Back to the Dawn News

Greetings, Inmates!

Exciting news! Following last week's announcement about our new update on the open test branch, we're thrilled to share that we have pushed out the update officially onto the main branch. A huge thank you to everyone for your insightful feedback and unwavering support over the past week!

This latest update introduces functional enhancements, skill tweaks, and several bug fixes aimed at improving your gameplay experience. For a detailed overview of the update's contents, please revisit our previous announcement.

We can't express enough how much we value your support and enthusiasm for the game. Whether you're enjoying your time in-game or have suggestions for improvement, we encourage you to share your thoughts with us. Please leave your comments on Steam or fill out our suggestion form here. Your feedback is instrumental in our quest to make your escape experience both exhilarating and rewarding.


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1735700/Back_to_the_Dawn/

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Greetings Inmates!

We hope you've been busy plotting your escape within the daunting prison walls of Back to the Dawn. Since the release of our public opentest branch back in December, we've been thrilled to see so many of you take an early peek at our latest developments. This opportunity has not only allowed us to gather your invaluable feedback and suggestions but has also helped us fine-tune the experience before rolling it out to the main branch.

Today, we're excited to share that we have implemented some feature optimizations and bug fixes to the opentest branch, making your journey towards freedom smoother and more engaging! After further review and testing, we will then roll out these new updates to the main branch for everyone to enjoy.

Here are the updates:

[h3]Feature Optimizations[/h3]

• Added Steam cloud save functionality for the Opentest branch.
  
• Added the "Item Encyclopedia" feature: A popup button for "Item Encyclopedia" has been added in the "Character - Pocket" area. Players can now check information about items Thomas has carefully observed, such as item details, crafting recipes, store information, and prisoner possession information (prisoner possession information will only be displayed in the Item Encyclopedia after learning the "Criminal Profiler" specialization).
  

[h3]Skill Adjustments[/h3]

• Added specialization "Criminal Profiler": Allows memorization of items on other prisoners and viewing them in the "Item Encyclopedia".
  
• Modified the "Second Strike" specialization: Changed to a triggered skill, players who have learned this specialization will automatically acquire and enable this skill.
  

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where there was a probability of encountering display errors with Dudley in other scenes after leaving the tournament VIP lounge.
  
• Fixed an issue where there was a probability of endlessly pulling the cart on the rooftop when using a D-pad.
  
• Fixed an issue where after joining gangs other than Big Foot Gang, the dialogue for watching boxing matches still showed a charge of $40 instead of the actual $50 required.
  
• Fixed an issue where Esports Legend could not be started if the page was not refreshed after enabling the Pro Gamer skill.
  
• Fixed an issue where there was a probability of receiving a Weak Body debuff when crafting items on a workbench outside the cell room and your pocket capacity is exceeded.
  
• Fixed an issue where there was a probability of incorrect display of prisoners in Block B corridor during the Hanged Man event.
  

If you’d like to play this opentest branch, you can find out more about how to access it here 👇
previous announcement.


[h3]Opentest Branch Guidelines[/h3]

1. Please note that the opentest branch is meant for early experimental testing, and the content might be adjusted along the way. Because of this, you might experience some bugs as well. But if you do, please let us know through our bug report form! Or if you have more feedback and suggestions for us, do let us know through the Steam Community discussions.
   
   
2. We'll do our best to ensure save file compatibility between the opentest and the standard branch. However, just in case, we recommend backing up your save files before switching to the opentest branch. You can find your save files here: C:\Users\XXX\AppData\LocalLow\MetalHeadGames\Back To The Dawn (Replace XXX with your user folder name).
   
   
3. If you choose to stay in the default branch, that's okay too! We will eventually push the latest and the most stable version to the main game after a thorough quality assurance check.
   

Once again, we appreciate everyone's support and love! If you enjoy the game or have any feedback or suggestions, please take some time to leave your comments on Steam or fill up our suggestion form here. Your feedback is crucial as we strive to make your escape experience as thrilling and rewarding as possible.

We hope you enjoy these new updates and continue to join us in this thrilling journey of strategy and survival. Be sure to follow us on our social media if you haven’t too. Stay tuned for more updates, and have fun strategizing your next prison break!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1735700/Back_to_the_Dawn/

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Greetings Inmates!

