First of all, it's been a while since our last update, so thank you for your patience and continued support. We apologize for what may have been perceived as a lack of communication on our part. However, you can rest assured that the development is going smoothly, and the release is getting closer than ever. We will do our best to keep communication going via multiple channels, including a new series of devlogs. Please make sure to wishlist and follow Ragtag Crew to receive all the latest updates the moment they arrive.
Greetings, misfits.
Before you set out to beat the living sand out of a bunch of folks using your fists, guns, and philosophical inquiry, it might be a good idea to review some basics.
The Map
You can drag the map to view your charted journey in full. Hope the sight doesn’t break your spirit
This ain’t a holiday brochure. In fact, this thing might just save your life… or not. Each point on the map is its own journey: are you going to buy some gear, get ambushed by monsters, or get turned into mincemeat for showing a single act of kindness in this merciless world? The choice is yours. Kinda.
Still, the icons do give you some idea of what you can expect. Here are some of them:
Wasteland. Get used to the desert, you are in one, after all. These locations will put you to the test with combat challenges and other surprises. Is your party a well-oiled machine or just a band of deviants after all?
Ruins. Every barren world has got a sappy backstory. Thankfully, that’s not what we're in for here: your team’s gotta survive, and ancient gear’s the ticket. Loot the place, or die trying.
Settlement. Spend your blood-drenched and gray-matter-stained coins here. Hear the woes of the townsfolk or get clobbered on the head by them.
Training camp. Spend cash to train and level up. No training montage included.
Oasis. Sometimes, we can have nice things. Or can we? …how about you discover the rest on your own? Isn’t this what gaming is about?
Team make-up
This screen also lets you choose your difficulty level
Your squads always come in threes. Just the perfect amount for love triangles and needless drama. You can try to outsmart your destiny with the team creator or leave it up to fate. If you do decide to play God, do take note of your characters’ background and personality. The Background determines your crew member’s sorry life story up until this point. This determines their initial skills, abilities, and appearance. Roleplay your heart out. Personality here determines how your character acts in the present. This always comes with one negative and one positive trait. This all affects your character’s skills, the way they speak, and the manner of interaction with their crewmates and surroundings. No Mary Sues get to survive the Wasteland.
Being this buff and having zero persuasion? Impossible
Crew members can’t get the same background or personality. That'd make things pretty boring, wouldn't it? Now go and try minmax the system. We dare you.
Companions
Think of it as the crew pet. Just maybe don't give it a name...
Remember how we said you only get three crew members? Well, we might’ve lied a bit. During your run, you might get one extra companion willing to tag along just this once. To meet a companion, you have to stumble your way to a rare event, and then try to get on top. If you do join up, they will be accompanying you until their last breath, acting as a fourth party member. They will also heal during rest, and might help you with certain events. But if they’re gone — that’s it!
This was just a taste of what's to come as the game's zeroing in on its release. Expect more in-depth info and hardcore survivor strats in the upcoming devlogs. Just try your best not to bite the sand until then. See you soon.
See us at Tacticon
Hello, everyone!
First of all, we wanted to apologize for the long radio silence. Sadly, we had to part ways with our publisher and start looking for a new one. We’re doing everything we can to resolve this issue.
Now to the good news, we’re participating in Tacticon! Come check it out!
Opening the demo for the Tiny Teams event
Greetings!
Ragtag Crew is taking part in the Tiny Teams event, which will take place from August 1 to 8. In honor of this joyful news, we're reopening the demo and inviting you to play.
The game will be released very soon! Add the game to your Wishlist, and join our Discord.
Regards, Ragtag Crew.
Devlog #42 - The imperfect traits of your characters
Greetings!
In Ragtag Crew, traits will heavily influence the minds and bodies of your party; the desert will change your characters.
At the beginning of the game, each team member will have a specific character trait, which will have its advantages and disadvantages in combat. For example, the Daredevil is daring and fights fiercely (+chance for critical success) - he's also an Adrenaline Junkie who is reckless and rushes into battle (this can be a hindrance).
The desert is a dangerous place and characters can suffer serious mental and physical damage, such as "Head Trauma" or "Nightmares." This will negatively impact a fight and can have long-lasting effects.
You can get rid of negative traits, but it isn't going to be easy. Only a doctor can remove these conditions and there aren't many of them out in the desert. Your character may have to live with their flaws for the rest of the journey.
However, fortunate coincidences and particularly impressive events can leave your characters with positive traits, like "Determination" or "Lizard Tattoos." Who needs personal growth when you can just use mechanical implants?
Some traits, like "Inspired" and "Upset" are fleeting and will only last until the next rest, while others will last forever. The views of your characters are not immune to the influence of the desert. Only time will tell how they see the world in Ragtag Crew.
Meanwhile, be on your guard in the wilderness!
Four days until the demo closes
Greetings!
There are 4 days left until the end of the Steam Next Fest digital event. That means you only have 4 more days to play. Hurry up and play now!
