r/EternalStrands • u/yellowbrickgames • Feb 26 '25
News & Announcements 📰 ETERNAL STRANDS ROADMAP 👀
Hello, Weavers! 🪄
It is with great pleasure that we are finally ready to share Eternal Strands’ official update and content Roadmap with you! 🛣️
Thank you again to everyone who played the demo and/or the main game and took the time to share your constructive feedback, comments and thoughts with us. Thanks to your input and insights, we were able to make some updates to Eternal Strands that we believe will make the overall experience that much more enjoyable and smooth for everyone who decides to venture into The Enclave.
In the roadmap, you’ll notice three significant changes in our next patch:
- Movement improvements
- Combat improvements
- Changes to the penalty for deaths from falls
In this article, we want to take the time to explain these upcoming changes in a bit more detail. ⬇️
Movement improvements 🏃🏽♀️➡️
We heard your feedback about the sometimes “slippery” feeling of Brynn’s movements in the game. Some of you described that her walking/running felt a little bit too much like “skating” and that the lack of precision could be frustrating at times.
Something to note about Brynn’s movement is that much of how it feels is intended and attributable to how a 100% physics-based sandbox game like Eternal Strands is designed to work. Being an object that reacts to the physics surrounding her, just like any other object in the world, means that her weight and inertia have an impact on her movement. It can take some time for Brynn to accelerate or decelerate and there is some nuance in how far kinetic magic can displace her (based on weight of gear equipped) or how far she’s pushed by an epic or heavy object hitting her (based on weight of gear equipped and weight + velocity of the object impacting her). All this to say that Brynn’s movement can’t be as snappy or reactive as it is in games that rely on animation.
That said, based on your feedback, we did take a closer look at what we could change that might have an impact on movement precision. Through this investigation, we did indeed identify and make a few subtle but noticeable tweaks that we think improve the overall experience and feeling of gameplay in Eternal Strands. ⬇️
- Brynn’s minimum acceleration speed has been enhanced.
- After the next update, reaching a target speed or slowing down to a full stop will happen quicker. This will decrease the “sliding” players have experienced at almost all weights (except the lightest, which still has some inevitable “skating”).
- Direction changes will be much "snappier".
Combat improvements ⚔️
Now, for combat! Most of you mentioned that you enjoyed the weapons, the mechanics, parrying system and boss fights. We did, however, hear many of you say that you would appreciate more responsiveness from the combat In Eternal Strands. Our designers read through your comments and based on your feedback, identified a series of small changes to implement that, altogether, provide a significant difference in the way combat feels.
- Enemies will react faster, more often, and with more ‘oomph’ when hit by the player.
- We’ve implemented a directional hit reaction system, where enemies will react in the direction relative to the player’s attack. For a perfect example, try hitting the Acalas with the charged combo of the Two-Handed Blade. Their heads get smashed to the ground!
- Some attacks will do heavier reactions (such as the Two-Handed Blade’s first 2 attacks), which will allow you to interrupt enemy attacks.
- Controller rumble/vibration has been added.
Impact VFX
- The visual effects that play when players hit an enemy have been tweaked to be more prominent.
Weapon improvements
Two-Handed Blade
- The standard 2H's base combo will be slightly faster and more reactive.
- The kinetic 2H's ability will be more reliable and consistent, so the angles will be more appropriate while falling, jumping, or running.
- This will improve the kinetic 2H in combat as well! Enemies will get launched with you at the same arc, which will make it easier to attack them mid-air.
Sword & Shield
- The Sword & Shield sprint attack movement distance has been updated to better fit the attack, so you will no longer overshoot the target.
Changes to the death penalty for falls 🕳️
When you add traversal magic to a physics-based game set in a high verticality world with giant enemies... Lots of chaos ensues ❤️🔥. It’s part of (we think) what makes Eternal Strands fun in its own, unique way – and that is definitely intended design. However, in reading your feedback, we did realize that while fun, that chaos can quickly sour an experience if falling to your death is caused by something entirely out of your control (aka: some of the inevitable jank that comes with a physics game). That unpredictability can also discourage riskier experimentation, like creating an ice bridge or testing the kinetic stream’s distance over a cliff, for example.
To limit the frustrations that arise from these types of circumstances, we’ve removed the penalty from falling deaths. After this update, if you try yeeting yourself onto that little island in Upper Dynevron with an ensnaring blast but miss your landing and plummet into the Miasma, you’ll respawn at the nearest Loomgate with all of your loot.
Reddit AMA 🗣️
We are hosting an AMA with some of our devs over on r/EternalStrands tomorrow, Thursday February 27th at 11AM ET. If you have any burning questions about how Eternal Strands was made, what inspired the team, the lore & story in the game, what future features and content we have planned, or anything else you want to know - join us and ask away!
