A big welcome to our first wave of closed beta testers! We've been working on Itona seriously for about two years now and are so thrilled to finally be letting other people in!!! Thank you for signing up to test for us so we can perfect the game before our general opening. The news posts during beta testing will mark where we are in the testing cycle, and highlight what systems are opening and closed. They'll also give you an idea of what areas of gameplay to try out!

We are planning on roughly 3 cycles of beta testing. Our initial wave (hello, it's you!) where we finish up things like guides and some item art, our mid wave, where we add in more systems, and then our final wave where we do any remaining tweaks! We don't have a set timeline for each wave, but anticipate that the length of each wave will get shorter as less has to be accomplished in each one.

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Open Systems

The currently open systems represent the core gameplay loop of acquire Hound -> explore -> train hound/improve -> explore.

 New Player Quest 

It is suggested that all players start here, as it will give you the footing to explore further in the game!

Exploring

Exploring in both Ynnis and Azzaru is open and available! Remember, you'll need basic hound handling, which can be earned during the new player quest, in order to explore! (Or a biddable Hound!)

Hunting

Hunting in both Ynnis and Azzaru is open! You'll need a hunt token and a Hound with basic hunt training!

Automatic Item Sell Back

Sell items you find while exploring to fund your purchases!

Hound Design & Approvals

These can be submitted through the system on phenotypes by selecting the 'Submit Phenotype Design' option. 

Travel

Travel between Ynnis and Azzaru is open! You can purchase a ticket at the carriage station shop, and use it at the carriage station prompt.

Training

Hounds can earn training and spend it at training classes! More types of classes will be released throughout beta, but obedience and hunting classes are currently available.

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Upcoming Systems

These systems will be released during the next fews waves of testing. Some may be partially implemented already, such as trade guilds. 

Breeding

Breeding is fully coded and code tested, but won't be released until we have a few more players in order to minimize the advantage beta testers will have. It is currently possible to earn breeding assessments though! Expect breeding to open a few weeks into closed beta.

Trade Guilds

Trade Guilds and their associated activities will fully open towards the end of open beta, in order to not advantage beta players too much. 

Crafting

The automated crafted system will release at some point during beta. Crafting recipes will slowly be added over the course of the game.

Expeditions

Expect test expeditions to begin runnning sometime in July or August!

Shops

Shops should have their early stock beginning to be populated during July!

NPC Merchants

NPC merchants will begin offering challenges and breeding opportunities with their Hounds after breeding opens.

Hound Sell Backs

Selling extra Hounds (and phenotypes) back to the game will be implemented once breeding launches. 

Vistas

Vistas are an automated system where you can earn or purchase backgrounds for your Hounds! Vistas is soft launched with a single background at the moment, but more will be added!

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Systems Not in Beta

There a couple of systems that we are not going to be beta testing at all, due to how they impact the game. These will enter the game once we leave closed beta.

Shows

Training to prepare for shows will be available, but not shows themselves.

City Standing & Fairs

Players will only be able to join a city and earn their first standing during closed beta. Once the game is open the standing and city fair system will be fully live!

Strays & Wilds

Strays and wilds will be added to explore events once the game is open!