Patch Notes - Early Access Patch 2

:hammer_and_wrench: Patch Notes - Early Access Patch 2

We are incredibly excited to be releasing our largest patch yet, marking the One Month Anniversary of our Steam Early Access Launch! Patch 2 is chock full of highly requested features such as Weapon Tryout, the ability to Respec, DLSS / FSR Upscaling and Controller Remapping. Lots of Balancing and Quality of Life improvements, Audio, Animation, and Visual Effect polish as well as a multitude of bug fixes are also included!

Between DLSS and FSR, numerous CPU, GPU performance improvements, and memory optimization we are confident that your experience of playing No Rest For The Wicked will be significantly smoother across a wide range of hardware.

For NVIDIA users, we are excited to mention that there’s a new Game Ready Driver for No Rest for the Wicked!

Be sure to check out our Patch 2 Highlight Video and the full patch notes below.

:crossed_swords: Performance:

  • Performance Mode now lowers texture resolution, reducing crashes on lower-end machines
  • Numerous Significant CPU optimizations
  • Fixed performance degradation that might occur on some gamepads
  • Fixed numerous memory leaks
  • Reduced instantiation spikes for numerous objects
  • Disabled detail meshes on generic humanoids faces when not needed
  • Reduced latency, overhead and improved stability of GPU Culling
  • Optimized texture resolution and memory budgets for Steam Deck
  • Optimized Art content in Ship Prologue and its cinematics
  • Removed unused weapon assets to free up memory
  • Removed leftover developer tools to free up memory
  • Optimized CPU spikes of a variety of common content loading operations
  • Added texture streaming for character portraits during dialogue interactions to save memory
  • Fixed some persistent log spam being generated by potatoes in Nameless Pass
  • Cleaned up numerous NPC prefabs, reducing memory footprint and instantiation costs
  • Optimized Ambient Occlusion Rendering
  • Extended GPU culling usage for more cases
  • Configured and optimized pooling for more prefab instantiations reducing CPU spikes

:crossed_swords: Gameplay Systems:

  • Added new Respec System!
    • Players can now Respec by examining the statue in the Cerim Crucible Atrium
    • Respec allows players to take back Attribute Points that have been allocated at the cost of 1 Fallen Ember per Attribute Point returned
    • Players can then allocate returned Attribute Points for no cost at the Respec screen or in the existing Stats screen

:crossed_swords: Quality of Life:

  • All weapons can now be equipped regardless of their Attribute Requirements to allow players to try out weapons they acquire
    • Weapons that the player does not meet the requirements for will deal less damage through negative scaling on the Attributes that are below the weapon’s Attribute Requirements
  • Inventory Items can now be docked to compare them
    • Press F (Keyboard) or L3 (Controller) to dock items and hover other items to compare
  • Brought back the Misc category to the Inventory
    • Housing items, Runes, Fallen Embers and other miscellaneous items will now be sorted into this category and free up space from other categories
  • Vendor screens are now sorted by item type so that items are more organized for purchase
  • Improved Stamina player HUD brightness for better visibility, and readability of stamina debt
  • Added side notifications for when Danos Sacrament Upgrades are completed
  • Added Floor Indicators under the Clock HUD to show the Cerim Crucible floors
  • Improved visibility of LB/RB button icons for Equipment HUD on Steam Deck

:crossed_swords: Settings:

  • Added support for Upscaling with DLSS 3.7 and FSR 2.2
  • Added custom key rebinding options for Controller
  • Added support for Mouse Buttons 4,5 and F1-F12 Keys for custom Keyboard bindings
  • Default Keyboard layout set to Mouse+WASD
  • Added support for worldspace Player HUD (Stamina wheel, NPC name tags, etc) brightness to UI Brightness setting

:crossed_swords: Content Additions:

  • Added a new set of enchantments
  • All Throw runes can now be added to Spears

:crossed_swords: Loot:

  • Added Pig Sticker Blueprint to Fillmore’s Level 1 Shop
  • Added Assegai Blueprint to Whittacker’s Level 1 Shop

