We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season and are ready for some exciting news from the world of Above Snakes. Firstly, we are changing our devlog format a little bit. This new format will be a blend of both written information and videos rather than showcasing one big video. In this specific devlog, one of the key features we're developing - base building improvements - gets its own special video. This mix will allow us to go in-depth into one feature per devlog. Let us know if you enjoy this format!
Base Building Improvements
We've made some terrific improvements regarding our base building system, most notably by adding more gameplay value. To do this, we've attached a shelter system to the base fundamentals that provides shelter perks per level. This will encourage deeper gameplay when considering building a better (and stronger) shelter. Keep in mind that this system focuses on the quality of your shelter, not necessarily how grand or big it is.
Shelter perks, for instance, will include fortified walls that provide greater safety from outside elements, better soil for quicker crops, improved crafting stations that will operate more efficiently, and deeper wells which can offer more water.
Watch the video on our improvements to the base building system:
A new currency has been added to the game: coins! Coins can be looted during your ventures and used later on for supplies and trade. We've also added junk items with their sole purpose of being sold to traders along the way. Our goal is to add more Wild West flavor to the game by implementing objects such as horseshoes, a deck of cards, pocket watches, and more! Let us know what you would like to find when looting.
In addition to junk items, we've also added traders to the game. Traders will offer various kinds of goods and are happy to pay for some items you may not necessarily need. Keep in mind that traders may sometimes have discounts or price hikes.
Conversation Update
Conversations with characters are a significant part of Above Snakes. We're proud to have updated the conservation system which will now feature sound mid-conversation. These sounds may reflect items being given to Aiyana or its payment.
Additionally, we've updated nearly every character's portrait! As you can see, we've transitioned from grayscale portraiture to more detailed and colorful depictions of the characters you'll come across in Above Snakes.
In Other News
The Square Glade Games team has determined that running closed tests from time to time is a good way to playtest a game. In addition to gaining priceless feedback, the team can decide if we're on the right track or not. If you would like to be a part of any future closed tests, be sure to sign up on our new company website. If you've already enrolled on our old website, don't worry! We saved your data.
We also were happy to showcase Above Snakes at DevGAMM Game Fest! We even did a short interview which you can watch below.
The Beta Will Release December 16th
We couldn’t be happier to announce that we're ready to transition into Beta on December 16th! That means that all of the backers who backed for “Beta Access - 27€” will receive their game key! According to the Kickstarter roadmap, we are well on track with our progress. We're happy that we get to celebrate this important step together! Eligible Kickstarter backers will receive an email containing their game key(s) on December 16th (around 10am PST).
For supporters who have already received a key as a result of Alpha access, start up Above Snakes like normal on Steam and install the update to Beta status on December 16th. We will inform you all in a separate update that the Beta keys have been sent!
We hope that you enjoyed this devlog as much as we have enjoyed implementing all of this new content. We look forward to stepping into Beta together. Thank you to everyone for your support. We can’t wait to see you play the Above Snakes Beta and hear your opinions on it!
Cheers, Tobi
Enroll for Closed Tests
We are running a closed test and you can be part of it!
We are currently in Alpha with more than 800 players that acquired access to the game via Kickstarter and Backerkit. We plan to transition into beta soon, but before doing that we want to run a closed test first. For that closed test we are looking for testers who will play the beta before everyone else and tell us what they think, report bugs and help us to improve the game. To get picked all you need to do is follow this link and enroll with your email address so we can contact you.
http://linktr.ee/abovesnakes
We explain a little more in this short video:
You want to be one of the first to play the beta and help us improve the game? http://linktr.ee/abovesnakes
Devlog #7 - Welcome to the Desert 🏜️
Howdy Adventurers!
Watch our latest devlog to see the beauty of our new desert biome, new skeleton enemies, a new tutorial area, the new quest log, and the addition of Steam cloud saves!
After you complete the farmland quest line, your journey leads you into the desert where you will find a lone gunman called Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones has been heavily injured by something, but he blacked out before he could determine what it was. It turns out that green meteors and a spreading plague are not the only supernatural things happening in this world...
