Dev Update #7 | New Trailer, Realms Deep, PGA 2023, and something else…
Hello, Dwarfs!
It's great to connect with you all once again! The world of First Dwarf has been buzzing with excitement lately, and we couldn't wait to gather all the latest updates and share them with you.
So, without further ado, let's dive right in!
Realms Deep 2023
We finished last week by making a big splash at Realms Deep 2023 - an exciting online gathering presented by 3D Realms and their partners, featuring exclusive debuts, notable guests, engaging interviews, and other captivating content. During the event, we had the privilege of unveiling a brand-new, never-seen-before trailer, which received a fantastic reception.
The positive feedback and enthusiasm from the community were truly heartwarming. Thank you!
New trailer!
Now let's get to the main treat - the trailer itself! We are delighted to showcase what we've been working on, and we hope you will have fun watching it as much as we enjoyed creating it.
This video paints a vivid picture of the countless possibilities that await those who venture into the virtual world of First Dwarf. But no more talking - check it out yourselves, ‘cause it’s definitely worth it!
The MIX
And the excitement doesn't stop there! First Dwarf has earned its place among other outstanding titles that will be featured at The MIX Poznan Game Arena Online Showcase, scheduled for Wednesday, October 4th, at 7 PM CEST.
We invite you all to join us for the event - it's going to be a fun time!
Hold up, there's more!
We're not just showing up virtually! We'll also have our booth in Hall 5A from October 6th to 8th! If you're eager to dive into First Dwarf and see how our game shines in action, feel invited to join us!
We’re waiting for you, Gamers!
Before we wrap things up…
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support throughout this journey. You - our incredible community - are the driving force behind the development of First Dwarf, and we couldn't have done it alone…
So we have a little surprise for you! How about wallpapers from our games? Feel free to use them!
Together, we'll continue crafting the world of First Dwarf, because without players like you, this game wouldn't be possible. See you in the digital realms, and stay tuned for more updates!
Warm regards, Star Drifters 🚀
Dev Update #6 - IGN Exclusive Trailer, Gamescom and PAX West
It's been a while since we last connected, but that's because we had a lot going on lately. Most importantly, we're working on developing First Dwarf! We want to make sure it's as close to perfection as possible by the time it releases.
Additionally, we've been traveling a lot. As you’re reading this, we're still recovering after 2 big shows - Gamescom and PAX West, where players could try out for themselves the demo version of our game! 2 major events across the ocean from each other are tough to manage, but definitely worth every while!
New trailer!
We would like to proudly announce a brand-new trailer for First Dwarf, which was first exclusively shown by IGN during their Gamescom showcase! Check it out below!
As you can see, there are several new shots, and we've carefully selected scenes in order to present as many of the game's features as we can. After all, we're not limited to just one gameplay mechanic. Tru can gather resources, build a settlement, explore unknown lands, and, of course, he must fight for his safety!
Thanks for being with us at Gamescom and PAX West!
But that's not the end, because we would also like to share our excitement and gratitude with everyone who visited our booth in Cologne or Seattle (or both!). The number of people who decided to join us and played First Dwarf live exceeded all our expectations! We met many wonderful people, had numerous interesting chats and gathered a ton of feedback that we’ll use to improve the game. Thank you, all!
Don’t worry, if you didn’t have a chance to be at either of the events - we can’t promise anything, but we’re quite sure there’ll be plenty of opportunities to try out First Dwarf before its official release…
Farewell for now...
… Speaking about opportunities, remember that our Discord server is always worth joining. We're getting closer to launching a limited testing phase for gamers, so if you would like to be among the lucky ones, click the banner below.
Apart from that, you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and on TikTok. Follow us in each of these places to stay up to date with First Dwarf! It's definitely worth it!
With respect, Star Drifters
First Dwarf ➡️ Tiny Teams 2023
Greetings, Dwarves!
Exciting news awaits as First Dwarf joins the Tiny Teams Festival 2023! This event revolves around games crafted by small, passionate teams and - guess what - Star Drifters is one of them!
