Hey everyone!

Football Story is now live on Kickstarter!

We have uploaded lots of new in-game materials to show off and you can see our Kickstarter page here:

Football Story on Kickstarter

We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on pretty much everything we’ve shown so far! What do you think of certain gameplay elements? Do you like the art? Anything you think we should add? Let us know over on our Discord [discord.gg]server!

Do not forget to wishlist the game on Steam and subscribe [eepurl.com]to receive news updates about our progress or early testing opportunities.

Stay tuned as there’s more to come!

Hey, everyone!

This week, we’ll be talking about your handy in-game notebook.

Every player will have their own notebook where tons of interesting info is stored. For one thing, it does a great job of keeping track of your progress, both in terms of story and character growth. Characters will have unique stats that improve based on your playstyle and which characteristics you focus, like Strength, Leadership, etc. These permanently influence how fast you run, how hard you kick the ball, and so on. You’ll find a useful section in the notebook, complete with diagrams and scales, to show your character’s current progress.

The notebook is also used to keep track of requests from people around the city. Current and completed quests will be displayed in the form of sticky notes. That’s how you know they’re important!

The final section will act like a diary where characters will write their own entries about their progress, people they’ve met, achievements, discovering new places, or just general thoughts about life.

We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on pretty much everything we’ve shown so far! What do you think of certain gameplay elements? Do you like the art? Anything you think we should add? Let us know over on our Discord [discord.gg]server!

Do not forget to wishlist the game on Steam and subscribe [eepurl.com]to receive news updates about our progress or early testing opportunities.

Stay tuned as there’s more to come!

NPCs

Hey everyone! In today’s weekly update, we will be discussing NPCs and why they were added into Football Story in the first place.

Authenticity of the game’s environment
We wanted to shoot for authenticity, so we ditched the idea of creating an NPC generator where assets were mixed and matched to create the illusion of having 100 “different” NPCs. All of our characters are created from scratch, with various animations and functions for interacting with objects and the environment. This allowed us to really focus our character design, giving them distinct personalities and grounding them in the world. They have a life and purpose, as well as a unique feel to them. Even a humble passerby will have a unique animation set. For instance:

A sleepy grandmother who likes the comfort of her home and spends her days sewing and napping.

A short-tempered foreman who always seems angry -- not necessarily because he expects the best from his workers, but because that’s just who he is.

Perhaps you’ll run into an old-fashioned aristocrat who enjoys reading physical newspapers, having his morning coffee on the balcony, and keeping his moustache neat.

You might meet a balding 40-year-old sports fan. He clearly has a high-paying job, but he’ll still take time to watch some local matches. He can get a bit crazy around the field, though, and might even end up trying to climb the fence during matches.

The list is quite lengthy, so we'll stop here for now. All-in-all, over 200 unique NPCs will be in the game. We hope you like them all!

Dynamic NPCs

A few of the background characters we’re working on will not only increase immersion, but also affect gameplay at times. NPCs will offer players quests that form an important part of the game’s story, as well as side quests that have interesting rewards. These can be found in both normal play and on the map.

The third type of NPCs will appear during matches. Events will occur randomly during a match that involve these NPCs, who will change the flow of the match in some form. For example, the sewers might become clogged so workers will move one of the goals to the middle of the field. This will make the match quite cramped and intense, to mix things up.
Of course, the world would be quite sad without a few of our favorite animal companions. You might even choose to adopt one as a pet!

We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on pretty much everything we’ve shown so far! What do you think of certain gameplay elements? Do you like the art? Anything you think we should add? Let us know over on our Discord [discord.gg]server!

Do not forget to wishlist the game on Steam and subscribe [eepurl.com]to receive news updates about our progress or early testing opportunities.

Stay tuned as there’s more to come!

Hey, everyone!

We have a lot going on! Most importantly, we have been busy finishing match events and map-related assets.

