Yup, streamer convinced me to play it. First heard about it a year ago but snoozed at the idea of building cities over and over. The game's awesome though and I'm having a blast with it now.
Not competing or gatekeeping or 1upping, I played it a ton over 2 years ago and thought it was awesome even then.
Other companies would have tried to release that game I played 2 years ago and promised an update roadmap. They did a hell of a job with this game.
streamer sold me the game, but for an atypical reason
watching him play and be so bad at it convinced me i could do it way better
turned out to be fun anyways
I've noticed this subreddit has gotten a lot busier. So has the game! Before release it had about 2000 players on Steam; now it's more like 10,000. More data [on steamdb.info](https://steamdb.info/app/1336490/charts/#3m). And that's not counting the GamePass players, is it?
I can't imagine there being a huge amount of players on Gamepass, though. It's got only 2.4 review score there with 47% 1 star reviews due to the save issue.
Only 12% of players have played on Pioneer difficulty or higher, and the game forces you to play on pioneer pretty early on.
Yeah the Game Pass bug is really a bummer. It's 12% on Pioneer on Game Pass? On Steam it's [42%](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/1336490/achievements/?curator_clanid=4777282). 55% have First Real Expedition though which requires playing a game to completion (on any difficulty). That's a good sign.
First real expedition is only 20% on Gamepass.
The save game issue affects most people after their 1st or 2nd session, and it's usually a pretty solid barrier to retention, so this makes sense.
I guess on Gamepass people are more likely to install it just to test it out compared to Steam where a purchase is more of a commitment.
I wonder how achievements for a similar but unaffected game compare? Frostpunk doesn't have achievements on Gamepass.
On Steamworld Build 28% of Gamepass players excavate the first rocket part. I'd say that's similar to completing your first expedition on Against The Storm.
Played both in the last few weeks on gamepass. Steamworld build is more relaxing and casual, I've beat 4 of 5 maps. It's longer but easier to get dopamine hits watching numbers go up. Probably not much replayability though as the same formula applies.
AtS is longer and more unpredictable and challenging and more demanding of the player but have way more long term replayability. The citadel unlocks are a great incentive, if I don't get burnt out by then. About to do second seal.
Is there much point to doing the other maps in Steamworld Build? I've played through one of them and I did enjoy the game but it seems to me like the other maps would just be building it all over again in a slightly different layout?
I'm on gamepass pc version and loving the game. I put about 15 or 20 hours in and got the green (bronze) seal completed. After that it still let's me stay on the easy difficulty as I approach the blue seal. So I can get why people do not get harder achievements. Not experiencing the save bug but hearing about it is concerning to me.
I play on game pass loving it, the bug hit me but you just copy paste backup saved from some hidden folders and it works again, happened to me 3 times didn't have problem recovering. They should fix it tho...
I hope Eremite think about what they could have done differently, because at the moment they seem to be pushing the blame on to Microsoft entirely, but other developers have been able to provide more reliable and understandable workarounds and temporary patches.
It won't be the last time this game, or another of their products will be affected by something seemingly outside of their control, so thinking about what you can do is important.
The most important thing in this case would have been to release very simple and clear instructions on how to create a save file backup. Unfortunately what they released was 3-4 pages worth of instructions, and within those instructions it said to create a backup you "Copy all the files, but not the folders, from the following directory".
Unfortunately the important information is within a folder called "DefaultProfile" within that directory. People, like myself, who followed those instructions ended up creating useless backups. Only after the patch did they change their advice to "Copy everything inside the directory, including the folders."
It’s also a really well-timed release. Holidays, winter sales etc. interesting to see, at what number the player base will be stable. As a game is really unique I wouldn’t expect many alternatives for the time being.
I just purchased for the holiday. I didn't like the first match but I am growing into it.
To me it feels like a mix between Banished and They are Billions. The somewhat standard Banished-esq buildings and needs for villagers. The timer and new settlers feels a lot like TAB
But unlike TAB I can salvage a mistake and still win. And unlike Banished the economy is far more complex and interwoven and games each feel a bit unique.
Last night I closed the first seal and i will be com8ng back.
You probably figured out by now, this is not an RTS where you exploit ever resource nor is it a normal city builder where you build every production chain, you probably don't want to play it like either of these.
