Why Early Access?

“9.8 is a big game made by one person. The core is already here: real orbital physics, rocket building, missions and a growing tech tree. But a game like this gets much better with players in it. Early Access lets me build the rest of 9.8 with the people who actually play it, fix what breaks on real machines, and shape the later eras around what players enjoy most. It also lets me keep working on the game full time as this has become a substantial part of my life.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“I expect Early Access to last around 12 months. The goal is to complete the full tech tree and the systems around it before calling the game finished. I'd rather take a bit longer than leave 1.0 half done, so this estimate may change as development goes on.”

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

“I plan to expand 9.8 in a few main directions:

- The full tech tree. I plan to bring the game through all five eras, from the Space age to Interstellar travel, with new parts, engines and materials in each.
- Research and development. Parts will become procedural with the player being able to adjust them as they see fit for their program
- Mod support. Mod support will be a core feature of the game but needs some specific time dedicated to it.
- Colonies and industry. I plan to deepen colony building, resources and logistics, so off-world bases become a real part of running your agency.
- Larger universe. The full game will feature a small star cluster of 5 stars each with a full solar system of authored planets and moons.
- Resource management. In the later stages of development, resources will become a core part of the game.
- Multiplayer. I plan to keep developing multiplayer based on how players use it.
- Polish and performance. I plan to keep improving performance, hardware support, the tutorial and the overall feel of the game.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The Early Access version is fully playable. Every body in the system follows the same N-body physics, from your rockets to the moons. You can design and build rockets, fly every mission by hand, take on missions, research technology, land on moons and planets, mine asteroids, build colonies and build space stations and orbital crafts.

It currently includes 3 eras of the tech tree and roughly 15 hours of content, plus a sandbox mode.”

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

“Yes. I plan to gradually raise the price as major content and features are added. Buying during Early Access will be the cheapest way to get 9.8, and you'll get every future update of the base game at no extra cost.”

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

“The 9.8 community has shaped the game since the first playtests, and that will continue. I'm active every day in the 9.8 Discord (350 members), where players report bugs, suggest features and see what I'm working on. You can also send feedback directly from inside the game, and I read the Steam discussions and reviews.

Updates are also happening on a fast cadence. Traditionally major versions have been separated by no more than 2 months with minor updates in between.

The roadmap is public and I post regular updates explaining what changed and why, and ask players about their opinions on certain mechanics. Players who choose to share anonymous play data also help me find where the game is confusing or broken.”