- Update 3/26/26 - 26 March 2026
Small update this time, which includes the following:Weapon Break status native to the Sword class of weaponry now disables monster attacks that utilize weapons (axes, swords, etc.).Bank of Alimena has opened up, allowing you to store up to 9,999,998 GP and accrue interest on your balance at a rate of 2% every five minutes. Applicable with a minimum balance of 50 GP.Some objects that behaved inconsistently with everything else have been fixed, such as NPCs not flashing when speaking or flavor text not displaying when observing an object. Inconsequential, but when I discovered them, I felt the need to fix them.
- Patch Notes 3/15/26 - 16 March 2026
Been taking all the new feedback (as well as reading over some of the old) and making changes accordingly. Today's patch includes:1. Efforts have been made to clarify some unclear doorways.2. Arena stores now require completion of different brackets to shop from with an increased variety of goods based on difficulty brackets. Unlocking hints now included.3. Arena now grants slightly more GP on average by increased multiplying of rewards per battle (beginner now 2-3x instead of 2x, intermediate 2-4x instead of 2-3x, expert now 3-4x instead of 2-4x).4. Thieves' Guild's GP exchange function now costs two gold per Gladiatorial Point instead of one.5. River scimitar has had its stats fixed to reflect its description.
- New Addition: Quest Log - 14 February 2026
A quest log has been implemented into the game so players can keep further track of where they are meant to be. Any time a new quest has been started, a character in the screen will become opaque. Before such quests have been started, the character will be semi-transparent and will direct the player what needs to be done in order to activate the quest.The Goddess Nyfrulia will always tell you your primary quest objective. Other side-quests may be added in the future to help fill out the menu. Stay tuned.
- Mages Guild Revamped & Mapping Tips - 14 January 2026
On a whim, I decided yesterday to spruce up the old Mages Guild colony to help not just beautify it, but also space it out better. Whenever I'd walk through the design from 2013-2020, there would be these awkwardly empty areas that would simply scream "fill me!"So why not, right? Now extra goodies can be found by leaping across gaps, wading through water and walking underneath roofs.I've also utilized one of my favorite tricks to bring the map to life, which I'll be sharing with you below so that you too can make your locales shine!Question: how many "layers" do you see here? Three, right? That's what RPG Makers 2000 & 2003 typically have, while some of the more recent RPG Makers allow you to put two graphics of the upper tile set on each tile. That's cute - really it is. What if I told you you could have as many layers as you wanted? Well, it's true! Events can be stacked to create sig…
- Combat System Corrections - 1 January 2026
Over these past few months, I've returned to RPG Maker 2003 and discovered a heartbreaking aspect of its programming - one that had crippled the battle system I'd brainstormed and polished to a degree of complexity I've yet to see in any other games designed using the program: the elemental tables simply did not work the way I intended them to, resulting in many "synergistic" spells behaving the same in terms of damage calculations. Not only did this make spells boring copies of each other outside of the status ailments tied to each elemental family, but the weaknesses and resistances lovingly applied to each foe was all but erased.I was crushed, to put it bluntly. How could RPG Maker 2003 be such trash? Would I have to port twenty years of passion into a more advanced program that my computer, frankly, does not meet the requirements to run properly? Would I be gatekept out of my own ga…
- THE LOREMASTER - 5 September 2025
For the better part of a month, I've been writing out enough lore to fill a library (or - rather - every library in Eylin), and at long last, it's finally ready for release. For those who have wanted to know more about the world in easily digestible chunks (and I know you have): you're in luck! Today's massive update (over half a megabyte!) grants you access to a staggering eighty-one unique books for your browsing pleasure, including statistical information tacked onto your status menu (if you're into that sort of thing). Immerse yourself in nearly a millennium of world history, lovingly compiled into a yearly timeline, filled with a deep dive into the lives of the heroes, villains and side characters you've come to know, the events which shaped the world and cultural mythos unique to each region of Eylin. The previously renameable protagonists of the Zilmurik Chronicles (or Divine Rec…
- Ternotris Revised - 4 August 2025