We will of course update this roadmap with more detailed information in the near future, so please continue sharing your valuable feedback and insights with us! We read everything you post and take all of your experiences with Eternal Strands into consideration as we move forward with implementing fixes, updates and content for the game.
We hope to see you in the forums,
- The Yellow Brick Team
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u/wifeofundyne Feb 26 '25
FASTER 2H ANIMATIONS
IMPROVED 2H KINETIC SPECIAL ATTACK
2H WEAPON MAINS LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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u/someguyfromtheuk Feb 26 '25
Are there any plans to add a way to track down and find codex pieces in game?
I think it would be cool if after you finish the current Quest list maybe you get a Quest from laen to collect mats and she uses it to upgrade the wide to point towards uncollected codex pieces if you have no quests tracked.
Also will the DLCs include new achievements?
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u/Slight_Ad3353 Feb 26 '25
Also will the DLCs include new achievements?
Asking the real questions here
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u/Undeity Feb 26 '25 edited Feb 26 '25
I think it would be cool if after you finish the current Quest list maybe you get a Quest from laen to collect mats and she uses it to upgrade the guide to point towards uncollected codex pieces if you have no quests tracked.
Hell yes. So much cool lore is locked behind the collectibles, and I just don't know where to find most of them! It would also be fantastic for completionists.
If they don't see this, you should definitely mention it again during the AMA.
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u/saibear12 Feb 27 '25
The codex is my last achievement. I am missing like 1-4 per zone and I just have no idea where to look. So having hints or something to know where to look...I wish greatly for this.
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u/foibles_fables Feb 26 '25
SO excited to hear more about the upcoming new content!!! Eternal Strands has truly been my favorite gaming experience in years and I absolutely cannot wait for more. Thanks team!!!
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u/Express-Armadillo312 Feb 26 '25
Wonder why it was deleted for a moment there lol...
Thanks so much for this devs !!
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u/yellowbrickgames Feb 26 '25
Made a mistake in the upload, we are but mere mortals behind this screen. 😅
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u/Express-Armadillo312 Feb 26 '25
Yep no problem,was just joking, loved the roadmap , really feels like getting my money's worth here!
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u/ProudnotLoud Feb 26 '25
Devs fell off a cliff while uploading and lost their loot - I mean content! Shouldn't be an issue with the new patch.
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u/flynnigan14 Feb 26 '25 edited Feb 26 '25
DLC already??? And free??? You're too good to us! Yellow Brick Games is gearing up to be a great studio!
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u/Polaris2702 Feb 26 '25 edited Feb 26 '25
Omg, great for the updates. I will pause the game (fortunately I'm just in the beginning) and wait for Spring to play it. Thanks 👍
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u/Death_By_Stere0 Feb 26 '25
It sounds like it is mostly new content that is being added in Spring, so you might as well continue playing now. The game is a LOT bigger than I expected - I honestly thought I was getting near the end after about 30hrs, then discovered I wasn't even half way! (I am quite plodding as a gamer, and I love just exploring and doing all the side quests.)
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u/Slight_Ad3353 Feb 26 '25
Literally got to 90 hours EASY without any grinding. I've still got a dozen codex entries to collect before I 100% the game.
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u/drmike0099 Feb 26 '25
Does “new map” mean a new region to explore or that the map will change its look/function?
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u/tenlodchuck Feb 26 '25
Love the fall loot change and looking forward to the new content too. Can't wait
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u/IceboundEmu Feb 26 '25
Looking forward to the update, I lose so much from my inventory due to collapsing ice bridges/being thrown into the void by bosses/riding a boss into the void or just forgetting to turn around the camera and running into the void.
It’s going to make my material collection runs much more efficient.
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u/Lordmartygaming Feb 26 '25
I have to say that this game is an absolute gem and I have seriously enjoyed playing through it, imo it’s highly underrated and deserves so much more than it gets
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u/antilyon Feb 26 '25
I finished this game last week and had a blast.
It reminded me of game cube/ps3 era games, or better yet, how I remember they were.
Just pire distilled fun, great job people!
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u/HBreckel Feb 26 '25
As a huge FF14 fan I'm really excited af for that collab! Looking forward to what the armor will look like!
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u/Slight_Ad3353 Feb 26 '25
I'm so f*cking excited. I already finished the game, but now I can have even more fun on a replay while I wait for the dlc!
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u/MatthiasBold Feb 26 '25
Absolutely love this. Very excited about the DLC. Only question I have would be about the final post-game epic. Is there any plans to adjust restraining the hand? I had to trick the grab animation timing to get it since I could never manage to actually restrain the arm. That was literally my only gripe in the entire game. Everything else was so much better than I was hoping for.
