[h2]Dear Explorers![/h2]

Tis the season to be jolly at basecamp. So call on your beloved fellow Explorers and come check out our little holiday surprise!



[h2]Celebrate the holidays with your partner[/h2]

The basecamp has been turned into a Winter Wonderland, full of lights, decorations, and presents! Of course, in real We Were Here style you and your partner have to solve a hidden puzzle to get to an enlightening reward. Be sure to finish your puzzling before the 7th of January because the holidays won't last Forever

[h2]Talking about Forever![/h2]

As a very special holiday gift to all of our dear fans We Were Here Forever has been updated with a huge patch that allows you to explore Castle Rock like never before. And to top it all off, it will have a discount of 45% during the Winter Sale.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1341290/view/3899618910154318137?l=english

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h2]Explore the other games of the We Were Here Franchise[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/12260/We_Were_Here_Series/

[h2]Happy Holidays and Happy Exploring[/h2]

Total Mayhem Games

Hello Explorers,

December is finally here, which means it's holiday season! For us here in The Netherlands, our festivities have already started mid November, as our dear Sinterklaas made his way from Spain by boat! Tradition for the kids is to leave the shoe near the chimney or door, sing a song and leave some small gifts for Sinterklaas (like a drawing) or some food for his horse.

It seems like Sinterklaas made a visit to the basecamp in We Were Here Together as well. Be sure to hop into the game and have a comfy chill session with some pepernoten, chocolate letters and maybe you even find some presents!



[h2] Holiday Shopping [/h2]

If you want to treat your best- or worse friend with a special present for Christmas, you can now get them our new holiday merch! You can find it on our merch store. Of course, if you want to purchase something that's not limited to the holiday season, you can find some other merch as well!



[h3]Happy December![/h3]

Dear Explorers,

It's time to get cozy at the basecamp, We Were Here Together is on sale during the Autumn Sale here on Steam. You can now get the game with a 62% discount.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/865360/We_Were_Here_Together/

[h2] Keep on exploring [/h2]

Our other games We Were Here Too & We Were Here Forever are part of the sale as well. Of course, We Were Here, the first game in the series, is available for free.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/677160/We_Were_Here_Too/

If you would like to listen to some tunes while exploring the Steam store, you can get the soundtrack discounted as well.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1246990/We_Were_Here_Together_Original_Soundtrack/

[h2]Nominate us for the Steam Awards![/h2]

If you haven't already, we would appreciate it if you could nominate We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip for the Better with Friends Steam Award. As the game is quite literally all about your friendships, we feel like the game is perfect for the category :) Thank you in advance for your nomination dear Explorer!

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2296990/view/5941998260533097052?l=english



[h3] Stay warm Explorers![/h3]

TotalMayhemGames

Dear Explorers,

We kindly ask for your help! As you might know, a few months ago we surprised you all with our We Were Here series spin-off game: We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip. The love and support was overwhelming and were forever grateful.

If you want to make sure that everyone knows about the great friendship test weve made, be sure to nominate We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip for the Steam Awards in the category Better with Friends. Because with a game that makes you build literal FriendShips, this award is meant to be ours!



You can vote for us here in the We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip announcement!

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2296990/view/5941998260533097052?l=english

[h2] Autumn Sales [/h2]
Additionally, you can find our other We Were Here games, such as We Were Here Forever, are currently discounted. Be sure to get the game now or regret it Forever ;) If you really want to complete your library, the soundtrack of the games are also discounted!



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h2] SInterklaas kapoentje [/h2]
Something special is happening at the basecamp! The famous Dutch SInterklaas seems to have visited the Explorers and left some candy and presents! Be sure to login in and check it out.



[h3] Set sail & grab the trophy! [/h3]

Hello Explorers!

Its time to get together and enjoy the spooky festivities at the basecamp in We Were Here Together. The scary vibes will linger until November 2nd so be to play the game before the the decorations are scared away.



[h2] Boo-tastic sales [/h2]

Some of our other games screamed their way into the Steam Halloween Sale!

We Were Here Too is discounted with 80% off! If you need some fantastic music (maybe for a chill Halloween part), you can get the soundtracks of We Were Here and We Were Here Too both with a 50% discount (separately)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/677160/We_Were_Here_Too/



https://store.steampowered.com/app/721410/We_Were_Here_Original_Soundtrack/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/712201/We_Were_Here_Too_The_Soundtrack/

[h2] On course to new adventures [/h2]

Want to have a getaway to an island where no one (besides your partner) will interrupt you? Join the We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip! This bite-sized adventure will put your friendship to test; see if it will truly last forever You can get for a low price of $3.99

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2296990/We_Were_Here_Expeditions_The_FriendShip/

[h3] Happy early Halloween Explorers! [/h3]

Dear Explorers,

It's time to explore the Antarctic and put on your big brain puzzle hats, because We Were Here Together is now discounted with 50% off!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/865360/We_Were_Here_Together/

[h2]Thank you for sharing your input[/h2]
With over 4,000 entries (!) on our survey, we still are working out the results but wanted to share a few replies that made us smile...

Anything you would like to tell the dev team?

• give us an option to slap our co-op partner if they are too silly
  
• 
  
• Your games help my brother and I keep in touch when long distance. Thank you!
  
• graveyard puzzle was b*llsh*t i still dont get it
  

Dear Explorers,

A new bite-sized adventure awaits you; We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is available now!

[previewyoutube=aPHRenQug3g;full][/previewyoutube]

In this new bite-sized series of the main We Were Here series, You and your partner play as a team of Explorers on a boat, hearing a distress call that might be familiar to some of you. Eager to answer the call, you try to locate the sound, but end up on a deserted island with an amusement park?!



And the best part, you put your friendship to the test for free until October 13, so be sure that you and your bff (or are they?) have claimed the game before this date. It will be yours forever to keep. And it doesnt matter which platform you and partner will play on, as the game is playable cross platform! So you can truly test your friendship across platforms!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2296990/We_Were_Here_Expeditions_The_FriendShip&utm_source=SteamHubTG&utm_medium=StLink&utm_campaign=FShipLCH

This game is a great introduction for new Explorers to the series, as well serving as a fun friendship test for you and your co-op partner. Who knows, maybe you can finally work on your Communication, Teamwork and Trust skills amongst each other, something you definitely need for our main games.



[h2] Ready for Forever? [/h2]

Feel like you and your partner are now ready to dive (back) into the full experience? To celebrate the release of We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip, our latest main-series game We Were Here Forever will be available with a 35% discount at 7PM CEST.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h3]<3 Total Mayhem Games
[/h3]

Hello Explorers,

Christmas comes twice a year in We Were Here Together!
In the basecamp, you can now experience our special Christmas Puzzle as part of Christmas in July.
A special nod to our Explorers down under.



You can play this puzzle until July 26, so be sure to find your partner and get ready for winter chills and a jolly good time!

Hello dear Explorers,

You can now find We Were Here Together on sale with 55% off!
Perfect time for you and your partner to see if you can truely overcome anything, as long as you are together...

https://store.steampowered.com/app/865360/We_Were_Here_Together

[h2] Stay with We Were Here [/h2]

Additionally you can find the other games in the We Were Here series on sale too! Be sure to check them out and complete your set. See if you can truely escape Castle Rock...



[h3]Yours Forever[/h3]

Total Mayhem Games

Hello Explorers,

First of all, we want to wish you all a happy new year. And what better way to start the new year with a console release of We Were Here Forever! Check out the new trailer.

[previewyoutube=fbG8YCcnRqI;full][/previewyoutube]
Now with cross-play support, you and your partner can play together, no matter what your preferred platform is. And if you still need to start your new Antarctic adventure at Castle Rock, We Were Here Forever is now on sale with a 20% discount.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h2]Ask us Anything[/h2]
In celebration of We Were Here Forevers console release, an AMA on the PS5 Reddit on February 1st at 3pm CET/6am PST/ 8AM CST/ 11PM JST will be happening! Had any questions about the game (series) that youve been dying to get an answer for, or just want to ask what our favourite food is? This is your time to ask us! Were going to give away some extras too. Hope to see you there!

Dear explorers!

It's that wonderful, magical time of the year again !
What better way to spend it with your beloved partner in our basecamp, with a special suprise !

[h2]Celebrating Christmas Together[/h2]

The base camp in We Were Here Together is all dressed up for this festive time of the year! But not everything it just a jolly good time, your help is needed !

Hidden away at your basecamp is a special puzzle with an enlightening reward that will really get the celebrations started! This puzzle wont be out there forever, so be sure to participate in this festive mind breaker before the end of January 5th.



[h2]12 Days of Christmas[/h2]

On our Twitter page, we've been hosting a 12 Days of Christmas giveaway ! These will run until the 23rd, so be sure to participate while you still can !



[h2]Together Forever[/h2]

One of the most important thing for us, is the way that our games bring people together. Forge new friendships and bonds, learning more about each other and create ever lasting memories. For many, the Holiday season is a special time of the year to do the same in real life.

But we also know that this doesn't go for everyone. The wonderful people at Samaritants help those who are struggling during times like these. They have a special campaign Stream for Samaritans: Night Shift Before Christmas, which is a special charity event combined with streaming to help people who struggle with loneliness and depression during Christmas. We're honoured to have We Were Here Forever as part of this campaign. More info and options to donate can be found here.



[h2]Total Mayhem Comfiness[/h2]

Many of us are relaxing during their Christmas break. Binging a movie series, playing some boargames, finally reading that one book - just having a good time. What better way to do this with some comfy clothing! We got some merch for you all that will do just that! Click here to be redirected to our merch store. Maybe you'll find more things you like.



We're wishing you all a wonderful Christmas

Dear explorers !

Were excited to share with you all that you can now nominate We Were Here Forever for the Steam Awards 2022!

The category we would like to be nominated for is Better With Friends ! It would be an amazing opportunity, so we hope we can count on your vote! You can vote here



[h2] Special holiday event in Together [/h2]

Here in The Netherlands, we have double the festivities and presents in December! Before Santa Claus arrives and brings us presents under the tree, Sinterklaas makes his visit from Spain and brings us presents through the chimney and in our shoes!