For those plucky adventurers who explore the entirety of Eylin and are left wanting more, this most recent update opens up a whole new view of Ternotris.Anyone who's gotten around to seeing this place previously (since the 2020 release) would recognize it as this:But you see, I've come to feel like this isn't a big enough eye candy reward for having completed the quests required to get here, so having become dissatisfied with my previous work, I went back to the mental drawing board and sculpted something entirely new.I feel it both flows and looks much better now, and I hope you'll agree.Along with this, it's come to my attention that a few revisions I implemented in previous updates created some graphical goof-ups (one that even broke the game!), which I've now gone back and patched. If you found yourself getting confused at why the cutscene camera is showing certain parts of Vermolin…
- Three Months Remaining... - 19 March 2025
It's hard to keep track of all the changes that have taken place since the last update, but I'll try to recount as many as I can remember. I've been going through and revamping numerous areas to improve their appearances as well as their gameplay. Because there's such a wide range of areas, I'll be forgoing what I did last time and just show screenshots of the most current versions of these maps. Feel free to go exploring for all new treasures and secrets tucked away in the extremities of this expanded world. Caldinasus: Vermolin: Vermolin Checkpoint: Market of Thieves: These final two deserve their own special section given how drastic the updates are: Cathedral of Shadows: Caldinasus Caverns: With new sub bosses, new puzzles, new traps, new treasures and a revised gameplay loop, you won't want to miss what these have to offer.
- Twenty Years of Zilmurik - 3 January 2025
As of June 2025, Tales from Zilmurik will have been in development for twenty years. Twenty years of unwavering dedication to reach where it is now. In the latest update, these changes were made: ♦ The overworld has been vastly improved upon to add small detail and flourish with every step. ♦ Docks around the world can now be used to "Set Ship Location", automatically moving the ship to the player. ♦ Western Vermolin Mountains has had a puzzle reinstated to direct the player towards treasure and progress routes. Encounter rate has been decreased and disabled in the puzzle room to remove distractions and dissuade over-leveling. ♦ New item "Boots of Flight" removes "random" encounters when worn. Obtained from the hero's chest in Darunmus. ♦ New item "Ring of Valor" summons the dragon mount Valor to your location on the overworld. Obtained after saving Caldinasus in Chapter 3. ♦ "Fishing R…
- Who's That Guy?! - 8 September 2024
As Tales from Zilmurik creeps into its 20th anniversary of development, I've been making some pretty wild changes to the game. Some of you may have already noticed that places such as the Forest Path (and its accompanying mine) and Lefarnius look and behave quite different. Don't be afraid, it's all for the best. Today I introduce a gameplay element that was requested of me by a user on the Discussions years ago. Now, I personally can't stand grinding, but for those of you who enjoy that kind of thing, now's your chance to recruit a brand new party member to build all the way up to level 70! That's a whole 45 more levels than any other party member in the game! But it's not just some faceless nobody - oh no, this guy's been around and seen some things. If you want to get started, here's a hint: take a diary from Old Lefarnius to the Caldinasus Arena; that ought to jog his memory.
- Changes: Inn Pricing & Jail Time - 19 February 2024
"Ignorance of the law is no excuse." "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime." We've all heard these sayings before, and they're totally true. With today's update, the long arm of the Eylinian law is cracking down on the most egregious of criminals: sleepers. All around the world, if you're caught trying to catch a few Z's at the local inn without paying, it's straight to the slammer for you, bub! ... If you get caught, that is. Dare you risk the free heals? Now, this isn't to say that your first offense will be your last (you might be let off with a warning), but repeat offenders do run the risk of extended time behind bars. The penalty for a first incarceration is 1 minute, with each consequential offense afterward tacking on an additional 20 seconds to time spent. In addition to time spent, each offense will cost the offender an additional 1 GP to rest at the inn from thereon.…
- Update: Piano & Name Changer - 15 February 2024
Today's update makes two small changes to how you - the player - can experience Tales from Zilmurik. The first (and most notable) is that all pianos around Eylin (except for the ones already in use) can be played with the keyboard's following keys: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, - and +. Let your fingers fly and create your own world of music! Secondly, the Party Change menu has been revamped to incorporate unequipping party members, displaying their base level and renaming. What this means is that - say you started playing years ago and regretted choosing a certain name for your least favorite recruit - you now have every chance under the sun to change your mind! What a relief, eh? You can also change the names of certain characters that already had preset names for maximum personalization! Though maybe not all are as eager to change...
