Hardtack Games
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Progress Report

HARDTACK GAMES PRESENTS

WESTWARD!

— A Frontier Survival Sim · Anno 1848 —

Some burdens can be carried; Others simply cannot.

Each step is a story — every mile a struggle for survival

About the game Follow on itch.io Join the Discord Press kit
Entering Early Access soon

Westward!

Writing History

WESTWARD! is a historically-authentic pixel-style frontier survival simulation/idler and learning platform that puts you in charge of a company on their journey two thousand miles west in 1848 along the Oregon Trail. Every traveler rolls their own attributes, personal interest, temper and growth aptitude, so no two companies behave alike. There are over a dozen professions as well, each with their own unique bonuses to help you along your journey. An environmental biome generator procedurally generates each step while topography maps and weather data maintain accuracy. Dynamic systems for tracking members' morale, fatigue and relations enrich the storyline, giving greater depth and meaning to every decision. Dietary variety drives a continuous fitness curve that moves every stat daily, weight and oxen determine whether you move at all, exhaustion feeds mental breaks, and illness leaves permanent scars. Above it sits a Storyteller that shapes each run's dramatic arc rather than simply utilizing RNG, offering enhanced replayability and a more varied experience.

Work in progress: these screenshots are from an in-development build and likely do not represent the final product.

Simulating the Western Frontier

The engine that generates the terrain you'll travel is derived from real-world science! This includes: Rainfall averages, cloud & plant species, seasonal changes, wind patterns and environmental hazards.

Fort Laramie on a fall evening, snow on the range and the grass gone dun, under a three-tier sunset sky.
The sky, the season and the light are simulated, not painted.

Play It Your Way

Choose from several difficulties or modify pre-launch settings individually. Pick your Storyteller, launch period, party-size and composition. Greenhorn's Guide will keep you on the trail while storytellers like The Undertaker present a superior challenge. As Wagon-master you must lead your company, controlling: pacing, rations, camp routine and more.

The pre-launch settings page: the road ladder from Easy to Custom, the jumping-off season and the save.
Every call is yours to make.

A Company of People: Surviving is Thriving

Bonds form fastest between those who work closest, and grief runs as deep as the bond. Push the company too hard and they tire, quarrel and break, and you may wake to find your party one less. Or worse…

One traveler's sheet open beside the road: attributes, gear, skills and relations, with the company walking on.
Every number on the roster is somebody.

Featuring:

  • Select from 6 Wagons and various Staging options
  • Historically accurate ingame locations and events
  • Over a dozen minigames
  • More than 100 achievements and easter eggs!
  • Experience over 50 unique events, with multiple choices giving you more control over outcomes
  • WESTWARD! Soundtrack by John Simmons
  • Cats & Dogs!
  • Procedurally Generated Pixel-art
The hunt minigame.
The hunt, one of over a dozen minigames.

Coming soon to

Platforms

Press and Inquiries:

hello@hardtackgames.com. A press kit can be found here.

Discord server for staying updated: discord.gg/7mmmq9BY3d.