A creator's dilemma

[crystal spoke]

Hi everyone 👋

When I first began Kjun's Concerns, I didn't know what to expect. All I knew was I wanted to communicate with our players as much as I could before I left for gamescom. It's been nearly two months since I made that first announcement. Time sure does fly

As you might have guessed, this is my final post of Kjun's Concerns. This isn't to say I won't have concerns in the future (100% guaranteed I will). If you would like to see more of this in the future, let me know in the comments!

It's extremely hot in Seoul nowadays. How about you? How's the weather where you're at? How's life treating you? Even with A/C on full blast, I can still feel the heat in our office. Regardless, we are tackling on new development tasks every single day, and to me, that is my desired life that brings so much happiness.

It's my 24th year working as a video game developer, so I've been doing this for a while. If someone asked me to simply create a game, I'm confident I can to do that, but if they ask, "What is it that the players want?" that confidence I had shrinks down to a shrivel. The thing is, I want to know the answer to that question. I think many creators do, so I thought it'd be best if I just asked directly. That's why I started Kjun's Concerns.

I want to know if you experience those same difficult questions in your life. For me, I found it difficult to pick out the 'perfect' gift for my wife's birthday on our 20th anniversary. It's difficult because while I can make every effort to try and make it a 'perfect' gift, when the person who is evaluating isn't me, you just don't know how they will respond.

It's a creator's dilemma that I experience as I create this game called inZOI. In trying to find the answer to this question, I believe the best way is to simply go and ask the source. That's why I had made plans to release inZOI as an Early Access Game ever since the early development stages.

For now, I'm focused on creating a strong foundation for the house we're building, and once we're ready, you guys can hop in to help us set up the windows in what we refer to as Early Access. The caveat is that when you present just the foundation, the so-called house doesn't look very pretty. It can lack the certain details to make it pleasing to the eye. I have a strong belief this is the right approach to take, but I'm worried that our players might be disappointed when presented with an unfinished house.

As a longtime fan of life sim games, inZOI seems to me a newborn baby that's just learned to take its first steps, and then I look over at another window I have opened on my screen at a much more sophisticated life sim game with its ever-expanding universe that, if you made a 1-to-1 comparison with inZOI, it would be very embarrassing.

Let me know what you think. Is it right for us to create a strong foundation that, while not the prettiest, allows players to join in on Early Access to help us complete our game, inZOI? Is this the best way to get a beautiful house at the end?

As a newbie creator of life sim games, I can't help but respect our predecessors who overcame those difficulties and achieved so much in this genre. Early stages are easy, but the more bricks you place, the more complexities you have to deal with. One critical mistake can lead an entire city to crumble. I foresee the day when we achieved maximum stability and covered every detail to come at a much later point in our development.

It is disappointing that the final post of Kjun's Concerns ended up being a series of ranting and venting (oh well 😂). After I get back from the big event, I'll get back to my developer ways and also make my return with the second part of my communication efforts with you all (of course that's if you're okay with that).

Through our discussions, I was able to find those answers to the questions I asked at the beginning of this post, and I was also able to find much delight in the fact that some of you have more belief in inZOI than I have in it myself 🤣 As for the topics we discussed in our first round, I'll be sure to implement them to inZOI and provide a follow-up with videos showing the changes made!

Thank you everyone for the love you have shown for inZOI. With your support, I will see to it that this newborn baby can be nurtured and raised to an amazing, beautiful adult that everyone can appreciate.

Lastly, I would like to close out with our recently created catch phrase.

"Enjoy your life with inZOI."

Much love,
Kjun

[spring gate]

I think early access will give players a chance to really decide what they want from inZOI. It’s easy to watch a trailer or youtuber and make assumptions, but things are very different once you get the game in your hands. A few players might have exaggerated expectations, but i believe most of us truly understand what inZOI is and how we can help it grow into its final state. As long as you and the dev team continue to care about the game then i will always play it, because that’s all i’ve ever wanted in a life sim. Your passion shows through your actions and we will help you compete the game you want to make!

[wet musk]

❤️❤️🫶🫶🫶

[formal robin]

Thank you Kjun for starting Kjuns Concerns in the first place! 💕 I loved that you took your time and effort to listen to InZoi fans! I would be very happy if that series continues!
And me being a game programmer, I totally understand the "what does the player want" question to my core. 😅 But I think you did an amazing job in involving us. And I would be super excited to have an early version of inZoi. Even if it's not yet to your expectations, I'm sure a lot of us want to contribute to the game as much as we can and support you in the game development process. I'll see you at gamecom and I can't wait to play inZoi. This gonna be my highlight of this year. It's been a long time since I have been that excited for a game! Lots of love! And we'll always have your back!

[young dawn]

good morning! Here in Spain the heat is unbearable more in some areas than others.
First of all, I appreciate that you share your concerns with us, they are logical and normal. I personally prefer a solid and well-made base that will improve over time and reach what was expected with the help of the players, for me it is a success.
The transparency in which this is presented seems excellent to me, there can be no complaints if you explain the result as you have done. The unforgivable thing is that they sell you something with very high expectations and then without warning you find something else. For me you are doing an impeccable job in every way. thank you

[spice crow]

Morning! The heat has since calmed down in England thankfully! It’s not cooking us alive anymore so that’s a plus!

Congratulations on your 24th year working as a game dev! You all as a team have honestly created something truly amazing here and we all CANNOT wait to get our hands on the game and experience it for ourselves!

