Inspired by classics like Harvest Moon with deep social sim aspects of a Persona game. Sunnyside is the next chapter in farming sims.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Our Last Update for Awhile
3 months ago
– Mon, Nov 11, 2024 at 12:39:11 PM
Hey SunnySide Fam!
It's been a little while since you've heard from us, and in the last update we mentioned that we wouldn't be posting regular updates here on Kickstarter any more, or that you wouldn't hear from us until we had something to share.
We did share some news across social media in the last couple weeks, and we want to make absolutely certain everyone sees.
What does this mean?
For SunnySide, this means that Steam updates moving forward are going to be at a much slower pace and will mainly be focused on bug fixes and QOL updates. We don't have any plans to add any additional content moving forward, given the change in our relationship with the publisher, and the console versions of SunnySide (because they are ports) are 100% in the hands of Maximum Entertainment. If you have any questions about updates to the console versions of SunnySide, you can contact Maximum Entertainment at [email protected]
For Kickstarter backers, this means that we are still working towards releasing the digital and physical versions of the OST and Guidebook as promised. We haven't forgotten about you, it's high on our priority list, and you'll receive an update here and an email when those are finally ready. (so make sure you're still receiving emails from us!) In order to accomplish these, we need studio income, (which we're not receiving from SunnySide sales - and likely won't for at least another year), which brings us to two more updates:
Introducing Project Retrograde
What is Project Retrograde?
It's our next game! Project Retrograde is a cozy Idle Tycoon game where you, the player, get to manage your own Vending Machine Business. Stock machines to meet the needs of your customers, manage employees to take care of tasks for you, maintain the cleanliness and attractiveness of the areas around your machines, and unlock new locations to expand your business!
Project Retrograde will not be launched on KickStarter. Instead, we are asking anyone who wants to support the game early to do so on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AftabiGames. Anyone who is a member of the Fox Tier ($15) for the month of November will receive an Alpha game key for Project Retrograde. This will be your game key when the game goes into Early Access, as well as after final release.
Once initial testing is complete, we will be launching Project Retrograde into Early Access on Steam, planning for a 6 to 8 month development road map towards full release.
All the music for Project Retrograde is also being created by our incredible composer Matt Thompson AKA JellyFox. So if you love his music, we highly recommend you check it out!
We'd love to see each and every one of you get involved with this new project of ours, but we also completely understand the millions of reasons why you might not. And that's totally okay. We appreciate each and every one of you who has been responsible for helping us get to this point, and we're excited to continue making great games for you!
RainyGames has been rebranded
There are a bunch of reasons why we decided to move forward with this. You see, when Siavash put together this Kickstarter campaign for SunnySide, he wasn't really thinking about Kickstarting a full studio to last the years; he was just trying to make rent. But now, 4 years and a fully released game later, we realize that RainyGames just doesn't suit us as a brand. It's confusing for business deals, it's an incredibly difficult trademark to defend (we've already been sued for using it), and frankly it just doesn't feel right. Rainy, while cozy, also just feels a bit depressing sometimes. Not to mention that the logo (Our fox, Rain) and the name of the studio don't really work together.
RainyGames is now Aftabi Games.
It took us a long time to decide on a new name, and we realized very quickly that we wanted the name to be Persian. We played with a lot of words, but ultimately we decided that if this rebrand is going to represent a new chapter for our Studio, it's only right that I cram a big metaphor into the whole experience (if you know me, you know I love a good metaphor).
Aftabi means Sunny in Persian. When it feels right, you gotta run with it.
So from now on when you see notices from "Aftabi Games", just know that it's still us!
Speaking of notices, we'll be sending out emails this week to notify everyone of the above information, along with a reminder that we are now formulating an official emailing list. Everyone who was part of the Kickstarter will automatically be added to that list, so if you'd prefer to not hear from us again, please be sure to "Unsubscribe" in the email. Please recognize though, that doing so will remove you from receiving email updates about any future SunnySide or other Aftabi Games developments as well, so you'll only see them here on Kickstarter instead.
Here are some handy links for anyone who still hasn't received their game key:
IF YOU RECEIVED A SUNNYSIDE KEY FOR THE WRONG PLATFORM: Please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/E8L4XPvNAxKkVGAz9 IF YOU RECEIVED A SUNNYSIDE KEY FOR THE WRONG PS5 REGION: Please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/dbY2qXA4QCCGjP6D6 Please allow a few days for changes to take place. Note: If you need to change your key from Steam to a Console, the Steam key will be deactivated.
