Afternoon RataTEAM!

We've had lots of requests so now it gives me great pleasure to announce the opening of the Ratatan public demo landing page on Steam!


The demo contains:

• Worlds 1 and 2 are playable
  
• Choose between 4 different selectable Ratatans
  
• Online Multiplayer supported

[/b][/list]
We've tried to make this demo something fun for new players and returning backers from the closed beta!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3449820/Ratatan_Demo/
To commemorate the release of the public demo, we have a little surprise prepared on June 6th! What are those cobuns doing? Are those eyeballs?!

Please follow the official Ratatan X account or official steam news hub to get more information about this interesting turn of events!

Your Wishlist really helps!
We are hard at work putting the final touches on the public demo. While you are waiting please note wishlisting the game is a huuuuge help in putting Ratatan in front of more eyeballs! it also puts smiles on all the developers' faces!

Steam public demo page
Ratatan Steam page

Hello RataTEAM!

First off thanks for the great feedback on the backer Beta. It's been invaluable for providing insight in areas we can focus on for improvement. Also, for those of you who didn't get a chance to play the Beta, we are cooking something up to allow more people the chance to play in the near future now that we have given precedence to our backers.

It's been over a year and a half since we launched our Ratatan Kickstarter campaign so we are going to slow down the frequency of updates. We have completed the closed Beta and are getting closer and closer to a release so we want to keep a few surprises up our sleeves.


To everyone who has supported Ratatan, we can't thank you enough for your warm and continued support.

We apologize for the lack of explanation on our part regarding the Kickstarter delivery date being listed as April 2025. This led to a situation where that date was mistaken for a final release date. This date ws an estimate of when we expected to deliver rewards to our backers, but is not the official release date.

We are working diligently to prepare an official launch date for Ratatan and will make a clear announcement once a decision has been made.

We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and will continue to make every effort to meet your expectations. Thank you for your continued support!

Now that the Closed Beta Test is over, the next step is to prepare for the open beta and early access. At this point, many issues still remain. Many have enjoyed the game, but there have also been some concerns and anxieties.
The development team will continue to address these issues and expand upon the game's content in preparation for the next milestone. We will also continue to add polish and new content even after early access. I'll explain our roadmap when the time comes.
Please know, we will continue to develop the game with the aim of making it a GOTY award-winning title.
Thank you all for your continued support of Ratatan.
Producer Kazuto Sakajiri


Introduction
Thank you to everyone who filled in our questionnaire.
This test was based on feedback we’d received and tested two major updates to improve quality.

Questionnaire Results
660/775（85.2%）Extremely Positive
The survey was collected in the same format as the Steam store. We had 7,361 activated keys, which means a response rate of approximately 10%. We were able to reach our testing goal of 85%.

Changes Per Update
The first release was unstable and lost much of its evaluation, and it took two updates and a lot of work to win it back. In order to achieve the overwhelmingly positive reception we ultimately hoped for, we had to further improve on quality and raise the level of that evaluation.


Ratatan Popularity Poll Results
Thank you, everyone, for your cooperation in the poll.
At the time of posting, we have Nyandola in first place, with Pyokorappa in second place, and Harigittan in third place.
It's still difficult to completely average out the popularity of every character, so we will do our best to shine a spotlight on the unpopular characters as well.

Hello RataTEAM!

It's update time and of course we have more information about the ongoing backer beta. It's a big update so grab a seat and have a read!

Ratatan will be taking part in The MIX Spring Showcase on March 17th during GDC week. The showcase is a digital event featuring news, reveals, announcements and more. The show kicks off at 9:00AM Pacific Time and can be viewed on the following channels:

In this update, we're going to go over the Closed Beta Test that is currently underway and how it is progressing.

The main features of this supersized update will be the addition of World 2's Yeehawler Mountain and its boss the Wagoon, as well as the next Ratatan, Kamonelo and the new Wand wielding cobun.

Deep in the dry, windswept wilderness, a rail car once carried gilded treasures through the canyon. But now it's up to you to infiltrate Yeehawler Ranch, home of the roaming Wagoon, and seize its owner, Saguaro Slim!

