Dev Blog #20 - NextFest Prep & Alpha Updates!
Hello wonderful Voyagers! Michael / Spacenorth here with exciting news about upcoming streams, Steam NextFest preparations, and a boatload of new content our alpha testers are diving into!
[h2]Dev Stream This Week![/h2]
Mark your calendars! Our next dev stream is happening this Thursday at 12pm PT at twitch.tv/voyagersofnera, and it's packed with fun:
[h2]Steam NextFest on June 9th[/h2]
We're polishing, testing, and polishing some more as we prepare for Steam NextFest! This will be our most refined demo experience yet, and we can't wait to get it into more players' hands. All of the updates we're sharing today will be featured in that demo, so let's dive into what our alpha testers are already exploring...
[h2]What's New in Alpha Testing[/h2]
Here are just a few of the changes going into Alpha testing right now, on top of combat improvements, in-game tutorial and quest overhaul, save improvements, and a ton more!
[h3]Gathering Feedback (Literally!)[/h3]
Gathering resources is a cornerstone of survival games, so we've made it more satisfying:
[h3]Building Improvements[/h3]
For all you base-builders out there, we've made some major improvements to the building system to be more intuitive:
[h3]Adding More Visual Love[/h3]
[h2]Calling All Multilingual Voyagers![/h2]
We're working hard to make Voyagers accessible to players around the world, and we need your help! Our first pass of translations is now in for:
If you speak any of these languages, we'd love your feedback on:
Want to help? Sign up for playtesting now and join our Discord to share your feedback!
[h2]Calling all Creators![/h2]
Are you interested in earlier access to our demo build before it hits NextFest Please sign up via the form here
We are spreading the word about Voyagers at the PC Gaming Show and we need your support to make a big splash at Steam's June NextFest on June 9th!
We are looking for creators who want exclusive, early access to the Demo and are excited to create content and streams:
[h2]Thank You![/h2]
As always, your feedback continues to shape Voyagers of Nera in incredible ways. The improvements we're making wouldn't be possible without our passionate community pointing us in the right direction.
Keep an eye out for more details about the upcoming stream and NextFest demo. The waters of Nera are calling!
- Michael and the Treehouse Team
[h2]Dev Stream This Week![/h2]
Mark your calendars! Our next dev stream is happening this Thursday at 12pm PT at twitch.tv/voyagersofnera, and it's packed with fun:
- We'll be announcing the winners of our MS Paint Fan Art contest (your entries have had us in stitches!)
- We're announcing the winners of our $30 Steam Giftcard giveaway. You can still enter here! Two lucky winners will win a $30 Steam Gift Card.
- Steam Gift Card Giveaway! We'll be giving away a $30 Steam Gift Card during the stream, so make sure you're there for a chance to win!
- And of course, plenty of gameplay and behind-the-scenes chats with the team
[h2]Steam NextFest on June 9th[/h2]
We're polishing, testing, and polishing some more as we prepare for Steam NextFest! This will be our most refined demo experience yet, and we can't wait to get it into more players' hands. All of the updates we're sharing today will be featured in that demo, so let's dive into what our alpha testers are already exploring...
[h2]What's New in Alpha Testing[/h2]
Here are just a few of the changes going into Alpha testing right now, on top of combat improvements, in-game tutorial and quest overhaul, save improvements, and a ton more!
[h3]Gathering Feedback (Literally!)[/h3]
Gathering resources is a cornerstone of survival games, so we've made it more satisfying:
- Added impactful hit effects when chopping trees and mining stone, including Trees now falling down when chopped! (It's the little things that count, right?)
- New gathering particles like leaves fluttering down from shrubs
- Magical sparkles when collecting mana
[h3]Building Improvements[/h3]
For all you base-builders out there, we've made some major improvements to the building system to be more intuitive:
- Buildings now start with an empty frame that allows you to fill in pieces like walls and roofs
- Overhauled how we connect floor pieces, annexes and second stories for greater ease
- Updated UI and clearer icons make finding the right piece easier
- New visuals for early-game building kit so that it better fits with the progression and resources available at the start of the game! (Don’t worry, the old kit still exists, it’s just later on)
- There are also some long-requested new pieces coming in like: Railings with Stairs, 2nd story annex support, half-wall variations, and more!
[h3]Adding More Visual Love[/h3]
- Spirits feel much more present and part of the Sanctuary you’re building in Nera. (They appear at Amenities that you build and gather around the Anchor as you progress).
- Spirits also cower and look threatened when they need rescue during encounters
- In-game craftable flares to create fireworks in the sky, signaling where you are to others (and they look stunning!)
- Player head turning now replicates in multiplayer, so you can see what your friends are looking at (Perfect for creating meme-worthy content! We've already seen some hilarious screenshots from the alpha...)
[h2]Calling All Multilingual Voyagers![/h2]
We're working hard to make Voyagers accessible to players around the world, and we need your help! Our first pass of translations is now in for:
- Spanish
- French
- Chinese (Simplified)
If you speak any of these languages, we'd love your feedback on:
- Translation bugs
- Inconsistencies
- Better wording suggestions
Want to help? Sign up for playtesting now and join our Discord to share your feedback!
[h2]Calling all Creators![/h2]
Are you interested in earlier access to our demo build before it hits NextFest Please sign up via the form here
We are spreading the word about Voyagers at the PC Gaming Show and we need your support to make a big splash at Steam's June NextFest on June 9th!
We are looking for creators who want exclusive, early access to the Demo and are excited to create content and streams:
- Wednesday, June 4th: Early access to the Demo Build to make content
- Monday, June 9th: Embargo released, upload your content or stream!
- Monday, June 9th: Participate in our Twitch Drops program!
[h2]Thank You![/h2]
As always, your feedback continues to shape Voyagers of Nera in incredible ways. The improvements we're making wouldn't be possible without our passionate community pointing us in the right direction.
Keep an eye out for more details about the upcoming stream and NextFest demo. The waters of Nera are calling!
- Michael and the Treehouse Team