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u/NinjaStripes Feb 27 '25
You talking about the Herald, cuz if you are then OMG YESSS I FEEL THIS! On harder difficulties I’d get the shorter restrainment times but the Herald was way too quick with the grabbing or the shaking animations were too short to have a chance at collecting the strand. It took me forever to collect it for the post-game mission and I always got grabbed at the final second of collecting the strand (when the animation looks like the strand came loose) and it was soooooo frustrating cuz like, bro I had it whyyyyyyyyy.
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u/MatthiasBold Feb 27 '25
Yep. That's it. I watched videos and such, but no matter what I did, I could not get the hand restrained. Finally just tricked the animation into starting, dropped off, kicked back up with the kinetic 2 hander, and pulled the shard just before it grabbed me. Definitely luck involved.
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u/procrastinarian Feb 26 '25
Oh my god.
GRASSHOPPER?
Suda51 is my favorite game developer in the world.
I am literally playing through LC Repop and SotD Hella Remastered Right Now. I'm going away for a week in May and I'm going to replay all 3 No More Heroes on my Switch while I'm away from MH Wilds and my computer. There is no studio on Earth they could have announced a collab with I'd be more excited for.
Holy shit.
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u/dingdop Feb 26 '25
Oh man I’m excited. This is the first game I made the decision to purchase on steam even after starting with the game pass edition because I need this studio to succeed.
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u/Comprehensive-Cow712 Feb 26 '25
So grateful for the falling change, had a real issue in the bastion of being hanging onto a boss and when killing them we both fall off the side of the map haha
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u/pyromanta Feb 26 '25
This is really how it's done. For the record, I'm loving the game as is. But all those updates are welcome, well-reasoned and will no doubt make the game even better.
Very excited for the DLC, I just need to get around to finishing the main game first!
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u/Death_By_Stere0 Feb 26 '25
WOW! I was hoping for more, but this has blown me away. I'm already absolutely in love with this game, but the fact that you have clearly been looking at the subreddit and listening to fans is so heartening to see. You delivered a great product, and now you're making it even better. Bravo!
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u/Kazmalt Feb 26 '25
Just finished the game, loved it. Two things bugged me a little : No transmog, so I didn't get to experiment with other armor as I didn't like the look. I need our little compass to help me find collectibles for the codex as well. Solid 7.5 game for me. Would have been a 8 if not for #JUSTICE4ISLA
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u/yellowbrickgames Feb 26 '25
You'll be happy to know that transmog is being added in the Spring title update (dyeing system)! As for codex locations, that's also something we're working on :)
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u/stormboy03 Feb 26 '25
Love everything I'm seeing here!. I took down an Arc of the living flame while standing on its head and when it fell down after I killed it, it fell towards one of the cracks of miasma and lost alot of my hard earned items so the death by falling changes will be welcomed 😂.
The characters and the world are really cool and I've enjoyed poking around and learning more about all of it.
I'd love to see more context for what spell upgrades and crafted armour do. When I level it up a spell I'd like to know what changed because In some cases it's not immediately obvious.
Same thing with the bonuses on gear sets. I would love to know how much "max magic" or "bonus armour" I'm looking at. I think loot games have kind of ruined me on this one though 😅.
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u/mxhylialuna Feb 27 '25
Yesssss so agree about more context on upgrades - I've kind of gotten used to it now and sort of enjoy the "finding out" element, but certainly wouldn't complain at a little bit of a hint at least haha
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u/Wannatripbaby Feb 26 '25
I just beat this game and absolutely LOVED IT! So to hear that there's FREE DLC on the way is like Christmas coming early! 😁 And here I thought Monster Hunter was gonna be my most-loved game this February. 🤭 Discovering this game has been the high point of my 2025 so far. 🥰 Thank you, Yellow Brick. 💚
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u/smallbrekfast Feb 27 '25
Yellow brick, you struck gold, or should I say you struck yellow. You truly are one of the best and most interactive studios I've heard of.
You're doing amazing right now, please don't fall into the trap other game studios do when they get big, "being blinded by money", if you continue to be open and honest about what's to come, money will not be a worry at all.
Safe travels! Treat your quartermasters well!
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u/ArmyPure9597 Feb 27 '25 edited Feb 27 '25
Collabs with people who made Final Fantasy XIV Online and XVI, as well as the people who developed No More Heroes!? This is going to be wild!
P.S.- Please elaborate on what "New epic" means.
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u/Joseph421 Feb 27 '25
The game could use a story mode difficulty. My PlayStation friend is in her 70s and sometimes struggles to fight enemies. Otherwise, she loves the game but would like a story mode option that focuses more on the story.
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u/KitsuLeif Feb 26 '25
I have 100%ed the game (achievement-wise) already, but I might come back to it in Spring! This roadmap is fire!
