Krater Message Board

Bundle bundle bundlenews! Indie Royale have launched their latest, hoping to soak up the cash for another collection of out-turned pocketed developers. This time it’s the Evolved Bundle, because, um, they’ve called it that. And it’s a good-un. In there you’ve got the utterly splendid puzzler Unmechanical from Talawa Games (check out our review), Tale Of Tales’ super-creepy The Path, Fatshark’s latest, Krater, Turtle Cream’s Sugar Cube: Bittersweet Factory, and physics puzzler OIO from Uncanny Games. Which I’d say is the best pack they’ve had in a while.

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1.1.04 Fixes
- Updated Polish Strings
- Fixed an issue with Russian keybindings
- Fixed a bug where items were disappearing in co-op
- Quicklooted cash now displays properly
- Fixed an issue where certain achievements weren't working as intended

1.1.02 Fixes
- Added missing polish coop strings
- Fixed an issue with weapons being mixed up for clients in coop
- Added new music tracks for the bar. Tweaked boss music for Electrobert
- Targets and their Health Bars are now displayed on mouseover
- Better feedback when selcting new targets and when interacting
- Park Zoo bossfight damage tweaks and added sounds
- Potential fix for rare revive crash

1.1.01 Release Notes

- Fixed the save wipe bug
- Fixed Key binding crash
- Added Steam offline mode functionality
- Client crash when server clicks click to continue, when client is in join pop up window
- Fixed a state where the client could potentially get the coop start hub as startarea for singleplayer
- Fixed dialog manager popup glitch
- Fix for waiting for server message
- Respawn area added to Park Zoo level
- Fixed a number of ability crashes in coop
- Temporary replace missing Polish strings with English

Krater's latest DLC is out today on Steam, and it's co-op-tastic. The co-op DLC is the first of three free packs, while the Mayhem MK13 character is $3. He's also ugly. But in a good way. We think. Check out the video above and screens below to decide for yourself.

Krater 1.1 Release notes

Krater version 1.1 is the first of three major free content updates that Krater will get within the next few weeks.

Main features:
- First step towards a fully-fledged coop feature. It is kept relatively small to make sure that we have resources to handle any issues or bugs that might arise when large numbers of players are playing it. Krater v1.2 and v1.3 are going to expand on this.
- Support for handling several profiles with different saves connected to your Steam accounts cloud saves. Your old save is labeled Default in the profile list.
- Engine upgrade for improved performance and better stability.
- We have looked over player stats and their effect on damage, armor and abilities.
- New achievements added.
- The game is now translated into Russian, Portuguese and Polish. The single player content is translated into German, German coop strings are still to be added (shortly).
- Enemy AI is also being looked over and tweaked

- Loot drop rate and epic item generation is also being reworked; the first changes are implemented already in the 1.1 build.

Krater version 1.0.18 Hot Fix 1 - content revision 23785

Fixes:

DUG TOO DEEP QUEST AND SAXHAND QUEST FIXED

IMPORTANT
This patch is preparing the game for the coop update October 23. The Coop Menu (accessed with short key K ingame) is disabled until that date. Your old save will be named Default in the new profile list.
If you are experiencing any issues with the new save and would like to restore your old saves you can do that by:

1. Right Clicking the game in your Steam Library
2. Choose Properties
3. In the General tab write, click the SET LAUNCH OPTIONS
4. Write reset_save in the field
5. Start the game and press Restore Save button in the bottom left corner. This will delete all your progress from this update (non-reversible)

Main features added
- Support for creating several profiles with different saves
- Polish language support
- Engine upgrade for improved performance

Overhaul in the following areas:
- Loot drops and item generation
- Menu and HUD
- Enemy AI (aggro ranges and threat generations)
- Added timer to revive (to make it coherent with coop gameplay)

Krater, the mildly disappointing post-apocalyptic dungeon-crawler, is getting a great big free update, including the much-needed addition of co-op play. Fatshark had this to say: “The update is not only adding coop to the game – we have also used this time to polish and add new content such as new characters, items and bosses. Its safe to say that the experience you get from playing the game in coop today compared to the single player game released June 12 is both different and better.”

