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Double Fine's Massive Chalice pours onto Steam Early Access
Massive Chalice, a tactical strategy game from Costume Quest developer Double Fine, has poured itself a glass and chosen to sit at the Steam Early Access table. To celebrate the game's soft launch, Double Fine is going to take a little foam off the top for you: from now until November 18, Massive Chalice will be discounted from the usual cost of $29.99 to $22.49. Much like Broken Age, Double Fine's other ... erm, massive crowdfunding success story, Massive Chalice began its life as a Kickstarter dream. By the time its campaign closed, Double Fine had raised $1.2 million dollars to develop the game. Later, it was announced that Massive Chalice would be coming to the Xbox One in 2015 as part of Microsoft's ID@Xbox program. [Image: Double Fine]
Shroud of the Avatar preps for Steam launch
On November 24th, Shroud of the Avatar will be launching on Steam's Early Access service. Backers of the game should already have their Steam keys. Once the game is launched, the development team wants to keep the game's servers on at all times, leading to the current state of the game. In this round of testing, contrary to past tests, players can this time access the game servers according to the game's most recent development update. The newsletter also highlights the ominous Tower of the Shuttered Eye, a rather unpleasant place that will be added to the game with the next major patch scheduled for release on November 20th. There's also a post-mortem on the launch of the game's most recent test patch, which saw a big increase in numbers over previous events. Take a look at the full update for a clearer picture of how the game is doing and what's just around the corner.
Line of Defense's Derek Smart recaps ongoing test phase
3000AD's Derek Smart has penned a new Line of Defense developer blog outlining the current state of the MMOFPS title's early access test phase. Smart explains that more than half of the game's world stations have been opened to testers so far, with two more stations expected to open soon. The final four will unlock when aircraft are patched in. Smart also says that his team is working on a public roadmap website so that players can track release progress and vote on new features. He thanks his testers for their patience with the "staggered" test schedule. " It is for the greater good," he writes. "Been doing this a very – very – long time, so you just have to trust that I know what I'm doing." Earlier this fall, Line of Defense launched on Steam's early access program, but an error allowed the public to download the game without paying for a founder's pack, leading to negative reviews when the games were confiscated and eliciting a fiery response from Smart.
Spacebase DF-9 players get Hack n' Slash free, and vice versa
Double Fine is issuing free copies of its hacking-themed PC puzzler Hack 'n' Slash to players who purchased Spacebase DF-9 during its Steam Early Access phase, and Hack 'n' Slash owners will likewise receive Spacebase DF-9 free of charge. The giveaway follows up on recent criticism players leveled at Spacebase DF-9 after it prematurely wrapped up development, scaling back or eliminating many promised features in the process. The game was originally set to evolve over a period of several months via Steam's Early Access program before its developers made the decision to polish up and complete the game in its existing state. The final version of Spacebase DF-9 is now available for purchase via Steam at a 40 percent discount through November 3. [Image: Double Fine]
Shroud of the Avatar Release 11 helps prepare for Steam debut
With Shroud of the Avatar's launch on Steam Early Access next month, the team is eager to test crucial systems to prepare for a wider playerbase. As such, Release 11 has gone into testing from today through Monday, October 27th, and will allow backers to access a Steam-specific test as well. Release 11 patches in a character advancement system, major combat improvements, crafting additions, and a big change to the game's overworld map. "We are also moving towards each of these maps being visually distinct (albeit similar when part of the same area)," the team posted. "The result, we feel, is a map that is MUCH easier to navigate and coordinate with other players. We know this is slightly different than what we have presented in the past, but we feel this is the right direction for the game." Shroud of the Avatar will go live on Steam Early Access on November 24th. The video guide on how to install the Steam test is all yours after the break!
Life is Feudal reports 100,000 copies sold in the first month
After a month of availability on Steam and via its own website, Life is Feudal has apparently sold 100,000 copies. Bitbox has clarified to Massively that the current build of the game "is a 64-player version" and that the "thousands of servers [...] are all persistent." Producer and project lead Vladimir Piskunov attributes the early success of the title to the freedom allowed for players to build while emphasizing that these sales will help fund the development of the game's full MMO experience. No specific target date for the game's MMO incarnation has been set. [Source: Bitbox Ltd. press release]
Skara: The Blade Remains moves to Steam early access
Have you been longing for a violent multiplayer combat game on Steam with no regard for how early it may be in testing? Then you'll be happy to learn that Skara: The Blade Remains will be landing on the Early Access service on October 27th. Players will initially be limited to one-on-one battles in the earliest client, although the ultimate plan is to make the game play as an 8v8 mix of RPG and MOBA elements. You can get a sense for how the game will look in action in the gameplay trailer just past the break. Purchasers will ultimately have their money refunded in the form of virtual currency once the game launches as free-to-play in 2015. If you want to get involved in the testing and don't want to fund the game directly from the developer's site, just hold on a little longer and you can pick it up through Steam. [Source: 8-Bit Studios press release]
Perpetuum officially launching on Steam this Friday
Perpetuum is officially launching on Steam this Friday, October 17th. Wait a minute, wasn't the sci-fi sandbox already on Steam? Well, yes. Yes it was, as an early access title. The latest Perpetuum dev blog details how and why Avatar Creations is moving its game out of early access even though it's still working on a mission system revamp, new PvE content, and a new engine. There's also a patch scheduled for this week that will revamp the game's mineral spawning system. Finally, the dev blog talks about upcoming intrusion and gamma changes as well as a big robot balance patch.
