Open Beta is Here!

The time has come, and Open Beta is here! This is close to the final iteration of the major UI overhaul patch that will be going live, including the Logbook/Tutorial. For those who just want to jump in and give it a try, here is how:

1. Right Click The Merchant’s Guide to the Kingdom in your Steam Library.

2. Go to ‘Properties’.

3. On the left panel, select ‘Game Versions & Betas’.

4. Select ‘beta’.

5. Allow the beta version to install/update.

6. All set!

Please keep in mind, this is indeed a beta and we do have some known issues that we will actively patch, but you will likely encounter bugs or issues.

That said, most of the features and changes we wanted for the full UI update are implemented and ready to test! This changes the game so substantially, that we made a video to cover the major changes when we initially launched the Closed Beta, linked below. However, the Logbook is implemented in this version of the game and has simple video guides which show you exactly how to perform each major function in the game which you can watch by simply pressing the Play button for each individual step. If you want to learn more about any given step, simply press the ‘?’ button and it will bring up the guide entry for that step, which contains more details.

So, if you are new to Merchant’s Guide, or are returning after not seeing any of the changes to the UI, we strongly recommend that you closely follow the Logbook.

There are also a few new additions even for those who played the Closed Beta!

As mentioned above, the Logbook is here! This is meant to serve as a more visual guide to teach you the many mechanics of the game.

We have added a Global Chat feature so it’s easier to talk with other players in the game. You can opt in and out of the global chat under Options in the Escape Menu.

We have also added in the ‘Kingdom Herald’. This is the first iteration and it will continue to update what information it keeps, but it will serve as a daily recap of your progress such as gold earned, dungeons cleared, any suffered hero deaths, etc., Essentially, a report card for the day! This pops up automatically at the end of the day, but you can also review it at any time under Player Manager -> Kingdom Herald.

Along with those things, we have also changed the cursor for the game. As of now, it is a quill, but we plan to add more options before exiting Open Beta, including retaining the normal system mouse for those who prefer that.

There are many other fixes, changes, and improvements throughout the game, and we plan many more as time goes on.

We also urge you to join our Discord if you haven’t yet. We are always in there and will answer any questions, hear any feedback, and discuss all kinds of things. We do want to stress the feedback option! We love hearing your thoughts, positive, negative, or neutral, about anything in the game as player feedback shapes many aspects of our development decisions.

Join our Discord here:

https://discord.gg/2M7tTk7r9g

Here is the instructional video we released at the start of Closed Beta if you want to get an idea before going in. However, ideally it is no longer necessary since the Logbook is now in the game. Note that some things in the video have been adjusted, but should still be mostly relevant and accurate.

[dynamiclink href="https://youtu.be/R05xyDaZcMQ?si=X-fahpIIefLa1ho9"]

We look forward to hearing any and all feedback, and thank you so much for coming along with us on this journey!

-Devs