Super Zoo Story Closed Alpha Launches April 9th!

[p]Hello everyone,[/p][p]We wanted to share an update on the current state of Super Zoo Story and where development is heading.[/p][p]First of all, thank you to everyone who has been following the project and supporting us. Whether you backed the game on Kickstarter or discovered it later, we truly appreciate your interest and patience throughout development.[/p][p]We now have an important milestone to share.[/p][p][/p][p]On April 9th our closed Alpha will officially begin, and all backers who supported the Alpha Access tier will receive access to the game. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]During development we revisited several systems, improved the overall quality of the project, and expanded some of the core mechanics so that future content can be added faster and more efficiently.[/p][p]This extra time allowed us to build a stronger foundation for the game, and we believe it will make future updates smoother and more meaningful.[/p][p]Now we are very happy to finally put the game into backers hands.[/p][p]The feedback will be extremely important during this phase. We want to gather as much input as possible from our Alpha backers, so we will be creating dedicated channels where the feedback can be shared and issues can be reported. [/p][p]This Alpha build will provide access to different locations, purchase animals, build enclosures for them, take care of them, farm and produce goods, customize your house and zoo, and test many of the core gameplay systems.[/p][p][/p][p]Below is an overview of what will be in this build.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In the Alpha build there will be 6 available locations that can be explore. These include the main Zoo location, the Town, the Mine area, the Beach, the Farm, and the Train Station.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]These areas can be freely explored, with interactions and various gameplay systems available. Some locations and regions are still under development and will remain closed for now, but more areas will open as development continues.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Two different ways of acquiring animals will be available in the Alpha.[/p][p]Farm animals can be purchased directly at the Farm. These include animals such as chickens, geese, turkeys, pigs, and other familiar farm animals.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Exotic animals can currently be purchased through the Transport Company. We chose this approach because some mechanics are not yet available in the Alpha version. In the future, animals will be able to be tamed in the wild, exchanged through the Zoo Community, or obtained through a special currency earned by completing tasks in the Animal Rescuers Guild.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]In total, the Alpha build will include around 20 different animal species. Each species includes male and female variants, and some animals also have different color variations and growth stages from baby to adult. Every animal currently has a basic feeding and care system implemented so they can be raised and maintained within the zoo.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]Enclosures can be ordered from the builders. At this stage several types of enclosures will be available, including water areas where certain animals will be able to swim.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]There are also plans to add a water area specifically for flamingos, along with the flamingos themselves, if completed in time for the Alpha build.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]In addition to building enclosures, the zoo can be customized and decorated.[/p][p][/p][p]Paths, fences, statues, fountains, flowers, and exotic trees can be placed to shape the zoo. This system will continue to expand during the Alpha as more decorative elements and building options are added.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]House customization is already almost fully available in the Alpha.[/p][p]There are more than 30 types of wallpapers, more than 30 types of floor coverings, and a variety of furniture including sofas, cabinets, nightstands, tables, chairs, paintings, and lighting.[/p][p]Customization options will continue to expand as more items and decorative pieces are added.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The Alpha version includes a deep farming and production system.[/p][p]Crops can be planted, maintained, and harvested. Animals can be raised to collect resources such as milk, eggs, and wool.[/p][p]The Alpha build includes more than 20 different crops, all of which can be planted and processed.[/p][p]These resources can then go through a processing chain. Crops can be turned into flour, preserved in jars, or processed into animal feed. Milk can be turned into cheese, eggs into mayonnaise, and wool into yarn and fabric.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Processed goods are more valuable and can be sold at the General Store or on the Farm.[/p][p]In the Alpha version most crafting recipes will be available from the beginning so they can be freely tested. In the future these recipes will be connected to story progression and unlock gradually.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Trading is an important part of the gameplay.[/p][p]At the General Store, furniture items, food, wallpapers, and flooring can be purchased. Items can also be sold to earn money.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]At the Farm, seeds, supplies, animal feed, and tools needed for animal care can be purchased.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Some parts of the game are still work in progress. For example, many of the sounds in the Alpha version are currently temporary placeholder sounds. We decided to focus on implementing and stabilizing gameplay systems first, and the final sound design will be added later when the mechanics are finalized.[/p][p]We are also planning to add NPC characters with basic dialogue if we manage to finish them in time for the Alpha.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]On April 9th, all backers who supported Alpha Access will receive their Steam key and be able to start playing.[/p][p]After approximately two months, once we’ve gathered initial feedback from Alpha players and addressed any urgent issues, Beta Access backers will also receive access to the game. This does not mean the game will have fully entered the Beta stage at that time. We still have several features and improvements planned. However, we want to give our Kickstarter backers the opportunity to get involved earlier in the process.[/p][p]Due to delays on our end, we’ve decided to allow Beta backers to join testing sooner than originally planned. That said, we believe it’s important to give Alpha backers dedicated time first, as they supported the earlier access tier.[/p][p]We believe this approach strikes a fair balance between rewarding early supporters and ensuring more backers can participate in shaping the game.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]After the Alpha launch our next focus will be expanding gameplay systems such as:[/p]

• [p]quests and story tasks[/p]
• [p]animal taming mechanics[/p]
• [p]fishing[/p]
• [p]expanding combat systems and dungeon gameplay[/p]

[p] [/p][p]We already have an early combat system with monsters, but we are still deciding on the final direction for dungeon gameplay.  [/p][p]We are also still deciding when to introduce the underwater world. It may arrive during the Beta phase or later in the final version of the game.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for following the development of Super Zoo Story.[/p][p]Support from the community, both from Kickstarter backers and players discovering the game on Steam, continues to play an important role in shaping the project.[/p][p]Further updates will be shared as development progresses. For more frequent updates and discussions, consider joining the community on Discord.[/p][p]Join our Discord [/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]