FAQ - Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts

Vision & Foundations

1. What is Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts about? 

Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts is a creative and cozy, single-player simulation game set in a universe of medieval manuscripts. You step into the role of a scribe managing your very own scriptorium - a workshop dedicated to the art of manuscript creation. Not only will you design and illustrate your own medieval manuscripts and write your own stories in them, but you'll also engage in fulfilling commissions from a colorful cast of characters, each with their own stories and quirks, and earn money to upgrade and personalize your scriptorium workshop.

2. Is Scriptorium a sequel to Inkulinati? 

No, Scriptorium is a completely different experience, although it's set in the same universe of medieval manuscripts, sharing art direction and some assets with Inkulinati. Some might say it's a creative spin-off! We wanted to bring the art of medieval manuscripts to a wider audience, so now we are making a game with no barrier to entry, so that everyone, including non-gamers, can feel the joy of decorating medieval parchments with beautiful (or bizarre) illustrations. While Inkulinati was all about strategy and its gameplay was competitive in nature, Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts is a creative, relaxing game designed for those who focus on artistic expression. You will be able to create your own medieval manuscripts, illustrate them with various marginalia pieces, and share them with your friends on your favorite social media channels.

3. So, is Scriptorium just a graphical manuscript editor? 

While the composition mode (i.e. "manuscript editor") is a core part of the game - and likely where you'll spend most of your time actually illustrating various parchments - Scriptorium has much more to offer. After creating your own character, you'll focus on managing and decorating your own scriptorium, taking on commissions from clients, uncovering their often quirky stories, building relationships with them, and customizing your workspace to make it truly yours! We want the game to reward your creativity in manuscript-making while giving you a sense of progress with every completed commission - all set in a relaxing, cozy atmosphere.

4. What is your main inspiration for the game? 

Gameplay-wise, we were inspired by games like Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, Sticky Business, Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator, Tiny Glade and other cozy and creative games. Visually, this game is obviously a continuation of the Inkulinati art style. And one of the first inspirations for Inkulinati is a medieval manuscript known as Bréviaire de Renaud de Bar from France around the 12th century. On one of the pages you can see dogs besieging the castle defended by armed rabbits. We are also inspired by amazing artworks from Pentiment and Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

5. How did the developers get the idea for the game? 

Scriptorium has been with us since the days of Inkulinati. We thought: maybe instead of fighting on the pages of manuscripts with medieval marginalia creatures, why not let players create them themselves and just let them chill and be creative? We already had the assets to start with, and early feedback was so encouraging that we knew this was the perfect next step for our little medieval universe.

Release & Production Status

6. When will the game be released? 

No release date yet, although we can confirm it will be in 2026!

7. Will there be an Early Access period or a full release? 

No plans for Early Access. Demo version launched on February 23 is the last stop before the full 1.0 release!

Gameplay & Customization

8. Will there be a Story Mode? How long and replayable will it be? 

Yes, of course! Story Mode is at the very heart of Scriptorium. You'll create your own scribe, take commissions from various quirky clients, and grow your medieval workshop (including filling it with various items to make it truly yours!) to become the best illuminator in the land. It's hard to say exactly how long it'll take to complete the game - it's tough to estimate for creative-based games as a lot depends on how much time you want to spend crafting each manuscript. Some players will move fast, focusing on progression, while others will lose themselves in every little detail for hours. A lot depends on your playstyle! We want the game to be rewarding for both these types of players.

9. Will there be a "sandbox" mode so I can just focus on manuscript creation? 

Yes! Aside from the main game mode, where you will fulfill customers' orders for manuscripts, there will be a pure sandbox mode for those who want a more relaxing and creative experience without the need to interact with any in-game characters - you can just sit down and create with entire database of medieval-inspired graphics available!

10. Will there be more assets and illustrations (animals, mythical creatures, different eras, etc.)? 

Definitely! We're adding lots of new content - more animals, more decorations, more characters, and more everything. Honestly, we're only a little worried there might be too much to choose from! As for different eras - no plans for that, as medieval times are our one and only source of inspiration.

11. Will there be more stories and lore about the characters and the world? 

Yes! Characters will have their own motivations, quirks, and personalities - some will appear only once, others will return with follow-up commissions. Expect interesting stories and even more interesting (or sometimes... bizarre) manuscript requests!

