SKALD: Against the Black Priory 
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Skald Modding Now Live!Feb 24, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings all! As most of you know, Skald modding has been in beta for PC on the "experimental branch" for the last couple of months! Well, today we're moving it to the main branch so it'll be easier for everyone to enjoy the user-created content or even make their own! The game is also coming ON SALE for a few days, so be sure to point friends, family and small children to our Steam page! Start Brewing! Skald user-created content is hosted on mod.io so find it there today! We already have a good handful of modules from some of our talented community creators! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/105402eefbaf04064bfd04948c6571e08a8246d5.png To get started on downloading or creating mods, have a look at our tutorials (also on mod.io): {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/3731da17aef19bd272796c3d5fb770334d16043c.png In particular, you may want to have look at the "How to play Mods" tutorial! To stay posted, be sure to follow the Skald Twitter, Bluesky and Discord if you haven’t already! Keep being awesome and have a fantastic week! AL Skald: Against the Black Priory reviewFeb 6, 2025 - PC GamerBefore playing Skald: Against the Black Priory, I liked the idea of this throwback roleplaying game, but wasn't sure it was for me. I love old-school RPGs, but pre-1997 is too old-school for me, and Skald's primary source of visual inspiration is an era of DOS and Commodore RPGs I have respect, but not much affection for. Skald's gorgeous VGA-inspired pixel art scared me off as much as it enticed me... Read more.New Modules and Updated ToolsetJan 20, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings one and all! We have some cool news for those interesting in playing or creating mods for “Skald: Against the Black Priory”: A big update to the SkaDE tool and a bunch of new content for you to play! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/2f982ad2121c9c20df62dd08c8bb7809a99206a4.gif NOTE: The modding enabled build currently exists exclusively on the Steam and GOG Experimental branches. See the guide on how to play here! Module Creator Contest Winners The module creator content has finished with 5 submissions! There is some truly AMAZING work in these modules, and hours of fun, so I highly recommend you go check them out! In fact, I’m so happy with all the great work the community has done that we’ll be awarding a 100 USD gift card to all 5 creators! Raw Fury will be reaching out to you shortly! The submissions, in no particular order: THROUGH THE TEMPORAL GATE By UndeadBus “An old friend’s magical experiment has gone awry, opening a temporal gate that floods the village with unstable energy. To set things right, you’ll journey to the past and the future, solving puzzles and battling foes across time.” {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/93c03e26405684a68b1cd7511135e736c86e7cec.png A BRAND NEW RATVENTURE By MorDanGames “You’re a new adventurer fresh out of a local Guild. Go kill some rats. Easy, right?” {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/f86201cac128b33d0bdb167633e551bff4e59e2a.png TYRANNY AND JUSTICE By PrimitiveType “A classic tale of Tyranny, and the Justice of the subjugated. A short adventure with custom classes.” {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/468c2a6a9c515ea77f15e88ac3772597329ca243.png THE UNINVITED By Jukse “In this short adventure, you are a Seeker or, more precisely, you aspire to become one. Explore the Beltar Mansion and get to know its residents and guests. Ask questions. Learn secrets. Save a man from something that came crawling from beyond. Prove yourself.” {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/23b966c0968b4a9e3c266c174c705d411c2ca6d1.png LOOP TWO By Shout27 This one seems a bit unfinished but I appreciate the effort in any case so I’m including it as well. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/b9655f17199f3266bf5de9b1ce6a1e483973e41d.jpg Updated Toolset The SkaDE toolset has gotten a major overhaul. I’ve added a bunch of QoL features as well as added in ALL the graphical and audio assets from the core game. Yes you read that right: You can now use all the Skald assets ever created in your projects! What’s more, I’ve also added a full copy of the main game data on mod.io. This can be used by modders for learning purposes as it allows them to dissect the main game’s data. Check it out! