Hey everyone,

So this update didn't have any particular direction, the main aim was to clear through bug reports and recent suggestions and to continue testing the exploration locations of the game world and make sure everything is working as intended.

What I ended up with was an update adding a new drinking competition, origins of tavern brawls, improvements on the northern fort, wheel of wealth, Ruined arena, South coast region, Magic theatre and way more. I hope you guys enjoy it!

DEALING WITH KAFF OF DARKDALE (5 features)

Defender from Audiogames mentioned that as ruler of Darkdale he'd love the ability to remove the scam-stall run by Kaff, now you can do so, with Kaff offering an interesting alternative, you beat her in a drinking competition and she leaves, else she stays. Are you up for it?

* Added ability to shut down Kaff's legitimate goods stall if you rule Darkdale
* Added Kaff challenging you to a drinking contest to settle your dispute (with dynamic text based on your previous interactions with her)
* Added Screen for allowing Kaff to go free
* Added screen and sfx for arresting Kaff (+1 prisoner, +random loot)
* Added ability to have a drinking contest against Kaff (if you win, +random loot)

TAVERN BRAWL ORIGINS (4 features)

Ever wondered why when you watch a tavern brawl, a fight occurs out of nowhere. Now there's a system that explains why those two are fighting and there's plenty of variety.

* Added new system for bar fight origins now you will be told a story as to why the people are fighting
* Added new screen for fight origin story
* Added 5 random intros to finding a fight
* Added 15 fight origin stories

NORTHERN FORT REPAIRED (2 features)

Had a report of a bug in the Northern fort and found a second one while testing, all fixed now though

* Fixed screen not resetting when installing commander of northern repaired fortress
* Fixed inability to add max troop number to northern repaired fortress (credit u/MorganFreecock <-LOL)

WHEEL OF WEALTH RESPUN (5 features)

Checked out the Wheel of Wealth in a recent playtest and fixed it up a bit with some new screens and sound effects.

* Added new gold gained indicator for Wheel of Wealth
* Fixed text colour issue with wheel of wealth victory text
* Fixed 12 text bugs in wheel of wealth screens
* Added new coin gain sound effect for winning wheel of wealth
* Added new special screen and sfx for winning grand prize on wheel of wealth

RUINED ARENA FIXES (4 features)

The ruined arena screens were pretty bad, noticed in a playtest and have fixed it!

* Fixed 3 text bugs in ruined arena screens
* Fixed broken layout in ruined arena screens
* Added gold indicator to ruined arena rebuild screen
* Added new screen for paying to rebuild arena

SOUTH COAST IMPROVEMENTS (9 features)

I did a sweep of the South Coast region to see if there was anything that could stand to be improved, found a few things!

* Fixed text bug in coast wall screen
* Added indicator of trade route with Nalli trade post if trading with them
* Fixed text bug in harbour master texts in Shaian
* Fixed text colour issues in swampy cup game in Shaian
* Added new sound effect to Swampy cup game in Shaian
* Reworked some of the coastal king dialogues in Shaian
* Fixed text colour issues in swampy cup game in Shaian tavern
* Added new sound effect to swampy cup game in Shaian tavern
* Added march sound effect to recruiting troops in Shaian

MAGIC THEATRE REWORKED (19 features)

The magic theatre was quite awful, I've tried to upgrade every aspect of it and improve it where possible especially when owned. There are now more screens and sound effects in every part of the system.

* Fixed 4 text bugs with Magic theatre intro text
* Reworked layout of gold indicator on unowned magic theatre screen
* Added gold indicator to owned but unupgraded magic theatre
* Added new graphic for magic theatre casting spell
* Added screen and sfx for paying for a performance at magic theatre
* Added new aftermath text for magic fish performance
* Added hiss sound effect to dialogue with magic theatre mage
* Added new aftermath text for arrow performance
* Added new aftermath text for decaying demon performance
* Added screen for buying the magic theatre from the mage
* Added screen for your flag rising above magic theatre once owned (with sfx)
* Added screen introducing apprentice mage when buying theatre (with sfx)
* Added new screen for owned magic theatre spell casting
* Added new aftermath text for dizzying star performance
* Added new aftermath text for bellowing start performance
* Added new aftermath text for drunken money performance
* Added ability to speak to apprentice mage and ask one of 7 questions (6 if the place is fully upgraded)
* Added new screen with sfx for paying for magic theatre upgrade
* Added new screen for upgrading magic theatre showing graphic change and all 4 new benefits and unlocks

ENTRY FEE! FOR ME? (3 features)

u/lordintype made a good suggestion a little while back, you should be able to plead with the leader of the Blackmarket not to charge you a toll as Mercantile leaders can slap a hefty 50 gold entry fee each time you enter.

