Today marks the start of Warband's first online playtest, live right now, here on Steam.
With MCM Comic Con out of the way, the next step was to get the many, many people queued up for a Steam Playtest in to the build and giving feedback.
So, what is it that the Steam Playtest covers? Let's start with the three game modes:
Campaign Demo
Endless Mode
Boss Rush Mode
Read on below to find out more about each.
Campaign Demo
This is a shortened campaign run, just under half the length of a regular campaign run (or one-sixth of the three mainline campaigns that will ship with Warband). It showcases the general flow of the main game, cinematic sequences, dialogue, and a short tutorial on how to play the games' main mode.
Endless Mode
This is an end-game mode that in the full game, will be unlocked post-campaign number one. It is your more typical survivors-like experience, with on-the-fly upgrading of your Warband and progressive enemy encounters.
Boss Rush Mode
This is another end-game mode, that is unlocked post campaign number two and getting to level 30 in Endless Mode. It contains boss-after-boss action, with all the bosses you've managed to find, and defeat, stacked end to end. In the demo, this is a maximum of three - there's a hidden boss in the first area if you can find out how to unlock it.
In addition to the modes above, there are...
Three commanders to unlock and master, spanning a variety of play-styles.
Many companions and relics from the full game to trial in endless mode.
Leaderboards for both most coins at campaign victory, and highest endless wave reached.
I feel his should be more than enough to give early play-testers a feel of the full experience, perhaps a bit too much! All being well though we'll be able to talk over your feedback, find out the good and bad parts of Warband, and iron out the wrinkles ahead of an open demo, and full release later down the line.
Please join the Discord here: Link
Looking forward to hearing from you all,
Frew, Warband Dev.