The Faewilds are ready for any intrepid adventurer hardy enough to explore its distant mysteries and take on its many challenges. But, sometimes, it’s more fun to go on the adventure with a friend or two. Whether you’re looking to transform a cosy estate into a sprawling village together, or team up for a formidable Apex creature hunt, there’s no limit to what you can achieve as a team in Nightingale.
Here’s a quick guide on how Nightingale’s multiplayer will work at Early Access launch.
ALONE IN THE REALMS?
In Nightingale, you have the choice to venture forth alone or within a group of up to 6 players. Nightingale is a PvE survival crafting game with no PvP or friendly fire within the Realms at Early Access launch. By default, you will not encounter other players in your Realm unless you’re in a co-op party or set your Realm to ‘Public’.
Public Realms
A ‘Public’ Realm allows players to see everyone else occupying that specific Realm on their map. Anyone who joins these Public Realms can complete encounters independently and interact with structures that other players have built. This means that anyone can help build (...or destroy) other players’ estates. You can even choose to party up with any players you encounter.
You’ll be given the option to open a ‘Public’ Realm for any realm you visit after your Abeyance (starting or home) Realm. From here, each portal archway you find or build has a Realm Card machine (where you can insert your desired combination of Realm Cards to open a portal to a new destination). It’s in the portal machine interface that you will find the option to make a Realm ‘Public’.
PARTY MECHANICS
Playing together with friends in a party is available within any Realm (‘Public’ or otherwise) outside of the opening tutorial. All players who wish to party up while playing Nightingale will first need to complete the opening tutorial segments within the Byway Realms before party invites can be sent or received. Once the tutorial is completed and you’ve arrived in your introductory Abeyance Realm, the ability to join and send party invites becomes available. At this point, you’ll be able to join friends either in their Realm or invite them to join you in yours, as well as start in-game voice chat with the people in your party.
Whether you have friends who are seasoned Realmwalkers or friends who are new to the game, that’s okay too. There are no restrictions in terms of the level of player you can group up with when playing cooperatively - just keep in mind that lower-level players may need a bit more assistance during difficult encounters!
Once you’re in a party and sharing a Realm with other players, then you can begin your adventure together. Here are a few things you can expect:
Establishing Your Home
If you and your party dream of sharing a Realm to call home, then there are a couple of things you’ll need to do. Players can set their ‘Respite Realm’ (aka home Realm) by placing down an ‘Estate Cairn’ (this acts as a beacon transmitting through the multi-Realmic void, always guiding you back to your estate). Each player can set one ‘Respite Realm’ at a time, so if you all want to live in the same Realm, then you’ll each need to place your cairns in that specific Realm.
Similarly, anyone who sets a location as their ‘Respite Realm’ can return to that Realm and play, regardless of whether or not their other party members are online. This way groups can play asynchronously without needing a third-party hosting platform!
To Share or Not To Share
When traveling with your friends, loot chests from completing encounters are instanced per player (unlike loot you find or gain elsewhere in the Realms). Also, if you want to trade or give items to your party members, you can do that by dropping the item you want to share. Sharing is caring!
Adventuring with Friends
Quests, on the other hand, are tracked per player. Each player will need to complete the various quest steps to progress further. However, in the majority of cases, players are always able to join friends to help each other out and are not restricted by individual completion levels. When it comes to encounters like fighting an Apex creature: if the encounter is completed with everyone in the group participating in the encounter, everyone will reap the benefits/get the same completion rewards.
We wish you the best of luck as you traverse the Faewilds of Nightingale, whether you choose to do it alone or with a choice coterie of fellow Realmwalkers. We look forward to seeing you when the portals to Early Access open on 22nd February, 2024.
Developer Update
Heya Realmwalkers,
We just published our latest developer update video that covers: ⭐ A server stress test reminder and how to sign up ⭐ Highlights from the November playtest ⭐ Adjustments we're making based on feedback and the playtest experience ⭐ Some answers to commonly asked questions like, who is Puck's voice actor, if we're upgrading to Unreal 5.3, why we're playtesting pre-launch, and whether Realm Cards are additional purchases ⭐ And more!
Check out the full video here:
As always, thanks for joining us on this journey.
- The Nightingale Team Inflexion Games
Server Stress Test Announcement
In preparation for our upcoming Early Access launch, we’re inviting all aspiring Realmwalkers to help us “break the portal network” as we stress-test the Nightingale servers in early 2024. We welcome everyone to sign up for the event as it will give players eagerly anticipating the release of Nightingale a taste of the Realms before they officially open on February 22, 2024.
How to Participate:
To sign up for the playtest, all you need to do is click the “Request Access” button on our Steam page under the “Nightingale Playtest” section: Steam page.
This stress test is completely separate from any previous playtesting you may have been a part of. If you previously completed a playtesting survey or received playtesting keys, they WILL NOT grant you access to the stress test. You must sign up for the playtest on our Steam page to ensure you’re eligible.
