Why Early Access?

“We intend to make a niche product which caters to weirdos like us. We want to actually know our players and enter into an open dialog with them. The plan is to start small and grow, using the first episode as the foundation to build a larger, more complex experience. We have a skeleton in place, but many of the details in our design are subject to change based on what plays well. Early Access will allow us to collect feedback from a limited pool of users, and cultivate a community of people who are invested in this game and its universe. By the time this game leaves Early Access we want our players to take as much pride in their involvement with the final product as we do.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“Best guess: two years. One spent finishing and releasing two more episodes, one spent fleshing out existing content and polishing. The rate of development will depend in part on the success of our initial offering, and/or ongoing crowd-funding endeavors. Whatever the case we'll be open about our rate of progress and the factors involved.”

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

“The full version of the game will include several episodes, as well as all auxiliary content. Anything that "makes the cut" in the eyes of the developers and our Early Access community will be bundled up and sold in the finished package. Early Access customers will instead receive this content piecemeal and have an opportunity to engage the developers in shaping the eventual product and the Ectolibrium universe.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Episode One is playable. Two more episodes are already in their second pass of development, and will be released once quality parity is achieved with the first episode. All three episodes will be updated over the course of development, and there is the possibility of additional episodes, based on what our players respond to.”

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

“Yes, the price of the game will increase with each episode added to the product, so customers who buy in early get the best deal.”

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

“Monthly feature votes, continuous feedback collection, and per-episode roundups covering lessons learned over the last episode, and affording the community an opportunity for "town hall" style discourse on our Discord server. We intend to build a community which allows for both formal and informal involvement. We'll structure the formal stuff -- but don't hesitate to shoot us an email if you have an idea!”