Instructions to access this test branch are at the end of this post.

Hello,

We're back with a new update for the TEST BRANCH! We've changed all the medallions so builds are much more intuitive and impactful, PLUS we've improved lots of aspects of the parkour/traversal, especially that sticky/magnetic feeling (all this is coming to the main game soon).

Basically, playing is gonna feel better for both traversal and combat!


PLEASE NOTE: As this is a test branch, there will be some over and underpowered things, some bugs, and the game might crash. Please consider this before playing (but this update IS awesome).

What we're changing

So! There are two main changes in this test branch update:

1. Complete overhaul of medallions, making 'builds' much more intuitive, impactful, and improving their synergies with weapons
   
2. Big 'gamefeel' improvements - reduced 'magnetic/sticky' feeling, improved vault, smoother ledge/platform grab, longer lasting Vayu's Breath, and improved animations

We've also added 3 new tools, reworked the 'looters' a bit and optimised loading screens & general performance!

Medallions

There are no more super-specific criteria like 'when energy is over 80%, increase critical damage by 20%'. Effects are more straightforward and easy to understand how they will, or won't, fit in your build.

You should feel the effect of each medallion straight away as you advance through your run, with their effects getting magnified as you pick up others, if you pick the right ones. So basically your choices will be more difficult, will matter more, and will feel more satisfying!

Here's a quick breakdown of how the new medallions are grouped, in their 4 levels of rarity - basic, rare, legendary and legendary (corrupted).


Basic

Bonuses focused on flat stat improvements. These are split in pairs (right & left), each medallion will give a bonus on its own, but having both parts equipped will boost the bonus of each.

So this is stuff like increase weapon damage, increase Vayu's Breath accumulation rate, increase gold gains - 'basic' upgrades that will still make a noticeable difference as soon as you pick them up.


Rare

Medallions which give additional effects to your attacks and movements - stuff you can create specific builds around.

Upgrades like critical hits stun nearby enemies, attacks have a chance to burn enemies, or reduce damage taken by the amount of gold you have.

You'll want to pick these up with certain weapons or medallions to really make good use of their properties.


Legendary

Medallions you just WANT to find each time - the 'God Run' medallions.

Think of things like block the next attack you receive (recharges), grant 1 Seal of Zurvan (revive to 50% health if you die), dashing triggers Vayu's Breath.


Legendary (Corrupted)

Trade-off upgrades which can create a very powerful combination with another medallion (or even on their own!), but will punish you if you're not careful.

For example, increase damage dealt but also damage received, have a chance to block damage but all healing is reduced, increase critical damage but reduce base damage.


Overall

Just from the examples above, you can probably see that it is much easier to figure out where medallions will create synergies with other medallions and with specific weapons.

This will give you more choice in how to shape each run and make builds feel more powerful.

Control improvements

You'll really need to play to feel the difference of all this, but here's the description of everything we've changed!


Vault (dodge)

• Adjusted its detection distance and trajectory
  
• New animation

Ledge and one way platform grab

• Smoother movement
  
• Can interrupt the movement quicker with a dash, attack or jump

Vayu's Breath (speed boost)

• Lasts longer than before
  
• More actions add to its gauge - water slide and jumps off the back wall

Global

• Reduced the 'magnetic' feeling - stuff like sticking to poles and walls when you don't want to
  
• In case you missed it, input lag was reduced in a previous update

We're very curious how you find these changes so please do give us your feedback!

New tools

We've also added 3 new tools:

• Blowgun - fires 3 darts
  
• Fire Vial - drops fire in a zone around you
  
• Bladed Cyclone - several blades orbit around you
  
• On top of that we’ve also reworked how the Saw works. Now it drops a Saw Trap that goes back and forth. Be careful, it still hurts you.

Let us know how they feel too!

Optimization

• Loadings should now be way smoother and shorter, avoiding spikes.
  
• Overall performances should be better too.
  
• Screen resolutions are now unlocked! The list available in the option is now based on the resolutions supported by your monitor.

Looter rework

• Blood Altar is now a “gambling machine” where you pay with your max health to get items. Each time you use it repeatedly, the more chances you have to get great loot!
  
• Medallion Altar is also a “gambling machine”, but you pay with gold. And of course, the more you use it, the more chances you have to get great loot.
  
• Boss Looters have been removed.
  
• The “Weapon Looter” has been moved to the beginning of each biome and is now more of a “Start Looter” giving you lots of gold, lots of Soul Cinders, max health or a Medallion Slot.
  
• Astara is back at improving weapons, up to 2 times, against gold.
  
• Shops loot have been adjusted too.

The overall balancing has been tweaked to follow all these modifications. Again, your feedback is more than welcome on these changes.

And that's everything!

How to access the test branch and where to leave feedback

FIRST: BACKUP YOUR SAVE DATA

We recommend to do this just in case the worst happens. So to backup your save file, go to where you have your Steam folder installed, then follow this path:

Steam folder -> userdata folder -> your user id folder (if you have multiple steam accounts you'll need to find the right one) -> 2717880 folder -> remote folder -> copy the file called 'global' and stick it somewhere safe on your computer.

Mine looks like this, but your user id folder with have a different number of course!


If you still want to get stuck in, here's what to do:

Go to The Rogue Prince of Persia in your Steam Library -> click on the gear icon on the far right.

Click on Properties and a pop-up box will appear.

Click on Betas.

Opposite where it says 'Beta Participation', click on the dropdown menu where it says 'None' and select 'publictestversion'.

Update the game and you're good to go!

To change back to the standard game, just go back into the betas section, click on the same dropdown menu (it will now say publictestversion) then select 'None' and update the game.

To leave feedback you can go to the Suggestions/Feedback forum here on Steam, better yet go to our Discord[discord.gg], and go to 'The Rogue - Test Branch' section.


We'll be back soon, and here are the known bugs!

• Potential crash on Give Up. Especially in Aquaduct, even when dying, any information about that one will be welcome!
  
• Can get stuck after interacting with the same Medallion Altar too many times (~5).
  
• Some medallions might not work: Corrupted Tonic, Corrupted Sharpener
  
• A FPS drop can occur at the beginning of the biomes around the looters.
  
• Astara is missing her SFX.
  
• Medallion Altar SFX aren’t synced properly.
  
• Soul Cinders HUD icon has a little artefact at the top.
  
• Mithra’s Justice keeps coming back in Paachi’s Workshop even after unlocking it already.
  
• Interact prompt is partially hidden by foreground in Oasis

Thanks,
Matt & the EE team

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