New Enemies
We have created a handful of new enemies with the focus on making them interesting to play against. We spotted issues with the existing enemies, such as that dodging bullets and predicting attacks was very hard to do. We have tackled that issue with better animations, predictable attack patterns, and red lines that indicate where an attack will damage. With these machete skeletons, gunmen, and dynamite throwers, we have a cool arsenal of skeleton enemy types that are more exciting to face - especially when you have to fight multiple at once! To see some gameplay, check out the video version of the devlog.
New Tutorial Area: Hunter's Rest
In our earlier tutorial, you started on a fairly empty world piece. We had designed tutorial quests in a way where you - the player - essentially took them upon yourself. For example, “I should get some lumber to build my shelter” or “I am hungry so I should collect berries.” While this approach works for many survival games, in Above Snakes we want to handle things a little differently. We want you to be able to experience the world of Above Snakes - and its happenings - firsthand. With that said, we designed a special area for that initial occasion: a lumberjack settlement called Hunter’s Rest. Hunter's Rest has been afflicted and damaged by the meteors and plague on the very night of its occurrence. You will now wake up in a near-destroyed town and help the survivors rebuild the settlement.
Quest Log
We always show your current quests on the left side of the UI, but sometimes that can get a little messy when you have too many quests at once. So, we have added a new UI called the Quest Log in which you can decide what quest to track (or not). You can also re-read the quest texts in case you missed them.
Steam Cloud Saves
Additionally, we have enabled Steam cloud saves and will use that once the Beta is rolled out. We are currently working on making the save files compatible with the Steam Deck too, so you can seamlessly play on the same save file across all of your devices. Stay tuned and don’t miss when we announce the transition into Beta in the near future!
We hope that you enjoyed this devlog as much as we enjoyed implementing all of this content. We can't wait to hear your feedback. In the video, we asked what you think would make for a fun enemy. Let us know in the comments below!
Cheers, Tobi
Devlog #6 - Farming 🧑🌾
Howdy Adventurers!
Is there anything better than tending to your own garden on a relaxing summer evening? Well, good news for you! You will be able to do exactly that in Above Snakes! Watch our latest devlog to see our farming system in action, the beauty of our new farmland biome, and our first ever interactive cutscene!
Watch the Devlog
Are you already subscribed to our Youtube Channel?
Farmland Biome
One of the latest biomes that we have designed is the farmlands. These are one of the warmer biomes that can be connected to prairies. Some of the farmland biomes are owned by a new character called Basil Biggs. Basil has his own cattle ranch that, unfortunately, has been invaded by lost souls. You can choose to help him fight back against these enemies, repair the ranch, and also get his beloved cows (Patsy and Betsy) back after they had escaped.
Crop Farming
You can have your own crop farm at home! If you found a crop on your journeys, you can sow it on a garden plot and allow it to grow. After planting, make sure to water and fertilize any crops regularly to increase growth speed. You can check the status of the garden at any time. Crops grow in four stages: from seeds to saplings to plants to plants ready for harvest.
Nighttime and Torches
We have vastly improved the night mechanic. When nighttime originally descended, it was very dark but you were still able to see the whole screen; this version of night went against our whole idea. Therefore, we added a light radius around Aiyana and made the rest of the screen completely dark. You can enhance your light radius by crafting torches. Torches can be placed to illuminate an area or carried if you plan to explore at nighttime.
Monocular
We have also added a new item which we think will come in handy: the monocular. Remember how, when you want to explore a new biome, you need to go back to your cartography table and research world pieces? Well, we think that you should also be able to do that mid-journey too. The new monocular item will grant you access to your cartography table from anywhere in the world for the cost of a couple pieces of glass and scrap parts.
Interactive Cutscenes
Parts of the story of Above Snakes will be told in interactive cutscenes that take place in a dream-like space. After finishing the cold biomes, the tribe elder will invite you to smoke a pipe with them that transfers your mind into some kind of trance or dream state. This is the first of the cutscenes where you will get some vague information about the source of the spreading plague. Watch our devlog if you want to see a sneak peek of our first interactive cutscene!
What's Next?