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/abb1ec1f52f21fef94489a939313beda9776677e.png SkaDE Tool 1.0.3 CHANGE-LOG Button of selected draw-mode in map editor is highlighted Keyboard shortcuts are now available for draw modes (hover over button to see the tooltip indicating the shortcut) There are now options to toggle or un-toggle all draw layers Loading and saving now uses a more modern interface for ...The Skald Data Editing ToolDec 18, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsHo ho ho! It's the most wonderful time of the year and I come bearing gifts: The Skald Data Editor tool (SkaDE for short) enters open beta today and YOU'RE invited! What is it? In short, the SkaDE toolset is a bundle of tools that I made to make Skald. In other words, they are the actual tools I used to make the game. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/9abffa76c4d646d1b385e5b2c53987ba1ab267c5.png What I'm releasing into BETA today is the first step towards bringing these tools to the community. This means that, for now, only a reduced tile-set is available (should be enough to get you started on that Ultima clone you're dreaming about). You can read more about the tools in the tutorials linked below. Modding also has its own subchannels on the Skald Discord. Finally, it is worth reiterating that the current version of the tools and the modding implementation in the game itself is in a very early Beta stage. There are a lot of rough edges so be patient. How to Use the Tool and Get Content Skald modding lives on mod.io! This is where you'll find all the content created, sample projects and all the tutorials for the SkaDE toolset. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/2f982ad2121c9c20df62dd08c8bb7809a99206a4.gif If you want to start using the modding tools, head on over to the first tutorial! If you would rather just download and play mods, check out the guide for installing mods. A WORD OF WARNING: You need to swap branches to play the version of the game that supports mods (see guide above). The reason we keep it on the experimental/Beta branches is that the build is less stable that we hoped. This will improve but for now these builds should ONLY be used for testing mods – not general play of the vanilla game. At the time of writing, there is not really any user-created content up so you may need to check in over the coming weeks. Which leads me to... A Contest! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/958273ed37107462018d4a90c77d0dc8ec4c7e53.png The Task Using the SkaDE tool you are to create a small, playable adventure. The theme of the adventure shall be “Low Level Adventures” – How does a hero take their first steps to become an adventurer? The adventure must be based on the SkaDE sample project. Note that this is a nearly empty project and you can change any aspect of it – it’s just a way of ensuring that the scope remains manageable The adventure must contain both a surface level and a dungeon level (as in the sample project) There must be both dialogue and combat There must be 15-30 minutes of gameplay for a “fresh” player (the jury will spend around 20 min with each contribution) You are free to collaborate! Winner and Prizes We'll pick three winners of a Steam gift card to the value of 100 USD. Your submission will also be featured on the devlog. Our assessment will be based on: Creativity Fun of play Overall impression How to Submit Upload the module to the Skald mod.io and use the tag "XMAS CONTEST". {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/9b389d47cc9f2a348971a307d4644a26e4914...Nominate SKALD for the Steam Awards!Nov 27, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings, Firstly, we want to say a massive thank you for all of your support this year. We're now sitting at over 2,000 Steam Reviews, have received amazing encouragement and feedback from the community and are so pleased to hear players are enjoying playing SKALD with Controller and on Steam Deck! We know competiton is fierce and there are so many incredible games that have released in 2024, but If you're one of those players who've loved your time with SKALD, we'd humbly request your support in this years' Steam Awards! We'd humbly like to request your support in the Outstanding Story-Rich Game Awards as we've loved hearing how much you've enjoyed the game's narrative twists and turns and are grateful for all the kind words! