Solace Crafting News

[p]Hello everyone, and welcome to the seventh Producer’s Letter for Solace Crafting.[/p][p]I’m Fab. Today marks a return to this tradition after a brief pause managing real life and its complexities, such as grief, particularly at the passing of pets. I would personally like to extend my gratitude for your support and kind words as both Kyle and I had to go through such sad affairs, with cats passing.[/p][p]Thank you again for being such a wholesome and warm community.[/p][p]We will primarily focus today’s letter on Solace Builder and also talk about what comes after the current stretch.[/p][p]Let’s get into it.[/p][p][/p][h3]A Quick Recap[/h3][p]In the recent months, Solace Builder has been the primary focus behind the scenes. Now, just to reiterate for clarity, the Builder work is crucial in 4 ways:[/p]

• [p]Strategically, it allows us to rejuvenate BKG a bit without committing to a whole new game, which would mean really leaving SC behind for God knows how long, and we are not doing that.[/p]
  • [p]For Solace Crafting, the builder will find its way into the game as a building tool, complementing the current system, not replacing it, to give you more freedom and options.[/p]
  • [p]For Solace Keeper, the builder will be the main purveyor of content, both user created and not, as well as a framework for a core exploration & discovery-centric gameplay system (more on this later).[/p]
• [p]Economically, it should ultimately become a revenue driver that will help make our work viable again, which means we can stop working at a loss and therefore work more, better, hire more people and push through our ambitious plans for SC and SK more reliably and faster.[/p]

[p]We want to have these 3 products as a little gaming ecosystem based on playing, making and sharing. The goal would be a co-creative space where the Solace Verse can thrive in unexpected directions, through your direct input, and we can keep providing you not just content and patches, but tools and assets to deepen your imprint into that universe and its experiences.[/p][p][/p][h3]Right now[/h3][p]Kyle has been at work on some key builder features so we can begin to catch up with our release schedule. He, will then go back to a round of bug fixes and QoL improvements to both SC and SK. To be more specific about the current sprint, these are structural updates: importing assets (furniture etc) and having the UI auto-update (which seems to be done), there's doors & windows interactions, further flora manipulation, grass painting, and 3rd person mode so you can build and decorate and then walk around inside what you just built. And also implementing the core deco content: a whole bunch of furniture and other such decoratives so that even with the basic builder and no extra content, you can build cozy and well-furnished homes. [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Mood setting with lighting control. Plenty of options for you!
[/p][h3]Solace Builder Approaching v2 Demo[/h3][p]Solace Builder is approaching its v2 demo release. A lot of work has gone into it, to improve it from its timid beginnings as a buildings assembler into the tool we want for you to build scenes to live in and share. Whether you want to build a cozy home, a thriving farm, a dark dungeon, a little fort or a small village heart bustling with NPC activity, that’s what the builder must enable.[/p][p][/p][p]The goal with this is environmental storytelling. Not just building functional little shacks or whatnot, but building pretty, colorful and meaningful scenes, with tools that give you latitude to tell a story just through screenshots, visuals and immersion. Then, if you want, you should be able to export this little corner of adventure or fantasy into the vast open world of Solace Keeper as your home base for your wide-ranging explorations, or for others to adopt as their own, through the Steam Workshop.
[/p][p][/p][p]As you can see from the cyan light (right) and pinkish light (left), lighting control is not confined to actual visible light sources.[/p][p]
Building Points of Interest for the game, whether lore-based, enemy hideouts or simply landscape features is also part of the possibilities Solace Builder is meant to achieve. As you might remember, we tested PoIs last year as a standard for environment population and monster spawn. Instead of spawning the same obelisk or prefab for the nth time, we can use these as variants, vary also what spawns in them. All things the builder gives YOU control of to build your own worlds or world-bits ultimately.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]So in this upcoming v2, this set of goal is being approached through expanded building functionality and ease of use, as well as interface improvements and content additions. While I am always looking ahead and measuring current progress against a distant horizon, let’s say that I find reasons to be satisfied by where we’ve been heading and the progress we’ve finally locked in after a year riddled with ordeals and delays.
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I, however, measure the work not in terms of how it feels but in terms of the value it offers. So in that sense, all the new stuff you can do or place in the builder makes it a lot more satisfying. There’s still a good amount to do but we’re getting there steadily now. We’re hoping access to that demo won’t be much longer.[/p][h3]Special Content & Our Backers[/h3][p]A number of you have supported Kyle’s undertaking over the year not only by buying the game, playing the game, getting involved on the Discord but also pledging through Patreon, and more recently, through ko-fi or itch.io. We are making sure this support is recognized by working on a reward system. Its first incarnation will be through the Builder: we have divided all the available furniture into themed furniture/deco packs. Three of these packs will be available by default, to enable SB users to furnish their creations abundantly and for free. This core content will also expand, for free, over time.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]When scaling control goes a little (too) far[/p][p] [/p][p]For our backers, we will implement special themed packs. These packs will also contain themed furniture and decoratives. That’s a start to this reward system we want to build. We understand very well that our supporters aren’t in for a transactional relationship and support us because they like or respect what we do. But this doesn’t exonerate us from giving back in more ways than simply patches and updates, especially as, as shown by this whole year, patches and updates can sometimes lag when circumstances don’t align. So having more ways to give you stuff for your experience can only help.
[/p][p][/p][h3]In Closing[/h3][p]The chaos and uncertainty you guys have been dragged through over the past 12 months (at least the chaos I was a part of) should begin to subside when we finally get that Solace Builder Steam page out, which should hopefully be before year's end![/p][p][/p][p]We also want to update you on the fact that our former developer Newbery has managed his relocation. Thank you to all of those who offered support and kind words. Newbery and I go back some years, he’s been my favorite developer and an all-around great person to work with. I have had the opportunity to plug him onto another game development gig, which should begin very shortly, so it’s another nice note to end the year on. Looking forward to getting him fully back with us![/p][p][/p][p]From what I both gathered and experienced, 2025 was a very challenging year for many of us. Hopefully we can step into a more serene 2026 and despite all challenges, delays and disappointments, we carry our commitment for this little burgeoning ecosystem, and its players past present and future, as a beacon of hope.
[/p][p][/p][p]Doors and window feel a lot better when we can open and close them![/p][p]🔗 Discord[/p][p]Thank you, truly, for being here.[/p][h3]What You Can Do To Help[/h3][p]If you wanna push us up, either one of these will support us more than you know[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Keep up the kind words on our Steam posts and the Likes[/p]
• [p]You can get and support the builder here:  https://bigkittygames.itch.io/solace-builder[/p]
• [p]Drop by our IndieDB page to help make it visible[/p]
• [p]And of course, support us on our Ko-fi page[/p]

