Alchemist 0.2.1 is released!

The new version is out! You can see the changes in this video, or, if you prefer the text format, read the changelog below.

Changelog:

New content:

• An entirely new prologue that tells the story from the start. New tutorial section.
• Text-based interludes that provide a slightly different perspective on the game events.
• New main quest to get a replacement alembic.
  • A ton of dialogue.
  • Two ways to complete the quest (one is more profitable, but also time-sensitive).
  • A new NPC to talk to and trade with.
•  New side quest, given by a lumberjack east of the stables.
  • A ton of dialogue again.
  •  A lot of ways to complete (or fail) the quest.
  • Unique recipe as a potential reward.
• New early-game area: lonely church.
  • A friendly NPC to talk to and trade with.
• 3 new merchants in total.
• Rework of the fortress ruins' surface: several buildings and a wall, potentially more than one dungeon entrance.
• A new subtype for mansion ruins: crystalline.
  • Crystal rooms are now exclusively encountered in this subtype
  • New enemy: crystal guardian. A magical construct that levitates and shoots crystal shards.
• New enemy in swamps: leech. Aquatic-only creature, attacks cause haemorrhaging. After biting you once, becomes passive for a while.
• New equipment:
  • Salamander boots: gives immunity to fires on the ground. Available through the "Elemental weave" research (new).
  • Sparkling gloves: your attacks destroy crystals in 1 hit. 50% chance to shock the opponent on hit. 100% if it's wet. Available through the "Elemental weave" research (new).
  • Skeleton key: a lockpick with infinite uses. Available through the "Arcane smithing" research (new).
  • Scarlet flask: lets you gather creatures' blood whenever you loot corpses. Blood can be used as something sanguine in crafting. Available through the "Arcane smithing" research (new).
  • Efficient burner: can be set up on the cauldron or the alchemical table. Reduced fuel consumption by 50%. Available through the "Stable flame" research (new).
  • Talisman of slippery luck: when you take lethal damage, there is a 50% chance that this talisman will be destroyed instead. Available through the "Chaotic substances" research.
• New potions:
  • Coagulant: stops bleeding. Available through the "Apothecary" research.
  • Leatherskin potion: reduced physical damage by 1. Available through the "Protective ointments" research (new).
  • Eelskin potion: gives immunity to grabbing attacks. 20% chance to avoid all attacks. Available through the "Protective ointments" research (new).
  • Black fire potion: an explosion that deals damage over time. If the target dies while under the effect, it explodes into black fire again. Available through the "Evil flame" research (new).
• Liquid chaos potion can now not only be thrown or drank, but also applied, copying the effects of numbing ointment, hushing sands, gecko potion, eelskin potion, leatherskin potion or coagulant.
• 5 new books to read
• New flora: dandelions that grow in the open, hyacinths that grow in woods, tinder fungus that grows on trees.
• Dice that you can roll.
• New component: something slippery.
• 6 types of weather with different ambience, visuals and gameplay effects.
  • Fair: no effect.
  • Windy: fires spread quicker.
  • Cloudy: cold-blooded creatures are slightly less active.
  • Foggy: vision reduced by 2. Cold-blooded creatures are slightly less active.
  • Rainy: fires don't start, everything is wet, movement through dirt and grass is slower than normal unless you wear tall boots. Cold-blooded creatures are less active.
  • Storm: same as rain, plus lightning strikes sometimes, shocking everyone for 1 turn.

Presentation:

• New ambience and graphics for weather. Indoors, outdoors, in the dungeons.
• Weather effects and lightning flashes can be turned off in the settings.
• New tile for torches.
• The torches now flicker again, as they are supposed to. This can be toggled off in the settings.
• New sounds for many creatures (snakes, mice, hedgehogs, chimaeras, wyrms, armours).
• New sounds for crafting, trading and refining.
• The bell sound announces the beginning of every day, as well as new quests received.
• 3d sounds are somewhat more spread-out between channels.

Quality of life:

• You can now choose to play with extra lives when you start the game, in the dialogue with the Devil.
  • If you're playing the free version, you can choose either no extra lives, or 3 extra lives.
  • If you're playing the sanctified (aka paid) version, you can also choose to have infinite lives.
  • The game is still designed to be playable with only one life.
• The "Bestiary" tab in the journal, providing detailed information about creatures. Examine the creatures to fill it.
• Creature overlay: similar to the loot overlay, points at every visible creature. The colour of the arrow indicates the intent.
  • Red: trying to attack you.
  • Magenta: will attack you if you approach.
  • Blue: doesn't care (currently).
  • Cyan: will try to get away if you approach.
  • Green: friendly. You can probably talk.
• New buttons in the UI for both the creature overlay and the loot overlay. They also show whether the overlay is currently active.
• If you're using the mouse, now you can right-click to take the action (i.e. interact, hit, throw, etc), instead of using Z.
  • The default key to move the camera changed from right mouse button to middle mouse button/Ctrl.
• In examination mode, the game can now automatically search for known exits.
• Lockpicking action removed. Lockpicking is performed automatically by interacting with locked objects.
• Whenever you skip a turn, a ticking sound is played.

Balance:

• Snakes' AI is changed. Now, they strongly prefer not moving next to the player if they don't have to. They still can do it, especially when there is no other choice.
• Toxins research cost reduced from 4 to 3 practical knowledge.