You do not need to buy a copy of the game to participate in the stress test - participation is completely free for you!
Key Dates and Times:
In January, we'll be going into more detail about the stress test, including final information on the date and times, as well as confirming the maximum number of participants. Be sure to keep an eye out for emails, our socials, and/or Discord for more information as it becomes available.
What to Expect:
There are no bad outcomes to this test. Whether it’s all smooth connections, or the servers catch fire, the team will gain valuable information to prepare for the Early Access launch in February.
We hope that all participants can connect to the Realms and enjoy the first couple of hours of the game without interruption. However, it may be that all or some participants might experience longer than usual connection times, or may not be able to connect at all. Whatever happens, we’ll be with you the whole way, communicating through the Official Discord [join here].
Wrap Up:
Don't miss out on the chance to be a part of Nightingale's journey from development to launch! Sign up for the stress test on our Steam page, and get ready to immerse yourself in a world of magick and adventure. We can't wait to see you, and together, let's make Nightingale an unforgettable experience for all Realmwalkers!
Playtest Summary: November 2023
Heya Realmwalkers,
We're currently working on a Developer Update video with additional information from the playtest, but we thought we'd share some stats and player-submitted screenshots with you all in the meantime:
A huge thank you once again to everyone who participated in the last playtest and to everyone else following our journey.
- The Nightingale Team Inflexion Games
The Nightingale Closed Playtest Is Now Live!
Greetings Realmwalkers,
The Realms are now open for the latest Nightingale closed playtest. If you’ve played before, previously received a key, or secured a key for this playtest then now’s the time to jump in and explore the mysteries of the FaeWilds.
Please check your emails for further details on the playtest (it may be in your spam/junk/promotion folders - search for emails from contact [at] playnightingale [dot] com), including links to the private playtesting Discord and feedback boards.
We hope to see you in the Realms.
The Nightingale Team
Inflexion Reflections: October 2023
-- ALL VISUALS ARE FROM NIGHTINGALE ALPHA AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE --
It's that time again to sneak into our studio folders and uncover what the team has been up to over the last month.
But, before we do that, let's talk a little bit about our last Developer Update. In short, we finished our latest closed playtest in the beginning of September and got a lot of insightful feedback from our playtesters. Right now, we are busying ourselves with implementing some new QoL features, as well as improving a few other systems ahead of our next playtest (more details on that to come).
If you want to hear more about how the last playtest went, get some context on our Early Access launch, and see some awesome cosplay from gamescom, then check out the video below.
Now, for some new fun stuff...
Estate-of-the-Art
We've added new Estate sets! You will have seen a glimpse of this Estate set in the last trailer, so we thought we should make it official. Here is the beautiful Pagoda Estate set. We will be showing more Estate sets in detail on our socials and in future updates.
More Curious Points of Interest
As always, we want to continue to fill the Realms with fantastical locations, or, POIs (Points of Interest). Here's a look at a few that our team has created for the adventurous Realmwalker.
Water, Water, Everywhere...
Our new water VFX is making a real splash in Nightingale. And what better way to show it off than with some shots of sun-soaked beaches. Even a Realmwalker needs a moment to get swept away with chill sea vibes.
Adansonia Digitata
That's the fancy way of saying: Baobab Trees! Who doesn't like a nice Baobab tree? We definitely do. So, we thought they'd fit nicely in Nightingale.
Ooh, Shiny!
We made minerals shinier in the game not only to make them pretty to look at, but also easier to differentiate them from other rocks.
SCHIST
SHIMMERING
TIN
ZINC
Bug of the Month
Puck, we saw you. No need to pretend like you weren't waiting for us all this time...
September 2023 Dev Update: Early Access, Latest Playtest, and More!
Heya Realmwalkers,
We have a new Developer Update for you all that covers: ⭐ August playtest details & challenges ⭐ What we're working on post-playtest ⭐ Quality of Life feature updates ⭐ What Early Access means to us ⭐ & More!
Watch it here:
As always, thanks for joining us on this journey.
- The Nightingale Team Inflexion Games
Gamescom Trailer & February Launch Date
For those of you who caught our gamescom trailer at Opening Night Live, you may have noticed an important announcement at the end.
We'll go into some of the trailer details later in this blog post, but for now, let's talk about the Early Access release date.
Nightingale is Launching into Early Access on February 22, 2024
"After years of dedicated work from the team, we are thrilled to announce that Nightingale will enter Early Access on February 22nd, 2024. That date is a few months later than we previously announced. But as a studio, we’re committed to quality, and we take player satisfaction very seriously. We want to ensure that the game delivers on the expectations of our community, who have played a vital role in the development to date. We strive to ensure that Nightingale not only fulfills our vision but also becomes a cherished place for our players to explore and discover with their friends for many years to come,"says Aaryn Flynn, CEO of Inflexion Games
While we hope you share our excitement about our confirmed Early Access release date, we understand that some of you may also be wondering why the shift from Fall 2023.
