Update 1.2.1 Japan PS5 Release + PC Patch

Ayyur-Tharkûn, we have an dual-type update this week! Today (05/22) we have a major release for the PlayStation 5 as well as a small patch to the PC coming tomorrow (05/23). This will bring both versions to the same release number, 1.2.1. For PS5 your version number will appear as 1.2.1.144301 and on PC it will be 1.2.1.143013 following the update tomorrow.

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PS5 Updates - 5/22
Because of the error that occurred when the PS5 version was initially released on Monday, and the resulting quick action of the team to prevent affecting more players, some of you may be on mismatched version numbers (you may have gotten this error when attempting to play multiplayer). As a result, you may see multiple versions as the game is updated. Please only play on the PS5 once you see version number 1.2.1.144301 in the bottom left of the main menu - this will confirm it is the latest update and safe to play. If you do not see this version number after downloading the update, please check for further updates.

We’ve said it a lot over the past few days, but wanted to take the opportunity to once again thank the community for reporting the issue and answering our questions quickly so we could take action to resolve this asap.

We’re sorry that some player saves were affected by this error earlier this week. We believe that character saves should be visible again once the game is updated, but we unfortunately cannot guarantee that all worlds affected by the issue will be restored when the latest version is installed. We know how disheartening and frustrating it can be to lose save data, and it’s heartbreaking for the team to hear that it has affected players.

In some good news the amazing response from the community about what was happening has shown the root cause for another major save issue. That issue was affecting a small number of people with very large worlds. We plan to work on this as well as further hardening of the save system for a release in a followup patch for PS5 players very soon. 

‍Full Patch Notes:

This release also marks the first time the game can be played in Japanese, available on both versions. And now the bulk of the major improvements from Title Update 2 make their way to PS5. As was previously announced, Sandbox Mode remains in Alpha on PC only. It will make its way to all available console versions with the next major update, likely late summer or early fall.

Have fun out there and keep an eye on Discord for further updates!

‍Caution: we've done our best to avoid major spoilers in the notes, but there are mentions of some locations and items below that some players may consider spoilers.

‍Some changes require a reshuffling of resources in existing worlds. In most cases this will be seamless, however there is still a chance some objects in existing worlds may have shifted.  

Changes available on all versions:

• Added Japanese as a playable language. Note like all non-English languages this is text only, not spoken voice.
• Fixed various issues with joining online game sessions.
• Fixed an issue where joining players could not build bedrolls or mapstones within a campfire’s radius.
• Dwarves now correctly die when jumping into the Great Abyss below the Bridge of Khazad-dum. Wielders of the Secret Fire are exempted. 
• Fixed an issue where music was not playing when lighting the Elven Forge.
• Conversations at the Doors of Durin now complete correctly.
• Fixed an issue where singing to Durin’s Monument did not always start the song.
• The Khazadstone is no longer tiny in the world.
• Prevent most instances of Aric flying into junk.
• Fixed issues where some waypoints were using the wrong icon.
• Fixed issues where certain combinations of buffs and difficulty settings failed their math test and resulted in, uh, irregular calculations. This most egregious case was using the Hopgoblet brew in “Story” Difficulty mode. Instead of making stamina regen lightning fast, it led to stamina not regenerating at all. Other brew and difficulty mode combinations had similar, but less noticeable issues. “Well Rested” while on “Story” mode, for example, caused the Hunger meter to continuously fill instead of drain. Admiring Treasure was also giving players the wrong boost in multiple difficulty settings.
• Evening Ale no longer grants infinite Energy.
• Frostblade and Thunderstrike Runes no longer accidentally flay Hriwara, Cave Bears and Dâ'imûn.
• Fixed a potential crash when using the charged attack on a weapon imbued with the Flame Rune.
• Several songs that did not properly complete now can be sung to the end, and give their buffs.
• Using the D-Pad to navigate the Inventory should be slightly more intuitive.
• Fixed an issue where some populations of monsters and orcs were approaching or even spawning within a hearth radius. Note hearths and lights do not fully prevent this from happening, but do discourage it.
• Fixed an issue where Trolls will unfairly crash the game to keep you from escaping.
• The Map now shows that it is intentionally hidden within Dark Deeps and Mine Shafts. 
• Fixed instances of Goals not completing if you skip various interactions.
• Various localization and typo fixes.
• Fixed various game crashes.

