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Nested Lands News

Alpha Test Starts Today!

The moment we've all been waiting for is here — the Alpha of Nested Lands kicks off today!

You can join for FREE on Steam and start exploring the plague-ridden lands of Norovellir right now!

Before you dive in, make sure to check out the Alpha Instructions for all the details on how to get started:
READ NOW

Gather your allies, build your settlement, and fight for survival. Let us know your thoughts and report any bugs in the feedback channels on Discord!

See you in Norovellir! ⚔️

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Update 0.7.0.9 for Alpha Test

Welcome, Survivors!

We've made some improvements, fixed bugs, and added new features to enhance your Nested Lands experience. Thank you for your continued feedback and support as we refine the game.
Here's what's new in this update:

[h2]New Features & Improvements
[/h2]
  • Added quickslot inputs (1-8), allowing players to use items directly without opening the interface.
  • Shields can now be placed in quick slots for easier access.
  • When using an item from a quickslot, the interface will now close automatically.
  • Implemented tab navigation in the Village Management interface.
  • Removed gamepad deadzone.
  • Streamer mode option added to the settings.
  • Added FPS Limit to the game



[h2]Bug Fixes
[/h2]
  • Added colliders to simple chest structures.
  • Fixed localization issues in multiple areas, including:
  • Farm station buttons
  • NPC profession names
  • Interaction labels for wells and rivers
  • Resolved an issue where animals would run away from the player.
  • Fixed Balder’s hair.
  • Adjusted the Build Tool panel so it no longer overlaps with player status conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where the player could climb invisible walls.
  • The player can no longer dodge while using a bow.
  • Trees no longer spin when being cut down.
  • Fixed camera control issues when using a gamepad.
  • Resolved UI problems with the Bug Reporter tool.
  • Adjusted input code for walking and running for better responsiveness.
  • Fixed an issue where a video tutorial would display the last frame when switching topics.
  • If a loot setup item is a recipient and has no liquid stored, its charge value will now always be 0.
  • Fixed an issue with the villager recruitment process in advanced save files


Thank you for playing Nested Lands! Your feedback helps shape the game as we continue development. We highly encourage all participants of the Alpha to fill out our survey — it won’t take more than 5 minutes of your time but will help us immensely with the development and further improvements.

Stay tuned for more updates, and let us know what you think in our Discord.
Happy surviving!

Update 0.7.0.8 for the Closed Alpha

The winds of Norovellir are shifting, and with them comes a new update for Nested Lands Closed Alpha! This includes some additional features suggested by the community, as well as many bug fixes and an in-game “Report Bug” feature that should help us better understand any and all possible issues players are having!

See the full list below:

  • Bug Report Feature by pressing F1;
  • Players will now drop a bag with their inventory items on death;
  • Added marker for the player’s death bag on the map;
  • Improved all fonts in the game;
  • Added the significant texts for the Daily Messages;
  • Replaced the chest icon;
  • Added localized subtitles to the narrative intro cinematic;
  • Improved quest UI reading;
  • Improved UI reading font details;
  • Fixed a bug where the detection bar was displayed even after the NPC was dead;
  • Fixed a bug where a Garden Bed may have yielded double items if the Player and Farmer harvested at the same time;
  • Fixed an issue where invisible walls might appear while the player is crouching;
  • Fixed the player’s animation while climbing stairs;
  • Fixed an issue where villagers might get stuck in a sitting position;
  • Fixed an issue with the Chinese font;
  • Fixed an issue with fonts not changing in the main menu for different languages;
  • Fixed an issue where the ‘Warming up’ and ‘Cold’ status effects could activate together;
  • Fixed some localization issues on certain dialogues;


The Death Plague may be implacable, but so are you all! Thank you to all survivors who have provided valuable feedback these last few days, and keep it coming! 💀

Dev Diary: Nested Lands Alpha

As the Alpha test of Nested Lands approaches, we’re excited to share more about what awaits you in the first playable version of the game! You'll be among the first adventurers to explore the plague-ravaged wastelands of Norovellir and uncover its hidden mysteries. While you await the start of the journey, take a moment to read through this article to get an understanding of what to expect from the Alpha version.

