Unforetold: Witchstone News

Hello Adventurers!

We're thrilled to share some important news about the journey of Unforetold: Witchstone.
Your involvement and support have been instrumental in getting us to this point, and we're excited about the next steps.

• Early access date: January 25th, 2024
  
• Platform: Steam
  
• Release time: 12PM Eastern Time
  
• Price: $34.99 (10% discount during launch period)
  
• Preload: No preload available
  
• Hotfix process: In response to the feedback we receive we might roll out multiple hotfixes during the first week of Early Access. Following this initial period, our schedule will include a hotfix two weeks after Early Access, with another update planned two weeks later. We will keep you informed about the timing of these updates.
  

Note: More content will be added during major updates, see our roadmap below.

[h3]Narrative:[/h3]

• Story stops at the end of Act 1

[h3]Townships Available:[/h3]

• Kalsundar
  
• Howling Valley
  
• Riverfort
  

[h3]Dungeons Available:[/h3]

• Luckhaven
  
• Temple of the Dead
  
• Hermit's Woods
  

[h3]Progression:[/h3]

• Max. Level 6
  

[h3]Archetypes and Specializations:[/h3]

• Fighter (Blademaster, Gunslinger, Spellsword)
  
• Wizard (Elementalist, Enchanter, Spell Sniper)
  
• Rogue (Thief, Spellslinger, Assassin)
  
• Cleric (Sage, War Priest)
  

[h3]Ancestry:[/h3]

• Human
  
• Elf
  
• Dwarf
  

[h3]Equipment:[/h3]

• Common
  
• Uncommon
  
• Rare
  

We understand that transparency is key, especially when it comes to any issues you might encounter in the game. On the day of Early Access launch, we will share a list of known issues as a pinned post in our Steam Discussion.

This list will be updated regularly, so keep an eye out on that section for the latest information.


Being a tight-knit team has its strengths: passion, dedication, and a direct connection to our community. However, our team size can sometimes mean limited resources and a narrower bandwidth for managing multiple challenges. With that said, we're fully committed to ensuring that the game offers a smooth experience. We're proactively addressing potential issues based on our testing, but we acknowledge that new challenges may arise once the game is in the hands of many.

In the weeks following the Early Access release, we plan to deploy a hotfix to address immediate concerns and high-priority bugs. While we'll be working round-the-clock to resolve issues, we kindly ask for your patience and understanding. Together, we can refine and enhance the gameplay experience. Remember, your feedback is not just welcomed; it's essential for our growth and improvement.


As mentioned earlier, your feedback is invaluable. If you encounter any bugs, have suggestions, or simply want to share your experiences, please reach out to us via Steam Discussion and on our Discord Server in the bug report channel.



Can I preload Unforetold: Witchstone?
No, there is no preload.

What size will be the build?
Around 15GB.

Why Early Access?
We are entering Early Access so that we can collect feedback on our unique influence system, sandbox RPG mechanics, the overall gameplay loop and how players can affect the world. We look to determine what changes, if any, need to be made in order to bring the game in-line with the expectations of tabletop RPG and CRPG fans.

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?
We expect to be in Early Access for about a year.

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?
The Early Access version of the game will feature roughly 1/4 of the game's final content including the overarching story, classes, abilities, etc. More will be added as we go towards the end of Early Access to the full launch.

What is the current state of the Early Access version?
The game currently has all major CRPG systems built in including character customization, turn-based combat, stealth, and our unique influence system. However, these are all works in progress, so we expect a lot of adjustments to be made to them throughout Early Access.

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?
We expect the price of the game to increase at the end of Early Access, bringing it on-par with other major CRPGs.

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?
We will be collecting feedback on Discord and surveying players in order to make informed changes to the game. We are also looking into a built-in submission system for players to
submit feedback directly to us.

What are the system requirements?

Minimum specs:
CPU: (Intel Core i7-6700/AMD Ryzen 5 1400),
GPU: (Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/AMD RX 580)
RAM: 8GB

Recommend specs:
CPU: i5 10500 / ryzen 5 3600
GPU: RTX 2070/Radeon 5700 XT
RAM: 8GB

What platforms is Unforetold: Witchstone going to be released on?
Unforetold: Witchstone is only planned for release on Steam at the moment. More platforms may be announced later in development.

Is Unforetold: Witchstone going to have co-op mode?
We hope to be able to add co-op in the future.