As we were developing the various animations, backdrops, and visual elements for the map, we began brainstorming ideas for how map traversal should actually work. We didn’t want to use a simple point-and-click system that involves a pin symbolizing the hero moving around in a static format. As a result, we have updated our initial vision with direct control over your character, ensuring everything feels so much better. You can go just about anywhere now, visiting unknown places and meeting interesting new people. This also means that players need a sweet ride to get around the map, which will take the form of a customizable bike or scooter. Pimp it out to show your flare.

Travelling around the map will be affected by random global or local events. For instance, there might be a bicycle competition going on in town, which will cause certain roads to be closed and crowds of people to flood the streets. You could even come across a lost dog with a tag on its collar. Return it to its owner and maybe you’ll get a reward!


Unique characters you encounter on the map can then be met within the city or during matches, like the friendly local photographer who has a burning passion for their craft. They might show up during a match to flash everyone on the field! With their camera, of course. Not everyone likes being photographed, but that’s a sacrifice this photographer is willing to make for their art.

We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on pretty much everything we’ve shown so far! What do you think of certain gameplay elements? Do you like the art? Anything you think we should add? Let us know over on our Discord [discord.gg]server!

Do not forget to wishlist the game on Steam and subscribe [eepurl.com]to receive news updates about our progress or early testing opportunities.

See you next week!

Hey everyone!

We’ve been busy with two very important things this week: random match events and improving environmental details. Firstly, with regards to random events during matches, a number of them have been introduced to offer some additional visual depth or affect gameplay in a fun way. This can be a cosmetic effect like the wind blowing, which causes leaves to blow across the field (and doesn’t affect gameplay much), or you might be able to interact with these fine gents (affecting gameplay somewhat).

2 foremen + 1 road worker = perfect team!

These road workers may come out and paint the road in the corner of a parking lot where your match is taking place. If the ball flies in their direction, they will kick it back.



Paint job surely requires 2 foremen!

There is also another event where grandpa Herb is trying to park his car. He’ll drive through the match field and park at one of the corners. If the ball hits his car, he’ll quickly leave the field to protect his beloved metal baby. Would you like to use one of his watermelons as a ball?

Oh my God, why did I park my baby here?!

More elaborate events may include a changing field size, a time-of-day system, or other occurrences that can greatly affect how matches take place. We want to mix the formula up a bit and make your experience far more enjoyable.

When it comes to the map, we have added far more environmental detail in the form of animations and moving parts. A wind effect now sweeps across buildings and really makes the world feel more alive. Once we put everything together, the map will look the best it ever has!

We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on pretty much everything we’ve shown so far! What do you think of certain gameplay elements? Do you like the art? Anything you think we should add? Let us know over on our Discord server!

Do not forget to wishlist the game on Steam and subscribe to receive news updates about our progress or early testing opportunities. See you in the next post!

Hey everyone! We’ve had some hard talks and decided it’s no good to leave you without fresh bits of information on our project. So from now on, we’re switching to weekly dev blogs! These will cover what we’ve been up to in the past week of development and how different parts of the gameplay work. So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Intro

First animations of the starting screen

In our previous note, we mentioned the introduction part that will let you feel the mood of the game. You didn’t miss it, did ya? Our artists have finished drawing locations, animations, and NPCs for the first story passage. Rad will start his journey to the big city here after a couple of interactions with friends and family members. That’s where the story begins...

Locations in progress. Visual plans of the image.

We’re this close to revealing the first few seconds of the intro video, but not this time. ;) We’re still polishing some elements to make your first impression on the game stunning that will make you follow Rad’s adventures and won’t let you get distracted by the matches with your friends on the playground in the neighborhood. The story will be an integral part of the gameplay, otherwise, we wouldn’t have given our game its name.

Final frame of the video

Map
Here’s something completely new: an interactive map! It looks like a separate location where you’ll be able to mess around your player and visit all sorts of locations in a snap. We’ve just started working on it and we don’t wanna tell you too much about it. For starters, just a little sneak peek will do ;)

One of the map tiles

Controls
At first, we considered a WASD control over a character, but after two closed tests, we decided to go for something more like racing car controls where W and S are for steering and braking and A and D are for turning left or right.

Who spotted a small drawback here?

A couple of days ago we started working on brand new in-game events which we will be revealing next week! So make sure to stay tuned and focused just like Rad down below.

