Hello everyone!
I am very happy to announce that the public steam demo is now available for download!
If you are interested in Catharage, make sure you check it out and give your feedback. The demo represents an in-development state of the game that is not final, and all aspects are subject to change. To expand on the usual fare with these statements a bit:
Content - The demo includes the first "Sector" of content (a concept I detail below), which should last anywhere from 3-5 hours depending on your knowledge, skill and luck. I do not currently plan to update the demo with more new content.
Stability - The demo build is stable and relatively bug-free. My testing capacity is limited so it's likely that there are bugs and issues that have slipped through the cracks, so please let me know in the discussion forums or on the discord if you find any!
Performance - Catharage uses global raymarched volumetrics for its lighting. This is a feature that cannot be turned off, as it is critical for the look of the game. These volumetrics are demanding to render, so the game may run worse than you expect given its stylized look. Performance can be improved by using the "Volumetrics Downsampling" option in the graphics menu. I will also work on performance for the release version and you can expect that version to perform better than the demo.
Catharage is a complex and dense game. It is highly recommended to play the Tutorial before doing anything else, as it will familiarize you with core concepts that you need to survive in the game.
Note also that it is currently not possible to "save" a run in progress, and it is also impossible to end a run without either extracting, dying or quitting the game.
Roadmap and future of the game
I plan to release the full game in winter, likely around christmas. Until then I will continue to fix and refine core gameplay and develop new content. As mentioned above, the demo features one "Sector" of content. A sector is comprised of POIs, Ships, Upgrades, Weapon Perks, Abilities and Enemies as well as an overarching objective to complete. Since only one sector is currently in the demo, all these elements are available at the same time and in the same place. For the full release I plan to include 3 or 4 of these sectors and distribute them in a spatial, player-controlled way. I'm not sure yet how exactly this will look, likely something akin to a starmap, but it means that in the full version, you'll be able to choose what distribution of content your encounter and upgrade sheet will feature, and you'll be able to progress through different content sectors at your own pace. This structure will also enable me to release future post-release content packs seamlessly into the game. Depending on the response to the game it may end up being updated for a good while to come.
With that all said, have fun with the demo, kill some ships and make sure to let me know what you think!
Björn Michalski