Hytale: New Changes Coming in Chapter 1 & Beyond

The team behind Hytale has shared some of their biggest plans for the main Chapter 1 update to the game, and it's shaping up to be everything that we hoped for out of the game's original release.

We'll help cover some of those core changes here, and what you have to look forward to with coming updates to the game! The full Chapter 1 update is set to release within the next 2-3 months.

Not all of these changes will be coming in the Chapter 1 update, but the goal of the developers in sharing them is just to help give a glimpse into all the things they're working on to bring their vision for Hytale to life!

Dungeons & Bosses

Hytale has definitely always set itself up as a more RPG-focused alternative to certain other block games. The chapter 1 update will mark the first showcase of that effort and focus, with the introduction of the first fully hand-crafted dungeon to the game! This dungeon will also feature the first boss fight in the game with multiple phases, featured below:

The developers have also created a teaser fly-through of this first dungeon, which is shaping up to be as much of a visual feat as it is a massive step forward in the game's RPG gameplay focus! Given how much the game originally pitched itself around its adventure and RPG mechanics, it feels like Chapter 1 is going to help it finally live up to a lot of those expectations set before release.

Goblins & Factions

In order to create that same living RPG-world the team had hoped for, and coinciding with the release of the first hand-crafted dungeon in the game, we'll see more fleshed-out versions of factions like Goblins!

The team promises more variations of goblins, as well as different personalities and behaviours for them to help them feel like much more than just wandering enemies. There will also be much stronger versions of goblins, known as "Elites," with their own challenging fights and unique mechanics!

The Goblin Breach

As goblins in their entirety receive a touch-up, they also become a more integral part of the world in Hytale!

There are plans in Hytale Chapter 1 to introduce a Goblin Breach world event which creates a portal in the world you can step through to find yourself in an unstable world taken over by goblins. This world is totally random and regenerated each time, so it's worth going back and exploring even if you've done the encounters before.

You'll be on a time limit while in the breach until the void eventually kicks you back out to the main world, so once you step in the portal, it's find to explore, fight, and loot as much as you can before you're pushed out of the dimension.

The goblin world itself will also have its own activities and world events! You'll be able to track and trap predators, survive attacks from void assassins, fight waves of enemies for treasure chests, complete new puzzles, and so much more.

Goblin Gadgets

Goblins will also now actually be able to make use of their technical, tinkering nature. Lots of gadgets will be added, with plans currently for rocket boots, hookshots, gilders, mining drills, and spyglasses!

Goblin tech will liven up the world and the way you navigate it a lot, especially with the navigation changes that come alongside tech like gliders and rocket boots.

Speaking of travel and navigation, though, boats will also find their way to Hytale in Chapter 1, allowing everyone to finally travel over water far more easily!

Carrying Blocks & Objects

Release Date: Within 2-3 months

Starting with Chapter 1, you'll be able to carry things in Hytale! You don't need to worry about breaking chests to move them anymore, or explosive barrels being dangerous to fight around.

In the future, this system might be usable to carry a downed friend in multiplayer servers, but that won't come in Chapter 1 quite yet.

Abilities, Spells, & Runes

Hytale Chapter 1 will also introduce a new ability system built around the idea of runes! You will be able to find and equip runes in-game that give you new active abilities, as well as modifiers for existing abilities. One of the biggest focuses for this is going to be synergy between elements. For example, if you soak a target in water, they could then be struck with lightning/electricity for a stronger shock reaction.

As for modifying the runes that you do choose to equip, modifiers can be used to do things like add additional effects to an ability, or change the way you interact with it entirely! The developers of Hytale shared a proof of concept of this, showing examples like splitting a fireball into multiple shots and electrifying it.

It's worth noting that the rune system is going to start off pretty basic in Chapter 1, but will grow and be developed over time to work towards this vision for the mechanics! For now, we can expect 6 or so ability runs to be introduced to the game at first, with roughly the same amount of modifiers.

UI & Menu Improvements

Starting with Chapter 1, Hytale's menus and UI design will see massive improvements introduced over time.

This won't happen all at once, but some previews of what to expect have been provided by the developers!

Cosmetics & Visuals

A haul of new cosmetics are being added in this update, as well as improvements to existing model features! Custom particles will be able to be added to cosmetics, as well as work done on animations of player models and various expressions to make players feel a bit more alive in multiplayer.

