Why Early Access?

“Headstone is a small wave shooter made by a solo developer. The core loop is already here and playable: survive the rising dead, spend your score on guns and upgrades between waves, and chase a high score, alone or with up to three friends.

What it needs now is players. I want to know how the waves feel, where the difficulty spikes, and which guns and upgrades are worth your score. Early Access lets me shape the rest of the game around that feedback instead of guessing.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Roughly 6 to 12 months. The exact length depends on player feedback and how the planned features hold up in testing. I'd rather stay in Early Access a little longer than release a 1.0 that isn't ready.”

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

“For the full version I plan to widen what's already there:

- A third map to hold.
- Elite undead every tenth wave: tougher, faster versions with better rewards.
- A gravekeeper level that grows with every run and unlocks guns along the way.
- A run summary with your stats and awards after every death, lifetime stats, and Steam friends leaderboards for your best runs.
- Many more Steam achievements.

These are plans, not promises. The final list will follow what players enjoy and ask for.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Headstone is fully playable from the first wave to game over, solo or in online co-op for 2-4 players over Steam.

The core is in place: waves of zombies, skeletons, vampires and ghosts; three maps (the moonlit churchyard of St. Gloom's, the torchlit catacombs beneath it and the Coffin Works, a coffin factory on the night shift); an armory with four guns and five upgrade tracks; game rules to set up each run; power-ups; jumping; gamepad support; English and Danish; saved best scores and Steam achievements. Content and features are added regularly, so check the latest update notes to see what's new.

Expect rough edges: balance is still being tuned, and some systems are early versions of what's planned.”

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

“I plan to raise the price gradually as major content arrives, such as new maps and new enemies. Buying during Early Access costs less, and everything added later is included at no extra cost.”

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

“Your feedback decides what gets built next. I'll read the Steam discussions and reviews, post development updates through Steam news, and put bigger changes on an opt-in beta branch first so players can try them before they go live for everyone.

Bug reports, balance complaints and ideas are all welcome in the discussions.”