Beast Hour. № 17. December 2022. Summary of the year
Raiders & Beasts!
Another year of Beast Hour development is behind. In today's newsletter we'll recall some of the coolest and the most memorable things that have happened this year as well as share our future hero plans!
News and streams
It was at the beginning of 2022 when we got an idea to regularly post news about Beast Hour in this format. We published the summary of 2021 and so it started – there was not a single month we missed and each time we shared something exciting about the game both on Steam and via emails. Not only do we not plan to stop doing so, but we want to make these newsletters even better and more informative. Share your suggestions for new formats and topics in the comments!
By the way, alongside the newsletters, at the beginning of 2022 we also started making Beast Hour Q&A-streams, so that you have a direct way of communicating with us. We are a very open team thus we've decided to give EVERYONE an opportunity to take part in those streams. The only thing you need to do is join our Discord server and its voice chat – and you're live with us! Come and participate in the upcoming Q&A-stream at the 13th of January 2023.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
January 2022
In the first month of the year we did a lot of cool stuff. The biggest accomplishment was the new UI which replaced an old and technical one. If you've been following Beast Hour long enough you probably remember that first game videos and gifs didn't have any UI at all. Not because we didn't have any, but because we didn't want to show an obviously unfinished aspect of the project.
On top of all of that, that was the month our fan wrote a Beast Hour rap song and we made a small clip out of it. You should check it out!
February 2022
In February the Spider district got updated and became an even more frightening and atmospheric place. Since then we kept on adding new pathways, mechanics and secrets to uncover – definitely visit it when you play Beast Hour next time!
March 2022
You asked us a lot and we heard you: in March we started developing a new hero – Vampire! The character was on a very early stage and so we could only show the first concept art. But, as it turned out, it was enough as we received a lot of positive feedback – thank you!
April 2022
During the whole development cycle Beast Hour supported only two languages: English and Russian. But we knew that wasn't enough – we wanted to be sure that players from all over the world would have a chance to play the game. At this point we started looking for fans who could help with localizations. The first language was Japanese (it was unexpected even for us!)
Now there are multiple translations in the work: Spanish, French, Chinese, German, Polish and Arabic. If you know Italian, Korean or Portuguese – we'd be happy to see you in our team! Just send us an email at [email protected]
May 2022
In May we decided to tell more about Ziplines – one of our escape mechanics. Using Ziplines Raiders can go down from high buildings to keep the distance from pursuing Beasts. During the year we also showed you:
- Cracked walls to roll under and stop the chaser.
- Ropes to go up on rooftops quickly.
- Portals to teleport to a random spot on the map.
- Bridges to move between high rooftops.
- Vault objects to jump over and get a speed boost.
During the next Beast Hour test you'll be able to experience them all!
June 2022
It was one of the most important months in Beast Hour history! At 19th of June we ran our first ever public testing with the fans. It's hard to describe the feeling – a mixture of excitement and anxiety that made it into the most memorable day of the year for our team!
July 2022
Nikitozzz drew the first Beast Hour fan comic! It's so great when your efforts inspire other people – for that alone it's worth developing games! In the following months Nikitozzz continued to make more artwork, some of which will soon be published in our social media channels – subscribe!
August 2022
After a few tests in a row it was decided to focus on solving the main issues the game had, including match connection problems and balancing. But it didn't mean we stopped making more features – on the contrary! In August we announced a number of them, and the most important one became the action log. It allows you to see the exact number of experience you get from every activity as well as informing you of events and the like. We also implemented sound settings, bridges and parkour improvements.
September 2022
In September we continued – nicknames were added, freezes at the start of every match were fixed and general map enhancements were done.
October 2022
It's a fact that thanks to Halloween many call October the spookiest month! We decided to celebrate this day by showcasing the Vampire in all its glory! It turned out to be a great article which is useful to other developers, lore enthusiasts and hardcore gamers who wish to know everything about heroes to get an advantage on the battlefield!
November 2022
This gloomy autumn month we dedicated to the map of Beast Hour and its history. This was the first 100% lore newsletter. Read it if you want to get acquainted with the city and not to get lost in there next time playing.
December 2022
And lastly, a few weeks ago during one of our internal playtests we played Beast Hour with the controller. After many matches we figured out the best layout for our team. What do you think of it and would you use it yourself?
QUIZ
Test your knowledge of Beast Hour 2022 by completing a special quiz! Share your results in the comments!
https://forms.gle/tdvh5wTAKu6tDMYY8
New Raider – Drake!
The most attentive of our fans remember that a year ago, in the summary of 2021, we hinted a new character but during the following months never mentioned him again. That's about to change! In one of the next newsletters he will be the center of our attention. Stay tuned!
One of the earliest concept arts of Drake:
Conclusion
Make sure to check our livestreams we regularly have at our YouTube and Twitch channels. The next stream will take place on 13th of January 2023, and the latest one you can find on YouTube.
Follow Beast Hour on social media and support on Patreon – it does help our small indie team to bring the game to a next level!
If you want to discuss any form of cooperation with us, use this email: [email protected]
The New Year is just around the corner! We at Beast Hour development team wish you to stay strong and keep doing your best! And don't forget to have fun along the way!
