Dev Update: Fixing Small Details, Smoothing the Player Experience

Today’s development focus was on polishing the player experience—tackling small but meaningful bugs that can otherwise disrupt immersion. A total of 23 fixes were implemented and verified by testers, all aimed at making the world feel more seamless and intuitive.

Several of these updates addressed issues related to house placement and customization, ensuring that players can build and decorate their homes without unexpected obstacles. One fix resolved a visual glitch where terrain irregularities—like a "hump" in a corner of a Player-Owned-Town lot in Celestis—prevented decoration placement. This was reported by community member Retlaw and has now been corrected, so your home-building efforts won’t be blocked by invisible terrain quirks.

Other improvements were made to the early game experience, focusing on the first ten minutes of a new character’s journey. These changes help guide new players more smoothly through their initial steps, ensuring that the game responds as expected without needing extra explanations—because the game is now doing the right thing, quietly and reliably.

Additionally, two code-level adjustments were made to support ongoing work on the game’s show and communication systems, helping keep the team’s internal tools in sync.

While these updates may not change how the world looks at a glance, they collectively improve how it feels to play—removing friction and making every interaction smoother. The game continues to evolve through careful attention to detail, driven by player feedback and thorough testing.

Thanks to the community for reporting issues like the Celestis terrain hump—your eyes help us make Shroud of the Avatar better for everyone.

Summarized from Chris "Atos" Spears' work log at Catnip Games.