[h3]Important Steam beta branch changes:[/h3][p]
There are multiple "beta" branches that are accessible to all owners of Solace Crafting. Beta branches are accessible by right-clicking on the game in your Steam Library, clicking Properties, and going to the Beta tab. From there you will have several choices:[/p][p]None - the default "live" branch[/p][p]beta - for testing the latest Solace Crafting patches[/p][p]solacekeeper - for testing the latest updates to Solace Keeper[/p][p]
This beta patch thus serves three main purposes:[/p][p]1. To separate the development projects of Solace Crafting and Solace Keeper[/p][p]2. To move Solace Keeper to its own beta branch[/p][p]3. To test the latest upgraded version of Solace Crafting[/p][p][/p][p]The engine has been upgraded and I went through and fixed a number of new bugs and obvious problems that I ran into, but there are likely to be more. I'm also spinning up the beta server again, with a fresh world, should you be interested in playing on there.[/p][p][/p][p]From here on we will be keeping Solace Keeper on its own branch so that we can resume working on Solace Crafting as a clearly separate entity. “Solace Keeper”’s  naming as a “beta branch” has caused a lot of confusion as to its nature: it was never meant to replace Solace Crafting but to be a “remaster” of it. Giving it its own independent branch will help restore that clarity.[/p][p][/p][p]Started originally in 2017, the Solace Crafting project files have become a true beast. Solace Keeper on the other hand has replaced almost the entirety of the original 3D assets used by Solace Crafting. Because of these staggering differences, fully separating Solace Crafting and Solace Keeper into their own individual projects took quite a bit more work than we were expecting. [/p][p][/p][p]Ultimately, Solace Builder and the other modding tools we're working to create will be incorporated into both Crafting and Keeper. It will create that broader sense of “ecosystem” that allows work done for one to benefit the others. Mind you, we reiterate this: the goal for Solace Crafting is improvement, not replacement. Builder features that make their way into SC are not meant to overwrite the existing construction tools but to complement and enhance your ability to create.[/p][p][/p][p]It's a small patch, but with big intentions, and we'll have more for Solace Crafting coming in soon.[/p][p][/p][p]Please note that as a new version of Unity, shaders needed to be recompiled. This is a 4-5 hour process, so at this moment the patch only contains Windows upgrades, but Linux will be uploaded later today as well.[/p][p][/p][h3]v 1.1.0.7 2025.10.06[/h3][p]- Upgraded Unity version to 2022.3.62f2[/p][p]- Fixed light destruction error when spawning town building previews for placement[/p][p]- Fixed burst compiler error debug log generation[/p][p]- Fixed a dedicated server WeatherManager error[/p][p][/p][h3]What You Can Do To Help[/h3][p]If you wanna push us up, either one of these will support us more than you know[/p][p]- Keep up the kind words on our Steam posts and the Likes[/p][p]- You can get and support the builder here:  https://bigkittygames.itch.io/solace-builder[/p][p]- Drop by our IndieDB page to help make it visible: https://www.indiedb.com/games/solace-crafting-rebuild[/p][p]- And of course, support on our Ko-fi page for our developer Newbery here:  https://ko-fi.com/bigkittygames[/p][p]Join us in Discord![/p][p][/p][p]You may need to restart Steam for the update to begin, or you can verify file integrity to trigger it.[/p][p]To opt into Beta you only need to go to your Steam Library, right-click on Solace Crafting, select Properties, click on the Beta tab, and opt-in to the beta.[/p]