You can experience this event at the basecamp! Get nice and comfy at the fireplace, eat some pepernoten and be sure to leave a carrot for Sinterklaas horse



[h2]Snowy merchies[/h2]

Want to get your hands on some exclusive Were Were Here Forever merch that perfectly fits the wintery cold season? We still got some limited edition snow globes available in our store! These are hand painted and one of a kind. A perfect gift for yourself and/or your explorer partner. You can find it, along with other merch, in our total mayhem store



[h2]We Are Thankful[/h2]
For all who celebrate, we hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We're very grateful to have such an amazing community and we can't wait to share more unforgettable memories with you all together.




Total Mayhem Games

Dear explorers,

Our sixth and final episode of the We Were Here live-action series, 'Chronicles of Castle Rock' is live now! See how the accounts of Kees Klokkenmaker ended...

[previewyoutube=zNOdhs5FCwU;full][/previewyoutube]

Thank you all so much for watching! It was amazing seeing our ideas and concepts come to life in this series and we're happy to see you all enjoyed it too!

[h2]Together Forever[/h2]

Remember that our latest game, We Were Here Forever, is available now! Let's see if you and your fellow explorer are clever enough to escape Castle Rock once more...

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h3]Yours Forever,[/h3]

Total Mayhem Games

Hello explorers!

The wait is finally over! We Were Here Forever is available now ! It feels surreal to finally have you all able to play the game weve been working on for so long! You can get it now until May 17th with a 10% discount.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/
[previewyoutube=3085f9umxlQ;full][/previewyoutube]

With 22 puzzles and 6 chapters and over 12 hours of gameplay, only if youre clever, We Were Here Forever is the biggest game we ever made.
The amount of puzzles, the diversity of the environments and an overall big climax to the story of Castle Rock. And you, dear explorer, will decide how this story will end

We Were Here Forever: Complete Fan Pack
For our determined and loyal explorers, we got a special Forever Fan Pack for the game. This will include:

• We Were Here Forever Game
  
• We Were Here Forever Digital Artbook
  
• We Were Here Forever Digital Soundtrack
  
• We Were Here Forever Wallpapers
  

Dear explorers,

We got a release trailer of We Were Here Forever here for you all! Only 5 days left until its release, the game will be here for you all to play on May 10th!

The trailer shows quite some interesting images of the areas you'll be exploring in our 4th installment in the We Were Here series. The game is our biggest one yet, with over 12 hours of gameplay, if you're clever enough to make it out in that time frame...

[previewyoutube=3085f9umxlQ;full][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Chronicles of Castle Rock[/h2]

Be sure to check out the episodes of 'Chronicles of Castle Rock'. This live-action series will give you some insights and interesting information about Castle Rock, Rockbury and more...

[previewyoutube=uDLTAtPBTXs;full][/previewyoutube]

If you haven't already, be sure to wishlist We Were Here Forever ! Be ready on May 10 to explore and escape Castle Rock once more..

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h3]See you soon explorers![/h3]

Total Mayhem Games

Dear explorers,

Only two weeks left and then it's finally time! We Were Here Forever will release on May 10th! After almost 2,5 years, we're so excited to bring you our biggest game yet! However, your wait isn't over yet - that's why we have something to ease your pain a little bit.

The entire We Were Here Series is available with a 50% discount! Be sure to complete your We Were Here collection or to finally get that one game to play with you! Just don't tell them you're going to betray them later...

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/12260/We_Were_Here_Series_bundle/

Only missing one game in the series? Don't worry, we got you! We Were Here is available for free (always will be) and We Were Here Too has a 75% discount!

[h2]We Were Here Chronicles[/h2]

In our live-action series 'Chronicles of Castle Rock', you will hear the stories that were written down by Kees Klokkenmaker, someone who used to live in Rockbury. Learn more about his town, Castle Rock, the King's downfall and the Jester who seems to have a play in all of this...

Currently there are 3 episodes available for you to watch! The next episode will release next week, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to not miss out on the next episode and more!

[previewyoutube=Jz_1LkrjMI8;full][/previewyoutube]

Have a nice weekend and see you soon!

[h3]Yours Forever,[/h3]

Total Mayhem Games

Dear Explorers,

Were more than excited to share some big news about our upcoming game We Were Here Forever! Check out our new reveal trailer here!

[previewyoutube=Ztz99oZXjOU;full][/previewyoutube]

On May 10, We Were Here Forever will be released on steam! Bringing you more puzzles to solve, places to discover and mysteries to unravel. Console versions will follow shortly after!

The 4th instalment in our We Were Here Series is our biggest game yet. Youll be exploring more of Castle Rock- whats hiding in the dark corridors, the dungeon below as well as forgotten halls and chambers, once filled with life and joy. A graveyard for those whove fallen, a chapel and even a puppet workshop are a few of the new areas awaiting your exploration




[h2]We are Here in Live action[/h2]
Besides a new trailer and release date, we have more in store for you! In our live action show We Were Here Stories: Chronicles of Castle Rock, the backstory of the cursed castle in the We Were Here series will be told through the eyes of resident Kees Klokkenmaker. For those that look closely, you might find some teasers for our upcoming game...

[previewyoutube=p21_SLlw6jc;full][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Sale Celebrate[/h2]

You can now get Were Here Too with a 85% discount! Get it now and be ready for when We Were Here Forever comes out

https://store.steampowered.com/app/677160/We_Were_Here_Too/

[h2]Wish for Forever[/h2]
If you haven't already, be sure to wishlist We Were Here Forever, so you'll be notified and ready to explore on May 10th!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

Dear explorers,

That special day full of love and appreciation is coming soon: Valentines Day. The state of the world is still not fully recovered from the pandemic, so we sure hope that you and all your loved ones are safe and sound. To help you share your love with that special someone, a friend, or your family, we have a new Valentines Care Package. In this package you can find special wallpapers for your phone and desktop, streamer kits, our soundtracks to chill/study to, and of course special We Were Here themed Valentine ecards.



[h2]We Are Your Cupido[/h2]
Need some extra help by sending your loving message to that special someone? No worries, we are here to help! You can sign up and have us send out an ecard on Valentines Day. By signing up, you enter our special Valentines Raffle as well! Sign up here and maybe youll win more than someones heart



[h2]We Are Here to make you look good[/h2]
Dont want to leave it up to the odds to win some We Were Here merch? You can always find it in our store! We regularly update our merch store with new lines, sales and items! But to be sure you dont wait too long to get some - theyre not sticking around forever



[h2]Mayhem Podcast[/h2]
As the wait for We Were Here Forever is, well, not forever, we want to make sure that every explorer, new and old, is up to date with the lore of the series. In our latest Todays Mayhem Podcast, community manager Nena along with managing director and co-founder Lucia sit together and catch you up on the lore of We Were Here Too. Be sure to check it out (and the other podcasts) for insights and more!

[previewyoutube=biY16r8oPX0;full][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Music sounds better with you[/h2]
We know you all cant wait to play We Were Here Forever, and neither can we. However, we want to make sure that everything works and looks great, so please be patient a little longer. We have got a new screenshot to share with you all! It shows a musical machine, based off something thatll be very familiar for the Dutchies in our community. Do you know what it is?



Happy Valentine's Day

[h2]We Were Here Together for festive winter celebrations![/h2]
Its time for winter season celebrations at the basecamp! At least, it will be very soon - the explorers of We Were Here Together have gathered their decorations to give some festive cheer to the starting point of your rescue mission. But theyre not quite done, and need your help!

Hidden within your base of operations is a special puzzle with an enlightening reward that will really get the celebrations started! This puzzle wont be out there forever, so be sure to participate in this festive mind breaker before the end of January 5th.


The special winter puzzle is available on the PC, PlayStation and Xbox One versions of We Were Here Together until January 5th 2021.

[h2]Frosty Festivities[/h2]
It's the season of giving and even the Jester seems to be in good spirits and handing out presents? Look, he made a little video for us...

[previewyoutube=536j3LBY2oo;full][/previewyoutube]
Every day a new door will open, and you could win prizes - everything from game keys to merch and more are in the calendar. Follow our social media for a chance to win - Twitter, Instagram, its all good.

[h2]The Explorer Post brings you news and beta info![/h2]
Dont forget to sign up for the Explorer Post! Youll be the first to read about We Were Here Forever news, and its also the way to get a shot at being part of the beta testing if thats your jam - just make sure to check that Beta Tests box when youre signing up for the Explorer Post..

If you think video is better than text, we have a new episode of our podcast, Todays Mayhem:

[previewyoutube=hF8W5-TQYYU;full][/previewyoutube]
This time Nena is sharing some Christmas related news and co-founder & managing director Lucia answers some questions about TMGs humble beginnings: how do you get to 900 downloads, and did we expect the game to do so well?

[h2]Stay warm with TMG gear![/h2]
Our store selection continues to expand with new seasonal merch! Whether youre looking for festive mugs for your hot chocolate, warm sweaters for snowball fights, or a cosy blanket for sitting by the fire, weve got you covered!




[h2]Happy Holidays everyone![/h2]
Have a great time, and we hope youre able to check out the special puzzle in We Were Here Together!

Wishing you all the best!

[h2]Happy Halloween![/h2]
The explorers have been busy decorating, and the Halloween event is live! Just start a new game and admire their handwork around the basecamp. Hope you like pumpkins!



[h2]The season for giving...?[/h2]
Wait, we're not there yet! But we've decided to give everyone some great discounts anyway: 50% off We Were Here Together for any of your friends who haven't got the game already. Or it could make a spooktacular Halloween gift, perhaps?

And what about We Were Here Too? Our second game is even more discounted with 70% off - a great opportunity to see more Castle Rock, if you haven't played before.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/677160/We_Were_Here_Too

[h2]Searching for something to wear for Halloween?[/h2]
We have new items on our store right now! Have a look...



These are all part of our special TMG x LVDDERGOVT collection, produced in collaboration with contemporary artist LVDDERGOVT!



[h2]That's it for now, explorers.
Try not to get spooked![/h2]



[h3]Happy Halloween from all of us at Total Mayhem Games![/h3]

Hello explorers!
Were happy to announce that We Were Here Together will have a demo now and thats not all! Until July 26th, youll be able to experience some Christmas fun during your summer break! The demo will include the limited Christmas puzzle for you and your partner to solve!



Escape the warm weather to the Antarctic where its nice and cold. The basecamp of the explorers will be in a festive mood and the hot coco will be ready for you! So hop on and unravel the joy of We Were Here Together.



