Why Early Access?

“We're doing Early Access for two reasons: first, because this has been very much a labor of love of two people who really love RPGs, but one we've done with no real financial support or budget. That means both that we'd like to involve more people who love love love RPGs, get their feedback, and hopefully make a better final product, and also that we'd really like to get some income off of it so we can finish it in a reasonable time frame. The second reason is just to get something out there for marketing and word of mouth purposes, because indies thrive off of that, and in the glut of milquetoast japanese-style RPGs available, we hope people don't lose hope.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“There's two more major version updates. They'll be released as they're finished--the better the game does, the more motivation we'll have to work on it. It'll be done, some day, that much I can promise you. Unless one of us dies or something. But aside from that, not much could stop us from finishing it eventually.”

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

“Well, the early access version has a level cap because some of the higher level hybrid skills aren't implemented, and so people don't grind up to the top and negatively affect their later experiences when patches roll around. The final version obviously won't have the level cap, allowing the players to learn a full retinue of skills.

Depending on the version, there will be many more ways to head from the starting area in the final version--at least 4 exits that lead directly to some unrelated, unique content or story. Those themselves may then branch off for even more. So, while the initial release is fairly linear (and some of the later paths are present, just closed off), the later release will be much more open, allowing the player not just to build their party how they want, but also to go where they want. There's also quite a bit of different possible iterations of scenes, that vary on a large amount of previous triggers, so as the game grows even the old areas of the game will get some new, previously unseen content (if you do things in a certain out of order or with certain followers.)

The final version will also have way more optional fights, more followers, more quests, and more options to customize the experience to your enjoyment.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“We're in version .8 now, which contains, I'm guessing, somewhere between 40 and 60% of the game. It's definitely not half, though. Each major version update (that is, .9, and 1.0) will add around the same amount of content in terms of areas, monsters, bosses, and items, as version .7 contained. It was intended for each one to be about a fourth, but, well, that didn't quite work out the way we intended. So each one is about a fourth. Going from .8 to 1.0, we'll be updating it in smaller chunks--so .9 will still be what we wanted .9 to be, just with each detached bit getting added separately!

This seems like a good spot to add a complete breakdown of each version:
v 0.8 (RELEASED! HOOOOLY CRAP! I FINISHED IT!)
-Raise level cap from 3 to 4
-New tier of Hybrid skills
-Balancing in response to comments from version 0.7, if we get any :p (we didn't, really)
-Perfume
-Class Badges, consumable items that let you learn an extra skill for specific classes
-New Areas:
---Mortimer: The main dungeon for this version is a formerly docile giant Whale named Mortimer, who has recently gone berserk for reasons unknown (but they're probably wolves.)
---Faerie Forest Clearing: A group of Lumberjacks work here, reluctantly lead by Emma Wolf
---Chateau Exterior: The outside of a large hotel
---Portsburg: A quiet fishing town, recently destroyed
---New Portsburg: A town inside of Mortimer
-New Follower: Emma Wolf, a grandmother Alpha Wolf. Debuffs enemies at the start of battle. Lots of NPCs are too scared of her to do anything for the party when she's around, but she'll also open certain doors (metaphorical doors--opening doors is Albrecht's job) and ease some fights.
-New Follower: Kendra, a little girl from Portsburg. Has a chance to find various items after each battle, some that are unique to her.

v 0.9:
-Raise level cap to 5, the maximum level
-New tier of Hybrid skills
-Balancing in response to comments from version 0.8, if we get any :p
-Muffins
-Cookies, too
-New Areas:
---Chateau Umbre: A multi-floored hotel that's full of ghosts. Well, the ghosts are the regular customers, and you're the intruders.
---Forested Path: Between the Chateau and the City of Bays and Bridges is a little clearing with a nice, quiet resort...
---City Outskirts: The edge of the City of Bays and Bridges, currently allowing no visitors
---Faerie Deep Forest: If we have time, the interior of the Faerie Forest will be added. If not, it'll be in v1.1
---???: Maybe some more areas, if we have time. If not, they'll be in v1.1
-New Follower: The Crimson Knight, a mysterious knight who wants to protect the citizens of the City by night, and presumably lives a more normal life by day. She buffs allies at the start of battle.

v 1.0
-Final tier of Hybrid skills, so you can finish your build! Whee!
-Balancing in response to comments from version 0.9, if we get any :\
-Political debates
-A Princess
-New Areas:
---The City of Bays and Bridges!: It's the final dungeon of the game, and it is absolutely gigantic, and full of mean, mean Magic Wolves and Pig Nobles.
---Princess Tower: The Pig Nobles are part of the royal family, whose last member is the Princess. She sleeps at the top of her tower. You can go talk to her if you want. She's not like, locked up there. She could leave.
---???: The very last area of the game, where Mayor Wolfen will meet his end. Or, well, not.

v 1.1
-Some endgame stuff we won't have time to add when working on v1.0, most of which is gonna be optional boss fights against super powerful encounters, and some finishing touches on various sidequests. A few parts of the game might get kicked to here if there are time constraints we can't meet for some of the optional stuff. Polishing everything also takes a ridiculous amount of time--there's a stupidly large amount of text most people'll never see, so 1.1 can be considered the "polish" update, as well.

And that's it! If the game does well, we're interested in doing some goofy stuff for a 1.2 update or DLC, even, but it's a take-it-or-leave-it thing for us.”

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

“Yes; each major version update will raise the price slightly until it reaches its final price. We don't really have plans to do future sales post-release-sale, at least not until well in the future, or participate in any bundles besides with our own games that we'll be making down the line, so now is your chance to get it on discount.”

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

“Lots of ways, but mostly just by, you know, talking to them, seeing what they like and don't like and dislike, and responding to that by improving the game. We'd like to do some special behind-the-scenes style streams of things people often overlook in game development (like level design, balancing, writing, and beta testing) as well.

I pretty much jam any ridiculous idea that enters into my head into the game, so I'm sure I will get plenty of those from interacting with community members. The more people who want to be a part of the process, the more people who get to be.”