This area's boss, Wagoon, will call out to the female Bessoons to help him when he's under attack, and has a habit of diving into the sand to attack you from below!
Character Introduction
Kamonelo (VA: Nonoka Obuchi)

Behind Kamonelo's blank expression, is a mind operating at speeds we can only imagine, pondering the world's complexities.
They’ll sometimes overthink and act in ways that are incomprehensible.
They enjoy looking at the sky.
"To fly or not to fly, that is likely the question."
"Oh, to be nice and empty, like the sky..."

Kamonelo’s cobun.
Proficient with a wand.
We have already received a lot of feedback from the Closed Beta test identifying many glitches and parts of the game with low useability. It's difficult to respond to all of these issues right away, so we're examining them one by one and will update the game to make it even better.
Please refer to the patch notes below for more details on this update.

• World 2: Bad Day on Yeehawler Mountain is now available.
  The boss, Wagoon, has a distinctive attack, such as summoning Bessoons to increase its attack capacity or diving into the sand to attack from below.
  Once the Wagoon is defeated, the game can then be played in a circular fashion.
  
• Added Kamonelo functionality to Ratatan
  This Ratatan initially enters fights with Assault Cobun and Magical Cobun. The cobun's HP is restored slightly when the rhythm command gathers everyone together, so the troops can last longer if this cobun is utilized effectively.
  
• Added the wand cobun class.
  A long-range weapon, the wand's means of attack changes depending on the attributes of any implemented Ratakaruta.
  The unit skill allows them to target enemies and gather in one place, or target an ally to boost their attack power.

• It is now possible to input a rhythm command and move the Ratatan except while taking a performance motion.
  An occurrence where the Ratatan was unable to act more than expected when failing a rhythm command input, etc., has been resolved.
  
• The maximum number of cobun that can join an adventure has been changed from 6 to 9.
  The maximum number of cobun will be expandable at the support desk in the future.
  The number of cobun that can be taken by default is currently set in the player enhancement menu, but will be further expanded in the future.
  
• When a cobun is caught by a monster or some other obstacle during the “Align” rhythm command, it will now slip through and return to the vicinity of the Ratatan.
  
• The following enemy long-range attacks now display a marker on the target of the attack:
  Pointy Chief / Pinchy

• Adjusted the HP, attack power, and action interval of Teshita or other enemies.
  
• The arrows fired by Teshita's bow attacks have been made more visible.
  
• The damage of the Jolly Hermit's great move Frenzied Fish Cannon has been adjusted.
  
• The damage reduction percentage during the effects of the rhythm command "Guard" has been increased. Also, while under the effect of Guard, the player will no longer be knocked back even if hit by an attack that would typically do so.

• We have adjusted the amount of experience gained per material when leveling up weapons through crafting.
  The amount of experience gained at level 1 has been adjusted, making it easier to level up overall.
  
• We've removed boss materials from the Exchanger that were registered as items that could be exchanged for general-purpose material and other items.
  
• Boss materials are dropped when a boss is defeated (there are multiple drops, one of which is dropped at random), and weapons that can be crafted using those materials also have a low probability of dropping when that same boss is defeated.
  
• What will happen when using the "Skill 1" and "Skill 2" rhythm commands can now be confirmed on the composition screen.
  
• The functions and how they are represented in the Craft Menu, Inventory, and Organization screens have been unified, such as those for equipped and the item lock function.
  
• Added text to the call icons on the inventory, organization screen, and pause menu to indicate which menus can be called.
  
• After the appearance of NPCs at the Support Desk, My Room, Exchanger, and Crafting, will now only describe their facilities the first time you interact with them.

• The fourth beat in the line indicating beats in the rhythm gauge has been removed.
  
• The Rhythm Command Guide is now displayed when adventuring.
  The display can be turned on or off in the options.
  
• Added explanation text for items and choruses that can be acquired during an adventure.
  
• Changed the cobun response voice when failing a rhythm command.
  

• Fixed a bug where Hermit's great move Frenzied Fish Cannon was sometimes triggered at a time where it could not be dodged by the rhythm command.
  
• Fixed a bug in which some tutorials would not play when starting the game again after being interrupted.
  
• Fixed a bug where the attack detection in World 1's Squiddly Pete was set to something unexpected.
  