Mark your calendars from August 3rd, 6 PM BST, to August 10th, 6 PM BST, because Tiny Teams brings an enchanting experience filled with fun and entertainment!
During the festival we will showcase exclusive, never-seen-before gameplay footage from our latest build. Witness the greatness of First Dwarf as it takes shape before your very eyes (spoiler alert: it looks great 😏).
Check out other games participating in Tiny Teams - click here!
We won!
That’s not all for today - we are thrilled to share that First Dwarf just scored a huge win! We took home the Most Anticipated Game award at the Game Connection x ChinaJoy 2023 Indie Game Awards!
None of this would've been possible without your incredible support. Seriously, you guys rock! Your enthusiasm and dedication have been a driving force behind our success. Thank you!
Join the journey!
For those eager to embark on the adventure themselves, we are getting closer to closed tests. Join our Discord server by clicking the banner below, and dive into the enchanting world of First Dwarf! We’re waiting for you!
Before you go - visit the Discord 👾 server of the game and follow Star Drifters 🚀 on FB, Twitter 🐦 and Instagram. 📷
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
Cheers!
First Dwarf chosen for PAX Rising Showcase!
Hey there, Dwarfs! As we progress through the week, we're thrilled to share some news that fills us with pride and excitement…
First Dwarf has been selected for PAX Rising Showcase during the upcoming PAX in Seattle! Being among the chosen few on this list of games is a tremendous honor, and we appreciate the opportunity to stand alongside such exceptional games (check them out).
PAX Rising Showcase is an elite selection of games chosen by the PAX Team and presented to a wide audience at the event. Over the years, some titles featured here went on to become massive hits. We're eager to follow their footsteps with First Dwarf!
Oh, by the way, if you're attending the event, you'll get the opportunity to play First Dwarf. So… See you there!
We’ve got more for you!
If you haven’t already, you can still join our giveaway for the Nomads of Driftland: The Forgotten Passage – a thrilling scenario pack for Nomads of Driftland.
Getting the DLC is as easy as completing four simple steps that will keep you in the loop with the development of First Dwarf. Trust us, it's worth it!
Before we wrap things up - we're getting closer and closer to inviting you all to our playtests! When the big day comes, we hope many of you will jump on the opportunity and join us in the world of First Dwarf.
Before you go - visit the Discord 👾 server of the game and follow Star Drifters 🚀 on FB, Twitter 🐦 and Instagram. 📷
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
Cheers!
Dev Update #5 - Indie Arena Booth 2023, ChinaJoy 2023 Finalists and demo...
Hey there, Dwarfs!
It's always great to greet people with good news! And guess what… Today we have not just one, but two fantastic pieces of information for you!
Indie Arena Booth 2023 - Gamescom
Firstly, we can officially announce that First Dwarf will be a part of the Indie Arena Booth 2023 at gamescom! It's a tremendous honor for us and an excellent opportunity to put First Dwarf into your hands for a try!
If you're planning to attend this year's expo in Germany, we invite you to swing by our booth:
Hall 10.2, Booth F010g - E019g
If not, you'll be able to play the First Dwarf demo on Steam for the first time! But remember, it's still a work-in-progress version.
You'll be able to see firsthand how our upcoming game shines in action! Are you ready to dive into the world of First Dwarf? Hope you are!
Game Connection x ChinaJoy 2023 Indie Game Awards
Now, onto the second piece of news…
First Dwarf has been selected as a finalist for the Game Connection x ChinaJoy 2023 Indie Game Awards! We'll be competing in seven (yes, seven!) categories:
Best PC game
Best hardcore game
Best Single Player game
Best visual art and design
Best Upcoming game
Grand Award
People's Choice Award
And in the last one we need your help! If you want to see the Dwarf walking away with the People's Choice Award, please cast your vote (click on the picture below) for our game. It would mean the world to us!
The voting closes on July 20th, so we thank you in advance for every single attempt! You guys are the best, and we already know it.
If you want to see all the nominated games, check it here.
That's all for today!
We hope that both news have brought you even a fraction of the joy they brought us. We'll be in touch again soon, so stay tuned! Exciting things are coming!
