We are excited to announce that the much-anticipated demo for Spells & Secrets is now available! 🎉 This is your chance to dip your toes into the magical world we've been meticulously crafting and experience firsthand the enchanting realm that awaits within the halls of Greifenstein Castle.
The demo version offers a robust sneak peek into the game, including the completion of the first act. Here, you'll get to interact with the world 🌍, learn the basics of spell-crafting 🔮, meet some of the characters 👥, and perhaps face a few challenges that require the use of your newfound magical skills 💫.
🐞 Your Feedback Matters
It's also important to us to thoroughly test the game. We've spent hours finding and fixing as many bugs as possible. However, if you do encounter anything unexpected or have any feedback about the game, please don't hesitate to use the in-game report function 📝 or contact us on Discord. We're also active here on Steam and will do our best to answer all your questions.
🚀 Ready for the Full Magical Journey?
Enjoyed the demo and can't wait to explore more of Greifenstein Castle and its magical secrets? We've got great news! You can add the full version of Spells & Secrets to your Steam wishlist now to be notified when it's released. Don't miss out on the magic!
In the spirit of magic and camaraderie, we'd like to extend our sincerest thanks to you for joining us on this spellbinding journey. We can't wait for you to uncover all the secrets that Greifenstein Castle holds. Here's to magic, adventure, and an unforgettable journey ahead. Thank you and let the magic guide you!
We are excited to announce that the much-anticipated demo for Spells & Secrets is now available! 🎉 This is your chance to dip your toes into the magical world we've been meticulously crafting and experience firsthand the enchanting realm that awaits within the halls of Greifenstein Castle.
The demo version offers a robust sneak peek into the game, including the completion of the first act. Here, you'll get to interact with the world 🌍, learn the basics of spell-crafting 🔮, meet some of the characters 👥, and perhaps face a few challenges that require the use of your newfound magical skills 💫.
🐞 Your Feedback Matters
It's also important to us to thoroughly test the game. We've spent hours finding and fixing as many bugs as possible. However, if you do encounter anything unexpected or have any feedback about the game, please don't hesitate to use the in-game report function 📝 or contact us on Discord. We're also active here on Steam and will do our best to answer all your questions.
🚀 Ready for the Full Magical Journey?
Enjoyed the demo and can't wait to explore more of Greifenstein Castle and its magical secrets? We've got great news! You can add the full version of Spells & Secrets to your Steam wishlist now to be notified when it's released. Don't miss out on the magic!
In the spirit of magic and camaraderie, we'd like to extend our sincerest thanks to you for joining us on this spellbinding journey. We can't wait for you to uncover all the secrets that Greifenstein Castle holds. Here's to magic, adventure, and an unforgettable journey ahead. Thank you and let the magic guide you!
it's time again to show you what we're working on. Today I want to tell you in more detail about the factions and what you can earn from them!
Spells & Secrets - Student factions
You will encounter 4 different student factions in Spells & Secrets. The student faction feature was unlocked on Kickstarter at the stretch goal of 100,000€ and we have talked about it briefly in the past.
Each faction teaches you a spell. All faction spells can be upgraded 3 times and can't be modified by artifacts.
To unlock unique faction apparel you will need to improve your reputation in that faction.
Members of the Dreamdancers are creative minds who love to have fun and express themselves in the way they live their lives.
✨ Faction spell - Imitate: Transform yourself into a copy of your target. You can not copy bosses, humans, or reward containers. Copying any prop for the first time will add it to your collection.
Members of the Shinehunters are curious explorers who yearn for adventure and want to experience the wonders of the world.
In the gallery, you will find all the artifacts you unlock during the game. This means that you can always go to the gallery and equip yourself before heading on your next adventure.
✨ Faction spell - Reclaim: Imprint the last artifact you picked up into your mind, consuming it and granting its effect to you at all times. Using this spell while not holding any artifact will clear your current imprint. You can only have a single artifact imprinted at any time. Imprinting any artifact for the first time will add it to your collection.
About: Grünwächter / Greenguard (location: Park)
Members of the Greenguard are supportive souls who cherish their friendships and appreciate the gifts of mother nature.
The park is a beautiful outdoor area that you can populate with all the little animals and monsters you find in the course of the game if you manage to make friends with them - Catch them all 😉.