You can read my comments on the original, pre-polish release version of the game here.

Krater's coming batch of free co-op DLC is set to hit on October 23 via Steam, bringing with it updates to the single-player campaign.

"The game experience from day one to now is very different," says Fatshark producer Robert Bäckström. "We have listened to the player feedback. There is a lot things adjusted and added to the game. If you played the game at release, and play it on October 23rd, you will get a whole new experience."

Shortly after this DLC drop comes some new character DLC, focused on visual customization. As we noted in our Snapshot of Krater, adding vanity items to your characters is a lot like dressing up your favorite sword or gun, since the characters themselves behave more like intricate weapons than standard avatars. But now they're pretty weapons.

Co-op beta testing starts next week.

Version 1.0.11

CHARACTERS
- Increased character rotation speed values

QUESTS
- Added 2 encounters in the world map

OTHER
- Fixed mp3 tags in the Soundtrack
- Added release trailer song Stealing Horses to Soundtrack folder

Version 1.0.10

GENERAL
- Increased droprate for purple items
- Most Ranged enemies will now attempt to move away from player Soldiers
- Added navigation functionality to the world minimap
- Changed tooltip for Intelligence on Character Screen
- Fixed a bug where ALT loot was allowed in combat
- Weapon DPS is now properly calculated and damage numbers will be colored green if the weapon has bonus damage

DUNGEONS
- Isenor's Cave, Bohemian Retreat and Eldritch Old Cave now have better layout

QUESTS
- Fixed issue with some mission items that would stay in inventory after completing quests

CRAFTING
- Added recipes for threat level 10+
- Added crafting material for threat level 10+
- Fixed a bug in the crafting system generating low level random properties

HUMAN BRUISER
Cleave
- Now deals 150% weapon damage (up from 120%)
- Cooldown changed to 5 (up from 3)
- Now generates threat equal to damage dealt x 2.5 (up from 1.5)

MUTANT BRUISER
Ground Pound
- Cooldown changed to 3.5 (up from 2.5)
- Now generates threat equal to damage dealt x 2 (up from 1.5)

MUTANT REGULATOR
Tag
- Now deals 175% weapon damage (down from 200%)
- Cooldown changed to 8 (up from 5)
- Explosion delay changed to 1.5 (down from 2 seconds)

HUMAN SLAYER
Stab
- Now deals 180% weapon damage (up from 130%)

MUTANT SLAYER
Perforate
- Hitbox range is now 8 (up from 6)

Splurt
- Now deals 50% weapon damage every 0.5 seconds (up from 20%)

Version 1.0.9
- Added option to sell soldiers at the bar.
- Compass added to world map.
- Quick selection using q,w,e now handles multiple selection.
- When pressing ALT you can now see what's in the loot piles on ground, and right click to pick it up.
- When pressing ALT in world mini-map the names of all locations are shown.
- When too far away from loot you will now walk up to it.
- Inventory now remembers item placements.
- The list of blueprints at the crafting table is now sorted and have a new font.
- Gadgets are now removable.
- Camera now remembers rotation when switching team.
- Tweaked soldier prices at the bar.
- Added a friendly level at deep cave level 45.
- Added mini-map icon for boot camp's.
- Fixed respawn at last friendly location bug
- Fixed so that mouse over locations in world mini map works correctly.
- Fixed annoying bug where shift-looting miss click on ground would start queue up move commands.
- Fixed bug where camera could sometimes get locked to your soldiers when swapping team members.
- Fixed bug where camera sometimes would fly away when pressing space.
- Fixed annoying bug where hud clicks sometimes didn't register.
- Fixed a bug when rearranging abilities did not work properly in some resolutions.
- Revive icon no longer shown when whole team dies.
- Shift loot now shows correct text, and is shown a bit longer.
- Fixed mouse over on buffs and stats.
- Fixed random crash when using mutant regulator tag ability on freak bombers.
- New deployment system for builds and patches (smaller and faster patching).

If you haven't played Fatshark's Krater yet, you've missed out on its synth-heavy, John Carpenter-esque soundtrack. That's okay though, because the soundtrack is now available for all to enjoy. Wll, technically it's a score that was written for a film that was never made. The actual Krater game soundtrack will be made available at a later date. It's ... kind of confusing. Watch the video.