[h2]The season of gift-giving[/h2]



Surprise surprise! We have an exciting We Were Here Advent Calendar prepared for you all, so be sure to follow us on our social media and, if you've been a nice explorer, you might even get some gifts!

Maybe even a special someone might even be there to greet you on your first day of Christmas (in July).

[h2]Don't stop at the demo[/h2]

Don't want to continue to explore the winter fun and discover what the Antarctic has to offer? We Were Here Together will be available with 50% off!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/865360/We_Were_Here_Together/

Hope you guys will enjoy the winter wonder fun, Merry Christmas!

Ho ho ho Explorers, Merry Christmas in July?!

Yes that is correct! This year we celebrate Christmas TWICE! From the 15th until the 26th of July you will be able to play the special Christmas Puzzle in We Were Here Together. Escape the warm weather to the Antarctic where its nice and cold. The basecamp of the explorers will be in a festive mood and the hot coco will be ready for you!



You dont have We Were Here Together?
No worry explorer! Jester Claus has made sure that everyone can enjoy winter wonderland because a demo version of We Were Here Together will be available too. Its the most wonderful time of the year for everyone.



What about presents?
Well, it is the season of giving, so hop over to our social media to have a shot at winning some amazing prizes, such as signed artwork!

Merry Christmas Explorers

Feeling lucky Explorer?

The Jester Bunny has hidden easter eggs all over our social media! You can find them over at our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Discord oh and lets not forget about that one over at the We Were Here Forever page!

Once youve found them, create the word and leave the solution here a spoiler comment Text [ /spoiler] and have a shot at winning all of our games!

Happy hunting!

We will pick 1 winner per social media, you may participate on more than one platform

[h2]...does one ever truly escape Castle Rock?[/h2]
Find out in our new game We Were Here Forever! Prepare for Castle Rock to be more lively than ever before, with puzzles that are even more engaging, more dynamic, and will challenge you in multiple ways.



We Were Here Forever will tell you a tale of the past and the future of Castle Rock, like youve never experienced before. The stage is set - you and a friend are trapped in the realm of Castle Rock with no way out - were you betrayed, or simply not that clever? Be aware, nothing is what it seems - there is a mystery buried deep in the heart of the Keep. Locked up with just a pair of walkie-talkies and your wits, will you be able to escape the Castle forever?! Our announcement trailer will give you a taste of what's to come...

[previewyoutube=34R0UCd493M;full][/previewyoutube]
If that sounds good, you can wishlist the game on Steam right now!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1341290/We_Were_Here_Forever/

[h2]There's much more to learn![/h2]
Did you know... the torch in those screenshots isn't just for show? Helpful items may be key to your escape. Another new features in Forever is how the story progresses - we wanted players to have a little more agency, so the storyline is now partially non-linear. You have some power to decide the order of events and how you explore the realm of Castle Rock.

This is just the tip of the iceberg though! We have much more to reveal as release day draws closer. If you want to make sure you dont miss any updates on the games release, be sure you follow us on Twitter and join the lore discussions with fellow explorers on our Discord!

[h2]Other exciting WWH news![/h2]
We'll close out this post with a sale and the arrival of Castle Rock in new territory... we recently launched the We Were Here games on PlayStation! Nowhere can escape the reach of Castle Rock ;)

If you haven't experienced the complete story of the We Were Here Series, now's your chance! Both We Were Here Too and We Were Here Together are on sale to celebrate the announcement of We Were Here Forever! The first game, We Were Here, remains free on Steam as always! Just the thing to tempt your friends inside Castle Rock - and once they're inside, well...

Yours Forever,
Total Mayhem Games

Surprise dear explorers!

Were happy to announce that the 4th game in the We Were Here series is coming to you in 2021!

[previewyoutube=34R0UCd493M;full][/previewyoutube]

In We Were Here Forever, were going to bring you explorers a next level experience! Expect an even more intriguing and exciting environment for you to explore with new cooperative puzzles and challenges for you and your partner to unravel. Forever will be the largest and most lively game ever seen in the Series, and thats just the tip of the iceberg.

There is much more to discover in the cold of the Antarctic. One cannot help but wonder what happened to those explorers who got left behind and..

does one ever escape Castle Rock??

[h2]Your wait will not be forever[/h2]

Were sure that you guys want to get your hands on the new game in the We Were Here Series just as much as we would like to hand it to you!

Please be patient, our team is still busy torturing each other by testing the puzzles, making the game even look prettier and spookier, and overall, just being excited for this game. We promise its not going to take forever - were aiming to bring you the game later this year!

For now, we hope you enjoyed our announcement trailer and it got you excited enough to wishlist the game on Steam right here!



[h2]You Were There for updates[/h2]

If you want to make sure you dont miss any updates on the games release, be sure you follow us on Twitter and join the lore discussions with fellow explorers on Discord!

Youll be able to discuss anything related to our games, find new friends to play with or just generally hang out and have a good time!

We love to hear what you guys think of We Were Here Forever, so please be sure to share your thoughts with us!

Yours Forever,

Total Mayhem Games

[h2]We Were Spreading the Love; Together[/h2]

Explorers!
Thank you so much for your support during the release of We Were Here on PlayStation! Although there was some white noise that we needed to fix, we appreciate you all sticking with us and showing your love of the game by mass posting and liking on social media! We definitely see what you guys are doing, and it warms our heart!

Secondly, the number of explorers who shared their love through our ecard raffle is amazing! We hope that many of you were able to (re)connect by playing We Were Here together, maybe even having a romantic Valentines date while you guys were at it (;


Speaking of We Were Here Together
Starting from today, February 23rd, We Were Here Too and We Were Here Together are released on PlayStation! If you previously downloaded We Were Here during its free trial, it will stay in your library forever! For those explorers who missed that boat, you can get all our games now in a We Were Here bundle! Click here

We saw that many of you were excited to play our other games after playing We Were Here, so hopefully you guys are ready for solving more puzzles, discovering more mysteries and overall, more fun times and memories to have and create for you and your partner!

Thank you for your support!

[h2]Be Here Together, with our Lockdown Valentines Package[/h2]
This weekend is Valentines Day, the day of love and appreciation. Unfortunately, many of us might not be able to see our loved ones due to the current state of the world. We hope to bring people together, providing a fun and exciting experience where teamwork is key. Additionally, weve prepared a special Valentines Package for everyone to use. Behind that link you can find special wallpapers for your phone and/or desktop, our soundtracks, streamer kits, and last but not least - romantic and fun Valentine ecards to send to your loved ones.



Tweeting explorers, can we have your attention please? This year were playing cupid (or mailman)! Send that special explorer a card via us and they might win one of our prices! Enter our raffle and who knows, you guys might win our games on either PC, Xbox or PlayStation! Click here to enter our raffle



We Were Here and now We Are On PlayStation!
SURPRISE!!!
Its been three years since the We Were Here Series came to life, and today marks the day we bring it to PlayStation! We Were Here will be free to play until February 22nd, and the release of We Were Here Too and We Were Here Together will follow on the 23rd.

[previewyoutube=cjoAQOTGHQY;full]https://youtu.be/cjoAQOTGHQY[/previewyoutube]

So if youve been dying to play the game (again) or want to take the chance to connect with a friend or family member who only plays console games, now is your chance!

[previewyoutube=7CZF9Uj2jH8;full][Podcast][/previewyoutube]

Want to hear all about our PlayStation 4 release and more? In This Weeks Mayhem episode 3 Our Managing Director Lucia talks to Community Manager Soraya about the release and so much more.

Just like how much we love and appreciate you guys!
Thank you all for playing our games <3

Hi everyone! Its been a hot minute since we last spoke to you but in the meantime most of you were busy with our Christmas event over at the basecamp. Whilst you were wrapping your minds around our holiday puzzle, weve been working on a couple of things


Podcast
We have seen your questions, your cries for more secrets. You want to know more about our games and about our studio. Well, weve got you fam; This Weeks Mayhem. Our podcast in which we go down to the nitty-gritty about our games with our community manager Soraya and some of our developers. In the second episode we get to know more about the puzzle design progress from our game designer Thijs.

[previewyoutube=_Tb0FitaFf8;full][/previewyoutube]

Want to stay up to date on our Weekly Mayhem? You can find all our (future) episodes on our YouTube channel and in this playlist. Consider to subscribe to our channel, any form of support makes the Jester smile!

Merch
Out with the old, in with the new! A new year and a new season, means new merch[link]. As previously explained our TMG Essentials will remain, but our TMG Limited got an update! This limited collection is all about love and romance. But no worries, our Curse of Castle Rock design is available until the end of January, ON SALE!

Santa, can you hear me?
When you and your co-partner wake up in the basecamp, you will find some very cheerful decorations. They look nice, but they lack power. In order to get the celebrations going, you and your fellow explorer will need to solve a special puzzle thats hidden within the base of operations at the beginning of your journey towards Castle Rock!

So whether your friend has been naughty or nice, call them and get ready for a Christmas mystery in We Were Here Together!

Note: The special Christmas Puzzle is available on the PC/Steam and Xbox One version of We Were Here Together from December 20th 2020 until January 5th 2021

[h2]Feeling hungry? [/h2]
What do you think about when it comes to the Holiday season? Spending time with your family, playing games together or how about some delicious food & drinks? On our social media channels, the explorers have been sharing some of their favorite recipes that will warm you up or give you the chills!

Try them out yourself!



[h2]Carroling through Castle Rock[/h2]
The Official We Were Here Discord channel is welcoming new explorers everyday and is still the perfect place to catch up on puzzle-solving adventures and search for the perfect partner to explore mysterious castles with. So if you havent joined yet.. well do it!
Theres also a monthly community challenge where everyone can participate. This months challenge is all about the joy of Christmas music!

[h2]Staying warm[/h2]
In case you missed it! Last month, we launched our new merchandise store for Total Mayhem Games and the We Were Here series! Some of our design series are limited, so you better hurry up if you want to wear some of our cheerful merch. One of these examples is, youd never guess it, our holiday themed products! Head over to the Merch Store to get it now!

Can you read me??
Loud and clear! Over! As you may have noticed, we have updated We Were Here Together right here on Steam! This patch implements a new voice-over system called Vivox. This should improve communication between explorers using their walkie-talkies, especially those trapped in Castle Rock and the outskirts of the Antarctic.

