Drova: Forsaken Kin - 2D action RPG inspired by Gothic series

[welly321]

I refunded this after talking to a lady in the forest who was too embarrassed to go back to camp because people would make fun of her for being bitten by a wolf, so she wanted to stay bleeding out in the swamp until I went and got meds for her. The dialogue is painful, each new character making me more upset than the last until I couldn't take any more.

Nevertheless that quest has multiple solutions with different consequences:
- you can heal her and don't tell anyone -> best reward (as she is a trainer)
- you can heal her while informing other people -> medium reward (she will no longer train you)
- you can kill her by preparing the wrong healing potion -> best reward for you!?

The game has several quests like this but you need some patience to be able to experience them. Kudos for filtering yourself out.

Hot damn, it's like the outer worlds! All these choices and consequences except why would you care when the world you're choosing and consequencing in is a joke inhabited by exclusively annoying retards? Is there a quest solution that makes the real guy who wrote these shit characters appear in front of me and I can choose which object I get to beat they/them with? That's the only choice and consequence I would ever get excited about.

the situation would make some sense if it'd been a man and through exposition shown to be really highly strung about not showing any weakness and lack of competency
but it's a brown woman, so it comes off as female lack of competency compounded with female stupidity in a game that has pretensions of portraying a feminist heaven that's really really not trying to say that, as told by gormless libtarded bugmen, so it's all really annoying

Ok edgy retard. Keep thinking your cool because you havent evolved beyond your 8th grade self.

 

[jaekl]

I refunded this after talking to a lady in the forest who was too embarrassed to go back to camp because people would make fun of her for being bitten by a wolf, so she wanted to stay bleeding out in the swamp until I went and got meds for her. The dialogue is painful, each new character making me more upset than the last until I couldn't take any more.

Nevertheless that quest has multiple solutions with different consequences:
- you can heal her and don't tell anyone -> best reward (as she is a trainer)
- you can heal her while informing other people -> medium reward (she will no longer train you)
- you can kill her by preparing the wrong healing potion -> best reward for you!?

The game has several quests like this but you need some patience to be able to experience them. Kudos for filtering yourself out.

Hot damn, it's like the outer worlds! All these choices and consequences except why would you care when the world you're choosing and consequencing in is a joke inhabited by exclusively annoying retards? Is there a quest solution that makes the real guy who wrote these shit characters appear in front of me and I can choose which object I get to beat they/them with? That's the only choice and consequence I would ever get excited about.

99.99% of the gameworlds are "inhabited by exclusively annoying retards" however for some strage reason you only got a hard on cause of Drova ... hmmm ...

Only drova? Hah! I wish! Of course It's not only drova. If it was only drova, I wouldn't be so SICK AND TIRED of this type of writing.

 

[normie]

I refunded this after talking to a lady in the forest who was too embarrassed to go back to camp because people would make fun of her for being bitten by a wolf, so she wanted to stay bleeding out in the swamp until I went and got meds for her. The dialogue is painful, each new character making me more upset than the last until I couldn't take any more.

Nevertheless that quest has multiple solutions with different consequences:
- you can heal her and don't tell anyone -> best reward (as she is a trainer)
- you can heal her while informing other people -> medium reward (she will no longer train you)
- you can kill her by preparing the wrong healing potion -> best reward for you!?

The game has several quests like this but you need some patience to be able to experience them. Kudos for filtering yourself out.

Hot damn, it's like the outer worlds! All these choices and consequences except why would you care when the world you're choosing and consequencing in is a joke inhabited by exclusively annoying retards? Is there a quest solution that makes the real guy who wrote these shit characters appear in front of me and I can choose which object I get to beat they/them with? That's the only choice and consequence I would ever get excited about.

the situation would make some sense if it'd been a man and through exposition shown to be really highly strung about not showing any weakness and lack of competency
but it's a brown woman, so it comes off as female lack of competency compounded with female stupidity in a game that has pretensions of portraying a feminist heaven that's really really not trying to say that, as told by gormless libtarded bugmen, so it's all really annoying

Ok edgy retard. Keep thinking your cool because you havent evolved beyond your 8th grade self.

edgy what? there are evolutionary reasons for why a man would express what's inherently a male sense of social precarity, their value is tied up to perceptions of their capability and strength, in all social hierarchies

this does not apply to women - a woman's value is her beauty, her virtue, her ability to birth, to be of help in domestic affairs once they've lost their mate attracting value, and that informs women's sense of social precarity

men are the audience for games, men will experience dissonance seeing a woman expressing themselves like men in a very fundamental way, as part of a camp of men who let women go out and hunt on their lonesome and shrug their shoulders when she's been gone too long, it's pants-on-head retarded if you have any social awareness

 

[Tyranicon]

If this game was 3D it would start a codex civil war.

