As we delved into the creation of this retrospective, we couldn’t help but acknowledge the sheer wildness that defined 2023 for Hyperoid. While it might not be immediately apparent from the outside, behind the scenes, we were cooking! We are building something great and making strides toward the collective vision. And that is to make sure that we are CREATING MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES for everyone.

Throughout this video, you’ll witness snippets of key moments, achievements, and milestones that shaped our year. As we navigate through the twists and turns of this journey, we want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone in the community. Your feedback really helped us improve, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the incredible year we’ve shared.

Here’s to the memories we’ve made, the lessons we’ve learned, and the exciting future that awaits. Let’s revel in the reflections of 2023 and look forward to the adventures that lie ahead.

The Playtesting Program

In the art that is game development, playtesting plays a crucial part in the end result. Recognizing the significance of this phase, we came up with ‘The Playtesting Program‘ – a structured initiative aimed at gathering 5 to 10 dedicated playtesters for a series of playtests on the upcoming playable demo. The idea was clear: half the playtesters for Android and the other half for iOS, collectively identifying problems, fine-tuning, and polishing for the playable demo.

However, as time went on, we realised that our initial approach was getting out of scope at an unexpected pace. The program was conceived with scalability in mind, anticipating future needs for an expanded pool of playtesters as Project Eris continued to grow. Yet, this led us down a path of inefficiency, diverting our attention from what mattered more – releasing the playable demo.

The paradox of scalability is that planning for it in the present incurs additional time and space costs, creating a hindrance to our primary focus. We found ourselves at a crossroads, realising that the planning of a program intended for scalability was, in the present context, somewhat redundant.

As a result, we made the decision to scrap ‘The Playtesting Program’. Our renewed approach keeps the release of the playable demo at the forefront of our minds. So, we have opted for a more personalized strategy—handpicking playtesters we know personally. This allows us to conduct focused playtests with individuals, who can provide targeted feedback that aligns with the current phase of Project Eris.

In essence, we’ve pivoted our playtesting strategy to align with the immediate needs of the project. By adopting a more hands-on and manageable approach, we believe we can still get valuable insights efficiently this way to make the most of this phase in development.

Beyond The Demo

When building a project from the ground up, the path forward is often shaped by considering numerous intangibles and a deep understanding of the project itself. A pivotal moment in our journey with Project Eris was re-evaluating our initial plan to seek a publishing deal post-demo release. While the sound of funding and marketing support was initially enticing, Project Eris has evolved a lot since its inception, and this required us to shift our perspective.

Initially, our goal to get a publishing deal was driven by the desire to secure resources for the project’s continued development and to increase its visibility. However, as time unfolded, we realised that Project Eris, in its current state, is very much still in its very early years. Building this idea to eventually realise a vision demands an immense amount of care over its development process. It is as if you are raising a child.

Choosing the path of a publishing deal would have likely entailed giving up a degree of creative control at an early stage, potentially steering Project Eris toward a trajectory that is not aligned with our vision. It became clear that this approach might result in us building something we didn’t love and players didn’t want. And I know for certain that it’s not something you and I would have wanted.

The decision to pivot from acquiring a publishing deal led us to explore an alternative route: the introduction of ‘experiences’. These are experimental features that we plan to release frequently, allowing the community to test, provide feedback, and actively contribute to the evolution of Project Eris. By embracing a model of iterative development, we aim to discover what resonates with players, building upon successes and refining elements that require attention.

These ‘experiences’ will launch as regular updates to the game post-demo release, enabling us to build in tandem with the players. The regular cadence of updates, where we initially launch every few weeks, effectively places the game in Early Access, albeit without explicitly stating it. This approach aligns with our vision and enables the project to grow alongside the community.

In essence, we will be co-creating Project Eris with those who share our love. By constructing the project’s DNA right from its infancy, we envision a future where Project Eris doesn’t just evolve – it flourishes, driven by the collective input and enthusiasm of the growing community.

Setbacks And Challenges

As we stepped into 2024, a temporary setback slowed our momentum. The pause button was pressed on development, and this was because of the challenges faced in the production of art assets for Project Eris.

Our previous artist, a valued member of our team, found themselves navigating through personal circumstances that naturally took precedence. This obviously led to delays in the production of art assets, also causing us to stop playtesting temporarily as well. Without the assets, we could not continue the development of Project Eris.

We immediately started to seek out potential artists and making sure we adhere to deadlines in our roadmap. We very much have this urgency to get Project Eris out there into the hands of players in order to find out whether we have the idea right or not. Factors such as pricing, timeline, quality and consistency are carefully considered when seeking out new artists. This careful approach ensures that every artist who joins our journey is not just a collaborator, but someone who also adds great value to the team and the idea.

It’s important to recognize that setbacks are inevitable, and this project is no exception. Once we get production going again and resume playtesting though, we’re basically back in business. This setback is only temporary and we appreciate your understanding during these times.

Shifting Horizons

Timelines are both guideposts and flexible markers. We want to be transparent with you, and it is with this that we share an adjustment to our original plan: delaying the playable demo.

We were initially set for launch around the end of February, but the road to the demo’s release encountered a setback as mentioned previously in this newsletter. Challenges in the production of art assets and a subsequent pause in playtesting prompted us to reassess our timeline. The decision to delay the release ensures that we uphold our commitment to providing exceptional value for the player experience.

The revised timeframe now sets the playable demo to launch around the end of March to the beginning of April. This extension allows us ample time to address the current hurdles. We will be able to to produce the art assets and playtest so that we can identify any problems, fine-tine and polish for the playable demo.

Fueling The Journey

Community engagement shows us that there is an audience out there. Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed a slow but steady surge in our community’s presence, and it bring us joy to see that the Hyperoid community is growing.

Notably, our social media landscape is evolving, with Instagram seeming to emerge as a focal point for our expanding community.

Moreover, our journey into short-form content has been very helpful. Platforms like YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram Reels have become powerful conduits for reaching wider audiences. These bite-sized glimpses into the world of Project Eris, have been viewed much more frequently than most of our long-form content to date.

In light of this though, our content strategy is evolving. We recognize the potency of short-form content in capturing attention and sharing updates on the project very quickly. So, we are trying to optimise for short-form as that is what seems to be what the audience prefers. We’ll continue to supplement with long-form content whenever it is appropriate to do so.

As this journey into 2024 continues, I want to express my gratitude to every one of you in our community. Your support, enthusiasm and feedback have been the driving the project forward even when things seem dull. It truly has been a wild and exhilarating journey thus far, and we eagerly anticipate the chapters yet to unfold. Thank you for being an integral part of our adventure.

“This is Hyper, signing out.”