In between dev updates we’ve trickled out some of the lore of this land, peeking in on spirits, listening to the thoughts of everyday folk and soundtracking its wilderness. But we want to share how it feels to play a part in this world, so today we cordially invite you to imagine immersion through... stuff. So this post is all about the objects and items that you’ll be able to toss into a backpack as you travel around Braided Shore and how they’ll enrich your play experience. As ever, we’d love you to drop us a comment or two with your thoughts.


Backpack slots accommodate accessories and musical instruments created in our 2019 Kickstarter.


As with most RPGs the most appealing aspect of collecting items is in imagining how they may one day serve you well in trade. Among the many items you’ll come across on your travels you’ll find various edibles (pickled seaweed, simple soot bread) and equipables (alabaster armbands, a walnut flute) - together these will protect you from dangers, keep you fed, and ready you for all kinds of possibilities.

But many items don’t seem to have an immediate obvious benefit… do not dismiss them, for who knows what unknown trade potential they may hold? One person’s junk is indeed another person’s treasure in this land, and a perfect example can be seen in this gameplay video where a bag of rusty nails brings joy to an NPC building a treehouse. And who knows? A cobalt glazed tile shard may be useful to someone...


Skills are also items: skill cards can be acquired, used to learn new skills, or traded. Recipes, knot skills and fighting techniques are some of the skills you’ll be able to acquire from those in their possession. Items vary in quality and rarity, but all can be used to trade – either for other items, or for skills or services – and such trade deals will be one of the many beats in your story journey. Here’s a little more about the different kinds of items you can find...




Poor items are exactly that - low quality items that usually have low use value and little trade value. Often discarded, such items may be broken, rusty or mouldy and can be found in all kinds of places for you to pick up and keep. But they are not all without value – stale bread will sustain you and a poor sword will still serve as some defence. Whether for reasons of practicality or curiosity, a Traveller with an empty backpack would be well advised to hang on to some poor items.

Unsurprisingly good items can be useful in all kinds of ways and include everything from clothing, weapons and backpacks to lights, lanterns and umbrellas. Much like real life, these objects of use will need to be obtained from a merchant or in a shop. Amongst the many generic pieces there will also be many outstanding items with individual appeal. Besides those pictured above, examples of good items include a flower-scented tunic, protective tombac footwear, a conductor’s lucky knot ring and an adventurer’s blade.




Great items are very rare and sometimes unique and come with a story that reveals something of its past. There are countless great items in the region but they’re not to be found in shops or markets and are unlikely to be traded – possessing them takes some effort and will require an undertaking such as a search or quest. Should you acquire a great item, listen to its lessons, carry it safely with you and let its spirit lighten your step and warm your heart.

Extremely rare and always unique, an exceptional item is tantamount to a historical artefact. Each one of these special objects has played a part in the history of Braided Shore – imparted to its owner, such story fragments will contribute to a deeper understanding of the land and perhaps give clues to one of its unsolved mysteries. Effort alone will not yield such items – time and luck will also play their part.


Since there’s no currency in Braided Shore, when managing your inventory it’s good to aim for a selection of items of varying value, that way you’ll have items small enough to trade should you need a quick snack, and you’ll be able to avoid being forced into an unequal trade in an emergency. A Traveller who carries only a diamond and a Master Iron cog will have a hard time making a good trade for a torch or some farmers’ field bread.

Reagents, (Braided Shore’s magical ingredients) will also need seeking out, and each one will bring new possibilities to your story. We’ve lots to share about reagents too, and we’ll dedicate a post to them further down the road!

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

Thank you deeply for once again spending your time with us! What are your attitudes to things and how you relate to them? Are you a hoarder or do you travel light? What games have types of items that you’ve enjoyed?

Let us know below and we can talk! And as ever, you can chat to us on Discord too…

Best Wishes,

Helen and the Dev Team xx

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/


Sign up on our mailing list for news and an in-game treat in our upcoming game at https://m-n-d.games/BoT/Steam/update.

The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.

Sometimes you find things that you love and get lucky enough to find a job that makes the most of both passions! That's what happened to Magnus... Find out how he became a Sound Designer and where he gets his inspiration, and please do say hi in the comments section!