Oh! And of course, we would like to invite you to join the Discord server of our game and follow Star Drifters on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
Dev Update #4 - Pixel Heaven, animations, and a lot more…
Hey there, Dwarfs!
We wanted to start by giving a big shoutout and thank you to all of you for your unwavering interest in First Dwarf. Your support has been very important in the development process of the game!
Now, let's get to the exciting stuff!
We're still over the moon from our recent Pixel Heaven experience this year. We came back with a ton of incredible memories and not one, but two shiny trophies!
First Dwarf won the "Warsaw Excellence" and the "Big Bang!" awards. We're incredibly honored and humbled by this recognition. It means a lot!
But wait, there's more!
A dev update wouldn't be complete without some behind-the-scenes stuff. Today we want to share some insights into our work on facial animations for the Dwarf. As we all know, nothing kills immersion like the lack of emotions, and in a magical world full of adventures emotions are a must!
Last but not least…
We want to let you know that we're still coloring our 3D-printed Dwarf. It's a meticulous process, but it's incredibly satisfying and soothing.
We're getting closer and closer to making it look just the way it should.
That’ll be it for today! Don't forget to join our Discord server to stay connected and be part of the journey. Sending warm greetings and looking forward to catching up with you all again real soon!
Before you go - visit the Discord 👾 server of the game and follow Star Drifters 🚀 on FB, Twitter 🐦 and Instagram. 📷
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
Cheers!
Dev Update #3 - Digital Dragons, Pixel Heaven, New Gameplay, and more…
Dwarves!
Hello, hello - long time no hear! We've got a lot to share with you today, so grab a cup of coffee and get ready for some exciting news!
Digital Dragons
Let's start with the current stuff. We’re now at Digital Dragons 2023, showcasing two of our games: First Dwarf and Lumencraft. Both titles are finalists in the Indie Showcase, but we’re aiming even higher (at least as high as Ragna can fly ;))!
Remember - your votes matter, so it will be amazing if you show us your support!
Oh, and let's not forget to give a shoutout to Predator Polska, who's been supporting First Dwarf throughout the event. We appreciate the help and thank you for working with us!
It’s alive!
We prepared something really special for you... A 3D-printed model of the First Dwarf’s main character from the game! You can check it out at Digital Dragons 2023, and it'll also be accompanying us on other events. Don't forget to say hello to our little friend!
Speaking of events… We're thrilled to announce that First Dwarf has been nominated in two categories at Pixel Heaven:
Indie Grand Prix
Big Bang
We're truly honored and excited to be a part of it and we’ll share more info soon!
But wait…
There's more! We've got an exclusive treat for you! Completely new, never shown before, 4K gameplay footage from First Dwarf! Check it out and let us know what’s your favorite part.
In the end, thanks for being with us, gamers! The upcoming months are going to be filled with even more exciting news and events. Stay tuned and stay awesome, gamers!
If you've got any questions or suggestions regarding First Dwarf, feel free to reach out to us. We're here for you, our awesome community, and we always love hearing your feedback.
Before you go - visit the Discord 👾 server of the game and follow Star Drifters 🚀 on FB, Twitter 🐦 and Instagram. 📷
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
PAX East 2023 - Recap | CLOSED TESTS INCOMING! 😎
Dear Dwarves! :dwarf_gs:
We wanted to send out a huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth at PAX East and played First Dwarf. We were thrilled to see so many of you take the time to check out the game, and it's a huge motivation for us to keep working hard to make it the best it can be.
BTW. We met with Mario 😎
We're really grateful that First Dwarf caught your attention and that you appreciated the work we've put into it. Your feedback and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us and will help us to improve the game. So thank you very much for all the feedback you gave us at PAX East. You're an invaluable part of our development team, and we're always open to hearing your ideas and suggestions.
We'd also like to express our enormous gratitude to partner - Acer Predator for their support throughout the development of First Dwarf and during the event.
That's not all! We're thrilled to announce that First Dwarf has been named among the seven best submissions in the early stages of development nominated for the Most Promising Game Award at Indie Cup CEE 23. This is a huge honor for us and we're grateful for the recognition. It's a motivation for us to keep working hard and we hope to make you all proud!
