Core Keeper News

Last month, we shared the first part of our Creature Compendium with you. From the passive Orange Slime all the way to the highly aggressive Caveling Shaman, we told you where to find these monsters and what to expect from their attacks. We’re sure you’ve spotted plenty of other mobs in the underground during our Open Alpha, so let’s take a look at another batch of creatures today!

[h2]Caveling Brute[/h2]
Location: Stone Biome
Attacks: With a GIANT Club

Much like the Big Larva is a scarier version of the Larva, the Caveling Brute is a much scarier version of the Caveling. These creatures are slow but mighty, and just one hit from one of their wooden clubs is enough to do serious damage to an unarmoured Explorer. Here’s a top tip: Brutes are most dangerous when there are other enemies around. Try luring smaller enemies away so you don't have to fight them all at once.

[h2]Caveling Merchant[/h2]
Location: Stone Biome
Attacks: Never!

The Caveling Merchant is an outsider amongst its kind. Having retained some semblance of culture, it prefers to spend its time buying and selling rare items with whoever is available to trade. It is far more concerned with loot and coins than it is with battling other creatures, making it a friendly creature that we’re sure you’ll be happy to spot as you travel through the Stone Biome. We designed this creature to look like an outsider that roams the world in search of treasure.



[h2]Caveling Farmer[/h2]
Location: Nature Biome
Attacks: With traps

The Caveling Farmer is a green-thumbed nuisance that lives in the Nature Biome and grows delicious crops. We’re not saying you should kill these creatures and steal their produce; we’re just saying it’s an option. They’re similar to regular Cavelings in terms of their attack style, but they have an extra mechanic you might want to watch out for in the form of Snare-Plant traps! Be careful not to step onto one of these plants, otherwise you’ll find yourself trapped in place and helpless to the attacks of the Caveling Farmer and the…

[h2]Caveling Hunter[/h2]
Location: Nature Biome
Attacks: Stealthily

A sneaky Caveling disguising itself as a bush. Get too close and it will SHOOT you. Yep, you heard us correctly, this little blight has a musket…and it’s not afraid to use it! Always keep an eye on your surroundings when making your way through the Nature Biome, especially for bushes that look a bit out of the ordinary. We designed the hunter to work well alongside the Caveling Farmer’s Snare Plants, and this monster has a special place in David’s heart.

"I think the Caveling Hunter is my favourite because it looks so stupid when peeking out from beneath the bush thinking that no one sees it. We all see you!" – David, Gameplay Programmer



[h2]Infected Caveling[/h2]
Location: Nature Biome (Mould Dungeon)
Attacks: As part of a horde

Deep within the Nature Biome lies the toxic Mould Dungeon, and this is home to some rather dangerous creatures known as Infected Cavelings. These zombie-like beings move very slowly, but they hit extra hard and deal poison damage, which temporarily reduces the health you regain from healing. Speed is the key to ensuring you survive an encounter with a horde of these monsters – whatever you do, don’t let them surround you. We also recommend you use food for extra buffs and find some way of protecting yourself from the Mould Dungeon’s fumes, which will slow your movement speed and seal your fate.

We hope you liked the second part of our Creature Compendium. We've got more monsters and some GIANT bosses that we're just dying to tell you more about, so keep an eye out for future updates. In the meantime, why not join our Discord for even more Core Keeper news, updates, and information!

Oh, and don’t forget that you can meet many of our weird and wonderful creations in the Core Keeper Open Alpha. Visit our Steam page and hit the “Request Access” button to instantly add the Open Alpha to your Steam library!

[h3]Important Information: The Core Keeper Open Alpha will run until 6pm GMT / 10am PT on December 14th 2021. After this time, the game will become unplayable in your Steam library, so make sure you play now![/h3]

Light your torches and grab your pickaxes because the Core Keeper Open Alpha is LIVE! We’re thrilled to announce the start of our two-week-long gameplay opportunity, and we can’t wait to hear what you think!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]What You Can Expect in the Open Alpha[/h2]

There’s plenty to do in the Core Keeper Open Alpha – from farming and base building to exploring the underground and battling a handful of our GIANT bosses! In fact, there’s so much to do that we couldn’t possibly list it all here, so we highly recommend you download the game and get stuck in to see for yourselves.

