The Last Caravan
Complete Production & Budget Plan
8-12 Month Development | $400,000 Budget
Executive Summary
The Last Caravan will be developed over 8-12 months with a lean, focused team of 8 core members plus contractors. The $400,000 budget prioritizes essential features for a compelling Early Access launch, with multiplayer and full content rollout post-revenue.
Core Philosophy
- Vertical slice first (2 months)
- Early Access by month 8
- Full release by month 12
- Revenue funds expansion
Key Deliverables
- Single-player tactical roguelike
- 15 hero classes (3 factions)
- Wagon physics system
- 40+ hours of content
Revenue Strategy
- Early Access: $19.99
- Full Release: $24.99
- Target: 25,000 units Year 1
- Break-even: 16,000 units
High-Level Production Plan
Pre-Production Months 1-2
- Finalize game design document and technical specifications
- Set up development infrastructure (Git, project management, tools)
- Create vertical slice prototype with core mechanics
- Establish art style and asset pipeline
- Build initial marketing presence (website, social media)
Core Development Months 3-6
- Implement wagon physics and connection system
- Build combat system with real-time pause
- Create 15 hero classes across 3 factions
- Develop world map and progression systems
- Integrate resource management mechanics
Content & Polish Months 7-8
- Create 20+ combat encounters and events
- Implement save system and UI polish
- Balance combat and economy
- Integrate audio and visual effects
- Prepare for Early Access launch
Early Access Months 8-12
- Launch on Steam Early Access
- Weekly updates based on player feedback
- Add remaining 2 factions (12 heroes)
- Implement multiplayer co-op (if funded)
- Full 1.0 release preparation
Milestone Plan
Milestone 1: Vertical Slice (Month 2)
Deliverables:
- Playable 20-minute demo with core loop
- 3 hero classes functional
- Basic wagon system (3 wagons)
- 1 complete combat encounter
- Art style and UI mockups
Success Criteria:
- Core mechanics feel fun and tactical
- Visual style is distinctive
- Technical feasibility proven
Milestone 2: Alpha Build (Month 5)
Deliverables:
- All core systems implemented
- 10 hero classes playable
- World map with 10 nodes
- Save/load functionality
- Basic economy and progression
Success Criteria:
- 2-3 hour playable experience
- Core loop is addictive
- Performance targets met
Milestone 3: Beta Build (Month 7)
Deliverables:
- 15 hero classes (3 factions)
- 20+ events and encounters
- Full UI implementation
- Audio integration
- Steam integration
Success Criteria:
- Ready for Early Access
- 8+ hours of content
- Stable build with <1% crash rate
Milestone 4: Early Access Launch (Month 8)
Deliverables:
- Steam Early Access build
- Marketing campaign launch
- Community management setup
- Analytics integration
- Day 1 patch preparation
Success Criteria:
- 1,000+ sales first week
- 75%+ positive reviews
- Active community engagement
Milestone 5: Full Release (Month 12)
Deliverables:
- All 5 factions (30 heroes)
- 50+ events and full narrative
- Multiplayer co-op (if funded)
- Achievements and trading cards
- Post-launch content roadmap
Success Criteria:
- 10,000+ total sales
- 85%+ positive reviews
- Break-even achieved
Detailed Budget Breakdown
Personnel Costs (12 Months)
| Role |
Monthly Salary |
Duration |
Total Cost |
| Game Director |
$3,000 |
12 months |
$36,000 |
| Lead Engineer |
$3,000 |
12 months |
$36,000 |
| Lead Designer / Levels |
$4,000 |
12 months |
$48,000 |
| Director of Marketing |
$9,000 |
6 months (part-time) |
$27,000 |
