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#Kickstarter Games - All News

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Box Art

Tuesday - March 26, 2024

Kickstarter Games - Scribe

by Hiddenx, 17:14

Couchpotato spotted the 2D RPG Scribe on Kickstarter:

Scribe RPG: a 2D open world action, adventure, RPG

Combines retro platformers and point and click adventures feel, with beautiful graphics and feature rich game play.

Our intention is to create a feature-rich RPG that combines everything we love from old point-and-click adventures, action games, and puzzle platformers of the late 80s, all of this without the constraints of old technology, and with a strong emphasis on exploration gameplay throughout. We want to push pixel art aesthetics to their limits and use present technology for gameplay features and content that would never have been possible in the early years of computer games.

[...]

Wednesday - March 20, 2024

Kickstarter Games - Fade

by Hiddenx, 20:23

Farflame spotted the action RPG Fade on Kickstarter:

FADE - A DARK FANTASY ACTION RPG

A dark fantasy Action RPG inspired by Souls-likes ,classic RPGs like Fable, and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood.

FADE is an Dark Fantasy Action RPG that combines combat inspired by the “Souls Series”, the narrative direction of FABLE and a plot inspired by Full Metal Alchemist. In FADE players will be tasked with exploring the settlements of Celeste, Solemn, Whisper, and The Baltane Capital in order stop the 5 Homunculus Leaders, each with their own unique spin on alchemy and combat sharing a destructive plot to sacrifice the country.  To succeed in your journey, you’ll have to meet new companions, take on side quests, craft useful items and collect powerful equipment.

[...]

Friday - March 08, 2024

Kickstarter Games - Crowdfunding planned for The Sinking City 2

by Hiddenx, 18:08

Wccftech reports that Frogwares plans a Kickstarter campaign for The Sinking City 2:

The Sinking City 2 Goes to Kickstarter Soon as Frogwares Needs a Safety Net from the War

Yesterday, Ukrainian developer Frogwares delivered one of the best surprises of the Xbox Partner Showcase with the announcement of The Sinking City 2.

In a press release sent after the reveal, Frogwares clarified there will be a Kickstarter campaign for the sequel, just like for their previous game (Sherlock Holmes The Awakened), and it's all due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. CEO Wael Amr explained:

At this stage, we have learned and adapted to our reality but the ongoing war adds an ominous layer of uncertainty, and the additional funds will help us deal with potential disruptions on top of helping fund various extra features we would love to implement. Our previous game, Sherlock Holmes The Awakened, was fully developed and released during the war. Through Kickstarter and our supporters, we built ourselves a safety net that saved us more than once. From power cuts as our electrical infrastructure was targeted for months to the need for team members to relocate at very short notice, this financial safety net proved invaluable to us. So we need to do the same now with The Sinking City 2 as this game is vastly bigger and more complex.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

Saturday - February 24, 2024

Kickstarter Games - The Bustling World - Canceled

by Hiddenx, 08:39

The Kickstarter for The Bustling World has been canceled:

Thanks for your support! This is a Goodbye but not Farewell. <3

Hello everyone,

We can’t express enough how grateful we are for your support. These have been some of the most thrilling days of our lives, and your enthusiasm has been truly overwhelming.

We need to share some important information about this crowdfunding campaign. Over the past few years, we’ve been dedicated to the development of our game. This is our first time launching a crowdfunding campaign, and we’re feeling a mix of nerves and excitement. Since the campaign started, we’ve received a wealth of suggestions and feedback. This has made us realize that there were parts where we could have been better prepared. There's a lot we can improve and new rewards and content we’d like to add, such as a physical edition and support for more platforms. However, due to the basic structure of the campaign, we’re unable to make major changes at this time. 

After a thorough consideration, we’ve decided to close this campaign for now. We are planning to launch a new one in the future when we have more appealing rewards to offer. New schedules and plans will be announced on our social media channels. Please stay tuned!

We deeply appreciate your incredible support. We can’t overstate our gratitude. As a token of our appreciation, we’ve decided to provide a free Steam Key to everyone who has already backed $16 or above in this campaign. Please accept this as a sign of our sincere gratitude. We look forward to seeing you in the new campaign. Thank you again for everything!

Also, big thanks to our Discord moderator - link_of_hyrule, we couldn't do this without you. 

Thanks Couchpotato!

Wednesday - January 24, 2024

Kickstarter Games - Dreamed Away

by Hiddenx, 17:15

The Adventure RPG Dreamed Away will be on Kickstarter soon:

Dreamed Away - A cute pixel art RPG with a dark story

Dreamed Away is a pixel art emotional action-adventure RPG with a unique battle system. Play a boy lost in a dark, mysterious world.

Thanks Couchpotato!

Kickstarter Games - Tales of Seikyu

by Hiddenx, 17:10

Couchpotato spotted a Kickstarter campaign for the farming sim Tales of Seikyu:

Tales of Seikyu - cozy farming game

Tales of Seikyu is a fantasy-style life-sim RPG game set on an island named Seikyu. This unique world is home to numerous mystical yōkai from various backgrounds. You can plant crops, craft, ranching, participate in fishing competitions, and explore underwater ruins on the Yōkai Island set in the Showa era. Build friendships, form families with the residents of the Yōkai town, support town development, and become a proud member of the flourishing mountainous Seikyu Island.

[...]

Saturday - September 09, 2023

Kickstarter Games - WILDLANDS

by Hiddenx, 07:45

The Kickstarter campaign for the action adventure WILDLANDS has started:

WILDLANDS 

WILDLANDS is a re-imagined survival game inspired by the classics. Alone or with your friends: Explore a universe revolving around animals, craft hundreds of objects, build and decorate your house, grow crops, befriends animals and so much more!

While retaining the basics that make classic survival games such an enjoyable experience, we are aiming to modernize the genre by blending the most-loved features from Action, Adventure, RPG, & Survival games together.

WILDLANDS is a fully co-op adventure. You will be able to join forces with up your friends at any time and work together towards your next objective. Explore the WILDLANDS, tame animals, fight the apex predators or build the house of your dreams; all while being alongside your friends.

[...]

Friday - September 08, 2023

Kickstarter Games - Anima - Song From the Abyss

by Hiddenx, 08:31

The indie studio Anima Project started a Kickstarter campaign for the action RPG Anima - Song From the Abyss:

Anima: Song from the Abyss Official Trailer

Anima Song from the Abyss is an action role-playing game (ARPG) with hack and slash style elements in which players explore an interconnected world.

Thanks Farflame!

Wednesday - May 03, 2023

Kickstarter Games - Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults

by Hiddenx, 17:32

BKOM Studios and Paizo announced Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, the action RPG will be on Kickstarter later this month:

A Pathfinder Abomination Vaults ARPG coming to Kickstarter!

BKOM Studios and Paizo are proud to reveal Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, the first ever co-op ARPG based on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game!

Up to four players lead iconic Pathfinder heroes into the farthest depths of Gauntlight Keep, battle deadly monsters and abominations to reach the evil sorceress Belcorra Haruvex and put an end to her vile schemes once and for all.

The wicked sorceress Belcorra Haruvex has returned to haunt her forsaken home of Gauntlight Keep. There, she covertly assembles an army of monsters, beasts, and abominations with which to take her revenge against those who wronged her in life. Brave heroes are needed—to venture forth into these long-forgotten depths, defeat Belcorra’s abomination army, and put her wicked soul to rest… for good.

The game has players delve ever deeper into Gauntlight Keep—a sprawling megadungeon teeming with foul monsters and grotesque abominations—to slay the evil sorceress who has reawakened at its farthest depths. In order to tell a rich story from both the perspective of the adventure and its participants, the game will feature four iconics from the Pathfinder universe, including Amiri and Ezren.

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato and apscp2003!

Sunday - April 23, 2023

Kickstarter Games - Forgotten but Unbroken

by Hiddenx, 09:07

Couchpotato spotted a Kickstarter campaign for the tactical RPG Forgotten but Unbroken:

Forgotten but Unbroken

When XCOM crashes headlong into World War II! Forgotten but Unbroken is a tactical turn-based PC strategy game inspired by XCOM but armed with a unique take on the genre.

Offering a deep and complex gaming experience, meet and fight alongside real World War II heroes who the cruel corridors of history have forgotten. Lead your own resistance group, make tough decisions, and ensure this small operation has a big impact on the war's outcome! Build, upgrade and manage your base. Recruit new comrades, train and customize their abilities, team up with historical characters and fight against the Axis powers. Keep winning, so your allies send you vital funds, supplies, and even elite units in your fight to liberate Europe. Step up, heroes! It’s time to take your freedom back!

[...]

 

Sunday - June 05, 2022

Kickstarter Games - Absinthia

by Hiddenx, 09:14

The RPGMaker game Absinthia is now on Kickstarter:

Absinthia Announcement Trailer

From the creator of Knight Bewitched and Celestial Hearts comes the next chapter in the Knights of Ambrose saga.

Lilith, demoness of legend, has brought her wrath to the peaceful village Katti Town, seeking easy means to harness energy for her grand plans.  Only Freya, a mysterious wandering warrior, has shown the power to hold Lilith at bay.  As Freya takes Sera the swordswoman, Jake the rogue and Thomas the mage under her guidance, the attacks on Katti grow more frequent.  Lilith must be stopped...but who is Freya, anyway?

Absinthia explores self-acceptance, found family and trauma and four friends struggle to find themselves amidst a journey they never imagined.  Truly a tale of broken hearts and mending souls.

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Features:

  • Traditional turn-based jRPG battle system
  • Difficulty options for those who seek challenge–or only want to focus on the story
  • Just the right length: Absinthia‘s playtime clocks at around 8-12 hours
  • An all-queer main character cast
  • SNES-style pixel art and illustrations
  • Original soundtrack: Composed by Jazz Stewart of PNK SHBA, Absinthia‘s soundtrack is a modern take on some of the greatest tunes from the SNES era of jRPGs
  • Cover and cutscene art by Rae Stilwell

Tuesday - March 22, 2022

Kickstarter Games - Into the Dark

by Hiddenx, 19:41

The dungeon crawler Into the Dark is now on Kickstarter:

Into the Dark

Hello Everyone!

My name is Greg/Esenthel, and I'm here to show you the game that I've been working on lately. It's called "Into The Dark", a remake of my older game. It's already 90% completed, and I'm looking for funds for final stages of development, polishing, and also most importantly - to gather your feedback before the game is released and improve it based on what you say! I want to make sure you will be happy with the game, and that it will give you a satisfying and exciting experience.

It's a Dungeon Crawler, inspired by the classics that I love - Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder, Legend of Grimrock, etc.

[...]

Saturday - March 12, 2022

Kickstarter Games - The Threshold Dweller

by Hiddenx, 10:47

The RPG The Threshold Dweller is now on Kickstarter:

The Threshold Dweller

Main Story – Plot of the game

You are a town boy who goes to the Academy run by the Adventurer’s Guild. After your training and education, you come back home and the political chaos and turmoil of the land reaches you.

As almost everybody knows in the explored world, centuries ago many types of cataclysmic events reshaped the land and its climates, causing strife everywhere. And some strange things are happening lately… in the air, in the sea, in the land.

Strange dreams of rare machinery, colorful fluids, estrange sensations and voices disturbs you constantly. Like if you are being call to go somewhere.

You start your journey only with your training, some vague dreams and a few good advices.

Enjoy a fantasy-medieval setting with deep lore, religion, philosophy and complex escenarios (biomas and bestiary).

Forge alliances... Explore the consequences of your actions... How you explore the immense world is up to you.

loading...

We are showing parts of the project that we are involved. Everything is under development and we hope we deliver a great game. This video was made for Kickstarter.

Monday - March 07, 2022

Kickstarter Games - Meifumado

by Hiddenx, 16:28

The Kickstarter campaign for the Action RPG Meifumado has been started:

 Meifumado

loading...

Meifumado is an action role-playing game set in a post-apocalyptic, immersive open world inspired by Japan. It features an in-depth combat system and puts heavy focus on RPG elements, allowing player to change the course of the story and its ending depending on the choices you make throughout the game.

Faction you choose to side with, role you play in local conflicts, characters you help - all actions wheather on small or large scale will have consequences, favourable or negative for the player and the world.

[...]

Monday - February 21, 2022

Kickstarter Games - Record of Funded Projects in 2021

by Redglyph, 17:08

GamesIndustry.biz published statistics on the Kickstarter video game projects of 2021, which in conclusion was a good year.

Kickstarter saw record number of games projects funded in 2021

Platform sees $24 million raised across 441 titles, sees moderate decline in fundraisers with a target of over $500k

Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter saw 441 video game projects hit their fundraising goals throughout 2021.

That's according to data from Ico Partners, which observed that the video games category on the platform has broken its own record for funded projects two years running.

It is also the third time that over 400 projects have been funded in a year; the platform surpassed the milestone in 2014 with 413 projects, and in 2020 with 429 projects.

In total, funded projects in the video games category raised $24 million in 2021, slightly less than the $26 million raised in 2020.

Ico also notes that last year saw 51 projects raising funds in the $100k to $500k category than any other, beating the previous record set in 2014. That said, there were fewer projects in the $500k category than last year.

Kickstarter's biggest year for revenue in the video games category is 2013, where it raised $56 million across 395 projects.

The platform recently announced a pivot onto the blockchain, but, following criticism, opted to slow its transition and address a number of concerns related to the change.

Sunday - December 12, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Chef RPG

by Redglyph, 15:31

RPG Fan has spotted an original Kickstarter project, Chef RPG. 3 days left and already 278% funded (CA$ 139k pledged of a 50k goal). The release is planned for Q3 2023.

Crowdfunding Chronicles: Chef RPG

Campaign Ends: December 16th
Platform: Windows, macOS, and Switch.

The seaside town of White Ash harbor was once a bustling tourist attraction, with the town’s star restaurant, Le Sequoia, drawing crowds of hungry visitors from far off lands. Sadly, those days are now a fading memory… unless a plucky traveling chef with big dreams happens to be waiting right around the corner. And behold; there you are! Bring the restaurant and its surroundings back to their former glory in Chef RPG, an open-world pixel RPG all about food, friendship, and beautiful architecture.

Gameplay in Chef RPG largely focuses on restaurant management, wilderness exploration, and of course cooking. Go hunting, fishing, do some farming, and make friends (maybe even romantic friends) with the diverse characters you’ll meet. Follow along with the main storyline and enjoy a variety of sidequests to become the type of chef you’ve always wanted to be!

[...]

Thursday - October 14, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Eternal Exodus

by Redglyph, 15:05

Josh Forde notifies us that he launched a Kickstarter campaign on September 28th for Eternal Exodus.

Eternal Exodus: a monster-taming RPG with fusion & crafting

Hell is a scary place. Fortunately, you can capture demons and use them in battle to survive.

Eternal Exodus is a story-driven monster-catching RPG set in the afterlife, with unique mechanics like crafting and fusion.

The game will launch in 2022 on Steam, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One with 15-20 hours of main story content, plus several hours of sidequests.

[...]

Features: (from the game website)

  • Capture demons and fuse them into new species
  • Craft weapons, armor, and potions for your party
  • Studying a language? Play in two languages at once
  • Fully original soundtrack inspired by composers like Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda
  • Massive 16-bit world map to explore
  • 15-20 hours of main gameplay + several hours of content-heavy, rewarding sidequests
  • Minigames galore

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Friday - October 01, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Resident Evil: The Board Game

by Redglyph, 11:06

Game Rant reports that Steamforged Games will launch a Kickstarter on October 26th for a board game based on Resident Evil.

Resident Evil is Getting A Board Game

Fans of tabletop games and Resident Evil can join together in anticipation of the newest board game adaptation of the classic horror game franchise.

There's a lot of Resident Evil content for fans of the franchise to interact with outside of the core series of games. From books to movies to the many spinoff titles, there are plenty of different ways for fans to enjoy the series, and earlier this week, Resident Evil: The Board Game was announced.

Created by Steamforged Games, Resident Evil: The Board Game is a tabletop interpretation of the events of the original Resident Evil game. The board game was announced on Tuesday and will begin its Kickstarter campaign later this fall with Steamforged saying that the campaign will be "unlike any" other campaigns that backers have experienced.

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Tuesday - September 21, 2021

Kickstarter Games - BioSynth

by Redglyph, 16:20

Neptune Games have launched their Kickstarter campaign for BioSynth, a single-player classic RPG in a futuristic setting.

BioSynth

A party-based single-player classic RPG with turn-based combat, in a Sci-Fi setting.

Do you love RPGs?

Does a deep tactical game fascinate you?

Do you enjoy a futuristic setting with robots, lasers and cyborgs? 

We do and that is why we decided to build this game. There's quite a lack of classic RPGs in a futuristic settings and we want to fill that gap - while bringing you a game that'll make you have a ton of fun, feel charmed and have a great time.

[...]

Enzevil gives a brief summary with a launch video.

First Look at BioSynth Rising: A New Futuristic Turn-Based CRPG | Information, Gameplay + More!

A new futuristic Sci-Fi/Cyberpunk-like CRPG is in development. This is like a crossover between Divinity: Original Sin and Cyberpunk, and draws inspiration from other old CRPGs like Fallout and Baldur's Gate. This video isn't sponored. Thank you Neptune Games for giving me early footage of the game to show it. You can find the links down here:

Kickstarter Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

Neptune Games: https://neptunegames.net/ 

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Saturday - September 18, 2021

Kickstarter Games - The End of Scarlet Republics

by Redglyph, 13:07

@vanedor has spotted that the Scarlet Republics project had ended, unfortunately failing for multiple reasons detailed in their last update.

Scarlet Republics was a renaissance-inspired tactical RPG, which had a very successful campaign. It reached its goal on October 1st, 2020, with 46523 EUR pledged of an initial 10000 EUR goal.

The End of Scarlet Republics

We have failed...

Now it is time to talk about it.

We have given it our best, tried everything to push through our obstacles and challenges. Despite our best efforts, we have run out of energy and money to sustain Audacity Interactive and the development of Scarlet Republics.

We faced many challenges along the way, and those challenges wore us down slowly. We have to look reality in the eye: we have run out of steam. Also, it has taken a toll on our health, with several members having symptoms of stress and experiencing burnout.

Here is what happened on the inside.

[...]

Demo and Other Assets

We will make the latest playable demo of Scarlet Republics available to download. We will also look into potentially releasing other content, such as the game code, the writing, audio and visual assets. If it's feasible with proprietary third-party licenses, hosting, and the like.

Lessons Learnt

Here are some of the lessons we take away from this experience.

  1. Creating and running your first startup business is HARD. It is really hard. There are so many things you don't know, and we made so many mistakes.
  2. We started out way too big, we would have been much better off with a smaller scope of the game.
  3. We pushed forward with a strong, and sometimes blind, optimism. It is important to not let that optimism drive you past a sustainable state of operation. You can't force things.

[...]

Thanks vanedor!

Sunday - September 05, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Tanares, a Tabletop Adventure Set

by Redglyph, 12:00

Dragori Games, a tabletop developer and publisher, has launched a new campaign on August 31st for a new adventure set, Tanares. The set comprises a campaign sourcebook, a player's guide and an adventure book, plus map, miniatures and cards.

So far it has been met with a huge success - 1,310,823 USD pledged of a 50,000 USD goal!

Tanares

Meet Tanares, a high-fantasy campaign setting for the world’s greatest roleplaying game. In Tanares, whenever war was waged, the bloodshed summoned a powerful, frenzied Dragon that buried the civilizations involved, resetting History and forever changing the landscape. This dystopian world is kept together and on a short leash by an Empire that forbids large armed gatherings. Under this decree, and without many powerful adventurers out there, your Team may become one of the most powerful units in the world, and effect real change to all aspects of the scenario. 

[...]

A Little Bit of History

  • Dragori Games was founded by friends from the same RPG party, who wanted to create a GM-less RPG experience after a particularly frustrating session.
  • As a result, Dragori created the dungeon crawler/skirmish game Arena: the Contest (“Arena,” in short), thus beginning its history as a board game publisher.
  • The kickstarter happened in 2018, and in 2019 fulfillment was completed. Raving reviews and public acclaim ensued.
  • Late 2019, Dragori announced a cooperative-focused expansion for Arena, called Tanares Adventures, with 300+ hours of unique gameplay and 100+ quests.
  • We also announced, in Jan. 20th, 2020 (Arena’s Update #91), that, after the campaign, we’d launch an RPG setting based in the same world.
  • COVID-19 hit the world by storm, with lockdown and quarantines taking place shortly after the campaign ended.
  • Neither our offices nor our factory could open for a long time, which harmed development and production times, and 2021 is considered the most chaotic year in shipping history.
  • Despite all of these problems, in 2021 we fulfilled Tanares Adventures’ first wave (pending a little less than 10% of the parcels).
  • In 2022, the second wave will be fulfilled.
  • Now, as promised, we’re launching the RPG campaign, to be fulfilled alongside Tanares Adventures’ second wave.

 

Saturday - June 19, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Paths & Danger

by Hiddenx, 21:19

A Kickstarter campaign for the tactical RPG Paths & Danger has been launched:

Paths & Danger

Greetings,

We recently launched a test demo of our most recent project, Paths & Danger. We are a team of 2 working on this.

Paths & Danger is a procedural turn-based RPG, the game is a mixture of Darkest Dungeon and Battle Brothers, actually got inspiration from both. But has an innovative gameplay experience. We hope you enjoy it.

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-> demo

-> forum

Tuesday - June 15, 2021

Sacrifire - A jRPG Inspired Game on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 08:12

From the creators of Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs and Warsaw comes SacriFire, an RPG that has been inspired by the classic jRPGs and it is currently on Kickstarter, looking to surpass its pledge goal with some ease.

Inspired by jRPGs of the 90s, SacriFire blends action and turn-based combat while traversing two worlds

Warsaw, Poland — June 13, 2021 — Pixelated Milk, developers of Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs and Warsaw have announced their next project, SacriFire. Inspired by jRPGs of the past, Sacrifire features a unique blend of real-time and turn-based combat, music by Motoi Sakuraba, and a combination of gorgeous 2D and 3D artwork.

As announced during the PC Gaming Show, SacriFire can be backed on Kickstarter today. SacriFire is planned to launch for PC (Steam, Epic Game Store, GOG) as well as Playstation (PS4, PS5), Xbox (XB1, XSX) and Switch consoles in 2022. 

The team here at Pixelated Milk is incredibly excited to be announcing the Kickstarter launch for SacriFire, our upcoming JRPG-inspired title" said Bartosz Łojewski, Project Lead at Pixelated Milk. "Beautiful retro pixel art, a blend of real-time and turn-based combat, and music by Motoi Sakuraba are all going to come together in a game that is a love letter to games we loved. Players will encounter memorable characters, an underground city, a world of spirits, a war between gods and demons, and one soldier's ultimate test of faith, you know... everything a good JPRG needs!. We're seeking 82,000 euros on Kickstarter to help fund this ambitious project, but the sky is the limit!"

SacriFire tells the story of Ezekiel Ridan, a young soldier training to join an elite sect of holy warriors who keep the subterranean city of Antioch safe from demons roaming the surface above. The theft of a mysterious relic sets Ezekiel on an adventure which will lead to places he would never have imagined, where he'll uncover secrets which cause him to question everything he believes. A struggle thousands of years in the making is about to unfold.

Ezekiel and his companions battle through demons, cultists, and ancient automatons using shapeshifting weaponry and special attacks that uncover and target enemy weaknesses. Surviving battles requires more than hacking away—every enemy type is weak to different types of weapon damage which becomes more effective as attacks are chained together.

Key Features:

Dynamic battles – SacriFire's combat engine blends real-time and turn-based styles to provide a fluid experience that is both challenging and satisfying. Fight alongside companions, choose from multiple weapons, target individual enemy body parts, and string attacks together to create elaborate combos.

High-quality presentation – Employing a combination of pixel art and 3D graphics allows us to combine retro-style graphics with innovative digital effects wizardry. Hand-drawn and animated characters blend seamlessly with 3D-modeled environments.

Moral complexity – SacriFire's original story aims to both respect and subvert the standard RPG tropes, so although you'll feel right at home with our cast of lovable characters, you'll never know what to expect next!

A tale of two worlds – Travel between the sprawling subterranean city of Antioch and the idyllic spirit paradise of Erebus in a well-developed game universe which blends fantasy with science-fiction.

Elaborate gameplay systems – Adopt diverse combat disciplines, craft weapons, solve puzzles and tackle imaginative dungeons.

Original Music and professional voice acting – A brand new soundtrack composed by Game Audio Factory, and the legendary Motoi Sakuraba. The talented Sound Cadence Studios bring SacriFire's memorable cast to life!

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Saturday - May 08, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Soulash

by Hiddenx, 17:42

A classic fantasy roguelike - Soulash - is now on Kickstarter:

Soulash: Classic Fantasy Roguelike

Play as a fallen god seeking revenge for your imprisonment. Enjoy turn-based gameplay, old-school pixel-art and advanced modding tools.

 

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You were once the god-king of the Dreamworld, but a new pantheon of gods dethroned you. Mortals have forgotten about you. The divines drained your soul of its incredible power. As you diminished, your chains were no longer able to hold you. You escaped into the mortal realm seeking revenge and destruction. No deity has set foot here for eons, but you changed everything.

Soon new gods will come for you, and the world will burn.  

[...]

Tuesday - March 23, 2021

Kickstarter Games - Holomento

by Silver, 03:32

Holomento has appeared on Kickstarter and is described as a permadeath action RPG.

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Holomento is an indie permadeath RPG focusing on the dangerous quest of passing through the mysterious Eventide Hollow - and rebuilding it step by step. It is heavily inspired by classics such as Zelda and Terranigma, combined with rogue-lite elements. Holomento will release on PC, with console ports being potential Stretch Goals, should the funding goal be reached.

  • Explore a hand-crafted open world featuring procedurally generated dungeons!
  •  Fight your way through Eventide Hollow - again and again!
  •  Rebuild the Hollow and release it from its ruinous curse!

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Friday - November 06, 2020

King Arthur: Knight's Tale - Reaches Goal

by Silver, 23:23

King Arthur: Knight's Tale has reached its funding goal on Kickstarter with 5 days remaining.

We've just reached 100% - thank you, we are overwhelmed by your support!

We've got some amazing stretch goals in store, such as the Sage class, PvP mode, and more! Now let's take a look at some more of the mechanics of Knight's Tale with a new episode of Battle Showcase, and an introduction to hero personalities!

Battle Showcase - Ranged Combat

[video at link]

Personality & Traits

Last time we talked about the Morality Chart: your decisions will shape your ideological standing and the characteristics of your regency, or, to put it bluntly, you will have an in-game personality of sorts.

 

This is true for all heroes in King Arthur: Knight’s Tale. Each and every hero you hire has a distinct personality, as they have their own personal goals, world views and even conflicts.

The Personality of heroes is represented within the game mechanics as well: each hero has Traits, which will determine how they relate to you and each other, some of these can be unique to certain heroes.

Let’s say there’s a hero with a Virtuous trait. If you act as a Tyrant, they will be upset, and their loyalty will be eroded with each decision made. Adherents of the Old Faith will not be happy if they share a party with devout Christians. And so on.

Some of these trait combinations are very specific: Balan and Balin, for example, will have an additional advantage of sibling bond, but only if they’re both in the same party.

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale offers more than 100 personality traits for its heroes. It is your job to know your heroes and assign them to missions and parties accordingly. Well, at least, if you want the best results. If you want to see conflicts emerge at the cost of an efficient team, go for it! It might even be entertaining to see what happens!

Friday - October 30, 2020

Kickstarter Games - King Arthur: Knight's Tale Updates

by Silver, 11:01

There have been a number of notable updates for King Arthur: Knight's Tale which still has 13 days to go and is currently 75% funded.

Developer interview: Production and Scope

2. NeocoreGames has been known for its Action-RPGs recently, why this change in direction?

I think I’m not revealing any big secrets when I say that we’re currently working on a bigger Action-RPG as well, but the release of that game is very far away. We felt that we need a little break by developing something different, so we don’t become jaded with the Action-RPG genre. Once in a while it’s a good thing to do something different, to get some distance from the genre, so we don’t just repeat ourselves. Most of us from the concept team love tactical games and RPGs with a tactical approach, so the choice of direction felt natural, and then one decision lead to another. The thinking process was like this: "if we want a tactical game, we should incorporate RPG elements, since we’re mostly RPG creators and writers", so this is how this hybrid came to be. As this was decided, we approached it from a rogue-lite angle as well. And as soon as this mixed genre was locked, we looked around to find a setting. We wanted fantasy, and free creative control, so we reached back to our old King Arthur games. The last step was to approach King Arthur from a dark fantasy perspective.

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Information on the morality chart

King Arthur: Knight's Tale follows the best traditions of turn-based tactical games and RPGs, but there is a new, innovative addition as well: the Morality Chart. Today we dive deep into this awesome feature which will define your playstyle and the characteristics of your regency!

This unique system will serve as indicator how your subordinates and enemies will judge you during the game. One axis of the chart represents Rightfulness and Tyranny, the other represents Old Faith and Christianity.

As you venture into new missions, you will be facing moral decisions which will move these values on the chart. Everything you do will be reflected here: it will show you exactly what kind of king you are.

Let's say there's a plague! What would you do? Sure, you can burn down every local building to stop its spread… but you can send in a healer as well. Riskier, but more humane! Or, let's say you happen upon a group of bandits harassing a merchant. You can deal with the robbers and let the merchant determine your reward, or... if you're in need, you can just take everything. So how do you decide? Tough questions!

The Morality Chart isn’t just a fancy display, it has deeper implications in the game mechanics as well, by unlocking:

  •  New heroes - Morgan le Fay, for example, will only be available in a quest if you meet the criteria of the morality value: push towards Old Faith, have its followers trust you enough to ask for your help.
  •  New abilities - Heroes have a special ability tied to their morality values. Heroes fighting alongside with other heroes who share the same world view might benefit from this in the party, perhaps gaining new skills and bonuses on existing skills!
  •  New management actions - As a Tyrant you might be able demand tribute to solve the problem of an empty treasury, whereas as a Righteous king you might formulate a new law that will bring steady income at a slower, but steadier rate.

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Hero Spotlight: Merlin

Let's continue our hero spotlight, shall we? Today we brought along probably the most famous hero of the Arthurian myths - barring the Once and Future King, of course. His powers have been praised many a time, and his magic knew no bounds. Let's take a look at Merlin himself!

The legendary wizard, an ageless, mysterious presence who has been haunting Britannia since time immemorial. Merlin had been there before young Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone and changed Britannia forever and the wizard’s role in that majestic event is still unclear; Merlin was also seen during the Battle of Camlann, and yet, no one seems to know clearly which side he fought on. He is an enigma, a power that cannot be controlled, a wanderer with strong ties to the Lady of the Lake. Presently his whereabouts are unknown.

[...]

Hero Spotlight - Sir Mordred

Sir Mordred was the nemesis of King Arthur, destined to battle the Once and Future King in their final duel. He fulfilled his destiny and they both died – or didn’t they?

Sir Mordred has a reputation of a dread knight, a ruthless, grim warrior in pursuit of the throne of Britannia. His slide into Arthur’s nemesis was gradual, though, as his growing conflicts with the King eventually made him the leader of the army set out to conquer Camelot, earning him the title of traitor on behalf of his fellow knights who remained faithful to Arthur. It is undeniably true that he never suffered fools easily and his relentless actions were always far from the knightly deeds praised by the troubadours, but he always kept the interests of the realm in sight.

[...]

Know Your Enemy - Banshee & Knight of Midnight

Banshee

These frightening apparitions once served the Lady of the Lake. They used to be her white-robed enchantresses who protected the sacred springs of Avalon and assisted during the rituals. But when darkness came and madness swept away peace, many of these ladies died, and often they died very violently. When they returned – as most inhabitants of this magical island eventually do, one way or another –, they have turned into shrieking, frothing nightmares, raging over what they had lost.

[...]

Know Your Enemy - Lost Knight & The Lady of Summer

Lost Knight

In the golden age of Avalon, knights were wandering the island seeking glorious adventure. They fought and fell, but eventually they always returned fully healed and in great spirits. But that was before Avalon succumbed to the taint. Knights are still roaming the land and they still fight, although without the joy and the vigor; and when they fall, they will still stand up again, but darkness fills them like an empty vessel, and darkness remains in them until midnight ends.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Tuesday - October 13, 2020

Kickstarter Games - King Arthur: Knight's Tale

by Hiddenx, 19:33

The King Arthur: Knight's Tale Kickstarter is live now:

King Arthur: Knight's Tale

The Role-Playing Tactical Game set in an Arthurian Dark Fantasy World

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Story

You are Sir Mordred, the nemesis of King Arthur, the former black knight of the grim tales. You killed King Arthur, but with his dying breath, he struck you down. You both died – and yet, you both live.

The Lady of the Lake, the ruler of the mystical island of Avalon brought you back to end a true nightmare. She wants you to go on a knightly quest. She wants you to finish what you have begun. Kill King Arthur – or whatever he has become after she took his dying vessel to Avalon.

King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is a Role-playing Tactical Game - a unique hybrid between turn-based tactical games (like X-Com) and traditional, character-centric RPGs.

Knight's Tale is a modern retelling of a classic Arthurian mythology story filtered through the dark fantasy tropes, a twist on the traditional tales of chivalry.

The story campaign puts a huge emphasis on moral choices, which have significant consequences in a rogue-lite structure, adding extra tension to the tactical and management decisions.

Your Fights

Control a small team of heroes and fight gruelling, but satisfying battles with a deeply engaging, tactical turn-based combat system.

  • Diverse battle maps - Position yourself, avoid shieldwalls, flank your enemies. Use covers against archers, make use of the terrain, hide in the foliage, surprise your enemies!
  • Control the battleground - Scouting ahead is important as your enemies could be hiding as well. Use traps, lure and avoid enemy combatants until you can strike safely.
  • Team tactics - Choose from more than 30 heroes of 5 diverse classes to assemble an efficient team. Combine hundreds of skills and artifacts, but be careful. One misstep and your heroes could be maimed, or worse, killed permanently.
  • Learn about your enemies - Opposing forces and mythical creatures will try to challenge you at every step. Pay attention to their weaknesses and strengths!

Your Heroes

No one can face the nightmare alone - gather an army of loyal knights, settle disputes and forge your own path

  • The Round Table reborn - Gather your own Knights of the Round Table and send them on knightly quests. In “Knight’s Tale” these heroes are the most important resources and the most complex gameplay elements at the same time.
  • Complex RPG-like characters - The character progression system is designed to be as deep as in the traditional RPGs: heroes level upon unique skill trees and the complex loot system provides unique options to fine-tune their tactical capabilities.    
  • Death is always final - Beware! Heroes can die during missions and the treatment of their injuries, curses, diseases takes time. You must manage them at the Round Table accordingly, planning ahead before going into battles. As heroes take time off between consequent missions, management of their injuries and selecting their substitutes are essential components of gameplay.
  • A question of loyalty - Each hero has a distinctive personality. Settle disputes and grant favors to convince various knights to remain loyal to you. Some of them will observe your decisions closely, and some knights will even have conflicts with each other. It is your job to select heroes that are the best fit for your goals (and each other) at the Round Table. The heroes' loyalty is constantly changing through the decisions made by the player – in certain cases they can ever leave the Round Table and turn against you.

Your Kingdom

Forge your kingdom with steel and faith - restore the order and bring an end to the nightmare unleashed in Avalon

  • Explore the land of nightmares - “King Arthur: Knight’s Tale” is an imaginative take on the aftermath of the Arthurian mythology, beginning where most tales end. After his last battle, where King Arthur suffered a lethal wound, he has been taken to the magical island of Avalon where he was supposed to gain immortality, but what happens when immortality means that he is simply unable to die?
  • A terrible force in Avalon - The Once and Future King is now trapped in the realm of Avalon and his pain is slowly turning this magical place into a nightmare version of his own Britannia, populating the land with the familiar and the uncanny.
  • Your kingdom in need - See the entirety of the land presented on a strategic map, observe all fiefdoms and secret corners, select your missions and explore various places. The people are suffering, the land is plagued by nightmares and the choice is yours: will you be savior or the scourge of this cursed realm?
  • Camelot reborn - Management in “Knight’s Tale” focuses on rebuilding Camelot and expanding the mystical Stronghold with new buildings that each unlock various upgrades, and also offers different ways to heal up and manage the heroes of the Round Table.

Your Legend

Whatever you do, you will shape your legend, but all your choices will have severe consequences.

  • Write your own tale of chivalry - Play as Sir Mordred, the former nemesis of King Arthur. Explore the mystical island of Avalon, venture on knightly quests and make decisions in various encounters where you'll need to make moral choices, as in most RPGs, which all have impact on the story and your Morality.
  • The making of a monarch - The Morality Chart represents your general alignment as a ruler. Your status between Christianity and Old Faith, between Tyranny and Righteousness. Your choices affect values on this chart, influencing both gameplay and narrative.
  • The weight of decisions - Reloading is not an option in Knight’s Tale – as you make your tough choices, the fun comes from dealing with severe consequences. Based on your decisions, every playthrough can unfold differently, branching in unexpected ways in a non-linear fashion. Planning and choosing differently will result in vastly different playthroughs: your legend is shaped by every action you take.
  • The end is only the beginning - The end of the campaign opens up new endgame content for the bravest of all: tough new challenges appear on the map with challenging, mythic bossfights and random quests, loot, and character progression ultimately leading to the banishing of Balor, the monstrous god-king of the Fomorians himself.

Beyond the Legend

Witness the Arthurian legend like you never have before - rich in content and presented with the highest graphical fidelity to date.

  • See the world and the countless legends it harbors - Complete more than 50 unique points of interest on the Adventure Map, including 20 story missions and various side quests, taking place on diverse terrains, from the dark castle dungeons to the forests of the Sídhe.
  • Tackle them one by one - Challenge 7 enemy factions, fight more than 50 types of enemy units, overcome 10 incredible boss fights throughout your quests.
  • A spectacular view - The production of "Knight's Tale" relies heavily on photoscanned environments and high-quality mocap animation, all rendered inside a modern PBR engine utilizing DirectX 12, supporting strong, atmospheric effects.

Thanks Yemeth and Porcozaur!

 

Wednesday - September 30, 2020

Kickstarter Games - Terra Invicta

by Silver, 19:40

The creators of the Long War mod for XCOM are making their own game called Terra Invicta which is now on Kickstarter and already funded.

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Story

WHAT IF aliens bent on dominating humanity arrived in our Solar System, today? Would we unite and find a way to defend ourselves, both on Earth and in space? Or would our divisions be our downfall?

TERRA INVICTA is a grand strategy alien invasion game for PC that lets you explore these questions. You'll play as the leader of a group of humans trying to understand and address the threat – by bringing Earth's nations to your side, industrializing the Solar System, and ultimately building a space fleet able to battle the invaders.

We have brought the game to threshold of an Alpha state and are asking for your support in making it everything it can be. You can help design game content, contribute feedback on mechanics and balance, and shape all the stories you and the game can tell together.

Terra Invicta can be wishlisted on Steam and is scheduled for release in summer 2021.

[...]

Thursday - September 10, 2020

Arisen: Chronicles of Var'Nagal - Coming to Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 14:30

Arisen: Chronicles of Var'Nagal is a narrative card game that involves using your emotions. Not really sure what that means, but it is coming to Kickstarter on the 15th of September and you can play a 30 minute prologue to get a feeling for the game.

Charleroi, Belgium –September 8, 2020–<span "> Independent development studio Maratus Games is releasing a Kickstarter campaign on September 15th to fund their new mature-themed story-driven RPG ARISEN: Chronicles of Var'Nagal for  PC.
 
ARISEN - Chronicles of Var'Nagal is a narrative role playing game containing hand-drawn aesthetics in which you will have to take on the role of a slave who will embark on an adventure to seek liberty.

Set on the island of Maccialatt, ARISEN - Chronicles of Var'Nagal allows you to shape the personality of your character using the “Emotion” cards (Fear, Sorrow, Disgust, Anger, Joy) as you speak with different kinds of people.

The developer’s Kickstarter campaign will help them to get more funds to cover the costs related to the production and development of ARISEN - Chronicles of Var'Nagal.

Features

  • Take decisions that will impact the world around you in a more and more dire way, the further you progress in the story.
  • Shape the personality of your character choice after choice with “Emotion” cards (Fear, Sorrow, Disgust, Anger, Joy).
  • Replay and try to obtain every existing ending.
  • Enjoy a captivating original soundtrack.

There is also a Steam page and a Kickstarter trailer.

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Tuesday - August 04, 2020

Kickstarter Games - Another Crusade

by Hiddenx, 17:26

The timed-battle RPG Another Crusade is currently on Kickstarter:

Another Crusade is an action timed-based RPG

This means that every time you perform an action, you can power it up by pressing a button at the correct timing. When not in battle, exploration is also a great part of the game, in which you can jump as a platformer, solve puzzles, find treasures and even hit your enemies for an advantage when the battle starts!

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A demo is available - Nookrium checked it out already.

Thursday - July 16, 2020

Kickstarter Games - Weatherworn

by Hiddenx, 18:35

Weatherworn is a new RPG-Kickstarter project:

Weatherworn

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An all-ages adventure about the young "Pup" and their grandfather "Pap" stranded on a dangerous world.

Thursday - May 21, 2020

Kickstarter Games - The End of the Sun

by Silver, 12:26

The End of the Sun is described as a first-person exploration and adventure story-based video game, set in the Slavic fantasy world with a time travel twist. The game is currently on Kickstarter with 17 days remaining. You can find the Steam page here.

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The End of the Sun is a first-person exploration and adventure game, where the story has the most important meaning, as it is set in the world of Slavic rites, beliefs, legends, and their everyday life. It is a series of mysterious events that ordinary people dealt with, as they were living in a small village where the line between myth and reality began to fade perilously.

As the Ashter (Volhv) who is gifted with the ability to travel in time and knowledge about Navia (the space where human fates shape), following the trail of the secretive fugitive, you come to a mysterious village, but you cannot find anyone there, at least not in a way you wanted to. All you can see are burned hearths around.

A story inspired by Slavic mythology and legends. It presents the events occurring during the 4 major Slavic festivals during the 4 seasons far away from each other in time. Recreates mystical events, culture and people’s habits in an unusual way. The game is inspired by both adventure and exploration games with unorthodox riddles to solve, but the story-line is in the first place here.

Wednesday - May 20, 2020

Kickstarter Games - Externus: Path of the Solari

by Hiddenx, 17:09

The Kickstarter campaign for the tactical RPG Externus: Path of the Solari has started:

Externus - Path of the Solari

Externus: Path of the Solari is a character driven tactical RPG based on a homebrew tabletop game for Windows PC and consoles.

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Externus: Path of the Solari is a character-driven tactical roleplaying game (RPG) adapted from an original tabletop game. We take inspiration from classic tactical RPGs like Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Shining Force along with modern game development to craft our own story and give you characters that matter. Our approach is designed to allow you to get to know the characters in your party along with strategic combat in full 3D battlefields. 

Features

  • Strategic Turn-Based Tactical Combat
  • Full 3D Battlefields
  • Character-Driven Story
  • Storybook Choose Your Own Adventure Sequences
  • Death Matters, Each Ally You Lose Will Change Your Story
  • Unique Full-Color Artstyle
  • Based On An Original Tabletop RPG 

Externus is a storybook brought to life and your actions on and off the battlefield can change the pages as they're presented. You should think about the risks and rewards of bringing certain characters and using their specialized abilities. Your actions and choices matter. This goes back to our tabletop roots of wanting to tell a collective story that changes based on the players around the table. We encourage party interaction through our campfire scenes and storybook sequences that pay homage to the original tabletop game. Think about the world in terms of Fate. Death will be permanent in Externus, how will you react? Let the story play out and see how a character's death affects those who knew them both in positive and negative ways. Maybe it'll even send a ripple effect out into the world!

We are a group of passionate game developers with over 11 years of experience in making games. We're building Externus using our custom BroadSword Engine built on the MonoGame Framework.

[...]

Kickstarter Games - War of Ashird

by Silver, 11:34

War of Ashird is described as a game where you own land and become lord of a castle, recruit over 20 playable characters, and engage in strategic battles. The game is already funded on Kickstarter.

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War of Ashird is a unique combination of classic turn-based and grid-based RPGs. In it, you can command your soldiers in strategic battles, conquer enemy kingdoms' territories, and live as a ruler! The game also has a cast of more than 20 playable characters for you to recruit—each with their own unique personality.

The story revolves around Deegan—a young hunter who, through a twist of fate, joins the Kingdom of Ceredia's army. As a young recruit, you will get promoted, gain lordship over land, and even your own castle!

Maybe someday, you'll rule Ceredia—and if your ambition is great enough, maybe even the whole continent! But will you be a horrible tyrant, or a just king…? The choice is yours!

Tuesday - May 19, 2020

Kickstarter Games - Space Cats Tactics Coming Soon

by Silver, 10:42

Space Cats Tactics is described as a tactical turn-based game with space explorations and it is coming to Kickstarter soon. You can check out the Steam page here.

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Space Cats Tactics is a tactical turn-based RPG space adventure combining inside ship crew management from games like FTL and Star Command Galaxies with grid based fighting from games like XCOM and Divinity Original Sin.

In Space Cats Tactics every encounter has a variety of outcomes and impacts your destiny, choose wisely. You can be a righteous hero or vengeful pirate, use diplomacy or escape gun blazing.

Saturday - May 16, 2020

Kickstarter Games - Black Book - An RPG Rooted in Slavic Mythology

by Silver, 08:27

Black Book is described as a dark RPG Adventure, based on Slavic myths, in which you play as a young sorceress. You fight evil forces in card-based battles and explore the world, where humans live alongside mythological creatures. The game is currently on Kickstarter and already funded with 21 days to go. The prologue is currently on Steam and playable for free.

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A fusion of card-based RPGs and Adventure games, “Black Book” is a haunting tale of a young sorceress, who gave her life to serve the dark forces. Dive into the cold, yet alluring world of Slavic folktales - and uncover the secrets that hide in the darkness.

A young girl named Vasilisa, destined to become a witch, decides to throw her fate away and marry her beloved - but that dream is shattered when her betrothed dies under mysterious circumstances.

Aching for her lost love, Vasilisa seeks out the Black Book - a demonic artifact, said to be powerful enough to grant any wish to the one who uncovers all 7 of its seals. Join Vasilisa in her adventures across the rural countryside, as she solves the woes of common folk by confronting demons and performing exorcisms.

  • Uncover the seals of Black Book

    Unleash hellish spells on your enemies! Collect spell cards and new skills as you progress.
  • A Historic Adventure

    Solve riddles and complete side-quests as you learn more about life in the Slavic countryside.
  • Lead a Demonic Flock

    Send demons to do your bidding, but be careful - idle demons will torture you if you don’t find them something to do!
  • Myths and legends

    Explore a world based on Northern Slavic mythology. Learn from an in-game encyclopedia, created with the help of expert anthropologists - and find all folk tales hidden within the game!

Thursday - March 26, 2020

Kickstarter Games - HOLMGANG: Memories of the Forgotten

by Silver, 09:23

@Gematsu HOLMGANG: Memories of the Forgotten is described as a 3D Quick RPG Action-Adventure Game inspired by an epic fantasy saga of books and it is on Kickstarter now.

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Holmgang is a hack n’ slash at its core, and each character will have their own unique combat style. Additionally, you’ll be able to craft your own combos in the combo editor and evolve each character’s skill tree to make the experience truly unique and personal. 

During the game, you’ll face lots of enemies with different behaviors, weapons and weaknesses, so your gear and combo configuration will decide if you’re victorious! 