PC-only changes:

• Mitigated an issue where very large worlds with too many waypoints, bases or mapstones prevented any fast travel. Further fixes will come in the next update. If this continues to happen in your world, it can be worked around by deleting waypoints. For some worlds we tested this meant deleting up to 70 waypoints!
• The Belegost Forge should now be reachable in all new Sandbox world seeds. 
• Plugged several holes that led to areas outside the playable world.
• The Adamant Hammer now unlocks in Sandbox mode. It can be unlocked and forged at the late-game Legendary Forge.
• Roaming and Hearth music now lasts longer and does not time out as often.
• Removed some instances of campaign voiceover conversations occurring in Sandbox
• Improved the fade in and out of combat music
• Replaced Ubasam mushrooms with different vegetation in Sandbox Elven biomes
• Barôkamlut recipe no longer requires Gold Ingots. (Look for a way to craft these valuable ingots in the next major update though!)
• Fixed an issue where some Campaign locations were showing in Sandbox mapstones.
• Fixed an issue where some obsolete building blocks were still appearing in the menu, creating duplicates.
• Fixed an issue where the “Connection with online Services was Interrupted" window prompt cannot be properly interacted with on the controller by the Client when the Host presses ALT+F4.
• Upgrades to the Loom now properly unlock in Sandbox
• Fixed an issue where Difficulty Settings were inconsistently reverting to default settings. No more nasty surprises for those who preferred the easier modes or settings!

‍Title Update 2 Major Improvements for the PS5:

These changes were previously released on the PC in April. We are excited that our players on PS5 finally get them!

‍Unless otherwise stated, contents of the update will apply to pre-existing saves.

Improved Map

We have iterated on the Map experience.   

• Color coded biomes. Westgate for example will show up as a different color than later biomes in the game.  
• Improved the visualization of adjacent environments. They now connect into a seamless row instead of separated grid cells.  
• Reduced visual noise around environments that are on different heights than the player.
• Added 2 Colorblind options for the map to help with legibility.
• Renamed the area previously called “Cruel Caradhras” to “The Redhorn Lode”
• Renamed the area previously called “Dwarrowdelf” to “The Upper Halls”

Change Difficulty in Realtime 

We have added the ability to adjust difficulty within the game. Upon release, the game was tuned for a small party of 2-4 dwarves. This meant some portions of the game were very difficult for solo players, while others were very easy for larger groups.  

• Difficulty settings are now available for all worlds, new and existing.
• Difficulty settings can be changed in real time from the Escape menu
• Four preset difficult settings exist (from easiest to hardest): Story, Solo, Normal, Hard
• Note: Story mode still has orcs and combat challenges, so players will still need to keep a weapon at the ready. However they should die faster and not do as much damage.
• Players can also make custom difficulty settings, tuning everything from combat to resource drops to enemy patrol/siege frequency.  
• Note: only the host player can adjust the difficulty of online games.
• Note: Difficulty presets can only be customized while in an active play session

Improved Building & Restoration

Building and decorating bases is a favorite of many players and this update should help all players, especially the builders, create what is in their head much easier. We have worked hard to make sure things “just fit” way more often.

• All pre-placed buildings have been re-built to the world grid, using blocks of the same sizes and shapes as player building blocks. This creates a more consistent building experience, especially around existing architecture.   
• Reworked many of the player build blocks to better fit into open spaces or replace prebuilt architecture blocks.
• Known issue: players with existing worlds will see some duplicate item names including 2 versions of the regular and small granite floor.
• Added significantly more stability when building upwards, reducing random stability breakages in multi-story structures
• Added more leniency to the placement of stability improving structures like walls and columns. It should now be much easier to improve an object’s stability.
• Retuned the restoration hammer to allow most items to be repaired more quickly.  
• Added a new shortcut to build. Press Up on the D-Pad to quickly go to build mode.
• Added a new shortcut to deconstruct. Press Up on the D-Pad then down on the left stick to enter deconstruct mode.
• Reduced instances of buildings exploding when one building block was destroyed.
• Players can now destroy floors in existing dwarven buildings
• Replaced all graphic style icons in Build mode with more representative images of each item.  

