Dear pack

Its been a while and we hope you have been doing well :)

We have some exciting news to share with you today
We teamed up with Makeship to produce more cute new Niche merch.



Is it a bear? Is it a hyena? Even worse, it's a Bearyena!
Who among us has not hasn't fallen prey to them on our adventures?
Luckily this one's still a baby, so we should be safe (for now).

We might actually be safe for good, because these plushies will only be produced if at least 200 people order one until December 3rd. So if you want to help unleash the Bearyena calamity on the world, please make sure to order yours asap
https://www.makeship.com/products/bearyena-plush





Cheers & Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

PS: Check out this video if you're interested in the plushie's creation process :)
[previewyoutube=kKi0wjutEsk;full][/previewyoutube]

Dear pack

We wanted to give you a quick heads-up that we launched a Kickstarter campaign for an Adam plush and lots of other Niche merch :D


Many of the rewards have been created by Niche community members.
We're already close to reaching our funding goal, with stretch goals waiting to be unlocked

Please make sure to take a look
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/strayfawnstudio/adam-plushies

Cheers & Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Updated news section with Niche merch Kickstarter

Dear pack

We have two exciting news to share with you :D

First: Niche has been released on Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X!
You can check it out here.

Second: Our first ever mobile game, Niche - Breed and Evolve was just released on iOS and Android!
It took us a lot longer than we imagined to finish Breed and Evolve. It was planned to be a tiny project but in the end we worked on it over the course of two years! But now that its done, we really love how it turned out. Its quite different from the original Niche. This time the focus is fully on the breeding mechanics and not on survival. Its a chill casual game about building up your own pack, adapting to the world to unlock new islands and collecting all the genes. (Plus you can pet your Nichelings now ^^)
Its a premium game and costs $2.99.

[previewyoutube=AMKwFKLFNV4;full][/previewyoutube]

If that sounds interesting to you it would be AWESOME if you could support us once again by spreading the word and/or buying the game and writing a review asap
There are also some giveaways happening on Facebook and Twitter.


Cheers & Thanks,
Larissa, Philomena and the Stray Fawn team

Hi Pack!

First of all, we wanted to give you a quick heads-up about all the things that are currently happening in the Niche universe :)

- We are porting Niche to Xbox1 and PS4.
- We will soon release 'Niche - Breed and Evolve' (a new Niche game for mobile that focuses mostly on breeding and less on survival)
- We are soon running a Kickstarter for Adam plushies (and they turned out super cute!)
- We are writing a draft for a book with an author about the story of Adam's sister Nara
(though this is still very WIP and we're not sure what will happen with it)
- And Philomena (Niche's lead game designer) started programming a new Niche-related prototype and is documenting it in our forums ^^

Come join us in the forums or our Discord if you want to chat about any of these :D

------

The second topic for today's community news is a bug we had with save files on MacOSX:
Since December 17th Niche is using a new folder for the save files on MacOSX. Unfortunately this caused problems with the Steam Cloud sync and it did not sync the files anymore. The Cloud Sync should now be fixed and work again. You might get a popup asking if you want to download the old saves or upload the new ones when you start the game.

To recover old save files that were created before the 17th of December you have to copy them into the new save folder.

Here is how you can do that:
- Open the Finder
- Click on Go in the top bar, hold the Option Button so you can see the Library Folder
- Then click on Library
- In Library/Application Support are two Niche folders:
unity.Team Niche.Niche - a genetics survival game/Saves <- This folder is not used anymore and contains the save files before December 17th.
com.strayfawnstudio.niche/Saves <- This is the new folder which contains the saves made after December 17th.
- Copy the old save file that you want to play from unity.Team Niche.Niche - a genetics survival game/Saves to com.strayfawnstudio.niche/Saves
- If there already is an new save for the same slot, it will be overwritten. So make sure to make a backup copy of a save before overwriting it, if you want to keep it.



We are sorry for the problems that this change caused.
Hopefully this guide helps you to recover your old saves. If you still have trouble write us an email to support@strayfawnstudio.com and we can help you.

Cheers & Thanks
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack,

Today we released a new update for Niche: a completely new Simplified Chinese localization done by our partner WhisperGames. We also fixed a bug where status effects were no longer visible when the Nicheling is underwater.

To celebrate, the game will have a -60% discount during Steam Winter festival.
We wish you all happy holidays and a great start into 2021 :)

Cheers!
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack

As indie developers it's very important to support fellow devs when they finally launch their game after many years of work :)

So we want to go ahead and give a shoutout to our friends from Slug Disco who just released their game pet/strategy/genetics simulator Beetle Uprising from Early Access to Full Release on Steam today. It didnt do too great at launch in 2017 and theyre trying to breathe new life into it.