Send your feedback and join our Discord, where you can ask questions about the game.
Play the new demo!
Greetings!
Ragtag Crew is participating in the Steam Next Fest. The event is a digital showcase where you can try out hundreds of demos, watch developer broadcasts, and talk to developers about their upcoming games.
From June 13 to June 20, we're releasing a new Ragtag Crew demo! Travel across the desert with a team of companions, fight unusual enemies, and form or break bonds.
Play, stream, write reviews, and join our Discord to chat with other players and share your gaming experiences.
Play new demo now!
Hello, adventurers!
Our brave heroes are participating in the DreamHack Beyond event.
Can you guess what we have in store for you? That's right, a new demo!
Hurry up and download it, play, enjoy it, don't forget to post your videos and screenshots and tag us in your social networks.
Devlog #41: Life in the Wasteland
Sit down, my child, and let me tell you about life in the wasteland. Why do you look so miserable?! In my time, we respected our elders. Now, come closer, and maybe you'll learn something.
Yes, the old order was no match for today. Huge cities grew out of the sands in the desert, and marvelous technology was available to mankind at the snap of a finger. The whole world was in the palm of our hands, sometimes too much so. But all of that was changed by the Exodus and the Great War. I know you're wondering about who was involved in the war, but there's no point in uttering those godforsaken names aload. The important thing to remember is that those ancient cities are clogged with deadly machines, and our past is lost forever.
And now, well, we live in the filth and scrounge for scraps to eat. After the war, we had to go West, deeper into the desert, and as far away from the robot-infested cities as possible. We survived in the wasteland before; we're surviving now. I'm sure the damn savages didn't notice the change at all.
A lot has changed. Every settlement wants to protect itself, and bandits prowl here and there, looking to prey on the weaker ones. Vapor Wave Inc., those corporatists, are the most like the real power. They used to make condensers to extract water from the air, but now they're so important, with an army of personal mercs and all that. You'd better not cross them, or they'll put a bounty on your head. You know what happens to people like that…
What, you don't know?! The hounds will follow your trail, you little desert worm! Not that they obey anyone except their organization, temple or whatever. They say it's because they're raised as orphans and trained from childhood to track down and kill criminals, well, supposed criminals. Just thinking about it gives me the creeps.
We may have managed to get back on our feet after fifty years, but the technology of the past is lost to us forever. Yes, the Technomancers Guild pretends to know about the artifacts of the Old Men. But they can only keep the old machines afloat for so long; they can't make something new, or even copy something old. And their own creations look childish at best.
Where do they get their shiny trinkets from? In the East! The old cities, factories and warehouses are still full of working machines. And they're worth a lot of Zinkreds, I should say! But those clean-cutters don't go there themselves. Creepy beasts, deadly robots, and other gangsters inhabit the eastern lands, so only scavengers and desperate people go there.
In fifty years, everything that could be scavenged is gone. Now, every salvage trip is a dance with death, where every wrong step leads to your untimely doom. May space help these madmen.
You want to be a scavenger?! Are you bored with life, you little fool?! Listen to me, there's no such thing as an honest hustler, a poor corporate and an old garbage man. If you want to live to my age, don't talk nonsense - help your father with the mushroom farm! You're thinking of getting rich, aren't you? Bah, there's no way for people like us to do that!
Going Rogue: A Festival of Persistence
Hey, everyone!
Ragtag Crew is taking part in Steam's Going Rogue: A Festival of Persistence, which will last from May 2 to May 9.
You'll be able to play the Ragtag Crew demo during the event! Just remember to hang in there if you fail or rejoice like crazy if you win.
We look forward to your feedback and questions about the game!
You'll also see hundreds of Roguelike games that have already been released and are about to be released, play a range of demos, and grab titles at fantastic discounts.
See you on May 2 at 09:00 PST.
Devlog #40: Combat Challenges
Hello, everyone!
In our last newsletter, we showed you the different relationships your characters can have with each other, and how you can influence these emotions. Today, we're showing off the easiest way to do this: combat challenges!
Combat Challenges are unique events that allow you to improve the moods of your characters. If you succeed, that is.
Combat challenges are a great way to improve the moods of characters that have been fighting during text events. If you respect the requests of your characters, tensions may improve between some of them. Or, at least, the instigator will be in a better mood after the battle.
Each challenge will depend on different characters. For example, the cautious Lone Wolf will insist on eliminating what he thinks is the most dangerous target, while the Daredevil will give enemies a head start because he wants a real challenge! On the other hand, the Hermit will ask you not to kill fleeing enemies.
You'll be able to see the details of these combat challenges in a special window:
Be warned that challenges won't appear in every battle, but there is a high chance of that.
The combat challenges can also be tracked in the upper-right corner of the screen. Most of these tasks will go against optimal combat tactics. Fortunately, it is not necessary to complete the tasks; nothing bad will happen to the team if they fail.
Following the whims of your subordinates is your choice. Meanwhile, be on your guard in the wilderness!
