Along with our partner, fearedfuturegames.com, we are pleased to announce that the Tai-Pan Development Set has started and showcases game creation techniques using Unity and modo 501, with additional work being completed in Photoshop, 3D-Coat and Maya + some other free software. In fact, we will try and produce as much using free software as we can.

Key Featues:

Tai-Pan is a naval trading/economy game set in an Asian environment c.1840. The Tai-Pan Development Set is not fixed to this era or game type. Everything you will see within the development could easily be used to build many game types (especially RTS).

Every area of the game development process will be covered, including modeling, texturing and surfacing, 3D application -> Unity workflows to build optimised 'game-ready' assets, AI, world economy system, C# scripting... and much much more.

Every asset made or seen within the Tai-Pan Development Set will be given to the viewer 100% Royalty Free - no strings attached! Even if you never follow a single tutorial video, you will still be receiving every model, texture, piece of music made and used. You are free to use any asset within any of your game projects you like - free or commercial. The only caveat is that you don't resell them as assets in any way (that includes sticking them on an Asset store too) and you don't try and release the Tai-Pan game as yours.

Around the first monday of each month will be release day with a new part and a new set of project files.

Q. How much will the Tai-Pan Development Set cost?

A. A one-off annual payment of €40 (50% off for IO Development Diary subscribers for first year - €20). That one payment includes everything - the monthly video update and ALL the assets 100% royalty free, now and as they are made. Yearly renewal is purely optional. If you wish to cancel your subscription at any time, just send us an email and your subscription will be cancelled.

Q. How will I get the files and updates?

A. You will be given access to a central area where you can download the files whenever you need them.

Q. How do I sign up for the Tai-Pan Development Set?

A. Just click on the Subscribe button below. All payment processing is handled manually, so please be patient. We aim to confirm subscriptions and email links to tutorial parts/assets within 24 hours. Subscriptions run initially for 12 months with renewels thereafter being optional. If at the end of first year you do not want to re-subscribe, just send us an email with your details and your subscription will be cancelled.

Q. Where can I see the Tai-Pan release list

A. Follow this link to the Release List

* Previous IO Development Diary subscribers will be sent an email notifying them how to avail of the 50% discount.

Here is a sneak-peak of how Tai-Pan is currently taking shape. Don't worry, when the development set starts we will backtrack and explain how we got to this stage (We needed something to show you after all).