Development Deck 2: First Gameplay Demo & Playtest Key Giveaway
[p]Hi everyone,[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve just reached another exciting milestone following our closed playtests and we’re thrilled to share what we’ve learned and what’s coming next. [/p][p]Over the past few weeks, it’s been incredible watching how players engage with the world and interact with the game’s core systems. We are still learning something new from each playtest, and as we continue development we will gradually open this up to a wider group of players.[/p][p][/p][p]Before we get into more details, we’re excited to share our very first gameplay demo:[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]This video offers a first look at the current state of the game and highlights some major updates we’ve been working on:
[/p][h3]
Gameplay & Lore[/h3][p]One of the most requested features has been a deeper quest system. Alongside the main questline with your big overarching objective, you’ll discover islands scattered across the world, each with towns or points of interest. Here, you’ll meet quest-givers offering side quests; some simple, others evolving into larger quest chains that expand the lore and deepen your journey.
[/p][h3]Guardian Catching Mechanics[/h3][p]We’ve reworked the Guardian catching mechanic based on early feedback. The new design is far more interactive acting like a catching trap, integrating a magic force for a more immersive and dynamic capturing experience. It’s no longer just about throwing and hoping, you now have more control when planning and placing your trap to successfully capture a Guardian. Originally with our throw and capture mechanic you could waste Capture Crystals by missing your target. Now if your trap misses or you want to reposition it, no problem! Simply pick it back up and deploy it again.
[/p][h3]Building & Survival[/h3][p]Many of our playtesters have come from survival game backgrounds, so we’ve leaned into that, adding more traditional survival elements to increase challenge and replayability. Nightfall has become a lot more dangerous: hostile Guardian spawn rates have ramped up, some types of food spoil, whether the player is wet or in cold or hot temperature has to be taken into account, and that’s just the beginning! We of course recognize not all these features are for everyone so many of them can be turned off, giving the player a cozier experience overall.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Building continues to be one of the most loved systems in the game. Thanks to your feedback, we've expanded the building system with new structure types and decorative elements. You can now discover building recipes from merchants, including nature-themed decor, perfect for crafting your own secluded hideaway deep in the wilderness. Building in Wild Sky represents a significant improvement over previous titles. Pieces can be rotated in all directions, copied, and replaced with higher tier structure pieces. We’ve added loads of QOL features such as multiple snap modes, magnetized attachment points and having ctrl-z undo build actions. You can also build on your ship or even build entirely new ships of your own.
[/p][h3]World Design[/h3][p]Each biome in the game is home to a unique town or settlement, offering valuable items, crafting materials, and recipes. Hoist your sails and rally your crew for a journey through the clouds. While sailing between biomes, you can stay productive by crafting items at your ship’s workbench, you can even deploy your Guardians (or should we say “crew”) to assist with crafting along the way.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Once you have reached your destination, be on the look out, each biome has their own distinct weather patterns, some are rainy while others are cloaked in fog. Additionally, certain Guardians only appear in specific regions, adding depth to exploration and collection.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]What’s Next: Open Playtests[/h2][p]Since our closed playtests, one of the most common questions has been: “When will we gain access to the game?” To that we say: soon™!
[/p][p]So far, all testing has been under NDA, but over the next few weeks we’ll be gradually adding more players as we implement key changes and squash bugs. Once the game is ready for larger groups, we’ll scale up further. The good news? Initial responses and playtest observations have been really encouraging, we’re eager to get the game into more of your hands as quickly as we can.
[/p][p]When we first opened sign-ups, we never expected over 40,000 of you to join. That support has been incredible, and we’re so grateful. Our goal is to get as many of you into the game as possible, but we ask for your patience as invites roll out.
[/p][p]In the meantime, we’re carefully working through all the feedback we’ve received and steadily iterating on your suggestions. A detailed update highlighting the improvements based on playtester input is on the way, so stay tuned!
