Why Early Access?

“The battles are finished enough to play and to rank. The game around them is not.

ORDNIX is entering Early Access to build its long-term layer with players rather than in private. The largest piece is the Armoury, a match-earned progression and customisation system that does not exist yet: players would earn points from match outcomes and spend them on unit upgrades such as weapons, defensive packages, equipment and vehicle parts. How points are earned, what can be upgraded, and how customisation stays out of the way of competitive balance are undecided today, and I want those decisions shaped by people playing the game.

Early Access will also be used to add nations, continue the visual work across units and battlefields, build a fuller player profile, and add achievements. I will keep publishing updates and patch notes, read the reports and discussions, and change the roadmap when feedback shows something needs to change.
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Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Roughly a year, and longer if the Armoury needs it. The plan is to leave Early Access when the Armoury and progression are in and balanced, the nation roster has grown, and the game is stable and complete as a whole. The estimate will move with what the community asks for, and I will say so when it does.
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How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“Early Access gives you the foundation: online and offline battles, ranked and unranked multiplayer, AI skirmishes, and eight nations with their own rosters. I plan to build on it with:

The Armoury: match-earned points spent on unit upgrades such as weapons, defences, parts and equipment. Not yet built; its rules, balance and scope will be designed with the community.

More nations, each with its own doctrine, roster, look and balance.

Continued visual work across the roster: unit models, faction-specific appearances, naval hulls, aircraft, effects, animation, audio and the battlefield itself.

A fuller player profile: persistent progression, identity, statistics, records and unlocks.

More achievements tied to combat, strategy, nation mastery and progression.

Campaign and structured operation content built on the existing skirmish and scenario systems, and more maps, biomes and scenarios.

Ongoing balance and usability changes driven by ranked results, feedback and replays.

Priorities will move with player feedback. That is the point of Early Access.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Playable, and complete in its core. Incomplete in progression, customisation, and long-term content.

Available now:

Deterministic lockstep battles in which units, projectiles, radar, logistics and electronic warfare are all simulated.

Ranked 1v1 and 2v2 queues with MMR, seasons, placements and tiers, plus unranked Quick Play.

Skirmishes against AI, from small fights to very large engagements.

Eight playable nations fielding armour, infantry, artillery, air power, naval forces, drones, electronic warfare, logistics, mines and engineers.

Trench warfare, fortifications and garrisons; tactical and strategic weapons with warnings and counterplay.

Battle replays that can be reviewed from either side's fog of war.

Several biomes, multiple victory conditions, dynamic weather and different lighting conditions.

Not yet implemented, planned for Early Access:

The Armoury, in any form. Additional nations. The fuller player profile. More achievements. Campaign content.

Expect balance changes, adjustments to units and doctrines, presentation upgrades, and new systems introduced and refined during development.
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Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“The game launches at a lower Early Access price that reflects its current, unfinished feature set. I plan to raise the price as major systems and content land, and to announce any change ahead of time. Buying during Early Access includes every update to the game.
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How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“The Steam Community Hub is where features are discussed, bugs reported, balance argued, and roadmap updates and patch notes posted.

The Armoury will be designed there in the open: which upgrades players want, how match-earned points should work, what trade-offs feel fair, how customisation should relate to nation identity, and how to keep progression from undermining competitive balance. Players will also help set the priority of new nations, unit visuals, profile features, achievements, maps, scenarios and campaign content.

Replays store match orders rather than video, so a replay attached to a bug report lets me reproduce the exact battle, investigate the issue, and understand a balance concern as it actually played out.
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