- The origin
- The team
- The community
- The Early Access
The origin
Ale Abbey began as an idea four years ago, when I was still figuring out homebrewing. I explored many concepts for a brewing game, wanting to dive into a hobby I found fascinating.
After years of brewing (sometimes twice a month) and filling a bookcase with everything about beer from its history to brewing techniques and monastic traditions, our imagination took off. I even created two beers from recipe to bottle, inspired by Ale Abbey: Pixel Abbey and Sister Pinta. Sister Pinta, a nun archetype we made for the game, quickly became a favorite with both players and the team, the true poster nun of Ale Abbey <3
For those who knew Hammer & Ravens and our earlier titles, Ale Abbey was a pleasant surprise. It is our first project built around a calm and wholesome vibe, far from the darker Empires in Ruins or the hectic Razerwire.
The team
When we started developing Ale Abbey, we didn’t even have a publisher in mind, which made it tough to put together a team for a concept that sometimes lacked a clear budget. So, I first turned to friends and professionals I trusted. People I had worked with before, including some who worked on Empires in Ruins.
When Shiro stepped in as Ale Abbey’s publisher, we finally had a budget and a chance to grow, bringing in more hands for development, music, sound, and a few other roles. Hammer & Ravens suddenly went from 1-3 members to a small indie studio of 9 degenerates!
With the team scattered across two continents, we never had proper office space. We worked online through Discord, using a team server, a bug splatting server, and a server we shared with Shiro. The best part was how clear and efficient communication stayed. We could produce results in every area, from sound and art to writing, with minimal revisions.
The community
From the first weeks of working on Ale Abbey, we chose to be fully transparent with fans and players. That led to Something’s Brewing (in the Abbey), our weekly devlog on IndieDB! With its help, we gave players a look at where the game was heading, the challenges we faced, and even tips about beer and real-life brewing.
Our Discord community grew in two spaces. One server, for players who already followed the studio and its games, fellow indie devs, and content creators we were close to. It had a relaxed vibe and always felt more like family than a community. The second server, supported by Shiro - and where I’m very active - was dedicated solely to Ale Abbey. I was thrilled to see so many players who were also homebrewers, bringing the same energy to playing Ale Abbey that we felt making it.
Everything we share with fans has been transparent. We would rather face criticism and fix mistakes than hide them. From asking for help with gameplay challenges, letting players vote on visuals for Ale Abbey’s promotion... we always welcomed suggestions.
The Early Access
The launch wasn’t completely smooth, but we were hyped and rolled out several updates, sometimes multiple in a single week. This momentum carried through for six months, right up to the full release.
We also added a feedback tool to the demo and Early Access versions that proved to be a gold mine. It was not only about making reports easy but also about the amount of valuable information we received.
What fueled the team was not only the players’ and streamers’ warm reception of the demo before release, but also that even negative feedback came from a place of respect for our work. What really stood out were the ideas coming from players and content creators. Many matched features we were already planning, showing us we had a solid sense of where Ale Abbey should go.
It was humbling to see the community on Steam’s Discussion Boards. Interactions were positive and welcoming, and veteran players often answered newcomers’ questions faster and better than we could.
Can't finish this without telling you some secrets for the one who reached that part 👀
- Clint Bajakian, the industry veteran and our composer and SFX specialist, discovered homebrewing as a young-er man, experimenting with recipes and flavors long before Ale Abbey existed. Yannis, our Community and Marketing guy, shared the same passion in the past, specifically homebrewing Saisons.
- I used the game as the perfect excuse to dive even deeper into beer. I collected countless books, sampled quite a few brews, and even went on beer-focused trips to gather inspiration during development.
- As a nod to the game, Shiro helped bring Ale Abbey’s world to life with a special beer brewed for the project!
To conclude, thank you all once again for enjoying Ale Abbey. This has been years in development, and I'm glad you all get to experience its 1.0 update! Don't forget to leave us a review if you haven't yet, it helps us a lot!
May the Ale be with you 🍻
- Emiliano