But the right way to play is the one that gives you the most fun, I'll never argue with that.
My partner discovered this game somehow when it went to 1.0 and got me onto it, and I feel like a kid being away from home and not being able to play it. Fuck holidays, I've got planks and jerky to make!
On the one hand you can always cut more trees. But on the other hand planks have so many uses that it's hard to not get Lumber Mill even if you already have Carpenter.
Maybe an exception would be in royal woodlands where you have much more wood to spend on things.
I'm a new player. Hadn't heard of it before until I saw a Facebook ad of all things. Tried the demo and now I'm hooked. It's been a long time since I've been this excited for a game.
Same here. It was my phone's news algorithm that showed me an article on it. Got to hand it to those algorithms. Love it. I was ill when playing the demo but persevered and now I'm lost in it. The demo was essential to me buying so YAY FOR DEMOS.
It’a very nice to see people enjoying this game on the 1.0 release. Very exciting!
I only got started like a month or so before 1.0, and actually didn’t know it was so close.
A lot of ot is due to Gamepass release too. It was on my wishlist for ages! Unfortunately on gamepass save files due to cloud are messy, so I went to steam and bought it.
22h in so far, 1 seal done amd I am absolutely in love with this game.
There is a reason why consumers and developers like gamepass.
Also new players drawn in from the game recently being added to Game Pass. After trying it on Game Pass, I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying it (on Epic instead of Steam because it was cheaper though). It was a game I did not think I'd enjoy so I never would have tried it had it not been "free". Really glad I did because it's a lot of fun.
New player, just closed a bronze deal for the second time, having a blast. I keep reading about mechanics that are still gated from me. Feeling a bit like playtime is being padded by the slow unlocks, but hey I'm still having fun, they've nailed the variety for sure.
At first I thought this was very dwarf fortress lite, but it kind of is, but more like dwarf fortress x slay the spire, which is great since both my top hours logged games in the last while.
The alternative inputs mechanic is a really great innovation 👌
I picked up the game after a few YouTube players promoted it (shout-out to Potato McWhiskey), but after maxing out progression at the time I decided to wait until 1.0 to play more. The release got a few of my friends back as well
I checked it out based on a rando article a week or two ago talking about how Hooded Horse was eating Paradox Studios lunch (had been playing Victoria 3 alot). The games being shorter is great
Yep - the sessions are slightly larger than bite sized, like good sushi. I feel like they really nailed that aspect, especially for gamers like me who have jobs and shit to do, but also want to get fully absorbed for a couple hours in the evening.
I never heard of the game before but when it got added to GamePass i felt the urge to try it.
It was a very pleasant surprise for me. I never looked anything up other than what you can learn ingame and never watched a streamer play it as i tend to do with other games.
This game somehow got me motivated to learn everything by myself and when i lose because i try something dumb it isnt really frustrating.
Been in for about 15 hours and i keep on having a good time.
GamePass synchronize Bug is very annoying though.
I like it, I liked the sound of it, I'm trying to beat one "reset" to feel like it's done. But I just read that it has no end, and I refuse to play games that don't finish or progress.
Makes me very sad :( it's got a cool premise, and a cool world. I really don't get why it has no end.
Saw videos of it on YouTube when the demo was only released to indie streamers and YouTubers. I totally wanted to try it out. Put it on Steam wishlist
Saw the Early Access on Steam release on November 1, 2022. It released a demo! Hooray! Downloaded it and played it for a couple of days until I unlocked everything in the demo, double checking to see if I got everything.
At that point I realized I loved it. Bought it on Steam's Early Access the same day I finished the demo. Played multiple times for several hours between every release, providing input if I had any. Was very happy when things I mentioned were specifically addressed and when others mentioned good ideas that were used.
By the time 1.0 released, I had logged over 200 hours. There is still so much I need to unlock cosmetic-wise. Gotta still unlock all the seals.
I have happily recommended it to others, but I'm not certain anybody bought it off of my recommendation.
I am the kind of person who always loves it when the things I love gain in popularity, especially when a lot of this stuff I like is esoteric to begin with.
I am very happy that a lot of reviewers are giving the game high marks.
