Aureus

The development has recently encountered a couple of obstacles and pitfalls, but guess what. I *think* the new version of the demo is working. : ) It still needs some additional testing, would you like to help me with that?
You can download it here!
Does it start for you, can you play it? At one point, the Mac version was crushing out after saving. I hope it’s fixed. : P
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And if you wonder what has changed since the last version but you plan to wait for the full game, here are some highlights, just for context:
the available content has tripled - you can visit four new areas (each one is significantly different) and engage in three complex dialogues that they involve a completely new music was introduced the in-game journal now includes a chapter that summarizes interesting clues related to various NPCs the inventory screen is completely redesigned and much more convenient area illustration and inventory icons were updated text parser that don’t need to support capital letters, like the one in the dolmen, don’t use them anymore various bits of dialogues and interactions were enhanced various spelling / phrasing fixes new menu screen bugs were eliminated - unless?

I'm glad it looks interesting to you! : D
I'll avoid RNG world generation and focus on making a single playthrough (even though it'll involve many decisions and branching) as fun as I can. I generally think that refreshing the game through world randomization is something that should be left for the games that are focused on gameplay or player's own imagination which fills the canvas by itself, and I'm more interested in storytelling and worldbuilding. I myself usually play various games only once, and I think it's OK to have games that are not meant to be played for 80+ hours. : P
I won't dive into romance. Rather friendships, since they interest me much more... And taking sides. Manipulation. Calculating your approach to various NPCs and role-playing through these decisions. I want to think about dialogues as a part of the core fun, not just a plot delivery tool. Having dialogues lasting for 5, 10, 15 minutes are something to expect. : )
I had in mind forming parties, but right now I think I should not add it as a minor feature, but rather make it a core of another game.

Roadwarden is an interactive fiction 
in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm.

Everyone knows to stay away from the wilderness. Most people would never risk a lonely journey.
Roadwardens not only accept this struggle, they embrace it. They deliver messages, assist merchants, burn human corpses and, if possible, get rid of beasts and highwaymen.
They live on the road, die young or retire early.
It’s a dangerous job, but a respectable one. And it pays well.

Main Features:
Explore and change the world. Travel through a detailed fantasy setting filled with secrets, challenges and uniquely harsh lore. Have immersive conversations. To gain support of dozens of NPCs, you need to earn their trust during complex dialogues and sidequests. Create your own character through role-playing and decisions. Shape your background, abilities, beliefs and personality. Unveil the local mysteries. Investigate, use your wit and make connections to understand the true nature of this realm. Overcome your weaknesses. The wilderness is full of dangers and you can trust nobody. Find your path to success against all odds. You can find more information as well as the free demo on the game's website!






So, what do you think? Have you got any idea how can we call this game's genre? : P

The development has recently encountered a couple of obstacles and pitfalls, but guess what. I *think* the new version of the demo is working. : ) It still needs some additional testing, would you like to help me with that?
You can download it here!
Does it start for you, can you play it? At one point, the Mac version was crushing out after saving. I hope it’s fixed. : P
----------------------------------
And if you wonder what has changed since the last version but you plan to wait for the full game, here are some highlights, just for context:
the available content has tripled - you can visit four new areas (each one is significantly different) and engage in three complex dialogues that they involve a completely new music was introduced the in-game journal now includes a chapter that summarizes interesting clues related to various NPCs the inventory screen is completely redesigned and much more convenient area illustration and inventory icons were updated text parser that don’t need to support capital letters, like the one in the dolmen, don’t use them anymore various bits of dialogues and interactions were enhanced various spelling / phrasing fixes new menu screen bugs were eliminated - unless?

I have just this little thing to share, a hidden in-game detail.
 
Not every character starts the game with this item, and I’m sure some players won’t notice its hidden interaction. If you wear it, various NPCs react to your presence in new ways.
 
 
So, are you going to wear it all the time, proud of your beliefs? Are you going to keep it hidden, hoping to avoid quarrels? Is it just a tool for you, something that you hide or show depending on who’s around you?
 
How do you play your role?
 

