Why Early Access?

“I have been developing this game mostly by myself for almost two years on and off in my free time. I have had a couple friends that have played different versions as it developed, and while I‘m grateful for the feedback they provided and their help brainstorming ideas, my small group of friends is a very limited sample size. I want my game to to be the best it possibly can be, and to do that I need to get some broader perspectives. The Steam Early Access program would increase the amount of people that can play the game and provide the feedback that helps me make better than I would have been if I worked on it completely on my own. And, perhaps less importantly, as I previous said, I've been working on this for a while now, and I want it to be out there where people can play and enjoy it. The whole reason I've worked on it whenever I could find the time was so that eventually people could have fun playing it. Based on my small sample size, I think what I currently have in place is a fun game that can be played for hours on end. I want to keep working on it, there’s more I want to add and I know there are still some potential tweaks I can, but the game is in a good state now. Good enough to be shared with anyone who wants it. Hopefully they can have a bit of fun, and share some feedback that helps me make it even better in the future.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the game should be in Early Access for no more than a year. Granted, there are many factors that influence development, but if everything continues at the current pace, the full version should be ready for release by the end of 2022.”

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

“The plan is for the full version to expand on everything currently present in the Early Access version. I plan to add more playable character classes, biomes, bosses and enemies, expanding on the current offerings. I am also actively exploring the possibilities of adding additional features beyond more of the current slate of offerings, but none of those are a guarantee. The hope is to take what is currently available and expand the scope throughout the course of development.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Currently the core gameplay loop is in place. The fundamental nature of the game will be unchanged throughout development. It will still be a roguelike dungeon crawler that combines hack and slash with twin stick shooting. All of that is already in place. As of the initial release, there are six playable character classes, each with melee and ranged attacks as well as their unique abilities and essences, the later of which provides different passive benefits. There are currently five distinct biomes in the game: Ice, Swamp, Jungle, Fire and Light, each with their own type of environmental hazards and a unique boss fight at the end. There are also currently 25 different enemy types, with each biome having two that exclusive appear there and the others appearing throughout multiple. Everything currently in place is roughly 50% of what I have planned to be in the final version of the game.”

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

“I currently plan for the Early Access price to be less than the price at release of the completed version, with just a one-time increase in price as the game leaves Early Access.”

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

“The is my first time ever making a full scale game that I want to release to the public. There are certain things, like gameplay balance, that I don’t think I’m able to determine entirely on my one. I would like the community's help in identifying what aspects of the game should be tweaked, and ideas of how to do that in order to help make it the best it can possible be. I am grateful for the help a few of my close friends have provided me so far, but I want to increase the sample size and get a wider range of opinions. I also am interested in potentially sharing ideas for planned features with the community to get a reaction prior to implementation, so that I don't spend considerable time developing something no one wants. As I’ve said, I want this game to be the best it can possibly be, and I know that there is a limit on what I can make by myself in a vacuum, so I am looking forward to soliciting feedback, through the Steam forums, on how best to improve it.”