Confusion aside, if you like the music, you can nab it for $11 on iTunes or pick up a boxed edition, which includes both the soundtrack and a copy of Krater, from the Fatshark store. You'll also find the soundtrack on Spotify.

There are so many games out there we couldn't possibly review them all. Welcome to Snapshot, where we highlight games that might fall outside our usual coverage but are still something we think you should know about. Today: Krater for PC.
Krater defies our usual classifications. At first glance, it appears to be a dungeon crawler, replete with monsters, spells and loot. And yet, it also has elements of real-time strategy, with players managing multiple units, each with their own abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Further still, we've got traditional role-playing elements, including an overworld map and even random encounters.

What really sets it apart, however, is the way that Krater treats its characters.

Version 1.0.8
- Made deep cave truly deep and crazy hard. Try and reach the bottom and say hello to Sluggo. We couldn't.
- Added health bar to the Team Management screen.
- Decreased weapon damage on all weapons found in areas above threat level 7.
- Increased health on all enemies above threat level 7.
- Changed the drop rate of loot to better reflect the threat level it was dropped in.
- Fixed the timing on the Mutant Bruisers chop ability to better match the animation.
- Increased the radius of the Mutant Medikus's healing orb ability to better match the designated area.
- Increased the width of the Mutant Slayers Strike ability to better fit the effect.
- Decreased the duration and increased the cooldown on the Human Regulators Slow Field.
- Fixed some localization errors.
- Decreased the cool down on the Mutant Slayers open wound ability.
- Increased healing done by healing Gadgets.

Version 1.0.6
- Mutant healer ability is now fixed.

Version 1.0.5
- Added more new NPC dialogues in major locations.
- Fixed an issue with infinite rewards when accepting the quest "Trials of Torgny".
- Removed some loitering questbound characters. Unfortunately this will only affect new saves.
- Fixed some rare issues with implants and blueprints.
- Fixed material outlines for bears, hounds and moose so that they now show as red when behind objects.
- Soldiers can be upgraded in bootcamp with left click.
- Fixed an issue with booster/implants being locked on soldiers not in current team when upgraded.
- Fixed leech.

It's Friday, so time to get down and look forward to the weekend in Krater.

Version 1.0.4
- We have reworked the graphical settings and other user settings such as keybindings.
- Boot camps added to Elmerhult, Westerfall, Garbbtuna and Solside Capital. Visit these to promote you characters to green and blue quality.
- Fix for mutant healing nano injection.
- More NPCs added to Elmerhult, Solside Capital and Norrmalm.
- All shops has been reworked.
- Added shops to several cities.
- Regulator is now able to move directly after using his slow field.
- Shrapnel grenade should now be working as intended.
- Thrombus achievement now works as intended.
- General tweaks and bug fixes.

Vinny and Patrick rove a ruined Sweden in this crazy amalgam of loot, RPGs, and post-apocalypse humor.

Krater, Fatshark’s colourful take on dungeon crawling, is a feature-laden, post-apocalyptic taste of party-driven RPGing tactics. It’s got a sense of humour and a sense of taste, but does it make any sense? Here’s wot I think.(more…)

Version 1.0.3
- Added more epic weapons.
- Bamse and a few other bosses will not disappear after a wipe anymore
- Fixes for uncommon keyboard characters.

Krater Patch 1.0.2
- More epic weapons added
- Keybinding fixed
- Bug for the blackscreen that appeared when switching resolutions fixed
- You can put you characters in any order
- Fog of war we no longer reappear when switching team members
- Added more quest rewards
- Divided valuables and crafting into two separate inventory tabs
- Sound options added

So Krater sounds really great to me. It’s the silver-tongued sales shark of action-RPGs. “Tired of graybrown, grimdark post-apocalypses?” it asks. “Well, ours has color!” Then it adds “Planning to take another 11 years off from ARPGs after that one with the guy and stuff? Well, we have three guys and stuff. And also permadeath in a mode you don’t have to unlock.” “Sold!” I’d immediately reply, if I didn’t briefly gaze into Krater’s wavering eyes and detect a hint of fear. “What about inexcusable bugginess and entire missing features?” I inquire, head cocked to one side. Beads of sweat pooling on its forehead, it stammers out an “Er, um, well, about that… hey, a trailer!”