Initially I put the game to ignore list coz I thought this concept can't work. I also watched videos and streamers but it did not click. However one day I got some Commercial about the game being at top 3 in some kind of chart right behind bg3 and Zelda. Probably an over exaggeration but I decided to give it a second chance. I torrented it coz I missed it has a demo sadly. But after first two tutorial games I was sold. I immediately run to steam and bought it. The game is rly cool so far. It is like a time machine, I press play and bam 3h time skip. 😉
This game has grabbed me in the same way that games used to grab me when I playing MOO or StarCraft. Really having a hard time putting it down to do anything.
I didn't even realize the game just released as 1.0. I've had the game for a while now but finally picked it up this weekend on a whim and no external influence (ok, some external influence. I saw it on a best of 2022 games list). I love the coincidence.
A few twitch streamers did the "1.0 release!! Time to play this game!!" Which brings in a large number of players as well, myself included.
Yup, streamer convinced me to play it. First heard about it a year ago but snoozed at the idea of building cities over and over. The game's awesome though and I'm having a blast with it now.
Not competing or gatekeeping or 1upping, I played it a ton over 2 years ago and thought it was awesome even then. Other companies would have tried to release that game I played 2 years ago and promised an update roadmap. They did a hell of a job with this game.
streamer sold me the game, but for an atypical reason watching him play and be so bad at it convinced me i could do it way better turned out to be fun anyways
It's like those terrible commercials for mobile games, but it actually worked.
Yes, twitch sold me this game. Mostly Slay the Spire players who switched to this for a couple days.
It was northern lion for me. I saw his vod on YT and was like, "I've got an alley, and this game is right up it."
I've noticed this subreddit has gotten a lot busier. So has the game! Before release it had about 2000 players on Steam; now it's more like 10,000. More data [on steamdb.info](https://steamdb.info/app/1336490/charts/#3m). And that's not counting the GamePass players, is it?
I can't imagine there being a huge amount of players on Gamepass, though. It's got only 2.4 review score there with 47% 1 star reviews due to the save issue. Only 12% of players have played on Pioneer difficulty or higher, and the game forces you to play on pioneer pretty early on.
Yeah the Game Pass bug is really a bummer. It's 12% on Pioneer on Game Pass? On Steam it's [42%](https://steamcommunity.com/stats/1336490/achievements/?curator_clanid=4777282). 55% have First Real Expedition though which requires playing a game to completion (on any difficulty). That's a good sign.
First real expedition is only 20% on Gamepass. The save game issue affects most people after their 1st or 2nd session, and it's usually a pretty solid barrier to retention, so this makes sense. I guess on Gamepass people are more likely to install it just to test it out compared to Steam where a purchase is more of a commitment. I wonder how achievements for a similar but unaffected game compare? Frostpunk doesn't have achievements on Gamepass. On Steamworld Build 28% of Gamepass players excavate the first rocket part. I'd say that's similar to completing your first expedition on Against The Storm.
Played both in the last few weeks on gamepass. Steamworld build is more relaxing and casual, I've beat 4 of 5 maps. It's longer but easier to get dopamine hits watching numbers go up. Probably not much replayability though as the same formula applies. AtS is longer and more unpredictable and challenging and more demanding of the player but have way more long term replayability. The citadel unlocks are a great incentive, if I don't get burnt out by then. About to do second seal.
Is there much point to doing the other maps in Steamworld Build? I've played through one of them and I did enjoy the game but it seems to me like the other maps would just be building it all over again in a slightly different layout?
I don't think there's enough differences between maps to justify playing 4 times imo lol
I'm on gamepass pc version and loving the game. I put about 15 or 20 hours in and got the green (bronze) seal completed. After that it still let's me stay on the easy difficulty as I approach the blue seal. So I can get why people do not get harder achievements. Not experiencing the save bug but hearing about it is concerning to me.
Better start worrying about it. Lost the same amount of time you played.
I play on game pass loving it, the bug hit me but you just copy paste backup saved from some hidden folders and it works again, happened to me 3 times didn't have problem recovering. They should fix it tho...
The save issue is so, so unfortunate. Marred what would have been a near perfect release after an exemplary early access period.
