The Dead Await News

[h2]We've got some exciting news to share![/h2]

First, we want to celebrate this launch with you and thank each of you for your incredible support, patience, and all the bug reports you've shared so far. Your feedback means everything to us, and we're excited to hear even more of your thoughts and suggestions. Thank you for taking the time to review our game — it truly means the world to us as a small indie studio!





[h2]Update #1[/h2]

We’re already hard at work reviewing all the bug reports, and we’re aiming to resolve the issues within just a few days. This upcoming update will focus on fixing urgent problems like crashes, critical bugs, and adding key quality-of-life improvements.

[h2]New Cards & Perks[/h2]

Our first content update is set for release in November, and it’s packed with exciting additions! We’re introducing new attack cards for all existing weapon types, including rare, epic, and legendary attacks. Alongside these, we’re planning to more than double the current number of perks, adding even more depth to the game. While we won't include any new features for Act I, we may have a few surprises in store!



Act II is set to be at least three times the size of Act I, and we're dedicated to delivering it with the quality you deserve. We’re currently around 40-50% through development, so the release is on the horizon!

In Act II, you’ll encounter new cube types, explore expansive locations, battle over 25 new enemies, and save up for tons of exciting new equipment. Plus, you'll get to dive into new features like arena, permanent underground base building, and much, much more!

We are ready to share quite a few things we've been working on:



You’ve already faced bandits and zombies, but a new threat awaits — an unpredictable group known as ‘psychos,’ or ‘clowns’ as the locals call them. These enemies are driven by a dark sense of irony, blending cynicism with a core of nihilism. And behind them all stands a mysterious leader, whose motives remain unknown.



You’ll also encounter a host of new, unique zombies and bandits along the way... each more fearless and ruthless than ever before.



NEW LOCATIONS! Each holding secrets waiting to be uncovered. As you explore, you’ll discover hidden truths buried within ruins, abandoned outposts, and more. Every corner offers the potential for discovery, from cryptic clues that piece together the origins of the apocalypse to unexpected twists in the story. Prepare for an immersive journey where every new location pulls you deeper into a world brimming with mysteries and untold stories.

We’ll keep you updated as we make progress! That’s all for now. Hopefully, this answers some of your questions.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2393580/The_Dead_Await/

[h3]💰 Celebrate & Save During Launch[/h3]
To celebrate the game's launch, The Dead Await will be 10% off until Oct 31st! Now is the perfect time to begin upgrading your caravan and improving your chances for survival.

[h3]💞 How You Can Support Us[/h3]
As a small indie team, there are so many ways you can help support us and the game.

• If you buy the game, please consider leaving an honest review on Steam! Reviews have a massive impact on indie games and we'd love to see your thoughts and experiences through a review.
  
• Sharing the game through word of mouth with family and friends or on social media with your followers can really help spread the word and give others a chance to discover their next adventure. So many indies are discovered with a simple share or casual discussion.
  
• Join the amazing community in our Discord and follow us on Twitter to share in the excitement and get to know other great gamers looking to survive.
  

Good luck surviving!
- Shotx

[h2]The Dead Await is available NOW in Early Access![/h2]

Thank you so much for all of your support throughout the game's development. The feedback you have shared after playing the Prologue gave us so much to work with to help build this game up even better than it could've been. We look forward to seeing even more feedback and suggestions from you!

[hr][/hr]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
‎‏‏‎ ‎
[h3]🌏 Traverse the Open World[/h3]
Explore a vast world torn apart by a zombie apocalypse, from derelict cities full of loot and zombies to new settlements founded by survivors with opportunity and backstabbing abound. Gather food, water, fuel, and gear to survive the drive while managing your resources to ensure everyone gets to the destination safely.

[h3]🃏 Stack the Perfect Cards for Combat[/h3]
Build the survivor you want using a robust attribute, skill, and perk system. Experiment with combinations and character builds, from a suave lockpicker to a mindless berserker and everything in-between. Build up your deck during your travels, taking a team of rag-tag survivors to veterans with incredibly rare cards at their disposal!

