Hey, thanks so much for your thoughtful response and for taking the time to engage in this healthy discussion. It’s always great to have an open dialogue, and I really appreciate your insights and experience.
As mentioned earlier, yes, there are assets from platforms like the Unreal Marketplace being used as placeholders. Right now, our primary focus is on gameplay mechanics, story blocking, campaign design, and minigames. These placeholders are invaluable for development—they help us block out levels and test concepts without slowing down progress. Replacing them with original assets is something we’re prepared for and doesn’t take as long as it might seem, especially once the technical groundwork is solid.
We’re also planning to expand our team to include in-house artists down the line. Our founder, a senior VFX artist, is leading this effort alongside a senior animator already on board. In the future, we’ll be bringing in environment artists, level designers, and SFX engineers. However, for now, we’re focusing on building the technical backbone of the game—ensuring the gameplay is smooth, high-quality, fun, and engaging. Making the game visually polished is something we’re confident we can tackle when the time comes, depending on future budgets.
Currently, the project is entirely funded through dApp Staking, and we’ve used this budget efficiently to achieve a lot with relatively limited resources. This funding has gone toward:
- Securing soundtracks from Yuka Kitamura.
- Producing trailers.
- Licensing and customizing assets for fair use.
- Collaborating with Japanese freelance artists (not from platforms like Fiverr or Upwork) for character design and creation, such as Zac and Eta.
- Prototyping and blocking out levels and other elements of the game.
It might not sound like much, but we’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far. This progress is a testament to the potential of build-to-earn and the merits of dApp Staking. Importantly, we’ve never used a single dollar from dApp Staking for personal benefit—every bit of funding has gone directly into this project. We’ve worked overtime to bring it to where it is today.
In terms of our timeline, we’re focusing on delivering Skylab Survivors first. It’s a smaller, more compact game we can release earlier to engage players and generate activity. We’re really excited to see you and others try it out—it’s fun, addicting, and represents a key milestone for us.
Thanks again for your feedback and the opportunity to share more about our process. If you have any other questions or suggestions, we’d be happy to hear them!