There have been some big changes for this release so if youre into beetles, pet games, Real Time Tactics, or if you happen to be in the market for a really quite in-depth genetics simulator (which I'm pretty sure you are ;)), then check it out.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/662680/Beetle_Uprising/

And here is the new release celebration trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLwrxRcdAyU



Cheers & Thanks
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack,

We just launched the Kickstarter campaign for our next game: The Wandering Village!
The Wandering Village is a brand-new city-building simulation game where you build a settlement on the back of a giant, wandering creature. Have a look at our trailer to get a feeling what the game is about:

[previewyoutube=1VsBOgA7RZk;full][/previewyoutube]
[h3]About the game[/h3]
Mysterious plants are spreading all over the earth, emitting toxic spores as they grow.
A group of people seeks shelter on the back of a giant, wandering creature. Becoming their leader, players build both their settlement and a symbiotic relationship with the gentle beast to survive together in this hostile, yet beautiful post-apocalyptic world that now surrounds them.

For more information about the game please visit the Steam page and don't forget to wishlist it <3

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1121640/The_Wandering_Village/

[h3]Kickstarter[/h3]
Like we did with our other games Niche and Nimbatus we are launching a Kickstarter campaign for The Wandering Village where you can support us and get some awesome rewards in return! The campaign will be live for the next 30 days, please make sure to check it out :)

We also set up a new Discord server for the game. Come and join us to share your ideas about the game, chat with us and meet other fans!

Cheers & Thanks
Stray Fawn Studio

Our good friends over at Monster Couch have released their digital edition of Wingspan today, and we've teamed up with them to offer a special 10% discount for all Niche owners on top of their launch offer.



If you've not heard of it before, Wingspan is a relaxing strategy card game about birds for 1 to 5 players. Each beautiful bird that you add to your preserve makes you better at laying eggs, drawing cards, or gathering food. Many of the 170 unique birds have powers that echo real life: your hawks will hunt, your pelicans will fish, and your geese will form a flock.

Check out their trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNmg0sJRn_I

And you can find it on Steam here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1054490/Wingspan/



Cheers & Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack

Today is the day, Niche has just been released on Nintendo Switch!

[previewyoutube=Xs997ir_oPk;full][/previewyoutube]
It would be amazing if you could help us spread the word about the launch.
And as a little thanks all of these options also include a Switch key raffle!

• Retweet the announcement tweet
  
• Share the Facebook announcement
  
• Comment & like our announcement on Instagram
  
• Join our Discord and leave a comment in the #giveaway channel
  

Dear pack

Did you know that were currently porting Niche to Switch :D?
And we now finally have a release date: September 3rd 2020!
This took so much more work and time than we expected. Reworking the UI, adding controller support, making it run smoothly. But we have finally arrived at a version that we enjoy playing on Switch just as much as on PC. And we hope you will like it too :)

In case you are interested to buy Niche on Switch: You get a 10% discount if you pre-order on the Nintendo eShop before the game launches on September 3rd!
https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/niche-a-genetics-survival-game-switch/





To celebrate the occasion Niche is 45% off until September 4th, 10:00am PST.

On other news, were also hard at work on a brand-new Niche mobile game and are hoping to run a Kickstarter for an Adam plushie early/mid next year ^_^


Thanks for your support,
The Stray Fawn Team

Dear pack

Our studio has just released its second game on Steam :D
Its called Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor

https://store.steampowered.com/app/383840/Nimbatus__The_Space_Drone_Constructor/

Here is a gameplay overview video we put together:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXWlxelXCrg

Nimbatus is a game about building your own drones and sending them out on missions. While the setting (space) is quite different from Niche, they share quite a few gameplay aspects and genres. If you own Niche on Steam, you get 10% off Nimbatus during the next 2 weeks, loyalty discount. Together with the launch week discount, that means 35% off!

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

PS: To celebrate the occasion, Niche is currently 50% off :)

Dear pack,

We just uploaded a hotfix to fix the steam achievements.

It seems like the last update broke the achievements. They should now work again. Unfortunately you have to redo the required actions for some achievements to trigger.

Thanks for reporting these issues!

The Stray Fawn team

Dear pack

Niche just turned 3 years old!
And we have some special news to share with you today.

• We're currently porting Niche to Nintendo Switch.
  
• AND! we're working on a brand-new Niche mobile game!
  

