Hey everyone! Time for some fresh UI polish! Ive been working hard on the full game to make everything feel smoother and nicer, and good news, the demo benefits from all these upgrades too! [table] [tr] [th]Before[/th] [th]After[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]
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[/td] [/tr] [/table] Heres whats new:

• New font and updated overall UI theme
• Animated backgrounds for menus
• Brand new button designs
• Custom seagull cursors
• Some settings now have little animations to explain them better
• Game tip images are now animated too!
• Revamped hunger bar (now it grows bigger when you upgrade it!)
• New inventory layout
• Fresh stamina bar colors
• New thought bubble designs
• Added a cool pulsing animation for required item icons
• Completely redid all item icons
• New container content gauge when you're carrying something
• Animated error messages
• Fancy loading screen animation
• New Stamina bar increased! notification
• And a new setting to globally adjust the size of the UI

Prototyping new ideas for the game: Devices powered by solar panels in a world ruled by seagulls. What could possibly go wrong?

I like making sure the game remains playable even on older machines so that no one gets left behind. (I actually keep an old laptop just to test it!) So, while continuing to develop the full game, I also spent time optimizing it (both CPU and GPU) and pushed an update to bring these optimizations to the demo. I made several improvements, such as grouping objects together, optimizing vegetation, reducing the impact of characters that aren't currently on screen, simplifying elements when viewed from a distance, and more. I've also streamlined the graphics settings by introducing a single "Global Quality" setting (though all individual settings are still accessible under an "Advanced options" section). Additionally, on the first launch, the game now runs a hardware benchmark and automatically selects an appropriate default global quality based on the results. This should make the game even more accessible, even for lower-end machines! Speaking of UI improvements, a small bonus: the key mapping menus now display actual key glyphs instead of text descriptions; and all menus related to game progression are now grouped under a single "Progression" menu (accessible via "Tab"). As always, feel free to share your feedback directly in-game or through the links below. Have a good game!

Hey everyone! I'm thrilled to announce that Goeland is part of the Quebec Games Celebration, starting now and running all week on Steam! I follow this event every year, and it's an honor to finally be part of it. The gaming industry in Quebec has faced tough times in recent years, so lets show our support for the amazing local devs! Check out the event and discover some incredible indie games!

Heres a little surprise Ive been working on for some time. While my main focus remains on the single-player experience, I always keep multiplayer support in mind when implementing new features. To celebrate the Couch Co-Op Steam Fest, Ill be testing local co-op in the free demo for a limited time! Grab a friend (or 3), give it a try, and let me know what you think. Thank you all for your support! Maarti

During playtests, I noticed that while some players enjoy searching and experimenting on their own, others prefer more guidance. I've just implemented dynamic quest tracking! It updates based on nearby activities you've already discovered. Accomplishments now have descriptions, but a new setting allows you to hide them, showing only the title. Some tasks even have personalized tracking (e.g., "3/4 instruments returned"). Finally, a new shortcut lets you hide the entire quest tracker if you prefer a cleaner UI.

Ive been working on refining the art direction of the game to give it a fresh new touch. I also spent some time optimizing and adding more details to the environment to make it feel richer and more immersive. Heres a comparison video to show the progress! [previewyoutube=uY_LUA4FkBk;full][/previewyoutube] Old / New:

Citizens chasing an unreachable target are now smarter: instead of staying as close as possible to the target, theyll try to find a better angle to take their shot if possible! Before:
After:

Shop inventories are now updated as you unlock new items. For example, if you successfully unlock the seeds of a fruit tree, its fruit will become available in the shop. But beware! There's now an anti-theft alarm that can go off if you try to leave the shop with an item without paying! [previewyoutube=ZE4XIlQffv0;full][/previewyoutube]

