Newsletter 13: Veloren

content/posts/newsletter-013/index.md

@@ -124,6 +124,62 @@ Chillscapes is written using an early-in-development 2d engine,
 [neoc]: https://itch.io/jam/neoc03-rhythm-jam
 [kludgine]: https://github.com/khonsulabs/kludgine
 
+### [Veloren][veloren]
+
+![Landscape](veloren-landscape1.png)
+
+^ _Landscape with new LoD and lighting_
+
+[Veloren][veloren] is an open world, open-source voxel RPG inspired by Dwarf
+Fortress and Cube World.
+
+In August, Veloren 0.7 was released! Airshipper, Veloren's launcher, also got
+updated to 0.4.0. Veloren was featured in the inaugural episode of the [Rust
+Game Dev Podcast][veloren-interview]. Although the 0.7 release party saw the
+largest number of concurrent players at 57, it ran into some significant issues
+which you can read about below.
+
+The largest merge in Veloren so far also happened in August. It included
+monumental changes to lighting and added level of detail functionality to see
+far-off mountains. Lots of work has been done on the animation, combat, SFX, and
+UX front. Animations for movement and combat were added and improved. Work
+continued on particle systems, which have been added to Veloren in places like
+campfires, fireworks, and weapons.
+
+![Healing sceptre](veloren-sceptre.gif)
+
+^ _Healing sceptre with the new particle system_
+
+You can read more about some specific topics from August:
+
+- [Airshipper 0.4.0 Progress](https://veloren.net/devblog-79#airshipper-0-4-progress-by-songtronix)
+- [Animation and Movement Updates](https://veloren.net/devblog-79#animation-and-movement-updates-by-slipped)
+- [Particle Timing](https://veloren.net/devblog-80#particle-timing-by-lobster)
+- [0.7 Release Party Statistics](https://veloren.net/devblog-81#0-7-release-party-statistics)
+- [0.7 Release Party Kick Disaster](https://veloren.net/devblog-81#0-7-release-party-kick-disaster-by-xmac94x)
+- [Lighting and World Changes](https://veloren.net/devblog-81#sharp-s-lighting-and-world-changes-branch)
+- [0.8 Intro Meeting](https://veloren.net/devblog-82#0-8-intro-meeting)
+- [Audio SFX](https://veloren.net/devblog-82#audio-with-ellinia)
+- [Photo Gallery](https://veloren.net/devblog-83#photo-gallery)
+
+August's full weekly devlogs: "This Week In Veloren...":
+[#79](https://veloren.net/devblog-79), [#80](https://veloren.net/devblog-80),
+[#81](https://veloren.net/devblog-81), [#82](https://veloren.net/devblog-82).
+[#83](https://veloren.net/devblog-83).
+
+In September, work on 0.8 will continue. Some large systems being worked on
+include networking, improved persistence stability, and player experience. Game
+design is working on improving the connection between the experience a new
+player has, and the current game design. The in-progress 0.8 version will likely
+be completed more quickly than 0.7, as to not include too many changes.
+
+![Caves](veloren-cave.png)
+
+^ _Improvements to cave generation_
+
+[veloren]: https://veloren.net
+[veloren-interview]: https://rustgamedev.com/episodes/interview-with-team-veloren
+
 ## Learning Material Updates
 
 ### [Writing NES Emulator in Rust][rust_nes_tutorial]