Spiral Knights - Patch Notes

Patch Notes - April 18, 2012

65 replies [Last post]

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:11

Fallconn

Now with Blast Processing!
Spiral Knights has received a significant performance boost! SEGA has shared with OOO the secret of ‘Blast Processing’ and it has result in faster, smoother gameplay across the board! (Ok, maybe we just introduced a bunch of graphical optimizations.)

Many players will find they now have greatly increased framerates in even the most hazardous of levels, such as the Ironclaw Munitions Factory. Please note that this boost will not necessarily be noticeable by every player, though some will see a dramatic change.

If you had problems running the game in the past, or know someone who did, now is the time to jump back in and see the action in a whole, new way!

Height and Eye Modifiers
New items are now available that allow you to change your height and eyes. These items work just like Personal Color items and are consumed once used.

Eyes change your eye type across any helm you wear, however not all helms allow you to see your eyes, like the Spiral Pith Helm.

Height Modifiers only affect the visual height of your knight and have no gameplay implications of any kind. They do not make you a larger/smaller target, offer greater/reduced reach, etc.

[Height Modifiers]
- Normal Height Modifier
- Tall Height Modifier
- Extra Tall Height Modifier
- Short Height Modifier
- Extra Short Height Modifier

[Eyes]
- Normal Eyes
- Almond Eyes
- Cheeky Eyes
- Closed Eyes
- Determined Eyes
- Dot Eyes
- Exed Eyes
- Happy Eyes
- Jolly Eyes
- Pill Eyes
- Plus Eyes
- Angry Eyes
- Sad Eyes
- Sultry Eyes
- Shifty Eyes
- Sleepy Eyes
- Spiral Eyes
- Squinty Eyes
- Vacant Eyes
- Starry Eyes
- Delicate Eyes

These items are available via lockboxes with the exception of the Normal, Short and Tall Height Modifier and Normal, Almond, Determined and Happy Eyes, which are for sale in Vatel’s shop in the Bazaar.

Mirrored Lockbox
A new lockbox will now randomly drop from the Prize Wheel, the Mirrored Lockbox. The Mirrored Lockbox contains an assortment of character modification items. These include:
- All Height Modifiers, excluding the Normal Height Modifier
- All Eyes, excluding Normal Eyes

*Mirrored Lockboxes require a Silver Key to open.*

New Items in Iron Lockboxes
New items are available inside Iron Lockboxes. These include:

- Cool Parrying Blade
- Divine Parrying Blade
- Regal Parrying Blade
- Military Parrying Blade
- Heavy Parrying Blade
- Fancy Parrying Blade
- Dusky Parrying Blade
- Toasty Parrying Blade
- Volcanic Parrying Blade
- Prismatic Parrying Blade

- Cool Round Shades
- Divine Round Shades
- Regal Round Shades
- Military Round Shades
- Heavy Round Shades
- Fancy Round Shades
- Dusky Round Shades
- Toasty Round Shades
- Volcanic Round Shades
- Prismatic Round Shades

Additionally, there is a small chance of it containing one item from the Mirrored Lockbox.

Charge Attacks
When a charge attack has reached 'max charge,' it can no longer lose charge to damage, only to death. Players who had experienced 'missing' bombs or charge attack misfires will no longer experience these issues.

Levels
- The Prize Wheel has been added to the end of Mission levels
- You can now access the Hall of Heroes Missions when your energy total is below 10

Graphics
- Added a 'Cull Transients' toggle to the Advanced Video Options. This is an experimental toggle which could improve game performance in complicated levels. When enabled, there will likely be some side effects where certain graphical and audio effects will not be played.
- Adjusted mipmapping on player eyes to make them slightly sharper at distance.

Bugfixes
- Fixed the incorrect damage values on the Dark Thorn Blade’s charge attack. It will now output less damage, in line with all other swords in its series.

Nick, you just made mai day!! >:C

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:14

Paweu

So thats what Cull Transients

So thats what Cull Transients was.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:19

Gwenyvier

"- Fixed the incorrect damage

"- Fixed the incorrect damage values on the Dark Thorn Blade’s charge attack. It will now output less damage, in line with all other swords in its series."