JOURNEY

In Holmgang, you’ll explore the world of Dracorum by land and sea, finding friends and foes along the way. Some of them will give you quests or sell you unique items, but others will try to deceive you. Choose your path wisely, because there’s not only one, and some of them have intricate environmental puzzles that could lead you to certain death. Plus, each main character will be able to access secret areas with rare loot. This adds a high replayability factor, like any good old “Metroidvania”.

Remember, there's no single right way to play the game… so experience them all!  

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Wednesday - March 25, 2020

Dragon Banner - On Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 11:16

Dragon Banner is a fantasy game of strategy and building, is now raising funds on Kickstarter.

Dragon Banner is a video game of strategy and building coming to PC (Windows). It is built from the love of building blocks and real-time strategy games. Dragon Banner is created by one person over the course of seven years, working on it here and there.

In Dragon Banner you take on the role of a commander. You hire villagers to gather or generate resources, build defenses to protect them, and hire an army to fight alongside you. You will customize a town as your headquarters, where you take on quests and purchase equipment to alter your command style.

The good news is that Dragon Banner will be complete in 2020!  The developer is passionate and motivated to finish the project.  The Kickstarter campaign supports development on new content to expand the game and to build a community of backers to help spread word of the game. Some backer rewards include multiple keys to download multiple copies of the game to share with a friend!

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You can also check the video out on Steam.

Tuesday - March 03, 2020

Rustler - Funded on Kickstarter

by Silver, 18:39

The GG reports that ARPG Rustler has been funded on Kickstarter.

Developer Jutsu Games, alongside publisher Games Operators, are happily celebrating reaching their main goal on Kickstarter for their upcoming crazy open-world medieval themed ARPG “Rustler“. However, they’ve revealed additional stretch goals that will further enrich the game.

Guy has already acquired new skills and perks due to the 30,000 CAD donated by backers. The remaining stretch goals include universe expansions, new side missions, weapons, and two DLCs, as well as a third region and a multiplayer mode.

Visit the Rustler Kickstarter campaign https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gameops/rustler-medieval-grand-theft-horse and help the developers achieve all their stretch goals!

Wishlist the game on Steam (https://store.steampowered.com/app/844260/Rustler_Grand_Theft_Horse/) to stay up-to-date with all the news from its development.

Rustler is an open-world, top-down action game paying tribute to classic GTA 2 style and gameplay, fusing it with a historically inaccurate medieval setting. Play as Guy, whose parents were too lazy to give him a proper name. Experience feudal injustice, witch-hunting, and join massive tournaments.

Meet valiant yet incredibly stupid knights. Complete a wide variety of twisted missions and quests, or ignore the plot and bring mayhem to the villages and cities. Travel on foot or steal a horse; fight with a sword or pick a fancy automatic crossbow. All that spiced with inappropriate, Monty Python inspired humor.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Wednesday - November 06, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Demon Knights of Ankhoron

by Hiddenx, 18:23

A Kickstarter campaign for the action RPG Demon Knights of Ankhoron has been started:

Demon Knights of Ankhoron

Dark Gothic Action RPG Fighting Game made by AAA artists. Master a knight or demon as you explore the ancient world of Ankhoron.

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Demon Knights is a revolutionary dark Action Role-Playing Game with deep traditional 2D Fighting-Game mechanics within a beautiful dark gothic world of Ankhoron.

Master ancient powers and loot enchanted items to up grade your hero, play with friends and defeat demonic monsters who stand in your way.

  • A brand new rich dark world focused on epic combat, exploration, trading and dogfighting in first person.
  • Action RPG Story mode– Offline or Online(Single or Multiplayer co-op play)
  • Unique Hero Characters with swappable armor, upgradable weapons, randomized loot drops, crafting, and customizeable magic skill system
  • Unique Monster Characters with unique monster skills and progression
  • Fighting Game arena for PVP and in-game bounty hunters modes
  • No Subscriptions
  • No Pay to Win

Friday - October 18, 2019

Everspace 2 - Kickstarter Milestone

by Silver, 11:08

OnlySP reports that Everspace 2 has hit a big milestone for its Kickstarter.

The Everspace 2 Kickstarter campaign just reached another huge milestone.

As of the time of this story’s publication, Everspace 2 has already reached a little less than EUR€250,000 – more than half its asking goal. Just yesterday in its first developer vlog, developer Rockfish Games was celebrating the €200,000 mark.

The update gives a few details on the game’s story mode and urges players to go back and play the first title.

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[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Thursday - October 10, 2019

Summer Daze at Hero-U - Gameplay Video

by Silver, 11:31

A gameplay video for Summer Daze at Hero-U which is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter.

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This shows the beginning of Tilly Appleberry's story in Summer Daze at Hero-U. Tilly is a Rogue student and one of two playable characters in Summer Daze.

Saturday - September 21, 2019

Kickstarter - Through the Moongate - Part II

by Hiddenx, 08:49

A Kickstarter campaign for the second part of a book about the story of Richard Garriott, Origin Systems Inc and Ultima has started:

Through the Moongate - Part II

The story of Richard Garriott, Origin Systems Inc and Ultima - From Wing Commander and Ultima VII to Portalarium

Greetings, traveller!

If you’ve ever played a computer role-playing game (CRPG), chances are that Ultima played a part in its inspiration. Created by visionary Richard Garriott, and produced by his company Origin Systems, Inc., Ultima is one of the most important and influential CRPG series in the world. Through the Moongate illuminates the path of the Ultima games' history and the creative people behind this landmark series. It also covers some of Origin's other games, especially Wing Commander, and touches on several contemporary titles you may have missed. Many of these exciting tales have never before been told. If that intrigues you, then won’t you step with me...

The Project
Through the Moongate is the ambitious two-volume comprehensive history of the Ultima series, Lord British, and Origin Systems at-large. Part I was successfully Kickstarted on October 16th, 2018 and covered Richard Garriott’s humble beginnings up through Ultima VI. Part II covers Ultima VII to Portalarium and includes Wing Commander and other important Origin titles.

You can find the complete index for both Part 1 and Part 2 here as well as more information on the project as a whole.

[...]

Thursday - September 05, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Toby's Island

by Hiddenx, 08:27

Daveyd spotted a Creature Collecting, Farming Sim, Town Restoration RPG on Kickstarter - Toby's Island:

Toby's Island

[...]

Toby's Island is a game about gathering.  Gathering creatures, gathering supplies, gathering friends and gathering clues.

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It's a game about secrets that you will find by listening to rumours or solving puzzles or finding messages in bottles or reading notes from your ancestors.  I want you to want to explore every corner of every map.  I want you to want to back track.  To play again.  I want every new in game day to bring you a new surprise that keeps you playing not because of the Stockholm syndrome you get from mobile games that feel like second jobs, but because you are curious and in love.

[...]

Monday - August 12, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Alder's Blood

by Silver, 08:51

Alder's Blood is described as a turn-based, tactical stealth game with a dash of strategy. The game is back on Kickstarter and doing well so far.

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Alder's Blood is a grim and dark stealth tactical game set in a Victorian-Western universe. The combat is turn-based and focused on avoiding enemy ambushes and setting up your own

Ride with your crew of hunters on a quest to kill your god. Use stealth and tactics to overcome the never-ending onslaught of monsters, the manifestations of your god's decay. Manage your scarce resources, venture out with your fellow companions and explore the remnants of the world in search of the means for mankind's survival.

Wednesday - July 31, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Bleak Faith: Forsaken

by Silver, 03:15

Bleak Faith: Forsaken is a survival horror action RPG currently on Kickstarter and with a week to fund.

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A third-person open world survival horror action RPG set in a universe you've never experienced before. Play as one of the Forsaken, the last frontier of humanity against the growing horrors of the Omnistructure. As you find yourself stranded in a faraway outpost, you must adapt in order to survive. The world won't wait for you though, you must venture into the unknown - your faith will decide your fate.

Thanks Farflame!

Sunday - July 14, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Synergia - A Yuri Cyberpunk Thriller

by Silver, 12:33

Synergia is a Cyberpunk visual novel currently on Kickstarter.

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We are proud to state that Synergia is one of the most content-rich original visual novels made.

  • Nearly 100 combined, unique backgrounds and CGs 
  • 20+ characters in total, all with interesting backgrounds and personalities deeply woven into the narrative 
  • Choices that deeply affect the protagonist's journey and world around them, with multiple endings 
  • An estimated 6-9 hours of gameplay 
  • A unique, vibrant art aesthetic that pervades the neon dystopian setting of the game 
  • A beautiful, vivid soundtrack that complements the game's aesthetic, composed by one of the composers of Katawa Shoujo and Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story 
  • Interactive adventure discovery segments
  • English and Spanish language selections available as default with further languages available upon meeting stretch goals (La selección de idiomas entre Inglés y Español está disponible de base, se agregarán idiomas adicionales cuando se alcancen las stretch goals)

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - June 29, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Small Saga - Funded!

by Hiddenx, 15:27

The Kickstarter campaign for Small Saga is successful. Learn more about the turn-based RPG on Indie Ranger:

‘Small Saga’ Making Big Waves On Kickstarter

Small Saga is a game that has a mole wizard who shoots fireballs by using a Bic lighter.

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There, I just got your attention.

You also play as a mouse named Verm on a mission of vengeance. I should also add he uses a pocket-knife as some sort of great sword? I’m not quite sure what it is supposed to be a stand-in for, I’m only sure that it is awesome. Again, all (mouse) ears I assume.

What caught my attention only an hour ago was the game Small Saga on Kickstarter. Hailing from developer Jeremy Noghani, who previously worked on bird law game Aviary Attorney. Now we don’t need to go too deep into bird law on this article, because that’s not what this is about. That’s for the court rooms.

Small Saga is a top-down RPG with a charming art style, and fun, unique ideas (like the Bic lighter.)

[...]

 

Monday - June 03, 2019

Skald: Against the Black Priory - Now on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 10:42

SKALD: Against the Black Priory is now on Kickstarter, asking for 70K Norwegian krones, which is 7K+ in Euros and about 8K$. For your pledge you get: "a classic, turn-based RPG, set in a dark and gritty fantasy universe: full of tragic heroes, violent deaths and eldritch horror, with a dark, immersive plot and inspired by legendary titles such as Ultima and the gold box series".

SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a tile and turn based roleplaying game where you lead a party of up to six characters on an epic and perilous quest.

The game features: 

  • Vintage graphics using the glorious Commodore 64 color palette
  • Complex level-based character development with abilities, skills and features
  • Grindless tactical combat
  • "Choose-your-own-adventure" system and  dynamic, tree based dialog.
As a party based RPG, SKALD puts heavy emphasis on both roleplaying- and mechanical interaction between party members.

The current leader of the party can be swapped by the push of a button and the skills and abilities of the current leader will influence interactions with the game world. But be warned: Managing the party can be challenging with members having private agendas and motivations.

Combat in SKALD is turn- and menu-based. This leads to fast and grind-less combat (that can be automated). The design emphasis is on having interactions between abilities, tactics and situational circumstances create unique and challenging combat every time.

The game will feature a rich and highly interactive world with both scripted and systemic ways of interacting with the hundreds of NPCs, items, objects and plot points. The game will allow for, and encourage, a large range of player expression and roleplaying. 

Interacting with the world takes place through tree-based dialog, "choose-you-own-adventure sequences", combat, tile-based exploration and interaction with in-game systems. 

SKALD: Against the Black Priory will feature level-based character development with both numerical stats and special abilities. I also intend for roleplaying choices to affect character development by taking a leaf from classics such as Fallout 1 and 2. 

As a game of dark, gritty fantasy, magic is a huge part of the world building. It will play a huge part of the game and designing a system that is both mechanically and narratively appealing is a challenge I can't wait to dig into! More on that down the line. 

The game will release on PC (Windows) first with releases for Mac and handheld devices down the line. NOTE: Backer rewards are PC only. 

Estimated release date is June 2020.

I can't find a Youtube video of the game, so you have the check the one at the link. Matt Barton will have a video up where he hangs out with the developer in two days. Also, one of the characters in the game resembles Matt, which is probably no coincidence.

Saturday - June 01, 2019

Kickstarter Games - SKALD: Against the Black Priory

by Hiddenx, 18:15

A Kickstarter campaign for SKALD: Against the Black Priory is supposed to start next Monday:

SKALD: Against the Black Priory

SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a classic, turn-based RPG set in a dark and gritty fantasy universe – full of tragic heroes, violent deaths and eldritch horror.

Platforms: PC first with subsequent releases on other platforms.

Estimated release date: Summer 2020

Developer: Scape-IT

Website: www.skaldRPG.com

Twitter: @skaldRPG

Email: contact@skaldrpg.com

Inspired by legendary titles such as Ultima and the Gold Box series, and with the narrative ambition of a modern RPG, SKALD: Against the Black Priory is the developers love letter to classic roleplaying.

SKALD: Against the Black Priory will see players develop and lead a party of up to six characters as they explore the accursed Black Priory. The game is both challenging and immersive, with tactical combat, dynamic tree-based dialog and “choose-your-own-adventure” sequences.

SKALD: Against the Black Priory is coming to Kickstarter June 3rd and will release in the summer of 2020.

Thanks Xian!

Wednesday - May 29, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Midnight Story Successful

by Silver, 11:09

Midnight Story has been successfully Kickstarted.

Thank you! Thank you for your support and thank you for believing in my project as much as I do! After spending thousands of hours, countless coffees, and hundreds of sleepless nights working on MidKnight Story, it feels amazing to have such a great community  united to bring this project to life! Thanks to your amazing support, not only I will be able to keep working on the game and deliver it, but I will be able to add exciting features (hoverboard anyone?), great new content, and details! 

This is the beginning of something great.

Thank you again,

Mattia

P.s. Stay tuned for a new update coming tomorrow!

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - May 11, 2019

Chernobylite - Last Day

by Silver, 03:04

Chernobylite is in its last hours of crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Of the latest updates there was a second AMA , some new videos and a stretch goal update.

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And remember to spread the word about the Chernobylite. We got 190% of our goal today, but there is only 1 day remaining until our campaign ends, and we still have some cool stretch goals to reach! #savetheredforest

Thanks Farflame!

Tuesday - May 07, 2019

Chernobylite - preview @ Indian Noob

by Myrthos, 10:14

indian Noob has previewed Chernobylite, based on the Kickstarter demo.

The things we do for love. Throughout the years, video games have shown us that love can turn a hag’s heart half-circle, damn an innocent girl whose heart clung to the hope that another loved her when he did not, make a stern Jedi warrior abandon her teachings and embrace the dark side and even drive a hitman with a heart of gold to sign a pact with evil to avenge his loved one. Don’t get me started on real-world stories. The latest in line to join the list of lovestruck madcaps is Igor, the hero in The Farm 51’s upcoming survival horror, Chernobylite. What would you call poor Igor who travels to one of the most irradiated places on Earth in the faintest hope to find his long-lost girlfriend? Insane? Maybe. Dedicated? Yes. Lovestruck and melancholic, refusing to move on? Definitely.

Sunday - May 05, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Grand Guilds already funded

by Hiddenx, 07:11

With 5 days to go the Kickstarter campaign for the tactical RPG Grand Guilds is successful already:

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  • Turn-Based Strategy - Learn and master the fundamentals of tactical combat. Positioning and terrain will mean the difference between victory and defeat.
  • Card Combat System - A diverse set of skill cards will form the abilities of your units, making every turn more dynamic and each decision more important and meaningful.
  • Deck Building - Tailor each character to your playstyle by customizing their skill decks. Obtain powerful new abilities by completing quests or leveling your characters.
  • Guild Quests - Embark on challenging, procedural missions that yield exciting rewards. Increase your guild's reputation to earn bonuses that will aid you in combat.
  • Diverse Cast - Each playable character has unique mechanics and abilities that enable them to fill various roles in your squad such as tank, support, and damage dealer.
  • Epic Narrative - Unravel the mysteries shrouding Irin, a continent on the brink of war. Follow Eliza and her companions as they journey through this vast, magical world.
  • Voice Acting - Characters shout out their actions in combat and express their feelings during dialogue using short phrases.

Saturday - May 04, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Nox Archaist

by Silver, 10:32

Nox Archaist is an 8 bit retro RPG in the style of Ultima and Bard's Tale which is currently on Kickstarter.

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Nox Archaist is a tile-based, 8-bit, sword-and-sorcery role-playing game modeled after the iconic games of the 1980s.

Our goals for this project are to capture the retro-gaming experience from the 1980s and explore what might have happened if commercial RPG development had continued on 8-bit computers to the present day. Nox Archaist will be playable on both original Apple II hardware (128k enhanced Apple //e, Apple IIc, and Apple IIGS with dual floppy) and modern Mac and Windows PCs through emulators.

We are developing Nox Archaist from scratch, in assembly language, on real Apple II hardware. We're talking handmade quality bits here. All 8 of them.

Thursday - May 02, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Kingdom of Night Interview

by Silver, 22:16

The developers of Kingdom of Night, which is currently on Kickstarter, have been interviewed by Parallax Media.

Thank you so much for setting some time for us to answer some questions about the new upcoming title, Kingdom of Night. Let’s start with an obvious question. What is this game all about? How would you describe this upcoming title?

Erin:

“It’s the story of a kid who wakes up in the middle of the night from hearing his neighbor getting kidnapped. He gets thrown into this apocalyptic plot which revolves around him saving her before she’s sacrificed at dawn or else the entire world is going to be owned by demons. It’s a story thats interested me for a while now, and I’m glad I’m able to do it in the format of a video game. This story is paired with some really awesome gameplay mechanics and I thinks it’s going to be really exciting.”

John:

“To me it’s a game about what it’s like to be a kid in a small town. That might sound stupid with all these demons running around but I think both of us had pretty active imaginations as kids (maybe we still do). In large part those imaginations were fueled by the games we were playing. That’s why the class system has a very old-school feel. There are also a lot of neighborhood dynamics, social stuff, in the game, as well as this split between the lives of the teenagers and the adults that I think is interesting too.”  

What was the main inspiration for this game, both from a video game perspective as well as other mediums?

Erin:

“The main inspiration for this game came to me when I was on a lunch break back when I was doing electrical work. So, you know, sheer boredom is what really inspired me. I was just sitting there thinking about what game I would really want to play and I started piecing it together.

From a video game perspective I’ve played so many games in my life especially when I was kid. I had so much time i would tear through them. I really loved games that had great stories, Legend of Legaia, Lunar Silver star story, Final Fantasy 7, Brave Fencer Musashi, the Zelda games… I could name a gigantic list but those games played a huge part in shaping my perception of what a good story in a game is.” 

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Wednesday - May 01, 2019

Chernobylite - Stretch Goals

by Silver, 11:47

A new update for Chernobylite announces stretch goals.

140% of the initial goal reached. Another Stretch Goal achieved and the new one planned.

Posted by The Farm 51 (Creator)

We've just went back from the Pyrkon fantasy convention in Poznan. Last three days all science-fiction and fantasy lovers from Poland, including our fans, could meet us and talk with Tatyana, Igor and even take a selfie with some of Black Stalkers from Chernobylite.

And do you know why this small stalker seems so happy? First, as you can see, we have some new cool gadgets that will be available to our followers and supporters. Do you recognize who are the puppets?

puppets

Second: good news here on Kickstarter. After breaking through the $ 130,000 border, we've crossed another stretch goal related to developing the craft system for weapons and ammunition. Thanks to this portion of your support we'll be able to develop the idea we had in mind for a very long time: to provide the player with more crafting options, specifically in the field of firearms used within the game. This will let you upgrade your in-game weapons with several cool modifications and use special (also craftable) ammo types depending on your playing strategy. Stay tuned for more info on that!

stretch goals

And the new stretch goal we're adding at $ 220,000 will be a very special one for us. In special game mode (under working name Chernobyl Virtual Museum) all players will be able to explore the Zone and discover the true story of Chernobyl catastrophe, by watching, reading and listening to the true documentary materials that we'll use to expand the project. We're collecting them since 2015 and some time ago we already released the VR documentary named Chernobyl VR Project ( http://www.chernobylvrproject.com/en/ ). 

But in Chernobylite we'll go much further, because the explorable area and amount of documentary materials we'll put into will be massively bigger. Please just watch the video below to see what we already had to tell in this subject.

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(Just this time, in Chernobylite, you won't need to use any virtual reality headsets, this option will be playable directly from the PC/console game).

It's still almost 2 weeks of our Kickstarter campaign ongoing. We help we can reach another goals with you! Spread the word, tell your friends and let's try together to make Chernobylite even bigger and better.

Thanks Farflame!

Tuesday - April 30, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Kofi Quest: Alpha MOD

by Hiddenx, 17:22

A Kickstarter campaign for the comedy RPG/RTS Kofi Quest: Alpha MOD has been started:

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Kofi Quest: Alpha MOD is a not-so-serious adventure that brings together mechanics from Action RPG and RTS games. You’ll control Kofi, a weak, lazy and unlucky videogame character that will be followed by a group of interesting (and pathetic) characters aiding him to live a great adventure.

The videogame introduces a world of comic fantasy in which the characters are aware of being part of a videogame. Kofi is an RPG character that spends his days lazing around without leveling up. His game is a total mess and every character around him plays better.

Features:

  •  RTS troop control. Real-time group management. Control your own army.
  • Captains with special skills.
  • Find or buy weapons and equipment that allows you to improve your characters; multiple enemies with different qualities: find the best strategy to win.
  • An adventure full of humor and exciting all the same that talks about a beginner adventurer’s road to self-improvement, and the importance of teamwork. With loads of surreal situations and unforgettable characters.
  • Explore a big map with different environments (forests, houses, caves, mountains, water areas…). Find chests with unique weapons, funny side quests or simply discover new details about Kofi's world through characters’ stories or written texts.
  • More than 60 different enemies.
  • Interaction with characters or elements of the stage. Many of the elements of the stage can be selected or destroyed (bushes, rocks…).
  • Fully functional game console. You can get some retro games to play if you can find them at sidequests.
  • Thousands of voiced lines for each language (English and Spanish).

Monday - April 29, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Descend

by Hiddenx, 18:45

A kickstarter campaign for the adventure RPG Descend is running right now:

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  •  Descend is an RPG inspired by the classic console greats, featuring precarious dungeon excavations, a unique look at puzzle platforming, tons of secrets, lovable characters, and a thrilling story where your choices matter.
  •  Join Faye in her Descend through a massive and ruined mega-structure. Each level contains new rules that govern the dungeon and its inhabitants.
  • Carefully prepare for dangerous expeditions--bring the wrong equipment and you'll have to make a quick escape!  
  •  Descend is currently planned for release on PC, though we're planning for as many ports as we can. (Look for other platforms to possibly show up in our stretch goals!)

Saturday - April 27, 2019

Kickstarter Games - MidKnight Story

by Silver, 06:45

MidKnight Story is a single player action adventure RPG that is on Kickstarter seeking €45K

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MidKnight Story tells the story of Paran and the great adventure that takes him to the edges of the world of Numia. 

hero pan stuff

MidKnight Story is a single player action-adventure RPG that will take you through wild islands, boundless deserts, and a fully explorable steampunk city, all accompanied by a captivating story and fast-paced battle system. During the adventure you will encounter fascinating, bizarre characters, enemies to defeat and escape from, and a very particular sword…

Some quick information about the game:

  • The game will be available on PC. A PS4 version of the game is set as one of the first stretch goals of the campaign, so stay tuned!
  • MidKnight Story will be available in the following languages: English, Italian, and German. Other localizations are possible and might be set as a stretch goal if there is an interest for them.
[...]

Wednesday - April 24, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Kingdom of Night

by Silver, 22:14

Kingdom of Night is an action RPG set in small-town USA during the iconic 1980's and is currently on Kickstarter. The game has already funded with 24 days to go.

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Kingdom of Night is an isometric, story-driven, action-RPG with an expansive, interconnected map and quest system. Battle nightmarish creatures, customize your abilities, and collect unique items and equipment. In order to beat the game,  you’ll have to infiltrate the massive lairs of the five demon lords, and take on the apocalyptic boss battles at their centers.  

Kingdom of Night is set to release on Steam (PC), PS4, Switch and Xbox One.

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - April 20, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Chernobylite AMA & Trivia

by Silver, 06:08

An AMA (ask me anything) on Discord for Chernobylite and some trivia about the game.

Hey stalkers!

We've just finished the Ask Me Anything session on our fresh-launched Discord server. If you're into free chats with other Chernobylite fans, join us here:  https://discord.gg/mehRmzY 

Below is the transcription of the chat with Wojciech Pazdur, the Creative Director of Chernobylite. We hope you'll find at least some of the answers helpful.

Sorry for typos and language/grammar mistakes - it's a raw copy of real-time conversation. 

Q: I saw in a videogameplay that the character gain exp doing stuff, there will be a level progression with skill/stats?

A: not that much oriented to skill/stats as in RPG games, more for surviving (managing resources) and overall character and team development. But some skills will be gained.

Q:  Is it possible that we can visit the heart ("big foot" too why not) of the accidental nuclear reactor of Chernobyl in the game ?

A: Yes, this is why we run Kickstarter - to re-create as big part of Nuclear Power Plant as possible

Q: Will there be a large selection of weapons and usable items in the in-game world?

A: There will be some, but it's more survival than RPG, so not that many.

Q: Will there be throwing knives in the game for stealthy players?

A: Not planned.

Q: about the KS, howl ong do we have to up our backup to a higher pack? will it end when the funding goal is reached or is there a specific date set?

A: you can pledge until the end of campaign on 11th of May - regardless of when we reach the goal

Q: I see in the pre alpha footage that the dialogue is in Russian is that going to be the only language

A: we plan other languages, but besides Russian, Ukrainian and English we can't confirm more voices (however there will be subtitles for others)

Q: Can you give us any idea of the system requirements at this point

A: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1016800/Chernobylite/

Q: Will there be varied missions like stealth, sniper , vehicle for example

A: there's a lot of missions, but so far we don't plan sniper and vehicles. They're 

oriented on survival and exploration, sometimes combat.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Friday - April 19, 2019

Chernobylite - Pre-Alpha Kickstarter Demo Gameplay

by Silver, 07:37

Some pre-alpha demo gameplay for Chernobylite which is currently being Kickstarted. The game is close to funding with 22 days still remaining.

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Hey stalkers! The long-awaited moment has come. Here we go with the raw, unprocessed gameplay from our pre-alpha demo. We made some cuts because the demo is very long (avg. playing time is 1-2 hours) and we wanted to highlight the most important features, not necessarily showing the whole playthrough.

Saturday - April 13, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Chernobylite

by Silver, 21:05

@DSOGaming Chernobylite is a survival horror taking after S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and trying to fund on Kickstarter.

The Farm 51 has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its upcoming STALKER-inspired science-fiction survival horror game, Chernobylite. In addition, the team has also released the game’s story trailer that you can find below.

Chernobylite is described as a science-fiction, survival horror single-player experience, mixing free exploration of its disturbing world with challenging combat, unique crafting, and non-linear storytelling. As a player, you’ll have to survive and reveal the twisted secrets of Chernobyl in the 3D-scanned recreation of the real Exclusion Zone.

[...]

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Sunday - April 07, 2019

Nox Archaist - Kickstarter Preview Video

by Silver, 19:26

A preview video for the upcoming Kickstarter campaign for Nox Archaist.

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Nox Archaist is a tile-based, 8-bit, sword-and-sorcery role-playing game modeled after the iconic games of the 1980s. Our goals for this project are to capture the retro-gaming experience from the 1980s and explore what might have happened if commercial RPG development had continued on 8-bit computers to the present day.

Nox Archaist will be playable on both original Apple II hardware (128k enhanced Apple //e, Apple IIc, and Apple IIGS) and modern Mac and Windows PCs through emulators. We are developing Nox Archaist from scratch, in assembly language, on real Apple II hardware. We're talking handmade quality bits here. All 8 of them.

Kickstarter Games - Sin Slayers

by Silver, 10:48

Sin Slayers is on Kickstarter and is described as a JRPG with turn-based combat set in a dark fantasy world.

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Sin Slayers is a dark RPG set in a treacherous underworld. The player will need to create, equip and lead a team of heroes, each with their own pros and cons that you must incorporate into your strategy. To escape your doom, you must slay seven Sin Lords. Fight in JRPG-inspired turn-based combat and explore a roguelike world, thanks to randomly generated maps and encounters and the varying difficulty of every playthrough.

Thursday - March 07, 2019

Ada - Kickstarted Failed but Work Continues

by Silver, 19:49

Action RPG Ada failed to fund on Kickstarter but work will continue and a second attempt at crowdfunding will be made.

Future to come.

Posted by Jakub Hakiel (Creator)

First of all:

Thank you everybody!

The support i got from community was overwhelming, i could never dreamed of it. There are so many people believing in my project that my heart warms up.

Don't worry, its not the end. 

Works on Ada will be continued and i will not stop until the game is done and you are able to enjoy it.  There are many ways to make it happen and i will try every one of them.

I believe that Ada have great potential and can become good game, that being said i'm aware of things that could have been done differently/better, I got a lot of feedback both on little demo i showed and on campaign. 

I will work tirelessly to upgrade it to the state in which i will feel possitive about relaunching campaign. So yeah, i'm thinking about it. New much better demo, campaign page with more "umpf" and much more.

I will keep you guys up to date on it! Both here and everywhere else. So if you want to get all the news please consider following me on twitter/insta/fb joining discor and newsletter. Here are the links:

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

DISCORD

Newsletter on my main page: www.ada-game.com

Once more... THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!
Thanks Farflame!

Thursday - February 14, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Crossroads Inn

by Silver, 11:28

Crossroads Inn is a real time management sim set in an original fantasy world of Delcryson. The game is currently on Kickstarter and already has a Steam page.

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In Crossroads Inn, you play as an owner of a tavern located in the heart of a fantasy land of Delcrys. Your tavern is situated directly next to borders of three powerful kingdoms, on the crossroads of the biggest trade routes. You face quite a challenge - how to survive in these difficult economic conditions and transform this run-down dive into a prosperous business? How to make your tavern become the topic of conversation not only for juicers and drunkards, but also rich men and nobility?

You will be able to freely build and expand your tavern,  offer services for the guests, manage the workers, fight for prestige and renown. Only you can decide, if you want to create a natty harbor for scheming “Seers” and exquisite aristocracy, or a nasty den for thieves and assassins from the “Aviary”.

Saturday - February 09, 2019

Chained Echoes - 16-bit fantasy RPG with Mechs

by Silver, 11:52

Chained Echoes is described as a 16-bit fantasy RPG with Mechs and is currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter.

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Take up your sword, channel your magic or board your Mech. Chained Echoes is a 16-bit SNES style RPG set in a fantasy world where dragons are as common as piloted mechanical suits. Follow a group of heroes as they explore a land filled to the brim with charming characters, fantastic landscapes and vicious foes. Can you bring peace to a continent where war has been waged for generations and betrayal lurks around every corner?

Key features

  • 20-25 hours of play time
  • Fast paced turn-based battles
  • No random encounters; enemies can be seen running around
  • Tons of items to be looted, stolen or crafted
  • Complex skill and equipment system
  • Customize your own airship
  • Travel and fight by foot or in your Mech
  • 16-bit SNES style graphics
  • Music inspired by PSX RPGs

Chained Echoes combines the simplicity of classic games with modern gameplay to bring an epic and fast-paced adventure to PC, Mac and Linux in a little over 2 years. A Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4 version will be simultaneously released if the corresponding stretch goal is reached (in this case you will be able to switch the platform of your digital copy to Switch or PS4 after the campaign's end). Please keep in mind that even if the stretch goal is not reached, a Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4 port might come at a later point in time .

The game will be English only. Further languages will be available through stretchgoals, with German coming a little earlier than the others (it is easier to handle because I'm from Germany).

Monday - February 04, 2019

Ada - Action RPG on Kickstarter

by Silver, 20:28

Ada is a new action RPG on Kickstarter seeking a modest £20K and with 30 days remaining.

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Meet Ada, story driven single-player 2d top-down action rpg.

  • Explore vast and cruel open world crafted pixel by pixel with passion and love, find all secrets scattered across the land (and water),
  • Fight your way through hordes of diverse enemies with unique behaviour and design, be prepared, observe, adapt and survive,
  • Meet interesting characters, immerse yourself in their storylines, fulfill your promises or betray them, experience how they change as story gets more intense,
  • Forge your character the way you want, learn, use and upgrade skills that suit you best, throw potions, use powerful magic, or simply slash your way through anything that stands in your way,
  • Be prepared for the unexpected, world around you is constantly changing and you never know what you will run into, be it at night or day time.

Platforms & Language

Ada will get initially released on PC, Mac and Linux. Both steam and DRM-free.

What will follow is later release on consoles, which with enough funding could happen simultaneously.

If funding goal is reached you will be able to experience Ada in english and polish(which is my native language). With enough overfunding additional languages will come.

[...]

Random Encounters - while exploring, you will run into many unexpected situations, those encounters are randomized, which means each playthrough they will differ significantly.

In this handmade world you will run into:

  • ghouls feasting on preys be it animals or dead families,
  • traveling merchants,
  • knowledgable priests,
  • bandits laying in ambush,
  • monster lairs,
  • post-war scenes,
  • and many more.

You never know what is lurking behind the corner, is it friend or foe, how tough the fight will be and if any enemies are waiting to ambush you.

Thursday - January 31, 2019

Gjallarhorn - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 19:27

Horizon's End - the developers of The Great Gaias - have started a Kickstarter campaign for the RPG Gjallarhorn:

Horizon’s End is proud to present the next installment in the ever expanding world that birthed The Great Gaias. Gjallarhorn aims to create a completely subjective experience for the player, allowing for the choice of joining one of multiple factions, or fighting for yourself in this slave-to-champion turn based role-playing game.

Originally created as a Dungeons and Dragons Campaign Setting, this epic tale will continue the dark, yet engrossing stories within The Great Gaias. Gjallarhorn will expand on job class mechanics and a sandbox style crafting system that will provide a near infinite amount of customization between gear, class, abilities and allies.

Trapped in the frigid lands of the Gorgath Mountains, you will create your own ill-fated character, destined to become a slave to the Osirian Empire. As you take on job classes and earn fervor with the slave master, an opportunity for freedom arises when the Gladiator Arena is reopened during an ancient rite of choosing a new High Chieftain.

Five factions forming the Osirian Empire seek to see their Champion as the High Chieftain. Their unique views on the direction of the Empire leaves the fragile relationship of a newly unified nation in the hands of the player as the choices and allies you make will rock the very foundations of the leaderless country.

  • Westernized Fusion of Dungeons & Dragons and the JRPG genre
  • Choice and Consequence play style
  • Branching narratives with Multiple Endings
  • Customizable Player Character
  • (16) Job Classes to master
  • Learnable abilities including Monster Skills
  • Day and Night Cycle with NPC Schedules
  • Monster Taming and Pet System
  • Extensive Crafting and Gathering

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Create your own custom character as you fight for your freedom, unlocking (16) job classes to learn and master as you build your hero to fit your personal playstyle. Craft customizable gear for (15) equipment slots with endless options and augments including gems, runestones, and monster abilities.

A day and night cycle sets the tone for the expansive hunting and gathering systems in place within Gjallarhorn. It will be up to the player to fill their bestiary with valuable knowledge pertaining to fishing, poaching and monster habits in hopes to find all the best, and rarest, crafting components.

The combinations are limitless when it comes to party composition as you find animal companions to tame and interesting mercenaries each with their own stories and goals for you to help (or hinder). With so many complex decisions and event changing choices, it is impossible to see everything the first (or third) time around as you choose which faction you wish to side with. (or none at all).

[...]

Wednesday - January 30, 2019

Godhood - God Game on Kickstarter

by Silver, 20:09

A new Kickstarter from Abbey Games introduces god game Godhood, which has a goal of 50K.

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Abbey Games, the creator of Reus and Renowned Explorers, is back with an all-new single-player god game,
Godhood. 

As a tribal god, create your own religion, inspire your tribe’s growth, convert unbelievers and become the greatest god of all. 

While channeling the titans of yore, such as Black & White and Populous, Godhood sets out to revive the PC strategy god game genre in it’s own unique way: by allowing you to truly craft your own one-of-a-kind religion. 

What is Godhood?

  • Craft your religion as a tribal god.
  • Choose virtues, vices, rituals and religious dogmas.
  • Inspire a group of heroic disciples to spread your will, without direct control.
  • Watch your holy temple site grow over generations from an isometric perspective.
  • Defeat enemy disciples in ritual conflict to convert worshippers and power up.
  • Early Access release planned for May 2019 on PC (Windows / Mac / Linux), priced at €25.
  • Full release later in 2019, priced at €30, with post-release content and DLC support planned for years.

Sunday - January 20, 2019

Kickstarter Games - Littlewood - A Peaceful RPG

by Hiddenx, 09:15

Littlewood - A Peaceful RPG has been funded on Kickstarter:

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  • Explore the vast world of Solemn. Enchanted Forests, Bustling Fishing Towns, & Dark Mining Caves are some of the few places to visit.
  • Meet Townsfolk and convince them to stay in your town. Perhaps meeting people will unlock your memories of the past…
  • Collect rare items and materials found across the world and bring them back to your town for selling and crafting!
  • Harvest materials by chopping wood, mining ores, catching bugs, and fishing in rivers and ponds!
  • Unlock new structures to build by meeting new Townsfolk. Want a Tavern or a Lumber Mill? How about a Fishing Hut or a Magical Library? Your town's design is all up to you!
  • Fulfill your Townsfolk's requests. Some may want to live on a higher elevation, others may want to be surrounded by trees and water. Fulfilling the requests of your Townsfolk will earn you their hearts and unlock new relationship paths.
  • Gathering: Whether you’re picking fruit or picking weeds, your gathering skill will level up! The Gatherer’s Glove is needed to unlock this ability.
  • Mining: Looking for shiny ores to collect? Interested in rare materials for crafting? Then mining is for you!
  • Woodcutting: Those pesky trees and debris that keep popping up all over town needs to be chopped! Wood is an essential material for building new structures and furniture.
  • Bug Catching: Craft a Bug Net and catch all sorts of critters. Be sure to go bug hunting during each season and at different times of the day!
  • Fishing: There's nothing quite like relaxing by a pond with a fishing rod in hand. You can sell fish for a decent price at the Shopping District, or use them as ingredients for new cooking dishes.
  • Farming: Plant some seeds in tilled soil and wait a few days. Veggies are an essential ingredient to many cooking recipes! Also, they make your town look pretty.
  • Cooking: Once you've built the Tavern and have become good friends with Bubsy, you'll be able to start cooking delicious meals for your Townsfolk! Maybe you can attract rare Townsfolk by serving unique dishes...
  • Crafting: There are tons of structures, decorative monuments, and furniture to craft. Often times your Townsfolk will request specific objects that they would like to be placed in their home. Make sure you gather enough building materials!
  • Merchanting: Selling items at the Shopping District will net you large sums of Dewdrops, which is the main currency in Solemn. As you become a better Merchant, rarer items will appear for you to buy!
  • Tarott Master: Once the Dark Wizard was defeated, all of his monsters were sealed away into Tarott Cards. Many Townsfolk collect and battle with these cards, and there is even a big competition held each year in Dirboros. Get collecting!

Tuesday - November 20, 2018

Time Wanderer - 2D RPG on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 12:46

The 2D top-down action RPG Time Wanderer is now on Kickstarter, asking for $10K.

Madrid, Spain -November 14th, 2018- Kickstarter campaign to fund the creation of the videogame Time Wanderer on PlayStation 4 and Steam starts today. Collection on Kickstarter will also be used to create an artbook and to publish the original soundtrack.

Inspired by all time classics such as Chrono Trigger and ToZ: A Link to the Past, Time Wanderer is a breathtaking top-down 2D sci-fi action RPG with puzzles, combats, and lots of exploration. Take on the role of Corina and find the way back to your timeline as you visit different historical settings, such as Egypt, the Roman Empire and World War II.

"Time Wanderer is the right title for gamers of all walks of life,", says Sergio Ordoño, CEO at Timeless Games Inc. "This Kickstarter campaign gives us the opportunity to launch a game that we put pounds and pounds of enthusiasm into to the gamers everywhere.".

The work on Time Wanderer started in June 2017 and since then we have created the art, we have developed the enemies' AI, and we have constructed our own puzzle engine. We are currently preparing ourselves to produce the title, add more levels, and include unique game mechanics.

Features Top-down 2D sci-fi action RPG with puzzles, combats, and lots of exploration. Find the way back to your timeline as you visit different historical settings. Inspired by all time classics such as Chrono Trigger and ToZ: A Link to the Past.

Art, enemies' AI, and our own puzzle engine are already built.
We are currently preparing ourselves to produce the title, add more levels, and include unique game mechanics. The game will be available for PlayStation 4 and Steam.

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Tuesday - November 06, 2018

Spellcaster University - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 19:27

Sneaky Yak Studio started their first Kickstarter project: Spellcaster University

Spellcaster University

In Spellcaster University, you take on the role of the director of a magic university in a colourful heroic fantasy world. Build your school, manage your budget, recruit teachers.

Will you make it a high place of black magic, with the best teachers of necromancy and demonology? Or a place in harmony with nature to train druids and shamans? Or why not train adventurous mages, offering them options to learn how to fight and be discreet? But this will require surviving the merciless attacks of the Ork tribes and the controls of the buraucrats.
Main Characteristics:

  • Build your university using a mechanism of decks of magic. Each game will be
    different.
  • Manage the well-being of your students by building refectories, dormitories, rest rooms… and ensure their discipline with a dungeon.
  • Customize your rooms with powerful artifacts like the Xar’Saroth’s Raclette Machine or the Soul Devouring Bed.
  • Populate your school with legendary creatures: dragons, fauns, pegasus, janitors…
  • Push your students towards a glorious future. At the end of their studies, you discover their future (necromancer, archimage, peasant…) depending on the success of their studies, and earn new bonuses.
  • Select your students: traits, personality, alignment, wealth… each of their aspects has its importance.
  • Flee the armies of darkness by building your university in isolated environments: lake, mountain, desert, volcano, giant turtle back, etc….
  • Collect powerful ancient knowledge books to strengthen your university and confront increasingly hostile environments in a replayable campaign.

Monday - November 05, 2018

Chronicle of Innsmouth - On Kickstarter

by Silver, 21:57

Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness is a Cthulhu based graphic adventure that has launched onto Kickstarter.

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"Chronicle of Innsmouth: Mountains of Madness" is a graphic adventure set in a world of cosmic horror as penned by the creator, and master, of the mythos: H.P.Lovecraft. Set in the 1930s, the game provides players with the opportunity to participate in the narrative of Lovecraft's masterpiece work "At The Mountains Of Madness", wherein a scientific expedition to the world's southern polar region makes a shocking discovery.

Experiencing characters unique to this game, along with some familiar from the previous one, the player embarks on a journey of exploration both forward into the unknowable future and also rewound back, many centuries ago, to witness the origins of the Necronomicon itself.

"Chronicle Of Innsmouth: Mountains Of Madness" is a journey where even the few who survive intact, in both body and mind, will forever be tormented by the anguish of the horrors they have been through.

Thanks Farflame!

 

Tuesday - October 23, 2018

Midnight Wave - Samurai Platform RPG

by Silver, 23:42

Midnight Wave has launched on Kickstarter and is described as a cyberpunk samurai tactical platform fighter RPG featuring narrative choice and professional voice actors.

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 Midnight Wave is a samurai cyberpunk tactical action RPG with immense customization, narrative choice, and innovative gameplay mechanic combinations, set in a world full of katanas, mega corporations, and elemental powers. Inspired by legendary series such as Fire Emblem, Persona, Super Smash Bros., and more recent games like the Mass Effect series, Midnight Wave invites you to take part in a total genre mash-up adventure like no-other!

We need your help to bring Neo-Nihon and its characters to life.

Without you, this project cannot succeed.

Saturday - October 13, 2018

Between the Stars -

by Silver, 11:47

Between the Stars is described as a non-linear space faring roguelike ARPG with a heavy focus on events and player choice. The game is currently on Kickstarter and has funded with 3 days remaining.

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Thursday - October 04, 2018

Void Sea - RPG Adventure

by Silver, 11:33

Void Sea is a RPG Adventure game which has just 8 hours remaining to crowdfund on Kickstarter.

You’re captain of your very first space ship, and it’s time to take her into the void sea!
  • Explore an entire galaxy, which is a completely open world sandbox. No ‘jump gates’ or loading screens, it’s fully seamless. It would take you hundreds of hours to get from one side to the other using sub-light engines alone. That's where your hyperdrive comes in, increasing your speed a hundred fold.
  • Take part in space combat against pirates, hostile factions, or piracy may just take your fancy itself when you see that cargo ship fly past, full to the hull with booty in an undefended region.
  • Upgrade ship components such as engines, weapons, shields, generator, sensor, hull, cargo bay, and more!
  • Discover and recruit over a dozen characters throughout the galaxy all with their own traits, and stories to delve into.
  • Romance crew, or maybe you just want to get to know a little more about them over a friendly coffee in the rec room.
  • Trade with planets and stations for resources to run your ship, or figure out where to buy / sell for a peaceful trader existence to build up your credits.
  • Mine asteroids for raw materials to either use yourself or sell.

In other news:
It's looking very grim for achieving the goal. However fear not, we always knew Kickstarter was never a sure thing! We have a strategy (plan B) to achieve the necessary funding. I will be updating everyone on that very soon!
(Subscribe and stay tuned).

[...]
Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - September 29, 2018

Grand Guilds - On Kickstarter

by Silver, 12:50

Grand Guilds is a story-driven, strategy RPG with unique card combat mechanics which is currently seeking crowdfunding on Kickstarter.

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Grand Guilds is a story-driven, tactical RPG with unique card combat mechanics. You and your comrades will journey the lands of Irin, a continent on the brink of another war, while engaging in challenging tactical combat. Unveil a mystery that's plaguing all the guilds of the land.

In combat, each playable character has unique mechanics and abilities that, when combined properly, will make the difference between complete victory or utter defeat.

Will you help Eliza in her struggle to save the beautiful world of Irin?

Monday - September 10, 2018

Dolmen - Kickstarter Demo – Stars will bleed

by Silver, 00:49

Blast away the game review went hands-on with the demo for Dolmen, which is currently crowdfunding.

...

While DOLMEN certainly still has some work that needs to be done, it still offers a solid experience, one that is absolutely awesome and quite entertaining at that, we still have a lot more in the works and a lot more I can’t wait to see. The only downside here is that it will be next year before we see it – if the Kickstarter meets its goals by Oct. 4, 2018, and if it does, we’ll see something magnificent unfold before us when the game launches on PC PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - September 08, 2018

Dolmen - Kickstarter Updates

by Silver, 04:48

Dolmen has almost funded. Check out update 2 and update 3 for more information on the game.

Concerning Mechs, Pointy Objects, and Sharing

Day 4 and we are 80% funded, how amazing is that!! Without you, all DOLMEN wouldn’t be moving forward. Today we talk about the melee combat in DOLMEN:

.

LIGHT ATTACK

  • Light attacks use your stamina slower than using a heavy attack;
  • They are great dealing fast amounts of damage before moving away from your target and hitting them again;
  • Whilst this may be a good tactic early game you will find yourself struggling if you do not master the use and cost of your attacks, running out of stamina because you have used it all on the burst of attacks will cost you if you need to suddenly dodge or fall back.
[...]

Concerning Gratitudes, Things that go boom and DevTalk

We are 94% funded and so close to that 100% mark we can almost taste the cake :) however this time it will be yummy cake and not a fall to my death, The whole team would like you to know that are all so happy happy that each of you have decided to back us and everyone sends a Massive - pun intended- Thank you!!

Last time we covered melee combat today we have a closer look at ranged combat and how it affects your time on Revion Prime Ranged combat

Ranged weapons will always have 2 attacks and we will look at how they differ today by looking at the Zoan Pistol and the Pitoplasma Pistol.   

