Clarified that Elixir of the Wildstride cannot be used in dungeons.
  
• Professions (Alchemy, Mining, Cooking, Herbalism, Radiant Seeker) now progress incrementally, mirroring the Hunt profession for a deeper crafting experience.
  
• Sleeping now removes all debuffs, refreshing your character for exploration.
  
• Opening the skills window with unspent Veteran Skill Points now directs you to the Veteran Window for quicker character customization.
  

⚖️ Balance Changes

• Reduced mercenaries hiring price to make building your party more accessible in this CRPG.
  
• Veteran Skills "Leadership" and "Battlefield Restoration" moved to Tier 1 for earlier access in your story-rich journey.
  
• Slightly reduced cast range for Blightstorm (Scaleblight AoE) to balance combat.
  
• "Old Wyrm Scale" is now a guaranteed drop from Scaleblight, rewarding your dungeon crawler efforts.
  
• Increased cast time for Leadership to refine tactical gameplay.
  
• Mercenary cast animations are now faster, making tap target combat feel snappier.
  

🛠️ Bug Fixes & Performance

• Enhanced stability and performance for database operations, ensuring a smoother open world experience.
  
• Fixed Elixir of the Wildstride incorrectly functioning in dungeons.
  
• Corrected global map locations for new zones to improve exploration.
  
• Resolved issue with the warrior mercenary skill "Steelrend".
  
• Fixed bugs in the player animation manager for cleaner pixel graphics.
  
• Corrected skill bonus issues from armor sets, enhancing gear reliability.
  

We’re committed to refining Ancient Kingdoms during Early Access with your feedback. Share your thoughts on our Discord or in the Steam Community Discussions!

Thank you for crafting your legend in Eratiath. 🗡️

~ The Ancient Kingdoms Team