Your character gets a proper introduction, a live inventory portrait and a better way back into the game. Here is what is in the next build.
Put a face to the equipment
The new character menu puts your character in front of you with an equipped preview. Pick a character, inspect the outfit and sort out starting attributes before heading into the world. The full-screen class browser has also had its layout repaired, including the skill trees that were getting clipped.
The portrait follows you into the inventory. Change equipment while the panel is open and the preview updates with it. Equipment and Gathering share the same portrait, with drag, wheel and keyboard inspection. A new helmet should not require closing the window to find out whether you like it.
Back where you belong
Play and Resume have been checked through the packaged game, including character selection, one-time starting allocation and reconnecting. Existing character identity, gold and building foundations survive the trip. The menu should help you get back to your adventure, then get out of the way.
We also fixed four conflicting ultimate-modifier pairs across Ranger and Pyromancer. If an older save contains both sibling choices, both are refunded. Your XP, parent skills and unrelated allocations stay put. You get to make the choice again.
A little more celebration
Class and Saga level-ups now have separate Glow Rays effects. They follow the character, expire cleanly and do not replay when you reconnect. Saga gets the larger, longer celebration. You earned it.
This is a preview of the October 3 development build. The v173 client and server packages have been built and checked locally; they have not been published to the launcher or live game servers. The online rollout is approved and being prepared. v172 remains the published game update at this milestone.