Hey Humans,
It’s the Project N.E.K.O. Dev Team here.
First off, our ears are drooping. We want to sincerely apologize for the radio silence and the delay. The last 48 hours have been a bit of a hairball situation for us. As some of you might know, we originally planned to pounce on the release button on December 3rd.
However, because we wanted to give you features that are truly special, we hit a few snags with Steam’s review process. We are currently on our 4th submission, trying our best to be good cats and comply with all the rules.
This means our launch is paused until Steam gives us the headpats (approval) we need. We will launch the moment we get the green light!
In the meantime, we’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions from our beta testers to give you a better idea of what to expect:
1. Is there any monetization? Do I need to buy cat treats?
No. N.E.K.O. is completely free. We promise no hidden costs. You get:
Adjustable Live2D characters (feat. @pal156 & @umijin68, for in-app use only).
Full character designs.
Built-in AI models and voice packs(requires internet; 2-hour daily limit per person). You can swap models, change settings, and share everything via the Workshop. We won’t charge you for this.
Important Scratch: Even though the AI connects to the cloud, your data stays local. We don't store your chat logs. We respect your privacy, meow.
2. Are the system requirements high?
Nope! You can run N.E.K.O. on almost any dedicated GPU. The heavy thinking is done in the cloud, so your PC won't overheat.
3. Will there be Steam Workshop support?
Yes! We love sharing. At launch, you can share Live2D models and settings. Later, we'll open up Voice and Plugin sharing so you can teach your N.E.K.O. new tricks.
4. Can I use it on mobile?
Yes, via browser! You can access your desktop cat via your phone's browser over LAN. (Note: You'll need an SSL certificate for the mic to work. It’s a bit annoying, like a bath, but we’ll provide a tutorial!) Native apps are coming next Spring.
5. How "smart" is the AI? (Vision, Web Search, PC Control)
Pretty sharp! Vision and Web Search are built-in. Advanced features like Initiating Conversations and Autonomous Control are available, but please treat them as "Experimental." (We often knock a glass off the table, digitally speaking).
6. Can I run local LLMs?
Not just yet. We have the slots for it, but our tech stack (Realtime API & Duplex TTS) is a bit too fast for standard local setups right now. Stay tuned!
A Special Meow for our Western Players
To be completely honest, we didn't expect to see so many of you here this early! We are incredibly grateful (and our tails are wagging) to see the interest from the US and Europe.
Since we noticed so many English-speaking humans wishlisting us, we realized we needed a better place to hang out.
We have just opened an official English Discord server! -> A New Discord Server
Please hop in and say hi (or meow). We are working hard to make the English localization purr-fect for launch.
Thank you for your patience!
— The N.E.K.O. Team 🐾