Zoan Pistol  

  • Uses a Cryogenic Reactor 
  • Using the Zoan Pistol allows to place an Ice debuff on enemies, slowing them. Synchronising your synergies will help you deal the greatest amount of damage possible. 
  • Special Perk - Cold Chamber uses less energy 

The Zoan Pistol has two different attacks: 

  • Light Attack - This is a precision shot that will help you either pull enemies or to interact with environment of Revion Prime and trigger traps. 
  • Heavy Attack - This is a Scatter Shot, Uses more Energy but apply the Ice Debuff faster on a close target
[...]
Thanks Farflame!

Tuesday - September 04, 2018

Knights of Light - Interview @OnlySP

by Silver, 00:33

The developers of Knights of Light, which is currently crowdfunding, were interviewed by OnlySP.

Partnering with two other co-workers, the trio became a group of five, and, in 2016, Rumbling Games came into existence. In comparison to the rest of the world, video gaming and game development in Egypt is still in its infancy, with Rumbling Games standing out as the closest thing the region has to a AAA company. When asked if the idea of competing with Western companies might be a tad bit daunting, Mousa replied with confidence. “Globally we are not feeling any pressure at all because from a Western perspective, Middle Eastern studios are not seen as a real player or challenge,” he told OnlySP. “So no one [has] any high expectations from us. Which ironically will help us stand out among them as a weird exception.”

As far as local acceptance goes, Egyptian society is seemingly cheering the studio’s efforts on. “Locally we are very much encouraged and supported as a potential representative of the gaming community,” said Mousa.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - September 01, 2018

Dolmen - Action RPG on Kickstarter

by Silver, 15:04

Dolmen is an action RPG that mixes sci-fi with lovecraftian cosmic horror and is on Kickstarter again seeking 15K.

This third-person Action-RPG has a heavily Lovecraftian-influenced plot that calls players to find some of the darkest secrets of the universe! 

Here is the new trailer made specially for the kickstarter campaign, check his out:

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Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - August 18, 2018

Echo - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 08:24

The Action-JRPG Echo is now on Kickstarter:

Echo

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Echoes are like human emotions, too close to form, too far to reach. Only in the right distance, your voices can be heard.

Echo is an action RPG game on PC, unlike most RPG Maker games, it does not have a turn-based combat system but have action combat system. Echo also has an unique growing system and puzzles waiting for you to challenge. With original opening scene and music, we'll take you to the magical world of Evoross. Now, allow us to show you everything about Echo.

 "Although it's just a nobody's story, but it repersents our voices."

Have you ever feel déjà vu in other people's story? Or think some stories are very much like your friends'? We all live in a very large world, and history always repeats itself.These voices come from our lives, it does not necessarily to be realisitc to feel compassion. Maybe you'll never hear some voices, but the ones come from your heart, will always be heard by those who can relate to you.

 "Do you believe that there's a complete different world from ours?"

Evoross is a magical world, people there believe that there are many other worlds out there besides their own, yet still no one ever found one. "To find other worlds" is one of the main reasons why there are so many adventurers in Evoross.

Saturday - August 11, 2018

Code of the Savage - Funded

by Silver, 12:24

Code of the Savage has funded on Kickstarter.

Funding goal reached!!!

Thank you everyone! Yesterday we passed the initial funding goal of $5500 AU.  I have been humbled by all of your support and generosity. 

THANK YOU!!!

Friday - August 03, 2018

Z-Alert - Post-Apocalyptic Survival RPG on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 10:07

Z-Alert is a zombie post-apocalyptic survival RPG, which has started on Kickstarter yesterday.

Cologne, Germany - August 2nd 2018 - Cedar Games, an independent development studio based in Cologne today launched a Kickstarter campaign for its post-apocalyptic survival RPG, Z-Alert. The campaign will run until September 6th 2018, and the studio is looking for 50 000 EUR to fund development costs.

Z-Alert is a highly customisable survival-sim role-playing title set a vibrantly illustrated world. Lost and alone in forest surrounding a city teeming with the living dead, players must use everything at their disposal in a fight for their life and chance to be reunited with their family.

"Development is well underway on Z-Alert" said John Nash, chief designer at Cedar Games, "It's an ambitious project and the team has set our sights high, which is why we are asking for help bringing our vision to life. With your support we're looking to create a fresh and colourful take on the survival sim genre."

A highly accessible experience, Z-Alert retains the depth and complexity associated with the role-playing and survival genres. To that end the game is built around the following four key tenets:

  • Customisation: An unparalleled level of customisation - tailor almost anything to suit your play style, from the mechanics of the game right through to the arrangement of interface.
  • Survival: Accessible yet rewarding survival mechanics - scavenge resources, craft essential items and manage your supplies across a vast rural, post-apocalyptic environment.
  • Simulation: Strategic shelter management lies at the core of Z-Alert. Build, develop and expand your home, maintain the wellbeing of its inhabitants, defend it from unwanted visitors and explore the deep forest around.
  • Role-Playing: In-depth player progression mechanics, skill systems, tactical combat, character interactions and an emotionally charged, environmentally-minded storyline will pull you into the world of Z-Alert.

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Tuesday - July 31, 2018

Island - Survival RPG on Kickstarter

by Silver, 10:20

Island is described as a punishing strategy & roleplaying game about surviving alone, stranded on a reef in the pacific. The game is currently on Kickstarter seeking 3K and has already funded with 11 days to go.

About

Island is a roleplay and strategy game where you play as a castaway in the eighteenth century. Inspired by Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and Jules Verne's "L'île mystérieuse" (Mysterious Island) style and setting, and carefully crafted by a tabletop GM, the rules of the game are designed so you, the player, can quickly pick up the game, and are then quickly offered a punishing challenge. 

Carefully explore a procedurally generated island. Scout areas for resources and dangers, and plan your trip with caution. Each island will offer a different challenge in matters such as accessible resources, events, means of escape, and other elements. The game's action happens in the short and long range views spontaneously, each side of the screen allowing you to plan your next action with a short or long range skill, depending on what you deem the most urgent need to fulfill. 

 Each action, be it searching for resources or just exploring, costs time and energy, and the night draws near. Will you reach your shelter in time or build another one in a hurry with whatever you can find ? 

Deep in each area, face danger, hunger, sunburn, and fever, to collect scarce resources. Each type of terrain will offer specific resources and challenges, and depending on the island generated for you, you'll have to adapt to the situation.

You'll be able to walk, swim, and paddle your way through various unwelcoming terrains.

A side of the island with mostly mountainous terrain will probably offer caves for protection, while another flatter side of the island, made up of  mostly beaches, will provide ease of access for fishing. Jungles, on the other hand, will give access to plenty of wood and foliage to build strong shelters. Always keep an eye out for resources on the map like fruit trees, or on areas of specific interest.

Knights of Light - AAA historical action RPG

by Silver, 02:15

Knights of Light is on Kickstarter and is described as an indie AAA historical action RPG set in the Middle East. The goal of 100K Euro has 54 days to go.

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The Game Story

Knights of Light is a new game franchise based on the history of the middle east. It covers a time period from early medieval to late medieval ages which is a fresh and original scope that is NEVER introduced before.

The first game focuses on the battle of "Al Qadissiyah" between the Sassanian empire and the Islamic Caliphate at 636 AD. It was a great decisive battle occurred at the land of Iraq.

The story will feature war and conflicts from different perspectives. The player will not find pure angels against worthless barbarians, Instead he will face moral and diverse conflicts with deep character development from both his allies and enemies through the campaign.

The main battle will not be the core event instead it will be a part of the campaign timeline. And even the side stories are based on the local communities and tribes that existed back then. Every faction had their alliances and disputes before and after the conflict.

Despite being a historical story we will introduce some fantasy elements. This will add diversity and more enjoyment for the player. But we confirm here that it will be a branched optional story to make it distinguished from the main story. The Middle Eastern fantasy & culture are RARELY introduced in games that is why the experience will be very authentic and different. However if any player loves to stick with realism in his experience he can easily choose not play these path in the story.

Our game writer is very obsessed with history to the tiniest details. His specialty is the military conflicts in the middle ages. He believes no matter the time and era is distant there is only one truth: Human nature with its beliefs, morals, motives & conflicts.

To provide more authentic references we have the consultation of an academic history professor from the university of Toronto who will cooperate with our writer to review and validate the project historical accuracy.

Thursday - July 26, 2018

Code of the Savage - Ultima Style RPG

by Silver, 14:52

Code of the Savage is an Ultima style RPG now on Kickstarter seeking a modest goal.

Introduction 

Code of the Savage is a tale of vengeance and survival. After escaping  a slave ship, you have found yourself in chains and washed ashore on the island Kingdom of Daneth. You must find your way in a brutal and unforgiving world where nothing is black and white. 

Deep and disturbing quandaries underpin the driving force of the game.

Code of the Savage is a no-holds-barred classic western style RPG. Inspired by the greats from the 80-90’s with a modern flair. There is a strong emphasis on player freedom through social and moral interactions… Will you choose to fire bomb the brothel, the church… Or both? Will you do it for money, glory or just because?

I think a problem with many of today's RPGs is that they expect you to know and care about their lore and backstory before you even take your first steps. In Code of the Savage, you and the main character are totally new to Daneth. So I don't want you to know the lore and backstory straight away. I want you to discover these things on your own terms as you play the game and interact with its inhabitants.

I wanted to create a role playing game that brought me back to my gamer days as a child on the C64 and MS-DOS PC. There is just something lacking in today's RPG's that I miss. Tired of micro-transactions, and randomly generated worlds; I am creating a world that is hand crafted with purpose. Essentially, I am creating the game that I want to play.

I believe one of the most important aspects of an RPG is the characters you meet in the game. I have therefore placed a great emphasis on NPC interaction. Each NPC in Code of The Savage has their own story, their own character portrait and a daily schedule. They will, go about their daily lives, going to work, eating and sleeping.

Level up your character and adventure forth to discover the treasures, history, and people of Daneth.

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Saturday - July 21, 2018

Alien Shakespeare - Narrative RPG on Kickstarter

by Silver, 10:36

Alien Shakespeare is a narrative RPG set during the post-apocalypse, which takes place in an abandoned theme park.

About

Alien Shakespeare is a narrative RPG that takes place on the Globe Theatre, an abandoned theme park planet (think of it as a Disney film set during the Post-Apocalypse.) Like Telltale Games, Alien Shakespeare will have the player's decisions drive the plot forward. Our goal, however, is to create a story where the player has more of an impact on the narrative.  

The funds raised through Kickstarter will help us develop the game and pay our talented cast and crew for their time. It will also cover taxes, backer rewards, business expenses and Kickstarter processing fees.

IMPROVING THE 'TELLTALE FORMULA'

Because of their focus on creating compelling stories and unique characters, Telltale Games has received critical acclaim for their work on the Walking Dead, Batman, and the Wolf Among Us (just to name a few). These games, however, follow a very formulaic, straightforward path.  

To highlight this formula, let’s look at a scene in the Wolf Among Us where Sheriff Bigby (aka the Big Bad Wolf) confronts the Woodsman at a bar. No matter how you play the game, there will always be a fight that breaks out at the end of the conversation. Even if you play as a diplomatic, non-violent character and convince the Woodsman to not fight you, another character will randomly decide to attack you so that the sequence of events will play out as scripted.  

There is a very practical reason why Telltale Games uses this approach. It saves money by requiring fewer game assets and locations compared to a branching storyline.  However, it creates the sense that the player's decisions doesn't have that much of an impact on the overall story. 

We believe that Alien Shakespeare will be able to improve on the Telltale formula by introducing the following:

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Sunday - July 01, 2018

Winter Voices S2: Child of the Pyre - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 09:42

The sequel to Winter Voices - Child of the Pyre is now on Kickstarter:

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Saturday - June 09, 2018

Stoneshard - Demo available

by Hiddenx, 10:52

The rogue-like Stoneshard is already funded on Kickstarter - now you can play a free demo on Steam:

Stoneshard: Prologue is now available on Steam!

Hello everyone!

Great news - Stoneshard: Prologue is now available for download on Steam as a stand-alone game! This is a great occasion to try our demo for one more time - or just try it, if you hadn't played it yet! So, what’s new?

  • 10 Steam achievements to obtain
  • Fixed memory leaks.
  • Several new SFX-effects.
  • Several collision and depth issues hotfixes.
  • Stuns should correctly spend turns now.
  • Several new keyboard shotkeys (Alt + LMB to quickloot selected item, Space for skipping dialogue lines)
  • LOTS of balance tweaks:
  • Increased traps damage and debuff duration.
  • Decreased Verren’s base HP and other stats.
  • Increased Fumble Chance for greatswords.
  • Increased damage for Altar death rays.
  • Generally decreased consumables drop rates.
  • Almost all enemies were buffed compared to 0.4.8.16, which turned out to be way too easy.
Make sure to download it and try to defeat Vampire Archon one more time! Also, we'd very grateful if you will help us by spreading the word about Stoneshard to your Steam friends and any other people that may find our game fun to play.

Stay tuned!

Thursday - June 07, 2018

Iratus: Lord of the Dead - Progress Report & Dwarves

by Silver, 11:22

Iratus: Lord of the Dead has a couple of weeks left to crowdfund and is almost half-way to its goal. A new update details progress on the latest build and discusses all things dwarven.

Devblog #2. Progress report and a few things about Dwarves.

Greetings from Iratus team!

Now, to continue down the road from devblog #1, we will tell you a bit about the progress we've made and what we'll be working on next. Last week we've implemented a small balance patch. Those of you who have alpha-access might have noticed the changes but we would like to discuss them in more detail.  

In addition, we continue to work on the Dwarven Floor. There you’ll meet some already familiar enemies: Berserker, Musketeer and Heavy Firethrower but also the previously announced Oracle and Hammerer. We are currently working to add a new enemy and a new boss to the game, presented below.  

Alchemist  

The Alchemists of the guild are the chief authority in dwarven society and preside over the mining operations beneath the castle, where they are given permission to do as they please by the humans above. Once they realized the problem posed by the necromancer, they have stepped in to deal with the problem personally, lest the rise of Iratus be blamed on them and the humans use this opportunity to renegotiate the terms of their agreement. It also provides them with the welcome opportunity to test some of their more dangerous concoctions on whole horde of subjects.  

***

Treasurer  

One of the few remaining members of the dwarven aristocracy, a true dwarven blue-blood. It certainly does not make him any more virtuous than his brethren but he more than makes up for it with his vast amount of wealth. The alchemists guild does not much like the remaining nobles, seeing as they represent the legacy of the former power but as long as they can get them to dance to their tune, they are allowed to keep their estates. In turn, the nobles benefit too, allegiance to the alchemists guild brings with it untold riches and gold is a wonderful motivator, even (or maybe especially) for the richest dwarf.  

***

Update  

Last week's patch was focused on optimization and balance. 

First, we lowered the volume of the intro because so many Twitch streamers complained about it. We hear you! ;) 

We’ve also added hotkeys to skill slots.

 Bride of Iratus got a slight buff. Now she is taking 2 steps back when using her “Overwatch” skill and you can use it in any position (1-4). 

In addition, her ultimate ability “Rose For a Lady” can also be used in any position (1-4). In this way we have wanted to make Bride of Iratus better suited to situations where you only have got 2 minions alive in your party, or even only her. 

Our Head Hunter has also been rather underused due to his low accuracy and random attacks. But, trust us, he is not that bad, he simply has no head! Therefore, we increased the damage of Head Hunter’s abilities. For example, the damage of the "Contract" skill is raised from 150% to 175%. So, if he hits, your enemies will feel it!

 ***

Work process 

At the moment we continue to work on new and already existing content. For example, we remodeled the main menu and profile system while also adding animation for burning units during battle. 

More improvements have been made to the map generator in order to diversifying possible routes and evenly distribute enemies and events. 

Well, that about does it. We will be happy to answer your questions on our social media. See you all there! Team Iratus 

Wednesday - June 06, 2018

Final Equinox: The Arrival - New Build & Gameplay Trailer

by Silver, 10:59

Final Equinox: The Arrival has a new update for its Kickstarter and are asking for your feedback on a new build of the game which you can download here. Additionally there is a new gameplay trailer.

A Quick Update

Hello everyone. I just want to thank everyone who has already backed the project. We are currently moving a bit slower than expected, but are hoping for your help to get the word out!

We have done released a new build of the game, that should hopefully fix some of the bugs we have seen early on. If you find any bugs or would like to give feedback on what we can improve, be sure to fill out this form.

I just wanted to thank everyone for their support so far. We are starting to gain more traction. A lot of you guys have given really positive feedback on what we’ve been doing, and it is very much appreciated.

We have launched a gameplay trailer and wanted to share that with you.

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Don't forget to:

We are planning on live streaming our game on Friday 9 pm eastern. Be sure to join us as we show off our demo and talk about what each of us has worked on.

Subscribe to twitch to catch all of our live streams.

Saturday - June 02, 2018

Final Equinox: The Arrival - Kickstarter Live

by Silver, 11:17

The Kickstarter for Final Equinox: The Arrival has started with a modest goal of US 30K.

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An early look of some of our space combat and travel gameplay. Coming to Kickstarter June 1st. Be sure to find out more about the game at https://finalequinoxgame.com/

Welcome to the world of Final Equinox: The Arrival. A turn-based spaceship role-playing game. You are an admiral of a newly formed fleet stationed in the Outer Worlds, a place overrun by raiders, rebels, and marauders. They fight against you with tactics you have never trained for. Final Equinox puts you in the driver’s seat and allows you to make decisions that will shape the world around you.

Thursday - May 24, 2018

Iratus: Lord of the Dead - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 08:04

Iratus: Lord of the Dead is on Kickstarter.

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Overview

Iratus: Lord of the Dead is a turn-based RPG taking gameplay inspiration from Darkest Dungeon and the sardonic tone of Dungeon Keeper. Playing as the fearsome Necromancer, Iratus players will use their undead minions to ignite a reign of terror that has been years in the making. Iratus is slated for release in late 2018 on Steam for PC, Mac and Linux.

FEATURES

  • Advanced strategy system: Study your enemies' strengths and weaknesses to achieve victory.
  • Raise your army of undead minions by collecting body parts from your defeated foes.
  • Use your knowledge of alchemy to give unique abilities to your minions.
  • Turn-based combat system with over 50 different talents for your minions.
  • Stylized 2D graphics with a dark fantasy flair.
  • Choose wisely: with irreversible consequences and classic roguelike features, including character permadeath.

Wednesday - May 23, 2018

Jeff Vogel - Kickstarter Next Week

by Silver, 14:27

Jeff Vogel has announced on Twitter that his Kickstarter for a new game series will start next week.

Saturday - May 19, 2018

Last Epoch - Funded

by Silver, 15:04

Last Epoch has been successfully funded on Kickstarter.

The KickStarter was successful! What’s next?

Because of your generous support our KickStarter was successful and we've reached the stretch goal for controller support! The entire team at Eleventh Hour Games are very excited to bring Last Epoch from pre-alpha to alpha, beta, release – and beyond.

When KickStarter contacted us by e-mail to congratulate us on reaching our goal, they informed us there will be a 14 day period during which they fulfil pledges and contact any backers who they’re unable to bill for whatever reason (e.g. credit card expiring)

[...]

Thanks apscp2008!

Thursday - May 17, 2018

Stoneshard - Open-world Roguelike RPG

by Silver, 00:31

Stoneshard is crowdfunding on Kickstarter. The game is an open-world roguelike RPG with tactical freedom.

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ABOUT

Stoneshard is an open-world roguelike RPG with immense tactical freedom, survival elements and in-depth follower system, set in a grim medieval world.

Inspired by legendary classic titles such as Diablo and ADOM and modern games like The Banner Saga and Darkest Dungeon, Stoneshard invites you to shape the future of the kingdom of Aldor… And die a lot.

We need your help to bring Stoneshard to every modern platform with Steam Early Access as a starting point.

KEY FEATURES

  • Embark on the adventure through a vast procedurally-generated medieval world

  • Lead a Caravan of valiant allies and expand your following

  • Struggle with physical or psychological traumas and aid them with medicine or drugs

  • Upgrade and customize your character any way you want to

  • Wage war to vampires, undead and mercenaries with 100+ weapons

  • Follow the will of ancient Gods and gain some of their power in return

  • Return to the journey with a new hero after your character dies in battle

Sunday - May 13, 2018

Dolmen - Will Continue on Crytivo

by Silver, 14:32

Dolmen failed to reach its Kickstarter goal but the campaign continues on the Crytivo site.

Finish Line

Well guys, there seems to have been a disturbance in the force.

All of us here at Massive Work Studio must accept the outcome of our campaign.

We crossed that finish line with each and every one of you and shared that excitement with you.

The campaign may have not been a successful in terms of completion, but as we noted before, not all goals are meant to be met. We gained something far more valuable and precious during this period: YOU! 

Dolmen’s crowdfunding will continue on Crytivo and we need you, our Alpha testers, to stay by our side now more than ever while we embark on the next part of Dolmen’s journey!

Crytivo

 Kind Regards,

  - Team Dolmen -

Thanks Farflame!

Saturday - May 12, 2018

Final Equinox: The Arrival - Kickstarter 1st June

by Silver, 10:42

Final Equinox: The Arrival is coming to Kickstarter June 1st.

Friday - May 11, 2018

Blade of Unagi - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 18:11

A crowdfunding campaign for the action RPG Blade of Unagi has been started:

Blade of Unagi is an action, role playing game where you fight to restore order by defeating the five ruling kings.

Built with Unity, incorporating Parallax Scrolling, Blade of Unagi is a technical marvel.

Developed by Black Sky Games, LLC, Blade of Unagi is an epic tale of purpose and destiny which sees the growth of the protagonist and his quest to save his world. In order to accomplish this task, he must confront the rulers of the world - five kings who were given their powers by five mystical eels.

Kibo, the protagonist, with his powerful blade must navigate the world and confront these adversaries, hoping to save the world in the process.

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Blade of Unagi will be available for PC (Windows, Mac and Linux) and Nintendo Switch on Steam and Nintendo eShop

Tuesday - May 08, 2018

Kickstarter Games - Monsters and Undead

by Silver, 23:48

A new Kickstarter update from Black Geyser about monsters and the undead. Thanks Farflame!

The Dark Side: Monsters and Undead

In the beginning Yerengal knew only peace and harmony. A tranquility of blissful ignorance eroded over the years as the dark, malevolent gods came down and took physical form.

Often formed from unnatural unions between god and mortal, creatures of a vile, perverted nature were spawned. These monsters consumed the innocent and fed on fear... 

Left behind when the gods returned to the heavens, these creatures multiplied and spread across all of Yerengal. Even today, they lurk and thrive in the shadows, where only foolish or brave men tread.

Restless Undead

Restless Undead were one of the first creations of the dark gods in Yerengal. Though many religious texts claim their origins were not deliberate creations, but rather, the unexpected aftermath of godly offense.

Like the name suggests, Restless Undead are mortal souls so wronged in life or so fixated on some aspect of their life, they've come back from the other side. Reanimated corpses or possessed objects, functioning on a purely primal level.

Though not all Restless Undead are hostile, many find the presence of the living offensive and are empowered by their destruction—either by the eating of their flesh, or the absorption of their life-energy. The Restless Undead are indeed extremely dangerous.

Animated Undead

Where the Restless Undead come back on their own, or are encouraged to return by some dark unnatural phenomenon, Animated Undead are brought back by direct and deliberate arcane command.

These beings are not bound by their previous life in any way and exist only to serve their master. As the dark arts of animating undead have grown extensively throughout the centuries, so have holy magics to oppose such creatures. The methods of countering Animated Undead are easier and more effective than countering Restless Undead.

For all intents and purposes, Animated Undead are weaker than their Restless Undead cousins. But make no mistake, dark mages and priests of Yerengal often summon these undead minions in mass, where they are more than formidable to even the most battle-hardened party.

Wild Mage: Phantom Twilight - Funded

by Silver, 11:33

Wild Mage: Phantom Twilight has funded on Kickstarter with 28 days still to go. The game is described as an open-world action/adventure RPG featuring airships, floating islands, dungeons, and dynamically destructible enemies/environment.

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Featuring:

  • Voxel-based, dynamically destructible floating islands
  • Ability to slice monsters and objects into pieces
  • Airships for transportation, combat, housing, and crafting    
  • No traditional "levels" - Spells and abilities are acquired by taking them from monsters
  • Musically driven environment and gameplay
  • Final Fantasy like world, Diablo like dungeons, Zelda like adventures, with next-gen mechanics

Powerful spells with physical effects

Though ARPG is my favorite genre, I found myself unsatisfied with the way spell casting is done in most games over the years. Instead of particle effects accompanied by some ranged damage, I wanted magic spells to have physical effects. That's why in Wild Mage, a Tornado spell would literally throw monsters into the air, and your airship too if it’s within range!

Precision spell casting system

To make spell casting more realistic and more fun, players have full control of the targeting precision. This means that if you’re not careful, things may not turn out the way you planned.

Dynamic Cutting

Slice your enemies into pieces, yet seamlessly transition from sword to spell.

Another feature that I had wished for as a gamer for a long time is dynamic destruction of monsters. In an ideal world, swords slice, hammers crush. Their effects on enemies should be physical, instead of being represented as only numbers. In Wild Mage, monsters are dynamically destructible. An artifact sword can slice enemies into pieces, and how it cuts depends on the position and direction that the sword hits the monsters. So no two cuts are the same!

Destruction

Environments in Wild Mage are destructible by weapons, spells or monsters!

The floating islands are made of voxels and can be tunneled or destroyed.

Fire propagates dynamically.

Dungeons are nested in voxel-based islands. In certain spots, the walls are destructible so you can tunnel your way to hidden chambers.

[...]

Sunday - May 06, 2018

Dolmen - Dev Diary Video Log

by Silver, 09:19

Dolmen is into its last 66 hours of crowdfunding on Kickstarter and a new video log from the developers has arrived.

Dev Diary Vlog

Hello Kickstarters,

With just under a week left on our crowdfunding campaign, we're wrapping up our weekly “Behind the Scenes” series with an inside look at not only what it takes to create a game, but what it looks like to be a part of a development team.

Our producer Pedro Bastos says, “I don’t think there is a big game out there that wasn’t born from a crazy idea.” In DOLMEN’s case, that couldn’t be more true!

In the beginning, the small group of friends that would become Massive Work Studio had naysayers telling us to “start with a simple game,” but that just wasn’t an option for the team. 

We dreamt of DOLMEN and DOLMEN coalesced. Still, we've faced our fair share of uphill battles.

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The team began with an idea — a game we wanted to bring to life and call our own.

Now, over a year and a Kickstarter campaign later, we've created not only something that we own, but a project that everyone who had faith in it owns.

The team has seen employees come and go, but at its core, Massive Work Studio has remained steadfast in what they wanted DOLMEN to be: something wonderfully unique for all to enjoy and have a hand in creating.

Although the end of its Kickstarter draws near, it is merely the beginning of DOLMEN’s journey. 

Thank you all and get ready for a surprise on the next update, we usually have an ace up our sleeves to use if we are losing a game. 

Kind Regards,

- Team Dolmen -

Thanks Farflame!

Tuesday - May 01, 2018

Dolmen - Development of the Zoan Ship

by Silver, 12:39

Action RPG Dolmen has a week to go on its Kickstarter goal and has a new update and video about the development of the Zoan ship.

The subtle intricacies of creating a game from the ground up are rarely appreciated when we play the finished product. The beauty of indies (and particularly crowdfunded titles) is that we get to observe the process more intimately, and sometimes even shape a game’s direction.

Here at Massive Work Studio, we believe that community involvement is a crucial part of a game’s success and, with only two weeks left and just under half our Kickstarter goal met, we’re doubling down by offering another behind the scenes look.

Meet the massive, eerie Zoan spaceship and experience the protagonist’s pivotal genesis in this new introductory video.

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[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Monday - April 23, 2018

Dolmen - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 20:59

Farflame spotted a Kickstarter update for the action RPG Dolmen:

State of the Game / Payment options

Today's update is to keep you up to date with changes that are ongoing with Dolmen.

Our Third Game Update rolled out yesterday with some new features and some bug fixes, this update was aimed at making Revion Prime feel more dangerous and to make the gameplay smoother for players.

Update 0.1.0.8 Patch Notes

Consumables removed, Materials can be consumed now:
As a survival game, we want to offer choice to players. You can either keep materials for crafting or use them to keep yourself alive. Choose wisely. To consume materials, just visit your overview screen and set it in on the available slots.

Molten Reactor Trait:
Removed recovery by damage and only with this reactor you will recover energy by parrying.

Enemy Improvements:
Better positioning for attacks

Enemy Difficulty changes:
Increased Overall stats to make the game harder.

Player Heavy Attacks:
Increased Animation Speed and Damage. Enemies have increased stagger resistance, giving more reason to use it.

Player Energy changes:
Fixed ranged weapon firing costs.
Regeneration won't occur while attacking or dodging.

Player Ranged Attacks:
Heavy Attack has less spread now. (Light Attack is RB/LMB and Heavy is RT/RMB)

Enemy Condition Attack Feedback:

When an enemy attacks, its trail will indicate what element its attacking with.

Burn condition change:
Before it caused 4% damage per 3 second tick. Now it will work differently. After applying burn, it will tick every 4 seconds and when it ticks it will cause a percentage of damage equal to the sum of any damage it received during the tick.

Mouse Sensitivity added:

For keyboard player you can now visit settings and tune the sensitivity.

Bug Fixes -- Disabled VR Issues.

New Payment options:

We have new options on our website, if you are unable to back us directly from kickstarter, you can now use Paypal or Pagseguro.

[...]

Knuckle Sandwich - On Kickstarter

by Silver, 02:50

Knuckle Sandwich is a comedy RPG about a boy working in a diner who is then involved in a missing persons mystery which involves a ludicrous gang and a fanatical cult. The Kickstarter has achieved its goal with 26 days to go. A demo is available.

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About

Knuckle Sandwich is an RPG about a boy who moves out of home and starts looking for work in a new city. After landing a job at a run-down diner, he accidentally gets wrapped up in a missing persons mystery that involves a ludicrous gang and a fanatical cult.  

Bright City Life

Knuckle Sandwich is set in Bright City – a fictional metropolis on an even more fictional island in south-east Australia. Throughout the course of the game, you find yourself exploring the city, meeting all the inhabitants, and playing a role in their daily lives. 

The game is split into chapters, with each one focusing on different locations and characters that bring Bright City to life. My goal with the game is to allow for players to discover many hidden interactions that they could easily miss while playing through the main story arc.

The general aesthetic of the game is inspired by Pokémon and Dragon Ball, while the story is influenced by Fargo, The Big Sleep, and American Psycho (this combo works, trust me).

I wanted to create an RPG that doesn't feature the things I dislike about the genre (like grinding, puzzle elements, having numbers all over the screen, hoarding items, etc.), so the bulk of the game is played out by completing wildly different minigames. They include cooking food, catching bugs, showering, dancing, boxing, writing, and many more.

The battle scenes are made up of sequences that require good timing, such as landing a critical hit or dodging enemy attacks. Both the player and enemy can perform Special Attacks that are very similar to the minigames played throughout the rest of the game.

Mechanically speaking, my inspirations include Warioware, Rhythm Heaven, and Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. While quick reflexes and a good sense of rhythm helps with Knuckle Sandwich, my aim is to make the game as accessible as possible, so less-experienced players can still beat it without an overwhelming amount of difficulty.

Sunday - April 22, 2018

Faeland - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 23:12

Faeland is a Metroidvania Action Adventure RPG video-game in pixel art style now on Kickstarter seeking US $29K.

About

Faeland is a Metroidvania Action Adventure RPG video-game in pixel art style, inspired by the nostalgic 8-Bit classics, with a modern charm for all generations. It is currently in development for PC, Mac and Linux, with Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch console ports as Stretch Goals on this Kickstarter campaign!

GAMEPLAY

In Faeland as the player, you can freely explore the open world, traveling from one town to another, talk to friendly NPCs, learn about the game’s lore and get useful tips, commerce valuable items to improve your economics, buy new equipment and consumables and do quests to acquire useful loot while progressing in the main story. Some of the areas you need to traverse are challenging forests, caves, dungeons, castles and more. You also have to acquire new abilities and special items to gain access to previously inaccessible areas and paths. The combat style is customized through your equipped weapons, choose from knives, daggers, swords, axes, spears and bows, all with different attack animations, speeds, strengths and effects.

STORY

In a fantasy world, humans have established their kingdom through centuries of peace efforts to keep a safe margin with the dark forces of magic and monstrous beasts that lurk away from civilization. Sam, our protagonist, is a skilled hunter living in a secluded cottage in the forest until one day his home gets raided by a horde of orcs and trolls.

Escaping the attack, with little left but his life, he will begin a new adventure and forge allegiances throughout his travels. Unbeknownst to him, a larger threat looms in the background and the entire realm’s survival will rest upon him becoming the hero he was born to be.

KEY FEATURES

  • Detailed hand crafted pixel-art graphics.
  • Open world / metroidvania exploration style.
  • Change your equipped weapons to match your preferred combat style.
  • Enhance and replace your armor while enjoying the new looks on your character.
  • Puzzles and riddles solving.
  • Learn new skills.
  • Explore large dungeons with challenging boss battles.

Last Epoch - Gameplay Demo Review

by Hiddenx, 12:25

Rhykker checked out the Last Epoch demo. The action RPG is now on Kickstarter.

Last Epoch action RPG Gameplay Demo Review (Kickstarter)

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A new aRPG Kickstarter begins to compete with Path of Exile, Diablo, and Grim Dawn. Last Epoch release date: April 2020. Can this game compete with an eventual Diablo 4? Here are my impressions and demo review.

Tuesday - April 17, 2018

Last Epoch - Loot Based Action RPG

by Silver, 22:36

Last Epoch is on Kickstarter seeking US 210K and is described as a loot-based action RPG featuring time travel. There is a free demo of the game available to download.

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What is Last Epoch?

Last Epoch is a loot-based Action RPG that combines time travel, deep character customization, crafting, and an engrossing item system that guarantees endless replayability.

Featuring

  • Offline and online multiplayer action
  • Time travel and high fantasy world 
  • 5 base classes that advance into 10 powerful mastery classes
  • A deep skill system with augment trees for each skill 
  • Engrossing loot and crafting system 
  • Massive end-game content and replayability, trading, PvP, Cycles(seasons), Ladders, and Achievements 
  • Epic storytelling, memorable characters and environments, voice acting, journals, and hidden secrets

Story

Last Epoch has a rich world and an engrossing story that is woven into every aspect of the game from environments to items and more. Throughout the story, you will travel to four distinct eras in time and see how each zone changes throughout the ages, each change bearing lore implications that will keep you invested in the setting.

[..]

Thanks Rhawka!

Sunday - April 15, 2018

Sentinels of Freedom - Turn-based Tactics Game

by Silver, 10:11

Sentinels of Freedom is on Kickstarter and has already been funded. It is described as a single-player, turn-based tactics game, inspired by the Sentinel Comics RPG. You create a hero, build your team, and then save the world.

About

Prepare for a story-driven campaign (featuring writing from Sentinel Comics creator Christopher Badell and artist Adam Rebottaro) within the Sentinel Comics universe as you join forces with an ever-growing team of heroes to face a wide variety of villains. What seems like a typical bank heist reveals itself to be just the tip of a much more sinister plan! Create your hero, lead your team, and save the world!

Sentinels of Freedom is a turn-based digital tactical game inspired by the upcoming Sentinel Comics: The Roleplaying Game, designed by Critical Hits studio in conjunction with Christopher Badell of Greater Than Games.

Highlights

- Build your Team - select from the many available heroes and unlock more throughout Character Personalities
- heroes will have likes, dislikes, and preferences which influence the mission Full story campaign
- writers and creators from Sentinel Comics Freeform movement
- Turn Based game that allows you to move anywhere Squad dynamics
- heroes or villains can work together for more powerful actions Living Environments
- multiple objectives, interactions and dangers Adaptive AI
- enemies will start to adjust to current tactics and also make long term changes to strategy

What kind of hero will you be? Create your Hero - choose backstory, archetype, powers, and appearance

Friday - April 06, 2018

Dolmen - Sci-fi Action RPG on Kickstarter

by Silver, 12:49

Dolmen is currently on Kickstarter seeking 90K US Dollars.

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Cosmic Horror and Sci-Fi are two ways to talk about Dolmen. It is a third person action game with RPG elements but with a lovecraftian plot that calls players to find what’s behind the darkest secret of the universe!

A forgotten planet called Revion Prime will be the place where the action takes part. And it won’t be easy: Adaptation and exploration will be your main weapons as you craft new items and equipments from your enemies’ carcasses! Every step can be your last one!

Use your experience points to improve yourself and face what no human has ever faced. After all, quoting David Hume: “The life of man is of no greater importance to the universe than that of an oyster.” Maybe he was right… Or not.

Monday - April 02, 2018

Gyre: Nova State - Bio-Steampunk Action RPG

by Silver, 23:10

Gyre: Nova State is an interesting looking game on Kickstarter that is described as an open world, dystopian, bio-steampunk action RPG with an unscripted, dynamically crafted story that adapts to your style of play.

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GAMEPLAY

Gyre: Nova State is a single player RPG with shared multiplayer aspects that include: 

  • the Gyre Foundry where NPCs are stored
  • special content, such as unique buildings, items or creatures
  • the Corpus Archive, which houses characters that have completed one or more story arcs of significant dramatic value

The Foundry houses NPCs (including anyone in your lineage) that can be pulled into any story, anywhere. Also, characters you upload as part of the Corpus Archive can be pulled into a story if Toska determines there's a fit for that character.

FEATURES

Combat includes cover mechanics and some special parkour-style maneuvers, plus the use of melee, psionic and ranged weapons. 

Stealth you say? In a half-ton bodyframe? Yes, made possible by special crafting materials, dampeners (both physical, visual and acoustic) and magnetic technologies. Stealth actions grant the player the ability to stay hidden, gather intel and strike with little or no warning. 

Engaging in intrigue involves the use of your character's ability to convince, argue or bluff your way through situations. Non-violent, diplomatic options are available to you. NPCs and groups can behave and act differently if you share important information with them...or provide false information.

There are 7 skill trees with a multitude of options to accommodate the various styles of play. All skills are available to all classes, although some skills are easier to pick up for certain classes.

The crafting system allows players to craft weapons, gear, and apparel. A plethora of weapons are available for crafting including melee, ranged and psionic versions. 

Apparel in the game doesn't need to just look awesome, it can grant the player advantages in combat, stealth and/or conversations and interactions. 

Weapons are built from stock pieces that assemble into the final item, giving players a large array of capabilities to choose from. 

Psionic weapons and items have unique abilities that can target the core systems of another android, oftentimes without damaging them permanently. 

The dialogue system grants players the ability to construct an intent that translates into context appropriate statements or questions. With a dynamic story running, its critically important that characters be able to communicate dynamically as well, which is part of Toska's abilities.

Sunday - March 11, 2018

Dolmen - Sci-fi Action RPG coming to Kickstarter

by Silver, 22:00

PC Gamer reports that Dolmen is a Science Fiction Action RPG coming to Kickstarter next month.

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Sci-fi action RPG Dolmen is heading to Kickstarter next month, and I reckon it'll garner a fair amount of support. It's a mix of horror and heavy, deliberate third-person combat set on the strange alien world of Revion Prime. You awaken from a cryogenic slumber to discover that the rest of your crew is dead, and you have to venture out into the world alone.

[...]

Sunday - February 18, 2018

Alder's Blood - A Victorian Fantasy XCOM

by Silver, 12:10

A new Kickstarter has launched for a Victorian era inspired XCOM game called Alder's Blood.

Child of XCOM and Bloodborne that was raised by Darkest Dungeon. 

Alder’s Blood, a fresh take on the tactial genre, which raises the tactical decisions of the player over the mere luck of RNG rolls.

Lead the group of legendary monster slayers in the dark, twisted remnants of civilization. Gear up, scout ahead and hunt throughout putrid forests, forsaken castles, corrupted hamlets and cursed coves. Battle feral monsters and the Darkness itself, the corrupting force of the entire land.

Platform PC

We consider Steam as a first platform we hit, then GOG. We do not deny other platforms in the future (PS4, Switch).

Features

  • no RNG system in the base mechanics; forget all the missed shots fired just 1 meter in front of your enemy;
  • Darkness System can surprise you by changing the rules on the game in the middle of the fight;
  • Stamina System - fail miserably just by losing your breath during combat;
  • Senses System - monsters can hear and SMELL you! Beware of the wind;
  • Strategy - a second gameplay layer, where you can research new gear, craft items and prepare for the next encouter;
  • Boss fights - track down and face challenging enemies in storyline missions.

Gameplay

Alder's Blood is a 2D fuse of tactical and strategy game mixed with a few twists and fresh approach to the genre. We removed the RNG systems from core mechanics of the combat, as we believe that we can provide interesting and surprising experience without implementing the dice rolls.

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Tuesday - February 06, 2018

The Tenth Hell: Stygian - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:45

The Action RPG The Tenth Hell: Stygian is now on Kickstarter:

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The Tenth Hell:Stygian is a 3D RPG based on decision-making, an evolutionary narrative and with a real-time combat that will test your skills.

Thursday - December 28, 2017

Legends of Enchantment - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 12:59

Microprose veteran Stewart Bell has started a Kickstarter campaign for the RPG Legends of Enchantment:

Legends Of Enchantment

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A young shepherd seeking shelter from a storm wandered deep into a mountain's cave system. He discovered the most exquisite gems and returned home with them. They sold for huge amounts of gold and news travelled far and wide of his good fortune. Soon others began to search for these gems and like the Shepherd sold them to the highest bidder. Then the gems began to hatch.

Hundreds of years ago dragons were worshipped by those who practised magic. Their offerings and sacrifices kept the dragons wrath from the humans. When the dragons began their 500 year hibernation those without magical power turned on those gifted with it. They were driven into hiding, and those caught practicing magic were executed. With their hibernation coming to an end, hell will have no fury like dragons that awake to find their babies gone.

You will need to search out those who still understand magic and persuade them to join with you to return the young dragons before the wrath of the dragons destroys your world.

Legends of Enchantment brings together the very best of fantasy RPG and Action adventure games. It is set in a world of magic, knights, dragon, and good versus evil.

  • Chose to journey alone, build a team or play alongside your friends online. 
  • Each mode is adapted to make the most of the way you chose to play. 
  • As a player you can learn to use magic, fight like King Arthur and soar through the air on a dragon. 
  • You will be able to craft to create an array of objects to help you on your journey. 
  • You will meet characters and creatures and interact with them; some may help you, some may not. 
  • Chose from an array of weaponry and magic spells. 
  • Play Co-op, PVP, or Single Player Story Mode.

Thank you for the info, Hurls!

Saturday - December 16, 2017

Ambition: A Minuet in Power - Final Day

by Silver, 23:09

Ambition: A Minuet in Power is in its final day on Kickstarter and has been funded. The game is described as a romantic roguelike set during the French Revolution.

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What are you Making?

We’re making a revolutionary, romantic video game where you play as a woman of fashion in pre-revolutionary France, a time of intrigue, danger, and serial adultery. There, you will use social skills, seduction, and guile to advance your position, all while preparing for the danger of the coming political upheaval.   

Ambition: A Minuet in Power is in development for PC and Mac in English. It will be delivered in standard and DRM-free versions on Steam, GoG and our website. Other platforms and languages may be announced later. Ambition: A Minuet in Power is expected to launch in 2018, however, any stretch goals we reach may alter that launch window. More features means more time spent in production.

How is it Different?

Many romantically focused games are like choose-your-own-adventure books with preset decisions and outcomes. Once you’ve beaten them, there’s rarely a reason to go back and play again.  

Romance in Ambition isn’t just story writing, it’s a mechanic. By engaging in liaisons with various nobles, the player gains limited access to the resources of the person they’ve seduced. The more devoted their partner is to them, the more power the player has over that noble. This lets the player influence the outcome of political events. A particularly creative (and ruthless) player can even maintain multiple secret liaisons simultaneously. Getting caught doing this, however, can have very dangerous consequences.  

How does one gain the devotion of a seduced noble? Wear their gifts out in public, attend their events, spurn their enemies, and more.  

Additionally, Ambition randomly generates the world you play in, every time. This means that every playthrough is a little different. Nobles you meet in one playthrough might not show up in another. The revolution may be a success, or a disaster. It’ll be up to you, as the player, to figure out who to befriend and who to snub, in order to ensure the best position for yourself. 

[...]

Thursday - December 07, 2017

Raji: An Ancient Epic - All About Level Design

by Silver, 10:50

Raji: An Ancient Epic has five days remaining on Kickstarter. The developers talked to 80 Level about the level design in the game and its inspirations.

Introduction

Hi! My name is Shruti Ghosh and I’m from India. I’m one of the founders and artist at Nodding Heads Games. It’s been almost a year that we have set out on this indie journey. I have a traditional painting background for my fine arts major and a diploma in 2d and 3d animation. Even though of my painting background I’m a self taught 3D artist. I have mostly worked as an Environment Artist for games like Burnout Dominator and Open World, VC Arts Fantastic Four etc. Even though I was working as Art Manager at EA, India I was not creatively happy hence we all quit our jobs and started working on our dream project. In Nodding Heads Games we are 8 of us, Ian another founder and artist is the veteran of the team with almost 18 years of experience who has worked in companies like Stainless, Acclaim, Rockstar, Ubisoft and The Chinese Room. Then we have Anirudh, our concept artist, Avichal who is the third founder and the game designer( the task master), Himanshu our animator, Paras our coder, Rafael our VFX artist and lastly Linus our sound designer and composer.

About the game

The main aspects that shaped Raji – An Ancient Epic are the many Indian lores and myths, such as epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana, and the magnificent Medieval architecture of Rajasthan. We used the foundation of lores as inspiration but Raji is a unique universe.

[...]

Tuesday - December 05, 2017

Deiland - RPG, Adventure, Sandbox

by Silver, 13:22

Deiland is currently on Kickstarter with a couple of days remaining and has been funded. The game is described as an RPG, adventure, sandbox game in the style of titles like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon.

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The Game

Deiland is an adventure and RPG game with some special sandbox mechanics: farming, crafting, building, combat and more on PC and PlayStation 4!

Deiland is an experience for a single player which seeks to surprise players with every detail. It is a calm game, with a carefully crafted visual aspect and an interesting narrative.

The game is inspired by great titles like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon. It also has a special connection with the novella "The Little Prince" that takes the iconic image of a lonely child inhabiting a small world.

Features

- Deiland is a sandbox planet that you can develop in your own way.

- 12 characters to meet with 100 quests to complete.

- More than 120 inventory items to manage and trade.

- Survival mechanics: hunger and fatigue.

- 12 structures to build and 4 house levels.

- Improve your skills. The game has some RPG mechanics, like character leveling, 4 magic spells to learn and 4 skills to upgrade (strength, intelligence, agility and stamina).

- Improve your equipment with 7 tools (each with 3 levels).

- Day/night cycle and climate events.

- More than 50 craft recipes: tools, cooking dishes, hand-craft items and magic potions.

- Languages: English, German, French, Spanish and Valencià. (Support our game for add your language, with 40 backers of a language zone we will add this language to the game).

- Supported platforms: PlayStation 4, Windows and Mac.

Sunday - December 03, 2017

Blue Omen Operation - Kickstarter funded

by Hiddenx, 09:50

The action RPG Blue Omen Operation has been successfully funded on Kickstarter:

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(Video by Mildly Nuclear)

Blue Omen Operation is a 2D action-command RPG with a battle system that emphasises timing and reflexes, inspired by beloved classics like the Paper Mario Series, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and even a little WarioWare.