:crossed_swords: Balance:

  • Nerfed Throw runes
    • Reduced Poise Damage on all Throw runes
    • Reduced Damage on Ice Throw Rune
  • Nerfed Focus Regeneration enchant curve so that it no longer generates too much Focus too quickly
  • Focus Regeneration enchantment no longer drops with Gloves and now only drops with Helmets
    • This includes enchanting items at Eleanor
  • Falling Sky and Woodland Protector’s initial item levels were set too high and have been lowered to the intended levels

:crossed_swords: Weapons:

  • Updated animation for backstabbing with Staves, Spears, Greatswords and Great Hammers
  • Updated visual effects for Piercing type weapon attacks (such as Spear or Rapier)

:crossed_swords: Enemies and Bosses:

  • Polished Darak boss fight
    • Improved behavior to prevent him standing idle after attacking
    • Improved behavior when fighting ranged builds
  • Added Bite Attack to Plague Rat
  • Added Back Attack to Risen Axe Bruiser
  • Added escape logic to Risen Fire Bomber
  • Added Elemental Affix visual effects to Nith Brute, Nith Screamer and Shackled Brute
  • Adding cloth simulation to Boarskin Bruiser
  • Polished rigging on Plagued Boomer
  • Reduced camera shake intensity on Risen Hammer Bruiser, Boarskin Bruiser and Riven Twins
  • Smaller enemies can now smash breakable objects (barrels, crates, etc.)

:crossed_swords: NPCs:

  • Changed the name of the worried woman in the Sacrament Town Square to Nell
  • Polishing dialog for Druo, Lucian and Everwyn
  • Updated the dialog for NPCs at the Cerim Gate in Nameless Pass
  • Added eavesdrop to Sleeping Guard Gerard in Sacrament

:crossed_swords: Areas:

  • Improved collision, faders and set dressing in Prologue Ship, Orban Glades, Mariner’s Keep, Nameless Pass, Sacrament, Multiple Sacrament Interiors, Cerim Crucible, Cerim Cave, Riven Twins Boss Arena and Potion Seller Cave
  • Polished lighting for the ship in Prologue, Sacrament and Cerim Crucible
  • Updated foliage in various locations
  • Added physics and wind simulation to Spruce trees

:crossed_swords: Cinematics:

  • Polished animations for characters in the Inquisition Arrival cinematic
  • Improved lighting, character rim lighting and volumetrics for the Prologue Ship Crash Outro and Inquisition Arrival cinematics
  • Removed a background character who was blocking part of the view in the Inquisition Arrival cinematic
  • Fixed cloth and camera pops in the Inquisition Arrival cinematic

:crossed_swords: Audio:

  • Environment update for Sacrament:
    • Added Ambience Emitters for certain Residential and Vendor buildings like the Cook, Tavern, Woodcrafter and Enchantress
    • Updated zone beds and oneshots for unique parts of town (Cemetery, Poor Area, Training Grounds, Dasha Sanctuary)
    • The church near the cemetery now has bells ringing to service playing at certain times of day, followed by churchgoers praying and chanting from behind the doors.
    • Updated ambience for Sacrament Town Square to feel busier during the day
    • Updated environment audio for the Cerim Gate zone in Mountain Pass
  • Increased audio buffer to help alleviate audio crackle artifacts
  • Increased available audio resources to help prevent sounds from dropping out during long play sessions
  • Updated audio for Cerim Vision cinematic
  • Updated audio mix for Barrel and Crate destruction
  • Saluting Guards in Sacrament now have sound
  • Added Weapon-specific Impacts on parrying and blocking actions
  • Added ladder sliding sound effects for Kickdown Ladders
  • Added sound effects for going down Ladders
  • Added new sound effects for Plague-Enchanted weapons
  • Polished audio for Bounties enemies
  • Fixed missing sounds for Plagued Mutant Soldier
  • Fixed rain sounds appearing in Sacrament Interiors
  • Fixed enchantment-specific weapon whooshes cutting a bit too early
  • Fixed NPCs not making footstep sounds when walking around
  • Fixed environment states sometimes not resetting when returning to the main menu

