Blade & Soul currently runs on a single-core engine. This has made it difficult to implement light and sophisticated UI, realistic and detailed visuals, and clean optimization. It has also limited development for our team.
We wanted to deliver wider worlds, variety in movement, and detailed expressions, but we were restricted by the capabilities of the engine.
We have prided ourselves as pioneers in the industry, but the more burden we put on the engine, the worse the experience became.
While players endured long loading screens, game immersion suffered.
Blade & Soul could no longer handle brilliant visuals or complex cinematics. We were losing what defined our brand.
We understood the problems but changing the game engine would mean resetting the development environment.
We believed it would be best for our fans and our future, but this would mean starting from scratch to realign our development pipelines. It would mean a lot of hard work.
So that is what we did.
Part of our plan is to introduce Asynchronous Loading to display data within the connected character’s view first.
We will pre-load locations that we estimate the character will arrive at before the character’s actual arrival.
We will focus on how the game runs so that you can focus on having fun.
Previously, our engine needed to express everything the player saw, even far away objects.
That meant wasting resources on visualizing unnecessary data during gameplay.
Now, we’re going to break this limitation and express data by prioritizing the closest objects.
This will lead to a more detailed and stable performance with less lagging.
Blade & Soul is defined by its world and the characters that the player creates in it.
Our priority is to maintain our unique character visuals and expressions with the new engine.
We plan to improve our shaders and processes in full scale to express character textures and colors more vividly.
We are dedicated to preserving and improving everything from hairstyles, costumes, character designs, colors, and textures.
We take great pride in the design and artwork of Blade & Soul and the new engine will allow us to do even more than before.
Blade & Soul visuals are a unique part of the experience, and we will always work to make them something our audience loves.
We are re-focusing on player-centered combat and dungeons so that individual players and plays feel important again.
We want individual players to be able to celebrate amazing victories or huge plays that change the outcome of a battle. Because of that, we are re-imagining and revisiting dungeon design, especially on smaller scales.
Our first newly designed dungeon is in the works, and you can expect it in Q3 2021!
Playing through a dungeon should not feel like a repetitive task.
Although we have added many dungeons to Blade & Soul, we were not satisfied with the variety they provided. New dungeons were ultimately exciting but became tedious over time.
This is why we are creating a new way to experience dungeons.
Our goal is for the same dungeon to provide ever-changing experiences and excitement.
Goals and strategic encounters presented at each stage will provide players with steady challenges and a true sense of accomplishment.
We have many more details to come about this exciting new system as we are closer to its reveal!
The long-awaited sequel to Act XI is on its way.
In Act XI Part 2, players can expect even more of the mystery and beauty of the Divine Realm to be explored, and long-lost ties will be found anew. Untold stories will unravel as players move ever closer to their final battle and journey to the Lake of Reflection.
We know that the story of Blade & Soul is paramount to the immersion and enjoyment of the world, so we wanted to provide a sneak peek at some of what will be coming later this year.
A core part of Blade & Soul has been the addition of new content and upgrade elements. We have been proud to deliver consistent new classes and specializations that resonate with players.
However, the large variety of classes can become burdensome for a player trying to choose the perfect class to invest their time in. This is especially true for our veteran players that have put untold hours into a character they love only to have an exciting new class release they would like to play.
Because of this, we are working on a new system that allows players the freedom to change classes as well as exchange class exclusive items to a new class. Our goal is to create a system that improves the options available to our new and veteran players alike.
We are also aware of the concerns regarding a system like this, first and foremost, concerns about balance and preference for certain classes causing imbalances. We are working diligently to create unity between all classes so that this new feature is not abused and does not negatively impact player experience.
Over time, we have had a lot of new ideas for the menus, design, and user experience of Blade & Soul. However, the more ideas we had, the more complex the experience became for users, and displaying everything we wanted became impossible.
That is why we are updating our interface with a focus on convenience and clarity.
The first step is to create an intuitive interface. Similar information will be grouped together, and menus will be organized in hierarchies of related information so that players don’t have to memorize the location of various functions or menus.
We are still in the early stages of this update, but we are hard at work and wanted to share our current progress.
