Dev Update #3 — Demo Update, Prologue Expansion and QA Work, Early April
[p]I know some of you have been asking — the demo was supposed to ship on March 24. I felt the initial prologue needed a bit more intrigue and decision making, so I am adding a bit more content to the demo before releasing. [/p][p]
[/p][h3]Why I Held It[/h3][p]
[/p][p]The demo is playable. The prologue, Act 1, and the demo ending all work. Save transfer to Early Access works. But I felt the game need a bit more excitement in the beginning, so I will be launch in a few weeks.[/p][p]
[/p][p]This upcoming week, I will be running automated QA agents against the demo build — each one playing a different specialization and playstyle, capturing thousands of screenshots, and scoring every screen for visual quality, clarity, and engagement.
[/p][p]Based upon issues, identified by the QA Agents and play testers, I will fix each one and then release soon. [/p][p][/p][h3]When[/h3][p]
[/p][p]Early April. I am not setting a specific date. The demo ships when the QA agents stop finding issues worth fixing. Based on the last 15 QA cycles, that is days, not weeks.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]What You Get in the Demo[/h2][p]
The demo covers the first act of the war — summer 1914 through your first combat patrols over the Western Front.[/p][p]
[/p]
[/p][h3]What Changed Since Dev Update #2[/h3][p]
[/p][p]Three polish passes since the last update (v0.4.38 through v0.5.90):[/p][p]
[/p]
[/p][p]Wishlist Rotary Knights to get notified the moment the demo drops. If you are in the Discord, I will be posting QA results and progress updates there as they come in.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Clear skies,[/p][p]— Steve, Old Blue Chair[/p]
[/p][h3]Why I Held It[/h3][p]
[/p][p]The demo is playable. The prologue, Act 1, and the demo ending all work. Save transfer to Early Access works. But I felt the game need a bit more excitement in the beginning, so I will be launch in a few weeks.[/p][p]
[/p][p]This upcoming week, I will be running automated QA agents against the demo build — each one playing a different specialization and playstyle, capturing thousands of screenshots, and scoring every screen for visual quality, clarity, and engagement.
[/p][p]Based upon issues, identified by the QA Agents and play testers, I will fix each one and then release soon. [/p][p][/p][h3]When[/h3][p]
[/p][p]Early April. I am not setting a specific date. The demo ships when the QA agents stop finding issues worth fixing. Based on the last 15 QA cycles, that is days, not weeks.[/p][p]
[/p][h2]What You Get in the Demo[/h2][p]
The demo covers the first act of the war — summer 1914 through your first combat patrols over the Western Front.[/p][p]
[/p]
- [p]Pilot creation with consequences. Choose your name, specialization (fighter, recon, or bomber), and origin story. Every choice shapes your temperament — Daring, Methodical, or Cautious — and the war responds differently to each.[/p]
- [p]Your first sorties. 1914 aviation means wood, canvas, and a sidearm. Reconnaissance flights escalate into first contact with German aircraft. The encounters are not scripted — your specialization and playstyle determine what you face.[/p]
- [p]Hex tactical combat. Position your aircraft, manage altitude and deflection angles, and outmaneuver the enemy on a hex grid inspired by classic WWI aerial board games.[/p]
- [p]Aerodrome management. Allocate supplies, build facilities, manage personnel. The decisions you make on the ground shape what is possible in the air.[/p]
- [p]Your save carries forward. The demo ends at a narrative turning point with a cutscene tailored to how you played. When Early Access launches, you pick up exactly where you left off — same pilot, same choices, same war.[/p]
[/p][h3]What Changed Since Dev Update #2[/h3][p]
[/p][p]Three polish passes since the last update (v0.4.38 through v0.5.90):[/p][p]
[/p]
- [p]1,575 automated tests passing[/p]
- [p]Flights between sectors now include atmospheric micro-events — weather shifts, AA fire, ground observations. Quiet stretches feel alive instead of empty.[/p]
- [p]Combat debriefs track your closest call and near-misses. You see how close you came.[/p]
- [p]Return-to-base narratives expanded from 32 to 64 variants. Repeat sorties feel distinct.[/p]
- [p]Prologue scenes enriched with longer narrative context and larger character art.[/p]
- [p]Numerous display artifacts[/p]
[/p][p]Wishlist Rotary Knights to get notified the moment the demo drops. If you are in the Discord, I will be posting QA results and progress updates there as they come in.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Clear skies,[/p][p]— Steve, Old Blue Chair[/p]