- A Story Beside is out now! - 24 May 2022
Hey everyone — today is the day! It's been a massively emotional (and quite draining) six years getting to this point, so I couldn't be more proud to announce A Story Beside is finished and available now in full. Step into the sleepy mountain village of Pyreside and experience a charming, poignant, and deeply personal journey through the life of a humble innkeeper named Lyric. I'm incredibly happy this story has resonated so strongly with early access players and am overjoyed to finally be sharing it with the wider world. So, next steps now that the game has launched in full? I'll be active in the forums and across social media in the coming days, listening to your feedback and continuing to improve the game experience... so keep that feedback coming! Once I'm confident the story and gameplay are as polished and bug-free as possible, I'll be turning my attention to supporting other lang…
- A Story Beside launching May 24 - 22 May 2022
After nearly six years, a battle with cancer, a global pandemic, and countless other challenges, I'm absolutely thrilled to announce A Story Beside will be launching in full this Tuesday, May 24. I know many of you have been waiting for the game to leave early access before diving in, so I'm overjoyed to finally be able to share Lyric's story with you all. This is hands-down the most personal and emotional project I've ever written... so it stands to reason it's also been the most draining in many ways. At the end of this long development journey I find myself incredibly proud but also incredibly exhausted. I sincerely hope everyone enjoys the finished product! I won't ramble too much longer but I do want to extend a most heartfelt thank you to those who have stuck with me through all this time. As we now cross the finish line together, I want you all to know this project could not have…
- Final chapter available now! - 27 April 2022
The final chapter of A Story Beside is out now, and Lyric's story can be experienced in full for the first time ever! I have waited so, so very long to say those words. If you can, I would recommend playing through at least Chapter 6 one more time to set yourself up properly for the emotional finale. This last piece of content works better as an epilogue rather than a full, standalone chapter... and as such is quite a bit shorter and more streamlined than the others. I hope the (unintentionally) staggered release schedule doesn't lead to disappointment around this more compact ending, since the game was always meant to be played in full as one continuous journey. The game is going to stay in early access for the moment, just to work out any final bugs players may come across, but I'm aiming for final release in early May. Please report any issues you come across! Every little bit of fee…
- Final chapter releasing April 27 - 24 April 2022
Hey everyone, I've been waiting to post an update until I had good news to share... and today I do! I'm happy to announce the final chapter of A Story Beside is releasing this Wednesday, April 27. The game will remain in early access for a short amount of time, with a full release planned for early May. The exact release date will depend on your feedback and response to this final chapter — so please continue to share your thoughts, suggestions, and any technical issues you encounter! I'll be reading over every review and following every comment thread to polish the game as much as possible before its official public launch. As always, I need to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been supportive and patient throughout this rocky development process. I have a lot more to say on the subject, but I'm going to save my emotional word salad for full release. In the meantime, ple…
- Chapter 6 available now - 22 August 2021
Hello everyone, It's been a long, long, LONG time coming, so I'm absolutely thrilled to announce a new chapter of A Story Beside is available to play right now! There are several reasons why writing this chapter proved to be such a unique challenge. The symbolism of Lyric remaining trapped in a cursed winter since March 2020 is not lost on me... but on top of real-world struggles and anxieties, Chapter 6 contains by far the most branching paths and variables that depend on your choices thus far. Entire scenes and characters may or may not appear in your particular path, and I hope you'll find the story satisfying however yours plays out. Please share your thoughts in the discussion forums and help the game continue to improve! So what's next...? There is one more chapter left to go, which will be shorter in length (think of it more as an epilogue than a full-blown chapter) but should st…
- Achievements, chapter replay, and fun new features - 10 March 2021
Hey folks, Did you miss me? A big new update for A Story Beside is available now! Although I'm still working on finishing up the last two chapters for full release, this patch means we're closer to that reality than ever. In addition to fixing some long-standing bugs (collision should finally be functioning properly for all players) and adding various spots of polish here and there, this update introduces a few brand new features outlined below. ACHIEVEMENTS There will be 16 Steam achievements to unlock in the final game, including 8 that are available in the current chapters. It should be possible, if a little tricky, to nab them all on a single playthrough. PLAYER STATS Remember the screens at the end of each chapter highlighting your choices? You'll now be able to see the percentage of players around the world who made those same decisions. As if there wasn't pressure enough already.…
- Chapters 1-5 available to play - 14 March 2020
Hello all, The latest content update for A Story Beside is available now, bringing the total playable chapters up to five. This is a pivotal part of Lyric's journey and in many ways a culmination of the choices you've made up until now. I hope you're enjoying the story so far! I'm not going to promise a hard release date for the next chapters, but please know I'm working hard to ensure the full story comes to a satisfying (and bug-free) conclusion. Please continue to report any issues you encounter on the discussion forums. Your patience is very much appreciated in this Early Access period and will help the game become as polished as possible in time for full release. All my best, David Grund waywardprophet.com
- Holiday update and future chapters - 21 December 2019
