Почему ранний доступ?

« I have focused on setting up a strong foundation to all underlying systems so that they continue to generate organic results whether the player interacts with them or not. I am trying to make sure that the player exists within the simulation, and not that the simulation exists for the player. The tradeoff is that player interactions and character depth are currently limited, and contrary to how games are often made, those elements are being added on top of the existing game instead of building the game around them. I cannot see calling this game a full release version until there are more player interaction elements across all systems.
Also, the depth of the simulation will ultimately come from the player’s familiarity with unique characters and their personality traits. These will determine the social groups that people form and what they choose to do with their free time. Ideally, familiarity will work like this: while performing assessment of a patient’s wounds in Triage, you conclude that the patient needs a specialist, and you know which surgeon that should be because you are familiar with him- not because you ran to the office to check the personnel files, but as a result of your interaction with him over time. For example, maybe you have learned to associate the sound of his voice with a personality trait that he has. You might say he is a friend, you probably remember his name, but you definitely know him. He is your best chest surgeon on this shift. This familiarity will not only save time and patient lives, but the gameplay involved will also bring value to things that happen in the downtime, when no Wounded are present. Most of the elements required to implement this familiarity don’t yet exist.
Finally, I would like to have professional artwork, models and voice-work in the full release. Throughout Early Access, I hope to accrue enough interest in the project to alleviate these concerns.
»

Сколько примерно эта игра будет в раннем доступе?

«The game will be in Early Access for at least a year, but much depends on how the pre-release stage goes. This is my development timeline for the next year:

-- Q4 2026 --
1. Marketing campaign during private Beta test of the game's demo.
2. Bug fixing and feedback. Build Steam presence.
3. Update and improve tutorial.
4. Implement the remaining supply requisition unlocks and purchases, including their effects on camp conditions and any build crew animations logic.
5. Make more influence unlocks available beyond the switchboard (implement their effects).
6. Expand Operations function to include maintenance and repair crews.
7. Start to implement nurse Work Details and make Head Nurse contributions more meaningful during incoming Wounded.
8. Test existing logic surrounding stress relief activities such as fishing, drinking and smoking, including their effects on stamina and on skills, and enable all characters to potentially drink or smoke.
9. Add one or more stress relief activities for all to engage in (darts, horseshoes, playing catch, shooting hoops, cards...).
10. Fine-tuning of lighting and post-processing effects (ongoing).
11. More varied batch composition with regard to how the Wounded are brought in and when, including logic for multiple vehicles of the same type to be present at the same time.

-- Q1 2027 --
1. Optimization based on tester feedback.
2. May have to perform workarounds for dynamic particle-driven clouds, or replace them completely with a more conventional approach before continuing to build the weather and seasons.
3. Last fixes to the tutorial and feedback-based improvements to the game demo version. Then, release the demo.
4. Logging and analyzing data from the in-game player feedback questionnaire.
5. Keeping the office feedback book updated. Keeping the tutorial and loading screen tips updated with new function descriptions.
6. Integrate all Influence unlocks and their effects, plus the effects of Supply requisitions and Mess quality, into the stress/stamina dynamic by mapping their effects to regions of the camp or by linking them to existing camp behavior. Begin balancing their pull on Morale and the resulting Efficiency Rating.
7. Implement more control over patient survival after initial surgery through player decisions and post-op staff performance.
8. TBD based on development progress and market interest. Possible Steam NextFest and Early Access release timeframe.

-- Q2 2027 --
1. Continue optimization and bug fixing based on player feedback.
2. Implement more events to be scheduled on the Weekly Planner (Mess events, movie showings, staff meetings).
3. Continue tying effects of Operations performance into camp conditions, so that elements deteriorate from weather and usage, and so the effects are evident and meaningful.
4. Start to implement some camp policies (Open Mess, Open Comms, Closed Camp, Blackout...).
5. Make the war threat real with sniper and artillery attacks.
6. Add more life to the surrounding world, including vendors, artisans, a black market, orphans, visitors, and neighboring army units.
7. TBD based on development progress and market interest. Possible Steam NextFest and Early Access release timeframe.

-- Q3 2027 --
1. Introduce Traits and Affinities.
2. TBD based on development progress and market interest. Possible Steam NextFest and Early Access release timeframe.

-- Q4 2027 --
TBD based on development progress and market interest. Possible Steam NextFest and Early Access release timeframe.»

Чем планируемая полная версия будет отличаться от версии в раннем доступе?

«TRAITS: I plan to have a full array of traits that characters can have to give them some personality, so that interactions with them are more meaningful.

BILLETING: Assigning people to a barracks or tent will be an important part of managing personnel, once you know their personalities. Currently, characters are randomly assigned to billets.

MINI-GAMES: I hope to add various stress-relief activities for the player to do with people in the camp, to provide opportunities to learn their traits.

DIALOGUE: Text dialogue interactions will be needed in the full release version. I plan to have them working like a mini-game for learning people's traits and for employing tact in dealing with people.

FAMILIARITY: All of the above items feed into familiarity with the camp population. Once there is enough detail to those systems to make them meaningful and engaging, this game will be much closer to a "full version".

REAR ECHELON: There is currently no one holding the player responsible to Survival and Efficiency outcomes. These are going to be in flux throughout early development to balance them against various changes still to be made, as I incorporate player feedback into the process. In the full version, poor performance will lead to visits from rear echelon officers for retraining, which causes stress to everyone and degrades your reputation.

SEASONAL CYCLE, HISTORY and ENDGAME: I would like to have a full range of seasonal weather and lighting for the full release version. As part of that, I may incorporate some key dates and events from the actual Korean War. At the very least, the timeline will contain triggers for altering performance expectations and rewarding the player for good performance in Survival and Efficiency.

STEAM ACHIEVEMENTS: I plan to have some Steam Achievements in the game for the full release version.

MORE PLAYER DEPTH: The full version of this game will ideally include a character creation menu where players can select what background experience they have. This will determine starting traits and ability scores. I would also like to include a few basic medical procedures for the player to do beyond assessment, like Wound Drainage, Tracheotomy and Close Wound.»

Каково текущее состояние версии в раннем доступе?

« The following game systems are mostly complete:
-- meals
-- security
-- supply flow
-- Wounded batch flow
-- wound generation and management
-- medical role assignment and performance
-- save system

The following game systems are somewhat in place:
-- supply requisitions
-- influence unlocks
-- staff skill progression
-- clerk styles and efficiency reports

The following systems are barely implemented:
-- stress relief, stamina recovery, and effects on stress and stamina
-- player character progression
-- weather and seasonal effects
-- traits and affinities
-- dialogue interactions
-- Rear Echelon (HQ) expectations and presence

The following elements are planned but don't yet exist:
-- player character creation
-- player medical procedures
-- more mini-games for stress relief, character interaction and immersion.
-- first person post-op interactions and more depth to post-op wound conditions
-- camp policies
-- Camp Chaplain role
-- regional presence»

Изменится ли цена игры после выхода из раннего доступа?

«The price may go up after Early Access, and may increase slightly over the course of Early Development as it gets closer to full release.»

Как вы планируете вовлекать сообщество в разработку игры?

«Early in the process, I will be relying on a feedback questionnaire that exists in the game to keep me notified of bugs or any gameplay issues. As the community around the game grows, I will be maintaining threads in the Community Hub, and may possibly start a third-party homepage.»