"The Farseers guide my hand this day."
– Medreyal Ghaelyn

Check out new content creators and learn some useful tips and tricks from the newest community guides:

● Join The Ecclesiarch in his first ladder foray commanding the Sautekh Dynasty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evbqLZgIAhw

● Check out Unta Kilat's Tervigon deck tech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT8s4c14Jgc

● Take a look at Long Tim's Ultramarine Campaign Report:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SLPmGwWuJ0

● French speakers rejoice! Check out Hopure for some fresh new content
https://www.twitch.tv/hopure/videos?category=6234175&filter=archives&sort=time

● Discover awesome new content creators by checking the Warpforge category on Twitch
https://www.twitch.tv/directory/category/warhammer-40-000-warpforge/videos/all

The journey has just begun and these are just a few of the content creators that have enjoyed Warpforge since the Early Access release last week! Ready your deck and prepare to command the factions of Warhammer 40,000 to victory! Join the battle:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1985170

In the 1.49 update for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, we're excited to introduce a range of enhancements that will further improve your virtual trucking experience. Let’s take a look at the visual additions that await you on your journeys.


First and foremost, after many requests, we've added the Moon to our night sky! It's a subtle but remarkable touch that adds an extra layer of realism and wonder to your virtual trucking adventures. Curiously, it's worth mentioning that what might appear as a simple addition – the Moon – has posed some significant challenges for some time. Integrating the Moon into the night sky has required casting, rendering, and calculating lunar light, managing reflections in water bodies, dealing with wet roads, and addressing mirror effects, among other things. However, we're delighted that we've finally been able to incorporate something as fundamental as the Moon into our in-game night sky.




In addition to that, we've also reimagined the night sky, introducing dynamic stars that gently twinkle, enhancing the overall authenticity of the night-time experience.




Finally, the skyboxes will now be High Dynamic Range (HDR), which means there will be richer, more vibrant colours in the skies and our weather visual effects have also received an upgrade. Thunderstorms now include visible lightning, offering a more immersive experience. And make sure to keep an eye on the night sky in certain regions, you might be pleasantly surprised with what you will notice.




To sum it all up, we’ve also prepared a special video for you showcasing all of these changes. It’s definitely worth checking out!


With these additions, the 1.49 update aims to enhance the realism and beauty of your trucking world, promising a more enchanting and immersive journey. We have more changes to present to you in the near future, so make sure to give us a follow on social media (X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) to always be notified of any news.

Haul in an extra 30% on purchases of NosDollars during our 29hr Happy Hour!

Offer period: From 28/10 at 17:00h (CEST) till 29/10 at 21:00h (CET).

Hey everyone,

This week, I've been hard at work, striving to make City Game Studio even more enjoyable and accessible. Your feedback and support continue to drive me in this ongoing journey.

I've added a feature that might seem small but enhances the overall user experience. Now, you can close tooltips with a simple click on it, streamlining your interactions.

In response to feedback from users with lower resolutions, I've made improvements as well. The currency and fanbase change labels will now hide on low-resolution screens, giving you a cleaner interface.

Low-resolution screens had caused some icons to appear distorted, disrupting the game's aesthetic. I've tackled this issue, ensuring a smooth and visually appealing experience, no matter your screen size.

Preparing for the future, I've refreshed the gamepad layout to better align with Steam Deck compatibility. I'm committed to ensuring that your experience on this exciting platform is top-notch.

Despite the ongoing challenge of waiting for Steam's review to make City Game Studio Steam Deck compatible, I'm not slowing down. I'm continuing to fine-tune the game to ensure it's a fantastic experience for all.

Thank you for your unwavering support and feedback. Together, we're shaping City Game Studio into a truly remarkable gaming haven. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Cheers,
Xavier aka Binogure

In the 1.49 update for both Euro Truck Simulator 2 and American Truck Simulator, we're excited to introduce a range of enhancements that will further improve your virtual trucking experience. Let’s take a look at the visual additions that await you on your journeys.


First and foremost, after many requests, we've added the Moon to our night sky! It's a subtle but remarkable touch that adds an extra layer of realism and wonder to your virtual trucking adventures. Curiously, it's worth mentioning that what might appear as a simple addition – the Moon – has posed some significant challenges for some time. Integrating the Moon into the night sky has required casting, rendering, and calculating lunar light, managing reflections in water bodies, dealing with wet roads, and addressing mirror effects, among other things. However, we're delighted that we've finally been able to incorporate something as fundamental as the Moon into our in-game night sky.




