Hello everyone following "Striking Wine"!
This is a detailed explanation of the game's future plans, hoping to address some of your questions.
1. About the Steam Next Fest & Demo
"Striking Wine" will be participating in the upcoming Steam Next Fest! Everyone is welcome to try the game demo at any time.
Furthermore, the demo will be treated as the main branch and receive continuous updates until the full version is released. And the demo will remain available even after the full version is released.
2. Regarding Language Support
To ensure text quality, the store page will now only list Simplified Chinese and English as supported languages.
As a solo developer, I simply don't have the capacity to update and maintain high-quality translations for all languages after every text revision. I don't want any player to be disappointed by incomplete or subpar translations. To players who already wishlisted the game expecting other languages, I sincerely apologize for this change.
However, the existing multi-language files will remain in the game (though using them might lead to unknown issues). Later, I also plan to include the translation conversion tool I use in development (it's a .html file that works offline; its interface is in Chinese and it's used to convert .csv files into the .bin format used by the game). Additionally, I intend to batch-translate the game into other previously supported languages every few major updates. Thank you for your understanding.
3. Full Version Release Date
Regardless of the final scope or how smoothly development goes, the full version is scheduled for release on December 23, 2025, at 9:00 PM (GMT+8).
This timing coincides with the Steam Winter Sale, where you might easily miss it. So, if you want to get the news promptly, please add the game to your wishlist – Steam will notify all followers via email. As for why this specific time? Let's just call it a "sense of ceremony for the birth of a beloved project."
As mentioned in point 1, the initial full version won't be drastically different from the demo, so there's no need to purchase it immediately. Feel free to try the demo first to see if it suits your taste. Updates after the full release will be... sporadic. If you try the demo and feel the current content is already worth paying for, or if you're willing to cast a vote of confidence for its future potential, I would be genuinely grateful.
4. About Tutorial
The current new player tutorial might still need improvement (this is already the 3rd iteration; its effectiveness remains to be seen). However, with the Next Fest approaching and no clear idea for a better redesign yet, it will stay as is for now. I hope to find a better solution in the future.
5. If You Like It Too !
A solo developer's perspective and energy are limited, so the game inevitably has rough edges. If you share the same love and anticipation for this game as I do, your feedback would be incredibly valuable.
You are welcome to share any thoughts via a Steam Review or by directly emailing [email protected].
Finally, thank you for reading. See you in the game!