Devblog #3: Q&A
Ahoy, captains!
We’d like to address some of the questions you raised in the comments previously.
Disclaimer: Many of the features you’ll read about here are still in Alpha and subject to significant change in future updates.
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Barbash: Looking great! Any chance to see some group content? Will you wear wigs?
Thanks, Barbash — glad you think so!
As for group content: in this upcoming Alpha, we’re just testing the waters, so there won’t be content specifically designed for larger groups just yet. Having functional co-op for a few players is the most you can expect at this moment.
That said, we do have plans for more expansive group features in both the story mode and the MMO layer of the game down the line. And surprisingly, wigs share the same fate — not in this Alpha, but definitely something we’ll be working on in the future!
Ninja66 Onee-sama: Will there be taming? Are the guns hit scan or projectiles?
Taming isn’t planned for the upcoming Alpha, but it’s something we might explore later on. As for guns—they’re projectile-based, so if you’re quick (and a little lucky), you can dodge incoming shots. Timing is everything!
take a look at my girlfrien!!>owish to see something about fishing in the next devlog. eventhough it's quite a basic mechanic in the most games, it fits perfectly for a pirate-ish game like Crosswind
It will be in the upcoming Alpha, but in a very early, minimal form. Just enough to cast a line and reel in something simple. Like many of our features, it’s a rough first pass—we’re laying the groundwork now, and we’ll be expanding it over time based on feedback and our priorities.
LLIytinskiy (translated): It’s interesting to see teamwork on one ship, as the helmsman takes over the whole ship, but what about the other players who are also on the ship? Or will each player have their own ship? I hope it will be the first option, as it was fun to play as a team and encounter many different situations during the game.
Our current core idea is that each player commands their own ship—taking care of navigation, combat, and upgrades. That said, you're absolutely welcome to hop aboard a friend’s ship. While you’re not at the helm, you can still participate in early fishing and boarding activities. Outside of those, there’s not much else to do on someone else’s deck just yet, but we’re keeping in mind more shared ship roles as development moves forward.
neviR: Will this game be a live-service game? Or once it reaches version 1.0, no more updates?
Live service. We firmly believe the world of Crosswind can be expanded for years, resulting in a long-lasting and evolving adventure. We plan to support the game with new features, activities and story expansions after release.
RadHands: So I guess the question is what are your plans considering PvE difficulty? Seems it could use more aggression, more movesets, more skillchecks, else it is a little yawny. I understand early access, that's why it's a question and not a 12 hour youtube monologue.
Our plan is simple: test and tune with real players. We’ve already run some early closed Alpha sessions and received a wide range of feedback on combat, especially around boss encounters and enemy behavior. Since then, we’ve made significant improvements to both pacing and variety, and the upcoming test will help us push that even further.
That said, what you’ve seen in previews might not fully reflect the current build—combat and specifically balance is still actively being tweaked, and your feedback will be key to hitting the sweet spot between challenge, skill checks, and fun.
ChrisCox: Could we get more details about how boarding will work? Will the ships for example "attach" to eachother, allowing the NPCs to board? Will we be able to separate our crew and capture other ships, to bring them back to our base?
In the upcoming Alpha, boarding will work as follows: when two ships are close enough and properly aligned, you can initiate a boarding action. Once triggered, the ships attach to each other, creating a few walkable bridges between them.
At that point, both your AI crew and the enemy’s will spawn and engage in combat. Stay alert—reinforcements can appear mid-fight! If you win, you’ll be able to loot the enemy’s ship chest, after which their ship will be destroyed. If you lose, your ship gets destroyed instead, and you’ll respawn ashore. Your ship will then be temporarily locked, but don’t worry—there’s no permanent loss.
This system applies to both PvE and PvP boarding for now, and it’s just the beginning. We’ll be refining and expanding it based on your feedback.
Leca: What kind of weapons the game includes?
You can swing a shovel or pickaxe in a pinch—just don’t expect it to be the most elegant solution. For the upcoming Alpha, we’re starting with a core lineup of rapiers, sabres, pistols, muskets, and clubs.
Each weapon type comes with a few variants you can craft and upgrade, and we’re aiming to make them play and feel distinct from one another. It’s still early, but we’re excited to see how it all comes together. Wish us luck: we plan to expand the arsenal as development continues!
Splotty: How does gearing in a biome works? i craft the gear with the materials of the biome or is a drop from the mob/boss? the gears levels up? what kind of gear is gonna be available?
Normally you craft the gear from the materials of the biome, but there are also additional rewards for defeating bosses and uncovering biome secrets. Most of the gear can be leveled up to an extent that it is slightly better than the starting gear from the next biome. You can balance your own combat skill with gear leveling: defeating a boss with the very basic gear is possible, but putting more effort into preparation will increase your chances.
The wearable gear, apart from tools and weapons, includes armor/clothing (head, torso, pants, shoes, gloves), 3 jewelry slots and a bag. You also carry a certain amount of gunpowder and bullets for your firearms. Consumables like food, bandages, potions and weapon oils are also a part of your build.
[hr][/hr]
That’s it for now, mateys! Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more news and insights!