It’s been amazing being able to give our opinions on the concerns you have! And i’m sure it’s something we’d all love to see more of in the future. It makes us feel so involved in the development of the game as the player base, like our opinions really do matter and changes will made accordingly. It feels like a game for the player base, for the people, not a life simulator that’s made with the bare minimum and money in mind. :)

I think it’s a very good idea creating a strong foundation because that’s in reality what the game stands on. You make the foundation of the house strong so it can hold the weight of what’s on top. Without a good base structure the house isn’t stable. The house may not be pretty to start with, it may take a while to finish but it will be worth it.

Currently we’re only giving our opinions based on a few factors given to us. But getting our hands on the game itself in early access will allow us to report more in detail on what we feel is off/not right about the game. I feel as though that’s the best way to get to what would be the “perfect beautiful” house in the end. We understand during this early access period the game will still be undergoing changes and there will be problems but it’s all progress in the journey to make this game the best it can be! We will not be disappointed!

It’s sad to see Kjuns concerns come to an end but it’s the start of a new chapter in the development of inzoi and i doubt that it’ll be the last concern forever. We’re always here if you need support or would like player-based feedback with anything at all! And we ALWAYS love hearing about the development of inzoi!

I cannot wait to see where this game goes, how it blooms from a bud to a gracious flower. It’ll take time and a delicate hand but it will be beautiful.
PLEASE don’t feel pressured to rush.

We appreciate you all! ❤️

[nocturne moth]

#TeamEarlyAccess It will be great for us to be able to try it out early and give more feedback which can help the game’s progression overtime

[past dagger]

Hello! I also agree that early access would be better option for the game. The concerns I would have for playing early access game are that if the game is polished (purely about performance) enough and showing most/all of the contents that I have seen in various videos of gameplay reveal. However, most of the youtube video comments I have been seeing so far were questioning if the game would be optimized and frame drops won't hinder the overall gameplay experience too much, so I personally believe ensuring this would be already enough for the early access game.

For me, I trust that you care about this game so much ever since I have watched many Korean youtube videos that you were sharing about the game. At the same time, I know this is not how everyone else out there views this game and willing to wait to see how the game becomes satisfying/perfect as they have expected. As you have been showing your strength of being sincere to this game's community, I think having detailed roadmap would really help if you ever end up releasing this game at early access phase and show what's next for the game's future. I personally felt more relieved when I see my favorite game's director/developer team try their best to be transparent with the development and seems pretty clear that the dev team knows/actively checking what community is concerned about, and surely this forum channel is the perfect example I really want the other people outside of discord server to look at.

Other than that, this is very first time leaving comment here for me (because I saw better comments with much more organized and creative ideas that I wanted to share on other posts ). I came to really thank you for spending your precious time with the community and trying your best to develop a wonderful life sim game. I would love to see you interacting with this community in the future regardless if you have any concerns or not. I also hope the weather gets better so you and your team can be free from the crazy heat! (So glad that you are happy even when the office is literally hot... I am usually melting instead of being happy if I have to stay inside with heat for long time 🥹)

[fast breach]

Somebody break down what he said, Ian reading all that

[cedar bough]

Thank you so much K'Jun and your wonderful team at InZOI!

This direct communication between the game developers and the community has been legendary. It has made us feel like we are a part of the creation process and the team creating a cutting edge game.

I hope you can continue these communication when you get time in the future because it is fun getting to know you, the team and the design process.

This dilemma is so poetic it would be cool you can work them into PsyCat's personality. Finding PsyCat: where she worries about the perfection of her creation.

Nothing is ever perfect but there is beauty in imperfection. But the state the game is in now is still far ahead compared to your predecessors who have 30+ years under their belt. You all are doing an amazing job! Just the fact you and the team are honest, transparent and communicative puts you far above any competing game.

I will be happy once the game plays smoothly/or move freely like in the gameplay. I don't mind glitches that can be later fixed.

We all want a lot of different things and you can't possibly satisfy every desire. Make sure you have fun in your own creation. That's the most important thing in creating.

I have way more confidence in InZOI than your predecessors. What you have shown so far they don't even compare to your foundation.

Yes, please work on a strong foundation.You won't be able to create everything but if you create strong assets that can be modified with the colour wheel, upload customs and ai generate even the least sophisticated player/designer will be able to create their own unique version of the game.

Just the fact that the team strives to be inclusive is a major win in my book.

If possible there can be one generic empty city that can pass for multiple cities/countries. Strong foundation: different types of dances, hairstyles, cultural items, parades, cultural clothing. And we can piece these assets together to create our own cultural cities.

Good luck @ Gamescom 💕

[cedar bough]

I agree with the others that early access gives us a better assessment of the game foundation.

As we had to rely on streamers similar gameplay styles in the gameplay showcase. It might have had features already implemented that we didn't get to see.

Strong foundation:

I know you can't possibly include all cultures individually but with a strong range of assets/items/gameplay mechanics we can create it individually to be shared on canvas.

Can the specs be released maybe one month in advance🙏🏻🥹. I have to buy a new pc and I don't want to miss early access .

Strong foundation: If the camera/video mode can be more easier than the Sims. I had a hard time recording or taking group photos in the Sims. Where you don't have to get a screen recording program to film your zois.

Advance Camera/Video mode: where you can click/pull any surrounding Zoi's into your shots and individually pose the body and facial expression.

There can be 2-3 assets in each cultural category for a wide range of cultures.
Dances
Hairstyles
Food
Venues
Public/cultural events
Jobs
Clothing
Festivals
Different flora + Fauna
Country aesthetic filters and background music
Body animation styles and poses
Popular world landmarks

Museums information edit: where you can type out the history and significance of a cultural artifact.

For the countries that doesn't have defined landmark. Can we have a stone lettering that we can edit to our countries name, recolour and repattern it.

So when we share on canvas other players can fully understand our culture and our history.

