1. Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts
  2. News

Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts News

Next Fest is over! Demo is here to stay! 🎉

[p][/p][h2]Hello, Scribes! [/h2][p]As promised, we’re back with a short and sweet update following Steam Next Fest. As you know, we recently announced that Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts surpassed 100,000 wishlists on Steam! 🎉 Thank you once again for your incredible support (pssst... thousands more joined over the weekend, and we’ve already hit the 108,000 mark. You guys are amazing!).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Here are a few key numbers that show just how great Next Fest was for us, all thanks to you:[/p]
  • [p]Over 35,000 Steam users picked up the demo![/p]
  • [p]We hit a peak of almost 500 concurrent players during the festival![/p]
  • [p]176 Steam reviews have been submitted, with a 175 being positive and that’s a jaw-dropping 99.43% positive rating![/p]
  • [p]Scriptorium was in the top 2% of ALL Next Fest demos in terms of daily player count! That stat is honestly our favorite.[/p]
[p]We might not be the biggest game out there, but we are certainly one of the most loved. For a team of devs who truly love what they do, this kind of support means the world. Thank you for making our work so meaningful![/p][h3]Announcement: The Scriptorium Demo is here to stay![/h3][p]Many of you asked what would happen to the demo after Next Fest. Would it be temporary, like the Playtest last summer? Before making a decision, we wanted to see how you’d react. Because your feedback has been so overwhelmingly positive, we’ve decided to leave the demo available![/p][p]That’s right - the demo is here to stay for the foreseeable future. If that ever changes, we’ll let you know well in advance, as we don't like unpleasant surprises. We’d love for you to keep playing and creating the incredible artwork you’ve been sharing on social media (we seriously love your creativity!) - so relax, grab a nice cup of coffee or tea, and return to your Scriptorium to create your next masterpiece (and yes, we know the demo asset limit is a pain, but just imagine how rewarding the full version is gonna be!).[/p][p]Before we go, we want to show you a couple of artworks we thought are amazing - it's not possible to show you every beautiful one, as you made hundreds or thousands of them, but we are proud of you all!)
(kudos to authors of the below artworks: Nimrodel78, BeezKnees1, Lord Vess III, Eskilinha, Handie, Strigoi in Early 20’s - you guys rock!)[/p][p][/p][h3]What’s next?[/h3][p]The dev team is currently hard at work on Scriptorium full release version. We are reading every bit of feedback from the demo, discussing it, and deciding how to make this the best medieval art game possible - one that will make you proud![/p][p]Thank you for your amazing support. We love you! ♥️[/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright Teams[/p]

100,000 Wishlists! What?! Thank you! ♥️

[h2]Hello, Scribes! [/h2][p]Woah... Next Fest is fully underway! Thank you so much everyone for playing our game and all kind words of feedback. Today we have some truly breathtaking news to share with you today. While we’re usually busy in our office working on the full version for you, last night we had to stop everything and just stare at the screen in disbelief.[/p][p]Ahem... Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts has officially surpassed 100,000 wishlists on Steam! 🎉[/p][p][/p][p]For a relatively small indie team working on a niche game about the art of medieval illustration, this "100k magic number" felt like a distant dream for a veeery long time. We are beyond grateful to every single one of you who wishlisted the game! You are the reason why we keep grinding, as with each wishlist we feel you just want to experience the life of medieval scribe in our game. Seeing that you truly "get" the cozy, medieval vibe we’re going for is the ultimate fuel for our development. Thank you![/p][h3]Raising the Bar and 100% Positive Reviews (so far)![/h3][p]We’ll be honest - hitting that 100k wishlists mark is incredibly exciting (and rewarding), but it also feels like a huge responsibility. We know that this level of interest sets a very high bar for our full release. Please know that we are more committed than ever to making sure that Scriptorium full release will be as polished, cozy, and rewarding as the demo you’ve been enjoying![/p][p]And this? 100% positive Demo reviews?! We are speechless. Thank you so, so much![/p][p][/p][p]If you're reading this - please consider leaving Scriptorium Demo a review, too. It takes a short while, but for us it's sooo important - it affects the game's visiblity and gives us a lot of necessary info (we read every review!) about what you think about Scriptorium. That honestly means the world to us as we just want to make a great game for you all. [/p][p]You can leave a review here:[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h3]The Demo is Still Live![/h3][p]If you haven't had a chance to visit the scriptorium yet, the demo is still live and free to play on our Steam page as part of Next Fest![/p][p]We are still in the process of gathering feedback, so if you’ve played it, please let us know your thoughts! What felt great? Was anything confusing? What would you love to see in your future workshop? There is still time for us to adjust our dev plan based on your insights. Please drop us your thoughts either in the comments, or on Steam forums. We read everything![/p][h3]What’s next?[/h3][p]Now that the celebrations are over, we’re heading straight back to the "dev cave" (or the scriptorium, technically) to finish the remaining work. We have some exciting features to wrap up before our release later this year![/p][p]And pssst... on Monday we will have a little announcement for you (no, not the release date... yet 😅), that we are sure will bring a smile on some of your faces![/p][p]Thank you for keeping this community alive with your amazing artworks and for being the most thoughtful community we could ask for. ♥️[/p][p][/p][p]Stay safe & warm out there! [/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright Teams[/p]

