Fablecraft News

Hi, Mages! 🧙 As we discussed in the release date post that dropped early this week, we're making a bunch of backend changes as we transition Tales of Fablecraft from its Closed Beta and Demo states to Early Access launch.

Those backend changes mean we need to wipe character and campaign data.

We will not get rid of the unlocks and adventures tied to your account. Those stay with you.

Your characters and current campaign progress are what's being wiped. So! Hop into your sessions and take screenshots of your campaigns, inventories, and character sheets. You'll need to spend a few minutes with your GM or players to get things back the way they were once we launch.

Speaking of launch! Fablecraft will launch on July 23rd, 2024. Here's the glorious release date trailer, in case you missed it!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We're making the backend changes referenced above on Monday, which means the Closed Beta and Demo will be turned off sometime during the morning of July 22nd, 2024.

Those changes are coming with lots of free, base-game additions that you can look forward to, including:

• New monsters
  
• New environments
  
• New battlemaps
  
• New inventory items
  

So! Boot the Demo or Closed Beta, and take your screenshots. In less than two weeks, we'll see you with the launch version of Tales of Fablecraft!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2176900/Tales_of_Fablecraft/

Until then, join our Discord and find your next party.

Greetings, Mages! 🧙 We're here to share the Early Access release date for Tales of Fablecraft, and we're doing it in style.

Check out our new trailer.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Fablecraft will enter Early Access on July 23rd, 2024.[/h2]

[h3]What will be live at launch?[/h3]

When Fablecraft launches in (checks watch and tries not to panic) two weeks, it'll offers some marquee changes that aren't available in the demo or closed beta versions of the game.

Here's some of what's new and updated for release:

• The Road to the Starfall Festival is still totally free, but the fourth and fifth sessions will be available to those who are picking up where the demo left off.
  
• The Marketplace will be live, and you'll be able to snag new Adventures alongside Dice Skins, Player Token Skins, and more. You can read more about the marketplace and our pricing plans here.
  
• Those extra Adventures may be familiar to some closed beta players, but they are House in the Manor and Murder on the Tipsy Pearl.
  
• The good news for closed beta players on all previously available Adventures? They've been tweaked and reworked quite a bit and are well worth a revisit.
  
• GMs will also have access to more than 130 free assets to homebrew their own campaigns, and...
  
• GMs will be able to upload custom environments, music, and soundscapes to tell their own stories. The slate of custom homebrew tools will grow dramatically over time, and custom battlemaps are next in our queue.
  

[h3]Extra news to share...[/h3]

In addition to this release date news, we have extra tidbits to share for our long-time closed beta players and the new folks who've only recently joined us.

First, we're set to reveal our Early Access Development Roadmap next week. This roadmap will be extremely dynamic as we update it with released items, change plans based on our dev schedule, and prioritize our backlog based on your feedback and our capacity. The roadmap will be available on Steam, and we'll be sure to detail our plans for it in our weekly dev blog and video update.

Second, we have to do some backend cleanup for release, and that means we need to wipe characters and campaigns from the beta and demo periods. We are not removing your unlocks or owned content; that stuff sticks with your account. Please have your GM take some extra notes on where you are and what levels your characters have earned. Respeccing your character and picking up where you left off should be quick. Just make sure to take a few minutes to grab a screenshot of your character sheets and inventories before July 23rd, 2024!

We'll be sure to remind folks of the release wipe a few more times as we approach Early Access launch, but now's a great time to log in and snap those screens.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2176900/Tales_of_Fablecraft/

Thanks for reading and checking out our new trailer. If you liked it, please share it with your party! Also, be sure to Wishlist Fablecraft on Steam before release. You'll be notified when the game launches, and you'll help our game achieve a little more visibility in the sea of titles launching on Steam.

Want to chat or ask questions about the trailer and game? Comment on this post or hop into our Discord to hear from some devs.

We'll see you soon!

Welcome to this week’s dev update for Tales of Fablecraft, Mages!

Today, we’re ready to share more details about some upcoming Homebrew tools and some great tweaks we’re making for the Turn Tracker’s user experience. That last one is one our internal playtests reveal a lot, and it’s even something you players want!



By the way, have you used our feedback board yet? Share your feature requests and feedback, comment on other posts, and upvote the bits you want most. This is one way we organize and prioritize player feedback, so we welcome your thoughts!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Back to this week’s update… Let’s begin.