You also might see that when booting up We Were Here Together, the main menu has received a bit of a facelift! Not only is it looking better, it will also keep you up to date with whats going on with the We Were Here Series.

[h2]Get in touch with other explorers[/h2]
Have your joined the official We Were Here Discord server yet? You should!
Not only are there a lot of fellow explorers looking for help or that have rumors about that pesky Jester guy, there is a ton of great creative work being shared on there as well! Take this artwork from one of the alchemy ingredients for example made by CamelotJager, so cute!

Dont forget to participate in the monthly community challenge. Can you make/write/come up with a We Were Here themed Christmas song? Join the discord and find out! http://www.discord.gg/wewerehereseries

[h2]Exploring festivities[/h2]
The explorers are always in the mood to celebrate something when they are not trapped in an ice cave or creepy castle halls. You might already have noticed some treats scattered around the basecamp ingame. These are treats related to the Dutch tradition known as Sinterklaas. Have you found everything yet?

Make sure you do, because those wont be sticking around forever! In fact, on December 16th, you might want to explore the basecamp even further with your partner. Because there is that one door that wo-ho-ho-ont open

We are thankful for...
YOU!

We would like to thank you all for your amazing support this past year! The We Were Here community is greater than ever and it remains so much fun to see your passion for puzzles, castles and co-op communication on our channels.

If you want to show your love for the series, be sure to check out the Supporter edition of any entry in the We Were Here Series. For example, the Supporter Edition of We Were Here Together features a special skin for the walkie talkies, wallpapers and the soundtrack!

[h2]Brand new Merch store![/h2]
We recently released a whole new Merch store! You can look the part as a explorer of Castle Rock with a variety of new designs, to which some of them are limited time only!

TMG ESSENTIALS for big fans of the clean and the simple.


TMG FOR FRIENDS to celebrate all those precious moments together... including those where you left your friend in a creepy castle to fend for themselves.


And we have two LIMITED lines of merch including The Curse of Castle Rock and Holiday themed merchandise!


Check out our new store here: https://www.totalmayhemmerch.com/

[h2]Big discounts on entry tickets to Castle Rock[/h2]
The Steam Autumn Sale is underway! If you and your co-op partner have been thinking about entering Castle Rock, now is the best time to do so... because it's really warm and cozy in there...

You can get (the first entry We Were Here in the series for free,) the second entry in the series We Were Here Too for 60% off and the tird We Were Here Together is 40% off! If you enjoy the music of the games, now would be a good time to get the Soundtracks of all titles which are 50% off!


[h2]Labor of Love award![/h2]
Every year Steam offers the opportunity for games to enter the Steam Awards. This year we would like to ask you all to help nominate We Were here Together for the 'Labor of Love' award. It's a long shot, but who knows the King might be able to reach for it.

[h2]Holidays, holidays, holidays![/h2]
If you and your co-op partner have been exploring the basecamp. you might find some different decorations than you normally would. Like some nice chocolate letters, a certain staff and 'pepernoten'. It is a Dutch tradition called 'Sinterklaas' that we celebrate every year on December 5th!


But don't worry, because the explorers like big feasts as much as the next, so they'll sure be celebrating thanksgiving!

[h2]Boo![/h2]
No worries, its just us! That time of the year has come where scares are all the rage, but nothing is really frightening when you are with a co-op partner right? We would welcome you to Castle Rock to try out this theory! During the Steam autumn sale, you can venture to the Antarctic in We Were Here Together for 30% off, be sure to look inside the basecamp for some spooky decorations you might find!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/865360/We_Were_Here_Together/
If youre already in a spooktober mood, then be sure that youve returned to the halls of Castle Rock in We Were Here Too for 55% off. Make sure to pick up the soundtrack of each entry in the series who are also on a 50% discount!

[h2]There once was a castle filled with life[/h2]
...and now it seems they have all moved to Discord! The official We Were Here Discord server is growing with new explorers joining every day! Looking for a co-op partner, want to theorise about the mysteries of Castle Rock or do you just want to hang out in our digital hot chocolate bar? Join our Discord server today!

Theres also a monthly challenge for the community which could be a puzzle, news related to the series or a contest! For this spooky month, we asked our lovely community imagine the explorers in their worst nightmare, community member Duskinator did an awesome job!

[h2]Cross, Circle, Triangle, Square?[/h2]
We are also very excited to have shared the news recently that the We Were Here series is coming to PlayStation 4! We cant wait to have the exciting PlayStation community join our mysterious puzzle adventures and co-op shenanigans.

[h3]Have a happy Halloween![/h3]

How is everyone doing? It's been a busy month but we've been making steady progress. In fact, we can finally reveal some exciting news... at the end of this post ;)

[h2]What are we up to right now?[/h2]
We can tell you that we're participating in the Tokyo Game Show this year, with some awesome news! If you aren't following the event, you can find it at the end of this post as well. The Tokyo Game Show is always an exciting event with some big announcements and trailers to enjoy - and we're always curious to see what's popular in other parts of the world. We'd love to attract new We Were Here fans from Japan and Asia more generally! If you'd like to check out the event yourself, Inverse has a nice article on how and when to watch.

Which announcements are you hyped for?


How the show looked in years past. It's all online for 2020.

[h2]Are you a notetaker? [/h2]
Some of the puzzles in our games can be more easily solved with the aid of pen and paper, as player QAQAQAQAQ has discovered. Some great drawings here!



We're pleased to see people taking notes, because the We Were Here series is inspired in part by the legacy of classic adventure game Myst - did you know that Myst actually came with a notepad in the game box itself! You can see a cool image of someone's notes from this fun Reddit thread!

[h2]Last but not least...[/h2]
[previewyoutube=cjoAQOTGHQY;full][/previewyoutube]
We have a great announcement for console fans today - those of you following our social media might already have figured it out - the We Were Here series is coming to PlayStation 4 soon! No dates yet, but we'll let you know whenever we have something firmed up. Follow our social media for all the latest news and We Were Here developments! And don't forget: keep your eyes open, because we will probably have more hidden messages in the coming months...


Do you see the circle in this image? There were four other images that had a triangle, cross and square. Put them together, and you got the PS4 controller buttons!

We released an update today which fixes a couple of issues with the Steam rich presence display, and adjusts the Russian translation on the final puzzle to be more clear. It also adds localization support for a bunch of new languages!

New Languages

• Arabic
  
• Czech
  
• Danish
  
• Finnish
  
• Italian
  
• Norwegian
  
• Portuguese
  
• Portuguese (Brazil)
  
• Swedish
  
• Thai
  
• Turkish

While we've been hard at work on our future projects (you're gonna love them), we've also made the time to put together some We Were Here bonus materials! Have a look and see if anything takes your fancy...

[h2]Spice up your Steam library![/h2]
We made some pretty animated library capsules for our games. You can download our cool library capsules here!



To add them, go to your Steam library, find the game in the shelves to the right (not in the summary list), and right click on it. Then choose Manage > Set custom artwork, and choose your image! You could even make every game in your library look like We Were Here, if you wanted.

[h2]We Were Here Streaming Kit[/h2]


Are you planning a We Were Here stream? Or maybe you just really like the WWH aesthetic? Either way, good news with this We Were Here series streamer kit! Contains all the visual elements you need to stream in spooky Antarctic style: get it here.

[h2]Get the We Were Here Together soundtrack on Steam![/h2]
You can grab the We Were Here Together soundtrack right now! Featuring 16 songs with 61 minutes of evocative music, it'll conjure that Castle Rock vibe in no time. There's even a 10% launch discount right now - move fast!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1246990/We_Were_Here_Together_Original_Soundtrack/

[h2]Not one, but two bundles[/h2]
Did you know the We Were Here series is available on Xbox One? Well it is, and you can now get all three games together in the We Were Here bundle!

Speaking of bundles, We Were Here Together is part of this month's Humble Bundle Humble Choice games! If you're looking to play and don't have a regular partner, this month might be a good time to meet someone new who's just got the game ;)

[h3]Let us know what you think! Would you like to see more of this kind of stuff?[/h3]

[h2]What have we been up to, indeed?[/h2]
Well, a whole lot of stuff! We recently released an update with some nice fixes and improvements. Read the full changelog here. Of course we've been working hard to finish up the Xbox One release of We Were Here Together, making sure everything is looking good there - because it releases today! Yep, all three games are now out on Xbox One as well - we're looking forward to seeing what everyone thinks!

This means the whole series to date is available on the Xbox - it's still so cool for us to see our puzzle game concept go from one title on PC all the way to a three part series on PCs and console, with more exciting things to come as well!




[h3]PC Sale![/h3]
If you hadn't noticed, We Were Here Together is on sale right now, but not for much longer. You can currently grab the game for 25% off!


[h2]Fan art![/h2]
We couldn't go another news post without sharing more fan art! We loved this funny scene drawn by WWH player Blue and posted to our artwork page. Maybe check it out sometime - there's art, gifs, memes... all that good stuff.



[h3]Cheers![/h3]

[h2]Patch Notes 1.6.7[/h2]
We have a new update for you today! There are performance improvements, more colliders to prevent those rare moments of falling out of the level, and some desync fixes.

Added

• Animated dots show at the bottom right when the game is busy loading
  
• Increased auto-crouch trigger size downstairs after entering the monastery
  
• Xbox related objects added to the basecamp

• Players should no longer be able to walk off the left pickaxe elevator
  
• Fixed an issue causing the castle entrance puzzle not to start
  
• Fixed overall missing colliders causing players to fall through the world
  
• Optimized performance-heavy fog
  
• Increased default voice chat volume
  
• Accepting an invite just before entering gameplay from a lobby no longer leaves the other player in the void
  
• Fixed an issue with rejoining your own lobby
  
• DLC Store page languages now match those displayed on the base game store page
  
• Fixed overall texture and mesh issues
  
• Rapidly bashing the elevator buttons won't get visually stuck anymore
  
• Disabled puzzle item interaction after completing the Greenhouse area preventing players from taking unnecessary items to the next chapter
  
• Fixed an issue with the pipes where the puzzle would not complete after placing the correct pipes
  
• Fixed a desync issue with the throne room statues puzzle
  
• Fixed visual mismatch of items picked up in the mirror room and the image displayed in the inventory
  
• Fixed an issue where the basecamp fuel docks did not load in completely
  
• Fixed visual errors with some fog areas
  
• Audio of the first throne room puzzle no longer overlaps with the cutscene audio

• After the voice chat system connects both players in a session, the application volume in the OS is forced to 100%

That's right, We Were Here Together is set to release June 5 on Xbox One!


