Outcast Tales: The First Journey News

[h3]Greetings, misfits![/h3]

We’ve now spent some time getting to know our enemy and finding ways to deal with various threats.
But what about getting to know ourselves? What about the battles fought with words and emotions?

One would think this heartless world is all about brute strength and material possessions, but personality does matter!

[h2]Personalities[/h2]

Stats or a sharp tongue? You decide!

Character flaws come in two flavors!

As you create your starting character, you must imbue them with a preset personality. This not only determines their skills and abilities, but nets them positive and negative traits, which affect conduct in battle or during events. Here are some of those personality types:

Hermit. Someone who grew tired of the bloodshed and decided to work from home. Apparently, they became so attuned with nature, they managed to befriend a… pet they’re now riding, which technically qualifies them for being promoted to a Disney princess.

Having a scaly companion does give them an intimidation factor, but what good is it if they’re so averse to violence? They are just begging to get reprimanded by a ragtag group of killers. Let’s hope they learn the error of their ways.

Daredevil. The complete opposite of a Hermit. They love getting their hands dirty (note: the “dirt” mostly consists of the guts and tears of their enemies). As expected, someone with that much pent-up rage is hardly a role model of emotional maturity: avoiding dangerous situations leaves those adrenaline junkies with a bad case of withdrawal, which leads to temper tantrums. Aww, he just wanted to rip this cute little wobot in half with his bare hands!

Will your team of delinquents simply get annoyed or provide the Daredevil with a counseling sesh? Time will tell.

Egghead. One cannot underestimate the importance of intellect and resourcefulness in a world ripe with scarcity. Still, for all their IQ, the Eggheads are lacking in empathy and do not mince words, which can create unwarranted tension with friends and foes alike.

Let’s hope your crew gets to make a delicious omelet without breaking a few eggheads along the way.

Eye catcher. A charmer and a smooth-talker. Due to their ego, they hardly pay attention to the more practical side of things, which results in more wasted rations during your journey. Guess our diva just doesn’t like fried lizard tail for breakfast. However, they are a smooth operator and know how to diffuse all sorts of situations, whether on the battlefield or within the team.

How does one even get good at diplomacy if the world around you is just hideous creatures and village idiots?

Lone wolf. This is a no man’s land, and the Lone wolf takes the expression literally. Their weariness and mistrust of society will inevitably become a point of tension within your crew. However, this does come with some upsides: the Lone wolf (also known as “the cooler Hermit”) exhibits worldly awareness that is sure to put you out of harm’s way.

What will give first? Your party’s patience as they try to get into the Lone wolf’s good graces or your patience as you groan at yet another “hard-boiled cowboy” monologue?

There are more personality types you will unlock along the way. We will let you discover them on your own, which is our way of saying you should really play this game.

[h2]Other tips[/h2]

Not getting your neck snapped is not the only perk of being a good sport. Healthy communication helps smooth out misunderstandings within your own team and keep your spirits high.

They will remember that… Probably

Who knows? Some of them might even grow closer. And in the harsh, lonely lands of Outcast Tales the only treasure you can really find is a good friend. That, and overpowered alien technology.

Lastly, you simply cannot decimate hordes of living creatures and save dozens of towns without wanting to curl up in a little violent ball and cry at least some of the time. To illustrate this idea, we’ve included the morale stat. Each character has their own view of the world which will affect their morale, so choose your responses wisely during events. Boosting your team’s morale improves combat performance, while low spirits may prove detrimental and even result in emotional outbursts unbecoming of a team of adult raiders. Seriously, it’s not a pretty sight.

Well, that was a ride. We bickered, we talked, we laughed. Just as friends do. But like most relationships, this lecture must eventually come to an end. Don’t worry, though: there’s still loads to learn about the world of Outcast Tales, so stay tuned for more very soon!

And now that you’re a master of social interactions, don’t be shy and hop onto our Discord server or check out our Twitter! See you next time!

[h3]Greetings, misfits![/h3]

Last time we covered the basics of planning your moves and setting them into motion, like a broken-down-but-still-oddly-amusing Rube Goldberg machine. It’s time to cover a few extra points that should add a bit of spice to your encounters.

[h2]Status effects[/h2]

They say “making it” is all about money and status. Well, would you look at that: they are right! Especially about the status thing.