* Added the ability to ask Blackmarket leaders not to charge you an entry fee (if mercantile leader) (credit u/lordintype)
* Added 3 random texts for asking for no toll from Blackmarket leader (credit u/lordintype)
* Added 3 random gate entrance texts for guard allowing you free entry after having the fee removed by Blackmarket Leader (credit u/lordintype)

GAR'GALLOCK IMPROVEMENTS (2 features)

Noticed two issues with him, now all sorted!

* Added gold indicator to GarGallock
* Fixed Blackmarket music not resetting after GarGallock advice

BLACKMARKET SCAM EVENT IMPROVED (3 features)

In a playthrough I noticed these could be done a little better, now some improvements have been made.

* Fixed 3 text bugs in Blackmarket scam event
* Reworked some text and layout of Blackmarket scam event
* Added new screen for ending of scam success event with laughing man

BRAWL PIT IMPROVEMENTS (2 features)

I noticed that champion fights and two pits battles as Brawl Pit owner didn't use the same system as normal pit fights to show you the gold you've earned, now they do!

* Added brawl pit champion fights and battle of two pit fights give you gold bag reward screen
* Added colour layout to the pit champion and two pits fight aftermath income screens

MORE GOLD INDICATORS (2 features)

Still some more places where it doesn't tell you how much gold you have when you need to see it, trying to remedy this as much as I can.

* Added new gold indicator to Blackmarket coin flipper
* Added new gold indicator to Blackmarket toll screen

BUGFIXES (15 features)

A ton of bugfixes this time, thanks Defender for your reports and bugfinds, and also to u/legalrick2!

* Fixed Long Serpent ship text layout issue
* Fixed minor bandit screen exiting bug
* Fixed Aslona reference in goblin and king joke (credit Defender)
* Fixed Aslona reference in royal bank joke (credit Defender)
* Fixed Aslona reference in mercenary stories (credit Defender)
* Fixed missing screen sometimes when assimilating mercs leader joins you as a knight
* Fixed Drumloop in battle sounds treated as a sound effect not music and not being blocked by music off option (credit u/legalrick2)
* Fixed 'Leather belt that smells of lavender' item name bug (credit Defender)
* Fixed text bug with heartbroken farmer's boy throne room encounter (credit Defender)
* Fixed missing text when gamemaster refuses to hand over gold in throne room (credit Defender)
* Fixed duplicate 'I' in text when game master says arrest me when asking to hand over gold in throne room (credit Defender)
* Fixed missing text when throwing game master out of court (credit Defender)
* Fixed text error showing 1000 gold cost to host party in Darkdale as only 100 gold in error message when gold lower than 1000
* Fixed not receiving gold prize purse for winning goblin drinking competition
* Fixed text bug in fully upgraded owned arena tourney text

EVERYTHING ELSE (6 features)

A few general things here, a new guide in Warsim's files for some of the visually impaired players who play Warsim without any ascii. A pretty big change in mercenary companies only having a single assimilation attempt per year, and several other features and changes!

* Added new guide to setting up ascii-less version of Warsim in Warsim files for Blind Players (Credit Defender)
* Added new system ensuring merc groups can only have one assimilation attempt per year (credit u/TheGamingDictator)
* Reworked two direction names in the Black tower of Baiaa (Credit Angel De'Haven)
* Made it 10x rarer to get lucky on last coin toss (but still luckier than normal) with wishing well (Credit LexTheMighty)
* Added the ability to talk to the wagon man in the wagon man's trade post in Denland (6 dialogues)
* Made random drunk events 3x rarer during drinking contests

SCREENSHOTS

* Upgrading the new and improved magic theatre - https://i.imgur.com/HCZtcxP.png
* The new mage apprentice who runs the magic theatre for you - https://i.imgur.com/XfsccNl.png
* The Wheel of Wealth improved - https://i.imgur.com/4Kehw7O.png
* A drinking contest you say? - https://i.imgur.com/bIV0kgc.png
* She's pretty good at Drinking - https://i.imgur.com/nRuV0BQ.png

WHAT'S NEXT

I still have a backlog of bug reports and feature suggestions to look into and then the next main focus will be reworking the games intro tutorial from being a wall of vaigue text to being a system a little more comprehensive and helpful.

Cheers

Huw