Update on the first build

First Patreon update of 2025! This is a good opportunity to go over the progress towards the big thing this month, namely the first early access build. As previously mentioned, the first build is scheduled for end of January. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading the info page on the website for more details: https://www.dragontwin.com/earlyaccess .

The exact date has now been decided to January 31st, which is a Friday. Hopefully most people who plan on playing it ASAP will be free to enjoy it during the weekend. This also coincides with the arrival of the two interns who start on the following Monday, so it will be a pretty hectic period.

In terms of progress it's looking good, there are some things left to do but it shouldn't be too time consuming. There are 3 collaborators who also need to finish their parts (composer, dragon modeller, landscaper) but they are confident they can get it done in time. It's not a huge deal if some things don't make it in time for the initial release though, since there will be an updated version two weeks later when the next batch gets access (explained in the link above) where additional things can be included.

The first build will look similar to the sneak peek video with the main menu, with the main differences being a new dragon model, additional music and a new landscape. The landscape will have a 32x32 km (1024 sqkm) playable area along with background terrain that stretches even further out, day/night cycle and dynamic weather. The gameplay in this build is focused on flying, featuring a flight tutorial and optional ring racing activities (as seen in the latest sneak peek) where you can hone your skills. If there is time left before release I might implement an online leader board where you can compete!