Hey guys!
It's time for a new devblog! It’s been a while, and a lot has happened since we published the demo back in June!
Today, we’ll cover:
- How your feedback from the demo has helped shape the game.
- What we’re currently working on.
- And, of course... our updated release timeline!
The Demo and Your Feedback
This summer, we launched our demo during Steam Next Fest. The demo introduced new dice, enemies and relics, along with a key new feature—a map that lets you control your character’s path using dice.
We believed this feature would add a new strategic layer, but thanks to your feedback, we realized we’d missed the mark. Here’s what we learned:
- The map required too much focus and slowed down the gameplay.
- Map choices felt repetitive and lacked real impact.
- Overall, the pace from the Demo felt worse than Origins.
Your feedback helped us recognize that this mechanic needed a rethink. We went back to the drawing board, understanding that the previous map was too complex and detracted from what we believe makes Die in the Dungeon truly shine—the dice-based battles! The new map is now simpler, letting you to explore the dungeon more intuitively and focus on the core combat experience. Huge thanks to our Discord community and players on the Steam forums for your invaluable feedback along the way!
In addition, here are some other changes inspired by your feedback:
- Dice shapes are no longer limited to D4s, other shapes are now available like the good ol' D6 (and maybe some with even more faces!)
- Dice with face values of 0 aren't part of the starting deck anymore. Builds around 0s are still possible though, if you dare go for them.
- Difficulty in Area 1 has been adjusted to create a less punishing experience at the start. Difficulty will still ramp up considerably the deeper you delve into the dungeon, this is a hard game after all!
When’s the Release?
Originally, the game was planned for a mid-fall release. However, with the changes to the game’s mechanics, we realized we needed more time to get things just right. As a result, we’ve made the tough decision to push the release to this Winter to ensure Die in the Dungeon meets our standards (and yours!).
We know many of you were eagerly waiting for the original date, and we’re grateful for your patience. Ultimately, we don’t want to deliver a game that feels unpolished, which is why we’re willing to go the extra mile to make Die in the Dungeon as enjoyable as possible on release. This extra time is also allowing us to introduce a few new features, such as the Codex section you can see above!
Our Next Steps
Currently, we know the demo on Steam doesn’t reflect the latest game improvements. To avoid any confusion, we’ll be taking the current demo down the day this devlog goes live—but not for long! We’ll upload an updated version of the demo very soon, to let you try the game and make an informed decision before release. As always, don’t hesitate to voice your opinion when it drops!
Now, you might be wondering: so what's left before release? Honestly, not much! 99% of the content has already been implemented, including several new dice types, properties, enemies and bosses for Area 2 and 3. On this last stretch, all that's left is fixing the remaining bugs, polishing the game, and balancing all the elements. Thankfully, our team of testers is currently helping us with all that, so things are progressing at a steady pace in preparation for launch!
That's all for today! Stay tuned for the updated demo, and thank you again for your patience. We can't wait for you to experience what we've been working on.
Stay safe, and may your dice rolls be ever in your favor!
— The ATICO Team
P.S: Speaking of testers, we're currently looking for new applicants in preparation for release. Join our Discord server and head to #announcements to learn more: https://discord.gg/die-in-the-dungeon-829107672912494613