My life travels started in Porvoo, a small town in southern Finland. It was mostly "normal growing up in a small town stuff" with lots of video games, movies, music and books. I sorta stumbled upon music production at around the age of twenty, this rekindled my lost passion for creating thing. This then grew into my hobby, passion and career, which led me to my current path of working in video games. This was quite obvious once I connected the dots in my head and I decided to combine my interest for audio, with my love for storytelling in games. This is also when I moved to Sweden to study Sound and Music Production in Falun, my studies ended with an internship at M&D.

The internship was about three years ago, but I was not offered work after my internship. So I went on to start my small business and worked as an audio freelancer in Stockholm for around two years, until last year when I got a call from Josef asking me if I was interested in working with Book of Travels again! I was really happy to jump back on the project! I also worked on Book of Travels while doing my internship, felt great to dive back into a world that I was already so heavily invested in.

Having a job in these rough times feels like a blessing in itself, so I'm very grateful for that. But most of all I enjoy the atmosphere around the studio and working with my teammates, there is a creative energy that I haven't felt in any other place.T his I feel can also be seen and heard in the studio's games. I think we can make something truly unique and wonderful with Book of Travels!

This might be a boring answer, but from all around me. Actively listening to my surroundings and walking in nature is my go-to. But some other inspirations for me lately have been music composed by Austin Wintory, the game Inside, Critical Role (D&D in general!) and I'm currently re-watching studio Ghibli movies!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/


Sign up on our mailing list for news and an in-game treat in our upcoming game at https://m-n-d.games/BoT/Steam/update.

The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.

As that title suggests, the heart of Book of Travels is about your journey and your stories, threading together as one. Through wandering and roaming your adventures will unfurl, in traversing and trundling your discoveries will enrich them. Mostly this will be done by foot, but respite can be taken on boats and trains, and from time to time magical means might see you travelling in more unexpected ways. Today we’re dipping into these gameplay possibilities, we look forward to your thoughts!



A single train track runs around the central basin of Braided Shore in a loop, stopping at the busy city of Kasa and the town of Crossings. Other stations will be open along the way as further areas of the land open up beyond early access. Each station has a warden who you can speak with to find out when the next train leaves, and if you see a train about to leave you’ll be able to call out to the warden to get that extra few seconds to climb aboard. Trains are fairly frequent so if you need a break from walking or just want to take a journey with a fellow Traveller, a scenic ride to Kasa might be just the ticket (ahem).[/b] Of course train travel will not take you to the outer wilds and all that lies beyond the middle ways, but it should be a merry treat and might save time if your adventure involves getting to a faraway destination or the need to pick up some supplies in Kasa. And if you're looking for somewhere to stash some items, you'll be able to leave them safely at a tarin master's chest (there's one in the gif just below).





If you want to cross between the western and eastern islands of Braided Shore, you’ll need to cross the great lake known as The Verve, which currently requires travel by boat (no air travel exists in the region as yet). Boats travel regularly from Myr and are a very relaxing way to get to the island of Bat Saha and the north west lands beyond. As with trains, boat stations have wardens who will let you know when the next boat taxi will depart. Travellers can also find abandoned boats around the shores of the region and can be unlocked for use through Endeavours, so these journeys will be for pairs or small groups and will take you to places off the beaten path.



Draisines are small carts that require two people to lever them across tracks. We don’t expect draisines to be any use in closing distances since they cover a small area. But if you’d like to meet with a friend and spend a little time spending some energy on a metaphorical mini journey of friendship, these might be the wheels for you. Funded by one of our Kickstarter stretch goals, we are looking forward to finding out how players engage with their draisine mini-travels when early access comes this summer.



We’re not going to give too much away here, but for now we can reveal that the magic unlockable in knots and tea might also lead you to magical means involving travel... Shapeshifting can also be explored as a means to taking on the travel abilities of another animal or being, and a Travellers’ Portal, also from our Kickstarter, will allow you to skip the arms in a candle!

That’s all for now, but before signing off I want to thank Nippon Ginko For suggesting this topic on Discord – great idea! If you have ideas for things you’d like to hear more about please do post them below or in Discord In the future we’ll be sharing more about travel, including how distance is measured and how you might acquire skills for navigation and finding folk.

Thanks again for taking time with us! We’d love to hear your thoughts on this and all things travel and RPG so please do drop them below!

Best Wishes

Helen & the Dev Team




https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/

Sign up on our mailing list for news and an in-game treat in our upcoming game at https://m-n-d.games/BoT/Steam/update.

