The Infinite Trial of a Hopeless Man Running

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Thanks to a challenge from their community, Vagabond Dog spent 24hrs live on Twitch performing a live game jam.

Somehow, through the sleeplessness, a new game was built within the time, and is now available for all to enjoy.

We are therefore delighted to present you with our new title, The Infinite Trial of a Hopeless Man Running.

Download, play it, and provide any feedback in Discord.

SAM’S 6 Month Celebration

Wow. The calendar just kind of melted away, huh?

It feels like yesterday we were prepping for launch, and now we're officially 6 months past release.

A lot has happened in that time (both in-game, and out), but it's been a great ride so far. There have been nearly 60 build updates for Sometimes Always Monsters, including over 600 individual changes, additions or improvements, along with around 30 significant new content additions (features, scenes, or significant characters).

Needless to say, the game has changed a lot since launch, and will continue to evolve as we casually work on it. We still love adding things, improving the experience, and expanding the world players can explore with each subsequent playthrough.

Thanks to its success, we have runway to continue doing this for the foreseeable future, and appreciate all of the feedback we've been given from the community.

As part of the celebration SAM and ASM will be on sale through Steam until October 12th.


Release Date Announcement

Oh, you’re still here?
Been waiting a while, yeah?
Sorry about that.

Apiril 2, 2020

That’s the release date for Sometimes Always Monsters.

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We want to thank everyone for their patience over through the years we’ve been developing this game. It’s been an incredible journey, and we’re thrilled to finally be near to its conclusion. We can’t wait for you all to play it.

Our plan for release will be a little staggered, as we have a lot of platforms to manage and no support staff.

Those of you who already have a Steam Key through one of our pre-order methods will have instantaneous access to Sometimes Always Monsters the moment it’s made available.

We will be issuing it for sale on further platforms like Humble Store, GOG.com, and more, in due time afterwards.

Apologies to all platform stalwarts who may be frustrated with this, but it’s all we can do to manage our release.

On Our Way — On Our Own

Devolver Digital has always been an incredible partner to us, even before Vagabond Dog was officially a company.

That’s why, with tremendous deliberance and appreciation, we announce that the publishing partnership between Vagabond Dog and Devolver Digital is being dissolved.

Sometimes Always Monsters will be entirely self-published by Vagabond Dog when it releases on April 2nd, this year.

— History Lesson —

One fateful encounter in a small Texan bar first brought the spirit of our companies together. Vagabond Dog was barely a notion in the mind of a nomad-journalist, and Devolver Digital had only just begun to experience their meteoric rise as a publisher of independent video games.

By the spring of 2013, we pitched them the game that’d eventually become Always Sometimes Monsters. None of us had any idea what the relationship would become, but it felt monumental as we charted the waters of our first release with more support than we’d ever dreamt of.

Through countless events and milestones we’ve been able to rely on the support of Devolver to help us with just about anything we’ve asked for (and plenty we didn’t).

However, as we step into a new era, Vagabond Dog will be changing significantly in the times to come.

— What It Means —

We won’t bore y’all with the details of the arrangement, but going forward, Vagabond Dog will operate without any further ties to the industry’s best indie game publisher.

Going forward, our games will be distributed on platforms across PC, Mobile, and Console under our own heading.

All of our press announcements, marketing materials, and other such game promotion nonsense will be self-managed.

Lastly, all requests for review copies, interviews, tech support, or similar can only be directed to Vagabond Dog.

Don’t bother Devolver Digital folk with our shit anymore.

Apart from that, players and fans probably won’t notice much of a difference. It will make very little difference to the actual game experience, regardless of platform.

— Why Now? —

The games industry has changed a lot in the years since we first signed with Devolver Digital. Success in this turbulent market is harder to acheive than ever before.

After years of delay for Sometimes Always Monsters, the idea was suggested by Devolver as a means of reducing our overhead and giving us a chance of surviving launch.

The market for the kind of games we produce is small, and even with the awareness a team like Devolver could bring our title, it doesn’t guarantee anything to our release.

After much deliberation, we came to a similar conclusion.

Thus, we accepted their offer, and over the past months have been figuring out the appropriate transition steps.

It becomes official now, as we prepare our final push to the release on April 2nd, to keep things as simple and straightforward as possible for everyone involved.

