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Tsarevna News

Showcase: Environment Shader Features

[p]Multilayer wall material in TSAREVNA[/p][p]
In TSAREVNA, environment shaders carry not just color, but history.[/p][p]Here’s a look at how our multilayer material system works: blending stone, dust, moisture, erosion, and hand-painted details into one living surface.[/p][p]
These layers react to lighting, camera angle, and local accents, helping walls feel less like geometry and more like part of the world’s memory.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ll share more behind-the-scenes looks into how we build the environments of TSAREVNA.[/p][p][/p][p]Follow our dev diaries — there’s much more world-building magic ahead, and support the project by adding it to the Wishlist![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]
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Playtest: Access is open

[p]We are happy to announce that the first playtest for Tsarevna has officially begun! Thank you very much to everyone who showed interest—we received over 19,000 applications from around the world.[/p][p][/p][p]Since this is our first playtest, access was limited. If you didn't receive an invitation, don't worry! This means that you will have even more chances to join and directly influence the development of the game in future tests.[/p][p][/p][p]Access was distributed randomly among all applications. The playtest itself will last 10 days, and we plan to summarize the results after December 15.[/p][p][/p][p]Your opinion is important![/p][p]This is not the final build or visuals, so your opinion can significantly influence development — please fill out the questionnaire after completing the test.[/p][p][/p][p]Immerse yourself in a world where ballet dancing becomes a deadly battle! The team is looking forward to your feedback![/p][p]
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Dev Diary 3: Immersive Sound Design

[p]Sound doesn’t just exist in TSAREVNA — it lives there. Every whisper of the wind, echo in a corridor, or muffled voice behind the wall obeys its own physical laws. Just as our in-game physics simulate mass and weight, our soundscape follows the acoustic logic of the real world.[/p][p]To achieve this, we use Wwise Spatial Audio — a system that allows us to simulate the real behavior of sound within complex virtual spaces. The result? An environment that feels alive — sound that truly belongs to the world it inhabits.[/p][h3]Building the Acoustic Geometry[/h3][p]Each location in TSAREVNA starts with a layer of acoustic geometry — invisible structures defining the shape, volume, and materials of rooms, halls, and corridors. This is the physical framework that gives sound its “home.”[/p][h3]Defining the Sound Profile[/h3][p]Every space has its own acoustic identity:[/p]
  • [p]A room tone that sets its baseline atmosphere,[/p]
  • [p]A reverb preset tuned to its size and material,[/p]
  • [p]And the absorption strength of its virtual walls.[/p]
[p]A grand temple hums differently than a tight stone tunnel — and that difference tells a story.[/p][p][/p][h3]Portals: Letting Sound Flow[/h3][p]Rooms are connected through portals — invisible thresholds that let sound “travel” between spaces.
Imagine standing indoors during a storm: you hear the wind howling outside. Step through the door, and suddenly, the full chaos surrounds you.[/p][p]That’s exactly what portals do — they let players feel the transition from one space to another.[/p][h3]Reflections and Occlusion[/h3][p]Wwise’s built-in ray tracing system calculates how sound bends, reflects, or fades when blocked by geometry.[/p][p]Standing behind a corner, you’ll hear a muffled echo instead of a direct sound — creating that subconscious sense of distance and realism.[/p][h3]From Ambisonics to Stereo[/h3][p]For ambient layers, we use Ambisonic audio instead of traditional stereo.
While stereo only spreads sound left to right, Ambisonics carries information across three spatial axes — up, down, front, back — plus a global field.[/p][p]This means ambient sounds don’t just surround you — they breathe around you. As the player moves, the audio field shifts naturally, making even static background noise feel alive and reactive.[/p][h3]The Result[/h3][p]This multi-layered approach allows us to craft an atmosphere that doesn’t just decorate the world of TSAREVNA — it defines it.[/p][p]The hum of an ancient hall, the echo of a distant storm, the muffled chant through stone walls — all of it works together to tell the story without a single word.[/p][p]✨ Add TSAREVNA to your Steam wishlist — and be ready to hear the world come alive.[/p][p]
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Location: Baba Yaga’s Hut

[p]At the edge between the living and the dead — where the idols of Mokosh greet the traveler — stands the hut of Baba Yaga. Perched on chicken legs, it rises like pillars for the soul, echoing ancient rites of sky burials.[/p][p]Inside burns a stove. Not just a source of warmth, but a symbol of the womb — of rebirth through fire.
In old rituals, sick children were placed inside the warm oven to be “born again” and break their ties with the otherworld.[/p][p][/p][p]Behind the stove hides the Domovoi — the spirit of the house, the forgotten ancestor guarding the threshold.[/p][p]Red threads stretch through the hut, reminding of the Valkyries who wove the names of heroes, and of Mokosh, the goddess of fate.[/p][p]Here, the fragments of bodies become symbols of power: the Slavs believed that the soul could dwell in eyes or hands — and so the remains of the dead could heal or protect.[/p][p][/p][p]🎭 Add TSAREVNA to your Steam wishlist — there are still many secrets waiting to be uncovered.[/p]