Why Early Access?

“The heart of this game is a machine that keeps getting deeper: the laser drills down, ore rides belts back, materials become technology, technology becomes better drills and bigger power grids — until the wrecked mining ship can finally be repaired and launched.

The fun in games like this isn't in any single feature. It's in balancing numbers and pacing: how fast a belt should be, how dense a layer of ore should be, how long a technology should take to earn. That only gets tuned by real players' hands and real players' complaints. I can verify rules myself, but I can't verify whether it's fun. That needs you.

So I'm opening Early Access now. I'd rather hand a playable-but-rough build to people willing to give feedback, and use your real production speeds, your sticking points and your frustrations to decide what I build next.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Planned for the end of March 2027 — roughly six months after release.

That's a target, not a hard promise. If player feedback means something needs more time, I'll say so in the update notes. I'd rather miss a date than cut content.”

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

“The Early Access build is playable from start to finish, but the content and polish are still rough. The full version is planned to add:

- The complete main line and ending — repairing the ship and launching it will get a proper sequence and payoff (right now it's only functional, with no presentation)
- More strata and threats — deeper ore layers, more kinds of falling hazards, and the defenses to match
- More content — more buildings, items and recipes
- Balance and polish — production pacing, tech cost curves, power and shield numbers

These are plans, not a promise list. Player feedback during Early Access may change the priorities; if it does, I'll explain why in the update notes.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“What you can play right now:

- Laser drilling — however deep the laser cuts is however deep you can build
- Conveyor belts, miners, furnaces and production lines, from your first hand-dug copper to a fully automated factory
- A complete research and recipe system, with the tech tree split into two branches
- Strata and ore veins layered by depth, on an endless-depth map
- A power grid: generation, consumption and supply efficiency
- Threat waves, the shield dome, and turrets that shoot falling rock out of the sky
- Ship repair stages — bring the wreck back to something that can launch
- Blueprint box-select copying, a mineral radar, difficulty presets and warehouse limits
- Saving and loading

What's still missing (please read before buying):

- Save compatibility — most updates will keep old saves working, but a few major updates may genuinely require starting a new run. If that happens, I'll say so before the update
- Balance is not final — numbers are still being tuned, and the pacing of a long session will change
- Some systems are only skeletons and will be filled in during Early Access”

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

“The plan is to raise the price when Early Access ends. Buying now gets you the lower price, and you'll see the game change along the way.”

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

“What I work on next is largely up to you.

- Where to send feedback — I read the discussion boards and the bug report threads
- Everything goes on the list — I'll sort what comes in into the next version's work list, and say what I did, what I didn't, and why
- What changed gets written down — every update comes with notes, including the reasons behind balance changes

If a number feels wrong, or a production line feels awkward to build, just say so. Balancing a game like this depends on it.”