DISCLAIMER AND FAQ

[Lost Pilgrims]

DISCLAIMER

On the Game

Vagrus is a game that involves a fair amount of reading if it is to be enjoyed and experienced as intended by the developers. It is also a game where success is by no means guaranteed. You will probably lose everything several times before getting the hang of leading your traveling company effectively. Strategizing and planning ahead are key to your success as a vagrus. That said, Vagrus is not a roguelike and it does not lend itself to be played as such at all. Save often, load when necessary – it is a tool to be used when something goes awry.

On Content

You can play two scenarios via selecting different options after starting a New Game:

• The standalone scenario called ‘Pilgrims of the Wasteland’. This self-contained primer story is more text-heavy, more linear, has a fixed protagonist, and serves as a tutorial as well as an introduction to the game’s world. Expect a slower start and more exposition. The scenario is 6-10 hours long (depending on play-style) and opens up considerably in its second half. You do not need to complete this scenario if you feel stuck or want to tackle the main campaign.
  
• The main campaign, which starts with character creation and is set in a large, open-world environment. This part has more game mechanics and little to no tutorial (it has a Glossary), so expect a steep learning curve. The main campaign is less front-loaded with text-based interactions and has a wealth of content with different victory conditions you set for yourself. It is constantly being expanded by DLCs and updates, both free and paid ones.

On Texts

Many of the game’s texts are being reviewed constantly and have come far from the Early Access days. However, because we are a small team with a game that has over two million words worth of text, it might never be absolutely perfect in all aspects. Please bear with us and help us iron out mistakes using our public table for text issues (accessed via the F1 button in game).

On Difficulty

Vagrus is a difficult game by design with little to no hand-holding or difficulty-scaling, which is in line with its setting: a harsh, cruel, unfair, and dark world where the strong often abuse the weak and the only justice that exists is the one you bring about yourself. Yet some of the difficulty might also stem from glitches and poor balance. Let us know if you come across any such cases (preferably by using the reporting tool, which is opened with the F1 button in game).

On the Chart

The Chart in the game is huge and detailed, mirroring the 30+ years of work on the setting. However, Vagrus is set in a specific area that has in-world reasons to be closed off. It is a huge area you can traverse and explore with over a 100 hours of content but please note that the majority of the continent on the Chart is merely there to be a part of the world-building.

On Localization

As of the release of the expansion Sunfire and Moonshadow, Vagrus has close to 2.000.000 words as text content. A lot of this you will not see in a single playthrough of course, due to the branching nature of the narrative. However, translating all of it to even a single other language would be a very expensive and extremely long process while the chances of earning it back via additional sales is extremely slim considering how niche narrative games have become. That said, we have put in a lot of effort to allow machine-translations that can be switched on in the game optionally. Please note that even though kind volunteers have been improving the machine-translated texts (especially the UI elements and some other areas), the general quality of these is nowhere near the original English version.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What kind of a game is Vagrus?

Vagrus is a roleplaying game (RPG) with very strong elements of strategy; you not only manage your own character and companion NPCs but your caravan and its crew as well. The game has a strong focus on narrative, exploration, and resource management.

Is Vagrus a finished product?

Vagrus was released in its 1.0 state in October 2021. Since then, it has received several DLCs, both free and paid ones. That said, we are still planning to add content in the future, expanding on what is already there.

Is Vagrus a visual novel?

No, although the game is text-heavy towards the beginning, which might give you this impression. There is more and more gameplay with less and less reading after the first few hours. That said, the game has a lot of interactive texts, so reading is absolutely expected to enjoy and to understand the many stories in it.

Is there a lot of reading involved?

Only if you wish to enjoy the many stories in Vagrus. The game works as a trade/mercenary simulator with combat and RPG progression even if you do not read any story text but the context of it all will be largely missing.

Is all of the continent as seen on the Chart accessible in game?

No, Vagrus is set in a specific area that has in-world reasons to be closed off for the remainder of the game. The game has a huge area you can traverse and explore with over a 100 hours of content but please note that the majority of the continent on the Chart is merely part of the world-building.

I am stuck on a screen during the early part of ‘Pilgrims of the Wasteland’. What do I do?

Most likely, you are blocked from progressing by a pesky tutorial window that wants you to do something specific. Reopen it by clicking on its black and gold box to see what it is. By clicking on the balloon icons embedded in its text, it will even point you in the right direction.

How do I report something that is bugged/glitched?

The best way is to use the in-game reporting tool (press F1 to open it). The more detail you give us, the easier it will be for us to identify and correct the issue. Alternatively, you can join our discord server and let us know through one of the appropriate channels there.

Will you localize the game to other languages?

See DISCLAIMER - On Localization further up.

What do I get if I purchase the Season Pass?

The Season Pass includes the expansion ‘Sunfire and Moonshadow’, as well as two other DLCs we have not announced yet but we are committed to delivering. One of these is a Companion DLC with two new playable companions, while the other is a new region that we will add to the base game. By purchasing the Season Pass as opposed to picking these up individually, you get a small discount and also support the development of future content for Vagrus.
NOTE: Currently, when you purchase the Season Pass, ‘Sunfire and Moonshadow’ does not show up in your Steam DLCs under Vagrus but you most certainly own it as you can see under Extras in the game (or by accessing and playing its contents in-game). The issue is not on our side and we’ve been trying to get Valve to act on it – we are still waiting for a response. We are sorry for the inconvenience but ask you not to be worried, as it is a display issue only.

Will there be voice acting?

Unlikely, for the same reason there won’t be any localization to other languages: there is so much text that voicing them is out of the scope of our studio. Also, a lot of text is descriptive mixed with dialogue, so it would be impossible to only voice characters.

The game is great/is flawed/is good/sucks. I may have detailed feedback. How do I tell the devs?

If it’s about glitches, bugs, or improvement ideas, it’s easiest to use the in-game reporting tool (accessed by pressing F1). The more details you provide there the easier it is for us to identify and correct the issue ASAP. If you want to give a more complex or in-depth feedback on a feature, aspect, system, or the game as a whole, or just want to chat with the devs, come join our discord channel[discord.gg]. We tend to answer fairly quickly but keep in mind that we work during central European daylight hours and that we are a tiny team. Then there are the forums here on Steam where we try to monitor posts as frequently as possible.

What is ‘Pilgrims of the Wasteland’?

‘Pilgrims of the Wasteland’ (PotW in short) is the title of an 8-12 hour long, optional, standalone scenario you can play separately from the main game. It is both an introduction to the setting, a prequel to the main campaign, and a tutorial (at least up until a certain point). It is more text-heavy than the main campaign initially and more linear due to it being a tutorial but opens up later on. You can choose to play it if you tell the old man at the campfire that you want to hear his story. You do not need to complete this scenario if you feel stuck or want to tackle the main campaign.

Do I create my own character?

Yes, but only in the open-world main campaign of the game. You have a set character in ‘Pilgrims of the Wasteland’.

How do I play the open-world campaign?

After starting a new game, tell the old man at the campfire that you do not wish to listen to his story and you can start creating your character right away. There are no in-game repercussions for doing so whatsoever.

Thank you very much for your continued support.
Conquer the wasteland,
The Lost Pilgrims Team