Let your console owning friends and family know ;)

This is great news for all the new console fans who experienced the We Were Here series for the first time when we released the earlier games on Xbox One last year. We can't wait to see what they think!

To celebrate this great news, we also have a 25% sale for everyone on PC too!


A screenshot of a sinister scene by Scorpiorange!


Hugs from us at Total Mayhem Games!

We're making great progress on We Were Here Together for Xbox One - so much so, that we can announce the release date! Console fans set your calendars for June 5th.



To celebrate this great news, we have a 25% sale for everyone on PC right now! If you've had your eye on We Were Here Together, now's the time to grab it!

[previewyoutube=uCPqQcHpi20;full][/previewyoutube]
We also have a collection of awesome fan art!

[h2]Fan art fun![/h2]

Awesome work by player Nanofu!


This heartwarming piece by PapaNini.

[h2]The future is now soon ;)[/h2]
We can't wait to share what we've been working on! Thanks to everyone who filled out the We Were Here survey, we've been going carefully through the results and there's a lot of valuable feedback there. We'd also like to take a moment to salute the brave 193 (20% of respondents) who said that 'jump scares' are what they enjoy most in puzzles :D

[h3]Keep that fan art coming, we love it! We'll end with this screenshot taken by player Rabbit. It could almost be a vacation photo![/h3]

Cheers![h2]Total Mayhem Team[/h2]

This Friday is Valentines Day! For this special occasion, we want to match you with someone!

Whether you are looking for a special someone, a new friend, or just a nice co-op partner, we will try to find you the perfect match. Theres no better way to get to know someone than trying to solve puzzles together, after all!

We are even giving away a few Steam keys for We Were Here Too and We Were Here Together in a raffle, so you might get lucky!

Click to fill out the form!

[h2]Happy New Year![/h2]
The Christmas lights have been put away, and the basecamp returns to the usual cosy quietness. Our special Christmas puzzle is finished - we hope you all enjoyed it, and the fireworks that were your reward for solving it!


Here they are, in case you missed it ;)

We have some exciting plans in the pipeline for the new year - nothing to announce just yet, but watch this space!

[h2]We want you...r opinion![/h2]
For those of you with strong opinions, we're running a survey covering topics like what you enjoy most about the We Were Here series, what kind of projects you'd like us to work on next if you were queen/king for a day, and more. After filling it out, you'll be entered into a raffle with a chance to win some We Were Here merch!
Take the survey!

[h2]Total Mayhem Games wish you all the best in the new year![/h2]

[h3]Light up the Holiday[/h3]
The holidays are almost here and we have a number of special Christmas surprises for you explorers. As befits the holiday season, your basecamp has been decorated and a new puzzle has appeared somewhere. Lets see if you and a friend can figure out where it is, and how to solve it. If you succeed, the festivities can begin!



[h3]A year of Total Mayhem[/h3]
This past year was quite an adventure for us at the studio, full of intriguing puzzles and great highlights! One of the most memorable moments for us was the release of We Were Here Together - it was humbling to see our game in the top steam sellers for October 2019. To date we've almost sold 100,000 copies of We Were Here Together. Thank you all for your support!

To get a peek at how the year was for us developers, take a look at our series of Developer Diaries series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tThcTabRnU&list=PLHCVEMHWZo4TZVWjKAiVw0VcvQkOm_-Po
Three episodes are live already, and the fourth and final installment will be live on December 30th!

Another cherished moment was the release of We Were Here and We Were Here Too on Xbox One. The inclusion of We Were Here in the Games for Gold helped introduce a lot of new players to the series. We cant wait to release We Were Here Together on Xbox One as well in 2020!

Weve also been nominated as one of the top 100 games in the Adventure category on IndieDB. With less than two days of voting left, your support would be greatly appreciated!

We also would like to take the time to thank the community for another awesome year, our partners for their great support and we want to wish you all happy Holidays and hopefully a new year with even more awesomeness for you all.

[h3]Christmas Changelog[/h3]
New Features:

• Added a christmas themed puzzle to the basecamp.
  
• Revamp of the default controls. Player who have played before will keep their settings.
  
• Skipping a cutscene is now done by a HOLD action.

• The incoming voice volume is no longer bound to master volume. This should fix some volume issues with the voice chat.
  
• Added experimental audio settings - marked in yellow - to test out. We would love to hear any feedback regarding the functionality of these settings. (The Microphone level slider is set to your system level by default. Adjustments are directly applied to your system microphone level)

• Intro animation Wall is now synced properly.
  
• Mirror Room paintings should no longer fully rotate when clicked once.
  
• Players should no longer be able to jump in or out of a rotating door in the cave while it is rotating to prevent softlocking.
  
• Added proper controller button images to the menu.
  
• Fixed several desync issues in the mirror room.
  
• The purple orb pistons should now be retract on both sides in the mirror room.
  
• Optimized a ton of meshes throughout the game increasing performance.
  
• Selected button behaviour in the menus should now be more intuitive and consistent.
  
• Fixed several audio effects.
  
• Fixed some edge cases around inviting and leaving a session just before starting.
  
• Gamepad horizontal/vertical look speed should feel more consistent now.
  
• Changed some visual UI elements throughout the game.
  
• Fixed several seams in meshes throughout the game.
  
• Fixed an issue where spamming the switch side button in the lobby would cause a desync.
  
• The Jester's laugh no longer cuts out during the alchemy cutscene.
  
• Added some additional sound effects throughout the game.
  
• Fixed an issue where players would end up in a softlock if their partner disconnected when inspecting a world element.
  
• In-game menu should now work properly with a D-pad.

• Looking for a substitute for performance-heavy fog.
  
• Desync of player position in rotatable doors.
  
• Credits will be made legible.
  
• Textures that might be incorrect.
  
• Visual inconsistencies in the throne room.
  
• Falling through the world in some specific edge cases.
  
• Several game freezes.

• Color blind support.
  
• Additional voice chat options.
  
• Collectables.
  
• Additional checkpoints for Chapter 7.

The latest developer diary video about the creation of We Were Here Together is here! The series gives you an insight on the creation of the co-op puzzle adventure. In this third episode, the designers are reliving the process of coming up with and creating the puzzles of We Were Here. But what about testing? We might have some extraordinary ways to do so
Watch the episode below:

[previewyoutube=ai2dEhxGN6A;full][/previewyoutube]

The latest developer diary is all about how the team created the environments of We Were Here Together, incorporated puzzles into them, and brought Castle Rock to life. This four part series gives you an insight into the game development process at Total Mayhem Games, and how We Were Here Together came to life! Watch the episode below:

[previewyoutube=eypmSMql0wk;full][/previewyoutube]

It's update time again! We have tweaks for visual issues, collision, and some performance issues, not to mention some more fixes for walkie-talkie issues. We are particularly interested to hear if the issue with picking up microphones correctly is fixed. Future updates will see continued work on performance as well alongside more general bug squashing.
Complete list of changes and future plans
New Features

• Added holiday event: Saint Nicholas (live now, check it out!)
  
• Improved the game over screen visuals
  
• Added missing sound effects

• Microphone should be picked up correctly for everyone who was having issues. If your problem still exists, please report again.
  
• Walkie-talkie lighting up when you are talking instead of when your partner is talking
  
• Final decision moment radial button speed now properly matches the corresponding animation, to visually match whats happening behind the scenes
  
• Missing logbook entries are now added when starting from a checkpoint
  
• Improved overall menu usability
  
• Improved gamepad usability
  
• Increased gamepad sensitivity range
  
• Improved water shader performance
  
• Fixed a couple of in game visual glitches
  
• Fixed issue in the mirror room allowing players to pick up a book through walls
  
• Fixed reported collider issues throughout

• Final decision moment will better pick up the intent of the player, instead of the princess taking over control while youre in the process of sacrificing someone
  
• Credits will be made legible
  
• Investigating an issue where disconnecting during an inspect locks you in that inspect
  
• Looking for a substitute for performance-heavy fog
  
• Investigating what we can do about a rare throne room desync event

Hi everyone!
My name is Leon van der Stel and I'll be talking today about the creation of the main theme for We Were Here Together.
The first and second We Were Here games share the same main theme. For the third entry in the series, we wanted a new main theme - the classic We Were Here atmosphere in a new jacket. I would like to take you into the story behind the main theme and the choices that were made along the way. At different sections I'll link to audio clips. These are interim versions and ideas for the main theme that show the development process well.

For the people who want to play the main theme themselves, I made sheet music, which you can find at the end of this dev diary. Finally, I want to thank Jos Platschorre for helping to compose the main theme with his grandiose guitar playing, and Tom Hartman for his support and feedback.


The author, making music.

The process
The most important thing with each piece of music is which feeling it must express. Since We Were Here Together is about two explorers alone in Antarctica, the terms cold, deserted and isolated occurred to me. Although these were good terms, there was still something missing in my opinion. In the story, the other two explorers become hopeful when their emergency signal is fired into the air. Therefore the word hope should also be included in the overall picture.

Now that the atmosphere has been determined, how do you implement this, and with which instruments? This is a question that you can only answer by getting started and carefully directing the result at every step. Having said that, I thought it would be cool to take the first steps with some guitar.

This idea was inspired by the OST of The Last of Us, and it was in line with the direction which the TMG team and I wanted to go. My goal was to raise the standard to produce a greater result and I felt that this could only be achieved by involving other musicians. Fortunately I knew a good guitarist, Jos Platschorre, whose playing style would fit well with what I had in mind. After a phone call he agreed to help me to make something beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvNF51-TSAQ&list=RDDvNF51-TSAQ&start_radio=1&t=0
Below are some of the first jams with Jos that had the most impact on the end result:

Jam 1A: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hBcBzJ6AHzFiIa8lKR-POas_0cztGHF1
Jam 1B: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vXODQNocPnziMArbSZu-jo5S2QHL4jbn
Jam 2: https://drive.google.com/open?id=19M0KITCgaRhj0bCu0_wk_Rgs2VbA8F5n

When listening to the above jams, several parts immediately jumped out that fit well with the new main theme vibe. Keeping in mind the cold and isolated atmosphere, the start of jam 2 was very satisfying. This stayed into place since then. After jam 1A was recorded, I had the impression that a strum style could fit in boldly with this (jam 1B). Although the Total Mayhem Games team was delighted with the vibe of these early jams, a simple and recognizable melody was still missing. Based on these jams, I came up with the following melody, to be played on the piano. The chord changes, the guitar style and the melody were the starting point for the next step.