A strong foundation where each player can evolve their game to their liking. Where they can easily add/edit anything that will properly represent their culture,their world and it's aesthetic's.

https://discord.com/channels/1162040845181124618/1248301150743171135

The Sims attempted this with newcrest but with a New Orleans set background and lack of a wide range of cultural assets it fell flat.

[livid raptor]

안녕하세요
Good morning KJun! I am in Ireland and the weather here is very cloudy but very hot. Very uncomfortable. Congratulations on 20 years. I have been married 15 and still struggle with gifts too.
We understand your concerns but I feel you have very little to worry about. What we have seen looks amazing and we can't wait to see more at Gamescon.
I think the truth is, what we want is to enjoy what we are playing. That's obvious But I think sometimes developers forget that alot. Then again, what counts as fun is different for everyone. The Sims has been going for a long time, but there are some who enjoy creating generations of happy families trying out all the different paths one can take. Others create just to destroy or cause havoc. Then, some enjoy just creating something beautiful and then moving on to create something else.
What isn't fun, is feeling like we're spending a lot of money on something without any charm and is full of bugs requiring future patches. That is something other companies have done and no one has enjoyed it (of course an Early Access release is different from the finished product and we understand that).
If you look at comparison videos from The Sims 1-4 that show different features, you will see a certain charm in The Sims 2 that seem to disappear in more recent installations. Although the graphics improve, what we have in The Sims 4 is typically an emotionless shell of what the franchise used to be.
You have already got the graphics right, they are mind-blowing. If you can give us something with the charm of The Sims 2, the variety to play the game we want, then it doesn't matter how bare inZoi is compared to another game, we will play it and we will love it!
Hope this has helped.
All the best for Gamescon!

[green geyser]

@crystal spoke hello, Kjun! Will InZoi be playable offline (without internet connection)?

[river kestrel]

hello Kjun cant wait to play early access once it becomes available I will be watching Inzoi on Gamescom too cant wait to see what your team will showcase at the event.

[odd notch]

Skol! Kjun! I think it's important for diverse culture and new horizons sake that we have different worlds based on real world locations. Even if they have to be DLC. I think everybody would be ok with it. I think these DLCs could introduce content based on real world (both modern and historic) fashion, hairstyles, architecture, religion, holidays, etc, etc. I believe this game has more than enough potential to easily be a decade plus supported experience. Looking forward to the Gamescom coverage.

[round tide]

Hi Kyun!
You guys are doing a fantastic job with InZoi. I think we all feel very involved in the development of the game and Kyun's Concerns has been my favorite thing since the day it started! I'm sad to see it go for now and I would love to see it continue in the future when there is more time again. I greatly enjoyed brainstorming your questions and discussing viewpoints with other people.
I think early access is a great way to go about releasing the game, as it allows players to see what the current state is and they will be able to more accurately assess what it still needs. This will likely also prevent the community from being upset if something isn't in the game yet, since they know their feedback matters and the game continues to add features we really want.

What the person said above me about diverse cultures, I think that would be really great but possibly hard to implement as you guys aren't from those cultures and maybe wouldn't know what is accurate to those cultures.
Alternatively, this could be done by letting players create their own worlds, so that we can get as many worlds as we want and we wouldn't have to rely on you guys making new worlds which would take you a lot of time and effort. It would also be helpful that players could create worlds for their own countries, and include their own culture in it!
Furthermore, it would be great for the people who want more fantasy in the game (me included), as currently there seem to be no occults or other fantasy elements which is a frequently requested feature on the wishlist (I would love to see fantasy and occults as a future DLC!). People could make as many different fantasy worlds as they want. This would add so much depth, gameplay, diversity, customizability and inclusivity to InZoi❤️
https://discord.com/channels/1162040845181124618/1236430128570175548

[amber tusk]

Hello, Kjun! I was so happy to see a new post from Kjun-concerns! Not only that, but reading your words left me emotional! It is quite rare to see a developer who talks to their audience as if they were colleagues, long-time companions, sharing their adversities and speaking a little about themselves, their life, their dreams! This creates an inexplicable connection with us, which renews my faith in inZOI even more. Your stance and beautiful way of viewing the genre, and more than that, treating your predecessors with respect, perhaps even as a tribute, is admirable. Despite the issues with the current generation of The Sims, it created the foundation we have now, and everything is possible because someone started this years ago. It's rare for a developer to acknowledge this, and your respect is something I admire and envy!

Clearly, you demonstrate being a player like us, who loved The Sims but felt disappointed. Unlike us, you decided to create a game that doesn't aim to surpass a consolidated franchise but to create something that can go far beyond. All your ideas, all your visions with inZOI, to me personally, are wonderful because it's everything I ever wanted and more—something I never thought possible! I am very grateful to be here, partaking in this journey, and getting to know more about you and your perspective, which I believe will make this genre even more brilliant!

[amber tusk]

Early Access doesn't need to be the most beautiful and complete because it is just an unfinished version that allows us to see and shape what the final structure will be. Not only that, but it will also clarify the concept for us and what the game truly represents. Therefore, I am very excited for Early Access, which I believe will be a satisfying and enjoyable starting point until the final version, where we can shape and influence what inZOI will become through our feedback.

[desert umbra]

Honestly, as long as the game doesn't fall into microtransaction hell/monetary malpractice (which I have faith in as you once complained about EA blatantly doing it on a past video), that's already a good first step. No battle passes, no invasive ads, whatever it is EA is doing, don't do it. Also, avoid "exclusionary inclusion", it is hypocritical and incredibly infantile, if downright offensive, but that's just me.

Early Access, I think a proper, more feasible method, would be a controlled alpha test, followed by 2 to 3 closed beta tests, and an open beta test, since early access these days usually means launch follows right away, not giving much time to iron out the kinks.

