10-16-2024:
Accessibility/Bugfix: The clipboard output modes should no longer be sending text with quotes around it.
Accessibility/Bugfix: The TRX_VI launchers will no longer trigger 80s mode. The 80s mode flag was introducing issues related to control schemes (specifically it overwrote the function of the number-pad keys). Users of TRX_VI mode should now expect the terminal window to be a bit larger when run, but this should not affect gameplay.
Accessibility: the VI launchers should now default to the ALT control scheme. This means that what was previously controlled by the arrow keys will now be controlled by the number pad's cardinal directions; they are switched in this ALT layout. Key combos such as ASDW have been unaffected. This change was not the preferred course of action but should help alleviate several recurring issues with screen readers in the least haphazard way possible.
Accessibility: SAPI versions of the game should now default to to the first available OneCore voice when available. As before, the ingame system to change the voice has not been added – but it is still possible to do so through the editing of a variable in a file.
Accessibility: The behavior of the default “Shortline menus” option has been adjusted. Players should still consider the Nil option once they become accustom to the menu system layout.
Accessibility: The “Hyper-ize Acknowledge Key” and “Ea-Mi-La” modes have been set to be enabled by default at new save file creation. Please note that this change makes the menu system behave a little less consistently relative to the rest of the game.
Accessibility: Legacy output mode has been improved when dealing with narrative outputs. The TRX launcher will now use legacy mode.
Accessibility: 12 new hotkeys have been added to more directly access each paragraph on the narrative page. Due to the nature of this change, the default control scheme will now distinguish more strictly as to whether shift is being held or not for game controls. Documentation has been updated to reflect this inclusion and a new setting option is planned to allow the user to disable certain paragraph re-ordering mechanisms should they wish to rely solely on the jump-to-paragraph play-style.
Accessibility: Launchers for narrative mode will now include the new “--preferlesslore” option as a default. With this configured, new save files will produce less lore in combat. This can still be changed later via the in-game settings menu after creating a character.
Accessibility: The damage speaker is no longer initialized to an active status in the VI launchers. This is due to the fact it is now a bit redundant with the addition of the “--preferlesslore” option and also in response to a report that the speaker was initializing to a speed higher than expected on some systems. This system can still be re-enabled manually.
Accessibility: The command line argument “-cur” and its long-form version “--cursor” have undergone changes. This change may allow players to “hover” over text more reliably in the STD VI launcher. This option is still not recommended for general use and is intended for rarer use cases.
Accessibility: some more phrases have been set to be stripped when preparing narrative strings.
Documentation: header text and tables of contents have been added to more of the included documents.
Documentation: the troubleshooting guides related to the NVDA screen reader have been merged.
Documentation: The troubleshooting guide for the STD_VI launcher now includes instruction on how to change the font size of the cmd.exe terminal.
Documentation: A new section has been added to the accessibility guide related to special game-specific TTS controls. These specific controls are not required for all modes of play, but they needed more explanation for the cases where applicable.
Documentation: The troubleshooting guide for the issue of screen readers repeating text has been updated with new information and corrections.
Gameplay: A new EP system ability has been added. This new ability should allow the player to alter their character’s role significantly (albeit temporarily) mid-combat. This should also allow players to access certain features earlier in the game.
Gameplay: The “Wright” class has been added. This is a combat crafting class that is only accessible via the EP system mid-combat; the class specializes in dealing with a particular item normally only obtainable via a platinum challenge. Due to the mechanisms of this class, it is unavailable in the practice challenges and is unlisted in the town menu.
Gameplay: The eclectic node system has undergone a partial overhaul to allow players to restock in bulk after traveling lengthy distances from the Envoy merchant camp then returning.
Gameplay: Flaire abilities now have additional benefits when used to land the final strike on an enemy.
Gameplay: A new standard item has been added and should always be present in the player’s inventory (even if unusable at the time), the Envoy merchant camp workshop has had additional functionality added in relation to this item.
Bugfix: A text formatting issue present when the player loses a battle in some modes of play has been patched. The root cause of this still needs to be located, so it is being corrected on a case-by-case basis at the moment.
Bugfix: The “Drop Weapon (Ranged)” ability should now properly drop a ranged weapon and not a melee one...
KNOWN ISSUES:
Linux + Orca users: it may necessary to press [ORCA_KEY + I] to initiate speech after using the arrow keys when playing.
Documentation: a readme file has a few instances where header level 3 should be header level 1