Will Unforetold: Witchstone be supported on Steam Deck?
We want Unforetold: Witchstone to run on as wide a range of specs as possible, and of course Steam Deck is a part of that investigation. We'll have more to announce in due time.

Will there be controller support?
Yes, our intention is to have controller support but we still need to figure out if this will be at the launch or after.

What languages will Unforetold: Witchstone be available?
Currently the game is in English only, but we're planning to eventually add support for French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese.

What tech are you using to develop the game?
Unforetold: Witchstone is being developed using Unreal Engine 4. For this project, we have built many in-house tools to make our work more efficient.

Are there any assets I can use as a content creator?
Yes! You can find everything that you need here: https://www.witchstone.ca/presskits


While we’re focused on the immediate roadmap, we’ve got exciting plans for Unforetold: Witchstone. Expect more content, features, and improvements in the coming months.

Here’s what our roadmap looks like:



Thank you for your unwavering support and patience. We couldn’t do this without our passionate community, and we’re honored to have you with us on this journey.

Stay connected and follow us here:

Discord: https://discord.gg/spearheadgames
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WitchstoneGame
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WitchstoneGame/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/witchstonegame/
Website: https://www.witchstone.ca/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SpearheadMontreal/

Has it really been almost 8 years since our last livestream?!? 😱

Join us for our triumphant return on Jan 18th at 2 PM EST as the devs play the game and answer your questions!

👉Twitch page: https://www.twitch.tv/spearheadgames

Greeting Adventurers!

Hope you all had a great holiday season! Last time we talked about Opportunities and how they are the potential threads you can choose to follow in order to achieve some outcome. If you haven’t read that post where we explain how our approach to traditional quests sets us apart from conventional cRPGs, please be sure to check it out.

In this last devblog before Unforetold: Witchstone goes into Early Access, we’ll share details about what the potential outcomes are and how we allow you to shape fate.



Whether you decide to follow Opportunities or do things your own way, you will affect changes to the world of Kalsundia as you interact with items, people and factions. How you interact with the many ingredients in our sandbox is constantly monitored and remembered. This record of most of your actions allows the game to punctuate key moments of your playthroughs with Milestones.

A Milestone appears on-screen after you’ve dealt with a key event, or killed multiple innocent civilians, or chased a faction out of a town, etc. They serve as a reminder of the decisions you’ve made so far in your journey through Kalsundia as well as trigger consequences for your actions. Do not be alarmed if changes to the world happen post-Milestone due to your actions! For example, don’t be surprised if many Kalsundians dislike you and some even want you dead for destroying a township.



Speaking of destruction, as a consequence of killing civilians, you will draw the attention of the Order of the Departed, a cult that seeks to match the necromantic powers of the Nethick Empire. After a crime-related Milestone, the Order of the Departed will send a messenger to speak to you and reveal the location of their temple. They would appreciate your help in destroying townships and raising an army with the dead. Of course, working on achieving your common goal of destroying Kalsundia will lead to other Milestones along the way, to introduce new challenges and twists.

If you’re not into death and destruction, you can get people to resolve conflict peacefully and get the attention of the Brightwind Clan, who would rather keep their potential customers of witchadar devices alive. But their preferred peaceful methods don't prevent them from pushing the rival factions out of townships by other means.



Ultimately, all these Milestones will chronicle your adventure and spice things up on your path towards your chosen Goal. In Unforetold: Witchstone, you decide what Kalsundia should be like by the end of your adventure. Should the Commonwealth rule the land? Or should the Commonwealth rule the land with you as their leader? Should another faction own all the towns? Should civilians live free of all factions?

This is where you can play a major part in Unforetold: Witchstone’s development: the late-game content is not set in stone yet and you can help us shape it.



During Early Access, we will gradually be releasing game content, starting with 3 townships and a few dungeons on launch day. This initial content will take you to the end of “Act 1”. As you play the game and experience our non-linear narrative, we ask for your feedback on what you like or dislike, and where you can see your adventure progressing after “Act 1”. This will greatly help us adjust and adapt the narrative content coming down the line and ensure we don’t miss an obvious Milestone or Goal, or a fun Opportunity.

We really hope you hear from you when Unforetold: Witchstone releases in Early Access on January 25th, 2024!

Oh, and stay tuned as we will be presenting our roadmap to 1.0 shortly after the release.