Sunless Sea update goes 'steel' with major combat changes
Sunless Sea's "Steel" update is now live for all players, and brings a major change to the game's combat. The roguelike seafaring RPG previously featured turn-based combat, deemed "tiresome" in our time with the Early Access game in July. As demonstrated in a video provided by Failbetter Games after the break, the Steel update brings combat out of the game's menus and into the same top-down overworld in which players pilot their ship. The new real-time combat system still relies on players charging weapons and keeping enemies within range, though the latter is now represented by a red arc that circles their ship. Failbetter also "made some changes to the way the map is laid out in terms of balance and variety" and recommends that players start the game over with a new captain and chart to get the most out of the Steel update. The update entered a beta phase late last month. Sunless Sea is available through Steam Early Access and DRM-free on the developer's site for $18.99. [Image: Failbetter Games]
Bugbear's Next Car Game is going to be a Wreckfest
Up until now, Bugbear Entertainment has focused on tuning Next Car Game's gears rather than its name, including tweaks to its Early Access build that has already collected $1 million. The team has taken a pit stop to choose an encompassing decal for the side of their racer however, and their winner feels suited to Next Car Game's key idea: "Wreckfest." Drivers already trashing rides in Wreckfest's Early Access build can now partake in 18-player matches, with Bugbear now "pushing the limits" to eventually allow for 24 cars to share the same event. Bugbear's update also adds Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch game modes, a two-in-one oval and figure-eight track, a European coupe, changes to Wreckfest's physics engine and more. Console ports were once part of Next Car Game's canceled Kickstarter campaign, but even with the project finding life on Early Access, Lead Game Designer Janne Suur-Nakki told Polygon earlier this year that the team is "hoping that we will have a chance to port the game on PS4, Xbox One or both somewhere along the way." [Image: Bug Bear Entertainment]
Life is Feudal sells 65,000 copies on Steam early access
Things are going swimmingly for Life is Feudal if Steam early access sales are any indication. Indie studio Bitbox Ltd says that it's moved 65,000 units of its flagship title since September 19th. If you're a fan of fantasy MMOs and sandboxes, you might want to take a look at the game's latest promo trailer that we've embedded just past the cut. [Source: Bitbox Ltd.]
SpeedRunners reaches $1 million in sales, 162 years playtime
SpeedRunners, a game about superheroes racing one another to the scene of a crime, has racked up 162 years of total playtime and $1 million worth of sales, according to an infographic from No Time To Explain studio and SpeedRunners publisher, tinyBuild. You can check out the full list of facts after the break. Developed by DoubleDutch Games, SpeedRunners was released on Steam Early Access in August of last year. It gained a surge in popularity thanks in part to exposure from YouTube personalities such as Swedish sensation PewDiePie, and more statistics shared by tinyBuild attest to this; according to tinyBuild, 1 in 1,000 people in Sweden own a copy of the game. The final version of SpeedRunners is due for release on PC by the end of 2014 "... probably," according to tinyBuild. A free version will be available as well, with a console version sprinting to Xbox One in 2015.
Derek Smart responds to Line of Defense early access mishaps
So guess what happens when you flag a game as both early access and free-to-play on Steam? Apparently, everyone can get in and play with or without buying the founder's packs that your game is selling. That was the lesson that the Line of Defense crew learned last week when that exact scenario took place. Some players were a little miffed by that turn of events, which led to Derek Smart's penning an explanation and response to the situation. Smart lambastes those who peppered the game's store page with negative reviews based upon the unexpectedly revoked access, claiming that those who did not own the game but submitted negative reviews were violating the terms of service for Steam. He stresses that the game is currently still very much in testing and access is not being given away to any form of media simply because the game is far from feature-complete at this time. You can read the full update on the official site.