And that's it. You won't be seeing any more KS updates from Aftabie Games for awhile, at least not until we launch the OST and Guidebooks. I know we've said it a million times, but we cant's say it enough:
THANK YOU.
For everything, honestly. We know and accept the fact that SunnySide didn't end up being everything we (or you) hoped for, and we appreciate you all for your patience while we took our first steps into the industry. We've learned so much in the last 4 years, and the precious experience you've all given us is something we will carry with us through the rest of our careers. We're so excited to keep making games for you all, and we promise that SunnySide will not be the last farming game we make. We're going to take another crack at it, and it's going to be so much better because of all of YOU.
If you want to keep up with Aftabi Games in the future outside of Kickstarter, you can do so here:
SunnySide is now fully released!
6 months ago
– Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 06:19:48 AM
Hey SunnySide Fam!
We're super excited to announce that SunnySide is now fully released on Steam, PlayStation5, and Xbox X|S!
Check out the launch trailer here:
All the appropriate keys have now been assigned to backers, and all game updates have been sent out to console!
Our last goals are the following:
Release SunnySide to the Epic Game Store: There were some issues with how the store page was initially set up, who has access, and how achievements work. We're still sorting this all out, but we'll make an announcement when it's finally done.
Release the SunnySide OST: Some of you backed SunnySide at tiers that game with digital and physical OSTs. We're still figuring out how to make the digital work, and we're putting together the funds for physical. It should be sometime this year for both.
Release the SunnySide Guide Book: Similar to the OST, some backers will be receiving this either digitally or physically. Putting together an art book is a lot harder than we thought it would be, and as with everything, we want to make sure we can do it right. Hopefully it will be this year as well.
Content Updates: Once we've finished ironing out the bugs, we'd like to start looking at content updates. We're not sure when this will start happening, and it will require some negotiation to get content updates ported to console, but it's on the list and we're gonna do our best! If you want to have input on what gets added to SunnySide, be sure to join the discussion on Discord (link below).
This is the last you'll be hearing from us until we achieve any of the goals listed above, so we want the opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for everything. For helping us launch a successful game studio, for believing in us through all the craziness, for telling your friends, and for sharing the love for our little game. As a tiny team of first-time developers, it is still surreal to see our game on PS5 and Xbox, and it's all thanks to your support! We love you all <3
IF YOU RECEIVED A KEY FOR THE WRONG PS5 REGION: Please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/dbY2qXA4QCCGjP6D6 Please allow for a few days for changes to take place.
Note: If you need to change your key from Steam to a Console, the Steam key will be deactivated.
SunnySide Console Release is nearly here! PlayStation Regional Information Needed!!!
6 months ago
– Wed, Aug 14, 2024 at 02:27:41 PM
Hello SunnySide Fam!
It's been a wild couple of months since SunnySide's launch on PC, and we want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who has supported us all this time. All the lovely messages and positive reviews have really made this long journey worth it. We love seeing your opinions, your requests, and nothing makes us happier than knowing that you just love playing the game.
As a thank you, we'd like to give everyone a SunnySeed Coupon! Just enter this into the voucher area at checkout in SunnySeed to receive 25% off on your order in game!
PlayStation 5 Regional Information Needed
As it turns out, digital game keys for SunnySide on PlayStation 5 are region locked. This means that for everyone who requested to receive their digital SunnySide game key on PlayStation 5, we will need to know which region you are in so that we can assign you the appropriate game key.
If you backed SunnySide, or pre-ordered for PS5, you will be receiving an email with a form for you to fill out. In this form, please choose which region you are in.
Note: All PS5 game keys will be set to America by default. If you are IN America, you don't need to fill out the form. However, if you are in a different region (Europe or Asia), you'll need to fill out this form in order to receive a key that you can use. The faster you fill out this form, the faster you'll receive a usable key.
Check Out the Official Community Wiki!
Our community has been hard at work over the last few years on putting together a Wiki that all players can reference. The wiki was housed on Fandom for quite a long time, but the community voted and decided to move to a new platform. https://sunnyside.wiki.gg/wiki/SunnySideGame_Wiki
The wiki is still being worked on, and is community driven! Feel free to add your own information that you've gathered, or simply use it as a handy resource, it's up to you!
Console Release on August 16
As many of you know, SunnySide will be launching on XBox X|S and PlayStation 5 this Friday! If you backed the project, you will likely get your keys a little early. If that is the case, please note that there will in fact be a day one patch to the game when it launches on Friday.
If you still need to put in a request to change your platform for SunnySide, the form can be found here: https://forms.gle/iecgt6hJ3HicAY1N6 Please allow a few days for your requests to be processed.
