It's been almost two weeks since our first major update, and we hope you've been having a blast in the new Soulmask world!
We're still focused on addressing a series of issues that remain after this comprehensive improvement. For instance, last week, Laura hosted a "Thrill Seekers" event on our Discord channel (if you haven't joined our official Discord yet, what are you waiting for!).

We're incredibly grateful for the community's enthusiasm, and we've received valuable feedback on this new version. As always, we particularly appreciate your suggestions for improvements, which we're already working to implement.
Let's dive into ZIMA's responses to your feedback. All these improvements are in the pipeline and will be part of future updates!1. First, from Equivocus and xPh3n: The improvements are great and all, but has Soulmask gone a bit too soft? We're itching for more hardcore, brutal survival challenges!

A: We're thrilled to hear from our hardcore players, and we're working on it! We're planning to roll out a batch of custom options soon, allowing players to better tailor the difficulty. This includes toggles for a series of modifications we've made in Early Access.

Additionally, we're planning to launch new "Hardcore Mode" official servers. Still yearning for the most primitive Soulmask survival experience? You'll be able to feel the full pressure of this world again!

2. From idiotica and Jestersuave: The Hitstun mechanic is wrecking the combat system - it's just too darn powerful!

A: Trust us, we've heard this one a few times! We've been scratching our heads trying to figure out how to balance this without going from one extreme to another. Finding the sweet spot between Parry Hitstun and Empty Resilience Hitstun benefits is like trying to walk a tightrope - it needs some careful thinking.

That's why in last week's update, we made some changes on both the Active and Passive aspects. On the Active side, we added a new active skill called "Recover Sense." It's a long-CD ability that lets you break free from controlled states like Parry Hitstun and Empty Resilience Hitstun, giving you at least one chance to turn the tables when you're on the back foot.

We're also tweaking the Hitstun mechanic itself: When a Chieftain is caught in a Hitstun, each hit they take now reduces the Hitstun duration. This maintains the control aspect of Hitstun without leading to excessive damage.

3. from theothergaia: Boss health scales with the number of participants, including tribesmen followers! This makes our loyal companions more of a liability than an asset in Boss fights!

A: To clarify, the Boss stat scaling does have a cap - it maxes out at 10 participants. We totally get that in solo play, you don't want your tribesmen to accidentally crank up the difficulty. So, we're thinking of adding a toggle for "Boss health scaling" in the custom settings.

Down the road, we might even refine this system further. For example, a Chieftain + tribesmen team might cause less of a Boss health bump compared to a full player party. We'll keep you posted when we nail down the final plan.

4. From Battch and Battz ツ: The "Steel Body" ability is overpowered, especially when combined with hammers, dominating PVP.

A: We hear you. That's why our recent update introduced a new bow skill called "Eclipse." It fires a black arrow that temporarily nullifies all Superarmor effects in the area. This should make Chieftains think twice before spamming "Steel Body" and other Superarmor effects.

5. From ごえもぉん: Any chance we could get a better way to manage our mounts?

A: We know everyone's tired of juggling their animal companions and livestock in the same messy pile. Good news - we're working on a shiny new animal management system, coming your way soon! We're also throwing in some custom sliders for mount limits and other tweaks.

But that's not all, folks! We're also beefing up the mount recall system. Soon, you'll be able to summon your trusty steed from up to 100 meters away. No more losing your ride in the wilderness!

6.Both DOSorDIE and Jestersuave have repeatedly expressed this hope: More custom options!

A:As you might have noticed from our previous answers, we're big on customization. As a sandbox survival game, we prioritize tailored experiences for both single-player and private servers. Rest assured, more custom options are on the way, including adjustable drop level, boss damage coefficients, and more!

7. Jengster raised a concern about our PVP official servers heading south and dying out too quickly.

A: We've noticed this trend and believe it's time to discuss implementing a season function for PVP servers. Don't worry - we'll approach this carefully and give you plenty of options. We'll dive into the details soon, aiming for a solution that keeps everyone happy. And yes, a seasonal race for PvP servers will be our direaction going forward.

Additionally, as one of our most important gameplay aspects, we plan to make plenty of experimental trials on PvP servers, including more diverse gameplay and mechanics of PvP season. Keep an eye out for more future updates!
Chieftains, your passion for the new version of Soulmask is truly inspiring. While we couldn't address every issue here, know that we're constantly working on improvements. (For a taste of what's to come, check out yesterday's patch - our tribesmen are now civilized enough to close the door behind them after using the Outhouse!)

Stay tuned for more update previews coming soon. Until next time, Chieftains!

Community Manager Peter
Lead Producer ZIMA

Join discord: https://discord.com/invite/4G2K7FDbtp