Scriptorium Demo - AVAILABLE NOW!

[h2]Hello Scribes![/h2][p]Today is the day we’ve all been waiting for! After months of preparation, the stars have finally aligned, and we are beyond excited to announce that the Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts Demo is officially LIVE as part of Steam Next Fest! You can play it now, here:[/p][p]PLAY SCRIPTORIUM DEMO ON STEAM! [/p][p]And guess what - our Friends from Steam included our game in the official Next Fest trailer showcase!! How cool is that?! Watch it below! (we are at 0:34)[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]It’s finally time to grab your quills, get ink ready and leave your mark on the parchment![/p][p][/p][h3]✨ What’s Waiting for You Inside?[/h3][p]We’ve packed this demo with enough content to keep your manuscript workshop busy and buzzing. Here is a glimpse of what you can experience right now:[/p]
  • [p]Story Mode: Take on bizarre commissions, meet quirky characters, and fulfill their manuscript dreams. It's a taste of the entire story mode campaign will have to offer![/p]
  • [p]Sandbox Mode: Want to just create without anyone (these clients...) bothering you? Dive into a world with no commissions or people telling you what they want! Just your imagination and few hundred hand-drawn assets.[/p]
  • [p]Export your masterworks! Once your masterpiece is finished, you can export your artworks as .png files to share, print, or use however you like![/p]
[h3]🙏 A Small Request from DevTeam[/h3][p]If you have a moment, please leave a review on our Steam Demo Page! Every single review helps us feed the Steam algorithm gods, allowing us to climb the ranks and reach more players for the full release. It truly means the world to our team! We really appreciate you all for this.[/p][p]As a small indie studio, we also want to let you know that Scriptorium is our passion project created entirely by human hands, without any genAI assistance. Telling your friends or adding the full game to your Wishlist is the best way to support our journey. Thank you from our entire team![/p][h3]💬 Join the Community & Give Feedback[/h3][p]Our team can't wait to hear what you think![/p][p]Please Share your thoughts on Steam forums - and please let us know about anything: what you liked, what you disliked... we're here for you! Also, please remember we have Official Scriptorium Discord channel, where we also listen to feedback, and we will run community challenges and be actively engaged with you all! [/p][p]Thank you for being the best community an indie developer can ask for! [/p][p]We love you all - now go forth and enjoy the demo! Stay medieval,[/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright Teams[/p]

Scriptorium Demo Announced!

