Greetings, innkeepers! After announcing Crossroads Inn 2 a year ago, we're still on the journey to its release and excited to share our progress with you. Despite the challenges facing the gamedev market, we've weathered the storm and continue to make steady progress. Today, we'd like to give you a brief update on what we've been working on, which will be followed by more detailed devblogs for each area. [h2][b]Core Features[/b][/h2] We've been focusing our efforts on developing and refining the essential elements of the inn management experience: [olist] 1. [b] Code and Game Architecture[/b]: It’s the heart of our game, ensuring it’s great now and will stay that way. This is why with Crossroads Inn 2 we continuously improve stability to ensure that it won’t be a buggy mess but a smooth, enjoyable experience. 2. [b]Building and Furnishing[/b]: In CINN 2, we’ve introduced Creation Mode—a complete system that lets you build, furnish, decorate, and manage external structures. It’s the core of your inn-keeping journey. We’ve fine-tuned this mode to provide better feedback while maintaining creative freedom and ensuring everything works seamlessly. 3. [b]NPC’s AI[/b]: We’ve made your staff and guests smarter and more responsive, creating a more immersive experience. You’ll have a clear understanding of why your workers behave the way they do, and you’ll be able to influence their actions, both directly and indirectly. 4. [b]Inn Management[/b]: Whether it’s crafting menus and selecting dishes, managing workers, or ensuring guest satisfaction, we’ve enhanced and intertwined every aspect of inn management to deliver a more immersive and engaging experience. 5. [b]Resource Management and Crafting[/b]: We’ve refined the systems for purchasing, crafting ingredients, and managing storage, giving you greater control over your inn’s resources. How you use these resources to craft dishes will directly influence your guests’ satisfaction and judgments. 6. [b]Guest Feedback[/b]: We’ve enhanced the way guests communicate their needs, satisfaction, and reviews, giving you clearer insights into your inn’s performance. You’ll have access to all the information left by your patrons, allowing you to continually improve and adapt to their evolving expectations. [/olist] [h2][b]Looking Ahead[/b][/h2] There are still many systems in design and development that we’re not quite ready to fully reveal. For instance, we’re currently working on a new tag system for building and decorating that will add even more depth to the Building and Furnishing experience. However, we’re thrilled with the visual and technical improvements we’ve made so far, and we’re excited to share some in-game footage showing off the current state of the game’s visuals: [h4][b]Lighting Update[/b][/h4] We introduced volumetric lighting system to the game which enables us to have a more immersive feeling of natural light, mimicking dust particles in the air. We’re still working on refining the system under different angles and dynamic outside lighting situation, but we’re on a good track to create a richer, cosy feeling to the atmosphere of the tavern. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44304953/b706ce376d0c423bd2cc65d5aa258622dc227c78.gif[/img] Placing windows gives a cone of light [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44304953/8c8d1e0b7cc4cb18f02884cfffc4da76c20298fb.gif[/img] Placing lighting enhances the volumetrics of both light sources [h4][b]Guest NPCs Update[/b][/h4] We managed to update the game with a wide variety of different Guest NPCs - people of different regions, genders and social status that will be reflected on their clothing and preferences. More complex animations are still in the works, but we can already enjoy a more vibrant and colorful inn full of diverse guests. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44304953/efd838433d12657b1367f07d95a993e88708bba1.gif[/img] [h4][b]Worker NPCs Update[/b][/h4] We are also aiming to keep the workers diverse and easy to be noticed among crowds of guests - some of our ideas are already implemented - like tall hats for cooks and head covers for servers in order for them to be recognized from a distance. We will work further on more engaging animation for taking orders, cooking and various idles. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44304953/02764eb1e030d89ce64eccf945014bb47e6e51f7.gif[/img] [h4][b]New Wall & Floor Textures[/b][/h4] As we keep adding new content and assets to the game, we try to upgrade the visuals even more each time. With the new light support, here come also some new textures for the walls and floors of your inn. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44304953/25b1c3f6b7b2ab409b131ab3ffbee88bf7c38f1c.gif[/img] [h2][b]Meet The Team[/b][/h2] As we continue our journey with Crossroads Inn 2, we’d like to take a moment to introduce ourselves. The team working on CINN 2 is a fresh and passionate group, dedicated to bringing out the best of the Crossroads Inn legacy. Our core team consists of just four members—Robert (production, game design), Nikita (programming, system design), Maja (art direction, 2D art concepts), and Łukasz (QA and sound design)—but we’ve been fortunate to have the support of many talented individuals over the past year. These include Maxime (game design, UI/UX design), Thibaut (game design), Adam (writer and narrative designer), Daria (3D character artist), Marcos (3D artist), Ola (2D UI artist), Denis (programmer), Michał (tech artist), and Ola (animator), all of whom have made significant contributions as part of our team. While we are a new team, we carry a deep respect for the original Crossroads Inn. We’ve embraced the heritage of the game and are committed to making CINN 2 a great experience that builds on what players loved while avoiding the pitfalls of the past. We’re excited to bring a fresh perspective, learning from the past, and striving to create an even more engaging and polished experience for all of you. Thank you for your continued support and patience. We can't wait to share more updates with you as we get closer to release!