Derp, and here I thought the BTB was bugged weaker. Rest sounds good.

Do the Mirrored Lockboxes require a Silver Key to open?

~Gwen

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:19

Shennynerd

*reads military parrying

*reads military parrying blade, cries tears of joy*

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:20

Crowwkd

is there

wondering if there is going to be anything with the ce packs as well ?no mention of it though

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:21

Niichi

Blast processing. lol, nice

Blast processing. lol, nice to see a sense of humour there. I am very interested in the graphic options though. Want to see how well it affects my playing.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:22

Tersakoff

So..new knights do not have

So..new knights do not have the possibility to choose their height and eyes, as initially announced?
:/
Ruins it for me.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:22

Dukeplatypus

if new characters get full

if new characters get full height and eyes options, I might just rage.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:23

Trying

YAY. BN might be less laggy now

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:24

Nick

Developer

Gwen - Yes, anything called a

Gwen - Yes, anything called a lockbox will always require a single Silver Key to open.

Niichi - Keep in mind that the most significant performance boost is automatic, it will just work. However, should you want to further experiment with 'Cull transients,' you're welcome to do so. Just please report your findings here:

http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/51117

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:25

#10

Randomzz

hmmm

well I like parrying blades being in lockboxes...

but when new knights get the height/eye changes for free (or that's how I read it during the april update, could be wrong) it just seems... well, wrong for them to not give us a one-time voucher or something for existing players. noooo, we have to go spend out our butts for it while the newbies get it for free.

/e shrugs. I guess they'll be more interesting to look at laying on the floor when I'm the only one in my RJP pug left alive xD

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:25

#11

Tersakoff

"New Knight Creation

"New Knight Creation Interface
A new knight creation interface is in the works that not only looks spiffier, but has a new selection of customization options, including height and eyes!"
:(
BUT
It will be added in the future if not now, SO, they WILL get them free while we will pay for them now.

Uh, OOO, we're all waiting for a response, IF the new ones will have that option, will we, the oldies, have the option?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:26

#12

Juances

"These items are available via lockboxes with the exception of the Normal, Short and Tall Height Modifier and Normal, Almond, Determined and Happy Eyes, which are for sale in Vatel’s shop in the Bazaar."

My guess is that only those will be available to new players.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:27

#13

Heron

New Knight Creation

New Knight Creation Interface
A new knight creation interface is in the works that not only looks spiffier, but has a new selection of customization options, including height and eyes!

Change your Height and Eyes!
With the new knight creation interface's release, we will also be releasing a means for existing players to change their knight's height and eyes through the use of special items.

^ what happened to this promise?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:28

#14

Randomzz

@ heron

they fulfilled it. they're just making us pay for it

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:29

#15

Nick

Developer

The the limited selection of

The the limited selection of Height Modifiers and Eyes available from Vatel will be available in the upcoming new character creation interface. Items found in the Mirrored Lockbox (including the small chance of finding Mirrored Lockbox items in the Iron Lockbox) are exclusive to it.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:33

#16

Tersakoff

@Juances ...and for free! And

@Juances
...and for free!
And we'll have to pay for them..
Not fair still

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:36

#17

Juances

ya, it woudln hurt to put some at the AH for at least ~300cr.

Nick, you did something similar with rescue camp mision rewards.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:38

#18

Shidara

@Nick

Are Mirrored Lockboxes affected by the drop-rate of Iron Lockboxes as well, or are they a separate entity?
If so, that basically means that anybody sitting on a pile of Iron Lockboxes will have to bust a hefty amount of energy opening those to have the chance to actually receive any of these new lockboxes.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:48

#19

Dukeplatypus

Oh, good. at least the rare

Oh, good. at least the rare stuff is rare for everyone. /sigh off to lurk in the bazaar, i guess.
I still think older players should get a one-time use thing to change their height and eyes and not have to pay vatel (probably) 50k for it. Personal colors are one thing, height and eyes are another. With personal colors you offer us an opportunity to change a choice we made that was available when ALL knights were created. With heights and eyes you're expecting us to pay for options that we never had to chance to customize because they simply didnt exist! And yet you're just giving away the new costumization for free to new players?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:45

#20

Heron

Dukeplatypus- "With heights

Dukeplatypus-
"With heights and eyes you're expecting us to pay for options that we never had to chance to customize because they simply didnt! And yet you're just giving away the new costumization for free to new players?"