[h3]Greetings fellow adventurers![/h3][p]
Kyle here!

The Autumn Sale is upon us! And it's time we've had an update on what's been happening and what's going on.

First off, I have to come clean about a few things. I know I mentioned this a bit last month, but I went completely broke a while back and had to take on a full-time job to make ends meet. That has, as planned, been tuned down to a part-time job, that I am going to keep with for at least a few more months to keep my finances afloat but I am now returning as much of my attention as I can to Big Kitty Games.

(Quentish Underhill mansions have been sprouting out of the ground lately)[/p][p][/p][p]Most of you know I live in Japan, though my friends from school and family all live in the US and I wasn't able to visit in 2024 at the end of Summer like I usually do because my wife was very pregnant, so although I pretty much went broke again I was able to visit a couple weeks ago as that once a year trip is really important to my mental health.[/p][p]Amidst all of that I have a very intelligent almost 11 month old boy that keeps me from working the 60-80 hours a week work schedule that I used to regular.[/p][p][/p][p]So all-in-all, it's been a wild year, not just for me but for the majority of us I believe, though a sort of cadence is returning to my work life. We had literally like 5 months of 95+ (35C) weather, with record highs of over 107! (41.8C) So the recent dip below 90, finally, has been a very welcome feeling as well.
[/p][p](Just the same, the Elendor architecture, which you'll also encounter in SC, has piled up)[/p][p]
We have a lot of plans aimed in part at least to make our products more lucrative so that we don't have to remain starving artists for the rest of our lives, but with such a small, unfunded team things take time, and life gets in the way. By lucrative of course I mean worth their price tag, with some optional cosmetics under construction. We're sticking to our guns with the no gambling (loot box), no pay to win, honest developers tactic, despite what one or two nasty commentors in the forums have been claiming since 2018. Which normally, we all agree are just best to ignore, but I did want to say out loud, I didn't sell the company to anyone, there isn't anything weird or underhanded going on behind the scenes, we just were hoping to get out the next phase of Solace Crafting much quicker than we were realistically able to. We ran short on cash, on time, and I had to put everything down to get my home back in order. One of our primary goals as a company being now to make sure that that doesn't have to happen again.
[/p][p](We prototype these interiors piece by piece to make sure they end up workable in the Builder)
[/p][p]We both share this indie adventurer DNA, which means we bet everything we have on what we do and never thought about the money as much as we did about building something. Where we make a good team is that one is focused on the long term vision and strategy and the other on the tasks at hand and mechanics. We’ve had to learn to work together live without prep, so when things started getting in the way, it had a domino effect. But the struggles and upheavals haven’t dented our resolve one bit.[/p][p][/p][h3]The Friends we make along the way and those we must part with[/h3][p]Speaking of which, Fab recently lost his cat, a spry old lady of 17 years who’s been with him through the thick and thin of his adventurous existence. Just the same as he held the fort while I was away, he’s dipped a bit to tend to his things now that I’m back. We give as much as we can, but at the end of the day we do have to take care of ourselves too.[/p][p][/p][p](You'll be missed!)[/p][p][/p][h3]Moving on[/h3][p]On the topic of Solace Crafting, Solace Keeper, and Solace Builder, and how they all tie in to one another, Fab put it all together better than I can back in July, but I have finally made steps moving forward with our goals of tying these three different systems together. The next patch will be to Solace Crafting and I will be pushing it to the Solace Crafting "Beta" branch. The main reason for this is that a lot of internal systems, Unity version, and things have changed with Solace Crafting since its last "live" patch, but also because that's what the "Beta" branch was always intended for. The build that is currently on "Beta" will be moved to a new beta branch "SolaceKeeper" dedicated to Solace Keeper until we can get it in a state worthy of its own Steam page. This will remain free to access for all Solace Crafting owners that are willing to help us test out new things in there as we move forward with integrating the building system of Solace Builder into both games.