Tuesday - October 31, 2017

Kickstarter Games - The Legacy Games

by Hiddenx, 08:08

The tactical RPG The Legacy Games is now on Kickstarter:

The Legacy Games is a turn based tactical RPG set in a dark medieval fantasy world. Players will recruit, train and command a company of warriors to face difficult challenges in the most prestigious tournament in all the lands. Experiment with party compositions in an innovative turn based tactical design and discover new combos and synergies between party members. Players will also experience a dark tale of greed, conflict and survival, as you progress, every decision made will have minor or major consequences.

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  • Six Unique Character Classes, each with a distinct play styles to make up your team; fully customizable with abilities, perks and gear.
  • Brutally Challenging Boss Fights with unique RPG mechanics akin to MMORPGs, each boss is a different fight, players need to look out for special abilities and attack patterns. 
  • Dynamic Weather Conditions - both spells and the environment can affect the state of the weather and vice versa. Fire spells heat up the weather and generate a thundercloud, enhancing all Lightning attacks. Cold spells cool the weather creating a blizzard that freezes everyone on the battlefield. 
  • Loot, Loot and more Loot - shiny new rewards after each battle determined by the results of the battle. Late game loot have special properties that effect and augment the character's skill set. 
  • Pick 4 Spell System - players are able to choose up to 4 abilities from a pool of spells per character, spells synergize well with each other, leading to both individual and team combos. 
  • Innovative Turn Based Tactical Combat - unlike traditional turn-based tactical RPGs, characters can perform as many actions so long as he has enough Action Points. Enemies will also employ a wide variety of abilities and tactics, good positioning and executions of combos could be the difference between victory and defeat.

Thanks Farflame!

Sunday - October 22, 2017

The Legacy Games - Demo Coming Soon

by Silver, 08:31

The Legacy Games Kickstarter has announced a demo is in the works and coming soon. There are still 15 days to go for the project.

Demo in the coming days on Steam and itch.io

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the support! 

We'll be releasing a demo in the upcoming days on Steam and itchi.io. 

Players will be able to face one of the unique boss fights in the game. All of the six classes will be available to play, experiment and compose your own team to defeat the enemy!

Saturday - October 14, 2017

Selling Sunlight - Kickstarter almost funded

by Hiddenx, 11:13

The Kickstarter for the narrative RPG Selling Sunlight is almost funded:

NOT THE BEES!

Lots of new people steamed our demo.
You know what this means? All the social goals got filled!

TIME TO RELEASE THE BEES

GRACEFUL, FLUFFY AND READY TO PARTY

You have been incredible! Thanks to all the people that steamed our game, liked our pages, lighted candles and sent us ridiculous, wonderful prayers. Your enthusiasm unlocked a new storyline that will be added to the game, free for everyone:

In the temple of the Sun-God, the most graceful bees are raised to produce the sweetest honey. Each has his own personal caretaker.
Would you like to become one?
Adopt a fluffy ball of wings. Give him a name. Bring him food. Pet him. Harvest royal jelly. Help him grow bigger and stronger.
Who needs a cart when you can ride a giant bee?

Also, uh, we got 96% funded and still have ten days to go.
Next time we'll start talking about stretch goals, we promise.

[...]

Thursday - October 12, 2017

Selling Sunlight - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 22:43

Selling Sunlight is a narrative driven RPG about a wandering merchant who conspires against the sun. There are 11 days to go in the campaign on Kickstarter and it has reached 10K out of a 12K goal. You can try the demo here.

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About this Project

In narrative RPG Selling Sunlight, you are a wandering merchant whose face got stolen by the Sun. To get your identity back, you'll have to explore a strange, hand-painted world, befriend other travelers, trade goods and information and conspire against the Sun Himself.

Will you ask for His pardon, or try to defy Him?

Selling Sunlight is a role-playing game with no fights, many bees and too many words, focused on interpretation and atmosphere. It will be available (in English) for Windows, both on Steam and on DRM-free platforms like Itch.

We want to make an experience that is like chamomile for the soul, for we think the world desperately needs more games like this right now. Games where nobody wants to murder you, where people with different cultures all live together, and where everything will eventually be okay.

Our list of influences include Sunless Sea, the Rune Factory series, the Art Nouveau movement, the Earthsea books, Invisible Cities, and Japanese animes about wandering like Spice&Wolf, Mushishi and Kino no Tabi.
[...]

Monday - October 09, 2017

My Time at Portia - Funded

by Silver, 01:36

My Time at Portia has funded with a little over 60 hours remaining.

$100,000

We made it! Thank you to all you wonderful backers! We're going to work very hard to make sure this game reaches its full potential and meet your (probably sky high) expectations!

If we move the Portia Museum stretch goal to $120,000, do you think we can reach it in around 3 days? :D

Thanks Joxer!

Saturday - October 07, 2017

The Legacy Games - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 12:41

The Legacy Games is on Kickstarter seeking 30K and is a turn based tactical roleplaying game set in a dark medieval world.

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Overview

Welcome to The Legacy Games Champion!

The Legacy Games is a turn based tactical RPG set in a dark medieval fantasy world. Players will recruit, train and command a company of warriors to face difficult challenges in the most prestigious tournament in all the lands. Experiment with party compositions in an innovative turn based tactical design and discover new combos and synergies between party members. Players will also experience a dark tale of greed, conflict and survival, as you progress, every decision made will have minor or major consequences.

Core Features

● Six Unique Character Classes, each with a distinct play styles to make up your team; fully customizable with abilities, perks and gear.

● Brutally Challenging Boss Fights with unique RPG mechanics akin to MMORPGs, each boss is a different fight, players need to look out for special abilities and attack patterns.

● Dynamic Weather Conditions - both spells and the environment can affect the state of the weather and vice versa. Fire spells heat up the weather and generate a thundercloud, enhancing all Lightning attacks. Cold spells cool the weather creating a blizzard that freezes everyone on the battlefield.

● Loot, Loot and more Loot - shiny new rewards after each battle determined by the results of the battle. Late game loot have special properties that effect and augment the character's skill set.

● Pick 4 Spell System - players are able to choose up to 4 abilities from a pool of spells per character, spells synergize well with each other, leading to both individual and team combos.

● Innovative Turn Based Tactical Combat - unlike traditional turn-based tactical RPGs, characters can perform as many actions so long as he has enough Action Points. Enemies will also employ a wide variety of abilities and tactics, good positioning and executions of combos could be the difference between victory and defeat.

Saturday - September 16, 2017

Dark Devotion - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 11:01

Gameplay and Features

Friday - September 08, 2017

The Iron Oath - Final Hours on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 12:33

Five hours remain to get some stretch goals for The Iron Oath:

$85K stretch goal achieved and 12 hours to go!

We didn't expect our momentum to carry over into today but you guys made it happen and we've unlocked the next stretch goal! Multiple skins, hairstyles, helmets and races(+racial traits) will be added into the game! This was a pretty popular goal among you all, so there should be some happy backers out there :) Let's take a look at the updated stretch goal chart and see what's next!

[...]

Monday - September 04, 2017

Thea 2: The Shattering - Kickstarter: Sept. 18

by Hiddenx, 08:36

MuHa Games will start a Kickstarter campaign for Thea 2: The Shattering on September 18:

Kickstarter campaign on 18th September

We finally managed to lock down the Kickstarter campaign’s start date to 18th September. Our goal is to hit £40k by 16th October and if this happens, we’ll be able to put more money towards art and marketing, keep your fingers crossed and your wallets open  During and after the campaign, we will be talking in more detail about the mechanics of our new card game as well as many other exciting features we’re currently developing. So stay tuned!

The other big event will, of course, be EGX in Birmingham (UK) on 21-24th September. We will have two stands and plan to show Thea: The Awakening on a console as well as a card game demo from Thea 2: The Shattering. We really wanted to let you run around the map a little bit, but that didn’t quite work out (and to remain sane we’ve decided not to hack any gameplay elements for the demo). But you will have the chance to follow a short event, try a couple fights and play a bit with Character Equipment screen. This will also be a fantastic chance to gather player feedback regarding the card game mechanics. Oh, and meet our fans of course  We love our fans!

Let me end this quick summary by showing another god video featuring Svarog – the Sun God and Master of Heavenly Fires! More news on the KS campaign and EGX stuff – soon.

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Friday - September 01, 2017

The Iron Oath - 95% funded

by Hiddenx, 09:59

The Iron Oath is 95% funded on Kickstarter with 7 days to go:

Character Customization and Gear

Eight days to go and we’re nearly 95% funded! Our community continues to be amazing and we are so grateful for all of your support! As soon as we hit our goal, we’ll be unveiling the 3rd stretch goal, but for now...let’s talk about character customization. We’ve already discussed a few aspects of customization such as ability skill trees and the mentor system, and now we’re going to dig into a few more :)

Probably the most basic way to customize your characters is by renaming them, which you can do at any time in the overworld. There are a few rare exceptions to this however: some recruits may be part of a noble House, or their backstory may require their name to be locked for continuity sake.

Gear is the most impactful form of customization. It can be purchased from city vendors or traveling merchants; looted from chests, corpses or enemies; or given as a reward for completing a mission. Each character possesses 6 equipment slots for you to fill out. Some gear will be unique to a specific class, while others may be shared across multiple.

[...]

Wednesday - August 23, 2017

Forbidden Unit - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 05:20

Forbidden Unit is an isometric, science fiction, tactical, turn based RPG focused on four main characters. It is on Kickstarter asking for 65K and has 27 days to go.

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Hi, everybody! We are very excited to present to you our latest game FORBIDDEN UNIT. Above you can find the footage from the game. It´s a 3D isometric RPG with the turn-based combat system. If you played the original Fallout, XCOM, Shadowrun or Syndicate, you know exactly where our inspiration, core game principles and our passion for games come from.

Monday - August 21, 2017

Celestian Tales: Realms Beyond - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 23:44

Celestian Tales: Realms Beyond has launched on Kickstarter seeking 15K. It is the sequel to Celestian Tales: Old North.

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The Game

Celestian Tales: Realms Beyond is a role-playing game that combines turn-based tactical combat with a story of questionable morals seen through multiple points of view. You play as the Companions of House Levant, six knights sworn to serve and protect the heir of the noble house, in their journey to survive a world where one's real enemies are often their closest.

If you have played Celestian Tales: Old North, the game will read your end save and make those decisions based on the choices you've made. 

If you have not played CTON and do not wish to, you're not missing out: Realms Beyond is designed to accommodate new players into the setting. At the beginning you will be asked about what happened in the past, which defines how the world of Realms Beyond is shaped.

Gameplay

At its core Celestian Tales: Realms Beyond serves as a vessel for its immersive story. Discover a living, breathing world rich with lore and history, populated with hundreds of NPCs and dialogues. Enter a world where nothing is ever black and white, and failure to know which one to side with means losing everything you hold dear.

If you have played Celestian Tales: Old North, Realms Beyond offers not just brand new sights to explore but also the rediscovery of older places and the continuation of previous character bonds, now evolved as years have gone by between the two points in time. 

Combat in Celestian Tales is done in classic turn-based style, allowing you to read the flow of combat and think a few steps ahead. Strategy is crucial as carelessness are heavily punished even against the most common of enemies. Boss fights take this to another level, pushing your tactics, team composition, and character customization to the limit, each fight demanding deeper mastery of the battlefield than the last. Harder difficulty levels are also available, turning boss encounters into intricate deadly puzzles for you to solve.
[...]

Thanks daveyd!

Sunday - August 13, 2017

The Iron Oath - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 09:15

The Iron Oath RPG is close to 50% of the funding goal with 26 days to go:

Character Classes & We're Over 45% Funded!

Yesterday was our best day yet! The imgur, reddit and twitter communities showed a ton of support for the game and with their help we've soared to over 45% of our total funding goal, and we're still only a few days in! We can't thank everyone enough for all the pledges & kind words that we received, we were completely overwhelmed by the response. We had pledges come in at all sorts of tiers, and we also managed to knock off the "Design a Bandit Group" tier. We are truly grateful to each and every one of you for believing in our game. Before we get to the meat of the post, we'd also like to gauge interest in adding another high tier pledge, so if that's something you would like to see, please let us know :)

Character classes is something that was requested after our first update, so we'd like to give you an overview of the first 12 character classes that we have planned(or have already implemented) for the game. We thought about listing a full ability breakdown for each class, but as 8 of them still have abilities that are subject to change, we thought it would be best to give you a description(and mention an ability or two) for each class instead.

To begin, each class in the game has a total of 6 abilities(Novices begin with 4) for them to learn along with 1 basic attack. Abilities cost Spirit to use, but basic attacks are performed for free and actually generate Spirit. In addition, each class possess one passive ability to start with, and are able to learn a second through the Mentor system.

The 12 classes we've chosen to launch the game with(out of the 21 total have designed) are fairly well rounded with 4 casters, 4 melee and 4 hybrid classes.

The 12 Character Classes

[...]

 

Wednesday - August 09, 2017

The Iron Oath - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 19:13

The Kickstarter campaign for the tactical turn-based RPG The Iron Oath has been launched today:

The Iron Oath: Dark Turn-based Tactical RPG

A gritty turn-based RPG with a focus on tactics and the management of your guild within a dynamic world.
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  • Tactical turn-based Combat: Deadly foes, traps and destructible objects means one misstep could be your party’s undoing. Proper planning and execution is vital to your success.
  • A Large and Dynamic Overworld: 9 regions with over 50 hubs to visit. Cities can be overtaken, destroyed and rebuilt; while various factions can emerge, rise and fall. A playthrough can potentially last hundreds of years, resulting in many changes to the initial world state.
  • In-depth Guild Management: Control your guild's finances, resources, alliances and roster. Your characters will age, retire and frequently die in combat and you will need to recruit and train their replacements.
  • Character Development: Every recruitable character has their own personal backstory, incorporating events that have taken place during your playthrough. Their motives, alignment and traits all stem from this, but each of the three is subject to change as their career progresses.
  • Dynamic Dialogue: Characters will converse over a variety of subjects such as the current state of the world or relevant past experiences, along with offering their input on any decisions you face.
  • Decisions Matter: Your choices bear consequences and they can affect your characters, your guild and the many factions that exist throughout the world.
  • Detailed Pixel Art: Meticulously hand-crafted pixel art characters, animations and environments help set the mood for your journey.

Saturday - August 05, 2017

Demiurgos - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 08:36

Only 3 days to go for the Demiurgos Kickstarter - Kickstarter update #8 presents two books that had a great influence on the game:

Update VIII: Theoretical Background & Vote the Truth Update

In this update we would like to talk about two of the books that had a great influence on DEMIURGOS: Path of the Leviathan and that have been a source of inspiration for us.

The historic Persian wars are meant to be authentically interpreted in the game, and the first book that we will present is by far the most important account of these events.

Herodot: Histories

Histories (greek ἱστορίαι historíai “explorations“) by Herodot is the only known preserved work of the greek author who is often labeled father of history, for he was one of the first individuals who aspired to pass on history objectively and scientifically. His monumental creation spans nine books and was written in the fifth century BC. It offers an overview of the years 700-479 BC; roughly 220 years. Beginning with the ancient oriental great empires Lydia, Babylon and Egypt and ranging to the origin of occidental culture in Ion, the text gives witness to the genesis of the Greek states and the Persian empire and culminates in the Greek-Persian battles of the Persian wars.

In our game we use Herodots „Histories“ as basis for our new interpretation of historic correlations. Many of the events described are to be integrated authentically into our own timeline. Demagogues and military leaders, ideologies and political systems, systems of thought and views of the world – all of these were as relevant and contemporary in the long 19. Century as they were in the time that this work was created in. It offers a rich palette of ideas and stories – actually too much to include in just one game.

Gustave Le Bon: Psychology of the Masses

Psychology of the masses is the main work, of Gustave Le Bon, a Frenchman widely recognized as being the founder of mass-psychology. Mass-psychology is a domain of social psychology and studies the behavior of groups of peoples. Le Bon represents bourgeois-elite conservatism which rejects any hope of cultural, social and political advancement based on the commencing “era of the masses”. The masses, empirically viewed, are entirely stripped of reason. Even the educated, the individual that is able to act reasonable, is guided by unconscious and baser instincts from the moment he becomes part of a crowd. Every forming mass of people is a growing gathering of opportunists. Masses level the collective intellectual capabilities to the lowest standard.

"In the masses, the dumb, uneducated and envious lose their feeling of nullity and impotence which is replaced by a perception of, although impermanent, raw and immense power."

Gustav Le Bon also foresaw our current government debt crisis. He assumed that politicians – driven by the opportunistic masses – would not be able to make larger decisions conflicting with the acute demands of the general public, for example potentially necessary cutbacks in certain areas of the budget. At the same time government spending increases for political reasons: to obtain new groups of voters.

"The uninterrupted growth of said spending inevitably leads to bankruptcy. Many states of Europe; Portugal, Greece, Spain and Turkey, have reached this status – others will follow soon. But this is not really something one has to mind much, for the public has, without much objection, slowly but surely accepted the cut of four fifths of all payments from the assorted countries….and in a time of general decline one has to be satisfied with living for the moment, without thinking of tomorrow – a tomorrow that we cannot influence."

Wednesday - August 02, 2017

Demiurgos - Kickstarter Update

by Silver, 02:06

The latest update for Demiurgos features Einstein and Marx. With a week to go Demiurgos has just over half its funding total to reach.

Update VI: Einstein & Marx

In this update we would like to introduce two of the great persons that the players will encounter during the game. We plan on using a portion of the funds generated in the Kickstarter campaign to have unique portraits of these historical figures created. In our opinion, the envisioned artwork fits well with the general concept of the game and its expressionistic basis.

Albert Einstein - one of the most influential theoretical physicists of all time. His general theory of relativity served as the foundation for further research, culminating in the birth of the space age. His concept of time and space can be labeled a renewed Copernican revolution, for he views the gravitational power as geometrical property of the bending four-dimensional space-time.

Often this is visualized with a taut fabric on which a heavy ball is placed. The ball, with its weight, bends the fabric downward creating a circular structure on which a second ball can orbit; moving closer and closer to the center. With this theory, Einstein laid an important foundation to explain the state of the universe.

Research on black holes still today refers to Einstein's general theory of relativity to visualize their genesis with a ball on fabric that is too heavy and causes the fabric to tear.

Karl Marx - generally known as one of the most important ideologists of communism. By far more significant than Marx ideological publications alone is his progressive development of Hegel´s dialectic idealism to a dialectic materialism.

Hegel assumed that reality is comprised of (dialectic) contradictions, which inevitably create and determine their own modification and the future. According to this theory the human mind contradicts itself and by doing so generates the becoming of objective reality.
"Consciousness determines existence".

Marx then reversed Hegel's dialectic and postulated that the world, the objective reality, can be explained by its material existence and developments thereof - and not, as presumed in idealism, as a materialization of a divine absolute idea or of human thought.
"Existence determines consciousness".

From these theories Marx drew numerous conclusions. For example, historic materialism: describing the progress of history as evolution of human society in a set pattern, determined by economic processes. Socio-economic contradictions, characterizing formations of society on differentiable steps of development, are the driving forces behind the advancement of society. The resolution of the inherent antagonistic contradictions - surrounding each social system - inevitably leads to the emergence of a new social formation.

By remodeling his surroundings through his achievements, a human constructs himself as material and social beeing. To reproduce his life he establishes a historically determined relationship with other humans; these social circumstances affect him and ultimately constitute his historic existence or his distinct nature.

We hope our short presentation of these remarkable characters was thought provoking and arouse your interest. In the game, these great persons will be detached from their historic setting - but will appear according to their influence on mankind.

Wednesday - July 26, 2017

Demiurgos - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 12:58

Update V: Interface walkthrough, Objectives & Great Persons

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In this update we want to talk some more about the general interface of the game and show you a number of the things we did not have time to present in the preview video.

Among others this includes the Great Persons Encyclopedia, the Skill System and the Books, Newspapers and Notes tab.

 I hope you like our ideas and our approach.  If you have any suggestions or further questions you are - as always - welcome to comment.

Wednesday - July 19, 2017

Rail Theory - New on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 18:03

Tryconic Studios started a Kickstarter campaign for their action RPG Rail Theory:

In Rail Theory, you play as Flynn Whitera, the last human contact of a research facility on the planet Argenous. You must salvage working components from destroyed Argenian ships in an attempt to repair your own. However, an outbreak of a crystalline based life form known as the Rithamolous will not make this a simple task.

Download the PC demo at: www.railtheory.com

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Thanks Farflame!

Sunday - July 16, 2017

Demiurgos - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 09:18

In Kickstarter update #2 for Demiurgos the results of the Vote of Truth are shown:

Update II: First results of our "Vote the Truth" experiment

We have now finally released the first results of our "Vote the Truth" experiment. They can be found in the campaign description. Watching the development over the last few days was exciting. It seems like most of our backers lean towards a more collectivistic social system that perceives society not just as a "purpose-alliance" of individuals but as part of a greater task. The general welfare of the righteous is clearly central for all of the voters.

  • Liberalists: 17%
  • Socialists: 49%
  • Imperialists: 34%

[...]

 

Wednesday - July 12, 2017

Demiurgos - Alt-History RPG on Kickstarter

by Silver, 02:51

Demiurgos: Path of the Leviathan is a history Driven - open world - RPG-Adventure now live on Kickstarter and seeking 8K.

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Detailed Open-World

  • Roam a continuously opening, growing and ultimately entirely open, accessible, vivid and detailed world.
  • Meet historic social classes: the industrial proletariat, the spartan helotes or the victorian bourgeoisie.
  • Strive for the benevolence of the factions to further your own agenda or remain faithful to your spartan homeland.
  • Traverse vast areals with numerous enterable buildings - travel throughout the mediterranean and oriental world with modern means of transport.

History Driven

  • Simulate authentically arranged events of the antic Persian wars - in the late age of the industrial revolution.
  • The historic continuum has been shattered - the fragments reconstructed like a cubistic painting.
  • Interchangeability of historic events, in light of prevailing principles, gives you an altered and unusual perspective on history and it's conception.
  • Blending of philosophic positions and theories demonstrates ambivalence and principality at the same time.

RPG-Adventure

  • Experience a gripping action thriller with 9 varying and 3 distinctly different endings.
  • Nearly every action influences the course of history - often considerably and sometimes substantially.
  • You are no nameless hero.
  • You are Achos Polikron - first commissioner of messenai -known to the Politeia for his zealous fervor and great virtue.
  • As a powerful individual you step into an unstable world and it is your destiny to fight for true order on this planet.

[...]

Friday - June 16, 2017

Beautiful Desolation - Updates

by Hiddenx, 17:39

Farflame spotted two updates for the post-apocalyptic adventure game Beautiful Desolation:

Kickstarter Update #20:

PRODUCTION UPDATE 1


The last two months have flown by rapidly, but we're excited as ever to bring you an update on the development progress of Beautiful Desolation.

We've increased our library of photo-scanned 3D objects (when time permits), and are planning a road trip that will entail the further scanning interesting objects and items to include in our desolate African landscapes.

[...]

Kickstarter Update #21:

If you don't know where you are going any road can take you there”


THE MAP
One of the major inspirations in our game design was bringing back the excitement that we felt when exploring the original Fallout's map. Our map is a core feature of BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION and provides a tangible link to all of the interesting areas that you're able to explore in this post apocalyptic world.

[...]

Saturday - June 10, 2017

Ealdorlight - Procedural history RPG

by Silver, 10:33

Ealdorlight is on Kickstarter which is described as being a new kind of RPG: roguelike step-based combat, a realistic damage model & procedural history/society in Unreal Engine. The game is seeking 40K and has made 7K with 26 days to go.

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Ealdorlight is a new kind of RPG which merges procedural generation of history with a story-focused goal, a realistic damage model and "step-based" Roguelike combat.

It combines elements of Mount and Blade and Dwarf Fortress: Adventure mode gameplay with Unreal Engine graphics and a compelling story that guides and gives focus to the player.

The game is set in a medieval kingdom where magic is rare and mysterious. You discover at the beginning of the game that you were found lost as a small child, and the identity of your real family is unknown.

Soon after, you meet the Ealdorlight, a legendary supernatural being not seen for centuries, who tells of darkness in the kingdom and invites you to take the King's place.

You must leave your adopted home and travel the land, gaining connections, title and influence in order to discover your real family, and to win the throne: through honour, intrigue, or force.

The game has "step-based" combat with a realistic damage system that models bones, muscles and organs. It also procedurally generates an new kingdom history, society and people every game. Each time you play you'll meet different characters with different backstories.

Thanks nanni68!

Friday - June 02, 2017

Exzore: The Rising - Announced for late 2018

by Hiddenx, 20:10

GamingUnion reports that the open world RPG Exzore: The Rising has been announced for late 2018 - the trailer says a Kickstarter campaign is coming soon:

Exzore: The Rising - Reveal Teaser

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Tiny Shark Interactive today announced their upcoming open world RPG, Exzore: The Rising, for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Set in the medieval world of Eogaan, the game follows Damien Clive, former commander of the Exzore army unit, as he is emerges from the ashes of his betrayal to seek retribution and regain his honor. Exzore: The Rising features the use of "mechanical gadgets" which give special abilities to the hero and can be used in combat and exploration. The game also features a unique Affinity system, which affects the player's experience and how the story unfolds as the character interacts with the game world and the various factions, as well as an extensive combat system that allows players to mix and match Exzore abilities in a wide variety of combos.

[...]

Key Features:

  • Play as an Exzore - As Master Exzore, you have the ability to equip up to six unique mechanical gadgets at a time - to help in combat and exploration. Each of these gadgets are different from one another and offer unique special abilities.
  • Faction Affinity System - Favor any faction of your choice to get special missions, rewards, benefits, and abilities. Each faction has its own motivations and agendas. Choose your faction carefully as it may alter the game progression and ending.
  • Companion - Icarus, your pet Golden Eagle is your most trusted ally in the field. Use his abilities to perform various scouting activities, right from spotting targets or treasures to aiding in combat.
  • Unique Combat system - Indulge in well-crafted combat system containing smart and challenging foes. Mix and match multiple Exzore abilities in combination with your weapons to create powerful combos.
  • Dynamic World - Feel the game world react to various natural factors like time, seasons, weather (rain, snowfall, wind), day-night cycle etc. Player interaction and exploration alter the game world, making it more alive.
  • Smart Characters and Enemies - Every character in game has his/her own mind and will develop through the game. Everyone, right from common town folk to your greatest enemies will get smarter and stronger as you level up too.
  • Non-linear Quests - Every quest in game is designed to be completed in many different ways. Every choice has its own unique outcomes and consequences.
  • Progression - Start off with just two Exzore gadgets and a basic equipment, but as the game progresses, you unlock several other Exzore gadgets with uniqe abilities, craft your own weapons and armours using the Modular Crafting System and Develop your character by spending your experience points on stats and Skill Trees.

Thursday - June 01, 2017

The Rise of Mooncrest - Preview @ OnlySP

by Hiddenx, 00:31

OnlySP checked out The Rise of Mooncrest - a tactical RPG that is trying to get funded on Kickstarter right now:

From Bioware to Blowout and New Beginnings: The Fall and Rise of Mooncrest

Following the recent launch of a Kickstarter campaign for The Rise of Mooncrest, OnlySP had a chance to sit down with Rick Burton—founder of KnightMayor and lead developer on the game—to get some exclusive information on the game’s characters, races, story, and gameplay mechanics.

The Backstory of Rick Burton and The Rise of Mooncrest

KnightMayor is an independent video game developer founded by Rick Burton. He started the company after leaving Mass Effect developer Bioware to continue his passion for the province of Nocturne from his Mooncrest stories, which originally began as a series of mods for Neverwinter Nights (another Bioware title). After the original Mooncrest, which was to be a third-person RPG in the same vein as the Souls series, was scrapped, Burton began putting together a new project in the same universe, titled The Rise of Mooncrest (RoM). Now, Burton’s project has transformed from a third-person RPG to tactical RPG (TRPG).

[...]

Final Thoughts

Burton’s first independent project is gearing up to be a simple, yet ambitious, game that combines both passion and experience. The Kickstarter campaign launched on May 23, 2017, and is planned to run for thirty days. Similarly, the Steam Greenlight campaign launched on May 16, 2017. A game that combines strategy and RPG elements (hence tactical RPG), The Rise of Mooncrest is, at the very least, an intriguing take on strategic combat.

In a fantasy world, one would expect monstrous creatures on the scale of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. However, Burton has decided to take a different approach for the time being. Instead, Burton is choosing to blend fantasy with a more natural world, with the focal point of the fantasy content being the divine powers and the different sentient races.

All-in-all, The Rise of Mooncrest is a promising project from Rick Burton and his independent video game development company, KnightMayor. The Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight campaigns are in full swing, with a base goal of $35,000 and some stretch goals planned that have not yet been unveiled.

For a hands-on experience of the game, be sure to check out the demo. Also be sure to check out one of the game’s cutscenes below.

Thanks Farflame!

 

Saturday - May 27, 2017

Blasphemous - 2D Side-Scroller Action RPG

by Silver, 22:57

Blasphemous is a 2D Side-Scroller Action RPG currently on Kickstarter and already well past its goal of 50K with 24 days to go.

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Features

  • Explore a huge land, a universe that feels as open as it is oppressive, delivered through a non-sequential level design that puts you in control of where to go next.
  • We are putting great focus on achieving a very satisfying combat mechanics with very responsive control, smooth animations and lots of blood and gore.
  • Handmade pixel art, with large sprites and super smooth animations, created pixel by pixel, frame by frame.
  • Evocative narrative: Blasphemous' levels are not just platforms; they tell a story to those who are interested, but don't get in the way if you just want the action.
  • Find your personal combat style by equipping rosary beads, or carrying around relics that boost your abilities.

Tuesday - May 23, 2017

The Rise of Mooncrest - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:01

A Kickstarter campaign for the tactical RPG The Rise of Mooncrest has started:

A turn-based Tactical RPG inspired by the long running Japanese series Langrisser. Created by a veteran ex-BioWare designer [Rick Burton].

The land of Nocturne has been at peace for generations until it was recently invaded by an outlandish army from a faraway land. Seemingly overnight, all the cities have fallen save one: Mooncrest. As the last bastion and only hope for the people of Nocturne, can you defeat an overwhelming force and overcome their dark arcane powers and save the land, or will all become enslaved to these cruel masters?

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In The Rise of Mooncrest (RoM), you will take command of the city's armies and fight through a series of battles of turn-based strategy. As you progress you will use your tactical knowledge to defeat your enemies, acquire new abilities for your Commanders, and further the story.

There is no better way to experience a game then to play it first hand. The Rise of Mooncrest demo was created specifically for this Kickstarter campaign. While all the features in the demo present the game in an early state and all assets are subject to change, the gameplay systems are working and in place. This demo is a good representation of what this Kickstarter campaign is building toward. The demo was created in Unity 5 and is available for Windows PC only.

[...]

Kynseed - Funded

by Silver, 14:25

Kynseed has funded with 10 days remaining.

Kynseed Is Funded!

Posted by Matt Allen - PixelCount Studios

Hello you super, smashing, lovely people!

As you may have noticed, we have hit the funding goal for Kynseed! We couldn't have set off on this journey without your support and we humbly thank each of you for your amazing faith in us.

We will be posting a build update tomorrow (fingers crossed) and working to gain more support for the final 11 days of the campaign. After that, the hard but fun work begins - with all of you along for the ride! Together we'll be able to make a game that's truly special.

Tonight, the villagers of Quill will be drinking the finest ales in all your honour...and not a laxative or shrinking potion in sight. Onwards and upwards, friends!

The Executioner - Development Goes On

by Myrthos, 10:23

With just 10 more hours to go in the Kickstarter campaign for The Executioner, it looks to be a fair assesment that they will not reach their goal. Currently they are just below a third of their $19K goal. The game will however still be made.

"Will you finish the game even if you don't meet the Kickstarter goal?"

And the answer is — yes, definitely.

We're looking for possible investors and publishes as we write this update, and if we find one, we'll do our best to still meet the "fall of 2017" deadline.

In the event that none of this happens, we'll still release The Executioner, but it will take us a bit longer to do so. The fall of 2018 is probably a safe bet.

We'd like to thank all 351 of you for your faith, interest and support. Please keep in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte and on our website. Vote for The Executioner on Greenlight.

After the Kickstarter's over we'll be posting new insights into the game's mechanics and story, perfect and expand our demo and we'll do our best to keep you in the loop about our development process.

When we release new content, you'll be the first to know.

Again, thank you so much for joining us on this ride. It is far from over, and we'll talk to you soon.

Monday - May 22, 2017

Fort Triumph - Nearly funded

by Hiddenx, 18:05

With 26 hours to go the tactical RPG Fort Triumph is nearly funded - a demo is available:

The Battle Rages, Adventurers!

We currently have 92% of our funding goal pledged by over 1,100 backers, and are pumped to tackle the last 44 hours of our campaign. This has been a long and challenging road, but we are almost there - thank you for joining our quest and supporting us in so many ways, and hope to see you alongside us crossing the finish line.

Feedback for build 0.5.6 starting streaming in and it is fantastic - keep sharing your thoughts with us! We also really love seeing cool combos you've figured out - check out this awesome combination: [...]

Friday - May 19, 2017

Rise of Mooncrest - On Kickstarter 23rd May

by Silver, 13:15

Rise of Mooncrest is a strategy/rpg game being developed by KnightMajors Workshop. The game has been listed on Steam Greenlight in advance of a Kickstarter campaign which is due to start May 23rd. As is usual now the game has a demo ready to try.

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Game Overview

The Rise of Mooncrest (RoM) is a TRPG inspired by the long running Japanese series Langrisser (the first game was translated and released on Sega Genesis as Warsong). RoM draws on the storytelling elements of modern TRPGs to deliver a rich narrative that follows the early history of Mooncrest and the city's rise to prominence.

The Commanders (yellow units) play an important role on the field of battle. While tactically the most import unit in your army, they are also characters that lead Mooncrest's troops to war. Their interaction with other Commanders, their troops, and a varied cast of characters is what drives the narrative of RoM.

In total, there are 6 Commanders that players will get to control. Players begin the game with Serise who is a natural, but reluctant leader. Your second squad is commanded by Kerbasi, her childhood friend and an excellent tactician. On a routine mission they spot a foreign raiding party and discover that these scouts are part of a much larger invading force. Our heroes spring into action and attempt to warn the Council, but will they arrive before it's too late?

The Rise of Mooncrest is separated into different stages. These stages play through the major events of the story: reconnaissance, daring rescues, skirmishes, defense, and liberation. Some stages offer just a single massive battle while others develop over time through a series of related events.

The time for parlay has passed and each stage is a conflict between the ragtag forces of Mooncrest and their would be overlords. Victory can not be achieved without loss, and every battle turns into a war of attrition. For the cunning Commander, the key to success is to leverage your forces tactical advantages.
[...]

Thursday - May 18, 2017

Kickstarter Games - The Best

by Hiddenx, 19:46

Gamepressure lists the best recent Kickstarter projects:

The best of crowdfunding – what's interesting on Kickstarter these days

The glory days of crowdfunding are a thing of the past – which doesn’t mean that nobody’s willing to help fund ambitious undertakings anymore. Here’s a selection of the most interesting crowdfunding projects of the last several months.

[...]

Thanks Farflame!

Kynseed - Updated Prototype

by Silver, 10:41

Kynseed has 15 days to go and only 6K left to reach its goal. An update for Kickstarter mentions an updated prototype if anyone wants to try it out.

Prototype Update Notes

We've been hard at work making updates to the Kynseed prototype and despite being very busy with responding to issues, feedback, and so on, we have managed to add in some rather cool stuff for you to enjoy. Saddle up, because here comes the list of changes!

  • New music for Nook (plus a new pass of music compression to keep file sizes manageable). Very lovely stuff!
  • New area in Nook (mechanism to get there is a very basic rough first pass!). We'll be expanding this area in future updates.
  • Named insects plus a new insect collecting mechanic using glass jars. Insects are shown on a new tab in the inventory which is a very basic rough first pass.
  • Added a new trait along with a new recipe. Can you find how to get to it?
  • The magic bean prize from the mini-game now has a new use!
  • Lots of level tweaks and collision fixes.
  • Player sprite's graphics and animations have been slightly updated. We've listened to criticisms of the big stylised hands and even though we plan on eventually having an artist do a proper update to the character we thought it best to make a few small tweaks for now to help ease the eyes.
  • Player running animations have been tweaked as well. These, like many areas of the game's art, are temporary and will be getting updated significantly as development continues.
  • We've smoothed out how the game responds to audio problems so that instead of crashing it shows a warning message and continues the game without audio. (This is still relatively untested so feel free to let us know if you run into any problems.)
  • Screens with player’s items now have a title to better explain what you can do!
  • New icon for feeding creatures (thanks Deb!).
  • Glass jar is now carried out in front when going left.
  • Fixed a sign to show keyboard/mouse or controller instructions instead of just controller instructions.
  • When a creature (bee, etc.) leaves the glass jar, they no longer leave a weird mess.
  • Escape on menu screens now exits the menu first and then goes to the options screen when pressed.
  • Changed the trough task to mention water.
  • Quite a bit of backend work to ease the process of making released builds.
  • Various other fixes (including fixing bugs created with the new features).

You can download the latest version of the prototype directly over here or it's also available over on itchio here. We hope you enjoy this new update and encourage you to go exploring to find that new area that's been added in, not to mention finding the new trait which we think is pretty great even in its first pass form. If you have any feedback or issues with this update please mail the gnomes at Feedback@Kynseed.com.

 

Gameplay Tips

Lastly, here's some tips that we think might be handy when playing the prototype.

  • Level up the fishing rod by catching fish.
  • You can hold items on X, B, Y (1, 2, 3 on keyboard) and tap those buttons to put the item away while keeping it assigned to its button position. Simply tap to bring the item out again.
  • Pay attention to proverbs - they contain very useful hints.
  • You can stay awake past 11pm if you find the way...
  • You can find out info about items with the query option. Just interact with the father and select the question mark icon (the right option).
  • If an animal won't leave you alone, it's probably been set to following you. To tell it to go away just interact with it and select 'unfollow' (the right option).
  • You can aim with the right stick on gamepad. This is useful for the slingshot, fishing rod, throwing, and making a spotlight with the lantern.
  • When you get the Darklight augment for the lantern you can toggle between it and the normal lantern.
  • When playing the minigame, use the lines of the stonework to better line up your shots!
  • Holding Left Trigger shows the status of all living and growing things - and even their names!
  • Look for a digging particle effect when the dog has said 'Woof Woof'. Make sure you have a shovel!

Wednesday - May 17, 2017

Fort Triumph - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 19:33

With 6 days to go the tactical RPG Fort Triumph is 2/3 funded on Kickstarter:

Greetings, fellow warriors!

We are gearing up for the final battle of our campaign and have just crossed the 50% mark! Your companionship on this path so far has been beyond anything we expected, and your help during these end times is even more valuable - Help us get the word out and make Fort Triumph as we envision it together.

[...]

Thank you for the info, Pladio!

Tuesday - May 16, 2017

The Executioner - Global Variables

by Myrthos, 13:06

With 7 more days to go the Kickstarter campaign for The Executioner isn't really on track for reaching its $19K goal, but they are determined to finish the game regardless on the success of the campaign.
Their latest update is about the use of global variables in the game.

Our hero, Theodor Grim, the novice Royal executioner, is inclined to solipsism. A paradigm in which a person is convinced that only her consciousness, attitude, and perception really exist and that they determine reality.

Because of this as well as a socially isolated upbringing the Executioner's worldview is quite narrow and also unique — a picture only he can see. Given his synaesthesia (which means a mixture of perception channels), this picture is a completely incomprehensible phenomenon for ordinary people. They exist in this picture, but on the periphery. Theodor himself is the center.

And here’s the real kicker: it’s actually true. Theodor Grim’s solipsism has a very real footing (through we won’t explain what it is just yet).

How does it work?

“The Executioner” has seven global variables, six of them are paired:

  • Rational vs. Mystical,
  • Monarchy vs. Revolution,
  • and Humanity vs. Sociopathy.

The seventh is the all-encompassing Chaos — an embodiment of imbalance and unrest intrinsic to the world).

In the beginning those variables look like properties of the protagonist, his own characteristics. Grim raises the level of Humanity by committing humane actions, he grows the level of Sociopathy by refusing to interact with people. The Monarchy gets stronger when he obeys to the King, helping enemies of the Crown fuels the flame of the Revolution and so on.

Monday - May 15, 2017

Rail Theory - Kickstarter July 18

by Hiddenx, 01:20

The action RPG Rail Theory will be on Kickstarter in July:

Description

Rail Theory is an action RPG with an innovative dynamic difficulty system. The game features several innovations designed around randomized enemy components and open level design. A Kickstarter will be launching for the project  July 18th, 2017. 

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Feature Overview

  • Randomized Enemy Components - Hand designed assets are randomly assigned to enemies to vary game-play. This applies to enemies offensive and defensive capabilities.
  • Dynamic Difficulty - The statistical likelihood of certain randomized elements change in real time depending on player statistics such as accuracy and damage taken. The system uses these stats to adapt to play styles, keeping combat dynamic and fresh.
  • Innovative Health System - A unique health system comprised of armor, trauma, and stamina. Damage taken decreases armor while increasing trauma. Stamina occupies the same gauge as trauma, so high trauma results in less available stamina. The different randomized enemy weapons do different amounts of damage to armor and trauma depending on their properties.
  • Unique, Multi-Purpose Weaponry - The Foyl Dredge is a multi-purpose weapon that can be used for both melee and ranged attacks. The randomized elements of the enemies will be designed around engaging uses of the Foyl Dredge.
  • Cause and Effect Environments - Rail Theory will have branching, open level design. The order in which the player completes areas will effect surrounding areas, changing the environments, enemy properties, and boss fights of respective regions.

Saturday - May 13, 2017

Noahmund - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 16:09

A new JRPG saga - Noahmund - is now on Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight:

Sypnosis

Feros continent suffers a permanent war between north and south. Galina Angstroud and Berani Valenti are two agents of Shinn. Their mission is to search and destroy the weapon which was used by Salaber four years ago.  Their investigation leads them to some odd ruins where they will meet Stalos Ti, a very mysterious character who seems to speak to the elements.

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Monday - May 08, 2017

Kynseed - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 13:58

Kynseed, a 2D sandbox RPG, has been listed on Kickstarter with a goal of 30K and has made 8K with 25 days remaining. There is a free prototype to try here.

Features

An Aging World
The land is affected by your choices and deeds. Seasons come and go and affect the world both visually and in gameplay.

Living Things Have Memory and Grow Old
Individuals and animals grow old and eventually die. Families remember your good deeds or wrongdoings for generations.

Unique Life Mechanic
Pay the mysterious Mr Fairweather for powerful upgrades and revivals, at the cost of years from your life! Will you miss out on your child's development to buy that music box that makes dragons dance? Will your business suffer because you bought a pet cat that turns people to stone?

Real-time Combat
Wander from The Path and indulge in meaty combat against various nasty faery tale creatures that guard the materials and loot you need to become the greatest in the land.

Meaningful Relationship System
Build friendship into romance and produce heirs to continue your legacy. Do favours for others and not only gain friendship but also juicy information and gifts.

The Executioner - Now on Greenlight

by Silver, 13:36

The Executioner, a horror rpg about the Royal Executioner failing his sanity roll, has been listed on Steam greenlight. The game demo is available here if anybody wants to check it out.

Finally, we've submitted The Executioner to Greenlight!

If you wanna help us make this grim game available on Steam, here's a direct link to our Greenlight page. Or you can look for it in the recent submissions.

This also count as a reveal of our little teaser trailer. There's some gameplay footage there (we'll add a longer video with more of that stuff soon), but it's mostly mean to embody the game's atmosphere and color. We hope you like it.

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And if so, backer or not, click on that link above and vote "YES"! Let's make this happen together.

Yours, Lesser Evil

Sunday - May 07, 2017

Astrobase Command - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 10:22

Farflame spotted a Kickstarter update for Astrobase Command:

Gameplay Overview

Hey Sunshines,

Feedback from the Astrobase Command community is that a gameplay walkthrough interests you the most!

Always happy to oblige, this week Adam our team programmer will walk you through an overview of several in-game features of Astrobase Command.

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[...]

Locked Up - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 09:58

The Kickstarter campaign for the action RPG Looked Up has started:

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Framed for a crime you didn’t commit and imprisoned for life, as the player, you must find a way to escape this seemingly impenetrable facility. It won’t be easy.
Owned by the mysterious CorpX, the futuristic prison is nested in the harsh Antarctic landscape, brimming with defenses. The guards are armed to the teeth, and robots and drones patrol the halls. You’ll have to contend with a whole prison hierarchy that could see you brawling with a nemesis or trading contraband with an ally at every turn.

But underneath all of this, there’s a dark story to uncover, and it will be up to you, the player, to discover the truth about CorpX, and find passage away from this place.

Welcome to Locked Up.

Thank you for the info, Farflame!

Monday - May 01, 2017

Astrobase Command - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 09:58

Farflame spotted the Space Sim Astrobase Command on Kickstarter:

Procedural Personalities Meet 3D Base Building, and Survival.

Leaders know that their crew's personalities are at least as important as their skills when entrusting them with key responsibilities. Every choice you make will be the difference between life and death in the void. Do you have what it takes?

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Build the 3D space station of your dreams and handle a tide of paperwork as your crew members, driven by powerful personality-based AI, tend to their jobs as they see fit while developing friendships, rivalries, and romances along the way.

Space isn't a gentle place. Your crew works hard to keep the station running while maintaining a work-life balance or their bodies, relationships, and mental-health will suffer!

Create your species on a visual and statistical level, so they look and play the way you want. A species of super-intelligent anti-social clones? We've got you covered. Tough and genetically diverse dimwits? No problem! When we say “create your own species” we mean it.

  • Build Space Stations in Full 3D!
    Do you think games with side or overhead 2D base building are in dire need of another dimension? So do we! Your Astrobase can be as large or small as you want, along any axis! 
  • Hire and Promote Crewmembers That Fit Your Style:
    Scrutinize the personnel files your Recruiting Officer dumps into your inbox and hire the characters with the job skills, stats, and personality traits that you need to run your Astrobase. 

    Carefully balance the mix of personalities to create the working environment you desire. While it is natural to promote a handful of your key characters to lofty levels, it's also fine to leave others as trusted and highly skilled lower ranking specialists. Not everyone needs to become an Admiral, and Admirals are expensive.
  • Procedural Personalities and Procedural Storytelling: 
    You can't control your crew; but you'll command them. Each member of the crew decides what needs to get done, and how, based on their individually generated personalities and personalized history. As characters interact in their daily routine, the drama of life unfolds.
  • Deep Relationships and Character Life:
    Characters have their own lives. Watch them live it!

Friday - April 21, 2017

The Executioner - Horror RPG

by Myrthos, 12:21

In case you would like to torture and execute people in a game, you can consider Kickstarting The Executioner, a horror RPG about the monster inside you (virtually speaking).

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Grim routine of a medieval executioner

On the 18th of April the good people of Lesser Evil Games launched a Kickstarter for “The Executioner” – a rough and gory tale of Theodor Grim, a man with a rare talent of recognizing lies wherever he hears it. It’s a story of a man that inherited an ungrateful job as a Royal Executioner.

Do you like serious games that make you deal with the uncomfortable mature questions and decisions? The ones, that leave very little space for heroism? This is the kind of game the team is shaping “The Executioner” to become.  

Gameplay consists of the three parts:
Torture chamber simulator. Use rich arsenal of tortures to get a confession. With a limited time left till victim’s execution you will need to be careful with the persuasion methods in order to keep the tortured in a proper shape for what comes.
Detective text quest. Delve through your victims’ crimes to justify your actions or seek for the true criminal if you believe the tortured is not the one.
Turn based combat. Many will stand on your way unwilling to share their filthy secrets. You will have Theodor Grim’s enormous strength and razor sharp perception by your side to fight those who dare to oppose the Royal Executioner.

