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Playtest for Stay: Forever Home is Here! šŸ¾ Alpha: Ruff Cut

Exploring the Magicā€“ Your Guide to the Stay: Forever Home Playtest

Hey Windup Minds Community,

We are here with some big news: The Alpha: Ruff Cut Playtest for Stay: Forever Home is officially underway! This is your chance to step into Emberā€™s world and experience the next evolution of her interactions and the magical environment weā€™re building.

Whatā€™s New in the Alpha: Ruff Cut Playtest?

This playtest focuses on Emberā€™s advanced behaviors and fine-tuned gameplay mechanics, designed to bring you even closer to your magical companion. Hereā€™s what youā€™ll get to explore:

  • Expanded Tools & Interactions: Use tools like the brush to help Ember thrive and explore her playful side.

  • Dynamic AI Improvements: Emberā€™s reactions to your voice and gestures are sharper than ever. Try giving her commands like ā€œsitā€ or ā€œcomeā€ to see how she responds.

  • New Environment Details: Immerse yourself in Emberā€™s cozy world, now enhanced with even more magical touches.

The same potato used to compress this gif might be the same one you find in game with Ember!

Testing Period

ā€¢ The playtest is live from December 18, 2024, and runs until January 15, 2025.

ā€¢ Feedback submissions close on January 17, 2025.

Make sure to spend as much time as you can exploring, playing, and sharing your thoughts with us!

Join our Discord and share insights to earn the exclusive PlaytesterāœØ role.

If youā€™ve already signed up for the Alpha, check your email for download instructions. Still having trouble? Tag a moderator in our Discord Server or respond to this email.

You might even be eligible to become part of The Keyholders, a group of exclusive testers and content creators who get the opportunity to work directly with the teamā€“ granting you faster communication and the chance to connect directly with our developers at Windup Minds!

We value our playtesters above all. šŸ’Ŗ

Please share your videos, adventures, and experiences with the world, be it TikTok, your personal social pages- whether it's with your friends or with your family! If you want the devs to take note of your thoughts, make sure to post your feedback specifically in the Discord for logging.

We're building this game with you, and we can't wait to hear what you think!

Important Note: Once Alpha: Ruff Cut is live, the originalā€“ will be taken down and replaced. This means the first Preview will no longer be accessible. Be sure to sign up and join us in this new stage of development!

Feedback & Reporting

  1. In-Game Feedback: Use the feedback tools accessible in the headset to report bugs or share thoughts directly.

  2. Discord Channels: Join us on Discord to post your feedback in dedicated channels:

Weā€™ll be monitoring closely and addressing your feedback and bug reports as we continue development.

Players have an option to submit bugs or feedback through the pause menu UI, or through Discord should it be preferred.

How to Participate

If youā€™ve already signed up for the Alpha, check your email for download instructions. Not signed up yet? Itā€™s not too late! Use the email associated with your Meta account to sign up and then join our Discord.

Your feedback is critical to refining Emberā€™s world. Hereā€™s how you can share your experience:

Known Issues

As this is an alpha playtest, here are a few quirks weā€™re aware of:

  • Ember may occasionally freeze in place or become unresponsive. A quick app restart should resolve this.

  • Some voice commands may require repetition before Ember responds.

  • Gesture recognition can sometimes take a moment to registerā€“ look for the paw print indicator when pointing to an object or location.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Every moment you spend with Ember helps us create a game thatā€™s not just magical but deeply personal. Weā€™re so excited to hear about your experiences!

See you in the Alpha,

P.S. Join our Discord to share your stories, social posts, and to connect with other testers. Letā€™s make Stay: Forever Home unforgettable!