Kickstarter Update – 01/08/25
about 1 year ago
– Fri, Aug 01, 2025 at 10:19:19 AM
Hey everyone! We’re back with another monthly update for Dragon’s Brew, and July has been a big month, both in progress and a little panic. 😅
Let’s take a look at what’s new!
July 2025 Development:
The Case of the Vanishing Week
Let’s get the drama out of the way first: in early July, we hit a small setback after discovering a week’s worth of work had mysteriously vanished due to a sync issue. Think Toy Story 2 getting deleted, but on a much smaller and far less terrifying scale. Thankfully, we managed to recover most of it and are now fully back on track, with some extra precautions in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again!
Behold the New Thistledown
Say hello to the fully overhauled Thistledown! Our second major town just got a massive glow-up!
What’s new:
- Brand new tileset with upgraded sprites, materials, and improved lighting
- Split-layout design: Cotswold countryside on one side, Tudor-style town on the other
- Easter eggs and quest hooks: We’ve laid the groundwork for future quests and secrets (not yet interactable)
- New building exteriors that add life and character to every corner of the map
We’ve designed Thistledown to feel distinct from Pebblebrook, and the early feedback has been amazing so far!
Socket & Spanner Returns!
We’re thrilled to introduce the newly redesigned Socket & Spanner.. your one-stop-shop for all things appliance! If you're looking to upgrade your existing setup to boost speed and efficiency, this is where you’ll want to head!
New Shop: Hometown Roasters
Say hello to Hometown Roasters, a key part of the upcoming coffee bean system! Run by Jeff and his cat Bean, this shop will eventually let you buy rare bean seeds to grow in your garden and then roast them through the future Roastery system. Jeff is laid-back and philosophical — the kind of guy who probably speaks fluent espresso. Meanwhile, Bean takes his job very seriously. He guards the coffee beans like a tiny furry dragon!
New Shop: Eccentric Essentials
Introducing Eccentric Essentials, your go-to place for all things rare and occult! Run by Janna and her cat Niki (hiding in the box), this curious little shop will eventually stock Alchemy Special Ingredients, used to craft powerful late-game recipes via the future Alchemy Specials list. Janna is mysterious, deeply interested in your business, and somehow always seems to know things before you do. Is she spying on you? Who’s to say...
New Decor Sets: Enchanted & Mocha
We're introducing our first two themed decor sets! The Enchanted Set and the Mocha Set! Both sets are available in this next update at Eccentric Essentials and Hometown Roasters, with many more sets on the way!
Seasonal Changes Return!
Seasonal transitions are now fully implemented for both towns! You’ll now see visual changes to:
- Buildings
- Ground cover
- Environment and lighting
Alpha 0.2.0.0 is Live!
We’re happy to announce the launch of Alpha 0.2.0.0, our biggest content drop to date, bringing to life all of the above, as well as core systems expansion, polish across the board, and plenty of quality-of-life improvements!
You can check out the full changelog here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/3168560/view/505083956845085669
What’s Next?
Now that a lot of systems have been reworked and new system have been added, we're bracing for the inevitable wave of new bug reports, but this should hopefully be much more stable than the original alpha release. Next week we’ll be diving straight into Alpha 0.3.0.0, which will include:
- The Customer Order Delivery system,
- The Critic System,
- A full Inventory System overhaul,
- And the long-awaited Controller Support,
.. Plus, loads more systems and customisation content. We can’t wait to share more with you soon!
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – 27/06/25
about 1 year ago
– Fri, Jun 27, 2025 at 07:08:20 AM
Hey everyone! We’re back with your monthly development update on Dragons Brew! This month, we’ve made huge strides in overhauling our first town, started shaping our second, and taken the first steps toward a fresh identity for the game. Let’s dive in!
June 2025 Development:
Behold the new Pebblebrook
Say hello to the all-new Pebblebrook! Our original starting town has undergone a complete visual and structural rework.
Here’s what’s new:
- A town twice the size of the original
- A brand new tileset with upgraded sprites and lighting
- Redesigned buildings with better layouts and finer detail
- A brand-new public park and the Monument of Legends
- And yes... a lighthouse! While it’s not accessible just yet, it will be important in a future questline
This overhaul is a huge step forward in making the world of Dragons Brew feel rich and we can’t wait for you to explore it!
All Pebblebrook Shop Interiors Complete
We’ve also finished the rework of every shop interior in Pebblebrook. Layouts have been improved to make spaces feel more open, intuitive, and cohesive.