Now, we've got some great news for our fans out there! We'll organize closed tests for our Discord community soon. It's important to us that you have the opportunity to take part in the game's testing and help us continue to develop First Dwarf. If you haven't joined our Discord yet, now's the time to do it, because you'll have a chance to be among the first to test the game. Keep your eyes peeled, as we'll have more information on this soon!
One last thing - if you have any questions or suggestions about First Dwarf, please let us know. We're here for you, our community, and we're always happy to hear your feedback.
But wait, before you go, visit the Discord 👾 server of the game and follow Star Drifters 🚀 on FB, Twitter 🐦 and Instagram. 📷
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
Dev Update #2
Dear Dwarves! :dwarf_gs:
We have some exciting news to share with you regarding First Dwarf. Firstly, we are thrilled to announce that our game was showcased at the Indie Showcase during the DevGamm event in Gdansk. It was an amazing opportunity for us to present the game to a wider audience, and we are grateful for the feedback we received.
Secondly, we are excited to announce that we have started a partnership with NVIDIA, which has resulted in us receiving brand-new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 graphics cards. This will allow us to develop our game further and introduce even better visuals.
At its core, First Dwarf is a game that is all about strategy. With the added power of the new graphics cards, we can create even more immersive gameplay experiences - from the lush environments to the intricate details of each individual dwarf! We are confident that the new graphics will take your gaming experience to the next level.
Furthermore, we want to share our work-in-progress build's latest gameplay footage (in 4K!) ːsteamhappyː. As with any build of that type, it does not include all of the mechanics, but it will give you a good insight of the hard work we have put into developing our game.
We are also excited to announce that in the near future, we will be conducting exclusive closed beta tests of First Dwarf. They will be available only to members of our community on Discord, so if you haven't already joined it, don’t hesitate to do so! We look forward to receiving your feedback and working together to make it the best possible.
Lastly, we are thrilled to announce that we will showcase First Dwarf at the PAX East event in Boston. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to meet with you and show our game in person.
We cannot wait to see you all at PAX East, and we hope you are as excited as we are about the future of First Dwarf.
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to hearing your feedback on our game!
But wait, before you go, visit the Discord 👾 server of the game and follow Star Drifters 🚀 on FB, Twitter 🐦 and Instagram. 📷
Yours Star Drifters 🚀
Star Drifters recap #2 🚀
Hello everyone! 👋
The year 2022 is now a melody of the past.
We would like to thank all of you guys for supporting us since day one! 🙏
Without further ado - let’s check out what happened in our camp during the second half of ‘22. Let’s go! 🏃♂️
⚒️ First Dwarf (...and some gaming events here and there! 🎮)
In case you missed it - First Dwarf is our upcoming Action RPG set in the world of Driftland. That’s why you can read about it on Driftland: The Magic Revival Steam card.
You’ll be able to pet a good boi in the game. Mhm. That’s right! 🐕
Now, let’s talk about the asymmetrical co-op 🐉 that we’re implementing in First Dwarf.
🧑🤝🧑 In co-op, players will be able to take control over the mech or one of its pilots: Tru or Ragna. Each of them has its own, separate skills to develop and upgrade. All characters have their strengths and weaknesses so it’s important to choose the characters wisely when preparing to complete certain tasks.
🧑 In a single-player game, the player can switch between characters, completing tasks with the one with better skills in a given field. Tru, Ragna, and the Mech will have different skill trees. Tru will be a better Mecha pilot, Ragna can e.g. fly, and the Mech can be treated as a kind of armored vehicle, so without a pilot it will not work.
It’s important to say that implementing the asymmetrical co-op would not be possible without the Game Prototype Design Competition 2022 in which we were awarded! 🏆
The competition mentioned above helped us create some new mechanics for First Dwarf. Those mechanics evolved into a full-fledged, asymmetrical co-op mode of the game, which we implemented in its build! Once again, thank you to the co-organizers of the competition: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, Centrum GovTech Poland, and CRPK, as well as Copernicus Game Jam 2022 - during which the diplomas 📜 were handed over and everyone who supported us along the way.