New Decorations and Furnishings

We’ve created new placeable objects and allowed the player to place decorative objects that were previously in the world but not available in the menu. This includes these additions or improvements:

• Eight book and scroll shelves
• Six monuments to Durin
• Tavern counter and cabinet
• 12 rug and carpet segments in various colors
• 16 banners and flags in various colors
• Eight new kinds of crystal lamps
• Player-buildable brazier
• 12 kinds of decorative Tables and Chairs (note: the player won’t be able to sit in them)
• A step ladder
• 14 stair segments
• 12 roof and ceiling sections
• Six scaffolding platforms
• Seven fences, trellises and banisters
• 17 column and post segments
• 27 walls, windows, and archways

Combat Feel

This iteration of combat was meant to give fighting more weight, with an emphasis on sound, effects, and knockback.

• Increased knockback on weapon combos, charged attacks, and shield bash
• Added a large stagger and knockback to perfect block. Note as part of this change, perfect block no longer blocks durability degradation of shields
• Improved VFX and SFX when fighting enemies
• Improved VFX for charge attack windup and followthrough.
• Improved VFX and SFX to runic weapons and attacks.
• Status VFX added to enemies hit with the Dâmir, Ashnaraz, and Udûlâ rune
• The dwarf now faces camera forward when charging an attack
• Retuned default enemy aggression to attack less often, giving dwarves more opportunities to finish combos and unleash charged attacks. Note, enemy aggression can be increased or decreased in the difficulty settings mode 
• Dwarves do not “need a better weapon for this” when shield bashing enemies. The shield is completely sufficient for this. 

Retuned Horde and Siege experience

Hordes and sieges are a key part of the combat challenge of the game, reinforcing the need of players to stay alert and be prepared in most situations. The drive to stay at the best tier of weapons and armor is key to the feeling of progression. However the balance of hordes was off, making them infrequent and often much harder than intended. Sieges were often toothless, making them more of a nuisance than fun gameplay. These changes should improve both experiences.

• Retuned hordes to be shorter, more intense fights. Beware! They can now be triggered more easily. Rewards have been updated to match this.
• The danger/awareness meter now decreases over time, but is no longer fully reset by sleeping
• Repairing all legendary forges now has a very high probability of summoning a horde.
• Architecture is now more vulnerable to orc attacks in a siege.

Updated Sound and VFX throughout the game

The long dark of Moria can be lonely, but the Dwarves bring joy with them regardless. To match this tone we have added more joy and sound throughout the game.

• Added ambient music that periodically plays near a hearth so the player can listen to the hospitality of the Dwarves. 
• Added ambient music for exploration in the world that periodically plays as the players are out in the world.  
• Added high tension music for when the player is being attacked.
• Crafting stations have received a VFX and Sound Effect Pass to make using them more engaging. 
• Meal Table has had VFX added and improved 
• Poison and Starving now have Sound effects to indicate when you are taking damage from either.  
• Fixed instances where the opening cinematic audio plays before the video starts.  
• New SFX for a variety of player actions such as rebuilding statues and unlocking new recipes.
• Missing SFX on various UI elements have been hooked up throughout the game
• New VFX and SFX for rebuilding of key structures 
• Improved the general appearance of the Shadow Fog. 
• Overall VFX optimization pass 

Pause the Game in Offline Mode

One of our most requested features! If you are playing alone, you can take a break without having to exit the game.

• Solo players in offline mode can pause the game by navigating to the Settings tab of the global UI. Go to any menu then navigate to the Gear icon.
• Note: The game is NOT paused on any other UI screens. This means the simulation is still active when in the Goals, Appendices, Map, Inventory, Crafting or Building screens.

Tuning Changes

Along with fixing various bugs that affect tuning, we have made the following changes:

• Increased the amount of Muznakan carvings in Westgate, Lower Deeps, Dwarrowdelf, and Desolation in newly created worlds.
• Increased the instances of shadow vents spawning with “broken Durin Lamps”. The lamps can be repaired to seal the shadow vent in newly created worlds.
• Shrank the batch size (and corresponding recipe requirements) for brew at each of the breweries.  
• Hunters rune now restores 3 stamina pips when the player completes their combo, as opposed to 1 stamina every hit

Bug Fixes & Other Improvements: 

In addition to the above, we have fixed about 300 bugs since our last PS5 Update.  Major bug fixes include (but are not limited to): 

Stability and Performance

• Fixed many bugs that would result in the game crashing, common and uncommon (thank you for all the crash reports)
• Fixed many instances of hitching or poor performance throughout the game.  
• Fixed an issue where skipping the opening cinematic could cause the game to crash.
• Decreased load time before respawning back to your base
• Fixed several bugs related to game settings being saved incorrectly when playing in a language other than English

Multiplayer Experience

• Greatly improved the start of game flow, including issues related to hosting and joining multiplayer sessions.
• Improved error reporting when a game can’t be found or the player cannot connect.  
• Trophies and Achievements are now given to all players, not just the host or the one who dealt the final blow of a boss fight.  

