Back to the Dawn - Prison Break style RPG with animal people ala Blacksad

[LarryTyphoid]

? @lightbane, are you friends with the developer or something? It's an obvious and necessary addition to the thread's title.

Maybe "with funny animal people" is nicer than "with furries".

 

[lightbane]

Is it? Ghost of a Tale is a Gothic-style rpg that didn't get such label, even though the characters here are blatantly more animal-like. Same case with Brok, an adventure with beat-em-up elements and C&C.

What about now?

 

[Leinhart]

Oh no . First furry I don´t instantly hate ?

On all seriousness the animal art-style looks pretty good.

 

[Modron]

They released a new trailer and had a recap of their time at gamescom in this update: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1735700/view/3667672744285157402

 

[cyborgboy95]

Life Inside Boulderton Prison: Activities and Opportunities!
Greetings, Inmates!

In this article, we would like to introduce you to some of the diverse locations and areas within Boulderton Prison. Far more than just cells and barred windows, this prison lies a place full of opportunities and activities. Whether it's exploring these locations or uncovering hidden areas that lie in its shadows, every step you take is a pivotal move towards carving your own path to freedom!

Laundry Room: Earn Your Keep, One Load at a Time

In Boulderton Prison, a range of job opportunities await inmates, and one of them is the laundry room. It’s not just to wash away stains, but to make your first buck in prison. Inmates have a choice here: get hands-on with ironing, or dabble in some simple chemistry by doing some detergent mixing. Whichever job you pick, both are solid stepping stones to pocket some early cash—that is, if you can do a good job, of course!

Cafeteria: Form Friendships, Make Alliances

After a morning of work, inmates head to the cafeteria for lunch, a crucial part of the day in Boulderton Prison. Here, it's not just about refueling your energy—it’s about being strategic. Choose your table mate wisely; today’s lunch partner could be tomorrow's key ally or your newest challenge. And for those with spare cash, securing a special meal from the Cook brothers might be more than a culinary delight—it could be a strategic move to gain a friend in a lonely place.

Recreation Yard: Where Sweat Meets Strategy

As lunchtime ends, the gates to the recreation yard swing open, offering inmates a chance to burn off that mealtime energy. Whether you're dunking in basketball, hitting a home run in baseball, or flexing those muscles with weightlifting, this spot's for those inmates who believe a fit body sharpens the mind. And for the less athletic? The bleachers always welcome a good chat.

General Building: Brains Over Brawn

For inmates looking to have a quiet afternoon in a cozy environment, this indoor setting of the yard provides just that! For inmates seeking a mental or creative escape from the bustle of the recreation yard, the General Building awaits—accessible with an entry fee. Broaden your knowledge with a gripping tale from the library, let your inner artist break free with some arts and crafts, or engage in a bit of friendly (or intense?) competition at the pool or foosball table.

Throughout your time in Boulderton Prison, these areas are chapters in your unfolding story. But that's just the beginning; the prison holds more secrets than these walls suggest. There are more locations, secret areas, and unexpected opportunities lying in wait for your discovery, each a stepping stone on your path to freedom!

We're thrilled to share these intriguing locations of Boulderton Prison, and we look forward to hearing all about your daring adventures and strategies to plot your escape!

 

[Tweed]

All I'm seeing here is grind.

 

[normie]

We Have An Early Access Release Date!
Greetings, Inmates!

We're excited to share that Back to the Dawn is officially set to launch in Steam Early Access on 3rd November!

Step into the shoes of a fearless reporter, wrongly incarcerated and caught up in a deep-seated conspiracy. Navigate the confines of a maximum-security prison and engage with a diverse ensemble of animal inmates, each shrouded in their own tales and hidden motives. Rendered in captivating pixel art, your reality becomes a labyrinth of critical choices and cunning strategy, where forging alliances and mastering the prison hierarchy is as crucial as uncovering the truth. Every maneuver and decision is a step toward freedom or a plunge into deeper peril, shaping your journey where survival is just the beginning.