Remember, Core Keeper is set in a procedurally generated world, so no two maps will ever look the same and no two playthroughs will ever be the same! Of course, we’ve had to keep some things to ourselves (we don’t want to reveal all the game’s secrets before Early Access in 2022), but you’ll never be short of things to do in the Open Alpha!

You’ll be able to explore right up until December 14th, so what’re you waiting for? Let’s get mining!

[h2]We Want to Hear Your Feedback![/h2]

We hope you love Core Keeper, and your feedback is very important to us! Whether you’ve ran into some bugs (and no, we’re not talking about the Ghorm the Devourer) or you’d like to share some thoughts or recommendations, we’re all ears! Bugs can be submitted through the form in the main menu of the game, and all feedback is welcome in the #feedback channel on the official Core Keeper Discord server.



[h2]Feel Free to Stream [/h2]

You’re more than welcome to stream Core Keeper on Twitch, YouTube or the platform of your choice throughout the duration of the Open Alpha. Feel free to tag our Twitter account in any posts you make about your streams, and we’ll do our best to re-Tweet and share them with our community. We’ll also be making an effort to watch plenty of streams when we’ve got a minute, so do make sure you’re sharing them so we can find them!

We’re sure you’ll all have a blast playing Core Keeper, and we hope to see some new faces in the Discord over the next two weeks. Sign up for Core Keeper updates and for multiplayer matchmaking!

A few months ago, we gave a handful of people the opportunity to participate in a Core Keeper Closed Alpha to give the developers their feedback on the current iteration of the game. Since then, we’ve been working hard on quality improvements, balancing gameplay, fine-tuning certain mechanics, and adding and updating features so that Core Keeper can really shine.

We’re very grateful for the feedback, and we’re now in a place where we want to give YOU the chance to experience Core Keeper in all its glory before it hits Early Access in 2022. So, without further ado, we’d like to introduce the Core Keeper OPEN ALPHA!

[h2]What is the Core Keeper Open Alpha?[/h2]

The Core Keeper Open Alpha is an extended gameplay opportunity where you’ll be able to download the latest build of the game, explore a vast procedurally generated underground world, mine resources, farm crops, discover recipes, build bases, take on several of our GIANT bosses, and experience plenty of other exciting features and mechanics. All of which can be enjoyed in single-player or in teams of up to 8 players for a vibrant co-op experience!

The Open Alpha will run from Wednesday the 1st of December to Tuesday the 14th of December, giving you FOURTEEN WHOLE DAYS to uncover the secrets of The Core. Afterwards, you’ll be able to give our developers your feedback on the game, helping to make Core Keeper even better in the run up to Early Access.



[h2]How Do I Take Part?[/h2]

It’s easy! Simply head on over to the Core Keeper Steam store page and download the alpha build of the game – no purchase necessary. From here, it’s a case of playing it like you would any other Steam game but remember that you’ll only be able to access this build between the 1st and 14th of December. Think of it as an early Christmas present from the developers here at Pugstorm.

[h2]Can I Stream the Open Alpha?[/h2]

The short answer is yes. The long answer is that we’d absolutely love it if you did! If there’s one thing we want to see as developers, it’s people sharing their first-hand experiences of the game. We’ll be casually browsing YouTube and Twitch throughout the duration of the Open Alpha to check out your streams, say hi, and maybe even answer some of your questions if you have any.

We hope you have an amazing time taking part in our Core Keeper Open Alpha! Don’t forget to Wishlist Core Keeper on Steam to show your support. If you want to connect with other players to team up in multiplayer or you’re just looking for the latest Core Keeper news and information, make sure you join our Discord!

Halloween has come and gone, but monsters are forever…or until you defeat them at least! There are all kinds of weird and wonderful life forms in the mysterious underground world of Core Keeper, and we thought we’d show off some of our creations today. From the humble Slime to the terrifying Caveling Brute, we’ve got quite the roster of creatures. In fact, you might even say it’s a bit of a monster mash!