Dear pack

Niche is now available for schools and teachers for free!



When the game was released, we started receiving requests from teachers about buying educational licences. After considering all the options we decided to give them the game for free instead. This is our way of saying thank you for all the support we received along the way. Niche wouldn't exist without its Kickstarter and without the people who trusted us enough to buy it during early access. Thank you all for making this possible :)
All infos can be found here: https://niche-game.com/for-schools/

Want to help us spreading the word?

Like + share this post on Facebook

And/or retweet this one


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hey folks

We just uploaded a hotfix (1.2.1) to fix the Japanese Tutorial texts.
Thanks for reporting this bug!

Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack

The sandbox settings update is now available to play for everybody!
A huge thanks to all of you who helped us with the testing and reported bugs.



This update is all about changing the sandbox mode according to your preferences: Deciding how old your animals can get, designing your starter animals, setting your own goals, etc.
All important new features can be seen in thisupdate video on Youtube.
But there is plenty more! The complete patch notes can be found in our forums.

Another important addition: Niche is now also available in Japanese and Polish.

To celebrate the occasion we're running a sale: Niche is currently 30% off

If you dont own the game yet or want to win a Steam key for a friend:
Were running a giveaway in our forums
(and also on Facebook and Twitter)

We hope you all enjoy this new version ^^
It would be great if you help us to spread the word!


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Today's Deal: Save 66% on Niche - a genetics survival game!*

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

*Offer ends Friday at 10AM Pacific Time

Dear pack member

If you down own Niche yet (or want to get it for a friend), this is your call!
The game is 40% off during the Steam autumn sale, starting now.



On other news, we have started to work on a big new update:
Customization options for the sandbox mode!
This means that you will soon be able change settings, such as how long an animal lives and what your starting pair looks like. Do you have ideas for cool settings we should add?
Come join us in the Niche forums!

Cheers & Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

PS: Our other game, Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor is on sale too!
You can get if 20% off during the Steam autumn sale.

Hey pack :)
The new update featuring wings and the whale island is now live.
A huge thanks to everyone who helped with the bug testing <3



Community Voting
[The voting to decide what will be added in the next update, starts NOW!
Suggest things and vote for your favorite ideas until July 9th!
Head over here to participate:
https://strayfawnstudio.com/community/index.php?/forum/15-feature-requests/

Patch notes, version 1.1.4
New Features

• New paw gene (Wings) to jump over obstacles, swoop and sit on trees
  
• New island (Whale Island)
  
• Blue Birds can now be attacked if your animal can fly
  
• New horn gene (Antenna) for weather prediction
  
• New head gene (Purring Head) to heal surrounding pack mates
  
• New head gene (Beak) which gives digging and collecting ability
  
• New tail gene (Scorpion Tail) which makes animals venomous
  
• New tail gene (Fin Tail) which gives high swimming ability
  
• New tail gene (Peacock Tail) only works for males and attracts wild females
  
• Lots of new trees! (Palms, Acacia, Mangrove, Asp)
  
• Call when sitting on high places to attract wild Nichelings
  
• Day Counter
  

• Spiky body babies can't be picked up by blue birds anymore
  
• Leeches die when they attach themselves to toxic body creatures
  
• Armored body is impervious to leeches
  
• Damage from cacti and thorns depends on defense (3+ defense = no damage)
  
• Added different assets for travel ports (which show difficulty of new island)
  
• Digging paws now give digging +2
  
• Oak Nuts can now be smelled
  
• Lowered default animal texture resolution for players with less than 4GB RAM
  

• Arctic Ram Foxes now die of old age
  
• Camouflage should now work with more fur color and grass combinations
  
• Fixed several bugs when loading a savefile
  
• The Animation when moving an animal should not loop anymore
  
• Normal Blood Clotting can now be mutated
  
• Identical Twins achievement should be awarded correctly
  
• Globetrotter / Homecoming should not be awarded too early anymore
  
• Clams / leeches no longer spawn on land
  
• When restarting with the same bloodline, animals no longer can be blind
  
• When restarting with the same bloodline, animals no longer can have the same immunity genes
  
• Filtering for tail genes with spiky body now shows results
  
• There should not be multiple digging buttons on an underwater field
  
• Skeletons should now also appear on tree stumps
  
• Visual fixes for poison fangs
  
• Fixed Berry bush savannah double attack icon
  
• Family tree can now be opened during the tutorial correctly
  
• Survive in cold climate requirement now only requires temperature -1 instead of -2.
  