To help you gear up and plan the start of your prison adventure, we have prepared a handy chart below showing the Global Release Times:

Once again, a massive thank you to everyone who has been with us on this journey with Back to the Dawn. Your commitment, invaluable feedback, and unwavering enthusiasm has been nothing short of inspirational, helping shape a treacherous world that pulses with intrigue, survival, and the unyielding quest for truth behind bars. We are grateful for your support and eagerly look forward to sharing this thrilling prison adventure with you!

Lastly, if Back to the Dawn has grabbed your interest, please consider adding it to your Steam wishlist to be the first to know when the gates to Boulderton Prison open. Be sure to follow our social media accounts to stay up-to-date on all the latest news and announcements. Get ready to dive into a captivating world of intrigue and craft the ultimate prison escape!

Back to the Dawn Twitter

 

[normie]

Revealing Our Early Access Launch Price!
Greetings Inmates!

In just 1 week, Back to the Dawn will be launching on Steam Early Access, and we are looking forward to seeing how you'll each navigate your unique path to freedom!

Early Access Launch Pricing

Back to the Dawn will be priced at $19.99 USD. However, to celebrate the launch, you’ll be able to enjoy an exclusive 12% discount during the first week and grab the game for just $17.50 USD!

Also, you may recall the global release chart from our previous article. We're including it once more below for easy reference, ensuring no one misses their shot at freedom!

As the release date draws near, we are excited about sharing this riveting prison adventure with you. If you haven't already, now's the perfect time to add Back to the Dawn to your Steam wishlist and be the first to know when the game is released!

If you’re excited to mastermind your prison escape plan, we'd be truly grateful if you could spread the word. Whether it's sharing the game with friends or giving us a shout-out on social media, your support is what keeps us going!

 

[lightbane]

The Early Access "demo" is out, yes. It has at least one ending, and supposedly 20 hours of content, way more if you try to explore and do side-quests. However, currently, it seems that combat is unavoidable in the endgame, but the devs promise more variants of the endgame that might change that, as well as the second character, Bob the Black Panther, who will be available for the full version, and which I bet is a nod to Blacksad.

 

[cyborgboy95]

Our First Major Update!
Greetings, Inmates!

We hope you are well and thriving in your daring adventures within Boulderton Prison! Which escape route is your favorite so far? Let us know in the comments below!

Since our game's launch, your feedback and suggestions have been amazing, inspiring and guiding us towards making our game even better. And today, we're thrilled to announce our first ever major update, packed with feature optimizations, bug fixes, and some eagerly awaited new features that many of you have been asking for!

Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

Difficulty Selection

We understand that every player brings a unique playstyle and set of preferences to the table. That's why we've introduced a new Difficulty Selection feature. You can choose among three modes, each with their unique perks and challenges! Whether you're looking to soak in the story at a leisurely pace or push your limits with zero memory recall option, these modes will give you the freedom to shape your adventure from the very beginning. Additionally, we've added new guidance for the new game modes to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience.

New Game+

Survived your first stint in Boulderton Prison? Get ready to dive back in with New Game+! Keep all your hard-earned inmate relationships, specialties, and skills as you embark on a fresh journey. Get ready to navigate the treacherous world of Boulderton Prison, but this time being well prepared!

