Why Early Access?

“To make clear that the set of game features are not 100% determined yet. Besides the bug fixes and minor polish that will be added during early access, the custom game designer is a very large and complex main feature. It is functional, but some of the sub-features of the Game Designer are still a work in progress, not only in implementation, but of the determination of the final set of features that will be in the "1.0" version.

One of the core tenets of this game is extreme customization capability, especially when it comes to poker rules and game-play, and so the opportunity to discover what customization features users feel are missing and subsequently add those features during the early access is highly-valued .”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Conservatively, 3-6 months. However I hope to have it "1.0" sooner than that. My aspiration is to continue to support, develop and add awesome new features indefinitely into the future. My ability to do that will depend on how well it is received.”

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

“In addition to bug fixes, and a handful of minor user experience features, the custom game type designer will have it's final set of "game steps" defined and implemented. Some areas of the UI are a bit spartan in features, and so user feedback on suggestions for feature additions will be considered.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The core single player game play, replay, and career mode is playable and working for the built-in game types, but the custom game type designer is not in it's final form yet, and might have some features of it added or removed during early access. Additionally, there is some risk that data files and game saves from the early access period might have breaking changes that invalidate the files. Every effort will be made to avoid that, but it's possible.”

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

“The price will not change when we leave early access, though future versions might see a price increase if/when new major features are added. Generally I'd rather not increase the price, unless some new feature involves a lot of expense, or requires a lot of work to implement. So I don't want to commit to never raising the price, but I do not currently have plans or a desire to do so.”

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

“I will seek out feedback wherever I can. I want to make this game something people want, so I will be very open to feature requests and feedback from users. Feedback and engagement with the community will be through the steam forums and from a feedback form on our website at https://straightuppokergame.com/Feedback”