The cornerstone of “The Executioner” is game’s psychological side. What are you willing to do to stay alive? How does a human perception change, affected by an everyday routine violence? What will become of a kingdom on a brink of revolution if the Royal Executioner refuses to do his dirty job?

If the Kickstarter campaign succeeds you will have a chance to find out rather soon – “The Executioner” is set to be released this autumn.

Thursday - April 20, 2017

Fort Triumph - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 19:46

The tactical RPG Fort Triumph is now on Kickstarter:

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Often dubbed a “Fantasy XCOM”, Fort Triumph is a tactical RPG emphasizing the use of Environmental Interactions to create rich, challenging and rewarding tactical gameplay.

In Fort Triumph, every crate and every tree is a potential weapon in the hands of experienced tacticians: in order to succeed, you will have to burn, freeze, topple, kick around or outright destroy the scenery at the right moment.

Our game includes:   

  • Hardcore tactical turn-based gameplay.
  • Fully Interactive environments at your disposal. 
  • Heroes evolving by learning new abilities from their class skilltree. 
  • Non-linear, contextually generated missions and quests. 
  • Strategic gameplay and world map exploration.

[...]

Monday - April 17, 2017

Sol Ni Koro - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 10:10

Back To Basic Gaming started a Kickstarter and a Steam Greenlight campaign for their RPG Sol Ni Koro:

Sol Ni Koro is an epic RPG set in a handcrafted 3D world mixed with 2D pixel sprites. Inspired by the golden era of video games - designed for the modern era.

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Our goal

From day one we set out to develop an exciting and compelling RPG with a vast story and interesting characters. The project that emerged became a modern RPG that evokes nostalgia, but also improves on many of the pitfalls of classic RPGs that we remember so fondly.

Modern technology has allowed us to design and develop a beautiful and vast 3D world, with stunning towns, dungeons, depth of field and verticality that adds to the game's atmosphere. The 360 degree camera allows the player to fully explore the 3D environment, rotating and zooming to find hidden paths or just to get a better look at the world.

All Walls Must Fall - Interview

by Hiddenx, 09:33

The tech-noir tactics game All Walls Must Fall is already funded with 58 hours to go on Kickstarter. Farflame spotted this comprehensive interview on OnlySP:

Thinking in Four Dimensions: inbetweengames Talks Time and Tactics in All Walls Must Fall

All Walls Must Fall is a new strategy game—creatively billed as a “Tech-Noir Tactics” title—from an indie outfit comprised of former members of Spec Ops: The Line developer YAGER. The game imagines an alternate future in which the Cold War never ended, the Berlin Wall never came down, and Communism never faded to little more than the memory of a failed ideology. Despite the premise, the game sidelines political commentary, only offering vague references to never-ending international hostilities and the existence of a rogue actor that has detonated a nuclear device in a TV tower in an attempt to end the stalemate.

The science-fiction trappings of the game emerge immediately, with the player cast in the role of a burly time-travelling secret agent named Kai. His quest to prevent the pre-ordained explosion begins with an assassination ten hours before detonation.

OnlySP recently had the chance to go hands-on with a pre-alpha version of the first third of the game, alongside a brief interview with Jan David Hassel, one of the co-founders of developer inbetweengames and designer on the title.

Mission Structure, Narrative, and Failing Better

Like a growing number of indie titles, All Walls Must Fall is, in some respects, a delightful retro throwback, immediately bringing to mind classic strategy games such as X-COM. As one might expect, this heritage brings with it a number of familiar elements, including an isometric perspective, a wide range of options to deal with any given situation, and a rather archaic mission structure.

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[...]

Thursday - April 13, 2017

War of Velana - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:48

The tactical RPG War of Velana inspired by the 16 bit era is now on Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight:

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War of Velana draws from the tactical combat, world exploration, and interaction of the Shining Force games. Unlike other tactical games, Shining Force wasn't simply grid battles connected by menus. They let you search and discover items and secrets in the world like many non-tactical RPGs. You could actually talk villagers and shop patrons, not just their menu systems. The duality created a feel unlike anything else, and that's what we strive to present.

With that spirit in mind, we took some parts from other classics as well. In combat, if an ally falls, they aren't permanently dead or removed from battle, but turn into a tombstone. This gives you a chance to revive them and return them to the fight, very much akin to Final Fantasy Tactics.

If you do not revive a unit within a few turns, their tombstone will crumble, which removes them from the battle. On easier difficulties, you can pray to the Goddess to return units to the party. On harder difficulties they will be gone forever.

Try our Alpha demo for Windows! You must download both the .exe and the data folder for the demo to work. (You don't need to download the readme) Please message directly us with any build issues or bugs! (we've found a lot of them and are already working on a new build)

 

Wednesday - April 12, 2017

The Man Came Around - On Kickstarter

by Silver, 14:01

@PCGamer The Man Came Around is on Kickstarter and comes with a free demo. The game itself is a survival rpg which explores the themes of fascism and repression. The goal is for 10K euros and has made close to 4K already with 28 days to go.

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As mentioned there, Occida is The Man Came Around's fictional settings that's said to be the "most powerful nation of the world", but has been "shaken by mass protests met by brutal repression". An internal war has broken on between activist group The Many and the government, which has in turn forced the country into a dictatorship. 

From here, you assume the role of five nomad citizens aiming to cross the North Border to freedom. Naturally, this proves no easy feat as you're forced to manage scarce resources, make life-threatening decisions, and battle both the heavily armed guards scattered across the mountain and the elements themselves.

[...]

Features :

  • Political fable: The story explores how a democratic system can fall, ruined by special interests. And asks the crucial question: How could it happen?
  • Moral Choices: Sacrificing a member, making shady deals or letting innocents die in order to survive ... Those choices will impact the story.
  • Group Survival: Permadeath for the characters! It's up to you to finish the game with five or only one survivor.
  • Trauma System: Stress and guilt will impact your characters' psyche.
  • Interactive Narration: Let your choices change the story. Replay to discover all possibilities.
  • Lost in a Maze: Explore a labyrinthine world full of secrets.
  • Unique Graphic Style: 2D handcrafted speed painting.

Wednesday - March 29, 2017

Tangledeep - Already Funded

by Hiddenx, 00:22

The dungeon crawler Tangledeep has already reached the funding goal:

Tangledeep: A Dungeon Crawling Tribute to the 16-bit RPG Era

Tangledeep is a charming, super-polished dungeon crawler / roguelike RPG inspired by the very best games from the SNES golden age!

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"Tangledeep is an ever-changing labyrinth full of mysteries, danger and treasure. Yet, it is the only way to reach a world long-forgotten by time. Will you heed the call of adventure and face the challenges that await within?"

Tangledeep is an upcoming turn-based, dungeon crawling, roguelike RPG for PC, OSX and Linux. Its gorgeous 16-bit aesthetic is inspired by some of the most classic RPGs of the SNES era, such as Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger, while its deep and strategic gameplay combines elements of modern titles like Diablo and Rogue Legacy.

Like what you see? Play the game yourself! We've been releasing public builds for 6 months now and lots of people are already playing and enjoying the game, even in its pre-alpha state! If you like what you see, remember that we have over 8 months of additional development left - think about much greater the game will become!

 

Kova - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 00:20

Black Hive has started a Kickstarter campaign for their side-scolling action RPG Kova:

Journey through space as the mercenary-explorer Kova, seeking to unravel the Fermi Paradox.

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Kova is a side-scrolling action RPG in the metroidvania style. Take on the role of Kova, a mercenary-explorer surviving through tough times as she crosses the galaxy. Interact with larger-than-life characters, travel to hand-painted planets, and struggle against vicious creatures as you unravel the universe's greatest mystery - why has humanity never encountered intelligent alien life?

 

Wednesday - March 22, 2017

Claw Hunter - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:27

Farflame spotted the Action Adventure Claw Hunter on Kickstarter:

Claw Hunter

 A single player action-adventure game with RPG elements that allows the player to command three distinct characters with special abilities. Taking place in the 17th century and set on an island where prehistoric life of Cretaceous period was perfectly preserved, Claw Hunter allows the players to return to the days of their childhood, where the prehistoric worlds of dinosaurs and cavemen fascinated us all. Game is focused on a strong main story line and features super-realistic visual style and is built in Unreal Engine. Inspired by titles such as Uncharted, Tomb Raider and The Dig, game features a thrilling story in which the player will embark on a journey through the rugged and dangerous landscape of the tropical island to uncover its long-forgotten mystery. Each character has a different set of skills which players can combine to solve problems arising during their travels. On top of that, players can tame and work with dinosaurs to fulfil different tasks where human hands are not enough.

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All Walls Must Fall - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:24

All Walls Must Fall - a Tech-Noir Tactics Game is now on Kickstarter:

Berlin November 2089

The Cold War never ended. For 150 years both sides have used time manipulation technology to observe and counter each other’s every move. Now this fragile state of affairs is approaching a breaking point, as a rogue nuclear strike will send the world into turmoil. Both sides have scrambled to send agents back in time to find who is behind the attack and how to prevent it. If they fail, the whole world will turn to ash, forever.

All Walls Must Fall is an isometric tactics game where actions happen to the pulsing beat of the music. You control time travelling secret agents as they jump and loop through a single night in the city of Berlin. Using a pausable real-time system, carefully plan your decisions and use powerful time manipulation abilities to your advantage, as you carry out your mission in the shadows or in plain sight. Levels are procedurally recombined using a bespoke system developed by inbetweengames, giving All Walls Must Fall a highly replayable campaign structure, while still offering individually crafted components and set-pieces.

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All Walls Must Fall
takes inspiration from genre classics like X-Com, Syndicate and REZ, as well more recent indie games like The Banner Saga, Braid, SUPERHOT and Crypt of the Necrodancer.

Thanks Farflame!

Arcane - On Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 00:07

Daveyd spotted the Adventure Survival RPG Arcane on Kickstarter:

The world is overrun by a force far greater then yourself, magic. It’s everywhere, you begin to study it, understand it as it ebbs through every inch of your body. The mystical creatures lurking at the ends of the Earth begin to broaden their horizon. Night time arrives, and with it an evil like you have never seen before… How will you survive?

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Journey into a procedurally generated 2D pixel-driven world with nothing but your own two hands, a drive to endure and a natural gift for the mystical arts. Using your basic instincts and the guidance of your in-game Compendium, it is up to you to unravel the endless secrets of the Arcane.

Thursday - March 02, 2017

Prevent the Fall - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:04

The dungeon crawler Prevent the Fall is now live on Kickstarter:

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Prevent the Fall is an Action RPG Dungeon Crawler which works both on traditional mediums or in Virtual Reality. Advance through 20 character levels, as you acquire items of power, and attempt to conquer dungeons which are a mixture of hand-crafted and generated content. Single player and Multiplayer Co-op, as well as VR and non-VR gameplay is supported.

Sunday - February 19, 2017

Cave of Sorrows - Live on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 15:35

The old school RPG Cave of Sorrows went live on Kickstarter today:

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With your help we will be able to bring to life my dream of bringing back the old school feel of playing a CRPG. 

Cave of Sorrows is not your eye-candy type of rpgs rather it focuses on gameplay and excitement, and replayability. Although the graphics are very well made and nice to look at, it is not the main focus.

So what are you waiting for help us out! Lets make this happen together.

About the Game:

Cave of Sorrows offers many hours of true role playing, hundreds of monsters to do battle with, all turn base. plenty of classes, and races. It has well over 30 dungeons to explore including caves :) about 15 villages and 3 main cities. Full customization of all of your character. In game map. The story is very deep and exciting with many twists and turns.

Saturday - February 18, 2017

Apocalypse Now - Leaves Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 09:41

Apocalypse Now leaves Kickstarter and asks now for $5,900,000:

Update #10 - Terminate the Colonel's Command With Extreme Prejudice

Kickstarter Page is Terminated.

Pledge here:

https://apocalypsenow.com/pledge

Questions here:

montgomery.markland@apocalypsenow.com

All supporters coming over to our website will receive a pledge tier increase of one level on ApocalypseNow.com.

Never get off of the boat.

Thanks Farflame!

Wednesday - February 15, 2017

Beautiful Desolation - Funded!

by Hiddenx, 21:37

The post-apocalyptic adventure game Beautiful Desolation is funded with 69 hours to go:

Hey Backers,

We're pleased to announce our first stretch goal:

THE WORLD CODEX

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Every place has a history, a story. That's a theme we want to push forward with BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION. We want players to explore the world we've created, make new discoveries and uncover the history of all the exciting places you visit.
The Codex is Dr. Mark Leslie's field notebook that will grow each time a new animal, plant (or the like) crosses his path. It will then be updated with drawings, facts and other information about the find in front of you. The Codex will include Mark's field drawings, photographs, notes - and even voiced entries. 
It may also help you learn the customs of different tribes and factions: Who are friends or foes? What foods they eat? What has happened to them in the epochs since the Penrose appeared?
Sometimes these will be world building, and at other times will offer up clues to help you on your way. All while uncovering the secrets of BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION's technology, from strange constructs that pierce the sky to small alien-looking medical implants. 
The lore of our world is just waiting to be unearthed! 

Thursday - February 09, 2017

Ama's Lullaby - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:50

Ama's Lullaby - a cyberpunk point and click adventure game - is now on Kickstarter:

Ama's Lullaby - Prologue Gameplay Teaser

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Ama's Lullaby is an adventure game in the style of Westwood's Blade Runner (1997), featuring a command-line based hacking system.

Sunday - February 05, 2017

Beautiful Desolation - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 22:04

Farflame spotted this Kickstarter update for Beautiful Desokation:

THE WORLD OF DESOLATION

As far back as during the development of STASIS, both Nic and I spent time discussing several ideas for future projects. During these conversations we kept circling back to a vivid post apocalyptic world.

A story revolving around a similar theme to STASIS: family. The idea of two brothers, transported to another world fell beautifully into place in a post apocalyptic African dystopia. This setting was a feature of our original story. It was different, inspiring, and considering our location - achievable! For research, we just had to open the door and step outside.

[...]

South African Gamer interviewed the devs:

An interview with THE BROTHERHOOD about STASIS, CAYNE and BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION

A while back I got to play and fell in love with STASIS, an isometric adventure game set in a dark, scary near future. Now the team behind this game are back with a Kickstarter for BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION, a sci-fi adventure set in a dystopian Africa after an alien artifact allows technology to leapfrog… and lead to all-out war.

The Kickstarter is sitting past 50% of its target goal and I got Chris Bischoff to talk to us about the game, its inspiration and how things have changed since STASIS.

[SA Gamer] Thank you so much for agreeing to an interview. I know things must be pretty crazy right now, so I appreciate you making time for this!

[Chris] It’s only a pleasure! 

BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION has shots of Cape Town and a distinct African aesthetic. Many local developers aim for something more first world in their creations. What was the reasoning behind this choice? 

We’re using a place we know well, and we’re twisting it into a post apocalyptic world. To many, Africa is already quite a different setting and we love the post apocalyptic genre – so it seemed like a natural step for our environment. As we started to really explore what we could do in that world everything started to fall into place. 

There is something romantic about walking through the ruins of a long gone society – a place that you remember, but it’s different… changed and transformed into something else.

[...]

Friday - February 03, 2017

A Hero's Call - Funded

by Hiddenx, 21:33

A Hero's Call is an accessible PC game that brings the epic adventure of a traditional fantasy RPG to blind and sighted gamers alike. The game got funded on Kickstarter:

Meet A Hero's Call - An Accessible Fantasy RPG

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Friday - January 27, 2017

Apocalyspe Now - Game Explained

by Silver, 19:39

Apocalypse Now lead writer Rob Auten has clarified some fan confusion over what type of game this will be in the latest update.

It achieves this reputation not by embracing peace but by depicting war as a beast that drives men insane. While the characters and scenario contain their share of hyperbole, a veteran may find an uncomfortable amount of truth within the film.

The game will preserve this balance and create a narrative experience that is about war but that also demonstrates what war does to the human mind.

The game will be played from what we call a "subjective" first-person perspective. This means that Willard's view is your view, but that you also observe changes in that view due to Willard's mental state.

Taking drugs or drinking will change this view. In the jungle, Willard's situational awareness will indicate the origin of sounds. In periods of intense stress, the field of view may narrow, simulating the fight or flight response.

The key activities of the game will be similar to exploration-driven RPGs such as Fallout: New Vegas, but set in the film's hyperreal Vietnam War setting. You will be assigned to travel up the Nung River in order to terminate Colonel Kurtz's command. You will be joined by the crew of the PBR Streetgang and tasked with a variety of different missions in service of your overall goal. From there, your choices are your own; you are not bound by what Willard does in the film.

As you proceed through the overall narrative, the decisions you make will affect how your squad feels about you. Choose to do something dangerous and they feel you don't respect their lives. Lie your way through a situation and they start to distrust you.

Stress, fear, disgust-these emotions will be tracked within each of the game's characters in order to present you with a reactive simulation that is responsive to your actions and capable of presenting moment-to-moment consequences for the decisions you make.

While character and exploratory narrative are our key pillars, we are not attempting to make a war game that does not include combat, but very often the best way to continue your mission and serve your ultimate goal will be to avoid conflict at all costs.

Thursday - January 26, 2017

Beautiful Desolation - Kickstarter

by Silver, 21:23

The newest game from The Brotherhood has arrived on Kickstarter called Beautiful Desolation, which is an isometric post-apocalyptic adventure game. You might also want to check out their newest game on Steam called CAYNE which is completely free.

Hi Kickstarter, Chris here!

In 2013 I came to you with an idea to create an isometric adventure game set a on spaceship with a horrific atmosphere. With your gracious support, together we raised over $ 130K. I used those funds to create STASIS which went on to be Adventure Game of the Year. It was this awesome community that made STASIS a reality.

I am going to use isometric art to tell a story set in a post-apocalyptic 'afrodora'. I know that BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION is going to be an adventure game unlike anything you have seen before...
I want you to join me on this journey!
P.S.

Over this past year we created CAYNE, a FREE ISOMETRIC ADVENTURE game set in the STASIS universe.

GET CAYNE HERE: CAYNE ON STEAM LINK

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Wednesday - December 28, 2016

Unknown Realm - Death and Sailing

by Silver, 19:48

The latest update for Unknown Realm focuses on death and sailing.

Today we're highlighting two game features you'll find in Unknown Realm: Death and Sailing.

Death in Unknown Realm is a bit different than other games. Instead of dying and having to start over each time, we wanted death to be an exciting, unpredictable adventure and part of the story itself. So in Unknown Realm, when you "die," you never know what might happen or where you might wake up!

Instead of killing you outright, most of the monsters in Unknown Realm will leave you for dead, even though you're actually just unconscious. Where you die in the world, will affect what happens to you. If you die in a relatively safe place, you might get lucky and no one will come and loot your body or steal any of your supplies before you awake.

If beasts happen to attack you while you're unconscious, they will most likely eat your food. If bandits come across your body, they will probably steal your gold. There are also traveling healers who are sworn to aid people on the road, so you might find yourself in the care of the local healers upon waking. If you "die" in a hostile territory (where you may be considered a wanted outlaw), you could awake to find yourself in a prison.

There might be some instances where you can "really" die, but we'll let those be a surprise.

The main point is this: instead of harshly penalizing someone for dying in the game and having them start over, we want to roll that event into your story as you play. We think its more interesting this way and allows us to incorporate your death into the story. Although there are some penalties for dying (such as loss of gold, supplies or food), we've made sure those penalties aren't too steep (such as losing important quest items or weapons). There will also be ways to protect your gold stash by depositing it in banks or personal chests on your very own ship.

Thursday - December 22, 2016

Unknown Realm - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 09:18

The C64 and PC RPG Unknown Realm is nearly funded:

Character Sheet Sneak Peek

Good evening everyone!

Hope you all had a great weekend. We're excited to be 68% funded on Day 5 with almost 360 backers! Our goal is to reach 400 backers by tomorrow night, so tell all your friends! We want to share the joy and charm of 8-bit RPGs with as many people as we can. :-)

And speaking of 8-bit RPGs: here's a sneak peek of the first half of our in-game player stats sheet inspired by a certain old school tabletop game some of you might recognize. This is what pops up when you press the Stats command, which will include your customizable character portrait from the initial character creation.

We'll show you the second half of the player sheet in a later update with all the nice skills and stats that you have in the game.

A quick housekeeping note: Some of you may have noticed we had to change two reward tiers earlier today. Our main collector's edition tiers seemed to be causing confusion for some potential backers. This was mainly due to the fact that we wrote the rewards in a sequential narrative order and didn't realize that Kickstarter drops sold out tiers to the bottom of the page. So once the Early Bird boxes sold out, the reward descriptions weren't flowing the way we initially intended them to, and the items included in the tier weren't listed.

We decided to close those tiers and list new ones to replace them. The rewards and price are EXACTLY the same, but the descriptions are hopefully more clear and the items that come in the Collector's Edition boxes are listed as they were in the early bird tiers.

One final item of interest we wanted to share, for those of you who are into computer history: Tomorrow the film Generation 8-Bit: The Commodore Wars will be released on Steam and VHX. The film features a rare interview with the great Jack Tramiel as well as Chuck Peddle and others. You can see the trailer here and find more information at www.commodorewars.com For backers who aren't familiar with these names: they are the creators of the Commodore computer.

Based off of the comments here, we've decided it's clear we have the smartest and coolest backers ever (Rush fans + Old School RPG fans + Ultima fans + C64 fans!!). All the work we've put into this project over the last 4+ years already feels like it was so worth it just to see that this game is reaching the audience we made it for – which is you!

Thanks for your continued support and for spreading the word far and wide.

-Bruce and Laura

Monday - December 19, 2016

Shrine of Orm - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:06

Shrine of Orm is now on Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight. It's a turn-based first-person dungeon crawler with heavy emphasis on horror and exploration.

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Shrine of Orm is a single player horror/RPG, turn-based, tile-based, first-person dungeon crawler. It is inspired by games such as the infamous Wizardry series, Etrian Odyssey, the Dark Spire, etc.

Friday - December 16, 2016

Unknown Realm - New Kickstarter

by Silver, 22:50

A new kickstarter for the classic rpg player called Unknown Realm is now on Kickstarter with a goal of 65K.

Unknown Realm: The Siege Perilous is a new 8-bit fantasy role-playing game for PC and C64 inspired by the classic RPGs of the 80's.

Alive World:

  • Open world with lots of secret locations to discover.
  • 64 different day, night, and seasonal monsters.
  • Landscape reacts to the choices you make. Locations, characters, and game world will be impacted by your decisions, and your actions have real consequences.
  • Dual-mode exploration using either overworld view or zoomed in location view.
  • Traveling NPCs and settlements - stumble upon a gypsy caravan, traveling merchants or bandit encampments!

Fast-Paced, Fun-Focused Combat:

  • Instead of spending 80% of your time grinding away in combat and only 20% of your time doing what we consider the fun stuff about RPGs, we have flipped that around so there won't be any 10 minute monster battles going on here.
  • Simple Attack + direction targeting keeps you in the action instead of an interface.
  • Dedicated hot key for quick primary/secondary weapons toggle.
  • Turn-based, but feels like real-time.
  • Attack monsters in overworld view as well as zoomed in view.

Interesting NPCs:

Just because our NPCs have 8-bit brains doesn't mean they have to be dummies.

  • Find NPC or animal companions to join your cause.
  • Hire mercenaries to aid you on those really dangerous quests.
  • NPCs might strike up a conversation with you or blurt out for you to get lost.
  • NPCs can treat you differently based on their mood or how well they know you, or react to what they see you do or hear you say.
  • NPCs may travel between locations in the game.
  • Some monsters might even talk with you, if you happen to speak their language!

Charming Mini-Games:

Even warriors need to unwind and play some games now and again.

  • Try your luck at the rat races as you bet on which critter gets the cheese first.
  • Play some dice games with the local tavern folk.
  • Turn-based lock picking has never been more fun!
  • Use your wit to open the magically locked riddle chests.
  • Hungry? Try hunting or our fishing mini-game to catch your own food.

Monday - December 12, 2016

Jupiter Hell - Funded, the Inner Circle & Sound Update

by Silver, 21:54

Jupiter Hell has funded and is looking into stretch goals for the last 26 hours. The latest update focuses on the vision for sound with a sample at the link provided and explains what being a member of the Inner Circle entitles you to.

Secrets of the Inner Circle

The Supporter of Chaos pledge tier includes access to the Inner Circle, and we'd like to spell out a little more what that involves.

Firstly, the Inner Circle will have access to pre-alpha builds from very soon after the Kickstarter ends. Our immediate priority from Wednesday will be to make the Arena Mode we briefed on before, and put it in the hands of our Inner Circle members to test and provide feedback. Have a tight, dedicated group on hand to assist in refining the details of the combat model will be hugely important to getting the core gameplay absolutely perfect.

Ongoing, the Inner Circle will have continuous advance access to new builds of the game, sometimes on a nightly basis. Hot from the press releases, long before anyone else gets their eyes on them! In addition we have a private forum for the Inner Circle, in which we developers will regularly chat about game design ideas. This will be no holds barred discussion, with good and bad ideas shared openly and continuous input sought from Inner Circle members. Participants will get a unique view of the game design and development process, and a very unique input into how the game is made. We believe that once the game is released Inner Circle members will be able to look on elements and clearly say "I helped make this", or "that important piece is because of me".

This process will continue after release, as we consider new content and new designs and the game's development continues. The Inner Circle will remain as a guiding council for Jupiter Hell into the years ahead.

And right now is the only chance to get in on this. Inner Circle access will be closed after the Kickstarter ends.

[...]

Sound and Music in Jupiter Hell

As part of our regular series of insights into the game development process here's a look at music in Jupiter Hell, with details from our audio wizard, Roland La Goy:

With Jupiter Hell's music we'd agreed early on that it would end as a dark, Heavy Metal soundtrack. Extreme Metal mixed with Dark Ambient and Electronic influence scattered here and there.

The mock-up audio attached to this update (5 fairly different types of Metal playing styles) aren't finalized in any way. As we work on the soundtrack we'll be developing catchy tracks to fit the game's setting spot-on. Also, the teaser videos and the Kickstarter trailer music are good references for the styles we're aiming for. Check those out if interested.

We're toying with the idea of composing a completely different soundtrack on the side. Fully Dark Ambient, Electronic, or whatever music people would want to hear in contrast to Heavy Metal. This separate soundtrack would likely be an audio option you can switch over to whenever you feel.

Audio geeks may be interested in my setup... For music/sound recording, mixing, and mastering, I work in PreSonus' Studio One 3 and mostly Waves plugins for lots of the audio effects. I also use Steinberg Wavelab here and there. I've gone with a hardware Focusrite USB audio interface, M-Audio monitor speakers (as well as a set of Sony lower-end ones, for referencing audio), Audio-Technica ATH headphones, mainly Shure microphones, Marshall amplifiers, Alesis and M-Audio MIDI controllers, and a couple of Halo brand guitars (7-string guitar, and 5-string bass guitar).

All in all, the game's music and sound are still not set in stone, but we've made a promising start and have a clear direction. I look forward to taking suggestions through the entire development of Jupiter Hell and seeing where this leads!

 

Friday - December 09, 2016

Jupiter Hell - 80% funded

by Hiddenx, 06:52

The turn-based rogue-like Jupiter Hell is 80% funded on Kickstarter with 4 days to go:

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Jupiter Hell is a turn-based sci-fi roguelike/RPG with modern 3D graphics.

Tuesday - December 06, 2016

Jupiter Hell - Character Advancement

by Silver, 21:57

Jupiter Hell is into its last week and needs 18K to fund. The latest update tells us about character advancement and making D**mRL open source.

The big news today is that D**mRL (or DRL as we may have to start calling it) is now open source! The plan was to release this upon conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign as a thank you to backers, but Zenimax® have pushed our hand.

D**mRL is available on GitHub, with some simple instructions on how to compile. More detailed instructions will come later. The code is in FreePascal, distributed under GPL 2.0. Derek Yu’s original artwork is released with the game under CC-BY-SA 4.0 license.

[...]

Character Advancement in Jupiter Hell

The following is a current version of the character progression system. This is largely subject to change, however it illustrates nicely our objectives in this topic.

Levels

Characters in Jupiter Hell will feature a somewhat classic leveling system, with a range of levels between 1 and 20. Levels are gained by gathering experience points. XP points are awarded for many tasks, however care is taken to prevent any scummable XP source, as well as keeping the major source of XP from story progress, completed missions and feats of skill.

Classes

Before you venture into the winding corridors of Callisto's Valhalla base, you'll have to pick a name, some cosmetic choices, a class, and an initial perk. Classes determine the perk trees you have access to. In the current design, each class has a set of three primary perk trees (skills) and three secondary skills. Your character can have perks from up to three trees, optionally including a single secondary perk tree, not choosable before level 10.

Some of the skills are shared, yet every class has a unique defining perk tree of their own. Currently we plan to include three basic classes, but further classes might appear at some point (or in stretch goals!). The three basic classes are the ones you might remember from DRL - Marine, Scout and Technician.

Perk trees (aka skills)

You can pick perks from different trees, or focus on a single tree specifically. Each major weapon class has it's perk tree, so you'll see perk trees for Pistols, Shotguns, Rapid fire weapons, Explosive weapons and Energy weapons. Additionally common perk trees include Armor, Hacking and Medical. Perks may have prerequisites, and be leveled.

If you meet the proper prerequisites in a given perk tree, you may choose one of its two Master Perks. These perks have a very significant effect on gameplay -- for instance making you automatically shoot both your pistols at every step, at any pre-targeted enemy, or unlocking the ability to fully takeover large security bots in case of the hacking tree.

...

Tuesday - November 29, 2016

Legrand Legacy - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 21:34

Learn more about Legrand Legacy's alchemy and crafting in Kickstarter update #10:

Alchemy and Crafting

The fantasy world of Legrand Legracy is full of curious objects, magical items, and mysterious potions. Some are obviously vile, some are probably nourishing, while others look positively disgusting. Where can you find these items?

If you have played the Legrand Legacy Pre-Alpha Prologue, you'll know that slaying monsters will reward you with a lot of loot – things such as teeth, scales, slimes, and more. Well, you can bring all of these things to the Alchemist to turn them into items.

Items can also be obtained from completing side-quests. Remember the Flamatone that the Blacksmith requests?

Some common items may be available in the Apothecary, but the rarer ones will definitely require a bit of an extra effort. Each item has its own specific effect, such as healing, buffing, debuffing… and reviving.

Any and all items can be sold for Danaar (in-game currency) or even used to craft other more powerful and rarer items. In order to craft the item you aim to secure you simply collect the ingredients listed in the recipe.

We will include a bunch of recipes in Legrand Legacy so that you can craft the items you need to bring into combat or to customize your characters’ equipment to upgrade as needed. Below is a sample recipe for Remedy Shards.

As part of our the potential rewards that backers can secure for their support, starting at the Crafter Tier and above you'll get to design and name one of these in-game items! It’s certainly a wonderful opportunity to preserve your favorite keepsake and leave a lasting legacy that’s uniquely yours.

[...]

Saturday - November 26, 2016

Legrand Legacy - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 08:15

Learn more about Tel Harran - The City of Slavers - in this Kickstarter update for Legrand Legacy:

Tel Harran - The City of Slavers

How is everyone enjoying their weekend? Ours is off to a great start: we’re thrilled to mention that Legrand Legacy is now over 30% funded thanks to all of your support, so be sure to continue to share the link to the Kickstarter everywhere!

Legrand is home to a plethora of fascinating landscapes and cultures. Today we start with the first stop in our tour of some of the game’s regions. Who knows, we might have time to give you a sneak peak at some of the regions we’re currently working on! For our first stop, it is time to visit Tel Harran, the City of Slavers.

The city of Tel Harran was built by the Ahrimans, a race of intelligent bipedal lions, to show their superiority over humans. The citizens of Tel Harran have been practicing slavery since the city was founded, and their main source of entertainment involves having slaves fight each other to the death in the blood arena, which is exactly where Finn’s (mis)adventure begins.

If you have played the Legrand Legacy Pre-Alpha Prologue, then you know there are quite a bit of things to do in the bustling Harrean Market! You can visit the apothecary to get some unique healing items, such as the Bloodstone Shards and Crossbones, or you can go to the Blacksmith to purchase swords and armors - just as Master Geddo orders. If you fancy a ride on the Ruggamsh, it’s also quite a steal at only 50 Danaar!

[...]

Thursday - November 24, 2016

Jupiter Hell - Greenlight and Concept Art

by Silver, 22:28

Jupiter Hell has 19 days to get 30K. In the latest update the game is on Greenlight and they show off some concept art.

In important news, Jupiter Hell is now on Steam Greenlight! Please go upvote us on Greenlight if you want to see the game on Steam. And tell all your friends to upvote us too! And your mum, of course.

We have high hopes of getting on GOG.com with a DRM-free version too - vote here!

[...]

What's next?

In upcoming updates we'll have more info on character progression, tactical vs strategic challenges, engine design, a Roguelike Radio episode about Jupiter Hell and much more. In the meantime don't miss out on our regular development livestreams on Twitch where you can see more of how the game is built and ask Kornel questions directly.

Hellhunter - Whats Next?

by Silver, 21:13

At the Ballistic Interactive forums they discuss the next steps for Hellhunter which looks increasingly likely not to fund.

As everyone noticed, crowdfunding was a no go, but the support so far has been amazing!
Rest assured, this will not stop Hellhunter!

Below you can see our next plans of action and follow along to help us through the journey.

  • 2nd Crowdfunding - it already proved as a poor option, and the worst part is, it’s full time work that stops us from developing the game.
  • Publishers - we’ve already had several offers from big names, we can’t mention specifics due to legal stuff. But we can say that while that means a bigger game & lotsa cash, it also means a watered down Hellhunter for greater profit.
  • Private Investor run - we’ve received mails by fans who want to send their original pledges. While we’re still looking into the legalities, we’re thinking of something similar to kickstarter, that actually doubles your investment, it will likely be private.
  • Early access - Greenlight has opened the possibility of early access. It has pros and cons, but it also means development freedom, and implementing a lot more cool stuff, from extra jobs/enemies (shapeshifters, yokai, etc) to deep rpg skill system.


Regardless of which route will be taken, you can subscribe to the mailing list to be notified on launch - http://www.hellhuntergame.com

We’re posting it here in respect to all our hardcore fans who supported us so far.
We take your opinions very seriously, so we’d love to hear your thoughts! :)

Wednesday - November 23, 2016

Hellhunter - Kickstarter: 3 days to go

by Hiddenx, 21:21

Hellhunter needs a home run to reach the Kickstarter goal:

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Hellhunter is a supernatural investigative hunting RPG, where you assume the role of a freelance hunter building your career towards uncovering the ultimate terror.

However the identity & characteristics of your target aren’t revealed, you must investigate while being hunted by them yourself! Based on your deduction you determine which tools to use (e.g. UV bullets against shadows) in an epic showdown at the end of each level.

Death lurks in every corner. Do you have what it takes to become a hellhunter?

Thanks Farflame!

Monday - November 21, 2016

Jupiter Hell - Game Design

by Silver, 23:15

Jupiter Hell is almost half-way with 22 days to go. The latest update focuses on game design and story.

Game Design in Jupiter Hell

Game design is perhaps the most important element of roguelikes. With the constant replays that the genre offers the base game mechanics must remain engaging and interesting, and the game must still offer challenge and the feeling of reward.

Jupiter Hell stands very heavily on the shoulders of DoomRL, which was widely praised for its fast and fluid gameplay. Unlike many traditional roguelikes, DoomRL had a simple interface that let the player mow through many enemies with ease. Challenge came in the form of optimal tactical decisions and resource management, rather than remembering obscure key-presses or spending lots of time scumming for the best items.

To ensure that we get this right for Jupiter Hell we have defined 6 pillars of game design ethos that run through all of our decision-making:

  • Replayability - If it gets boring after 100 plays, then remove it or change it or make it skippable. It doesn't matter how cool the idea was at first, it must stand up to multiple replays. This also means the game must fluidly restart, so that once you die you get right back into the action without any annoying menus or story fluff.
  • Balanced Randomness - Random shouldn't mean unfair. No sudden deaths, no insta-win items, no impossible situations. This means putting constraints on the generators and doing a huge amount of playtesting to get the balance right. We'll also have multiple difficulty levels and challenges to push even the best players to their limits.
  • Meaningful Choices - If everyone always chooses option A over option B then option B needs to be removed or replaced. There will be no "better" path or strictly "best weapon in the game". If players aren't arguing over which is the best build then we've done our job wrong. It also means choices can't be boring - level ups and weapon upgrades should not mean +3% to a stat, they should change the way you play.
  • No Grinding - There will be zero opportunities to do repeated actions for limitless rewards. No item hoarding (inventories are limited), no scumming enemies for xp (it'll get capped), no resting for HP recovery. Jupiter Hell is not allowed to be boring!
  • Accessibility - The whole user experience has to work with ease, even for the newest players. Simple controls, pick-up-and-play interface, no need to mess around with manuals or tutorials (the game will have both, but the aim is not to need them). Accessibility also means working for everyone, and to that end we'll have customisable controls, multiple input methods (mouse, keyboard, joypad) and support for screenreaders in ASCII mode so that blind players can still fully enjoy the game.
  • Dynamic Flow - The pace of the game must be just right, allowing smooth and seamless flow throughout. Decision-making must come easily, without having to dig through menus. There should be no slow moments, no backtracking, and the player will be pushed forward throughout the game so that they never feel bored. This also applies to other game elements - dynamic soundtrack, adaptive animation, zero loading times. The game as a whole allows a satisfying run (ie a glorious death after having lots of fun) within 20 minutes, and completion within 2-3 hours, though actually reaching that stage will involve many attempts! We look forward to seeing what speedrunners can achieve.

Following these pillars will help us make sure we have a game that is rigorously designed and fun to play. We also take specific inspiration from well-designed games like Brogue, DCSS and FTL, with the fun of Doom thrown into the mix.

Some people asked about progression across games. Jupiter Hell will not have a system like Binding of Isaac or Rogue Legacy, where you can carry over upgrades or get benefits for future plays. This is a conscious design choice to avoid what can feel like scumming across multiple games to get the optimal run. Every character is equally likely to die in Jupiter Hell :) However we will have some tracking across games, such as multi-game achievements, story discoveries and potentially new character classes and starting position unlocks.

Of course a big part of the design will involve consulting with players. Alpha backers in particular will get a lot of opportunity to input into the content of the game, but if you want a significant voice into the design elements of the game then Inner Circle members (‘Supporter of Chaos' tier and above) will be in a very unique position to do that. They will get builds of the game from the end of the Kickstarter and access to internal design discussion forums.

Steam Hammer - New Kickstarter

by Silver, 22:51

Steam Hammer is a new sandbox, steampunk RPG now on Kickstarter and Steam early access.

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kickstarter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
steam store - http://store.steampowered.com/app/530560
facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SteamHammerGame
twitter - https://twitter.com/SteamHammerGame
twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/steam_hammer_
web and forum - http://steamhammer.us/

Steam Hammer is the first steampunk-based hardcore sandbox RPG.
You’ll get to join epic battles, hijack airships and seize forts. Free PvP for 64 players with a non-target combat system.

You can make modular buildings and unique steampunk equipment: steam motorcycles, military airships and even flying leviathans! Create and customize your own steam mechanical and bionic weapons. Use terraforming abilities to modify the terrains around you.

Technocrats from the Victorian Empire with all their might and steam-powered artifacts are at war with the Acribian rebels who keep the secrets of morphing mechanisms and living flesh. Each race has its own unique crafting system, weapons, equipment and architecture. There is also an open class system with various skills to develop.

Stay alive on the Acribo islands, reveal all their mysteries, harvest priceless celebrium, develop your technology, fight and conquer!

Craft your Glory, craft your Victory, craft your Steam Hammer!

Saturday - November 19, 2016

Path of Scion - New Kickstarter

by Silver, 19:05

A new kickstarter called Path of Scion has launched. It is described as a classic, story-oriented dark fantasy RPG with a unique manager aspect.

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The first Trailer of PoS.
http://www.pathofscion.com

Features

- RPG core with everything you'd expect from this like stats, skills, classes, spells etc.

- At least 3 character representing different playing styles

- A handful of factions whom you can interact with using a reputation based system, that describes your relations with them

- Hundreds of NPCs to get in touch with, get quests from or aid/harm - Diversified quests and chain of events that will shape the outcome of the game or the fate of an area

-Turn-based combat system where you have to plan your moves to take down the enemy, using terrain and external factors as tactical advantages

- A semi-manager game mechanism where you improve and take care of your base to get stronger and advance in the main plot

Friday - November 18, 2016

Hellhunter - Cursed Artifacts

by Silver, 10:10

The latest update for Hellhunters explains cursed artifacts and their effects. Ballistic Interactive has also launched a forum for the game.

What are cursed artifacts ?
In Hellhunter, "magic" is extremely rare, powerful, and always associated with darkness.
Today we'd like to talk about artifacts, which allow the user to access arcane powers, at the cost of a terrible curse.

Assembly
There are no free meals in Hellhunter, artifacts require expensive blueprints and rare materials, which are then assembled into the powerful items.
Each artifact will always require each of these gathering methods

  • Use the blueprint story to help manually locate materials in haunted houses.
  • Hunt specific enemies (e.g. shoelaces created from Kelpie hair)
  • Quest rewards

STALINGRAD BOOTS OF TORMENT
"Lieutenant Vasily Maslenkov, was known as the cat with nine lives during WW2’s battle of Stalingard.
One day he disappeared without a trace. Despite major research efforts .. all his platoon could ever find were these pair of worn boots, laying over a pool of blood."


Armor:
5 (medium)
Mobility: 80% (slightly restricted, no noise penalties)
Powers: 50% chance to dodge incoming projectiles
Curse: Rare chance for dark creepers to appear and attack user
Materials: Stalingrad’s outer, Stalingrad’s skull emblem, kelpie hair laces, werewolf sole, Silver eyelets

Thursday - November 17, 2016

Jupiter Hell - Kickstarter Live

by Silver, 23:10

Jupiter Hell is a turn-based sci-fi roguelike/RPG with modern 3D graphics, by the creator of Doom, the Roguelike. The game is seeking $60K and is off to a good start having already secured a third.

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Features

  • Classic roguelike! - Turn-based, grid based, procedurally generated environments and permadeath.
  • Several difficulty levels and dozens of challenge modes - no matter what skill level, there will be always something more to achieve, something nastier to master
  • Dynamic animation system - despite being turn-based, you never wait for the player to move, play as fast as you like and see the animation adapt to it
  • Streamlined UI and gameplay - no need for manuals, just jump in. Whether you want the easy way of playing by mouse, or the fast way by keyboard, the game offers both.
  • G(l)orious visuals - explosions, blood, dynamic shadows, effects galore.
  • Randomness! - from the big to the small, Jupiter Hell will never feel samey - the plot and missions will vary each game, the procedural levels will provide new tactical challenges, and even small finishing touches like background furniture will have variety to give a handmade feel.
  • Loot - Raid corpses and plunder secret corporate storehouses for kick-ass new weapons and armour.

Legrand Legacy - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 00:06

Semisoft launched a Kickstarter campaign for the JRPG Legrand Legacy:

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  • A fully immersive JRPG experience with a rich storyline, great graphics, and an immersive original soundtrack
  • Coming to PC via Steam once funded (we have already been Greenlit by the community!)
  • 3D models and original assets come together with stylized and gorgeous hand-drawn 2D backgrounds
  • Turn-based combat and tactical war scenes that will test not only your skill but also your wits and keep you on your toes
  • Recruit NPCs to revamp your Headquarters
  • Fully rendered 3D cinematics

Tuesday - November 15, 2016

Hellhunter - The Monster Guys Interview

by Silver, 19:35

In a podcast the Monster Guys have interviewed the developer behind Hellhunter which is currently being kickstarted.

Dear Hellhunters,

Here's an interview we've recently done with The Monster Guys podcast, they've been a huge influence to Hellhunter and we easily consider them the #1 Cryptozoology podcast out there.
In this 50min interview we talk about the development process, investigation and most importantly, going in depth into the various main enemies!

Tuesday - November 08, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Jupiter Hell

by Silver, 21:56

Jupiter Hell is a turn-based, science fiction roguelike rpg coming to kickstarter November 15th.

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http://jupiterhell.com/

Jupiter Hell, a modern, yet classic turn-based sci-fi roguelike, for Windows, Linux and OSX.
Spiritual successor to Doom, the Roguelike.

An epic battle of a lone marine against the forces of hell, taking place on the moons of Jupiter.

Coming to Kickstarter, November 15th!

More information:

http://jupiterhell.com/
https://facebook.com/ChaosForge
https://twitter.com/ChaosForge_org
https://twitter.com/epyoncf
https://twitch.tv/epyoncf
http://chaosforge.org/

Sunday - November 06, 2016

Rapture at Pale Gate - Kickstarter Launched

by Hiddenx, 17:22

A Kickstarter for Rapture at Pale Gate has been launched. A demo for this satirical RPG is already available:

Rapture at Pale Gate

Rapture at Pale Gate is an RPG where the characters know that they're inside a game – and they aren’t happy about it. 

In between battling monsters and fulfilling their destinies, our heroes will argue with the narrator, each other, and you over the quality of the writing, the graphics, and the incessant use of puns. Ever been frustrated by a game mechanic? These adventurers know how you feel.

Level up to hit things harder. Learn powerful spells and always wonder whether they're powerful enough to K.O. the bold kobold flying for you at eye height. Increase your vocabulary to channel the pun-demonium of your attacks. Maybe you’ll even discover what the hell is going on and why everybody is trying to kill you.

 

Thursday - November 03, 2016

Back From Hell - Kickstarter Launched

by Hiddenx, 21:54

The Kickstarter campaign for the CRPG puzzle game Back From Hell has started:

Back From Hell is a CRPG Puzzle/Adventure game set in two worlds, a 15th Century Spanish hilltop town and a journey to the depths of Hell and back again.

A free-roaming adventure, controlled with either a control pad or WASD (not point and click). We use a system of digitization to create our characters, similar to games like Mortal Kombat, Back From Hell does not feature any nasty 90's FMV. The living world of the village and its surroundings serve only as a beginning to the story, only a tiny portion of the game.  Most of the action in Back From Hell takes place in the depths of the afterlife.

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Thanks daveyd!

Hellhunter - Has reached 30% of its goal

by Silver, 08:53

Hellhunter is currently on Kickstarter and has reached 30% of its goal as reported in the latest update which lists some sites covering the game.

You can read more in the amazing articles below:

Popgeeks: Supernatural RPG Hellhunter Hits Kickstarter
IndieGames.com: Hellhunter challenges you to investigate and defeat otherworldly horrors
OneAngryGamer: Hellhunter, supernatural hunting game enters kickstarter
IndieGameBuzz: Interview with Ballistic Interactive about Hellhunter
Cliqist: Hellhunter Is The Supernatural Investigation RPG Of Our Nightmares
TheOuterHaven: Indie Spotlight: Hellhunter
Handsome Trustworthy: Potential reasons to back Hellhunter
DualShockers: Hellhunter Hits Kickstarter with a New Trailer

From the interview at IndieGameBuzz:

IGB: What were your inspirations for the project?

We've had numerous inspirations, but will list the most influential.
We're huge fans of the Dark souls series, and how the high challenge makes the reward so much more satisfying.
We also appreciate the more old school vibe of classic adventure games such as Gabriel Knight, where you could interact with everything, and had a more mature and dark subject matter.
For the horror element we have to tip our hat to games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent and how it had a deeper psychological approach rather than your usual jump scare.

IGB: What tools and technology are you using?

As we've been working commercially with Unity3D for many years now, it was our natural choice for the game engine. Its flexibility allows us to create a more unique game such as Hellhunter.
We've also used tools such as Modo, Photoshop and Zbrush for the various haunted environments and diabolical creatures!