Updated Pebblebrook Map
With the town’s layout expanding and evolving, the in-game map for Pebblebrook has been updated to reflect these changes! The new map will help you navigate all the nooks and crannies of the expanded town!
Thistledown Rework Has Begun
Next up: Thistledown!
Work is already well underway, and we’ve nearly completed the full set of new buildings that will make up the town. Thistledown now features a blend of medieval Tudor charm and countryside Cotswolds cosiness.
We're not ready to show everything yet, but above is a before and after shot to give you a taste of what’s to come. We’ve also begun developing a few brand new shops, though we’re keeping those a surprise for now!
Rebranding Progress
We’ve been working behind the scenes on a full rebrand for Dragons Brew, including updates to the:
- Logo
- Website
- Store capsule art
While much is still in progress, we’re excited to finally reveal the new logo! It’s a more refined, scalable version that better reflects the tone and style of the game. Let us know what you think!
What’s Next?
Here’s what’s coming up in July:
- Finishing the Thistledown tileset
- Wrapping up sprite and environmental asset work
- Beginning scene layout and town construction
- Entering final testing for Alpha 2.0
We’re aiming to release Alpha 2.0 in mid to late July, and it’s going to be a big one. Thanks as always for your support and patience as we polish and expand the game world! We can’t wait to share more with you soon!
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – 30/05/25
about 1 year ago
– Fri, May 30, 2025 at 07:18:11 AM
Hey everyone! Hope you’re all doing well! It’s time for your monthly development update on Dragons Brew! May has been packed with new features, deeper systems, and the start of a huge visual overhaul that’s going to bring the world to life in a whole new way. Let’s take a look at what’s new!
May 2025 Development:
Welcome to Thistledown's First Shop: Socket & Spanner
Say hello to Socket & Spanner, the first of 8 new shops you’ll encounter in Thistledown! This is your go-to location for all things appliance-related! Whether you’re buying new cafe appliances or upgrading your current appliances to improve performance.
Socket & Spanner is run by Thaddeus.. a proud collector of unopened goods and long-lost instruction manuals. With dust in his beard and a kettle still sealed from 1983, he treats every unopened appliance like a museum exhibit and every customer like they’re about to ruin it.
Appliance System
The Appliance System is now up and running! Players now start the game with the base three appliances: Cooker, Fridge, and Coffee Maker. At Socket & Spanner, you’ll be able to progressively upgrade your active appliances:
-
Steel Tier: 10% faster prep time,
-
Silver Tier: 25% faster prep time,
-
Onyx Tier: 50% faster prep time,
As before, you’ll unlock the Kettle, Blender, and Panini Press by levelling up.. and now you’ll also have the option to upgrade those too once they’re unlocked.
Recipe Unlock System
Now, instead of receiving recipes when leveling up through the recipe books, you’ll be able to choose which recipes you unlock through the skill tree. Recipes are still gated by level, but this ensures you’re not overwhelmed early on and can build your cafe around your preferences. Cakes will also be unlockable from the start and there are more recipes and types coming soon! check Trello if you don’t mind spoilers!
New Features!
We’ve added several quality-of-life features based directly on your feedback:
-
Multiple item buying: Buy more than one thing at once (finally!)
-
Recipe pinning: Keep track of key recipes in your HUD while buying ingredients
-
Quest markers: Visual pointers help guide you through your quests
-
Kitchen & garden storage: Additional, dedicated storage options for ingredients and crops
-
Clickable toolbar & furniture placement: Use your mouse to select tools and place furniture! No need to rely on hotkeys anymore
Full Game Visual Update
We’ve officially started our massive visual overhaul of Dragons Brew! Every sprite, tilemap, and environmental detail is being updated for a richer, more cohesive look.
This includes:
- Visual polish to all shops, interiors and outdoor areas
- Complete Pebblebrook town layout restructuring
- A full redesign of Thistledown (coming soon!)
It’s a huge task, but it’s already making the world feel more immersive and dynamic. Expect more sneak peeks throughout June!
Alpha Update
Because of the scope of these changes, especially the visual overhaul, we’re pushing the next alpha update to late June. This will be a major update, and we want to ensure it’s properly tested and polished before it goes out. Thanks so much for your patience!
Beta Update
Unfortunately, the delay to launching the Alpha along with the additional features we're planning to add ahead of beta has pushed our launch date back, and we’re now planning on releasing beta in December 2025. This isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly, but we believe it’s necessary to ensure we deliver the best possible experience for beta players!