Feature Optimizations

• Added a feature to skip cutscenes and conversations between inmates. Now, listening to inmate conversations can be skipped by long-pressing the right mouse button, and cutscenes can be skipped via a confirmation pop-up.
• Added a feature to skip work tasks. After repeating certain tasks several times, they can be delegated to Thomas to auto-complete.
• Optimized the frequency of the Chaplain's appearance. .
• Optimized the display position of the lack of Focus Point prompt when re-rolling after a failed steal attempt, to prevent it from being obscured by the screen.
• Added a puzzle replacement option. After failing a jigsaw puzzle several times, players can choose to accumulate dice rolls instead.
• Added "Pentacles" and "The Magician" achievements.
• Added a pop-up guide for adding skill points.
• Added a new combat debuff, "Diarrhea."
• Added an Easter Egg jailbreak route.
• Added an option to mix laxatives into food and share it with your tablemate to spike them.
• After confessing the jailbreak plan to Sam, Sam will no longer engage in cover-up related conversations with Thomas.
• It's now possible to visit Reed in the hospital with Maggie or Beth under specific conditions
• Optimized the "Fish in a Tank" status. After obtaining the status, the “Weak Mind” trigger threshold is reduced by 10 points.
• Game cartridges that have been completed can now be exchanged.
• Optimized the display of the kitchen mini-game. After cooking more than 9 dishes, it no longer displays.
• If the recipient hates a gifted item, the item will remain in the player's inventory (but the Rapport will still decrease).
• In the absence of a hammer, the task of nailing together a wooden bridge in the sewer can be done using other items.
• It's no longer possible to retrieve the rope after reaching the bottom layer of the Pipe Area via the infirmary.
• Optimized the conditions to complete certain quests.
• Optimized performance issues in the “Rainy Night” and the sewer scene.
• Optimized some aspects of the tutorial interface display.
• Optimized some dialogue content.

Skill Adjustments

• Optimized the skill description for "Rumination+", which now extends duration by 100%.
• The "Ambush" status can stack up to 5 layers. Upon reaching full stacks, the "Total Hibernation" effect is activated, ensuring the next attack will hit.
• The attack effect of "Tiger Combo" is adjusted from end-of-turn to per-attack calculation. Subsequent combos triggered will no longer be affected by single-use buff consumption.
• "Pincer Smash" now includes a "guaranteed hit" effect, making the hit rate for this attack 100%.
• "Geek" has been modified to give +2 Intelligence and -1 Agility.
• Optimized the skill description for "Crushing Blow". When a critical hit is guaranteed, the hit rate is displayed as 100%.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue where skipping Angelo's main storyline visit could prevent Reed's second visit from triggering.
• Fixed a problem where entering the infirmary during the day prevented leaving through the door.
• Fixed a bug where, after successfully helping Sam during the riot, Sam did not continue providing cover-up after day 19.
• Fixed a bug where using a controller made it impossible to select "Add Skill Points" after acquiring more than 24 skills.
• Fixed a bug where the discounted price of gang store items was incorrect after joining a gang.
• Fixed a bug where games could be played without a handheld game console when in segregation.
• Fixed a bug in the Central Garden stealth challenge where incorrect point bonuses were applied.
• Fixed a bug where "Mineworld Endless Mode" could be played when the current cartridge was not "Mineworld" or the handheld game console was out of power.
• Fixed a display bug where, during the riot lockdown, moving the camera to the corridor while Thomas was in a single room showed him in the cell on the first floor.
• Fixed a bug where the "Healing Rest" skill did not remove debuffs during combat.
• Fixed a bug where playing with a handheld game console in segregation would cause the game to freeze.
• Fixed a bug where a 10% discount from activating Billy's shopping benefit disappeared when increasing his Rapport to 100.
• Fixed a bug where, after successfully declaring your feeling to Beth, choosing "Cheer her up" did not increase her Affection for you.
• Fixed a bug where replacing battery in a powerless handheld game console was not possible if there were multiple sets of batteries in your pocket and the first set contained less than four batteries.
• Fixed a bug where the "Brass Knuckles" item's buff of +4 to unarmed attacks was not effective.
• Fixed a bug where snitching on Caesar caused his position to be fixed on the second floor of the Main Building on the morning of the same day in all saves, which caused a black screen for all the inmate conversations related to him.
• Fixed a display issue where the "Galactic Knight" buff still showed even when the player did not go first in a combat.
• Fixed a problem where the "Makeshift Mask" was not effective.
• Corrected inconsistency between the buff description and the actual HP deduction for arrow wounds.

Your feedback and suggestions are important, as it helps us understand how we can improve Back to the Dawn. So please continue to share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you encounter, we are all ears! Additionally, we will launch accessibility optimizations for mini-games in the next version!

