[2023] Dev Update #23: Cold Winter Nights

A lil somethin somethin: You can find the details for this event on the announcement page here.

Well, if it isn’t the Vampire hordes joining us for yet another Dev Update.

As once more, the infinite darkness of Swedish winter descends on the catacombs of Stunlock Studios, and the skies grow perfectly black, the beat of our bat wings is here to remind you that we are still flying overhead. As we start this dev update and head into the season, let's enjoy the festive spirit of the night. We'll reflect on the past year and look forward to the promising one to come.


Carnivorous Catch-Up
For those of you who haven’t been following us through our whole journey until now, this would be a good time to catch up on the release of our first major content update, “Secrets of Gloomrot”[blog.stunlock.com], and what we’ve been working on since.

“Secrets of Gloomrot” was released this year, on May 17th, 2023. This update was sizeable and content-focused, aiming to beef up the middle game and refine the experience overall. We were thrilled with the feedback we received from Gloomrot, both positive and constructive. The positive helped us reinforce what changes were a step in the right direction, which better informs our assessment of future steps. On the flip side, constructive feedback provided valuable insights into significant player frustrations. There have also been plenty of requests for specific content that align with our own ideas!



Speaking of which, you can stop asking us to add Buffy. One of several early concepts of vampire hunters.



We hope to address some things in the upcoming release next year based on our own observations and what we’ve learned from your input. We want to bring a stunning conclusion to your adventure, something satisfying and appropriate for the apex of your Vampire’s rise to legendary status. We know players want more to do when they’ve reached that point, and truly enjoy the power they’ve earned. We know players want more reasons to strike out into the world and encounter each other on populated servers, whether it be for action-packed conflict with rivals or to make steadfast allies for their clan.

So, with that in mind, here’s the direction we’re focused on for our next major update, the full release next year:

Introducing a new, endgame-focused zone[blog.stunlock.com]! After much demand, we’re expanding the frosty expanse beyond the Hallowed Mountains. It’s time to finally cross that cut rope bridge and venture into the ancient and mysterious lands beyond. This region will be the last step of building your legacy before you move on to fight for ultimate Vampire supremacy somewhere that gives that last threat the build-up and gravitas it deserves.



Soon, we will learn what truly lies beyond.



There will be a final boss[blog.stunlock.com]. V Rising will ultimately lead to an endgame battle against a major foe, far more symbolically appropriate to cap off the Vampire journey. While Adam the Firstborn is a wonderful challenge, defeating a hand-crafted monstrosity isn’t quite right for the last confrontation of our game.

Prepare for endgame events[blog.stunlock.com]! This final zone will contain regular rolling events that draw the fiercest and most powerful and dangerous bloodsuckers from all across Vardoran. Something to fight for. While it certainly is tempting to sit in your perfectly decorated castle, sipping blood wine, lording over lesser beings, we have heard you loud and clear that you want more reasons to strike back out into the world. Here, you’ll find fresh trials to face down against a strangely familiar threat[blog.stunlock.com].



When we say “threat”, we mean it.



Anticipate performance improvements! We’re working on engine upgrades that have fully brought our engine from the live version’s very experimental build to the full 1.0 version. Players have long since suffered issues related to performance bottlenecking, resulting in suboptimal frames per second, and we’re on it. We should be able to provide major improvements to make V Rising more accessible for those with less up-to-date systems and better reward those who have incredible machines with sleeker gameplay.


Today’s Testament to Tomorrow’s Torment
As we work towards our goals set for the full release, our focus remains steadfast on our vision of a complete V Rising. So, how are we doing? We’re happy to report that we have fully upgraded our engine into a stable state and can now polish up and work on those performance enhancements. We’re now making significant progress toward a smoother and more stable Vampire experience.

The latest zone is well under construction, and while there’s certainly more to do in terms of polishing things up to match our standard, we have a strong basis on which to continue building. In parallel, we are actively testing the conflict events that will feature prominently in this zone. This addition to the gameplay loop injects a sense of purpose into the later stages of the adventure and adds an exciting dimension to the overall experience.



Concept art for a frost-taken bridge.





Concept art for an integral piece of an endgame event.