We showed our upcoming action RPG at many gaming 🎮 events, both digital and held in “real” places. Just to name a few:
- PAX West; - Poznań Games Arena (PGA);
- Indie Cade;
- DreamHack Beyond Indie Showcase;
- MIX Next 2022;
- Dev.Play;
- #PitchYaGame.
It’s time to focus on 3️⃣ of them.
🚏 First stop - PAX West.
Lots of you came to our booth to check out an early build of our game. Thank you for that! See you next year! 🤜🤛
Your reactions surpassed our expectations, and the feedback provided will certainly influence the further development of the game, already at this stage. It was 4 days full of interesting conversations, laughter and a unique atmosphere created by countless players, cosplayers, journalists, or industry representatives.🤝
🚏 Second stop - Poznań Games Arena (PGA).
In Poznań, we were showing First Dwarf, Scorchlands, Brewpub Simulator, and Lumencraft. PGA was such a blast! We felt your enjoyment brought to your faces by our upcoming games. Just look at Kuba, one of the members of our team - his smile does not lie 😊
🚏 The last stop - Dev.Play.
It’s a yearly celebration of indie games and their developers. Game creators from all over the world come to Bucharest to present their titles and experiences. The event ended with an award gala. First Dwarf received 3 awards: Best Game of the Show, Best Visuals, and Most Popular Game. 🏆 Thank y’all! 🙏
To wrap up the First Dwarf chapter of this recap we want to write about the key role of our IGN - Exclusive Announcement Trailer posted on IGN’s YouTube channel was viewed more than 285k times. There are also more than 5.4k thumbs up 👍 under the video! 📺
At this point, we can say that developers from Ringlab ⚗️ are aiming for publishing more Steam News about in-game mechanics. When we’re writing these words, three of them are available as we speak: How the protagonist Giwi hatched, How to build your colony, and Gameplay Insight #1: Summoning the Nexus.
Stay tuned ! More of them will be published during January and February of 2023.
Also, the game received a warm welcome during #TurnBasedFest 2022! 😎
🕷️ Lumencraft
The full release of this unique mix of a top-down shooter with base building and roguelike mechanisms is just around the corner! Nonetheless, we’re not spoiling the release date at the moment. That’s not the only great news - something big is coming to the game. We bet you weren’t expecting this. Jump on the hype train, but stay calm. For now, let’s go down. Together. ⏬
The developers from 2Dynamic Games are constantly tweaking and upgrading the game’s build. You can help them by completing the survey they made - we’ll be very grateful for the feedback! It’s called Discord 🎧 survey, because the game’s community was the first one to answer the questions mentioned in it.
One of the most important moments during the Early Access of Lumencraft was taking a different approach to the game's build. The experimental update published a few months ago left the beta stage. It's now living its new life - the developers called it Giga Update.
Lumencraft is reshaping every once in a while - two bigger updates and one smaller update were released since the release of Giga Update. There’s a lot of fresh content in the game - you should play it now, especially if you spent some time with Lumencraft a few months ago. It truly is worth revisiting! 🔁
🍻 Brewpub Simulator
There was a first, official playtest of the game - we’re glad how many of you decided to check out what it’s like to run a virtual pub and brew some virtual ale! A playable build of the game was presented to European audiences for the first time during PGA 2022. Thanks for playing it, we know what works and what needs some tweaking here and there! 🍺
Our skyscraper roguelite shooter is out now on Epic Games Store! 🎉
Just a reminder - Danger Scavenger is available on PC, PS4, XONE, Nintendo Switch, Atari VCS, and XSX. It’s also a Steam Deck verified game - give it a try on one of the handhelds, and you’ll fall in love with this fast-paced gunslinger action!
This is not the last word we said speaking about publishing our games’ catalog on Epic Games Store - more titles will follow soon. At this point, you can wishlist First Dwarf ⚒️ and Scorchlands 🐦 on this platform!
That’s all for today.
Great things are here, but also great things are yet to come.
2023 will be ours!
