v0.54 24 October 2026

Steam, built in and switched off

• Playing together

• Steam integration is in the game, but off. With Steam off (the default), VAEL plays exactly as before. Switching it on takes an app ID, the GodotSteam plugin, and enabled=true in. docs/STEAM.md has the checklist.
• Parties over Steam:
  • Hosting: Play Together > Host now has "Host through: Steam / Direct". A Steam party opens a lobby (Friends, Public or Invite only) and connects over Steam's relay: no ports and no codes.
  • Joining: the Join page lists Steam parties, friends first. Friends can also join from an invite, or from Join Game on your name in their friends list. An invite accepted mid-run waits until the run is over; launching VAEL from an invite joins straight away.
  • Inviting: the party screen (P) has Invite Steam friends: Steam's own dialog, or invite friends from the list.
  • Everything above the connection (the handshake, the roster, the RPCs) is unchanged. Pings work over either transport, and PROTOCOL is now 21.
• Rich presence: your Steam friends see where you are, for example "In the Sanctuary (party of 2)" or "Depth III: The Forgotten Crypt", grouped with your party.
• 13 achievements and 6 stats, earned from the game's own events: extractions by depth, the Bone Warden and the Broodmother, first death, Fellowship, 50 parries, 500 kills, 25 extractions, and winning at chess, including beating Grandmaster Ossuary.
• Steam name: a new character takes your Steam name, and the Steam overlay gives you the mouse while it's open.

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