[h3][b]Greetings, Viceroys![/b][/h3] It's been almost a month since the release of the Keepers of the Stone DLC. For us, it has been a time of great joy to see so many of you exploring the Coastal Grove and building homes for the Frogs. We're grateful to all of you who trusted us and decided to give it a try. This past month has also been a time of reflection. We studied your feedback and analyzed reports. We've released five patches to iron out the issues that have slipped through the cracks. We also formulated a plan for larger changes to address more common feedback. Here are the highlights of the changes coming in the near future. [hr][/hr] [h2]New biome: Ashen Thicket[/h2] Many of you have expressed concern about the price of the DLC, that it doesn't match the content it provides. We agree. Although it was paired with an extensive Fishing Update, the DLC itself wasn't "meaty" enough. That's why we're adding another biome to the DLC: the Ashen Thicket. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37925331/d5640354ffbf8538adb7407e664bc243a3d9a39e.jpg[/img] [i]Ashen Thicket (work in progress, subject to change)[/i] [quote][b]Ashen Thicket[/b] Once a thriving forest of giant spruce trees, this land has been ravaged by relentless industrial exploitation and the devastating Blightstorm. Now reduced to a barren wasteland, the forest is littered with broken trunks and remnants of its former glory. This region is infamous for its abundance of Thunderblight Shards - magically charged amber crystals, essential in the crafting of Cornerstones.[/quote] The Ashen Thicket's unique biome mechanic is the Cornerstone Forge - a brand new building where you can craft your own Cornerstones (up to three per game) in exchange for Thunderblight Shards collected from Dangerous and Forbidden Glade Events. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/37925331/1cc762da5e0d683be3bcd3838524ab5825fbc518.jpg[/img] [i]Cornerstone Forge (subject to change)[/i] [previewyoutube=naVzfwugqY8;full][/previewyoutube] [quote][b]Creating Cornerstones[/b] To create a Cornerstone, you must choose a condition and a reward/effect. The effect stacks based on how many times the condition is triggered. Both conditions and effects have a random rating (stars). You can choose an optional penalty to increase the rating of either the condition or the effect (indicated by a line connecting the penalty to one of them). Finally, you need to choose an icon and name your new Cornerstone.[/quote] In addition to the new building, the Ashen Thicket comes with all new visuals (trees, terrain, fog, seasonal lighting, etc.), new music tracks, and a resource balance that will set it apart from other biomes. What's more, [b]you can already play it on the Experimental Branch[/b]! The Experimental version of the biome doesn't include the new music and visual assets. The balance may feel wonky and you may encounter some bugs. If that doesn't scare you off (it should!), you can switch to the Experimental Branch by following this guide: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3210939497 [quote]⚠️ The Ashen Thicket biome requires the Keepers of the Stone DLC.[/quote] The full changelog for the Experimental Update 1.5 (which includes the new biome) can be found here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1336490/view/4525647157467807755 If you decide to give it a try, we'd love to hear your thoughts! The best place to share them is in the comments section of the changelog announcement or in the #experimental channels on [url=https://discord.gg/against-the-storm]our Discord server[/url]. [hr][/hr] [h2]Other changes[/h2] Aside from adding the new biome, we're also making a few other changes to the DLC. [h3]Frogs unlock level[/h3] We're lowering the Frog unlock level from 13 to 9 (or lower). The reason we decided to make them so high in the first place was the learning curve - due to their quirks and species attributes, they are more likely to be a beginner's trap. The new unlock level should significantly reduce the time it takes to unlock them. [h3]"Feeling Lucky" achievement[/h3] We're also reworking the "Feeling Lucky" achievement. We're aware that many of you found it too frustrating. While we don't have a concrete idea yet, unlocking it should no longer require divine intervention and a PhD in mathematics. [hr][/hr] [h2]Update 1.5[/h2] All new changes will be part of the upcoming Update 1.5. It will also include several improvements to the base game. We'll have more news about the update in the future. Stay up to date: [url=https://linktr.ee/against_the_storm/ style=button]Follow Eremite Games[/url] [url=https://linktr.ee/hoodedhorse/ style=button]Follow Hooded Horse[/url] [hr][/hr] In the meantime, we hope you continue to enjoy the game and have an eventful time crafting Cornerstones (if you dare!). [b]May the storm be gentle on you,[/b] Eremite Games