IGB: What are the main challenges you have encountered during the process?

As we are both professional Game Developers (and not marketers), we have found the marketing aspect the biggest challenge so far, getting the word out there is not as easy as it seems!
Luckily we've been simply overwhelmed with the support so far, people are sharing it left/right and center, we cannot thank you guys enough! :)
...

Friday - October 28, 2016

Hellhunter - Kickstarter Launched

by Silver, 22:05

The Hellhunter Kickstarter is now live. Hellhunter is a supernaturally themed investigative procedural rpg where you are a freelance hunter tasked with hunting unknown entities.

Hellhunter is a supernatural investigative hunting RPG, where you assume the role of a freelance hunter building your career towards uncovering the ultimate terror.

However with each job, the level is procedurally generated, and the true identity of the supernatural creature is not revealed. It is up to you to explore and investigate it, to determine the tools needed to vanquish the hostile entity, which creates an intense and unique experience for every hunt.

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Wednesday - October 26, 2016

Iron Tides - On Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 23:34

The survival strategy game Iron Tides is 2/3 funded on Kickstarter with 6 days to go:

  • A World Without End: Explore a procedurally generated ocean full of danger and chance encounters. Discover hidden coves, long lost relics, and ominous temples as you venture ever further into the east. Choose your battles carefully and stay vigilant.
  • Viking Colonies: Discover lost viking colonies, and enjoy a brief respite from the turmoil of the sea. Resupply your hold, recruit fresh warriors and sell whatever isn't worth carrying back home.
  • Encounters Upon the High Seas: Explore dusty ruins, bribe corrupt enemy garrisons, and haggle with lost merchants. Build your own story through small narrative encounters. Will you rob a king's tomb and risk the wrath of the gods? Will you take the effort to plunder statues when your warriors only want food?
  • A Place to Call Home: After a successful voyage return to your stronghold of Norhaven. Sing songs for the fallen, purchase newly available wares, recruit new warriors, and plan the next raiding season.
  • No Two Vikings Exactly Alike: Each viking has four abilities. One of these is a fixed default attack, but the other three are drawn from a pool of seven abilities particular to their class. In addition, each warrior has a unique, procedurally generated upgrade path, allowing for a diverse range of possibilities.
  • Dead Warriors Live Only In Memory: The halls of Valhalla sing with glory as each Viking meets their end. Unfortunately for you and your crew, your lost warriors will not come back and help on the next raid.

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Monday - October 17, 2016

Hellhunter - On Kickstarter end of October

by Silver, 22:16

Hellhunter is a new kind of RPG about being a supernatural investigative hunter in your quest to uncovering the ultimate terror. Expect the kickstarter at the end of October.

Hellhunter is a supernatural investigative hunting RPG, where you assume the role of a freelance hunter building his career towards uncovering the ultimate terror.

However with each job, the level is procedurally generated, and the true identity of the supernatural creature is not revealed. It is up to you to explore and investigate it, to determine the tools needed to vanquish the hostile entity.

Death lurks in every corner. Do you have what it takes to become a hellhunter?

Kickstarter end of OCT! Ingame footage updates on Facebook & Twitter!

[...]

Features

  • Hellhunter is a hardcore single player hunting game centralized around investigating and hunting supernatural enemies.
  • Dark & unique art direction, using light & shadows to create a mysterious haunting atmosphere, with carefully tailored animation bringing the game to life.
  • Procedural level generation, mixed with dynamic clue and enemy generation makes for a massively replayable experience. Clues are logically scattered around the level which the player has to find and decipher.
  • Character progression & customization, with countless hightech gadgets, weapons and consumables.
  • Contrasting gameplay, starts with careful investigation involving stealth, but progresses to fast paced intense combat by the end of a job.

Saturday - October 15, 2016

RPG NITE Team 4 - Military Hacking RPG

by Silver, 21:00

@PCGamesN There is a game on kickstarter with an interesting premise for an RPG called RPG NITE Team 4.It is described as a story-driven military hacking simulation game with strategy and RPG elements featuring cyberwarfare scenarios. It is already funded and has plenty of days left to raise stretch goals.

Alice & Smith, a Canadian game studio versed in blending the real world with game elements in their ARG The Black Watchmen, will continue the themes of intelligence analysis and RPG-like progression with a militarised hacking simulator.

Network Intelligence & Technical Evaluation (NITE) Team 4 will feature all the immersive tradecraft terminology you'll find in any of the NSA leaks of the past decade while also using a simple command-line interface to make you feel like you're that guy in the balaclava in all those stock photos of hackers.

Controlling elements of a game through coding is becoming an interesting little niche after the success of sci-fi titles like Duskers, where you control a small team of robots scavenging through abandoned spaceships.

The Kickstarter is already past its modest $30,000 CAD goal but there's 21 days left to throw in your bucks for any of the game's pledge rewards, including your own tailored ARG experience for 24 hours complete with hacking and actors and everything (if you've got 7,500 canadian casholas to drop on it).

Friday - October 14, 2016

Jupiter Hell - Kickstarter in November

by Hiddenx, 23:24

Farflame spotted the tactical rogue-like Jupiter Hell coming to Kickstarter in November:

Jupiter Hell is a roguelike set in a 90's flavored hard sci-fi universe. Set on the moons of Jupiter, the game pits a lone space marine against overwhelming demonic forces. Rip and tear zombies, demons and unmentionable monstrosities, using classic weaponry, including (but not limited to!) shotguns, chainguns, railguns and the trusty chainsaw. All to the shine of CRT monitors and the tune of heavy metal!

Dive deep into a true form of the 30 year old roguelike game genre that has resurged in popularity. Experience turn-based, grid-based permadeath and fully procedural levels, all in glorious 3D visuals. Get ready for the spiritual successor to DoomRL, the parody roguelike that years ago streamlined the traditional format and popularised a new wave of accessible roguelikes. Distilled, hardcore gameplay, fast-paced challenge and limitless death all await.

Welcome to Jupiter Hell.

 

Roguelike!

  • Permadeath adds tension and significance to gameplay decisions
  • Turn-based and grid-based world to emphasise tactical decision making
  • Procedural environments mean you never know what’s lurking behind the next corner
  • Brutal but fair difficulty will have you constantly coming back for more

Fast-paced Gameplay

  • Dynamic turn-based action with adaptive animation lets you play at your own pace
  • Intuitive UI for clear and fast decision-making
  • Streamlined gameplay centres on the action instead of menu micromanagement
  • Action-centric game flow with repeated peaks of blood-stained joy

Expert Procedural Generation

  • Sadistic algorithms create unending challenges
  • Randomised missions intertwine with adaptive plot arcs for continuous variety
  • Generated events and environmental interactions keep you constantly engaged
  • Built upon decades of expertise in producing truly engaging procedural content

Ruthless Enemies

  • Highly varied enemies require different strategies to beat, especially in combination
  • Unique enemy behaviours and skills
  • Legendary boss battles that will test your worth as a player
  • Advanced difficulty modes and special challenges for the most masochistic players

 

Thursday - October 13, 2016

Tiny Metal - Turn Based Tactics

by Silver, 12:57

@nichegamer Tiny Metal is described as a turn based tactics game being made by a bunch of grizzled Japanese devs. It is currently on kickstarter with a $50,000 goal and is half-way with 5 days remaining

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Hiroki Kikuta, known mostly for creating the iconic Secret of Mana soundtrack, is also a "total military otaku." He's such a fan of the genre that he's making what can only be realistically described as a spiritual successor to Advance Wars.

Dubbed simply Tiny Metal, the new turn-based strategy game is set for a release on PC, Mac, Linux, and PlayStation 4, and will be published by American publisher Area 34 sometime in June of next year.

Kikuta-san will be overseeing the entire development of the game, with I Am Setsuna composer Tomoki Miyoshi. The team is described as being made up of "grizzled Japanese veterans" including Kikuta and Miyoshi, however most are currently unable to reveal their identities due to obligations to existing employers.

Kikuta pledges to avoid typical crowdfunding pitfalls, even noting that most team members have worked together in the past on "many small to blockbuster" titles. Coming from this, there's even a playable prototype for the game, which you can download here.

Tuesday - October 11, 2016

Back From Hell - Kickstarter on the 1st of November

by Hiddenx, 20:40

Photoplay Games will start a Kickstarter campaign for the the Action RPG Back From Hell on the 1st of November:

Back From Hell will launch on Kickstarter on the 1st of November 2016.

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Back From Hell is an upcoming ARPG puzzle/adventure game set in two worlds: a 15th Century Spanish hilltop town and a journey to the depths of Hell and back again. The player in this photorealistic 2.5D game will fight for the injustice his family has suffered, battling his way in the underworld, and taking decisions which could possibly lead to devastating consequences.

In both worlds you will encounter a unique cast of fully voiced characters that bring the world of Back From Hell to life, all interactions and your subsequent decisions will have weight and impact. Conversations will be critical to solving many multiple first and third person puzzles and present the player with many difficult ethical choices as the game evolves. Back From Hell will also have a complex action RPG combat system, with multiple weapons and magical abilities to help you dispatch a wide array of enemies.

Back From Hell is a reinvention and combination of several classic titles, taking infulence from quintessential RPG titles like Zelda and Diablo, puzzle elements from genre defining titles such as Monkey Island and MYST and combat from classic 16-bit beat-em ups all with an updated HD version of 90's digitized sprites.

Sunday - October 09, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Roundup A-Z

Monday - October 03, 2016

Backdrop - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 12:01

Backdrop tries to be a different RPG - now on Kickstarter:

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There are so many new ideas in the game, that it is hard to boil them down to one short description, but here is the overview of what we think are the most exciting ones!

The story starts deceptively familiar: Once upon a time a young Prince and his beloved Princess are set to marry. But right before the altar, she is abducted by demons in league with an envious neighbouring lord. Now our Prince was supposed to play his part in the unfolding familiar tale, but filled with rage he instead denounces the deities that rule the world and doled out his cruel fate. Devastated but defiant, he embarks on a journey to win back his beloved and finally free himself from the destiny the gods have ordained.

WORLD SETTING

In Backdrop, environment and characters are made out of paper, cloth, wood and other materials exactly like props in a theatre. Apart from giving the game that great and unique look, the physics of the world thus follow unusual rules: You can slash holes in the background, blow away your enemies with a gust of wind or be burnt to cinders by a candle toppled over during a heated fight. Finding ways to use the environment to the best possible effect is very important in our game.

DRAMATIC COMBAT

In plays emotions are big, drama lurks in every corner and words can speak louder than actions. Much more consequential than a few multiple choice dialogues, in Backdrop words can literally hurt or heal, move mountains and open doors. Words are a very real thing in this world and their power is boundless. So own your words! Here is a short sample of how words work in Backdrop:

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Combat is of course not done with words only - swordplay and action-filled fights are an important part of the game. Your thrusts and manoeuvres will be different for each weapon, from a succession of lightning-fast stabs with the dagger to a fatal swing with the massive pole axe (if your mask's personality can wield it).

[...]

Z'Isle - On Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 11:49

Z'Isle is a tactical RPG that features exploration, zombies and turn-based combat:

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GAMEPLAY FEATURES:

  • Lead your crew of survivors through the undead-filled streets of Montreal in turn-based tactical combat and exploration
  • Customize your main character and recruit new squad members from a diverse cast of survivors ranging in ethnicity, sexual identity, career backgrounds and more
  • Battle against undead feeders and hostile survivors with unique combat mechanics that enhance the tension of each encounter
  • Execute feeders before they rise again and pump antidote into any character that receives a bite before they start turning
  • Perform special combo attacks using multiple characters based on their interpersonal chemistry
  •  Improve your team’s morale and chemistry as relationships develop dynamically between characters based on their actions during missions
  • Explore the environments to collect resources and new crafting materials
  • Build your community between missions using a dynamic base-building skill tree
  • Craft and discover new weapons and mission items out of upcycled technology
  • Manage your community’s resources and manpower by assigning your population to the various buildings
  • Maintain your town’s morale and reputation to improve the performance of each building and to attract new survivors to your community
  • Choose different paths during story-based and procedurally generated events in your town and when encountering other communities around the city
  • Complete random side quests to collect resources, find survivors and build the experience of your squad Review your unique story in the Chronicle, an illustrated journal maintained by your main character that chronicles your actions as you progress

Saturday - September 24, 2016

Lion and Snake - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 10:49

Petr Luchko launched a Kickstarter campaign for his RPG Lion and Snake. The game features turn based combat and can be played in single player and co-op mode.

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Lion and Snake is a new RPG with turn-based combat elements, and a memorable story. Explore and interact with everything in this world.

Wednesday - September 21, 2016

Light Fairytale Episode 1 - Kickstarter launched

by Hiddenx, 18:08

The J-RPG Light Fairytale Episode 1 is now on Kickstarter:

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Introduction

Light Fairytale is a turn-based Japanese-style RPG set in a dying underground world ruled by a fierce empire. Inspired by classics such as Final Fantasy 7 and Breath of Fire 5.

The first episode is coming in 2017 on PC and Consoles. In English and Japanese.

Vision

The goal of this project is to bring back the immersion and emotion of 90's JRPGs, but with modern graphics and gameplay systems.

I think the reason why most recent games in the genre have failed to impress is their overly complicated stories and the realistic direction they are taking. This does not leave much to the imagination and just doesn't feel like the naive drama stories we used to love.

Most game-systems in those games are also too complex and require lots of time and dedication to start to be fun. I personally believe in quick and easy to understand, but hard to master gameplay mechanics.

This is exactly what I'm trying to achieve with Light Fairytale: A light yet touching story, with a simple but addictive gameplay!

[...]

 

Monday - September 12, 2016

Alkimya - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 05:21

Alkimya - an Alchemy Action-Adventure Game - is now on Kickstarter:

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Meet Alkimya! Enter a fresh fantasy world. A wonderous place of science, adventure and mystery. A home for homunculi, chimeras and master alchemists. Explore forgotten places like a homunculus factory in a volcano and a submerged temple in a swamp. Advance through them using all your alchemical knowledge!

Alkimya is an action-adventure game based entirely on alchemy, that lets you create your own potions and use them as bombs, tonics and sword oils. Besides fighting against fearsome enemies and huge bosses, you will have to solve puzzles and transform your environment to become a true master alchemist!

Saturday - July 09, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Buck Update

by Hiddenx, 00:32

With 13 days to go the 2d post apocalytic action adventure Buck is more than 50% funded:

Grit the Narrator

Welcome to a new video update for Buck! Today we'll take a look at Grit, one of the major characters in the game who will serve as the narrator during your adventure!

Grit came into existence completely by accident. While we did know from the get go that the game would have a narrating character, we had absolutely no idea what kind of animal he'd be, how he would look, and what his voice would be like.

While working on a story-board for one of Buck's very first cinematic scenes, Adi had drawn a background character on a sign. We took a hard look at that, and realized we might be on to something! Checkout the video below to see what he drew and how it inspired both us to create Grit the Narrator.

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[...]

Tuesday - July 05, 2016

Spy DNA - Interview with Developers

by Silver, 01:20

@OneAngryGamer they interview Spy DNAs Alex and Jason about the game which is currently on kickstarter seeking $150K.

sneaky stuff
It's not often in games that we get to play as bona fide spies. It's even rarer that we get sandbox games that rely on stealth mechanics and espionage. In fact, the sub-genre is defined mostly by two series, Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid. Well, if things go well for the Kickstarter from Alex Maier and Jason Sams from Shy Snake Games, we could be adding another game to the list of turn-based, stealth-oriented espionage titles.

The name of the game is Spy DNA and it's currently seeking funds on Kickstarter. The game sees players being put in charge of a squad of super spies, with the leader of the squad being the player's own created character.

Spy DNA takes place in the not too distant future, and the game will feature more than 20 hours of gameplay with a variety of missions and locations to visit. I had an opportunity to pick the brains of Alex and Jason about their upcoming project, asking about the what makes this turn-based, sandbox, RPG different from other games out there as well as what you can expect from the actual gameplay. You can check out the Q&A below or learn more by checking out the game's Kickstarter page.

One Angry Gamer: First up, I think the one thing that stands out the most about the Spy DNA project is the fact that you are a husband and wife team working on the game. Is this your first project together or have you been working on games together previous to Spy DNA?

Alex: This is our first game project together, but not the first time we've built something as a team. We work very well together. After seeing the film "Oblivion" our inside joke is that we're an effective team.

OAG: What exactly drew you to the spy genre with turn-based combat as the centerpiece of the gameplay?

Jason: This is actually a long story. I have been running pen and paper (PnP) RPGs off and on for over 20 years. A long time ago we were playing a hyper-realistic pen-and-paper game which was fun, but the players couldn't understand it, and it was difficult to run. At some point I wrote a computer program to replace the book rules and be my GMs tool. It evolved over the years to the point that it now serves character sheets as HTML, and the players can use their phone or tablet to see their character status in real time.

One of the players asked if it could be turned into a computer game. That got us thinking, and Alex started to run with some story ideas and Spy DNA was born.

I built a computer simulation engine for the combat based on that past experience. You can do a much better simulation when it can be physics-based and not limited by the tables and dice rolls of PnP.

We describe Spy DNA as being turn based because of the pacing of gameplay. We felt the most important thing about the gameplay was keeping that feeling of control and awareness that comes from turn based games. We both enjoy games of thought and wanted to build one.

So It feels like a turn based game to the player. However, the underlying simulation engine operates in real time. It slices the time up and presents it to the player in turns of varying length. This gives the player time to think and strategize. We did this to get around the normal realism limits of turn based games.

We were attracted to the spy genre for a couple reasons. It allows for a much deeper stealth and dialog system and is a much better fit for a story line than a straight combat oriented game.

Tuesday - June 28, 2016

Wizard of Legend - A Closer Look at Arcana Combinations

by Nyx, 13:13

The last kickstarter update for Wizard of Legend shows us some sweet wizard action as they show us some of the games combat combo potential.

 

We wanted to take the time to highlight some of the nuances of the combat by focusing on arcana combinations. Part of the progression in Wizard of Legend is learning the effects of each arcana you come across and how to best use them in conjunction with the ones in your deck.

A quick example of this would be the synergy between our Freezing Lunge and Ball Lightning arcana.

 

Read more here

Monday - June 27, 2016

Ikenfell - New Lighthearted RPG

by Silver, 11:22

@Cliqist described Ikenfell as a cross between Paper Mario and Harry Potter. It is currently being kickstarted and asking for a total of $25K CAD and with $23K already and 26 days to go is sure to fund.

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Ikenfell is a JRPG adventure about witches, wizards, the school they attend, & the trouble they get into. Inspired by quirky RPGs like Paper Mario, Earthbound, and the world of Harry Potter.

Ikenfell's music is created by aivi & aurasshu, composers for Steven Universe. Listen to more of their tracks here: https://soundcloud.com/aivisura

Ikenfell is a JRPG with a mix of turn-based and timing-based battle mechanics with a heavy focus on characters and story. Rather than being a classic RPG, it is inspired by quirky games such as Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Earthbound, and Robotrek. It is also inspired by magical teen stories such as Harry Potter and Carry On.
  • Magical duels in an original turn-based RPG battle system
  • Time your hits to increase spellpower and block incoming attacks
  • Explore a sprawling and mysterious school of magic and secrets
  • Meet a huge cast of strange and diverse characters
  • Find hidden spells, items & equipment to aid you
  • A touching story of friendship, rivalry, & romance... in many forms <3

[...]

There aren't enough words that could describe how stoked I am for Ikenfell. It has everything going for it and I honestly can't find anything negative to say based on its kickstarter campaign. Imagine taking a strategy RPG, like Fire Emblem, and throwing it in the three row combat system of the Mega Man Battle Network series with the timed actions of Paper Mario.

combat system

[...]

The artwork is pretty amazing too. Every character has an adorable pixel art portrait that expresses so much about their personality. Even the attack animations look great despite their small sprite size. However, the environments are a little underwhelming compared to the rest of the visuals. That isn't to say they are horrible, just that the rest of the art sets such a high standard that the environments stand out as less detailed. Also, if that trailer song sounds familiar then you'll be happy to know it is by aivi & surasshu, the duo behind all of the music for Steven Universe.

Saturday - June 25, 2016

Buck - Now on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 08:43

Buck is a 2D post-apocalyptic action adventure with player driven dialogue, weapon customization and fast-paced combat:

In this Metroidvania-style game you play as Buck, a motorcycle garage mechanic who decides to leave everything behind to find the truth behind the disappearance of a girl. Buck struggles to adjust himself to a world he doesn't fully understand. Traverse the wasteland while fighting and talking your way though junkyards, mountain passes, ghost towns and survivor outposts. As the game progresses, Buck gradually pieces together the reasons that brought this world, and its rugged inhabitants, to their knees...

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Friday - June 24, 2016

Epic Tavern - Four More Days

by Myrthos, 13:18

The game is already funded, but you can still throw your money at is as well for the next four days, to be able to rule the land from a tavern, in Epic Tavern.

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Epic Tavern: The first management-RPG where you rule the land from your Tavern. Recruit heroes, send them on quests, reap the rewards!

The story begins with friendship and drinks! Songs of heroic exploits, arguing over who killed the biggest dragon, and bar fights over shares of loot. Promises are made and broken, plans are set, and adventurers gear up for tomorrow’s quest.

Epic Tavern-- combining classic RPG elements with a unique combination of roster management and social simulation gameplay.

  • Player Choice: In Epic Tavern, every quest choice made and every adventurer befriended could unlock new quests, new alliances, access to characters, items, and tavern building opportunities. The experience grows as you play - your choices will directly steer the fate of your intrepid adventurers!
  • The Tavernmaster: You and your tavern are at the center of this experience. Your choices determine the mood and atmosphere of your establishment, bringing heroes and stories together in a social simulation of relationship building. This is where friendships and rivalries are made, and great adventures are started. In Epic Tavern, you build the destiny of your world, one drink at a time.
  • The Adventurers: A multitude of characters drawn from many classes and walks of life will visit your tavern. Mages, warriors, assassins, and more will be at your disposal! Befriend them over drinks and learn their secrets. Between quests, take their experience, level them up, and choose the direction in which they grow.
  • The World: You will send your new friends on quests to explore the land of Beor. These quests unfold into a storyline unique to your playthrough. Epic Tavern pushes the limits of a player-centric narrative and creates a brand new model of the classic choose-your-own-path experience. The impact of your choices will inexorably change your adventurers and the World itself!
  • Replayability: In-game achievements confer bonuses and allow you to delve further into the mysteries of the world of Epic Tavern on each successive playthrough, creating a startlingly replayable experience that will never be the same twice.

Thursday - June 23, 2016

Wizard of Legend - Dungeon Crawler on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 12:40

If you don't mind not having 3D high-res graphics and are into dungeon crawlers than perhaps you might want to take a look at Wizard of Legend, which is currently on Kickstarter, trying to get funded ($50,000). It also comes with a demo.

Wizard of Legend is a fast paced dungeon crawler with rogue-like elements where you assume the role of a powerful wizard intent on overcoming the Chaos Trials to become the next Wizard of Legend.

Exploration of the dungeons is a seamless experience as you travel from one room to the next in search of powerful spells and items to aid you on your quest. All of the dungeon layouts are procedurally generated and are comprised of both randomly generated rooms as well as precrafted experiences. Enemy placement is also handled procedurally and enemies will gain new behaviors and spells of their own as you progress further into the game. In addition, each dungeon contains other would-be allies that will help you on your adventure.

Combat in Wizard of Legend is a blend of rapid movement and magic that involves chaining spells together to defeat enemies while quickly repositioning to avoid incoming attacks. The use of dashing spells is key in allowing you to control the pace of combat by staying at an optimal range to cast spells at enemies near and far.

Wizard of Legend will also feature local multiplayer game modes for cooperative and versus experiences. Co-op mode will throw two players into a more challenging adventure while Versus mode will pit them head to head in a match of intense magical combat.

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Tuesday - June 21, 2016

Spy DNA - Now On Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:19

The tactical squad RPG Spy DNA is now on Kickstarter:

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Spy DNA is a tactical squad RPG that combines turn-based game mechanics with realistic combat simulation.

The game puts you in command of a small team of super-spies. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to fight to preserve our way of life and stop those that want destroy it.

Using advanced genetic modification technology, you create and enhance your super-spy character to match your playstyle. You’ll lead a squad of spies with unique talents on missions around the globe.

We are greatly inspired by the RPGs of the past that made the genre popular in the first place: Jagged Alliance, Silent Storm, and the original XCOM.

Spy DNA will be available to play on Windows PCs.

Friday - June 17, 2016

Defenders of Naxia - Now on Kickstarter

by Silver, 08:44

Defenders of Naxia is an action rpg from Novel Geometry and features a instant hot-swap ability for your ranged and melee characters. There is already a pre-alpha demo for backers to try. The game is on kickstarter seeking $120,000 CAD with 27 days to go. Below is a gameplay video from Randomise User.

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Defenders of Naxia gameplay of action-RPG where you swap ranged & melee characters on the fly in this Defenders of Naxia pre-alpha demo. Subscribe for more gameplay videos: http://bit.ly/RandomiseUser

Now on Kickstarter! This let's play Defenders of Naxia gameplay video looks at the pre-alpha demo available from the Kickstarter campaign.

Defenders of Naxia gameplay is an action-RPG with roguelike/roguelite elements. You can swap characters with a keypress - in the demo this allows you to play either melee or ranged characters, plus you can cast spells and level up your skill tree.

In this let's play Defenders of Naxia gameplay video we play a few times, die a few times and tonk a thousand skeletons!

Sunday - June 12, 2016

Fabular - 80% funded

by Hiddenx, 09:32

With 62 hours to go the 2d space rogue-like Fabular: Once upon a Spacetime is 80% funded:

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A Medieval Space Folktale with Action-RPG and Roguelike influences.
Coming for PC, Xbox One and PS4.

Wednesday - June 08, 2016

Moonlighter - Funded and into stretchgoals

by Silver, 05:03

Moonlighter is an action rpg with rogue lite elements which focuses on Will, a shopkeeper who aspires to be a hero. The game has been promoted by the Square Enix Collective and has already funded on kickstarter. Moonlighter is currently focusing on stretch goals, which with 25 days to go, will be interesting to see how many the developers are willing to do.

We're finishing the first week of Moonlighter's campaign, and we've already reached the 152% of our goal! Thank you all!

Now, let's talk a bit more about the amazing Stretch Goals that you've unlocked:

Thematic armor sets

Each Realm will have its own unique special armor set. This armor will be available only after defeating the Realm's boss, and getting the necessary items to craft it.

We want each armor set to feel very related to its culture. Here you have some early concepts:

We want each armor set to feel very related to its culture. Here you have some early concepts:

Special shop: The Hawker

The Hawker is a mysterious character that will visit Rynoka unfrequently. He carries strange items from unknown places, that will be available for sale at high prices.

Will probably can't find this kind of objects anywhere else, so it is important for him to reach the Hawker on each of his visits to the village!

Here you have some early sketches about how the Hawker's shop will look like:

hawkers shop
Any feedback will be, as always, welcome! Thank you again for your support!

Sunday - May 29, 2016

Fabular - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 11:43

The 2d space rogue-like Fabular has been greenlit on Steam:

We have fabulous news fellow Fabularians, and since a picture speaks a thousand words.

Huge thanks to everyone who voted for us!

We've spent less than two weeks in Greenlight and climbed into the top 100 games very quickly. Big thanks to everyone who voted on us, and also for the appreciative and sometimes even moving comments you've made!

This means that we can publish Fabular on the Steam platform when it is finished and ready to go. Now there is only one thing left to do: we have to get this Kickstarter funded! :)

So please get out there and use this new momentum to share the Kickstarter and the game with your friends and colleagues, or even complete strangers, heck, they might like it.

Let’s make more members of the Fabular Family! <3

-> Kickstarter

Wednesday - May 25, 2016

Guardians of the Rose - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:36

A Kickstarter campaign for the Aventure RPG Guardians of the Rose has just started:

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Guardians of the Rose is a story-driven 2D action adventure RPG. It controls like a modernized, fast-paced version of old-school Zelda and Gauntlet games with the RPG elements of the Elder Scrolls Series.

Saturday - May 14, 2016

Fabular - New on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 14:25

A new 2D-Action RPG is on Kickstarter right now: Fabular: Once upon a Spacetime

New trailer:

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Setting for a release next autumn for PC, PS4 and Xbox One, Fabular: Once upon a Spacetime offers a unique blend of the tactical depth of classic action-RPGs with the procedural generation and text-based events of modern roguelikes, meanwhile immersing players in a never-before-seen universe of surreal retro-futurism.
In this artistic mashup of the Middle Ages, folktales and outer space, you take on a hero's journey as the King's youngest child. You explore the furthest corners of the Galaxy in your trusty spacecraft and engage other space-faring knights and creatures in battle using a unique, techno-fantasy themed skillset. As a young medieval knight on a quest in outer space, players explore an abstract, storybook-like universe and engage other space-faring knights and creatures in close and ranged combat using a unique techno-fantasy skillset.
Fabular: Once upon a Spacetime is inspired by traditional folktales and famous fairy tales from such charismatic authors as the Grimm Brothers. The player controls the King’s youngest heir who is on a mission to reclaim the Sun itself, stolen and caged by the dreadful League of Black Knights who terrorize the realm as if they were a Seven-Headed Dragon. The King sent his army, his most loyal men and his two older sons after the Black Knights but all of them failed. It is now down to his youngest to go across seven mythical Realms, defeat each Black Knight and restore equilibrium to the Kingdom.
Being avid gamers themselves, the developers gained inspiration from such fan favourite titles as FTL: Faster Than Light, Star Control and Path of Exile, while creating a brand new and original experience.

Features:

  • Top-down, physics-based action combat with stylish real-time-lit pixel art visuals and smooth animation
  • An artistic vision of the Middle Ages infused with futuristic elements, as medieval knights clash in armoured spaceships
  • Deep and atmospheric universe with dozens of procedurally generated out-of-this-world environments on an ever-changing starmap
  • Hundreds of randomly generated text based events featuring colorful characters, locations and items inspired by classical folktales such as Seven-League Boots, Table-Be-Set or The Puss in Boots
  • Multiple playable ship types, upgrades, skills, items, loot and lots of unlockables providing plenty of replayability

 

Wednesday - May 11, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Roundup

by Hiddenx, 20:47

Another Kickstarter roundup:

Omni Link:

A different kind of visual novel featuring space exploration, real-time tactical combat, character driven plot, & choices that matter.

30 days to go

$465 from $5500 funded

Heroes of Shaola:

Story-driven RPG with addictive plots, unique characters and fun gameplay.

28 days to go

$60 from $1000 funded

InSomnia:

Single player/co-op RPG in a retrofuturistic world. Explore a half deserted metropolis, slowly making its way through the universe.

16 days to go

27.998 £ from 55.000 £ funded

Himeko Sutori:

An epic adventure putting you in control of 100+ unique heroes in tactical turn-based battles.

6 days to go

$10.170 from $10.000 funded

Krai Mira:

Krai Mira is a post-apocalyptic RPG that takes place on radioactive wastelands and swamps, dead settlements, caves and forests.

13 days to go

3.102 £ from 2.000 £ funded

The second stretch goal has been reached.

Arcadian Atlas:

Arcadian Atlas is a 2D isometric tactical role playing game about the choices people make in pursuit of the things they love, and the havoc it wreaks on a kingdom.

0 days to go

$95.204 from $90.000 funded

Slacker backers can pre-order via PayPal now.

The stretch goals have been shuffled around.

Thursday - May 05, 2016

Gods Among Pirates - On Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 23:22

The crowdfunding campaign for Gods among Pirates has started on Kickstarter and they are asking for 85K Euro.

Here is the press release providing some info.

Gods among Pirates - Create your story in cooperative mode
With Gods among Pirates we want to approach the classic pen-and-paper RPGs to the world of Videogames.


Set on a steampunk pirate world, Gods among Pirates offers to the players the opportunity to become part of a universe where there are plenty of pirate crews, floating islands, flying ships and a group of capricious Gods that will shape the destiny of the Pirates at their will.

Gods among Pirates is not another Role Playing Game, it is The Role Playing Game.

On Gods among Pirates you will have at your disposal a great variety of customization elements that will allow you to live immersive adventures on a 3D world form a third person perspective.

GaP Game wants to transmit the main experience of tabletop role playing games  where the Master creates a story setting and the heroes play it.
The essence of Gods among Pirates, the point that makes it different from the rest of videogames, is the fact that the players share the control of the story, where any of them can change the course of it in real time.

Every adventure needs a God
On Gods among Pirates, it will be the Master the one who controls the story; Taking the role of a god you will be able to create your own maps and objectives so that any adventure is like the previous one.

You will control the situation from the skies, having a great arsenal of powers such as the capability of possessing any of your units, controlling them with a third person camera.

Control your character, Control your story, Control your game

On the game you will be free to join the adventures as an omnipotent God and be the master, or take the role of a legendary Pirate and live endless stories designed by the capricious gods.

Take on your role in a group

Play as Pirate
·         Choose your prefered hero role
·         Evolve and play your hero your own way
·         Customize your behaviour
·         Customize your hero with lots of different items
·         Fight in real time
·         Conversations with NPCs have never been so interactive.

Play as God
·         Become the Master of the adventure
·         Create your own maps and objectives to challenge the heroes
·         Use your powers to control the situation from the perspective of a God
·         Control your subjects and bosses by possessing them
·         Evolve as a Master to obtain more and more powers
Either if you want to be a God or a Pirate, you will always be in control over your character, your story and your game.

"Gods among Pirates" is the first videogame currently in development of the spanish indie studio Ahrledia Games, a project that wants to approach the classic tabletop RPGs to the world of videogames, and which hopes to be supported through a crowdfunding campaign on kickstarter during this month of May.
For more information you can visit the official website of the game: http://www.godsamongpirates.com/

Kickstarter Games - Kickstarter Roundup

by Hiddenx, 10:22

Kickstarter RPG News:

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows:

funded / 6 hours to go

City of the Shroud:

funded / 31 hours to go

Healer's Quest:

71% funded / 38 hours to go

Arcadian Atlas:

63% funded / 3 days to go

Himeko Sutori:

97% funded / 12 days to go

InSomnia:

32% funded / 22 days to go

Thursday - April 28, 2016

The Wild Eight - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 22:02

The pre-alpha demo for the survival game The Wild Eight is out now:

The Pre-Alpha Demo is Live!

Today, we’ve released the Pre-Alpha Demo for The Wild Eight. This is a big step for us, since it’s the first playable code we’ve shared with the community.

The Pre-Alpha Demo was created to demonstrate some basic in-game mechanics. It’s not a final product in any way :)

-> download

We did not include multiplayer in this build, so your character will wake up alone near the crash site. Survival time! After figuring out the controls, don’t run straight away from the wreckage: Try to find something useful there...

[...]

Wednesday - April 27, 2016

Fear Effect Sedna - Kickstarter Updates

by Hiddenx, 22:26

Fear Effect Sedna is almost 60% funded on Kickstarter with 15 days to go:

Hey!

The campaign is now halfway through, it’s been an incredible journey so far, and with almost 60% done, we can be very confident - even if we still need all your support! -. The most incredible thing so far is without any doubt, the dialog we started with Fear Effect’s fans. Last week, John Zuur Platten, writer and producer of Fear Effect 1, who’s working with us on Sedna, conducted a Q&A exchange on our Facebook page.
And yesterday, we had an AMA session on Reddit. We made some announcements.

Big news are coming in the upcoming weeks, the whole team is working very hard to surprise you, I really can’t wait to show you what we prepared.
Meanwhile, you can find here some excerpt, and you can check the whole discussions on Facebook and Reddit. 

Pablosamo: Any chances for a second trailer before the KS campaign ends? Sushee_Benjamin: Sure, we're working hard on it! We want to show you an extended gameplay video, with death scenes, puzzles, fights, exploration, new environments... Everything you can expect from Fear Effect!

Scottie Mick: What inspired the mix of cyberpunk and ancient folklore/supernatural elements?
John Zuur Platten: Stan had grown up in Hong Kong, so he brought the Chinese mythology aspect. We were all fans of cyberpunk - Blade Runner, William Gibson (Mona Lisa Overdrive, Neuromancer), Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash), Ghost in the Shell, etc. so we thought it would be fun to mash this all together. Also, as Eidos had Lara Croft running around ancient locations, it really gave us a chance to have our heroes go someplace we knew Lara would never find herself.

[...]

Kickstarter Games - Chronicle of Ruin Update #3

by Silver, 04:04

Chronicle of Ruin is a real-time tactical JRPG epic with inspiration from Ogre Battle, Final Fantasy VI, and Final Fantasy Tactics. It is on kickstarter at the moment having raised 5K of a 36K goal with 22 days remaining and is the work of one developer named Andrew Silverman. Check out his devlog for more info or to offer direct feedback. For this update the developer answers some common questions about the project.

FAQ Round 2

Is Chronicle of Ruin coming to Android?

As of now, Chronicle of Ruin isn't coming to any mobile platforms. However, it's definitely something that I'd like to explore down the line. As you can imagine, the game isn't that demanding in either terms of processing power or precision of controls. Touch controls could even be a great thing for both the tactical map and combat. But, I'm not going to guarantee anything I can't guarantee, so that's a 'no' on mobile for the time being.

But is it really coming to Linux?

On the other hand, yes, the game is absolutely coming to Linux.

Does the game have anything built in to add to replayability?

Easy modding and a map editor are two things that I'm extremely interested in getting into the game eventually, both of which should add significantly to the game's longevity.

Are there random encounters or grinding?

Nope! All encounters are visible in the field (outside of those triggered by cutscenes), and the experience system is 'gated' at several points, which is something I'm going to go into in an update about stats and character growth soon.

Are there going to be cool semi-random dialogues in battle, like how characters sometimes shout out the actual spells in Final Fantasy Tactics?

Maybe! Let me know if you want 'em in -- this is a pretty easy thing to put in, so it's implementation is almost entirely based on demand.

Will we be able to skip longer spell animations?

I can't see there being many (or any) animations that go that long. If you make an animation that people want to mash through, you've made too much animation.

Will there be male and female options for the main character?

Characters won't have gender options. Here's my exact answer, to elaborate:

"Well, first thing that I'd say is that the game really doesn't have a 'main character'. FFVI's main influence on this game is a narrative structure that freely shifted focus between characters - from Locke to Terra to Celes to Edgar and all the other characters.

Chronicle of Ruin works in a similar fashion, so while the game may start with that character at the center of the promo art (Rugar), he's absolutely not the 'main character', and to answer your question more directly, very large portions of the game are spent centered around the female members of your party."

Sunday - April 24, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Roundup

by Hiddenx, 21:46

Kickstarter RPG News:

Himeko Sutori:

80% funded / 23 days to go

Arcadian Atlas:

50% funded / 14 days to go

Healer's Quest:

47% funded / 12 days to go

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows:

48% funded / 10 days to go

City of the Shroud:

109% funded / 11 days to go

Thursday - April 21, 2016

Chronicle of Ruin - New Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 12:15

Chronicle of Ruin claims to combine large-scale army command of a tactical RPG and the combat elements of a JRPG into one. If this makes your heart go a bit faster, you might want to consider throwing some money at their Kickstarter.

Here is the press release:

Beautiful pixel art tactical RPG Chronicle of Ruin launches its Kickstarter Campaign

Philadelphia, PA. - April 19th, 2016 - Dusty Games has launched the Kickstarter campaign for Chronicle of Ruin, a real-time tactical RPG for PC, Mac, and Linux, inspired by Ogre Battle, Final Fantasy VI, and Final Fantasy Tactics. A homage to those timeless classics, Chronicle of Ruin combines the large-scale army command of a tactical RPG and the intimate exploration and combat elements of a JRPG in an epic game unlike anything that's come before it. The 30-day Kickstarter campaign with a funding goal of $36,000 can be found HERE.

Chronicle of Ruin aims to take the best parts of the classic RPGs that influenced it and bring their core gameplay to the present, complete with the visual, mechanical, and technical updates to make it a rich, unforgettable experience for fans and newcomers alike. Some of the key features in Chronicle of Ruin include:

·   TRPG meets JRPG, with a real-time twist -  Experience a unique gameplay fusion of the large-scale army management of a TRPG in with the intimate elements of classic JRPGs, tied together with real-time map control.
·   An Engrossing Narrative -  Journey with a cast of memorable, complex characters through a vividly detailed and morally ambiguous world.
·   An Army at Your Command -  Lead an army that grows from a handful of unseasoned units to up to 50 veteran fighters.
·   Nearly 40 Character Classes - Shape your army as you see fit by managing your units growth among 28 standard classes and 10 unique hero classes.
·   A New Take on Strategic Turn-based Combat -  Battle in a refined version of the classic combat system designed for creating engaging tactical encounters with focused on class interplay, timed, and intelligent management of the game's aggro system.
·   Dozens of Meticulously Crafted Stages -  Adventure through detailed stages that combine the unique characters and compelling stories of JRPGs with the the strategic demands of TRPGs.
·   Deep Character Customization -  Customize each of your units through a wide range of equipment option, hands-on stat growth, and flexible class design so that no two are alike.
·   An Expansive Crafting System -  Outfit your army yourself by crafting everything from mundane consumables to legendary weapons and armor.

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Friday - April 15, 2016

Fear Effect Sedna - Stretch Goals

by Hiddenx, 20:21

Fear Effect Seda had a very successful Kickstarter-start. Here are the stretch goals:

 Day 2: Stretch goals, questions, and wallpapers!

€100,000 Initial goal
€120,000 More Weapons, which means more combos and strategies
€150,000 French and German localization
€180,000 2 more playable characters including Axel
€200,000 Main theme by Matt Furniss
€220,000 More chapters exploring the past of the characters
€250,000 PS4 and Xbox One release / PC controller compatibility

??? More to come!


We received a lot of reactions, kind words, comments and questions since yesterday, and we’re really happy to see your interest for Fear Effect Sedna! The campaign reached 38%, which is very encouraging for the coming days.

We received a lot of questions, including stretch goals & extra development. Be sure we have a lot of ideas to enrich Sedna & improve your experience…

If we shoot up the Kickstarter campaign, we plan to add more weapons. It’s a simple feature (don't say that to developers, they do not agree), but that migh enrich a lot the team’s combos & fighting style, as you’ll be able to plan more strategies and unlock new possibilities! We would also be delighed to add more localization, and even more playable characters.

More features? We’re thinking about a main theme by Matt Furniss, which could bring even more Fear Effect atmosphere to Sedna… and some additional chapters in the story, so you can explore the past of some of the main characters.

We also had a lot of questions on consoles and platforms. Our initial goal is to create a PC & Mac game, but releasing it on PS4 and even Xbox One could be a really huge thing. This of course means extra development, even if we are starting to build a game with mechanics that could fit to console gaming.

We will keep you updated about voicing as well! And more details about the gameplay & strategy, in the following days & weeks.

For now, as some of you asked, here are a few wallpapers to download for the Sedna fans!

We count on you to spread the word about Fear Effect Sedna. Thank you for your support!

Friendly yours,

Sushee.

Wednesday - April 13, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Fear Effect Now Live

by Silver, 01:52

The Fear Effect Kickstarter has launched with a €100,000 goal. It is off to a good start with €10,000 already.

Fear Effect Sedna is a real-time tactical action game. Become reacquainted with the famous team of Hana, Rain, Deke & Glas in a brand new adventure. From Hong Kong to Greenland, through Inuit mythology and with new partners, will you dare to face the spirit world once again?
fear effect

  • New environments in isometric view: Explore the deep caves of Greenland, abandoned scientific complexes, underwater stations and ethereal realms based on Inuit mythology.
  • A real-time tactical action game: Exploit your heroes special abilities, and combine them to maximize your team's effectiveness in attacks.
  • A deep and mature story: Learn more about Fear Effect's iconic characters' past as they delve into this new mystery.
  • Explore a whole new culture: Myths from the Inuit people are imbued with power of the elements and the cold sea. Meet and fight unexpected creatures from the spirit realm!

Friday - April 08, 2016

Quest of Souls - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:38

King Crow Studios from Baton Rouge, Louisiana started a Kickstarter campaign for the multiplayer fantasy shoot 'em up RPG Quest of Souls:

Quest of Souls

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Multiplayer fantasy shoot 'em up RPG about a corgi dragonslayer, lizardman samurai, and a goodly lich who track down a stolen artifact!

Summary

Quest of Souls is a fantasy, twin-stick, shoot 'em up RPG adventure with over 180 skill upgrades, 7 unique endings, vivid pixel graphics, a story-driven experience...and a dragon-slaying corgi!

Quest of Souls is inspired by our favorite '90s SNES games like Pocky & Rocky, Super Smash TV, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy III (SNES), and Gauntlet. If you like those games, Quest of Souls is for you!

Our vision is to revitalize the lost genre of multiplayer shooter RPGs. We want to combine the action from Pocky & Rocky with the ability customization of Final Fantasy III (SNES) and the RPG story depth of Chrono Trigger. Then, we throw in some Bioware/Bethesda-inspired dialogue systems and you have Quest of Souls!

Quest of Souls will have three-player co-op, three levels of difficulty (Casual, Normal, and Insano), 7 full levels in game, and secret unlockable story twists and characters! 

Story

The story revolves around three main characters: Brunhilde the Good Lich, Toki the Dragonslayer, and Yoshimbo the Ronin, and their quest to track down a powerful magical artifact that was stolen by a mysterious dark sorcerer.

[...]

-> Steam Demo

Thursday - April 07, 2016

Kickstarter Games - New Fear Effect announced

by Hiddenx, 23:05

Farflame found out that a new Fear Effect game is in development:

New Fear Effect announced

Indie developer takes to Kickstarter - with Square Enix's blessing.

A new Fear Effect game is set to take to Kickstarter - with Square Enix's blessing.

But this new Fear Effect won't be a big budget affair - as Fear Effect on PSone was. Instead, it'll be an indie game from a little-known studio that's using crowdfunding to raise development cash.

French studio Sushee worked with Square Enix's The Collective two years ago on adventure game Goetia. After the publisher signalled it was open to pitches for new games set in its back catalogue of dormant franchises, it worked on a Fear Effect prototype heavily influenced by Shadowrun Returns. Square Enix liked the pitch and gave the thumbs up to a Kickstarter for Fear Effect Sedna, which is set to launch Tuesday, 12th April.

[...]

The Wild Eight - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:24

The Kickstarter campaign for the survival adventure The Wild Eight is now live:

THE STORY SO FAR

The Wild Eight follows eight individuals who survive a terrible plane crash and now find themselves stranded in the snowy wastes of an Alaskan forest. After waking up in a pile of debris, you must immediately find food and build a makeshift shelter before hypothermia sets in. Surviving this harsh, unfair world is not for the faint of heart. While it might be better to have companions, there’s a traitor in your midst ... someone who has been driven mad by bloodlust. Will you search for other survivors or try to make it on your own?
 

WHEN NATURE WANTS YOU DEAD

The environment is cruel and uncivilized. A realistic weather system and merciless wildlife bring it to life. You will need to craft, build, and learn new skills if you want to stay alive. Has traveling all day left you hungry? You’d better go hunting or forage for food before you starve to death. (Careful, though: These animals are not going to become dinner without a fight!) Has chopping wood made you thirsty? You’d better have a source of fresh water nearby ... before dehydration takes over. Don’t forget to keep one eye on the horizon: You don’t want to be caught in the wilderness without fire when the sun sets -- or without shelter when a blizzard appears out of nowhere!
 

SKILL-BUILDING

Work together with up to seven of your friends as you explore the snowy wastelands -- including a mysterious forgotten civilization. Find quests and uncover the hidden truth that lies at the heart of this barren world. As you progress through The Wild Eight’s quests, you’ll learn new skills -- most of them essential to survival. Learn how to craft armor, forge weapons, enhance your shelter, and more.
 