12. Will I be able to create my own character? 

Yes! You will be able to choose from a predefined selection of scribes, select your name, and add a bit of individuality. So in short - you will be able to create your character and customize it but currently our focus is on letting you deeply customize your workshop rather than making a very advanced character creator.

13. Will there be more music or a longer soundtrack? Will the OST be available on Spotify? 

We're working on it! Together with our composer Jake Gaule we are working on a soundtrack that will be chill, medieval and a bit of lo-fi at the same time. There's a really cool aspect to it, but we will reveal more closer to the release date. And yes, we expect the soundtrack will be available on streaming services like Spotify.

14. Will there be the option to write entire books with multiple pages? 

Not directly in-game, as it's not in our plans for launch as of today, but you'll easily be able to create each page as an artwork in Scriptorium that’s possible to be exported (i.e. each page as a separate image file), and once you’re done - export each of them, and combine them into one PDF file with multiple pages using any free tool online.

15. Will there be a text option to write full sentences instead of placing individual letters? 

Yes! We already implemented a proper text editor that lets you choose fonts, sizes, and move text fields freely around the manuscript page. There are few medieval fonts to choose from and you can customize the text a bit so it fits your manuscript.

 Platforms & Languages

16. What platforms will the game be available on? Will there be a console version or non-Steam stores for PC/Mac? Steamdeck?

We're focusing on PC via Steam first and Scriptorium will only be available there for the initial release. We are not ruling out other systems like MacOS, Linux or other storefronts for the future, although we cannot commit to this currently. If anything changes, whether it's in terms of hardware platforms or stores, we will let you know!

Regarding the Steam Deck, we have received feedback from community playtesters that the game is performing well and is considered playable. Please keep in mind that since we are not yet verified, we cannot officially recommend this platform, and you may notice that the current in-game tutorials still display mouse and keyboard prompts. 

17. Which languages will Scriptorium support? 

Language Support: The full version of the game features complete UI and dialogue support for English, Polish, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese. Please note that the Demo version is available in English only.

In-Game Text Editor: The manuscript writing feature, available in both the Full and Demo versions, supports the Latin alphabet (including standard characters for most European languages), as well as Simplified Chinese and Japanese alphabets/scripts.

Economy & Monetization

18. How much will Scriptorium cost? 

No decision on Scriptorium pricing yet, but our goal is to keep it reasonable. We know there are so many great games out there, and we want our game to be accessible to as many players as possible. Basically the more players - the merrier! You can expect more details on that closer to the release. The Scriptorium demo of course is free on Steam.

19. Will the game have regional pricing for countries like Brazil? 

Of course! We know very well that Steam's default regional pricing tables can be a bit outdated - as developers from Poland, a country where our currency is affected by this quite heavily, we've seen how that can make prices uncompetitive. So rest assured, at least some regional prices will be carefully adjusted to make the game fairly priced in every region, especially in countries with lower purchasing power.

20. Will there be paid DLCs? 

No plans for that as of now! If we ever do DLC, it'll be because we have something truly meaningful to add - like a whole new setting or major content expansion. Cutting content to sell as DLC isn't something we want to do with Scriptorium, so no worries there!

Export, Printing & Copyright

21. Will you be able to export your creations to share with friends? 

Of course! There will be an export feature allowing you to save and share your manuscript creations in an easy-to-share image format, optimized for both online sharing and printing.

22. Will there be an option to save images in formats like PNG or PDF for printing? 

Yes! You can print your artworks and use them however you like - for example as a bookmark or colouring sheet.

23. Can creations made in the game be used for personal or commercial purposes (e.g. D&D campaigns, posters, etc.)? 

We get this question all the time! Here's the rule: You can freely create, export, and share your manuscripts on social media or use them for non-commercial purposes (for example, illustrate your hobby writing project, use it as your profile picture on social media, etc.). However, if your project is commercial - like a published book or monetized material - you can't use Scriptorium-generated works in it. We want to treat everyone fairly, so this rule applies equally to all players with no exceptions - Scriptorium is a tool designed to provide you with fun experiences. Tl;dr - the easiest way to be sure if you can use Scriptorium's export images: ask yourself, "Am I using this work directly or indirectly to earn money?" If the answer is no - go for it!