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Krater is Now Available on Steam!

Krater is a squad based roleplaying game set in a colorful post-apocalyptic world. It combines the combat mechanics of action-rpgs with the top-down view of the classic old-school RPG and RTS games.

The game brings you far into the future of a post-apocalyptic Sweden. Once home to IKEA, Vikings and Minecraft, today its primitive inhabitants scavenge the broken overgrown world for technological artifacts.

At the rim of an impact site known as the Krater, three factions vie for control over the wound opening up into the world below. Consisting of an endless series of caves and tunnels filled with old world treasures and perils, the Underside stretches into the depths of the fallen Swedish civilization.

You arrive at the Krater with your team of freelancers to take part in the goldrush where people come back rich or dont come back at all.

The crater runs the economy and the lives of the world in Krater.

Perhaps you've considered plunking down $15 for a pre-order of Fatshark's upcoming action RPG Krater and thought to yourself, this just isn't expensive enough. If your deep, deep pockets yearn for something more, Fatshark is ready to deliver - literally.

Pay $10,000 (or €7,999) for Krater's "$10,000 Victor Edition" and Victor Magnuson, the game's designer, "will come to your home - wherever in the world it's located - and personally deliver the game. He will also cook a meal, and then play the game together with the game connoisseur." Victor claims to be a "great cook" and, seriously, it's hard to argue with that righteous toque. Buyers can opt for a mystery dish or choose from "the Viking Burger, Swedish Meatballs, Fisksaetra Pita Burger Special, or Ester Ore Pretto Pizza."

Alternatively, you could knock 1,000 bucks off the price for "a takeout large pepperoni pizza from the nearest pizza place with 5 cans of energy drinks." Or, you could knock roughly $9,950 off the price by just purchasing a normal copy (and a pizza). Up to you.

#krater Fatshark's upcoming Krater has one of, if not the most expensive collector's edition I've ever seen. There's only one available. And it costs $10,000. More »

Fatshark’s Krater goes into beta testing today. The tactics-focused action RPG is due out on the 12th June, but buying it now lets you get in and start playing right away, and now there’s much more of the game available to those who do.

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Rather appealing-looking post-apocalyptic action-yet-tactical RPG Krater launches next month, and while it’s in its final mile (I’ve got some beta code here I really need to take a look at) there is yet time for IMPORTANT CHANGES. Important changes such as one Rock, Paper, Shotgun reader getting an in-game character named after them (or a name of their choice, Naughty Swears aside) and also having their name in the credits to boot.

Devs FatShark have a “tough bitter police woman” NPC who’s in need of a name, so they came to us. While there was a good case for our argument she should be called Ian Apocalypse, the smarter decision seemed to be to open it up to our fine, upstanding readership. What tough, bitter policewoman? This tough, bitter police woman:

There could be anything under that mask. Anything. Your face, maybe. Or a giant evil squirrel. Or a portal to Hull. We’ll leave that – or more specifically here name = up to the winner, basically. That person will also be listed in the game credits, and receive a copy of the game. 9 runners-up will also bag a copy of Krater (including access to the current beta. )

To enter, send an electronic mail to this address with the suggested name of your character (whether your own, a variation thereupon or something else) by 5pm UK Monday 14 May. We’ll then pick a winner via magic/randomness. Usual rules apply. Also, this rule: be excellent to each other.

You can find out more about Krater here. And you can also watch a video of a recentish build of it in action right now, here, below, now, ok?

Krater devs FatShark are also running a second, concurrent compo on their own site to ‘win’ the opportunity to name an in-game weapon. You can enter that right here.

We're sure Krater, the top-down post-apocalyptic RPG from Fatshark, looks like a great game. We assume it does, but we can't know because there's a vicious shark in the intro of the above gameplay video and we about died and couldn't watch the rest. If you're brave enough, give it a go yourself.