I hope you are all doing well. 2023 was a landmark year for us, as we finally launched Back to the Dawn after three years of development. We are absolutely humbled by the enthusiasm you’ve all shown. Watching you delve into the prison world we’ve created, forming alliances and rivalries with different inmates and sharing survival tips reminds us of the joy we felt during development and the immersive experience we aimed to create with the game. Your feedback has been the beacon of hope in our development journey - from the encouraging words, insightful critiques, to the thrilling tales of your in-game escapades.

Many of you have been curious about the backstory of the gameplay choices and artistic direction, and we’d like to take this time to share more about how Back to the Dawn came about to be what you see today.


From the start, our dream was to create a game that offered a high degree of freedom and focused on storytelling within a diorama-like environment. Inspired by an appreciation for hard-boiled cinema and television, particularly narratives centered around prison escapes like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Prison Break”, it led us to center the game around deep narrative storytelling within this theme.



This direction led us to embrace pixelated anthropomorphic animals for its distinct aesthetic, as we believe that it would make each character more distinctive and memorable through their own unique traits and personalities.



Looking at gameplay mechanics, there were many ideas that were floating around, but eventually we opted for a dice-based mechanic, inspired by the innovative gameplay in “Disco Elysium”. We felt that the simplicity of a dice system introduced an element of chance that complements the game's scalability and storytelling, laying the foundational structure for Back to the Dawn.

Many of you have pondered why we opted for an Early Access release when Thomas the Fox's story is fully fleshed out. Being a small studio comprising 7 of us, we initially planned to include 2 characters to choose from: Thomas the Fox and Bob the Black Panther. However, the full storyline development of Thomas took more time than expected, as we focused on creating detailed character backstories and dialogues that matched their personalities, and ensuring players would experience different reactions based on the characters' preferences.



This attention to detail was crucial for us in creating a rich, immersive experience for everyone. That was why we made the decision to launch in Early Access first. This way, you get to experience Thomas's full storyline now, with a promise to introduce Bob's storyline as a free update during our official release, ensuring both characters' tales are told with the care and attention they deserve.

We hope you've enjoyed learning more about the creative process behind Back to the Dawn. If you have additional feedback or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to share them with us either through the Steam Community discussions or our Discord! Your support is what fuels our dedication, and this journey is as much yours as it is ours.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1735700/Back_to_the_Dawn/

If you enjoy the game, we would really appreciate it if you could leave us a review on Steam. Your positive feedback is a tremendous encouragement and motivates us to continually improve. Spreading the word by sharing it on your socials or recommending it to a friend who might enjoy it would mean a lot to us as well :) Thank you for your support and love!

If you haven't already, be sure to follow our Steam and Twitter pages for upcoming updates. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for embarking on this epic adventure with us, and we are looking forward to more exciting chapters ahead!

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Greetings Inmates,

Hope you’ve all been having a fun time in Boulderton Prison! We wanted to share a quick update that is now live in both the main and Opentest branches.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed an issue where the prison lobby's first floor map was not displayed correctly.
  

[h2]Content Updates
[/h2]

• Updated some in-game sound effects.
  

That’s all for today! And don’t forget, Back To The Dawn is now ON SALE from 6-15 February. With an exclusive 12% discount, now’s the perfect time to dive in and explore every nook and cranny of this gripping prison survival game!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1735700/Back_to_the_Dawn/

Greetings, Inmates!

With Spring Festival just around the corner, we’d like to spread some festive cheer with everyone (pss and of cos some new content)!



From 6-15 February, we're offering an exclusive 12% discount on Back to the Dawn. Now’s the perfect time to dive in and explore every nook and cranny of this gripping prison survival game!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1735700/Back_to_the_Dawn

In addition, we've just released a new update, and here's a sneak peek of what's included!

[h2]New Content[/h2]

• Added a new escape route. Pfft you thought I would spoil it for you? No way! 😜
• Added a new achievement "Strength": The power of my fists is only superficial. My strength comes from within... I'm not fighting alone.
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed some known bugs and made some language adjustments.
  

But that's not all! Our publisher, Spiral Up Games, is celebrating the festival with multiple discounts across other amazing games in their portfolio as well. Don't miss this chance to expand your gaming library with some great indie titles!



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1983970/Affogato


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1876890/Wandering_Sword

Loved your time plotting escapes and surviving the unpredictable? Stay in the loop by following us on our social media platforms for more content, updates, and community events.

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Finally, we wish everyone a joyful Spring Festival filled with prosperity, happiness, and numerous exciting adventures at Boulderton Prison!