Jam 3 - Piano melody: https://drive.google.com/open?id=13WdJvoi7V5Gr9ewBu8Dq953SpYKe6sGF

The following fragment contains the points above combined with the melody partially incorporated. In the second part I experimented with midi controller pads and vocals.

Jam 4: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FvuxmTSr_Bda9ys4DZJZ0VotSRsYS3aq

At this point it was starting to become more viable and I was pleased with how the melody was incorporated with the guitar scrum. However, it still didnt jive just yet; it sounded more like a loop. I was fortunate at this point to get some good advice from talented musician Tom Hartman on how it could potentially be turned into a good swinging melody that tells a story. Below is a take that he sent during a meeting. This recording inspired me during the composition of the end result.

Jam 5: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T3fy3hIFwqJBtkhlFWiVVMymqaCbXcnk

So with this new jam in mind, I went back to the drawing board. The following jam (which is divided into two audio clips) was created by editing the old jams to be closer to the feel of Tom's recorded take (jam 5). Based on these new ideas, I selected a high pitched piano to incorporate into the theme - this piano with a lot of echo gave a hopeful feeling, which youll recall is one of the expressions I added to my list at the beginning.

Jam 6: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1x4jtyLCMuY-arcSdi3HBxjAuhojQOFKs
Jam 7: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eJB9MhZTF1i-l95vfVN5GVHVV75YcLWM


This is NOT what the composition process looked like, for the record.

Fitting the pieces together
As you can see, every decision at each step has had a part in shaping the music into what it is today. Although many ideas were collected, a complete composition was still missing. Even though the individual parts sounded good, the overall composition is what makes or breaks it as a piece of music. From this point on, I didn't want to create new content anymore, but instead wanted to use what I had.

During this stage, the guitarist and I tried various parts on the spot in different combinations and listened for what felt best. Afterwards the composition was recorded in six takes. The last addition that has been made to the main theme was done by not ending with the . This gives a dissonant / out-of-place feeling that is also in line with some of our aforementioned expressions: cold, deserted and isolated.

And so, the final composition was:

Intro: Beginning of Jam 3
Section A: Main tune (Jam 6 + Jam 7)
Section B:Start Jam 2 with the main guitar style of the main tune
Section C: Section A, but layered with high pitched piano and pads

https://youtu.be/61kT23qnRGo

In summary, it has been a long journey. My secret ingredient is taking little steps, building upon things that feel right along the way, and to simply ask for help when necessary to get to the next stage. This is not just for music! The same strategy could be applied to all things and decisions in life.

If you are interested in playing the theme yourself, don't forget to check the main theme sheet music below. If you prefer just listening, you should visit our new Spotify channel! Peace out :D

Main Theme sheet music links
Interactive online: https://flat.io/score/5d73748133d5ed32e1fc61d1-we-were-here-together-main-theme?sharingKey=93101f350e5331c1530d8eaae0cef7960c0cc9249bb4d065446c8be2936d13a04b2af7e6347f9a94aceeccadafc70dbffe8b0a7f7a6f1025898b49db068fd90e
PDF: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1blfLqwVgHn9YvQVsVNtza-6dfB1jv7ia

Cheers Leon

Good news everybody! Earlier this week we released a hotfix which should resolve the issues with microphone volume dropping, and now we've just released a larger update with even more in it.

Complete list of changes and future plans
Fixes included in this patch

• Issues related to microphone levels have been resolved.
  
• Added cross region friend invites.
  
• Added a toggle in the gameplay settings that will make sure you connect to the region with the lowest ping. (Auto select region).
  
• Added controller navigation support to the banners in the main menu.
  
• Added translations for the keybinding panel.
  
• Added the ability to select a different region when the connection in the title screen fails.
  
• Added the ability to see what chapter is selected before joining a game.
  
• Fixed some UI navigation issues.
  
• Fixed an instance where the lobby background and chapter name would not be updated correctly.
  
• The correct background is now shown for chapter 6 in the lobby.
  
• You no longer receive a Connection Established popup when switching regions.
  
• Fixed some minor visual errors in the game hud.
  
• Fixed several instances of inventory items showing up through cutscenes.
  
• Fixed an instance where the candle would not be visible.
  
• Fixed a visual glitch where the candle would be visible for a single frame when scrolling through the inventory.
  
• Fixed an instance where players would clip through the ceiling in forced crouch areas when opening the menu.
  
• Subtitles in the basecamp should be more consistent now.
  
• Snow and Cloud particles should no longer be visible when inside the basecamp.
  
• You can no longer get stuck behind the outside door in the basecamp.
  
• Fixed an issue where you could solve the clock puzzle with only one correct dial.
  
• The board of the alchemy puzzle is now properly interactable.
  
• Fixed a missing door after passing through the royal passage.
  
• Removed a button click sound effect during the intro cutscene of the throne room.
  
• The jester's face now disappears in the game-over screen.
  
• Keybindings for the decision moment are now correctly bound to the correct keys.
  
• Reworked a lot of the rotating statue puzzle in the throne room to resolve de-sync issues. (let us know if this has truly fixed the issue).
  
• Improved performance in the throne room.
  
• All steam achievements are now hidden to avoid spoilers.
  
• Added some Halloween decorations to the basecamp.
  

• Proper implementation for microphone auto leveling.
  
• Revamp of the control schemes.
  
• Ability to select a checkpoint for all puzzles in the Overgrown chapter.
  
• Collectibles that can be found throughout the game.
  
• Audio leveling throughout the game.
  
• Resolve performance drop caused by the volumetric fog.
  
• An issue when 2 players try to join the same game at the same time.
  
• Investigating an issue in the mirror room where the rotatable titles spin 360 degrees instead of 90 degrees.
  
• Investigating an issue in the bridge puzzle where the clamps dont always update correctly.
  
• Investigating an issue where push to talk events are not sent to the other player, resulting in the voice chat not working at all.
  
• General bug fixes for puzzles.
  
• Loading speed optimizations.
  
• General performance optimizations.
  

Welcome to the first entry in a four part series of We Were Here Together Developer Diaries!
The series will offer a peek behind the game development curtain here at Total Mayhem Games - the team will discuss challenges they faced, the thinking behind the overall direction of the project, and what aspects of the game changed and evolved during production.

This first episode focuses on the cooperative gameplay which is so central to the We Were Here series. Without further adieu, here it is - enjoy!

[previewyoutube=8tThcTabRnU;full][/previewyoutube]

Pumpkins have been brought in just for the holidays, and those long Antarctic nights (sometimes a couple of weeks long in the depth of Winter) have given the explorers plenty of time to practice their carving technique.


Carving pumpkins!


Reading scary stories!


Jump scares!

Finally, if We Were Here Together is the first game you've played in the series, you might be interested in our Halloween sale on We Were Here Too! It's 55% off while supplies last...*

https://store.steampowered.com/app/677160/We_Were_Here_Too/
*Supplies will always last, since this is digital distribution after all...

Today's update brings a mix of gameplay and puzzle updates alongside technical tweaks to improve performance and option menus. We also have an updated list of things we are working on.

Fixes included in this update:

• Simplified resolution selection. (highest refresh rate is now automatically applied for the selected resolution)
  
• Removed the refresh rate dropdown due to confusion.
  
• Resolution dropdown now displays the current resolution properly.
  
• Steam avatars now visible in server browser.
  
• You can no longer get stuck behind the wooden fence in the basecamp.
  
• You actually spray the poison on the plant in the greenhouse now.
  
• The ceiling of the brewery should no longer be foggy.
  
• Removed a cheat where picking the same destination 3 times would complete the puzzle.
  
• Fixed some issues with menu text and subtitles.
  
• After passing through the royal passage the door behind you is now closed.
  
• The pipes puzzle is more consistent in updating the leak states.
  
• Spamming the paintings in the mirror room should no longer result in the puzzle becoming unsolvable.
  
• The clock inside the mirror room should now visually represent the correct solution.
  
• You should no longer hear the puzzle complete sound twice in the mirror room.
  
• Fixed some visual inconsistencies.
  
• More performance optimizations.
  
• Added OpenGL for older Apple Hardware (this is experimental, visual errors could occur)
  

• We are still investigating issues surrounding the microphone volume being pushed down.
  
• General bug fixes for puzzles.
  
• General performance optimizations.
  
• Loading performance optimizations.
  
• Game invites that fail when players are not in the same region.
  
• Ability to switch region if connection fails in the title screen.
  
• Ability to switch region directly from the server browser.
  
• Ability to select a checkpoint for all puzzles in the Overgrown chapter.
  
• Ability to see what chapter is selected before joining a lobby.
  
• Visual glitches where the candle would be visible for a single frame when scrolling through the inventory.
  
• Minor visual errors in the menu and lobby.
  
• Controller navigation for the banners on the right side of the main menu.
  

Previously on Walkie-Talk we looked at how we design puzzles for the We Were Here games. However, even with the best ideas in the world a game doesnt get far without technical developers. Today were talking to one of our newest devs, Alex Leestemaker.



Walkie-Talk: Hi Alex! Lets start with the basics. Who are you and what do you do?

Alex Leestemaker:
My name is Alex, and Im the new programmer on the team. That means I listen to what the game designers would like in the game, I program exactly what they asked for, and then the next day it turned out that they meant something completely different and I can start from scratch.

What do you think of your work at Total Mayhem Games so far?
This is my first job in the game development industry, and Im glad its at a studio that makes games Im interested in myself. Puzzle games and co-op multiplayer have always been high up on my list of favorite mechanics in video games. Since Im new to the industry, working in a smaller team like this also feels more familiar than getting thrown into a big sea of coworkers would probably have felt like.

I like it! Ive been here for a little over half a year now, and its my first job straight out of university. Its a big jump going from a giant university where everything is planned to hell and back to our small office in Rotterdam, but I like my coworkers here far more than the average uni student.