Status effects are special passive attributes that might make your journey a bit easier or sucker punch you into the stratosphere if you’re not careful.

Hover over an enemy icon for a dose of extra sugar (or spice)

Attacks that inflict status effects include the status description for you to read. Who knew mercenary life came with so many text boxes?

Some status effects “stack”, which makes them synergize with other status effects, while some do not. Think of it as waking up with a cold and an upset stomach all at the same time, yikes!



The status effects inflicted on your characters are displayed as icons above their health bars. Aside from enemy attacks, there are other situations that might get you a buff or a debuff, like an enemy ambush. Maybe stay on your toes and dial back on philosophizing with your teammates next time.



Sometimes, you might even debuff yourself. And same goes for your enemies! Guess you aren’t the only one who tends to skip the fine print. You know what that means: time to put your strategist cap on! Or maybe a skull would be more appropriate…

Never forget that those status effects can apply to both your enemies and your party. And it’s your job to make accidents into miracles.

A few more status effects for you to chew on. Just don’t get a stomachache…

[h2]Healing[/h2]

It’s time to address the elephant in the room — healing your party. Sounds simple enough. Just cast a little healing spell or one of those fancy buffs, right? Slow down there, cowboy. Why would everyone live in a dump if things were so easy?

There are very few ways to heal during battle, so don’t expect to make your way out by just tapping X. Even the most simple encounters could prove fatal if you don’t play your cards right. Each stolen health point can and will come back to bite you in the long run. And this game is all about the long runs.



Here is one way to handle the situation: armor. It acts as a protective layer that absorbs HP until it’s destroyed with enough damage. How do you get extra armor, you ask? By using those pesky status effects again! In other words, you have to attack first to trigger the Armor status effect. Since you usually know which party member gets attacked next, that gives you yet another opportunity to strategize.

Whew, all this talk about fights and enemies must be exhausting — sometimes you just want to sit down and talk to people. So do expect some of the upcoming devlogs to focus on the characters and their interactions.

Speaking of interactions, don’t forget to check out our Twitter and hop onto our Discord server to stay updated on all things Outcast Tales. See you soon!

[h3]Greetings, misfits.[/h3]

Your survival in the Wasteland depends on braving the elements, scavenging for resources, and outchatting your adversaries - But even with all this riveting dialogue, your sword (metaphorical, use guns instead) will sometimes be mightier than the pen (also metaphorical, most characters can’t even read, let alone write). Here are some things to keep in mind as you’re playing with sand in the Wasteland:

[h2]The battle system[/h2]

Outcast Tales is a turn-based game. You rearrange your enemies’ faces during your turn, and they respond in kind. You can choose the order your party members attack in, allowing for deeper strategic maneuvers. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Well, here is a little “western” twist:

Your mightiest weapon. No oversized swords required.

Those icons correspond to the upcoming moves of your opponents. The enemy order, the approximate damage you’re going to receive, and even the attack type. You won’t survive in the Wasteland for long if you can’t use this knowledge to your advantage.
You are far from being a clairvoyant, however. Take a gander:

Stand back, I'm good at dice.

As you can see, a lot of the stats and outcomes are not predefined. Even if the initial fate of your party is somewhat out of your control, your final destiny isn’t. Will you take your chances and attack? Will you debuff the enemy before they show their hand? Will any of this matter, if you're but a tumbleweed, rolling through the sands of life?
Life in the Wasteland is like a game of chess, but your opponent is a donkey who can simply flip the table. (Just like in real life!) But seeing the enemy’s hand lets you flip the table back while it’s in the air…(Okay, maybe not exactly like real life)…
This is the sort of mindset you must adapt if you wish to live another day.

[h2]Punching bags[/h2]

Here are some threats you may come across as you and your crew make your way into parts unknown.

[h3]Screechers[/h3]


You might want to squish this repulsive bug, but beware of its hellish shrieks as you do. Becoming deaf will rob your party of its Ability Points for a while - which is kind of important. How will you plan ahead? Do you concentrate your fire on the sucker or buff yourself in preparation?