It’s time to share something larger than a picture. The music presented in Roadwarden’s demo was waiting for replacement. Now we have quite a massive list of original tracks that still need a couple of adjustments, yet are already very close to the game’s heart.
It’s difficult to select and highlight a single track, but here’s the one that I love the most. It immediately takes me to a wild, dangerous forest. I want to keep the sounds a bit anxious, emotionally vague, without directly telling the players what they are supposed to feel.
I really like it when fantasy video games don’t sink into the usual epic orchestras.
So, do you love it, do you hate it? Let me know, I’m so excited to upload it today!
 

Hi there!
I’m currently editing some of the older scenes in the game, including the tutorial-prologue scenes, preparing to share the current version of the game with some testers. There’s so much new content that needs some additional feedback, and I keep finding (and fixing) annoying bugs... I’m both excited and terrified. : P
 
 
 
 

Would you like to make an offering?
 
 
 
 

Hi there!
I’m currently editing some of the older scenes in the game, including the tutorial-prologue scenes, preparing to share the current version of the game with some testers. There’s so much new content that needs some additional feedback, and I keep finding (and fixing) annoying bugs... I’m both excited and terrified. : P
 
 
 
 

After over 3 weeks of writing new dialogues, events, items, interactions and one large side quest for Roadwarden, all of this content is finally a part of the actual game.
Here are some of the latest advancements:
1. An example of how combat looks in the game. As well as the “escorting” quests. No grinding for XP, no following a character for 5-10 minutes. A couple of simple clicks, decision making and if you can, you prepare yourself before the encounter happens. Nice and sweat, with an open field for role-playing.
 
 
2. Time is going to matter, just as intended. If you postpone the quest for too long, you can still complete it - but it won’t be a happy end for the quest giver. Also, you can express how your character is perceiving this situation.
 
 
3. My English improves with practice, and I have in plans taking a huge step back and editing the entire tutorial section. Yikes.
 
 
4. IDK, I just really like this NPC. : P So far, I like all of my NPCs. You will be able to recognize which ones I don’t like by measuring how little to do and dialogues they have attached to them.
 
 
5. New inventory section! It still requires some improvements, but it’s not too bad!
 
I’m really getting better at adding the content to the game files - in the beginning, I was spending days fixing broken code and trying to figure out how it should be actually organized. Now? A couple of mistakes, some oversights, a couple of hours and bam, everything works just fine.

It’s difficult to decide what to showcase today, I hope it’s fine if I drop a whole bunch of pics:
 
Here are some of the latest advancements:
1. The Roadwarden's world is growing! New areas are now also visible on the traveling map.
 
 
2. I'm currently writing a detailed scene for the ruined village that I've shared here before. The overall "exploration" system of this area is all set and done, and works completely fine. My later edits will surely change various areas and add some new content, but I'm happy about where this is going.
 
 
 
 
3. The shop screen is now much easier to comprehend and simply prettier. Thanks to the "Trade" button in the quick menu, you can also open the shop without having to choose a specific dialog option during a conversation.
 
 
 
4. The new section of the journal will now include NPC descriptions and, even more importantly, names. It's a solution born from necessity - I can't expect that everyone is going to remember all the character names and detailed information about them.
 
 
5. The dialogue I'm currently working on... Is referencing Scottish accents too cliche for fantasy writing in 2019? : P
 
 
And, of course, new rewrites, bug fixes, new content, quests...

I’ve made a huge progress as far as the graphics go. I now have enough material to spend a couple of weeks writing dialogues, encounters and modifying the game’s features. I need to make some large changes, and all of them are going to be great.
 
Here are some examples of the latest advancements:
1. The druids’ cave, locked behind a metal door. What can be found inside? Is it just a shelter, a prison, a treasure chamber? After all the first things you see when you get nearby, are the garden patches with herbs and veggies.
And you can see how much your feedback can impact the picture.

2. The shop screen is looking much better now, though it still needs some work. Next stop - adding a separate icon to display the money in player’s possession, replacing parts of the item descriptions.

3. A camp in a destroyed building, a part of the ruined village presented here last week. Iron and steel are rare and valuable resources, no wonder that someone would try to scavenge for them in an old, abandoned settlement.

I don’t have enough time to take care of all the ideas I want to pursue right now, but there’s a good chance that a new version of the demo is going to be available in August, Though maybe not, maybe I should focus on developing all of the core areas that the player can visit and quests they can be a part of.
I would love to know what you think!
(Bonus devlog!)
 

