We hope December is treating everyone well! Before we take a short pause to be with our families for the holidays we wanted to take a moment to update you on the next phase for Rend. We have been heads-down, working hard to expand the game beyond anything you’ve seen or played in the pre-alpha.
Our goal with Rend has always been to present a fresh approach to gameplay in a way that transforms how players are interacting and participating in a survival game while also solving many of the pain points that can be experienced in this genre. Thanks to the initial community feedback from our pre-alpha players, we’ve introduced many additions and improvements to the game – from a bigger map (4x larger), more sandbox and RPG elements like personal base-building, a deepening of the crafting system, new creatures, game-changing items, and more.
Our next big step will be launching the Rend alpha in the first quarter of 2018. We will initially begin with a brief round of Friends & Family testing to establish client build readiness and server stability before opening up alpha testing to our earlier pre-alpha players who will have immediate access. We will increase the tester pool over time and as needed, adding in waves of players who previously signed up for pre-alpha (no need to re-register on the website). Our staff will continue to be available on Twitter, Facebook, and Steam as well as fan-operated channels such as Reddit and Discord throughout alpha.
During this major test phase, we will introduce a new restriction for players: the alpha will be under a strict media embargo prohibiting the publishing of test client screenshots, videos and streams by players. Please note this is not a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) as we will strongly encourage everyone to discuss the game and their alpha experiences with the greater Rend community. We also plan to engage our current and future content creators during alpha with initiatives such as invitation giveaways, partnerships, and more. This restriction will help our team position and maximize opportunities for the game by using Rend’s new content -- including new biomes, monsters and game mechanics – for features that are timed alongside our release roadmap.
Thank you for your ongoing support - we’re grateful and excited to have you with us as Rend enters the next phase of testing in the new year.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
The Team at Frostkeep Studios
http://www.frostkeep.com/2017/12/22/rend-alpha-begins-q1-2018/