This new release date provides us with additional time to test and make the right choices to deliver the experience that we know our players expect and deserve. We are going to take the extra time to prioritize refining gameplay, minimizing bugs, and ensuring that our Early Access fulfills the promise of what Nightingale can be. So, to answer some questions you probably have:
Q. Will Nightingale still be launching into Early Access? A. It sure will! We're treating Early Access launch very seriously - ensuring that it has substance and delivers on player expectations. Early Access gives players a chance to participate in development - something that we've already begun with our playtests - and it gives the team a unique opportunity to explore new ideas with a live community. We'll be regularly iterating and improving the game throughout Early Access, adding new content along the way. We want to make sure we give it the best start possible.
Q. How much is Nightingale going to be? A. It is currently planned to launch at $29.99 USD (other territories to come).
Q. Does this mean Nightingale will launch with no bugs? A. We can't promise a zero-bugs launch, but we are working hard to make sure that our Early Access release is smooth and, above all else, fun to play.
Q. Can we expect a lot more content with the additional time? A. While we have some more content we haven't talked about publicly, we're focused on polishing what we have now. That may mean some small quality-of-life additions, but we're not expecting to add significant scope to the game at this time.
Q. Did upgrading to 5.2 impact the launch date? A. While this did take some developer hours, this launch date would have happened even if we had stayed in 5.1.
Q. Will there be more playtests? A. We're still discussing this internally, but likely it will come down to the results of our upcoming playtest (of which, invites have already been sent). The best place to keep informed about any potential future playtests is our Discord: https://discord.gg/playnightingale.
Q. I still have lots of questions about the game and want to see more, you're not going to go radio silent, are you? A. That's not in the plan, no! In fact, we're currently writing our next Developer Update, working on short-form video content and discussing other ways to show you all what we're working on. If there's something you want to see more of, kindly let us know via our various social platforms!
New Stuff from the Trailer
Swimming This was the first trailer that shows off that your Realmwalker does, in fact, know how to swim! Be careful though, as swimming can be exhausting.
Fae Tower A mysterious place teaming with Bound? Get a glimpse at what awaits you in Fae Towers.
New Clothing Items We've added some more clothing items! All of the outfits in the trailer can be unlocked and crafted in the game!
Bhutan Building Set Those with keen eyes will have spotted a new Estate style. We're going to showcase it more in the coming months, so make sure to follow our social channels for additional builds using this building set.
Sun Giant These creatures are generally curious and intrigued by gifts from Realmwalkers, but if you decide to take one of them on, be ready for a tough fight. They can use their magick to turn the sands against you.
Automaton Knight A new addition to the Automata line, unlike many of its kin, it is a fierce aggressor who will actively defend other Automatons. Armed with a vicious beam of energy - part magick and part electricity - even the most intrepid Explorer steers clear lest they be reduced to smoldering ash.
New Enchantments We've been adding some more enchantments behind the scenes, and you can catch a glimpse of a few of them in the trailer. From fire and lightning ammo to Rescission and Realmic Preservation magick, we're excited to share what we've been doing in future community updates.
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Phew! You made it to the end!! To everyone who continues to share their support and understanding throughout this journey with us, we appreciate you so much. We cannot do this without you.
Much love,
- The Nightingale Team at Inflexion Games
See you at gamescom!
Heya Realmwalkers,
Have you got your eye on gamescom? So do we!
Whether you can join us physically or virtually, here's what you can expect from our gamescom activities this year:
Opening Night Live
We'll be at Opening Night Live this year with a brand-new trailer. Keep an eye out for it as the whole trailer was captured in-game and shows off a sneak peek at a brand new creature from the Faewilds.
For details on Opening Night Live and where to watch it, check out their website here.
Gamescom Booth
This is the first time we'll have an appearance on the public show floor, and we're super excited about it!
Come check out our life-sized Fae Portal and take photos with Puck and Lady in Red cosplayers. Share your photos online for a chance to win some hardware, including a custom Nightingale Intel PC Desktop, Intel hardware, and Nightingale merchandise.
For contest details or just to say hi, drop by the Level Infinite booth in Hall 6.
Things to Look Out For
We'll be showing off the game to media and content creators throughout the show, so keep an eye out for coverage online! We'll try to share some highlights on the platform formerly known as Twitter and over on our Discord.
We hope to see some of you there!
- The Nightingale Team at Inflexion Games <3
July 2023 Dev Update: Playtest Details, Third-Person Mode, Next Steps and More
Heya Realmwalkers,
We have a new Developer Update for you all that covers: ⭐ June playtest details & challenges ⭐ What we're working on post-playtest ⭐ Third-person mode ⭐ Quality of Life feature updates ⭐ & More!