• Fixed a bug where weapon leveling in crafting was not behaving properly.
  
• Fixed a bug where weapon levels were not displayed correctly in the sortie screen.
  
• Fixed a bug where the appearance of one weapon was replacing the appearance of another weapon during certain movements.
  
• Fixed a bug where certain event progress flags wouldn't appear, making progression impossible when obtaining a cobun early at certain points in the tutorial.
  
• Fixed a bug in which game progression stops when two or more players increase the number of cobun in a multiplayer game using the enhancement item Arms Expansion (used to increase the initial number of cobun that can be taken on an adventure).

• A bug where your Ratatan and cobun would get stuck in the Goodie Gate after being hit by an attack that causes them to blow up in battle has been temporarily addressed and corrected to prevent it from occurring.
  However, we will need more time to correct the bug so that it no longer occurs at all.
  
• There are other minor problems with the display of text within speech bubbles:
  Immediately after a facility is opened, the facility NPC will talk about that facility, but this text may not be displayed correctly.
  Lines for World 1 may appear in World 2.

Hello! Producer Sakajiri, here.
Thank you all for your patience!
This month we'd like to share some details about the long-awaited closed beta test.

Wishlists Now Exceed 100,000!
Thanks to your tremendous support, the number of wishlists on our Steam page is now more than 100,000! Thank you so much.
We've also received over 100 ratings for the Ratatan Original Soundtrack Demo, all of which have been positive. This is super encouraging for everyone on the department team, and we are working hard every day to create something that meets and hopefully exceeds your expectations.


- About the Date for Closed Beta TestProvided we don't hit any major obstacles, the Beta is scheduled to start on February 27, 2025. The distribution of codes, start date, and time will be announced via Discord and X as soon as they are confirmed.

However, we have sadly decided to forego the upcoming Steam Next Fest. Instead, we have made the decision to prioritize the closed beta test, and plan to better prepare a demo that will be available to the general public at the next Steam Next festival in June.

We look forward to your continued support and encouragement as we continue to develop this project ahead of a major rollout that will come in the summer.

- Beta Test OverviewWhen the closed beta test is released, up to the end of Stage 1 is planned to be playable in the initial build. The test period is expected to last roughly one month with multiple updates throughout, including the addition of Stages 2 and 3 and more Ratatan, as well as extra features.

We will also provide a survey form during the test, so please feel free to give us your honest opinions and suggestions so that we can improve the quality of the game. We have reviewed all the feedback we have received so far and incorporated it into our plans, but it can take a long time before that feedback is reflected. We appreciate your understanding.

- Items for ConsiderationWe have received many opinions and suggestions regarding command inputs. Rest assured, the team is aware of these and is considering them.
In addition to these, we'd like for players to do things like switch button combinations and show/hide guides in the options menu. We are preparing to test this as much as possible during the closed beta.

- Test Precautions

• We ask that you please participate in the beta with courtesy and within our guidelines.
  
• Many glitches will be present due to the nature of the beta build. Please be aware that these may impede your ability to play the game.
  
• There is still a possibility of mis-synchronization and connection problems when it comes to multiplayer.
  
• Communication data from this test will be collected to improve the multiplayer experience.

- RequestsDue to the postponement of participation in the Steam Next Fest, we ask that participants please refrain from taking screenshots and videos of the game, and distributing them or posting them on social media. However, you may share the information in the official Ratatan Discord. If you are a member of the media or a distributor, then please contact our management.

Welcome to the February development update!
We hope you're excited for the closed beta at the end of the month, so we're gonna show you a little bit of new information.

Not only will there be general matchmaking, but matching with friends will also be available!

The closed beta will also include a tutorial at the start of the game--something that was requested in the feedback. Finally, you'll be able to meet Crow in game!

Not only that, but instant enhancement items have been added and adjusted. We hope you're looking forward to trying these for yourselves!

■ About the Closed BetaWe are currently preparing for the beta's implementation in February as planned, however, while this is the current plan, the final announcement will be in the next update.

Eligibility:Any backer who has backed the base digital or physical tier or higher via Kickstarter or Backerkit.