Its much more cosy for sure! What are you working on right now?
Ive been working on a lot of the alpha tests weve been releasing over the last few months.

Final question - what are you playing for fun right now?
Currently Im dumping most of my free time into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Thanks for your time!

A short but sweet interview this week. We hope you liked it! If there are particular topics you think might make for a cool Walkie-Talk, let us know in the comments.

Thanks everyone for your great comments, reviews, and general feedback! The launch has been great, and today we have a first update to resolve some of the issues that slipped through.


UPDATE
Thank you all for reporting bugs back to us. We resolved already a few of the issues. It doesn't cover everything that's been reported yet - see the known issues section for a list of things we're working on. Keep that feedback coming!

Changelog
Fixes:

• Final chapter in some rare cases didnt trigger the same events / cut-scenes at both ends
  
• Environments behind a door sometimes popped in, due to slow loading
  
• In very rare occasions the Brewery area wasnt loaded in for one of the two players
  
• Pipes puzzle sometimes didnt trigger an achievement
  
• When using the 4-way pipe in the pipe puzzle the leakage isnt always clear (visual and in sound)
  
• Server browser could not be scrolled
  
• Achievement when inviting a friend didnt get triggered on some rare occasion
  
• Credits list in menu didnt always work

• Loading times have been improved
  
• Several minor performance improvements
  
• Organ player is now more visible
  
• Subtitles in various languages
  
• Several minor improvements to the experience

• New Steam integration, fixing some integration issues and visuals like profile pictures
  
• Microphone issues, where some players experience issues with the volume of the microphone getting adjusted
  
• Players in different regions sometimes have a hard time inviting each other
  
• Players are often connected to EU servers, while in another region
  
• Resolution option in menu doesnt show all available resolutions due to difference in refresh rates

Total Mayhem Games will be at Dreamhack Rotterdam this weekend, as part of the Rotterdam Games Week! We will be there with our latest game We Were Here Together, and it would be great if you could join us at stand 329! Yes, you personally ;)

In their own words, the event is:
"The world's greatest digital entertainment festival is coming to Rotterdam on 18-20 October 2019. DreamHack Rotterdam 2019 is the major event at the brand new Rotterdam Games Week, and will take place at one of the major venues of the Netherlands: Rotterdam Ahoy."



There's something for everyone at the event, with a LAN party, several e-sports tournaments, cosplay competitions, and more! Even better you can play our newly released third game We Were Here Together at our stand!

Get your tickets here!

[previewyoutube=XhE5mPCHdY4;full][/previewyoutube]
Return to Castle Rock!
Were so excited! The game is ready for you to play! For the first time, chill out in the Basecamp and set foot in the Antarctic snow on your way to Castle Rock.

You can get We Were Here Together right now on Steam for $12.99 / 12.99. There is a launch discount of 5%, and players of earlier We Were Here games will get an extra 10% discount!

The third game in the We Were Here series features new gameplay mechanics, locations, an inventory for you to fill with curious items, and of course new puzzles. In response to your requests, there is more emphasis on story than ever before, and several large environments to explore and solve puzzles within.


Your adventure will start out at the base camp...

There are several great innovations in We Were Here Together, and it's hard for us to pick a favourite! One thing we do know is that there are some amazing new environments for you to explore on your journey from the expedition base camp to the inhospitable Antarctic mystery that is Castle Rock. Read on and we'll tell you more about those and other features in our latest and greatest adventure yet!

Features include:

• Even closer coop you wont always be split up from your partner this time. Explore together, try both sides of a puzzle for a different perspective, its up to you! Just dont get too comfortable - Castle Rock has some tricks waiting for you
  
• The great outdoors puzzle outside Castle Rock for the first time, from the deceptively cosy expedition base camp through imposing sub-zero valleys to breath-taking frozen caves.
  
• Gadgets wont save you - but they might help! Figure out how to use new equipment and gather an inventory of curious items to solve puzzles and progress towards the fateful finale in We Were Here Together.
  
• You arent alone in Castle Rock and this time you get to meet a fellow explorer who is trapped inside. Could they know a way out and can you trust them?

We Were Here Together will bring players to an entirely new part of the Castle while so far everything has been the classic medieval corridors, lots of dark stone, impressive staircases and balconies, mixed with heavy wood and metal, the new game offers a new take on the series showpiece, inside and out.

Castle Rock did not in fact emerge fully formed from the snow and ice of Antarctica it was built by someone. Of course if you want to learn more about who and why, youll have to play the game! You will spend quite some time outside the castle, clambering around scaffolding, traversing snowy paths, and creeping along frozen ledges. While previous explorers found themselves effectively invited inside Castle Rock, making an entrance this time may prove more challenging.



These new environments arent just for sightseeing. Longer sight lines opens up more puzzle possibilities, and this makes cooperation important even when you and your partner are together and can both visit the same areas. You cant be and see everywhere at once, so better split up and make use of those walkie-talkies! Larger environments also means more space to scour for clues, and more places which could hide secrets



There is also a new part of the castle interior. While everything players have seen in We Were Here games so far is cold and silent, the greenhouses still have life within! With an abundance of glass windows and high ceilings, you might think that they would be less oppressive than the rest of the castle but theres something in the air, even here. A stifling corruption that makes you wonder - are the plants only living things in here with you?



The greenhouses are part of a monastery section of the castle, and we know what monks are famous for brewing! The systems to maintain the plants found inside the greenhouse are not simple, and you can bet that puzzles await! Returning players will find the green hues of this new location quite a change from their previous visits to Castle Rock, where stone, statues and metal were often the order of the day.
However, caution is advised. Even the plants here have been influenced by the dark aura of the castle, resulting in some monstrous things. In the screenshot below, we have more of a venus mantrap than a flytrap!



Well end on a more pleasant note the expedition base camp where you start the game. This comfortable cabin provides a gentle introduction to the game, though the puzzles here arent anything to scoff at. It provides a base for the player characters and gives players more background about who they are and what theyre doing. You can also discern other information given those dishes in the sink, either someone has skipped their turn at washing up, or the explorers as a whole arent big tidiness fanatics!



The base camp also serves as a contrast to later parts of the game. Players will pass from the warm wood tones of the base camp into the icy blues of the Antarctic exteriors. And then? Into the castle itself, and who knows what awaits you there

We Were Here Together can be wishlisted on Steam now, and will be released on October 10th!

Welcome to another edition of Walkie-Talk! In a previous post we showed you an image of the inside of Scotts hut in Antarctica which we used for inspiration. What about the outside of the base camp though?

Heres an example of what we were thinking of as a base for the exterior look. A pretty classic log cabin, with some useful odds and ends scattered around outside. However, a building like this alone would be a little dull, and we wanted to spice things up a little with some light steampunk elements.


An early version of the base camp viewed in Unity.

And what says steampunk more than pipes? Along with nice chunky windows, the satellite dish antennas, and fuel tanks, our base camp is recognizable while still having a personality of its own. Remember, this isnt all just eye-candy - you and your partner have puzzles to solve at the base camp.


The base camp area as it looks today!

Heres the final product! Adding colour makes a big difference, and you can see we removed some of the pipes and tanks from the base camp itself and moved them to a new section, seen in the foreground here. Thats all for now!

Give us the details!
There's only one week to go before we release We Were Here Together to the world!

The game will be sold for $12.99 / 10.79. Players of earlier We Were Here games will get a 10% discount. This means if you buy We Were Here Too (which just happens to be 50% off right now) you'll get 10% off We Were Here Together!

A big thank you to all our testers!
We would like to once again express our gratitude to everyone who has joined our alpha and beta tests. Your feedback has been truly invaluable. We split up puzzles into a series of different playtest sessions so as not to give away the plot of the game, and we appreciate the patience from everyone playing in this unusual way! Tester comments have helped us improve the puzzles themselves, how people navigate through the new environments, and to generally polish everything up even more.

By way of saying thanks, we will be granting special custom walkie-talkie skins to all testers! Alpha testers will get a bronze walkie talkie skin and beta testers a silver one. Check them out!


Aren't they beautiful?

Xbox One News
Both We Were Here and We Were Here Too are out on Xbox One, where they've had a great reception. Today we can announce that We Were Here Together will also get an Xbox One release! When? We'll let you know as soon as we can!

Seven days...
And you can expect more exciting reveals and activities before release day! Keep up to date on our social media channels as well as here on Steam. There's still time to add We Were Here Together to your wishlist - get a notification when the game launches and make sure not to miss the loyalty discount!

We Were Here Together has an official release date: October 10!
https://youtu.be/ReMEdKmfO3I
The latest entry in the We Were Here series will feature new puzzles, more hours of gameplay, and much more. Here are three notable new features, in picture form!

Explore outside of Castle Rock for the first time!


Explore all new areas of Castle Rock!


Explore and discover equipment in addition to the walkie-talkie!


Well be releasing more teasers as we get closer to release, so watch this space!

The We Were Here series on Xbox One
For those of you with consoles, or console owning friends, were happy to announce that the We Were Here series is coming to Xbox One! More specifically:

If you haven't played our second game We Were Here Too, or you have friends who haven't played, or your family hasn't played, or your pets haven't played, or strangers on the street haven't played, everyone can get it now for an 80% discount on Steam!

That's 2, $2, or 1.50!
Way to break the combo, .

The game is packed with coop puzzling where creative communication is a requirement! Split up in the ancient Castle Rock, can you and your partner solve the many conundrums in your path and make it out in one piece? Warm up those walkie-talkies and let's find out!


Make new friends! Probably not with this guy.

Buy We Were Here Too now!

Beta Tests
We have completed another beta testing session, including some in person tests and tests with people who aren't so familiar with the series. Thanks to everyone who took part, we got some great feedback :)

The release is on track for later this year, and we can't wait to share a date with you once everything is finalized - these beta tests mark a major step towards that goal! Now, let's reveal a few more details for you all.

New location and a new walkie-talkie!
Behold a brand new area of Castle Rock, revealed for the first time! It's also the first time you've got a glimpse of the castle from the outside, at least in-game. As the snowfall becomes heavier, even this dark and imposing place can begin to look like a sanctuary. You might know better, but your hapless characters unfortunately do not...


Are you ready to return to Castle Rock? You have never seen this part of the castle before...