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/7d303aed9d4081876ac553be3cd2313efa7de152.jpg Regardless of where you do cast a vote, though, we wanted to express our appreciation. Launching SKALD has been a dream come true and it wouldn't have been possible without your support. That's not all from us, though! We've got something really exciting cooking that we'll be talking a lot more about before the end of the year! AL1.0.6c Hotfix Patch now availableOct 1, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings Adventurers, 1.0.6c Hotfix Patch is now live. Patch notes Disabled being able to change to "window mode" on the Steam Deck Set Bard HP/level to correct amount (3). For already created characters, the HP amount will adjust next time you level up Please note that this patch is currently only available for Windows players. The update will arrive on Mac in the coming days. Keep an eye out for your game to update to version Core 1.0.6c.Steam Deck VERIFIED! Controller Support! New Class & more!Sep 30, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsStrum your lutes RPG-fans! A new major update is out: The Bard class, Steam Deck and controller support, more art, new portraits, raised level-cap and the list goes on (see full version notes at the end of this post). {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/51f5d0638bb5c1fd1452111d28acea2d6ec4842e.jpg We’re participating in the Steam Turn-Based RPG Fest this week and this means we’re going on sale with 25% off both the main game and the Reinforcement Pack! Skald was already value-packed but this is just next level. Buy the game for yourself or as a gift and be sure to take the opportunity to upgrade to the Deluxe edition if you’ve not already done so! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069160/SKALD_Against_the_Black_Priory/ The Update {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/9e0bb4f5f41ab10ca78d34d291697ee60b98e59c.gif I’m pretty happy to finally get the bard in there. It was one of the most frequently requested new features of the game and I agree that it really felt like something was missing without it. The class is a Rogue subtype that comes with its own, custom magic-school. They even play their lute while casting spells. And did I mention that we added a good handful of new backgrounds as well? {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/c2b8b995be0be812856e6f935d1515a9fdbae93f.png And in case you’re tired of looking at the same old faces, we also added 11 new portraits for you to select! Huzza! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/0312d35437ef3b7d0e11df55995a544c648df022.png In addition to adding new portraits, we also took the opportunity to add a bunch of missing illustrations to the game. These are all by MechaBarbarian and I probably don’t need to tell you, they are stunning. Can you find them all? {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/dcddd25eb6b3990e27d950ccafc9e02628e6831f.png This one was another frequently requested matter: Full controller and Steam Deck support! We even got the green checkmark from Valve telling you we’re Steam Deck supported. All in all, I’m super happy with how the game plays using controllers. There’s still a handful of minor idiosyncrasies but RPGs are complicated and there are only so many buttons! I’m sure we’ll iron it out by the next update. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/bc716eee9c122b6b80048a262d5079589a48fb25.png What’s Next? We’re aiming for a new major update around Christmas. I can’t say too much about it but it’s sure to make a lot of you happy and to keep you entertained for a long time. More info to follow. I would also like to ensure all the crowdfunding backers who still have outstanding rewards that you’ll be getting more info on this soon. There’s a lot of moving pieces and I just need to be sure not to screw this one up. More info to follow (I promise). So, what are all the “moving pieces”? Well I can’t really say anything other than that I’m lining up the next project for High North Studios. Sadly, it’ll be some time before I can tell you what it is, but I’ll say this much: If you liked Skald, you’ll LOVE this. More info to follow! Version Notes FEATU...Project Update: Full Control!Aug 30, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsGreetings all! As summer rolls into fall, it's time for a sign of life! First of all, I've been a bit quiet over the summer as I've taken the time to rest and recover post-launch. Skald took a lot out of me and I was pretty burned out by the end. Thankfully, the game has been a success so it's been worth it. However, I have indeed been fully back to work now for a few weeks and things are moving ahead with a new update! I'll release more details as we get closer but as a little sneak-peak, I can tell you that I'm doing a huge lift for controller and Steam Deck play! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/3642f8d209b0ae836660c840138e2778d21601a2.jpg We're also adding a good handful of bug-fixes and minor features as well as adding in some character options, portraits and a dozen illustrations that we didn't have time to get in there before launch. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/bc716eee9c122b6b80048a262d5079589a48fb25.png This update will drop at the end of September (and a week earlier on the experimental branch so stay posted)! Beyond that, the road-map for the rest of the year is pretty much laid and there is some really cool stuff coming up that I can't wait to share with you! But one thing at the time... Cheers! AL https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069160/SKALD_Against_the_Black_Priory/Get 10% OFF SKALD from August 12 - 19Aug 12, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsHello, Firstly, we want to take a moment to say a massive thank you to everyone for the support! SKALD is sat on Overwhelmingly Positive based on over 1,600 reviews, activity is flowing on our social media channels and the feedback we've received has been incredible. To celebrate, we've taken 10% off SKALD until August 19th! This also applies to the Deluxe Edition which has received a deeper discount, and it means you can get the Reinforcement Pack and Official Soundtrack at 10% off as well! So if you haven't visited the Outer Isles yet, there's never been a better time. We've also put together a brand new video that shows off additional sections of the game. And we'll have more to talk about in the near future! Have fun out there! Got Bugs? Our Discord community is thriving and very helpful. We have FAQs there as well as a helpdesk and channels dedicated to feedback. We also check in on the Steam discussions regularly so feel free to leave questions there. Finally, please consider reporting to the Raw Fury customer support desk. All tickets there also get consolidated and sent to me. Thank you for your continued support! ALVersion 1.0.5 is Live - Patch NotesJun 13, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsVersion 1.0.5 is LIVE! Our latest update is now live, please see the version notes below for full details. Version Notes MISC Spellburn's damage no longer scales with Spell Aptitude - Attunement gained does. The Herald should now be quite a bit harder to kill The cleric spell Holy Light now purges invisibility If you've started the quest to find Froggert when you defeat the Father, Marsa will show up in Horryn. She's standing on the main square at the western corner. FEATURE Now, by default, right clicking an empty tile does not cause a pop-up to appear with info on the tile's light-level and stealth modifiers. This makes it easier to use the right mouse button to highlight interactable objects. The feature can be turned back on under Settings -> Gameplay -> Show Stealth Info Screen-shaking effects can now be disabled under Settings -> Display -> Screen Shaking BUG Defending condition has wrong timing description ("Lasts until end of combat"). It in fact lasts until the start of next turn. Hammer of Light, Holy Judgement and Holy Lance did not add Spell Aptitude to the damage output. The 'S' in "Select a maneuver to perform" flickered between upper and lower case. The VSYNC setting was not saved between sessions if disabled For non-numeric difficulty settings (such as "Ignore Encumbrance") the setting was incorrectly shown as "Enabled" in some cases Trying to adjust VSYNC on Mac should no longer cause the game to freeze Casting a spell while on a boat on the overland would freeze movement until you selected a new character During resting and Crafting you could use hotkeys to go to states like the character-sheet or inventory. This has now been disabled as it would cause crafting ingredients to disappear. Got Bugs? Our Discord community is thriving and very helpful. We have FAQs there as well as a helpdesk and channels dedicated to feedback. We also check in on the Steam discussions regularly so feel free to leave questions there. Finally, please consider reporting to the Raw Fury customer support desk. All tickets there also get consolidated and sent to me. Thank you for your continued support!Week 1 Updates and Patch NotesJun 7, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsWhat a week! Skald went live to sterling reviews from both audience and press! I've been working around the clock since then trying to onboard new community members, staying on top of social media and preparing todays Update (Version 1.0.4d). See below! Due to the amazing momentum we've been building since launch, we've agreed to extend the launch discount until June 13th. So if you have this game wishlisted, consider picking it up before the summer starts (to help you keep out of the sun)! Also, if you’re enjoying the game PLEASE consider leaving a review. We’re above 700 reviews now and the Steam algo is all about it so please keep them coming! NOTE: Some of you may have noticed that we posted and