Game-enhancing features are abound in the Kintsugi Update for Sengoku Dynasty, the fictional medieval Japan multi genre Early Access title. Developed by Superkami Games and published by Toplitz Productions, Sengoku Dynasty combines elements of open-world RPG, city building, life simulation, and survival into a singular gaming experience.
Kintsugi Update Details
The Kintsugi Update is the biggest update yet for Sengoku Dynasty. Kintsugi, also known as kintsukuroi, is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold or other precious metal. Part of the philosophy is to treat damage and repair as a part of the objects history. From performance upgrades to bears in the wild, this update builds on the past and adds a little bit of everything to the game’s development story.
Performance Changes
Performance improvements are a big part of the Kintsugi Update. The game now uses less RAM. Recommended specs have changed from 24GB to 16GB with minimal specs changing from 16GB to 12GB. Most of the previous game crashes were connected to RAM. Now the game should load faster and be compatible with more systems. For example players should notice near instant opening of the main menu or faster level loading.
More performance changes can be found with the upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.3 and the implementation of World Partition. A completely new system for interactions with foliage, the addition of DLLS 3.5 and FSR 2.2.2 support, and multiple game element optimizations should make for a smoother gameplay experience.
Streamlined Progression and New Player Experience
Several changes to the onboarding process for new players are in the update. With a revised and more streamlined progression system, players will find that some initial quests are now optional and there are fewer build limitations with respect to the landscape. Quest requirements and rewards in the villages of Segi, Aratani and Iwasaki have been rebalanced to offer a more rewarding gameplay experience.
A new system of unlocking recipes has been implemented. Players will be rewarded for their exploration, finding new resources, getting new items, building new structures, buying from traders, completing quests, and reaching village-size milestones. Until this update, recipes had been locked behind specific quests.
Dynasty level progression should now feel smoother. Each new villager high will reward Dynasty XP. This method is now the most reliable means of leveling and will encourage players to make larger villages or even found new villages. More aggressive players can possibly unlock items faster with growth if the needs of the population are met.
Production, Farming, and Animals
Villagers now consume and produce resources each day. As the season passes, workers can provide excess or surplus once per day. This change enables players to react to shortages faster and adapt to situations more easily. Workplaces have been simplified and moved to the corresponding furniture instead of being a part of the production building. The NPC AI has been improved to ensure workers are more responsive and behave realistically with more improvements to come.
Farming actions have been rebalanced and there is now a harvested field stage and plowing action. Some actions may require multiple hits to perform. Crops now grow when a player sleeps. Gobo can now be farmed. Plants found in the wild are now season-dependent. Several new flowers, trees, and plants are available for planting.
Animals more naturally. Some animals will now fight against each other. In the wild, players may encounter wolves or bears. Bears are a deadly threat, players are advised to be careful.
Other Changes and Old Saves
More items can be kept in a slot with increased stack sizes. Most parts of the game have been thoroughly rebalanced. There are new trader inventories, trader types, and trader encounters. New Kitchen & Workshop buildings and a new paper production process and furniture setup.
With so many changes, players can still load their old saves, however players may encounter various issues. The developer recommends starting a fresh game. Note that a separate 0.2.1.3. branch has been created so players can continue to run their old save games. This branch can be found in the betas and will require the password: beforekintsugi.
There are also several gameplay enhancements and quality of life changes in the Kintsugi Update so players are advised to check out a more detailed list of changes here.
Sengoku Dynasty Availability
The Kintsugi Update along with previous updates such as last November’s Farming Update are all now available on Steam for PC.
Sengoku Dynasty is now available in Early Access on PC via Steam for $29.99 / £24.99 / €26.99. The price of Sengoku Dynasty will be lower during the Early Access development period with a price increase at full release.
For more information visit the Sengoku Dynasty Steam product page.
Publisher and Developer Information
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