The long-awaited release of Knock on the Coffin Lid!
Knock, knock, travelers!
We are thrilled and proud to announce that the long-awaited moment has arrived: our game, Knock on the Coffin Lid, is officially released!
With this release, the game now features:
The conclusion of Vanadis's story and an epic final battle
Quest tracking and a travel journal in story mode
Challenge mode for all heroes, with rewards integrated into the story mode
End credits with player-choice-driven outcomes, each with different endings
New sounds, animations, story branches, and much more
For four years, we've been creating KOTCL with love and passion, despite all the challenges and obstacles. We hope you’ll appreciate and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
A huge thank you to our players, community, and everyone who has supported us. We are grateful for your help, patience, and faith in us. We can’t wait to hear your feedback and thoughts on Knock on the Coffin Lid!
Don’t miss out on the chance to dive into the unique world of our game. Get Knock on the Coffin Lid today and embark on an unforgettable adventure!
See you on the roads of Midian!
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Indie by the Numbers: What's Inside KOTCL?
As we approach the release, we are gathering and double-checking all the materials and developments from the past few years, and we can’t help but reflect on the sheer amount of work we've done. We decided to share these thoughts with you.
Countless artpieces, characters, and animations, thousands of lines of code, endless hours of testing and revisions—all of this has been part of our journey. We can honestly say we’ve given it our all in hopes of creating a game that you will enjoy and that will resonate with you.
For us, as an indie team, these numbers are both daunting and impressive. To be honest, we are still in the process of realizing how much effort and time it took to reach this point.
So, we want to know your opinion—where is the line between indie and big projects? Can the amount of effort and the scale of the tasks influence this definition? Is it about quantity or quality?
We eagerly await your thoughts. Let’s chat!
And we also want to say thank you for your support and interest in our game. We hope it won’t disappoint you.
The release is just around the corner, so we are very excited and "a little bit" in crunch mode. But we’re still moving towards our goal and not giving up. Right now, we’re eager to share what we’ve accomplished this week!
Move Along!
The wonderful images of the heroes traveling between locations are now animated. Long live the mighty power of animation! They’re beautiful, don’t you agree?
If You Want To Hide Something, Leave It In Plain Sight
These bandits are clearly unaware of this simple truth. Or do they really have something worth hiding well? It seems like this situation is worth digging into.
Oh, they’ve forgotten something! Well, that actually works in our favor!
The Frontier Captive
And yet another event has emerged from our Spine re-animation workshop alive and well. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the poor dwarf who fell into the hands of the "hateful" elves. You need to make a challenging choice: help the captive or his captors? But you can always just pass by, can't you?
“Challenges” Is An Understatement
A bit of news on the daily challenges mode, specifically about free runs through the trees of elevation. Our artists have completed working on the icons for modifiers and buffs for Bjorn and Vanadis. Very soon, they’ll appear on all the elevation trees in Midian!
A Minute Of Humor
Our whole team is holding on not only thanks to their sheer willpower, but also thanks to the power of humor. We couldn’t do without it. Recently, we saw a boar in tough circumstances on the Internet. We immediately thought of Prince and imagined that Vanadis might have lost him somewhere in the Rotten Bog. Maybe we should release a small DLC called "Prince's Nightmares," hmm?
And another meme was born this week, this time from testing the new animated transitions between biomes. We called it "When Bjorn has seen too much of Persival."
How About Some Chit-Chat?
Hi, this is Andrew aka Innrey, the founder of RedBoon, and, at the moment, an active play-tester of KOTCL. Today is probably one of those rare moments when there's literally no time for anything, even for some chit-chat, because my mind is solely occupied with work and not inclined towards long musings. I’ll keep it brief and run back to test the project some more.
Our entire team is currently heavily involved in testing. We’re practically up to our ears in playing, reporting, discussing questionable moments, and fixing issues promptly. It might sound like a dream job—playing during work hours and having fun. However, it’s not always as rosy as it seems, but that’s a topic for another time.
Precious time is running out; there’s less than a week left until the release; yet there are still many bugs and other tasks that need attention. After KOTCL: Prolog was released, we’ve had a surge of players, and your active involvement has been helping us find a variety of issues. I will never tire of expressing my gratitude for this. Thank you, friends, you’re doing an amazing job and your help is truly invaluable! At the moment, as we need to polish the game as much as possible, any support and assistance are extremely helpful.
So please continue to support us—you are our energy elixir and +100 strength amulet. It’s time to wrap things up, and we’ll see you very soon!
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KOTCL Developer Diaries: Free-to-Play, Achievements And a Bit of Magic
Knock, knock, travelers!
Have you noticed how July has almost passed by? We definitely haven’t, as we’re fully engaged in preparation for the release. And there are fewer than two weeks left until then. So let's take a look at what we’ve prepared for you.
