Why Early Access?

“I want to use Early Access as a way for players to jump in now and play over time as the game grows. In addition, Early Access players can provide essential feedback that would help make Shale into the most enjoyable experience it can be, beyond what I already have planned for it.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“I'm planning to release 1.0 in approximately 24 months. Depending on how much additional content I will be adding outside of what I have planned, this time may be longer.”

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

“Shale is still missing a lot of content that I am planning to add during the Early Access lifecycle. The intention is to add new locations, encounters, two more enemy factions, NPCs, skins, unlocks, damage effects, a lot of enemies, a lot of bosses, combat balancing, increasing the level cap, map variety and much more.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Version 0.21. At this point the game will feel a bit repetitive and slow with variety, but so far it currently has a level cap of 25, 7 enemy types, 3 bosses, trading, crafting and more. The core systems are implemented and there is enough for players to do so they can get a rough understanding of what Shale is like and the potential it has.”

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

“Yes, as content, features and updates are added to Shale, the price will gradually increase.”

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

“I'm requesting player feedback on the Steam forums and on the Shale Discord Server. These avenues will allow me to communicate directly with players, get the most out of their opinions about Shale and make improvements that would benefit the gameplay experience.”