[h3]Insectoids[/h3]


Call pest control; we've got a situation here... If you get sprayed by its pheromones, you become the primary target for the enemy team. But they ain’t looking for hugs: the pheromones’ effects make you extra brittle and damageable, making for a nice slushy to digest later. Sounds rough, but perhaps a more callous tactician can take advantage of this knowledge…

[h3]Worms[/h3]


No, these guys don't wield bazookas. They might look scary but are actually very shy: they will immediately burrow underground till the end of the turn after they receive damage. But this ain’t the end of the story, as they will come back in style… Maybe you should wait and save them for dinner?

[h3]Scavenger bots[/h3]


This universe didn't have an Azimov, so many robots are inherently hostile. These little guys are dropped by Scavenger Technicians and act as an extra defense barrier. However, they take a while to activate, which is something you can track and account for. *Beep*repared!

This ends our little debrief for now, but these basic tips can only get you so far and the war is only beginning. But don’t fret: there are plenty more battle tips and tricks waiting for you in our next devlog.

In the meantime check the Outcast Tales demo and try stomping some worms yourself! Who knows what secrets you might learn?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/882590/Ragtag_Crew/

See you soon! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter for gameplay teasers, and feel free to drop in and say hi to us on our official Discord!

First of all, it's been a while since our last update, so thank you for your patience and continued support. We apologize for what may have been perceived as a lack of communication on our part. However, you can rest assured that the development is going smoothly, and the release is getting closer than ever. We will do our best to keep communication going via multiple channels, including a new series of devlogs. Please make sure to wishlist and follow Outcast Tales to receive all the latest updates the moment they arrive.

Greetings, misfits.

Before you set out to beat the living sand out of a bunch of folks using your fists, guns, and philosophical inquiry, it might be a good idea to review some basics.

[h3]The Map[/h3]

You can drag the map to view your charted journey in full. Hope the sight doesn’t break your spirit

This ain’t a holiday brochure. In fact, this thing might just save your life… or not. Each point on the map is its own journey: are you going to buy some gear, get ambushed by monsters, or get turned into mincemeat for showing a single act of kindness in this merciless world? The choice is yours. Kinda.

Still, the icons do give you some idea of what you can expect. Here are some of them:

Wasteland. Get used to the desert, you are in one, after all. These locations will put you to the test with combat challenges and other surprises. Is your party a well-oiled machine or just a band of deviants after all?

Ruins. Every barren world has got a sappy backstory. Thankfully, that’s not what we're in for here: your team’s gotta survive, and ancient gear’s the ticket. Loot the place, or die trying.

Settlement. Spend your blood-drenched and gray-matter-stained coins here. Hear the woes of the townsfolk or get clobbered on the head by them.

Training camp. Spend cash to train and level up. No training montage included.

Oasis. Sometimes, we can have nice things. Or can we?
…how about you discover the rest on your own? Isn’t this what gaming is about?

[h3]Team make-up[/h3]

This screen also lets you choose your difficulty level

Your squads always come in threes. Just the perfect amount for love triangles and needless drama. You can try to outsmart your destiny with the team creator or leave it up to fate.
If you do decide to play God, do take note of your characters’ background and personality.
The Background determines your crew member’s sorry life story up until this point. This determines their initial skills, abilities, and appearance. Roleplay your heart out.
Personality here determines how your character acts in the present. This always comes with one negative and one positive trait. This all affects your character’s skills, the way they speak, and the manner of interaction with their crewmates and surroundings. No Mary Sues get to survive the Wasteland.

Being this buff and having zero persuasion? Impossible

Crew members can’t get the same background or personality. That'd make things pretty boring, wouldn't it? Now go and try minmax the system. We dare you.

[h3]Companions[/h3]

Think of it as the crew pet. Just maybe don't give it a name...

Remember how we said you only get three crew members? Well, we might’ve lied a bit.
During your run, you might get one extra companion willing to tag along just this once. To meet a companion, you have to stumble your way to a rare event, and then try to get on top.
If you do join up, they will be accompanying you until their last breath, acting as a fourth party member. They will also heal during rest, and might help you with certain events. But if they’re gone — that’s it!

This was just a taste of what's to come as the game's zeroing in on its release. Expect more in-depth info and hardcore survivor strats in the upcoming devlogs. Just try your best not to bite the sand until then. See you soon.

Hello, everyone!

First of all, we wanted to apologize for the long radio silence. Sadly, we had to part ways with our publisher and start looking for a new one. We’re doing everything we can to resolve this issue.

Now to the good news, we’re participating in Tacticon! Come check it out!