In addition to that, we've also reimagined the night sky, introducing dynamic stars that gently twinkle, enhancing the overall authenticity of the night-time experience.




Finally, the skyboxes will now be High Dynamic Range (HDR), which means there will be richer, more vibrant colours in the skies and our weather visual effects have also received an upgrade. Thunderstorms now include visible lightning, offering a more immersive experience. And make sure to keep an eye on the night sky in certain regions, you might be pleasantly surprised with what you will notice.




To sum it all up, we’ve also prepared a special video for you showcasing all of these changes. It’s definitely worth checking out!


With these additions, the 1.49 update aims to enhance the realism and beauty of your trucking world, promising a more enchanting and immersive journey. We have more changes to present to you in the near future, so make sure to give us a follow on social media (X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) to always be notified of any news.

• Victory Condition: ignoring neutral structures & troops when calculating victory percentage (some games were difficult to get to end).
  
• Campaign Maps: CH01-03 updated.
  
• Campaign: Dialogue character for Penelope Johnson added.
  
• Campaign: separate "Major Tom" character graphic integrated.
  
• Modding: additional tutorial regarding campaign modding at https://youtu.be/btvaxlYjsRc
  
• Graphics: gas extractor updated (new look).
  
• Graphics: car wrecks updated (new look).
  
• Graphics: some head icons updated (e.g. AI).
  
• Graphics: back screen for popup updated (bluer animated computer).
  
• Graphics: destroyed gunboats added.
  
• Graphics: sunken ships added.
  
• Graphics: animated cloth added.
  
• Graphics: Thaurium weeds added.
  
• Graphics: misc. updates for rocks, trees, etc.
  
• Balancing: orbital satellite stations cheaper (~20% cheaper for orbital laser etc.)
  
• Balancing: boulders & other elements weaker (less HP).
  
• Language: latest translations added - Thanks :-D
  
• Maintenance: update to run servers on ARM64.
  
• Maintenance: update to run servers on Debian 12.
  
• Maintenance: updated hardware info utility (OSHI 6.4.5).
  
• Maintenance: gdx-pay library updated to 1.3.6.
  
• Bugfix: maps not listed under "Scenario" when they were no scenarios available (i.e. just the campaign).
  
• Bugfix: Torpedoes were not able to attack structures (wrong collision detection).
  
• Bugfix Crashes: trying to send wall message when the user account is 'null'.

King Krieg Has been accepted the Bullet Hell Festival!!!

Check out King Krieg in Bullet Heaven Fest on Nov 6

Dear Scholars,

It has been nearly a year since the last entry. If you're concerned something might not be right, I'm here to reassure you it's actually very much the opposite. It has been an incredibly productive year so far and the restrain from writing dev diary entries was one of many, small, conscious decisions I made to ensure I can put as much time into Selenwald's development as humanly possible and arrive to a point of having a feature complete playable build.

I know what you're thinking - the release must be right around the corner, right? Well, not so fast. Let me clarify. While it's a remarkable milestone worth celebrating, it might not be what you expect.

To set the stage, let me shed light on my primary development objective over the past months (or should I say years). As I might have mentioned previously, I aim to sign a deal with a publisher or an investor to raise funds to wrap up the game within a realistic timeframe. This is a non-trivial amount of money that is required to recruit the necessary talent and allow me the luxury to focus exclusively on Selenwald, without the distraction of freelance work that currently sustains me. The problem is.. times are extremely difficult now. Publishers and investors have never been as cautious as they are now. They rarely fund/publish games which aren't already very close to getting released. For a debut title by a new studio such as mine, especially that—although not working entirely alone—I carry the entire weight of the project on my back, it is imperative that I have a playable demo which feels as close to the final game as possible. Being an indie developer with no money, this is a massive, and incredibly difficult undertaking. But it is achievable and I do finally have a playable build that has all the essential features in place.

Yes - when I said "feature complete" I didn't mean every single aspect of the game is implemented. There is absolutely a lot of programming work still left to do (not to mention the actual content) but core systems and mechanics which are the backbone of Selenwald are finally in place. This includes:

• very complex and elaborate procedural generation system
  
• ranged combat with skillshot style aiming
  
• dynamic melee combat with dodges
  
• trait and stat systems allowing for deep character development and customization
  
• stealth system allowing for sneaking by, assassinating, and even pickpocketing
  
• character senses
  
• unique inventory system
  
• spell conjuring system
  
• dialogue system
  
• simulated character disposition system with factions and relations between every single creature
  
• meta-progression
  
• lighting and field of view working together to create a fog-of-war-like visibility system
  
• procedurally generated playable characters
  
• and more!