[h3]🚗 Upgrade Your Death Drive[/h3]
The caravan is at the heart of your journey to discover the truth. Upgrade it with workbenches, storage, and other features to turn it into a true mobile base. Swap out vehicle components to modify the caravan's performance. Engine, suspension, tires, all affect how you traverse the world - and your chances of surviving!

[hr][/hr]
We're launching the game with beta branch already available:
Password: TheDeadAwaitB

As we're a smaller studio, character voice-overs were never in our plans. Furthermore, we need to stick to our deadlines with the content that's already on the roadmap.

Think of it as an additional feature provided for the players who absolutely need to hear voices to be able to play...

Depending on your opinion, we'll try our best to improve what's already there - if this is something our playerbase wishes!

This feature is only available and can be enabled or disabled on beta branch.
[hr][/hr]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2393580/The_Dead_Await/

[h3]💰 Celebrate & Save During Launch[/h3]
To celebrate the game's launch, The Dead Await will be 10% off until Oct 31st! Now is the perfect time to begin upgrading your caravan and improving your chances for survival.

[h3]💞 How You Can Support Us[/h3]
As a small indie team, there are so many ways you can help support us and the game.

• If you buy the game, please consider leaving an honest review on Steam! Reviews have a massive impact on indie games and we'd love to see your thoughts and experiences through a review.
  
• Sharing the game through word of mouth with family and friends or on social media with your followers can really help spread the word and give others a chance to discover their next adventure. So many indies are discovered with a simple share or casual discussion.
  
• Join the amazing community in our Discord and follow us on Twitter to share in the excitement and get to know other great gamers looking to survive.
  

Good luck surviving!
- Shotx

[h3]The Dead Await is set to launch to Early Access on October 24th![/h3]

[hr][/hr]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]🌏 Traverse the Open World[/h3]
Explore a vast world torn apart by a zombie apocalypse, from derelict cities full of loot and zombies to new settlements founded by survivors with opportunity and backstabbing abound. Gather food, water, fuel, and gear to survive the drive while managing your resources to ensure everyone gets to the destination safely.

[h3]🃏 Stack the Perfect Cards for Combat[/h3]
Build the survivor you want using a robust attribute, skill, and perk system. Experiment with combinations and character builds, from a suave lockpicker to a mindless berserker and everything in-between. Build up your deck during your travels, taking a team of rag-tag survivors to veterans with incredibly rare cards at their disposal!

[h3]🚗 Upgrade Your Death Drive[/h3]
The caravan is at the heart of your journey to discover the truth. Upgrade it with workbenches, storage, and other features to turn it into a true mobile base. Swap out vehicle components to modify the caravan's performance. Engine, suspension, tires, all affect how you traverse the world - and your chances of surviving!

[h3]⏳ Join the Countdown[/h3]
Don't forget to wishlist the game and join the amazing community in our Discord and follow us on Twitter to begin counting down to launch day!


See you at launch!
- Shotx


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2393580/The_Dead_Await/

Hey all, it's time to share some more exciting news! 🧟‍♂️

We'll cover all the things that's been happening in The Dead Await world lately, from the big additions to the smallest details! We know the wait has been long, but we're excited to share some uplifting news after sharing the announcement about delays earlier.

Despite the delay, our content update #1 that we were going to drop soon after the initial release is now complete and has been merged with the release branch.

So, in short we haven't really wasted any time and what it means for you is - a complete experience of factions including faction specific jobs, side quests and a working reputation system, improved job boards in settlements that update biweekly with infinite auto-generated tasks and now with special jobs added in as well, 50 combat cards instead of the planned 29 at launch and much, much more! 🥳

[h2]Factions[/h2]

We haven't really covered the factions in TDA before in our devlogs and along with the new update it's now time to properly introduce them.

