Preyers!
It has been a while - and it’s great to finally type these words again. Before we begin, though, let me manage your expectations: Update 0.9 is very much in development, but we’re not ready to start sharing more details of it just yet, so consider this post a sign of life and a teaser.
We know it’s been a while, and it’s going to be a while longer, because this one is a whopper - an update that lays a lot of groundwork for the arrival of 1.0 later this year.
The Reckoning update was a bit of a trial for us (and, fittingly, a reckoning), and we learned our lesson. What we can announce now is that there will be a closed beta test for selected members of the community. We did it before and it worked like a charm, helping us detect and squash bugs while balancing content, so with how much is changing in 0.9, we want to repeat that process.
When and how the beta will be handled is still up in the air and depends on how the work progresses - the new map is already playable internally and we’ve been frequenting it for a while, but it’s also a very significant chunk of the Witchfire world, so it needs to be done right.
Additionally, as we’re working on the Marshland, we’re boring some new tunnels in older levels, while other places are getting a makeover and major re-modelling; it’s all part of the road towards 1.0. We’re working on several things in parallel, preparing the world of Witchfire for its full reveal, and we hope that you are going to love the results.
It’s all a bit ominous, so let me deploy some pocket sand and woo you with a teaser image from the Marshland:
Both 0.9 and 1.0 are beyond important. Back in December, we celebrated the 500,000 sales milestone, and we’re hugely thankful for your support. The fact that the game has already reached half a million of you while still in Early Access is a testament to its potential - potential we cannot afford to waste, which is why the next milestone is, well, of paramount importance.
Not to mention that 1.0 will be the culmination of almost a decade of work for our team, but for now we’re focused on delivering 0.9.
As mentioned before - both in the roadmap and across our posts - the headliners are a brand new map and support for more languages.
While we are doing our best to keep the cards close to our chest, we know that some of you have already gone down the datamining rabbit hole and seen the new… map. Level. You know what I mean. I can confirm that what you found was genuine - at least at the time. These things change quite dynamically, so it may already be looking different, and besides, it’s one thing to see a bird’s-eye view of a level, and another to explore it from a first-person perspective, so don’t assume you’ve already figured it all out.
Localization is also an ongoing process - we understand that you may be impatient, especially since the mods providing unofficial language packs are fickle beasts, but this is - again - something we need to get right, not quickly. We’re working with world-class translators because we need the game to be localized, not just translated - and there is a huge difference between the two. It’s a complex process that requires a lot of changes in the game (we have to make sure everything works with different character sets, string lengths, and all the language-specific caveats), but we’ll do everything we can to have it ready for the 0.9 launch.
We’re also hoping to reintroduce World Corruption in its full form, and enrich the game with more events and enemies, among other things, but all of that takes time. “Late is temporary, bad is forever” may be hard to attribute, but we stand firmly behind it. And with that, let’s put a lid on this part - not quite an update, yet somehow still one.
The Importance Of Being Heard
Hermitorium Archives are a regular part of these devlogs, but before we move on to them, we have something extra - a behind-the-scenes look at how the sound of Witchfire is created.
We’re super proud of the game’s sound design, and it’s been great seeing your reactions (including a shoutout from Hugo Martin during one of his streams), but it has remained somewhat in the shadows until now, so it’s high time to change that.
You may have noticed that, over the past few updates, we’ve been sneaking more and more vocal sounds for the Witch’s minions. All that work is possible thanks to our collaboration with The Monster Factory, a voice talent agency specializing in extreme vocal techniques. Here, we show you how we begin the creative process of the horrific voices that populate the soundscape of Witchfire, and how they are - albeit a bit disfigured - a labor of love.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mmy0ct_Rj8w
Now you know that there are real people behind the soundbites marking the life (and, more often, death) of enemies. We’re working on more BTS videos, so consider this a taste of what’s to come later.
Oh, and it appears that the next stop is…
THE HERMITORIUM ARCHIVES
As I already mentioned in the intro, it’s been a while - but the Witchfire community remains active, so let’s have a look at a selection of topics and comments created by you.
The (un)popularity Contest
What is your most hated enemy? - Reddit
Marshland is going to be a home to some new enemies, so this ranking may get a shake-up, especially since you’re telling us which ones you find most annoying or hardest to beat. How that balance will shift is another matter, but we’re grateful for the insight - while that may sound a bit sinister, don’t worry. Our goal is to make a game that is hard, but fair, so we’re not going to weaponize your feedback in a dumb way.
She Really Just Wants a Hug
This chick just about gave me a heart attack - Reddit
One of the newer additions to the enemy roster is clearly making an impression. The humble Townswoman has been a menace since she appeared in Velmorne, and that one corridor in the Velmorne Vault is definitely haunting some of you - I know that it haunts me.
Walking Sim?
Holy sh*t Same devs that made The Vanishing of Ethan Carter - Reddit
It’s funny - and a bit comforting - to see that some of you can clearly spot the studio’s DNA. The praise is appreciated, but I’m featuring this because it’s great to see you picking up on those patterns. And yes, there have been accusations that Witchfire is a walking sim - I’d still like to see one that can make you…
Fight of/for Your Life
Just an intense moment in Witchfire - Reddit
34 seconds of fantastic gameplay - Assassins Calamity, taking damage twice, Master Sentinel looming just out of frame… No notes. Clips like this show how intense things can get, and how Preyers can handle themselves in those situations.
A Bit of a Helping Hand
Need help starting out - Reddit
There are many yardsticks by which one can gauge a community, but I am overjoyed when the “git gud” mentality starts fading and support takes its place. It’s been a month since this thread was created, there is a lot of helpful advice in it, and I hope that OP was able to take a deeper dive into the game, enjoying their time in the Witchfire world. Thanks to everyone who stepped in to help.
It’s All in the Details
Reloading a chambered weapon still triggers a cocking animation - Reddit
Let’s be blunt: it’s a bug. It should not be this way, and our weapon designer (you can read more about his approach here) is well aware of it - to the point that he spent a month trying to wrap his head around fixing it, but to no avail. That’s not to say it’s not fixable - it very much is - but we’re a small team and other things take priority, at least for now. Perhaps one day a patch will address this issue, and each reload will no longer be marked with a curse word being uttered somewhere in the south of Poland.
Bootleg
Bless all the things - Reddit/url]
This is unofficial, bootleg - or possibly leaked - merchandise, and if it starts appearing more often, we will take legal action.
The audacity…
It’s a joke, obviously - but we’re not sure whether to be impressed or slightly concerned that some of you are spotting Witchfire connections in your surroundings. Also… why would anyone have a flask of holy water at hand...?
Wish You Were Here
Scarlet Coast Premium Estates may just become the subject of a collab between us and some sort of city builder in the future - thanks for the idea.
That’s it for now - we should be back with more information about what's coming to Witchfire in a not too distant future, so stay tuned. We know you’d like to hear more, and all will be revealed when the time comes.
Cheers!