— So Long, Farewell —

So many thanks to Nigel, Mike, Harry, Graeme, Andrew, Kate, Stephanie, JM, and everyone else at Devolver who helped our journey. You have been incredible partners, good friends, and exemplary human beings.

It may be time for us to pack our bags and keep walking down the road we started, but we’ll always love you all.

Keep your eyes peeled. I’m sure we’ll be somewhere.

Welcome to CRUNCHMODE

With the release of Sometimes Always Monsters breathing down our necks, the vibe amongst the team at Vagabond Dog is a little more tense than usual. To help alleviate some of that tension, we’ve created a new line of merch which celebrates the state of lunacy known as CRUNCHMODE.

The line of merch will only be available for a limited time and features a T-Shirt, Coffee Mug, and Stickers.

Everything is available at our new seasonal merch shop: limited.vagabonddog.com

In addition to the aforementioned offering, the new shop has a stock of fresh merch for Always Somtimes Monsters, Sometimes Always Monsters, and Dog Gone Golfing. If you are among the many who’ve wanted to sport some official ASM/SAM shirts or hats, now’s your chance to scoop them.

Retiring Our Dear Old Shirt

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The classic Vagabond Dog T-shirt is being retired.

Although it has been a staple of the company’s culture for half a decade, we now feel that it may finally be time to change things up. The harmonious triad with the classic Vagabond Dog logo will be discontinued at the end of this year and removed from the shop.

It will not be replaced with any sort of new variant.

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We wanted to take a minute to celebrate our first piece of merch with a loving sendoff. Whether you ordered one online, bought one from us in-person, or stole yours from one of our convention booths, we want to see it now.

Tweet a photo of yourself or your shirt to @VagabondDog with hashtag #VDshirt, and remind us of fond memories.

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To clear out the remaining stock, and to make them as affordable as possible for anyone who ever wanted one; through Black Friday onward, the Vagabond Dog T-Shirts will be available for 25% off, with code LASTSHIRT.

Limited Holiday Pack, Now For Sale

Today we’re launching a new limited item to be delivered in time for the holidays.

This exclusive pack includes games, swag, and a lot of seasonal cheer. With items that have never been released before (and may never again), it is a perfect gift for long-time Vagabond Dog fans and collectors of rare indie gaming memorabilia, alike.

While we won’t be divulging the exact contents of this merry surprise before it ships, rest assured that we’ve put a lot of love into its construction and know that it will deliver all the magic a good gift should bring. Our goal with this one is to delight and surprise.

So, rush over to the Vagabond Dog Store and place your order before we take it off the shelves. Whether buying for someone special or treating yourself, you won’t want to miss this one.

Vagabond Dog Joins #TeamTrees

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It’s the spooky time of year, so here’s a most horrific truth: climate change will inevitably destroy humanity.

To help fix this issue, a worldwide campaign to plant over 20 million trees by the end of the year has begun through The Arbor Day Foundation. For each dollar donated to the campaign, they will be able to plant one tree.

Vagabond Dog happily joins this worthy cause with a goal of contributing 420 trees from our humble community.

If you’d like to contribute, head over to the official donation page at TeamTrees.org and pledge a few dollars.

Blast us on Twitter afterwards, comment below, or just brag about it in the Discord to receive all praises due.

 

 

The Arbor Day Foundation has a nearly 50 year history planting trees, and is the world’s largest organization dedicated the practice. Every year they plant an average of 5 million new trees, and work to reforest areas that have been affected by natural disaster.

Join Our Discord Server, Go Backstage

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Hello Vagabonds,

We wanted to let you know that we have recently stepped into the modern era, and set up our own official Discord server. It’s a place where we can all gather to talk nonsense, and game dev.

If you’re keen to join our burgeoning community, just follow the link below:

http://discord.gg/vd

Though we can’t guarantee the conversation will always be the most intellectually stimulating, this will be your best line-of-access to the development team. Feel free to ask them questions, suggest terrible ideas, or lend your emotional support. Having a healthy back-and-forth with you will help keep them sane as they continue marching toward the release of SAM.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

ASM on PS4

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After quite some time coming, we are very happy to finally announce that Always Sometimes Monsters is now available for PlayStation 4 in most regions. It's the same intense narrative game as on PC and other platforms, but presented in HD resolution and with some trophies.