Now, let's talk about that final V Blood. As much as we’d like to tease you with more details on this now, it’s best to hold off for this a bit longer until next year when we’re getting closer to launch. Recently, we’ve put a lot of time and effort into making this the best it can be… but for now, you’ll just have to take our word on it.

Finally, there are also quite a few prototypes in the works that have huge potential to shake up the experience, particularly for those dedicated souls who've devoted a lifetime or two to V Rising. There are changes to how the spell system works, changes to appearances, and some interesting possibilities regarding a few other much-asked-for additions that can add some fun complexity and specialization to your builds. We’re currently cooking away at quite a few things that need some more time in the cauldron before they’re ready to be seen (or potentially locked away in the dungeon if they end up being awful). Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting developments!



For instance, we chose not to add this. You’re welcome.



We appreciate your patience in waiting for the sticky little details of everything we’re up to, but it’s important that you know that just like our lead-up to the Secrets of Gloomrot update, we work best with a little breathing room. Just know that, first and foremost, one thing is for sure:
V Rising’s endgame is about to get a serious revamp with the full release.


Vampire Community Rising
Even lone wolf Vampires like us can appreciate the season of togetherness, and what better way to celebrate the holiday season than to spend it with treasured allies? Over the past year and a half, some standout servers have gone above and beyond to hold events, provide unique experiences, and even modify the game to suit new twists on classic V Rising gameplay. If you’re searching for fresh excitement in V Rising before the next major update, here are a few great places to discover.


The Dojo


Get involved with one of the largest PvP communities in V Rising, where top players will welcome you in to share their techniques with veterans and newcomers alike. The Dojo makes it easy. Participate in tournaments, get curated news on community servers and events, and hop into the discussion with a like-minded group of highly skilled players looking to train up the next generation of challengers! Join by searching “The Dojo” or directly by IP addresses you’ll find provided in their Discord.

Join the Discord [discord.com]


Bloodthirst


Bloodthirst is a Duo PvP server that brings that traditional raiding experience with regular wipes. They focus on providing electrifying and fair play, with dedicated admins who aim to make riveting gameplay the heartbeat of their community. Sporting a stellar reputation among active V Rising players, their latest server opening saw them capping out at a smooth 100/100 vicious Vampires online. Join by simply searching “Bloodthirst” or joining directly through the IP addresses provided in their Discord.

Join the Discord[discord.gg]


V Rising Roleplay


For those of you looking for a more immersive Vampire story, V Rising Roleplay is one of the longest-standing roleplay servers around! With a focus on building a tight-knit community to share and create amazing stories with one another, this server runs in seasons that progress the central narrative of their lore in collaboration with their players. If you’re looking for an opportunity to sink your teeth into the world of Vardoran and live your richest undeath, this is an excellent place to start. Join by join their Discord and finding the IP address and password to connect directly.

Join the Discord[discord.gg]


V Arena


V Arena is a project being fielded by long-standing members of the V Rising Community, with impressive mods and tools to play V Rising in entirely new ways. With everything from the perfect convenience of practice arenas to the hectic chaos of capture the flag, this server is committed to keep innovating with more mind-blowing minigames and quality-of-life features. Find your way there by searching “V Arena” or direct joining through the IP addresses provided in their Discord.

Join the Discord[discord.gg]


And More..
Don’t forget to join our Discord server to find interesting servers or Vampires to join forces with! If you’re looking to find exciting servers to play on or just find like-minded people, this is one great place to do it. If you’re running a server yourself, please get in contact with us! There’s a special role on the Discord specifically for those of you who want to advertise your projects!


2024: A New Beginning
As December unfolds, we conclude one chapter in the tale of our deep crypt machinations. As January dawns, a new beginning awaits, marking the next stride toward our Vampire throne. Stunlock Studios stands ready to bring the future to V Rising in the coming year, something worthy of calling our full release. With that, the coming months are going to get very exciting for all of us.

We greatly look forward to sharing that thrill with you, our greatest allies.

Thank you for 2023, Vampires… and see you in 2024.




… and if you don’t want to wait, we’ll still be lurking in the shadows before the next Dev Update. Keep tabs on all of our devilish deeds on our socials down below.



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Lots of love and a pint of blood,



/The Marketing Team