TavernHold News

[p]Greetings, Innkeepers and Defenders![/p][p]Steam Next Fest has come to an end, and we're absolutely blown away by your response! Over 1,600 unique players experienced our demo during the festival week. Watching you all manage your inns, defend against undead hordes, and discover creative strategies has been incredible. While you enjoy the game, these are what we prepared in the meantime.[/p][p][/p][h2]🛠️ Quality of Life Improvements[/h2][h3]The Tab View System[/h3][p]One of the most requested features is now cooking in development! Managing workers across multiple buildings was getting chaotic, so we're introducing the Tab View System:[/p]

• [p]See all worker assignments at a glance - No more clicking through every building to find idle workers[/p]
• [p]Reassign workers instantly - Easily assign workers between tasks without closing menus[/p]

[h3]The Save System[/h3][p]No more losing progress. Simple.[/p][h3]Performance Improvements[/h3][p]Lots of players experienced low frame rates. We spent a good amount of time optimizing TavernHold under the hood, and the difference is significant. [/p]

• [p]The game now runs much smoothly on a wider range of PCs.[/p]

[h3]Improved Night Feeling[/h3][p]We realized that special arrows and traps are not that effective and expensive.[/p]

• [p]Spike trap now deals damage and has more health[/p]
• [p]Special arrows are now cheaper and have more AOE.[/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]🎮 The Future of TavernHold- Major Features Coming[/h2][h3]🏗️ Free Defense Placement[/h3][p]Instead of fixed positions, you'll be able to:[/p]

• [p]Create defensive lanes with strategic barricade placement[/p]
• [p]Position towers anywhere on the battlefield (Yes, even in the middle of everything!)[/p]
• [p]Set explosive barrel traps activated when hit by ballista arrows[/p]
• [p]Design kill zones by placing all of the available buildings in harmony.[/p]

[p]Your creativity is the only limit to your defensive strategy![/p][p][/p][h3]🏰 Specialized Tower Upgrades[/h3][p]One tower type isn't enough for the challenges ahead. After the initial upgrade cost, choose your specialization that will buff your:[/p]

• [p]Rapid Fire Towers - Faster attack speed for swarm control[/p]
• [p]Fire Arrow Towers - Damage over time effects that spread to nearby enemies[/p]
• [p]Frost Towers - Slow enemies in a radius, perfect for creating kill zones[/p]
• [p]Explosive Towers - Area damage for clustered enemy groups[/p]

[p]Mix and match tower buffs to create synergistic defensive networks![/p][h3]🃏 Day Bonus Variation — Card Selection System[/h3][p][/p][p]After a successful defense, at the end of each day, you will now get to choose a card that grants a special buff for the next day(s). These choices add a roguelike flavor to each run.[/p][p]Expect Bonuses like:[/p]

• [p]Double wood production[/p]
• [p]Guests pay more gold[/p]
• [p]More / fewer customers the next day[/p]
• [p]Faster working workers[/p]
• [p]Increased tower range[/p]
• [p]Faster reload for ballista and shooters[/p]
• [p]Spike traps burn enemies[/p]
• [p]And many more…[/p]

[p]Each card will make each day different from the others. Do you double down on gold, produce more resources, or want more defensive capabilities?[/p][p]This system adds randomness and variety without forcing a restart.[/p][p][/p][h3]🗺️ Expanding Map System[/h3][p]The longer you survive, the more territory you unlock:[/p]

• [p]As you progress into the game, the playable area expands.[/p]
• [p]You can only unlock/place buildings once the area is unlocked.[/p]

[p]Each new area brings opportunities: more space for defenses, and the ability to see where the enemy is coming from![/p][p][/p][h3]👹 New Enemy Types[/h3][p]Basic zombies are just the beginning. Prepare for:[/p]

• [p]Runners - Fast but low health[/p]
• [p]Tanks - Slow arrow sponges that soak up damage and (maybe) break through defenses[/p]
• [p]Tunnel Diggers - Create underground passages that bypass your front-line defenses[/p]
• [p]Totem Carriers - Project protective auras that make nearby enemies invulnerable until destroyed[/p]

[p]Each enemy type requires different tactics, forcing you to adapt your strategy as waves become more complex.[/p][p][/p][p]
[/p][h2]🐛 Addressing the Bugs You Found[/h2][p]Here are the major issues we're fixing:[/p]

• [p]Guests refusing to sleep - No more customers awkwardly sleeping outside rooms they've paid for[/p]
• [p]Flying zombie physics - Enemies will now not launch themselves outside of the map when defeated (as they should not!)[/p]
• [p]Auto-serve breaking after research - The automation upgrade will actually work as intended[/p]
• [p]Customers not leaving the Tavern - Customers will leave the tavern once nighttime starts.[/p]
• [p]Various UI glitches - Cleaner menus and more responsive controls[/p]
• [p]Random Crashes - We fixed most of the random crashes and are trying our best not to create new ones.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]🔍 We Are Aware Of The Following Issues and Feedback[/h2][p]Some of these might not be fully addressed until launch, but we’re actively working to improve or resolve all of them:[/p]

• [p]After unlocking Auto Serve, table customers aren’t served automatically when food runs out and is later replenished.[/p]
• [p]Ballista hitboxes need clearer feedback when hitting enemies.[/p]
• [p]Building progress (construction or resource generation) isn’t visible without clicking.[/p]
• [p]Room occupancy is difficult to track at a glance.[/p]
• [p]Reassigning workers after every night can feel repetitive.[/p]
• [p]The research tree needs more upgrades and a stronger impact.[/p]
• [p]The game font could use better readability and visual consistency.[/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]💬 Your Feedback Shapes Our Game[/h2][p]Keep the feedback coming! Join our Discord community to share your ideas, report bugs, and connect with other players. Every suggestion helps us make TavernHold better.[/p][h2]🎯 Ready for TavernHold?[/h2][p]If you haven't already, WISHLIST TAVERNHOLD NOW to be notified the moment we launch![/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Thank you for making Next Fest amazing. See you in December![/p][p]- Tevniyal Studios[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]Quick Stats from Next Fest:[/h3]