Duration:From mid-February to the end of March

How to Participate:We will send your Steam Beta Download Key to your registered Kickstarter or Backerkit E-mail address. There may be some unforeseen delays due to the large number of keys required, however we will do our best to deliver everyone’s Beta key together on the same day.

We will continue to support customer service requests via the official Ratatan Discord and support E-mail address. When sending in a support request, please provide your backer number and registered E-mail address with it so we can confirm your details and expedite the process.

About the Test:

• Stages 1 to 3 are planned to be playable in the beta test.
  
• The game is still under development, so there may be bugs and tentative features.
  
• There will be no restrictions with sharing footage or screenshots. However, we would appreciate it if you could be considerate of the many bugs and tentative features that may appear in the game.
  
• Any save data from the alpha test will not carry over into the beta test. We will also do our best not to reset saved data during the beta test, but this may become necessary in some cases.
  
• Please be aware that there will be roughly 20,000 participants in this next test, which is a considerable number. We ask that all participants please enjoy the game online while being considerate of others.

■ About Steam Next FestWe will be releasing a demo version of the game to be exhibited during the Steam Next Fest in February.
The content of the demo version will be limited to only Stage 1.
Online play will be available, but players will not be able to match with participants in the closed beta test that will be running in parallel.

■ Taipei Game Show 2025Ratatan will be exhibiting at the Taipei Game Show being held from January 23 to January 26, and we'll post updates on how that's going via our social media!
https://tgs.tca.org.tw/index_e.php


Happy New Year, everyone! (Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!)
We'll be unveiling some of the elements that are currently being implemented, including those that we mentioned previously. We hope you're excited!

■ New Additions: Kamonelo and the Magical CobunAfter Pyokorappa's addition, Kamonelo, who was briefly shown in the promotional video, finally became a playable character in Ratatan. Kamonelo's trusty sidekick, the staff-wielding Magical Cobun, is also here to play.
The Magical Cobun is an interesting unit that changes the appearance and trajectory of its attacks depending on the Ratakaruta it is holding.

■ Implementing New Worlds and New Monsters
The desert wilderness world of Bad Day on Yeehawler Mountain and the jungle world Jamming Jungle Journey, as well as the new monsters that appear in them, are currently being implemented. We're still working on the beta test so that everyone can enjoy them in game, so we’ll only show you a few screenshots this time.

■ Improvements to Crafting
Here are some of the functional modifications to the crafting process.

In response to how weapons were valued in the alpha test, we have introduced a leveling system for weapons in order to better reflect the player's growth during gameplay.

In the future, we would like to expand this concept to include a level limit, alongside other challenging elements. Above is a screenshot of the crafting screen post renovation.

We are almost finished with 2024. How was this year for you?

The Ratatan team went full-speed ahead with development and showed the game at a major event, held an alpha test, and opened the Steam page. It was a very busy year indeed! The Steam wishlists keep pouring in so have nothing but gratitude to all our supporters. Ratatan will be released next year so please keep sending all those great thoughts our way as we push forward to the finish line!

The team will be working up until the 30th of December in Japan before going on winter holidays but on that day we plan to have a small year-end party. The development team will be live-streaming some of the in-development content starting at 7PM on the 29th of December PST (10PM EST). And, if we are lucky, we may be able to show Kamonelo off for the first time!!

If you have time please come and check it out

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2949320/Ratatan/

Thanks again and have a HAPPY new year!

-Ratatan Development Team

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3369960/Ratatan_Original_Soundtrack_Demo/

We have released the “Ratatan Original Soundtrack Demo” today!!

A sincere thank you to everyone who has wishlisted the soundtrack. We have added in a very special “bonus track” that you can only hear on the soundtrack. Hopefully this can make the wait until Beta a little easier while you listen to this cool track. Finally, I’d like the main composer of Ratatan, Adachi-san, to give us a few comments about the tracks contained within:

Originally posted by author:

Adachi-san track notes:
01 Fortrun’s Theme
Whimsical Fortrun’s march! Everybody dance cause it’s time with take-off!

02 Pirates of Paraddean Theme C&R Version
Ratta-parabee! The notes stay with you in this jump-up-and-down masterpiece! Let’s sing together Para-bee-yaaaan!

