It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since the launch of Direct Contact. Let me begin with an apology. The launch wasn’t the build I dreamed of sharing with you, the community that stood by me through everything. I want to take this opportunity to tell my story of struggle, passion, and perseverance.
When Direct Contact began, it was just 150 members and me in my small Discord community. Then, overnight, everything changed. The Discord grew to over 1,200 members in less than a day. Within 48 hours, we had 6,500 people joining. Messages, donations, and excitement flooded in. To put yourself in my shoes, imagine this: I’d been working with Unreal Engine since 2017, learning from scratch, failing countless times, and trying again. I wasn’t a big studio its only me ED. I wasn’t someone with decades of experience. I was just an Arma 3 veteran with over 6,000 hours of gameplay under my belt, 70% of which was spent modding and building communiti. I loved mil-sim games, and I had a dream to make one of my own.
No one wakes up one day and has the world in their hands. Building something takes years of sacrifice, failure, and learning. In 2021, after four long years of figuring out Unreal Engine, I finally had the knowledge and confidence to start creating. And that’s when Direct Contact came to life. It wasn’t just a project, it was my passion. And the world responded. Everything exploded after the GLID Gaming showcase. Thousands of people supported the project, watched our videos, and sent private messages to me. Veterans, police officers, and fans shared their stories with me, stories of war, grief, mental health struggles, and even the loss of loved ones. Suddenly, I wasn’t just a developer. I was someone people looked up to, someone they trusted.
This kind of attention changes you. It forces you to ask yourself: Am I the ALPHA man, or am I a follower? When the pressure builds when thousands of people are looking at you, are you ready to step up and lead? Or do you crumble under the weight? I knew I had to lead. But let me tell you, it wasn’t easy.
By November 2023, things started to fall apart. After showing the third build of Direct Contact, I discovered a major issue with textures and animations. The character holding the weapon looked completely wrong. Thousands of people had already seen it, and I was devastated. I spent over a week trying to fix the issue, barely sleeping, working 10 to 17 hours a day. With the early access launch set for December 13th, I made the difficult decision to delay. The feedback from the community was mixed, some were supportive, and others were frustrated. But I kept going.
At one point, I hit a wall. I was burned out, exhausted, and juggling the demands of my work with raising my five-year-old daughter during the holiday season. I’d look at her and remind myself why I was doing this. My family supported me, and I pushed through, releasing the game in February. But when it launched, it was a mess. The response was overwhelming, and criticism came pouring in. People turned on me overnight, and I had to make tough calls, removing moderators, banning toxic members, and shutting down parts of the community.
Through it all, I kept working. Over the past year, I’ve released almost 100 updates. The game isn’t perfect, it isn’t the masterpiece I dreamed of. But it’s something I’m proud of. And I believe it’s something that hundreds of thousands of people will remember, and maybe some even love.
So now, I want to ask you: Are you the ALPHA man, or are you a follower? When life throws challenges at you, do you stand tall and face them? Or do you hide in the corner?
For me, the answer is clear. I kept going. I kept working. And I’ll continue to push forward, every single day.
Looking Ahead
As we step into 2025, let’s take a moment to reflect on the world around us. A new president is in office in the United States, and we’re entering a new era. Let’s hope for peace and unity. Let’s work together to build a brighter future, not just for games like Direct Contact, but for the world we live in.
To everyone who supported me, criticized me, or believed in me: Thank you. I’ll never forget what this community has done for me. And while Direct Contact may not be the perfect game, it’s a step toward something great. Who knows, maybe one day, there will be a Direct Contact 2, a game that truly fulfills the vision we all had. Until then, I’ll keep working, keep improving, and keep striving to be the best It can be.
Here’s to 2025, a golden era. Let’s embrace it, stay focused, and never give up.
Patch Notes - V0.64.32170 UE5.5.1 Winter Storm
- M4A1 Updates: Fixed material textures and properly connected material channels. This marks the beginning of a full rework for all weapons.
- MCX Improvements: Updated textures, corrected handguard setup, and adjusted colors.
- New Materials: Added over 20 new handguards with updated materials.
- Norway Map: Resolved elevator issues.
- Gadget Updates: The new material system will extend to all gadgets, including EOTech sights, scopes, suppressors, and muzzle adapters. Updates will roll out progressively.
Thank you for being part of this journey. I salute you all.