^this

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:53

#21

Plasma-Panda

Sooooo the Extra Tall ones

Sooooo the Extra Tall ones are only in the new Lockbox?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:58

#22

Gwenyvier

If a more advanced

If a more advanced customization thing is added to character creation it is standard among any game that characters around before it will have to buy it. It is not the rare ones that the new knights are having access to, just the basic ones Vatel has. And quite honestly if we had the option when most of us first started we would have probably changed the eyes we initially picked for the sole reason we knew nothing about the game or what our future standard costume would look like.

~Gwen

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:59

#23

Enclavean

So glad i sold off all my

So glad i sold off all my parrying blades at 3k CE+ last week. I have a feeling i'm not gonna be able to sell my last regal parrying blade after this patch though.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:02

#24

Sypsy

@ Dukeplatypus & Heron

Height and eyes are cosmetic. Your practical gameplay experience won't be affected.

Personally, I have not been unhappy with my height or eyes for the past 11 months only to find a solution now or something. I would be surprised if you were.

It's not like he's giving all new players 25% faster walking speed, and you'd have to pay to get it.

-----
And if it's REALLY important to you:
By the time a new character is able to make runs in fsc or play T3, you would have been able to scrape up 50k crowns to change your height. You're not REALLY at a disadvantage here.
Maybe if you started playing 1 week ago, but then I would say there are other things more important to you (like getting to 5*)

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:16

#25

Shista

So Parrying Blades????

I just made a deal with a dude yesterday about buying his cool parrying blade for 2K Ce next week after i have the CE ready. Seeing as how this patch came out the very next day, would I be a total Jerk if I "reevaulated" the terms of our deal haha? Can Parrying Blades be traded now? How much do you think the retail value will drop to now? Nice update btw.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:25

#26

Enclavean

Nick: "Yes, anything called a

Nick: "Yes, anything called a lockbox will always require a single Silver Key to open."

Does that mean we'll get more lockboxes? O_O

EDIT:
@Shista: I have the opposite problem. I made a deal about selling my Dusky Parrying Blade for 3k CE, but after this patch im afraid my customer will back out of the deal.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:24

#27

Redlawlsy

so happy but also sad

So happy the update is out! So sad we have to pay for that stuff!

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:25

#28

Trying

Did you not see the part about mirrored lockboxes?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:34

#29

Pookycakes

It's a bit sad that players

It's a bit sad that players who have been playing and supporting the game for months have to pay for a cosmetic feature that all new players can get for free...

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:35

#30

Nick

Developer

I'm actually most excited for

I'm actually most excited for the our 'Blast Processing.' The graphics optimization wizardry that was used in this update might have a huge effect on the framerates of many players! And the best part is that you don't have to do anything to experience it. It's automatic!

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:46

#31

Sypsy

@Nick

That clears it up.

I thought that this "blast processing" was only available when enabling the "cull transients" option. Glad to see I don't have to reduce graphical elements further to get a better performance!

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:46

#32

Sweet-Hope

Well about the new processing

Well about the new processing blast will make me happy because i have a good Computer but sometimes i skip or lag in certain parts. specially when the game have lot of Snow or Flames animation (when the fire restart it animation always give me a freeze) i hope this will fix that

About the eyes and height: well new knights will have a LIMITED eyes and heigh choice so its no like they will get every eye or heigh. if they want the other eyes and heigh they need to open more mirrored lockboxes that some of us will do. but of course i dont agree on the part that at least the few eyes or heigh will be only on vatel and we going to pay a few Cr for it. but anyway nothing like going to FSC to get some money BUT i can spent that money on other stuff rather on eye or heigh but its matter of choice. anyway i will keep my normal heigh and eye.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:48

#33

Kitty-Softpaws

Hurrah for lag-spikes being

Hurrah for lag-spikes being gone! But I wonder if when we change size if our weapons will change size too. I had Cobalt 2* armor to try to make my character look petite with his big shields & big weapons. So gear will change with size too or stay the same? Does the lieutenant have the same size gear as us? Let me check lol

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:07

#34

Batabii

@nick

"the limited selection of Height Modifiers and Eyes available from Vatel will be available in the upcoming new character creation interface. "

Does this mean that, once the new character creator comes, existing users will get one height/eye modifier for free? Should I wait?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:20

#35

Toastnaut

"Cull Transients"

Well I've enabled the new option to see how it affects the game.
I'll toggle it on and off a bit to see how it differs compared to the optimization we're getting now without the new toggle.