• Toggling the UI on and off should not disable all notifications anymore
  
• Typing 1,2 or 3 as the animal name should not toggle the senses anymore
  

Hi pack

Thanks for all the bug reports! We fixed a lot of stuff.
Here are the patch notes for version 1.1.1:
https://strayfawnstudio.com/community/index.php?/topic/861-patch-notes-111/

Version 1.1.1 is currently on the release_preview branch. We'd recommend only playing this version if you want to help with bug testing. If you want to enjoy the finished, bug free update, please wait for it to come live on the main branch. If you want to jump right, please switch to the preview branch on Steam.

Switching to the preview branch:
– Open your Steam library
– Right click on Niche
– Click on properties
– Select the Beta tab
– Select the release_preview branch from the drop down
– Restart Steam if the game does not update
– Let the game update
– Open Niche and play

Please report bugs here
and read the instructions on how to report bugs, before posting! Thanks :)

Come join our forums and let us know what you think about the new update.

Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack!
We are super happy to announce that the new update is now live on the preview branch :)
Patch notes

Please remember that this is an UPDATE PREVIEW. This means that there will be LOTS of bugs!
If you just want to play and enjoy, it might be best to wait a few weeks, so that everything will be running without problems ^^

If you want to jump right in and help with bugtesting, please switch to the preview branch on Steam.
Here is how:
– Open your Steam library
– Right click on Niche
– Click on properties
– Select the Beta tab
– Select the release_preview branch from the drop down
– Restart Steam if the game does not update
– Let the game update
– Open Niche and play

Please report bugs here
Please do a quick check if the bug has already been reported. If it has, leave a comment on the existing thread instead of opening a new one. That helps to keep things organized. Thanks!

Hope you enjoy the new update!
Please come join our forums and let us know what you think :)

Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack

We just pushed a new build with some fixes and improvements to the main branch. Most of these things were already in place on the preview branch (version 1.0.6). A big thanks to everyone who helped with the testing <3

Improvements
- Improved tutorial, now fully localised
- Added new UI tooltips
- Updated credits
- Attacking rogue males prevents them from mating for a short time
- Option to change animal texture resolution
(Set to low to increase performance)
- Added support for 64bit Windows and Linux
-> Because of this you will now see a pop-up when playing with older versions on other branches. If you do, please choose the second option :)


Fixes
- Disabled UI key U, when renaming animals
- Leeches can no longer move on land
- Fixed problems with camouflage


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack

We just pushed a new build with some fixes and improvements to the main branch. Most of these things were already in place on the preview branch (version 1.0.6). A big thanks to everyone who helped with the testing <3

Improvements
- Improved tutorial, now fully localised
- Added new UI tooltips
- Updated credits
- Attacking rogue males prevents them from mating for a short time
- Option to change animal texture resolution
(Set to low to increase performance)
- Added support for 64bit Windows and Linux
-> Because of this you will now see a pop-up when playing with older versions on other branches. If you do, please choose the second option :)


Fixes
- Disabled UI key U, when renaming animals
- Leeches can no longer move on land
- Fixed problems with camouflage


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack
Here are the results of the first community voting :)

The three most rated suggestions are:
- Call to attract wild Nichelings, as real animals call to attract mates.
- A set of new tail genes: Peacock, scorpion and fin.
- Gene changes: The armored body is impervious to leeches, the toxic body kills leeches, spiky body babies can't be picked up by blue birds
(we will also add prevention from cactus damage if you have armored body)

These 3 suggestions + a day counter will be added to the game, hopefully in the March/April update when we add wings and the whale island ^_^



Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack
Here are the results of the first community voting :)

The three most rated suggestions are:
- Call to attract wild Nichelings, as real animals call to attract mates.
- A set of new tail genes: Peacock, scorpion and fin.
- Gene changes: The armored body is impervious to leeches, the toxic body kills leeches, spiky body babies can't be picked up by blue birds
(we will also add prevention from cactus damage if you have armored body)

These 3 suggestions + a day counter will be added to the game, hopefully in the March/April update when we add wings and the whale island ^_^



Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack

We just opened the first round of the community voting for new Niche features/improvements :)

A huge thanks for all your awesome suggestions!

Go cast your vote(s) for your favorite ideas now <3
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nA4KxKfpSD1c5yDlpWYQFY8Oub18rwguWzhCXM0lyaQ

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack

We just opened the first round of the community voting for new Niche features/improvements :)

A huge thanks for all your awesome suggestions!