As you have probably noticed, we are pushing out content for Above Snakes non-stop. We are continuing our work on the game and remain focused on the end goal. In the past couple of months, we have consistently updated the Alpha (and before that, the Pre-Alpha). We have come to realize that updating the Alpha takes time away from our development of Above Snakes with usually 1-2 weeks of polishing and bug fixing. We think that it is in everyone's best interest if we put our focus more so on completing the game before everything else and, therefore, invest these weeks in new content instead of preparing a build.
With that said, we have decided to cease updates to the Alpha and, instead, are working on finishing the Beta. This decision will also see the addition of more content per devlog. We are currently on schedule with our progress and are aiming to enter the Beta phase this winter; we will see plenty of new people joining the fun who had backed with Beta access. We sincerely hope that everybody who backed the Alpha understands why we are now moving forward. The current version of the Alpha, of course, stays online and can be played until we launch the Beta.
We hope that you enjoyed our farming devlog and we can't wait to hear your feedback. In the video, we showed all of the different crops that are already in-game. What crop do you want to sow and harvest most? Let us know in the comments below! Cheers, Tobi
❄️ Devlog #5 - Snow Biome, New Character Model, and More!
Howdy Adventurers!
Who else needs a little cool down? Well, we have some frosty news to share with you and tons of new content! An updated Alpha version of Above Snakes has been published to Steam and is ready to play!
Watch the Devlog on YouTube
Don't want to read the devlog or would like to see more in-game footage? Take a shortcut and watch the devlog on YouTube!
If you haven't already, subscribe to our brand new YouTube channel! We plan on creating devlog videos with some extra content to accompany the written version. We'll also be uploading other exciting things there in between regular updates!
New Biomes, New Quests, and New Content!
We have added two more biomes: Snow Forest and Ice Lake along with a couple of story tiles on which you can meet new people who tell the story of Above Snakes. All in all, we have added a total of 10+ new quests and 10+ new tiles with tons of resources.
New Character Model and Visible Equipment
Even though our old character model looked really nice, it was necessary to switch to a new one for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we needed a modular character model to display equipped items on the body. The old one was not created in a modular way. Secondly, we really liked the low-poly look of the new model as it fits the art style of the game very well.
Bow and Arrow Combat
We have implemented ranged combat and hunting! Our good old friend Stark, the lumberjack, will have a new quest for you. Once you inspect his hunting gear and talk to him about it, he will offer to teach you how to hunt. We have bound melee weapons to the left mouse button and ranged weapons to the right mouse button. In combat, you can switch seamlessly between the two. Controllers are, of course, also supported.
We've Started Localizing the Game!
As promised with the Kickstarter, Above Snakes will be available in many languages. When you start up the game, you can now select your language preference. You will be able to see the extent to which that language has already been translated (the percentages will vary and will increase over time). We display any texts that are not yet translated in English.
Disclaimer: Please don't expect too much at this point regarding the translations as we have only just begun translating the game. Additionally, we are working on a way to have more languages translated during the Alpha and Beta phases. Our plan is to get everything re-written and re-translated by professionals before release. Until then, we will probably rely on our network and any help from the community.
That concludes another update! As always, we are happy to hear your feedback about any and all changes we make to the game. Please feel free to leave a comment down below or hop into the discussions on our Discord server! Cheers, Tobi
News on the Animal Companion!
Howdy Adventurers!
Giving Aiyana an animal companion was the most anticipated stretch goal of our Kickstarter campaign earlier this year. We are happy to share our thoughts regarding this feature!
Play the Demo for Free during Survival Fest!
Steam Survival Fest beings RIGHT NOW! 🥳🥳
From August 1st to August 8th you can play a demo of Above Snakes for free during Steam Survival Fest. You can enjoy all of the content of the current Alpha with the exception that the demo version will not save your progress!
Please note, this will be the last opportunity to play a demo of Above Snakes for an extended period of time, so be sure to tell your friends, family, pets, and neighbors!
🐟 Devlog #4 - New Content, YouTube Channel, and Survival Fest Demo!
Howdy Adventurers!