• [p]🎮 1,600+ unique players[/p]
• [p]⚔️ 600,000+ enemies defeated collectively[/p]
• [p]🏠 150,000+ guests served[/p]
• [p]💀 Most common death cause: Forgetting to repair the gate...[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]WISHLIST ON STEAM | JOIN DISCORD [/p][p]
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[p]Innkeepers, the wait is over! After months of building, balancing, and battling bugs, the free demo of TavernHold is now available on Steam.[/p][p]👉 Play the Demo on Steam[/p][p]👉 Join our Discord[/p][hr][/hr][h2]We Promised, We Delivered 💪[/h2][p]In our last update, we said we’d bring you:[/p]

• [p]Research Tree — upgrade buildings, unlock new craftable bolts, and empower your workers with fire arrows.[/p]
• [p]Boss Waves — challenging encounters that push your defenses to the limit.[/p]

[p]They’re here in the demo—plus a polished menu system and a mountain of bug fixes.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]What’s Inside the Demo 🎮[/h2]

• [p]Tavern Upgrades — turn your simple inn into a sturdy, thriving stronghold.[/p]
• [p]Explosive & Freezing Bolts — craft what you need, when you need it.[/p]
• [p]Epic Boss Fights — bigger, meaner enemies determined to break your tavern gate.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Test, Feedback & Share 📝[/h2][p]We’ve stared at this game too long—now it’s your turn. Test the demo, give us your feedback (which is vital for shaping TavernHold’s development), and share it with fellow innkeepers who’d enjoy the challenge.[/p][p]👉 Play the Demo on Steam[/p][p]👉 Join our Discord[/p][hr][/hr][h2]A Note From Us 💭[/h2][p]Six months ago, TavernHold was nothing more than a rough prototype of boxes and placeholders. Now it’s real—and you can play it. Every wishlist, message, and bit of feedback keeps us going.[/p][p]Thanks for being part of this journey. Take control of your workers and your ballista, and keep those undead out of your tavern before the gate falls![/p][hr][/hr][h2]Screenshots 🖼️[/h2][p][/p][h2][/h2][p][/p][p]👉 Play the Demo on Steam[/p]

[p]Greetings, future innkeepers![/p][p]We're thrilled to finally share TavernHold with the world! After months of late nights and countless iterations, our Steam page is live, and we couldn't be more excited to start this journey with you.[/p][p][/p][h2]Who We Are[/h2][p]We're a tiny team of two developers working on what started as a passion project and has grown into something we believe is truly special. One of us is diving in full-time while the other juggles part-time development alongside other commitments. It's been challenging, but seeing TavernHold come to life makes every obstacle worth it.[/p][p][/p][h2]What Makes TavernHold Different?[/h2][p]While there are excellent games in both the tower defense and management genres, we noticed a gap - what if managing your economy wasn't just about funding defenses, but about running a living, breathing business that happens to be under siege every night?[/p][p]In TavernHold, you're not just placing towers and watching enemies march. You're:[/p]

• [p]Serving hungry travelers during the day, managing tables and rooms like a real innkeeper[/p]
• [p]Assigning workers to gather resources, build defenses, or craft items - every decision matters[/p]
• [p]Desperately scrambling to repair your inn after last night's attack while new guests arrive expecting service[/p]
• [p]Manually controlling a ballista tower when things get intense (because sometimes you need that personal touch!)[/p]

[p]This creates a unique tension where success in one phase directly impacts the other. Neglect your customers? No gold for defenses. Focus only on combat? Your inn falls apart, and travelers stop coming.[/p][p][/p][h2]What's Coming Next 🔨[/h2][p]We're hard at work on our next major update, which will add depth to the strategic layer:[/p][p]Tech Tree System[/p]

• [p]Level up your tables and rooms to serve premium customers[/p]
• [p]Upgrade resource generators for better efficiency[/p]
• [p]Enable crafting arrow[/p]
• [p]Unlock the ability to repair your base (yes, permanent consequences are coming!)[/p]

[p][/p][p]Crafting Table[/p]

• [p]Assign workers to craft specialized arrows (explosive, slowing)[/p]
• [p]Strategic resource allocation - do you craft now or save materials for emergencies?[/p]

[p][/p][p]Boss Encounters[/p]

• [p]Epic tower defense moments that will test everything you've learned[/p]
• [p]Special rewards for successful defenses[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]The Road to Steam Next Fest[/h2][p]We're targeting October's Steam Next Fest with a playable demo. This gives you a chance to experience the core loop we've been perfecting - the satisfying cycle of Day (management) → Night (defense) that makes every session feel dynamic.[/p][p][/p][h2]How You Can Help[/h2][p]As a small team, your support means everything:[/p]

• [p]Wishlist the game - it genuinely helps us reach more players[/p]
• [p]Join our Discord (link on Steam page) - we need your feedback to make this the best it can be[/p]
• [p]Share with friends who enjoy unique strategy games[/p]

[p][/p][p]We're building TavernHold because it's the game we want to play - a perfect blend of calm strategic planning and heart-pounding tower defense action. No two nights are the same, and every sunrise brings new challenges.[/p][p]Thank you for being part of this journey from the very beginning. We can't wait to show you what we're building![/p][p]See you at the inn, The TavernHold Team[/p][p]P.S. - Yes, you can absolutely assign the same poor villager to chop wood all day and defend the walls all night. We're not saying it's optimal, but sometimes desperate times call for very tired workers![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]