Go cast your vote(s) for your favorite ideas now <3
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1nA4KxKfpSD1c5yDlpWYQFY8Oub18rwguWzhCXM0lyaQ

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack

We just pushed a new build with some fixes and improvements to the preview branch :)

Improvements
- Improved tutorial
- Added new UI tooltips
- Updated credits

Fixes
- Disabled UI key U, when renaming animals
- Leeches can no longer move on land


We would greatly appreciate feedback for the reworked tutorial here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/2549465882920508124/
Please note that the new tutorial has not been localized yet.

How to switch to the preview branch:
– Open your Steam library
– Right click on Niche
– Click on properties
– Select the Beta tab
– Select the release_preview branch from the drop down
– Let the game update
– Open Niche and play


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack

We just pushed a new build with some fixes and improvements to the preview branch :)

Improved...
- Added key to disable UI for screenshots (U)
- Reworked tutorial

Fixed...
- Baby is stuck on nest when a wild female gives birth
- Fade in game music after intro sceen
- Ice block message on second visit on island "Long Winter"
- Added “only in story mode” to Round Ear tooltip
- Not saving when closing the game with X
- "Eating Nemo" achievement

We would greatly appreciate feedback for the reworked tutorial here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/2549465882920508124/
Please note that the new tutorial has not been localized yet.

How to switch to the preview branch:
– Open your Steam library
– Right click on Niche
– Click on properties
– Select the Beta tab
– Select the release_preview branch from the drop down
– Let the game update
– Open Niche and play


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hi pack


We just pushed a new build with some fixes to the main branch :)


Fixed...
- crashes in burning savanna (finally :D!)
- home island immunity not passing on if restarting with same bloodline
- rogue males mixing in their genetics if restarting with same bloodline
- hungry predators prefer to attack spiky animals
- rogue males mating with your females even after growling at them


While we are fixing bugs, don't forget to participate in the first community voting for new features and improvements. Suggestions close next week on November 30th. All infos: http://steamcommunity.com/gid/103582791454677244/announcements/detail/1459590872946724812


Cheers and Thanks,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hey pack

As promised we are now opening the first round of community suggestions :D

How long will this run?

Suggestions will be open from November 3rd - 30th.

How will this work?

Phase 1)
Everybody can make suggestions on how to improve and further develop Niche.

Phase 2)
Our team will go through the suggestions and make a selection.

Phase 3)
Our team posts a voting poll with the selected suggestions and everybody can vote for their favourites. The features with the most votes will be added to the game.

Ok what do I do now?

Please head over to our forums
(We decided this is the best place, since we now also have quite a few players playing on GOG)
There, you can read all suggestions. If you want to make suggestions, please register, read the pinned rules and start posting :D

We can't wait to hear what you come up with!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On other news, our studio has just launched a
Kickstarter campaign for our game Nimbatus - The Space Drone Constructor Spreading the word is greatly appreciated <3

Nimbatus on Kickstarter
Nimbatus on Steam
Try Nimbatus Demo



Cheers and Thank you very much for your support,
Stray Fawn Studio

Niche - a genetics survival game is Now Available on Steam and is 10% off!*

Niche - a genetics survival game is a turn-based strategy game combined with simulation and roguelike elements. Shape your own species of animals based on real genetics. Keep your species alive against all odds, such as predators, climate change and spreading sickness.

*Offer ends September 28 at 10AM Pacific Time

Dear pack

The day has come. After one year of Early Access, lots of new features, content and countless bugs xD

A HUGE THANKS to every single person who helped with Niche's testing and improved the game with their feedback and suggestions.

Niche has shaped up to be a game we are really proud of. But, we think there is a more potential that we haven't touched yet. We want to keep expanding Niche with your ideas. In order to do so, Niche has to finance its further development. Please help us to reach as many people as possible so we can keep expanding Niche! We put together a list of helpful things <3

http://niche-game.com/supportniche/

Again, thank you all so much for being with us all this time, you are the best pack we could have ever wished for!

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hey pack!

We are just one more week away from Niche's full launch on September 21st.

After the launch, we want to keep expanding Niche with your ideas and feedback. In order to do so, Niche has to finance its further development.
Please help us to reach as many people as possible so we can keep Niche alive! Here is what you can do to help: http://niche-game.com/supportniche/

Thanks to all your support with testing, we are happy to now push the build with all the new features (such as a story mode, a tutorial, a new pattern system, hybrids, many new islands and much more) to the main branch for all players to enjoy. A huge THANK YOU to all testers!
Another huge THANK YOU goes to our translators who took the time and translated Niche to 8 languages!



---------------------------------------------

We hope you enjoy the new build!