[h2]Hello Scribes![/h2][p][/p][p]Forget the devlogs for a moment, today we have the very special announcement you’ve all been waiting for! The stars have aligned and we are beyond excited to reveal that the Scriptorium Demo is officially part of the upcoming Steam Next Fest![/p][p][/p][p]That’s right: this Monday, February 23, you’ll finally be able to get your hands on the most complete and polished version of Scriptorium yet. It’ll be a true taste of the full release that’s fast approaching! Our team has poured an enormous amount of heart into this, and we can’t wait to see your artworks again.[/p][p]Before you dive in, watch our refreshed EggHorse trailer! Can you spot all the new references to other games and books? 👀[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]What’s inside the Next Fest Demo?[/p][p]Alright, let’s get into the details! What can you expect? Good news, we’ve packed the demo with enough content to keep your quills busy for hours (or days). Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll be playing from Monday: [/p]
  • [p]Choose your character - You’ll step into the shoes of two different scribes! In the demo version of Story Mode, you’ll get to choose between two starting avatars: the Pious Nun or the Gallant Knight.[/p]
  • [p]Story Mode snippet - Experience the life of a working scribe! You’ll take over your Uncle’s scriptorium, take on (sometimes bizarre) commissions, decorate your workshop, and feel the rewarding vibe of fulfilling the manuscript dreams of your esteemed clients.[/p]
  • [p]Sandbox Mode - Want to just create without worrying about clients? Sandbox mode lets you experiment with a pretty big library of over 300 hand-drawn assets. We selected them carefully to give you a taste of the final game without spoiling everything. With a limit of up to 100 elements on a single parchment, there’s plenty of space for your most intricate masterpieces! (Note: this limit applies only to the demo version).[/p]
  • [p]Pigment Creation - the alchemy of art! You’ll be able to grow flowers and gather ingredients to create your own palette. While the full shop is still being stocked for the final game, you’ll have plenty of colors - and even some gold - to make your art stunning.[/p]
  • [p]Decorate Your Workshop - Something for the cozy game lovers! The demo includes a selection of decorations to make your Scriptorium workshop feel like home. Psst: if you’re a diligent decorator, you might even unlock a very special in-game pet to keep you company while you work! 🐾[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Language & Technical Info[/h3][p]The demo UI is in English only, but the text editor (where you actually write on the manuscripts) supports Latin alphabets, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese. Just make sure you have these languages/alphabets installed on your Windows PC to write directly in the game, or simply copy and paste text from outside the game! The full version will support many more languages (English, Polish, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese and Japanese), so no worries there.[/p][p][/p][h3]Share Your Art![/h3][p]The Export Feature is fully active! Once you’re done creating, save your creations and share them (or print!) wherever you like. Remember to tag us on social media, as we'd love to see it! If you’re a content creator, feel free to use \[these assets] for your thumbnails and graphics.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]Join the Community![/h3][p]We’re planning to run various Community Challenges during Next Fest with exciting rewards for the best scribes! To participate, join our Discord, where we’ve already built an amazing community of artists, gamers, and medieval enthusiasts. We’d love to see YOU there too![/p][p][/p][h3]A Small Request from Scriptorium DevTeam[/h3][p]If there’s one thing we’d like to ask, it’s to please help us spread the word and leave a review of the Demo, when it's available. [/p][p]This is the biggest Next Fest ever, with over 4,000 (!) demos, and it’s a challenge for a small indie team like us to reach players. Scriptorium is a passion project created entirely by hand by human artists and developers, without any genAI assistance. Telling your friends or adding us to your Steam Wishlist means the world to us - it’s the best way to support our journey! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.[/p][p][/p][p]Once again - thank you for being such an incredible community. Mark your calendars and sharpen your quills - this Monday is the biggest day of Scriptorium’s history to date![/p][p][/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright Teams[/p][p]
[/p][p]PS. Recently we revamped our Steam page with brand new assets, descriptions and short videos to show what Scriptorium has to offer. Let us know what you think![/p][p]
[/p]

Dev Update #8 - Listen to the Soundtrack & there's a Basilisk in the basement!

