Welcome wanderer, with the pathfinder content update (Version 0.6.1) we are releasing a massive new map progression system which will not only make the endgame much more diverse and challenging but also give you the possiblity to shape the early game maps to your liking. This update is furthermore packed with a big amount of major improvements like a reworked frenzy exp bonus or extended functionality for the shard of refund and long awaited features like a character selection.

Pathfinder map progression system

With this update we are replacing the rather static "jumping from portal to portal" approach with a new unique "pathfinder" system which serves as a world map where you can see what your next destinations will be. You can plan ahead, alter the maps, add modifiers to the next maps to increase the challenge but also the rewards or you can change existing modifiers on a map to optimise the risk-reward-ratio.

With the new map modifiers you will be able to increase a broad spectrum of rewards like increased EXP or the drop chances for hearts, fragments of light, weapons, skill tree or the new map modifier shards.

Use 6 different shards which can be collected within everywhere in the worlds to empower or weaken existing modifiers, add new modifiers, replace all modifiers with random new ones, replace one random modifier or forge the complete map into a new one.

The new map modifier system will therefore also increase the endgame difficulty and prevent getting stuck in an endless grind loop where you almost remain unkillable.

Upated map environments, enemies and effects

With this update we also revisited our oldest map environments and enemy designs and redesigned those elements to match the current visual state of the game. We also have redesigned the visuals of enemy AoE effects making it much easier to read and judge which area covers an effect.

Character selection

With the character selection a highly requested feature is coming to Striving for Light. We therefore have reworked the existing female player character model and designed a completely new male player character. Whenever you now start the game on a new save file (or an old save file where you have not selected a player character yet) you will be able to choose your character. Both characters have equal starting stats.

The character design has come a long way since pre-alpha over a year ago. Here is the evolution of our character designs.

Frenzy Experience Bonus

The frenzy experience bonus has been fully reworked since the experience bonus turned out to be the dominating mechanic to gain insane bonuses and trivialising game difficulty in the endgame. Overall experience bonus increase has been lowered slightly. Furthermore the frenzy bonus will now get harder and harder to maintain the higher your bonus rises. To compensate for those changes there are now less enemies required to start a frenzy.

Improved skill tooltips

Tooltips for the skill tree have been redesigned adding dividers for different sections to make them easier to read. Now the damage of a skill is also directly displayed in the tooltip.

Shard of Refund

The shard of refund has received a new respec algorithm which makes it possible to respec all skill nodes as long as they are not interrupting connections of other nodes to the initial centre node.

• Damage numbers have been uniformly multiplied by 10 to give us more flexibility in designing weapons. For various current weapons damage numbers have been adjusted to fill the gap between the 1 and 2 damage weapons (now 10 and 20 damage weapons). Enemy health has been adjusted accordingly. This change was also required to support small map modifiers.
• Experience values have been multiplied by 100 to support small map modifiers and small frenzy exp bonuses.
• The resource regeneration system has been overhauled to remove the current cap of 1 resource per frame and make regeneration frame rate independent.
• Hearts now have a unique drop pool to improve consistency of heart drops
• With the pathfinder update we are upgrading our enemy scaling system so that enemy health pools scale with the map you are currently playing. So you could start your run with the forest map or the swamps if you want to.
• Improved glaring light visual effect
• Improved visibility of traps for the forest map. They now have a red glow to make them stand out a bit more.
• The layout of the gatekeeper arenas has been improved to follow easier logic. You now enter the area on the left side and leave it on the right side.
• Shard of Change could in rare cases roll the same skill which already existed on the skill node it was applied to. The shard will now never roll the same skill node present on the node it was applied to.

• Changed cost for skill tree shards for the merchant
• Reworked enemy health scaling system
• Adjusted drop chances for skill tree shards to compensate for the new added
• Reduced the required fragments of light for the legacy upgrades at the tree of light
  
• Focus now deals 10 projectile damage in addition to the 10 splash damage
• Throwing axe has increased damage 13 (was 10)
• Throwing spear has increased damage 16 (was 10)
• Bleeding Star damage has been increased to 15 (was 10)
• Amber damage has been increased to 15 (was 10)
• Flail damage has been increased to 12 (was 10)
• Gnarly Mace damage has been increased to 12 (was 10)

• Fixed missing drop sfx for skill shards from world objects
• Fixed blocking edge in the gatekeeper arena collider which made it possible to collide with the border when walking near the east border
• Fixed bursting companions being not removed from the world when switching scenes, which could result in duplicated bursting companions.
• Fixed pause menu being blocked by other UI elements
• Enemy health bars are now also updated on damage over time condition effects

Thanks to everyone providing helpful feedback, which is what drives the development forward! You are invited to join our discord and participate in the ongoing development of Striving for Light!

Join the official Discord!