In case you keep playing with a now outdated save game, please remember you can always switch back to older branches:
http://niche-game.com/updates/

If you encounter problems with the new update, please let us know here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1473096694456263024/


Thank you all very much for your time and support :)

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Hey pack!

Things are getting serious.
We decided on a launch date: Thursday, September 21st 2017.
That is just four weeks from now! Until then all new versions will remain on their separate branches. On launch day they will be pushed on to the main branch. Now we need all the help we can get to make sure the release version runs like a charm, so all new pack members discovering the game on launch have a great time experiencing it for the first time ^^

Please note: If you just want to play and enjoy the game DON'T play this version. This version is for bug testing and feedback. Your game will automatically update itself as soon as the update runs well and is pushed to the main branch.

Please help us test this version and report feedback here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1471969431578238854/
In case you speak German, French, Spanish, Chinese or Russian, please play the game in your language and report translation issues :)

The launch will be an extremly important event for Niche and our studio. We would love to keep adding more features to the game and really hope it will sell well enough to enable us to do so. All infos about Niche’s future here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1368380934282493056/

--------------------------------------------------

What is new?
- Distinction between story and sandbox mode
+ selectable start islands in sandbox mode
- Tutorial (finally!)
- Steam achievements
- 5 available save slots
- Polishing and bug fixes
- Ui is completly reworked (It took me a while to get used to it xD)
- Localisation to French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian
(a huge thanks to our translators <3)



The tutorial includes a few references to the intro video (which is currently in production and looks awesome :D) which are probably a but confusing.

--------------------------------------------------

How to get the update:
> right click on Niche in your library
> click on properties
> select the beta tab
> select the dropdown and choose “release_preview"
> the game will update, please wait (restart Steam if the game is not updating)
> play :D
> report bugs and leave feedback here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1471969431578238854/

If you are a Youtuber/Streamer:
Please inform your viewers how to access the update and let them know it is a preview version.

This update features a lot of new content and we had to rebuild the game quite a bit. Because of this older save files will unfortunately not be compatible with this update.

We are really curious to hear if the game runs well on your computers now since we hope to have fixed some of the performance issues.

Known issues (currently fixing):
- Some animal textures (mainly for right paws) are misplaced
- Blue bird fly around weirdly
- Title screen not fit for all screen resolutions

Thank you all very much for your time and support :)

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Finally the update is on the preview branch :)
Pretty much the WHOLE dev team was sick during the last weeks, so please excuse the delay! As usual this version is not quite finished and still rather buggy, that's why we uploaded it on a separate branch.

Please note: If you just want to play and enjoy the game DON'T play this version. This version is for bug testing and feedback. Your game will automatically update itself as soon as the update runs well and is pushed to the main branch.

What is new?
- Lots of new island + special challenge islands
- More content for swamp and savanna biomes
- New dynamic pattern system
- New gene unlocking/ mutation system
- Interspecies breeding with Bearyenas
- New textures
- Small adjustments and fixes
(Sickness lasts only 2 days, healing plants cures sickness, ...)
- Lots of new bugs xD



--------------------------------------------------
How to get the update:
> right click on Niche in your library
> click on properties
> select the beta tab
> select the dropdown and choose “buggy_0.5_preview"
> the game will update, please wait (restart Steam if the game is not updating)
> play :D
> report bugs and leave feedback here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1457328927835841598/

If you are a Youtuber/Streamer:
Please inform your viewers how to access the update and let them know it is a preview version.

This update features a lot of new content and we had to rebuild the game quite a bit. Because of this older save files will unfortunately not be compatible with this update.

We are really curious to hear if the game runs well on your computers now since we hope to have fixed some of the performance issues.

Known issues (currently fixing):
- Animals don't have textures currently
- Animal patterns sometimes don't match with portrait and family tree image

The full release of the game in September is coming closer and closer!
This will be the last "update" before release. However we will keep pushing new builds to the preview branch every few weeks until launch.
All infos about Niche's future can be found here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1368380934282493056/

Thank you all very much for your time and support :)



Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Wow that was quite a ride! The game is getting bigger and bigger which makes it harder to test and fix everything, but thanks to your help we hope to have squished most of the bugs!