Some Post Launch Updates
After launch, and for the next few months, we will continue to make improvements and updates to SunnySide. We're happy to listen to players and the community, and we're so appreciative for all the feedback and support.
Here are some improvements that have been added so far:
Continued performance optimization
Public Beta
Build mode improvements
A new Starter House!
Animal Selling
Batch purchasing (Batch crafting is coming!)
Storage optimizations, including global access to all storage
For now, the store is just prints and stickers, but we hope to add more in the future, probably including the elusive physical OST and physical Guide Books that were part of the Kickstarter campaign. (We're still working on them, don't worry, we haven't forgotten!)
That's all for this update! Please don't forget to fill out the PS5 Region Form if that applies to you, and please continue playing and loving SunnySide!
Cheers! -Sydney and the RG Team
SunnySide is now available on Steam!
8 months ago
– Fri, Jun 14, 2024 at 09:59:55 AM
Hey everyone, Rainy here!
It feels like yesterday that I launched the campaign for SunnySide, yet for how far we have come in the last 3 years and how much things have changed it also feels like a different world to me.
I'm proud to announce that SunnySide is now available on Steam! If you have backed the game with a PC version you should have your keys accessible through your backerkit. If you're unsure check your email associated with your Kickstarter.
SunnySide will forever have a special place in my life. After Covid, my personal life started looking very bleak, the future looked uncertain and a fog of negativity was surrounding us. To borrow a sentence from Sean Murray, the creator of No Man’s Sky: “In the face of adversity, I always just kept my head down and did what I know how to do: make games” so that’s what I did. SunnySide was the escape, the only bright light in our life while reality looked scary. I started the Kickstarter campaign hoping people would fall in love with the atmosphere and the world I was envisioning in my head, but in all honesty, I never thought it’d be successful let alone become as big as it did. I am incredibly grateful and lucky to have had such a talented group of people join my efforts in bringing this game to life and to all of you for believing in the idea of SunnySide. I poured my heart and soul into this game and I hope this very first game of ours manages to find a place in your life as it did for me. Thank you for giving us a chance. <3
A Note from Sydney: My relationship with SunnySide was only ever meant to be as a KickStarter backer. (Yeah. I backed the game at an embarrassingly high tier). What started as an offer to help design a cooking system turned into the craziest adventure of my life, and I’m so thankful to Rainy for trusting me with such a fulfilling business partnership. I’ve only ever wanted to help him make the game of his dreams, and now more than ever I’m fully confident that we’ve achieved that. I’m also really thankful to Rainy, his partner Lauryn, and the whole SunnySide community for welcoming me and letting me add my own ideas and designs to SunnySide, and also being so patient with me when I maybe didn’t do the best job. I never thought I’d have the opportunity to be so creative and to share myself with so many people in such a personal way, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what the future of RainyGames looks like. <3 <3 (And shout out to Kevin for being the best partner ever, for keeping me fed and watered and making sure I actually sleep <3 )
Once again, thank you everyone, and here's to years of SunnySide content and updates!
SUNNYSIDE IS NEARLY HERE!
8 months ago
– Wed, Jun 12, 2024 at 04:53:36 PM
Hello SunnySide Fam!
Release day is fast approaching, and we want to make sure to take a moment to give you all the proper communication that you deserve. So here are some updates:
Platform Swap Requests
I've been working through these over the last week or so, but we want to make sure EVERYONE who needs to put in a request knows that the forms exists. So, if you need to swap which platform you'd like to receive your SunnySide Game key to, PLEASE fill out this form ASAP. IF YOU BACKED FOR SWITCH: You NEED to fill out this form. Because SunnySide will no longer be coming to Switch, we need to know what platform to provide you a key for <3 SunnySide Console Change Request Form
(If you already filled this out and asked to swap from console to another console, I'm still going through those, so expect replies soon)
About the form: We're asking which platform you initially asked for the game on, and which one you would like to switch to. Old platform -> New platform. It's also really important that you give us the email you use to receive all your communication from us. If we don't have the right email, we can't look up your account.
If you don't know this information: You can find it in your Backerkit Account.
It's possible you logged in with Google or FB, so please keep this in mind if you haven't accessed your BK account in awhile.
It's also possible that you never finished making your account, so you may need to complete that process first. Type in the email that you used to back on KickStarter or to purchase the game, add a password, and everything should connect.
