Why Early Access?

“Rhythm Doctor is intended to tell a full, overarching story of characters through the lens of a rhythm game, as well as provide players with the tools necessary to establish a community of user-generated content. Although a large portion of the Story Mode is currently included, the story is unfinished and additional levels and scenes will be added in the future. We have included an array of Level Editor tools, but we know that there may be additions and changes we could implement in the future to help players express their ideas visually and mechanically. We'd also like to receive feedback from the community on the game's difficulty and tutorialization of gameplay mechanics, to ensure that players of all skill levels can pick up Rhythm Doctor and enjoy everything it has to offer.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We estimate that Rhythm Doctor will stay in Early Access for more than a year, and the development timeline may be subject to change. It may take longer based on feedback we receive, changes we feel are necessary for our Level Editor tools, and the game mechanics and animations that are involved in creating the concluding chapters of the story.”

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

“Rhythm Doctor's Story Mode is divided into Acts. The Early Access version of the game contains a portion of Acts, but the story is currently incomplete. The full version of the game will contain the entire story. It will include various additional levels, boss levels, interactions, and secrets scattered throughout the game areas, and will include all of our planned game mechanics. The full version will also include an in-game tutorial for our Level Editor tools, and the Level Editor and Custom Level Select will be considered feature-complete.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The current Early Access version of Rhythm Doctor contains the first five Acts of Story Mode and several bonus levels, connected by narrative scenes. It contains a Level Editor tool with a variety of features, allowing players to create levels with the same quality and capabilities as the levels we have made. Players can upload their levels to our Steam Workshop, and a Custom Level Select menu allows them to view and play any user-generated levels they have downloaded. Although our Level Editor tools do not have an in-game tutorial, our community has shared guides with fellow players on how to set-up their own levels and use various features.”

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

“If we feel that the game's content, tools, and length are expanded significantly by the launch of the full version, the price may be increased slightly to reflect the scope of the final game. This answer may be subject to change over the course of the Early Access period.”

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

“Leading up to our release onto Steam, we have already had a strong involvement with our community. We discuss mechanics, game balance, game feel, suggestions, and more with our players on a regular basis. The community has had a large role in the design of our Level Editor tools up to this point, and we look forward to continuing to discuss the tools with them and taking feedback on how they can be improved. In the past, our community's interest in the addition of certain features or tools has been a guide in prioritizing our work. Because of the nature of rhythm games, precision in the tweaking of balance and feel is always necessary to create the most fair and rewarding challenge. We expect that a two-way dialogue with our community will continue to be instrumental in providing the best challenge, tutorializing the game in an approachable way, and pushing the boundaries of our editing tools.”