If you’re enjoying the new updates and feel that we’ve addressed your concerns, we’d appreciate it if you could consider updating your review, especially if it was previously negative. Your positive feedback not only encourages us but also helps in continuously improving Back to the Dawn!

 

[lightbane]

Good news! The game's wonky difficulty needed a "tutorial mode" and a New Game+, as it's literally impossible to do everything in 1 playthrough and it's easy to enter a death spiral if you don't know what you're doing, as not only certain actions require time to complete (which means you need several ingame days to complete and if you don't have them you're screwed and may be locked into a bad ending), the game punishes you for having low Body and/or Mind stats with debuffs, that makes recovering these stats even harder and thus start dying slowly but surely. Body and Mind are stats that are consumed constantly by just doing actions to boot, so you need them to be as full as possible all the time, or you'll be unable to do much due the increasingly reduced stats, and worsen the death spiral.

I tried a "demo" before and it was quite hard due to the game not explaining its features correctly or the death-spiral issue I mentioned before.
Also, for now it's NOT possible to complete this game as a pacifist. Depending on your endgame route, you'll have to do at least 1 combat against a major boss, and if you don't invest in your combat skills, you'll be owned.

 

[Trash Player]

Look, death spiral is very possible and frustrating but almost everything else isn't true at all.
It is possible to do most things in one playthrough bar those mutually exclusive outcomes to one certain late game event.
There are also quite a few strategies that can trivialize the game. It is possible to max out relationship with every inmate within
14 days, on top of nigh infinite xp and cash.
End game scenario can be resolved without fighting by solving the point-and-click segment and winning checks for each stat.
Only 2 out of 5 escape scenarios have mandatory fight in them.

 

[lightbane]

It is possible to do most things in one playthrough bar those mutually exclusive outcomes to one certain late game event.

If you know what to do, yes. I didn't. I only played a little and checked videos, as I was waiting for an update with more balance, which is out now. Now I'm waiting for a discount or a chance to buy this.

There are also quite a few strategies that can trivialize the game. It is possible to max out relationship with every inmate within
14 days, on top of nigh infinite xp and cash.

Figures, but you have to know HOW to do that. I saw some prisoners that had perks better than others, but again, you have to know what you're doing, and probably be willing to metagame, as you have limited time every ingame day.

End game scenario can be resolved without fighting by solving the point-and-click segment and winning checks for each stat.

I wasn't sure if that was possible. I thought that

SPOILERS for potential final boss and endgame

The fight with Angelo is a must, but there's also another boss that can be disposed of without violence if you know how. I wasn't aware you can get rid of both without combat.

I didn't complete the game yet. I'll rectify said problem as soon as I buy the game.

 

[notpl]

Good news! The game's wonky difficulty needed a "tutorial mode" and a New Game+, as it's literally impossible to do everything in 1 playthrough and it's easy to enter a death spiral if you don't know what you're doing, as not only certain actions require time to complete (which means you need several ingame days to complete and if you don't have them you're screwed and may be locked into a bad ending), the game punishes you for having low Body and/or Mind stats with debuffs, that makes recovering these stats even harder and thus start dying slowly but surely. Body and Mind are stats that are consumed constantly by just doing actions to boot, so you need them to be as full as possible all the time, or you'll be unable to do much due the increasingly reduced stats, and worsen the death spiral.

I tried a "demo" before and it was quite hard due to the game not explaining its features correctly or the death-spiral issue I mentioned before.
Also, for now it's NOT possible to complete this game as a pacifist. Depending on your endgame route, you'll have to do at least 1 combat against a major boss, and if you don't invest in your combat skills, you'll be owned.

This all sounds great, hope they don't dumb things down in response to whinging losers.

 

[lightbane]

Good news! The game's wonky difficulty needed a "tutorial mode" and a New Game+, as it's literally impossible to do everything in 1 playthrough and it's easy to enter a death spiral if you don't know what you're doing, as not only certain actions require time to complete (which means you need several ingame days to complete and if you don't have them you're screwed and may be locked into a bad ending), the game punishes you for having low Body and/or Mind stats with debuffs, that makes recovering these stats even harder and thus start dying slowly but surely. Body and Mind are stats that are consumed constantly by just doing actions to boot, so you need them to be as full as possible all the time, or you'll be unable to do much due the increasingly reduced stats, and worsen the death spiral.

