Hello everyone, Once again, this article is directly written by Inateno, for the sake of simplicity in writing. Today, we have a condensed blog post in which we discuss quite a few things. First and foremost, I invite you to add the game to your Steam wishlist, even if you don't plan on getting it from that platform. Wishlisting helps the game gain visibility, which is crucial for the project's future. Share the game with your friends, family, on the internet and on social media it's really important. Thank you! Here's a quick summary of what we will discuss in this dev blog.:

• New name
• Boing boing Monster
• Playtest date
• Beta date
• Demo date
• Release date

Noreya: The Gold Project - The New Name

In case you missed our last announcement, the new final release name of the game is: "Noreya: The Gold Project."
We decided to keep "Gold Project" as it was the initial name, and from a marketing and brand awareness perspective, it would have been complicated to remove it. Additionally, the "Gold Project" remains the central theme of the narrative of this installment: everything revolves around the so-called "God of Gold" and his malevolent project. The world of Noreya is vast, comprising several deities, and you can discover all of this by exploring every nook and cranny of the game. And in case you haven't seen the trailer, here it is (with music ): [previewyoutube=2Zxez9gAixk;full][/previewyoutube]

A New Monster "Boing Boing" Has Been Added!

Remember article #4? Well, a few days ago, while we were working on biome 4 with Morgane (our new level designer on the team), we thought we needed a "not too strong but resistant" monster for biome 4. As you progress through the adventure, you become more powerful, and the monsters from the beginning become easy to defeat. Instead of doing what's called a "reskin," we came up with a new monster that builds upon the foundation of an existing one. And a few hours later, here it is. It doesn't have a name yet, so it's "boing boing" for now :D

Next Playtest: August 28, 2023

Mark your calendars, get ready to block a slot, playtest #2 is coming on August 28! We'll use the same system, the same format. It's the simplest and most effective for us. First, check your Kickstarter messages, join the Discord, and respond to us. Then, through the "beta" channel, you can choose a slot. At the time of your session, you'll be invited to join in audio with screen sharing so we can take notes on your session! The last time went really well, and we learned a lot. We're counting on you once again! Refer to the previous article "#08 - Summary of the First Playtest Session and Name Reveal!"

Beta Date

Because we don't do things halfway, it's time to announce the planned dates (for now), starting with the beta. It will be accessible to all those who contributed on Kickstarter at "The Beast" level, as well as those who purchased access from our store. Also, a few streamers, YouTubers, and press guests. What will be available in the beta? The question should really be "what won't be available in the beta." Game development is full of unforeseen circumstances and obstacles, and despite all our efforts, the list will likely change for better or worse.

• Multiple endings won't be present (hence, no "true ending")
• Biome 5 / optional biome
• Certain maps may not be finished
• Bugs will naturally be present in the game, although we're doing our best to fix as many as possible
• The game will only be available on Steam; there may be issues with Mac/Linux versions initially since the development team only works with Windows. We'll allocate time to these OS versions as soon as we can
• Controller support may be partial
• Achievements, maps, etc. probably won't be integrated

What's the benefit of participating in the beta if I want to experience the full game all at once? As with many games of this genre, participating in the beta might spoil the joy of discovery, especially if you encounter a major bug. However, our team is highly responsive, and if you're on Discord to report the bug live, we'll do everything we can to fix it or find an alternative. Additionally, we'll continue to improve the game, add content, new maps, puzzles, and maybe even new monsters. There will still be novelties between the beta and the final version. We completely understand if you don't want to take part in the beta in order to fully enjoy the final experience. There's no harm, and we thank you for your patience and support. If you wish, you can give your beta access to someone you know.

Demo Date

Noreya will participate in the upcoming "Steam Next Fest" and from that date, you'll be able to play the demo, which will offer 15 to 30 minutes of gameplay depending on your skill level. The demo will later be available on other platforms (such as itch.io), but we're reserving exclusivity on Steam to boost the game's visibility on that platform.

Release Date

Although this is just an approximation, the game is expected to be released by the end of October on PC. The winter period is challenging from a marketing standpoint for "indie games," and based on our work, the game should be ready by that date. If that's not the case, we'll make sure to provide regularly updated beta access to our backers. We're attentive to what's best for the game and won't rush anything. Please note that this date is approximate for the PC version. As for consoles, don't expect anything before March/April 2024. That's the minimum time we need to get the game validated on consoles. It might even take a bit longer...

Bonus Notes

We're already working on the Kickstarter rewards. We'll soon send you a form to fill out. Here are a few dates when you can come meet us:

• September 30 & October 1, 2023 - Pau Anime Game Show (Pau - France)
• November 25 & 26, 2023 - Toulouse Game Show (Toulouse - France)

And unlike our usual practice, we're ending today with a musical touch! It's a big WIP, but I personally already like it a lot. See you soon. Short on YouTube (Steam do not yet support the integration of shorts videos)

[ 2023-08-14 15:22:26 CET ] [ Original post ]