[h2]How Can I Join the Alpha Test?
[/h2]
The open alpha test begins on February 20th. From that date onwards, you will be able to join the Alpha directly from the game's Steam page!

And don’t worry — once the game is fully released, Nested Lands will also be available on other platforms.

[h2]A Glimpse into the Lore
[/h2]
The kingdom of Norovellir, once prosperous and thriving, has been devastated by a horrific Plague that claimed countless lives and plunged the realm into chaos. The cowardly king and his retinue abandoned the domain, leaving the people to fend for themselves in a broken, lawless world.

As survival became the only priority, faith crumbled and gave way to desperation. Ruthless bandits, mad cultists, and the plague-ridden infected now roam freely, turning the once-peaceful kingdom into a treacherous wasteland.



Amid this chaos, you must fight for your survival. Your ultimate goal is to build a safe haven for the remaining survivors, but before you can accomplish that, you'll need to face the dangers of the cursed island and overcome its numerous threats. The path ahead is perilous, but uncovering the secrets of Norovellir may be the key to securing your future.

[h2]What to Expect in the Alpha Version
[/h2]
The Alpha version of Nested Lands offers around 3-4 hours of gameplay, giving you a first taste of the core mechanics and base questlines.

As you begin your journey in the North Plains biome, you’ll explore the wilderness, gather resources, and start laying the foundations for your village. The game’s survival mechanics require you to monitor essential needs like hunger, cold, and thirst. These needs, if left unsatisfied, can lead to severe debuffs, so it is crucial that you manage your resources strategically.

As you venture further, the threat of the Plague looms large. Dead enemies and NPCs can become deadly Plague foci if left unburnt, and the infection can spread to your village, putting your people at risk.

Building and managing your settlement is another major aspect of the game. You’ll recruit NPCs, each with their own unique skills and traits, to assist in tasks such as crafting and resource gathering, all while ensuring the village's safety against the Plague and enemies.



In addition to fighting for survival, you’ll also delve into the lore of Norovellir through notes and immersive points of interest scattered across the game.

Combat is dynamic, with melee, ranged, and stealth tactics available as you face off against bandits, cultists, and the infected. Expect the unexpected: random events will surprise you while you are exploring or managing your village, testing both your combat prowess and leadership skills.

These are just a few of the features that will shape your Alpha experience, with more content and refinements to come as development progresses.

[h2]More Content to Come
[/h2]
It’s important to remember that Nested Lands is still in the early stages of development, and the Alpha version represents just the first playable iteration of the game. Certain features and content will not yet be available, such as multiplayer mode and several awesome biomes that will be accessible in future updates.

While the current Alpha introduces basic enemy types, more adversaries, like the Rogue Soldiers, are yet to be implemented. You can expect a wide array of new challenges you’ll face later on in the full version of the game.
As development moves forward, expect more content, features, and polish to shape your journey through the plague-ravaged lands of Norovellir.



[h2]Alpha Means Work in Progress
[/h2]As we present the first playable version of Nested Lands, it's important to remember that the game is still in its early development stages. The Alpha release is a glimpse into the world of Norovellir, but many features and content are yet to come or to be fine-tuned.



As is common with any Alpha version, players may experience glitches, bugs, and other technical issues. These occurrences are entirely normal and are a vital part of the testing process. Feedback received from testers will be used to further develop and improve the game.

Stay tuned for updates and news about the upcoming Alpha test, and be sure to keep an eye on our Discord and social media channels for announcements. The adventure is only getting started, and we’re looking forward to seeing you in Norovellir soon!






Dev Diary: Plans for 2025

2024 was an absolutely incredible year for the development of Nested Lands. From design definitions to asset creation to code implementation, the game has come a very long way since we first announced it. We are beyond excited for all of you to finally get the chance to experience it during the upcoming alpha test, which is now just around the corner.

Still, even after how far we’ve come, there is a long way to go. Today, we’d like to draw back the curtains and discuss some of our plans for 2025, including both new additions to the game, as well as some other surprises.



[h2]Alpha Test[/h2]

Before we start, however, we’d like to remind all players to go to our website and leave your email address to sign up for the upcoming alpha test that is right around the corner! The alpha will give you an early preview of the game and let you explore what has already been implemented.