Thanks again for all your incredible support and feedback! Stay tuned for more updates and sneak peeks soon!
❤️
Radic Creative
Kickstarter Update – 25/04/25
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Apr 25, 2025 at 02:50:03 AM
Hey everyone! Hope you’re all doing well! It’s time for your monthly development update on Dragons Brew! April has been all about expanding the world beyond Pebblebrook, implementing brand new features, and refining systems based on your feedback. Let’s take a look at what’s new!
April 2025 Development:
Map System
The in-game map is now functional! It shows your current location and nearby NPCs (currently static, but will be updated with movement and schedules later). It also displays street names to help with delivery quests and navigation. This is still an early version, so expect it to improve and gain new features as we go!
Travel System
We’ve made big strides on the travel system! Here’s how it currently works:
- Buses arrive every in-game hour.
- Interacting with a bus opens a ticket UI, letting you purchase a return ticket to a destination.
- Once you arrive, you can return to Pebblebrook any time by using the local bus stop.
It’s still a work in progress, but it’s a big step toward expanding the world and offering more places to explore!
Welcome to Thistledown Town!
Say hello to Thistledown, the first new explorable location added to the game! It features Tudor-style houses, set along a riverside, with a clean, grid-like layout to reflect the more meticulous residents. In Thistledown, you’ll find exclusive items not found in Pebblebrook, including:
- Clothing & accessories
- New decor & furniture
- Unique ingredients
Thistledown is also home to the new Appliance Dealership, where you can:
- Purchase newly unlocked appliances
- Upgrade existing machines to boost recipe speed
There are also a few placeholder shop locations reserved for those in the Master Shopkeeper Kickstarter tier. I’ll be reaching out to you soon as we begin building those out!
The Shadowed Table
Also in Thistledown is The Shadowed Table... your rival board game cafe!
This location will play a big role in the main storyline, and you’ll be competing with them for customers and prestige.
Alpha Update
It’s been a busy month of bug fixes and feature updates, with two builds pushed out:
- A minor update (0.1.1)
- A hotfix to address issues caused by the patch (0.1.1.1)
Features & Improvements
- Day/night colour grading adjusted for a more natural look
- Player is now locked during teleportation to prevent glitches
- Seeds are stackable and show tooltips
- Selling seeds now respects season restrictions
- Spacebar can advance intro dialogue
- Harbor Market now has an Essentials category
- Doors show interaction hints when you’re close
- Cafe auto-closes when you leave, and seated customers won’t order if you're not around
…and more!
Bug Fixes
- Quest counters and mini-quest issues resolved
- Inventory ghosting, furniture placement bugs, and customer pathing fixed
- Major bugs like void areas, interaction spam, and duplication glitches squashed
- Crafting slot issues improved
…and much more!
Check out the full changelogs here:
👉 0.1.1 Update
👉 0.1.1.1 Hotfix
Thanks again for all your feedback and continued support! it’s incredibly helpful as we shape the game!
We’ve got some really exciting stuff ahead, and I’ll be diving deeper into Thistledown throughout May. Stay tuned!
❤️
Radic Creative
Alpha Update: Clarification on Alpha Access
over 1 year ago
– Tue, Apr 01, 2025 at 09:39:18 AM
Hello everyone! I hope you're all doing great! I wanted to take a moment to clarify who is eligible for alpha access, as I've noticed some confusion around this. My goal is to make sure everyone has the correct information as we move forward.
Alpha Access Eligibility
I want to clarify that only backers who pledged at the 📘 Cafe Craftsman tier or higher are eligible to receive an alpha key for the game. Additionally, anyone who has upgraded their tier through BackerKit or purchased a separate standalone alpha key is also entitled to access.
I realize this may not have been as clear as it could have been in previous communications, and for that, I truly apologize. The influx of messages I've received, both personally and through BackerKit, asking for an alpha key from backers not in the right role has made it clear that we need to better highlight this information for everyone.
I want to stress that I’m incredibly grateful for the support and excitement you all have shown for Dragons Brew, and I want to make sure that those who are eligible for alpha access receive their keys as soon as possible. If you’ve pledged at the correct tier and haven’t received your key yet, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
If you're unsure which tier you pledged at or have any concerns about your eligibility, please feel free to check your BackerKit order page for confirmation. If there’s anything you need assistance with, my team and I are more than happy to help.
Thank you all once again for your ongoing support, enthusiasm, and patience. Your involvement in the development of this game, whether through alpha testing, feedback, or just your continued belief in the project, means the world to me.
❤️
Radic Creative
