RPGWatch @ Gamescom - Realms Beyond Preview

Myrthos

Cave Canem
Administrator
Joined
August 30, 2006
Messages
11,223
Realms Beyond looks like a very promising title for the fans of CRPGs and I spent quite some time at their booth at Gamescom to collect information about the game.

You start in the world of Realms Beyond, where some 50 years ago a global disaster happened, called the cataclysm. Simultaneously everywhere in the world, volcanos erupted. Some areas were destroyed immediately and now lie in ruins. Nobody actually knows what really happened. Since then the world is somewhat in chaos and every culture and nation have created their own explanation about the cataclysm. Some think there is a religious reason, some think it is a demon, some a wizard, but nobody really knows.
It is your task to travel the entire world and collect the necessary information from the various nations and cultures, by means of completing quests and finding hints to solve the mystery. For this, you have to deal with the sensitivities of those different cultures and deal with a new cult, named the cult of the Inner Flame. A religious cult of which the popularity is rising in the world.
More information.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
11,223
Here is what I learned about Realms Beyond.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
11,223
That does look promising!

They mentioned going to KS? Any word on when that might hit approximately?
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,377
Location
Leuven, BE
Cheers RPGWatch, I believe this is currently the only English-language Realms Beyond preview.

Hard to read, though. Any chance you can add spaces between every paragraph?
 
Joined
Dec 26, 2011
Messages
114
Nice write-up, Myrthos. Very thorough.

I didn't know this game used assets from Chaos Chronicles. Is this the second game to do so? I thought that was done in another game, Demon something or other...
 
Joined
Oct 21, 2006
Messages
39,129
Location
Florida, US
Wow, this really sounds interesting!! I'm so hyped now :)

The only thing I didn't like to hear was the game will be released in parts. But I'm just nit-picking :)

Looking forward to kickstarter!
 
Yeah, the splitting into parts isn't a plus for me, but, when I was thinking about how to release a large RPG as a very small studio, I wondered if that might be the best way to go. Keeps things manageable, and, hopefully, keeps some revenue coming in. I'd rather see that than an over-ambitious project dribbling out content in Early Access until they finally grind to a halt.
 
Joined
Nov 8, 2014
Messages
12,085
Yes it does looking interesting but I don't like the splitting up process but I can see why a small team might want to do that.
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
4,425
Location
UK
The only thing I didn't like to hear was the game will be released in parts.

'Released in parts' is probably a little bit misleading here.

We plan to release additional parts or expansions as the Gold Box series did with Forgotten Realms Volume I-IV (Pool of Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Secret of the Silver Blades and Pools of Darkness). But in contrast to those titles, our game will receive a huge update/DLC that unlocks the new content instead of releasing a whole new product. And we're talking here about another 60-100 hours gameplay that require about 12-16 months development time to make.

With every new 'expansion', the player will be able to explore new continents/regions of the world but keeps his/her character party. Along with new spells/classes/feats/items/monster, the level range of your characters and monsters will increase with each expansion.
Our approach is probably more like the one with Pen&Paper scenario/campaign books than with traditional sequels of games.

I already mentioned it in some German interview: Our company has been founded solely for the purpose to create this complex RPG world and framework. As long as it's financially viable (and we're fortunately quite a small studio), we want to continue expanding the gameplay mechanics, the simulation elements as well as the world itself.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
86
Location
Munich, Bavaria
I see, thanks for the clarification! Just wondering, how long is the base game and each planned expansions?

EDIT: Read your post again. I'm assuming 60-100 hours are expansion content but all or each expansions?

Sorry, been a long day.. Brain isn't functioning well at the moment.
 
Last edited:
'Released in parts' is probably a little bit misleading here.
Your words not mine :D


Anyway, as I figured it is an important clarification, I added your feedback to the article.
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
11,223
I see, thanks for the clarification! Just wondering, how long is the base game and each planned expansions?

EDIT: I know you said 60-100hours, but is that base game, each expansions or base game + expansions? Because, 60-100 hours of game content is quite massive.