Today's new teaser screenshots also show off the new walkie-talkie model for We Were Here Together - we love it already! See how the walkie-talkies have evolved through the three games so far:


From left to right: We Were Here, We Were Here Too, WWHT supporter gold walkie, and We Were Here Together. Which is your favourite?

News on the way...
Stay tuned to our frequency, as we will have news about the We Were Here series every month from here on out until the release, so keep up to date by keeping an eye on our posts here or on Twitter or Facebook!

Were looking for a new group of We Were Here Together testers who have NOT participated in any of our previous tests. Youll be asked to play through a work-in-progress section of the game with a partner, and then fill out an online survey afterwards. You will also need the game to be on your wishlist.

There will be two testing periods, each with a different area of the game to test. We would ask that you and your partner will be able to try both areas.

It was puzzle and computer game designer Scott Kim who said: My goal as a puzzle designer is to create a meaningful experience for the player, not just 'I solved it.'
Its a good philosophy, especially when youre trying to create a game like We Were Here Together, which is about atmosphere and exploration as well as solving puzzles.

Getting the balance right can be a challenge - from one point of view, the We Were Here games are all about puzzles. From another point of view theyre all about leaving your best friend to die, but lets not get into that right now

Where do we get our puzzles from? To find out, we talked to one of our designers, Niels de Jong.

Walkie-Talk:
Greeting Niels, thanks for taking the time to answer our questions today! Lets start with the big one: where do the puzzle ideas for the We Were Here series come from?

Niels de Jong:
We steal them from others of course. ;p
Seriously though, ideas can come from a lot of different places.

An approach we take a lot lately is to do a quick summary of everything we already know about the point in the game we want to create a puzzle for, and then we start throwing ideas at each other. In these brainstorming sessions, we can quickly discuss different options. The advantage of working with three game designers is that you rarely run out of ideas!



Were able to take this approach because we know what most environments are going to be at this point in development. An example of an environment is the crypt at the start of We Were Here Together. So we start off with knowing it is a crypt-like space, and the general atmosphere we want players to feel. The position of the puzzle in the complete game flow is also important. You dont want to have several high-pressure puzzles in a row, for example. These limitations are often a source of inspiration.

Can anyone suggest puzzle ideas, or is it just the designers that come up with concepts?

Everyone can suggest ideas! The thing is, it takes more than an idea to get to a functioning puzzle. So while other team members can provide the initial point of inspiration, there is still a lot of work that is mostly done by the design team.

Another thing to note is that while we call most of the things we make puzzles, they do not necessarily have to be puzzles. The game is about playing together first and foremost. So if you are doing something besides solving puzzles together and youre having a great time, then thats a win for us!

In my experience, the fun is in trying to figure out how not to fail completely at any given task or puzzle on a side note, I need to find new, better coordinated friends.
Once you have an idea though, how do you work out the details of a puzzle?

Currently we have a way of pushing puzzles through several stages that are more or less the same for each puzzle. We start off with an initial brainstorm as already described. The next stage is to create a paper prototype of the puzzle. Some puzzles are difficult to paper prototype, so we sometimes skip this step and go straight to the next step: whiteboxing.



After testing the paper prototype and making changes based on feedback from testers, we start bringing the puzzle to the digital medium. This usually involves placing the puzzle elements in a 3D space, thinking about viewing angles and level layout and placing lighting.

After this whiteboxing step, we start preparing the puzzle for alpha testing. By this point, we know the puzzle is playable IF you understand it. Of course, understanding how a puzzle works is part of the challenge. In this step, we mostly focus on adding feedback elements that tell the player how a puzzle works. An example: where before you were pressing a cube, there is now has an actual button model and a click-sound plays when you press it.

After adding extra feedback elements, a puzzle goes into an alpha build, where all our lovely alpha testers can give feedback and we can spot any glaring issues.

Do you ever encounter problems turning a puzzle from a paper prototype into a digital form - going from the paper prototype to whiteboxing?

Yes, definitely. It makes a big difference whether you are controlling an avatar in a 3D world or looking at some pieces of paper. When fleshing out initial ideas (the brainstorming part), we try to think about how the puzzle will fit in the digital game, even when we do not immediately test the puzzle digitally.



An example: we were working on a puzzle in a cave. The paper prototype was very doable. But of course, when youre actually standing in a cramped cave with a wall in front of your nose, you have no overview of the entire level. Having no overview means you cannot plan your moves, which in turn means solving the puzzle becomes much, much harder. We had people who ran around in circles both figuratively and literally, because there was no way to distinguish between separate paths in this cave.

I swear I wasnt one of those people! On the subject of testing, what is the process for testing out puzzles?

We try to annoy our colleagues as much as possible by regularly asking them to test new puzzles! Because we can sit right next to them, we can improvise and get an idea of what a puzzle would be like, without having to actually make each and every element or have the game enforce every limitation. I think its time for me to mention the alpha tests again! Those give invaluable feedback.



Thank you for your time!

So there you have it - puzzles definitely dont spring into existence fully formed, and it can be a tough process sometimes to make them work at all, no matter how cool the initial idea is. Join us in the next edition of Walkie-Talk to hear more from your favorite studio!

Progress is going great on We Were Here Together! Check out this screenshot from the demo we showed off at EGX... it's probably much cosier than you're used to in the first two games ;)



We also have some great news for your puzzle loving, console owning friends - both We Were Here Too and the original We Were Here are coming to Xbox One! We will share more details about pricing and release dates in the near future - stay tuned.

We just got back from a fantastic time at EGX in London - maybe you came by to play the new We Were Here Together demo, or spotted our t-shirts or beanies around the show!

If you did and you liked what you saw, or if you didn't and are curious, we are delighted to announce that our official merchandise store is live and open for orders! Get walkie-talkie phone cases, warm hats, and t-shirts with Jester artwork right now.


Get hats, t-shirts, and more!

Check out the options and see for yourself!
To celebrate, you can now get 15% discount until Aprill 22 with the following code: LAUNCH19


Our stand at the show!

Play new puzzles at Rezzed London
We had such a good time at EGX last year that we are returning to Rezzed London this week! You can find us at our stand SV6B (1-4) in the South Vaults from April 4-6. We have new and unseen puzzles in a new area of the game to show off, so come check it out even if you came by at EGX. Hope to see you there!



We Were Here Merch!
Walkie-talkie iPhone cases and We Were Here beanies made their debut at EGX last year, and now you can get one of your own - not to mention new Jester t-shirts!



Early Puzzle Testers
Development on We Were Here Together is going well, and the feedback from our current testers has been very helpful. So much so that were looking to invite a few more people to test our work-in-progress builds of the game! Read all about it in our earlier post!

Hello Antarctic explorers! We are looking for more people to give feedback on our early versions of the new puzzles. The testing will be done between April 5th and May 3rd. If you think that you and a friend might be up for it, read on!

How will it work?
We will release a new puzzle every Friday. The first puzzle will be released on the 5th of April at 19:00. The last puzzle will be released on the 3rd of May. Puzzles are fully playable for two people, but not yet polished to the high standard you can expect from us in the final release. When you are selected, we will assign you a single puzzle / area to play in a particular week, based on when youre available. More time may be granted for testing if we decide a puzzle could benefit from additional testing and feedback.

On top of having the opportunity to see new puzzles develop, testers will get credited in the game with their Steam profile name.The first 100 applicants who fit our requirements will be accepted into the testing program. If you arent one of the first 100, don't feel disappointed yet as we might still ask you to join testing in the future if it turns out that we need additional testers.

How can I join?
There has been a lot of interest in testing the game, and therefore we're closing applications for now. Thanks to everyone who has mailed us and you will all receive an answer, but it might take a bit longer than expected due to the volume of requests. Thanks for your patience!


Include the following:

Welcome to our first We Were Here Together dev blog! Our plan is to use these posts to talk a bit about our creative process, show off some work-in-progress assets, and generally lift the curtain a little on how we develop our games.

For this first blog, we'll look at some of the places we take inspiration from when creating assets and designing locations for We Were Here Together. We draw inspiration from all kinds of things as we work on our games - anything from photographs to painted artwork to bits of old stories and legends can be useful! Here are a few of the images weve been using as we work on the base camp - a new location youll be able to explore together in We Were Here Together, the next game in our coop puzzle series!


The first image is from Scotts Hut in Antarctica, which was built in 1911, last saw use in 1917, and is still standing today. Its well preserved due to the incredible cold! Naturally the structures youll see in the new game will be more modern, but in terms of layout and general atmosphere Scotts Hut is still great inspiration.


The second image is more modern. Of course the walkie-talkies will still be a central part of the game in We Were Here Together, and communication in general is vital in any expedition to unexplored places. The mess of devices and cables is also appropriate for We Were Here because figuring it out could practically be a puzzle by itself or maybe it already is ;)


Finally, the third image is a typical art-deco building. Our visual style is a combination of 70s, art-deco, steampunk, and other elements. The walkie-talkies you can recognize as being heavily art-deco inspired, for instance.

Well have more dev blogs coming up in future, including some work-in-progress behind the scenes images from We Were Here Together! Watch this space...

The Holidays are almost here, so what better time to have a look at whats to expect next year!

As 2018 grows old, we have something new for We Were Here Together! Weve decided to set the release in Q2/Q3. This because we need a bit more time tinkering on the intricate puzzles and challenges, we have some devious minds hard at work here!

Weve also had a lot of requests about how to become a beta tester. Rest assured that nobody has been given access yet, were planning a beta test close to release. More information on this will follow, so keep an eye out on our announcements.




Thats it for now! We at Total Mayhem Games wish you all a joyous Christmas and the best wishes for the New Year, Together!

Its happening! Another We Were Here game is on the way - and its planned for early next year! You can already add the game to your wishlist to get a notification when it releases.

Watch the trailer and learn more about the history of Castle Rock!
https://youtu.be/m3bb0G0pA6E
Visit the expedition base camp for the first time in We Were Here Together, before returning to the sinister Castle Rock once more. You will begin the game together with your partner, before being split up once you reach the castle itself! The latest game features more backstory hidden within the castle halls. What can you discover about the expedition itself? Is this really just another attempt to map the unknown areas of icy Antarctica, or is something more involved? And most importantly will you be able to escape the jesters clutches?

You can play We Were Here for free right now if youre curious about what the We Were Here series offers, or check out We Were Here Too, our first commercial game. Each game is connected with story hints and background details, but fully standalone so you can play them in any order you like.