 

[Litmanen]

I refunded this after talking to a lady in the forest who was too embarrassed to go back to camp because people would make fun of her for being bitten by a wolf, so she wanted to stay bleeding out in the swamp until I went and got meds for her. The dialogue is painful, each new character making me more upset than the last until I couldn't take any more.

Nevertheless that quest has multiple solutions with different consequences:
- you can heal her and don't tell anyone -> best reward (as she is a trainer)
- you can heal her while informing other people -> medium reward (she will no longer train you)
- you can kill her by preparing the wrong healing potion -> best reward for you!?

The game has several quests like this but you need some patience to be able to experience them. Kudos for filtering yourself out.

Hot damn, it's like the outer worlds! All these choices and consequences except why would you care when the world you're choosing and consequencing in is a joke inhabited by exclusively annoying retards? Is there a quest solution that makes the real guy who wrote these shit characters appear in front of me and I can choose which object I get to beat they/them with? That's the only choice and consequence I would ever get excited about.

the situation would make some sense if it'd been a man and through exposition shown to be really highly strung about not showing any weakness and lack of competency
but it's a brown woman, so it comes off as female lack of competency compounded with female stupidity in a game that has pretensions of portraying a feminist heaven that's really really not trying to say that, as told by gormless libtarded bugmen, so it's all really annoying

Ok edgy retard. Keep thinking your cool because you havent evolved beyond your 8th grade self.

edgy what? there are evolutionary reasons for why a man would express what's inherently a male sense of social precarity, their value is tied up to perceptions of their capability and strength, in all social hierarchies

this does not apply to women - a woman's value is her beauty, her virtue, her ability to birth, to be of help in domestic affairs once they've lost their mate attracting value, and that informs women's sense of social precarity

men are the audience for games, men will experience dissonance seeing a woman expressing themselves like men in a very fundamental way, as part of a camp of men who let women go out and hunt on their lonesome and shrug their shoulders when she's been gone too long, it's pants-on-head retarded if you have any social awareness

I'm wondering, in general, if you have ever seen women, in general. Because I'm not sure.

 

[Jinn]

I think the annoying characters in Drova would be much more tolerable if the writing wasn't so amateurish. In other words, I think the characters have their place in the world, it's just that their characterization is so poorly realized that I can completely understand why people would find it insufferable. This needs to be addressed in future works. Please, if a developer ever reads this post, understand I'm not just being mean or over-critical. This is an extreme detriment to the entire game, and while a lot of people such as myself are willing to cut some slack in consideration of this being your first project, the game is held back by poor writing. None of us are looking for Planescape Torment writing or storytelling. We just don't want to cringe at every other dialogue.

 

[toro]

I think the annoying characters in Drova would be much more tolerable if the writing wasn't so amateurish. In other words, I think the characters have their place in the world, it's just that their characterization is so poorly realized that I can completely understand why people would find it insufferable. This needs to be addressed in future works. Please, if a developer ever reads this post, understand I'm not just being mean or over-critical. This is an extreme detriment to the entire game, and while a lot of people such as myself are willing to cut some slack in consideration of this being your first project, the game is held back by poor writing. None of us are looking for Planescape Torment writing or storytelling. We just don't want to cringe at every other dialogue.

 

[toro]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1585180/discussions/0/4629232694089291090/

The studio developed the game with 6 core developers and a handfull of external contracters. They said in an ínterview that the whole development costs were around 700.000 Euros and they received a government grant of 324.331 Euros https://www.gameswirtschaft.de/politik/computerspiele-foerderung-bmwk-240522/ that doesn't need to be payed back!

Sales look very very good for the first month as far as we can tell from the outside. Estimates from the steam tracking sites vary between 40k-120k https://steamdb.info/app/1585180/charts/ , but even the lowest estimate would be a success. And the title was released on multiple platforms.

I would think they haved passed 100k sales on all plattforms and are north of 2 million Euro in revenue just within the first month.

I guess, even after all the cuts from steam, puplisher etc. they are already making a very good profit.

Considering that the game has passed the 100k sales some time ago, it's safe to say that the devs should be at least +1 million Euro in their pockets.



Basically, there is no way they will not release a sequel or a DLC.

 

[Jinn]

I'm very happy for them, and I think it's well deserved. As much as I've brought up negative things that have grated on me with this game, I still had a wonderful time with it, and do find it overall to be a better game than Risen 1, which is a massive compliment from me. Great exploration, weighty progression, nice atmosphere, and decent challenge make this one of the best action RPGs I've played in years, hands down. Now let's hope they take their newly earned resources and put them towards the things that need fixing. But if I'm being honest, even if their next project had all the faults of this one, it'd still be a day-one purchase for me.

