CardlabSTUDIOSEARLY ACCESS
Closed AlphaSocial deduction · Card strategy

01 · FrostZero

Everyone has a seat. Trust is the missing card.

Communication is down at an isolated research station in Antarctica. Hidden roles, conflicting goals and 4 to 7 players around one table. Reading the others matters as much as the cards in your hand.

Status
Closed Alpha
Players
4 to 7 players
Genre
Social deduction, card conflict
Platform
Windows 10 / 11 (64 bit)
Alpha version
0.9.0-w10
Online
Player host plus Cardlab relay

FrostZero is a 4 to 7 player social deduction and card conflict game set in an isolated research station in Antarctica. Each player represents a character and a hidden role. The Base Commander reveals their identity while the other roles stay hidden.

GAMEPLAY

What happens at the table?

  • One table. Different intentions.

    Seven roles and sixteen characters. The Base Commander plays in the open while everyone else stays hidden. Read the cards as closely as the conversation when you decide who to stand with.

  • The right card. The right moment.

    Every turn has three phases: draw two cards, play as many cards as you like, then apply your hand limit. You may play only one FIRE! card per turn and carry a single weapon.

  • The table is the distance.

    Distance between two players is the shortest number of seats around the table. Eliminated players drop out of the count, the table tightens, and someone out of reach suddenly becomes your neighbour.

  • Built through playtesting.

    FrostZero is in closed Alpha. We keep developing the game with feedback from invited playtesters.

IN GAME

Screenshots

The captures below are taken from the closed Alpha build.

Main menu

01 / 42

FrostZero main menu: menu labels around a radio set in a dimly lit station room.

Main menu · 1/42

CURRENT ALPHA

A closed Alpha, by invitation.

One playtester, one key, one account. Keys are handed out by the team and there is no separate application form or waiting list. The download link is only visible inside a tester account.

ROADMAP

Where we are heading

  • CompleteOnline play over the relayOnline sessions run over a player host architecture and the Cardlab relay server.
  • CompleteA two volume rule bookA separate rule volume for each mode, page specific drawings and a guide that opens from inside the game.
  • CompleteWindows Alpha buildA 64 bit closed Alpha build for Windows 10 and 11 is distributed to invited playtesters.
  • CompleteThe practice lessonOne scripted step by step lesson for each mode. A wrong step cannot be played.
  • CompleteThe closed Alpha portalDownloads, release notes, known issues and bug reports all run from one place at pyderall.space/alpha.
  • CompleteThe 3D table and figuresPlayers sit around the table, the cards are in their hands and the seating order is part of the game itself.
  • CompleteNÖBET, the second game modeA second card game for two to six players, with its own engine, its own guide and its own tests.
  • CompleteThe character selection screenThe match starts at character selection rather than at the table, and in an online room the reservation runs on the server.
  • CompleteSingle device play and bot matchesBots fill the empty seats, so both modes can be played alone.
  • CompleteA server authoritative network layerThe host machine runs the rules, and duplicate decisions, mismatched versions and malformed requests are refused on the server.
  • CompleteAutomated test gatesRule tests, network simulation, menu regression, the frame matrix and the interface audit all run at the close of every wave.
  • In progressIn-game CardLab login and version gateThis is our current focus: signing in with your CardLab account from inside the game, blocking entry with an outdated build or a key-less account, and keeping only one session open per account at a time. It is not finished yet.
  • PlannedReconnectThis is next after the in-game login and version gate: letting a player who drops out rejoin the session that is still running.
  • PlannedmacOS buildThere is no macOS build yet. It will appear in tester accounts once it is ready.
  • PlannedDistribution through SteamWe plan to distribute the game through Steam later on. We are not giving a date; we will announce it here when it is ready.

PLANNED FEATURES

What we are considering

  • PlannedReconnect systemLetting a player who drops out rejoin the session that is still running.
  • PlannedSpectator modeLetting eliminated players and people without a seat watch the game.
  • PlannedCharacter reaction animationsMore readable character reactions to what happens at the table.
  • PlannedAudio improvementsDeeper audio work for the station atmosphere and the card interactions.
  • PlannedIn-game bug report shortcutStarting a quick bug report from inside the game without closing it. We want it to fill in the version and build information automatically.

