Way, way back in 2013, I was one of the original backers of Stonehearth on Kickstarter. For the month or so while the campaign was being waged, I was fairly active in the forums (not as active as Geoffers, if he’s still on here. I think he got a volunteer job as a community manager if I remember correctly) during the campaign and for about 2 weeks after it. Then I realized most people who were such passionate early adopters had even more passion than me and (strangely) it felt almost like a chore to keep up with all the discourse online.
Needless to say, I stopped interacting on the forums but have watched the development closely. Recently I played a similar town-building game (won’t name it as I don’t have a good opinion of it) but after getting a refund I realized everything I liked in that game was already possible in Stonehearth. See, for 3 years I haven’t played Stonehearth as I’m usually not a fan of Alphas. I don’t like feeling restricted in what I can and can not do because a necessary game mechanic just hasn’t made its way in the game yet. And I don’t like being a play tester either. As great as it is that this generation of developers are willing to take our feedback in the development of their game, I almost prefer to experience their vision as opposed to mine. So I usually wait. But, the aforementioned game I had played left a hunger that needed to be satisfied so I booted up Stonehearth for the first time since Alpha 1 or 2.
And MAN is the game great. Sure there is a lot of work to be done and it’s a little buggy (one unfortunate Hearthling died on a roof of a house because the scaffolding had been taken down and I didn’t realize I could just build a ladder) but I’ve played some similar games that are being sold as a full version of a game that don’t have the depth that Stonehearth has in Alpha!
I just wanted to say that the game is coming along GREAT and while I have a few ideas I hope get implemented, I can’t wait to see what else Radiant has in store for us.
Tom and Tony, it’s been a long 3 years but your dream is taking on a beautiful shape!
It means the world to us!