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SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History

Experience the story of life on Earth like never before with SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History, a virtual, interactive, and free-to-play museum featuring 3D scans of real fossils.

All Reviews:

Positive (19) - 84% of the 19 user reviews for this game are positive.

Release Date:

Dec 31, 2024

Developer:

Parent-Teacher Guide to Paleontology

Publisher:

PTPALEO LLC

	Interface	Full Audio	Subtitles
English	✔

Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History is a passion project that is intended for long-term development with continual content updates. We will be releasing beta versions during the early stages of development through Early Access to maximize the amount of user feedback we can incorporate into design and optimization. SHADOWBOX will be free of charge both during and after Early Access.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We anticipate beta testing of SHADOWBOX will take place over the course of around 5 years.”

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

“The first full version of SHADOWBOX, v1.0, will aim to feature at least one exhibit per major period and epoch of Earth's history, spanning the Ediacaran to the Pleistocene (for a total of 16). Our aim is to also establish fundamental interactivity mechanics and optimize the program as best we can during this beta testing period so updates beyond v1.0 can focus on new exhibits and galleries.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“We are currently on Beta v1.2, featuring the lobby, seven crypt exhibits, and two bonus galleries.”

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

“SHADOWBOX is free to play, now and forever. There will be no changes to this during development or after its release out of Early Access.”

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

“The most important aspect of creating an informative and interactive natural history experience is ensuring accessibility to as many audiences as possible. This is why we're releasing into Early Access: we want to hear from the community and learn from you about your learning styles, ability needs, and so on, beginning with the early stages of development. Please submit your playtest feedback to the SHADOWBOX Steam forums, or to ptpaleo@proton.me”

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About This Game

Experience the story of life on Earth like never before with SHADOWBOX: Mausoleum of Natural History, a virtual, interactive, and free-to-play museum.

Explore exhibits that detail the life, death, anatomy, and ecology of extinct species containing photogrammetric scans of real fossils. Examine fossils up close, and learn how to identify long-lost species in real life. Scan QR codes to read more about the science behind SHADOWBOX. Collect songs and audio logs to listen to as you explore. Run, jump, and climb on the exhibits, if you please!

As of the current version, Beta 1.25, the following exhibits are open to visitors:

Burgess Shale (Cambrian Period)
Martin Formation (Devonian Period)
Silica Formation (Devonian Period)

Naco Formation (Carboniferous Period)
Coconino Sandstone (Permian Period)
Chinle Formation (Triassic Period)
Turney Ranch Formation (Cretaceous Period)
Moreno Hill Formation (Cretaceous Period)
Menefee Formation (Cretaceous Period)
Green River Formation (Eocene Epoch)
The Geological Eras Tour
Real, False, & Phony Fossils

Your input will help the SHADOWBOX development team create the most accessible, informative, and engaging experience possible. If you have suggestions, feedback, or would like to report a bug, head on over to the Steam forums.