[h3]Homebrew Music and Soundcapes for pitch-perfect atmosphere[/h3]

We’re putting the finishing touches on the next of a slew of Homebrew tools for Fablecraft now: Homebrew Music and Soundscapes.

When Fablecraft launches into Early Access this summer, GMs can upload their own custom soundscapes and music for use during Adventures. Files must be in MP3 format and can be up to 20 MB in size.



Once uploaded, the soundscapes and music will function exactly like the tracks our team’s already made. They’ll live in the Jukebox on the side tray, and music and soundscapes can be played at the same time in order to really nail that busy city street atmosphere GMs might be going for.

[h3]Homebrew Battlemaps are still on the way, too[/h3]

We’re working on Homebrew Battlemaps, and we have a lot in store for how these function and what we’ll support. Homebrew Battlemaps likely won’t make it into Fablecraft in time for Early Access launch, but they are next up on in our queue of Homebrew features.

The image below is a design work in progress, but it does feature the functionality we’re going for.



GMs will be able to upload custom images (and, likely later, animated images) for the backdrop of their battlemaps. They’ll then be able to use the in-game tools to define line of sight, walls, and terrain that can’t be traversed.

We know that folks use lots of different third-party applications to design battlemaps. While we’re not ready to signal that this is definitely coming, we can share that we’re working to make importing battlemaps made by other applications possible. We’ll talk more about that as we get closer to releasing the feature.

[h3]We’ve enhanced the Turn Tracker for better usability in combat[/h3]

“Hey, it’s your turn.”

“HEY!”

That sound familiar?

One of the more requested UX features from within the Riftweaver team is a Turn Tracker that better signals when it’s someone’s turn during combat.

We’re all guilty of looking away from the Battlemap in order to check our phones, grab a fresh drink, or dip a chip. With the current Turn Tracker, it’s easy to miss the “Your Turn” notification and accidentally leave your party waiting.

So, we’re improving the user experience for the Turn Tracker significantly in a few ways.

When it’s your turn, and you don’t immediately act, the Turn Tracker and your Player Token will flash to let you know that the game is waiting for you to move.



When the GM pauses combat, the Turn Tracker changes colors and gently flashes to signal that it is paused.



Finally, we’ve updated the Turn Tracker's display just a bit to better indicate that you can actually scroll through it with the mouse wheel.



That’s it for this week’s update! We might have something really special to share next week, so please stay tuned.

Until then, join our Discord to chat with like-minded Mages and the Riftweaver team! We’ll see you there!

🧙

Greetings Mages! In this week’s update, we’re breaking down the pricing structure for the purchasable stuff that will launch in Tales of Fablecraft once we hit Early Access this summer. Before we get into the details, I want to make two notes.

First, prices will be lower while we’re in Early Access.

Second… We’re still making a free-to-play game.

Fablecraft will launch with the complete five-session The Road to the Starfall Festival Adventure included for free. GMs can use the 130+ assets from that Adventure and custom uploads to homebrew their sessions, too.

Today, we’re answering a bunch of questions we routinely get about the cost of the extra cosmetics and Adventures.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Let's begin!

[h3]Meet the Marketplace, a work in progress[/h3]

We’ll begin in the Marketplace. This screenshot represents a work in progress and features some temporary language, pricing, and features.



Those Mages among us with a lot of points in Perception may notice two things on that screenshot that we won’t talk about much today. First, the Unlock Content button on the bottom left will be where players can use a code to get content, whether that’s from a special at a convention or a giveaway online. Second, the Friends of Fablecraft button on the bottom right will allow players to support creators and small, local game shops that have worked with us to become partners. That second button won't be available at Early Access launch, but it'll be coming very soon.

Speaking of which, if you’re a local game shop and are interested, drop us a line on Discord. The idea here is that players can enter your unique code so that you get a portion of whatever is purchased. We’ll officially unveil this program down the line with details about how to sign up, but we hope this helps spread the word about our virtual TTRPG while supporting the stores that introduce us to some of our favorite games.

[h3] Okay, who needs to buy the pre-made Adventures?[/h3]

This is a quick and easy one! Only the Game Master needs to own the Adventures in order to run them for players.

Some parties will want to pitch in to split the costs, while others will continue allowing their friends to pay the GM tax on their own. We don’t want to ruin your table’s dynamics! No shame!