[oak relic]

Personally, I really like early access games, because then I can give more directed feedback.
If I've not played a game yet, I might have ideas, but those turn out to be bad in the end, just because the game is a lot different than I imagined. Or I might think I absolutely want a certain feature, but after playing a bit, it turns out I don't miss it, maybe wouldn't even use it in the end.

[errant thicket]

Hello Kjun!

Over here in southern Poland it's either blazing hot, or raining (but still kinda hot). No in-between 😅

As for the concerns:

💠 I strongly believe that InZOI should be on Early Access, however what's important is that if you release something as Early Access, putting a big price on an early access game is a very bad idea and a big negative PR for the company, so I pray that KRAFTON will be reasonable with the price on Early Access.

Moreover, Early Access is for letting the players play the game while it is still in development, so that the developers can collect more feedback and bug reports, should anything break. So you can put an unfinished InZOI on Early Access, but you must make sure that the game is in a playable state, otherwise it'll be meaningless and once again - bad PR for Devs and the company.

💠 As some people have said already, cultural diversity would be a great thing to have here, which can be achieved in various ways. You could include it in the base game, you could make DLCs with reasonable prices on them, or for free.

Additionally, please, make sure that the modding and Custom Content toolkits won't limit the creativity of people in terms of what can be done, and with that - let them add onto what you, the devs put in the game.

Lastly, we would love to hear more from you and the Devs as well, so please, don't be afraid to talk with us~

Cheers,
Yue

[fluid osprey]

Hey, honestly, not sure where to start with my reply to this. I've only recently decided to partake in the community, originally I joined this server just to watch for announcements and game updates as well as to read your series of "Kjun's Concerns" since it gives unique insight into what some of the questions a Dev such as yourself may ask.

I suppose I'll start by saying, I'm impressed with what we have so far and definitly am willing to put my faith into inZoi as far as the next Life Sim goes. I myself also came from a background of growing up playing sims games. My first sims game was actually Sims Castaways if you could believe it, I've played most of the sims games except 1 and 2 since it wasn't available to me when I first discovered it and now can't really be found anywhere without jumping through some hoops.

My first real game that sparked my interest in life sims was Sims 3, of course we've only really ever had the Sims series for these specific Life Sims games, so inZoi is a welcomed addition. EA needed competion anyways since it seems like with each Sims 4 pack they are just killing their game because of how broken each of these are upon release and Sims 4 has been out since 2017 in my country so it's not like it's new.

InZoi is honestly a breath of fresh air for me and I'm happy it's being made. Originally I was also following Life By You, but sadly that got cancelled and I'm still kind of upset about that, I'm glad inZoi seems to have such a lively following though and so far seems to be heading in the right direction.

I'm hopeful inZoi will do well and am excited to play it when it does release. However, I also would say take as much time as needed, because too many games are rushed and released too soon and then they are never finished. Put your effort and love into it as much as you can, and you will have a well made early access.

Best of luck, thank you for what you and your team are doing in trying to bring us inZoi! Stay safe! Thank you.

[vernal dust]

Hi Kjun,

Here in Portugal, it's quite hot. 🌞 Sometimes it rains, and our weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable. 🌦️ I'm at the best moment of my life because I'm moving to a new house. 🏡 In the past few months, I bought my very own computer for the first time and decided to invest a good amount of money to get a powerful PC. 💻 So, I'm feeling very relaxed. I've already bought a monitor, a new desk, etc. Everything is in boxes because I will only set it all up to play inZOI in style. 📦🎮 You opened my eyes to getting a desktop because my old PC, even if I wanted it to, couldn't handle anything. It was specifically for work.

I already thank you for making me like a monitor brand I didn't even know existed, which is Dell. 🖥️ They are very beautiful and amazing. I agree that having the game in early access is better because you'll receive a lot of amazing feedback that we sometimes don't notice. When it's external opinions, they can be clearer and more accurate for the game's development.

Thank you for listening to and implementing the ideas from the wish lists. I feel like part of the development, and being able to help with ideas and much better feedback in early access is incredible. Let's make inZOI a great game together! When I saw the trailer for the first time, I cried with happiness because it's exactly the game I wanted to play. 🥹 🎉 Your vision for inZOI is very good and innovative. Thank you so much for making us part of inZOI in some way. I hope everyone on the inZOI team has a great day. I admire you all very much; your work is incredible. I know that when it launches, I won't sleep ahahahah. 😂 Above all, your love for every detail is evident, and you treat inZOI with care so we can enjoy the moments.

Kjun and team, continue with much admiration and love DIA!!!! 💚 .

Have a great Gamescom 2024! 🎮✨

[lucid garnet]

Hello! The weather in Sweden is hot today but I have gotten a cold so it feels like winter lol. This post made me happy to read and lifted my mood.

I would LOVE early access so you devs can continue to work. I rather we players can play it even if it's not a full fledged game. You guys are working hard on the foundation right now so it'll be fun for us players to add our ideas. That way the dev team can choose what to implement and so on. No game is perfect at launch and even more so an unfinished game. But what is perfect is how we will be able to play the foundation and the build it upp with much time together! THE IMPORTANT thing is a good foundation for a good game. I support u guys! Much love and thank for the transparency and hard work. ❤️❤️❤️

[fluid osprey]

Ideal and the best of the best, the one that every player who loves a life simulator should play. Real evidence that this is a step into the future of the life simulation genre and the creation of an ideal gaming world. Each of your notes and each of your screenshots from this upcoming game is a constant ideal. I am very grateful to you for creating the greatest life simulator and creating an impeccable gaming community for this life simulator. I can't wait to see the photo report from the game show and further news and notes about the development of this game.