 

[jackofshadows]

Hope they spend at least some of these funds on scheduled testosterone injections.

 

[TheDarkUrge]

Finished the game I rate it 7/10. It definitely got grating at the 2/3 mark with all the running around and no fast travel. Misty step barely helped with the tedium. Exploration was very fun in the first act but after that you kind of know where everything is. Combat was one of the best I've played in pixel RPGs I will be looking into more of these. Lore/story was good, characters were alright they didnt really try to make it too serious or deep which is fine.

 

[sser]

Dropped 30hrs into it on ironman and finished it. The backtracking got a little old in the end for sure, though I will say that even late, late, late game I still sometimes crossed over territories and stumbled into things I had never seen. Never did find a Legendary sling, unfortunately, but even the basic sword & sling combo did some serious damage. Really loved watching the bullets doubling and ricocheting around for maximum crowd control. I'm curious if more mage-y builds are possible, as a lot of the Mind stuff doesn't really step in until you're a good clip into the game.

Also, they make that pixel art sing. All the little things really do add a lot, like guys spitting or shaking their heads or nodding, etc. When you pull out a lute and people start dancing around at you. I'm very tired of the pixel stuff but this game's style and aesthetic gripped me from go.

 

[Infinitron]

Sup Codex?



https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1585180/view/4483992035504685830

Feedback Patch Version 1.1 is OUT NOW!
We took your feedback and expanded the world of Drova with tons of new stuff!
Dear travelers of the Otherworld!

We’re happy to announce that we just released Content Patch
Version 1.1
! Since the release of the game we’ve been collecting and evaluating your feedback and build this version solely based on it. It was a super intense and exciting month for us - and at the same time we’re now curious how you’ll like it.

We've also prepared a six minute long Update video. Keep in mind the video is in German but of course we've got English subtitles!

Sadly we had some hiccups with our Loca Studio regarding timings which is why the French localization will be updated on Monday. However, so you can continue playing in French, we’ve built in a placeholder translation for now. So please don’t be confused if things may sound a bit weird for now, everyone is working hard to get that fixed asap. Sorry for the slight delay here.

We also have a small surprise for the Christmas season which we’ll announce tomorrow in our Discord!

We’d be happy to get some feedback from ya’ll and wish you a pleasant journey through Drova. May the Bygones guide your way.

Also: Right now the Steam Awards Votes are happening on Steam. And we’d be super grateful if you could also vote for Drova, that’d be really amazing!

Patchnotes
Tweaks/Changes

• Added quest chain and NPCs for fast traveling
• Added new item to reset learning points spent on attributes, quest starts at Aidan
• Added a legendary slingshot!
• Added a warning before entering the Red Tower to indicate point of no return
• Added more dialogs to NPCs in bandit mine when entering from the outside
• Added dialogs to various NPCs from the bandit mine when meeting them outside the mine
• Added a way to rescue Cay but keep the spark
• Added a way to buy the relic from Boris
• Changed dialog with the Refuge when warning them and added responses later in the game
• Changed dialog before spark ceremony to better indicate effects on the world
• Collecting money from Mog only possible in act 1 now
• Reworked what rings to give to Locke in Nemeton
• Added possiblity to buy faction armors from the blacksmith from each faction
• Added preview of faction armors when choosing them for the first time
• Changed some journal entries for "Your very own Runestone"
• Added dialog to Asmus and Humbert after fire festival
• Added a training fight to Farina after getting the runestone
• Repositioned Leru in Forest Primeval
• Changed journal entries during expedition in the moor
• Added a hint to Meluna on where to find Bady later
• Added a way to warn Almar about the pickaxe scam
• Added additional hints for the vandalism quest in Nemeton and Adwin behaves more obvious
• Letter from Mikesch master can now be given to Boris
• Tristans map can no longer be found before chapter 2
• Decorated blessing locations to match the descriptions better
• Added a workbench to the tavern in the forest
• Added hints for the music puzzle in the library
• ChaosSpirits now disappear after looting them
• Changed journal entry for quest "Fish for Dunja" to clarify quest goal
• Improved Baltus routine after unloading the rubble in the bandit mine
• Improved foglet AI when player leaves the fog area
• Changed answer from Eugen after defeating Farlan when trying to get his vote
• DiggerPigs now play an intimidate animation
• Added a sound to the transformation of the silver spear in library
• Added a new animation for piglets
• Added new rotting state for critter rats
• Improved laughing animation for humans
• Own arena fights can be manipiulated now
• Added a new sprite for caltrops after triggering
• Changed how the roof fades at Aidan