I tried a "demo" before and it was quite hard due to the game not explaining its features correctly or the death-spiral issue I mentioned before.
Also, for now it's NOT possible to complete this game as a pacifist. Depending on your endgame route, you'll have to do at least 1 combat against a major boss, and if you don't invest in your combat skills, you'll be owned.

This all sounds great, hope they don't dumb things down in response to whinging losers.

There's now an easy mode and a hard mode along with the normal mode that used to be the only difficulty before, along with a New Game + that is also welcome, so it should be fine.

 

[cyborgboy95]

Introducing A Public Test Branch - A Sneak Peek Ahead!
Greetings, Inmates!

How have you been? We hope you have been enjoying the new features in our last major update so far. Today, we're bringing you not just one, but two exciting pieces of news that you won't want to miss!

Exclusive 10% Discount!
First off, from December 13 - 20, we’re offering Back to the Dawn at a special 10% discount! If you've been eyeing this gripping prison survival adventure, now's the perfect time to take the plunge. And hey, why not spread the joy by recommending it to a friend? Dive into the intense, survival-focused world of Back to the Dawn and discover what lies within, all while saving a bit on your purchase.

New Public opentest Branch!

Next, we’re thrilled to introduce a new Back to the Dawn opentest branch on Steam for you to try out! This is your chance to get an early peek at the latest developments, which includes an array of new features from enhanced accessibility options to expanded gameplay elements.

How to Access the opentest Branch:

1. 
2. In your Steam library, right-click on Back to the Dawn and click on “Properties”.
   
   
   
   
   
3. In the Properties window, select "Betas", and under the “Beta Participation” dropdown menu, select “opentest” to opt in, and you are good to go!
   
   
4. The game should shortly update itself after, and the game should display as “Back to the Dawn [opentest]” in your Steam Library. That’s how you know that you have successfully opted in! If you’d like to swap back to the original game, simply go through the same steps as above and select “None”.

Opentest Branch Guidelines

1. Please note that the opentest branch is meant for early experimental testing, and the content might be adjusted along the way. Because of this, you might experience some bugs as well. But if you do, please let us know through our bug report form[docs.google.com]! Or if you have more feedback and suggestions for us, do let us know through the Steam Community discussions.
   
   
2. We'll do our best to ensure save file compatibility between the opentest and the standard branch. However, just in case, we recommend backing up your save files before switching to the opentest branch. You can find your save files here: C:\Users\XXX\AppData\LocalLow\MetalHeadGames\Back To The Dawn (Replace XXX with your user folder name).
   
   
3. If you choose to stay in the default branch, that's okay too! We will eventually push the latest and the most stable version to the main game after a thorough quality assurance check.

