Hello everyone! Good to have you back for another Something's Brewing; the one place for all things Ale Abbey, our upcoming monastery brewery tycoon.
Reviewing this week, we have been slowly finishing off everything related to the Custodian role, and we focused a lot on the backend and the UI of Ale Abbey in anticipation of... *drum roll* a demo version that will be hitting Steam very soon! :D
On with the news!
-- Demo version incoming!
You heard that right, we have been waiting to break the news for some time now, a demo version is very imminent. We would love to have been in the position of giving a more precise waiting time, but we have been hard at work ironing out a few kinks in preparation for a very important internal test (some lucky folks in our Discord server might be included in the testers' pool). Once everything is presentable and in order, you will be getting a major heads-up on Steam, here, our Discord server, our other socials... heck, everywhere! So stay tuned and wishlist ;)
You've already probably guessed it, but preparing for a demo doesn't mean all other work suddenly pauses. Quite the opposite! There are parts that need to be completed for us to feel comfortable for an official internal playtest (meaning people close to the studio, but not the team members) and a subsequent public demo release that needs to showcase the monastery at its best. Both because we want to focus on things we might have missed and because a demo generates a strong marketing beat.
Having set a demo as a goal was quite... motivational. We'll tell you that much.
-- UI progress
We keep saying it and we hope you keep supporting us on this, UI and UX is that one gamedev hill we'd die on; we really believe it's that part that can make or break a game. So this week we managed to finish UI elements like buttons and the pagination of certain menus.
If you remember last week's "before" state of the activities' buttons, get ready for their complete and much more readable "after" version. It should be a lot easier to guess what they're about now :p
Solution: (From left to right, Research, Map, Finances, Building, Moving, Cellars, Storage, Monks)
And for the much larger processes that require you to go along multiple steps, like Recipe Crafting and Brewing, flipping through the various steps will be accommodated by intricate pagination menus like the one below.
There still are a few things here and there that need correcting, but these are relatively minor. They will be completed before the testing of course, but these corrections are minor placement and interaction-related, like how they will appear on the HUD without obstructing gameplay or messing up with your immersion.
-- Custodians last stretch 🧹
One important detail many people discussed with us was the impressive cleanliness that monks were known for in the late Middle Ages. This led to the creation of the Littering system in Ale Abbey, and the introduction of the Custodian role to keep things in order.
With the Custodians’ room finished about a week ago, we turned our focus to furnishing it. We carefully selected what items would reflect its purpose, in an effort to make it feel as authentic as possible. Another criterion when creating its furniture was making sure they always gave hints of the tasks assigned to the Custodians; like the candles and oil canister found in the right side of the screenshot below (don't forget it's their job to keep the monastery running properly, if you add candles or light sources, they need to replace and replenish!). Unlike some of the more whimsical spaces in the Abbey, the Custodians' room means business!
In addition to the Custodians' room and its dedicated furniture, we also worked on the Maintenance Locker, a piece we mentioned in our last Something's Brewing. With it ready, we can now rest assured the rooms that need the most attention have ways of staying in check!
-- Keeping that monastery clean IRL
Monks in the late Middle Ages were known for their meticulous approach to brewing, and maintaining cleanliness in their breweries was crucial for producing quality ale consistently, as well as keeping their busy monasteries in order.
One of their key methods was boiling water and brewing ingredients. This of course sanitized both the water and the brewing vessels used. They also made use of natural cleaning agents like sand or ashes to scrub equipment and barrels. Monasteries were also often built near rivers, providing access to fresh, flowing water for rinsing and cleaning.
In addition to practical cleaning methods, monasteries had designated brewing spaces to isolate the process from other daily activities. This helped reduce contamination and allowed monks to keep brewing areas organized and free of litter (thanks, Maintenance Locker!). Brewing often took place in cooler months to prevent spoilage, and after each brewing season, equipment was thoroughly cleaned and stored, ready for the next cycle. Barrels and casks, used to store ale, were scalded with hot water or steam to kill off bacteria.
Monks also adhered to strict routines of cleanliness, both as a practical necessity and as part of their spiritual discipline. Brewing was seen as part of their divine work, and this attitude towards spiritual cleansing manifested into fervor for maintaining their facilities. High-quality ingredients were carefully stored to prevent spoilage, and some monasteries used copper, bronze, and wooden brewing equipment all of which offered antimicrobial properties.
Worry not, today we have PBW, Star San, Saniclean, and Liquid Line Cleaner :p
With this, we'll let you enjoy your weekend responsibly, but remember to join us next week for some more Ale Abbey news!
-- Hammer & Ravens
Wishlist (and tell your friends!)
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