GUI Changes

• Reworked the rebinding system to allow more customization
• Added a new category to journal to help find and memorize people in the world
• Added names of people and creatures when looting them
• Added more markers to be placed on the map
• Added a new map of the caves below the Remnants Camp
• Added a new menu to (re)view tutorials from the pause menu
• Added new icons for items in inventory and merchang menu to indicate learned recipes and spells
• Tweaked all minigames
• Added a "perfect" timing for mining minigame
• Changed how fishing minigame works
• Added more save slots (PC only)
• Added a shortcut to trigger camera zoom from within the game (PC only)
• Added shortcuts to player menus (inventory, journal, etc.) to swap between tabs without clicking (PC only)
• Added a counter for equipped ammo in the inventory
• Added help to learning GUI to see how much Prowess is learned
• Changed how attributes are displayed in learning GUI after the limit has been reached
• Changed how the number of owned items is displayed in crafting menu
• Added segments to focus bar to improve readability
• Flipped colors of rune puzzles to match the hints in the world
• Improve controller navigation to trading menu
• Improve controller navigation to crafting menu
• Improve controller navigation to journal
• Added option to toggle hardware accelerated mouse icons
• Added option to disable to auto-aim with controllers
• Added option to change color of friendly healthbars to help with red-green impairment
• Added more autosave intervals in the options

Balancing

• Tweaked poise regeneration of enemies to give more time to intervene
• Poison now also reduces phyical armor by 30% while active
• Swapped names of Execute and Blood Frenzy
• Blood Frenzy now also applies bleed effect. Extra damage per stack reduced from 50% to 35% and focus cost from 50 to 40
• Surprise Attack now quadruples chance to land a critical hit instead of adding 25%
• Poisoned Tip now only has a chance of 50% to poise instead of poising 100% of the time
• Pierce focus cost reduced from 70 to 60
• Firecry base damage per tick reduced from 150 to 120
• Reduced damage of spear secondary attack but generates focus now
• Focus Catcher talisman triggers a bit later to avoid activations even when canceling spells
• More reward for betting at the arena
• Tweaked item prices
• Added experience points to small spiders
• Increased chance of arrow recovery

Fixes

• Fixed a bug with the worms where they did not die properly when going back into the earth
• Fixed bird sounds at night
• Fixed a bug where opening letters from inventory didn't work when journal was never opened
• Fixed a scaling issue with the quickslot elements
• Fixed a bug where boars stay after the Diemo fight
• Fixed a collider issue that prevented interaction with a palisade in Nemeton
• Fixed lots of typos
• Fixed lots of issues with obstacle colliders
• Fixed an unintended entry into the Forest Primeval with Misty Step
• Fixed an issue with the achievement "A Nice Beginning" that sometimes didn't fire after loading a savegame
• Fixed a cutscene where Aidan doesn't interact properly
• Fixed a bug where arena fighter didn't start with full health
• Fixed an issue with Delani dialog where she keeps talking about the bandits at the bridge
• Fixed a bug where players can got rewards from Fulk indefinitely after finding the corpse
• Fixed a money glitch when borrowing money from Friedel
• Fixed a dialog error with Antonius where he keeps saying the same thing
• Fixed a bit of dialog from Bernold after joining a faction
• Fixed some quests at Georgefarm after chapter 2 - some are canceled now
• Fixed teaching dialog with Fritjhof after learning everything
• Fixed getting a letter from the blackboard in Nemeton twice in different chapters
• Removed some objects from counter in the Remnants tavern

 

[Darboven]

Sup Codex?



https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1585180/view/4483992035504685830

Feedback Patch Version 1.1 is OUT NOW!
We took your feedback and expanded the world of Drova with tons of new stuff!
Dear travelers of the Otherworld!

We’re happy to announce that we just released Content Patch
Version 1.1
! Since the release of the game we’ve been collecting and evaluating your feedback and build this version solely based on it. It was a super intense and exciting month for us - and at the same time we’re now curious how you’ll like it.

We've also prepared a six minute long Update video. Keep in mind the video is in German but of course we've got English subtitles!

Sadly we had some hiccups with our Loca Studio regarding timings which is why the French localization will be updated on Monday. However, so you can continue playing in French, we’ve built in a placeholder translation for now. So please don’t be confused if things may sound a bit weird for now, everyone is working hard to get that fixed asap. Sorry for the slight delay here.

We also have a small surprise for the Christmas season which we’ll announce tomorrow in our Discord!