| Technical Director |
$5,000 |
12 months |
$60,000 |
| Artist 1 (Characters) |
$6,000 |
8 months |
$48,000 |
| Artist 2 (Environment) |
$4,000 |
8 months |
$32,000 |
| Subtotal Personnel |
|
|
$287,000 |
Contractor & Additional Costs
| Category |
Description |
Cost |
| UI/UX Designer |
3 months contract |
$9,000 |
| Sound Designer |
SFX and implementation |
$8,000 |
| Composer |
Original soundtrack (1 hour) |
$10,000 |
| Writer |
Narrative and dialogue |
$6,000 |
| QA Testing |
External QA (3 months) |
$12,000 |
| Voice Acting |
Battle cries, narration |
$5,000 |
| Subtotal Contractors |
|
$50,000 |
Infrastructure & Tools
| Item |
Monthly Cost |
Duration |
Total Cost |
| Deel (Payroll) |
$1,600 (8 employees) |
12 months |
$19,200 |
| Git Server (GitHub Enterprise) |
$21/user × 8 |
12 months |
$2,016 |
| Unity Pro Licenses |
$150 × 5 seats |
12 months |
$9,000 |
| Adobe Creative Cloud |
$55 × 3 seats |
12 months |
$1,980 |
| Jira/Confluence |
$110 |
12 months |
$1,320 |
| Slack |
$87 |
12 months |
$1,044 |
| Website Hosting |
$50 |
12 months |
$600 |
| Cloud Services (AWS) |
$200 |
12 months |
$2,400 |
| Analytics (GameAnalytics Pro) |
$100 |
12 months |
$1,200 |
| Asset Store Budget |
One-time |
- |
$3,000 |
| Subtotal Infrastructure |
|
|
$41,760 |
Marketing & PR
| Category |
Description |
Cost |
| Marketing Tools |
|
|
| - Hootsuite |
Social media management |
$600 |
| - Mailchimp |
Email marketing |
$500 |
| - Canva Pro |
Marketing assets |
$150 |
| - Discord Nitro |
Community server |
$100 |
| Influencer Outreach |
Key/early access program |
$3,000 |
| Trailer Production |
Professional editing |
$2,500 |
| Steam Marketing |
Featured placement |
$5,000 |
| Press Kit & PR |
Professional PR support |
$2,000 |
| Convention/Events |
PAX/indie showcases |
$3,000 |
| Advertising Budget |
Facebook/Google ads |
$4,000 |
| Subtotal Marketing |
|
$20,850 |
Miscellaneous & Contingency
| Category |
Description |
Cost |
| Legal & Accounting |
Business setup, contracts |
$3,000 |
| Insurance |
E&O, general liability |
$1,500 |
| Hardware |
Dev machines, monitors |
$5,000 |
| Miscellaneous |
Unforeseen expenses |
$890 |
| Subtotal Miscellaneous |
|
$10,390 |
Total Budget Summary
| Personnel Costs |
$287,000 |
| Contractor Costs |
$50,000 |
| Infrastructure & Tools |
$41,760 |
| Marketing & PR |
$20,850 |
| Miscellaneous |
$10,390 |
| TOTAL BUDGET |
$410,000 |
$400,000
*$10,000 will be cut from marketing or deferred to post-launch
Revenue Distribution Plan
Revenue Waterfall Structure
| Revenue Tier |
Amount |
Distribution |
| First $400,000 |
$0 - $400,000 |
100% to Investors (full recoup) |
| Next $200,000 |
$400,001 - $600,000 |
50% Investors / 50% Studio |
| Next $400,000 |
$600,001 - $1,000,000 |
30% Investors / 70% Studio |
| Beyond $1M |
$1,000,001+ |
20% Investors / 80% Studio |
Revenue Projections
| Phase |
Units Sold |
Price |
Gross Revenue |
Net (after 30% platform) |
| Early Access (Months 8-12) |
8,000 |
$19.99 |
$159,920 |
$111,944 |
| Full Release (Year 1) |
17,000 |
$24.99 |
$424,830 |
$297,381 |
| Year 2 |
15,000 |
$24.99 |
$374,850 |
$262,395 |
| Total (2 Years) |
40,000 |
|
$959,600 |
$671,720 |
Break-Even Analysis
- Break-even point: 16,000 units ($400,000 ÷ $25 net per unit)
- Expected break-even: Month 10-11
- Investor full recoup: Month 14-16
- Studio profitability: Month 16+
Risk Management
Identified Risks & Mitigation
Schedule Risk
Risk: Development takes longer than 12 months
Mitigation:
- Early Access at month 8 generates revenue
- Modular development allows partial release