Key Features and Optimizations in the opentest Branch

• Expanded walkable area in the sewer. Thomas can now freely move and change equipment after climbing out of the pipe.
• Added a new debuff: Accumulating smell from rummaging through trash affects charm value.
• Added a new debuff when facing the Crab Monster. Equip to unlock a new battle move “Steadfast Will”: Pray against the monster to deal damage equal to the roll results and recover equal health.
• New operational guides in the skills page for stealing and extortion.
• New interaction options with the boxing manager, TV manager, and bank manager.
• Attribute tooltips now show maximum health and stamina for Strength, dodge chance for Agility, and critical hit chance for Intelligence.
• Added an option to delegate weightlifting to Thomas after three manual attempts.
• Reduced trust gain for befriending gang members from 10 to 8 points. Gain 2 trust points for meeting a gang prisoner.
• Weakened the negative effect of Gluttony: Changed from a chance to reduce 2 satiety points to reducing 5 mentality points when Hungry.
• Added a sorting function in the cabinet: New "Sort" button at the top left corner.
• Included a fast travel function between the first and second floor of the cell block.
• Added “Crafting Master” skill effect for solving puzzle games.
• Guided prompt for buying blankets.
• Sewer circuit repair can now be handled by Thomas after one failure.
• Additional guide for Gliding escape route.
• Added extra effect for “Police Uniform” armor: Opponents cannot deal critical hits to you.
• Reduced morale recovery effect of the Walkman, now provides additional charm experience per hour when turned on. Walkman automatically turns off when sleeping.
• New restriction on diarrhea medicine use: Cannot self-administer when in “Low Health”.
• New option to request “Go to Hospital” from guards when in “Low Health”.
• Skip function for specific plot scenes: Phone call with Red, riot start scene, counting days in roll call animation, TV station entrance animation.
• Added special state “Potential Unleashed” for Pickman during the riot, enhancing his strength.
• New dialogue with Maggie during Honey Festival.
• Additional bargaining function for “Calculator”: Thomas can now bargain when shopping, costing 5 energy.
• Adjusted effect of “Mint Leaf”, “Mint Roll”, and “Fine Leaf Roll”: Health reduction is now cumulative based on daily usage of these items.
• Optimized the interaction with room items during a lockdown: Single cells do not require Sam's help to leave during the day.
• Added a trait where nearby fitness enthusiasts increase their favorability when you lift weights 10 times.
• Added new spectator interactions for tabletop games.
• Added a color vision assistance feature.
• Added new evening entertainment interactions on the second floor of the prison. You can .
• Improved unlocking interaction for dismantling the sewer wooden board.
• Adjusted prisoner positions in roll call scenes for more accurate representation.
• Added fast-forward and real-time play buttons for watching boxing matches, along with a real-time information button.
• Added “Max” and “Min” quick selection buttons in the purchase item list.
• Default movement for Thomas changed to running, hold shift to walk.
• Added computer games in the comprehensive building and a preview option for the e-book “Time Crosser”.
• Increased experience gain for roofing work: 30 experience points per task completion.
• Optimized the experience gained for mini-games while working.
• Optimized some plot scenes and dialogues in the sewer area.
• Reduced listening time: From 5 minutes to 2 minutes.
• Lowered base difficulty for the “Framing Bag” task, but added a new roll debuff “Nearby Eyes”: Minus 1 point for each nearby prisoner.
• Added task mode hints in the task targets for beating Diego the Alpaca and Wilber the Goat.
• Added clue hints for collecting fingerprint film in task targets.

Skill Optimizations

• Updated the skill “Investment Expert” of Platypus Terry: Cash on hand increases by 5% every morning, with an additional 1% increase per Intelligence point.
• New effect for “Street Self-Defense 50 Moves”: No health loss if victorious in a fight.
• New skill “Round Up”: If the cumulative roll result is within 5 points of the maximum, it will be considered a completion.
• Crocodile Frank’s talent move “Assassinate” now deals “full” damage.
• “Welcome to Hawkins” gains an extra effect: 20% increased damage to “Monsters”.
• New effect for the skill of Horse Ray in trading with other prisoners: Reduce favorability requirement by 2 points for each point of Charm.
• Enhanced “War Correspondent” talent armor “Thick Fur” with an extra effect: No health loss for sleeping without a blanket at night.
• Enhanced “Failure Scientist” skill: Double experience gain on failed roll challenges, and quintuple experience for critical failures.
• Enhanced Miguel the Tapir's skill “Reverse Hypnosis”: Nightmares bring additional abilities.
• New skill “Bookworm”: Preview book skills and reading actions no longer consume energy.
• Added new abilities to “Game Manual” and “TV Program Guide” book skills: Preview skills of games and TV shows.
• “Insect Farm” skill gains a minimum guarantee mechanism: If no gold beetles are found in 6 plant piles, the next pile will definitely have one.

Quest Adjustments

• Extended the deadlines of certain quests:
  • “Two Ribs” completion deadline extended to 2 days.
  • “Door-to-Door Delivery” and “Friendly Reminder” extended to 3 days.
  • “Chameleon” completion deadline extended to 10 days.
• Added a new task category “Escape”, separating escape-related side tasks.

