For some time now I've been working with the Frosthaven team to learn their processes and see the game's virtual evolution. I checked in with Hristo Petkov, the Game Director for Frosthaven after the announcement of an October 15th launch for the game's full launch. Below are the contents of our discussion, along with some specifics on what's going to be ready when the game is live.
GT: What are the major changes since the last update?
Hristo: Our current process is to bring updates with small fixes and UI changes every 2 weeks but we keep all the major changes for the 1.0. Not to say there are no impactful changes in the meantime like the very well received recent change about the Blinkblade cards variants (boardgame version) and many many more. Normally we prioritize for those smaller patches things that will have immediate impact on the player experience and have lower risk level.
GT: Were there any unique or unexpected technical challenges during this phase of development?
Hristo: I wouldn’t say there is anything unexpected but the biggest technical challenges are Multiplayer stability, Performance optimizations and general game stability because of the huge number of interconnected systems. We knew that those will be issues nearing the end of the project but I think we are well equipped to handle them on time for the October release. We are still committed to not break saves for people playing during early access.
GT: Where do you see the game developing from this point?
Hristo: We are focusing on the 1.0 for now mainly prioritising the content of the game and a lot of quality of life and UI improvements. After 1.0 there are already some conversations going and there are plenty of ideas but nothing to share at the moment
GT: Have there been any more adjustments based on player feedback?
Hristo: We are in constant communication with the community and we are listening. We have this internal wishlist of things to do before 1.0 (and after) that is filled with proposals from the community and also internally and we try to fit as many as possible into the final release.
GT: Are the developers able to play and enjoy the game or are they too wrapped up in technical details when they play?Hristo: It would be a lie to say that we can enjoy the game the same way players do mainly because we got interrupted too much by things that we want to change or improve while playing. To be honest all people on the team love the game and are passionate about it and that is we all contribute with suggestions how to improve it.
GT: Are there other tabletop games you enjoy that you would want to have a similar virtual translation?
Hristo: I cannot speak for the team but I bet they would because we have a huge collection of board games at the office and we all love to play them. I myself enjoy going to board game conventions, meeting people and exploring new titles but we don't know what the future holds.
At launch, the game will include:
· Complete Story Campaign – Experience the full FROSTHAVEN campaign from the tabletop board game, including the climactic final chapter.
· Improved Onboarding – Learn FROSTHAVEN’s complex systems and mechanics with more ease through the digital-only “Road to Frosthaven” introduction, tutorial, and UI displays.
· All 17 Playable Heroes – Build your party from FROSTHAVEN’s complete roster of heroes, with the final hero joining the game at launch.
· Standalone Game Demo – New adventurers can try FROSTHAVEN before purchase through a standalone demo experience through the Road to Frosthaven campaign.
· Enhanced Co-Op Play – Team up with friends through improved multiplayer systems and
· networking enhancements.
· House Rules – Tailor playthroughs with customizable House Rules, allowing players to adjust gameplay that will suit their preferred playstyle.
· Opening Cinematic – Begin the journey into FROSTHAVEN with a brand-new cinematic introduction that sets the stage for the challenges ahead in the Frozen North.
· Hero Unlock Videos – Celebrate each new hero discovery with dedicated unlockable videos that introduce each hero and unique playstyle.
· Fully Implemented Codex – Explore FROSTHAVEN’s lore, characters, creatures, biomes, and more through a comprehensive in-game Codex. No note-taking required!
Frosthaven is available in Early Access on Steam now, if you can't wait for the October 15th release.