Now some of these systems are still in their infancy or rather in the state known as a "minimum viable product". For example, the magic system is currently in a very simplified mechanic used temporarily until the target solution is implemented. It works and roughly shows the idea of how are spells going to function but doesn't have the desired depth yet.

There are also features that are missing entirely but are deemed inessential. That includes, for example, procedural environmental puzzles with traps. Are they important? Yes, they are going to fit the vibe and the pacing of Selenwald very well. No classic dungeoneering is whole without some optional intellectual challenges. But they're not absolutely needed for the primary gameplay loop to feel complete (and solving them will never be the only way to progress through the university). Therefore, adding them isn't of high priority.

Then what's the underlying challenge when so many features are already in place? Why doesn't it signify that the game is nearing its completion? The core reason lies in my fundamental goal: fundraising. With my primary strategy being to align with publishers and investors, it was crucial to present as many of the planned features as possible and showcase the game's potential in terms of fidelity and quality. Those who are considering funding the game need a comprehensive glimpse of its various facets, and they need to envision its final calibre. To accelerate achieving this representative state of the game, I opted to prioritize the external presentation, even if it came at the compromise of some internal components. This compromise is what we often refer to as "technical debt".

Imagine building a house. At first, you might use shortcuts or temporary solutions to quickly erect the structure and see how it looks. Maybe you use tape instead of nails in a few places, just to get the walls up. This is efficient in the short term and lets you visualize the end product, but over time, that tape will wear out and might cause problems. If left unattended, the walls could collapse. In game development, "technical debt" refers to these temporary or quick-and-dirty solutions implemented to achieve immediate progress. But just like the tape in our house analogy, if not addressed, these solutions can lead to bigger issues down the road.

While the concept of technical debt might seem concerning at first glance, it's important to recognize the silver lining in this approach. By aiming for a feature-complete demo—even if it means relying on less-than-ideal solutions—I've actually gained a clearer understanding of the project's architectural needs, which are largely determined by the design elements that crystallized during the demo's creation. Diving headfirst into crafting a "perfect architecture" from the outset isn't always the wisest choice. Often, what appears to be a sound structure in the initial stages might not align with the evolving demands of the project as it progresses. By first navigating the "messy" path, I've been able to identify the project's true requirements. Armed with this knowledge, I'm now better positioned to refactor and mold the architecture into its optimal form. Think of it as sketching a rough draft before creating a masterpiece; the former informs and enriches the latter.



It might be tempting to think that, with the demo in its current state, it's prime time to unleash it onto the public. However, there's a key distinction to make here: while it's structured to capture a publisher's or investor's interest, it's not quite ripe for public hands just yet. To make it really playable and enjoyable, it would require an addition of more content, and a significant polishing of the existing systems and content. But diving into either—content or polishing—without addressing the underlying "dirty" architecture would be unwise and short-sighted. Now, with the "publisher demo" stage achieved, it's the optimal time to shed that technical debt by delving deep into a refactoring process. This strategic choice means that for the next couple of months, additions to the content and features, as well as the necessary polish, will be on pause. Therefore, those eagerly awaiting a public pre-alpha test or sneak peek will need to exercise a bit more patience.

Here's the bright side: this upcoming refactoring is going to be a game-changer. Once undertaken, it will immensely accelerate the pace of further development. Introducing new content will become almost effortless, and the overall game structure will stand on a more robust foundation. With the goal of achieving a modular design, the revamped code will be far less susceptible to bugs. And on the off chance a bug does manage to creep in? They'll be significantly more transparent and easier to address.

Also, one of the unexpected benefits of adopting temporary solutions was that it provided me with a sandbox to experiment with various architectural design patterns. This hands-on approach was enlightening. It illuminated which strategies were viable and which ones faltered. There were moments when I believed I had pinpointed the perfect design, only to have that belief challenged when applying it to certain segments of the code. But these trials and tribulations have been instrumental. They've forged a clearer, more informed vision for the game's architecture. After all, sometimes it's through our missteps that we gain the most clarity. It has been a taxing journey, piecing together a complex puzzle with what felt like duct tape. But now, with these invaluable insights, I'm eager to transition Selenwald into its most efficient and elegant phase of development.

