Here it is: the final preview/playtest version of Beyond the Chiron Gate! I’m releasing this preview version to all patrons, so that you have a chance to send me suggestions and bug reports before the final launch.
At this stage the game is basically finished. I’m aware of some minor bugs, but I’m pretty sure there are no game-breaking bugs. There’s more content I could, but there will always be more content I could add, and I have to stop somewhere.
There are three versions: desktop applications for Windows and Mac, and an HTML version that should run in any web browser.
Windows: Download btcg_win.exe and run it.
Mac: Download btcg_mac.zip, unzip it, and run the application inside.
Browser: Download btcg_browser.zip, unzip it somewhere, and run index.html to play the game.
Notes:
- When installing the Windows version, you may get an “Untrusted Application” warning. You’ll need to select “Run anyway” to install the game. (Edit: As of version 0.28.5, you should no longer get a warning on the Mac version.)
- With the browser version, due to browser security features, the music won’t play on the title screen until you’ve interacted with the game in some way. The Windows and Mac versions should play music as soon as you open them.
- If you want to try to play the game on a mobile device, you can download the browser version onto it and open it with your mobile browser. It should work, but I haven’t thoroughly tested it so it may not look quite right.
Feedback and bug reports
If you find a bug or have a suggestion, let me know by messaging me through Patreon, emailing btcg@johnayliff.com, or posting about it on the Discord (see below).
If you’re reporting a bug, please include a screenshot showing the bug. Most of the time that should be all I need to track the bug down.
Spelling and grammar errors are bugs, although bear in mind I’m writing in UK English so e.g. the s in civilisation and the u in colour are correct.
Discord
I’ve made a Discord server for the game so you can talk about it with other players. For the moment this is just for people who have access to this playtest version, but once I launch the game it’ll become the official public Discord server.
Release plan
Assuming this playtest doesn’t bring any really serious issues to light (fingers crossed), I’m hoping to launch the game in April or May.
In the meantime, I’m going to be searching for and fixing bugs, doing a final editing pass on the text, and possibly adding a few more events.
After launch, I may release some content updates with new events, like I did a couple of times with Seedship. I’ll also do post-launch bug-fix updates as needed. I will also start work on the mobile app versions.
Edit 2022-03-15: Updated to version 0.28.1, which fixes many of the bugs reported by playtesters so far. Full patch notes are attached.
Edit 2022-03-17: Updated to version 0.28.2, which fixes most of the rest of the bugs reported by playtesters and makes some balancing changes. Full patch notes are attached.
Edit 2022-03-21: Updated to version 0.28.3, which fixes more bugs. Full patch notes are attached.
Edit 2022-04-11: Updated to version 0.28.4, which includes an edit of all event text, fixes more bugs, makes balancing changes, and adds achievements. Full patch notes attached.
Edit 2022-04-21: Updated to version 0.28.5, which fixes bugs and makes some more balancing changes. Full patch notes attached.
Edit 2022-04-29: Updated to version 0.28.6, which fixed more bugs and replaces the tutorial with a static How to Play page. Full patch notes attached.
If you’re in doubt about which version you’re playing, the version number is at the bottom-right of the title screen.