HELLO EVERYONE! I have been working away at the next big update for VoltAge:Genesis (I don't have a name for this one because it was an "unplanned" update, so let's just call it the BIG update for now :) Currently, I am putting the finishing touches on two quests and making some small tweaks and fixes as needed; my second play test of this version will be taking place over the next week or so, and I currently plan to release the update on AUGUST 8th (probably around 11am Eastern Time, if my past pattern holds). Below I have compiled a list of everything that has been changed, tweaked, or updated... give it a look, and if you have found something that needs attention between now and then, please let me know!

• -NEW FEATURE - KEYBOARD CONFIGURATION HAS BEEN ADDED!
  • To customize the keyboard configuration for the game, select “Keyboard Config” from the “Options” menu either at the Title Screen or the in-game “Pause” screen
    • In order to prevent the player from “trapping” themselves, some configurations may not be possible (notably, the “Enter” and “Arrow” keys cannot be changed).
  • SHOUT OUT TO 2mOlaf FOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT THIS FEATURE WAS MISSING!

• -NOTE: Players who previously completed the demo and chose to return to the mainland will be able to return to the point where the demo left off by speaking to the man next to the bus stop in Pedregal Springs.
• -Until the next official update, players will be able to claim a limited-edition item by speaking to the white-haired girl near the bus stop in Pedregal Springs.
  • LIMITED EDITION ACCESSORY: Shield Coin
    • Grants +20 Attack, +6 M.Attack, +16 Defense, +26 M.Defense, +6 Agility, +16 Luck, +10% Hit Rate
    • Grants new skill “Shield of Faith”
      • AP Cost: 24
      • User always goes first, gains 100% Counter + 100% Reflect for one turn
• -Players will no longer be able to claim the limited-edition item “Strange Gift” once this update has been released.   

• -26 new quests
  • Missing in Action, Pt. 1 (Butler Intro Quest)
  • The Marked Man, Pt. 1 (Lucas Intro Quest)
  • The Marked Man, Pt. 2 (Lucas Join Quest)
  • Tools of the Trade II (Freeform Quest)
  • 4 new “Wealth of Knowledge” quests
  • 18 new “Supply and Demand” quests
    • One of these quests will feature a battle against a new mid-level (40-50) enemy
    • Four of these quests will feature battles against high level (75+) enemy variants
    • The remaining 13 quests will be standard item gathering quests, many of which only become available after the party has reached Mateyo for the first time.

• -New Quest Type
  • Wealth of Knowledge quests
    • Certain (new) NPCs will appear throughout Marema. Gather lore by talking to NPCs, reading books, etc., and if you can learn enough about their favorite topics, they will reward you! Don’t worry, no note-taking or memorization is necessary…just explore the world and talk to people!

• -Changes to Existing Quests
  • Supply and Demand XII (Soldier in Mourning @ Tocamllo Garrison)
    • Temporarily removed pending completion of the Steel Legion storyline’s conclusion in the next update
  • Supply and Demand XIII (Fit Soldier @ Tocamllo Garrison)
    • Temporarily removed pending completion of the Steel Legion storyline’s conclusion in the next update

• -New Areas Opened:
  • FCP-Bravo
    • An abandoned military camp from the Reclamation which has been turned into a base of operations for the Trailblazers, an independent group of monster hunters who operate throughout The Deadlands.
      • Once the party is able to earn the trust of the Trailblazers’ leader, they will find that the base offers new equipment and items not available for purchase anywhere else in the Deadlands.
      • Several new quests can be undertaken here, eventually leading to a new party member joining after the next update…
  • Perdi Esper
    • Once the party has started the quest “The Marked Man, Pt. 2”, they will be able to access this extremely large and dangerous area (Enemy Level 70). This massive swamp due west of the Tocamllo Ruins is a confusing patchwork of irradiated water and half-submerged pathways inhabited by a variety of deadly wildlife.

