Hello everyone!
Thank you for your continued feedback for the game. We have just pushed a new update live on the opt-in beta branch, which was discussed in detail in our last update post here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1598780/view/771930569635267646
As a reminder, you can access the beta branch with password "wantacracker" (be sure to remove quotes). This will give you access to the current balancing-in-progress version.
Remember - this current patch is a WIP! Changes present in this version are not final.
Here is the changelog for this update:
Further small tweaks to balancing
Additional fixes for possible soft-locks
Fixes for edge-case soft-lock conditions
Additional graphical fixes
The main branch should have an update soon based on this build. Thank you again for your continued support!
Once again, please be sure to leave feedback (either in comments here or on the forums) with feedback on this update. As stated prior, our goal is to provide a definitive middleground to address valid critique without overcorrecting and removing difficulty altogether. This version takes into consideration prior feedback from our last opt-in version and also fixes some additional bugs in regards to soft-locks.
You can also join the developer's discord here for quicker feedback and question submissions: https://discord.gg/TzKH63a4
We are excited to announce we have now launched our official demo of Dragomir the Dreaming. We hope you enjoy this demo, and remember game development is a tough business. We hope we squashed all the bugs out of the demo. Thank you for all your support and patience as you waited for the demo! Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we look forward to hearing your thoughts as you explore the world we've created. Stay tuned for more updates and features as we continue to refine the game based on your input!
Upon first acquaintance, the true scale of the Casting is not immediately realized. It's not just about the diversity of biomes and the complex terrain – the 2x2 km state of Wellandor is only the first part of the planned territory. But it is important to understand that for us the world is not just a backdrop for movement, but a full-fledged part of the game with its own story. Right now, we are just trying to fill every corner of the Casting with details and riddles that will encourage you to study closely and immerse yourself in the plot with your head.
According to the idea, the world should be large, open and interactive. However, there were only three people in the team at the start, so it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to build a huge landscape and fill every corner of it. "Therefore, we decided to make a knight's move and started drawing the general image of the territory: first we worked out the main contours of the territory, then identified important places on the map, and then delved into the details of each sector," recalls game designer Alexander Ostup. - "We managed to make the world diverse in biomes, but we didn't want the player to just run through empty space, completing tasks. A large area should be filled with riddles, mysteries, and obstacles (and it's not about bugs, of course!)."
After working on the design of the map, during the testing process, the developers focused on making sense of each location and building the logic of tasks in accordance with the specifics of the area.
Our key task is to create a space where it will be interesting to linger between the key points of the quest. We strive to make the Casting feel like a living world that exists independently of the main character's storyline. It's important for players to "cling to" something, to truly discover this world, and not just move mechanically between locations. "Now the world is gradually being refined and filled, the locations are becoming "alive" — they are interesting to solve," says the environment artist. — It's not just two kilometers of forest. These are ruins with a history, caves with secrets, magical anomalies, interactive objects that you want to explore, and puzzles that require non-standard solutions."
We design the world so that the player does not feel lost in the void, but finds a mini-adventure in every corner. "I don't want to make interactive elements simple. Every time we try to diversify them with new interesting mechanics," adds the designer. The same puzzles are solved quickly, so we try to come up with a new approach for each interactive game, whether it's a unique physical puzzle or a puzzle based on an analysis of the environment. This helps to keep the player interested throughout the study.
The whole team is working on filling the world. Every developer, from a screenwriter to a programmer, regularly plays the project and offers options for improving locations. "The imagination of each team member draws certain events for a particular place. We immediately raise these issues for discussion: "Can we implement this idea?" — says the developer. — Everyone can offer their own vision of the territory, history or mechanics of the puzzle. This creates a whole library of ideas that we use not only for current, but also for future locations."
We follow a simple rule: the solution should not be trivial, but with proper attention, it should be possible for most players. In modern games, it is often customary to lead the player by the hand, constantly prompting — we also sometimes give hints, but we strive to preserve the atmosphere of old retro RPGs with their full immersion in adventure. Therefore, we follow another important principle: to solve some puzzles, not only the characteristics of the character are important, but also the attentiveness of the player himself. We want him to feel like a pioneer — this is the only way to truly experience immersion in the world of Foundry.
Exploring the world in Strings of Destiny is not just about moving from point A to point B. Every puzzle you find can lead to unique rewards: whether it's a rare artifact that sheds light on the history of the Foundry, or an upgrade in skill level that opens up new paths. At the same time, some mysteries require thorough preparation from the player — without upgraded characteristics, be it intelligence, strength or magical flair, the solution may remain inaccessible. To make the gaming experience truly variable, we use a system where a combination of factors plays an important role: the distance between key objects, the time of day, or even a certain sequence of actions. Only by taking into account all the elements of the puzzle, you can find the right way to solve it.