Please note, these are early designs and are subject to change.
The original ranking system forced players to focus on timetables for rewards and ranking and made it difficult to focus on getting to the top of the leaderboards.
Even though we were able to elevate our competitive content and balance, motivation and a sense of achievement were difficult to create outside of the amount of rewards a player received.
Moving forward, we want ranking to be reflected in real time rather than at set intervals. Upon reaching top ranks, character appearances will be updated to the system UI in real time. This means that the prestige of being top ranked will be immediately obvious.
We are also working on adding additional content to rankings by preparing long term changes to the ranking UI and honorary rewards. Stay tuned to all the evolutions on the way!
Previous dungeons were designed for players to fit specific roles and to master difficulties through repetition. This was problematic because it limited the types of challenges in dungeons and made them feel overly repetitive.
Our new dungeon system seeks to fix this.
The system is designed to provide several stages of difficulty rather than one type of mechanic and strategy. Each difficulty level will change mechanics, attack patterns, and even strategies players will need to utilize. However, even the mechanics are not fixed, and different difficulty levels may update and change so that parties will need to adapt to the newest update.
Our goal is to create more enjoyable, more varied ways to engage with dungeons.
We are also looking to provide better and more exciting rewards for these new challenges. These rewards will be seasonal, and players will be rewarded for completing the higher, more difficult stages as quickly as possible.
We are continuing to focus not only on fun and enjoyable content, but challenging progression.
The second Mythical dungeon focuses on enhancing new storytelling and adding a core dungeon for the season.
The new narrative will provide the cornerstone for a new phase. We will be introducing new characters and new conflicts to the Blade & Soul world.
Previously, play conditions were formed in a weekly format based on the highest rewards being obtainable through weekly content. However, this made it less exciting to finish challenges and gain rewards.
This dungeon will introduce challenging competitions. Players will be able to obtain all new seasonal rewards as well as Mythical Accessories. Mythical Accessories will have special effects never before seen to make these rewards even more enticing.
In following updates, seasons will continue with 2 dungeons in one season, challenging players to test their limits in order to gain all the rewards.
Among the new content coming are solo competitions. These one person events will show off who has the highest skills and know-how to earn great rewards. These events will challenge players' technical skills as well as their strategic planning in order to achieve success. We have big plans for these, so stay tuned for all the new updates!
The existing method for raising equipment levels involves slowly acquiring growth materials from continuous play. While this worked well, the system had flaws for encouraging consistent play.
Moving forward, Mythical rank items will be obtainable without having to target Mythical rank dungeons to raise item levels.
Mythical rank items will retain the same requirements to grow XP, but earning up small rewards to breakthrough certain stages will no longer be needed. Upon drop, the item will be an already completed form item like the current Mythical rank item. These items will have random stat bonuses though, so it will take some time to acquire the best version.
We know there will be some concerns that this change may reduce the value of highly valued items currently in your possession.
To address that, the new Mythical rank item method will be selectively applied to 6 types of Accessory items. At first, Weapon items and Heart, Pet, Soul, and Talisman items will not be affected.
We will continue to put in our best efforts to preserve the value of current items while providing even more exciting rewards.
The new Insignia system will help players define their style and role more concretely.
Insignia is a new attribute that exists in many types such as Attack type, Defense type, Evasion type, Utility type, etc.
‘Attack type’ was mainly preferred in the past, but we look forward to seeing more meaningful approaches to combat using this new system. Players can expect to obtain this in our second Mythical Dungeon.
(Under development, subject to change)
Currently, players can purchase growth materials directly to enhance their character’s progress. However, this does not encourage players to engage with content.
In light of this, we plan to introduce a new Pass with future updates. This will act as a ‘Subscription type’ model that allows players to gain benefits as they play. Players will still be able to purchase direct items if they wish, but this should offer a more immersive option.
Starting with the UE4 changes, we promise to continue to explore ways of creating fun and engaging options.
14th Class
The 14th class coming to Blade & Soul is a master of dual wielding. They embody lightning speed, devastating attacks, and flashy combat.
The thrill of this unique swordfighter is found in pushing their limits, perfecting their combat, and risking their life for the thrill of improving their skills and honing the edge of their blades.