Each faction will present you with an opportunity to join them and raise your reputation by completing jobs and faction specific side quests. The higher your reputation, the better rewards you will get!



The Force Nova faction is a group of power-hungry ex-government officials and military personnel who have taken advantage of the chaos of the zombie apocalypse to seize power and establish their own law and order. They are known for their ruthless tactics and willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain their control over their territory.

The members of Force Nova are a mix of former politicians, high-ranking military officials, and mercenaries. They have extensive combat training and are well-equipped with military-grade weapons and vehicles. They have established a heavily fortified compound, surrounded by walls and guarded by armed sentries at all times.



The Cognition Collective was formed shortly after the outbreak, as a response to the lack of meaningful progress being made towards a cure or a solution. The founders of the Collective were a group of scientists and researchers who believed that by pooling their resources and working together, they could achieve what no one had been able to achieve alone.

The Cognition Collective is seen by many as a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak and desolate world. Their dedication and tireless work have inspired many others to take up the fight against the zombie apocalypse, and they continue to be a source of inspiration and guidance for those who seek to make a difference in the world.



Bandit faction consisting of a close-knit group of individuals with criminal pasts, who have evolved from simple street theft to more ambitious endeavors. The Spades is a notorious group of outlaws and thieves, comprised mostly of individuals who were involved in criminal activities prior to the zombie apocalypse. As the world descended into chaos, these opportunistic individuals saw an opportunity to thrive in the lawless environment. They banded together, forming a cohesive unit under the name 'The Spades.'

Originally, The Spades started as a small group of street bandits, but as their influence grew, they began to undertake more audacious heists and operations. Their charismatic and cunning leaders led them to success, allowing them to accumulate significant wealth and resources. This newfound power enabled them to expand their operations and establish a strong presence in the post-apocalyptic world.

Within The Spades, a clash of interests occurred, resulting in a division within the faction. One chose to uphold some semblance of morality and principles, while the others remained as ruthless and despicable as ever. This split caused a rift within the group, leading to conflicts and territorial disputes.

[h2]Improved & Updated Job Boards[/h2]

We've updated job boards with new type of posts: Special Jobs and Monster Bounties.



[h3]Special Jobs[/h3]

Special Job posts are similar to other posts, but they aren't auto-generated, instead these are scripted and one-time opportunities only that offer unique rewards.

[h3]Monster Bounties[/h3]

Similar to Bandit Bounties, survivors in settlements will offer rewards for dealing with the group of zombies that are especially causing trouble for them.

[h2]More Content[/h2]

There's a lot more content in Act I now, including 7 new side quests, 20 new items and 2 new NPCs. Also, Dr. Shrooms has been working on something...



Can you guess what it does? 🤫

[h2]50 Combat Cards![/h2]



We've gone from 29 combat cards that were originally planned at launch to 50 now! And it's just the beginning, since we're planning to at least double that amount in future updates.

[h2]Long Rest[/h2]

In TDA, we want you to give you freedom when it comes to survival and making profit. Since we also offer trading and jobs in these opportunities and they're both time-based - stores refreshing their inventories monthly and job boards being updated biweekly, for the start we introduced a new upgrade to tent that allows you to long rest.



Long rest let's you pass 1 week in the comfort of your camp, while using 25% less supplies.

[h2]Thank You![/h2]

Thank you again to all of you for your support, feedback, suggestions and patience! 😇

As for the release date, we'll announce shortly real soon!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for updates and join our community on Discord for sneak peeks and share your feedback!

We will update the prologue version in a few days to sync with the release version.

v.0.7.9.1

ADDED:


• Added an option to mute SFX.
  
• Added an option to mute music.
  
• Added an option to enable/disable character voices.
  
• Main menu now supports news blocks with features such as polls, quick switching, etc.
  
• Job board - new notes based on reputation.
  
• Job board now supports faction notes.
  
• Added a new type of contracts: Monster Bounty.
  