Bug Fixes
Now let’s talk about some bug fixes we’ve done!

• Fixed an incorrect dialogue after Bruce on the 21st morning roll call.
• Fixed an issue where newly unlocked items required reopening the page to reflect the updated favorability.
• Fixed trading transaction confirmation popup not appearing when trading with other prisoners.
• Fixed discrepancies in certain eavesdropping content after
• Fixed an issue where wearing rubber gloves would revert damage status from broken to worn.
• Fixed an issue where prisoners in area A did not gather to watch the hanged man event.
• Fixed an error in selecting difficulty for new players.

That wraps up today's update! If you have additional feedback or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us through the Steam Community discussions. Your feedback and support are the driving forces behind our dedication, and it is our guiding star as we continuously work to improve the game.
Thank you once again for the encouragement you've given us, and we are thrilled to have you onboard in Boulderton Prison, plotting your epic breakout together with us!

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

What? No prison rape minigame?

All I'm seeing here is grind.

Oh? Of the bear-kind?

Is it? Ghost of a Tale is a Gothic-style rpg that didn't get such label, even though the characters here are blatantly more animal-like. Same case with Brok, an adventure with beat-em-up elements and C&C.

What about now?

TBF, that rodent game needed a slayer of mouse/rat kind.

 

[cyborgboy95]

New Year, New Updates!
Greetings Inmates,

Happy New Year! We hope the holiday season was a blast for you. As we dive into 2024, we've prepared some exciting updates that will enhance your prison escape experience!

New Opentest Branch Updates!
We are grateful for your support in our opentest branch, and now it's time for a batch of fresh updates! As shared in our earlier announcement, we will be separating the save files path of the opentest and main default branch to avoid any potential crashes. This means that switching between the opentest/main default branches will now only display the saves from the current branch.

If you'd like to continue playing your save file from the opentest branch back on the main default branch, you can do so by manually transferring it from the opentest branch save folder to the main default branch save folder. But to be safe, we highly recommend you to backup a spare copy of your main default branch save files just in case.

Here's where you can find your respective branch save files:

Opentest Branch Save Path: C:\Users\XXX\AppData\LocalLow\MetalHeadGames\Back To The Dawn\OpenTestSave
Main Default Branch Save Path: C:\Users\XXX\AppData\LocalLow\MetalHeadGames\Back To The Dawn\Save

For a detailed guide on how to enter the opentest branch, please refer to our earlier announcement here.

And now, here are the new opentest branch updates!

Key Features and Optimizations

• Added an option to sit down again and rest after eating in the cafeteria;
• Changed searching defeated prisoners for items from pure random to a dice roll challenge. If the dice roll fails, no items can be found;
• Added a mode switch function for the sorting mini-game in the mailroom;
• You can now open the pocket by clicking on Thomas's icon at the bottom right of the screen;
• Added the Game, Graphics, and Sound tabs in Settings;
• Log display optimization: added a scroll function to view previous content and a mode switch function to the Log display box at the bottom right;
• Added a confirmation pop-up when selling important items;
• Optimized the Relationships interface, where you can see the known talents, preferred items, and bonding information of the prisoners;
• Added the "Peacemaker" equipment trait for Baton: Your critical hits no longer deal extra damage; instead, they restore Health equal to the value of the extra damage;
• Added the in-game function to switch control modes: you can choose "Controller" or "Keyboard & Mouse" in Settings;
• Added a tutorial for dice roll challenges.