However if you find one we missed, please keep reporting here :)
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1318835718939923242/

What is new?
- 2 new islands (Snow/Grass Island, Snow Island) + some islands reworked
- New biome: Mountain (along with 2 new predators and 1 new prey type)

- Twin birth and fertility system
- Updated sickness mechanic (sickness can now spread)
- New prehistoric genes
- Temperature system that allows more flexible weather and temperature events
- Added heat and cold resistance
- Added filters to the family tree
- Added a community translation system + German translation
- Lots of big + small fixes and improvements



This update features a lot of new content and we had to rebuild the game quite a bit. Because of this older save files will unfortunately not be compatible with this update. If you want to keep playing with your existing save files, here is how: http://niche-game.com/updates/

Please note that we plan to completly replace the current mutation system with a new one soon. That is the reason why the new genes are not in there.
It seems the game's performance has suffered a bit with this update. We are currently investigating and hope to increase the performance again in the next weeks.

Up next: New mutation system and procedural fur patterns.

Thank you so much for your ongoing support <3

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

April update incoming :D
It's not quite finished and still rather buggy, that's why we uploaded it on a separate branch. This preview version is labeled as version 0.3.2.

I’ll be attending Berlin Games Week starting tomorrow and be back to work in a week. However my team mates will check how the testing is going from time to time.

What is new?
- 2 new islands (Snow/Grass Island, Snow Island) + some islands reworked
- New biome: Mountain (along with 2 new predators and 1 new prey type)

- Twin birth and fertility system
- Updated sickness mechanic (sickness can now spread)
- New prehistoric genes
- Temperature system that allows more flexible weather and temperature events
- Added heat and cold resistance
- Added filters to the family tree
- Lots of big + small fixes and improvements
- Lots of new bugs xD




--------------------------------------------------
How to get the update:
> right click on Niche in your library
> click on properties
> select the beta tab
> select the dropdown and choose “buggy_mountain_preview"
> the game will update, please wait (restart Steam if the game is not updating)
> play :D

This update features a lot of new content and we had to rebuild the game quite a bit. Because of this older save files will unfortunately not be compatible with this update.
Please note that we plan to completly replace the current mutation system with a new one soon. That is the reason why the new genes are not in there ^^

If you are a Youtuber/Streamer:
Please inform your viewers how to access the update and let them know it is a preview version.


It seems that we have performence problems with this update. If that is the case for you, please turn down your graphics settings for now.
Please give us feedback and report bugs here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/1318835718939923242/

Please find as many bugs/balancing issues/things that are not understandable as possible so we can fix them when I’m back!
Thank you all very much for your time and support :)



Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio

Dear pack,

The February update has just left the bug testing phase and is now officially released! Thanks a lot for helping out with bug testing ^_^

What is new?
- New island travelling system (Once travelled there is no way back, islands are randomly connected)
- 3 new islands (Jungle/Grass Island, Oasis Island, Jungle Island)
- New biome: Jungle (along with 3 new predators)
- Changed sickness mechanic (having two different immunity genes is more important)
- Added Albinism and Melanism
- Messaging System that lets you know what is happening
- Option to banish creatures from your tribe
- Inviting creatures to join your tribe will cost you food
- Possibility to build nests
- New abilities (Scent Disguise, Stealth, Odor Disguise, Distasteful Appearance, Distasteful Scent)

- Spiky Body no longer hurts pack mates (unless it's licked)
- Added new types of perception (smelling and hearing)
- Lots of big + small fixes and improvements such as an animal portrait in the UI

This update features a lot of new content and we had to rebuild the game quite a bit. Because of this older save files will unfortunately not be compatible with this update. In case you want to keep playing with your older save files, please head over to: http://niche-game.com/updates/

Please give us feedback and report bugs here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/133257636776588165



Up next: Snow biome update in April :)

Cheers,
Stray Fawn Studio
(we founded a company woohooo)

The February update is here ^^
It's not quite finished and still rather buggy, that's why we uploaded it on a separate branch. This preview version is labeled as version 0.2.3.

The timing is a bit unfortunate. We were offered a booth at the GDC this week, so we will be off to San Fransisco on Friday and be gone for about a week. So please have a little patience with us in terms of response time.

What is new?
- New island travelling system (Once travelled there is no way back, islands are randomly connected)
- 3 new islands (Jungle/Grass Island, Oasis Island, Jungle Island)
- New biome: Jungle (along with 3 new predators)
- Changed sickness mechanic (having two different immunity genes is more important)
- Added Albinism and Melanism
- Messaging System that lets you know what is happening
- Option to banish creatures from your tribe
- Inviting creatures to join your tribe will cost you food
- Possibility to build nests
- Lots of big + small fixes and improvements such as an animal portrait in the UI
- New abilities (Scent Disguise, Stealth, Odor Disguise, Distasteful Appearance, Distasteful Scent)

- Spiky Body no longer hurts pack mates (unless it's licked)
- Added new types of perception (smelling and hearing)

--------------------------------------------------
How to get the update:
> right click on Niche in your library
> click on properties
> select the beta tab
> enter “AccessBuggyJunglePreview” and click check code
> select the dropdown and choose JungleUpdate
> the game will update, please wait (restart Steam if the game is not updating)
> play :D

This update features a lot of new content and we had to rebuild the game quite a bit. Because of this older save files will unfortunately not be compatible with this update.