:crossed_swords: VFX:

  • Blood effects are now juicier and used more often!
  • Improved blood visual effects attachment to characters bodies from attacking and getting hit
  • Increased intensity of shiny item drop VFX

:crossed_swords: Bounties and Challenges:

  • Updated Crustacean Conundrum bounty to spawn 14 Crabs while still only requiring 8 Crabs be killed to complete

:crossed_swords: Localization:

  • Added and updated localized text in many places across multiple languages
  • Added localization support for new Controller Remapping screen and for various missing localized elements
  • Fixed incorrect font on the Activities screen

:crossed_swords: Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed various enchantments on unique weapons and rings that weren’t working properly
  • Fixed Rested Bonuses for sleeping in beds
  • Fixed Key Items respawning after pick up
  • Fixed navigation in Nameless Pass which was preventing certain enemies and the Riven Twins boss from patrolling and moving to the player
  • Fixed Echo Knight falling off the arena and blocking progress
  • Fixed Cerim Armor missing upgrades at Filmore
  • Fixed Risen Pavise, Eye of the Beholder and Wooden Howler Shields not showing their proper models
  • Fixed SHIFT key not being recognized in the Main Menu
  • Fixed certain environment textures overriding certain armor textures
  • Fixed certain armor having missing or incorrect cloth simulation
  • Fixed rigging on certain armor
  • Fixed The Wallow boss attacks not having sound effects
  • Fixed Falling Sky Blueprint not giving the Unique version of the weapon when crafting
  • Fixed an issue where completed but not yet turned in bounty/challenge rewards were being automatically given to the player at reset
  • Fixed wall cannons not firing in Cerim Crucible
  • Fixed XP UI not showing “Max Level” after reaching the level cap
  • Fixed Level and XP UI being present without a Character selected in the Main Menu
  • Fixed “Long Area Name” appearing on the map where map is unavailable (such as Cerim Crucible)
  • Fixed being able to skip through locked doors in The Shallows
  • Fixed players getting stuck at the end of the entrance corridor in the Echo Knight Arena
  • Fixed Enchant Item Challenge counting enchanted items that are picked up
  • Fixed mortuary guard popping in on screen during Spoken and Unspoken quest
  • Fixed extra Elsa map marker during the Spoken and Unspoken quest
  • Fixed Giles and Petra standing instead of sitting on the chairs in Caroline’s Inn
  • Fixed Arrows not hitting Plagued Wolf
  • Fixed Wolf and Plagued Wolf target point
  • Fixed Tanth Knight getting stuck during patrolling in Mariner’s Keep at Endgame state
  • Fixed Darak leaving his shield in Orban Glades when he escapes
  • Fixed chest opening VFX in Performance and Balanced quality presets
  • Fixed Wolf having a dance party after death
  • Fixed Chest floating in the air in Mariner’s Keep
  • Fixed incorrect texture on the Crafting Table
  • Fixed 4096x2160 resolution appearing as 256x135 aspect ratio, instead displays as 1.9:1
  • Fixed overblown bonfire lighting at The Shallows
  • Removed rogue rim light at The Shallows
  • Removed lighting debug shortcut
23 Likes

This is awesome, thanks for adding it!

3 Likes

I was hoping to get some new areas or bosses, or maybe new weapon types, the game can really use some content addition. But after all, great work guys.

3 Likes

Looks impressive! I was actually expecting higher respec costs but I guess this can be an Ember sink of sorts. lol

1 Like

The road map says the new area is only coming after the coop adition, so we have a few months at least before we see anything new, i do hope they work fast though.

3 Likes

finally! waiting is torment

2 Likes

I am glad it is not high respec costs. Allowing us to experiment with reasonable costs is good. I’m glad they did not do the Diablo 4 respec stupidity.

3 Likes

Hi,

May I ask if we can still receive the Cerim Armor set when creating new characters or new world instead of making it one time receiving per account?.

