Why Early Access?

“CaveVox is an indie game developed by a single person. Since I cannot release the game immediately and want to add a large number of details, the development process requires time and feedback from players.

CaveVox is not a typical roguelike; the game combines dungeon exploration and sandbox elements. You can play alone or with friends, set your own goals within the dungeon, and each playthrough can be completely different. This is why achieving high quality takes time and player feedback. Every player's opinion and the impressions you have after spending a long time in this world are truly important.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Nothing can be guaranteed with certainty, but the results and the frequency of updates will show the progress. The more successful the development steps, the less time the game will remain in this format. Progress is moving quite quickly, and the development pace can also be assessed through the published developer logs. The approximate time required to complete the full version, in the worst case, is about one year, which is the maximum planned duration for Early Access. For reference, the demo (the base version) was created in just over 100 days, and Early Access took about five months. This also indicates that the full version will require several months, during which the development process will be visible to players.”

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

“We plan the following list:
- Permadeath, which will result in the loss of unique characters, their progression, and so on;
- Finding companions both on the surface and inside the dungeon;
- A 100-floor dungeon (including new types of biomes, bosses with unique traits);
- Addition of inter-level safe zones;
-Increase in the number of new mobs, items, and rooms;
- Advanced mob system: group interactions, hearing, vision, weight, various behavioral traits;
- Adding hidden rooms and new traps;
- Story-related items, decorations, characters, as well as the game ending;
- Advanced damage system: piercing, slashing, crushing attacks;
- Advanced effects system: burning, cold, poison, hunger;
- Addition of new types of weapons;
- Improving render optimization and the internal workings of the dungeon;
- Increase in the number of game translations.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“- Several main translations for the game;
- Game settings, graphics, and sound;
- Cooperative and single-player modes;
- The surface level (floor 0) where the game begins, featuring the entrance to the dungeon and NPCs. This is the main lobby room where the player arrives after starting the game, either alone or with friends;
- Two dungeon biomes + a boss floor (12 levels total including the surface);
- Player progression, inventory, and combat system;
- Permadeath; in cooperative mode, resurrection occurs by finding a new companion on the surface of the dungeon. The death of all companions ends the game, the unique dungeon is deleted, and the game statistics are displayed to the player;
- Procedurally generated dungeon with varied rooms and floors (including blocks, items, and mobs);
- Traps and floor pitfalls;
- Spatial sound and dungeon atmosphere;
- Animations;
- Achievements.”

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

“No price increase is planned during Early Access. Purchasing the game in Early Access will be slightly cheaper than after the full release to support those who back the early development. No DLCs are planned — all updates, both during Early Access and after the release, will be available to everyone who purchased the game, without being divided into separate parts.”

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

“We are ready to strictly follow the planned promotional campaign for CaveVox, which includes:

- Discounts, giveaways, and involvement of both influencers and regular players in discussing the game;
- Fixing any bugs or issues that are discovered.

Player feedback is important both during Early Access and after it. We will be glad to receive support and engage with the gaming community to create a game that we ourselves will want to continue playing.”