All aboard Stream Train! Next stop, spooky central. We are beyond excited to tell you about our next game, a co-op horror game where up to 6 players try to livestream their rail journey through a cryptid-infested exclusion zone!
Grab the camera and start filming content! The chat will tell you what they want to see and respond to what you film in real time. Investigate strange places, document cryptid creatures, do dangerous stunts, and prank your friends, just keep the camera rolling while you do 🎥
The livestream system works by keeping track of objects and events that are marked as interesting. If something interesting is seen by the camera it is registered by the game and passed on to the chat system for them to respond. We have written hundreds of chat messages that cover different objects/scenarios and we have used AI to increase the number of responses even more. The result is a realistic feeling chat that pushes the player to interact with the world, then laughs (or screams) with the player when things go wrong.
Running playtests for Stream Train has been extra interesting. Players are asked to be creative with the game systems when they "create content" and we are constantly surprised by what they film. We are always adding new interesting events after a testing session, because we want players to feel rewarded for their creativity.
In Stream Train, players attempt to pass through the Uncanny Valley on an abandonded rail road, filming their adventures as they go. To survive they must grow their audience by filming interesting content, then use the donations to keep the train fuelled and buying new gear.
The Uncanny Valley is a place of mystery similar to the Bermuda Triangle or the Eye of the Sahara. A gold rush in the late 1800's brought infrastructure to the valley, but disappearances, sightings of strange creatures, and illness caused workers to flee and the area to fall into disrepair. To you, the Uncanny Valley represents a modern gold rush of content. The stories surrounding the valley can't possibly be true and livestreaming an expedition along the abandoned tracks is bound to pique viewer interest and put you on the map.
Stream Train is a run-based game. If your whole crew dies, the game is over and you will need to start a new run from the beginning of the Uncanny Valley. The world is procedurally generated so each attempt feels fresh.
That being said, keeping chat happy might mean putting yourself (or ideally your friends) in danger. As long as you get the right shot and at least one player gets away, even dying is worth it. If you get back to the train and continue down the tracks, you will always meet up with your friends again. The Uncanny Valley is strange like that.
Stream Train is a lighthearted game that uses a dark and spooky setting to increase tension and cause big reactions that are fun for the whole group. We aim to make a systemic, semi-procedural playground that players can explore with their friends again and again. Stick together, don't get lost.
You can learn more about Stream Train and give it a wishlist right now on Steam. Stay tuned for more updates soon 🚂