- Release: Lefarnius Foraging Guild! - 1 February 2024
Another month, another sizeable update for the Tales from Zilmurik! If you've ever walked past the farmland on the western end of Lefarnius and thought "I wish I lived there," now you're in luck! The doors have swung open and the scent of freshly picked berries fills the air. Delicious! If you've ever dreamed of having access to freshly picked berries whenever your heart desired, here's another lucky break: the Foraging Guild is now handing out free tools to whoever joins today (while supplies last). Get your hands dirty at the Foraging Guild!
- Release: Dwarven Stronghold & Mining Guild! - 26 January 2024
The side of a cliff along a swampland just opened up and fresh minecart rails have been laid down. This can only mean one thing: the dwarves are afoot and they're looking for gold! Embark with me as I ride the rails into this mysterious and industrious land. The hills are alive with the sound of pickaxes and the smell of glory... or maybe it's pit stink? What difference does it make? The mountains await! Join the lively Mining Guild and get to work turning this mountain into rubble in the pursuit of valuable minerals, ores, gemstones and more! Word from the wise: only mine where there's shelter - cave-ins are no fun!
- Emergency Patch 1/13/24 - 13 January 2024
A bug was found by reviewer Tsamaris that I just found out about. I've put out a patch that addresses this issue. Thank you for your patience on this matter.
- Mini Map Tweak (Oct. 1st) - 1 October 2023
• Crosshair indicator for your current destination. This has been implemented to further assist players who might skip dialogue or may be returning after not playing the game for a few months/years. Debating on including additional blips for optional quests the player is currently on. Happy three year anniversary of Tales from Zilmurik on Steam!
- In Pursuit of Clarity - 7 January 2023
Over the past few years, I've received some strong critique concerning the language and direction of the game and I intend to fully address them with the next batch of updates. I've already made sizeable changes to the core game by means of: • Removing backstory segments from Alimena. • Repurposing buildings in Lefarnius. • Implementing a mini map to the overworld. • Including more direct language and hints for progress. • Cutting down on verbosity of introductory text to read easier/quicker. This is only the beginning as I will be going back over the script in its entirety and revising it to better reflect the final product. Character motivations and interactions will be reassessed and refined to put more meat on the bones of Zilmurik as well as spice up what some have called "dry" dialogue. To experienced players: I mean to improve what you've already played so that it can shine as I…
- 7/14/22 Treasure Hunter Update - 14 July 2022
A small handful of changes have been implemented. • Regions near Rune Slab treasures give "The Rune Slab glows..." hints. • Sunset Shrine switch tiles activate by action instead of hero contact. • Spirits in the Sanctuary of the Departed can be spoken to. • Yilphruk recruits at level 17.
- 6/7/2022 Change Log - 7 June 2022
• NPC has been added to Darunmus to point the player to the combat tutorial in Alimena. • Tutorial NPC in Alimena has had a "Spells" option included to further educate the player. • NPC has been added to Caldinasus to point the player to the caverns that lead to the sorcerer as well as the Mages Guild.
- 5/5/22 Update - 6 May 2022
Some small changes have taken place to aid new players into the game. • Stats of some heroes simplified; better reflect endgame averages. • Save included in the Sanctuary of the Departed.
