another example of a successful early access

[jab136]

so Kerbal Space Program is launching v1.0 today after being in early access for the last four years. for those who aren't aware of the game, it is a simulator where you build aircraft/spacecraft from set parts and then put little green people in them and fly them (possibly even to other planets if you have the skill), it is also extremely mod friendly, and I personally get a lot of extra functionality from mods. not that the base game is in any way lacking, I just prefer some of the hard mode mods. here is a link to their youtube channel. KSP is available on Steam, as well as directly from their site.
https://www.youtube.com/user/KerbalSPOfficial

 

[Here Comes Tomorrow]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

COnsidering that near the same development time of AAA games with large teams and money to burn.

 

[tm96]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

COnsidering that near the same development time of AAA games with large teams and money to burn.

And besides Early Access has gotten a really bad reputation over the last few month.

 

[L. Declis]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

An indie team actually bothering to finish a game over a very extended period and not just shitting it out once they got enough money? Seems like a bloody good success to me.

 

[DrOswald]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

The game was of great quality and financially successful long before it was officially released. By any reasonable metric it is a fantastic success.

 

[MonsterCrit]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

COnsidering that near the same development time of AAA games with large teams and money to burn.

And besides Early Access has gotten a really bad reputation over the last few month.

Mostly from people who don't read or take the time to understand the implications of the clearly displayed warnings. IT's like when someone buys a bike and fails to notice the BIG ASS ASSEMBLY REQUIRED' notice on the box. then complains about only getting a bunch of parts.

Hang around the steam forums and you realize that most of the complainers are basically either complaining that the game is taking too long 'Clearly not understanding that game development can take years''. or that they were entitled to a finished game... which was never mentioned anywhere . The Steam Faq and other warnings specifically state. DOn't buy the game if you're not satisfied with it's current state'.

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

Dwarf Fortress has been in development for nearly 15 years no plans for a 1.0 release.

Tales of Maj Eyal took 3 years from starting the project to the first "release" but it has a 20 year pedigree from pernband to the current version. TOME was accepted to steam in 2014(13?).

STALKER which was one of the greatest games ever made took 6 years before release and even that was rushed.

Minecraft was developed over 4 years before initial release and I don't think anybody can say that isn't a spectacular success.

You can't judge a game by how long it took to develop, only by whether or not it eventually accomplished its goals.

 

[Rayce Archer]

KSP is the real deal. No regrets about biting.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

No mention of Besiege? Awh... its a beautiful game worth its price... and so malleable.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

No mention of Besiege? Awh... its a beautiful game worth its price... and so malleable.

Beseige isn't out as a full game yet. KSP is.

I know but its got such a beautiful promise, veery much KSP-like. I feel its worth mentioning that game in a KSP praise... esp. about games that are GOOD Early Access games...

 

[NeutralDrow]

Wait, seriously? Did they just jump from 0.26 to 1.0, or something?

Awesomesauce. I wonder what I should do first, play 1.0 myself to start with, or wait for Danny2462 to release a demonstration video...

 

[LordLundar]

Wait, seriously? Did they just jump from 0.26 to 1.0, or something?

Awesomesauce. I wonder what I should do first, play 1.0 myself to start with, or wait for Danny2462 to release a demonstration video...

First, version numbers aren't required to follow a set pattern. It's up to the development team to determine version numbers.

Second, Beta was version 0.90. Version 0.26 was the last designated alpha build.

 

[aozgolo]

I think we need a Gallery of the Day showcasing SUCCESSFUL Early Access games.

 

[Dalisclock]

Four years development for an indie game doesn't seem very successful to me.

Except when you take into account that the game has been very playable(and fun) for several years now, thus the popularity. It just gets more refined each iteration, as opposed to less broken.

Sadly, I haven't been able to play much. I've been using some of the mod parts packs which aren't compatible yet with 1.0, so I'm stuck with stock parts for the moment.

 

[baddude1337]

Did they actually add all the planned features or have they left some out?

Don't get me wrong, I have heard nothing but good things about KSP, but a lot of Early Access games reach full release when they haven't even implemented half of the planned features, leaving a broken game without the Early Access title for defence against criticism.

 

[MCerberus]

I don't know, it seems that Early Access works out pretty well for AA devs.

It's just that there's the pile of super-indie stuff that seems made to fail.