Why Early Access?

“Battle Animator is already a functional tool built around the workflow I use to create historical battle visualizations. Early Access will allow me to put it into the hands of a wider range of creators and improve it based on real-world use.
Different users work with different maps, historical periods, scene sizes and workflows. Their feedback will be especially valuable for improving usability, stability, performance and deciding which areas of Battle Animator should receive the most attention during further development.”

Approximately how long will this software be in Early Access?

“I currently expect Battle Animator to remain in Early Access for approximately 6–12 months. This is only an estimate and may change depending on user feedback, testing and the direction of further development.”

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

“The core workflow of Battle Animator is already in place. During Early Access, I plan to focus primarily on refinement rather than fundamentally changing what the application is.
Development toward 1.0 is expected to focus on improving stability, performance and usability, refining existing tools and workflows, expanding the included asset library, and responding to feedback from users. Additional tools and features may also be introduced where they meaningfully improve the process of creating animated battle scenes.
The goal for 1.0 is a polished, reliable and intuitive version of the same core tool rather than a completely different application.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Battle Animator already includes the complete core workflow for creating animated battle scenes. Users can import their own maps, build scenes using included historical and modern military units, flags and other assets, import custom 3D models, create movement routes and keyframe animations, organize battles into phases and chapters, animate the camera, adjust lighting and environments, save and load projects, and render finished animations directly to MP4 video in resolutions up to 4K at 60 FPS.
The Early Access period will focus on testing and refining these systems across a wider range of hardware, projects and user workflows. Bugs, usability issues and changes to individual tools should still be expected during development.”

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

“I plan to offer Battle Animator at a lower price during Early Access to reflect its ongoing development. The price may increase when the application leaves Early Access and reaches version 1.0. Any significant pricing changes will be communicated in advance.”

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

“Community feedback is an important part of Battle Animator's development. Before Early Access, I plan to run a Steam Playtest to observe how users work with the application and identify usability, stability and performance issues.
During Early Access, users will be able to report bugs, suggest improvements and share feedback through Steam Discussions and the dedicated feedback system on the Battle Animator website.
I plan to use this feedback to prioritize fixes, improve existing workflows and help determine which areas of the application would benefit most from further development.”