03 Bad Day on Yeehawler Moutain Theme C&R Version
Gattan Gotton—Is the sound of speed as you zoom zoom along the tracks in a zippy mine cart! Shuu shuu poppo shuu popoo!!!

04 Unite! Sea Shanty of the Swashbuckling Mantaneers
Sea Shanty of the Swashbuckling Mantaneers lead by Captain Barbatoid steer the ship across the stormy seas. Yay-yay-yo!

05 Draw! The Wild Ballad of the Thorn and the Raging Bull
The Saguaro Slim who wonders the open desert, and the rambunctious Wagoon!
The theme song of the Tingle Town Bandits! Rurururuuu♪

Kenmei Adachi

Illustration by Nami Kato

Ratatan Original Soundtrack Demo Tracklist

Celebrating Over 1 Million Views on the PV with a Free Original Soundtrack Demo Release!

To commemorate Ratatan's Reveal Trailer surpassing 1 million views on YouTube, we will offer the "Ratatan Original Soundtrack Demo" as a free download!
The release is scheduled for December 25th (JST)!

Don’t forget to add it to your wishlist!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3369960/Ratatan_Original_Soundtrack_Demo/

Ratatan Original Soundtrack Demo Tracklist

Ongoing Development
First of all, we are pleased to announce the successful completion of the alpha test.
Due to operational reasons, the number of participants for this test was limited to only 500, and it's a shame that not many people were able to participate. We apologize for this.
That said, we would like to report on the details of the test in the development update to follow.

As for future plans, the development team is currently preparing for beta testing.
If all goes well, the test will be conducted in February of 2025 and will be open to all beta access holders. The scope of the test will be expanded from the alpha, and we expect players to be able to experience up to Stage 3 of Ratatan.

We also hope to take part in the Steam Next Fest in February, 2025 as well, however it will require a demo in order to participate, so we need to figure out how to separate that from the beta test.

We'd love it if you could help us know how best to strike that balance between fulfilling your rights as a backer and the development of the title altogether.
Ratatan has only received this opportunity because of all your support, and our respect for our backers will never change.
Thank you for your continued support.

IntroductionThis is a report on the alpha test we conducted in November.
This test was limited to a maximum of 500 people.
The alpha ROM was tested with many glitches in multiplayer and other areas, and we believe that there were many areas where players could not enjoy the game properly. However, we were able to get a lot of responses through our survey. Thank you all very much for your help!

Survey ResultsThe survey was obtained in the same format as the Steam store.

Results:
122/127 (96% favorable)

Since the test participants consisted only of backers, we fully understand that favorable result might be a little biased, but we feel very encouraged that so many of you were able to recognize our hard work. As mentioned earlier, there are still a number of glitches and areas that have not been adjusted properly, which has shown us again that we must tighten our focus in our development efforts.

Feedback from Test Participants and Response GuidelinesWe have identified several issues by analyzing the many comments we received. We have determined that not all of them require major adjustments, but simply a bit of polish. The following three major guidelines are used to guide our response to these issues:

1. Remove inconveniences and absurdities
   
2. Remove incomprehensibility
   
3. Improve the rhythm command experience

Remove Inconveniences and AbsurditiesThe game was lacking in areas that were mainly caused by development reasons, and we're considering adjusting the following issues:

• Hermit's beam attack and other big moves have been adjusted so that they are made in time with the rhythm.
  
• Relax the rigidity of the rhythm command inputs.
  
• When a rhythm command fails, make it possible to input the rhythm command from the next musical bar.
  
• In the craft menu, implement a function to disassemble weapons and convert them into material items that can be used for crafting.

Remove IncomprehensibilityWhile we believe that a small tutorial is necessary, we intend to design the game so it can be played without a tutorial or explanation.

• Reorganize the in-game UI to show if troop skills can be used in relation to the amount of MP remaining.
  
• Adjust the in-game store so that an item's effect can be checked when hovering over it.
  
• Review the response when a Ratatan is attacked.
  
• Add wording to the description of material items in the inventory to indicate what they are used for.
  
• Display the type and quantity of material items required for each item in the player enhancement menu, support desk menu, and crafting menu.
  