All characters in The Wild Eight have their own strengths and weaknesses ranging from increased attack and leadership stats to superior chemistry and engineering output. These skills must be put to good use if you want to survive another day.
 

QUESTS & ENEMIES

The Wild Eight features a procedurally-generated world and quest system ensuring that every playthrough is a fresh, challenging experience. You will encounter wolf packs, raging bears, and other wild animals ready to make you their next meal. You’ll also end up facing special boss-like creatures; make sure to stockpile enough weapons and supplies to take them down without losing life (or limb). Will you become prey to the monsters in the snow -- or will the environment do you in? Only one thing is certain: Prepare to die. A lot.
 

DEVELOPER QUOTE
Ed Gotovtsev (Head of Development, 8 Points):

“We are an experienced team that has been making games individually for many, many years. The Wild Eight has been in production for six months now. The game is a combination of our experience as hardcore gamers and living in one of the most remote corners of the world -- where nature can actually be the end of you. We hope you will join us on our journey to make The Wild Eight a reality!”

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-> Steam Greenlight

Saturday - April 02, 2016

Lord of Poker - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 17:45

You like poker and RPGs? Then the new Kickstarter Lord of Poker could be interesting for you:

The first Role-playing Poker Game. Entirely new Poker and RPG experience. Raise your Soul, check your Mind!

The Lord of Poker is a Role-Poker Game - the first of it’s kind. It combines the raises, bluffs, strategies, and familiar hands of poker, the fantastical characters, augmented abilities, and questing format of a role-playing game, and the strategic gameplay of a fantasy card game. Your character is a hero who engages in card combat (poker sessions) against other players and characters/bosses powered by the game’s AI (mobs). Your hero’s primary skills (determined by character class), powerful items that are worn or wielded, and knowledge of magic spells all influence the outcome of the game, just as your real-world poker tactics do. Each in-game playing location affects gaming style as well, by presenting a unique set of conditions that forces players to adapt in order to win. Your quest through the game’s rich and detailed fantasy world to win the title of Lord of Poker promises to be not just an incredible adventure, but an entirely new poker/RPG experience.

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Wednesday - March 30, 2016

Blue Angelo - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 20:09

Initially Blue Angelo was released on GP32 and was planned to be released on Gameboy Advance. The devs now share the WIP demo version on the game.
The purpose of this Kickstarter is to do a remake on PC only, by using all the next-gen capabilities:

Play the Gameboy Advance wip version of Blue Angelo 2005

Hi everyone,
As we promised on our last update, here is the playable demonstration of Blue Angelo 2005 for GBA and as we said the game was never released on GameBoy Advance.

There is 2 versions of the WIP Demo :

1. http://www.vetasoft.com/kickstarter/Blue_Angelo_2005_WIP_Monsters_Stable.gba

2. http://www.vetasoft.com/kickstarter/Blue_Angelo_2005_WIP_More_Detail_Unstable.gba

The first is a demonstration with only 2 monstersThe second is a more detailed version also with 2 monsters but with monster glitch.

As the game was developed at 80%, thoses versions are mainly "work in progress" demonstration.

The WIP versions are used to show how it would look like if the game was completed.

To play the demo, you must download a GameBoy Advance Emulator and download the following .gba ( the file of the game ) like Visual Boy Advance.

[...]

Best Regards !
-Adriano

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Tuesday - March 29, 2016

To Light: Ex Umbra - Successfully Funded

by Hiddenx, 20:22

The JRPG To Light: Ex Umbra has been successfully funded on Kickstarter:

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To Light: Ex Umbra is a story driven fantasy RPG, that is an allegory about the One who has called us out of darkness, into His light.

Friday - March 25, 2016

Lord of Poker - A Role Poker Game

by Myrthos, 23:19

The acronym RPG can be used for something else and in this case it is used for a Role Poker Game, which claims to be somewhat of a traditional RPG as well. The name of the game is Lord of Poker and there is a Kickstarter campaign as well for the game.

Here is the press release:

Independent Team from Belarus Starts Kickstarter Campaign to Complete the Development of ‘Lord of Poker.’

Lord of Poker will be the world’s first ever role poker game. The funding requirement for the development of this game is $100,000.

In the earlier parts of human civilization, Poker was much more than just a game. Deepest of the conflicts were often resolved by a game of Poker. During those days, the knowledge of a secret poker magic was considered to be essential to winning at Poker. However, all Magic has a dark side, and over time some players were engulfed by greed and the influence of sinister forces. Rather than play by the rules, they sought to gain an advantage over others by any means, no matter how evil. The strongest among them vanquished many worthy opponents and accumulated an unimaginable fortune of gold and jewels, but as his power grew so his greed grew alongside it. He became a tyrant, known as the Dark Lord. And to preserve his wealth forever, the Dark Lord outlawed the use of Magic in Poker. Over the centuries, most people forgot their hidden abilities and Poker became an ordinary card game with no connection to magic.

Alexander Petukh and Alexander Bernat, founders of LoP Game Corp., claim that Lord of Poker will return poker to its original state. The first role poker game, Lord of Poker will bring back the thrills of a primeval battle between the good and the evil where Mind, Courage, Endurance, and Luck combine with the arcane forces of ancient Magic to play a role in determining the victor.

Some of the most important features of the game include:
  • Lord of Poker is the first Role Poker Game – a unique gaming genre that combines poker, an RPG, and a fantasy card game.
  • Players gain experience, level up, collect powerful items, and earn gold (internal money) through card combat (poker sessions).
  • Using magic spells during card combat has a dramatic impact on gameplay, making it absolutely unpredictable.
  • There are also four specific attributes each character class possesses to varying degrees: Endurance, Courage, Mind and Luck. Each of these influences strategy, playing style, and outcome of card combat.
  • Each new location introduces new conditions to the game, making it impossible to use the same winning tactics all the time. Players will need to adapt their gaming strategy as they progress.
  • Introducing the never before seen Team Poker mode!
  • The game features a unique system for gaining experience: Heroes advance by making specified poker moves and their combos (raise, call, all-in, etc.).
  • Gameplay unfolds through a combination of gradual development of the game’s plot and the immersive experience of a MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer On-line Role Playing Game) that takes place in an open world. You will play poker against other players and mobs while progressing through the central quest of the game.
Lord of Poker is the brainchild of Alexander Petukh and Alexander Bernat, two friends from Belarus, who began working on the concept of Lord of Poker about a year ago. At present, they are looking to raise $100,000 via Kickstarter to complete the development of Lord of Poker. Proceeds from this campaign will be used for the following purposes.
  • Focus all their efforts and resources on development of Lord of Poker instead of working on spare time.
  • Expansion of the team by hiring artists and additional developers.
  • Acceleration of the development process.
  • Release the game for PC and Mac.

Here is a video:

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Monday - March 21, 2016

Epicus Ultima - An Open World 2D RPG

by Myrthos, 12:32

We've been contacted by the devs about an open world 2D RPG that is in development by them and is currently on Kickstarter, named Epicus Ultima.

An Open World RPG unlike any other, Inspired by RPGs like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, with mobile controls, a full OST and more!

Welcome to the world of Epicus Ultima, a world completely consumed in a giant machine. The machine is ancient, and its history unknown, it is the only world that has ever been known. You play a Guardian, a pre-destined military position within the Aldor Empire, one of three major empires on the planet, separated by ocean sized water holding tanks. Where once your job was to protect this planet from monster attacks you are now being called to defend against a growing rebellion against the world itself...Forced to journey deep into the heart of the planet to find the rebel hideout an adventure of epic proportions begins...

A Hand-drawn, open 2D World unlike any other

- Unique RPG strategy battle and class system, without changing screens

- A Full Original Orchestrated Soundtrack!

- Crammed with fun mobile optimized side games

- A unforgettable story with memorable, well developed characters

- Wield awesome weapons, learn new skills and master powerful magic!

- Not hack and slash - Not a movie either...just like the good old days!

The game is being developed for PC, Android and IOS and they are asking for $5.000 CAD, which looks to be a number that isn't enough to create the game. Why they are asking specifically for this number is however not explained.
You can get the game for already $5, which might be a motivation to not have the total requested sum too high.

Wednesday - March 16, 2016

Push for Emor - Interview @ Coding Legend

by Hiddenx, 21:34

Coding Legend interviewed Garry Hamer, creator of Push for Emor - a SciFi FPS RPG currently on Kickstarter:

Push for Emor: An Interview with the creator of this Virtual reality game.

The rise of the virtual reality game

Virtual reality video game development is here and it goes by the name of Push for Emor, the first truly ambitious virtual reality game by a small indie developer.. We are firmly at the point where Virtual reality headsets such as the Oculus Rift are reasonably affordable and therefore represent a potentially lucrative market for game developers to tap into. Virtual realty comes around every now and again and I am old enough to remember at least two other occasions when we were told that virtual reality was going to change the face of our entire world. We would be living and meeting up in fabricated environments and while these events never came to fruition, such ideas have certainly gripped the human imagination forever. I can honestly say that we are to a point now where I think we have cracked it. It isn’t perfect. And are we going to live in virtual worlds and is it going to be like the holodeck in Star trek? In a word, No. But it does have vast potential to increase the immersion factor of the games that we play.

[...]

-> Demo

-> Steam Greenlight

Saturday - March 12, 2016

Push for Emor - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 09:46

If you like SciFi FPS RPGs Push for Emor could be a game for you - from the Kickstarter page:

Push For Emor - Scifi FPS RPG for Monitor & VR

Push For Emor is SciFi FPS RPG with some light RTS building elements. Made from the ground up for both Monitor & Virtual Reality (VR)

Push For Emor is SciFi FPS RPG with light RTS elements thrown in for good measure.

When the Emorian Empire starts to expand its territories into Justicar federal space, Colonel Ferris Glutes sends you in undercover to join a resistance group allied with Justicar. Your mission, that you have no choice but to accept (because it's your job and it would be a very short game if you didn't) is to clear the way for Justicar forces.

Why am I making this game?

Push For Emor is the game that I have always wanted to play, but I could never find it. I have always liked EVE, but I was disappointed when I couldn’t board floating space wrecks or land on the planets I visited. I have always liked Borderlands, but I found myself wanting to leave the planet and go exploring other similar worlds. I have an Oculus Rift - I want all that gameplay in FPS Virtual Reality (VR), but no one seems to be making it. I decided to have a go at making it myself.

  • 5 Solar Systems.
  • 11 planets of varying tech levels (low, steampunk & cyberpunk).
  • Mission driven game-play (on planet and in space).
  • Planet & Space combat.
  • Disable enemy ships in space an board them.
  • Explore & fight through abandoned space stations.
  • Move between solar systems and planets via space warp gates.
  • Create mining facilities on resource gathering planets and defend them.
  • Fly/Drive a great selection of vehicles (if you can see it in game, you can get in it).
  • Works on both a Monitor and Virtual Reality Headsets.
  • Works with Oculus DK2.
  • Will support Oculus CV1 and Steam Vive (awaiting hardware).

Trailer:

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Thursday - March 10, 2016

Antinomy - Kickstarter Updates

by Hiddenx, 21:15

Farflame spotted some Kickstarter updates for Antinomy:

Kicksarter update #7 - game character based on historical figure: Meet Omar El-Amin.

Kicksarter update #9 - an ingame video:

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Kicksarter update #10 - a contest.

Tuesday - March 08, 2016

Blue Angelo - Remake Kickstarter Campaign

by Myrthos, 17:16

A new Kickstarter Campiagn has been started for Blue Angelo. This action RPG was originally released in 2004 on the Korean GP32 console and will now be remade for the Steam platform. The campaign is asking for 250 KEuro.

  • Blue Angelo is a 2D RPG action game created in 2004 by Adriano Baglio and published by Shibuya International for the Korean console GP32 by GamePark. 
  • The remake of Blue Angelo will be developed for the Steam PC platform but also other platforms if funding allows. 
  • Our ambition is to redo the game "from scratch" with next-gen graphics and vastly improved gameplay.

You are creature 331, a genetically modified, super strong creature able to eliminate any threats, monsters and demons. You will encounter various secondary characters that will help you in this unique and exciting adventure.

The strength of Blue Angelo 2016 will be the use of 2D technology. We really want to focus on this while significantly improving the gameplay from its 2004 version. The fighting techniques and monsters will be drastically improved.

Blue Angelo 2004 was a technically advanced game at the time. We were able to make parallax scrolling of 4 or 5 layers while adding transparency special effects, unthinkable at the time on a portable console! We achieved this, exceeding the limits, and we intend to do the same for the 2016 version, surpassing all that has been achieved for 2D games on Next-Gen platforms.

Today we know exactly what direction to give to this new version. The scenario is very different from the previous version, as well as the graphics and gameplay. In 12 years' time, everything was revisited, reworked and rethought. The story is very exciting and has a realistic side within a completely fantastic world. The particularity of Blue Angelo is that everything is scientifically possible: monsters, magic, "earth" mythologies on an entirely different planet, invocations, magic items.

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Saturday - March 05, 2016

Wartile - Armor and Weaponry

by Hiddenx, 16:05

In Kickstarter update #2  we hear about the armor and weaponry of Wartile:

The Armor And Weaponry of WARTILE

Hello again! WARTILE continues moving towards its funding goal, and we’re very happy to see all the positive feedback we are getting from our backers. We’ve also been seeing many questions about the armor component for figurines, so today we bring you a closer look at the armor and weapon system for WARTILE.

Armor Themes 

Most armor types and pieces are part of sets and as we create them they are in fact themed into categories, making each set a very different experience from the rest. Some armor sets can only be equipped by figurines of a certain experience level (or higher), as to keep the experience balanced for all players. Some armor sets will only be unlocked from Battle Boards at special locations, while others will be unlocked at the workshop as you buy armor pieces for your collection by using the in-game currency you obtain during your adventure. 

Armor Types

Currently we have three armor categories that generally define the modifiers applied to the figurines equipped with the extra protection.

Light armor: Padded cloth or leather covering the body. This increases defense by a small amount, but doesn’t impact movement or the figurine’s attack skill.

Medium armor: Thick leather or chainmail. A strong piece of armor that will provide a good defense bonus against most attacks. It doesn’t affect a figurine’s movement, but it does slightly reduce the figurine’s attack skill.

Heavy armor: Plated mail armor or very thick and strong patches of fur covering the body. Very high damage reduction, but it impacts a figurine’s movement and reduces its attack skill.

Each armor category has a different impact on a figurine’s stats, so while heavy armor will not only increase the figurine’s overall defense (making it receive less damage), it will also lower its attack skill, thus making it harder to hit the enemy. The Light armor works almost the other way around where it only provides a small boost to defense but allows a figurine to move around without a problem and its ability to fight is not hindered.

[...]

 

Thursday - March 03, 2016

Antinomy - Kickstarter Updates

by Hiddenx, 22:35

Farflame spotted two Kickstarter updates for the open world action RPG Antinomy:

Update 5:

The Weapons of Antinomy

Dear backers and supporters!


You are really great, and we from Homegrown Games and Against All Odds Games are very grateful for every single € pledged so far.

As you might have noticed, we didn´t hit our improvised mini-stretch goal of 2k Euros yet. However, many of you who have already pledged and shown your support and love asked if it´s possible to get the old prototype even with the goal for that not being reached. So there are actually many people who want to play through the world prototype no matter how dated the visuals were back then. And yes, we can understand that.

We are working on a solution or better a compromise for that.

In the meantime, let´s take a look at the weapons of Antinomy:

[...]

Update 6:

World Prototype Release Update

Dear backers, supporters and friends of Antinomy,

we received many messages, on Twitter, Facebook and here, if it would be possible to release the world prototype for backers even if the mini-stretch goal has been missed. We have taken a look into it, and as we already prepared the basics for such a release, we really like to do so.

So, let's set the final bar:

  • If we reach 2500 Euro or more at the end of the campaign, we will release the World Prototype to all backers that have an "early access" tier pledged.
  • If we get 5000 Euro or more, we release it to all backers that have at least the Yemenite Gambler (including early birds) tier.
  • If we reach 10000 Euro by the end of the campaign or more, ALL BACKERS will get access.

  • Pledge, share, spread the word - and bring us towards those goals, to make Antinomy really great and exciting!

Kickstarter Games - Wartile

by Hiddenx, 21:09

The Kickstarter campaign for the strategy RPG Wartile has started:

WARTILE delivers a game experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. Bring a collection of miniature figurines to life as they aid you to battle it out in a real time strategy video game. Position figurines, use their strengths and be mindful of their weaknesses, activate their special abilities and play action cards to gain the upper hand on the playing field.In the Viking Conquest campaign, players will get their first taste of the charming medieval fantasy universe we’ve been working on for years now. Collect and lead a group of Viking warriors through a series of battle boards forged by the Viking king’s desire to rule Scandinavia and England to write his place in history in blood.

KEY FEATURES

  • Take control of a band of miniature figurines as they come to life.
  • Engage in battles on gorgeous battle board dioramas with a true tabletop feel.
  • Play Godly and Tactical cards and change the course of the battle.
  • Experience a novel twist on the real time strategy genre!
  • Customize your units with weapons, armor & new abilities found throughout the game
  • Expand your collection of figurines & widen your palette of possibilities
  • Venture into the Viking Campaign rich on Mythology, story and lore
  • Play against friends in quest oriented multiplayer matches or go full competitive

WARTILE is on Steam!

With your support, WARTILE will be developed for PC and MAC. We are very happy to announce that we have our very own WARTILE page setup in the COMING SOON category on Steam! Feel free to visit it and please add us to your wish list and follow us to support the project! And yes, this does mean that if you pledge for a copy of the game you will be getting a Steam copy as a thank you for your support! But don’t worry, we’re not forgetting those of you who love DRM-free games, and because of this you’ll be getting a Steam copy of WARTILE as well as a DRM-free version! Twice the game is good, right?

[...]

Trailer:

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Wednesday - March 02, 2016

City of Shroud - Cancelled

by Myrthos, 13:07

The Kickstarter campaign for City of Shroud has been cancelled.

When we launched the campaign, we had high hopes for success and wanted to do something never before done in a Kickstarter: a living story, driven by you, updated and released over the course of the campaign in a video game.

We’ve had a great time seeing the influence you’ve had on the game world and responding to it with new episodes. You’ve created scenarios we would never have imagined, and we can’t wait to take it to the next level in the main game.

Unfortunately, contributions aren’t coming in at the level we need, and it seems that we won’t be able to raise the funds necessary to hit our target this time around, so we’ve decided to cancel this Kickstarter campaign and relaunch again in April with a more focused goal and a better campaign. Since we’re withdrawing this campaign, no one will be charged.

Don’t worry - we’re still going to finish the current story campaign, you can still influence the 4th and final episode (episode 3 releases tomorrow, so act quickly!), and it’s yours to keep after the campaign too. Be sure to sign up for our mailing list to get notified as soon as episode 4 is available!

We will learn from our mistakes and improve: we want to make a video that better explains the game; we want a page that focuses on and clearly communicates what makes our game great; and we want to do a better job of engaging you, the community who are making our game possible. If you have any thoughts or opinions you’d like to share with us, please take a moment to get in touch - either on our website or on our forums! We are open to all feedback!

We love City of the Shroud and are going to make sure that it gets made. We’ll be coming back to Kickstarter with a better, more focused campaign in April, and we won’t be silent until then, either - we want to stay in touch with you, our backers. We’ll be keeping you up to date on the new launch so you can grab those early bird discounts, letting you know as new episodes of the story are available, and showing you the progress on City of the Shroud. If you haven’t signed up for the mailing list yet, go ahead and do so - we promise maximum video game awesomeness and minimum (read: zero) spam!

We’re disappointed about this campaign, but we’ll be back in 6 weeks with an all-new video - we also have a couple big announcements to make in the meantime, so stay tuned.

Thank you so much for contributing, and we hope you’ll be telling your friends about us, and that you’ll join us in April. If you want to support City of the Shroud, get in touch with us! We aren’t giving up and are really excited to share the complete game with you.

The game has already been greenlit on Steam and there is also a demo available.

Thanks Eye.

Tuesday - March 01, 2016

Dragon of Legends - 2D Online Action RPG

by Myrthos, 12:25

Dragon of Legends is an online 2D action RPG, currently on Kickstarter, which already achieved its, rather low, goal of $12K CDN.

Dragon of Legends is an online action RPG for PC, Mac, Linux, and Mobile devices, that is heavily influenced by Gaelic and Norse mythology. Enter the ever-evolving lands of Hávámal, where the lights of faeries border the realms of darkness.

Two alliances have emerged across the world, both struggling for supremacy over the land and as these great powers battle one another for control of Hávamál – darker forces gather to destroy them. Players from around the world can assume the roles of customizable heroic fantasy characters, and explore a lush 2D world full of mystery, danger, and countless adventure.

After creating your own custom character and selecting a faction, you will set out on an epic quest to conquer evil and save the lands of Hávamál from impending doom, or succumb to the darkness and act as an agent of destruction. You will have your own background, racial history, and character specific storyline that will provide direction, and motivation behind all of your actions.

Along your adventures you will acquire new equipment and learn powerful skills to aid you on your path, and you will be constantly interacting with other players from around the world. Set out on your own path, or band together with like-minded players in clans and guilds and wage war against other rival factions - or even turn on your own.

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Thanks Eye.

Monday - February 29, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Dark Flame: Demo released

by Hiddenx, 21:22

Warren Smith released a demo for Dark Flame - MetroidVania, Action-RPG:

Update - 4 Feb 2016

I released my final Pre Alpha Demo (here: http://www.indiedb.com/games/darkflame/downloads/dark-flame-final-prealpha-release) for those of you who haven't seen it yet. I reworked the level design quite a bit and some would say this is much easier than the previous demos. With that being said, this demo contains more features like a shop and currency system, minimap, boss fights, and much more! The environment is completely new (being that I reworked the level design) and I hope you enjoy it!

I am still working on this game and plan to release it still! I'm looking for another means for funding to pay for the music and art assets. For those of you who did back this project, thank you very much for your time and consideration!

-> Interview at ROG

Thanks Eye!

Wednesday - February 24, 2016

Antinomy - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 23:13

Homegrown Games starts a new Kickstarter campaign for Antinomy:

Welcome to Antinomy, a unique 19th century Indie open world action-adventure video game bringing the "The Holy Land" to life!

Antinomy is a game set in a fictional Middle Eastern country in the late 19th century, about people from different origins coming together to fight for the same cause, which is justice. They have stood up against the tyranny of those who swore to protect them and who were left unpunished after committing disgraceful crimes against innocent people. The main character, Nathaniel, has the pursuit of justice as his mission, until one day, when he finds out something, that drastically changes his plans...

The message of the game is to promote the importance of underlying themes within the game such as family, friendship, justice and unity, and to show that despite the diversity of the characters' backgrounds, when they put aside their differences, they are able to live in prosperity.

Features:

  • ~20 square kilometres open world with a vast lethal desert and a variety of other unique areas 
  • Most of the 800+ buildings in the world are enterable. 
  • 34 main story missions, 35+ side quests 
  • 25+ hours main storyline gameplay 
  • A variety of 19th century weapons including muskets, flintlock pistols and a range of Middle Eastern melee weapons. 
  • Trading, crafting and a dynamic world economy. 
  • Political alignments, shifting alliances and diplomacy and conquest 
  • RPG elements such as player skills and character customisation 
  • Innovative combat system inspired by V.A.T.S. in Fallout series 
  • A full body realistic injury system

Monday - February 15, 2016

Arcadian Atlas - Teaser Towards Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 22:09

On the 5th of April Arcadian Atlas will be going to Kickstarter. For that they have created a teaser trailer.

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Friday - February 12, 2016

Kickstarter Games - Knights & Bikes

by Myrthos, 13:20

Just noticed this Knights & Bikes Kickstarter that has passed half of its GBP 100K goal, with still 20 days to go.

Knights and Bikes is a co-op or single player action adventure game from us! "Us" being Rex Crowle (Tearaway, LittleBigPlanet) and Moo Yu (LittleBigPlanet, Ratchet & Clank). And we'll be joined by additional collaborators that we know and trust, like "Audio Daredevil" Kenny Young (Tearaway, LittleBigPlanet) and composer Daniel Pemberton (Steve Jobs, The Man from UNCLE, LittleBigPlanet). And hopefully we'll be joined by you as well!

Inspired by games like Earthbound and Secret of Mana and films such as The Goonies, we would like to take these, along with of our favorite childhood memories, and channel it all through our years of experience making games.

In Knights and Bikes, you can play as Nessa and Demelza on their quest for the truth behind the medieval legends of Penfurzy, an island on the fast track to financial ruin and literal destruction. Recruit a party of creatures from all walks of life, enlist and inspire deflated islanders, and embark on an adventure to find the hero the island so desperately needs.

Teaming up with Demelza's pet goose, and the pickled severed head of a fallen-knight, they fling Frisbees at demons, trick-out their bikes to reach new locations, and increase their abilities with each islander they rescue.

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Thursday - February 04, 2016

City of the Shroud - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 20:37

A Kickstarter campaign for City of the Shroud has started:

We just released the debut trailer for City of the Shroud, along with our first live story campaign, and I was hoping you'd be willing to cover us on your site.

City of the Shroud is a real-time tactical fighting RPG where every single player influences a live story campaign written by a chart-topping author. It's like D&D, in that you have lots of players making decisions in the game, and a GM who comes up with scenarios based on the players' actions (we're the GM). It's a dynamic stake on interactive fiction because it takes both the players and the developer to tell the story (yes, there is an ending)!

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Saturday - January 23, 2016

Delta Legend - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 11:04

The Delta Legend Kickstarter campaign has reached 25% of the 40K goal. Learn more about fast travelling with the Pandemonium Express in Kickstarter update #4:

Midnight Special

In Delta Legend, you can hop the Pandemonium Express for fast travel between the areas which you have explored - In some instances, it may even take you on a journey into the unknown!

[...]

We remain optimistic that we will reach our funding goal - one thing's for sure, we are still working hard and are very grateful for all the support we have received to date!

Friday - January 22, 2016

Insomnia - Needs More Money

by Myrthos, 12:21

In a de development status update for Insomnia we learn that they will launch a new Kickstarter campaign to raise additional funds in order to be able to finish the game.

Throughout 2015 we have spent $140.000 of our own funds additionally to $92.000 you helped us collect at Kickstarter. Believing in us and supporting InSomnia made you our heroes forever. You helped us understand we are moving in the right direction.

Currently we spend around $18.000 per month out of our own pockets and unfortunately we won't longer be able to continue these investments after this March hits the calendar. We still need at least $80.000 to complete the game without any loss in effectiveness and time so our team can release it until September 2016.

This leads us to a necessity of launching a new crowd-funding campaign for InSomnia in February to make this game come to life asap. During the next month we will also release an updated InSomnia demo for all promised platforms (including Windows, Mac and Linux) to showcase you the overall progress of the game. Expect a better level design, new guns and other 3D marvels along with the improved controls and even a global map.

With this being their current status:

  • we have transfered the game to Unreal Engine 4 and produced 70.000 lines of code
  • our team has developed an internal system of 3D-model quality control and gave life to more then 3.500 game objects including the elements of architecture, characters, equipment and weapons (all models made for our previous engine Ogre3D in 2014 were rebuilt from scratch) 
  • at this very moment we have finished working on 5 large and 7 middle-scale locations, 10 small levels meant for spontaneous encounters and generated quests, 2 of 3 global maps for station sectors and general global map of Object 6 as a whole
  • now we have almost twice as many of dialogs and dialog trees variations than we did before, increasing the overall word count up to 150.000 with the additional 300.000 words ready to be implemented
  • gameplay time increased up to 30-40 hours vs 15-20 which were stated initially

Other than that our team became 4 times bigger with 22 internal and 24 external developers which made us move faster and more effectively than ever before.

Thanks Morrandir.

Tuesday - January 19, 2016

Hero's Song - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:02

Hero's Song is a 2D pixel art sandbox rogue-like action RPG being built by Pixelmage Games with a team of  veteran game developers:

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Cohh Sits Down With John Smedley & Pat Rothfuss To Talk About Their New Game Studio PIXELMAGE And The New Game HERO'S SONG

Saturday - January 02, 2016

Delta Legend - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 17:03

Gut Games started a Kickstarter campaign for Delta Legend - a high fantasy action role-playing game set deep in Blues folklore and music:

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Delta Legend tells the story of three little demons who have peacefully played muse to the realm of humans as long as memory serves. When their lives are drastically changed following the overthrow of their home-realm, Pandemonium, they must enlist the help of a troubled bluesman to restore order both in human and demon worlds.

Capable of crossing back and forth at the crossroads, the place where two worlds meet, the band must use the power of music to defeat enemies and complete quests. Each member of the gang has a unique musical talent as well as a set of powerful combat spells that must be mastered and used against enemies.

Switch between the special powers of human and demon as you play this game of adventure and sounds. Travel between the realms while perfecting your musical skills through both deals and deceptions. Overthrow tyranny and become the Delta Legend, as the prophecy foretold.

[...]

Thursday - December 10, 2015

Antinomy - Devs don't give up

by Hiddenx, 22:46

Against All Odds Games UK devs continue to develop Antinomy:

Dear Backers

Dear friends, backers and supporters of Antinomy!

As you might have noticed (obviously you did), our Kickstarter campaign ran out with slightly more than 2000 pounds pledged. This seems to be a disappointing result – and, as a matter of fact, it doesn´t make us happy.

We understand that it might be difficult to pledge money to a project that is NOT based on some old and famous prequel or “spiritual ancestor” and has not much game play to show yet. We fully understand any hesitation coming from that, and we don´t hold any grudged because of that. We had created the entire world in our prototyping engine, we checked the feasibility of the world size, the gameplay ideas, the travel routes and so on. Then we moved over to Unreal 4 and started building the final world, and what you see here on Kickstarter is the first part of this work – a lot of basics and grunt work has been already tackled here, but this obviously didn´t satisfy your righteous curiosity.

However, we do not give up.

We will continue developing the game, and looking back at roughly 100 backers here and thousands of encouraging emails, tweets and Facebook messages, we will for sure do our best on that. We have been evaluating alternate methods of funding in the past, we will intensify the evaluation and choose something wise afterwards, and, most important, we continue to work on the game.

Thank you all!

Wednesday - December 09, 2015

Realms of Magic - Seeks Funding @ IndieGameMag

by Hiddenx, 21:28

The 2d sandbox RPG Realms of Magic seeks funding on Kickstarter:

Sandbox RPG Realms of Magic Seeks Funding

Polished Games has recently announced the development of its upcoming sandbox title, Realms of Magic. The game is inspired by games such as Terraria, Skyrim, and Dwarf Fortress, and is expected to launch next year. It is currently on Kickstarter raising funds for production.

 According to the developer, the project “combines the best aspects from a multitude of genres, boasting the lively setting and character development of an RPG alongside the creative freedom of a sandbox game, [including] twitch based movement and combat from an action platformer.”

[...]

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Monday - December 07, 2015

Dark Flame - Kickstarter unsuccessful

by Hiddenx, 19:59

The Dark Flame Kickstarter was not successful and the devs seek new ways to fund the game:

A New Direction!

So, yeah, I've been a bit bummed out since the Kickstarter was heading towards the inevitable failure. I want to thank all of you who took the time and money to back and/or share information about this game! If you really want it to be successful, then I still need you to talk about it! If you want to keep up to date with news on Dark Flame --> subscribe to my newsletter from my website! 

I'm still looking into other ways to get this game funded. It's really rare to have a brand new indie developer hit it off on the first try. I knew it was going to be hard when I first started it, but I'm still going to keep trying. I will most likely not do another crowdfunding campaign. 

Very Respectfully,

Warren Smith

Blacksea Odyssey - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 19:53

There are 4 days left for the Blacksea Odyssey Kickstarter campaign:

LAST WEEK OF KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN + NEW KICKSTARTER VIDEO + NEW JUNGLE ENEMIES

Ahoy, Space-Huntsmen! Our Kickstarter campaign for Blacksea Odyssey has been going better than we could of hoped for. With only 4 days left we’re nearly 90% funded! At the current rate we’re confident we can finish our campaign successfully but will need your support to get there.

We decided to make this video about a day in the life of Team Blacksea Odyssey for the last week of the campaign. Share, like, and comment on it!

A Day in the Life of Team Blacksea Odyssey

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Sunday - December 06, 2015

Allexiur - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 00:23

Black Ark Games started a Kickstarter for the mystery adventure game Allexiur:

Allexiur is a technoir mystery adventure game with a thrilling story and a unique blend of 2D & 3D in a mid-1900s sci-fi aesthetic.

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Tuesday - December 01, 2015

Dark Flame - Interview @ Guelstie

by Myrthos, 12:08

Eye found this interview with the Dark Flame developer (the game currently being Kickstarted and which requires a miracle to succeed).

Tell us more about the game, "Dark Flame".

You play as a crusader from the Baltic Crusades who has a different role: to protect the realm from the Dark Flame. You see, the Dark Flame is something that has been kept in secrecy by a high ranking clan of knights called the "Keepers of the Flame". What the Dark Flame is, exactly, nobody knows. What they do know is that it holds a great power that no one can control. Taharial is one of the candidates to become the next Keeper, but before he is tested, something bad happens within the sanctuary of the Dark Flame. Most townsfolk and other crusaders begin to lose their sanity and attack each other causing great chaos ...and Taharial is dispatched by the church to investigate it.

What were your influences for the game style?

As I mentioned before, Dark Flame is heavily influenced by both Castlevania and Dark Souls. There are many other influences that help shape the development of this game in various ways. One of them being Diablo; I always loved how that sprite-based game (speaking of Diablo II) was able to change armors on your characters as I believe that greatly enhanced the experience of the game! It was a way to show you that "hey, I just got way better armor!" ...in a way. Even in Diablo III, I really liked the addition of the "Transmog" feature that allowed you to use in-game currency to change the looks of your armor.

Oh, and the dyes! Final Fantasy VII is probably my favorite game ever made. With that being said, one of the influences was the "Materia" (magic) system. The magic system in Dark Flame will be very similar to that with an extra "magic creation" concept! As far as the storyline goes, Warcraft 3/Frozen Throne wins with the unfortunate story of Arthas and the path that he takes... but I won't go into detail on what we have planned..

Monday - November 30, 2015

ZFiles: Infection - Kickstarter Campaign

by Myrthos, 12:57

ZFiles: Infection is an interactive comicbook videogame with some RPG elements and turn-based combat, in which you fight zombies. It is now asking for $15K on Kickstarter.

Z Files: Infection is a videogame visually inspired in Mike Mignola's work and taking elements from interactive fiction, gamebooks, RPG, with dices and turn-based combat. It challenge players to survive in an a ruthless apocalyptic world filled with great horrors where bleakness and black comedy coexist.

When the project came to us, we had the idea of making a digital gamebook version that would go far beyond the traditional gamebook. This is why with the invaluable help of our artistic director Francis Porcel we have decided to create a video game that explores a unique style that is not commonly seen in digital gamebooks: the interactive comic.

The game will follow the latest trends in Interactive Fiction, developed by some of the most influential studios and games in this kind of media, like 80 Days, Sorcery! (Inkle Studios), Fallen London and Sunless Sea (Failbetter Games).

With Z Files we have focused on short texts with choices that will make the reading of the game much more dynamic, be it on a small or a large screen. It will also focus on interactivity, so that the destiny of our adventure is built step by step, action by action. The player is always free to choose which path the hero should take.

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Thanks Eye.

Friday - November 27, 2015

Kickstarter Games - Development Update

by Myrthos, 12:06

Eye noticed through this article on Cliqist, that a new update was available, earlier this month, about Delver's Drop, which provides us with a development update, about walls, ceilings, monsters and lore.

Over the past month we’ve been working on the walls in an attempt to completely finish the visual side of the level generation system. The additional benefits are that we have been making the environments more interesting as we go, and have also eliminated visual bugs that have plagued our walls / doors for some time.

The most interesting new items include a set of “wall objects”, such as vents, windows, and paintings. These can be randomly injected into walls in each level. Beyond their decorative appeal, the coolest thing about these new objects is that they can be interactive on a case-by-case basis. A vent might be a spawner for bats and rats, a fireplace might emit fiery elementalings or jets of flame, a painting might reveal a hidden switch, and a window might allow healing pollen to occasionally drift into a room.

Tuesday - November 24, 2015

Cardinal Quest 2 - Available on Steam

by Myrthos, 12:10

The turn-based roguelike action RPG, Cardinal Quest 2 is now available on Steam and is so with a discount of 35% until the end of the month.

First the Minotaur conquered the Castle and wrecked the Forests, bellowing laughter and ruin. Then the Dragon returned to the Mountain, bathing its ancient halls in searing flame. Now behind them both a creature unspoken pulls the strings, orchestrating this world's extinction from a strange darkness...

They've taken everything from you. Now it's time to take them down.

TURN-BASED TACTICAL SLAUGHTER

Use your wits and strategy to overcome all obstacles! Every decision is permanent and death creeps closer with every step... but even death is just an opportunity for the fun to start again, as every restart creates an entirely new adventure!

  • Three story campaigns to play, plus a remix Endless mode: The Tower
  • Random levels and game-changing Legendary items keep every game fresh
  • Smart, no-fuss character building systems keep the action moving
  • Seven massively unique heroes to master, each with fearsome strengths and skills

CHOOSE YOUR COMBAT STYLE

Be The Thief, a backstabbing scoundrel who lurks in the shadows and leaps from bushes to strike unwary targets

...The Alchemist, a daydreamer with the skills to craft incredible potions and a penchant for building custom firearms from scavenged parts

...The Ranger, an archer with a heart of gold who raises a trusty Dog companion to fight at their side

...The Wizard, a spell-slinging exile who was too quick with a good Fireball for the Academy's bureaucrats

...The Fighter, a veteran sword-and-steel mercenary who's seen too much bloodshed to let this war crush any more

...The Paladin, a holy monk who swore to strike down evil in its many forms—and who sees a great deal of evil

...or be The Pugilist, a human wrecking ball who lives to find an enemy they can't finish with a fist to the face!

IT'S GOING TO GET MESSY

Between bloodthirsty Bandits, deadly Ogres, vulgar Werewolves, the cruelest Cockatrices, ancient unknown Horrors and much much more... there's so much out there that wants you dead. You can't let them have their way. Cardinal Quest II's many challenges await you!

Thanks Eye.

Kickstarter Games - Overview @ IndieRPGs

by Hiddenx, 01:39

Craig Stern made a list of the current indie RPG Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns:

Back to Back: indie RPGs to fund

Hey guys! Back to Back has returned for one last round-up in the year 2015, before we enter the end-of-year Valley of Death from which virtually no Kickstarters return!

Of those games we checked in on last time, the successful games were Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan; Battle Chasers: Nightwar; Divinity: Original Sin 2; For the King; and A House of Many Doors. Crossfate suffered a worse fate, as did MegaMagic: Wizards of the Neon Age; Omnis – The Erias Line; Psypher; Severed Winds; and Tears of Avia.

So! What’s new in the Land of Crowdfundia?

It seems that the impending Valley of Death has already scared away most high-profile comers, leaving a selection of hardscrabble contenders and a few gems:

Note: there is also The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. It’s a licensed game, and thus officially not indie, but some of you might want to check it out anyway.

Sunday - November 22, 2015

Dark Flame - Kickstarter Update #3

by Hiddenx, 18:29

Kickstarter Update #3 for the MetroidVania Action RPG Dark Flame:

New Version of the Pre Alpha w/ "Easy Modifier" for Casual Players

Hello Again!

I just wanted to let you all know that if you were never able to beat the preAlpha, you can now! I added in an optional area in the beginning that will give you a boost (and you can keep getting that boost) to help you with your ventures in the preAlpha demo! It's not the ideal "Casual Mode" that would be in the final game, but it's a quick fix to help those who are struggling and would like to see all the content!

I believe that some of the balances I have made to this preAlpha have made the game slightly easier than what it was when I first released it. Keep in mind, that I do intend to maintain the Castlevania + Dark Souls hybrid that I am aiming towards. So this game is meant to be difficult, but I will do the best that I can to allow the casual players a good clean shot at visiting the game's content!

Download the New Pre-Alpha Demo with the "Easy Modifier" Here!

Thanks again to all the backers! I hope you appreciate the new update!

Respectfully,

Warren

Tuesday - November 17, 2015

Dark Flame - Kickstarter Update #2

by Myrthos, 22:47

A new Kickstarter update for Dark Flame has been made available, about the updated Pre-Alpha demo, details about the Keepers of the Flame, the Pyres and weapons.

Beside those things there is also this video, which addresses the comments and concerns about the game.

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Thanks Eye.

A Princess to Save Me - Cancelled

by Myrthos, 16:28

The Kickstarter campaign for A Princess to Save Me has been cancelled by the developers.

WHY?

You might've noticed that despite all the exposure we got, it doesn't look like the funding will be able to reach the goal. We believe that our project has potential, but we've made a few mistakes regarding the campaign that prevent it from being realized.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

1) RPG-maker default graphics

We don't have an artist (that's what the funds are for), and the default graphics pack looks nice, so we just went with it. What we didn't realize is that it comes with reputation attached. The ease of using RPG maker led to tons of games of questionable quality being created. The decision to use the default graphics in the video has cost us a lot of potential backers: people dismissed the project as amateur without going into details or looking at the demo.

2) Timing

Three AAA projects launched on the second week of our campaign, which made it hard to get attention and also got people less inclined to spend even more on gaming. Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner didn't help as well.

3) Weak campaign page

Because of no artist our page was not colorful enough to compete with other projects. We also lacked detailed description of the game and didn't give enough info about the gameplay.

WHAT'S NEXT

We're not giving up on the game!

We got valuable feedback and over a hundred supporters who backed us despite all of the above! We see it as a great result!

Time to work on our mistakes. We will find a talented artist who shares our vision on the game and will be willing to give it a try with us. We will polish the gameplay and create a bigger demo, showcasing it at it's best. At the moment we're considering both relaunching the project on Kickstarter and looking for a publisher, but whatever it will be, you will be first to know.

We will continue posting updates and keeping you informed about everything that happens to the game.  

Thank you so much for supporting us and believing in A Princess To Save Me. We will make it happen!

Thanks Eye.

Monday - November 16, 2015

Blacksea Odyssey - Kickstarter Campaign

by Myrthos, 13:12

Our Eye spotted a Kickstarter campaign for Blacksea Odyssey, a 2D top-down shoot 'em up with RPG and rogue-like elements.

A vast sort of cumulative imagination has inspired us to create a dark and beautiful experience with lush otherworldly spacescapes, dangerous behemoths to rend, and a twitch-based stream of rapturous delight. With Blacksea Odyssey we wanted to create something truly original. While inspired by many of our favorite games, we believe our vision of Blacksea Odyssey separates itself from games of similar genres while still staying true to it’s core; a fast-paced space shooter. Imagine if you will Shadow of the Colossus’s massively scaled bosses, Geometry Wars extremely crisp and fluid control scheme, Path of Exile's deep RPG-like rune system, and Binding of Isaac's insane replayability. While many games have influenced the design of Blacksea Odyssey, these games have had the heaviest impact.

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The link contains various animated gifs for your viewing pleasure.

Tuesday - November 10, 2015

The Great Whale Road - Kickstarter begins on November 17

by Hiddenx, 19:32

The RPG The Great Whale Road is coming to Kickstarter on November 17:

DESCRIPTION

The Great Whale Road is a medieval RPG with turn-based tactics, longships and axes. Players travel the whale road - an Anglo-Saxon name for the sea - to supply their home settlement.  Recruiting a crew and the occasional hero requires renown, which the player can earn in combat as well as by trading and exploring.

KEY FEATURES

GAMEPLAY (EXPLORATION, CREW MANAGEMENT, Turn-Based Combat)

  • Explore the early medieval North Sea coast with historical settlements and trading hubs.
  • Select your hero and crew from historical cultures, including Anglo-Saxons, Picts, Danes, Franks and Britons.
  • Select different historical ships and ship types from skin boats to the Sutton Hoo ship.
  • Pirate, raid or trade to support and develop your home settlement.
  • Follow the stories of your heroes and champions along the Whale Road.
  • Single-player campaign.
  • Multi-player arena where players can match their crews against each other.

The inspiration for the gameplay and design comes from a myriad of games, books and movies. The most obvious might be classic RPGs like Baldur's Gate, turn-based giants like XCOM, sea trading games like Port Royale. But we also played a lot of Darkest Dungeon and Sunless Sea to see what they did well, and not so well.

[...]

Monday - November 09, 2015

A Princess To Save Me - Kickstarted @ Indie Game Guys

by Hiddenx, 20:24

Drunk Dragon Games annouced a new interesting game: A Princess To Save Me

The game is on Kickstarter right now.

A princess to save me: game about becoming yourself

I'm Andrey from Drunk Dragon Games.
We make games about society and social issues.
 
Our tactical RPG A Princess To Save Me explores origins of a person's perception of self and women's place in traditional society.

A damsel-in-distress princess has just been saved by a prince, but he gets killed on the way home, and she is left to take care of herself for the first time in her life.
 
We bring game mechanics and narrative together to tell the story of a victim transforming into a hero.
 
We're launching a kickstarter and thought you might be interested in covering our game because of your interest in games devoted to social issues as well as narrative focused games.

Kickstarter video:

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Game trailer:

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Friday - November 06, 2015

Dark Flame - Kickstarter Campaign Started

by Myrthos, 12:44

While checking out Kickstarter, Eye also spotted a new MetroidVania, Action-RPG, Storyline-based fantasy game, named Dark Flame. They are asking for $75K to make their dream happen.

A beautiful 2D ARPG throwback to retro greats. Dark Flame brings you the perspective of a knight who must battle the horrific conveyance of unknown evil that has overtaken his order. Featuring large, hand-crafted environments, tailored gameplay, and an armoire of weapons, armor, and magic, the game blends classic with new to bring a unique experience!

You play the role of Taharial; a crusader in the midst of the Batlic Crusades. Upon discovering a mysterious onset of insanity by unknown causes amongst his brothers, Taharial set's forth to purge the area of evil and persevere through the dark possessive powers before all is lost in chaos.

Features:

  • Utilize the Pyre to modify the powers of your weapons and spells  
  • Manipulate the unique level system to suit your style of play
  • Immerse yourself in the diverse storyline of Dark Flame where you struggle between the lesser of evils
  • Adorn powerful weapons and armor to customize your appearance
  • Discover hidden chambers and uncover dark secrets
  • Unlock unique talents and channel hidden powers

You can also try out their alpha demo.

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Friday - October 30, 2015

War of Rights - Development Milestones

by Hiddenx, 21:47

Campfire Games explains their development milestones for the war simulation: War of Rights - Kickstarter update #7:

Development Milestones For War of Rights

Hello and welcome to the seventh Kickstarter update for War of Rights. Before we dive into the update itself we wanted to share with you some very important milestones we've reached today! We're now over 50% funded thanks to the support of over 1,300 backers. And to make today even better, we've also been approved on Steam Greenlight! That means that all backers at Private or higher will be getting a Steam code for War of Rights once it's released. But don't forget that if we don't make it to the goal here on Kickstarter then War of Rights won't get made!

This time we’ll be talking a bit about which pledge tiers grant access to the different early test versions of the game. We have divided our testing phase into three different sections. 

Closed Alpha

The earliest playable test available is the Skirmishes Phase I (Closed Alpha) test. This is rewarded exclusively to people backing us on Kickstarter from the Captain pledge tier and higher. If all goes according to plan, we hope to reach this stage within six months after the Kickstarter is over... as long as we make it to our main goal!

The Skirmishes Phase I (Closed Alpha) will feature:

• Antietam skirmish areas

• Additional weapons

• Regiment Classes (private, NCO, Flag bearer, officer)

• First iteration of the order system

Closed Beta

After the Closed Alpha has taken place and once we've taken into consideration the feedback from the players who participated in these skirmishes, we'll work hard to release the Skirmishes Phase II (Closed Beta). This part of the testing phase is available from the Sergeant pledge tier and higher. The release date for Skirmishes Phase II (Closed Beta) is tied into how testing goes during the Skirmishes Phase I (Closed Alpha).