[h2]Orange Slime[/h2]
Location: Dirt Biome
Attacks: When provoked

The Orange Slime is the very first monster we designed for Core Keeper, and it’s probably the first monster you’ll encounter in-game. Slimes have been an RPG and adventure game staple for as long as anyone can remember, and we love their jello-like features. The Orange Slimes aren’t aggressive in Core Keeper, meaning you’ll be able to walk among these blobs without fear. Just watch out for the goo they leave behind though, it’ll seriously slow you down. If you do decide to initiate combat, make sure to sidestep the Slime’s jump attack before landing the killing blow.



[h2]Poison Slime[/h2]
Location: Nature Biome
Attacks: With poison (duh)

Purple Slimes are a lot less passive than their Orange counterparts, and they’re much tougher too. If you wander into one in the Nature Biome, look out for their purple trails, as these Slimes ooze a poison that will temporarily reduce the amount of health that you can recover from healing. Their attack patterns are similar to those of our other Slimes, so they can be dodged with a simple sidestep. Just make sure you’re not sidestepping into a puddle of poison!

[h2]Larva[/h2]
Location: Larva Biome
Attacks: Relentlessly

These little grubs may look cute, but they’re very aggressive when it comes to Explorers. You’re likely to find a handful of Larva in most parts of the Larva Biome, and they can be taken care of with a couple of well-timed attacks…it’s their cocoons you’ve got to watch out for. Step too close, and they’ll start to hatch (we think it has something to do with the Explorer’s body heat), spewing out multiple Larvae at once. Don’t you just Larva challenge?

[h2]Big Larva[/h2]
Location: Larva Biome
Attacks: Torches & Explorers

Little Larva are one thing, but it’s the big ones you’ve got to watch out for. These chunky bugs are twice as aggressive, and they’re also very photosensitive – meaning they’re not the biggest fans of torchlight. If you ever place a torch, go off exploring, then come back to find it destroyed, you can almost guarantee it’s the work of a Big Larva. Oh, and did you know the Big Larva is Sven and Max’s favourite creature?

“The Big Larva started out lying down just like a regular Larva, but we had visual issues where it was clipping into walls. My solution: let's make it walk on two legs and give it a sassy walk cycle. Easy fix!” – Sven, Pugstorm CEO

“I think I like the Big Larva the most since a walking larva is just cool. Sometimes it is a bit of a love-hate relationship though when they keep destroying my torches.” – Max, Programming & Multiplayer Developer

[h2]Caveling[/h2]
Location: Stone Biome
Attacks: Explorers & Other Creatures

The Cavelings might just be the remnants of an ancient underground civilisation, and there’d probably be a lot you could learn from them, if they weren’t so feral. Cavelings are very territorial and will attack anything that crosses their paths. The only exception to this rule is other types of Cavelings – all of whom seem to tolerate each other just fine. Not much is known about the common Caveling, other than the fact that they enjoy mining and seem to subsist on some rather strange looking bread. Our designer, Julian, is also very fond of them.

"My favourite monster is definitely the Caveling. They started out as simple enemies, but they have ascended into mascot status for the game, hence why they play a bigger role now and there's more variations of them." – Julian, Lead Artist

[h2]Caveling Shaman[/h2]
Location: Stone Biome
Attacks: With Fire Magic

Caveling Shamans are a strange and mysterious variation of the common Caveling. They wear peculiar headdresses and have a wild look in their eyes that suggests they may possess dangerous magic powers. They also shoot fireballs from their staff, which confirms that they possess dangerous magic powers. Caveling Shaman can attack via both melee and ranged combat, making them formidable foes. It’s rumoured that the Shaman can predict an Explorer’s movements, making dodging their fireballs all the more difficult!



We hope you’ve enjoyed hearing all about our monsters. We’ve still got a couple of creatures up our sleeves and plenty of bosses that we’ll be sharing more info on later. For now, make sure you join our Discord server for more news, updates, announcements, and information on Core Keeper.

