Why Early Access?

“I'd like to have the game released in Early Access so that the final product will reflect what the players would like to see in the full game. Building in a vacuum will only get me so far as a solo developer. I do have a strong vision for the game, but I learned that actual player feedback is invaluable to be able to better understand what players experience and to realize things that I may have missed during solo development.

As of the EA release date, Decimation has been in development for 26 months.

Completing the first Act took the longest: building the core systems and gameplay loop, and learning the tools to work efficiently. Completing Act 2 was more about execution, game asset creation, level and enemy design, plus working on a few more sub-systems that were not in the game yet.

Completing the remaining 2 acts will be more of the same process, but with a more streamlined workflow. And Early Access makes finishing the game sustainable while getting your feedback to shape the final game. You're supporting active development and influencing direction.

If you want to be part of this journey and don't mind rough edges, jump in now.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Approximately 7-10 months from the initial EA release date.

Getting the game ready for EA release took around 26 months. This included building all the core systems, testing which of the other systems I had in mind worked well for the game and which didn't. Now with most of the game's systems complete, and reviewing my previous pace of creating new assets, levels and content, I estimate 3-4 months per remaining Act (Act 3 and Act 4), then around another month or two for additional difficulty modes and final polish.”

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

“The full version is planned to have:

- 4 Story Acts (current EA version has 2 Acts)
- 16-level campaign. That's 4 campaign levels per act (currently EA version has 8 levels)
- 4 Infinite/Endless level challenges (current EA version has 2)
- 3 difficulty modes per level: Normal, Difficult, Extreme (currently only Normal mode in EA)
- Additional heroes, towers, and equipment
- Steam Achievements (currently, no achievements yet in EA)
- Full balance pass and polish
- All content complete with no placeholders”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The game's core gameplay loop is complete and functional. The game's current amount of content includes:

- 8 playable campaign levels (Act 1 and 2) with story and dialogue
- 2 of 3 heroes with starting ability set
- 5 tower types
- 17 battle effect power-ups/abilities
- RPG-style hero level/skill progression and equipment crafting systems

This is active development. Expect some rough edges, balance adjustments, and regular content updates.”

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

“Yes. The Early Access price will increase as new content and features are added. The plan is to increase the price of the game with every new Act added to the base EA version. The full 1.0 release will be priced appropriately to reflect the complete experience.”

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

“Any changes to the game's features or balance will be heavily influenced by player feedback. As a solo dev, I hope to build Decimation with and for the game's community.

Influence features: Vote or suggest changes to tower balance, hero abilities, battle effects, or equipment, and suggest quality-of-life updates via Discord polls or the game's Steam Community forum.
Balance adjustments: I adjust anything the community finds too weak, too strong, or unfair.
Level design: I refine difficulty and pacing based on your feedback.

Communication Channels:

Please feel free to share your feedback or thoughts about Decimation through the game's Community Hub on Steam or through the game's official Discord.

My Commitment:
I read all community posts, reviews, and messages. As a solo developer, I balance responding to feedback with active development. Critical bugs take priority, and I respond to questions and suggestions as time allows. I appreciate your patience during busy development periods.

What I Need:

"This tower/hero/battle effect/equipment module feels too weak/strong" feedback
Difficulty and pacing experiences
Which content you want to see next
Any bugs or issues you encounter
Any missing features that you'd like to see in the game”