Game News Stoneshard now available on Early Access

[Infinitron]

Tags: Ink Stains Games; Stoneshard

As promised, Ink Stains Games' extremely cool roguelike Stoneshard was released on Steam Early Access today. For the first time players will be able to discover what lies outside the bounds of that free prologue. Here's the launch trailer and an excerpt from the Early Access FAQ explaining what comes next:

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?
We expect the Early Access to last for 1.5-2 years.

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?
We’ve always envisioned Stoneshard as an expansive, ambitious game - that’s why we are yet to implement many additional features. Right now our roadmap includes the following:

• Constant content updates (new skill trees, weapon types, enemy factions, etc.)
  
• Expanded global map and new settlements
  
• Stealth mode
  
• Bosses
  
• Caravan
  
• Improved AI
  
• Changes and improvements to some of the existing systems
  
• Improved optimization and stability
  
• Crafting, cooking, and alchemy
  
• A fully fledged story
  
• And much more

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?
Yes, we plan to increase the game’s price as we add new content and mechanics.
​

Stoneshard Early Access is available on Steam now for just $15, with a 10% launch discount until next week. Also, 15% off discount coupons appear to be widely available. Seems like a good deal.

 

[Xunwael]

Really like the way the combat flows in this. When your turn-based game barely feels turn-based, you've done something right.

It is kind of dull right now though. Prologue is great, just barely-survived several times during it. The hypercharged EXP gain really helps too. But after I made it through and everything slowed down, 4 hours later my first near-death (and indeed actual death) was when my (by-then dangerously overconfident) pyromancer ran into melee with a bear in the woods during a rainstorm in the middle of the night while fighting two brigands, and only because I didn't know the bear could follow me to the next zone. Seems like it's leaning heavily into its town-only saves to give the combat tension. But you actually need to have tension to begin with for that. I should be in at least some risk of dying during normal fights, not just when I sleepwalk straight into it like a muppet. Y'know, I can zone into three enemies with a glass cannon and still be in no risk of danger. I think I got like three wounds the entire run up to that point.

 

[Catacombs]

Purchased. I'm stoked to see how this evolves.

 

[Sacibengala]

I'm find it really cool. And hard, but I'm a noob. I just found how to save. You need to sleep at the tavern.

 

[Eli_Havelock]

Lesson learned: Beware the bear.

No more than a minute after I clicked on this article I received a -15% coupon for Stoneshard on Steam. SHILL MODE - ACTIVATE! (I'll give it a try.)

 

[Red Hexapus]

The game seems cool, something I will definitely buy at some point, but i have some gripes with the trailer. It essentially takes 1,5 minute to say: "Look - it's a rougelike with nice graphics and permadeath (unless you want it) "

 

[Van-d-all]

We expect the Early Access to last for 1.5-2 years.

On one hand I applaud their honesty, on the other it still sounds optimistic.

On more serious note I'm curious to see how will they manage to mix the large planned game scale with roguelike elements, since ultimately those things can require quite the opposite approach, as noted by Sunless Sea devs for instance. Long story short, if individual runs take hours instead of minutes, badly designed roguelike elements tend to get tedious.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Bought it solely on Codex recommendation. Did not play, will wait for full version

 

[Drowed]

The game looks and feels great, at least from what little I've played. But I don't like to play games in EA, so I'll wait for the full version to really test and have a real/final opinion about it. But what's already there is promising, it's a pity that the final release is that far from now.

 

[Catacombs]

FYI for those interested: Interesting gameplay and good graphics. Only gripe is the inability to save at any point, including on exit. The only place is at a tavern. The dev said in the Steam forums the current game engine doesn't support saving.

 

[Sacibengala]

FYI for those interested: Interesting gameplay and good graphics. Only gripe is the inability to save at any point, including on exit. The only place is at a tavern. The dev said in the Steam forums the current game engine doesn't support saving.

Save anywhere is not a must, in my opinion. But at least save on exit should be in, even if it is only to save your char progress, not the dungeon one.

 

[MicoSelva]

Looks promising. Bookmarked. See you in two years, I guess.

 

[Elex]

i hope.

 

[underground nymph]

Important question though is whether we will be able to rob them caravans at last.

 

[frajaq]

its good, but still wish I could create my own character

 

[Catacombs]

FYI for those interested: Interesting gameplay and good graphics. Only gripe is the inability to save at any point, including on exit. The only place is at a tavern. The dev said in the Steam forums the current game engine doesn't support saving.

Save anywhere is not a must, in my opinion. But at least save on exit should be in, even if it is only to save your char progress, not the dungeon one.

Agreed. At least save on exit. Not all of us have the time to waste getting back to a tavern, whether it's a few seconds away or 15 minutes away, just to not lose progress.

 

[Mordru]

I got really into this last night. After a couple of tries I beat the prologue boss only to find that the real boss was the game freezing bug that happens after you defeat him. Will wait for a few more patches... Great game though!!

 

[Mordru]

I got really into this last night. After a couple of tries I beat the prologue boss only to find that the real boss was the game freezing bug that happens after you defeat him. Will wait for a few more patches... Great game though!!

That bug was fixed

 

[Eli_Havelock]

So far the look and feel are great, good environment interactions. The prologue boss is still imbalanced towards melee, but other than that it seems like the game is playable through the usual magic/melee/ranged variants.

FYI for those interested: Interesting gameplay and good graphics. Only gripe is the inability to save at any point, including on exit. The only place is at a tavern. The dev said in the Steam forums the current game engine doesn't support saving.

That sounds like a convenient excuse for what seems to be an intentional design to keep people from save file scumming at locations other than the safe zones.