Northwind News

Hello everyone!

[h2]Store Page Revamp & New Trailer Coming Soon![/h2]
Have you noticed the updates to our screenshots and GIFs?! We’re getting ready for our new demo!
A brand-new trailer is coming soon!

[h2]Playtest for the new demo is starting now! 🎉[/h2]
Our community on Discord has begun playtesting today!
The purpose of this playtest is to help us identify bugs, report any issues, and provide feedback on game balance and design.

[h3]Late Registration is Still OPEN! 🎉[/h3]
We've prepared extra keys for late registrants! (Round 2 Steam key delivery: Feb 13-14)
⚠️ However, keys are limited! We’ll notify you once they run out!
📝Register here: https://forms.gle/hfYia4vi9myPtBsN9


[h3]Help Us with Bug Reports![/h3]
You can report any issues using the bug report form in the top-right corner! 🐞
Our team will review the reports and work on fixes.


[h3]New Features in This Playtest![/h3]
⚡ Speed Mode – Now available in "Very Fast" for experienced players.

🔥 Hazard Mode – Increase difficulty if you're up for a challenge!


[h3]More Localization Coming Soon and Wiki page![/h3]
Thai is now available! Other languages will follow soon!
Once the demo goes public, we'll be sharing some files for localization as well as wiki!
Join our Discord if you'd like to help us with localization! 🌍✨


[h3]Join the Discussion on Discord![/h3]
Share your thoughts here!
Northwind Discord Server: https://discord.gg/rMEqbNhkha


😭 We sincerely apologize for the wait, and thank you so much for your patience and support!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1476400/Northwind/

The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾

Hello everyone! 👋

We’re honored to announce that we’ve been selected for the Turnbased Carnival! 🎉
If you enjoy turn-based games, check out the other incredible games featured there!


We’d also like to take this opportunity to update you on our progress and share some of the exciting features we’ve been working on. Here are some highlights:

[h2]Countdown Token Replaces Rampage ⏳[/h2]


[h3]Is that a new UI!?[/h3]
Yes! We’ve implemented a cleaner, more intuitive UI to make combat easier to understand.
Look forward to a brand new tutorial!

As for Rampage: Many players were confused about when Rampage would trigger...
Was it immediate or on the next turn??? We’ve replaced Rampage with a Countdown token, which triggers the special move once it reaches 0. (Not the official icon design)

[h3]This new mechanic lets you strategize and manage countdowns!
[/h3]Use certain cards, relics, and perks to alter or delay enemy special moves. Plan your moves carefully!
(Fun Fact: The card Taming Technique was designed by one of our interns!)



[h2]Expanded Blacksmith Section 🔨[/h2]
We’ve revamped the Blacksmith to make navigating Merge, Forge, and Fuse services easier for players.


This includes adding blueprints to craft certain cards, so players have more clarity and control when upgrading their decks. We hope this helps you optimize your strategy seamlessly.

[h2]Moo Deng 🐾[/h2]

The pygmy hippo will be part of the perks in the game! 🎉
(In case you haven’t heard of Moo Deng, she’s a global sensation—a pygmy hippo from Thailand!)

[h2]Localization Delay 🌐[/h2]
As we implement updates, especially the new Countdown token, we’ve decided to delay localization for some languages until these mechanics are finalized. We apologize for not reaching out to our volunteers at this time; we want to ensure the game is more stable before reconnecting with them/you.

These are just a few of the exciting changes coming your way, with much more to come.
Thank you so much for your patience and support! ːheart_eyes_yetiː

The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾

Hello everyone! 👋

Good news! We’ve been selected as a Game Devs of Color Expo Participant! 🎉
We’re incredibly humbled to be part of this event and to be featured! 🌟


[h3]Unfortunately, our new demo won’t be available at the event. 😔
[/h3]Due to the many changes made in the game and several areas where we felt the need to put in extra effort, we believe it’s best to continue working hard and polishing the game before delivering it to you. 🛠️

[h3]Players, you mean so much to us! 💙
[/h3]We believe you deserve a more complete and refined version of the demo, especially after all the amazing feedback we’ve received. 🙏 The game is currently undergoing significant changes, including a tutorial revamp, addressing localization issues, and improving the UX/UI. 📝
With that, we will take our time to truly polish the game.