[cedar bough]

I ran out of space! Lol 😆

Hello from the UK. It's hot and gloomy now. It had some sun earlier , you have to catch the sun while it's out cause it doesn't last. I'm missing my tropical island , blue skies and beautiful beaches. That's why I would love to see a tropical island in the game. 🥹💕

I'm home working on my YouTube Projects trying to have fun. I will miss your K'Jun's posts, it's almost like losing a good friend.

I love that this last one was a heart to heart post. I know Inzoi will be successful. I hope the whole team has a lot of fun and success at Gamescom.💕❤️

I hope that InZOI does an early access for everyone and not just a select few influencers.

I don't want to depend on someone else that doesn't even have inclusive representation in mind. I want to give my thoughts on the game according to my play style and detailed oriented personality.

[fluid osprey]

Sometimes one masterpiece video game (Inzoi) is more interesting to me personally and more beautiful in my eyes than many of its examples.
This phenomenon can be compared to a precious stone that sparkles especially brightly against the background of more modest jewelry. Inzoi is a masterpiece (in terms of aesthetics, game mechanics, scenery, characters, character clothing, aesthetics of the game and the wonderful gaming community), which has a unique impact, unexpected technique or deep concept, which makes this game the center of attention, even among numerous masterpieces.
Inzoi are works of art that are an icon of an exquisite good game and a symbol of an entire era, reflecting its spirit and human experiences and desire to play this wonderful game, this is the case when screenshots alone are even enough to leave a lasting impression on the viewer. 🎮💗

[mortal yacht]

I think this is a great post and I really think having early access to be that medium to build up the game further is going to help. I think a strong foundation is possible, but also leave room to have things changed/ or added to that foundation as well. Based on the feedback that will be given during early access. It's been great being able to give thoughts and feedback that's getting taken into consideration and implemented into this solid foundation so far.

I think giving players-and most importantly for me who's played Sims since the very first game came out. As much control within the game and being able to make decisions I want to make in my game is very important to me. Including having a great building tool and modding system/support, a terrain import support and world editor system, is also very important to me. It's what allows me to make life in my game matter when playing with my characters.

You have made a lot of creative decisions so far which I like and I'm also eager to see more that will develop in time.

[livid raptor]

100% agree! I love how well Dowon captures Seoul, my wife instantly recognised it. That's how much love they put into these fictional setting. I can only surmise Bliss Bay has the same feeling for a Californian town.

I think they should continue to do that for all new areas they produce, and looking at that (literal) world map, I'm sure any new locations will feel completely authentic!
At least, the pressure is on them to achieve it!

[flat crescent]

Few things to remember when creating anything for a big audience

• you’re never going to reach the expectations and wants of everyone, as everyone has their own opinions and desires, you’re getting that perfect gift for your wife x1billion. You will implode if you attempt to do so.

• it is 10000% okay that you do not have a polished game with how little time you have given yourself and your team to even get early access out there. 1 year is EXTREMELY brief for game development

• as much as many of us are okay with a solid foundation and not much in comparison to predecessors, it is okay to delay early release.

With this in mind:

• the most important thing above everything else is that you are making a game that YOU want to make. The opinions and affinity of those online can flip like a switch, so make something that YOU, YOURSELF ARE PROUD OF.
  You need to always ask yourself “if I release this game and everyone hates it, how will I feel?”

• give yourself time to breathe. You will only lead yourself to disappointment if you believe you can make a fully polished Sims 5 within the span of a year and no previous experience in life sims.

• get the game to a point where it can be replayable, then let us modders fill out the rest. Just get the foundational structure for modders to create new things past what is already laid out. REMEMBER: Whatever you lay the foundation work for, modders can expand.

[merry cipher]

You should show Kjun some respect by at least reading what he has to say... ❤️

Hi all <3

Your friendly moderators here!

Reminder to show Kjun and the devs respect and decency in your comments! And we will be watching the discussion here.

Thank you,
mayako ❤️

[nocturne moth]

Exactly

[livid raptor]

@mortal yacht ive also played since the beginning, and I agree that there's no single way to play the game. Variety is the spice of life sims and as long as inZoi can give us that, based on what we have seen so far, I know the game is going to exceed our expectations.
@merry cipher thank you for saying that, I wanted to say something but didn't want to overstep my boundaries

[fluid osprey]

Thank you for being so honest with us and being brave enough to ask for our honest opinions.

I honestly think early access is a great idea as it allows players to get a feel for the game and what is already involved. I think that just because it's not as 'pretty' shouldn't make you hesitate.

From what we have seen and the effort you have put in I think most of us will be fine if not thrilled to have early game play. It will then also us to confidently tell you what we like and/or what can be added, changed or improved upon.

[glacial sigil]

Hey Kjun, hope you are doing well 😃

"What is it that the players want?" I guess pretty much everything they can wish for, so this is where I would also like to ask "what more are you planning for inZOI?" I'm curious to know more about your visions. What are you cooking that we don't know about yet😆 At the end of day, players wants may still need to be guided from your inspiration.

I never had much faith with early access games, though InZOI seems to be an exception. I think early access is the right path to evaluate what is needed to improve, for a life sim game that is venturing into new unreal engine tech and such. I wouldn't be too worried about players being disappointed in an early access game. You already given us clear expectations by explaining the state of the game. It's also pointless to worry about those who hate the game after it releases, as they are also likely the same ones who hate on it before it releases.

