Why Early Access?

“SpellShokked is fun, and addictive. But there's a lot more to come - we have tons of things we want to add. That's where you come in. Building a balanced and fun combat system is difficult, and requires feedback: are the symbols too complex to draw? Is the Meteor Strike over-powered? Should there be a more discernible logic to the Glyphs you draw? How about states like 'wet', 'on fire', 'stunned' etc? What's the really fun part of coop? Question, Questions, Questions - and you'll give the answers.

But there's also a price incentive: as time progresses, we'll release newer versions with more features. As we release new versions, the price will go up. Up to and including the full version, people who have already purchased the game receive free updates.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Like so many other games, it'll be done when it's done. But we can make an educated guess: SpellShokked has been in development for over a year. Now all the main parts are in place, and "all" that needs to be done is add more content, add even more content, and tweak the game in ways to seriously ratchet up the fun. From experience, we have reached the half-way mark and so we expect that the full release is 12 to 18 months away.”

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

“So, what's coming? Right now, Duels are a ton of fun, but your arsenal of destruction is limited; the way the spells interact is simplistic. We want to change that so that it matters more which spells you cast, where you cast them, and when. We want to dial up the single-player with more, and more varied arenas. And of course, although we agree that killing your friends is fun, we also want co-op, team, and other types. Here's some of what we are thinking about

• Spells, Spells, Spells:
  
  • buffs & debuffs: e.g. heal, resistance (to fire, …), silence, confuse…
    
  • Area of Effect ("crowd pleasers") like the existing meteor strike: Earthquake, Arcane Explosion, ...
    
  • Damage over time like poison cloud, blizzard, Firestorm, …
    
  • Direct Attack/Channeling: Lightning, guided missile,
    
  • conjuring – those skeletons surely don't raise themselves! – and dispel to get rid of them
• Improved spell dynamics: resistances & states e.g. a "wet" state that can increase electrical damage but reduces fire damage, being hit by a fireball can set you on fire,
  
• Levels and Gameplay
  
  • More single-player levels so you can practice destroying your surroundings
    
  • "Non-adversarial multiplayer" (Coop) game types (e.g. who can create the most devastation in the shortest time, who survives longest, who's quickest to achieve a goal)
    
  • Team multiplayer
    
  • More multiplayer levels (coop and keell-ya!)
    
  • Can you still rule with different rules? Duel levels with changed rules: No-holds-barred (all spells are allowed), limited spell selection (each player must choose from a number of available spells *before* the match starts) vs regulated (all players have access to the same limited arsenal)
• Ranking
  
  • Ranked multiplayer in multiple categories
    
  • Ranked Teams in multiple categories
• Customizable Avatars (male, female, "other") for that individual touch
  
• A Spectator mode that allow you to watch your friends getting fried – and your friends will see you watching them get beat.
  
• Other
  
  • Items like staffs, jewelry and clothing that have balanced modifiers for casting (e.g. faster casting but less damage), and cannot be purchased for money but are earned via in-game achievements (this means NO Pay-To-Win; you need to kill your share of friends to get that staff of increased rakishness, but it's available to all, and everyone has to kill the same number of friends to get it)
    
  • Vanity items that make you look better (shades, sparkling smile, sain't halo or devil's glow, perhaps even spoilers or chromed fingers if that's what it takes), but do not influence the core game (i.e. will not affect a duel in any way); pets that you can feed and accessorize and that follow you around, etc. - these items can be purchased with real money to fund further development
    
  • Achievements. Because REASONS! Is there any better way to measure and compare the length of your… wand?

”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Here's what you get today: a fun VR game with mind-bending features:

• Assemble spells from magical symbols, and use them to melt faces.
  
• Listen to a soothing metal sound track
  
• Work your way through (currently five) Tutorial Levels while suffering under the world's most annoying mentor
  
• Access your magical arsenal spells (a lot more to come):
  
  • Attack: Magic Missile, Fireball, Meteor Strike, Ice Shard
    
  • Defense: Hand-held Shield, Blink (Teleport)
• Hone your casting skills in shokkingly difficult offline Duel Levels (currently three), and prove yourself on the grueling shokking range
  
• Shokk people on-line – Casual (un-ranked) duels (three different arenas); killing your friends is magical once again! (ranked combat will follow later). Until enough people have graduated to Duels, it may be difficult to find someone to face off with.
  
• Marvel at a stunningly beautiful VR environment in which you can finally get slaughtered in style
  
• Play with a pet dragon that is just too darn cute – and that may want to eat you

”

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

“Price will go up as we ship new content and features”

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

“We want to know what you find especially fun, and what doesn't work for you. Please let us know in the Forum!”