We’d be happy to get some feedback from ya’ll and wish you a pleasant journey through Drova. May the Bygones guide your way.

Also: Right now the Steam Awards Votes are happening on Steam. And we’d be super grateful if you could also vote for Drova, that’d be really amazing!

Patchnotes
Tweaks/Changes

• Added quest chain and NPCs for fast traveling
• Added new item to reset learning points spent on attributes, quest starts at Aidan
• Added a legendary slingshot!
• Added a warning before entering the Red Tower to indicate point of no return
• Added more dialogs to NPCs in bandit mine when entering from the outside
• Added dialogs to various NPCs from the bandit mine when meeting them outside the mine
• Added a way to rescue Cay but keep the spark
• Added a way to buy the relic from Boris
• Changed dialog with the Refuge when warning them and added responses later in the game
• Changed dialog before spark ceremony to better indicate effects on the world
• Collecting money from Mog only possible in act 1 now
• Reworked what rings to give to Locke in Nemeton
• Added possiblity to buy faction armors from the blacksmith from each faction
• Added preview of faction armors when choosing them for the first time
• Changed some journal entries for "Your very own Runestone"
• Added dialog to Asmus and Humbert after fire festival
• Added a training fight to Farina after getting the runestone
• Repositioned Leru in Forest Primeval
• Changed journal entries during expedition in the moor
• Added a hint to Meluna on where to find Bady later
• Added a way to warn Almar about the pickaxe scam
• Added additional hints for the vandalism quest in Nemeton and Adwin behaves more obvious
• Letter from Mikesch master can now be given to Boris
• Tristans map can no longer be found before chapter 2
• Decorated blessing locations to match the descriptions better
• Added a workbench to the tavern in the forest
• Added hints for the music puzzle in the library
• ChaosSpirits now disappear after looting them
• Changed journal entry for quest "Fish for Dunja" to clarify quest goal
• Improved Baltus routine after unloading the rubble in the bandit mine
• Improved foglet AI when player leaves the fog area
• Changed answer from Eugen after defeating Farlan when trying to get his vote
• DiggerPigs now play an intimidate animation
• Added a sound to the transformation of the silver spear in library
• Added a new animation for piglets
• Added new rotting state for critter rats
• Improved laughing animation for humans
• Own arena fights can be manipiulated now
• Added a new sprite for caltrops after triggering
• Changed how the roof fades at Aidan

GUI Changes

• Reworked the rebinding system to allow more customization
• Added a new category to journal to help find and memorize people in the world
• Added names of people and creatures when looting them
• Added more markers to be placed on the map
• Added a new map of the caves below the Remnants Camp
• Added a new menu to (re)view tutorials from the pause menu
• Added new icons for items in inventory and merchang menu to indicate learned recipes and spells
• Tweaked all minigames
• Added a "perfect" timing for mining minigame
• Changed how fishing minigame works
• Added more save slots (PC only)
• Added a shortcut to trigger camera zoom from within the game (PC only)
• Added shortcuts to player menus (inventory, journal, etc.) to swap between tabs without clicking (PC only)
• Added a counter for equipped ammo in the inventory
• Added help to learning GUI to see how much Prowess is learned
• Changed how attributes are displayed in learning GUI after the limit has been reached
• Changed how the number of owned items is displayed in crafting menu
• Added segments to focus bar to improve readability
• Flipped colors of rune puzzles to match the hints in the world
• Improve controller navigation to trading menu
• Improve controller navigation to crafting menu
• Improve controller navigation to journal
• Added option to toggle hardware accelerated mouse icons
• Added option to disable to auto-aim with controllers
• Added option to change color of friendly healthbars to help with red-green impairment
• Added more autosave intervals in the options

Balancing

• Tweaked poise regeneration of enemies to give more time to intervene
• Poison now also reduces phyical armor by 30% while active
• Swapped names of Execute and Blood Frenzy
• Blood Frenzy now also applies bleed effect. Extra damage per stack reduced from 50% to 35% and focus cost from 50 to 40
• Surprise Attack now quadruples chance to land a critical hit instead of adding 25%
• Poisoned Tip now only has a chance of 50% to poise instead of poising 100% of the time
• Pierce focus cost reduced from 70 to 60
• Firecry base damage per tick reduced from 150 to 120
• Reduced damage of spear secondary attack but generates focus now
• Focus Catcher talisman triggers a bit later to avoid activations even when canceling spells
• More reward for betting at the arena
• Tweaked item prices
• Added experience points to small spiders
• Increased chance of arrow recovery