Joystiq Streams: Minimum with Human Head and Steam code giveaway
Human Head Studios had a turbulent decade. The Wisconsin-based developer kicked off the HD console generation in 2006 by finishing Prey, a first-person shooter with some interesting ideas about portals released well before cake memes took over the web. After Prey's success, Human Head turned around and started work on a wildly ambitious sequel, but that game met with a rather grisly, obscure end. After lighter projects on Android and Wii U, Human Head is back with Minimum, an appropriately named third-person shooter with a spare aesthetic. How has the team's development process changed in the era of early access? What's it like making a shooter in 2014 compared to 2006? We'll find out when Human Head sits down with Joystiq for a look at their latest. Starting at 4:00PM EST, Joystiq Streams will be playing Minimum on Joystiq.com/Twitch. Project leader Norm Nazaroff and art director Jim Sumwalt will join Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello) and Alexander Sliwinski (@Sliwinski) to discuss the game. Plus: We'll be doling out free copies of Minimum to folks that come out to watch. That's Joystiq.com/Twitch at 4:00PM EST. Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we go live other times as well so follow us on Twitch to catch every show. [Images: Human Head Studios]
The Long Dark ventures to Steam Early Access
Hinterland Studio launched its first-person exploration game The Long Dark on Steam Early Access this week, making the in-development survival simulator available for PC and Mac users for $20. Set in the pacific northwest, the game forces players to scavenge for resources and survive the threat of starvation, wolves and more. The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion lead designer Ken Rolston joined the developer earlier this month. Rolston adds to a well-credited crew at Hinterland, which includes Far Cry 3 Narrative Director Raphael van Lierop. The Long Dark's journey took off with its success on Kickstarter in October 2013, at which point the developer earned $248,899. Those that want a taste of the game should revisit Joystiq Streams' archive from July, in which Hinterland took us through the dark woods for an hour. [Image: Hinterland Studio]
Double Fine to exit Early Access, release full version of Spacebase DF-9
Double Fine announced that it will abandon its Steam Early Access plans for Spacebase DF-9, revealing that a finished version of its galactic life sim will launch next month. Spacebase DF-9's dev plans now focus on adding tutorials and in-game goals as the project nears a final release. The announcement scales back Spacebase DF-9's once-ambitious scope, which previously called for dozens of in-depth features to be added over a period of several months via Early Access. RPS notes that a full source code release will accompany the game's upcoming launch, essentially putting future additions in the hands of its playerbase. Spacebase DF-9 was initially pitched during an internal game jam in December of 2012 before entering Early Access late last year. [Image: Double Fine]
FIFA 15 booting up for EA Access members today
FIFA 15 will roll out to EA Access members on Xbox One today, five days before its arrival on retail shelves. The game is available on a limited basis before its September 23 launch much like Madden NFL 15; EA Access members will have six hours to score as many goals as they can before the early play period dries up. Hey, there's always the FIFA 15 demo that's been available for a little over a week. EA revealed its Access program in late July as a method of providing Xbox One players select games from its catalog for $5 per month or $30 per year. Earlier this month, the publisher said members poured 245,000 hours into the Madden 15 trial, amounting to over 40,000 players. EA removed Ultimate Team trade offers from FIFA 15 following revisions to its Ultimate Team abuse policies last month, which will result in permanent FIFA Online bans for coin selling and farming. The publisher removed trading from its FIFA Ultimate Team web app at that point, and multiple tweets indicate that the app is down for extended maintenance today. [Image: EA Sports]
Plague Inc: Evolved catches custom scenarios on Steam
The Steam Early Access version of Ndemic Creations' global pandemic sim Plague Inc: Evolved has updated with a new Scenario Creator, letting players unleash their own devastating diseases across a simulated Earth. After installing today's update, players are able to create and share their deadly scenarios with fellow Steam users via Steam Workshop. Over 200 custom-created scenarios have launched in the update's first day of release, and players can browse publicly shared creations using Plague Inc's new in-game browser. "The biggest and most-requested update yet, the Scenario Creator allows players to hit the lab and use the same tools that we do to create awesome new content for Plague Inc: Evolved," producer Marc Pick said. "The content will grant a dynamic flow of new, user-generated content to players of the game." [Image: Ndemic Creations]
EverQuest begins Darkened Sea beta
While The Darkened Sea, EverQuest's 21st expansion, debuts in a little over a month, you can check out the beta as soon as... well, right now. Producer Thom Terrazas posted a letter on the forums yesterday informing players that the beta would begin today and continue through October 24th. Terrazas also put out a call for raiding guilds to sign up to test the expansion's raid content on September 22nd. Following that, the early access launch for The Darkened Sea will start on October 28th and the full release will follow on November 11th. There will not be a pre-order for the expansion. "We are also working on an easy way for players to purchase the expansion plus a monthly subscription to get in quickly and avoid getting left behind. Stay tuned for those details very soon," Terrazas promised. Coming next week to EverQuest is an update that will include a robe category for the player studio and a way to transfer large amounts of currency at a time.
Distance brings Early Access patrons to the track this fall
After introducing players to its neon-streaked streets at PAX Prime last month and in a private beta, Refract Studios' Distance will turn the corner on Early Access sometime this fall. Although an exact arrival date has not been set, Refract's Kickstarter update explains the Early Access version should help private beta members find a few new multiplayer rivals. There's more in Distance's bag of tricks than just speeding along raceways – as displayed in the beta trailer, players can twist, flip and spread their wings to navigate between sections of Distance's winding tracks. Distance is a spiritual successor to Nitronic Rush, a similarly-hectic racer that the Refract team contributed to while studying at DigiPen. Since rights for Nitronic Rush were retained by DigiPen, Refract set out to finish their vision with Distance, which is eventually due for release on PC, Mac and Linux. [Image: Refract Studios]
