Why Early Access?

“Development on Legends of Astravia has been a long and arduous journey, with no crowdfunding, publisher, or investor backing of any kind despite its ambitious scope. Instead of trimming the game down into something much smaller, delaying the game further, or releasing the game in paid chapters or parts, I decided on Early Access. I believe Early Access will foster a strong relationship with players and set clear expectations for the development of the game's remaining content.

My original strategy was to release the game in two parts. Ultimately, it created too much pressure for the first half to do well in order for the second half of the game to be made.

Also, unlike a crowdfunding campaign where the player is placing full faith in the final, unreleased product, I felt it would be better instead to let those who have been supporting the game so long get to experience the game sooner without waiting for more delays, and be able to make contributions.

Early access allows me to release "Legends of Astravia" as the single story it was meant to be, give me the motivation to continue despite how well it does, and allow players to feel like their feedback is heard as the game grows and improves throughout development.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“It has taken several years for the game to get where it is now. However, many of those early years were experimental, and the "content" for the first quarter of the game only took about a year.

Using this principle, I'd like to make a generous estimate that the game will be in Early Access for the next two years, with the full game launching in 2027. This time could change, depending on if the game receives additional financial backing or does well in Early Access.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“The full version of Legends of Astravia is planned to have its entire main story completed as well as more optional areas and quests. This includes several more dungeons and towns, and many more areas to explore.

The game's systems are to be completed, with further improvements made based on player feedback during Early Access. It will also be more polished, and depending on how well the game does financially, visuals and sound will get increasingly better custom assets.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Currently, 25% or more of the game is set to be playable upon the Early Access release later this year, with an ambitious goal to reach 50% depending on how the rest of the year goes. This measures to about 10-15 hours of content. There will be several towns and dungeons, as well as a few other optional areas to explore.

The main story, while incomplete, should leave off in a way that should leave you feeling fulfilled, but curious about what happens next. There are many assets that will serve as placeholder, or may not meet the final polish level intended for the final game.

Localization into other languages will not be available in Early Access. And finally, while I intend to make sure save data is not broken by updates, there is always a chance during this development phase that data changes or bugs emerge that result in lost progress.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“Yes. The game will be significantly lower than it's final price while in Early Access, based on the level of completeness.

The price will gradually increase with major content updates until eventually reaching the final full price. This model ensures that players who decided to support the game early get to enjoy the rest of the game for free and do not feel shorted by paying full price for an incomplete game.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Throughout Legends of Astravia's development over the years, I've taken communication and transparency very seriously with regular developer's logs and updates. Regardless of the pace of development, I will provide regular updates as well as engaging with players. I will acknowledge feedback regularly, and explain how it has impacted the game, or why it may not be a good fit for the game's vision.

Various feedback forms will be created and offered to help foster this relationship. And players can always engage with development via the Steam discussion forums and the official Discord server.”