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Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts News

Scriptorium Playtest is over! Thank you!

[p]Hi everyone![/p][p]Ufff... after two long weeks, hundreds of your incredible manuscripts and thousands of messages exchanged on our Discord and social media channels, the first Scriptorium playtest has officially come to an end. We want to thank every one of you who joined us over the past days - whether you played for hours, submitted detailed feedback, or just popped in to see what this illuminated manuscripts world was all about. This was our very first opportunity to let you experience Scriptorium, and your response has been incredible, and we are beyond grateful for each one of you![/p][h3]Summary[/h3][p]Let's tackle some number! Almost 14,000 players joined the playtest on Steam with vast majority of them actively played the game. We received a whooping 2000 completed feedback surveys - and the results speak for themselves![/p]
  • [p]96.5% of you said they would recommend Scriptorium to a friend[/p]
  • [p]97.9% (!) said they’d leave a positive Steam review[/p]
[p]These are exceptional numbers - and if they hold through to launch, Scriptorium would be among the highest-rated games on the platform, with "overwhelmingly postiive" rating![/p][p]Your feedback, both positive and critical, has been invaluable. That was the primary goal of this playtest: to find out what works, what needs improvement, and where we should focus our efforts before release. Some of the issues raised are already on our roadmap - like save system, proper tools for placing text, or expanding the number of available assets for you to use in the editor. We now have a much clearer picture of what Scriptorium needs, and we’re already putting that feedback into action.[/p][h3]So... will the playtest return?[/h3][p]It’s a possibility - but we don’t want to make any promises just yet. As we mentioned every time the playtest was designed as a development support tool, not a marketing event, not a demo version, and whether we run another one will depend on where the project is a little further down the road. We may want to test another build later in development - and for example focus on different aspects of the game for you to test - but for now, we need to take what we’ve learned and make the most of it.[/p][p]What we can conifrm is that the demo version will of course be released closer to the 1.0 launch - most likely during a future Steam Fest. We’ll share more when we have a confirmed date. So it's certain you'll have at least one more chance to play Scriptorium before the full release![/p][h3]What’s next?[/h3][p]Over the coming weeks, our team will be reviewing every single survey, bug report, and suggestion. This is the moment where your feedback directly shapes the next phase of development. Please give us some time to evaluate the feedback and focus a bit more on the development of the game now, as we would love to show you that your feedback really mattered and will actually be implemented into the game.[/p][h3]Your creations[/h3][p]One of the most exciting parts of this playtest has been seeing what you made with the tools we gave you. From faithful medieval scenes to completely surreal experiments, your manuscripts have surprised, inspired, and made us laugh.[/p][p]We’ll be sharing a selection of soooo many our favourite works from the playtest below - we hope they’ll inspire you as much as they inspired us![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Author: veneny[/p][p]Author: Minimaks[/p][p]Author: Minimaks[/p][p]Author: Minimaks[/p][p]Author: longleggedgoth[/p][p][/p][p]Author: Zeer[/p][p][/p][p]Author: The Walrus[/p][p]Author: Liv[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Author: Toltomeja[/p][p][/p][p]Author: Eskilinha[/p][p][/p][p]If you haven’t shared yours yet, don’t worry - you can always drop your work on Discord or tag us on social media.[/p][p][/p][p]Once again: thank you for being part of this Playtest!. You’ve helped us learn more in two weeks than we could’ve in months on our own. Now it’s our turn - to dig in, refine the systems, and get Scriptorium ready for its next chapter. We're 100% honest when we're saying that we believe that we have something special here, of course with you all involved! [/p][p][/p][p]Hope to see you in the Scriptorium really soon - until next time,
Your Yaza Games and Mythwright teams[/p][p][/p][p]Author: Eskilinha[/p]

Create sacred, obscene or cringey medieval art in the playtest for Scriptorium, an illuminated manuscript sim

In bygone ages, Christian clerics would spend decades hunched over scrolls of vellum and parchment, ornamenting the text with scenes of questing knights, creeping chimeras, spiralling verdure, and perhaps the occasional bare bottom, as a treat. They would sacrifice their wits and tendons to the cultivation of microcosms, planted in the eyes of capital Os, or growing around the bars of capital Es.


