Hi Chieftains,
I'm ZIMA, the chief producer! As you all know, our EA is now in its countdwon stage, if you want to learn more about the EA version, feel free to check out this announcement:
In these final days, my team and I have been working tirelessly on the last optimizations for Soulmask. I'm pleased to announce that we secured the top spot for Most Anticipated Game at Steam Open world survival Crafting Fest. To celebrate this rare achievement, I indulged in an extra glass of whisky. Without the support of our players, this wouldn't have been possible, and it motivates us even more to strive for excellence.
At the last moment, I realized that we have never shared about any details regarding the birth of Soulmask.
Therefore, as we are about to meet everyone at the EA launch, I would like to write a letter to all the Chieftains. In this letter, I hope to describe the journey of Soulmask from a mere concept to the expansive world it has become, and outline its future path.
The Origin and Future of Soulmask
If I were to talk about the inspiration behind Soulmask, I think the initial motivation for creating any game naturally arises from a desire to express oneself. Whenever I find myself in deep thought, often after a few drinks, I can't help but ponder abstract questions: Why do we exist? What is humanity's ultimate destiny? What exactly is consciousness? Will robots eventually replace humans, and if so, will they possess souls?
As these ideas grew stronger, I felt an irresistible urge to create a game that explores the "ultimate question." This is how Soulmask was born—a natural evolution of concepts like savage tribes in the rainforest, colossal pyramids from lost civilizations, and enigmatic masks from mysterious cultures...
The central theme of Soulmask delves into a fascinating aspect of civilization's evolution: "Awareness Uploading." The idea of a "mask" serves as an ideal metaphor for this concept—When you wear a mask, are you still truly yourself? If awareness is uploaded and detached from the physical body, where does one's sense of self reside? Furthermore, what happens when awareness is transferred into a mask? Could someone become just a facade and possibly share control over their body with others through this medium? These intriguing scenarios captivate me because they open up endless possibilities.
Also, in the world of Soulmask, we bring to life various tiers of civilization: From savage tribal societies to lost ancient cultures and mysterious prehistoric civilizations. To avoid spoilers, I won't delve deeper into this topic right now. Instead, I invite all chieftains to explore this realm with curiosity—uncovering connections between these civilizations and their hidden stories. What may seem like disparate cultures could indeed follow a unique pattern... who knows?
Lastly, as a seasoned veteran in the gaming industry, I am eager to develop a game that offer extensive freedom and enduring gameplay. My years of gaming experience have shown me that sandbox games are my true calling. Moreover, my vision includes crafting a multiplayer adventure game where players can join forces with friends and potentially accommodate an even larger player base (I know it's hard to achieve, but we're still striving for it). We have also incorporated the popular simulation element, including tribesmen recruitment and diverse traits for these characters, to enrich the game's longevity and depth.
Hence, that's how Soulmask came into being. I take pride in the universe we've crafted, yet there's still much work to perfect it.
In Soulmask, your adventure extends far beyond a single world. As you progress deeper into the game, you'll uncover entirely new regions on this planet—each with its own distinct physical environments and cultural themes. And who knows? One day, you might even journey beyond this planet to reveal what lies behind the mask. Rest assured, every world we create adheres to a consistent and coherent set of rules. Our aim is to enrich every facet of these worlds, making your experience more vibrant and immersive than ever before.
About EA Version
As for the reason for choosing EA mode, we have a very straightforward decision: We believe that player engagement is crucial for enhancing our game. By introducing it to a broader audience early on, we can gather diverse and invaluable feedback. Our goal is to collaborate closely with players to develop, refine, and shape this gaming universe together. There's no better way to achieve this than by releasing Soulmask into Early Access on Steam.
Throughout our development journey, from initial small-scale testing to extensive large-scale demo, we've conducted multiple playtests. During this process, we noticed an overwhelming enthusiasm for Soulmask. Players are eagerly anticipating the chance to dive into the game as soon as possible. In light of this excitement, we believe it's a fantastic opportunity to meet their expectations and deliver the experience at just the right moment.
As for how long the experience for EA will persist? All I can tell is, we are working tirelessly to accelerate development, striving to quickly incorporate exciting suggestions from both our team and players to make Soulmask even more captivating. However, we need to monitor the EA phase before finalizing an exact release date.
Perhaps many Chieftains are so curious about the differences between EA version and the full version, I would say, for delivering both quality and quantity in our Early Access release, we are dedicating all our efforts to perfecting Soulmask – an experience designed for everyone to enjoy. This EA version will provide a rich and immersive gaming experience! As we move towards the full release, we'll actively incorporate your feedback and roll out various free updates, including new mask skins and construction components. The launch of our EA version is just the beginning for Soulmask, and we hope you'll love it as much as we do.
As for the notable features in the EA version, firstly, it's about recruiting your own tribesmen to establish a tribe, engage in farming and animal husbandry activities to keep the tribe functioning steadily in this perilous world. Secondly, quickly acquiring and upgrading various powerful masks plays a crucial role in your survival.
Regarding Recent Updates
In fact, after the Next Fest and the Open Beta, our primary focus continues to be on developing rich game content to ensure that the Early Access version offers a substantial and engaging experience. We deeply value the extensive feedback from our players, particularly regarding significant improvements in the new player tutorial. Through multiple rounds of small-scale testing, we aim to identify further opportunities for optimization and address any existing bugs or performance issues. Additionally, we've conducted several rounds of small-scale PvP testing with the goal of refining specific PvP rules and enhancing the overall appeal of PvP gameplay..
If you have experienced the pervious test versions, you must notice our overall upgrading toturial guidance as we immediately started remaking it as soon as we received your feedback.
We've made several mask functions available in the early stages of the game, including the deter, recruit, and revival functions. Through multiple rounds of testing and playthroughs, we've continuously listened to player feedback and made adjustments accordingly. We're thrilled to see that players can now quickly recruit their own tribesemen, form tribes, and experience the core essence and most captivating aspects of Soulmask.
Regarding DLC
I understand you definitely want to know the post-launched contents after EA, especially DLC, regarding this aspect, to be honest I don't want to spoil any surprises. I can share that we're currently focused on improving our existing content and actively responding to player feedback. In the near future, we plan to release a free DLC for everyone, which will include new construction components, mask skins, and more exciting features.
Of course, I understand what you're eager to hear: Yes, we have already started working on a major DLC. What I can reveal at this point is that it will be extensive in scope. The rest remains a secret for now—stay tuned for some exciting surprises!
We've also heard your requests for mod support. It's on our agenda, and as a team with extensive experience in mod development, we'll share more details when the time is right.
About Gratitude
Last but not least, I want to say thank you to all of you who has ever made contributions for Soulmask:
—— Thank you——
