Hi folks,

This week's patch is larger than usual since it includes new and improved graphics for all the World areas. There are also some changes in the Random Encounters to make them deadlier and more rewarding, new progression rewards, and Ancient Gateways, which you can use to travel across Folkswave much faster.

We still have about two and a half weeks for our YouTube and Modding Halloween contests, so there is plenty of time to participate. You can read more details on the Halloween contests here.

Bugfixes aside, the development will now move full steam to DLC3. But we'll be talking more about it in future news posts.

Below, you can read about all the new features and changes in the patch notes.

Patch Notes - 12/10 # 1.045.4

Random Encounter changes

• Random Encounters will get deadlier and include higher-level enemies (than the player) as the player's level increases.
  
• They will offer a completion reward with a few extra PP, XP & Farthings.
  
• They now have a good chance to offer a selection of cards from which you can pick 1 or 2 cards.
  

New Progression Rewards

• Added Progression Rewards for exploring new locations & defeated enemies. A location, ie. Lanmerih, Lucina, etc., is considered explored if the player has at least 1 Influence.
  
• The Traveler perk tree, ie. Backpacker, Outdoors Specialist, Traveler, etc., perks are now acquired through the Exploration rewards progression. This change won't affect characters who already have any of these perks, but they won't be able to obtain additional perks from this tree, and their effects have changed slightly.
  
• The new progression rewards can be declared as perks with ExploreLocations:x & DefeatEnemies:x, respectively.
  
• Also revamped the Progression tab & added filters to view only Challenge, Exploration, Level, or Kills rewards.
  

Ancient Gateways

• You can discover and attune to the 9 Ancient Gateways to teleport instantly between them.
  
• Activating the Gateways requires an Attunement Ritual which consumes a valuable gemstone.
  
• You can then travel freely to any attuned Gateway.
  
• The 9 Ancient Gateways are Jorunfjord Gateway, Geirsver Gateway, Tethyar Gateway, Llanvale Gateway, Hirdwood Gateway, Roverford Valley Gateway, Deimos Chasm Gateway, Veara'ylon Gateway (Relics & Armaments DLC), Nifolhelg Gateway (Relics & Armaments DLC).
  

Misc Changes

• Overhauled various artworks (including all the location artworks on the World map).
  
  
  
  
• Changed the locations of a couple of Epic contacts to be more easily attainable.
  
• Updated the Area Rewards algorithm: Area rewards will include all possible cards of the preferred skills (as before) and cards from the least preferred skills (but only up to the player rank + 1 in that skill).
  
• When inspecting Areas: the Environment will also display along the leylines.
  
• While the player is Level 1, Normal Encounter (nodes) with 4 or more enemies will always have 1 enemy less.
  
• Improved the odds of low-level players finding lower-tier chests (unlocked or easier to unlock).
  

Bugfixes

• In a couple of areas Graphic set was referencing the set incorrectly, causing the environment to fall back into Forest.