The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

We’ve been deeply gratified to read all your comments on Kickstarter, Steam and Discord. In particular those that have lead us to books, art and other media that you feel share similarities with our TMORPG. Therefore we’ve dedicated a post to the key inspirations behind Book of Travels.
Read more in this post: Inspirations for Book of Travels!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.

There are many ways in which we’d like to bring you closer to the world of Braided Shore - in music, travel guide and lore readers of this post have come to know how it feels to live in its woods and wilds and to travel its age old roads. But there’s no better way to understand a land than by listening to its people, and in this week’s post we hear a little bit about life for four of the region’s denizens. Below, a Travelling Merchant, Historian, Farmer and Bandit give us their views on how life is for them. We think you’ll find that there’s much to ruminate on in the hopes and fears that their words reveal.

We hope you enjoy your acquaintance with them- please do say hello and drop your thoughts in the comments section, they are always well received!



"The road is long but my pack of trade goods is light - I can ill-afford ample stock. Unless I spy a possible customer I keep my eyes and my nose to the sides of the road. Now and again a little something to eat appears among the bushes and the undergrowth like a Sefra’s bounty. Now and again I meet someone who is looking to trade for something. Like my grandfather taught me, I keep little samples of the things I have to trade hanging from my pack in little colourful strings so that wayfarers might readily spot them. I am so very hungry all the time, and my legs ache along with the soles of my feet. But I know of a Nomad’s rest some way up ahead, and who knows maybe some Wind-spun luck will be lingering there. It is a long road, but it is my home. And should I settle in some bountiful place, I know I would soon get homesick."



"Yes, the university City of Rivenleaf is a site to behold for sure. But I prefer to muddy my sandals in the field, digging in the dirt and lost ruins for the truth. Sadly, a large part of my time lately is spent in the teahouses, trying in vain to open the eyes of the faculty professors to the implications of my findings in the Potter’s Field and the emerging revelations in the writings on the Maratesh shards! I’m most upended at how the old professors refuse to support new discoveries. That they value the comfort of their reputations as experts rather than embrace curiosity over new evidence is a disgrace to our profession. Knotting these lines, I now realise how I’ve wasted my time. I will grab my shovel and join my servants in the Potter’s Field! Thank you for helping me realise where the true value of my work lies!"



"It’s hard work drawing bounty from the earth. We must spend most of our daylight hours tending the fields, keeping only the dark of morning and evening to tend to ourselves. But though hard, there is a feeling of security in the strict repetition of each day, and each evening's rest is a welcome reward. We enjoy good food, with vegetables and meats traded with our neighbours, taken with the hum of song and pipe of the family’s music making. I feel fortunate to live in these times, where the climate is mild, the wardens keep the beasts of the wild from our doors and the tax burden is fair for all. The old folk reminds us it has not always been so, and the wiser among us try to set something by for a future that may not be as kind as the present."



"I used to work one of the wool carders in the Milomak Weavery. I had seven younger siblings and parents who seemed to take me for granted. Every day I felt the monotony crush me little by little. Every day the same work, the same people, the same places - like eating gruel at every meal. One day I broke away, walked into the forest and wandered. I guess I got lucky - a group scooped me up before the woods took me - the Broken Lantern Gang. We are banded together now, like-minded and free! The carding made my arms strong and I am good with a blade. Tomorrow we might clash with some nasty bandit gang, the next day we’ll lighten the purse and knapsack of some overfed merchant. I might be taken by a warden but what does it matter? Today I'm the hammer and the world the anvil. Tomorrow the roles might change."

Travellers, thanks again for spending your time getting to know Braided Shore. The world is growing so fast now and early access is a place not too far away - just a few months! If you like our game we'd be very grateful for any sharing you could do to help it on its way to the big wide world this summer. We've made some handy buttons below to make it easy for you.

Thanks again and best of wishes from us all here in Stockholm!

Helen & the Dev Team

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/






Sign up on our mailing list for news and an in-game treat in our upcoming game at https://m-n-d.games/BoT/Steam/update.

The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.

There are many layers to the making of Book of Travels, and while we’ve shared a lot about game mechanics, our processes and our team, few posts have touched on the world that will soon be yours to explore. Here we share a little outline of the region - just enough to help a newcomer get their bearings but not too much to dampen the curious spirit. We hope your interest is piqued and we’d love to hear your thoughts!




