Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts - Steam Release Plan Update

[Ink]

Admirals,

We would like to share with you the plans on the Steam release for UA: Dreadnoughts.

Game launch
The game will launch in Steam Early Access after Steam Summer Sale. Valve does not recommend launching during the Summer sale and we had to move the date from mid-summer to end July August. Estimated date 10th of August, the date depends on the Valve’s final approval of the store. But we are trying to push for an earlier date.

Price for Early Access Edition – 35 USD (with Steam regional pricing differences).

Steam keys for Limited and Standard edition buyers
We are requesting keys from valve next week and will send them using the email you used to purchase the game through Xsolla. We will add an update to the forum, game launcher and Steam page when the keys will be sent out.
The keys we are sending will allow you to play the game once it launches on Steam (on release date). We tried to get the keys with the ability to access the game earlier than launch date, but unfortunately Valve no longer allows developers to let access to the game before launch due to abuse by some developers.

Xsolla availability
Once we start sending out Steam keys to all editions, the Xsolla store will close. Game will be available to buy again when it launches on Steam Early Access.

Campaign
We estimate that we need at least 5-6 months to create the first playable version of Campaign. This time might change. Despite the unexpected difficulties that the pandemic caused in the world, affecting the development of the project, we will follow through all the development goals. Timing could be affected by the world situation, but the development goals themselves will not change. 

We will update the community on the progress by posting the internal campaign patch notes at least once every month.

The only development focus after Steam keys’ delivery will be the campaign. We will, of course, occasionally switch to critical bugs or minor features, but campaign is and will be the only main priority:

• Stages of campaign development:
  • Two nations first 
  • Crew and Officers progression
  • Technology development and connection to Crew & Officer progression
  • Event and battle systems
  • Campaign AI
  • Political systems, wars and alliances

• Beta version of the campaign, as mentioned above, will be available 5-6 months (or more) after Steam Early Access launch, as a beta branch. 
• Full version of the campaign will be available on full release of the game (not the Early Access version).

Custom battles and saves
We know saves in custom battles is one of the most requested features. Campaign saves systems, once implemented, will hopefully help to add saves to custom battles sooner, we will let you know more about this when we have more information. 

Again thank you very much for the support, feedback and encouragement.

The Game-Labs Team

[Cptbarney]

@HusariuS @TotalRampage @BobRoss0902 @Koogus @Marshall99 @Airzerg @Steeltrap @Shaftoe @Fuems @Bluishdoor76 @IronKaputt @1MajorKoenig

might as well get a book for the names lol. At this bloody rate 😆

either way this important regardless, soz to anyone i missed! so i might be right about it coming alpha 9.

[The Maned Wolf]

This is great news. I look forward to trying the game out, from what I've heard from others, you've put some great work into it, hopefully if things go well I should get my chance next week. Thank you and keep up the good work.

[HusariuS]

 

[Ink]

The post is updated

[roachbeef]

4 hours ago, Ink said:

• Technology development and connection to Crew & Officer progression
•  

@Nick Thomadis

Does that mean some "technologies" are more like doctrines that come from experience, or are some technologies faulty until they are actually used on board ships? This will put a very interesting spin on research and mean that you can't just barge up the tech tree without testing them on ships first.

[Nick Thomadis]

17 minutes ago, roachbeef said:

@Nick Thomadis

Does that mean some "technologies" are more like doctrines that come from experience, or are some technologies faulty until they are actually used on board ships? This will put a very interesting spin on research and mean that you can't just barge up the tech tree without testing them on ships first.

It simply means that technology tree is still under development, and will receive special new entries related to crew and officers. 
Just for info, technologies will not be researched linearly. They can fail, delay or may speed up according to global tech conditions. Funds can speed up technology research but will not guarantee a specific time on when new technology will become available.

[TsAGI]

5 hours ago, Ink said:

The keys we are sending will allow you to play the game once it launches on Steam (on release date). We tried to get the keys with the ability to access the game earlier than launch date, but unfortunately Valve no longer allows developers to let access to the game before launch due to abuse by some developers.

So if I ordered the Standard Edition I have to wait until the Steam release to play the game? Oof why didn't I just buy the Limited Edition back in February...

[Aceituna]

(sigh) I wished to receive campaing until end of June. Well now it looks like we will get it as christmas present.

Anyway thanks for informing us.

I have a few questions: What are those 2 nations playable first? (if it's already known)

About those promised patch notes: Will these include screenshots? And when can we expect first of these notes?

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Aceituna

[HusariuS]

20 minutes ago, Aceituna said:

(sigh) I wished to receive campaing until end of June. Well now it looks like we will get it as christmas present.

Anyway thanks for informing us.

I have a few questions: What are those 2 nations playable first? (if it's already known)

About those promised patch notes: Will these include screenshots? And when can we expect first of these notes?

 

I bet USA & Japan or UK & Germany.

[Cptbarney]

1 minute ago, HusariuS said:

I bet USA & Japan or UK & Germany.

Probs the former as they can test out invasions and longer range vessels and how they work. although they might go the latter, but i doubt it would speed up production. I wonder if we will get a few more hulls before and during the steam release?

[HusariuS]

Just now, Cptbarney said:

Probs the former as they can test out invasions and longer range vessels and how they work. although they might go the latter, but i doubt it would speed up production. I wonder if we will get a few more hulls before and during the steam release?

Yea, like one new hull for each update wouldn't hurt anyone I think... that also brings me to other question: How long does it take to make one hull and Superstructure related to it for UA:D...

[Cptbarney]

3 minutes ago, HusariuS said:

Yea, like one new hull for each update wouldn't hurt anyone I think... that also brings me to other question: How long does it take to make one hull and Superstructure related to it for UA:D...