Yes, many locations are still waiting to be filled - we are honest with you. But the team's plans are to ensure that each of them receives unique challenges that will reveal the world of Casting in its entirety. In subsequent issues, we want to tell you more about the very history of the Casting from the first sketches to the current state. Believe me, this world holds a lot more mysteries than it seems at first glance. After all, only a third of what we have planned has been opened so far. The rest is ahead!
Stay tuned, and see you again in the vastness of the Strings of Fate!
Hello pilots!
It’s been a crazy few weeks and the team is finally back in their respective locations as they work hard towards the launch of Nullstar: Solus! Just recently the team confirmed their beta complete build and is now working on getting all the final things in place for the main game.
A lot of this comes in the form of the game's decryption system. Some of you have noticed this in trailers, screenshots and at playtest sessions. So let’s go over the decryption system and how it ties to our narrative and unlocks.
The decryption system works as part of our narrative system, powered by Yarn Spinner, taking a page out of FromSoft games, the player unlocks the story through codex entries tied to how well you do in the main game.
Each medal time is tied to our progression where with each medal you earn (up to 3 per level) working towards unlocking a codex entry. Once you receive a certain number of medals, you unlock a codex entry.
These entries tell a small story within the world of Nullstar but also come with their own rewards ranging from ship skins, new ships (all of which handle a bit differently from the Solus and Titan) and give you access to the master levels. Remixed versions of previous levels, some of which you can play in the demo.
The codex paired with our leaderboards, 5 worlds and unlocks gives you a variety of options to play the game and experience the world of Nullstar. We look forward to having some launch details for you very soon.
Remember the demo is still available and is currently part of the Indie Brew demo disc which you can sign up for here.
See you out there soon pilots!
Fixes a crash that can occur due to a race-condition when closing a media stream.
The game launched just yesterday, and thanks to your early feedback, our first patch is already here! ❤️
This Day 1 Patch brings small but meaningful updates to make your gameplay smoother and clearer.
🧩 What’s New?
You can now set passwords for lobbies! Private games with friends just got easier.
In Brutal Zombie Waves mode, items dropped by zombies now automatically disappear after 1 minute, keeping things clean and optimized.
In the Westrun Fuel Point mission, players were a bit unsure where to fill the barrels — a new indicator now makes that clear.
Plus, a few minor bug fixes, typo corrections, and UI tweaks for good measure.
Join the Community!
Your feedback is incredibly valuable. Hop on our Discord and share your thoughts. Together, we’ll keep making the game even better!
Rashad Ibrahimli
New Demo update is live, and this is a big one!
Heres a (mostly) complete list of all the changes:
Movement:
so although the old movement system was fun, it was way too complicated, and too unreliable for most people to use. Robots would be super unstable, fall over all the time, and you would have to be very specific with you drawings to get something that works, or you would be forced to use powerups to move. So, I've completely overhauled the movement system!
Procedural walking:
I have switched the controls to WASD, where A and D will make you robot walk left or right! the legs on the left and right hand side will move in a nice walking animation too. You can walk no matter what your robot looks like, if it has a bunch of legs, even if its completely unstable (also if you have no legs at all you can roll around)
Jumping:
You can also jump by pressing up! This helps regular robots compete with robots with thrusters, wheels, grappling hooks etc.
Self stabilisation:
Robots will now automatically stabilise themselves to the position you drew them in while they are touching the ground. This opens the doors for a lot cooler robot designs, making a bunch of stuff viable.
Custom Leg Keybinds:
You can also bind legs to custom keybinds now. Legs that have a custom keybind WON'T be used for walking, but will instead activate when you press that key. Perfect for making an arm to punch your friends robot with.
Automatic Thruster Keybinds:
Thrusters will now automatically bind to a WASD key based on the direction they are facing, so you don't have to worry about rebinding them for each robot
Other changes:
Battle mode:
Battle mode is now available in the demo! I previously had it disabled because it was honestly boring with the previous movement system, but now that you can control your creatures properly, Im keen to see what you guys think of it! also if you have any ideas for cool battle maps lmk!
Sandbox Goodies:
Theres now some more goodies in the draw sandbox, including a ball game (my current high score is 3 so try beat that)
Bug Fixes:
- Bouncy things are more reliable, and will no longer randomly bounce you off the map
- Fixed a bunch of crashes
if you guys encounter any bugs while playing, please message the discord!
It would be really great if yall could try out the game in its new state, I wanna see what everyone thinks, if yall prefer this version or have any feedback!
Cheers!
🏁 What’s New:
Lobby Creation: Host your own game lobby in seconds.
Quick Join: Jump straight into the action with a join code — no waiting around!
Global Lobby List: Browse active lobbies and connect with racers worldwide.
Real-time Matchmaking: Find and play with global players instantly.
Grab your ride, start your engine, and show everyone what you’ve got! 💪
Multiplayer is just the beginning — more updates and features are on the way soon. 🚗💨
See you on the track,
– The PixelTorque Team