If you are a Youtuber/Streamer:
Please inform your viewers how to access the update and let them know it is a preview version.

Now the big bug hunt and feedback round begins.
We would be very grateful if you could help us with this.
Thank you all very much for your time and support :)



> please give us feedback and report bugs here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/133257636776588165

Cheers,
Team Niche

Dear pack,

The December update has just left the bug testing phase and is now officially released! A huuuuuuge thanks to everyone who helped with the testing! You are awesome <3

What is new?
- Rivers have been added to some of the islands
- New field types for beach, sea and river fields
- New food system (animals eat 1 food per day, actions are free to perform)
- Family tree that shows family relations for living tribe members
- New island (Killer Island) has been added. Surviving there is VERY hard!
- New grass biome genes (Spiky Body, Digging Paws)
- New water biome genes (Gills, Webbed Paws, Fishing Tail, ...)
- Horns and Snouts are now on separate gene slots
- Adam and Eve are now partly randomized
- Lots of big + small fixes and improvements such as more mouseover infos

In case you want to keep playing with your 0.1.5 save states but the game updated:
http://niche-game.com/updates/

Please share your feedback and suggestions about this update here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/152391995424054677/





Up next: Jungle biome update in February :D

Cheers,
Team Niche

Dear pack,

The October update has finally arrived :)
There might still be some bugs around, that's why we decided to release the update on a separate Steam branch for now. You can find all the infos here:

http://steamcommunity.com/app/440650/discussions/1/305510202675840196/

What is new?

- There are now three islands instead of just one. Your tribe can migrate between them.

- Adjusted difficulty level. We decided to implement a "difficulty" (mostly influences spawn rates) as well as a "complexity" (decides which objects can be on the island) level. The first island has low complexity and low difficulty, the island to the right has high complexity and medium difficulty, the island to the top has high complexity and high difficulty.

- New field types for the grass biome

- New genes (eye colors, fur color, immunity genes)

- Bug fixes

Cheers,
Team Niche





--------------------------------------------------
How to actually get the update:
> right click on Niche in your library
> click on properties
> select the beta tab
> enter “supermutation” and click check code
> select the dropdown and choose preview
> the game will update, please wait (restart Steam if the game is not updating)
> play :D

> please give us feedback and report bugs

Dear pack,

Thank you all so much for the bug reports and your feedback!
This is just a very small update to fix some issues that you found.

- Fix for save file issue (If your save states said "152 days" all the time this should resolve the issue. Please let us know if it worked!)

- Fixed the "berry count" when unlocking the Berry Paw gene

- Increased size of the animals hitbox to make selection easier

More updates are in the works :)

Cheers,
Team Niche

Dear pack



The day has come! Niche is now finally released on Steam Early Access :)

Hopefully our pack will find new members and become stronger!

We will soon inform you about our next steps and updates.
Things you can start looking forward to include:
- Water biomes (rivers, lakes) with new water genes

- Jungle biome
- Family tree

- Hybrids

- Prehistoric genes

We can’t wait to start working on all these things together with you :)

New update incoming!
(Currently for the backer builds only)

- Venom and Poison ability added

- New gene unlocking challenges added

- Improved map generation

Many small usability and bug fixes

Known issues:
The water reflexion is inverted for Mac users

We are looking forward to your feedback :)

We wanted to let you know that our whole team will be away for a week since we are exhibiting Niche at the Gamescom in Cologne. If there is anything urgent coming up please contact info@niche-game.com, otherwise we'll be back on August 24th to answer all you questions :)

Cheerio,
Team Niche

Yay this is the first Niche update ever :D
(Currently for the backer builds only)

- Sickness is now implemented so make sure to check your immunity genes
(Especially when living in the swamp)

- You can now perfom taks on the field you sit on

- The rain weather is lighter

- Many small usability and bug fixes

Hello and thank you so much for joining our group <3
We wanted to let you know that Niche just entered its final 24 hours on Kickstarter! This is your chance to pre-order an Early Access Key AND help beating our final stretch goal while doing so :D
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/80250451/niche-a-genetics-survival-game
Thanks for reading <3

Cheers & Cu soon!
Team Niche