I must say though, when I first saw the term in the update news, I thought it might be a new setting for cleaning your Friends list.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:24

#36

Plasma-Panda

Darn it all. I would've

Darn it all. I would've rather payed cash for an Extra Tall modifier than open lockboxes. Forget that scam.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:35

#37

Batabii

50k crowns? Damn that's

50k crowns? Damn that's overpriced for something that you won't always see.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:36

#38

Tenkii

Blast Processing

I lol'd. I'm sure a lot of people will appreciate the effects.

But more than that, I appreciate the reference, haha.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:39

#39

Trying

Nick you forgot the change to charge attacks

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:40

#40

Asukalan

What did you think? They will

What did you think? They will give us something fun to use?

Noo, no no, CE sink is a must. Imagine all this CE spent on keys just to get maid headbands hoping for new eyes or height modifiers.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:42

#41

Kitty-Softpaws

watcha want is watcha got!

I just noticed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Price wheels in mission runs >:D

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:53

#42

Cronus

Game Master

@Asukalan "Noo, no no, CE

@Asukalan "Noo, no no, CE sink is a must. Imagine all this CE spent on keys just to get maid headbands hoping for new eyes or height modifiers."

In case there's some confusion, the new knight customization options for height and eyes can always be found in Mirrored Lockboxs which do not contain the accessories from lockboxes. Additionally, there is a small chance of a standard lockbox containing one item from the Mirrored Lockbox.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:56

#43

Capt-Chopper

You can take damage while

You can take damage while charging a weapon now, you forgot to put that in the patch notes. I just tested it on my bomber.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 12:56

#44

Nick

Developer

Thanks Trying, fixed.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:00

#45

Dukeplatypus

Also noted in the release

Also noted in the release notes:
"New Items in Iron Lockboxes
New items are available inside Iron Lockboxes. These include:
...
Additionally, there is a small chance of it containing one item from the Mirrored Lockbox."

Edit: Either im paranoid or I misread Chronus.

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:34

#46

Randomzz

mmk

so newbies get the same selection as Vatel has, the extras are mirrored specific. ok. I can accept that easy enough.

HOWEVER- why are we being forced to pay for something that ****did not exist when we created characters****. Colors, we had the option, making us pay for a recolor is justified. THIS we did not have the chance for. I still say we should get a one-time voucher.

And please, don't say we can with this "free" mirrored lockbox promo. If it's inside a package requiring real world money, it's not free- despite any technicalities you want to pull. In reality it's still a paid item. Only the CW ones are truly free in the sense of cash money

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:37

#47

Bluescreenofdeath

FPS

Hey Nick, any chance of a "Display FPS" option being implemented any time soon? It would be nice to see changes to FPS without having to run 3rd party software (which itself tends to lower FPS a touch).

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:38

#48

Korakc

YESSSS thanks so much Nick!

YESSSS thanks so much Nick! Finally bombing has so much more purpose. Along with a few other things with the Charge Attack buff. Meh on the Mirrored LB, wish it wasn't in an energy pack >.>

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:43

#49

Doctorspacebar

Upon creating a new

Upon creating a new character, I found out that new knights can't change their height or eyes either. Maybe the new stuff costing 50k crowns is an attempt at a crownsink?

I would really suggest toning down the price, though- most players can't afford fifty thousand crowns. That's crowns I need to craft that 5* Mad Bomber Mask I want. Now what do you think I'm going to pick?

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:47

#50

Becs

LD Bombing

I could care less about the cosmetic changes, YEAH to lockdown bombing! :)

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Patch Notes - April 18, 2012