✨ Faction spell - Partner: Make any non-boss, non-human target your companion or target a companion to heal it. A companion becomes your ally and will follow you around. You can only have a single companion at any time. Making any creature your companion for the first time will add it to your collection.
About: Feuerklinge / Fireblade (location: Hall)
Members of the Fireblades have competitive personalities and are students who strive for perfection. They like to prove their skills in magical contests.
For all those who prefer to train before setting off on an adventure, this is exactly the right place to do so! Practice the spells you've already learned and face defeated enemies again to improve your skills. You will find the training area in the hall!
✨ Faction spell - Rebuke: Reactively interrupt a target at a limited range. If you manage to hit your target while it is charging or channeling a spell or ability, it will become stunned and vulnerable. Defeating any boss that is under the effect of Rebuke will add it to your collection.
What is your favorite student faction? Tell me your opinion in the comments.
it's time again to tell you what we are doing and what is happening on Greifenstein! Please remember everything is still a work in progress and can change during development.
Last Call for all “Create your own statue/NPC student character” Backer
This month we'll start implementing your created statues and NPC students! All who have not yet submitted have been individually written again! This is the last call, if you are not sure if you are one of the backers please contact us!
Let’s talk about artifacts
It's time to tell you a bit more about artifacts, how they work, what they are called, and what they actually do!
I will explain the main spells to you today, all of which can be expanded and improved by artifacts! But to explain that one by one would fill a whole book 😱
In Spells & Secrets, there are currently 21 spells that can be learned gradually through experience points from the school's teachers. The artifacts, on the other hand, can be found in a School run and only there.
Artifacts can be found in the School in such containers
And as you can see in the picture below, there are a lot of artifacts. Each spell has its own unique 8 artifacts. If you haven't learned a particular spell yet, you won't get artifacts for it.
Enough talk, we would like to show you the influence of artifacts in the game using Magic Missile and Telekinesis.
Environment polishing
You may not notice it directly, but the rooms all look much livelier because of all the little things that show that students live here! A backpack here, books there, floating candelabras above your heads, casting their shadows as you experience your adventures!
General Overview
Music is implemented in the right places
VFX/Audios of the enemies are worked out
Special rooms for Q&A are built in if any abnormalities during testing need to be checked again.
Quick cheat UI is implemented so the porting can be done and tested faster for the consoles 😉
The story is in progress ( working on dialogues)
all puzzles are technically implemented with different variants where possible
working on balancing (Enemy distribution, health, damage, etc)
Wizard and witches - don’t forget to tell your friends to follow and wishlist Spells & Secrets on Steam! It’s a great way to support our team and keep up to date on all the amazing things happening in the school of Greifenstein. You can also follow us on Twitter
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We can’t wait to bring the endless rogue-like fun of Spells & Secrets to you, and we’ll be back again soon with more news.
I know you can't wait to read what's happening at Greifenstein Castle! The whole team is back from the holiday vacation and ready to get to work ( not that we were lazy on vacation 😉)
Please remember everything is still a work in progress and can change during development.
Closed Beta for all Backers (over 20€)
I know some of you are still waiting to get started, so here's a reminder: The close beta round will take place in February (probably at the end of February), so don't worry we haven't forgotten anyone and when we´ll send out these keys all backers who backed for early access will get a Steam key and can get their hands on!!
Complete new floor - The Classrooms
In the last weeks, we've made a completely new, never shown floor - the classrooms. But I have a confession for the screenshots my colleague played in GOD MODE so that nothing goes wrong 😅.
New Enemy type
Let me introduce you to a couple of enemies never shown before! Because we don't have final names for the new opponents yet, we're eager to hear some suggestions.
Question: How would you name them?
When you lift this opponent in the air, he starts to swim in the air ... totally cute :D
Hub redesign + co-op activities
The schoolyard/hub was pretty empty for a very long time, so we hired a construction company to redesign the schoolyard. Now the players in the hub can try out their spells or play some games in co-op mode.
Faction clothes
The unique extra for all of you who are looking for special clothes that are not simply available at the beginning of school to choose from the character editor. As you are completing tasks for the various factions, you earn points and increase your reputation. Thus, you can unlock the following great outfits!
Disclaimer: For each new character you create, you can earn and unlock them again.
Kickstarter exclusive clothes
We have already come up with the first ideas for your Kickstarterrexclusivee clothing and are testing them in the game! What do you think of our ideas?
General Information
Now a small overview of things we have done but which we can not yet present.