Now, you can crap on their efforts by slapping together rad illuminated pages in seconds in a video game editor. That game is Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, a book-adorning sim from the creators of pen-and-paper (hah!) strategy game Inkulinati. It's got a playtest running till 10th July.

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Scriptorium Playtest is available now!

[p]Hi everyone![/p][p]Today’s the day - the Scriptorium playtest is officially live on Steam! [/p][p]You can now jump into the first-ever test version of Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts and begin your journey into the art of medieval creation. Whether you’re diving into the Story Mode or letting your creativity run wild in Sandbox Mode, you can relax and design in a cozy, medieval atmosphere of our game.[/p][p][/p][p]The playtest runs from today - June 26 - to July 10 (late afternoon GMT). After that, this version will no longer be accessible - so make sure to find time to explore all its corners! [/p][h3][/h3][h3]Your feedback is everything![/h3][p]We want to know - What worked? What didn’t? What surprised you? What would make our game better?[/p][p]The feedback survey is accessible from the main menu or after you exit the game. Please fill it out - your thoughts directly shape what we do next![/p][p][/p][h3]Share your manuscripts![/h3][p]Yes, you can export your creations as PNGs and yes, we’d love you to share them! [/p][p]Create and remember to tag us on social media:[/p][p]And remember - streaming and content creation are 100% welcome - feel free to export your designs and share wherever you like![/p][p][/p][h3]Community Challenges begin soon![/h3][p]Every few days we’ll drop new creative prompts on Discord - the first one happening on June 29! We're planning to send some cool rewards to the authors of the most popular designs, so it's worth to take part in the challenges![/p][p][/p][p]We’re incredibly excited to finally open the doors to Scriptorium. Thank you for helping us shape the future of the game![/p][p][/p][p]Now go! Illuminate something weird and wonderful. And make sure to show it to us - after all, we're making this game for you.[/p][p][/p][p]Until next time,
Your Yaza Games and Mythwright teams[/p]

Scriptorium playtest - all you need to know!