Follow us here:
https://discord.gg/spearheadgames https://twitter.com/WitchstoneGame https://www.facebook.com/WitchstoneGame

Recently, we had the privilege of welcoming PC Gamer to Montreal, to unveil the secrets of Unforetold: Witchstone, sharing unique insights and elements of our creation. ✨

Curious about the making of? Check out our full interview here!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Thank you for your support, if you want to follow our journey here's the links!

• Discord: https://discord.gg/spearheadgames
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WitchstoneGame
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WitchstoneGame/

Salutations Adventurers!

We’ve spoken a lot about the setting so far, but I’m certain many of you have been wondering; what exactly are you going to do in Unforetold: Witchstone? In most RPGs, you get your direction from one primary source: quests!

Except… we don’t have quests. Instead, we have something we call Opportunities.



Opportunities are potential threads you can choose to follow in order to achieve some outcome. There is no “Main Quest” in Unforetold: Witchstone, no having to choose between pursuing core progression or tangential side content. You make your own goals as you adventure in Kalsundia, and the ultimate endgame is up to you. Every action you take, every Opportunity you follow, every faction you decide to empower or topple, is all part of what makes the story your own.

Now, that doesn’t mean you won’t ever roll the credits, or that there won’t be a satisfying conclusion to your adventure. What it does mean is that the fate of the land isn’t tied to any one character, faction, or Opportunity. How you change the world is your decision alone.

When you do decide to pursue an Opportunity, that means somebody wants something. They may suggest a way for you to go about getting it for them, but ultimately, as long as you fulfill that desire, the approach is entirely up to you.

Let’s take a look at one of the first Opportunities you might come across in Kalsundia. After landing in the port of Kalsundar, the entire docks are on lockdown. The only way out is guarded by an enterprising Lawblade named Els Druthdrang, and he’s agreed to let you pass if you procure a rare gemstone for him from the mainland.





After asking around, you learn that a certain individual at the warehouse may have the artifact you need. Easy enough, just whack him over the head with your sword and take it from him!



Or, if assault isn’t your jam, you can opt for a stealthy approach. Sneak up behind him and deftly
take the artifact straight out of his pocket. Surely he won’t notice, at least not anytime soon.



But, there are more ways to interact with the world and these characters than just murdering and thieving. This brings us to one of the systems that we’re most excited for you to try: Influence.

You can think of Influence as building your own dialogue. In traditional RPGs, the dialogue choices you can make with characters in the world is limited to what the writers and designers thought to prepare for you. Influence gives you the power to build your own custom requests for anyone you meet in Unforetold: Witchstone.

You can walk up to any NPC and sweet-talk them into joining your party. Intimidate others into running away. Ask someone to help you out with an assassination. Request that your target meet you someplace private, the kind of place where there won’t be any witnesses. Convince two people to talk to each other, so they can reconcile their differences… or maybe just to make sure that they’re distracted enough for you to sneak past them into a restricted area.





Not only do you get to build your own requests, but you also choose how you’re going to go about convincing these characters to cooperate. Are you a big burly fighter with low charisma? Just flex those pecs, look menacing, and you might be surprised what some moderate threats of violence can accomplish.

Let’s go back to the individual at the warehouse. You know he has the artifact you need, but you’re a bit iffy on the whole murder thing. Well, if you’re particularly silver tongued, you can just Influence him to hand it over!





But wait, when you speak to Andrath, he mentions that he’s had a falling out with his daughter, and he would do anything to get her back home, even give up his rare artifact. By finding her and Influencing her to go talk to her dad, you can reunite a broken family and get the item you need.









On the other hand, what about Els, the guard that’s extorting you to get him the artifact? Maybe there’s some other way you can get him to move without giving him what he wants…







Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek into how you’re going to interact with the lands and people of Kalsundia. However you choose to accomplish your goals, through violence or theft, through diplomacy or intimidation, by helping others or removing them as obstacles, just remember that the people of Kalsundia are watching. Getting a reputation as a notorious killer might not make you many friends with the broader population, but to others, you might be exactly the kind of person they’re looking for.

You can discover this and more when Unforetold: Witchstone releases in early access January 25th, 2024!

Follow us here:
https://discord.gg/spearheadgames https://twitter.com/WitchstoneGame https://www.facebook.com/WitchstoneGame