then removed a post very similar to this on Wednesday. This was because we tried to update the game and were very quickly made aware of a bug that interfered with some people’s saves. As a result we rolled back the update as well as the Steam post. Version 1.0.4d is Live! As I said, I'm working double time to patch bugs and act on feedback. I've also fixed more typos than I thought humanly possible. V. 1.0.4d should and is the first in a series of updates intended to consolidate the game after launch. We'll keep a rapid cadence for now with no more than 2d7 days between updates. Version notes at the end of this post to avoid spoilers! Experimental Branch We've added an experimental branch for Steam - PC. We'll be uploading new builds here about a week in advance of the Default branch and I sure would love to have your help in testing it! To join it, read this! Note that as of today, this week’s experimental branch is in sync with the Default branch. We’ll likely be adding a new experimental build early next week. Got Bugs? Do you have bugs? Discord is by far my favorite community and it's thriving and very helpful. We have FAQs there as well as a helpdesk and channels dedicated to feedback. If you have very serious bugs that stop you from playing the game, reach out to me personally in a DM in the Discord @SkaldRPG. We also patrol Steam discussions constantly so feel free to leave questions there. Finally, please consider reporting to the Raw Fury customer support desk. All tickets there also get consolidated and sent to me. VERSION NOTES (SPOILERS) === Version 1.0.4d === FEATURES: The life-length of combat pop-ups can be adjusted under Settings -> Gameplay -> Combat Pop-Up Length Whether to give XP to downed characters after combat is now a setting in Settings -> Difficulty -> “XP For Downed Characters”. It is now set to “Enabled” for all difficulties except High. The recipes listed under and ingredients “Use in” entry are now hyperlinked. When selecting new spells, you can see all the spells in the relevant school. The spells that are currently locked are marked with a gray padlock. Feats that increases the tier of a spell school now lists all spell available to that school MISC: Added some error checking to achievement setting Fixed about 150 typos...Join the Experimental Branch!Jun 6, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsHi there! We’ve set up an Experimental Branch on Steam for PC. The purpose of this branch is to post builds and updates there for live testing before we make official updates! This is SUPER helpful to us as we are small team and there is no substitute for high volume testing! We’ll be looking into adding Mac and doing it for GOG as well but one step at the time! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/67bbc2dc93d50b7b82a2cc8574e5ef4e5152544e.gif To join the branch: Turn off steam cloud saves. Right click on the game and choose properties, then go to General and unclick the steam cloud saves. Back up their save data. Found at “C:\Users\USER\AppData\LocalLow\High North Studios\SKALD_ Against the Black Priory\SaveFiles” copy the SaveFiles folder and put it on the desktop for example. Go back to steam, right click on Skald and select Properties. Select tab Betas. Type in the pass: experimental and hit the button Check Code. Now select the branch from the drop down list. Enter password: “ experimental” Restart steam to trigger steam client to download the update Please note that going back and forth between the Default and Experimental branch could POTENTIALLY cause issues with save files though we’re of course doing everything we can to avoid that. Any feedback from playing on the Experimental branch should be reported to the feedback_experimantal_branch sub-channel on the Discord. See you in the Outer Isles! ALAn AMA with the Developer - Wednesday 5 June at 4pm BST/5pm CESTJun 4, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsHello! It's only been a few days since launch but we're so excited about the reception to SKALD: Against the Black Priory from the community, content creators and press. We know that a lot of the community have questions about the game and we've arranged an AMA with Anders tomorrow, 5 June at 4pm BST/5pm CEST over at https://www.reddit.com/r/CRPG/ We hope to see you there! Don't fret if you can't make it for the live Q&A, you can add your questions to the post over on Reddit right now and Anders will answer them during the AMA. Thank you so much for all your support for SKALD, it's been overwhelming in the best way. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/30c44ecc8bf00774e5447f7023fe82e0952dace0.jpgSkald: Against The Black Priory review: the best of 80s RPG design without the baggageMay 31, 2024 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunI regret not covering Skald Colon Against The Black Priory when its developer told us about it 2019. I'd get to be so smug now. Skald is terrific. I've tried to come up with a clever angle on its journey, but they all wind up saying the same thing: For all its retro stylings (right down to party portraits taking up an unnecessary quarter of the screen at all times), it's an accessible, charming treat, and the best modernisation of 80s RPGs that I've ever played. Read more SKALD: Against The Black Priory Is Now Available!May 30, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsRaw Fury and High North Studios have launched their retro-style RPG, SKALD: Against the Black Priory on PC on Steam for $14.99/£12.79/€14.99. To celebrate, players can enjoy a launch day discount, now in effect for 10% off. Set in a grim-dark fantasy world of tragic heroes, violent deaths and Lovecraftian horror, in SKALD: Against the Black Priory, choices matter as players explore an engaging storyline mixed with crunchy tactical, turn-based combat and character customization. Inspired by iconic retro RPG titles, in SKALD: Against the Black Priory players explore the thrilling expanse of Freymark and the Outer Isles to uncover the grand schemes of the Gallian Empire. Players will experience an unforgettable story filled with unexpected twists and turns, with a unique mesh of modern storytelling and classic RPG elements, that will seem familiar and yet innovative to RPG fans, old and new. Players will experience key features including: Equipping their heroes using a modern inventory system, fulfilling objectives through quest logs, and reading journals to discover hidden secrets. Unique visuals built from thousands of hand-drawn tiles and images inspired by the legendary Commodore 64 computer, with an optional CRT filter to allow for a true retro gameplay experience. Fighting their way to Level 20 by choosing a character, selecting their stats and building out a party from a series of diverse allies, each with their own skill-set, agenda and personality. Players will meet and recruit fully fleshed out pre-made characters with unique backstories and handcrafted interactions, as well as have options to fill their party: either with ‘mercenaries,’ blank characters that they can build from the ground up to their exact specifications or mix and match as they go. Players can also decide to travel on their own. Deciding between a dozen classes and backgrounds, customizing spells and equipment in order to prepare for the journey ahead and uncovering the schemes of the Gallian Empire while exploring the vast expanse of Freymark and the Outer Isles. SKALD: Against the Black Priory is now available on Steam for $14.99/£12.79/€14.99, with a current launch discount of 10%. Players can also purchase the Deluxe Edition of the game for $22.47/ £17.68 / €14.99 (10% launch day discount also available for a limited time), which includes the full OST and the Reinforcement Pack, as well as a host of gameplay additions such as: Three unique backgrounds with additional statistics Two new wallpapers A pack of in-game portraits Golden die to roll, amongst other types, with an all-new animation An additional vendor: Malachai the Magical Item Merchant For the latest information about SKALD: Against the Black Priory and to join the community, check out the game’s official website, X page, and Discord page. The best thing about this retro fantasy RPG is that I keep forgetting it's actually Lovecraftian horrorMay 30, 2024 - PC GamerEverything about Skald: Against the Black Priory feels crafted to lull me into a false sense of security. With its wonderfully garish retro RPG visuals, familiar classes and character options, and simple turn-based combat, I keep being lured into thinking I'm just on a typical fantasy adventure. That only makes it all the more disturbing when I'm reminded that it's not... Read more.Skald Against the Black Priory review - a modern take on retro RPGsMay 29, 2024 - PCGamesNAttempting to play the forefathers of the RPG genre in 2024 requires patience steeped in a hefty amount of nostalgia. From the days of Ultima and the first Baldur's Gate, the genre has developed quality-of-life features that have made it difficult to turn back the clock by two or more decades. So when a game like Skald: Against the Black Priory promises that retro RPG feel with enough modern concessions to make it fun to play, I jump at the chance to get my hands on it. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: This old-school RPG looks like a retro Baldur's Gate Setting SailMay 29, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsSkald launches tomorrow (May 30th, 7pm CEST) on Steam and GOG for PC and Mac. It’s priced at 15 USD or as a jam-packed Deluxe edition for 25 USD. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069160/SKALD_Against_the_Black_Priory/ Reviews Inbound Today at 4pm CET, the embargo for Skald will be lifted. That means that press and content creators can finally begin talking about the game! This is an exciting and terrifying moment: The game we sent them two weeks ago has improved on an astronomical scale in the last two weeks and there were of course a bit of rough patches in the press/creator build. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/f6b67c46a0a5f800ccaa8ec5d7e16e136000dd12.png Thankfully people have been beyond helpful in bringing us bug reports and the like and the game has improved vastly because of it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I adore it and I know you will as well! I’ll post an abbreviated change-log as well as some info for users who have been playing on the press/creator build below. READ IT. Launch Build Version Notes The following changes are the major changes that have been implemented since we sent out the press build. For players using a Press/Content Build: These changes will NOT automatically be added to the press-branch of the game. That branch will be frozen in time for eternity to ensure backwards compatibility and stability (more below). NEW FEATURES The magic-system has been redesigned somewhat, making spellcasters a lot more powerful and fun to play. Also added a few new spells. Leveling up spellcaster Feats allows you to now manually select new spells (it used to be auto assigned) The Feat trees for most classes have been reorganized with an emphasis on balance. The Rogue’s backstab ability is made a lot more powerful by multiplying backstab damage by the weapons critical damage modifier It’s now possible to “abort” leveling up, meaning you don’t have to spend all your development points each time you enter the Feats screen. This makes it possible to take a break, and examine your character or the rest of the party etc. Added in the missing end-slide cut-scenes and artwork Dogs bark when you pet them (!) MISC Around 100 typos fixed Fixed numerous bugs Added dozens of minor QoL tweaks Made encumbrance more forging Made the game a little more willing to give out gold Added more gold to vendors so it’s easier to sell loot Added more sound effects Added a few more alternate solutions to combat situations (stealth and diplomacy) PERFORMANCE Thanks to feedback from reviewers, we were made aware of performance issues in certain parts of the game. This has slipped past our QA runs because it seems to be system dependent. I’ve done what I can on short notice and the issue should already be better at launch. In the case that you still suffer FPS drops, try going into “Settings -> Display” and disable “Fancy Lighting” and “Weather Effects”. This should improve performance on all systems. Beyond that, I have a new patch ready to go on Monda...Party Time!May 28, 2024 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/3e2af3f7ff90320b4282fde308426962327eb0aa.png Just over 50 hours and counting! The hours are passing by in a fever-pitch at the moment. The amount of polish that has gone into the game since we sent out press-keys is AMAZING. On one hand, I’m sad that the reviewers didn’t get to see all those wonderful updates, but on the other hand, it’s far more important that you – the community – get a game that looks amazing on May 30th. I spent all weekend playing through it and let me tell you: If your RPG tastes are like mine, you’re in for a treat. So in other words: you better smash that “buy” button once we go live! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069160/SKALD_Against_the_Black_Priory/ We’re keeping it safe and saying the game has a core path of about 15 hours but in reality, every single first run I’ve seen has taken 25+ hours and that’s not mentioning replayability. Rogue's Gallery Today I’ll do a short feature of the six pre-made recruitable characters in the game. There was originally going to be more of them but I landed on the choice of giving maximum attention to fleshing out a handful of them instead of spreading it too thin. The upside, of course, is that you can also recruit fully customizable characters if you want a bit of variation, allowing for endless mixing and matching. Roland Roland is a sell-sword veteran of countless bloody campaigns. He carries many a scar both without and within. Mercenary work is cruel and unglamorous it would seem. Roland is a dangerous and brutal man . He’s also laconic and prone to bouts of melancholy but unerringly loyal. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/a9b68da526c0957c0a8bab1f69ebbcd19011eb7b.png Roland is an Armsmaster. A class that excels in straight-forward and brutal combat. Kat Kat is an indentured guild-sailor who was part of the crew of the ‘Zephyr’. She hails from the Imperial mainland where her cut-throat brother sold her into servitude after their parents died. Needless to say they did not part on good terms. Kat is outspoken and exuberant with a foul mouth that stands in stark contrast to her fair appearance. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/8ea82ec790e2a26fad2eac0673744b57500df28f.png Kat is a Thief and excels in stealth and lock-picking. She also employs her deadly Backstab ability in combat to deal large amounts of damage and crippling injury conditions. Driina Driina is a cleric of the Sepulchite order, bringing the light of the Golden Dead to the Outer Isles. Imperial religion places great significance upon the dead and the mummified corpses of long dead Magi and Emperors are the Empire’s most prized relics. The Sepulchites are the custodians of the Dead. This makes a somber and austere lot but they are also experts of the flesh and great healers. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/90bc2531c561a31702d1f11bcd6c047b403788c3.png Driina is a Hospitaller: A front line healer combining the sacred magic of the flesh with a robust combat presence. Iben Iben is a quiet man with a sharp ...Late Stage Feature BonanzaMay 21, 2024 - Community AnnouncementsHello! As I’m writing this, there are 227 hours, 11 minutes and 23 seconds left until launch. That feels surreal, terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. Just like a good cosmic horror grimdark RPG in other words. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/b9097377ab8cf3eb4d713048291e415f40bae878.png The game in question is, of course, “Skald: Against the Black Priory”. A retro-style roleplaying game releasing May 30th for PC and Mac. The game will sell for 15 USD with a Deluxe Edition priced at 25 USD. This game is VALUE PACKED in my humble opinion so please consider getting the Deluxe edition. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1069160/SKALD_Against_the_Black_Priory/ We’re keeping it safe and saying the game has a core path of about 15 hours but in reality, every single first run I’ve seen has taken 25+ hours and that’s not mentioning replayability. Some New Late-Stage Features In the blood-red rush of caffeine fueled crunch madness I decided to add a few nice little late stage features. Rejoice! MERCENARIES Do you want to adventure with the pre-made characters? Or would you rather make every character in the party from scratch? Perhaps a combination of the two? {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/e55d516d2443fd239f931a575217bacc49313327.png (oops all the new characters!) Fear not! The Outer Isles is full of “Mercenaries”: Blank characters that you can hire and customize fully. Up to 18 characters can be part of your group and you’re free to swap them in and out from the party management screen that you get access to when resting in beds or at inns! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/fff51bc8076d87553f2675d338dadca66ba0f216.png (This game suddenly feels a lot more like murder-hobo pokemon!) You’re even free to leave all your companions in camp and venture forth alone if you want a bit of an extra challenge. THE WEATHERMAIDEN As you set sail across the Outer Isles on the fine ship “Weathermaiden” you can use her as a mobile base of operations. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/16353e91613951d2a4405fd9e5b1a7008da03481.png Sleep, cook, craft, socialize, organize your party, trade and store your loot in style as you plow the steel-gray seas of the Outer Isles! ULTIMATE MODE Also known as “Nostalgia Mode”! This is a small one but it’s such a sweet little feature I can’t help but show it off! The Deluxe Edition (amongst many other cool things) allows players to activate the special retro game frame! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/bba7f6ec61e838004f9d06d963d4aaeb64e720af.png This is sure to bring back some fond memories for a lot of you! Did I mention that you should buy the Deluxe edition? DELUXE MAP The Deluxe Edition will now come bundled with a high resolution version of the overland map! And don’t worry: We’ll include both a spoilery and a non-spoiler version! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40332547/3da35bb84dd49321e8b53584a1188615a8bd9a18.png SOUND EFFECT UPDATE I’ve done a MASSIVE overhaul of the sound effects in the game! Hoooo boy let me tell you it makes all the difference in the w...
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