Knock on the Coffin Lid: Prolog Is Already Here!
We did it! The free-to-play version of our game, Knock on the Coffin Lid: Prolog has been released and is already waiting for new adventurers. Set out on a journey with Persival, defeat enemies in the fight for justice and honor, trying to uncover the truth at the same time. You can also test your skills in the challenge mode and earn some nice in-game bonuses. All of this is completely free!
A great opportunity to get to know Knock on the Coffin Lid before purchasing the full version. Did we mention it's free? :)
More Achievements for the God of Achievements!
Remember we talked about achievements in previous diaries? Well, we weren't kidding, and now we're ready to share the icons of the new achievements that will soon appear in the game. The recognizable set achievements are easy to spot, but what about the others? Share your guesses in the comments!
Truly Man-Made Magic
Our animators’ hands reached the greedy court mage and brought him to life. Figuratively speaking, of course, because this... let’s say former human is very much alive and ready to offer you his help. Not for a simple 'thank you,' of course. We advise you to take a closer look at his abilities; they can be very useful in battle.
The Herbs Are Always Greener Somewhere Else
Indeed, the plant from the ‘Herb of Oblivion' event is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. It can be very beneficial in right and skillful hands. Now, you just need to find those skillful hands…
Variations And Animations
The events at the old cemetery of the Northern Gate can unfold in completely different ways and may lead to various outcomes. To save you from having to visualize everything in your head while looking at a static image, our artists and animators have created new beautiful endings for this event. We won't show you them all, as there would be some pretty big spoilers, but we'll share a little bit.
Enemy Smash!
We’ve warned you that if you fight with enemies for too long, they’ll start to lose patience. To make sure you don't miss this moment and can avoid (or try to avoid) a grim fate, the enemies will receive not only the appropriate buff but also a corresponding red aura. Oh, and that definitely suggest anything good. Good luck!
How About Some Chit-Chat?
Greetings! This is Andrew aka Innrey, the founder of RedBoon. I’m dropping by briefly to share some news and to chat.
Day X, or rather day R (release) is just around the corner and our entire team is working very hard. Adding to the workload is the launch of KOTCL: Prolog, which we’ve been working on for the past few weeks, alongside the main project’s tasks. I’ve personally tested it a lot, both the storyline and the free run mode. I want to share my thoughts on it and, of course, a few bits of news.
First off, I’m happy with the result. It wasn’t without bugs and some nuances, but the mechanics, modifiers, rewards, interface, appearance, and much more—all of it looks great and it plays well. Yes, we’ve discovered quite a few bugs and almost got buried under them, but we managed to catch and fix them, and test the game again (and again, and again).
As I mentioned in one of the recent video diaries, the free run mode will work in synergy with the story mode, providing players not only with a chance to try new builds but also to receive more tangible assistance. I’m talking about bonuses, items, and cards that will be unlocked and then appear in the story mode of the game. In the books of our heroes, players will be able to see updated class portraits. And that’s in addition to other nice things that will be waiting for you after successfully completing the free run mode.
The upgraded display will serve as an additional indicator of a class's functional upgrade. It might seem like a minor detail, but it’s actually quite significant. These small touches contribute to the overall picture, and it’s important to remember that the devil is in the details. It’s a clear and immediate way to see which class has been well-developed.
I really hope those who’ve already played Prolog have appreciated our efforts and tried out the free run mode. Please share your thoughts in the comments—what do you think about Prolog and the free run mode? How do you feel about integrating bonuses into the story mode? I’m very interested to hear your verdict and feedback.
Well, that’s all for this week’s news. See you soon!
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Official Release of Knock on the Coffin Lid: Prolog
Please share your impressions with us, as your feedback is incredibly important. We look forward to seeing you all on our Discord server. Your valuable input will help us make the game even better!
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Midian, a land full of fantastical creatures, magic, and mysteries. Embark on a dangerous journey alongside Persival, a brave warrior of the Northern Gate's lord, who has been resurrected after a mysterious death.
The card-based combat system allows you to collect, combine, and upgrade cards, creating unique strategies for each battle. A diverse array of weapons and armor will aid you in overcoming adversaries. Speaking of which…
On your journey, you will encounter numerous unique characters and dangerous enemies, each with their own story and characteristics. Sometimes, you will need to use all your skills to overcome them.
The game also features a Challenge Mode, which is a more classic roguelike experience. It allows you to find and test new strategies while also providing pleasant bonuses.
We are grateful to everyone who supported us along the way. Your feedback and suggestions have helped us create a game we are truly proud of.
We invite you to lift the coffin lid and discover what awaits on the other side. Knock on the Coffin Lid: Prolog is now available on Steam. Join us in this adventure!
Questions for developers: The Night Before Release
The release of Knock on the Coffin Lid is just around the corner! We are excited and deeply grateful for your incredible support and participation on this journey with us.
