Sept 2021 release date? The game looks pretty mature! What's the hold up???
We’ll, it’s a couple things.
First is that I have big plans for DG, so I’m setting that bar pretty high for myself. I certainly could rush out the game, but I doubt either of us wants that. Besides which, in many ways “released” is merely a label. The beta is very playable, and is gaining polish at a good clip. In the event that the release date slips, all backers, even below the beta access tiers, will get access to the beta so that they can enjoy the game.
Second is that I don’t actually intend to launch as late as Sept 2021. In fact, I have every intention of releasing before the end of 2020. But how many KS games actually meet their original launch deadline? As far as I’ve been able to tell, not many. Nay, hardly any at all.
That’s because projections are really hard to make in software development. It’s something of a universal truism, and the error bars almost always flow in the wrong direction. So I decided to set the projected launch date further out than I otherwise might have in an attempt to bake in those error bars. I feel that I have an obligation to my backers, and I want to do right by each and every one of them…I certainly don’t want to accidentally mislead anyone.
And that’s why the date is set as far out as it is. With some luck, the game will release sooner. But I can’t promise that, so I won’t. I know this will probably cost me some sales, but I’d rather lose sales than the alternative here.
Last updated: October 07, 2019 00:35
You aren't asking for much money...
No, I’m not.
But my own living expenses are very low (less than $20K/yr), I’m not paying a team, and the game is already very close to being saleable.
At $20K the game would end up looking like a better version of the current beta, with missing artwork filled in, one or two additional gameplay systems, and a lot of polish including a balance pass and higher quality writing. And the game would release inside of a year.
That’s not a bad result… but I’d like to do better. So, while I wouldn’t strictly need additional funding to finish the game, I’d be looking for some just the same, and I think there’s a high chance that I could find it. But even if I don’t or can’t, the game can be finished at the base funding level.
Last updated: October 11, 2019 11:01
Multiplayer?
Networked multiplayer is planned, and DG already supports hot-seat multiplayer, but I can’t strictly promise this will make it in by version 1.0, since the single player component of the game is by far the more important.
Additionally, we plan to run single player challenges with online leader boards.
Last updated: October 11, 2019 11:01
What platforms and storefronts are you supporting?
We’ll support Windows, OSX, and Linux (but only Ubuntu LTS officially). In the future we may port DG to mobile platforms. If we do, backers will be able to redeem the game on their choice of IOS or Android, free of charge, in addition to the keys that they’ve already received for the desktop version.
The primary storefront is Steam, although we’ll try and support as many as we can. Itch.io is for sure happening.
Last updated: October 11, 2019 11:01
DRM?
I don’t want any touching DG, ever. There may need to be some form of authentication for multiplayer, but the single player component will never be locked behind DRM.
While I hope you buy my game, I’d rather you pirate it than never play it.
Last updated: October 11, 2019 11:01
Current Estimated Shipping Date: September 2021
Estimated date for full release. Closed beta is happening now!
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