Fixes

• Fixed a bug with the worms where they did not die properly when going back into the earth
• Fixed bird sounds at night
• Fixed a bug where opening letters from inventory didn't work when journal was never opened
• Fixed a scaling issue with the quickslot elements
• Fixed a bug where boars stay after the Diemo fight
• Fixed a collider issue that prevented interaction with a palisade in Nemeton
• Fixed lots of typos
• Fixed lots of issues with obstacle colliders
• Fixed an unintended entry into the Forest Primeval with Misty Step
• Fixed an issue with the achievement "A Nice Beginning" that sometimes didn't fire after loading a savegame
• Fixed a cutscene where Aidan doesn't interact properly
• Fixed a bug where arena fighter didn't start with full health
• Fixed an issue with Delani dialog where she keeps talking about the bandits at the bridge
• Fixed a bug where players can got rewards from Fulk indefinitely after finding the corpse
• Fixed a money glitch when borrowing money from Friedel
• Fixed a dialog error with Antonius where he keeps saying the same thing
• Fixed a bit of dialog from Bernold after joining a faction
• Fixed some quests at Georgefarm after chapter 2 - some are canceled now
• Fixed teaching dialog with Fritjhof after learning everything
• Fixed getting a letter from the blackboard in Nemeton twice in different chapters
• Removed some objects from counter in the Remnants tavern

so they're making the game more casual - respec, more hints, fast travel. I thought it was fine as it was

 

[welly321]

Sup Codex?



https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1585180/view/4483992035504685830

Feedback Patch Version 1.1 is OUT NOW!
We took your feedback and expanded the world of Drova with tons of new stuff!
Dear travelers of the Otherworld!

We’re happy to announce that we just released Content Patch
Version 1.1
! Since the release of the game we’ve been collecting and evaluating your feedback and build this version solely based on it. It was a super intense and exciting month for us - and at the same time we’re now curious how you’ll like it.

We've also prepared a six minute long Update video. Keep in mind the video is in German but of course we've got English subtitles!

Sadly we had some hiccups with our Loca Studio regarding timings which is why the French localization will be updated on Monday. However, so you can continue playing in French, we’ve built in a placeholder translation for now. So please don’t be confused if things may sound a bit weird for now, everyone is working hard to get that fixed asap. Sorry for the slight delay here.

We also have a small surprise for the Christmas season which we’ll announce tomorrow in our Discord!

We’d be happy to get some feedback from ya’ll and wish you a pleasant journey through Drova. May the Bygones guide your way.

Also: Right now the Steam Awards Votes are happening on Steam. And we’d be super grateful if you could also vote for Drova, that’d be really amazing!

Patchnotes
Tweaks/Changes

• Added quest chain and NPCs for fast traveling
• Added new item to reset learning points spent on attributes, quest starts at Aidan
• Added a legendary slingshot!
• Added a warning before entering the Red Tower to indicate point of no return
• Added more dialogs to NPCs in bandit mine when entering from the outside
• Added dialogs to various NPCs from the bandit mine when meeting them outside the mine
• Added a way to rescue Cay but keep the spark
• Added a way to buy the relic from Boris
• Changed dialog with the Refuge when warning them and added responses later in the game
• Changed dialog before spark ceremony to better indicate effects on the world
• Collecting money from Mog only possible in act 1 now
• Reworked what rings to give to Locke in Nemeton
• Added possiblity to buy faction armors from the blacksmith from each faction
• Added preview of faction armors when choosing them for the first time
• Changed some journal entries for "Your very own Runestone"
• Added dialog to Asmus and Humbert after fire festival
• Added a training fight to Farina after getting the runestone
• Repositioned Leru in Forest Primeval
• Changed journal entries during expedition in the moor
• Added a hint to Meluna on where to find Bady later
• Added a way to warn Almar about the pickaxe scam
• Added additional hints for the vandalism quest in Nemeton and Adwin behaves more obvious
• Letter from Mikesch master can now be given to Boris
• Tristans map can no longer be found before chapter 2
• Decorated blessing locations to match the descriptions better
• Added a workbench to the tavern in the forest
• Added hints for the music puzzle in the library
• ChaosSpirits now disappear after looting them
• Changed journal entry for quest "Fish for Dunja" to clarify quest goal
• Improved Baltus routine after unloading the rubble in the bandit mine
• Improved foglet AI when player leaves the fog area
• Changed answer from Eugen after defeating Farlan when trying to get his vote
• DiggerPigs now play an intimidate animation
• Added a sound to the transformation of the silver spear in library
• Added a new animation for piglets
• Added new rotting state for critter rats
• Improved laughing animation for humans
• Own arena fights can be manipiulated now
• Added a new sprite for caltrops after triggering
• Changed how the roof fades at Aidan

