Echoes of Mora News

[p]Hi, everyone! 👋
Before we proceed with updates from the game dev side, we have two big news for you! 📣[/p][h2]Echoes of Mora is part of the Debut Festival 2025!⭐[/h2][p]
Thank you so much GameDev.ist for including our game! This is the first time Echoes of Mora is part of a Steam event and we couldn't be more excited! 😊🙏[/p][p][/p][h3]And the other big news is...[/h3][h2]...the Echoes of Mora Demo will release in less than TWO weeks! 🤯[/h2][p]We're thrilled to announce that the demo will be released simultaneously with our appearance at gamescom 2025—right here on Steam! So even if you can't visit us in person, you'll still be able to experience the demo at home (in PC-VR or PC-only mode).[/p][p]Stay tuned, the Steam demo page will go live soon![/p][p]Buuut for those of you who are coming to gamescom in Cologne this year, here's where you can find us:[/p][p][/p][p]📍 Home of Indies, Hall 10.2, Booth E010 D011[/p][p]Come say hi and play the demo in VR or on PC (we've got two stations ready). Plus, we'll have some lovely merch waiting for you at our booth... 🔮🦭✨[/p][p]Make sure to follow us on social media to stay up to date with our gamescom journey, we'll definitely share some photos! 📸[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]Now onto all the progress we've made since the last Dev Log:[/h3][p][/p][h2]🎨 Art[/h2][p]We've created a whole new area for you to explore—Mora's House!
It's filled with carefully placed furniture and decorations, many of which subtly tell stories through environmental details. You can actually learn a lot about Mora's family just by observing how they used to live.[/p][p]Here's a screenshot of the outside of the house (make sure to check out the inside in the demo! 👀):
[/p][p][/p][h2]🏊 Animations[/h2][p]The PC mode finally has some swimming and idle animations!
More animations, like holding and pointing at objects, will be added soon![/p][p](Oh, and we also added a magical new barrier that encloses the demo area ✨):
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🎬 Story & Music[/h2][p]The full story of the demo is now implemented, featuring animated cutscenes of the most important characters, all brought to life by our talented voice actors.[/p][p]Besides that, we've added beautiful background music throughout the demo, in both the game menu and the game itself![/p][p]And here's also an extra bit of exciting news:[/p][p]We've been working on a brand-new trailer for the demo! It'll be revealed soon, so keep your eyes peeled! 👀[/p][p] [/p][h2]🖥️ UI[/h2][p]You can now follow all dialogue via subtitles![/p][p]We've also added a first version of the Credits in the main menu. On top of that, the UI has been further adapted to match the specific needs of the demo.[/p][p]Here's a screenshot where you can see the subtitles:
[/p][p][/p][h2]🐞 Bug Fixing[/h2][p]We've been mercilessly purging bugs, but a few sneaky ones are still slipping through. Want to help us catch them before the demo officially launches? Join our Discord and sign up for a playtest![/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]Beyond the game itself, the Echoes of Mora Steam page has received a visual upgrade with colorful GIFs, new screenshots, and some refined text.[/p][p][/p][p]That's it for our second Dev Log!
We're super excited to showcase the demo at gamescom, and we're incredibly grateful for your support! Stay tuned for more updates! 💜[/p][p]- the Selkies Team 🦭[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Hello, fellow underwater lovers! 🌊 We're kicking off this first Dev Log with huge news – something we've been quietly working toward for months...[/p][h2]A Demo Version is coming... and it's BIG! ✨[/h2][p]We're beyond excited to reveal that a public Demo of Echoes of Mora is on the way! And this isn't just a quick preview – it's a full slice of the game that offers a real feel for what's to come.[/p][p]In the Demo you'll be able to:[/p]

• [p]Explore roughly one third of the full game world, including a forest and lake environment, several points of interest, and different story locations[/p]
• [p]Play through the first Echo scenes where you'll meet the main characters[/p]
• [p]Experience the dialogue and interaction system we've been building[/p]
• [p]Get a full intro to the game's story and tone[/p]

[p]More info about the Demo release date and the Demo Steam Page will follow soon![/p][h3]
[hr][/hr]Besides that – we're thrilled to provide you with fresh updates on our journey developing Echoes of Mora! Things have been moving fast as we gear up for the Demo. Let's take a look at what we've been up to lately: [/h3][p][/p][h2]🎨 Art[/h2][p]We've been steadily improving the visuals of the world: sculpting and painting landscapes, adding erosion to make everything feel more natural, and swapping out blockout meshes for actual environment assets. That means trees, hand-placed rocks, bushes, and seaweed to make the world feel truly alive.[/p][p]Also, we officially kicked off asset production! We're currently filling the world with a mix of high-quality third-party assets and our own handmade custom meshes for individual and story-relevant elements. Here's a screenshot of a Wayside Shrine that's now fully modeled and placed in-game:
[/p][p][/p][h2]🛠️ Game Mechanics[/h2][p]We implemented an inventory system both for the VR and PC mode – now it's possible to store several items while exploring the world. See the VR inventory here:
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Our interaction and player choice system, which we previously used with placeholder text for testing, is now being integrated with real scenes from the actual script. That means we've started building proper in-game moments using final dialogue and voice lines. Players can nod, shake their head, or point at objects to interact with Mora and respond to her questions. You can see the nodding in action here:
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🖥️ UI[/h2][p]We gave the User Interface a shiny new look by revamping the main menu, pause menu, and various interface elements:
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🔮 Echo Sneak Peek[/h2][p]To see how it's all starting to come together, we prepared a short sneak peek of one Echo scene. This will be one of the first places where you'll really get to know the characters and see why the story plays a big role in Echoes of Mora:[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][h2] [/h2][h2][hr][/hr]📣 Other News & Announcements[/h2]

• [p]We have an official Community Discord for Echoes of Mora! If you want early updates, behind-the-scenes peeks, or even access to future playtests, come hang out with us. It's also the best place to ask us questions directly! Join here or click the Discord icon below this post.[/p]
• [p]This August we'll be at gamescom in Cologne! We couldn't be more excited to meet players, answer questions, and see you playtest our game. So if you're there, make sure to drop by and say Hi![/p]

[p]That's it for this Dev Log. We're eager to share even more exciting updates in the weeks to come!
Thanks for your support, and stay tuned for more![/p][p] - the Selkies Team 🦭
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