[/p][p](Let's not forget the woodland-based Myrking halls & houses of which here's a sample!)[/p][p]
Our plan is to then focus primarily on improving the building systems that will thus be progress for all three games. This will help implement new game systems that are designed around building that we have planned, but more importantly let our lovely community help us implement new buildings both friendly and wild alike. We are envisioning a series of games that tie in to one another, sharing their content freely between one another, letting the creativity of our players shine both privately and publicly.
[/p][p](NPCs and their cosmetic will be turning up as well to populate your Builder scenes)[/p][p][/p][h3]In Closing[/h3][p]We have a big backlog of things that have been built that just need to be implemented now. And as ever, fixes and improvements to take things step by step where they need to be![/p][p]I'm sorry I don't have that patch ready for today, as the Steam Autumn Sale is already upon us, but it will be up shortly, and more just around the corner.[/p][p]In the meantime, we always love to hear what you all think about all of this. I know it's been a very slow year, or a very quick year depending on how you look at it, but we're still here and we know we're not alone![/p][p][/p][p]- Kyle[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Rest in peace, little old lady!


What You Can Do To Help[/p][p]If you wanna push us up, either one of these will support us more than you know[/p][p]- Keep up the kind words on our Steam posts and the Likes[/p][p]- You can get and support the builder here: https://bigkittygames.itch.io/solace-builder[/p][p]- Drop by our IndieDB page to help make it visible: https://www.indiedb.com/games/solace-crafting-rebuild[/p][p]- And of course, support on our Ko-fi page for our developer Newbery here:  https://ko-fi.com/bigkittygames[/p][p]Join us in Discord![/p]

[p]Small patch for what we're still currently calling the beta branch. We'll have some changes to the way these are being managed very shortly, in part to also start bringing patches back to the live branch of SC.[/p][p][/p][p]I have to give a little speech about where I've been for the past couple of months, so if you only came for the patch notes, scroll on down. My finances hit the wall a couple months ago, and despite all the great stuff we've got in the pipe, a lot of it really just around the corner, I have to take care of my family first and foremost and had to redirect the majority of my effort into some freelance work to get our heads back above water. We're doing good now, and at the after this week is up I will be toning my side gigs back down to refocus on everything we've got going on in the Solace multiverse![/p][p][/p][p]It's also been 37C+ (98F+) for almost 3 months over here![/p][p]Stay cool, stay safe, and happy gaming![/p][p][/p][p]v 1.2.0.8 2025.8.25[/p][p]- Fixed a bug causing some rocks to not disappear after being mined[/p][p]- Fixed the sledgehammer shader causing problems at night[/p][p]- Temporarily deactivating ugly desert cliffs altogether[/p][p]- Updated starter tutorial quest's referencing masonry instead of bushcraft professions[/p][p][/p][p]What You Can Do To Help[/p][p]If you wanna push us up, either one of these will support us more than you know[/p][p]- Keep up the kind words on our Steam posts and the Likes[/p][p]- You can get and support the builder here: https://bigkittygames.itch.io/solace-builder[/p][p]- Drop by our IndieDB page to help make it visible: https://www.indiedb.com/games/solace-crafting-rebuild[/p][p]- And of course, support on our Ko-fi page for our developer Newbery here: https://ko-fi.com/bigkittygames[/p][p]Join us in Discord![/p][p][/p][p]You may need to restart Steam for the update to begin, or you can verify file integrity to trigger it.[/p][p]To opt into Beta you only need to go to your Steam Library, right-click on Solace Crafting, select Properties, click on the Beta tab, and opt-in to the beta.[/p]