Yes, it's massive and therefore we spent a lot of our time and energy into creating user-friendly tools to create content. Beside that, we also have our own online wiki system with a customized google maps implementation that helps us to coordinate the process of world design and content creation.
wikimap1-300x188.jpg


The tools of our RPG framework are ready to use and we're now actively recruiting additional content contributors like writers, level designer and world designer. The upcoming KS campaign is intended to finance professional authors because good writing is the best and most crucial investment we have to do right now.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
86
Location
Munich, Bavaria
Your words not mine :D
Anyway, as I figured it is an important clarification, I added your feedback to the article.

Yes, I should have described it differently but it's quite difficult to explain our release scheme with only a few words.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
86
Location
Munich, Bavaria
'Released in parts' is probably a little bit misleading here.

We plan to release additional parts or expansions as the Gold Box series did with Forgotten Realms Volume I-IV (Pool of Radiance, Curse of the Azure Bonds, Secret of the Silver Blades and Pools of Darkness). But in contrast to those titles, our game will receive a huge update/DLC that unlocks the new content instead of releasing a whole new product. And we're talking here about another 60-100 hours gameplay that require about 12-16 months development time to make.

With every new 'expansion', the player will be able to explore new continents/regions of the world but keeps his/her character party. Along with new spells/classes/feats/items/monster, the level range of your characters and monsters will increase with each expansion.
Our approach is probably more like the one with Pen&Paper scenario/campaign books than with traditional sequels of games.

I already mentioned it in some German interview: Our company has been founded solely for the purpose to create this complex RPG world and framework. As long as it's financially viable (and we're fortunately quite a small studio), we want to continue expanding the gameplay mechanics, the simulation elements as well as the world itself.

Ah thanks for this reply. Playing bit dump here but the game is "self contained" right? It will have an "ending" of sort even though it will leave room for future updates?

It may have been answered already but when do you expect to release the game provided the KS is a success? What will happen if the KS fails?
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2009
Messages
4,425
Location
UK
Ah thanks for this reply. Playing bit dump here but the game is "self contained" right? It will have an "ending" of sort even though it will leave room for future updates?
Yes, every 'part' will have its own ending that reveals another chunk of relevant information about the mystery that beleaguers the world.

It may have been answered already but when do you expect to release the game provided the KS is a success? What will happen if the KS fails?
We plan to start the early access end of 2019 and the release in early 2020.

If we don't reach our (moderate) goal on KS, we need to accept that the audience for such a game is even smaller than we already expected (~ 3000 backer). Which means, that this kind of product doesn't even generate the revenues to sustain a small indie team of 5-8 people.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
86
Location
Munich, Bavaria
Here we go, the controversial game :D

While the previous controversy has been resolved, the current controversy (at least on the Codex) seems to be how the game will handle multi-classing / prestige classes :).
They're also changing the wizard's spell memorization to be more similar to a sorcerer (i.e., you'll have a certain number of spell "slots" in each level per day, but don't have to choose specific spells), which is why there won't be a sorcerer class in the game.

For the most part, I like what Ceres is (tentatively) proposing, but players who are hoping for a CRPG that follows D&D 3.5 rules as closely as possible may be disappointed or even claim this automatically makes the game inferior.

But for those die-hard D&D 3.5 fans, I assume there will very likely be a mod to implement multi-classing & other changes to make it more like D&D rules.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2013
Messages
2,315
Location
PA
I will never understand why so many gamers are so impressed by D&D 3.5 rules.

Every RPG developer should make rules that work best for his game.

If every game would use the same ruleset gaming would get boring and each new game were just a mod.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
19,813
Location
Germany
Multi-classing / prestige classes

In regard of those two components, everything is still under consideration. Right now, we primarily want to complete the base classes with all their spells/feats/actions and those are implemented in accordance to the SRD 3.5e (with some adaptions since we're using a hexagonal grid).

Regarding the latest "controversy" about the Armor Class: D&D3.5e only applies AC for the torso armor and the shield. With our approach, we take the AC of the Full plate (+8) for example and distribute it on the different armor parts:

RB_ArmorClass.jpg


Why? Because someone wearing a full helmet, gauntlets and solid boots should get more protection. Our game is using the OGL and is not an official licensed D&D product, so, we're free to change details.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
86
Location
Munich, Bavaria
Back
Top Bottom