- Content can be added post-launch
Technical Risk
Risk: Wagon physics proves too complex
Mitigation:
- Prototype in month 1-2
- Simplified backup design ready
- Unity Asset Store solutions available
Market Risk
Risk: Lower than expected sales
Mitigation:
- Strong marketing director hire
- Early community building
- Aggressive pricing strategy
Success Factors
- Unique Selling Point: First tactical roguelike with wagon physics
- Market Timing: Roguelike genre continues to grow (Hades, Vampire Survivors)
- Price Point: Competitive at $19.99 EA / $24.99 full
- Community Focus: Early Access allows community-driven development
Future Vision: "Caravan Wars"
The Last Caravan Universe - Multiplayer PvP
Concept Overview
Genre: 3D Tactical PvP Arena
Players: 3v3 or 5v5 teams
Platform: PC → Console → Mobile
Business Model: F2P with cosmetics
Development: 18 months
Budget: $1.5M (funded by TLC revenue)
Core Features
- Full 3D graphics (Unreal Engine 5)
- Competitive ranked seasons
- Hero drafting from TLC roster
- Multiple game modes (Escort, Capture, Survival)
- Spectator mode & esports ready
- Battle pass monetization
Reused Assets
- All 30 hero classes (reimagined in 3D)
- Ability systems and balance
- Lore and world-building
- UI/UX frameworks
- Backend infrastructure
- Community and marketing channels
High-Level Timeline
- Year 1: The Last Caravan launch & support
- Year 2 Q1: Begin Caravan Wars pre-production
- Year 2 Q3: Alpha testing with TLC community
- Year 3 Q1: Open beta launch
- Year 3 Q3: Full F2P release
Month-by-Month Implementation
| Month |
Development Focus |
Deliverables |
Team Status |
| Month 1 |
Setup & Prototyping |
Git setup, design doc, wagon prototype |
Core 5 hired |
| Month 2 |
Vertical Slice |
Playable demo, art style locked |
Artists join |
| Month 3 |
Core Systems |
Combat, pause system, basic UI |
Full team |
| Month 4 |
Hero Implementation |
First 5 heroes playable |
Marketing starts |
| Month 5 |
World & Progression |
Map system, save/load, 10 heroes |
QA contractor |
| Month 6 |
Content Creation |
15 heroes, 20 events, economy |
Audio contractor |
| Month 7 |
Polish & Balance |
Beta build, Steam page live |
Writer joins |
| Month 8 |
Early Access Launch |
Steam EA, marketing push |
Full push |
| Month 9-11 |
EA Updates |
Weekly patches, 2 more factions |
Community focus |
| Month 12 |
Full Release |
1.0 launch, all content complete |
Launch support |
Key Performance Indicators
Development KPIs
- Sprint velocity: 80% completion rate
- Bug count: <50 critical at launch
- Feature creep: <10% scope change
- Team retention: 100% through launch
Business KPIs
- Wishlist conversion: 15%+
- Review score: 80%+ positive
- Refund rate: <5%
- ARPU: $22.50
Community KPIs
- Discord members: 5,000+
- Daily active players: 30%
- Streamer coverage: 50+ channels
- User-generated content: 100+ guides
Executive Conclusion
With a focused $400,000 budget and 12-month timeline, The Last Caravan can deliver a unique tactical roguelike that stands out in a crowded market. The lean team structure, Early Access strategy, and modular development approach minimize risk while maximizing the chance for success.
The revenue-sharing structure ensures investors are prioritized for recoupment while incentivizing the team for long-term success. With break-even projected at 16,000 units and strong market indicators, this represents a compelling investment opportunity in the growing roguelike genre.
"The road to success is challenging, but with careful planning and execution,
The Last Caravan will roll on to profitability."