[p]Hello everyone,[/p][p]Fab here. Not quite a Producer’s Letter but something like it ahead of time.[/p][p]Based on some feedback, comments and conversations between us, we wanted to share a clearer vision of where Solace Crafting is headed. Not just for the beta branch or the upcoming Builder, but for the broader universe we’re building together. [/p][p]We also want to share some new screenshots throughout this post!

Prototying designs for Solace Builder

Classic Solace Crafting (Live Main Branch)[/p][p]This is the version you know from Steam’s main branch: the original game, still online, shaped by years of development and the passion of veteran players. Classic Solace Crafting embraces an old-school, deep-fantasy RPG spirit and continues to be available for everyone who loves its endless progression and open-ended play. We have no intention to abandon or overwrite it. On the contrary, we want to maintain and improve Classic over time, honoring those who’ve made it part of their gaming life. It’s taking a bit of a backseat lately due to the foundational work we’re doing, but it’s not being phased out, shelved or otherwise abandoned.

Solace Keeper (Formerly "the Beta" Branch)[/p][p]What’s been known as “the Beta” is actually a new and parallel evolutionary step: think of it as Solace Crafting 1.5 or even 2.0, and from now on, we’ll call it Solace Keeper. Solace Keeper isn’t meant to replace Classic. It’s about streamlining, and expanding what’s possible: bringing in a more painterly, colorful style; introducing modular world creation; and letting players build worlds, cultures, and rules in new ways. Our vision is for Solace Keeper to coexist alongside Classic, not overwrite it. Where possible, we’re working towards data sharing and compatibility, so your worlds and progress can move more freely between the two experiences.

Two in One[/p][p]For the time being, the idea is to let you access both games from the same Steam key. It will remain like this at least for the duration of the development of Solace Keeper through alpha and beta. We’ll see after that, as we reach Early Access stage, whether it’s still the right way to do it or whether Solace Keeper needs its own Steam Page. Either way, owning Solace Crafting now means owning both Solace Crafting and Solace Keeper forever.[/p][p]But let’s get deeper into all this! [/p][h3]An Evolving World[/h3][p]So, Solace Keeper is going through its growing pains and visual development. This transition phase has us in an in-between zone with focus on setting the right palette and moods. Our goal is to offer multiple aesthetics and moods within branches of the same game universe, reflecting both nostalgia and innovation. The current “Classic” branch features an old-school look reminiscent of early 2000s MMOs like EverQuest 2: a style we intend to preserve and eventually improve further. Meanwhile, the “beta branch” (which we now call the Solace Keeper alpha) embraces a more colorful, animated feel. Khora, the world of Solace Crafting, is a multiverse. It seems fitting to treat these two instances of the game as different worlds, different times, different rules, different aesthetics, same universe.

Modular Worlds and Cultures[/p][p]Through the Builder and Solace Keeper, Solace Crafting is becoming more modular, both in map generation and in how cultures and biomes work: the Builder will be the first place to reflect this. Previously, Solace Crafting held to this “old school fantasy tinged with weird” orientation (mostly due to restrictions in asset choice and art direction). It allowed you to build square, blocky towns and warehouse-like houses. The Builder will begin introducing actual fantasy styles as “Cultures” from this Khora multiverse, reflecting various aesthetics and influences. The net result for the game, as these assets make their way into Solace Keeper, is that Players will be able to craft worlds “à la carte”. At world creation, you will be choosing which cultures and biomes to include, whether it’s a D&D-inspired adventure, a Tolkien-esque landscape, or even more exotic mixes in the future. Each culture will bring its own aesthetic and lore, and as broader modding opens up in 2026, we fully expect even more diverse worlds, embracing everything from classic fantasy to creative surprises, to come up.