Selenwald's journey is at an undeniable tipping point. I now possess a compelling publisher demo, and the horizon ahead is populated with various negotiations and dialogues leading to a potential partnership with a publisher or an investor (or both). This conventional route—aligning with a publisher, or potentially teaming up with an investor and external marketing experts—has been my primary blueprint for Selenwald's trajectory so far. There have already been ongoing dialogues, and the feedback from publishers has been very positive.

However, we must acknowledge the current state of the gaming industry: it's in a state of flux, marked by uncertainties. Even with the game's favourable reception, securing a partnership—especially one that feels just and equitable—could be a formidable challenge. With all these variables, a pressing question casts its shadow: "What if I don't find the right partnership?"

As with any ambitious endeavour, it's essential to have a contingency plan, and Selenwald is no different. If the upcoming discussions prove less fruitful than hoped and the refactoring phase reaches its culmination before an agreement with publishers or investors materializes, I may find myself at a crossroads. Staying completely independent may ultimately become the chosen path.

After years of unwavering commitment, pouring immense time, energy, and resources into Selenwald, the notion of trading a significant revenue share for publishing or financing aid becomes less compelling. While the financial assistance remains crucial to bring onboard the necessary talent and expedite the game's completion, the roadmap could see a transformative shift. Rather than gunning for a grand release after two more years of funded development, wrapping up by the end of 2025, I might reorient my sights. The focus could shift towards crafting a public demo, laying the groundwork for a potential early access release, possibly bolstered by a crowdfunding initiative. This trajectory implies that you, the eager player, might get a taste of Selenwald sooner than anticipated. However, it also means that the timeline for the game's final and polished release (leaving Early Access) could extend largely beyond the initial 2025 projection, given the inherent limitations of crowdfunding compared to the substantial backing a publisher or investor could offer.

Each day brings us closer to critical decisions that will chart the course for Selenwald and the studio. As the story continues to unfold, I'm gearing up with my never-ending enthusiasm and motivation to finally dive into the codebase rework I've been dreaming of for way too long.

Thank you for reading,
Wiktor

Only quick news today. The initial hiccup has been resolved and Dreadhunter is finally running on Asus ROG Ally. Do you own one? Let us know!

Hello Inkulinati Masters,

We hope you've been enjoying the recent additions in our previous major update. How are you finding the Ape Army? A bit rowdy, aren’t they? And how about St Francis and his Army of Pigeons? Well, we can’t stop here though, can we? Oh no! Here at Yaza Games HQ, we've been crafting the next Inkulinati additions. Care to see what we’ve been working on? Splendid! Follow us in that case and just watch your head right here… and here we are. Welcome to our studio.

There's been a bit of a buzz about a mysterious new army joining the world of Inkulinati. While we can't reveal all the details just yet, one can say that there's something a little fishy about these new Beasts. Actually, there’s one just right there! Allow us to introduce you to the first member of this enigmatic ensemble - the Seal! This new Beast has the uncanny ability to control an all-new element that’s being introduced in the next update. We can’t spoil too much for now, but the one thing that we can say is that the Seal can definitely make a splash on the Battlefield.


Everyone, a new Beast! The Seal.

We can’t show you all the Beasts just yet, as that would be what some refer to as “spoilers”, but don’t fret, we will reveal them slowly to you in the coming weeks (however, for those with a keen eye, there might be another new Beast featured somewhere in this update. Where could it be…). And what else have we been working on? Well, we can say that we've been revamping the Battlefields. What we wanted to do is give you a more balanced and engaging experience on all the current maps. At the same time, we've also crafted a delightful assortment of new Battlefields that will soon become part of the game. Allow us to show you a sneak peek at a few of them.







And last but not least, a little inside scoop - we will add new Talents. Will these talents have something to do with a new element that is being introduced? Quite possibly… We will also make it easier for you to decide which new ones to pick up too, but we will reveal all the details properly when the time is right.

Finally, before we leave, we want to ask for a little favour. If you can spare a minute or two, leave us a Steam review. You see, the Steam algorithm works in such a way that the more reviews a game has, the more frequently it will be recommended to new players. And the more Inkulinati players we get, the more content that we can prep for you. So please, leave a review if you can. It’ll mean the world to us.


Until next time,

Your Yaza Games and Daedalic teams