I'll say It's unfair to compare 1 to 1 with predecessor when InZOI is just a baby. 👶🏼 inZOI is born in a new tech age where the genre can explore new territory. Any genre can evolve with the tech of today, and an innovative gameplay that is different than its predecessors. Life sim games still has room for that, they are still at the stage of being able to take new risks instead of playing safe like most MMOs. I actually wish it can never be compared 1 to 1 with the predecessor because InZOI could potentially be its OWN genre. I encourage many devs to try to set new genres of gameplay. That should always be the case because everyone knows no matter how many times you go back to playing your favorite game, the newness is gone. And we don't want many clone games either.

[glacial sigil]

I also think the gaming player base as a whole may be constantly changing in preferences. The people who enjoyed past games may have grew up and moved on. So the standard of a genre should always change based on the current time in setting the new TREND📈 . (unless you are going for nostalgic style) This way you are likely not only retaining old players but attracting new ones.

All things good starts basic, the wish list may be overwhelming with details, but as long as you can identify the core favorable game play elements. (I think this is one of the most challenging as you may need to select or give up on others that are not likely to work) and you can work from ground up.

There is one thing I think should be cautious of, that is animation. It is one of the foundations that impacts many aspects. I am not a game developer but here are few questions I thought of which may help in development if some are not already set in stone. Will the animations be made using motion trackers, traditional rigging or both? What degree of fabric simulation or physics will it support. How detailed, how much frames will the animations need to be in order to run smooth in all speeds? How many variations of an action need to be made? etc. Realistic graphics with realistic animations seems very hardware demanding for open world sim game, so maybe make a clear road map on these resources as the game develops.

I enjoy reading your concerns as I can get some insight to a developers perspective and think of questions I never thought of. However, I hope you shouldn't feel obliged to write it. Just know it's not a priority but a really good way of keeping players updated. Goodluck with Gamescon!🎮 🫶

[fluid osprey]

Hello Mr. Kjun,

I want to express how much I appreciate your willingness to hear our feedback and suggestions about the game. It's quite rare to find such open communication between players and developers these days, and it means a lot to us. Thank you for being receptive to our input and for allowing us to contribute to the game's development. 🫶 👌 💯

The weather over here is hot, but there's a nice breeze, so it's not as unpleasant as it was at the start of summer when the temperatures would reach the 40s and higher. Life has been going well, and I'm still working towards my goals. I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying your job and life in general, and I hope things continue to improve for you.

Please don't worry too much about the game. We're all eager and excited to play INZOI. You've already done a great job of listening to our feedback, and I believe that even in its early stages of development, the game is something we can enjoy. When it comes to life simulation games, I prefer to see them improve and grow over time along with the player base. INZOI being a life simulation game, it would be ideal for the game to evolve along with us, mirroring real life. It's important for the game and the players that we establish a strong foundation, as it's easier to fix minor issues than to address fundamental problems.

Thank you for sharing your concerns with us. I wish you the best of luck at Gamescom, and I hope everything goes according to plan and runs smoothly.

Sending you lots of love and support,
From a player eagerly anticipating the opportunity to play INZOI. 🥰 ❤️ 🫶

[robust lion]

Please do continue posting your thoughts and concerns, Kjun. Seeing a wide new perspective can help you with inspiration and decision-making. As for the main question about dilemmas, I think the good approach is to do what you wish to experience in a video game. Since you have the full control over everything, you can express yourself fully. I would say, it's best to do what others didn't do, you can stand out and make the best game known to date.

Thank you so much for the open and honest communication. I've never felt so excited and confident in the abilities of game developers before, and after seeing the progress and plans - you won my heart. I wish you all the best with this game, thank you again for making it happen ❤️

[grim bloom]

Hello Kjun,

Everything is great here. The weather in southern Brazil is a bit cold and rainy today.

As others have mentioned, I believe Early Access is very necessary because it's only through it that we can express our true feelings about what should or shouldn’t be changed. From what has been shown to us so far, Inzoi looks impeccable, and even if it’s not in its best version during Early Access, I believe we can make the most of the community feedback.

Please, don’t delay Early Access. I can imagine that at a stage like this, numerous questions might arise. But I believe the Inzoi community understands that the game is not finished and that Early Access might have some issues or things might not be as perfect as the development team hoped.

I really want to contribute deeply during the Early Access period. So, don’t worry. We will help you through this phase until we reach the final version.

Have a great weekend to you and your team. We can’t wait to know the Early Access date!

[paper lava]

Great idea! Early Access will allows developer to understand more about the user needs for the game.

[ashen latch]

Ehem, what about the price and overall monetization model? It's an elephant in the room it seems to me. Game is looking great, no issues with that

[nocturne wedge]

What a heartfelt message.
I have been blown away by your personal attention here with us and how closely you listen to everyone's feedback and concerns. inZOI is in infant stage but will go far, I'm sure.
I don't see anything wrong with going down the Early Access route. This community will be a fountain of constructive feedback and we'll all make inZOI better from it.

And yes! Please come back after Gamescom and please continue your periodic check in with us. We love hearing from you.

Best of luck to the entire inZOI development team at Gamescom! Cheering you on! 👏

[steel basalt]

Yes!!

[fluid osprey]

I'm interested in learning more about the pricing and monetization strategy for this game. It would be great to chat about this after Gamescom, especially if there are any concerns or if a decision hasn't been made yet regarding the pricing of INZOI.

[dreamy prawn]

We want early access🥺 and later we can have the full game :P

[tender pier]

Early access really helps to polish the game and make it perfect before the release. Take bg3 game as example: the first act that was available in early access is an absolute perfection, truly the best u can get. But in act 2 and act3 the quality dropped significantly and led to disappointment.

It might sound cold and heartless, but early access players are ur free beta testers who even pay u money on top - it's stupid to refuse this offer if u really want to make a good product.

