Hello!
Goood news! Episode 1 (Voltage main game) is soon leaving Early Access after the next update. Those who have bough the main game before game leaves from Early Access will be granted free access to the Voltage: Episode 2 !
New ideas, new levels and development about performance will be focused to Voltage: Episode 2 (free DLC until futher notice) and Voltage Super Retro (soon changing from Free to Paid).
This is because Voltage: Episode 1 has reached level, where I can say that it has become big enough to offer players hours of game play experience. It mostly represents that stage what I planned it to be. It is not perfect, but perfection takes time. Episode 1 will still receive performance updates and some details will be improved, but biggest focus will now be on developing Episode 2 and Super Retro! Leaving Early Access also gives us more visibility, which is quite important.
Planned time for Voltage: Episode 1 to leave Early Access is 27.5. - 31.5.
These levels, which was originally aimed to add to Episode 1 will be added to Episode 2: VoltageDinoLand, Town of Voltage and City of Voltage.
For reminder, here are Early Access questions and answers since these are not available after game has left EA.
Why Early Access?
“Reason for Early Access is to collect feedback about the levels and gameplay overall, and to make sure that Voltage is game what players enjoy to play (is A.I clever enough, how about map design).
Creating a complete game will take time and we feel that we need feedback about the gameplay. We wan't also explore new ideas with our community and take the time we need to get every detail/map design right.
Early access also allows us to build and increase a community.”
Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?
“We would evaluate that the approximate estimate in Steam is 6-29 months. The time may be even longer: for example if we receive huge amount of ideas about map design from our community and we start implementing ideas. It is possible to make a quite huge game with this engine, but we need more ideas from the community because it is possible that our imagination is limited.”
How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?
“The game engine evolves with speed, so full release will have many more levels and even more advanced A.I. than now. Buying this game now on this Early Access price you will get access our updates (new maps, game technical development...).
Final version will have at least 3 Episodes. Maybe even more, but at this point we can promise that the number of Episodes will be 3. Each episode have 4-10 sublevels.
If you buy Voltage on Early Access price from Steam, you receive new maps for free when we update them to the game and you don't need to pay anything extra.”
What is the current state of the Early Access version?
“We have published version 17.18. and this version includes Episode 1, which have 6 sublevels:
Sublevel 1: Tutorial Zone This is optional on the game menu. We found out that some players were unfamiliar about box pushing and using switches, so now you learn the game logic. On the Tutorial Zone, you can practice many important skills and get to know to the game. Remember that you can always ask help from the Steam Community Hub.
Sublevel 2: Wamp-up A little warm-up before you start...
Sublevel 3: Hometown Actual game starts at your hometown, and your mission is to find Amiga 500 computer and start your adventure in AOSYS. After you have found computer, your journey in AOSYS starts. We noticed that many player was interesting to explore hometown on the first version, so now this level is even more bigger, including many houses and suprises...
Sublevel 4: Star Qruiser First mission is called 'Escape from the Star Cruiser': You are in a Star Cruiser. Seems that something has gone badly wrong and it's full of enemies (we don't reveal what kind of...). This level gives you about a 100-130 min gameplay. The game proceeds almost straightforwardly (spaceship is quite big) when you explore different parts of Star Cruiser and you desperate to escape... Boldly explore the Star Cruiser, who knows if you might even be able to find dinosaurs on their development section... [v.3.10 update makes Star Cruiser even bigger than previous version.]
Sublevel 5: Into the DesertYou have escaped from the Star Cruiser by using emergency shuttle. Unfortunately an error occurs and you find yourself from a burning hot desert. Try to find familiar town, or some vehicle to escape...
Sublevel 6: BunkerWayYou discovered way to the Bunker on previous level. This is the only "safe" way to the Voltage Town. Explore large sections on the bunker and find your way...
These Episodes will be added during the development process:
VoltageDinoLand: gives player about a 40-100 min gameplay, depends how much are you going to explore the DinoLand and complete your mission.
Town of Voltage: In this level you explore suburbs and the main city. It gives you a 40-100 min gameplay.
City of Voltage: In this level you explore suburbs and the main city. It gives you a 40-100 min gameplay.
We can assure that map sizes are huge and you can freely explore and move inside the map. Read more from About this section.”
Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?
“Yes. Voltage will retail for a cheaper entry price during Early Access with the intent to raise the price at full release. This is to reward and encourage those who buy Voltage during Early Access. Reason for higher price on full release is that the full release will contain more maps and possible new functions. Creating new maps will take time so we feel it is justified to increase price when game leaves Early Access.
Price can be increased a also during Early Access when we ship more content to the game (new maps, gameplay development etc).”
How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?
“All users can communicate with their ideas, feedback and questions about the game in the Steam forum of the game.
For example how to bring community ideas to the game:
community can help creating new maps by drawing a new map sketches as a .png files and then we here create new maps based to those sketches]
give tips what kind of buildings and enemies do they wan't to be placed in the maps]
community will also have the opportunity to influence the course of the storyline]
It is important to note that when you buy this game, participation is not compulsory in any way. If you wan't you can just play the game and enjoy the new updates. Or you can wrote feedback and share your ideas.
IT IS UP TO YOU!
”
Those who have bough the main game before it leaves from Early Access will be granted free access to the Voltage: Episode 2 ! 😄