A quick November update, voidhunters:
Pricing
"Cthpoolu" - the first-week prototype.
Pool of Madness started as a spontaneous 2-person game jam - an attempt to "combine storytelling with pool". Within a couple of days we had a prototype that turned out very fun and a month later the early playtest hit Steam for Lovecraftian Days to a great reception.
Our initial idea was to release the game for free (like our previous title, Dagon: by H. P. Lovecraft) in EA, and switch to the paid model later, but since its inception Pool of Madness morphed from a spontaneous side project to our main focus and the most fun project we’ve ever worked on.
We have a unique eldritch baby in our hands, so we want to allow it to grow into a more powerful and wicked form than originally anticipated, and this means a longer development cycle, new cooperation possibilities and such. Long story short, we've decided to shift to: lower price at EA launch, price increase upon completing EA (at 1.0).
Early Access
Designing PoM logo.
Since we've tested out the majority of what we consider foundational features in the past months (and plan to do so until the end of year) and made improvements to important areas like physics, we're ready to start spinning up a release plan.
Current EA launch date: 2026-when-we-feel-it's-ready-for-EA. Meaning: when PoM is in a state that allows you to enjoy the game while we continue developing it and shaping the final form with the community.
Blood, Saws and Explosions
In other news, lately we've been working on some interesting torture dev... table contraptions, to add another layer to the gameplay. Here's a little taste:
The ritual must continue.
...as well as boss fight mechanics, but that's a story for another time.
That's it for now, see you around!