We Made It, Buds!
On the 16th of January, we reached one full year as an indie game development studio. And as if that wasn’t enough, we also wrapped up Phase 2 at Østnorsk Filmsenter and released the first playable demo of Steps (which you can download and try right now, and we'd love to hear your feedback).
One Year of Glueplant Games
Looking back, it’s hard to believe how much can happen in just twelve months. This DevLog archive has become a little time capsule for us, and reading through it really puts things into perspective.
Here are a few moments that defined our first year:
- After a six-month break following graduation, we found our way back to each other with the idea of Steps, and officially founded Glueplant Games AS on January 16th, 2025.
- Our pre-production phase happened in a very special setting where Adrian was on paternity leave, with Mathias visiting during the day while Adrian balanced baby care and game design.
- I April, we received our first funding ever. 25,000 NOK in “Pangstart Stipend” from Østnorsk Filmsenter. It was the moment when we first dared to believe that this could truly happen.
- Then came our first big breakthrough. We got the funding of 200,000 NOK and have officially entered the list of games with funding from Østnorsk Filmsenter.
- And four months later, lightning struck twice when we received another funding of 200,000 NOK for the second Phase at Østnorsk Filmsenter.
- Throughout the second part of 2025, we have taken a step into the game dev community in Hamar and have been welcomed with open arms. We have attended meetups, testbonanzas, and have gotten the opportunity to share our rough early builds of Steps with fellow developers and players.
- And of course, the highlight of 2025 was attending SpillExpo Lillestrøm in November. Watching more than 130 people play Steps for the very first time was quite surreal. Even with a rough build, seeing players engage, struggle, smile, and even come back for second (and third!) rounds is something we’ll never forget.
So yes, even though most days are spent sitting in front of separate screens, this has really been an eventful and fulfilling year for us.
We’re incredibly grateful for the support from Østnorsk Filmsenter, the local dev community, you who read our DevLogs each month, and for our own partnership and friendship that has grown stronger through 2025.
Phase 2 Complete Means Our First Demo Is Live!
January also marked the end of Phase 2 at Østnorsk Filmsenter. Our goal this phase was to build a playable demo. And even with a mountain of work waiting for us after the Christmas break, we managed to deliver it on time!!
We actually did it!!
Steps v0.1 is now available for playtesting! We want as many people as possible to try it out and share your feedback. Yes, there are bugs. Yes, some systems are still rough. But as an early playable version (created by a new two-person team over eight months of production), we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built up til now.
At some point, you have to stop the silence and let the game meet real players. And this felt like the right moment.
So, here’s what you can expect from the demo:
- You’ll explore the first region of Steps, Rivergreen. All of its five levels are playable (still in draft form) and we’re both excited and slightly terrified to hear what you think about the pacing, difficulty curve, and overall level and puzzle design.
- We’ve also given the menus a full visual overhaul, making them more pleasant to navigate and better aligned with the world of the game.
- The biggest focus for this phase has been player feedback and usability. We’ve worked hard to make controls intuitive, abilities readable, and guidance subtle but helpful, so you can learn naturally instead of being told by us what to do.
We really hope you’ll give it a try and share your thoughts with us. Your feedback will help shape the future of Steps.
What’s Next: Vertical Slice Phase
With Phase 2 wrapped up and the next funding deadline approaching in just over two weeks, we’re stepping into a new stage of production: the Vertical Slice phase.
The goal here is to make selected parts of the game look and feel as close to the final product as possible. That means:
- Improved lighting and weather systems
- Visual polish through shaders and effects
- Expanding into new regions beyond the Rivergreens (yes, we’re so ready to stop looking at green and blue blocks)
This phase is also crucial for visibility and community growth. We’ll be taking a more outward-facing approach, sharing progress, reaching out to the media, and preparing digital showcases in the hope of getting Steps featured and covered globally.
At the same time, we’re actively looking for partners and collaborators. Right now, funding only covers core development costs, but Steps is a game where sound and atmosphere matter deeply. We’re currently in contact with a very promising sound designer, and our hope is to bring her onboard to help elevate the experience.
Catching Our Breath Before the Next Sprint
Before jumping head-first into the next phase, we’re taking a short moment to breathe.
Right now, we’re refining documents for the application ahead, adjusting schedules, improving internal workflows, and sharpening our strategy for the months ahead. You can call it the calm before the next creative storm.
Thank you for following our journey, testing our game, sharing feedback, and cheering us on.
This is a pretty amazing time to be building Glueplant Games.
Seed you in March, buds!