Combat: 

• Fixed an issue where Troll could get stuck in the interface between bubbles. (Keep running Dwarf!)
• Reduced the frequency of dwarf grunts when swinging weapons.
• Improved Dwarf bending at torso when mining.
• Improved how a Dwarf aims a bow so it is more predictable when lining up a shot.

Quality of Life Fixes

• Fixed a bug where the exhausted SFX would play when a client joined. (This was a teamwide pet peeve!) 
• Fixed a bug where a new character hosting an existing game would see every waypoint in the world.
• Game startup logo movies are now skippable.
• “Deposit Similar” button now also moves items in the Action Bar to a Storage Container. 
• Added “Take All / Deposit Similar” to the Akhfur chests. 
• Fixed instances where “Take All / Deposit Similar” could disappear when interacting with a different chest, then coming back to the original chest. 
• Fixed an issue where “Take All” functionality was not available on non-player built chests 
• Mapstones now correctly show whether they have been activated. They still need to be activated after being built or rebuilt.
• Chests and pallets in the world now share their contents with crafting stations.
• Uprooting a plant now returns the plant to your inventory.    
• Fixed an issue with the adamant hammer that prevented it from repairing lower tier statues
• Removed partial completion from repairable items like statues and the Eastern Stairs so players don’t accidentally dump resources for no reward. 
• Death chests/urns no longer have to be interacted with twice to open.  
• Fixed an issue with the “Undaunted buff” that blocked stamina regen for 20 seconds
• Fixed an issue where the stamina bar pip visuals would be broken when the stamina bar was updated
• Fixed an issue where Muznakan carvings could fall through the world. 
• Fixed an issue where new worlds could disappear from lists in the Select World screen. 
• Fixed an issue where time would not progress for crafting stations when the player was not nearby. (No need to babysit the Salt Bath anymore!)
• Fixed an issue where enemies could spawn under the world. This should help with instances of enemies not spawning in the final boss fight among others. 
• Getting to the First Hall, then watching the end cinematic should now happen in the correct order.
• Campaign worlds now generate better locations for Orctown; it no longer overlaps with the Elven Quarter.
• Baranzinbar in Campaign now has less procedurally generated vertical overlaps and should be easier to navigate.
• The “Darkness of Night Falls” announcement now happens at Night instead of Twilight.
• Opening the Belegost Forge is now done at the Forge gate itself, rather than the other location where it had previously been done.
• Fixed a small portion of broken navmesh in the Mithril Forge.

Visuals: 

• Fixed an issue where character’s arms and backpack only may show up when first opening the character select screen.  
• Fixed an issue where resin ore could clip through its pallet
• Fixed instances of lighting and shadow issues throughout the game.  
• Fixed an instance where active crafting stations were not visible to a client who had traveled by Mapstone to the base.  
• Wizard marks no longer have outlines that show through dirt voxels.
• Prevented decoration from spawning on Aric’s landing location in Westgate. 
• Fixed minor bits of untextured mesh in several areas in the game
• Improved elven tree destruction
• Removed duplicate instances of Goal and Tutorial banners
• Fixed the Shadow Fog bug that caused the shadow fog to cull on low graphics settings. 
• Fixed the Shadow Fog bug that caused the fog mesh to be jagged and low poly. 
• Fixed the Shadow Fog bug that caused the interaction with Durin’s Axe and Light weapons to not properly activate. 
• Fixed several VFX bugs on the Watcher Fight.
• Fixed bug where certain VFX would disappear when reloading an area. 

Additional PS5-only changes:  

• Hardened many network issues that resulted in players not able to join online games.
• Hardened the Save Game system to prevent players from losing their save games.
• Fixed an issue where the D-Pad was not responsive on first use of a menu.
• Fixed an issue where saving the game while in Rest mode spawned the character out of the world or stuck.
• Added to message when joining an online game failed due to mismatched NAT types.
• Fixed an issue where menus became unresponsive when attempting to join an online game without a PSN subscription.