Braided Shore is the western peninsula of a large uncharted land mass to the east. This fertile region is largely divided in two by a stretch of sea called The Verve, and the entire land mass is characterised by its many waterways, islands and rugged shorelines. Flora and fauna proliferate across the region’s fertile and undulating landscape. Mineral deposits are plentiful, however none have proven of the quality to match Master Iron, the material that comprises the region’s inherited industrial infrastructure (see below). Small desert areas provide the only sand in Braided Shore, and as it is unsuited to glass making, the domestic life of its inhabitants is one without glass panes or vessels (although some imported items can be found). The regional climate is very temperate, with cold spells being incredibly rare and the notorious local winds being mainly warm. Braided Shore is separated from its eastern neighbour by cliffs, rapids and an ancient wall; the region beyond it is uncharted.


Visitors to Braided Shore have made observations that give clues to something of its past. The rudimentary industrial infrastructure points to a legacy left by inhabitants who lived in a culture marked by a moderate degree of manufacture and travel. These mechanical relics and the mechanised society that produced them are the subject of much research, but at present, remains little understood by today’s inhabitants. Machine parts, made of a foreign material known as Master Iron, have never been replicated or reworked.

Thought to come after the Machine Age is the Varhim period, the key artefacts of which are a scattering of busts made of an unknown composite. The busts and their shadow are considered bad portents and so remain untouched. Several large structures sharing similar sculptural characteristics are also attributed to the Varhim era. Most scholars agree that it was the Varhim era that saw the destruction of much of Braided Shore’s industrial infrastructure, although contradictory theories also abound.

The current people of Braided Shore are known as Asken. The Ancestors of the Asken folk are said to have arrived as boat dwellers, bringing with them a practice of complex knot crafting. The name Braided Shore was given to the land by these people whose search for a homeland brought with it a yearning for the order and harmony symbolised in braids.


The spoken language of the area is known by the locals as Elskeni, and since The Age of Halzhaan, the languages of the Malku Su and Selke have been widely spoken and can be studied in the region’s college in the north west.

Elsken syntax and orthography is formed by a symbolic language of knots thought to be the primary means of communication used by the first settlers who, both young and boat-bound, were without the means and methods to develop the writing skills of their forebears. Knot tying as a practice of both magic ritual and communication remains at the heart of culture in Braided Shore and a small iconography of common knot sentiments can be found across the land. Visitors to Braided Shore may glimpse a little of the lives of its folk in the fragments of knots that can be found dropped around the place, lost or kept for recycling.


Spirits and mystical beings abound in Braided Shore, all greatly varying in number and character. Sefra are the most powerful of all spirit beings and have, over time, entered into cordial relations with the Asken people, mediating their relationship through especially chosen individuals known as Voices. Sefra are large and elusive beings known for their erratic moods but who work with communities to assist in council and community decisions.

Other ethereal beasts include the shape-shifting Omin, chilling ‘Mares’, the Kettem wind spirit and a mischievous storm child spirit called Little Lilit. Phantom fires and energy draining spirits of wanderers, ghost dogs and rail walkers also inhabit the peninsula.

------

Much of Braided Shore is yet to be known, and we are all very excited to learn the findings and theories of future Travellers!

In the meantime, we'd love to hear your stories of travels to unusual places and your views on Braided Shore right here in the comments...

Best Wishes,

Helen and the Dev Team xx

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/

If you’ve ever thought that a career in programming means dull days in front of a computer without travel and mobility, read through our new programmer’s career journey, and think again! We’re happy to introduce you to our new team member, Charlotte Auger - here she tells us how her experiences shape her work. Let Charlotte know if you have any questions in the comments section below!

Mostly in France where I studied Game Design and then Game Programming. I also spent a few months in Belgium for an internship and it made me very excited to go abroad again.

The Book of Travels Kickstarter sparked my interest for the company and since I really liked their values and projects, I just applied as an intern. I guess luck did the rest because they apparently needed someone with my profile right at that time for Shelter 3!

Working with amazing people and especially our dream team of programming women on Shelter! And I’m so happy to discover Sweden, I just love it here! Regarding the games, I’m very pleased to work on experiences focused on themes such as emotions, communication and care.

I usually enjoy socializing, parties and going out a lot, but with the current circumstances I try to draw, send letters to the people I care about, work on some lino printing and other cosy activities.

Recently I would say “I am Dead”. It’s playful, genuine, emotional and well-crafted.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/

In our blog today we’re taking you for a rummage in the studio attic. In its many draws, folders and cabinets are sketches showing Book of Travels in many stages of its life. The first sketches were made in 2016, at the very beginning of development and were created by the art team to explore the kinds of places and people that might exist in this new world.