24. Is it possible to use the sandbox for educational or cultural projects, with proper credit? 

Absolutely! All educational and cultural institutions are welcome to use works made in Scriptorium for non-profit purposes and use Scriptorium as a game that helps bridge medieval times with contemporary experiences. Cultural institutions are especially welcome to get in touch with us, as we have a lot of experience in working with such entities and we love to get involved as a studio too for collabs, cross promos, etc.! Drop us a line on social media or via contact form on our website https://www.yazagames.com

25. Can I request manuscript imagery to be added to the game? 

We would love to hear your suggestions for manuscript imagery that could be included in the game! The best way to share your ideas is through our Discord community, where we have a dedicated channel for such requests. If you prefer email, you can also send your ideas to hello [at] yazagames.com, and we'll make sure to review them. To help us evaluate your request, please include the source of the manuscript imagery whenever possible. We kindly ask that the suggested imagery comes from European sources, preferably created or first published between the 11th and 14th centuries.

Online Modes & Modding

26. Will there be a multiplayer mode? 

There are no plans for multiplayer at this time, as Scriptorium is designed as a single-player experience. However, Steam allows you to use the Steam Remote Play feature, so it will be possible to use that service to work together on a manuscript with a friend. Please note that Steam Remote Play is provided by Valve; as developers we cannot guarantee that the experience will be perfect.

27. Will there be modding or Steam Workshop support?

Not planned at the moment - but that may change in the future!

SECTION 8: Playtests & Community

28. I missed Summer Playtests - will there be more playtest opportunities? 

Yes! Demo version is currently available on Steam. We don't foresee running a Playtest session before the release, the demo should be enough!

Inkulinati

What game modes does Inkulinati have?

A single player campaign, hot seat mode, local multiplayer, and single player challenges.

When do you plan to release Inkulinati?

Inkulinati was released on 22/02/2024 and is available on Steam, GOG, Microsoft Store, XBOX One and XBOX Series S / X consoles, and Playstation 4 and 5. You can also play Inkulinati on Nintendo Switch.

Which languages does Inkulinati support?

Inkulinati is available in English, Polish, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Spanish (Latin America), French, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Traditional) and Chinese (Simplified). The generated text is available in English and Polish.

How much does Inkulinati cost?

Inkulinati is priced at $24.99. However, the price may vary based on your location and ongoing promotions on platforms like Steam, GOG, or the Microsoft Store. We frequently offer discounts, often up to 70%, so be sure to keep an eye out. Adding the game to your wishlist will ensure you receive updates about the latest discounts directly in your inbox.

Platforms?

Inkulinati is available now on Xbox (One, Series X | S), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam (PC, Mac, Linux), GOG (PC, Mac, Linux), and Nintendo Switch. Inkulinati will be available on the Nintendo Switch 2 platform.

What is your main inspiration for the game?

One of the first inspirations for Inkulinati is a medieval manuscript known as Bréviaire de Renaud de Bar, from around 12th century France. On one of the pages you can see dogs besieging the castle, defended by armed rabbits.

What does the name Inkulinati mean?

It’s a combination of the words Ink and Illuminati. A secret society that dedicated their lives to the power of a magical substance called “The Living Ink”. Are they real? Of course they are. You can find out more about them in this video here.

Humour of the game seems childish and silly. Are you serious, people??

To us, one of the most important things with Inkulinati is historical accuracy. Our main inspirations are real medieval manuscripts marginalia, mainly from Europe.

Our conceptual artists from 700 years ago created the appearance of our units, their activities and the overall mood of the game. And believe it or not - all of the fart and bum showing jokes, they are all taken from medieval manuscripts as well!! Yep, you can blame our ancestors for these jokes. P.S. You should look for Bonnacon images on Google... and penis tree.

Do you know what your title sounds like in Italian?

We know.

Will murderous snails be in the game?

They are already in the game! And they are both murderous and friendly.

Does the game have controller support?

Yes it does.

Is there online multiplayer in this game, or just local?

Inkulinati features local multiplayer through a "hotseat" mode, where players take turns on the same device. While there is no native online multiplayer, the game supports Steam Remote Play, which allows you to play with friends online as if they were sitting next to you. With Steam Remote Play, you can invite friends to join your local multiplayer session remotely, making it easy to enjoy the game together even if you're not in the same location.

I love your soundtrack! Will it be available on Spotify/Apple Music/Tidal etc.?

Inkulinati Original Soundtrack is available on several platforms. You can stream it on Spotify and Apple Music, and it's also available for purchase on Steam as DLC. Additionally, you can buy the digital album directly from our official website. As for other platforms like Tidal, we will share updates if it becomes available there in the future.