[b][i]MINDFLUX: Dead Man Walking[/i] (MDMW) has entered its beta testing phase![/b] We over here at Lost Gate have been dreaming of including players outside of our team for testing. It’s a milestone we are thrilled to have reached, and we can’t wait to hear your thoughts and have you help us create a far more polished, robust experience! For those who don’t know, MDMW is a roleplaying game set in the dystopian Rusted Future, a technological dark age of madness, subterfuge, and unbridled discovery. You play as an investigator who hunts the most dangerous category of killer. You must use your mechanical augmentation to uncover suspects' hidden truths and accomplish tasks commissioned by your mysterious employer. Our primary goal with this playtest is to confirm that our custom RPG system, called [i]Cascade[/i], is as solid as it can be. We have ambitious plans for additional features we can’t wait to develop, but step one is making sure our base gameplay loop is stable. That’s where you come in! This product is our demo, a 30 minute to 1 hour experience that will expose you to the core concepts of the Cascade system. We want to hear the good, bad, and ugly of your experience. Every detail will help us forge a far more enjoyable experience. Our desire is to elevate this system, reach a broader audience, and gain the insight/resources to take MINDFLUX to the next level. With your help, our driven team of passionate indie developers will make that happen. Below is a detailed description written by our [b]Technical Director Ian[/b] of the playtest parameters, our goals, and next steps for you as you assist us in this journey! From all of us at Lost Gate, thank you for taking your time to look at our game and for assisting us in making MDMW the best it can be! -Chan, Creative Director of Lost Gate [u][b]What is the Beta?[/b][/u] This beta is a nearly complete version of our game’s demo, which will be released in October as part of Steam Next Fest. We are still working hard to add polish to the game’s controls and UI elements, fix bugs, and improve the overall player experience. Some of the animations might be a little awkward, some of the text might not be formatted correctly, and you may even get stuck or fall off the map. That being said, it’s all working well-enough that we are ready to get some early feedback. [u][b]What are our goals?[/b][/u] 1. We want to make sure that our build works consistently from steam on a variety of hardware setups. Our team is small, and we can only really test on our own machines. This beta might help us identify problems that we might have otherwise missed with internal testing. 2. We want to test the clarity and pacing of the narrative and new player experience while there is still time to make adjustments. At this point we have gone through several iterations of the content present in the demo, and getting some outside perspective will be helpful. If players feel lost, get stuck, or don’t understand how to play the game, we will want to know. 3. We are also hoping to collect some more general feedback on the game and its content. Share what you liked about the demo, what you didn’t like, and things you would want to see in the future. Your experience and feedback are invaluable to Lost Gate Studios as we continue developing MINDFLUX: Dead Man Walking. [u][b]How do I Participate?[/b][/u] Head to the Mindflux: Dead Man Walking page on the steam store. From there, look for the banner that says [b]“Join the MINDFLUX: Dead Man Walking Playtest”[/b] and click the Request Access button. After the Beta Test starts, you’ll be notified through steam when you are able to download the game. Alternatively, you can go to the Lost Gate Studios website https://www.lostgatestudios.com/ and sign up for the beta there. If you are selected, you’ll receive a key via email which you can redeem on Steam to gain access to the playtest version of the game. The test will begin... NOW! The test officially ends Monday at 3pm EST but there may be more tests in the future. [u][b]The Feedback Process[/b][/u] You can find our feedback form here: https://forms.gle/JkxEHPDS736u82qw7 If you encounter anything that might be a bug, please report that here: https://forms.gle/v9H2R4dtUVuniWqa8 [u][b]With all that said, what comes after the Beta?[/b][/u] With your feedback, we will actively update the project with fixes. Communication between our developers and our most active playtesters will be established through our community discord. A list of desired features will be compiled and adjusted through the lens of our playtesters' considerations. On [b]October 14th[/b], the MDMW demo will be accessible publicly during the Steam Next Fest. We hope you engage with us by wish listing the demo, telling your friends about it, and getting your favorite content creators to check us out! We will also be initiating a Patreon, the funding of which will go toward making MDMW the best game it can be. Information regarding patron-specific rewards will come in the future. There are big plans for the MINDFLUX world and future additions that we can’t wait to tell you about. Until then, check out our steam page, play the demo, and tell people about us! From all of us at Lost Gate, thank you! We look forward to seeing you in the Rusted Future.