Hey everyone, I wanted to apologize for the delays of Chapters 4 and 5 and ask for your patience as I polish them up before release. As you might expect, this has been a busy time of year in my personal life (holiday happenings, a new nephew, and more than a little seasonal anxiety around the one-year anniversary of my lymphoma diagnosis) and things have taken longer than planned. I'm sure it's been frustrating for everyone awaiting the next part of the story, so I am truly sorry. https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F33120697%2F48339b5f3c0e82e84cd6c4d53948d3746f439acf.png I think once you get to play these next couple chapters you'll understand why they've been such a hurtle for me. Not only are we approaching the emotional apex of Lyric's story, but as the game goes on, more and more of your personal choices will branch off and offer different outcomes... wh…
- Patch notes plus a new release schedule - 20 November 2019
Hello all! I've been hard at work on A Story Beside since release, both on the development of new chapters and assorted bug-fixes that have inevitably popped up during this Early Access period. I truly appreciate everyone who has been so patient and so diligent in reporting any and all issues you've come across. A new update is now available that contains several new features and should solve many of the bugs in the first few chapters. Please take a look at the patch notes below and be sure to post in the discussion forum if problems continue. Updates: Brand new menu system (should fix all menu-related bugs) Fixed bug that would trap players in certain maps after saving Fixed bug that would report incorrect player choices Fixed data bug when replaying earlier chapters Fixed item inventory Increased number of save slots (from 4 to 10) Save points added at the end of each chapter New (opt…
- A Story Beside launches today! - 26 September 2019
The day has arrived! The first chapter of A Story Beside is out now! https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F33120697%2F06cf166af84de7279022250d0d68480b8155b585.png https://store.steampowered.com/app/634410/A_Story_Beside/ Any and all feedback is welcome! At the moment I am planning to release a new chapter every other week, and your comments and suggestions will be invaluable in making the final product as polished as possible. I could talk at length about the journey it took to get here, the personal battles I've fought along the way, and the inspiration this community has offered through the most difficult year of my life... but instead I'll just say I truly hope you enjoy the game 😊 and thank you for waiting. All my best, David Grund waywardprophet.com
- A Story Beside coming September 26 - 17 September 2019
How could I possibly follow up the exciting news that my lymphoma cancer has gone into remission? How about a release date! I'm thrilled to announce that the first chapter of A Story Beside is coming to Steam Early Access on September 26! https://i.imgur.com/jHgk461.png https://store.steampowered.com/app/634410/A_Story_Beside/ I am planning to release a new chapter every other week, which I believe to be the perfect length of time between installments — long enough for me to incorporate feedback and bug-fixes as they come up, but short enough that devoted players don't lose interest and can follow Lyric's journey as it unfolds. I know some people don't love the idea of Early Access, so it's totally up to you whether you want to jump in now or wait until later in the year when the full game comes out. If you decide to purchase the game now (even if you plan on waiting until the full rele…
- Health and Development Update - 12 July 2019
Hey everyone, I'll be taking a break from World's Dawn let's plays for a while, so I thought I'd post a quick video update. Thank you for all the lovely comments and feedback over the last few months! https://youtu.be/H7aYXsdVEcs https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F33120697%2Ff2eb788b808a55f5a2f439ddfcb0069a3e6583ce.png Rest assured I am working as hard as I'm able on A Story Beside and should have more to share soon. I know it's not the first time I've said that, so I appreciate your patience for now! I can only the hope the game will be worth the wait once it's finally released. Thank you all, truly. All my best, David Grund waywardprophet.com
- World's Dawn developer let's play - 14 March 2019
Hey all! As a way to decompress and stay connected with the community after my recent diagnosis and ongoing treatment, I decided to sit down with a good friend and record a World's Dawn developer let's play! We're planning to share behind-the-scenes stories, community comments, and laughs aplenty as we revisit the game I care so deeply about. Check out the first episode and let me know what you think: https://youtu.be/uAh0hY2krFg https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F11472989%2Fad2883a9177a94e68f36581237eea855a6083461.png I've never done any of this sort of casual content before, so any and all feedback is appreciated! I'd love to get the community involved and make this series a fun, cozy return to Sugar Blossom for anyone who could use a little levity in their lives. Thank you! I hope you enjoy! All my best, David Grund waywardprophet.com
- The story behind A Story Beside - 25 January 2019
Hello everyone, I have some rather unfortunate news to share today. I've always tried to be open and honest as a developer, and in that spirit I'm going to delve a little deeper into my personal life than I have in the past. Over the last several months I've been struggling with a variety of health issues that have kept me from being as focused and creative as my usual self... things like constant fatigue, swelling, soreness, and chest pain. These symptoms are the reason A Story Beside was taking longer to complete than I'd originally hoped, and I was dealing with a lot of frustration trying to figure out what was causing them. I would sit down at the computer to work and just be overwhelmed by all kinds of stabbing pains and discomfort. I couldn't focus. https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F33120697%2F4fa88213b6cee7ab317eed400e56d77582ebd06a.png After severa…
- A Story Beside coming early 2019 - 7 December 2018
Hello everyone! I wanted to post a quick update about the status of A Story Beside and when you can expect to play. After a lengthy internal struggle I've decided to push the release date back into early 2019. I know this will come as a disappointment, so I'm truly sorry and ask for your patience approaching this final stretch. https://cdn.steampulse.org/steam/asset?u=https%3A%2F%2Fsteamcdn-a.akamaihd.net%2Fsteamcommunity%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fclans%2F33696968%2Fc61fb6f5b0c90b406efb17009d43901f181a0a62.png Rest assured this was not an easy decision to make! My goal has always been to complete and release the game in 2018, and at this point I'm operating on a shoe-string budget... but ultimately I believe the delay will lead to a richer story and a more polished end product. I've been working on A Story Beside for several years now — this project is incredibly close to my heart and one I'm extremely proud of. I wouldn't want to compromise it by ru…