• Add a guide highlighting interactable objects, items, and NPCs when approaching them at certain distances, etc.
  

Improve the Rhythm Command ExperienceAs a guideline for play after the beta, we would like to make it possible to realize various play styles by combining Ratatan x Cobun (weapon type) x Rhythm Command.

First of all, we are planning to give unique abilities (i.e. Ratatan abilities) for each Ratatan.

1. Abilities that enhance the effect of specific rhythm commands.
   
2. Abilities that provide a bonus for successful rhythm input, such as just-in-time inputs.
   
3. Those that give permanent abilities, etc..

In this way, the abilities will vary from Ratatan to Ratatan. This is how we intend to individualize the play style of each Ratatan in the game.

Next, for Cobun, we will add specific effects to troop skills, such as making it easier to destroy forts and such, or to blow up enemies and cancel their actions, as a means of differentiating between vanguard, mid-guard, and rear-guard troop types. We would like to make changing troop types and skills more meaningful in terms of gameplay than we have before.

Finally, for the rhythm commands, organizing what each command does and clarifying its role will make the effect of including the appropriate rhythm command in each situation more precise.

Taken together, these measures will help to realize the combination of Ratatan and Cobun by correctly judging their play style and inputting rhythm commands. We are planning to implement each of these measures for the beta, and we hope that you will join the rhythm action in the beta version once again.

Now, this is not to say that all of the above will be addressed as described above. We will also be adding content, fixing bugs, and adjusting the matching system in preparation for the beta test.

Although there are only a few days left until the beta test is upon us, the team will do its utmost to deliver an even better experience.

[UPDATE]

• Pyokorappa can now be selected.
  
• Assault Cobun can now be selected. (Unlocking via Utility Enhancement will allow them to be used with other Ratatans too.)
  
• Lances are now dropped by enemies.
  
• Phase rewards now rarely yield two or more Cobun.
  
• The save data screen layout has been adjusted.
  
• The button design for moving between the sortie and inventory screens in the Rataport has been changed.
  
• The Ratatan's in-game jump behavior has been adjusted.
  
• Multiplayer stability has been improved.
  
• If any player disconnects while in game, everyone will be returned to the title.
  
• If an error occurs, it will be displayed on the screen in large red letters. (It would be very much appreciated if you could send a screen shot of the error screen along with the log when you report a bug.)

[BUG FIXES]

• Fixed a bug that could cause a crash when using attack commands.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused knocked back characters to keep sliding during multiplayer.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused the mob enemies to leap from side to side while moving.
  
• Fixed a bug where mob enemies would continue chasing Cobun.
  
• Fixed a bug that caused the screen display to break when repeatedly pressing the back button while on the sortie screen.
  
• Fixed a bug that can cause a series of similar terrain or enemy placements.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause a crash when returning to the Rataport from a level.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause other players in the Rataport to become irresponsive during multiplayer.
  
• Fixed several bugs related to network synchronization.

[CHARACTER INTRODUCTION]
【Pyokorappa】 (VA: Sally Amaki)
Character Traits:

• Sharp-tongued, they have a pretty overbearing attitude toward others.
  
• But they're actually deeply lonely and care about everyone.
  
• They often regret their actions and cry their eyes out when they are alone.

Assault Cobun:

• Pyokorappa's Cobun.
  
• Pretty handy with a lance.

---

[DIRECTOR'S NOTE]
Something that likely caught your medama in this update is the implementation of the long awaited　Ratatan, Pyokorappa, and the Assault Cobun.
The Assault Cobun is a lance user and the second in the vanguard class, but while it attacks aggressively with its lance from a certain distance, it does not have as high HP as the Soldier Cobun and is vulnerable to being shot.
It's an aggressive class that can keep attacking without taking damage by utilizing the formation command and pulling them back near your Ratatan as needed, so please give it a try.
We are also working on fixing bugs as needed based on the reports we receive. The fixes are being made in order of severity, starting with crashes, freezes, and anything blocking player progress.
Alongside this, we are also working on improving the synchronization of Ratatan's online multiplayer, but this is still in progress. We have confirmed that some problems may occur as a result of a combination of multiple factors, and will likely require a little more time.