• Added 3 new special jobs.
  
• Added a new faction job board - Spades.
  
• Added a new faction job board - Cognitio Collective.
  
• Added a new faction job board - Force Nova.
  
• Reputation & faction system update - higher reputation unlocks higher reward jobs and new side quests
  
• Added: Attic in Roger’s House.
  
• Added: Bazaar Central Storage.
  
• New faction [Spades] side quest: A Thief & A Witness.
  
• New faction [Spades] side quest: Extra Eyes.
  
• Added a new faction [Force Nova] side quest - Harder, Stronger, Conquer!
  
• Added a new faction [Force Nova] side quest - Ambush In The Making.
  
• Added a new item: Narcamax-E.
  
• Added a new item: Midnight Bloom.
  
• Added a new side quest: Narcamax Eternal.
  
• Added a new combat card: Devour.
  
• Added a new combat card: Ironskin.
  
• Added a new combat card: Faith Within.
  
• Added a new combat card: Acrobat.
  
• Added a new combat card: The Wall.
  
• Added a new NPC: Dr. Emma Perez.
  
• Added a new NPC: Dr. Ethan.
  
• Added a new faction [Cognitio Collective] side quest: A Small Contribution.
  
• Added a new faction [Cognitio Collective] side quest: Broken Link.
  
• Added long rest: ability to rest for 1 week at tent (uses 25% less supplies).
  
  FIXED / CHANGED:
  
  
• Crash: While in the disassembly screen, having dismantled a piece of gear, and then pressing SORT. Ultimately crashed the game.
  
• Fixed: Trading/Crafting when the weight exceeds the limit can result in items being lost.
  
• Transport jobs will now always resupply shops with enough items.
  
• Reputation increase for factions will freeze at 40% until Act II.
  
• Job board gets updated biweekly instead of monthly.
  
• Delivery type jobs are now more randomized.
  
• Added more transport job item variations.
  
• Added more bandit contract name variations.
  
• Fixed: Delivery jobs fail to start if there’s not enough inventory space.
  
• Special jobs will now be automatically added in order.
  
• Job reward items no longer get lost if inventory is full.
  
• Added missing dialogues for General Mitch.
  
• Decreased ammo weight.
  
• Localization: Quest name will not show in the quest dialog.
  
• Localization: Exhaust in English.
  
• Localization: Destroy and from deck in English.
  
• Localization: Image blocks text in camp and supplies tutorial page.
  
• Localization: Entering Bazaar still pops up Bazaar Entrance English text.
  
• Localization: If speaking to the bartender, the random replies from Angel is still in English.
  
• Localization: Blast buttons are still in English.
  
• Localization: Issue #21.
  
• Localization: Missing localization.
  
• Localization: Added inspect item text (Issue #23).
  
• Localization: Upgrade button not localized.
  
• Localization: Missing localization (Issue #25).
  
• Localization: Auto service text is still in English (Issue #27).
  
• Localization: Warning missing localization.
  
• Improved voice mixing.
  

Hey all 👋

We know that you're really looking forward to play TDA, but it's equally important for us to release the game in a stable state to leave a good first impression. We also need to have our post-launch plans ready, so that the wait between updates don't seem like forever.

Sometimes, burnout comes when you least expect it and we also had to take some time off. We're back working at full-pace now though, and there's a big surprise waiting for you all - something that wasn't in our plans, but hopefully makes the delay worth it! 🥳

[h2]Voices Seamlessly Merged With Soundscapes & Ambience[/h2]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Our team has worked tirelessly to create a new workflow for adding voiceovers to key characters. All of this in our own unique way that merges it all with soundscapes and ambience. This will not only enrich your storytelling experience but also enhance your emotional connection with the game's world.

It's a fundamental transformation that will reshape your experience of The Dead Await. You'll find yourself more invested in the story, more attuned to the environment, and - dare we say it? - even more frightened!