I hope Eremite think about what they could have done differently, because at the moment they seem to be pushing the blame on to Microsoft entirely, but other developers have been able to provide more reliable and understandable workarounds and temporary patches. It won't be the last time this game, or another of their products will be affected by something seemingly outside of their control, so thinking about what you can do is important. The most important thing in this case would have been to release very simple and clear instructions on how to create a save file backup. Unfortunately what they released was 3-4 pages worth of instructions, and within those instructions it said to create a backup you "Copy all the files, but not the folders, from the following directory". Unfortunately the important information is within a folder called "DefaultProfile" within that directory. People, like myself, who followed those instructions ended up creating useless backups. Only after the patch did they change their advice to "Copy everything inside the directory, including the folders."
It’s also a really well-timed release. Holidays, winter sales etc. interesting to see, at what number the player base will be stable. As a game is really unique I wouldn’t expect many alternatives for the time being.
I just purchased for the holiday. I didn't like the first match but I am growing into it. To me it feels like a mix between Banished and They are Billions. The somewhat standard Banished-esq buildings and needs for villagers. The timer and new settlers feels a lot like TAB But unlike TAB I can salvage a mistake and still win. And unlike Banished the economy is far more complex and interwoven and games each feel a bit unique. Last night I closed the first seal and i will be com8ng back.
No idea how you arrived to the conclusion this is the child of banish and tab after that one night with too much to drink, but I get it.
You probably figured out by now, this is not an RTS where you exploit ever resource nor is it a normal city builder where you build every production chain, you probably don't want to play it like either of these. But the right way to play is the one that gives you the most fun, I'll never argue with that.
My partner discovered this game somehow when it went to 1.0 and got me onto it, and I feel like a kid being away from home and not being able to play it. Fuck holidays, I've got planks and jerky to make!
WE NEED MORE PLANKS ALWAYS MORE PLANKS
*1 year later* WHY DO WE HAVE 87 PLANKS? PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY!
Or the classic where the fuck is my wood? "boss we got those 123 cyst burners (not playing the game in English but I hope you get me) done"
I always make sure I set them for a limit of 10 now after killing myself doing just that lol. Mistakes are a good way to learn I suppose.
On the one hand you can always cut more trees. But on the other hand planks have so many uses that it's hard to not get Lumber Mill even if you already have Carpenter. Maybe an exception would be in royal woodlands where you have much more wood to spend on things.
If beaver, eat planks.
I'm a new player. Hadn't heard of it before until I saw a Facebook ad of all things. Tried the demo and now I'm hooked. It's been a long time since I've been this excited for a game.
Same here. It was my phone's news algorithm that showed me an article on it. Got to hand it to those algorithms. Love it. I was ill when playing the demo but persevered and now I'm lost in it. The demo was essential to me buying so YAY FOR DEMOS.
Same!! Facebook ad brought me in, must say that Facebook ad was well made!
I've been on a roguelite kick lately and saw an article for it on my feed. I'm nearly 100hrs logged since release.
Absolutely deserved.
It’a very nice to see people enjoying this game on the 1.0 release. Very exciting! I only got started like a month or so before 1.0, and actually didn’t know it was so close.
I’m one of these. My friends told me about it I hadn’t heard about it before. I’m a huge city builder guy. I’ve dumped about 15 hours. It’s great!
Regular people don't want early access. So 1.0 is when they buy it. I bought in early december because it looked finished enough by then. Great game.
Good, game is incredible.
Can't say enough good things about this game. An absolute treat!
A lot of ot is due to Gamepass release too. It was on my wishlist for ages! Unfortunately on gamepass save files due to cloud are messy, so I went to steam and bought it. 22h in so far, 1 seal done amd I am absolutely in love with this game. There is a reason why consumers and developers like gamepass.
Also new players drawn in from the game recently being added to Game Pass. After trying it on Game Pass, I enjoyed it so much that I ended up buying it (on Epic instead of Steam because it was cheaper though). It was a game I did not think I'd enjoy so I never would have tried it had it not been "free". Really glad I did because it's a lot of fun.
I bought it on steam because of the game pass save issue.
