Why Early Access?

“VIRTUAnimator is a VR-exclusive title. With VR being as new as it is, there are lots of things everyone is still figuring out about how to work in VR and how things like UI should work. Early Access allows the community to provide much-needed feedback on the current state of things, allowing me to polish the game up to it's necessary standards. It also let's me know what is needed, what features get used and why, as well as how to make it accessible to everyone.”

Approximately how long will this software be in Early Access?

“VIRTUAnimator will remain in Early Access for roughly 6 months, depending on the changes and updates required.”

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

“The Early Access version is, for the most part, functionally complete. Just very rough. Some might even go so far as to say ugly. However, you can animate, save/load, render out image sequences, and make use of the Steam Workshop right now!

The Full Version will be the pretty version. All the features in the full version will have been added during the Early Access phase, and will be fully fleshed out and polished over the course. Such features will include mp4 export, keyframe blending/smoothing, and render effects control.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“VIRTUAnimator is, more-or-less, 'Functionally Complete'. That means most of the main features are in and working. You can load objects other's have created, animate them, save/load/share your animations, download items and scenes from the Steam Workshop, and more. The UI is not great, but it works.

Since entering Early Access, some major features have been added: DAE Export (export animations into a standard 3D format), Live Recording (record an object's motion in real time), and Pose Blending (smooth curved motion).”

Will this software be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“The price will be raised after leaving Early Access.”

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

“Community feedback is necessary for improvement, so I'll be active in the Steam Forums/Community Hub to get all the feedback I can, in addition to hosting live development sessions, to get real-time feedback.

Specifically, I need to see just how people are using the app; what kind of things are being animated, uploaded, rendered, etc., and prioritize development around that.”