Rad on the bike

We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on how this or that gameplay or artsy thing should be! So please don’t hesitate and let us know by dropping us a line in our Discord[discord.gg].

Don't forget to wishlist the game on Steam, subscribe [eepurl.com]to receive our latest news and updates. See you in the next post!

Hello Champions,


We’re extremely happy to see our community growing so quickly. You’ve all been a joy! Welcome to the club! We’ve been hard at work since the last update we posted, which included the first official gameplay trailer. If you haven’t checked it out yet, give it a watch below.

As you likely know, we are planning to run some closed alpha tests very soon. If you’d like to participate and get a headstart in training to become the ultimate football champion, sign up here[eepurl.com] and join our Discord channel[discord.gg]. Oh! Did we mention that there’s a $5000 tournament, too? Grab your friends and get ready to compete!

What can you expect from the Closed Alpha Test?

You’ll be able to explore the first neighborhood, which is mostly inhabited by the working class. There will be a total of 9 neighbourhoods to explore in the game, and each will have diverse offerings and a bunch of unique stories to discover. You’ll be able to see the entire city from a bird’s-eye view perspective. Keep in mind that some areas are still under construction, so you’d best wear a helmet!

Multiplayer matches will take place on a backyard field for this test. Each neighbourhood will have its own football field with differing characteristics, crowds, and time events in the future.

You’ll be able to choose from 4 characters and change their appearances by purchasing clothing from the local store. We’ve added the ability for you to pick your own favorite color for the clothing piece you’re planning to buy. For now, every character will behave in pretty much the same way on the field. The final game will give each one their own unique traits.

We are implementing a ranking system alongside detailed statistics that will offer information about your progression, reputation, and achievements. It’s still a work in progress, so we’d love to hear your suggestions about how we can improve this system, both in terms of the competitive nature of the ranking system and the stats you’d like to see.

Several more improvements have been made based on feedback. Firstly, characters can now sprint! Sprinting depletes stamina, which needs to be managed effectively to ensure it’s available when you need it most. It certainly offers a great bit of strategy. Keep in mind that your stamina also depletes when you have the ball, which we believe will encourage more teamplay.

Also, while we’re on the topic of sprinting, we’re adding some really cool sprinting VFX that can be unlocked. There are plenty to choose from. We want to hear which ones you like most!

We are so excited for the closed alpha test and we can’t wait to hear your feedback. This test is not under any NDA, so feel free to record videos or stream to your heart’s content! Everyone who participates in the early tests will receive exclusive customization content that you can wear with pride. You’ll also be awarded with a special trophy you can place beside the others you will certainly win along the way!

Upon release of the full game, you’ll receive yet another gift in the form of a card with in-game funds on it. You’ll be able to use these funds to purchase clothing or even buy furniture for your apartment. Yup, you heard it right, you’ll be able to buy apartments and customize them in the future!

Before you go, we’d like to ask you for your help. Help us spread the word and invite your friends! With your support, we promise to continue adding awesome new content and improvements and work closely with the community to get things done right.


Leave us your comments, wishes, and suggestions below and join our Discord channel[eepurl.com]!

[discord.gg]Be sure to sign up[eepurl.com] for updates to never miss anything about Football Story.

Become a Fan[crytivo.com] on our Crytivo Store Page.

Add us to your Steam Wishlist.

Follow us on Twitter.

Like us on Facebook[facebook.com].

Get ready to tell your story! The official reveal trailer is here! Grow from backyard benchwarmer to football legend.

Team up with friends and take on the competition in the latest round of closed testing. Join our Discord community to participate in early tests, chat to your fellow football fans, and hear all the latest news. Everyone who helps out during development will receive special rewards!


To celebrate this milestone, we’ll be running a $5,000 tournament for Football Story in the not so distant future. More information will be revealed soon via Discord, so head on over there to stay informed.

Get involved here[discord.gg]

Hey everyone!
We wrote a new blog about how our development is going. This time we are talking about music in the game.
You can read about making of the Soundtrack Here[crytivo.com]