Roadwarden is an interactive fiction 
in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm.

Everyone knows to stay away from the wilderness. Most people would never risk a lonely journey.
Roadwardens not only accept this struggle, they embrace it. They deliver messages, assist merchants, burn human corpses and, if possible, get rid of beasts and highwaymen.
They live on the road, die young or retire early.
It’s a dangerous job, but a respectable one. And it pays well.

Main Features:
Explore and change the world. Travel through a detailed fantasy setting filled with secrets, challenges and uniquely harsh lore. Have immersive conversations. To gain support of dozens of NPCs, you need to earn their trust during complex dialogues and sidequests. Create your own character through role-playing and decisions. Shape your background, abilities, beliefs and personality. Unveil the local mysteries. Investigate, use your wit and make connections to understand the true nature of this realm. Overcome your weaknesses. The wilderness is full of dangers and you can trust nobody. Find your path to success against all odds. You can find more information as well as the free demo on the game's website!






So, what do you think? Have you got any idea how can we call this game's genre? : P

Hi there! It’s summer sale on Steam and “Tales From Windy Meadow” is currently 20% off!

My “break” is over! I’m back into the full-dev mode and it feels great. <3
I’m working on the dialogues for the first tavern. There’s a lot of things to talk about and to do here, and guess what. You don’t even Have to come here, and if you’re aggressive toward the innkeeper, you’ll just get thrown out. Choose your Attitudes wisely!





 

The new version of the demo is now available, and not only it has multiple minor and major fixes, but also some bits of additional content.
Unless a large bug will be found, I currently assume that the version 0.3 won’t updated in the nearby future. And it should be able to fairly portray the gist of what I want Roadwarden to be.
If you haven’t played the demo before, this is the version that I would recommend. However, if you’ve already play it through, you may be interested in checking out the following changelog. A deeper look will be available on Monday, in the new devlog.
 
The Mac version is now available.
Though it’s not tested very well. If you find any issues, please let me know.
The achievements don’t kill you anymore.
I’m surprised (and relieved) that only one person have encountered this problem. From now on, clicking on the received achievement won’t crash the game.
You can switch the font to a pixel one.
Whenever you want, you can switch between a pixel-artish font (which looks nice) and the regular font (which is easier to read). The regular font is still used by default.
Now you can actually beat the game! (and unlock the worst endings)
A new icon on the map allows you to complete the game, even in the very first morning. The “ending” section doesn’t have illustrations yet, but is altered by the goal that you’ve chosen for your character.
Added new travel descriptions.
If you’re in the Southern Crossroads and move either to the dolmen or the tavern for the first time, you’ll see examples of the new travel descriptions. This tool will also make random encounters much easier to implement.
Added a couple of options to the dolmen.
Parsers in the dolmen respond now to more commands. Also, a small bug involving the secret was fixed.
Rolling back works better with various menus (like map and sleeping).
Using a mouse or keyboard to “roll back” when a map or other complex menu are displayed sometimes created issues. From now on, it will only close the displayed menus, without instantly jumping back.
Pointing at your HP is now more elegant.
It won’t cover the main narration and is generally more responsive.
Fixed some typos and rephrased a couple of things.
Among the major changes - the inventory descriptions are now significantly more polished and the “choices” are more consistent.
 
And here is the latest devlog, portraying the problems with labeling the game through traditional genres.
 
 

Hello, hello!
It was a busy week and I think I should start writing devlogs about the game’s development, highlighting new features and the general progress. I’d like to share the first post like this starting next week. : )
The coolest part of this week, however, was working on the new picture for the game. Do you remember my castle-tavern? I wanted to draw its interiors. The first attempt, which displays the exteriors as well, was a failure. It doesn’t allow to show that many details and limits the scope of furniture while also ruining the proportions, even if I’d add buttons allowing to hide and show specific floors.
 
But the new one feels great to me. For me, it feels cozy. It feels like I can’t help but imagine all the stories that started (or ended) here.
 
What do you think? Do you like it?

As it looks from the screenshots and your description, I'd say it's 50% a choose your own adventure game and 50% an RPG or simulation? Reminds of The Oregon Trail actually. I don't think there's even a proper name for these, but I'm definitely digging it. :]
Do you plan to include some forms of world randomisation and RNG, similar to something like FLT or Sunless Sea, or you're rather going for a hand-crafted world player should learn and optimize their path through? Are you planning for any interactions with the NPCs beyond side quests and flavour text (like forming parties, romance)?

