Version 0.2.2

[This update was divided into two separate posts, both of which are presented below]

## Changelog

Welcome, dear traveler. Sooner than expected, another set of release notes - we're evening out some kinks the last update introduced, fix the balancing and ultimately round out the experience by introducing one final mechanic - "***Dread***". Of course, there might be more, lurking beneath the surface...

As with the last update, find the post detailing the major changes right here! Look no further for the full set of changes below, however.

###### **Version 0.2.2:**

* The "Story Mode" button has been implemented\*.
* Added "Back to Title" function when holding down the Escape (ESC) key.
* "Treat Patient" has been overhauled.
	+ The research "Counter Measures" has been removed and replaced with:
	+ Chance to ignore medication resistance when focused has been halved.
	+ A message has been added to give feedback when "Treat Patient" has been performed.
* Added a couple of additional sound effects for specific actions.
* Research has been adjusted once more.
	+ "True Companion" now costs more to research and helps keep the new "Dread" mechanic in check. (8 -> 15)
	+ Most research providing additional time blocks have seen their cost increase drastically.
		- "Going In Blind": 6 -> 10
		- "Hasty Steps": 4 -> 8 | 8 -> 15
		- "Committed To Home": 5 -> 8
	+ "Hearth and Home" now works as intended.
	+ "Nerves of Steel" now also blocks "Dread" messages from obstructing the "End of Day" treatment confirmation. Its cost has increased to make up for that. (3 -> 7)
	+ "Agricultural Tendencies" has seen its cost increase. (5 -> 6 | 8 -> 10) In addition, only one supply per research level is granted, regardless of the garden's herb state.
	+ "Miracle Gardener" no longer guarantees that your garden stays intact, instead, it reduces the number of herbs removed from the garden when plucked by half, rounded up.
	+ The effectiveness of "Botany Knowledge" has been cut in half. Its price has been increased slightly. (5 -> 6)
	+ Changed "Hasty Steps" to accurately use the entire length of the bar sped up instead of using a shorter fill amount.
	+ Changed "Occult Focus" to no longer speed up the depletion of the focus gauge. It still grants a point of focus regardless of the bar's progress & doesn't deplete it. Its price has increased to make up for this change. (5 -> 6)
	+ Changed "Unwavering Focus" to not only slow down focus depletion but also enhance focus generation by 15%. Its subsequent price has increased to make up for this change. (4 | 6 -> 7 | 8 -> 10)
	+ The new research option "Surgical Precision" doubles the effect of the current treatment session when focused and breaks focus to do so.
		- As a result, the previous focused treatment research, "Counter Measures", has been removed from the game.
	+ The new research option "Multitasking" blocks Kein's dialogue from obstructing access to your actions.
	+ The new research option "Grave Recollection" prevents actions from increasing dread any further than the point it has already reached.
* Implemented a new endgame mechanic called "Dread".
	+ Dread will settle in after a certain amount of days have passed while consistently performing futile actions. It will most likely not affect "casual" play.
	+ Dread is reduced by taking a breather or taking relaxing actions. (Reflecting, Going Outside without a negative event happening.)
	+ Once Dread has settled in, it is irreversible and causes serious hindrances.
		- Dread will double the curse's progression rate permanently.
		- If the patient has the ability to hunt, they now always will. The hunt will no longer stop on its own, failure to keep the fireplace lit results in immediate death.
		- Dread will also obscure the "successful treatment" message each night.
		- Even if treatment has been successful, a third of the curse's build-up will spill over each night for the rest of the run.
		- Added new visual and audio queues for dread settling in.
* The patient no longer talks in their sleep.
* The patient initiates the hunt more aggressively. (50% -> 75% every night)
	+ The patient no longer starts the hunt unannounced. You can still die when curse progression is maxed out, however, even if the hunt was never initiated.
	+ You will now be notified if the hunt ends on its own.
	+ Fixed a bug where the hunt message colored the rest of the message.
* The figure can now appear again. Conditions to make it appear have been made easier and sound effects were added to indicate its appearance. It is also unmissable - it will no longer go away without being seen once.
* The patient can now attack you during the hunt, even if the fireplace is lit. An audio, as well as visual cue, will warn you of impending danger. Try not to move or perform any actions until they have calmed down.
* The fireplace no longer prevents a hunt from starting. A hunt can only end, if the patient decides to.
* For scoring, every piece of research results in a penalty roughly 75% of a day's worth of points. This excludes research that awards points.
	+ Research that awards points now adds a star to the final score. You can get up to three in this update.
	+ Research during April Fool's mode still subtracts and awards points, but you no longer get stars.

\*Part of the April Fool's Update. Clicking on it a number of times might reveal something... new.

## BIG UPDATE! Dread, Hunting, Back-To-Title & April Fool's Mode!

***Good day, dear traveler!***

Much sooner than expected, we meet again! This \*surprisingly\* big update once again adds a plethora of content to "Endless Mode" as well as changing high score criteria and general game balance. More research has been added, too! As always, find the full patch notes here! If you'd rather see the highlights of the update, keep reading!

**New Mechanic**: *Dread*

With this new update, Dread is introduced. Dread grows as more and more futile actions are taken and will have visual and audio cues accompanying its growth. Once a certain day threshold has been reached and Dread is high enough, it starts to settle in with a new message at which point the curse will rapidly accelerate and more and more important messages are garbled. For example, you will no longer know whether your treatments show any effect at all without the "Nerves of Steel" research. Dread does NOT affect casual play - it has no chance to settle in until a fairly significant day count has been reached. As such, it's more of a mechanic to play around to get to better scores, more than anything!

**New Mechanic**: *Attacks during the Hunt*

If you ever felt safe during the hunt because you had the protection of the fireplace, think again - now Kein will occasionally notice the doctor's movements around the room. If they are turning back to face you, you better not move a muscle or face a gruesome end, featuring new animations from Cursetorn's artist necrosishead

**New Feature**: *Back To Title*

A long requested feature - you can now abandon a run by simply holding the escape key. No more closing the entire game just to get back to the title screen!

**Other Change**: *Game Feel*

With this update, a plethora of sound effects and other visual cues have been introduced, making the experience far more dreadful than ever before.

**New Mode**: *April Fool's*

The "Story Mode" option seems to be holding a secret... Persistence is key. HUGE thank you to Cherish, custodian and member of the community for making this little joke possible!

We'll meet again for Cursetorn's "Story Mode"!