Why Early Access?

“Mostly because it's intimidating to release this project I've been working on for 3 years, since I was in 6th grade. However, despite being nowhere near completion, I feel that this game can be a worthwhile VR experience for many. I aim to provide the best experience for an even wider range of audience in the future.

Ever since I started coding at 6 years old (2014), I always had a strange attraction towards procedural generation and the idea of an universe molded by computer logic instead of nature and science. Out of sheer curiosity, I started work on it in 2021. Despite having no budget or experience, I was thrilled to see the positive effect that this experience had on my peers, and I was able to push the project into early access. Player feedback has been at the core of Drift Abyss’s development process and now I would like to invite VR users around the world!”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“It’s hard to tell when Drift Abyss will become something I would consider a finished game, especially as a middle school student from Japan studying in the U.S. through scholarship support. However, I am currently aiming to reach version 1.0 by September 2024 while steadily releasing updates. Regardless of completion, I will continue to improve this product through user feedback!”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“My current bucket list for the full version includes:

Crazier terrain generator
Real lore and questline (may experiment with adaptive / branching questline to take full advantage of the terrain generator!)
Photo/terrain based gameplay gimmicks
Performance, graphical and other technical improvements (e.g. origin shifting, voxel-based light calculations, etc.)”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“In the early access version, players can experience the prologue of the overarching story of DriftAbyss, as well as a preview of the gameplay mechanics. Players can explore the crazy, expressive and sometimes beautiful landscapes that expand forever in all 6 directions (x+, y+, z+, x-, y-, z-).”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“The current plan is to increase the price once upon hitting version 1.0.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Any feedback is welcome through Steam reviews, our official website (8legs.jp), 8legs. and @8legsjp / #8legsjp / #driftabyss on Twitter/X or Instagram. I will try my best to keep my eyes on all of the aforementioned platforms to take in consideration. I am also planning to set up a Discord server once I accumulate some traction!”