About Fishing News

[p]Hey,
It's here. Playtest 2.0 is out right now and I'd love for you to try it - even if you already played the first one. (Actually, especially if you already played the first one.)[/p][p]
And if that didn't convince you, I'm sure this trailer will.[/p][p]
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h3]Here's what's in Playtest 2.0[/h3][p][/p][p]The biggest change is the one I teased in the last dev blog - casting.

It's physics-based now. I rebuilt it from the ground up, and I genuinely think it changes how the whole thing feels. You're going to notice it immediately.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]You'll start in the same spot as before (the tutorial). I want to know if it lands better this time. Your feedback is very much appreciated. And then there's the area near the church. That wasn't in the first playtest. There's also more of the story in there now.
[/p][p]But since everyone loves bullet points, here's a bullet list of what's new:[/p]

• [p]Physics-based line casting[/p]
• [p]New areas to fish[/p]
• [p]Moving objects underwater[/p]
• [p]The shop[/p]
• [p]More story[/p]
• [p]Mausoleum puzzle[/p]

[p][/p][p]When you play, fill out the form. The feedback from the first playtest genuinely shaped what you're about to play. This round will do the same.[/p][p]
[/p][h3]Community Spotlight[/h3][p][/p][p]
Some of you have been cooking in the Discord and I have to share it. These are the rules.[/p][p]Embrace live catches [/p][p]Whatever the reason was. I love it. [/p][p][/p][p]Share videos 💪[/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][p]If you're not there yet, I have a solution: Join the Discord! [/p][p]

And lastly -[/p][p]Wishlist the game, tell a friend if you feel like it. But only if this is your kind of thing. It helps with the algorithm, so I have a chance to reach more people like you.[/p][p][/p][p]Xoxo (stay hooked)
~ Kevin (The Water Museum)
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[p]Hey,[/p][p]First things first - I just want to say thank you for joining the playtest.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]25,327 of you showed up to the playtest. You sent 7,895 invites to your friends - which, by the way, is insane. And 1,728 of you went the extra mile and filled out the feedback form. Those people have a special place in my heart.[/p][p][/p][h3]Now, how about some stats?
[/h3][p]96.8% of you rated the playtest experience as positive. 96.5% said you'd come back for the full game. And 74.7% said you'd recommend it to a friend. I'm not going to pretend I didn't stare at these for an embarrassingly long time. Luckily now we can stare together.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
But honestly, the written feedback hit the spot the most. You were thoughtful about it. Specific. And your suggestions are now fueling future work.[/p][p]Thank you for that. 🙏[/p][h3]
Now, what have I been up to lately?[/h3][p]A month ago a friend pulled out Wii Sports. I hadn’t played it in ten years. As they innocently swung the Wii remote and watched the ball fly, a mix of physics and chaos, I was violently (but quietly) having my own religious epiphany.
[/p][p]The goal of this project has always been to make the world matter. Not just through story, but through how you think about fishing. And the more I sat with the casting, the more I felt like I was leaving something on the table. Many of you were already praising the line physics in the playtest - how you could interact with the Trout puzzle - and that only made me want to push it further. So I did[/p][p]But it's better if I just show you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The line doesn't just behave like it used to - now it flies. With the new casting you're asked to think not just about where you cast, but how. It gives you more control, changes how you set up your line, changes how you approach reeling a fish in. There's something between physics and chaos happening, and honestly, that's exactly where I wanted to end up.[/p][h3]

And the best part? On March 25th we're rolling out Playtest 2.0, where you'll be able to try it out yourself. The full scope of what's changing will be announced on March 25th.[/h3][h3]
Now, what else am I working on?[/h3][p]I've been putting a lot of time into the town. It's something I'm very focused on right now. You didn't get a chance to experience it in the playtest, but I wanted to give you a glimpse TASTE of what's been cooking. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]What you're seeing here is just a small portion of it. The town is much bigger than this, and the upcoming playtest won't let you roam it - not yet. But I wanted you to know it exists, and that it's very much in progress.[/p][p] [/p][p]Also trying to pull you into some places that are going to infect you with the atmosphere.[/p][p][/p][p]
IMPORTANT PSA[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Community Showcase[/h3][p]Now for the most important part. Some of you might not know that we have THE BEST DISCORD out there. And to prove it, let me show you some of the stuff that's been happening there.[/p][p]
Yes, I do have a channel where you can show your fish.
Let’s appreciate some real catches.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]
Gotta love a community that’s always there to help a dev in need.

[/p][p][/p][p]This is what keeps me going, honestly. [/p][p]Come hang out if you haven't. It's a good place. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]And lastly - I know this is what every indie dev is supposed to include, but I'm going to do it slightly differently:[/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist the game, tell a friend if you feel like it. But only if this is your kind of thing. It helps with the algorithm, so I have a chance to reach more people like you.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Stay hooked.[/p][p]~ Kevin (The Water Museum)
[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

Video games have a tendency to be very impatient in a way that I think often makes for a worse experience. Constant rewards of many flavours push us to chase after the next challenge, there's not nearly enough games that ask us to slow down. That's why I love a fishing minigame. It is a test of patience that you cannot win by brute forcing anything, the fish must come to you, and you must wait for the right time. About Fishing, the next release from Arctic Eggs developer The Water Museum, does ask for your patience… as well as for your willingness to embark into strange, murky waters.

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[p]Hey, Kevin (The Water Museum) here.[/p][p]So, this game spent over a year sitting in my folders as “Untitled Fishing Game” or at least that’s what it looked like. The truth is… it actually had a name for quite a while. I just held onto it until it felt like the right moment to show it. (proof at the end of this post)
[/p][p]Anyway, About Fishing finally showed up in the PC Gaming Show today, which still feels a bit surreal. [/p][p]I’ve been working on it for quite a while with amazing support from Angel Perez Guzman (art) and Cameron Ginex (music). The three of us have been building this little world together powered mostly by love for Sega Bass Fishing, Mysteries Under Lake Ophelia and Shenmue, cornerstones of the industry. (That’s simply how it is, I don’t make the rules.)[/p][p][/p][p]If you want to try it out, the open playtest is live right now:[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p] [/p][p]The build you’ll play shouldn’t take longer than 15-20 minutes to finish.[/p][p](But if you end up staying longer, you’ll have my utmost respect.)[/p][p]
[/p][h2]How to join?[/h2][p][/p]

• [p]Just head to the store page.[/p]
• [p]Hit the pleasantly looking green button. [/p]
• [p]And that’s it. You’re in. Enjoy!
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[p]The goal of the playtest is to see what you think of the concept and how you respond to the gameplay. If you happen to like what we’re cooking, it’d be lovely if you considered wishlisting the game and maybe letting others know about it.
[/p][p]And yes - if you want to record videos or reactions, go for it. Just please promise that you’ll share them with me on Discord.
[/p][p]By the way, before I forget:[/p][p]Come hang out on the Discord. It’ll be fun.[/p][p]
[/p][p]And in case you want to relive the reveal of About Fishing - here’s the announcement trailer.[/p][p]Let’s rewatch.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]*Aaand here’s the proof I really did leave some breadcrumbs.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]XOXO[/p][p]Kevin (The Water Museum)[/p][p]
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