[p]Hi everyone![/p][p]Only 2 days left until the very first Scriptorium playtest begins! We’ve prepared all the key info in one place so you know exactly what to expect.[/p][p]The playtest starts on June 26 around noon GMT and will run until July 10 (late afternoon GMT).
Important: after July 10 you will lose access to this version of the game, so plan your Scriptorium time accordingly![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]What is exactly this Playtest version of the game?[/h3][p]This is indeed a playtest version and the reason we are running this is so we can get important community feedback to help us get the game ready for full launch. With your input it’ll help us know if we are heading in the right direction with the finished version of Scriptorium. Please don’t treat this as a demo - it’s a test build, and we’d love to hear what you think![/p][p]This playtest in particular is here for us to test specific systems. In this case it'll mainly be the commission system (so a vital part of the Story mode) and to hear from the community about what you care about when it comes to the full release.[/p][p]As this is an early look at the game you may run into bugs, rough edges, and weirdness. That’s expected and another one of the main goals of this playtest is to give you access to help us spot these. The more bugs we squash now, the better and more polished the final version of Scriptorium at launch.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]What we need most: honest feedback[/h3][p]What would you change? What would you add? What do you love, what don’t you? Have fun, but don’t be afraid to be critical - so please fill out the feedback survey! You’ll find it in the main menu and when exiting the game. It helps us a lot in shaping the future of the game.[/p][p]For bug reporting please let us know and send us the .log file! You’ll find details how to submit bug report in our Steam forums on Thursday or on the #playtest-bugs channel on our Discord.[/p][p]And one final thing! You can join the playtest at any time while it’s live, right up until July 10. So either sign-up now or jump in anytime until July 10.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]What does this playtest include?[/h3][p]This version of the game includes two main game modes:[/p][p]Story Mode - You’ll be creating illuminated works based on orders from various clients. Expect some unusual characters that will really challenge your creativity!
To progress in this mode, you’ll need to fulfill each client’s requirements.
There are 6 different clients and 17 commissions included in the current version.[/p][p]Sandbox Mode - Just you, blank parchment, and your imagination. You’ll have access to the full collection of medieval assets included in the playtest build and complete creative freedom on more than a dozen different parchments. We cannot wait to see what you create![/p][p]Please note: the assets you’ll see in the game are not final and many things will change before launch, including more characters, decorations, borders and other visual goodies.
[/p][p]⚠️ One important technical note: each manuscript can currently hold up to 450 individual elements at a time.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Sharing your work[/h3][p]✅ Yes, you can export your creations (in PNG format), and we highly encourage you to do so! You’ll find the export button after completing a design. Please share these with us on our social media channels and tag us: [/p][p]✅ Yes, you can stream the game (and honestly, we’d love it if you did!).
[/p][p]We’ll try to be present wherever we can during the playtest period, especially in the Steam Forums to talk with you about the game.But since we’re a small team, we kindly ask: please share your feedback on Discord whenever possible!
You’ll also find the whole team hanging out there, and it makes managing this playtest much easier for us.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Community Challenges![/h3][p]Throughout the two weeks of the playtest, we’ll be running community challenges every few days!
We’ll ask you to create a piece around a specific concept and share it with the community on Discord and we’ll let the community vote (we also may pick a few of our favourites too)[/p][p]Expect a wide range of prompts from poetic to bizarre! Psst - the most popular entries may receive special prizes, so it’s definitely worth jumping in![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]What’s missing in the current build?[/h3][p]This is important to know before you dive in, as we know many of you will ask![/p]
  • [p]You can’t write text like in traditional editors.
    Instead, you’ll place letters individually by dragging and dropping them next to one another.
    Believe it or not, adding a full in-game text editor is a complex task! But it's high on our priority list for the full release.[/p]
  • [p]There’s no save system in Story Mode - this means your progress in this mode resets every time you close the game.
    We recommend completing the story mode available in one sitting.[/p]
  • [p]Sandbox Mode has save support, but it's limited to a single ongoing project. You’re free to exit and return to your sandbox piece at any time.[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Beholder Boss Battle - timelapse![/h3][p]We prepared this little timelapse of one of our recent designs to inspire you - watch how you can create a DnD boss battle poster! [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]If this indeed has inspired you, let us know what you will create first![/p][p]
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out, either here on Steam or on Discord.
We absolutely can’t wait to welcome you into Scriptorium! [/p][p][/p][p]Until next time,[/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright teams[/p][p]

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Dev Update #5 - Playtest release date announced!