[h2]Islands and Enemies[/h2]

While the alpha version will only include the first island of North Plains, where players will be able to build and customize their very own village, we will soon begin designing and implementing the second and third islands, named Silent Forest and Dark Waters, respectively.

Moreover, each island will bring in a couple of other additions, including other enemy types. While North Plains presents only bandits and wild peasants as its threats, Silent Forest will introduce the Corrupted Priests and Rogue Soldiers, while Dark Waters will be mostly populated by Mad Occultists and Infected Savages.

Each island presents its own themes and threats, with its own local events and loot, as well as new plots and secrets to the overall lore and narrative of Nested Lands.



[h2]Quests
[/h2]
Speaking of narrative, our plans for 2025 also include the development of additional main and side quests, expanding the story of the game through five larger missions. Without spoiling anything, they will include:

  • A hunt for the long-lost treasure of the native people of Norovellir.
  • A fight for survival against enemies who wish only for your destruction.
  • A search for a mysterious woman who may or may not help you in understanding your true role as a village leader.
  • An exploration of all the islands in search of a true cure for the Death Plague.
  • The construction of a Museum, where you can preserve the history of the old world through cultural relics and ancient artifacts.


While all quests will greatly expand the game’s narrative, the last mission will more thoroughly explain a lot of the game’s lore details. It will task players with building a museum and filling it with relics from the world’s past, before the Death Plague’s outbreak. While we won’t spoil all of them now, some will be paintings of noteworthy figures, such as King Roderik the Conqueror.



King Roderik Keylor I, the Conqueror
Roderik Keylor I might very well be the most significant figure in known history. Originally the lord of but one modest castle and its surrounding areas, Roderik inherited a religious fervor like no other from his parents. From a young age, he had always demonstrated excellent skill at arms, just as much as a willingness to cull the weak and blasphemers.

As he slept on the night before his twentieth name day, Roderik was granted a vision by the Glorious Himself, declaring that he had been chosen to spread the Fiery Canticles of old. When he awoke, Roderik learned that his parents had perished during the night and that the castle and its lands were now his.

So began the most violent series of wars in known history. Roderik was not only a skilled swordsman, but also a tactical genius and a charismatic leader who conquered all his neighbors in quick succession before marrying into an alliance with the Duchess Arabella of Lotvaria and finally founding the true Kingdom of Sacner, which has had dozens of rulers, and yet none were greater than the first.”




[h2]
The Village[/h2]

Both aforementioned additions will do much to develop the game’s exploration and narrative, but we could never forget the true heart of Nested Lands: the player’s Village. And, in 2025, we still have many updates to add to it, including new traits, jobs, and appearance variations for the villagers.

While we will still leave the traits as a secret for you to discover while playing, we can note the new jobs that will be implemented this year:

  • The Tavern Keeper, who will work towards improving the other villager’s morale;
  • The Hunter, who will venture out into the forest in search of food;
  • The Nurse, who will take care of infected villagers and prevent possible outbreaks;
  • The Priest, who will care for the tired souls of the people;
  • The Angler, who will seek to bring in fish to eat.




And, as we have mentioned before, these workers will interact among themselves to keep the village going without necessarily needing the player’s input to do so. That means that a Cook may require additional food, prompting Hunters, Anglers, and even Farmers to deliver him specific items, or a Nurse may request extra medicines from an Apothecary, and so on.

After all, the village does belong to the player, and while you might need to do some micromanagement in the beginning, the village will slowly become able to take care of itself, freeing you to explore, craft, and fight as you please.

All in all, the year is stacked with new planned features for the game, big and small. Adding new items, dialogues, visuals, and, of course, balancing it all out will be a challenge in itself, but the team is hard at work to deliver the best possible experience for the game. We are truly excited and cannot wait to see everyone’s reactions!



[h2]Other Surprises
[/h2]
Finally, we also have some other surprises planned, which we can quickly cover here. They include the aforementioned Alpha Test coming soon, as well as a new teaser trailer, the development of a game wiki for Nested Lands, and possibly a second Beta test further along in the year!

As always, if you want to be notified of all these events, remember to wishlist the game on STEAM, join our Discord server, and most importantly, sign up for the upcoming ALPHA!