[h3]“Will there be fishing?”
“Pleeeease let there be fishing!!”
“There's a river in the poster! There's gotta be fishing. Plus, I just really want there to be.”
“Fishing elevates every game, and that's just a fact.”[/h3]

On the 12th of June 2021, we announced Core Keeper to the world. Approximately five seconds later, you asked us if there’d be fishing. We heard your requests in the Discord server and started looking into the mechanics, but we had to keep things quiet until we knew we’d 100% be able to incorporate it into the game. Well, we’re pleased to report that the wait is finally over. We can confirm CORE KEEPER WILL HAVE FISHING!

Read on to find out more about this exciting new mechanic and some other features as part of our most recent changelog!

[h2]More about Fishing[/h2]

You know the old saying: “Give an Explorer a fish, and you’ll feed them for a day; implement a fishing mechanic, and you’ll feed them for a lifetime.”

We wanted to keep the fishing mechanic nice and simple in Core Keeper, so all you’ll need to do is equip a fishing rod, find a body of water, cast your lure, and wait. You’ll notice ripples in the water at first, followed by a splash if you’ve managed to hook a fish. When you see the splash, that means it’s time to reel that bad boy in!



We don’t want to give too much away right now, but you can expect plenty of variables when it comes to fishing. From the type of rod that you fish with all the way down to what you manage to pull out of the water. Different biomes might just house different creatures, and you may occasionally fish up something unexpected.

[h2]Introducing the Carrock and Puffungi[/h2]

You’ve seen the Glow Tulip, you’ve sampled the Heart Berry, you’ve even gotten a taste of the Bomb Pepper…but we wanted to bring you MORE! More crops mean more recipes, and more recipes mean more buffs.

Say hello to the Carrock and Puffungi, two unique little plants that can only be found in the Stone and Mould Biomes, respectively.

Carrock: This hardy root vegetable is found in the Stone Biome and can only be planted in stone ground. It can be cooked with other food sources to create various types of stone dip snacks. When eaten, it recovers health and gives an armour buff for a limited amount of time.



Puffungi: Found in the Mould Dungeon, Puffungi can only be planted in mould ground. This mysterious mushroom can be cooked with other food sources to create various types of mould cheese (yum!). When eaten, it recovers health and gives a buff that reduces damage from bosses for a limited amount of time.

[h2]Look out for the Caveling Brute![/h2]

He’s big, he’s mean, he’s a little slow, but we won’t hold that against him. It’s time for you to get to know the Caveling Brute. This oversized Caveling hangs out in the Stone Biome and packs one mighty punch. It’s a bad idea to take on the Caveling Brute when there are other Cavelings around, so we recommend luring smaller enemies away and taking them on first before you try and tackle the big guy.

His giant wooden club is a force to be reckoned with, and a single hit can do a lot of damage to a defenceless Explorer. It’s worth the fight if you’re short on materials, however, as the Brute drops wood – a valuable resource if your sword or pickaxe suddenly breaks while you’re exploring the Stone Biome.

[h2]Full Changelog[/h2]

We’ve implemented plenty of other new features and changes that we’d like to share with you. Check out the full changelog below:

• Two new plants: Carrock & Puffungi
  
• Two new cookable food types
  
• New enemy: Caveling Brute
  
• Starving now gives multiple debuffs
  
• Being well-fed now gives multiple buffs
  
• Pheromone system – enemies can follow invisible trails of scent that you leave behind
  
• Bosses can now be re-summoned after being defeated
  
• Heart Berries & Bomb Peppers are now more common
  
• Increased chance for crosses on the ground to spawn valuables
  
• Walls can no longer spawn valuables
  
• Improved the generation for decorations in wooden rooms
  
• The eyes of the player character can blink and change direction
  
• Improved visuals for when an item breaks
  
• Improved lighting for when bombs explode
  
• Randomised the starting frame for torches to prevent animation sync
  
• Lowered volume for the larva’s sound effects
  
• Added rooms with enemy slimes around the area where Glurch the Abominous Mass spawns
  
• Increased the size of the dirt biome
  

We hope you’ve enjoyed this developer update. Did you know that we announced some of these features early in the official Core Keeper Discord? If you want a first-look at some of our features, make sure you join the server today!