[h2]Hello Scribes![/h2][p]Two weeks have flown by in the blink of an eye, and that means it's time for another Steam Update from Scriptorium development! Today we've got some exciting topics to cover including  some more details of the demo version, your first-ever listen to Scriptorium's original soundtrack, and more details on a very special 𓆙 basement resident![/p][h3]Demo Version Update[/h3][p]The highly anticipated demo is still in active development and the team is making great progress, we'll share more details in the next update. We wanted to answer some questions you've asked after our last post right away![/p][p]Here's what you can expect from the demo:[/p]
  • [p]Both Story Mode and Sandbox Mode - We really want to show you the two main pillars Scriptorium is built on. We know some of you love a good story and that sense of progression that comes from improving your workshop and completing commissions - so there'll be a snippet of Story Mode where you'll create your character and get a taste of the campaign mode. And for those who just want to jump straight into creating without restrictions, Sandbox Mode will be there too and let you experiment with the selection of assets we carefully chose for the demo.[/p]
  • [p]Export your artworks - Just like in the playtest, you'll be able to export your creations and share them on social media (once the demo is out remember to tag our social channels so we can admire and hype your work!)[/p]
  • [p]Fresh start for launch - progress from the demo won't transfer to the full game, so whatever you create in the demo stays in the demo, and you'll start the full version with a clean slate![/p]
  • [p]And since some of you have asked - the demo will of course be free to download and play (we can't think of a different scenario, but since you’ve asked - we answer!)[/p]
[p][/p][h3]Meet Scriptorium Composer - Jake Gaule![/h3][p]Don't know about you, but we here at Yaza Games are huge fans of cozy creative sims and the music is absolutely crucial for feeling immersed in such a relaxing game. That's why we wanted the music to be tailored to such gameplay. The day has come when we can show you more, so we want to introduce you to the composer preparing the soundtrack for Scriptorium, meet Jake Gaule! Jake is also known under the name Submerged Tapes and is an incredibly talented game music composer, whose work you might know from the soundtracks of games like Bladesong, Automatoys and Little Corners.[/p][p]You can expect us to do a deep dive into the topic of music in one of our future Steam Updates, but for now we have two short snippets for you - one is a fragment of the main musical theme in the game and the other you'll hear during... sleep! [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]The musical world of Scriptorium is special because the soundtrack consists of many layers that dynamically adjust to what you're currently doing and where you are in the game. We wanted it to be a subtle enough companion that it won't disturb your creative work, but also won't get boring when you're decorating your workshop or shopping for new stuff. You can expect us to explore the topic of music in Scriptorium in the next updates![/p][h3]Gameplay deep dive - Challenge Screen![/h3][p]Continuing the new tradition we started in our previous Steam Update, today we're introducing you to another screen in the game! Here's the Challenge Screen, also known as the Basilisk Grotto! Yes, your Scriptorium has a Basilisk living in the basement. Isn't that wonderful? Fortunately, this one doesn't turn you to stone because deep down it's just an oversized chicken.[/p][p](Work in progress)[/p][p][/p][p]The Challenge Screen is a place we recommend checking regularly. Here you'll find information about what's worth doing during your adventures in the world of Scriptorium to unlock unique items. As you can see in the mock-up above, if you complete enough challenges, the Basilisk will exchange them for this rather tasteful throne. Is it worth it for him? Probably not really, but he's a very generous basilisk.[/p][h3]What's next?[/h3][p]In the next update, we'll answer the question: what exactly are dreams in Scriptorium, and why should you make sure your scribe gets enough sleep? 👀[/p][p][/p][p]That's all for today, thank you for reading and see you in 2 weeks - stay safe & warm out there![/p][p]Your Yaza Games and Mythwright Teams[/p][p][/p][p]PS. We also want to continue using Steam Updates to show you cool, lesser known indie games created by wonderful, talented developers we've met along our journey! Here's Leafy Corner, a game created by a duo of Polish developers where you run a cozy shop with... potted plants. An absolute banger of a game concept, we recommend it for all lovers of houseplants and cozy sims! [/p][p]Don't forget to add it to your wishlist and today they launched Leafy Corner playtest session, so you can check the game out for yourself![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p]