As the commander of the defense of Earth's first colony, players must determine the best strategy to save the colony from the tens of thousands of alien machines that are rapidly approaching. Each victory against the enemy expands the colony to a new part of the planet which, in turn, is met by an increasing aggression by the enemy.

We first got the idea for the game while developing Ashes of the Singularity. With the engine's ability to handle tens of thousands of units, we wanted to design the ultimate tower defense game. Siege of Centauri incorporates classic features from the tower defense genre and combines it with the unique features and capabilities first seen in Ashes of the Singularity.

With our engine, there were so many new gameplay elements we could add. For instance, our engine supports hundreds of simultaneous light sources allowing us to design interesting choices for players when it comes to map vision. Similarly, by supporting so many units, we can make defense choices in different situations much more compelling, as there is a big difference between choosing a weapon that eliminates one unit at a time versus one that is designed to take out hundreds at a time.

Beta 3 adds a scenario editor where players can create and share their own missions, and a new endless mode that allows users to see how long they can last against a limitless onslaught of enemies.

"It's always been important for us here at Stardock to put customization into the hands of the players," said lead designer Derek Paxton. "Beta 3's scenario workshop does exactly that: it lets people who have always wanted to design their own tower defense games create their own maps and missions." Players can learn more about how to make their own scenarios with the Modder's Guide.

Endless mode is a highly anticipated feature that has also made its way into the Beta 3 update. Players can attempt to survive increasingly difficult enemy waves on a few new maps that will present them with some very challenging choices.

Several new towers, enemies, and upgrades that make for deeper strategic choices are also in Beta 3. In addition, new scenarios that continue the story of the colony's struggles are ready for players to explore.

The Early Access program is designed to allow fans to have input into game mechanics, pacing, and balance. Stardock has been releasing frequent updates based on player feedback.

"Beta updates and community feedback are a critical part of Stardock's development process," said Paxton. "We've been really happy with how the fans have helped shape this game."

Siege of Centauri is available through Steam Early Access and Stardock Store for $9.99.