• -Changes to Existing Areas
  • Certain areas in the “Distant Deadlands” (South of Tocamllo and/or East of the Pedregal River) now contain enemies.
    • Distant Blast Zones contain the following enemies (Level 65):
      • Glowing Sludge
      • Glowing Barrel Sludge
      • Glowing Shambler
      • Glowing Dwearian
      • Spooklight
    • Distant Blast Zones in Dry Lakebeds contain the following enemies (Level 75):
      • Glowing Sludge
      • Glowing Barrel Sludge
      • Glowing Lumva Beetle
      • Glowing Millipede
      • Glowing Shambler
      • Spooklight
    • Distant Radioactive Swamps contain the following enemies (Level 70):
      • Deathwasp
      • Lumva Beetle
      • Millipede
      • Thornheel
      • Nymph
      • Spooklight
  • Coluna (Old City)
    • Added an “Emerald Bracelet” that someone lost while enjoying a day in the park
    • Add a Tier 1 Hidden Stash somewhere in the area
  • Kanolo HQ
    • Added a Bounty Board (Just outside Nolan and Co’s room)
  • Loican Checkpoint
    • Add a Tier 4 Hidden Stash somewhere in the area
  • Monolito Weapons Plant
    • Added a new [Level 1] locked container to Monolito East (1F)
  • Old Panavinto (Battler’s Dungeon Barracks)
    • The contents of the locked safe have changed
      • No longer contains “Smooth Plate”
      • Now contains “Insulated Knuckles” + “Military Clothes” + “Military Hat”
    • Players who previously looted this container WILL be able to loot it again.
  • Pilgrim’s Way
    • The chained box containing “Millipede Bands” has been removed.
      • A new box containing the “Corsair’s Wrist” has been added in its place
    • Players who previously obtained the “Millipede Bands” WILL still be able to obtain the Corsair’s Wrist by returning to the location.
  • Jurgen’s house in Accoro Village is now unlocked (SW corner)
    • Contains a couple bits of interesting lore about the Fidei Defensor and the Parliament of Alton
    • Once (if) Jurgen moves to Pedregal Springs, his house can be looted for a number of valuable items.
  • Tocamllo Ruins
    • The ruins can no longer be entered pending completion of the Steel Legion storyline’s conclusion in the next update
  • Trabunco Road (West)
    • Relocated Hidden Stash #3 to a slightly more visible spot (spoiler!)
    • Players who previously collected this stash will not be able to collect it a second time in the new location.

• -Changes to Party Members
  • Lucas’ skill progression has been tweaked.
    • No longer learns “Practice Swing”.
    • Now learns “Focus Strike” at Level 61.
    • Now learns “Smite” at Level 70 (previously Level 82).
    • WELCOME BACK, LUCAS! WE MISSED YOU! <3
  • Nyla’s skill progression has been tweaked
    • No longer learns “Second Wind” at Level 18
      • Now learns “Recovery” at Level 18 instead
    • No longer learns “Phalanx Fighting” at Level 54
      • Now learns “Second Wind” at Level 54 instead
    • Appropriate adjustments to Nyla’s skills will be made the first time the player enters the world map after downloading the update.

• -Changes to Enemies
  • Bristlebee
    • No longer drops “Insect Stinger” when defeated
    • Now drops “Insect Eye” (100%)
    • Now has two chances to drop “Tapered Wing” (25%) and (12%)
  • Dwearian
    • Special attack “Impale” has been renamed “Lance”.
  • Lumva Beetle
    • Passive ability changed
      • No longer has “Armored Shell” (Grants +4% Crit. Evasion)
      • Now has “Common Criticals” (Grants +2% Crit. Chance)
  • Nymph
    • New skills added
      • Nymphs can now use single or multi target abilities which inflict various negative status effects on the party (skill selection based on level).

• -Changes to Weapons
  • Several new weapons have been added to the game.
  • The value of the ISR Hellfire (Burst Rifle) has increased to 2280 Volts (+300 Volts)
  • The value of the Imperial SR-57 (Burst Rifle) has increased to 3440 Volts (+200 Volts)
  • The “Crowbar” can now be used to force open most locked containers
    • Lockers and Chained Boxes can now be forced open if the player has a Crowbar in their inventory (does not have to be equipped)
    • The Crowbar cannot be used to open safes (But see “Changes to Shops + Items”)
  • Fixed an issue which was preventing some weapons’ passive effects from working.
    • When using the standard “Attack” option, the following weapons now have a chance to cause the listed status effects at the rate shown:
      • Deadhander Bat – 15% Chance to “Bleed”
      • Stun Gun – 4% Chance to “Stun” or “Overload”
      • Stone Handgun – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Stone Fan – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Yangban Fan – 8% Chance to “Poison”
      • Stone Shotgun – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Uncut Focus – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Hidden Blade – 6% Chance to “1HKO”
      • Stone Dagger – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Barbed Dagger – 10% Chance to “Bleed”
      • Ceramic Dagger – 12% Chance to “Debilitate”
      • Stone Rifle – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Stone Tapper – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Glove of Power – 10% Chance to “Stun” or “Overload”
      • Cattle Prod – 2% Chance to “Stun” or “Overload”
      • Maul – 8% Chance to “Knock Down”
      • Gae Bulg – 15% Chance to “Bleed”
    • NOTE: These are not the only weapons which cause status effects when used; these are simply the ones which have been fixed!