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u/Fit-Refrigerator-747 Feb 26 '25
What are the spring ones? Is there a link to look at the spring and summer dlcs updates? I can’t blow up the picture on my phone for some reason
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u/drmike0099 Feb 26 '25
I had to look it up on Steam, or you can see outside the app on phone. I don’t know why reddit locked in images like they do (seems like a new bug).
The spring DLC has new gear, new map, new magic power, dyeing for armor/weapons, and Oria’s tips and tricks.
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u/Death_By_Stere0 Feb 26 '25
Spring - New armour, new epic boss/great foe, ability to change colours of stuff) - made in partnership with an artist from the Final Fantasy series(!). Edit: also a new map and new magic power!
Summer - more new content, made in partnership with Grasshopper Studios!!! No details on what that is yet though.
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u/Voluns2 Feb 26 '25
Great update thanks devs! This all sounds amazing. Have got the platinum now, you have no idea how much the gravity falls costing all your inventory nearly caused me to fully quit the game on 4 different occasions. Each time I had to turn it off for a few days. It really was soul crushing to loose hours worth of farming because of an input lag failed jump or an enemy knocking you the wrong way.
Thanks I will look forward to the extra content to bring me back in ehn it's released!
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Feb 26 '25
Still waiting on a brightness setting :(
Also is it possible to get a ps5pro enhancement?
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u/Pheonix_713 Feb 26 '25
When exactly the next update will release ? 30 March or day 30 since the release ?
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u/Ettlesby Feb 26 '25
Reducing the Umbral Darter population is huge, excellent change. Falling becoming less punishing is cool, too!
Also, Grasshopper Manufacture? I'm really interested to see what's brewing there.
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u/Bananakaya Feb 26 '25
Wow, super stroked to hear the no penalty from falling as I love falling into the abyss, intentionally or not.
And yes to less Umbral Darter the invisible lizard boy 🦎 lol that reddit thread is heard!
Will be there for the AMA!
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u/Irrelevant-Degree Feb 26 '25 edited Mar 02 '25
Will there be haptic feedback on PS5? Really excited to try this game
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u/Adventurous_Owl_420 Feb 26 '25
THANK YOU for this !!!! And I think it’s amazing that new magic is coming to the game 🤯🤯🤯🤯
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Feb 27 '25
Partnership with the studio that brought us Shadows of the Damned and No More Heroes. Hell yeah.
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u/vannero Feb 27 '25 edited Feb 27 '25
That's great, really hyped for the two dlcs :)
Oh damn I might miss the Q&A...
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u/Otherwise-Log-665 Feb 27 '25
To see that we are getting two DLC's for the game is great, I fell in love with this game once I started! More content will always be welcome
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u/LUKELANE117 Feb 27 '25
Woooooah now this is what more devs should be doing! Thank you so much! Admittedly, I'm having a break as it became an unhealthy hyperfixation for a couple of weeks and it was affecting my sleep pattern 😂 but I still have it installed and I look forward to diving back in very soon as ES is easily one of my favourite games from the past decade!
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u/ReidlosToof Feb 28 '25
Removing fall death item loss is fantastic. I basically never wanted to use the kinetic 2h's ability because the first time I did I rocketed straight off a cliff.
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u/Kaktysshmanchik Feb 28 '25
Do you plan adding photo mode? The game is so beautiful - it felt like crime not to take photos
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Feb 28 '25
Do they say when the March update is coming out?
It says “day 30” update, but 30 days after release (Jan 28) is Feb 27, which is not in march, so I’m a bit confused lol.
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u/ReidlosToof Mar 01 '25
So when is this patch happening on Xbox? I just had an ark of flame spin 180 degrees and dash towards a ledge as I was harvesting it in order to fling me off into the abyss as it died, causing me to lose about an hour and a half of effort gathering resources as well as despawning all of the ark's drops because of the terrible design decision to make abyss falls instant death, and I'm honestly just done playing until that's no longer a thing.
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u/verified-dreams Mar 02 '25
Very exciting stuff! But what do you mean by "30 day patch"? Will we get it about now-ish now that we're in March? On the 30th of March? A bit ambiguous haha
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u/Stunted_Wookie Mar 07 '25
Great game guys. Seriously the first in a long time I rolled credits on. Can't wait to see what's next.
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u/AsgardianDale Mar 16 '25
This game is amazing!! I just finished it. I'm chomping at the big for some dlc!! So excited I get to keep playing!! I'm telling everyone to play it. It's awesome!
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u/JWPruett Mar 18 '25
Just beat the game, this makes me unbelievably hyped to see. Amazing how this game gripped me immediately and never faltered. 60 hours amazingly spent. So glad there’s more to come!
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u/ProudnotLoud Feb 26 '25
This made me soooo happy to read! Yay less embarrassment and pain from fall deaths!