Star Birds News

Thank You for 250k Star Birds Wishlists

Star Birds has reached 250,000 Wishlists on Steam. We can hardly believe it.

This message of thanks comes from deep within our hearts. It is not easy to gain visibility among the many breathtaking titles that enrich the gaming landscape every year. With your Wishlists, you make the most important contribution to us (and the Star Birds).

That's why we can't thank you enough. 250,000 thanks to our wonderful community. To the Toucans, to the kurzgesagt Birds and to everyone who can't be put in any kind of plumage. You make this game come alive. 🧡

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[h3]Wishlist Star Birds & Join Our Newsletter[/h3]
Star Birds is an indie project by Toukana Interactive and kurzgesagt. We are over the moon to have such an amazing community. You are the reason why this project exists. If you want to support us, Wishlist the game here on Steam, and tell your friends about it.

If you would like to be the first to read content like this and are looking for more in-depth insights, we recommend our newsletter – sign up at toukana.com/starbirds.

Gameplay Sneak Peek @Writing_Bull

Save the Date: We will be guests on the channel of Writing Bull, and give you exclusive insights into the current development status of Star Birds. The interview language will be German. English-language interviews are already being scheduled and will be announced very soon.

[h3]About the Stream[/h3]

🕗 When? March 23, 7PM CET
🗨 Language? German (Don't Worry, English Gameplay Streams Will Follow Soon)
👋 Where to Join? On Twitch (VOD on YouTube)

On Writing Bull's channels, you'll mostly find games from the strategy genre. The videos typically have a relaxed vibe and a slow-paced rhythm. Before us, fellow indie developers have been guests on WB's channels, talking about their current projects.

[h3]What's on?[/h3]
In the stream, we will be showing you exclusive gameplay footage. It's still a little too early to go deeper into the narrative (we want to avoid spoilers). Toukana Co-Founder and Tech Art Lead Zwi is going to join, and offer a look behind the scenes. Get an idea of the current development status of Star Birds and, of course, ask questions in the live chat.

We're quite nervous to finally show you more of Star Birds and would be comforted if many Toucans supported us in the livestream. Let's bring a good vibe, curiosity for the game and lots of love for the existing community on WB's channels. 🧡💜💚

Thanks for the invite! Thanks for joining!🙏

[hr][/hr]

[h3]Wishlist Star Birds & Join Our Newsletter[/h3]
Star Birds is an indie project by Toukana Interactive and kurzgesagt. We are over the moon to have such an amazing community. You are the reason why this project exists. If you want to support us, Wishlist the game here on Steam, and tell your friends about it.

If you would like to be the first to read content like this and are looking for more in-depth insights, we recommend our newsletter – sign up at toukana.com/starbirds.

Devlog: Resources in Star Birds

Today, we're excited to unveil the first hint of cosmic bounty the solar system in Star Birds has to offer! We've cooked up our own unique "ingredient list" for the universe, packed with both familiar and fantastical resources, all wrapped in a vibrant, clean design to make gathering materials a blast.

[h3]Cosmic Cookbook - Our Recipe for Resources 🚀[/h3]
If you've ever enjoyed tinkering with building blocks, mixing potions or finding interesting item combinations, you'd have loved our initial resource brainstorm! We started with the plausible basics you'd expect to find on asteroids and in space. Then, we let our imaginations run wild, adding some truly unique "spice" to the mix. We experimented with wild combos, figuring out what awesome new materials your Star Bird colony could whip up.

The result? A sprawling catalog of metals, gases, and even some completely made-up substances, all waiting to be discovered on asteroid surfaces and transformed into essential goodies for your thriving intergalactic bird colony.

[h3]When Water Forms a Drop 💧[/h3]
The elements needed a gestalt. We wanted to combine the flat, colorful design of kurzgesagt with the 3D look of Toukana. The resource equivalent in the game includes the resource icon - its shape and color defined by the resource category (e.g. metal, gas), the resource field on the asteroid surface (as discovered by the rover unit), and the HUD layout displaying resources - for a clear and easily readable gaming experience. Step by step, we came up with a holistic design language for the in-game resources.