In Goeland, we aim to avoid interrupting gameplay with long walls of text to read. Instead, players are encouraged to observe the environment to understand what's happening, as it changes based on their actions. For example, you can peek over the shoulders of citizens reading the local newspaper to catch up on the latest news. All of this happens without ever taking the controller out of the player's handsyou always stay in control of your character. [previewyoutube=dY487ixxYk0;full][/previewyoutube]

In games, you can't have an infinite number of objects constantly present on the map, or memory will eventually fill up. Objects need to be removed or recycled, which is why we often see elements disappear (e.g., bullet impacts). This is an issue that can arise in Goeland because new objects are created as the game progresses. Rather than simply deleting unused objects, I decided to "personify the Garbage Collector" by embodying it in a character. This character collects objects that havent been used for a certain amount of time and throws them in the trash. (He's also the one responsible for restoring any trash cans you knock over!) This approach provides a more natural way to manage objects while making the simulation feel more alive. If objects become inaccessible and more memory is needed, more drastic solutions can still be applied.

I try to procedurally generate some activities. For instance:

• The character losing their soccer ball: The ball can end up on any rooftop, and the character will be nearby (and outdoors).
• Stranded animals needing help: They can appear anywhere along the coast, close to the water (but not directly in it).
• Sunbathing characters: They follow the same logic, appearing in various random spots.

Today, Im happy to highlight two new settings recently added to the game:

• "No Pursuits Mode": This feature ensures that citizens wont seek revenge, no matter what youve done to them. I wanted to include this option for players looking for a more relaxed, stress-free adventure or for those who need a temporary reprieve to get through a tricky moment in the game.
• "Never Hungry Mode": With this setting, youll have unlimited access to abilities that require food (like dashing or pooping). This is perfect for players who dont want to deal with managing food resources or prefer not to steal from citizens.

• Accomplishments are now displayed in a grid layout (instead of a list) for a more compact view, making it easy to get an overview of progress.
• Each achievement is now numbered for easier identification.
• Different color codes are used to differentiate completed, revealed, and unknown accomplishments.
• Hints have been added for each accomplishment (for players who choose to show them).
• A confirmation popup appears only the first time a hint is requested, then it wont display again once confirmed.
• In-game notifications now appear faster and at the top of the screen.
• The notification widget is more responsive, adjusting its size to try to show the full notification (previously, many notifications required scrolling to view all content).
• And of course, the "increase" typo is still there (I noticed it just now while posting this... )

The Steam Next Fest has come to an endthank you all for playing the Goeland demo! Im now diving back into developing the full game, using your valuable feedback to provide the best experience possible.
I'll try to regularly share some updates on development. Today, heres a look at the ongoing UI overhaul:

• New font
• Contextual actions are now displayed under the relevant object
• New inventory widget (text is no longer blurry)
• Key prompts for possible actions (e.g., poop, dash) as some players tended to forget them

Watch different streamers test this early version of Goeland

Starting today, you will be able to play as a mischievous seagull and manipulate the humans around you to solve self-imposed challenges in a small open world. This is just the beginning, your feedback will help shape the future of the game as it evolves over time. Share your thoughts on Discord, the Steam forums, or even directly in-game! Join the fun and let's build Goeland together!

Hello everyone! I'm excited to announce that the Goeland trailer on Steam has been updated to showcase some of the exciting new features. It was about time to refresh the content and give you a more accurate glimpse of what's in store. No time wasted here: I'm showing you real in-game captured gameplay because that's what truly matters when we're on Steam, right? Discover new mechanics, explore new environments, and enjoy the new interactions I've added. Enjoy the new trailer, and feel free to share your feedback on Discord. Your input helps me immensely in making the game as captivating as possible. Don't forget to wishlist Goeland to be notified as soon as the demo is available. Have a great day and see you soon!

I'm thrilled to unveil the Steam page for Goeland! Immerse yourself in this captivating world as a seagull exploring the tranquil yet mysterious island of Goeland. Don't hesitate to follow the community and wishlist the game to stay updated on the latest news and join the Discord community for discussions so we can shape the game together! Let the adventure begin!