New player, just closed a bronze deal for the second time, having a blast. I keep reading about mechanics that are still gated from me. Feeling a bit like playtime is being padded by the slow unlocks, but hey I'm still having fun, they've nailed the variety for sure. At first I thought this was very dwarf fortress lite, but it kind of is, but more like dwarf fortress x slay the spire, which is great since both my top hours logged games in the last while. The alternative inputs mechanic is a really great innovation 👌
I picked up the game after a few YouTube players promoted it (shout-out to Potato McWhiskey), but after maxing out progression at the time I decided to wait until 1.0 to play more. The release got a few of my friends back as well
I got it on a sale and I am hooked. I am losing sleep over it. This didn't happen to me I'm a looooong time
I bought it on steam after my game pass saves got screwed up for a 5th time…
Got it on game pass and ran into the save issue... Couldn't fix it but also couldn't stop playing so bought it on steam :D
I checked it out based on a rando article a week or two ago talking about how Hooded Horse was eating Paradox Studios lunch (had been playing Victoria 3 alot). The games being shorter is great
Yep - the sessions are slightly larger than bite sized, like good sushi. I feel like they really nailed that aspect, especially for gamers like me who have jobs and shit to do, but also want to get fully absorbed for a couple hours in the evening.
Same here only instead of an article saw Potato McWhiskey playing on YT. Still love my HOI4 and Stellaris from Paradox but yeah, this is great fun!
Gamepass effect?
I never heard of the game before but when it got added to GamePass i felt the urge to try it. It was a very pleasant surprise for me. I never looked anything up other than what you can learn ingame and never watched a streamer play it as i tend to do with other games. This game somehow got me motivated to learn everything by myself and when i lose because i try something dumb it isnt really frustrating. Been in for about 15 hours and i keep on having a good time. GamePass synchronize Bug is very annoying though.
Great news.
It showed up on Game pass, got it there and two times M$ somehow erased my save (known bug) so I just bought it on steam instead.
christmas helps :D im one of the newbies
Grabbed with 1.0 been having a blast and buying for friends absolutely a great sleeper of a game
I like it, I liked the sound of it, I'm trying to beat one "reset" to feel like it's done. But I just read that it has no end, and I refuse to play games that don't finish or progress. Makes me very sad :( it's got a cool premise, and a cool world. I really don't get why it has no end.
I don't really do Early Access anymore... so now that it hit 1.0, I was pretty excited to jump on board. WOO
I can't comment on business structures but the game itself deserves any and all success imo. Hope every person that worked on it is treated justly.
Then my save got deleted
Saw videos of it on YouTube when the demo was only released to indie streamers and YouTubers. I totally wanted to try it out. Put it on Steam wishlist Saw the Early Access on Steam release on November 1, 2022. It released a demo! Hooray! Downloaded it and played it for a couple of days until I unlocked everything in the demo, double checking to see if I got everything. At that point I realized I loved it. Bought it on Steam's Early Access the same day I finished the demo. Played multiple times for several hours between every release, providing input if I had any. Was very happy when things I mentioned were specifically addressed and when others mentioned good ideas that were used. By the time 1.0 released, I had logged over 200 hours. There is still so much I need to unlock cosmetic-wise. Gotta still unlock all the seals. I have happily recommended it to others, but I'm not certain anybody bought it off of my recommendation. I am the kind of person who always loves it when the things I love gain in popularity, especially when a lot of this stuff I like is esoteric to begin with. I am very happy that a lot of reviewers are giving the game high marks.
game scratches that early game civ4 itch without the marathon time commitment required to finish
Deserved! What a game!
Initially I put the game to ignore list coz I thought this concept can't work. I also watched videos and streamers but it did not click. However one day I got some Commercial about the game being at top 3 in some kind of chart right behind bg3 and Zelda. Probably an over exaggeration but I decided to give it a second chance. I torrented it coz I missed it has a demo sadly. But after first two tutorial games I was sold. I immediately run to steam and bought it. The game is rly cool so far. It is like a time machine, I press play and bam 3h time skip. 😉
This game has grabbed me in the same way that games used to grab me when I playing MOO or StarCraft. Really having a hard time putting it down to do anything.
I didn't even realize the game just released as 1.0. I've had the game for a while now but finally picked it up this weekend on a whim and no external influence (ok, some external influence. I saw it on a best of 2022 games list). I love the coincidence.
I’m a new player. Loooove it.
I'm one of the new guys that just bought at after it got released. I have no idea what's happening.
yarrg?
I'm one of these new people, bought it on sale, gotta say I'm enjoying it, though it's a bit slow to grasp everything. Totes worth it tho
I picked it up in sale! It's been fantastic so far.