[h3]How much will five-session Adventures cost?[/h3]

Standard five-session Adventures will normally cost $19.99.

These Adventures will always include a complete Game Master Guide for running each session alongside a slew of original artwork, Battlemaps, NPCs, monsters, music, and soundscapes for GMs to use however they please… That includes homebrew and, of course, improvising once their party veers wildly off course.



Two paid, five-session Adventures will be available in the Marketplace once we hit Early Access: The House in the Manor and Murder on the Tipsy Pearl. We’ll be adding more of our original Adventures over time!

[h3]What types of cosmetics will Fablecraft offer, and how much will they cost?[/h3]

Two key cosmetics will be sold in Fablecraft: Dice Skins and Player Token Skins. They will each normally cost $2.99 separately or $4.99 when purchased as a pack of two.

Here's what the Dice and Token Skin section of the Marketplace looks like right now as a work in progress.



We love these cosmetics and think they’re a great way for players to express themselves when rolling and in battle. We’re really excited to grow the slate of options as time goes on. Personally, I want loads more Dice Skins.

We may offer other cosmetics down the line, but this is all we have planned for now.

[h3]What about discounts? Packs? One-shots? Future content and subscriptions?[/h3]

The Dice and Player Token Skin packs are a great example of how the Packs will work. We’ll bundle similar items together and offer them at a discount when you buy them as a group. So, instead of spending $5.98 for the Long Meadows Dice and Long Meadows Token separately, we’ll offer them as a pack that goes for $4.99.



We’ll also have things discounted over time, but we haven’t decided when and how those sales will start. They may be during seasonal events or tied to Steam sales. Just know that checking the Marketplace occasionally is probably smart, as things will be discounted.

We also intend to release some special one-shot Adventures (one of which is in production right now). These one-shots will work just like standard Adventures, but they’ll be shorter and cost less. We’re planning to launch the first one-shot later this year for $9.99, and it’ll come with a ready-to-run GM Guide and a host of new assets, NPCs, battlemaps, story scenes, and more.



Finally, the planned subscription. At launch, we won’t have a subscription available. However, as GMs get in and start homebrewing campaigns, we intend to offer a subscription to offset server costs. All GMs will get 100 MB of free storage for their homebrew needs. The subscription will be available to remove that cap.

Down the line, that subscription may include extra perks, but we haven’t gotten there yet in development. As for the price of the subscription? That’s undecided as well. We’re looking to keep it as inexpensive as possible, and we’ll share the price as we get closer to launching the subscription service.

That’s it for the Marketplace and the initial pricing plans for those Fablecraft goodies. If you have any questions, you can always comment on this post or hop into our Discord to chat with other players and our team.

We’ll see you in Mythas very soon, Mages! Don’t forget to add Fablecraft to your Steam Wishlist!

Catch you next week. 🧙

We’ve just dropped the largest update to the Tales of Fablecraft demo yet! Welcome to the official patch notes for v0.13. 🧙

We have a lot to cover with this update. As usual, we’ll start with an in-depth look at the marquee features (in both video and text form), and then we’ll give you the complete rundown of additions, tweaks, bug fixes, and known issues.

Let’s begin.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Learn the Game Master ropes with a fresh tutorial 🎓[/h2]

The first version of the Fablecraft demo featured a single tutorial that covered the basics of our TTRPG system and gave players a glimpse of what it’s like to make decisions, roll skill checks, and engage in light combat.

Now, we’ve introduced a brand new tutorial that’ll teach you how to be a GM. Heads up, there are even more tutorials coming soon.

[h3]It’s time to become a GM[/h3]

Want to find out what it means to GM a game in Fablecraft? This GM tutorial takes roughly 15 minutes to complete, and it’ll show you how to change scenes, guide your players through roleplaying, ask them for skill checks, and even get them back on track once they’ve gone totally off the rails.



What’s more, it features two “players,” Kai and Cali, complete with their own hilarious backstories and outstanding voice work. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but it all involves a brooding performer, a quick-fingered thief, and a delightful kazoo.

[h2]Well, hello there, Combat Arena! 🤛[/h2]

Looking for a challenge? Or, maybe you’re looking for something to do while you wait for your party to show up… Either way, the Combat Arena is here for new sparring.