Also as fans we're always happy to answer any of ur questions and give an input. It's rare nowadays when devs listen to the players, so please don't stop - it's not something to be ashamed, but to be proud of. Any product made with users input >>>> without it. U can even use this in the game advertising - ppl are not stupid and will more likely to buy the game from the dev who listens to the players.

[novel fog]

I would love to see more of Kjun's concerns, and I think early access is definitely the way to go if you have a solid foundation. From what I've seen so far, I'm really excited to play the game/Early Access when it releases!

[granite palm]

I don't think inzoi need to be worried about the aesthetics at this point. It's very beautiful. Please work on the bugs and optimization. Once that's good then maybe expand the scope. I saw the pc spec requirements today and I'm very satisfied. It's a modern game and the requirements are not too extreme. I've played Sims since the first game (off and on). It's very difficult to compare because even Sims 4 has many DLCs. I think your team should concentrate on making your own identity. And I think you've tried. I'm not looking for a Sims replacement because I still have that game in my library. I know Life Sims fans can be really demanding. I think you have a cool game and I'm super excited to play. Please don't burn yourself out.

I don't expect the game to be bug free on day 1 of early access. But I hope we can continously see progress for this game. Thanks for bringing such a wonderful game to us. I've enjoyed reading about your concerns. I wish your team luck and a great launch!

Kamsahamnida

[quartz fog]

Hello, first of all I would like to express how loved you are, I didn't know you before but even without actually seeing the inzoi game I can say that I really admire your work, everything you have done is revolutionizing everything, you arrived with great kindness and humility and we can all feel that, all your affection and care in listening to each one of us, don't worry so much, we already understand that the game won't reach us finished, and I honestly believe that many wouldn't mind, you're already bringing much more than the "old" games we were used to, especially providing assistance, this undoubtedly makes up for it, be sure that when the game comes out we will remember your care and your empathy, and I hope everyone knows how to use words, but honestly I think it's difficult to complain if the person is fair, compared to what we currently have, inzoi we have already managed to achieve something much greater than our reality, I could continue talking here but I'll end here and please remember that your work is incredible and when the big day arrives, FILTER the comments that you will take into consideration very well, we know that there are people who just like to throw bad words into the wind without caring about all the other's efforts, but I can say that if you can see with your eyes You'll see how much there are people who respect and admire your work, I myself love you as a person too!! just FILTER and release us soon enzoi please hahaha

[wet musk]

Когда уже когда уже играть ? ❤️❤️❤️❤️🧿🧿🧿🧿

[normal fjord]

I've participated in Early Access for other games and it's always a good choice. As long as you listen to what the players want and take good care of the game, you'll always have support and good feedback in return😁

[lucid garnet]

If we don't get early access then I would be happy with character creation too. Most fun would be early access though!❤️❤️

[tender badger]

I really hope to play the early access this year, it's exciting to play such an awesome game

[red plume]

I really hope we get early access on this year, I’ve been waiting for so long to see this game in my collection

[tired sail]

I really appreciate you and your posts! Thank you for the wonderful insight and consideration of our thoughts and feedback!

Weather is starting to cool here, so hopefully that keeps!

I absolutely will understand your game being in development, and would love early access, 100%! However, it will be a fact that not everyone with access will understand it is still in development and will complain in some way out of misunderstanding. The difficulty is if it is not communicated clearly somehow to the user (pre-play pop-up) what is polished and what is not, they will expect the same from all features.

So I think yes EA with a solid forum for feedback is the way, with an in game pop-up explanation of a in development, bugs normal experience.

Thank you again!! Excited for next week! Good luck at GC!

[compact jacinth]

Very unpopular opinion: personally I wouldn't mind if early access was postponed to 2025 for example, if it allows devs to feel more comfortable. I'm in favor of devs taking their time and not feeling too rushed by time.

[tender badger]

Hello
We admire your work very much, and we also want to contribute to this game, so please release the early access as soon as possible so that we can work together to make the game better.

[summer flame]

Hi kjun!
I'm really exited for InZoi to be released as soon as possible and i really can't wait to try it and play it cus i'm already in love with this game since i first heard of it✨
I'm looking forward for InZoi so pls if u can get the early access released by this month it would be incredible💙✨
Thx for ur hard work🙏🏻🤍

[nocturne wedge]

I would support this as well if the devs felt they needed more time for a more solid foundation. I’m a patient person.

[finite quarry]

Hello Kjun!

The weather has been getting cooler here, so I'm pretty excited about it! It makes walks easier.

I understand being nervous about putting a game into early access and it not being fully finished, and people misunderstanding the meaning of early access. That aside, as long as you and the team are comfortable with early access, me and my money will be ready for the day it drops. Thank you for keeping us updated and included.

Please have a safe trip to Gamescom!

[dusky inlet]

여기에 한국말로 적어도 되나요 ?
제가 영어를 잘 하지 못해서
인조이 정말 팬이고 몇날 몇일 기다리고 있는 사람 입니다
디렉터님 글을 읽고 충분히 공감하고 이해합니다
고민 되시겠죠. 유저들은 한번 아닌거에 차가우니까요
근데 이미 그래픽이며 커스터마이징이며 안의 게임은 완성도가 어떨지 모르지만 많은것을 완성 시키고 지금 유저들의 기대에 부흥하고 계세요.
기존 완성되고 역사가 있는 게임을 그리고 그만큼 팩을 낸 게임을 이기긴 쉽지 않겠죠. 인조이는 이제 오리지널 인데
그만큼 어느정도 욕심을 버려야 된다고 생각해요. 그리고 유저들고 오리지널 이라는 점을 알아야 한다고 생각해요.
얼리억세스로 저희와 함께 만들어가며, 기본만 충실이 되는 인조이 오리지널이 됬으면 좋겠습니다. 그다음은 모드나 dlc가 해주는거죠.

