Hello everyone!
Early Access is getting very close — Leonardo’s Island launches on September 30!
Before that, I wanted to release one more important Demo update and let you try some of the systems that will also be part of the Early Access version.
The new Demo update includes:
Online multiplayer
Global chat
If you want to test multiplayer, call a friend, launch the Demo together, and try joining a battle or regatta at roughly the same time. :)
This is also a great opportunity for me to see how multiplayer behaves for players from different parts of the world.
I would especially appreciate tests from players in regions where internet access can be more restricted, such as China, Russia, and similar regions.
The game is still in active development, and I’m continuously working on improving its online infrastructure. The Early Access release will launch with the current available setup, and I hope that over time I’ll be able to expand regional support further, including adding more local dedicated servers where they are needed.
So if you are playing from one of these regions, please give multiplayer a try. Your experience and feedback can help me understand where future improvements are most important.
Both the Demo and the Early Access release support three different ways to play:
Completely offline — no internet connection is required. You can play battles and regattas against ships included in the game and controlled by bots.
Connected single-player — you still play against bots, but the game can also use ships created by other players, giving you more variety while still playing alone.
Online PvP — play battles and regattas against other real players.
So whether you want to play completely offline, enjoy player-created ships without entering PvP, or fight other captains online, you can choose the experience you prefer.
The Demo now has a global chat.
I just want to ask everyone for one thing: please be kind and respectful to each other.
I’m developing Leonardo’s Island alone. I do have moderation tools and a ban system, and of course I’ll do my best to keep the chat clean, but I would really appreciate your help with this.
After all, why are we playing sailing games?
Because there is something special about the freedom of the sea — feeling the wind move the sails and watching your ship almost fly over the waves.
So let’s enjoy that together. 🌊
Early Access is only the beginning, and I already have many things I want to improve and expand.
One of my first priorities will be the map and tactical interface.
I want to make the map much more useful during multiplayer battles: better size and zoom control, more information, the possibility to indicate positions or directions to other players, and additional tactical interactions.
After that, one of the important gameplay systems I want to add is impact damage.
Yes — that means ramming other ships. :)
I think physical interaction between ships can make battles much more interesting, especially when different hull shapes and ship sizes start playing a bigger role.
Another major update I’m working toward is an expanded shipbuilding system.
The goal is to give you much more freedom when creating your ships:
Multiple decks
Multi-level sail configurations
More freedom when shaping the hull
More construction options
Much greater variety between ships
More possibilities to make your vessel truly personal
This image is only here to show the kind of ships and atmosphere that inspire me. And yes, I made it myself while experimenting with current AI image generators.
I’m not saying that you will simply receive this exact galleon. What I want is something much more interesting: giving you the tools to create incredible ships yourself — ships that can look unique, unusual and maybe even a little magical.
This is one of the directions for Leonardo’s Island that inspires me the most. The Black Pearl, the Flying Dutchman, Queen Anne’s Revenge… well, you get the idea :)
And finally, if you would like to support the development of the game, one of the best things you can give me is simply your feedback.
If you like something — tell me.
If something feels strange — tell me.
If something doesn’t work — definitely tell me. :)
Every screenshot, suggestion, bug report and idea helps me understand what needs to be improved.
And I want to give a special thanks to opk_is_simple, probably my best tester so far. His emails, screenshots, observations and thoughts have already helped me improve many parts of the game.
Thank you very much!
And thank you to everyone who has played the Demo, wishlisted the game, sent me feedback or simply followed Leonardo’s Island during development.
Early Access arrives September 30.
See you on the sea! ⛵🌊