[h3]Tactical, single-player battles[/h3]

The first iteration of the Combat Arena mode, which arrives with Fablecraft v0.13, features an increasingly difficult set of four combat scenarios backed by a brief narrative.

You’ll guide three Mages as they take on typically peaceful creatures across multiple battles. As you clear each fight, your three Mages will level up and give you the choice of three new abilities for your next melee encounter.

Which will you choose?



[h3]Victory or defeat? Share your results[/h3]

Once you go through the combat scenarios and clear the final stage–or die trying–you’ll get a results screen that recaps your Combat Arena run.



The results screen features all sorts of stats like Average Sparks rolled, total Miscast Rolls, damage dealt, upgrades gained, and more.

Grab a screenshot and challenge your friends!

[h2]How about those delicious rewards? 🍰[/h2]

You may have caught the announcement last week; we’re giving away two rewards for clearing the new sections of the demo.

You'll unlock the Rainbow Cake Dice Skin if you complete the available tutorials (the Hero Demo and the GM Demo).



You’ll unlock the Rainbow Cake Token Skin if you complete the Combat Arena.

These unlocks will say with your account into Early Access release, too, so don’t worry!

[h2]Homebrew Environments are here[/h2]

Homebrew is crucial to Fablecraft, and the set of tools GMs have at their disposal to build robust adventures will grow through Early Access and beyond.

We’ve added one more with this update.



GMs can now upload a custom image for homebrew environment creation; it’s just a static image for now, but we’ll be adding support for animated environments down the line.

Even better, you’ll be able to create custom variants for each environment you add. Want to have day and night variants of Tokyo? You can do it.



And with that, we’re on to the patch notes.

[h2]The Complete Tales of Fablecraft v0.13 Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]Features[/h3]

• We’ve officially opened up a 15-minute-long Game Master school with the GM Demo. Give it a shot!
  
• How about some single-player tactical combat? Take on the brand new Combat Arena mode, and share your results with friends.
  
• Want some sweet, sweet rewards for playing Fablecraft? Complete the Hero and GM Demos to unlock the Rainbow Cake Dice Skin, and complete the Combat Arena to unlock the Rainbow Cake Token Skin.
  
• Sick of Mythas (please say ‘no!’)? Now you can homebrew your own environments and their variants with image uploads.
  
• Speaking of variants, we’ve added a drag and drop to variant to stage feature that keeps the day, night, snowy, or sacked options behind the virtual GM screen as the environments are loaded.
  
• We added an eye icon to the password input field on the login screen so users can make sure they’ve typed the correct password.
  
• Nope, your memory isn’t going bad. We’ve updated the home screen for the demo!
  
• We’ve updated the level-up screen to better indicate to players that Charge is receiving an upgrade.
  
• In a rush to learn? You can now click the monologue boxes in the demo to run through dialogue faster.
  
• It’s okay, you don’t have to feel lonely. You can now access your friends list while in the Hero tutorial demo.
  

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where muted players would still be highlighted as speaking when enough noise was made.
  
• Fixed an issue where Rocksquitos would sometimes attack without dealing damage during the Hero Demo.
  
• Fixed an issue where GM Roll Requests would sometimes display an incorrect difficulty setting.
  
• Fixed an issue with the Camera instantly displaying during the demo if it was set to “on” in the settings menu.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Hero Demo would lock up when it was time to murder that last pesky Rocksquito. Begone, bug!
  
• Fixed an issue where the listed roll request in the GM Guide didn’t match the menu it opened. This was, admittedly, confusing.
  
• Fixed a broken Wishlist button. Hey, this is the perfect time to remind you to Wishlist Fablecraft on Steam!
  
• We also performed various smaller bug fixes.
  

[h3]Known Issues[/h3]

• The Hulking Slab enemy attack order is backwards, so you’ll be pushed before you’re attacked. The result is still the same.
  
• Display images may not show if you toggle video modes between side, minimized, and expanded views.
  
• Some battlemap variants may show incorrect tiling patterns. This doesn’t affect play, just the way things look.
  
• When a player leaves the battlemap, the battlemap may refresh for other players. Refreshing? Yes! Annoying? Only slightly.
  
• We’re seeing an issue where the input and output volume sliders may not work for some players.
  
• While you can see your friends list while you're in the Hero tutorial demo, you won't be able to send social DMs.