On release day, players often have various questions for the developers. Since we are all seasoned travelers through time loops, you have a great opportunity to ask anything you're curious about right now. We, in turn, will try to peek into the future (with Mortis's help, of course) and answer them.
Don't miss this chance to ask what you've been wondering about and learn some behind-the-scenes details about the development. Join us!
Taming time together with the Time Masters Festival
Greetings, time travelers!
Let's start the week with exciting news! Knock on the Coffin Lid is participating in the Time Masters Festival from July 22nd to 29th!
The Time Masters Festival is a celebration for all fans of games where time takes center stage. Get ready for thrilling journeys through time loops and unexpected plot twists!
Remember, everyone who purchase the game before the release will receive the DLC “Nightmares of Millenis”😉
KOTCL Developer Diaries: Closer and Closer…
Knock, knock, travelers!
As we approach August and bring our work tasks to a close, here’s what we’ve been working on this week, with only three weeks left until release.
Scar It Into Your Mind
The highly useful Scarring ability helps Bjorn heal in time. Now, it will be displayed right on the hero to catch the player's attention. After all it's not always easy to keep track of buffs and debuffs in the heat of battle, is it? We hope it will now be more evident whether the lycan has this precious effect.
Mother of Demons!
The animator’s furnaces are red-hot and continue to bring new events to life. The demonic family has finally thawed out and started moving because, honestly, there’s no chance these wild kids could stay in one place. Be careful, they are genuine little imps!
Some Pharmacy You Have Here
Next in the event menu: steppe plague. It is not deadly, but rather an unpleasant disease that can strike heroes in the Crimson Steppes. You can find some instructions on how to avoid it, but if the plague catches you, you can always buy a healing potion from the crafty goblins for an "extremely modest" fee.
Don’t Drink From The Puddle...
Or do drink. Do whatever your heart desires. After all, who knows what's at the bottom of that puddle? Is it something valuable or just trash? Life is such an unpredictable thing.
Heavenly Delight
Oh, and here we have what half our team is dreaming about right now—an oasis. But make sure it’s real and not yet another trick of the treacherous steppes. Quick, hide from the sun, settle down under the palms. Now is the perfect time to rest and catch your breath.
Icons? What Icons?
Friends, we are working hard on modifiers and level-ups in free run mode. For example, our artists have made icons for Bjorn, and the wolf theme is quite evident. We hope the new modifiers along with buffs and debuffs will make your runs exciting!
How About Some Chit-Chat?
Hello everyone, this is Andrew aka Innrey, the founder of RedBoon. I’ve always talked a lot about the importance of feedback. Throughout the development, we’ve been closely communicating with players, some of whom have been with us since the very first builds and remember what Knock looked like before it became mainstream what it is now. A moment of nostalgia.
When we first went into early access and the initial “testing” began, I couldn’t imagine where it would lead us and how many interested and engaged players would gather around our game. You shared your thoughts, suggested improvements, and reported issues and bugs. Thanks to your involvement, our game has become much better than we initially planned.
We’ve listened to you many times and implemented several truly worthwhile suggestions. The difficulty level system alone is worth mentioning! Back then, the game had no difficulty levels, just one continuous hardcore. Thanks to the players, we added three levels, and then a fourth one (after a feedback tsunami telling us that the hardest level turned out to be quite easy). Even now, we continue to receive feedback on the difficulty levels. Honestly, I am sometimes amazed at how different we all are. For some, the hardest level feels like a fun walk with monsters, while others don’t even consider increasing the difficulty. They’re all so different, but they’re still together and play our game :)
Storytelling development is an important part of a game, and even more so in our case. The event system as it exists now is also our joint effort with you. Thanks to your feedback on our innovations, individual events have turned into chains and received significant development.
And the balance? Vanadis? So many times we received feedback about the balance and pre-rework Vanadis, and about many, many other things—both before and after the total rebalancing of the entire game. I believe that a colossal amount of work has been done here. It’s not only the merit of our game designers but also of out attentive players who have a lot of experience of playing roguelike games and other genres. That’s a very valuable resource.
It is also worth noting the influence of your feedback on the appearance of new sets, weapons, UI, and even the logo. Together with you, we agonized over choices and voted for the best options.
Testing. It can be safely said that testing has gone on throughout the development and is still continuing. We conducted testing of new mechanics with you, such as Tarot cards (hello, veterans!), and then tested new KOTCL within the CBT and OBT frameworks.
Yes, we have a lot behind us. Your participation and support at every stage of development has been very important to us. With your help, we can see our game from different perspectives and make it better, higher quality. I am grateful to each of you for your contribution. I hope that when you see the final version of our game, you will feel that this is partly your achievement.
There is less than a month left until release, and we can’t wait for the moment when you can appreciate the result of our work. Stay with us and continue to share your thoughts.