The heatwave has reached central Europe and I am certain that many of you could use a little time at a cabin by the water! With that said, I am sure you will enjoy the new content that we have added to the Above Snakes Alpha! The latest version has been rolled out on Steam and can be played by anyone who backed the "Play First" tier or higher.
New Alpha Content
We have added new content to the Alpha such as a new building style, new side quests, and tiles. We also reworked the character animations and combat. To celebrate all of these exciting implementations, we are trying something new: presenting the latest content in video format! Please let us know if you prefer the written updates or this new video format by leaving a comment down below or subscribing to our YouTube channel.
As you can see, our YouTube channel is brand new and would love to grow! We plan on uploading more Above Snakes content on the channel in the future. Please subscribe so you do not miss out on any updates (the little bell helps!) :)
Steam Survival Fest Demo
Another demo?! Yes, great news! From August 1st to August 8th you can play a demo of Above Snakes for free during Steam Survival Fest. You can enjoy all of the content of the current Alpha with the exception that the demo version will not save your progress! Please note, this will be the last opportunity to play a demo of Above Snakes for an extended period of time, so be sure to tell your friends, family, pets, and neighbors!
That concludes another update! As always, we are happy to hear your feedback about any and all changes we make to the game. Please feel free to leave a comment below or hop into the discussions on our Discord server!
Cheers, Tobi
Devlog #3 - Open Alpha Week!
Howdy everybody!
We are super happy that the Alpha of Above Snakes is - so far - well received! People are liking the new features and systems we've put in place and we are glad that the community is noticing the game's current level of polish. That makes us, as developers, very proud!
Open Alpha Week
We are participating in Steam's Next Fest from June 13th to June 20th. During this time, everyone can play the Alpha of Above Snakes for free. Please enjoy and share with your friends, family, etc.!
As a little treat, we have already put the Alpha online! You can check it out right now!
Open Alpha Week Kick-Off Live Stream
We will be live on Twitch to open Steam Next Fest. Join us in kicking off this exciting week on:
June 13th
1 PM PST | 8 PM CET
on https://www.twitch.tv/crytivo
New Features
We also worked on two new features that are already patched into the Alpha.
Dialogues and Decisions
The world of Above Snakes feels more alive than ever. Every character you encounter during your journey has a story to tell; you can ask them questions, make decisions, and accept or decline the tasks that they may have. Dialogues change over time depending on your progress.
Building Styles
We received some vital feedback from the community regarding home base creation: it doesn't really make sense how you can make these beautiful wooden cabins right from the start. Afterall, you only have access to unprocessed wooden logs, twigs and plant fibers. Therefore, we added a new building style to the game, that we call "Logs." Your pre-existing cabins will now be displayed in the new building style. Start up the game and check out your home! The "Planks" building style will soon be re-added to the game and made accessible on a higher workbench level along with wood processing tools.
We are happy to announce that we are part of the Guerilla Collective! A brand new gameplay trailer with footage taken from the Alpha will be streamed live on June 13th! Don't miss out. https://store.steampowered.com/sale/guerrillacollective
Content Creator Showcase
The alpha has already been played by a couple of content creators. Here is a small selection:
Since the team is growing, it doesn't make sense to continue representation of Above Snakes as made by a "Solo Indie Dev." Therefore, we decided to form a small indie game studio and call it "Square Glade Games." Why Square Glade, you might ask? If you played the Alpha of Above Snakes (or will play it during Steam Next Fest), you will come across a beautiful little glade tile on which you have to do a quest for Stark. Since we particularly like this tile, we decided to name our studio after this direct Above Snakes reference.
Cheers, Tobi
🔴 LIVE: Let's Play Above Snakes with the Devs!
Survive the wilderness in this Western-inspired base builder. Craft your world by placing isometric tiles, explore various biomes, and unravel the secrets of the land. But beware of the lost souls roaming the wilds.
Howdy!
Join Marc, Alex and Tobi on
June 13 at 1 PM PST | 10 PM CET
as we play Above Snakes and answer questions from chat.
We hope that you get a chance to check out the Alpha Version of Above Snakes during this week!