GUI Changes

• Reworked the rebinding system to allow more customization
• Added a new category to journal to help find and memorize people in the world
• Added names of people and creatures when looting them
• Added more markers to be placed on the map
• Added a new map of the caves below the Remnants Camp
• Added a new menu to (re)view tutorials from the pause menu
• Added new icons for items in inventory and merchang menu to indicate learned recipes and spells
• Tweaked all minigames
• Added a "perfect" timing for mining minigame
• Changed how fishing minigame works
• Added more save slots (PC only)
• Added a shortcut to trigger camera zoom from within the game (PC only)
• Added shortcuts to player menus (inventory, journal, etc.) to swap between tabs without clicking (PC only)
• Added a counter for equipped ammo in the inventory
• Added help to learning GUI to see how much Prowess is learned
• Changed how attributes are displayed in learning GUI after the limit has been reached
• Changed how the number of owned items is displayed in crafting menu
• Added segments to focus bar to improve readability
• Flipped colors of rune puzzles to match the hints in the world
• Improve controller navigation to trading menu
• Improve controller navigation to crafting menu
• Improve controller navigation to journal
• Added option to toggle hardware accelerated mouse icons
• Added option to disable to auto-aim with controllers
• Added option to change color of friendly healthbars to help with red-green impairment
• Added more autosave intervals in the options

Balancing

• Tweaked poise regeneration of enemies to give more time to intervene
• Poison now also reduces phyical armor by 30% while active
• Swapped names of Execute and Blood Frenzy
• Blood Frenzy now also applies bleed effect. Extra damage per stack reduced from 50% to 35% and focus cost from 50 to 40
• Surprise Attack now quadruples chance to land a critical hit instead of adding 25%
• Poisoned Tip now only has a chance of 50% to poise instead of poising 100% of the time
• Pierce focus cost reduced from 70 to 60
• Firecry base damage per tick reduced from 150 to 120
• Reduced damage of spear secondary attack but generates focus now
• Focus Catcher talisman triggers a bit later to avoid activations even when canceling spells
• More reward for betting at the arena
• Tweaked item prices
• Added experience points to small spiders
• Increased chance of arrow recovery

Fixes

• Fixed a bug with the worms where they did not die properly when going back into the earth
• Fixed bird sounds at night
• Fixed a bug where opening letters from inventory didn't work when journal was never opened
• Fixed a scaling issue with the quickslot elements
• Fixed a bug where boars stay after the Diemo fight
• Fixed a collider issue that prevented interaction with a palisade in Nemeton
• Fixed lots of typos
• Fixed lots of issues with obstacle colliders
• Fixed an unintended entry into the Forest Primeval with Misty Step
• Fixed an issue with the achievement "A Nice Beginning" that sometimes didn't fire after loading a savegame
• Fixed a cutscene where Aidan doesn't interact properly
• Fixed a bug where arena fighter didn't start with full health
• Fixed an issue with Delani dialog where she keeps talking about the bandits at the bridge
• Fixed a bug where players can got rewards from Fulk indefinitely after finding the corpse
• Fixed a money glitch when borrowing money from Friedel
• Fixed a dialog error with Antonius where he keeps saying the same thing
• Fixed a bit of dialog from Bernold after joining a faction
• Fixed some quests at Georgefarm after chapter 2 - some are canceled now
• Fixed teaching dialog with Fritjhof after learning everything
• Fixed getting a letter from the blackboard in Nemeton twice in different chapters
• Removed some objects from counter in the Remnants tavern

so they're making the game more casual - respec, more hints, fast travel. I thought it was fine as it was

yep glad i played it before they listened to feedback from normies.

 

[Harthwain]

so they're making the game more casual - respec, more hints, fast travel. I thought it was fine as it was

I don't see the problem. These are quality of life changes more than anything else. If you want to try out a different build or screwed it up because you didn't know what you were doing you don't have to start a new game. And if you need to go between already explored locations, then fast travel saves you time going between screens. I mean, "fast travel NPCs" existed in Morrowind.

 

[Darboven]

so they're making the game more casual - respec, more hints, fast travel. I thought it was fine as it was

I don't see the problem. These are quality of life changes more than anything else. If you want to try out a different build or screwed it up because you didn't know what you were doing you don't have to start a new game. And if you need to go between already explored locations, then fast travel saves you time going between screens. I mean, "fast travel NPCs" existed in Morrowind.

quality of life, sure. but those 3 changes also mean you have to think less about what you are doing, which is casualization in my understanding

 

[Habichtswalder]

Saw the developer talk with german Youtuber Steinwallen (on Twitch) a few days ago. It was interesting.