This also update features support for transparency in the game! No more hole-like windows or gaps in lattice. You'll now actually be able to have transparent glass, supporting stained glass and other custom tools usable in the custom asset creation environment for the game.

Minigames

Release Date: Within 2-3 months

The team behind Hytale is also going to begin introducing their own minigames you can experiment with alongside your friends!

These won't necessarily come out in the Chapter 1 update at release, but a Minigames tab will also be added to the launcher in the future in order to support being able to jump into these games with friends far more easily. It's clear by looking at some of the minigame teaser images that the game's relationship with Hytale thrives a bit thanks to the Minecraft server network's minigame experience.

World Improvements

The world generation rules for the game is being overhauled, and will still be in progress for some time. However, the goal of the new system is going to be to allow for infinitely scaling world heights and depths!

Minigames and other custom environments won't be limited to any set maximum world height anymore, and can introduce new concepts previously thought to be impossible like truly infinite caves.

We'll also be able to expect new ambience around the world, including improvements to the sky and clouds! Rather than clear empty skies or blocky clouds, wispy volumetric clouds are a work in progress and will also find their way to the game in the future.

The core of all of this is an active project to redefine the world itself in the ongoing WorldGen V2 system that has been teased by the developers in the past. This new version promises new dungeons, procedural gaves, rivers and roads, biomes, and more diverse landscapes.

The update to world generation is one that will fully redesign the world in Hytale, so it's not expected for this to all be ready for Chapter 1. But it is definitely still an ongoing project that the developers are working on and building towards!

Wildlife Improvements

Even apart from the terrain itself, the world in Hytale is going to continue to become more lively with improvements to the wildlife you'll discover. A lot more personality will be added to existing animals, including new animations and expressions, or interactions like birds swooping down to hunt smaller creatures.

Crafting Overhaul

Release Date: Chapter 2

The core crafting system in Hytale will also be seeing some love in the future. The goal for crafting has been to allow for it to be a growing progression mechanic in the game, giving players a way to gradually evolve and expand their options based on their experience adventuring in the world.

One of the goals for this is being able to have companions move into your home and work for you! You'll be able to take care of them, or eventually build a functional lived-in village of these creatures that you look after as they effectively automate work for you.

Those changes are all very heavily works in progress, though, and the developers aren't ready just yet to show things off in-game.

More Changes

That's not all the Hytale team has planned or revealed, and definitely isn't to diminish the work that has gone into all of the other changes they have planned! There are huge additions coming like a new asset editor, or an all-new way to create in-game animations in the form of their upcoming Machinima tool (coming out within the next 2-3 months):

One of Hytale's greatest strengths has always been its focus on community modding, experimentation, and creativity. Things like this really helps a lot of those traits shine, and sets the stage for some incredible things the community can create on their own between updates!

Mod Browsing

There will also soon be a mod browser built directly into the game's launcher, allowing you to directly install them and still allow creators to earn rewards for their effort while avoiding third party platforms like Curseforge.

Player Animations & Physics

Already live in the pre-release branch of Hytale is a set of changes to player physics and interactions.

This lets players carry forward momentum, interact more cleanly with moving options, and stay anchored down on blocks that may rotate. Hytale parkour is going to become a lot more advanced, and open new paths to creative mechanics to use in obstacle courses as well.

Spatial Sound & Music

New soundtracks are being introduced to Hytale over time, as well as tools for developers to use to handle spatial audio in maps and worlds. This will help set the stage for many more feature and cool experimentation by minigame creators in the future. A preview of one of the new soundtracks for the game can be found here:

Spectator & Hardcore Modes

Release Date: 2-3 Weeks (Update 6)

Given the addition of new multi-phase boss fights and minigames, a spectator mode will also soon find its way into the game. This will also comes alongside a hardcore mode update, preventing players from respawning if you die.

You'll be able to spectate other players/friends though if you die in hardcore, which means you can still be present in the action with the others on a server even if you aren't able to play yourself after your death.

Want to be ready for when Chapter 1 releases?

With Hytale's chapter 1 update coming out in just 2-3 months from now based on developer estimates, it's the perfect time to start up a server with your friends and prepare for the introduction of things like goblins and new world events. Kinetic Hosting offers some of the best Hytale server hosting which you can try risk-free thanks to our 7-day money back guarantee if you end up not liking the experience!

Otherwise, you can read up on the more complete glimpse into the coming changes to the game on the official Hytale post here as well.