[h3]- The next update will be in 2025.
- The game’s Early Access launch is to be determined in 2025.[/h3] Thank you so much for all your support, and we deeply apologize for taking so much time to polish the game. You deserve the best version of our game, and we are working our hardest to deliver it.
The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾

Hello everyone! 👋

We want to provide an update on the progress we are making with our game.
We're working diligently on both the Early Access version and the Demo version, but it might take a little more time than we initially anticipated. All our resources are focused on game development and we aim to provide an update by the end of this month or in October. 📅

[h2]Here are some of the progress highlights:[/h2]

[h3]- Speed Options ⚡[/h3]
You can now choose a very fast gameplay speed, which has been implemented in the game.
[Will be Available in the Demo]

[h3]- Hazard Level ⚠️[/h3]
We'll unlock a few hazard levels for players looking for more competitiveness in the game. You'll need to defeat the boss to raise your hazard level. Hazard levels are separate for each mercenary.
[Will be Available in the Demo but with limited Content]

[h3]- New Town Progression System (TP) 🏘️[/h3]
We’ve added more features to the town progression system and fix UX Design, but we don’t want to spoil the details yet. However, we can say that it’s no longer the same as before.
[Will be Available in the Demo with limited Content]

[h3]- Visual Feedback Changes[/h3]
We've made a lot of visual feedback changes in the game. We don’t have pictures to share yet since it's not final, but it won’t be the same user experience you’ve seen in some parts of the game.
[Most should be available in the Demo]

[h3]- Content[/h3]
We've completed 80-90% of the content for the Early Access version. We are currently going through playtesting, balancing, and quality assurance. 🛠️ This means the Pyrotech is now complete, including all the additional events, relics, and perks in the game. 🎉
[Only the Duelist will be available in the Demo, but we'll definitely have some internal playtest for our Pyrotech]

[h3]- Localization 🌐[/h3]
Some parts of the visuals are still being implemented, which could affect localization. We’re waiting for everything to be finalized before starting the localization process. For those who have registered to help with translation, please stay tuned—we want to minimize changes before you jump in and assist us. However, we've been experimenting a lot with our local language, Thai.
[English and Thai should be available in the Demo.]

[h2]Intern[/h2]
Lastly, we are thrilled to announce that Vulpixon732, one of our active community members, has joined us as an intern! 🎉 We are more than happy to welcome him. He has shown great passion for helping Northwind from a game design perspective. 🎮 It's amazing to have this opportunity to welcome a student who loves deckbuilders and wants to be a part of Northwind. He’ll mainly be helping out with our game designers and doing a lot of playtesting. 🕹️

[h2]That's it for now! Thank you for your support. ❤️[/h2]
We promise you won't be disappointed with the changes in the demo. We are super excited to polish it up and let you all try the game. I apologize for not being able to set a specific date, but we assure you it’s going to be much better than any version you’ve played! 🚀
The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾

Hello everyone! ːsteamhappyː
It's been a while, so we want to provide you with some updates! 🌟

[h2]Updates:[/h2]

• Metaprogression Revamp to create more impact! 🌟
  
• Second Character Cards are complete, including all upgraded versions. 🎮
  
• Localization System/Looking for Translators!
  
• We are in Chinajoy x Game Connection Event! 🎉

[h3]Metaprogression Revamp[/h3]

Based on feedback, we’ve decided to remove the upgrade tree. Players didn't find it engaging, and we couldn't agree more. Our new progression system will focus on impactful progression rather than getting access to discounts and gem slots. The new system will feature character upgrades that provide new sets of cards rather than just one, and more town-impact strategy, enhancing the "one more run" vibe. 🔄


[h3]Second Character and Hazard Level[/h3]

The second character cards are complete, including all upgraded Smelted card versions.
New monsters will appear in late ascension games as part of our hazard progression. More handicaps will also be introduced to increase the difficulty levels for those pro players out there! 👹
Balancing and bug fixing are currently our main focus. Once we have a stable version, we’ll need your input! Expect this around September. 🛠️


[h3]Localization System / Looking for Translators![/h3]
We invite players who are interested in helping out with translation. Currently, we are working on our demo translation to start. Languages we are interested in include Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Russian, Japanese, and Korean. If you speak another language or would like to let us know, or wish for it to be translated, please let us know! 🌏
[h3]==============
REGISTER HERE
==============[/h3]

[h3]Chinajoy x Game Connection Event[/h3]
We’re thrilled to be part of this event! Make sure to check out other amazing games there.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1476400/Northwind/


[h3]Our next update should be in late August or September. 📅[/h3](We’ll likely include a playtest registration form for you to join in!)
Thank you for your kind support! We pour our heart and soul into this game, and we appreciate you sticking with us. We hope you are looking forward to our game! 💖

Have an amazing day!
The Northwind Team at Barking Kitten Interactive 🐾