Why Early Access?

“The game is playable from the first villager to the final siege, and it is still changing with every update. We want players in it now, because the way a run feels (its pace, its choices, its difficulty) is the part we can only get right with many people playing. What you tell us decides what we change next.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We expect about a year. That is an estimate: it depends on what players ask for and what the game needs, and it may change.”

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

“We want to add more civilisations, boons, plans, events and map rules, more buildings and units, and more to do between runs. We also want to keep reworking the balance, the crown ladder, the interface and the help for new players. None of this is fixed: the list will move with player feedback, and some ideas will be dropped or replaced along the way.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“A full run is in the game: four ages, enemy waves with a warlord every fourth one, walls raised section by section, castles, a five-stage Wonder and the final siege. You pick one of three unlocked civilisations, out of eight in all, and each run brings a map rule, a plan whenever you reach a new age, boons between waves, a choice of the next wave and events. Relics earned in each run buy new civilisations, rare boons, plans and upgrades in the Legacy shop, and a win at your highest crown opens the next one, up to 20. The game has a tutorial, 36 Steam achievements, text in 40 languages, music and sound, and saves by itself. Steam Cloud is not supported yet. Balance and pacing are still being tuned.”

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

“Yes. We plan to raise the price step by step as content is added, so the full version will cost more than the Early Access version does today. Anyone who buys during Early Access keeps every update at no extra cost.”

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

“Through the Steam discussions and update notes. Tell us what feels slow, unfair or unclear, which civilisation or boon you never pick and why, and what you would add. Players' reports and runs decide what we work on next. If something breaks, tell us what you were doing and your seed so we can reproduce it.”