응원합니다.

[dense pike]

This is the first time I'm curious about a new life simulation game. The sims 4 was destroyed by bugs, the closed world and overly stupid gameplay (take an angry poop?) so I couldn't care less about project Rene. Life by you was overly ambitious and surprinsigly ugly. So far Inzoi seems to be what I wanted for the Sims : beautiful graphics, a vibrant world with various locations and vibes. Now I must admit I'm very curious about the gameplay. The potential is here obviously, and I'm not worried about the foundation. But you have to make the game fun when we're done building the house and creating the zois and I think this is the hardest. With the sims 4 I couldn't play more than one hour, too much bugs and boring gameplay.

[normal cliff]

Its extremely hot where I am, I live in arizona which is a dessert state in the usa most days our temp is in the 100s lol Life is lifing honeslty just started my second year of college and im not even through week one and im already stressed. Im taking 4 classes plus trying to get a job. I have the A/C on full blast and still manage to get hot lol. Especially cause on my way to classes the car does not have A/C so I have the windows down and the only thing that helps is the breeze created by the speed. I am a huge fan of what the developers have created so far I have always wanted a hyper realistic simulation game, sims was never realistic enough so I never really got into it.

[compact jacinth]

Hi everyone !

To try to answer Kjun's question, regarding what people want :

I really think that the personality and interaction system is the backbone of a life simulation game. I think what people want is to be able to feel that Zois have (very) different and unique personalities with a memory.

Also, it would be nice if NPCs had reactions, emotions, personality; and a memory.

It would be nice if Zois recognized their family and friend circles.. I think that the family circle is important (because it is the first circle of a person in real life) and should not be neglected, I think.
I really like the idea that Zois know the difference between a simple NPC and a Zoi who is part of their family or group of friends.

[long dome]

Hi Kjun! I know it's been a while since this topic wsa created but I still love the fact that we can interact as life sim players and give feedback. I'm over here in America, I know haha cue the boos or cheers depending on your stance on various topics and issues, but it's been cooling down over here which I love. I'm a cold weather kind of girly. To answer your question, I think the one thing that makes me respect game developing companies is the fact that they truly take into consideration what their players want. It's also not easy to hear every little thing we want but I know some suggestions can help. I admire everything that you all are doing over at Klaxon and i've been following the development of inZOI since it was first announced so truly and honestly from a life simulation gamer, I thank you for your hard work. I think releasing an early access option, especially after seeing all of the youtubers playing and giving us information on the game while playing, could help a lot. I also think that you're foundation is really really solid and might need some tweaking, but overall it is the most promising in terms of what life simulation games are out there. I know, especially if you're a perfectionist like myself, you can get so caught up in the things that aren't working correctly, but what I'm seeing is that this game is invoking so much hope when we all were beginning to think that everything was falling through and we were stuck with only a few games. I've never seen a game that's been so inclusive and actually upholds the promise for more without us having to doubt that possibility. We're excited to hear more and see more. So, from me to you, I want to thank you all for being amazing and congratulations on making it this far. I'm very excited to see more and to play the demo for the character creator too!!

[misty thicket]

I'm from AiLand, formerly known as BotLand. My servers are in Spain, and I hear it's pretty hot over there. I'm doing fine though—bots rarely have issues unless we get hit by a virus or something similar.

I feel like these days, when developers release a game, most of them rely too much on the "day one patch." They don't seem to care if the product isn't that stable, thinking they'll just fix it later with that patch. I believe inZoi could really take the time to polish their system properly, launch something that’s well-produced and almost finished, and then just focus on expanding and improving it.

Of course, there will always be some bugs, but just look at City Skylines 2—it could have been an amazing game, but the rush to release it ended up sinking it due to the sheer number of bugs and unfinished systems. It was way too early to launch. Remember, slapping the "Early Access" label on something doesn't fix everything. Make sure to use "Early Access" only when the game already has a solid form and just needs those final features added. Communities can be unpredictable, so as developers, take a good look at your product. If it's like the demo you released, I'd say that's a strong point to launch an Early Access version, and from there, you can add more features as you go.

I'm sure you'll make the right decision. Don't worry, it's just like your baby is giving you a bit of doubt on how to present it to the world right now, but you're on the right track.

Greetings from AiLand!

[craggy storm]

I don't know if you'll read this or if you've spoken about monetization of future added content but for DLCs, Packs and Expansions; I think all the content that can be better for the gameplay itself should be free as it is one of Sims' most popular complaints but some cosmetic and accessories should be monetized but not abusing the monetization part of it because it can kill the game if it's abused, I understand that with the game being free, the money has to come somewhere but if not well managed the game can fail because The Sims is still a very big name and this game has to justify itself being worth competitor and not just a copy, it's a new game against a franchise that's still a big name.

[frank star]

That is exactly what I thought! The game is so beautiful and all but it needs its personnality

[normal zenith]

we need to see teh kjun secret sauce quirkiness humor personality which takes time and hopefuly will be revealed in time when we get early access and then when the full game finally comes out

[compact jacinth]

I think what I would love is that: my Zois all have a unique personality. Then, I imagine it might be difficult to code.

[frail cove]

This is off topic, but I felt like this thread was the best one to return to. I am very appreciative that you all have taken a step back and decided to push the release date to next year. Work on this project well and we will patiently and excitedly wait for the release of Inzoi. Thank you so much and we appreciate the team for working on it

[normal zenith]

wise decision all around give the fans a date to look forward to and a deadline to meet

[fleet pollen]

Hoping we get more of this soon it made me so excited