Why Early Access?

“The Diary of John Rabe is an interactive narrative with profound historical weight and scholarly rigor. Given the gravity of this subject matter, we approach it with deep reverence and are committed to avoiding any sensationalism or commodification of past suffering.
To be completely transparent, this project is currently being developed entirely as a part-time solo endeavor. We lack abundant capital and full-time studio operations. There are simply no surplus resources to fund extensive custom illustration work, professional voice acting, or precision multi-language localization proofreading for global markets; these outsourcing and refinement overheads present a substantial financial hurdle for part-time creation at this stage. While our initial Demo received incredibly encouraging feedback, the current sample size is still limited. As part-time creators, we recognize the limits of our own perspectives and refuse to subjectively dictate how this history should be visualized. We need to gather broader input from the community—should custom illustrations be integrated? Which direction should audio optimizations take? We want to identify the most restrained and appropriate solutions through a wider pool of community feedback. Furthermore, as the opening entry of our planned "Nanjing Massacre Trilogy Series," Early Access is vital for us to foster a dedicated, historically conscious initial community.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We plan to maintain the Early Access phase until the core script quality, multi-language localization frameworks, and our envisioned structural expansions reach an ideal standard of finish. If development pipelines and external collaborations remain on track, we hope to push frequent updates and adjustments over the coming months, aiming for milestone version transitions around future historical anniversaries. However, because the necessary historical cross-referencing, global localization refinement, and high-standard text proofreading present an immense workload, we may flexibly adjust the final timeline to remain fully accountable to historical facts. Rest assured, development will remain continuous.”

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

“In our long-term vision, the current Early Access build serves as a complete, stable architectural framework, while the full release is intended to be a multi-sensory, complete documentarian experience. Should future resources and conditions align, we may explore and iterate on content and feature expansions, though these currently remain in the planning and conceptual phases:
Potential Content & Timeline Extensions: If subsequent verification and script polishing progress smoothly, we may consider expanding the complete narrative to over 300,000 words. Within the chronological timeline, we might attempt to stretch the playable experience to a 90-day (approx. 3-month) micro-history, potentially extending the opening perspective back to November 22, the establishment of the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone.
Envisioned Visual Illustrative Content: If community interest is strong and capital allows, we plan to attempt the phased integration of roughly 300+ documentary-style, black-and-white sketch illustrations (produced via AI-assisted composition supplemented by manual refinement from professional artists), though this remains entirely dependent on future operational realities.
Vocal Narration & Localization Horizons: Ideally, we hope there might be an opportunity to introduce high-quality, professional vocal narration across the 300,000-word script, initially aiming for full dual Chinese and English vocal synchronization to engage global markets, and potentially implementing German, Japanese, and other multi-language voice packages under optimal future conditions. However, we cannot provide any definitive guarantees at this time.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Players can expect a highly functional experience: the full-length narrative text is fully written, and the build is backed by a foundational music and foley soundscape tailored to the somber, tense wartime atmosphere. The current Early Access build fully encompasses a continuous 60-day (approx. 2-month) historical timeline, beginning on December 13 with the fall of Nanjing and concluding with Mr. Rabe’s departure from the city, delivering approximately 6 hours of deep playthrough content. It operates as a fully completionable, structurally sound interactive narrative. Downloading the build allows you to immediately step into the first-person perspective of John Rabe, logging dynamic, haunting diary entries beneath a dim desk lamp late at night.”

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

“To show our deepest gratitude to the early adopters who trust our project and support us through pure historical passion, we do not plan to alter the base price of the core game upon exiting Early Access. However, if community demand is high and we secure the means to produce the resource-intensive "Black & White Sketch Illustration Package" and "Dual-Language/Multi-Language Voice Over Packages," we plan to release them as entirely optional, standalone paid DLCs (Downloadable Content). Players will retain full autonomy to support these tiered expansions based on their personal visual and auditory preferences, with absolutely no forced bundling.”

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

“Every piece of player critique and documentation bug-catching serves as a vital key to breaking development bottlenecks. We plan to actively involve our audience through several integrated communication channels:
Continuous Documentation Cross-Checking: We will actively monitor the Steam Discussion Boards, official player chatrooms, and other community groups daily. If historical enthusiasts discover any semantic inaccuracies in the text or archival discrepancies, we welcome your precise feedback and pledge swift technical revisions.
Open Discourse on Balancing "Gameplay vs. Rigor": Discovering how to maintain absolute historical integrity without turning a multi-playthrough text simulation dry or unengaging remains our most challenging design bottleneck. We want to hear your thoughts on where the perfect equilibrium between "pure documentation text mode" and "systemic engagement" lies.”