This is our console debut, and first foray into the PlayStation community. We'd like to take a moment to welcome all the new Vagabonds joining our tribe today, and thank you all for playing. We will continue looking for more platforms going forward, as opportunities present themselves.

It is exciting to have so many new players joining. Together, we can begin to unravel the layers in each of our stories, and come to a better understanding of ourselves. Don't be afraid to share your experience with Always Sometimes Monsters, as there are depths learned only in communication of difference and contrast.

Devolver Digital Reunites With Vagabond Dog For ASM Sequel

Not to be confused with 2014's critically acclaimed title, Always Sometimes Monsters, sequel Sometimes Always Monsters is set for late 2016 release, and also probable confusion no matter how hard we try to explain the two different titles

Your Guarded Desires - Vagabond Dog and Devolver Digital have reignited their romance to publish a sequel to the lauded, semi-biographical, digital novella, RPG, life-sim, Always Sometimes Monsters, called Sometimes Always Monsters, scheduled for release in late 2016. (No, YOU'RE using commas wrong.)

Fans attending PAX East this weekend can get the original title (Always Sometimes Monsters) for free by playing the sequel (Sometimes Always Monsters) in the Indie Megabooth. During PAX East, the original title from 2014 will be 90 percent off through Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/274310/.

In this upcoming sequel, you've finally arrived: the love of your life is at your side, your book is on the best-seller's list and everything is as it should be – stable, comfortable and well-deserved. But success isn't all it's cracked up to be. Despite all of your achievements, whispers from the shadows grow, calling you a monster, manipulative, and unrepentant.

Only you can decide if they're right.

Seeking inspiration, you join a cross-country bus tour with a band of like-minded authors as each stop presents a new city to explore. Fans and strangers alike invite you into their lives – forever shaping their worlds for better or worse as you pass through town with a whirlwind of choice and consequence.

Fork Parker explained, "When they first brought it to us, we got so confused by the title. Totally thought it was their first game, the one I'd already paid for. Figured the Vagabonds were trying to scam us. Put a bounty on their head and everything. Thankfully one of the interns opened the damned thing, cleared the whole mess up. The game's incredible. Would have been a total shame if one of my hitmen finally got to them."

"These games are antithetical to one another, and so their naming must mirror that," clarified Justin Amirkhani, Creative Director at Vagabond Dog. "We spent a long time considering alternatives, but this was the only thing that we felt truly fit. Adding a number to the end just didn't make sense because this game doesn't feel like a forward progression. It's more like an opposite, or a reflection of the first."

Sometimes Always Monsters is set for later this year, in the meantime stay in touch on Twitter @VagabondDog and keep up to date with Devolver's various ramblings at @DevolverDigital.

 

Vagabond Dog Announces Sometimes Always Monsters

Vagabond Dog is proud to announce their second title, Sometimes Always Monsters, is coming to PC in 2016.

Sometimes Always Monsters is an atypical role-playing game about our life choices, the circumstances that drive us to them, and their inevitable consequences.

Set in the modern world, players take control of a newly married author struggling to find the inspiration needed to write their second novel. With pressure to provide for your household mounting, you set out on a cross-country promotional tour with a band of like-minded scribes.

Along the journey, players will encounter those who have been changed by their words. For better or for worse, the role you play in their lives will echo through the story. As you decide your place in a world that would seek to idolize or destroy you, responsibility is what you make of it when we're Sometimes Always Monsters.

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"I like to think of it more like an antithesis than a sequel," boasts Creative Director Justin Amirkhani. "Where ASM was largely about the gruelling struggle to go from nothing to something, Sometimes Always Monsters is about the thrilling free fall from something to nothing."

While Sometimes Always Monsters will support save file imports from Always Sometimes Monsters, this new game focuses on a different story with fluid ties to the original. Decisions made in ASM will impact the world of SAM in unexpected fashion. As the journey continues on, regardless of how the story ended, you will come to new understandings as you scrutinize the decisions of your former self.

To aid our efforts in preserving the unique canon of every player's experience, and to help with our cross-compatibility testing, we are asking fans of ASM to send their save files to continuity@vagabonddog.com

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Sometimes Always Monsters will be playable at PAX Prime booth 869 inside the Indie Megabooth. Media are asked to send appointment requests to gypsy@vagabonddog.com soon.

Sometimes Always Monsters will be available in 2016. Fans can follow development at blog.vagabonddog.com or via @VagabondDog on Twitter.