After logging in, click the profile image in the top right corner and select "Your Pledges and Surveys" OR "Your Surveys"
In the top row of selection, select the second option from the left "Your Surveys" and select the SunnySide Project
IF YOU ARE A KICKSTARTER BACKER: In the list of Pledge Items, you should see a row with a number, "SunnySide Digital Game Copy", and the platform you chose.
If you added on more items, these will be listed at the bottom under "Add-On Items"
IF YOU ARE A BACKERKIT PRE-ORDER: In the Cart category, You'll have a row with "SunnySide Digital Edition - " followed by the platform you chose, and quantity or "QTY".
This process may take awhile, so we really appreciate everyone's patience while we get it all sorted. <3
Pre-Release Emails and Game Key Distribution
Because of how the PlayTests worked, and how Backerkit's back end works, we will need to DISABLE YOUR PLAYTEST GAME KEY and send out new ones. This is the cleanest and most reliable way to make sure everyone has access to their game keys. We wanted everyone to maintain the same keys, but sadly it just didn't work out that way.
We won't be disabling the old keys until we've sent out the new ones, so you shouldn't be losing any playing time. Your key (s) will come with instructions, and we'll be sending out a follow up email as well to make sure everyone understands how to use them.
These are not beta override keys, which means that you'll have the game key, you'll be able to redeem it and add it to your library, but you won't get access to the actual game until full game launch.
Just a note: We're still waiting on Steam to send the keys that we have requested, and we have no idea how long it's going to take. There is a possibility that we won't receive them until later Friday or even Saturday, but you can be sure that we'll be waiting and hovering and pestering Steam until we get them, and they'll go out to you all the moment we have them.
We really appreciate everyone being so patient with us, and if you have any issues, please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected]
Some Notes About SunnySide
Controller Support: SunnySide has been marked as partially compatible with controller on Steam. This is because there currently isn’t an on-screen keyboard when using a controller. We’ll continue to work on getting the on-screen keyboard implemented (it’s needed for console release). It’s also very possible that you might find a random menu that doesn’t have controller support (SunnySide has SO many menus). If that happens, please feel free to let us know through Steam or Discord or RainyBugs, and we’ll prioritize it.
SteamDeck: We’ve gotten a TON of questions about SteamDeck. Getting our hands on a deck has been really difficult, so it will be a bit of time before we’ve optimized and gotten certified. We’re working on it, so we appreciate your patience. We do know that a lot of people have played the demo and PlayTests on the SteamDeck, so it definitely works already... we're just gonna make it better. ;)
If You Played The Demo: We’ve made some changes to the save system since the last demo update, so unfortunately saves from the demo won’t work with the full version of the game. (SO PLEASE clear your save folder before beginning a new game. If you’re struggling with Steam Cloud, please post to the Steam forums or our Discord server and we’ll help you the best we can.)
SunnySide is a VERY unique game. We’ve made a LOT of changes to the “classic farm sim” and we want everyone to be fully prepared for that. Please read everything, don't try to speed run, and don't expect the mechanics to be what you're used to (tool wheel, anyone?). It was really important to Rainy that SunnySide feel like Persona made a farming game, and we did our best to make that happen. But that also means that the vibe is pretty different, and we really hope you all love it!
Performance: It’s not you, it’s not even your settings. The frame drop issues that people have been experiencing are the result of building interior maps loading in when you pass them. We’ve done everything we can do to optimize those smaller maps, but we now need to go through and change how and when they load in. It’s not a difficult job, but it’s a bit time consuming and there is a lot of balancing to do (close enough to preserve frames, far enough that it doesn’t look super weird). It’s the first thing we’ll be working on in the coming weeks. We sincerely appreciate your patience while we get everything fully optimized, and we hope you can still fully enjoy the game despite the random pops.
What’s Next?: Now we just need to launch! Rainy and I are both hard at work with all the logistics of getting keys out and dealing with press and release trailers... ;) ... so it's possible that we may take a day or two off after release. But after that, we fully intend to continue supporting SunnySide. We want to make sure you all have the cleanest and most satisfying experience possible, so we promise to continue adding QOL updates and optimizing as much as possible so that as many people as possible can play. That said, SunnySide is a finished game. We didn't hold anything back so that we can sell it to you later, but we definitely had some awesome ideas during development that we would like to add in the future. Whether that's as free content updates or paid DLC, we don't know yet, but we'll definitely try to always do what best for our players. <3
That's it for now! We'll be sending this exact update out as an email as well to make sure everyone gets the info in a speedy fashion!
Keep an eye on those email accounts, email us if you have any questions (please don't message us on KickStarter, we can't check it often enough and you may go unnoticed) And we'll update you all again on launch day!!