Thanks

1 Like

Theres a way, but involves messing with some ini file, i dont know how though, find the info in the steam foruns, just put there cerim armor and you should find it.

1 Like

thank you.

i will check it out

This patch note mentioned a new game ready driver. The lastest nvidia driver is 555.85, but it’s not for this game (for f1 24 and hellblade 2).
Does this mean a new driver for NRFW will be released?

1 Like

The Nvidia driver is 552.44 from May 9th, so latest one should encompass that :slight_smile:

1 Like

The biggest win to me is the ability to configure mouse 4 & 5 buttons which are also shown on their mouse icon. Great work!

2 Likes

:scream: This kind of technology in 2024?? So advanced!

1 Like

I don’t know why, but i find this unreasonably funny. I had to read it 3 times and am still not sure if u mean actual potatoes :rofl:

1 Like

Could you elaborate a bit more on this point?
I’m playing with an 8BitDo controller, and noticed that sometimes button presses seemingly are not working or are quite off. I.e. when accepting the daily/weekly challenges or in fights.
Could this be related to the issue?

Best description ever :rofl: (but quite fitting)

I think for about 95% of what you did here, i remember reading about in this forum. So… Thanks for listening! :grinning:

3 Likes

Great quality of life changes overall !! :tada: :pray:

Keep it up :muscle:

Issues

  • Equipped Runes no longer show in the UI for me

Feedback

Performance

  • No noticeable performance improvement for me so far (stuttering, long loading times still present)
    • Consider lower graphic settings / performance mode

Gameplay Systems

  • Respec is great, doing it at a cost point by point is a good approach imo, also think Embers seem to be a good target for a spendable ressource
    • One free total respec could be an option to consider

Quality of Life

  • Try before you buy is great
    • Would be great if we could try out the Runes as well
    • Sidenote: Swapping out Runes should be a thing, especially for Early Access to test Stuff (Finding/crafting/enchanting the right gear and selecting the right Attributes is enough RP imo)
  • Comparing items is great, Docking is an interesting way
    • Maybe expand docking and give the option to dock multiple items?
  • Misc category is great
    • Runes could use another category / maybe remove them from the inventory entirely (Give us a Rune Collection, currently I am hording - See Aspects in D4, same issue)
  • Vendor Sort is great
  • Stamina is still not visible enough for me
  • Notifications and indicators are great, information is good

Settings

  • Keybinds still lack Features
    • Multiple Keybinds per Action
    • Rebinding Menukeys
    • Key-Combinations
    • More direct Keybinds (direct access to Weapons/Offhands, Menus, potentially consumables - at least more than one)
    • < on QWERTZ keyboard still not rebindable

Content Additions

  • We need some more control over Enchantments to easier test them
  • Throwing Spears is great

Balance

  • Throw Nerfs: Be careful about balancing 1H vs 2H weapons → Scaling for Runes
  • Focus Regeneration Nerf: No reliable source of Focus gain (Full Focus gain gear) - Was it overtuned?
  • Sidenotes about Balance Changes:
    • Nerfing outliers is great, though they have to be considered outside of lategame abuse
    • Alternatives / Flexibility should be a priority! Allow people to spec out of what you are nerfing - e,g, give the Option to switch/override Runes
    • Consider buffing things that are underused, if only to draw attention; Buffs don’t have to be major, just enough to give people a reason to try them out - Nerfs drag people away from the game and getting demotivated; Buffs get people into the game, motivated and experimenting; You want an active playerbase for a great EA!

Weapons, Enemies and Bosses, NPCs, Areas, Cinematics, Audio, VFX, Bounties and Challenges, Localization, Bug Fixes

  • Thank you
  • Thank you!
  • Thank you!!

And thank you for your time! :pray:

5 Likes

Thank you for your work, the game is getting better and better, with impatience and respect, we are waiting for the next location and online :slightly_smiling_face:

2 Likes

Can you please improve blueprint descriptions to include what the bluperint is actually for? Reading weapon ones doesn’t tell you what type of weapon it is, what stats you need to wield it or mats needed to craft it.

1 Like