[h2]Combat 2.0[/h2]

We've divided what was Max. Hand Draw into Hand Limit and Hand Draw. This is the first right step into adding more depth to combat to better control player's advantage and scale the difficulty as needed.



With hand draws being more limited, it now also makes sense to use the new skill cards (Expand, Expand+, Call) that are drawing cards that range from drawing extra 2-3 cards and cost 1-2 AP.



Then to counter the perfect deck or just overpowered attack cards, we now have a 4th type of cards - Status Cards that are temporarily added to your deck for the duration of the combat only. It acts as a negative deck filler card that costs AP to remove and/or results in negative effects.

We've already added 18 new cards, and that's not all we've also added new card animations to make the whole experience much better!

[h2]More Changes[/h2]

There are some other big changes that include:

[h3]A New Game Speed Option[/h3]

Fast-forward+ is a new speed option that speeds up the gameplay even more. Be careful though, as resources are going to burn faster too.

[h3]Updated World Map[/h3]

The world map has now been updated with new tiles and additional assets, so that you can now easily tell between distinct areas.

[h2]Thank You![/h2]

Thank you again to all of you for your support, feedback, suggestions and patience! 😇

Have fun! 🥳

Be sure to follow us on Twitter for updates and join our community on Discord for sneak peeks and share your feedback!

We will update the prologue version at a later stage.

v.0.7.8.9

ADDED:


• Character voices.
  
• Added a new type of cards: Status cards.
  
• Added a new card: Exhaust.
  
• Added a new card: Expand.
  
• Added a new card: Call.
  
• Added a new card: Expand Plus.
  
• Added card remove animations.
  
• Added card draw sounds.
  
• Added a new perk: Card Master.
  
• Added missing dialogue for Matt Black.
  
• Updated world map with new tiles and assets.
  
• Added fast-forward+ speed option.
  
• New combat background: Railroads.
  
• Added new items: Bratmoy, Cuttunitt, Adrenadoom, Nilbalans, Cancel, Txstdriver, Sarenador, Desirable, Duality.
  
• Added a new card: Revelation.
  
• Added a new card: Chain Heal.
  
• Added a new card: Forbidden Rite.
  
• Added a new card: Collective Aura.
  
• Added a new card: Doubt.
  
• Added a new card: Madness.
  
• Added a new card: Stress.
  
• Added a new card: Injury.
  
• Added a new card: Agony.
  
• Added a new card: Beast Mode.
  
• Added a new card: Target Lock.
  
• Added a new card: Pray.
  
• Added a new card: Unstoppable.
  
• Added more resolution options.
  
• Added a new card: Devour.
  
• Combat mode: Added hotkeys for selecting cards.
  
• Double-clicking on inventory items auto uses the item now.
  
  FIXED / CHANGED:
  
  
• Level up now increases Max HP by +15.
  
• Last Resort will now also cause Exhausts.
  
• Separated max hand draw into hand limit and hand draw.
  
• Cards will now animate from the deck.
  
• Min. deck size changed to 25.
  
• Fixed: HP isn’t always rounded.
  
• When destination is set to cubes it will now highlight it.
  
• Increased player walk speed.
  
• Added credits.
  
• Game will now prefer the AMD/Nvidia GPU in PCs with multiple graphics chips.
  
• Lockpick, hacking, demolition, acrobatics, hunting & fishing beginner skills are available right from the beginning.
  
• Changed community link from Prologue to full version.
  
• Corrected tutorial text according to new changes.
  
• Lockpicking: force lock uses 1 extra kit more.
  
• Bug fix: Leaving a space after a save file name causes the game to freeze.
  
• Bug fix: Crash during Jake The Haggler Croft quest.
  
• Bug fix: If an enemy dies with bleeding during start of the round, player’s cards get locked.
  
• Bug fix: Fixed same environment effects being displayed twice.
  
• Bug fix: Dismantling an item, and then pressing SORT results in a crash.