Hello everyone,
Fab here. Not quite a Producer’s Letter but something like it ahead of time.
Based on some feedback, comments and conversations between us, we wanted to share a clearer vision of where Solace Crafting is headed. Not just for the beta branch or the upcoming Builder, but for the broader universe we’re building together.
We also want to share some new screenshots throughout this post!
Prototying designs for Solace Builder
Classic Solace Crafting (Live Main Branch)
This is the version you know from Steam’s main branch: the original game, still online, shaped by years of development and the passion of veteran players. Classic Solace Crafting embraces an old-school, deep-fantasy RPG spirit and continues to be available for everyone who loves its endless progression and open-ended play. We have no intention to abandon or overwrite it. On the contrary, we want to maintain and improve Classic over time, honoring those who’ve made it part of their gaming life. It’s taking a bit of a backseat lately due to the foundational work we’re doing, but it’s not being phased out, shelved or otherwise abandoned.
Solace Keeper (Formerly "the Beta" Branch)
What’s been known as “the Beta” is actually a new and parallel evolutionary step: think of it as Solace Crafting 1.5 or even 2.0, and from now on, we’ll call it Solace Keeper. Solace Keeper isn’t meant to replace Classic. It’s about streamlining, and expanding what’s possible: bringing in a more painterly, colorful style; introducing modular world creation; and letting players build worlds, cultures, and rules in new ways. Our vision is for Solace Keeper to coexist alongside Classic, not overwrite it. Where possible, we’re working towards data sharing and compatibility, so your worlds and progress can move more freely between the two experiences.
Two in One
For the time being, the idea is to let you access both games from the same Steam key. It will remain like this at least for the duration of the development of Solace Keeper through alpha and beta. We’ll see after that, as we reach Early Access stage, whether it’s still the right way to do it or whether Solace Keeper needs its own Steam Page. Either way, owning Solace Crafting now means owning both Solace Crafting and Solace Keeper forever.
But let’s get deeper into all this!
An Evolving World
So, Solace Keeper is going through its growing pains and visual development. This transition phase has us in an in-between zone with focus on setting the right palette and moods. Our goal is to offer multiple aesthetics and moods within branches of the same game universe, reflecting both nostalgia and innovation. The current “Classic” branch features an old-school look reminiscent of early 2000s MMOs like EverQuest 2: a style we intend to preserve and eventually improve further. Meanwhile, the “beta branch” (which we now call the Solace Keeper alpha) embraces a more colorful, animated feel. Khora, the world of Solace Crafting, is a multiverse. It seems fitting to treat these two instances of the game as different worlds, different times, different rules, different aesthetics, same universe.
Modular Worlds and Cultures
Through the Builder and Solace Keeper, Solace Crafting is becoming more modular, both in map generation and in how cultures and biomes work: the Builder will be the first place to reflect this. Previously, Solace Crafting held to this “old school fantasy tinged with weird” orientation (mostly due to restrictions in asset choice and art direction). It allowed you to build square, blocky towns and warehouse-like houses. The Builder will begin introducing actual fantasy styles as “Cultures” from this Khora multiverse, reflecting various aesthetics and influences. The net result for the game, as these assets make their way into Solace Keeper, is that Players will be able to craft worlds “à la carte”. At world creation, you will be choosing which cultures and biomes to include, whether it’s a D&D-inspired adventure, a Tolkien-esque landscape, or even more exotic mixes in the future. Each culture will bring its own aesthetic and lore, and as broader modding opens up in 2026, we fully expect even more diverse worlds, embracing everything from classic fantasy to creative surprises, to come up.
The modular Elendor Tower
The Builder: Our Next Focus
Right now, our main focus is the Solace Builder, improving it and expanding its asset library. The Builder is central to how we’ll support ongoing development, both for Solace Keeper and for maintaining Classic. It will also help define the unique look of each culture. At launch, we’re focusing on three foundational cultures which have a classic fantasy feel. We’ll tell you more about them but in these screenshots, you can guess about the direction of two of them. Each culture will be linked to specific biomes, but nothing stops us from dreaming up lizardfolk jungles, fire elementals in molten halls, or whatever the community and our own creative energy can sustain. Some of those wild things were already in Solace Crafting, so it’ll just be a matter of filling up assets templates sheets to make them work for you as your own construction toys.
The Willowlane Mansion, all familiar underhill coziness
The Solace Ecosystem
Long term, we see Solace Crafting not just as a game, but as a living ecosystem: an ever-evolving set of worlds and tools for players, modders, and creators. Classic Solace Crafting will remain playable and receive care as we’re able, honoring the investment of veteran players and remaining the “Old Canon”. Solace Keeper, our next-generation branch, aims to take world-building to new heights, allowing you to shape landscapes, cultures, and rules from the ground up. The Builder is the gateway into this creative future: free to play, deeply moddable, and supported by optional themed support packs.
The Elendor Tower catching the light
Support and Community
In August, Solace Builder will launch as a free demo on Steam, followed by a live version in the fall (free as well). To support further development, we’ll introduce themed support packs, each one filled with special assets, props, NPCs, and more, usable in both the Builder and future Solace Keeper worlds. Your support will help keep the lights on, power future updates, and open the door to hiring talented freelancers impacted by industry changes.
Building custom structures is how we establish what parts the Builder will need crammed in
Vision for the Long Haul
We’re old school players over here, as are some of you. Having crossed over into game-making around a decade ago, we’ve naturally developed a vision not just for games and how they could or should be, but also about the industry, the job, the venture of making games and sharing them with audiences. We are creators, developers and players. We don’t think that for the past 10 to 15 years (arguably more), this industry has treated its creators, developers and players so well. So even though right now we’re just mostly two guys, we want to contribute to that at our little level, by creating a mutually supportive space between creatives, game worlds and supportive players.
It’s not just structures! It’s also props. Medieval tomatoes from another dimension.
Closing
We’re passionate about keeping Solace Crafting alive, growing, and open-ended. The “infinite planes of Khora” concept, written long ago by Kyle into the budding Solace Crafting lore, is only just beginning to take shape. By supporting and sharing, you help us build not just games, but a community and creative space that can thrive and surprise us all.
You know that what’s done here at BKG, through the history Kyle has set, is long term. On my own side, I have the same mindset of “never quit, never surrender”. If you stick with us, we’ll show you what we can do together. We’re committed to giving you fantastic tools and toys.
Thank you for being with us, for your feedback, and for believing in what Solace can become.
See you in the next update next month!
https://discord.gg/solacecrafting
Thank you, truly, for being here.
What You Can Do To Help
If you wanna push us up, either one of these will support us more than you know
https://bigkittygames.itch.io/solace-builder
https://www.indiedb.com/games/solace-crafting-rebuild
https://ko-fi.com/bigkittygames
Don’t trip, Johndude. Those battlements look very uneven.
(Just the same, the Elendor architecture, which you'll also encounter in SC, has piled up)
(We prototype these interiors piece by piece to make sure they end up workable in the Builder)
(You'll be missed!)
(Let's not forget the woodland-based Myrking halls & houses of which here's a sample!)
(NPCs and their cosmetic will be turning up as well to populate your Builder scenes)