[p]Hey everyone![/p][p][/p][p]It’s finally June - and with it comes a wave of good news from the Scriptorium. Summer is almost here (at least up here in the northern hemisphere), and we’re kicking it off with something we’ve been looking forward to for a long time...:[/p][p][/p][p]You’ll be able to playtest Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts for the first time on June 26th![/p][p]
That’s right - our first public Playtest is happening this very month, and we’re beyond excited to see what you’ll create. Whether you’re aiming for faithful medieval-style manuscripts, weird and wonderful designs of your own, or even custom posters for your next DnD session - the Scriptorium Playtest build will let you do just that. This is your chance to start your career as medieval scribe, but just remember: there’s no wrong way to create. So even if you think you’re not the best at creating stuff – give yourself a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised what’s possible in our game![/p][p][/p][p]You probably have some questions - so here’s a quick breakdown of the most important things related to Playtest:[/p]
  • [p]The Playtest will run from June 26th to July 10th for PC players,[/p]
  • [p]You’ll be able to play in two modes:[/p]
    • [p]Sandbox Mode - a pure creative mode with no story, just you, a blank parchment, and hundreds of decorative and drawable assets straight from real medieval manuscripts.[/p]
    • [p]Story Mode - where your in-game scribe will take on creative commissions from quirky clients. Expect light narrative, fun challenges, and a bit of medieval silliness coming from their stories.[/p]
  • [p]There’s no “best” way to play. We’d love for you to try both modes, of course - but the most valuable feedback for us is the kind that reflects how you’d play naturally. Just dive in and do your thing![/p]
[p]During the Playtest, we’ll also be running Community Challenges - small creative prompts we’ll share every few days. We’ll ask you to create themed pieces and share them with us (mostly via our Discord but feel free to post them everywhere you like), and we’ll highlight some of our favorite designs across social media. We’re still thinking about how to reward the most creative among you (besides social media glory!) - who knows, maybe we will even throw in a few prizes![/p][p][/p][p]To join the fun, hop onto our Discord if you haven’t already - most of the challenges will happen there:[/p][p][/p][p]One more important thing - there will also be an in-game feedback survey in the main menu - if you could spare a few minutes after playing, it would mean a lot to us. This Playtest is a big step in development, and your feedback will help guide what we work on next. You can literally shape the future of Scriptorium, as we’re aiming to read all feedback surveys, so make sure you fill out one![/p][p][/p][p]A lot of you have been asking about this feature so yes, you’ll be able to export your creations as .png files. Feel free to post them online, share them with friends and if you make TikToks, reels, videos – it would make our day. We love seeing what you come up with![/p][p][/p][p]And one last very imporant thing: there’s no limit on how many players will get access. In other words, if you hit the green “Request Access” button on our Steam page, you’ll be invited to play. Everyone’s welcome! And if you have any other questions about upcoming playtests – drop them down below in the comments or on Discord, and you can be sure we will answer all of them![/p][p][/p][p]Alright, playtests topic is done. So… what have we been working on lately besides playtests?[/p][p][/p][p]Honestly - almost all of our energy has gone into making the Playtest build the best it can be. In a way, we’ve shifted our entire focus from the full game to this one specific build, treating it almost like a standalone demo. We’ve been polishing things, fixing bugs, improving in-game systems, and trying to make sure that your first impression of the game is all about its creativity - not technical issues (but you’re more than welcome to let us know about any remaining bugs too!). It’s still a limited slice of the game, but we want it to feel good and complete in its own right.[/p][p][/p][p]Just to be clear though - this isn’t the full game, and we still have a lot of work ahead. Once the Playtest ends and we review your feedback, we’ll take a closer look at what’s left to do. We’ll announce the full release date when we’re confident. Good things take time, and thank you in advance for understanding that![/p][p][/p][p]Some other new stuff we’ve added lately:[/p]
  • [p]New parchments and visual post-processing effects to make finished works really pop[/p]
  • [p]Animated avatars and more decorative items for your scriptorium[/p]
  • [p]Tons of new drawable assets - so many, in fact, that we had to do a round of optimization to keep things running smooth (which we did!)[/p]
[p][/p][p]So what’s next after the Playtest?[/p][p]We’ll be starting work on one of our most-requested features: being able to type text directly into your manuscript. Right now, the only way to “write” is by dragging letters onto the parchment. While it’s fun in its own way, we know it’s not ideal. Adding proper text input is a bit tricky (surprisingly!), but we’re on it. Don’t worry - in the final version, you’ll be able to write exactly how you want.[/p][p][/p][p]To wrap it all up - here are some of our own creations made while testing the Playtest build. We hope they inspire you. Let us know in the comments what you want to make first![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thanks again for your patience and support - it means the world to us. We can’t wait to see you in your own scriptorium with your trusty quill in hand![/p][p][/p][p]See you on June 26th! [/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright teams[/p][p] [/p][p]
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