[/p][p]And finally, to show our appreciation, we’re giving away 100 guaranteed playtest keys.[/p][p] [/p][p]Here’s how to enter:[/p]
[/p][p]That’s it! We’ll randomly select 100 participants to receive guaranteed access to the next round of playtesting.[/p][p]
[/p]
[/p][h3]
Gameplay & Lore[/h3][p]One of the most requested features has been a deeper quest system. Alongside the main questline with your big overarching objective, you’ll discover islands scattered across the world, each with towns or points of interest. Here, you’ll meet quest-givers offering side quests; some simple, others evolving into larger quest chains that expand the lore and deepen your journey.
[/p][h3]Guardian Catching Mechanics[/h3][p]We’ve reworked the Guardian catching mechanic based on early feedback. The new design is far more interactive acting like a catching trap, integrating a magic force for a more immersive and dynamic capturing experience. It’s no longer just about throwing and hoping, you now have more control when planning and placing your trap to successfully capture a Guardian. Originally with our throw and capture mechanic you could waste Capture Crystals by missing your target. Now if your trap misses or you want to reposition it, no problem! Simply pick it back up and deploy it again.
[/p][h3]Building & Survival[/h3][p]Many of our playtesters have come from survival game backgrounds, so we’ve leaned into that, adding more traditional survival elements to increase challenge and replayability. Nightfall has become a lot more dangerous: hostile Guardian spawn rates have ramped up, some types of food spoil, whether the player is wet or in cold or hot temperature has to be taken into account, and that’s just the beginning! We of course recognize not all these features are for everyone so many of them can be turned off, giving the player a cozier experience overall.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Building continues to be one of the most loved systems in the game. Thanks to your feedback, we've expanded the building system with new structure types and decorative elements. You can now discover building recipes from merchants, including nature-themed decor, perfect for crafting your own secluded hideaway deep in the wilderness. Building in Wild Sky represents a significant improvement over previous titles. Pieces can be rotated in all directions, copied, and replaced with higher tier structure pieces. We’ve added loads of QOL features such as multiple snap modes, magnetized attachment points and having ctrl-z undo build actions. You can also build on your ship or even build entirely new ships of your own.
[/p][h3]World Design[/h3][p]Each biome in the game is home to a unique town or settlement, offering valuable items, crafting materials, and recipes. Hoist your sails and rally your crew for a journey through the clouds. While sailing between biomes, you can stay productive by crafting items at your ship’s workbench, you can even deploy your Guardians (or should we say “crew”) to assist with crafting along the way.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Once you have reached your destination, be on the look out, each biome has their own distinct weather patterns, some are rainy while others are cloaked in fog. Additionally, certain Guardians only appear in specific regions, adding depth to exploration and collection.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]What’s Next: Open Playtests[/h2][p]Since our closed playtests, one of the most common questions has been: “When will we gain access to the game?” To that we say: soon™!
[/p][p]So far, all testing has been under NDA, but over the next few weeks we’ll be gradually adding more players as we implement key changes and squash bugs. Once the game is ready for larger groups, we’ll scale up further. The good news? Initial responses and playtest observations have been really encouraging, we’re eager to get the game into more of your hands as quickly as we can.
[/p][p]When we first opened sign-ups, we never expected over 40,000 of you to join. That support has been incredible, and we’re so grateful. Our goal is to get as many of you into the game as possible, but we ask for your patience as invites roll out.
[/p][p]In the meantime, we’re carefully working through all the feedback we’ve received and steadily iterating on your suggestions. A detailed update highlighting the improvements based on playtester input is on the way, so stay tuned!
[/p][p]And finally, to show our appreciation, we’re giving away 100 guaranteed playtest keys.[/p][p] [/p][p]Here’s how to enter:[/p]
- [p]Click on our Steam page and under the game’s description you will see tags [/p]
- [p]Press the \[ + ] icon and suggest some tags you feel that represent the game (e.g. Survival, Open World, Magic, Crafting - whatever fits!)[/p]
- [p]Leave a comment on this post telling us: Are you the Builder or a Fighter in survival games?[/p]
[/p][p]That’s it! We’ll randomly select 100 participants to receive guaranteed access to the next round of playtesting.[/p][p]
[/p]