[h3]Overlooking Complexity 🤓[/h3]
Finally, we adjusted the complexity level. To have more efficient test runs, we developed a tool that shows us the complexity level of a specific production chain. Answering questions such as: How many steps will it take a test player to produce a certain resource? How many units of this resource have already been mined? And if this resource is mined, what options does this open up to the player?

With our Pending Complexity Tool, the focus will increasingly shift towards balancing. Our goal: The development of well-integrated production chains for a good game flow and transparent level advancement.

[hr][/hr]

[h3]Wishlist Star Birds & Join Our Newsletter[/h3]
Star Birds is an indie project by Toukana Interactive and kurzgesagt. We are over the moon to have such an amazing community. You are the reason why this project exists. If you want to support us, Wishlist the game here on Steam, and tell your friends about it.

If you would like to be the first to read content like this and are looking for more in-depth insights, we recommend our newsletter – sign up at toukana.com/starbirds.

Devlog: The Music of Star Birds

For Star Birds, we are now at a point where we are creating music and sound. Which recurring theme accompanies the player? What does the space factory sound like? Let us take you on an audiovisual journey of space and sound.

[h3]Tracks: Avoiding Ear Fatigue 👂[/h3]
We think that music can have a big impact on the long-term playability of a game. It should be a homecoming, create an unobtrusive atmosphere, and convince with subtle beauty and variation.

The music in Star Birds is supposed to have a distinct character and welcome players to a familiar "universe" at every launch. Even after many hours, we need to avoid ear fatigue. It’s the smooth transitions and soft changes in dynamics which build a foundation for the game-feel and mood.

[h3]Sounds: In Space, Noone Can Hear You ... Build? 🔨[/h3]
For us, sounds fulfill at least three functions in the game: First and foremost, sounds define the atmosphere and style of a game. Second, they give feedback or confirmation for successful player actions (e.g. hovering over a button, placing a building or plugging in pipes). And finally, sounds are crucial as alert signals - warning players or helping them react to events. They are supporting visual cues.

[h3]Artists: Finding Musical Crew Mates 👨‍🚀[/h3]
We like to work with talented people who develop a connection with the world we are creating. We encourage our artists to play the game. We think it adds to the overall quality, if the composers and sound designers develop an individual understanding for the game and its atmosphere.

For Star Birds, we were introduced to Epic Mountain, the long-term partners for music and sound in the kurzgesagt videos. We are looking forward to our musical journey and are thankful for working with such talented people on this exciting endeavor.

Curious? To listen to first musical ideas for Star Birds, check out the live performance which we recorded for the Save and Sound Event in November 2024.

Devlog: The Star Map

The Star Map is an important game element in Star Birds. In each System you explore, it gives you an overview over many procedurally generated 3D asteroids, which you connect with rocket transportation routes. As players you will also be switching from asteroid surface to the map view and back, which we’re aiming for to be smooth and seamless - not an easy task!

[h3]Creating a 3D Star System 🌔[/h3]
When you imagine creating your own star system, you probably expect a fulminant Big Bang. Reality is that the process begins with a set of rather pragmatic questions: What color is the universe? Is our star system flat? And if not (which is more in line with our world view): Can you seamlessly zoom out from a single asteroid to the Star Map?

In the end, we opted for 3D objects but a 2D look – in line with the game’s artstyle so far, and kurzgesagt’s video animations.

[h3]Procedurally Generated Asteroids 🌟[/h3]
In a star system, there are asteroids. Plenty of asteroids. In Star Birds, we generate them procedurally by using colors, parameters, shapes and rules that we design.

As a small indie studio, we want to use our capacities for a satisfying game flow rather than for the design of thousands of intergalactic pebbles. As a team, we were keen on developing new skills, facing new challenges and fun from a game design perspective.

[h3]Interstellar Transportation Routes 🚀[/h3]
By now, the rockets are flying and transporting goods from one asteroid to the other. At the moment, we are busy making sure that you will be able to keep a good overview: Distinguishing discovered from undiscovered asteroids, remembering which resources are transported on which route, and making it joyful to zoom out, lean back, and just watch the galactic goings-on from afar.

The Star Map still needs a little refinement, but a universe is not created in a single day, right?