There will be short story sequences, i.e. in that time you won't be able to do much other than complete the given task. This is not a typical video sequence.
Attention, friendly fire will always work even if you are fighting a boss in co-op mode.
Bosses will also get a mini dialogue.
Objective: At the top left of the screen you will see your taskbar, in case you don't remember what you wanted to do while exploring.
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You have questions? Just drop them in the comments!
Submissions for the event will close on Sunday 02/05 at 5pm PST, after which we will announce the winners the following week and ask them to privately send us a photo of themselves and the person they want to be drawn with on the final artwork. The artwork is by Dyru_jk, so feel free to have a look at her drawing to get an idea of the characters' style.
tonight you can watch Spells & Secrets during The MIX! Tune in and watch this fantastic showcase together with us! October 27th @ 10AM PT // 1PM ET // 6PM BST
Enclosed I have very important information for you
We have teamed up with Merge for the Spells & Secrets project! Why have we done this? This gives us the opportunity to release Spells & Secrets not only on PC and Nintendo Switch but on the current gen consoles (PS5, Xbox Series S/X) at the same time! Merge will help us with porting and Marketing to get the best out of Spells & Secrets as possible for you! There is just one little thing we had to change! There will be no public early access on Steam. Don't worry, you as our bakers who paid-for early access will of course get it! It will probably be an exclusive closed early access for you next year!
If you have any questions about it, please just write us!
Soon I´ll share more information about the Spell Upgrade System and what happens when we save a classmate!?
KS Bonus Games + Dev Update and your student NPC´s
Hey my schoolmates,
Let´s start into witchtober with some insides about Greifenstein and how our journey is going!
Disclaimer: Remember, everything is still work in progress!
WIP: Isn´t it awesome to have a closer look at the statue of Greifenstein?
WIP: Teachers you´ll meet, what could their names be?
WIP: Landing platform, take a closer look at the textures.
WIP: Teacher and other students, what do you think about the sundial?
WIP: Habitat, doesn´t it look comfy and cozy?
WIP: Doesn't the library also invite you to browse and read?
WIP: Oh, do you think she's a strict teacher?
WIP: more teachers 😉
Your own NPC´S
Finally, you will get access to the character creator to create an NPC that will soon be seen at Greifenstein Castle! Don't panic, you don't have to use complicated access or export channels. You will get the mail with a Steam key that will grant you access next week, then just let your imagination run wild and when you are done you will see in the editor itself how to export the character. You will also have a form included in the mail through which you send us your final character, please! Absolutely and most importantly, please think very carefully about the name you want to give the character and name it the same in the editor! Think very well because it is final as soon as you send us the character!
BOOM your imagination will be part of Spells & Secrets!
Bonus Games ahead!
Finally, I know you´re all waiting for us to send out the bonus games you choose! We want to start next week with exactly that, you´re all getting your bonus games to cover the time until you can play Spells & Secrets!
Please make sure you don´t suddenly change your mailing address! Meanwhile, I´ll check the addresses of those who have not received any surveys to solve the issue and to make sure that also you get your bonus games and all the other things you have chosen.
I am so excited and can't wait to see your creations!
Don´t forget to jump on our Discord if you have questions or issues!
Hey, you magical people out there! It's time I update and show you what we have done so far and you can see how Greifenstein Castle comes to life.
Please note that the screenshots show still a work in progress and things can change. These progress is from the last weeks!
Mirror Mirror on the wall, show us ......the different factions!
First look area Faction 1
Current Status area Faction 1 Wait you want to know what you can do here? On these pedestals are collected all the items into which you have shoved yourself! Yes you read right!
First look Faction 2
Current status area Faction 2 Are you able to collect all 112 artifacts? How many you already have will be shown here!
First Look area Faction 3
Current status area Faction 3 This is the habitat, you will be able to befriend the monsters you are fighting against! I´ll show you soon how this will work! 😉 In the meantime every one of them you manage to make your friend will appear here in this habitat und you can always visit them or fight again against them and even choose one to follow you into a Dungeon and to fight for you, but be carefull don´t let your friend die!
First look area Faction 4
Current status area Faction 4 Here you can always compete again against opponents (bosses) that you have already defeated to refine your skills and develop strategies with which spells and potions you can best progress! Or duel with your co-op friend and see who is the best 😉
One of my favorites, the stars 💫
You have questions or feedback? Feel free to leave us a comment!
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