The Beast will come!
Another year of Beast Hour development is behind. In today's newsletter we'll recall some of the coolest and the most memorable things that have happened this year as well as share our future hero plans!
News and streams
It was at the beginning of 2022 when we got an idea to regularly post news about Beast Hour in this format. We published the summary of 2021 and so it started – there was not a single month we missed and each time we shared something exciting about the game both on Steam and via emails. Not only do we not plan to stop doing so, but we want to make these newsletters even better and more informative. Share your suggestions for new formats and topics in the comments!
By the way, alongside the newsletters, at the beginning of 2022 we also started making Beast Hour Q&A-streams, so that you have a direct way of communicating with us. We are a very open team thus we've decided to give EVERYONE an opportunity to take part in those streams. The only thing you need to do is join our Discord server and its voice chat – and you're live with us! Come and participate in the upcoming Q&A-stream at the 13th of January 2023.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
January 2022
In the first month of the year we did a lot of cool stuff. The biggest accomplishment was the new UI which replaced an old and technical one. If you've been following Beast Hour long enough you probably remember that first game videos and gifs didn't have any UI at all. Not because we didn't have any, but because we didn't want to show an obviously unfinished aspect of the project.
On top of all of that, that was the month our fan wrote a Beast Hour rap song and we made a small clip out of it. You should check it out!
February 2022
In February the Spider district got updated and became an even more frightening and atmospheric place. Since then we kept on adding new pathways, mechanics and secrets to uncover – definitely visit it when you play Beast Hour next time!
March 2022
You asked us a lot and we heard you: in March we started developing a new hero – Vampire! The character was on a very early stage and so we could only show the first concept art. But, as it turned out, it was enough as we received a lot of positive feedback – thank you!
April 2022
During the whole development cycle Beast Hour supported only two languages: English and Russian. But we knew that wasn't enough – we wanted to be sure that players from all over the world would have a chance to play the game. At this point we started looking for fans who could help with localizations. The first language was Japanese (it was unexpected even for us!)
Now there are multiple translations in the work: Spanish, French, Chinese, German, Polish and Arabic. If you know Italian, Korean or Portuguese – we'd be happy to see you in our team! Just send us an email at [email protected]
May 2022
In May we decided to tell more about Ziplines – one of our escape mechanics. Using Ziplines Raiders can go down from high buildings to keep the distance from pursuing Beasts. During the year we also showed you:
- Cracked walls to roll under and stop the chaser.
- Ropes to go up on rooftops quickly.
- Portals to teleport to a random spot on the map.
- Bridges to move between high rooftops.
- Vault objects to jump over and get a speed boost.
During the next Beast Hour test you'll be able to experience them all!
June 2022
It was one of the most important months in Beast Hour history! At 19th of June we ran our first ever public testing with the fans. It's hard to describe the feeling – a mixture of excitement and anxiety that made it into the most memorable day of the year for our team!
July 2022
Nikitozzz drew the first Beast Hour fan comic! It's so great when your efforts inspire other people – for that alone it's worth developing games! In the following months Nikitozzz continued to make more artwork, some of which will soon be published in our social media channels – subscribe!
August 2022
After a few tests in a row it was decided to focus on solving the main issues the game had, including match connection problems and balancing. But it didn't mean we stopped making more features – on the contrary! In August we announced a number of them, and the most important one became the action log. It allows you to see the exact number of experience you get from every activity as well as informing you of events and the like. We also implemented sound settings, bridges and parkour improvements.
September 2022
In September we continued – nicknames were added, freezes at the start of every match were fixed and general map enhancements were done.
October 2022
It's a fact that thanks to Halloween many call October the spookiest month! We decided to celebrate this day by showcasing the Vampire in all its glory! It turned out to be a great article which is useful to other developers, lore enthusiasts and hardcore gamers who wish to know everything about heroes to get an advantage on the battlefield!
November 2022
This gloomy autumn month we dedicated to the map of Beast Hour and its history. This was the first 100% lore newsletter. Read it if you want to get acquainted with the city and not to get lost in there next time playing.
December 2022
And lastly, a few weeks ago during one of our internal playtests we played Beast Hour with the controller. After many matches we figured out the best layout for our team. What do you think of it and would you use it yourself?
QUIZ
Test your knowledge of Beast Hour 2022 by completing a special quiz! Share your results in the comments!
https://forms.gle/tdvh5wTAKu6tDMYY8
New Raider – Drake!
The most attentive of our fans remember that a year ago, in the summary of 2021, we hinted a new character but during the following months never mentioned him again. That's about to change! In one of the next newsletters he will be the center of our attention. Stay tuned!
One of the earliest concept arts of Drake:
Conclusion
Make sure to check our livestreams we regularly have at our YouTube and Twitch channels. The next stream will take place on 13th of January 2023, and the latest one you can find on YouTube.
Follow Beast Hour on social media and support on Patreon – it does help our small indie team to bring the game to a next level!
If you want to discuss any form of cooperation with us, use this email: [email protected]
The New Year is just around the corner! We at Beast Hour development team wish you to stay strong and keep doing your best! And don't forget to have fun along the way!
The Beast will come!