Besides all the Drova talk, the developer was also asked about the future of their studio and what they would like to change in their next game.

These were the most interesting takes:

- The dev named writing as one of the points they need to improve. Basically everyone at the studio is a programmer and no one had any experience in writing when they started. The guy that was in the interview told Steinwallen that he did the writing basically because no one else wanted to do it. But he sees the criticism and thinks the depth of NPCs is something they can and will improve in their next projects.

- They won't announce their next project yet. It could be Drova 2 or a new IP. He mentioned he would be interested in a post-apocalyptic medieval setting because you rarely see this.

- Their second game will be similar to Drova mechanically. They want to improve the base they created for Drova and listen to the feedback from players to refine the formula.

- Pixel Art was chosen because they had no art experience (as they are programmers) and it was the only style they were able to learn quickly enough to use it in a game. Despite their name "Just 2D", they are not married to 2D pixel art and would be open to choose a different graphical style for future games.



I really like this game and think that the points they want to improve are exactly what I think could be better. So the talk definitely sounded like

 

[Tyranicon]

Please, please, please vet your writers carefully.

I'd rather have programmer writers than modern activist writers.

 

[Cohesion]

Please, please, please vet your writers carefully.

I'd rather have programmer writers than modern activist writers.

Local hobo asking vodka money would conjure better story than ((acclaimed writers 10/10 IGN)).

 

[SlightlyRadioactive]

- Pixel Art was chosen because they had no art experience (as they are programmers) and it was the only style they were able to learn quickly enough to use it in a game.

I think it's honestly impressive how nice and, more importantly, consistent the game ended up looking taking this information into consideration.

 

[Jinn]

I think it's honestly impressive how nice and, more importantly, consistent the game ended up looking taking this information into consideration.

The game is beautiful for a skill that was learned specifically for the development of this game. Really impressive stuff. Particularly the environments and enemy models.

 

[GloomFrost]

Please, please, please vet your writers carefully.

I'd rather have programmer writers than modern activist writers.

Thing is that mediocre underwhelming writing is only half of the problem in Drova. Here on Codex a lot of people choose gameplay and exploration over writing. It is just the fact that it is needlessly too woke that upsets people. Especially considering that Drova calls itself a Gothic successor. GOTHIC! One of the most based non woke games in existence where even intro movie shows that wymenz are treated worse then furniture.

 

[Nikanuur]

I think the annoying characters in Drova would be much more tolerable if the writing wasn't so amateurish. In other words, I think the characters have their place in the world, it's just that their characterization is so poorly realized that I can completely understand why people would find it insufferable. This needs to be addressed in future works. Please, if a developer ever reads this post, understand I'm not just being mean or over-critical. This is an extreme detriment to the entire game, and while a lot of people such as myself are willing to cut some slack in consideration of this being your first project, the game is held back by poor writing. None of us are looking for Planescape Torment writing or storytelling. We just don't want to cringe at every other dialogue.

I think that the term 'amateurish' is a harsh judgement, and quite out of line, too.
I daresay, It's meant to be serviceable by design. Nothing else. It's not posing for greatness., it's not overdone, not cringy, nor woke. Serviceable by design, man.

And the thing why I defend it is that the game itself doesn't aim to be something stunningly great or whatever. Just a decently long, not overly complex, no-nonsense RPG.

I'd share the sentiment if the game tried to be a magnificent opus. Such as Owlcat games—those do some parts well enough, fall short in several important mechanics, and almost horribly overdo the rest (e.g., text quality apparently equals to text quantity in their book).

 

[Jinn]

You can write dialogue to simply be serviceable and it can still come across as amateurish. In fact, writing dialogue simply to be serviceable could be considered an amateur move in itself. And it is often cringy. That's exactly why I've brought it up. If you - or the developers, who the constructive criticism is really meant for - actually find that harsh or "out of line", I don't know what to tell you. As I clearly said before, it's not intended that way. It's meant to help make future games better.

But I will say one thing: don't put such a large amount of dialogue in the game if you don't want it noticed how "serviceable" it's trying to be. Half the lines of dialogue are pointless fluff that detract from characterization rather than enhance it.

I've been one of the most vocal supporters of this game on the codex, but I'm not going to sit here and let what I consider the most grating aspect of Drova go uncriticized to spare feelings just because the people who did it were inexperienced and had to draw straws to make it happen. I basically implied in a former post that it seemed like the writing was done by someone who was checking off boxes on what they thought RPG dialogue should be like and what it's meant to accomplish. Just trying to get it done. Lo and behold, that's exactly what happened! And it didn't turn out good! And the developers have even acknowledged as much! So you don't have to get upset on their behalf.