Below are sketches from the pre-production phase - exploratory designs from a time before the style had solidified.





These are sketches from the ongoing production. Traditional pen-and-paper designs play a major part in the design of the in-game graphics - the current amount of sketches could easily drive a fresh recruit mad!










These strange looking sketches haven't found their way into the game yet but may be part of the future of Book of Travels.







We hope you enjoyed this little peek into the attic! We'll be back in a couple of weeks with a very exciting update... Till then stay safe and take care.

Best Wishes,

Helen and the team xx

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels

Sign up on our mailing list for news and an in-game treat in our upcoming game at https://m-n-d.games/BoT/Steam/update.

The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.

With two of our most ambitious titles to date releasing soon, we thought that this was the perfect time to ensure that they'll be cross checked to perfection with the help of Quality Assurance Officer Fleur. We hope you like their Q&A and are brimming with questions yourself to ask them in the comments section!

At Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlshamn studying digital game design, I loved the programming part of the course although the story elements hold a close second. Before that I lived on a small farm outside of Grythyttan where we keep sheep and chickens, of which my favorite is the big grey rooster Sebastian which I raised from a hatchling.

Through a student group posting job advertisements where I fell in love with Might and Delight’s art style and game concepts, it [quality assurance] was a completely new position at the company so it seemed intriguing.

The people! Everyone is super kind and welcoming, almost feels like an extended family.

I love cross stitching and reading fantasy novels! The Terry Pratchett series Discworld holds a special place in my heart for their witty style, intriguing plot and cleverly disguised social commentary. Cross stitching is a relatively new hobby which I started with to keep my hands occupied while watching [tv] series but found that it's really relaxing to do as long as the threads cooperate.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/

So far we’ve shared a lot about how serene the Book of Travels experience will be, but as we talked about in our inspirations blog, the beauty of the world lies partly in its shadows and the tension that lurks at the periphery. This week we’re looking at some of the dangers that can sneak up on you in Braided Shore. Here we share a few that you can expect to encounter when early access launches this summer. Be warned - the shadows in this world do not fall at the usual angles...



Also known as the spirit of the middle winds, the Kettem (Plural:Kettem) is a malicious spirit that rides the winds that bisect the cardinal coordinates. Having no physical form Kettem animate themselves with any objects that lie in their path, creating wild and chaotic melds of unknown intent. A Kettem is a harsh opponent in all cases, but harsher still when animated by harder objects, such as parts of trees or broken boats. Other common Kettem components include seaweed (being plentiful on a high tide) and hay (being skimmed from hay bales). Abandoned junk and personal objects are also sometimes caught in a Kettem’s path. Once its physical form has been destroyed, a Kettem becomes a harmless wind spirit once more and will quickly vanish.




The Maisu (Plural: Maisu) is not known as the ‘spirit-of-foul-words’ for nothing - this spirit is the embodiment of every expletive spat in vitriol and is said to be summoned by feelings of hate. Where spite is usually something unleashed in rare and hot flashes, for Maisu it is an eternally roaring fire. They love nothing better than to hurt folk and cause them distress, but their attacks can often be more baffling than life threatening. But Maisu can also be cowardly and not particularly strong-willed - farm families will sometimes come together to vanquish a Maisu that has been troubling the surroundings. Because of Maisu, Braided Shore folk choose their words wisely, scolding “Curse-for-the-Maisu!” at folk who use foul words. Maisu are bound to a knot symbol of unknown meaning that also resembles their facial features. This “rune” can be seen floating in the air before the demon itself becomes visible.




Called simply 'Mares' these dream horrors take the shape of slender yet beast-like creatures that fly in a swimming fashion. Mares are a fairly recent phenomenon in Braided Shore and are believed to be a manifestation of the ills that have more recently troubled the region. There is no doubt that an encounter with a Mare is a very serious moment indeed: their uncanny aspect transfixes all who lay eyes on it, but a Mare must be quickly dealt with for their attack is mighty. Over time, Asken folk have come to know these ghouls as the nightmares of Sefra, wrangled loose from their dream world and drifting in torment across the land. Some say they have witnessed a Mare dissolve as its Sefra wakes, and others have been successful in destroying Mares while its Sefra sleeps on, more peacefully with its Mare now returned to its world of dreams.




