Hello, this is PD Xenon.

I can’t believe it’s already time for the twentieth developer note. 

As I write these notes each week, my first thought is always one of gratitude to all the players who love Gran Saga Idle KNIGHTS X KNIGHTS.

I appreciate all interests from our players, 

but I also apologize for the limited updates that may have led to some disappointment, earning this note the nickname “Dream Note.” 

While not all feedback can be implemented immediately, I promise we will work diligently to make each suggestion a reality.

This week, I’d like to share information about the newly added "Little Demon Quyi" and the “Level-Up Limit Unlock” system.

1. Character Addition

Recently, with the addition of "Little Demon Quyi," some players expressed concerns about character recycling. I understand these concerns as a gamer, and I’d like to explain the background and context in more detail.

① Reason for Not Releasing as an Original Character

First, while "Little Demon Quyi" borrows concepts and characteristics from existing characters, as some players may have noticed, 

the modeling and basic attack motions have all been implemented differently from the original Quyi, and the illustrations do not use the previous version.

The reason for not releasing Kuyi as an original character is that within the Grand Saga IP,  there are several procedures and preparations required for launching new characters. 

I appreciate your understanding as we continue to strive to show new aspects despite these constraints.

② Performance and Positioning

In terms of performance, Quyi is positioned as a hero with specific utility, unlike heroes with a 20,000 summon ceiling. 

This allows players to consider her based on the situation at hand.

"Little Demon Quyi" is intended for prolonged use in high-difficulty boss battles, making her somewhat niche. 

However, she is well-suited for World Challenges and high-difficulty challenge content, offering stability to parties while accumulating buffs for high damage output.

Particularly for new players who often need to use 2-3 tanks alongside a primary one, Quyi serves as a secondary tank, alleviating the burden of hiring a healer.

③ Balance

I anticipate there may be some dissatisfaction regarding the low damage of Quyi’s robot explosion. However, 

Quyi is a stack-based character with high basic attack damage compared to other heroes. 

Additionally, she is designed to penetrate, allowing for some use in stage content.

If the damage from the robot's taunt were set too high, it could lead to concerns of creating an overpowered character, so we adjusted the balance to prevent forcing players to summon her.

④ Future Plans

We will continue to adjust the hero summon schedule to allow players to choose effectively. 

You’ll get to experience Quyi’s strengths in the upcoming World Challenge update on the 24th. 

2. Character Balance Adjustments

We are currently improving character balance through irregular adjustments to enhance each character's usability. We are also reviewing balance changes for other characters and will share specific plans soon.

Additionally, we are preparing a method to enhance character development and utility through synergies with Grand Weapons.

The main approach involves a strengthening system utilizing Grand Weapons and excess hero shards, ensuring that previously developed characters remain viable.

Through this, we aim to harmonize the appeal of new characters with the continued utility of existing ones, carefully updating as we go.

3. Diamond Acquisition and Character Additions

We are closely monitoring the speed of character additions to maintain the game’s enjoyment. For this, we believe the following elements must achieve a balanced order:

- Addition of diverse content

- Continuous supply of new heroes

- Appropriate acquisition methods and difficulty levels

We are preparing to expand both high-level and horizontal content, ensuring new characters can be effectively utilized across all content.

We also recognize the need for appropriate additions to diamond and hero acquisition methods. 

To address this, we plan to implement the following through seasonal content:

- Provide large-scale diamond acquisition sources

- Introduce the Grand Jewel Pass (Universal Shard)

- Add Grand Weapon farming dungeons

Through these systems, we will strive to enhance enjoyment in a way that does not rely solely on the speed of hero releases.

4. Level-Up Limit Unlock

Some users who have reached the initial level 50 and completed the collection and bond tasks may feel a lack of additional growth options outside of hero ascension.

To address this, we believe the level-up limit unlock system will be beneficial.

① Level-Up Limit System

The current direction under consideration is to apply a common level limit across the entire guild, rather than to individual heroes. 

This will allow players to use the level reset feature to flexibly develop various heroes and expand deck versatility.

The overall direction is as follows:

- The guild’s level limit will expand based on hero acquisition and ascension.

- Players will be able to use growth resources to raise individual hero levels.

- This will enable even underutilized heroes to contribute significantly through wish lists and events.

② Expected Effects and Implementation Schedule

This system is scheduled to be applied in the update on November 7, and we expect it will greatly assist in tackling recently added high-difficulty challenges and stages.

For example, if you acquire Ludmila and level her up to 5 stars, the level limit will unlock an additional level limit of 3. This will connect the contributions of wish-listed and various legendary heroes to enhance the growth of main heroes.

Note: Specific figures may change based on the update timing.

5. Additional Effects for Hero Ascension

To enhance the diverse utility of heroes, we have lowered the difficulty of 5-star pickup summons through accumulated summon rewards, 

and we have also adjusted the difficulty balance to avoid excessive gaps after transcending to higher stars.

However, with the recent addition of wish lists and new growth options for higher-ranking players, we are considering introducing limited additional effects.

For instance, we are carefully examining elements like the efficiency increase of break values rather than main stats. This aims to provide players with a sense of additional growth during challenges or specific boss encounters.

While nothing is 100% confirmed yet, please note that we are reviewing methods to provide additional effects without enforcing ascension above 5 stars.

6. Pet System Addition

The addition of pets will commence on October 24 with the introduction of elemental king and minion pets in the World Challenge, and the formal system will be implemented in early November. This pet system is designed to allow the acquisition of multiple pets.

① Pet Acquisition Method

Players will obtain materials by clearing stages and combine them to get pets. 

Pets will have ownership effects that provide ongoing growth opportunities as they are acquired and developed.

② Future Plans

We anticipate regularly adding numerous new pets, further enhancing the enjoyment of hunting and stage farming. 

This aims to provide players with a more diverse growth experience.

7. Additional Situations Being Addressed

① Reimbursement for 1-Star and 4-Star Packages

Recently, we have been carefully managing the reimbursement issue related to 1-star and 4-star packages due to the complex nature of processing tens of thousands of payments and refunds.

We plan to issue reimbursements for duplicate hero summon chests based on the number of packages each player purchased, reflecting the amount they bought.

Regardless of the time difference from the purchase, we hope to convey our gratitude to players who have supported Grand Saga Idle: Knights X Knights.

However, due to limitations on the number of items that can be sent in the mailbox, the distribution will inevitably occur in several batches, and we appreciate your understanding in this matter.

② Post-Stage Update Issues

I’d like to provide an update on two issues that arose after the recent stage update:

- Lag/Optimization Issues

We have conducted some optimization by limiting effects and icon displays in the last update and will monitor the situation for additional optimization opportunities.

- Auto-Hunting Issues

To address the challenges of auto-hunting, we are considering implementing health recovery and revival after each wave progression. However, this is still under policy discussion. We are working to resolve this quickly and will provide guidance as soon as possible.

Thank you.

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