The roadmap and planned features are not a commitment; they show our current direction. We do not give dates.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

What you need for the Alpha

  • Operating system: Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64 bit.

  • Hardware: a mid range computer is enough for the Alpha. We are not publishing an exact hardware list during the Alpha.

  • Storage: around 1 GB of free space.

  • Network: an internet connection is required to play online.

  • macOS: there is no macOS build yet; it is planned on the roadmap.

KNOWN ISSUES

5 open records we are tracking

  • Two character portraits sit on a different backgroundIn the character gallery two portraits have a lighter background than the rest. A fix was applied at card level; the full solution is waiting on new source images.
  • The rule book has no page numbersThe book has chapter headings and drawings but no page numbers, so it is easy to lose your place in a long chapter.
  • The download is largeThe Alpha build is around 915 MB. Reducing the size is an open work item and has not been done yet.
  • Online play can be blocked on restricted networksOn corporate, school or guest networks, if the host cannot reach outside, the status line in the lobby turns to a warning and the room code only works for players on the same Wi-Fi.
  • A dropped connection cannot be recoveredWhen a player drops, a bot takes over the seat and the match continues; the player cannot rejoin the same session. If the host leaves, the table closes. Reconnecting is planned on the roadmap.

SUPPORT AND INSTALLATION

Frequently asked

How do I install the Alpha build?
The Alpha ships as an archive. You extract it into a folder and start the game from there; there is no installer wizard. The download link is only visible inside a tester account.
How do updates arrive?
When a new Alpha build is published it lands on the Alpha portal (pyderall.space/alpha) as a new zip; you will see it once you sign in to your account. Everyone playing online needs to be on a compatible build. We are working on an in-game version check; once it is ready you will not be able to enter the game with an outdated build.
How can I get an Alpha key?
Keys are handed out by the team directly, usually over Discord or a direct message. One key opens one account, and you create your account on the Alpha portal (pyderall.space/alpha) with your key. There is no separate application form or waiting list.
How do I report a bug?
Use the bug report form on the Alpha portal; you can attach a screenshot and a log file. You can see the reports you filed and their status in the same place.
Can I share Alpha content?
FrostZero is in closed Alpha. Ask the team before you share screenshots or video.
How many games are there in FrostZero?
There are two modes. SON SAYIM is the four to seven player social deduction table and NÖBET is a thirty six card shedding game for two to six players. Both sit under the play button in the main menu.
How do I play online?
Pick multiplayer from the play menu. The host opens a room and shares the room code shown in the lobby; guests paste that code into the join screen. There is no need to open ports or install a separate program.
Who is the server?
The machine of the player who opened the room. The host process runs the rules, the deck and the turn order, and the other players only see the information that belongs to them.
Can I play on my own?
Yes. In single device mode bots fill the empty seats. There is also a step by step practice lesson for each mode.
Which platform does it run on?
For now Windows 10 and 11, 64 bit only. There is no macOS build yet and it is planned on the roadmap.
What language is the game in?
The whole game is in Turkish: the interface, the rule book, the practice lessons and the event log. There is no other language option yet.
What happens if I lose my connection during a match?
A bot takes over your seat and the match continues; you cannot rejoin the same session. If the host drops, the table closes and everyone returns to the main menu. Reconnecting is on the planned features list.
What are the system requirements?
There is no published minimum or recommended hardware list yet. The only stated requirement is 64 bit Windows 10 or 11. The Alpha build takes up around 915 MB.
Which file should I send when I report a bug?
The game log helps. On Windows it sits as Player.log under AppData\LocalLow\FrostZero\FrostZero inside your user folder, and the previous session is in Player-prev.log.
What do the version numbers mean?
A version label is the version number plus a short code for the development wave; 0.9.0-w10, for example, is the build taken at the end of the tenth wave. The main menu shows which version you are running.

LAB NOTES

Notes about this game

All notes