I'm glad it looks interesting to you! : D
I'll avoid RNG world generation and focus on making a single playthrough (even though it'll involve many decisions and branching) as fun as I can. I generally think that refreshing the game through world randomization is something that should be left for the games that are focused on gameplay or player's own imagination which fills the canvas by itself, and I'm more interested in storytelling and worldbuilding. I myself usually play various games only once, and I think it's OK to have games that are not meant to be played for 80+ hours. : P
I won't dive into romance. Rather friendships, since they interest me much more... And taking sides. Manipulation. Calculating your approach to various NPCs and role-playing through these decisions. I want to think about dialogues as a part of the core fun, not just a plot delivery tool. Having dialogues lasting for 5, 10, 15 minutes are something to expect. : )
I had in mind forming parties, but right now I think I should not add it as a minor feature, but rather make it a core of another game.

Roadwarden is an interactive fiction 
in which you explore and change a hostile, grim realm.

Everyone knows to stay away from the wilderness. Most people would never risk a lonely journey.
Roadwardens not only accept this struggle, they embrace it. They deliver messages, assist merchants, burn human corpses and, if possible, get rid of beasts and highwaymen.
They live on the road, die young or retire early.
It’s a dangerous job, but a respectable one. And it pays well.

Main Features:
Explore and change the world. Travel through a detailed fantasy setting filled with secrets, challenges and uniquely harsh lore. Have immersive conversations. To gain support of dozens of NPCs, you need to earn their trust during complex dialogues and sidequests. Create your own character through role-playing and decisions. Shape your background, abilities, beliefs and personality. Unveil the local mysteries. Investigate, use your wit and make connections to understand the true nature of this realm. Overcome your weaknesses. The wilderness is full of dangers and you can trust nobody. Find your path to success against all odds. You can find more information as well as the free demo on the game's website!






So, what do you think? Have you got any idea how can we call this game's genre? : P

A fantasy website Exilian made an interview with me! We talk in it about Tales From Windy Meadow, more specifically, topics like:
writing about characters that struggle with mental and physical disadvantages,  the world in which the game is set, the development struggles (a small postmortem?), the significance of selecting pixel art as an art-style for the game.

Marcel Weyers, a very kind writer from Germany, took a closer look at Tales From Windy Meadow and since he found our story to be worth spreading, he decided to help us by translating it into German!
In result, I started working on all the useful tools that could make this translation come true. And since we’re doing it, it will also help us create other language versions, so we already made the first steps into creating the Polish version of the game. ^^
So yeah, I'm already after the game’s release, but I'm not resting yet! : D Are there any other languages supported by Tales From Windy Meadow that you would like to see?

Marcel Weyers, a very kind writer from Germany, took a closer look at Tales From Windy Meadow and since he found our story to be worth spreading, he decided to help us by translating it into German!
In result, I started working on all the useful tools that could make this translation come true. And since we’re doing it, it will also help us create other language versions, so we already made the first steps into creating the Polish version of the game. ^^
So yeah, I'm already after the game’s release, but I'm not resting yet! : D Are there any other languages supported by Tales From Windy Meadow that you would like to see?

Tales From Windy Meadow is now available on Steam. I wanted to create an interactive story that explores the anxieties of choosing one’s path and living in a small community.
It turned out just as I wanted it to be, but better. It’s set in my beloved fantasy setting that I’ve been working on for 10 years. It tells a slice-of-life story, not an action-adventure one. It’s a Visual Novel, but it’s not about romance nor sex. I love the music, I love how the graphics evolved since the early concept arts. I love how the dialogues improved over the years.
It’s a niche game and I understand if many of you won’t find it interesting, but I also know for some people it’s a unique, intimate experience. And I’m happy I made it.
Thank you for sharing this moment with me. ^^

It’s happening! 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 turned out great! We’re still changing some minor details, but even now we’re proud of the Visual Novel we developed. Uploading it on Steam and adding the achievements was (almost) painless and we’ll do our best to make sure that 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿!
Our journey is almost over. Thank you for supporting our project for last couple of months. ❤️