The modular Elendor Tower

The Builder: Our Next Focus[/p][p]Right now, our main focus is the Solace Builder, improving it and expanding its asset library. The Builder is central to how we’ll support ongoing development, both for Solace Keeper and for maintaining Classic. It will also help define the unique look of each culture. At launch, we’re focusing on three foundational cultures which have a classic fantasy feel. We’ll tell you more about them but in these screenshots, you can guess about the direction of two of them. Each culture will be linked to specific biomes, but nothing stops us from dreaming up lizardfolk jungles, fire elementals in molten halls, or whatever the community and our own creative energy can sustain. Some of those wild things were already in Solace Crafting, so it’ll just be a matter of filling up assets templates sheets to make them work for you as your own construction toys.

The Willowlane Mansion, all familiar underhill coziness

The Solace Ecosystem[/p][p]Long term, we see Solace Crafting not just as a game, but as a living ecosystem: an ever-evolving set of worlds and tools for players, modders, and creators. Classic Solace Crafting will remain playable and receive care as we’re able, honoring the investment of veteran players and remaining the “Old Canon”. Solace Keeper, our next-generation branch, aims to take world-building to new heights, allowing you to shape landscapes, cultures, and rules from the ground up. The Builder is the gateway into this creative future: free to play, deeply moddable, and supported by optional themed support packs.

The Elendor Tower catching the light

Support and Community[/p][p]In August, Solace Builder will launch as a free demo on Steam, followed by a live version in the fall (free as well). To support further development, we’ll introduce themed support packs, each one filled with special assets, props, NPCs, and more, usable in both the Builder and future Solace Keeper worlds. Your support will help keep the lights on, power future updates, and open the door to hiring talented freelancers impacted by industry changes.

Building custom structures is how we establish what parts the Builder will need crammed in

Vision for the Long Haul[/p][p]We’re old school players over here, as are some of you. Having crossed over into game-making around a decade ago, we’ve naturally developed a vision not just for games and how they could or should be, but also about the industry, the job, the venture of making games and sharing them with audiences. We are creators, developers and players. We don’t think that for the past 10 to 15 years (arguably more), this industry has treated its creators, developers and players so well. So even though right now we’re just mostly two guys, we want to contribute to that at our little level, by creating a mutually supportive space between creatives, game worlds and supportive players.
It’s not just structures! It’s also props. Medieval tomatoes from another dimension. Closing[/p][p]We’re passionate about keeping Solace Crafting alive, growing, and open-ended. The “infinite planes of Khora” concept, written long ago by Kyle into the budding Solace Crafting lore, is only just beginning to take shape. By supporting and sharing, you help us build not just games, but a community and creative space that can thrive and surprise us all.[/p][p]You know that what’s done here at BKG, through the history Kyle has set, is long term. On my own side, I have the same mindset of “never quit, never surrender”. If you stick with us, we’ll show you what we can do together. We’re committed to giving you fantastic tools and toys.[/p][p]Thank you for being with us, for your feedback, and for believing in what Solace can become.[/p][p]See you in the next update next month!

https://discord.gg/solacecrafting[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you, truly, for being here.
[/p][h3]What You Can Do To Help[/h3][p]If you wanna push us up, either one of these will support us more than you know[/p]

• [p]Keep up the kind words on our Steam posts and the Likes[/p]
• [p]You can get and support the builder here:  [/p]

[p]https://bigkittygames.itch.io/solace-builder[/p]

• [p]Drop by our IndieDB page to help make it visible: [/p]

[p]https://www.indiedb.com/games/solace-crafting-rebuild[/p]

• [p]And of course, support on our Ko-fi page for our developer Newbery here:  [/p]

[p]https://ko-fi.com/bigkittygames[/p][p]Don’t trip, Johndude. Those battlements look very uneven.[/p]