Digital Extremes has released Soulframe Preludes 16: Of Hook and Hound, an update that adds fishing, trainable wolf pup companions and a dynamic weather system to its fantasy action game, PCGamesN reported. The update went live after Soulframe Devstream 17, where members of the development team, including CEO Steve Sinclair and creative director Geoff Crookes, walked through the changes.
Sinclair described the update as leaning toward lighter, MMO-style activities while noting that core combat work had continued alongside them. He also said the weather system had turned out better than he had hoped.
Pups, fishing and weather
Players who have chosen a wolf pup can now take it along on their adventures. The pup trains five stats through completed encounters, dungeons and votives, as well as through fetch, petting and fishing trips, and each stat shapes both its behavior and the beneficial aura it gives the player. Total points are capped, so a pup cannot max out every stat. According to PCGamesN, the pup is intended to eventually become the player's mount.
Fishing begins with a short quest, Minnow's Hook, which provides the first lure. Catches can be turned into snacks or pup treats or released for other rewards, and some fish are corrupted by Ode'n sludge. The new weather system brings rain, wind, fog and lightning to Midrath: rain increases resource spawns, fog provides cover, and lightning storms boost damage from Voltaic sources.
Gear and combat changes
The update adds new gear, including the Suit of the Sleeve armor set and three weapons: the Grimana dewclaw, the Wreath mace and the Gystalt staff. Dismantling weapons now teaches their Tempers to the character Tuvalkane, who can then replace or enhance Tempers on other level 30 weapons at a cost of ten points each. Six new Tempers were added, and weapons enhanced to legendary rank can now carry swappable Epithets earned through achievements.
On combat, senior gameplay designer Joe Buck confirmed that a 0.15-second delay had existed between pressing block and the parry window becoming active; the update removes it and fixes a parry cooldown issue that could let blocked attacks land. The update also reduces warp assist, which pulled players toward enemies when attacking, and adds party matchmaking for revival shrines and dungeons. Soulframe remains in alpha, and PCGamesN reported that access is available through a queue for random invitations on the official website or through Founders packs starting at $29.99.