We’d like to address some of the questions you raised in the comments previously.
Disclaimer: Many of the features you’ll read about here are still in Alpha and subject to significant change in future updates.
[hr][/hr]
Barbash: Looking great! Any chance to see some group content? Will you wear wigs?
Thanks, Barbash — glad you think so!
As for group content: in this upcoming Alpha, we’re just testing the waters, so there won’t be content specifically designed for larger groups just yet. Having functional co-op for a few players is the most you can expect at this moment.
That said, we do have plans for more expansive group features in both the story mode and the MMO layer of the game down the line. And surprisingly, wigs share the same fate — not in this Alpha, but definitely something we’ll be working on in the future!
Ninja66 Onee-sama: Will there be taming? Are the guns hit scan or projectiles?
Taming isn’t planned for the upcoming Alpha, but it’s something we might explore later on. As for guns—they’re projectile-based, so if you’re quick (and a little lucky), you can dodge incoming shots. Timing is everything!
take a look at my girlfrien!!>owish to see something about fishing in the next devlog. eventhough it's quite a basic mechanic in the most games, it fits perfectly for a pirate-ish game like Crosswind
It will be in the upcoming Alpha, but in a very early, minimal form. Just enough to cast a line and reel in something simple. Like many of our features, it’s a rough first pass—we’re laying the groundwork now, and we’ll be expanding it over time based on feedback and our priorities.
LLIytinskiy (translated): It’s interesting to see teamwork on one ship, as the helmsman takes over the whole ship, but what about the other players who are also on the ship? Or will each player have their own ship? I hope it will be the first option, as it was fun to play as a team and encounter many different situations during the game.
Our current core idea is that each player commands their own ship—taking care of navigation, combat, and upgrades. That said, you're absolutely welcome to hop aboard a friend’s ship. While you’re not at the helm, you can still participate in early fishing and boarding activities. Outside of those, there’s not much else to do on someone else’s deck just yet, but we’re keeping in mind more shared ship roles as development moves forward.
neviR: Will this game be a live-service game? Or once it reaches version 1.0, no more updates?
Live service. We firmly believe the world of Crosswind can be expanded for years, resulting in a long-lasting and evolving adventure. We plan to support the game with new features, activities and story expansions after release.
RadHands: So I guess the question is what are your plans considering PvE difficulty? Seems it could use more aggression, more movesets, more skillchecks, else it is a little yawny. I understand early access, that's why it's a question and not a 12 hour youtube monologue.
Our plan is simple: test and tune with real players. We’ve already run some early closed Alpha sessions and received a wide range of feedback on combat, especially around boss encounters and enemy behavior. Since then, we’ve made significant improvements to both pacing and variety, and the upcoming test will help us push that even further.
That said, what you’ve seen in previews might not fully reflect the current build—combat and specifically balance is still actively being tweaked, and your feedback will be key to hitting the sweet spot between challenge, skill checks, and fun.
ChrisCox: Could we get more details about how boarding will work? Will the ships for example "attach" to eachother, allowing the NPCs to board? Will we be able to separate our crew and capture other ships, to bring them back to our base?
In the upcoming Alpha, boarding will work as follows: when two ships are close enough and properly aligned, you can initiate a boarding action. Once triggered, the ships attach to each other, creating a few walkable bridges between them.
At that point, both your AI crew and the enemy’s will spawn and engage in combat. Stay alert—reinforcements can appear mid-fight! If you win, you’ll be able to loot the enemy’s ship chest, after which their ship will be destroyed. If you lose, your ship gets destroyed instead, and you’ll respawn ashore. Your ship will then be temporarily locked, but don’t worry—there’s no permanent loss.
This system applies to both PvE and PvP boarding for now, and it’s just the beginning. We’ll be refining and expanding it based on your feedback.
Leca: What kind of weapons the game includes?
You can swing a shovel or pickaxe in a pinch—just don’t expect it to be the most elegant solution. For the upcoming Alpha, we’re starting with a core lineup of rapiers, sabres, pistols, muskets, and clubs.
Each weapon type comes with a few variants you can craft and upgrade, and we’re aiming to make them play and feel distinct from one another. It’s still early, but we’re excited to see how it all comes together. Wish us luck: we plan to expand the arsenal as development continues!
Splotty: How does gearing in a biome works? i craft the gear with the materials of the biome or is a drop from the mob/boss? the gears levels up? what kind of gear is gonna be available?
Normally you craft the gear from the materials of the biome, but there are also additional rewards for defeating bosses and uncovering biome secrets. Most of the gear can be leveled up to an extent that it is slightly better than the starting gear from the next biome. You can balance your own combat skill with gear leveling: defeating a boss with the very basic gear is possible, but putting more effort into preparation will increase your chances.
The wearable gear, apart from tools and weapons, includes armor/clothing (head, torso, pants, shoes, gloves), 3 jewelry slots and a bag. You also carry a certain amount of gunpowder and bullets for your firearms. Consumables like food, bandages, potions and weapon oils are also a part of your build.
[hr][/hr]
That’s it for now, mateys! Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more news and insights!