Playtest Begins, New Build, Future Playtest Round

Playtest Begins

It’s time to open the gates for a new wave of players. From now until the 27th, all playtesters will be granted entry to Tattered Banners.

We do this because we want to hear your thoughts, good and bad. We believe the best way to develop a simulation game like TB is alongside the community from an early stage, while being open about feedback, and honing the mechanics and emergent storytelling to perfection all the way through EA and full launch.

So please give us your thoughts. We're reading and responding to everything on the Discord, the Steam forums, and the surveys linked in-game. Your feedback is what will determine how good this game is.

Quick FAQ:

• Q: Can I stream the game?

  • A: Yes, please do. You can even let us know on Discord so we can watch and learn from your playthrough.

• Q: How long is the playtest?

  • A: The current build is capped at 2 hours. This gives us the focused data we need to ensure the early game loop feels balanced. You are welcome to replay the intro as many times as you like to test different classes or world locations.

• Q: I want more than 2 hours. Will there be longer tests?

  • A: Absolutely. See the "Future Round" section below.

(Pictured: An ancient statue of something you may encounter later)

New Build

This build brings several mechanical refinements based on the feedback and QOL fixes.

Gameplay & Systems:

• Party Origins: You can now select backgrounds for your party at the start of a campaign. This will be expanded on in a patch soon.

• Bandits Hostages: Bandits now target workers and attempt to take them hostage for ransom.

• Stat Normalization: Starting unit stats are now determined by their chosen background rather than random generation.

• Rank Progression: Reaching Banner Rank 2 now requires recruiting a 4th party member.

• Dig Ability: Unlocked for use with workers returning from iron mines.

• Pathfinding: Workers now specify their point of origin in their agenda when returning home.

• AddedWorld MapAdded shade statues to the world map (Decorative for now - but usable soon).

• Loss Handling: The 'Defeat' popup now includes a 'Load Last Save' button.

Clarity & UI:

• Systemic Feedback: The choice wheel now displays whether an action will improve or degrade relations with a House.

• AddedQuest GuidanceAdded a dedicated popup for the initial 'Create a Banner' quest.
• AddedTactical AwarenessAdded indicators for reinforcement spawn points.

• Visual Refinements:

  • Party strength indicators are now larger/more visible.

  • 'New in Inventory' markers are now less obtrusive.

  • Banner rank objectives are pinned to the top of the objectives list.

  • Text size in popups has been increased.

  • The cursor no longer displays a 'sword' indicator when hovering over non-hostile parties.

  • Fixed the highlight for the currently selected unit in the tavern.

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed several critical bugs causing save file failures and lock-ups.

• Fixed a bug where the game failed to run on Turkish system locales.

• Fixed a bug where bandit parties were destroyed instead of stationed when returning to camp. (those backstabbing weasels)

• Fixed errors related to bandit hostage mechanics.

• Fixed the 'Death Defiance' company upgrade not triggering.

• General tooltip fixes for inventory and skill tree panels.

• Fixed reinforcement/time-limit UI popups interfering with other game windows.

(Pictured: Bandits kidnapping workers as hostages.)

Future Playtest Round

This current round focuses on the initial 2 hours to ensure the core loop is rock-solid. We know that once you see the ripples the simulation creates, you’ll want to see more about how they evolve. We know we do.

Once the first 2 hours are solid, we'll be making 4 hours (or even limitless) builds to push the boundaries of the open-world simulation. The exact timing depends on how this playtest goes, but we expect it to happen soon in the following months.

Because of how Steam's Playtest system works, we aren't able to automatically re-invite players for subsequent rounds. If you are interested in future playtests, please join Discord or follow/wishlist Tattered Banners

All of that can be done on TB's steam page,

Tattered Banners