I guess it depends on the model and if they can cannibilise, guessing something like london and california would be far longer to do than another pre-dread or something like izmail for example.

And going further doing something like alaska or stalingrad would probs take even longer, but im not sure how quickly they can pump out models too be honest.

[HusariuS]

1 minute ago, Cptbarney said:

I guess it depends on the model and if they can cannibilise, guessing something like london and california would be far longer to do than another pre-dread or something like izmail for example.

And going further doing something like alaska or stalingrad would probs take even longer, but im not sure how quickly they can pump out models too be honest.

Ma boy no Stalingrad talks here pls 😧

[Cptbarney]

1 minute ago, HusariuS said:

Ma boy no Stalingrad talks here pls 😧

Gib fat russian supercruiser hull pls 😁

I reckon bob will go mental when he sees how long we have left for campaign lol. Im wondering how the updates will look like from here on out.

No riots yet.

[Tycondero]

2 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

It simply means that technology tree is still under development, and will receive special new entries related to crew and officers. 
Just for info, technologies will not be researched linearly. They can fail, delay or may speed up according to global tech conditions. Funds can speed up technology research but will not guarantee a specific time on when new technology will become available.

This is great to hear. I hate railroaded linear tech trees. It is just not how R&D works. Not very much unlike game development R&D is sometimes a bit of a black box, R&D can require a lot more or less time than anticipated. 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Tycondero

[Cptbarney]

9 minutes ago, Tycondero said:

This is great to hear. I hate railroaded linear tech trees. It is just not how R&D works. Not very much unlike game development R&D is sometimes a bit of a black box, R&D can require a lot more or less time than anticipated. 

R&D?

[TAKTCOM]

7 hours ago, Ink said:

• • Crew and Officers progression

I did not expect the separation of crew and officers. This game is becoming more intriguing. Thanks for the news.

1 hour ago, HusariuS said:

I bet USA & Japan or UK & Germany.

Rather like that. Although if you want a real historical confrontation at sea in 1890in large format,  it is Great Britain versus France: the first naval force versus the second naval force.

15 minutes ago, Cptbarney said:

R&D?

Probably Research&Development.

[Skeksis]

8 hours ago, Ink said:

Campaign

• Stages of campaign development:
  • Technology development and connection to Crew & Officer progression

Like scientist? naval specialist to develop techs. Or even just people you can recruit or develop to add a success bonus to research and development.

Edited June 19, 2020 by Skeksis

[Cptbarney]

Oh a quick question to ask, can we expect new ship hulls and other pieces even if its like 1-3 only?

So for example 2 1890 pre-dreads with maybe 2 new turret designs for the 1930’s+? Or will it be only balance and bug fixes?

[TotalRampage]

9 hours ago, Cptbarney said:

@HusariuS @TotalRampage @BobRoss0902 @Koogus @Marshall99 @Airzerg @Steeltrap @Shaftoe @Fuems @Bluishdoor76 @IronKaputt @1MajorKoenig

might as well get a book for the names lol. At this bloody rate 😆

either way this important regardless, soz to anyone i missed! so i might be right about it coming alpha 9.

Hey I'm just so happy the devs keep us updated on this stuff! I'm so ready for campaign but I know i'd hate myself if I rushed them to much and it sucked. I'm so happy my idea of admiral traits snuck itself in tho! I remember me and you talking about it like 2 months ago (I know I didn't give them the idea but I like that its there!)

 

[TotalRampage]

4 hours ago, Nick Thomadis said:

It simply means that technology tree is still under development, and will receive special new entries related to crew and officers. 
Just for info, technologies will not be researched linearly. They can fail, delay or may speed up according to global tech conditions. Funds can speed up technology research but will not guarantee a specific time on when new technology will become available.

This quote is amazing. I love non-linear research not gonna lie. Gives or takes the edge from me! Another reason i'm excited!

[Hangar18]

17 hours ago, Cptbarney said:

@HusariuS @TotalRampage @BobRoss0902 @Koogus @Marshall99 @Airzerg @Steeltrap @Shaftoe @Fuems @Bluishdoor76 @IronKaputt @1MajorKoenig

might as well get a book for the names lol. At this bloody rate 😆

either way this important regardless, soz to anyone i missed! so i might be right about it coming alpha 9.

im pretty jelly i dont get pinged

[Cptbarney]

15 minutes ago, Hangar18 said:

im pretty jelly i dont get pinged

am vereh soz, ill need to write down the more regular forumites, as there quite a lot of names.

plus those who havent returned yet ;w;

but yeah im wondering if we will get like a few hulls and other visual choices (like different superstructures, turret designs, funnels etc) for ships along with any balance and bugfixing updates they will release while they work on the campaign.

also nice too see we might be getting totalrampages idea for admirals and crew as well and that technology isn't linear which is cool.

[Mindstrip]

20 hours ago, Ink said:

Game launch

The game will launch in Steam Early Access (...)Estimated date 10th of August(...) 

Campaign
We estimate that we need at least 5-6 months to create the first playable version of Campaign. 

(...) 

• Beta version of the campaign, as mentioned above, will be available 5-6 months (or more) after Steam Early Access launch, as a beta branch. 

Hang on, i'd like some clarification please since this information is currently confusing to me.

So as my sleep deprived brain understands it currently:

The first playable/testable iteration of the campaign has basically been delayed to 8 months from now? As in around January - February 2021? 

Is the Beta the first accessible version for us even for us "early birds/pre-steam release backers"?

Tldr:

1. ~August 10th Steam Early Access release. 

2. 5 - 6 months after Steam Early Access release = Jan/Feb 2021

3. Therefore around 8 months from now? (20th of June 2020)