NEW 2023 Q&A | Exogate Initiative

[Josh - Exogate Initiative CM]

Hi Exogate Community!

Back in early 2022 our wonderful former community manager put together our previous Q&A, but as time has gone on it's become very out of date, and unfortunately Steam stopped letting us edit it. So, I'm here now with the revised for 2023 Q&A for Exogate Initiative, so sit down and join us for questions both new and old:

It's Exogate training time!

Social accounts:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExogateInit
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Exogate-Initiative-104144545519603
Discord server: https://discord.gg/6rfJAsWwSE

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General questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVBd5Y9rbak

What is Exogate Initiative about?
Exogate Initiative is a base-building & management game with a narrative twist in which you embody the leader of humanity’s first extraplanetary exploration program.

You will build your own research base, and hire & manage international specialists—aka Gaters —with their own needs, personality, and skillsets. Your purpose is to discover new life forms and study them. Your Gaters will perform missions and you’ll guide their steps by interacting with them through choice-based Team Contacts.

Those missions will affect your Gaters physically and mentally. So, you have to make sure that you build a place that meets their needs.

Was the game inspired by the Stargate franchise?
Yes, but it was not the sole inspiration and we're not looking to make a Stargate game, but to use elements familiar to fans to tell our own stories and create our own world. Consider it our own spin, though you can always name your Gaters after characters from the show, if you want, but please remember: O'Neill has two L's.

Is there a multiplayer component to Exogate Initiative?
There are no multiplayer components, as building a strong single-player experience continues to be our goal.

How many people are working on this game?
The active, full-time Xeno Bits team consists of 7 people. Our creative director and founder—and developer, programmer, and more—programmer, artist(s), animator, game writer/narrative designer, producer, and community manager (me). We've also worked with and continue to work with occasional freelancers/contract workers as needed.

Is there a development roadmap?
We're working to refine this now and are hoping to share it in the lead-up to our Early Access launch.

Where can I find the demo? Will it continue to be updated?
Currently our most up-to-date demo is on Steam. It launched alongside the February Steam Next Fest and will be updated periodically as we approach launch. It offers a unique experience, with a different mission structure and a defined ending, which won't be seen in the launch version of the game.

On what platforms will the game launch?
Steam and Itch.io.

When will the game be released?
Updated: March 15
We can officially confirm that we'll be launching for Steam Early Access on Tuesday, April 18!

How much will it cost?
While we previously shared a pricepoint in our old Q&A, we're still finalizing this and will share as soon as we have a plan to share.

How can I send feedback?
Our demo features both a bug report tool and a feedback form that offers the best, most convenient way to submit all the information on your bugs and feedback. The bug report tool also offers the ability to share your save file, which allows the team to efficiently—when possible—diagnose bugs.

We also have a community Discord server[discord.gg] that includes a feedback channel, as well as general discussion channels.

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Gameplay Questions

How difficult is the game?
Exogate Initiative is intended for more mid-core/hardcore players and those more familiar with base-builders, though we're working to add improvements to our tooltips to better onboard newer/less familiar players.

Do I explore exoplanets too?
Only your specialists will go through the Exogate. But you’ll be able to communicate with them remotely and guide them through interactive Team Contacts, deciding on the outcome of each mission and sharing the excitement of new discoveries! Our team is hard at work creating unique micro-stories and are planning for at least a hundred for our launch.

What are the Gaters classes?
There will be 6 classes in the full game: Scientist, Soldier, Engineer, Medic, Scholar, and Diplomat. Diplomats will not be available at launch for Early Access, but will come down the line a bit.

Will there be a diplomacy/base invasion aspect?
It’s planned! The Diplomat class will manage the relationship with alien life forms, which can turn bad and have consequences for your base. That’s all we can say at the moment!

How do I set up my exploration team?
The process begins with a hiring campaign for your class of choice. Once you have your preferred Gaters you can assign them to custom teams of 3. Your class organization can affect what options are available on missions, and certain missions require at least one member of a specific class to send teams off-world.

How do I manage the people within the base?
The Gaters are fully autonomous, but they do have their own needs and moods: they’ll become hungry, can get injured, and feel bored, lonely, or depressed. Unlocking new technologies will offer a wide range of rooms to meet their needs, treat their injuries and fatigue, and help them stave off stress and boredom.

Remember, a happy Gater is a productive Gater.

Do my Gaters improve or level up?
Gaters will gain experience and levels both inside and outside the base. Within missions your choices can affect the experience they gain—and can also increase the likelihood of their physical and mental state being damaged—and back home all of their activities will offer XP to various stats and abilities.

Will there be Steam Deck support?
We would love to have support for both options, but the time it would take to implement controller support is simply too time-consuming for our team at this stage. If we're able to, we'd like to explore this in the future.

Will I be able to mod in the game?
Yes, it’s planned. We don't expect to have it available at launch for Early Access, but we definitely want to implement our Mission Editor tool so that you can write your own missions with all the outcomes you want.

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And there you have it! If you have any other questions, feel free to drop them in the forums or on our Discord and I'll/we'll do our best to answer them.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1681060/Exogate_Initiative/