Skill Adjustments

• "Expert Modder" now features the ability of "Expert Modder+", while the latter one is changed to have 2 additional random traits;
• Adjusted the values for "Successful Failure": After failing a dice roll challenge, the experience gained changes from 2 to 1.618 times, and for a critical failure, from 5 to 3.14159 times;
• Adjusted the trigger difficulty for the skill "Round Up": Now it requires a total of 4 dice roll actions within 5 points of completion to trigger.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed the issue where you will not be driven away by the prisoner who sits with their back to the cabinet and thus cannot place the reflector because you have interacted with the cabinet and sink in the Back Room Club in the morning;
• Fixed the issue of Sticks having the lunch icon when he's in the kitchen;
• Fixed the issue of the writing list being empty when the writing tool is damaged;
• Fixed the disappearance or incorrect display of the time UI at the upper left corner;
• Fixed the issue where it was impossible to run to the looting position after a fight if the detergent had been moved out of the mixing room cabinet in the laundry room;
• Fixed the issue where saying the "The One Who Transcended Time" prayer increased all prisoners' Health;
• Fixed the overlapping and non-interactable issues of some prisoners;
• Fixed the issue that the mandatory recreation is not triggered when time jumps from 13:05 to 13:15 if you go to the cafeteria from the infirmary at 11:55, order food, ask for food from your tablemate, and then eat both of your food;
• Fixed the issue of the central garden still showing the night effect during the day;
• Fixed the issue of Alex the Lion participating in the TV room activities after escaping on the 21st day;
• Fixed the issue of not successfully obtaining medicine through treatment or prescription with Dr. Beth if you exit the game midway;
• Fixed the problem where the option to look in the mirror would pop up automatically if you had finished looking in the mirror in your cell and then went to the headcount and skipped it;
• Fixed the issue of the chef's Rapport not increasing if you leave the Cooking Room work to Thomas.

We hope you’ve enjoyed playing around with these features as much as we’ve enjoyed hearing your feedback. If you have any other feedback or suggestions, please do let us know in the Steam Discussions board.

 

[cyborgboy95]

A Thank You Message From Us!
Greetings Inmates!

I hope you are all doing well. 2023 was a landmark year for us, as we finally launched Back to the Dawn after three years of development. We are absolutely humbled by the enthusiasm you’ve all shown. Watching you delve into the prison world we’ve created, forming alliances and rivalries with different inmates and sharing survival tips reminds us of the joy we felt during development and the immersive experience we aimed to create with the game. Your feedback has been the beacon of hope in our development journey - from the encouraging words, insightful critiques, to the thrilling tales of your in-game escapades.

Many of you have been curious about the backstory of the gameplay choices and artistic direction, and we’d like to take this time to share more about how Back to the Dawn came about to be what you see today.

From the start, our dream was to create a game that offered a high degree of freedom and focused on storytelling within a diorama-like environment. Inspired by an appreciation for hard-boiled cinema and television, particularly narratives centered around prison escapes like "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Prison Break”, it led us to center the game around deep narrative storytelling within this theme.

This direction led us to embrace pixelated anthropomorphic animals for its distinct aesthetic, as we believe that it would make each character more distinctive and memorable through their own unique traits and personalities.

Looking at gameplay mechanics, there were many ideas that were floating around, but eventually we opted for a dice-based mechanic, inspired by the innovative gameplay in “Disco Elysium”. We felt that the simplicity of a dice system introduced an element of chance that complements the game's scalability and storytelling, laying the foundational structure for Back to the Dawn.

Many of you have pondered why we opted for an Early Access release when Thomas the Fox's story is fully fleshed out. Being a small studio comprising 7 of us, we initially planned to include 2 characters to choose from: Thomas the Fox and Bob the Black Panther. However, the full storyline development of Thomas took more time than expected, as we focused on creating detailed character backstories and dialogues that matched their personalities, and ensuring players would experience different reactions based on the characters' preferences.

This attention to detail was crucial for us in creating a rich, immersive experience for everyone. That was why we made the decision to launch in Early Access first. This way, you get to experience Thomas's full storyline now, with a promise to introduce Bob's storyline as a free update during our official release, ensuring both characters' tales are told with the care and attention they deserve.

We hope you've enjoyed learning more about the creative process behind Back to the Dawn. If you have additional feedback or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to share them with us either through the Steam Community discussions or our Discord! Your support is what fuels our dedication, and this journey is as much yours as it is ours.