These are just a few of the dangers you can expect to face in Braided Shore, but there’s plenty to watch out for on the roads and in the wilds too… All kinds of earthly good-for-nothings will knock you off your path. Poachers, kidnappers, smugglers and bandits may choose to rob or attack you, and though they may not be the most daunting of foes, an encounter with one may leave you as confused and depleted as any sprite or gast!

As always, we are so glad to have your company! We’d love to hear your thoughts about these and other beings so please do drop them right here in the comments section below…

Best Wishes and Stay Safe,

Helen and the Dev Team x

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1152340/Book_of_Travels/
Sign up on our mailing list for news and an in-game treat in our upcoming game at https://m-n-d.games/BoT/Steam/update.

The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.

How does it feel to travel the road? What is it like to take a turning from the beaten path? Well-worn tracks bear the shape of familiar behaviours, but making new tracks brings us to the present moment, releasing new energy for fresh adventures... Such choices in these times are, for many of us, flights of fantasy, and today we hope to keep those flights aloft with the help of some music from Book of Travels. Whether you’re home-bound, locked down, or on the road, we hope you get some time to listen to them and let us know what you think...






The title 'Book of Travels' stuck because it so clearly places journeying as the heart of the game, and so it’s vital that these journeys are rich in mood and ambience, and here music plays a huge part, creating not just mood but depth and variety. Lead Sound Designer Josef Tuule explains: “These two pieces are meant to be companions for different kinds of areas in the game. ‘The Elden Road’ offers the comfy vibe of walking a path that others have walked many times before. By contrast, ‘The Weaving Wilds’ describes the kind of terrain we think of as an off-shoot - where culture and tonality may differ from your normal path. The player should feel they have progressed into a new area, hence the expression is more vivid.”




Music in Book of Travels has many different roles to play in the game, as well as being present as a traditional game score, it will be performed by the inhabitants of Braided Shore themselves. All scored pieces are composed and produced by Josef Tuulse and Retro Family, who comprise Ulf Wahlgren, Jokke Pettersson and Alfred Andersson. The band has a long relationship with the studio and is responsible for the unique sound of the Shelter Games series. Ulf Wahlgren attributes much of that style to the band’s method of recording live performance: “We play all of the music and instruments live, nothing is programmed or fixed, and that makes the music come alive within the game.”

Retro Family play instruments from around the world, and for this soundtrack combine the oud, flute, darbuka, saz and bass with hand percussion.



“The soundtrack takes influences from artists in Egypt, Turkey, Greece,” says Ulf, “A new instrument to us is the oud, an Arabic string instrument, which reminds me of a lute. It has no frets on the neck, so it slides beautifully between notes, and we use a fretless bass to blend with that.”

Just as the game design takes inspiration from many sources, so does the sound design. Ulf and the band look to “classic adventure and RPG games, classical Ottoman music and a wide variety of traditional music from Armenia, Greece, Turkey and Iran to name a few.” As with all things Book of Travels, the aim is to take these most excellent ingredients to make something fresh and exciting. As Ulf says, “We want the player to feel that a new world is awaiting them, a world, mayhaps, that they have not experienced before.”




To hear more of Retro Family’s soundtracks and watch them play live, check their Youtube channel. You can also follow their Instagram where they post pics and the occasional musical video clips.

This week we are also celebrating Retro Family’s score for Shelter Games as we head towards the release of Shelter 3. Check the post here and get a free soundtrack DLC of Shelter 2 by joining our Shelter newsletter here.

We’re super glad to be sharing this music with you and we can’t wait to share more lovely things as the game gets closer to completion this year. In the meantime, please let us know your thoughts right here in the comments… What music do you like to travel to?? What other games have you enjoyed journeying in? If travel’s your thing, there’s a whole channel dedicated to just that in our Discord. We'd love to see you there.

Best Wishes – and stay safe,

Helen and the Book of Travels dev team x

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The T in TMO signals an alternative to the more common industry standard MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game) putting 'tiny' in the place of 'massive'. That means fewer meetings, which we think means more magic... Read more here: What is a TMORPG?!

Later this year Book of Travels will be available for Early Access on Steam. In Chapter Zero parts of the Braided Shore will be open, and among the places to visit is the gem of the region – the city of Kasa. Read more here.

Join our super friendly Discord to exchange ideas on all things Book of Travels as well as art, games and books. Join here.