We’ll wrap up today’s diary here. Have a great weekend and see you soon!
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KOTCL Developer Diaries: glossary, events, and some philosophy
Knock, knock, travelers!
Another week has passed by virtually unnoticed, and here we are with the latest development news. Meanwhile, there are 4 weeks left until the release. Let’s start!
In Full View
There's nothing better than a convenient interface, so we strive to make ours just that. To make its font and general appearance more pleasant, there will be a new card layout in the glossary. It will depend on your screen resolution and adjust accordingly. We believe this new arrangement will be much more convenient.
Perfect Order
While we're in Mortis' library, it's worth mentioning another small change in the book of the heroes, specifically in the events section. Events encountered by the heroes along the way will now be displayed in a logical order according to biomes, starting from the Frontier and ending with the Northern Gate. Previously, they could appear in a random order, which wasn't very nice. Perfectionists will definitely understand us :)
To Eat Honey You Must First Get Into The Hive
Do you hear that buzz? It seems there's a beehive nearby. Will you risk it and take a chance to get some delicious, healthy honey, or would you rather not risk the righteous wrath of its creators?
Be extremely careful, the bees can be very ruthless in their attempts to defend their home!
Complete Desolation
The Northern Gate has been severely affected by demonic influence. Fleeing from evil, many people left their homes without looking back and abandoned these places. The heroes may encounter many empty houses along the way.
If you stop by one of the abandoned taverns, you can either find something interesting or leave empty-handed. Our animators have added more character to this event and made it move.
Philly and Killy Ugly Crying
Philly and Killy are two huge and formidable dwarves who keep half of the Frontier in fear. But, despite their brutal appearance, each of them is capable of mourning a brother who has fallen in battle. Now we can finally hear how they lament this loss (in their characteristic terse and stern dwarven manner, of course). Is that sad? Absolutely. However, this is life—it's either you or them.
What a Twist!
During the balance adjustment process, we had to change quite a few things. But speaking of specifics, the Trap card, known to you as a Skill, has now moved to Attacks and has been slightly transformed in appearance.
How About Some Chit-Chat?
Greetings! This is Andrew aka Innrey, the founder of RedBoon. The closer we get to D-Day, the more I think about our project as a whole. Today, I want to talk about what we consider to be the heart and soul of KOTCL—our game philosophy. When we first started creating the game, it was important for us not to just create entertainment, but to try to give players an experience that would truly influence and inspire them.
First and foremost, KOTCL is a story. A very long story, as you may have noticed, that explores important themes, which are in my opinion: friendship, betrayal, hope, sacrifice, and morality. I believe that games, like any form of creativity, can be not only a means of escape from reality, but also a powerful tool for conveying both emotions and important ideas. The characters, storylines, dialogues, interactions, and decisions in our game were all created with the aim of evoking real feelings, experiences, and reflections in you.
Secondly, our philosophy is to create a unique and engaging game-play experience. We tried to incorporate familiar mechanics and make them not only interesting, but somewhat unusual as well, all while maintaining the game's accessibility for everyone. It’s extremely important to make you want to explore the game’s world, delve into its secrets, solve its mysteries, and overcome various challenges. This was a big experiment, one that big studios are often afraid to undertake. But we have nothing to lose, so we took the risk. We hope the risk was justified and that you will enjoy our storytelling style.
The aesthetics of the game are also very important to us. It was crucial for us to create a world that looks and sounds unique. A lot of effort was put into creating a beautiful visual style as well as soundtracks that would immerse you in the world of Midian from the very first minute.
But most importantly, our philosophy is based on respect for you, our players. We have listened and continue to listen to feedback, read reviews and suggestions at every stage of development. We really want to make the game to meet your expectations and possibly even exceed them. Your opinion and support are incredibly important to us—you know that, and we hope it truly shows.
There is very little time left until the release, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the moment when we can share the result of all these years of development with you. I want to believe that KOTCL will truly resonate with your hearts, judging by the feedback and reviews we are receiving from you now, this seems to be not far from the truth.
I never tire of expressing my gratitude to our community for staying with us and continuing to support us. You are our inspiration, our pillar of strength, our life-giving productivity buff:)
On this lyrical note, we conclude this issue of the developer diaries. See you in exactly one week, friends!
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Speeding up! New KOTCL release date
Greetings, travelers!
We have great news for you that you definitely didn't expect! Thanks to the tremendous efforts and coordinated work of our team, we are ready to announce a new release date.
The new release date for Knock on the Coffin Lid is August 8, 2024 🎉
This was made possible by your support, feedback, and enthusiasm. We greatly appreciate your patience and faith in us.
We also want to remind you that everyone who purchased Knock on the Coffin Lid before the release will get the DLC "Nightmares of Millenis".
Stay with us and keep an eye out for updates. There's still a lot of exciting stuff ahead!
