Why Early Access?

“We have decided to release our game in early access for several reasons. First and foremost, we believe our players are essential to the game development process. By opening up the game to a broader audience during the early stages of development, we can gather valuable feedback and insights on the game's mechanics, balance, and overall feel. This feedback will help us improve the game and ensure that we meet our players' expectations.

Secondly, early access allows us to build a community around the game. As players begin to engage with the game, they can share their experiences and offer support and guidance to new players. This community-building aspect is critical to the long-term success of our game, and we believe that early access is an excellent way to jumpstart this process.

Finally, we understand that many players are eager to get their hands on the game as soon as possible. By offering early access, we can allow these players to experience the game in its early stages and provide feedback that will shape the final product. This is an exciting time for us as developers, and we are looking forward to working with our players to create the best possible game.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Our current estimate for Early Access is approximately eight quarters (two years). It's important to understand that this is a flexible timeline based on several factors:

Community Feedback: Your input is crucial. Early Access allows us to gather feedback on features, identify areas for improvement, and iterate based on player needs. The timeline may adjust if significant changes arise due to community response.
Content and Feature Scope: The Early Access roadmap is ambitious, encompassing a vast world, intricate systems, and engaging gameplay. The complexity of implementing these features may influence the overall development time.
Solo Developer Capacity: As a solo developer, I'm committed to delivering a high-quality experience, but there are limitations to what I can achieve within a set timeframe.

Transparency and Communication:
Regular Updates: I'll provide frequent updates (through dev blogs, forums, or social media) detailing progress, addressing feedback, and potentially adjusting the roadmap based on community input.
Focus on Quality: My primary goal is to release a polished and optimized game upon leaving Early Access. This might require taking extra time to address identified issues or refine features.

Setting Realistic Expectations:
Early Access is a Journey: Early Access allows you to participate in the development process. While an eight-quarter estimate provides a framework, unforeseen challenges or opportunities may influence the timeline.

Embrace the Evolution: Early Access is an iterative process. Based on your feedback, the game will evolve, potentially introducing or altering new features.

We believe in open communication and community involvement. By working together, we can ensure the final release is a truly exceptional MMORPG experience.”

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

“The Early Access version of our fantasy MMORPG will lay a strong foundation for the grand adventure. Here's a glimpse of what you can expect as we journey towards the full release:

Content and Features:
Expanded World: The Early Access world will encompass a vast and vibrant region teeming with quests, dungeons, and secrets. As we progress, we'll unlock new continents, diverse landscapes, and hidden corners of the world, offering players a genuinely sprawling realm to explore.
Deeper Character Progression: While Early Access offers a robust character development system, the full version will introduce additional skill lines, mastery systems, and unique passive abilities, allowing for even more customization and specialization.
Advanced Crafting and Itemization: The Early Access crafting system will provide a solid foundation for creating essential gear. The full release will build upon this, introducing rare crafting materials, legendary equipment sets, and the ability to imbue items with powerful enchantments.
Player Housing and Guild Systems: In Early Access, players will band together in guilds, tackling challenges and forging friendships. The full version aims to further enhance this social aspect with player housing, allowing guilds to establish their unique strongholds and shared spaces.
Endgame Content and Raids: Early Access will offer a taste of challenging dungeons and bosses. The full release will culminate with epic raids, requiring players to strategize, coordinate, and utilize their mastered skills to conquer the most formidable foes.
Additional Considerations (Doable for Solo Development):

Story & Lore Expansion: The Early Access narrative will introduce the core storyline and factions. The full version will delve deeper into the lore, unveiling hidden histories, uncovering the motivations of significant characters, and offering players a richer understanding of the world.
Community-Driven Events: While Early Access will have in-game events, the full release will implement a system allowing players to shape the world through community-driven events, influencing the narrative and in-game world through their choices.
Performance Optimization: The Early Access version will be continuously optimized, ensuring a smooth gameplay experience. The full release will further leverage Unreal Engine's robust tools to refine performance and scalability for a more extensive player base.
Transparency and Communication:

As a solo developer, I understand the importance of managing expectations. While this roadmap provides a vision for the future, development is iterative. I will actively communicate with the community through regular updates and dev blogs, outlining progress, addressing feedback, and keeping players informed throughout the Early Access journey.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The Early Access version of our fantasy MMORPG is currently in its foundational stages, focusing on establishing the core mechanics and laying the groundwork for the expansive world. Here's a breakdown of what players can expect in the initial release:

Core Mechanics:
Solid Character Movement: You'll have access to basic movement mechanics, allowing you to explore the starting zone and navigate the environment effectively.
Early Skillset: A limited set of abilities will be available, providing a taste of the combat system and allowing players to experiment with different playstyles.
Inventory and Item Interaction: Players can manage, equip, and interact with basic objects worldwide.

World & Content:
Starting Zone: The Early Access version will offer a well-crafted starting zone that showcases the game's art style, environment design, and core gameplay loop.
Quest Introduction: A limited set of introductory quests will be available, familiarizing players with the game's lore, core mechanics, and essential combat encounters.

Early Social Features:
Essential Player Interaction: Players can interact with each other through crucial communication tools, fostering a sense of community within the starting area.

Transparency and Development:
As a solo developer, I'm committed to transparent communication. While the initial Early Access version focuses on core mechanics, I'm actively working on expanding the feature set, introducing more abilities, AI enemies, and a wider variety of content as development progresses. Player feedback will be crucial in shaping the game's future, and I encourage active participation in the community forums.

Important Note:
It's essential to be upfront about the limitations of a solo-developed Early Access title. While the game's vision is ambitious, the initial release will have a smaller scope to ensure a solid foundation.”

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

“Our current plan is to maintain the same price for the base game throughout Early Access and upon full release. We believe this offers transparency and allows players to invest in the game immediately, knowing the core price won't change.

However, any future downloadable content (DLC) that expands the game world, story, or features may have an additional cost. We'll communicate the details and value proposition of any future DLC before it is released.

This approach ensures players receive the core game experience at a consistent price while allowing us the flexibility to offer optional content that further enriches the world for those interested.”

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

“The Early Access journey is an exciting opportunity to build a game alongside a passionate community. Here's how I envision involving players in the development process:

Active Communication:
Regular Dev Blogs: I'll publish regular dev blogs outlining development progress and upcoming features and addressing community feedback.
Community Forums: Dedicated forums will allow players to share ideas, discuss the game, and report any issues.
Social Media Engagement: Engaging with players on social media platforms will allow for open communication and a chance to answer questions directly.

Feedback and Suggestions:
In-Game Feedback System: An in-game feedback system will allow players to share their thoughts on specific aspects of the game conveniently.
Community Polls and Surveys: Periodically, I'll conduct polls and surveys to gather player feedback on various design decisions and content ideas.

Transparency and Prioritization:
Development Roadmap Updates: The development roadmap will be regularly updated to reflect community feedback and prioritize features based on player interest.
Clear Communication on Implementation: While actively considering player suggestions, I'll maintain transparency about the feasibility and potential implementation timelines.

Collaboration and Events:
Community-Driven Content Ideas: I'm open to incorporating player-generated content ideas or themes into the game world or lore (depending on feasibility).
In-Game Community Events: Regular in-game events (within the limitations of a solo developer) can foster a sense of community and provide opportunities for player interaction.”