Castle of Blackwater News

The focus over the past month—and for the next one—has been stability and overall improvements to the gameplay experience. We deeply appreciate everyone who has been joining our playtest evenings, helping us test these builds, and providing valuable feedback. Your input has been essential in getting us here, and we can’t thank you enough!

[h2]Game Development[/h2]

• Localization is here! Castle of Blackwater is now available in English, Turkish, Spanish, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Russian.
  
• Werewolf Adjustment – Prey targets no longer see the werewolf on the minimap when a soul is picked up (but can still hear him). Surviving just got a whole lot harder.
  
• Anti-Cheat Upgrades – Two non-intrusive versions of anti-cheat have been implemented to keep the gameplay fair and enjoyable for everyone.
  
• Voice Chat Overhaul – Simplified voice chat controls in the settings panel and added per-player volume controls in the right-click player options menu. Communication has never been clearer.
  
• Player Analytics – A new version of player analytics has been added to help us understand how you interact with the game and improve it even further.
  
• New Emote Sounds & Songs – Check out the latest emotes, featuring a variety of sounds and songs to enhance gameplay.
  
• Automatic Ready-Up – Players are now automatically marked as ready when moving into a newly joined lobby.
  
• Book Stack Improvements – Significant changes have been made to Book Stack, making it a much more balanced and engaging experience.
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed an issue where the sound manager wouldn’t destroy itself upon leaving the lobby, preventing multiple music tracks from overlapping.
  
• Fixed various issues causing dead ghosts to get stuck or freeze in place.
  
• Resolved a bug that prevented new players from saving their load-outs.
  
• Fixed the recordkeeper note not displaying correctly during voting rounds.
  
• Addressed frequent teleporting issues for dead ghosts that caused maps to fail to load.
  
• Fixed player list breaking under specific conditions.
  
• Locked player movement while interacting with the lobby inventory to prevent unintended glitches.
  
• Ensured the lumberjack ability cannot be used while in a minigame.
  
• Implemented stability fixes for player disconnects during voting rounds.
  
• Fixed several minor broken UI elements.
  
• Resolved an issue where long player names broke non-dynamic UI frames.
  
• Fixed a bug where the game wouldn’t end after five turns.
  
• Resolved an issue causing the psychic ability to trigger twice.
  
• Fixed the "You’ve been silenced" text not disappearing after a player’s death.
  
• Fixed a bug where winning as Werewolf was not displayed on the victory screen.
  
• Resolved an issue where emote sounds weren’t playing in the inventory.
  
• Fixed layering issues and improvements in various minigames.
  

[h2]Work in Progress[/h2]

• Addressing networking-related edge cases to improve stability during laggy conditions.
  
• Continued UI cleanup to make interfaces simpler and more efficient.
  
• Adding custom logic to support hosting Next Fest events.
  

[h2]Next Fest is Two Weeks Away![/h2]
We’re thrilled to showcase Castle of Blackwater to a wider audience during Next Fest. This is a major milestone for our community, and we can’t wait to see you all supporting the game! A huge thank you to the entire team and our amazing players for making this possible.

Let’s keep the momentum going and take Castle of Blackwater to new heights!

The wait is almost over! We're set to make our soft launch during Steam Next Fest, running from February 24th to March 3rd. This limited-time event will allow players to experience the game’s free demo, marking the first opportunity for you to explore the medieval world of deception, alliances, and survival.🏰

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3456440/Castle_of_Blackwater_Demo/

[h2]Why This Event is a Major Milestone[/h2]
Steam Next Fest is one of the most influential events for indie games, giving players early access to upcoming titles and allowing developers to showcase their work to a global audience. The participation in Steam Next Fest is a crucial step toward our full release. It offers players the chance to experience its core mechanics, provide feedback, and become part of the growing community.🌱

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h2]What can you expect in this demo?[/h2]

• A fully interactive three-chapter tutorial to get you started.
  
• Scheduled game night events at the beginning of each day.
  
• 10 unique playable characters, each with distinct active and passive abilities.
  
• A dynamic day/night cycle, strategic voting rounds, dead ghost mechanics, and more!
  
• Extensive customization options, including cosmetics, dances, emotes, and elimination animations.
  
• Plenty of laughter, deception, and unforgettable moments with your friends!

[h2]Server Opening Times[/h2]
We’ll be opening the servers at different times each day to accommodate various regions. During the first hours of the event, our team will be active on Discord, playing alongside the community! This is the perfect time to ask questions, share feedback, or voice any concerns.

Stay up to date with the full schedule by joining our Discord. Mark your calendars and set those reminders!📢

[h2]Treasure Hunt[/h2]
From Wednesday February 26th to Thursday March 5th, join us for a special Treasure Hunt on Discord. This event will test your skills in speed, puzzle-solving, in-game challenges, and riddles.📜

To ensure fair competition, both seasoned players and newcomers will have their own reward pools. Winners will claim exciting prizes, including Steam Gift Cards and exclusive Rare Cosmetics! ✨

Stay tuned for announcements in our Discord, and may the best hunters prevail!

[h2]More Is on the Horizon![/h2]
The full release of Castle of Blackwater is just around the corner—launching one month after Steam Next Fest! Make sure to Wishlist us now so you don’t miss out and stay updated!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2265920/Castle_of_Blackwater/