Hello NEIGHBORS,

Yes. What you are reading is correct. We are hosting a Mini-PLAYTEST this weekend!

To give you a quick overview of the timeline, what we're aiming to achieve with this playtest, and why we're calling it a "mini" playtest, our Community Manager Artjom put together a short video, which you can check out below:

Saturday, Dec. 14th, 12:00PM (CET) - Monday, Dec. 16th, 12:00PM (CET)
Damn. I said AM and even wrote it on the graphic assets... ːsteamfacepalmː


Anyone who had access to a previous playtest will be able to play again. In addition, we will open the playtest to a select number of players from regions in or near the Central European Time Zone. This will allow us to ensure a smooth playtest with moderation and technical support if required. The final number of testers is not set in stone, but we will try to keep the servers busy without overloading them.


We'll choose a few users at random from each country. We'll let them know by email or Steam that they're eligible for the playtest.


We will provide a feedback form, where you are kindly asked to give us your opinion on the game and what you would love to see improved/changed for the bigger playtest next year.


ːsteamsadː


The Invisible Walls Team will be online over the weekend, playing community games to get a feel for player sentiment. Join the Community Discord to hang out and talk about NEIGHBORS.

[discord.gg]Hope to see you in the game or on the Discord server!
Artjom ːsteamhappyː

Greetings NEIGHBORS,

In this update we would like to introduce our newest colleague at Invisible Walls and give you an update on what we are currently working on:


As we mentioned in last week's update, we are very happy to welcome a new member to the Invisible Walls crew: Brand & Community Manager Artjom "ArtiMcFly" Schmatkow has joined the team and will make sure that the Neighbors community will be able to grow happily, celebrate events together and also receive regular insights into current and future updates.


Hello everyone!
My name is Artjom and I'm really excited to introduce myself ːsteamhappyː

I've been in the industry for roughly six year now and after moving from Germany to Denmark last year, I was looking for a job to work even closer with video game development and to be part of something really special. And after only a few short visits I am convinced, that I found the perfect spot here with the amazing team at Invisible Walls.

As soon as I stepped into the cozy studio right in the heart of Copenhagen I was wholeheartedly welcomed by the entire the team and I can really feel the passion and love they put into Neighbors: Suburban Warfare every single day. That's something I would love to share with you in future streams, on social media and on our beloved community Discord (link down below).

Whether it's sharing updates, gathering feedback, or just geeking out over games, I'm here to make this journey as engaging and fun as possible. So don't hesitate to reach out to me via Discord or the Steam Community Forum. Let's build something great together!
Me, our IT Wizard Spoisen and our CEO David "decorating" the studio for our Halloween Party.

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Last time we mentioned that we are working hard on delivering a build for future playtests. While we're at it, we'd like to periodically share a little bit of what exactly we're working on right now to involve you more into our day-to-day progress.



HOW TO DEFEND YOUR PROPERTY
One of our main focuses after the last playtests was to make the game as easy to understand as possible for newcomers. That's why we're currently working hard to create a tutorial that will give you the tools you need to defend your property.


For example, to fend off annoying neighbors, you will learn where to collect and buy items such as the good old bear trap.


Every house has its weak points, which the neighborhood can use to get rid of your important furniture. In the tutorial you will, among other things, learn where to place the traps. If not, you will learn the hard way when your TV is smashed to pieces.



ITEM SHOP OVERHAUL
Items are a core element of Neighbors: Suburban Warfare to either fend off annoying neighbors or to "redecorate" their homes and furniture. Currently, we are looking to streamline and optimize the shop system where you can get all of your weapons, tools, and utilities such as baseball bats, automatic baseball pitchers or the infamous Seagull-130 Gunbird.

As you can see below, we are experimenting with visualizing all unlocked items in the item shop and making it more easy to navigate. Right now we are working on a new closet that will pop open when you run by.

ITEM EXPLORATION FEATURING "THE PLUNGERGUN"
We love taking everyday objects you might find in a sleepy suburban neighborhood and turning them into silly tools and traps. Regularly we are looking to either create new or adapt existing items to enable the chaotic neighborhood scuffles we all desire.

One of the items we are currently testing is the handy "Plungergun" that shoots... well, plungers. Why you ask?

So you can pull LITTLE SH*TS Kevin players shooting at you from above down from the roof. OR you can pull yourself up to higher ground to teach them a lesson. With your fists...

NO PARTY? NO PROBLEM. QUICK PLAY IS HERE!
In previous builds, players could only host or join lobbies to fight each other. These are still viable options, and ideal if you are looking for custom experience. However we have been hard at work at adding a "quick play" option so you can jump directly into 3v3 suburban clashes.

FUTURE UPDATES
Expect regular development updates in the coming weeks as we strive to deliver a playable build for future playtests. We really appreciate the interest in the game, and until you are able to pester your beloved neighbors (in-game!), we want to share as much as we can about the game.

We get a lot of questions asking for a playtest date, and we promise to be transparent with updates as soon as we have some.

Be sure to also Wishlist & Follow Neighbors: Suburban Warfare on Steam to stay on top of any notifications and receive similar behind-the-scenes updates like this one.

Until next time!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1732430/Neighbors_Suburban_Warfare/