• -Changes to Armor
  • The “Strange Gift” has been changed to the “Strange Coin”
    • Description has been changed
    • No change to stat bonuses offered by item.
  • Minor changes have been made to the “Hunter Talisman”
    • Small change to the description.
    • Can now be sold for 1250 Volts.
  • Minor change to the description of the “Bark Amulet”
  • Dropped the [‘s] from several armor / clothing pieces (i.e. Magician’s Robes)

• -Changes to Shops + Items
  • NEW ITEM – Sonic Grenade
    • Description – A sonic concussion grenade commonly used by Hunters to stun and disorient prey while causing [Crush] damage.
    • Base Cost – 1000 Volts
    • Causes around 500 points of [Crush] damage to all enemies with a 25% chance to cause “Confuse”, “Stun”, or “Headache” (calculated separately).
  • NEW ITEM – Thermite
  • Description – A chemical compound used to generate intense heat for short periods of time. Incredibly illegal, but useful.
    • Base Cost – 4000 Volts
    • Can be used to open [Level 3] locks (mostly safes).
  • The Disciples now sell two new items at their camp west of the Panavinto Checkpoint
    • Obsidian Dagger (Dagger)
    • Obsidian Spear (2H Spear)
  • The Disciples’ initial prices have been adjusted. Until the party has been granted access to Ensenada, all gear will be sold for 25% more than the base price.
  • The Ensenada armor merchant’s stock has changed
    • No longer sells “Shielded Plate”
    • No longer sells “MaRec Type-C”
    • No longer sells “Palisade”
  • The Ensenada junk merchant’s stock has changed
    • No longer sells “RSP-67.83.100”
    • No longer sells “RSP-85.100”
    • The cost of the following items has been increased by 50% (new price is 375 Volts for each):
      • Portable AED
      • Homemade Stealthgen
      • Nitrogen Canister
    • Now sells “Molotov Cocktail” for 375 Volts each
    • Now sells “Unstable Battery” for 375 Volts each
    • Now sells “Sonic Grenade” for 1500 Volts each
    • Now sells “Thermite” for 6000 Volts each
  • The Kanolo Ruins Armory’s stock has changed
    • No longer sells “Stealth Plate”
  •  Nathan’s inventory in Pedregal Springs has changed
    • Once “Supply and Demand XXVIII” (available after “Profit Margins Pt. 3) has been completed, Nathan’s stock will be updated.
      • Nathan will no longer sell the following items:
        • Military Handgun
        • Military Shotgun
        • Combat Knife
        • Lizard Ring
        • Clover
      • Nathan will begin to sell the following items:
        • Hunter Handgun               (3780 Volts)
        • Hunter Shotgun                (4320 Volts)
        • Hunter Rifle                        (4320 Volts
        • Hunter Talisman               (2250 Volts)
  • The TechTown shop in Pedregal Springs’ stock has changed
    • No longer sells “Alloy Plating”
    • No longer sells “Steel Plating”
    • After “Profit Margins pt. 2” completed:
      • Stops selling “Homemade Stealthgen”
      • Begins selling “Standard Stealthgen” for 500 Volts
      • Begins selling “Flashbang” for 750 Volts
    • After “Profit Margins pt. 3” completed:
      • Stops selling “Standard Stealthgen”
      • Begins selling “Scavver Stealthgen” for 750 Volts
      • Begins selling “Sonic Grenade” for 1000 Volts
      • Begins selling “Thermite” for 4000 Volts
  • The “Insect Stinger” has been changed to “Wasp Stinger”
    • Description has been changed
    • No longer dropped by Bristlebee

• -Changes to Skills
  • Enemy Skill “Quake” has been tweaked.
    • Cost has been increased by 2 (New Cost = 18 AP).
  • “Practice Swing” has been tweaked.
    • Greatly increases the likelihood that the user will be targeted by enemies until the end of the next round.

• -General Changes / Bug Fixes
  • CRITICAL BUG FIXED - Fixed a bug where one of the cave entrances in the Trabunco Mt. Pass sent you into a wall (yikes!)
  • Fixed a RARE bug where Gregory would question the Red-Haired Hunter in New Panavinto about his origins long after the relevant story segment had passed.
  • The player can no longer climb the outside of the New Panavinto Inn.
  • Made some slight cosmetic changes to the interior of the tavern in Mateyo Village.
  • Began adding new lore to the game (See “New Quest Type, above)
  • Adjusted the dimensions of certain areas so that dialogue would not cover the player.
  • Added music to the interior of some houses.
  • Removed the shadows cast by walls in the Pecasta Caverns
  • Fixed the aggravating issue where the player would leave Bradospa or Eastside and accidentally walk straight into the neighborhood on the opposite side.
  • Added more locations to use your tools
  • Added more locked containers to loot