They live by the mantra: the best defense is a good offense.
A relentless assault.
The first specialization cuts deep into the line between life and death. As a player wavers on the crossroads of death, they can draw out extreme powers and attacks.
This heightened sensory state will allow players to lash out with a flurry of blows that incapacitates enemies.
The energy of a blade.
The second specialization focuses on the beauty of life and death, the elegance that comes from the energy of a blade. Masters of this style can attack even their most distant enemies and instill them with fear.
Their sword strokes are as smooth as flowing water, their attacks as devastating as tsunamis.
The closer the sword dance is to perfection, the stronger the force of their blades.
A core part of Blade & Soul has been the addition of new content and upgrade elements. We have been proud to deliver consistent new classes and specializations that resonate with players.
However, the large variety of classes can become burdensome for a player trying to choose the perfect class to invest their time in. This is especially true for our veteran players that have put untold hours into a character they love only to have an exciting new class release they would like to play.
Because of this, we are working on a new system that allows players the freedom to change classes as well as exchange class exclusive items to a new class. Our goal is to create a system that improves the options available to our new and veteran players alike.
We are also aware of the concerns regarding a system like this, first and foremost, concerns about balance and preference for certain classes causing imbalances. We are working diligently to create unity between all classes so that this new feature is not abused and does not negatively impact player experience.
Over time, we have had a lot of new ideas for the menus, design, and user experience of Blade & Soul. However, the more ideas we had, the more complex the experience became for users, and displaying everything we wanted became impossible.
That is why we are updating our interface with a focus on convenience and clarity.
The first step is to create an intuitive interface. Similar information will be grouped together, and menus will be organized in hierarchies of related information so that players don’t have to memorize the location of various functions or menus.
We are still in the early stages of this update, but we are hard at work and wanted to share our current progress.
Please note, these are early designs and are subject to change.
The original ranking system forced players to focus on timetables for rewards and ranking and made it difficult to focus on getting to the top of the leaderboards.
Even though we were able to elevate our competitive content and balance, motivation and a sense of achievement were difficult to create outside of the amount of rewards a player received.
Moving forward, we want ranking to be reflected in real time rather than at set intervals. Upon reaching top ranks, character appearances will be updated to the system UI in real time. This means that the prestige of being top ranked will be immediately obvious.
We are also working on adding additional content to rankings by preparing long term changes to the ranking UI and honorary rewards. Stay tuned to all the evolutions on the way!
Previous dungeons were designed for players to fit specific roles and to master difficulties through repetition. This was problematic because it limited the types of challenges in dungeons and made them feel overly repetitive.
Our new dungeon system seeks to fix this.
The system is designed to provide several stages of difficulty rather than one type of mechanic and strategy. Each difficulty level will change mechanics, attack patterns, and even strategies players will need to utilize. However, even the mechanics are not fixed, and different difficulty levels may update and change so that parties will need to adapt to the newest update.
Our goal is to create more enjoyable, more varied ways to engage with dungeons.
We are also looking to provide better and more exciting rewards for these new challenges. These rewards will be seasonal, and players will be rewarded for completing the higher, more difficult stages as quickly as possible.
We are continuing to focus not only on fun and enjoyable content, but challenging progression.
The second Mythical dungeon focuses on enhancing new storytelling and adding a core dungeon for the season.
The new narrative will provide the cornerstone for a new phase. We will be introducing new characters and new conflicts to the Blade & Soul world.
Previously, play conditions were formed in a weekly format based on the highest rewards being obtainable through weekly content. However, this made it less exciting to finish challenges and gain rewards.
This dungeon will introduce challenging competitions. Players will be able to obtain all new seasonal rewards as well as Mythical Accessories. Mythical Accessories will have special effects never before seen to make these rewards even more enticing.
In following updates, seasons will continue with 2 dungeons in one season, challenging players to test their limits in order to gain all the rewards.
Among the new content coming are solo competitions. These one person events will show off who has the highest skills and know-how to earn great rewards. These events will challenge players' technical skills as well as their strategic planning in order to achieve success. We have big plans for these, so stay tuned for all the new updates!
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