The Skirmishes Phase II (Closed Beta) will feature:

• Additional skirmish areas

• Additional weapons

• More regiment variations

• Additional specialized classes (Sharpshooters)

• 2nd iteration of the order system

"At the edge of the corn, a long line of men in butternut and gray rose up from the ground. Simultaneously, the hostile battle lines opened a tremendous fire upon each other. Men, I can not say fell; they were knocked out of the ranks by dozens. 

The 14th Brooklyn, the red legged Zouaves, came into my line on a run, closing the awful gaps. Now is the pinch, men and officers of New York and Wisconsin are fused into a common mass in the frantic struggle to shoot fast. Men are falling in their places or running back into the corn."

Major Rufus Dawes - 6th Wisconsin Infantry 

Describing the advance of the Iron Brigade through Millers Cornfield.

Steam Early Access - Open Beta

The last early test phase for the game will be the launch on the Steam Early Access platform. This is available from the Corporal pledge tier and higher. Early access marks an incredible important moment in the development of War of Rights. This is the time when a great amount of new players will be introduced to the game for the first time – and hopefully join the already seasoned players!

[...]

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Kickstarter Games - Awaken

by Hiddenx, 21:32

Black Rune spotted this Kickstarter for tabletop fans - Awaken:

In a ravaged land, you choose your destiny as a Vasalli, mighty heroes with a seed of darkness in their hearts.

We are proud to present Awaken, a tabletop roleplaying game set in a dark, war-ravaged fantasy world heavily influenced by Slavic and Mediterranean folklore, where the forgotten mythologies have resurfaced as Vasalli, powerful humans gifted with abilities capable of changing the course of history.

Dark times have arrived for the denizens of the Alliance. Their trusted Colossi, guardians of the Great Cities, are slowly dying out. The monstrous Vargans, who once caused a war that nearly devastated the continent, still hide in the shadows of the underground. At the same time, strange nations from the North continue their incursions at a faster clip, all while the lords and leaders of the Alliance bicker over petty politics.


 ▼ In such desperate times, the only possible torchbearers are the Vasalli, gifted people spoken of by the old mythologies. But can they bear the burden of being the protectors of humanity, or will they allow themselves to be corrupted by power and succumb to the darkness that delves in every heart?


Experience a story-driven game that emphasizes player interaction, immersive mood, and narration.

Play as Vasalli, powerful beings destined for greatness, and discover the secrets of your lineage—and your fate. 

Enjoy the intuitive and light rules, which help you tell a story rather than burden you down. 

Download the Quickstart Guide; a short and light version of the full rules. Inside you'll find the premade characters and a short adventure called "The Liborian Incident" -  everything you need to taste the world of Awaken!

Thursday - October 15, 2015

Prehistory - New on Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 00:14

Prehistory is a third-person historic and survival video game on Kickstarter:

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The first video game 100% realistic from a historic and archaeological point of view and the first union of Serious and Survival games.

What would happen if a historian designs a video game? And if we add the fact that he has been playing video games since he was a child?

The result is the union of two different kinds of games. On one hand, it is a Serious Game of Edutainment style (Educational Entertainment) with amazing realistic mechanics based on accurate archaeological and historical information. On the other hand, it can be classify under the Survival-Action genre, in third-person, with its mechanics focused on entertaining.

This project will be located in the Prehistory, specifically in the Paleolithic period. Furthermore, the story will take place in a 3D virtual world, which will have ecosystems composed of every tiny detail from the Upper Paleolithic. Also, one of its main aims is learning through entertainment, thanks to the great well-made realism.

Thursday - October 08, 2015

Tears of Avia - Kickstarter Update #8

by Hiddenx, 19:30

The Tears of Avia Kickstarter has reached 30% of the funding goal with 13 days to go - CooCooSqueaky with Kickstarter update #8:

Update - Over 30% of the way and audio!

Hey all!

We're currently over 30% funded with just over 750 backers. We got a fantastic boost from the awesome people behind Battle Chasers: Nightwar - If you've not checked them out already, get to it! You've not got long left!

About the music

So one of our backers quite rightly talked about there being too little information on the sound, so let's explore how we're approaching the music and sound design in Tears of Avia. 

For our prototype we produced a number of tracks before settling on the overall direction of music. While testing with the game we found that a steady and almost rhythmic style of music worked well during battle. The game itself is turn based, it felt strangely at odds to have a crazy over the top epic track playing while you're trying to carefully consider your next move.

The first prototype level we produced was the mine, we spent some time trying to incorporate elements that reflected the environment into the track as well as keep to the sort of pacing we were aiming for. [...]

Gameplay footage:

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Tears of Avia is a turn based tactical RPG. Play with up to 5 classes and hundreds of skills, finding the best synergy with your party and their skill loadout will mean the difference between success and failure.

Saturday - October 03, 2015

Antinomy - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 07:10

Watcher Farflame spotted this new interesting Kickstarter campaign for the action adventure Antinomy:

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Welcome to Antinomy, a unique 19th century Indie open world action-adventure video game bringing the "The Holy Land" to life!

Antinomy is a game set in a fictional Middle Eastern country in the late 19th century, about people from different origins coming together to fight for the same cause, which is justice. They have stood up against the tyranny of those who swore to protect them and who were left unpunished after committing disgraceful crimes against innocent people. The main character, Nathaniel, has the pursuit of justice as his mission, until one day, when he finds out something, that drastically changes his plans...

The message of the game is to promote the importance of underlying themes within the game such as family, friendship, justice and unity, and to show that despite the diversity of the characters' backgrounds, when they put aside their differences, they are able to live in prosperity.

Features:

  • ~20 square kilometres open world with a vast lethal desert and a variety of other unique areas
  • Most of the 800+ buildings in the world are enterable.
  • 34 main story missions, 35+ side quests 
  • 25+ hours main storyline gameplay 
  • A variety of 19th century weapons including muskets, flintlock pistols and a range of Middle Eastern melee weapons.
  • Trading, crafting and a dynamic world economy.
  • Political alignments, shifting alliances and diplomacy and conquest
  • RPG elements such as player skills and character customisation
  • Innovative combat system inspired by V.A.T.S. in Fallout series
  • A full body realistic injury system

PS: Kai Rosenkranz is the Soundtrack Composer!

Friday - October 02, 2015

Rite of Life - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 19:36

Rite of Life is a new game on Kickstarter. It's a life-sim RPG that features a player-driven open world where you start with a small encampment. Through exploring, battling and gathering resources you can turn your home into a prospering town.

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Rite of Life is a life-sim RPG being developed for PC by Rebourne Studios, inspired by games like Harvest Moon, Pokémon, Dark Cloud & Monster Hunter.

-> Steam Greenlight

Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 07:20

Beautifun Games will present their current Kickstarter project Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age at the Madrid Games Week:

"Megamagic" is Diablo meets PKMN meets Zelda meets C&C, with 80s vibes all over it!

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Hi, our dear backers!

Today Madrid Games Week starts! One of biggest and finest Spanish events on videogames. It's mostly dedicated to AAA studios and so, but there's also room for indie studios. And there we're headed! 

We woke up around 5am and took a plane to go from Barcelona to Madrid. We are pretty excited! Here you can see our booth. Do you like it?

We have a playable demo that challenges you to beat a small dungeon with its own boss. We also have a mini-tournament mode where you fight another wizard following very special rules. We have some of our beautiful prints as a prize for the brave ones who beat the demo. And we also have some cool retro props! 

We love this kind of events because it's an opportunity to celebrate everything that revolves around being an indie studio. We get some sweet exposure, but also we get to see how people realy interact with Megamagic. And we get to see our dear indie friends from other parts of Spain.

Saturday - September 26, 2015

Creepy Castle - Progress Report

by Hiddenx, 11:39

The devs of the retro RPG Creepy Castle has updated their Kickstarter page after a long period of silence. The game will be released in October 2015.

Hey there everyone!

First of all, let me apologize for how slow I've been on the updates. I've been pretty much working on the game nonstop to the neglect of a lot of things, and unfortunately handling website stuff like a log on Kickstarter was one of those things.

I'm going to try to stay as firm as possible about the release date I mentioned in the last update- I really want to release in October (I don't think any other month would be more fitting), and preferably sooner than later. As soon as I have a concrete date I will be letting you all know here.

Backer surveys will be out asap!

Now, how about sharing some of the stuff I've been working on? As I mentioned earlier, work on the game has been nonstop, and features included in the game have continued to expand beyond the scope initially listed in the Kickstarter.

[...Lots of new features...]

Anyway, with not only the wealth of new content, but the polish to a lot of older content, we feel Creepy Castle has really made the most of its launch delay. The game is honestly magnitudes better and more engrossing than it was when the Kickstarter launched, and it only gets better with each passing day.

Anyway, I have to get back to work. I will do my best to keep you guys in the loop- but in the meantime, please feel free to tweet to me @dopterra if you ever have any questions or comments. I'm always down for conversation!

Thank you so much everyone!

Zach

 

12 is Better Than 6 - Kickstarter Update #7

by Hiddenx, 10:39

12 is Better Than 6 needs a bit more help on Kickstarter - western tracks with rock elements will be in the game:

Ivan Reshetnev, JOHN R1SE and Exaige are helping us to shape the sound of 12 is Better Than 6. We started to search for the right sound for the game as soon as we had decided on the look and feel for 12 is Better than 6. At first we were aiming at western tracks with rock elements, but when we first started to develop what became the pre-alpha build (which you can download right here), we realized that this was not the right direction for our sound.

Luckily Ivan Reshetnev, an old friend of ours, happily became our first composer. He was fond of our game and liked the idea of creating music for it. And as we worked on the pre-alpha the team of JOHN R1SE and Exaige became part of the process feeling inspired by the style of our game. 

And now here we are, ready to share a teaser for a track they're currently working on for 12 is Better Than 6! Don’t forget  that if you pledge at £9 or higher you'll get a digital copy of the full soundtrack for 12 is Better Than 6, and that if you pledge for a physical copy of the game you'll also get a physical copy of the soundtrack on CD along with the game disc and manual, all in a collector's edition box!

 

Sunday - September 20, 2015

Kickstarter - Roundup

by Hiddenx, 18:06

Many RPG and Adventure projects are on Kickstarter right now - an overview:

Legends of Mesenia

Legends of Mesenia is a 18+ role playing game. Filled with monsters, empires, quests, chicks and beer! Download demo.

Tears of the Sky

Tears of the Sky is a classic RPG with a futuristic twist.

Kingdom Fall

Kingdom Fall is a Sandbox RPG game that will push you to explore fight and trade in a procedurally generated world.

The Dwarves - A New Storydriven Fantasy RPG

We're putting dwarves front and center in our new RPG with physics-based combat and an intriguing story.

tiny & Tall: Gleipnir

An epic, norse mythology-inspired point and click adventure game, with un-epic ridiculous characters.

We Need a Hero

A classic point & click adventure game with kickass puzzles, and mind-blowing arts. Playable demo now available! Check the updates tab.

Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age

Explore a huge world, learn awesome spells and summon all the monsters you've beaten on your journey! All in a cool 80s fashion!

A House of Many Doors - an exploration RPG

Explore the House, a parasite dimension of cities and secrets. A nonlinear exploration RPG for PC, packed with story and lore.

Legacy of Svarog

Legacy of Svarog is a 3D Action RPG and Adventure video game hybrid based on Slavic Mythology.

Indigenous - An Atmospheric Action RPG

In an uncharted jungle you have to hunt animals, build shelters, collect ingredients and fight other tribes to ensure your survival.

The Hollow Earth PC

An immersive 3rd person shooter experience based on one of the most fascinating theories of all time, The Hollow Earth.

Trove: The Crystal Caverns

The ultimate asymmetric cave-crawling adventure where you become the brave Knight, Goblin horde, massive Dragon, or malevolent Cave.

Divinity: Original Sin 2

An epic RPG with turn-based combat, cooperative/competitive multiplayer; sequel to Divinity: Original Sin, GameSpot's PC Game of 2014.

For The King

Embark on a perilous adventure with turn-based combat and strategic exploration in this single player and online cooperative roguelike.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar

Classic JRPG combat meets action packed dungeons and stylish storytelling. Use skills and strategy to survive a lush, brutal landscape.

Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan

Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan is an African-Fantasy Action-RPG based on a frenetic and creative combat system.

Thursday - September 17, 2015

Stasis - Is out of Stasis

by Hiddenx, 11:02

The cowdfunded horror adventure Stasis has been released and the first reviews are praising the game:

IGN Africa:

Score: 9/10 - Amazing

The Brotherhood's debut game is as brilliant as it is profoundly disturbing.

GamerHeadlines:

Score 8/10 - Awesome

Stasis is by far one of the most atmospheric games this year; the environments are beautifully crafted showing its homage to Alien everywhere. The sound effects and placing of sounds are really top-notch, better than most AAA games with a thriller\horror theme. Stasis is a great Point-and-Click horror Adventure, one that really lives up to its name in every possible way. It is a game that I really did not want to stop playing, but had to since the horror atmosphere demanded my brain to take a break. If your drug is Horror games or Point-and-Click Adventures, or just looking for that game that surely will stay with you even after the end, Stasis is worth every cent of your money.

 Destructoid:

Score 8.5/10

Charming - Not perfect, but it's easy to ignore the rough spots when faced with so many engaging design decisions and entertaining moments. A memorable game that's hard not to like and recommend to others.

 

Tuesday - September 15, 2015

Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 11:52

Our Eye spotted this new action RPG Kickstarter Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age -
a
game from BeautiFun Games the creators of great platformer Nihilumbra.

The game is a tribute to the 80/90s action cartoons - the Kickstarter Trailer:

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Sunday - August 30, 2015

Galactic Insomnia - Kickstarter Trailer

by Hiddenx, 17:06

Trailer for the new Kickstarter Galactic Insomnia - a sci-fi turn-based tactical squad game with RPG elements:

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Thank you for the info, Eye!

Tuesday - August 25, 2015

Galactic Insomnia - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 22:31

A new sci-fi tactical squad game Galactic Insomnia has been kickstarted:

A Sci-fi turn-based tactical squad game, set in diverse worlds throughout the galaxy, inspired by genre classics:

Overview:

Galactic Insomnia is a classic turn-based tactical squad game for PCs (Windows, Linux, Mac) in which the player manages a group of agents, each of them having their own unique set of features, equipment, and individual personalities.   

The player can choose from a series of missions that take place in various environments. These include both vibrant and elegant city landscapes as well as inhospitable deserts and the cold desolation of outer space. 

We want to offer: 

  • Compelling tactical combat
  • A diverse universe 
  • Complex interactions between team characters 
  • A story-driven campaign 
  • Multiplayer mode

Game Universe

Galactic Insomnia is set in a world existing more than 500 years into the future. The advancement of technology, science and medicine has enabled human beings to expand across the whole galaxy, creating diverse cultures and societies, all of which have very complex relations among one and another. 

Some groups shut themselves off from the rest of civilization, looking for a return to “the good old days”, while other groups remain in a state of commercial or ideological warfare between factions. The most developed societies have reached the heights of technological development, unlike those less competitive and ambitious who inadvertently make steps back in development.

Conflicts and misunderstandings between galactic communities are usually resolved by small dedicated groups of agents. These agents will often use radical means like bombings, kidnappings and sabotage. This approach allows them to avoid larger and much bloodier conflicts between mega-corporations that control the politics and trade in major areas of the known galaxy. Agents recruited by the player will actively participate in these dangerous games.

Gameplay:

Galactic Insomnia game-play has both tactical and strategic dimensions.

Tactical level – comprises the efficient use of all available means. Equipment, the mission geography plus the active and passive abilities.

Strategic level – covers team management and the team. The choice of agents and control of their development will prove more challenging as the game progresses.

Key features:

  • Dozens of recruitable agents with individual personalities
  • Characters leveling with both statistical points and special abilities tree 
  • Morale as an important factor in the combat statistics 
  • Combat stances affecting both offensive and defensive stats 
  • Characters gear: weaponry, armor, implants 
  • Weapons with multiple firing modes and limited ammo 
  • Additional senses (sound, electronic emission) 
  • Destructible covers 
  • Opponent flanking 
  • Basic healing protects only against bleeding out 
  • Personal and area forcefields 
  • Intelligent drones and landmines

Monday - August 24, 2015

OMNIS - The Erias Line - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 19:48

A new JPRG has started a Kickstarter campaign: OMNIS - The Erias Line.

Vibrant characters. A bizarre, dying world. Impossible choices. Unforgivable sacrifices. A JRPG being developed in Unity.

Story:

Join Orphan and Skyler as they arrive in Verdamm City, the world’s decaying capital, and are conscripted into the ‘Operatives’ - a network of desperate men and women forced to undertake violent missions for the city’s corrupt elite.

Their first assignment will bring them face to face with a powerful and ruthlessly curious being, obsessed with finding and studying the limits of human suffering.

Defeating him will take more than force, and along with a motley band of allies, Orphan and Skyler must face a harrowing truth:

In order to save Verdamm, they must first help that sinister entity bring the city to its knees.

What is Omnis?

Omnis is a 2D, sprite-based game mixing the spirit and mechanics of a JRPG with the darker, grittier themes and settings of New-Weird fiction.

The game will be made in three parts and include at least twenty hours of gameplay (see 'Our Goal' below for more info).

Basically, we're making Omnis because it's the JRPG we've always wanted to play:

A JRPG that moves away from the tired tropes and stereotypes to tell a story that can really draw you in and surprise/intrigue you at every turn. The world we've created is bizarre and fragile, its population is real, flawed, and dangerous. The whole of Erias - the world where Omnis takes place - has been taking shape and evolving for almost a decade. Now it's ready to bring to life!

Omnis is not about a straight-up fight to defeat the villain; we're doing something different.

Omnis is about heroes who find themselves struggling under the weight of the future, and facing the cold, hard necessities of saving the world from self-inflicted ruin. We wanted to put them - and you - in a truly harrowing and desperate position, where more than their own lives are at stake in every battle and with every decision.

With your support, Omnis can be become a reality and live up to every single one of the ambitions we have for it.

Mechanics:

The aim is simple, really: we want to provide you with as many ways to explore the game world and influence your experience as possible, while always maintaining strong narrative focus.

We'll be doing this with three simple core mechanics:

  • As you proceed through the game, a huge range of your decisions influence how character relationships develop, how key events unfold and what paths and content open up. Rather than having a handful of decisions that majorly change events, the Dynamic Arc System lets you influence the story on a smaller scale but in a much bigger number and variety of ways.
  • Throughout the game you can enter and explore each characters’ psyche, discovering more about them, uncovering their darkest secrets and influencing their past by interacting with their memories and thoughts. Their internal world is represented by a place or time important to each character, so each one is unique and adds something different.
  • The Formation Battle System adds a new level of strategy to the turn-based, active-time format. Each of the five ‘slots’ in the formation has its own advantages and disadvantages, and characters can switch positions during battle, allowing you to adapt your party to new threats as they arise.
    Enemy groups
    will also utilise the formation system, so enemies will reorganise themselves as battles unfold and adapt their strategy to provide a dynamic challenge.

 

Saturday - July 25, 2015

Tsioque - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 09:08

A new point & click Adventure is now on Kickstarter: Tsioque

Trailer:

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Its key features are: meticulous, hand-drawn 2d animation and a music system designed to dynamically follow the player's actions, which combined create a unique experience, merging boundaries between adventure game and animated film.

-> download Demo PC

-> download Demo OSX

More info on Tsioque:

Darkness, humour and animation. Tsioque, a new adventure game, has just been launched on Kickstarter

Creators of critically acclaimed Tormentum, Polish OhNoo Studio, joined forces with award-winning animation filmmaker Alek Wasilewski (Lucky Day Forever) to create a whimsical, frame-by-frame animated point click adventure game in a dark but humorous fairytale setting.

Tsioque is a playfully dark 2d point and click adventure game inspired by such classics as Day of the Tentacle, Dragon's Lair or Ron Gilbert's Pajama Sam series. The game is being created with the use of meticulous frame-by-frame animation, where each second of gameplay requires multiple frames to be drawn by hand from scratch. By combining the hand-drawn 2d animation and a music system designed to dynamically follow the player's actions, the developers hope to create a unique experience [merging boundaries] between adventure game and animated film.

The protagonist is a little warrior princess named Tsioque, imprisoned in a castle ruled by the Evil Wizard. She's not the kind of princess who waits for Prince Charming to rescue her - she's brave and stubborn, and has an unusual talent for bringing unintended chaos and destruction wherever she goes.

During her escape, Tsiqoue will explore a castle with a mysterious past, which - bound by a powerful spell - has not only become home to demons and magical creatures, but also, itself, has been affected by the evil power... It bends and shapeshifts, forming layers upon layers of transformation and illusion. It is an essential part of the plot and – especially later in the game – is tightly integrated into the gameplay.

“And if you think it's just about a girl in a castle - well, you're in for a surprise.” - says Alek Wasilewski, adding that we may expect many surprising twists and turns in the game.

The developers hope to raise $35,000. Most of this money will go to creating more frame-by-frame animation, which is the most labor-consuming part of the project. During the next 44 days, the campaign can be followed and supported on its official Kickstarter page. It's worth mentioning that many interesting rewards wait for those who decide to support the project. The title will be available for PCs and is to premiere next year.

Sunday - July 19, 2015

Pirates War - The Dice King - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 08:57

A new Kickstarter that sounds like major fun has just started:

Pirates War is a digital board game. Become a pirate captain, win against others, and become the Dice King! Play, Pillage & Plunder!!!
In Pirates War – The Dice King, you are a pirate captain competing with others. Like other “property trading board” game, you can buy land, build buildings, upgrade them and in the end the richest person will win each match. However, you don’t have to just ‘talk with money,’ you can battle with one another and as a captain, you and your crew will have great effect on the battle ground. By setting up strategy and with luck your dice, anyone can become the Dice King.

 

Wednesday - July 01, 2015

Legends of Fire & Steel - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 21:57

Boomzap Entertainment started a Kickstarter for a new strategy game:
Legends of Fire & Steel:

Welcome to our Kickstarter page! Legends of Fire & Steel is a turn-based multiplayer strategy game we’re currently developing for mobile tablets, PC and Mac OSX.

About the Game

Legends of Fire & Steel is a strategy game designed from the ground up to be playable on a tablet or on a PC/Mac. The goal is to make a game that has the feel of a large, epic strategy game like Civilization, Crusader Kings 2, or Heroes of Might and Magic, but with the shorter playtime and simple controls of a game like Risk, Lux, or FTL. A game that is easy to learn, fast to play, but which offers enough choice to make it interesting to play over and over again.

Game Features

Classic fantasy world conquest strategy game with simple, intuitive controls that play well on PC, Mac, iOS and Android tablets

  • Wide range of heroes to choose from, each with different tactical powers and abilities
  • Single player campaigns: Follow the war of the races across the lands, unlock new maps and heroes, and discover new lands.
  • Turn-based simultaneous multiplayer game with Ranked and Casual Play, friend finder, rankings, and leader boards.
  • Collect Hero Cards: unlock new heroes and expand your hero selection.

Gameplay

Legends of Fire & Steel is a classic territory capture game with an element of team picking. In the game, players create armies which are led by heroes and used to capture territories in order to provide resources and build new units and heroes.

Control your heroes across the map and build forces with the racial units. Each unit and hero has particular strengths, weaknesses, and tactical powers. They can be upgraded to make them more powerful, and new heroes can be unlocked using your hard-won resources. The objective is to capture all of your opponent’s castles and it’s up to you to figure out how to spend each turn.

Each round provides a variety of actions for heroes to perform:

  • Hire - hire, upgrade, or unlock units for your armies
  • Organize - exchange units between heroes, cities and occupied lands
  • Occupy - put a territory under player control
  • Raze - collect a large sum of resources from owned territories, with the cost of making the land unable to produce for a number of turns
  • Heal - restore knocked out units from skirmishes
  • Defend - give a defense bonus for that turn

(...)

Monday - June 29, 2015

Diluvion - Funded!

by Hiddenx, 07:32

The deep sea exploration and submarine combat game, Diluvion, is funded.
The Kickstarter campaign runs 3 more days.

Gamespot E3 video interview:

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Saturday - June 27, 2015

Kickstarter - Current Overview

Saturday - June 13, 2015

Das Tal - Post Kickstarter Thoughts

by Hiddenx, 08:49

David Wells has sent in a few thoughts about the failed Kickstarter of the game 'Das Tal':

Our Kickstarter has come to an end, and at closing we reached just under 33k. Not the 50k we aimed for, so things have obviously not turned out as well as they could. I am happy to say that the majority of people have come to us with questions and genuine advice, rather than negative comments. The amount of people who were asking about what would happen to Das Tal actually gave me a really good vibe in the middle of the whole situation.

To answer that question, Das Tal will continue with development. That is the simplest way to put it. The Kickstarter was never our one and only path, and we would not have kicked it off so early if we were risking everything. We plan to jump straight back into a development push that will see the game improve at a faster rate than it was even during Kickstarter, as we had basically all team members doing at least a little publicity work.

The first step is to take a look at the feedback our community has given us, as well as the feelings we have picked up from discussions out on news sites and other discussion forums like Reddit. We need to restructure how we communicate our game to the public. Having people say they are surprised how much they like the game once they try it is nice, but we need to figure out how we can make more people excited to try it in the first place. This is going to be a big focus for us over the next couple of months.

The other part is obviously taking the feedback we received about the game itself. We had 4 tests over this month, which is actually quite a lot considering how much else we had on our plate. From tests we take note of what everyone thinks of all the core features, as well as minor gripes. So we have a lot of feedback there also, and will discuss what needs to be done and get right into it.

Thank you so much to everyone who supported us. Whether it was financially, through media coverage of what is still a small indie project, by spreading the word, or by coming along to one of our tests. It means a lot to us, and we will keep working hard on creating an awesome game.

Thanks for the info David and Good Luck for the project!

Friday - June 12, 2015

Regalia: Of Men And Monarchs - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 23:45

Regalia: Of Men And Monarchs is doing well on Kickstarter - update #5:

ON THE TOPIC OF RACES

Once upon a time, a certain Mr Tolkien codified the classic trifecta of races: humans, elves and dwarves, and the shadows of his ideas linger still. From Dungeons & Dragons to Final Fantasy, from West to East, the intuitive split between the generic, the beautiful and the crafty finds eternal purchase. In that sense, Regalia is no different. The trifecta is there, too. If this raises your suspicions and/or protests, then rightly so. In my previous update, I made a sweeping statement about being tired of certain conventions - and true, nothing is more conventional than using those three stock races. But gleefully tossing in some horned helmets and Legolas clones would be both bland and unrewarding. As we sat down to do some basic worldbuilding, we took our dwarves, and elves, and gnomes (they're in too), and thought to ourselves: what, how, why? What defines those races? What inspired them in the first place? What are their conventional purposes, and what would be their logical conclusions? Can we twist and poke them for some fresh output?

When you look at dwarves, in Dungeons & Dragons terminology, they're a poster "lawful" race. They are honorable, orderly and orthodox to the point of boredom. They have a strong martial culture and are typically wary of outsiders. And I thought: hell, this sounds a lot like the stereotypical medieval Japan.

Boom, samurai dwarves.

Our elves came from a different thought process. As a dwarf fan, I may be slightly biased, but I never really enjoyed how elves tend to be portrayed as noble, angelically beautiful lords of a bygone age. Sure, that's how people like them, and I respect that. But they weren't always this way - and, as Terry Pratchett noted in his Discworld series, there used to be a time when "terrific" meant "to beget terror", a time of Us and Them, of the Fair Folk who would kidnap your children and gnaw on your bones. The Irish sidhe were capricious, inexplicable creatures, both wonderful and monstrous. That's how I wanted our elves to be. Also vikings, because vikings are cool. Please don't judge me.

Last but not least, gnomes. In a world of easternized dwarves and scary elves, we tried to keep our gnomes closer to how other universes tend to portray them - that is, lighter and crazier. At the same time, instead of making them grease monkeys or burrow dwellers, we chose to plant them at the head of Regalia's largest trading empire. They are, at core, Arabian Nights-esque flavored people, hailing from a weird land full of spectacular wonders, with much of that strangeness reflecting on gnomes themselves. Unsurprisingly, although many respect them, almost nobody understands them. (...)

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Thursday - June 11, 2015

Diluvion - Kickstarter Update

by Hiddenx, 07:52

Leo Dasso's team Arachnid has reached 50% of their Kickstarter funding goal for Diluvion already:

50% After 1 Week

THANK YOU.

It means a lot to us that so many people are willing to support our project, but we can't rest yet.  The next 3 weeks will be exciting!

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Friday - June 05, 2015

We Happy Few - New Kickstarter Campaign

by Hiddenx, 18:41

Compulsion Games presents a very interesting Rogue-Like / Adventure Mix on Kickstarter - We Happy Few - Welcome to Wellington Wells, you Saucy Minx

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A game of paranoia and survival, in a drugged-out, dystopian English city in 1964. From the studio that brought you Contrast.

Thursday - June 04, 2015

Kickstarter - What's going on right now?

by Hiddenx, 15:03

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - 8 days to go / 661% of goal reached

The Bard's Tale IV - 36 days to go / 74% of goal reached

Umbra - 10 days to go / 115% of goal reached

Hero-U Adventure Role-Playing Game - 11 days to go / 78% of goal reached

Monsters' Den: Godfall - 6 hours to go / 107% of goal reached

Regalia - Of Men And Monarchs - 29 days to go / 38% of goal reached

Diluvion - 28 days to go / 27% of goal reached

Das Tal - 6 days to go / 48% of goal reached

David Wells (Das Tal- Sandbox MMORPG) informed us:

To end our Kickstarter with a bang, we are opening up Das Tal's servers to the public on the 9th of just for 24 hours (starting 1 PM UTC / 3 PM CEST / 9 AM EDT / 6 AM PDT)!

Anyone can come along, all they need to do is head to our downloads page for the game and use the key 'free4all' at the login screen.

Thanks guys, and I hope some of you can join us also :)

 

 

 

Wednesday - June 03, 2015

Diluvion - New Kickstarter

by Hiddenx, 22:13

Pladio informed us about a new submarine game: Diluvion, which made a good start on Kickstarter already - some info:

Diluvion is a fully 3D open world submarine exploration & combat game with crew and character interactions displayed in intricately painted 2D cutaways.  It's planned to be released for Windows and Mac via Steam. We've already got the all-clear from Steam to distribute with them. Yes, there will be controller support! This Kickstarter's goal is to fund the initial release entirely. Due to the amount of content and lore we want to show in the game, we have two expansions planned. But worry not! Backers that contribute $10 or more will receive all planned expansions free of additional charge!

The world of Diluvion is an unforgiving place. Forced into the ocean by the Great Flood and now trapped under an impenetrable layer of ice, humanity hangs by a tenuous thread. By a twist of fate, you, an aspiring submarine captain, have been given the honor of commanding your first sub. With a brave crew at your command, you now venture into the unknown.

Diluvion is about commanding your submarine to explore the relics and wonders of the sunken world. As the captain of your sub, you have access to an array of weapons in addition to sonar and salvaging abilities. Sonar is essential for getting information about the world around you. However, it can be a deadly game of cat and mouse. By sending out a sonar ping, you also alert hostile subs in the area to your presence.

Combat in Diluvion is derived from the classic space trading and combat simulation genre. We drew inspiration from games like Wing Commander and Freelancer, but added new dimensions to the combat.  First, while designing the subs, we put a lot of thought into what's inside.  There's a great emphasis on the interior of your sub and the crew that operates it. Different Gunners will give unique firing bonuses, Helmsmen can increase the effectiveness of your ship with advanced maneuvers, and a good Sonar Tech can give you the edge in a long-range torpedo battle. Additionally, your crew can often function semi-autonomously. For example, your gunners can be told to engage previously designated targets while you're busy dodging a torpedo! As you progress through the game, you will naturally find yourself in larger submarines, and to operate them you'll need a bigger crew. There will be also be new job classes you'll discover as you advance.

Developer:  Arachnid Games

Tuesday - June 02, 2015

Monsters' Den: Godfall - Stretch Goals

by Hiddenx, 23:12

With less than 48 hours to go the Monsters' Den: Godfall Kickstarter needs a few more backers. Some stretch goals are revealed:

 $32,000 AUD - Classic Mode   

A new mode separate from the campaign, reminiscent of the early Monsters' Den games. Create a party and lead them into a randomized dungeon of unlimited depth. Also includes a difficult "Daily Challenge" dungeon of fixed length. All players will face the same challenge each day, allowing you to compare with your friends.  

$34,000 AUD - Surface Dungeon Areas  

A new tileset for the dungeon view which represents above-ground forest and ruins. This would allow for more complex overworld encounters and dungeon exteriors.  

$36,000 AUD - Better Keep Art and Customization  

A larger view of the player's Keep with constructed buildings and upgrades visible in the scene. Includes graphics for several different styles of keep. Also allows the placement of aesthetic choices like flags and banners.

 

Features video:

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Wednesday - May 27, 2015

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Koji Igarashi interview

by Hexprone, 17:46

This actioner's Kickstarter claims "RPG elements", and designer Igarashi gives a few details in a new interview about what that may mean.

Please tell us about the crafting system. I understand enemies will drop rare materials which you can use to gain different magic and skills?

Igarashi: [...] I wanted a system where you’d be able to learn to use enemy skills and attacks. There are five different kinds of drops, corresponding to different parts of an enemy, like their heads, arms, etc.

Normal crafting materials will be used on quests, or for weapons and armor, but the sparkling rares, if you level them, will become crystals. Those crystals will link with the magi-crystals on Miriam’s body and allow her to use special abilities/skills. I also want the drops to give different stat subeffects: for example, an enemy head drop will raise your magic power, or a drop from an enemy leg/foot will raise your movement speed. ... An enemy might drop something, but it doesn’t have the subeffect you want -- I hope players enjoy that hunt.

bloodstained

Heroine Miriam's body is gradually being taken over by alchemical "stained glass"

On designing the setting:

I wanted Bloodstained to be set in England. It seemed like the kind of place where a demon summoning might have actually happened. I did some investigation into English history to see if there had ever been such an event.

—And did you find anything?

Igarashi: I did. In the 17th century the Laki volcano in Iceland erupted, killing 1/3 of the population in Iceland. Furthermore, the ash and sulphur dioxide from the eruption blanketed Europe ... yet for some reason, despite the fact that 23000 people died in England, there are no such English stories about it. A huge disaster, but no records remain…

The interview was originally in Japanese at game*spark and appears in translation here.

Wednesday - May 20, 2015

Psychology of Game Kickstarters @Gamasutra

by Gorath, 15:12

Gamasutra published a blog post titled Psychology and Video Game Kickstarters. Here's the intro to the second of three main points:

Social Proof: Pump Up # of Backers As Early As Possible

The second element of a Kickstarter pitch page that I suspect most people notice is the collection of stats about number of backers and how much money they've pledged. This information is critically important in the first days of a campaign, as it can mean the difference between a trickle that never reaches its goal and a flood that blows past it. Because if we're browsing Kickstarter projects, we're probably more likely to back those that we see others backing, especially early on.

Kickstarter - Asking for Less than You Need is Risky

by Gorath, 15:00

Developer Katie Chironis wrote a highly interesting piece for Polygon analysing the Kickstarter bubble and the risks of asking only for a small part of your game's budget: 'Big indie' Kickstarters are killing actual indies.

Bloodstained isn't a story of the little guy triumphing over big publishers; it's the story of a campaign that had millions of dollars of funding before the Kickstarter began and the help of multiple companies handling the logistics of the campaign. They asked for $500,000 to prove a point, not fund a game. The issue is that campaigns like that cause members of the community to believe that $500,000 is all you need to create large-scale experiences.

When you ask for half a million dollars when you really need $5 million, it becomes impossible for games with realistic budgets to survive. It’s not that people don’t understand what a game costs, it’s more that Kickstarter is actively distorting people’s understanding of a sane budget. The ecosystem is being poisoned for projects that need to raise their actual, workable budget for a game.

If you are considering to back a Kickstarter or even launch your own campaign in the future, you should head over to Polygon to read Katie's article.

Source: Gamasutra

Wednesday - May 06, 2015

Monsters' Den: Godfall - New Kickstarter

by Gorath, 04:04

Australian developer Dan Stradwick let us know he started a Kickstarter campaign for his next game Monsters' Den: Godfall. The Kickstarter is currently at 2k of a 30k target, with 29 days to go.

A few infos from the Kickstarter page:

 

Monsters' Den: Godfall - A Turn-Based Dungeon-Crawling RPG

  • A turn-based role playing game focused on dungeon crawling and advancement.
  • Found and manage a Mercenary Company. Maintain a roster of heroes, upgrade your keep and adopt doctrines for universal bonuses. 
  • Take direct control of a party of up to four adventurers to lead on missions.
  • Battle groups of enemies in turn-based tactical combat.
  • Procedurally generated dungeons, loot and missions.
  • Overland travel- visit new cities and dungeons, search ruins and find hidden places of interest.
  • Improved character advancement means increased freedom to personalize your team of heroes.
  • Hundreds of unique items that can be customized with enchantments.
  • More than 100 enemy types, each with unique skills requiring different tactical approaches.
  • Random dungeon modifiers add new wrinkles to each mission.
  • Story missions uncover the mysteries of the Godfall.

 

 

Saturday - April 04, 2015

Infamous Quests - Two More Kickstarter Games

by Couchpotato, 05:17

Steven "Blackthorne" Alexander the developer of Quest For Infamy has launched a new Kickstarter to fund two more games called Order of the Thorne & Roehm To Ruin.

Infamous Quests are the creators of the well-received point & click Role Playing Adventure Game, Quest For Infamy.  In 2012 we rallied together a fantastic number of backers on Kickstarter who made Quest for Infamy a possibility.  

Now, we're currently working on two new titles, and we need financial support to help complete and polish these two titles.

The Order of the Thorne: The King's Challenge is the first game in an upcoming anthology series from Infamous Quests.  Games and stories set within the same land, but with different protagonists and stories in each game.  Our first game is about an intrepid bard who embarks on the King's Challenge to save his Queen!  Action, adventure and a touch of fairy tale magic take you away on this quest.

The King's Challenge also features fun and interesting puzzle mechanics, including the use of Finn's Lute - and a magical, music based GUI that controls spells to aid you on your quest!

Quest For Infamy: Roehm to Ruin is a prequel to our acclaimed game, Quest for Infamy.  In this game, we find out a little more about where Roehm came from, and how he got himself into the mess that led him to flee to the Valley of Krasna! 

Featuring puzzles, stealth, humor, cunning and tricky situations, Roehm to Ruin was born out of an Adventure Game Jam in 2014!  Now, Infamous Quests is turning it into a deluxe version, complete with soundtrack and full voice acting.

Wednesday - April 01, 2015

Star-Bored - A New Dark-Comedy SRPG

by Couchpotato, 05:40

Another game was launched on kickstarter this week called Star-Bored from developer Michael Flynn. He calls his game an Adventure in a Bureaucratic Dystopia.

Here are details, and be sure to watch the video.

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Star-Bored is a dark-comedy, strategy-rpg set in the distant future. Take on the role of Chief Auditor for the Bureaucratic Imperium, and hunt down rebel terrorists while exploring a vast, dynamic galaxy!

Monday - March 30, 2015

Flamberge - New Alpha & Release Date

by Couchpotato, 05:16

I mentioned a SRPG called Flamberge that was funded on kickstarter last year. The latest update from the developer is about a public alpha, and the games release date.

Steam

Those of you with access to the alpha builds will notice a Steam key available on your Humble page. I'd like to fully migrate the alpha to Steam, so that I can quickly update builds (updating builds via Steam is automatic and extremely fast). I will continue to update Humble from time to time, but only for major changes. Steam and Humble versions will (90% of the time) not be compatible for multiplayer.

Don't worry though- the finished product won't be confined to Steam. Steam is just a very good tool for me to have a more efficient alpha.

Release Date

We have a "release date"! The date I gave Steam is April 24. I can't promise the game will be 100% complete at that time. Even if it isn't, the early access will open up around that date to everyone who preordered. If the campaign is still unfinished, I'll include a disclaimer in the save menu for those of you who don't want to play the game before it's finished.

The free alpha demo is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Saturday - March 28, 2015

Crowfall - Funded on Kickstarter

by Couchpotato, 04:45

I mentioned an MMO RPG called Crowfall when it launched on kickstarter last month. It seems the game was successfully funded, and made $1,766,205 to fund the game.

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First, thanks again for supporting Crowfall. You are backing a game vision that you want to play, and we believe that this is the cutting edge way for innovative games to be built. Many of you didn’t know about us before you heard about us from a friend, a colleague, on blog, on a community site or maybe from an email from another game like the ones below.

This update is specifically for thanking all the other crowdfunded game teams that introduced us to their audiences, even when we are, by all traditional standards, direct competitors. This willingness to expose our customers to other games is an expression of creators wanting the best for our audiences rather than simply thinking about our own selfish needs. Game makers are also game players, and we want more great games to get made. It’s good for you the consumer and it’s good for our industry.

If Crowfall is the first game you’ve ever crowdfunded, you should really check out all the other great teams below that are building innovative, cutting edge and/or just delightful games who are backed through pledges from regular people like yourselves.

Thursday - March 26, 2015

Melancholy Republic - Update & Interview

by Couchpotato, 04:16

I mentioned the Melancholy Republic a new JRPG game a few weeks back when it launched on Kickstarter. The campaign is half over, and it still needs $20,000.

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Melancholy has been receiving some great press over the past few days, including some soon to be released interviews done with 4colorrebellion and gintendo.

Check out what the gaming press has been saying about Melancholy Republic!

Shack News - Melancholy Republic is a beautiful homage to 16-bit JRPGs

oprainfall - Melancholy Republic is an RPG that harkens back to the glory days of the genre

Me-Time Gamer - KICKSTARTING IT – MALENCHOLY REPUBLIC

The developer also did a new interview on My Games Lounge.

As a huge fan of JRPG games, what am I going to love about Melancholy Republic?

I think fans of JRPG games can vary widely in what they love most about the best JRPG games. Melancholy Republic is a game that is inspired from that feeling of exploration, the love of deep and interesting characters, as well as the great love stories from some of our favourite JRPG games. JRPG fans will love exploring and uncovering the secrets and stories hidden across the city of Lorna. They will journey with Claire Lockridge through the dark political plot and with her discover the tragic reality of her city.

Friday - March 13, 2015

Halcyon 6 - A New Sci-Fi Rogue-like Game

by Couchpotato, 04:19

A game called Halcyon 6: Starbase Commander has launched on kickstarter this week. The developer Massive Damage, Inc. asked for $40,000, and is already funded.

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A rogue-like sci-fi strategy survival game with base building, tactical combat, crew management and emergent storytelling.

In the midst of a disastrous war, you and your ragtag group of Terran officers discover an ancient, derelict space station, and attempt to harness its mysterious power to turn the war's tides in a grand, desperate campaign to save the human race from extinction. 

Halcyon 6 is a passion project inspired by our years years spent playing classic games like Star Control II, Master of Orion, X-COM, Civilization and of course, rogue-like games like FTL.

 

Tuesday - March 10, 2015

Melancholy Republic - A New JRPG Game

by Couchpotato, 04:12

Cloud Runner Studios sent news about their JRPG game called Melancholy Republic. The game was just launched on kickstarter asking for £15,000 to get funded. 

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A JRPG inspired, cinematic story driven adventure. Set in the beautiful city state Lorna, uncover the conspiracies and broken souls within.

At its core Melancholy Republic is built upon the best and most poignant memories from JRPG stories, their cities and their music. Exploring classic JRPG cities such as Final Fantasy's Midgar and Lindblum or Chrono Trigger's Zeal are key inspirations for Melancholy Republic. The greatest JRPG moments are found in uncovering the hidden corners and small stories of the game's populations.

Wednesday - February 25, 2015

Crowfall - Game of Thrones Meets Eve Online

by Couchpotato, 01:47

Forum member Ripper sent me a link to a new game called Crowfall: Throne War. The games developer ArtCraft Entertainment is asking for $800,000, and is already half funded.

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Crowfall is a new Massively Multiplayer Online Game brought to you by Gordon Walton (Executive Producer of Ultima Online,The Sims Online, Star Wars: Galaxies and Star Wars: the Old Republic) and J. Todd Coleman (Creative Director of Shadowbane, Wizard101 and Pirate101).

So yeah its an MMO so you can skip it if you don't like them.

Thursday - February 12, 2015

Seaworthy - A Pirate Adventure Roguelike

by Couchpotato, 04:08

Kordanor sent me information about a game on kickstarter called Seaworthy. The developer Mildly Competent Games is asking for $44,000 to fund the roguelike game.

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A pirate adventure roguelike featuring RTS combat and brutal 16bit graphics - inspired by great games like FTL and Sid Meier's Pirates.

Wednesday - February 11, 2015

Windwalkers - A New Action RPG Game

by Couchpotato, 04:53

Windwalkers is the next game on Kickstater this week that I missed. The developer is called FORGE ANIMATION, and asking for $330,000 to fund their Action RPG game.

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The Windwalkers project is a transmedia adaptation of the Sci-Fi French book “La Horde du Contrevent”, written by Alain Damasio (published by La Volte & Folio, published in Italy and being translated into english right now). We developed it into three different media: a film, a video game, and comic books. None of the individual parts can be considered a derivative product, and all three productions bring a different facet of the universe to life, that's what we called Transmedia.

You can also watch a few videos, and read ten more updates.

Friday - January 30, 2015

Stasis - January 2015 Update

by Couchpotato, 04:14

It has been a while since I posted news about the 2D Isometric Game Stasis. The games developer Christopher Bischoff posted a new January update today.

PROGRESS

So, what's been going on for the last few weeks? Well, quite a lot! Since our last update we've completed ALL of the main puzzle chains for the Beta. I'm working on a few last minute details, and we'll soon be full swing into our internal testing. This means that STASIS is playable from the very first screen to the very last area that our Beta players will encounter! It's now a process of hunting down bugs, tweaking the interface, adjusting effects, and making certain that the game play is as smooth as possible.

We've been sure to add complexity to some of the puzzles. I must say that puzzle design is one of the highlights of the process for me. Nic and I would have a cup of coffee and talk through the chain of events needed to complete a game task, often coming up with ideas and areas on the spot.  It is a free form way of design - something that I believe is only possible with a very small (in this case 1) team to implement the decisions.

CLOSED ALPHA

The Beta, which covers 3 of the 4 chapters of STASIS, will be in Alpha testing from the end of this month. What this will entail is testing STASIS internally, to iron out as many bugs or glitches as we can. I really want the Beta testers to experience the game as completely as possible. We're hoping to wrap this process up during February. At the same time, I'll be polishing up the final chapter.

Thursday - January 22, 2015

Kickstarter - New Hack ‘n Slash Games

by Couchpotato, 00:48

Here are two new projects that on kickstarter that deserve some attention. The first game is from developer Elven Games asking for $30,000 for Elventales: A Path Foreseen.

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Elventales: A Path Foreseen is a role-playing game merged with dynamic battles covered in a deep story and complicated conflict. The story revolves around factions inside a kingdom, about an endless battle between different ideologies and interests where there is no absolute truth, it's all about "a man should do what he should do".

You'll play as August, a brave young elf that always dreamed of being in an army. On his journey, August will reveal many surprising truth and unexpected realities that will lead him to the question "Am I doing the right thing?".

The second project is from developer Dead Mage called Children of Morta. They are asking for $65,000 to get funded, and here is the usual video & game description.

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Children of Morta is a story-driven hack ‘n slash game incorporating the elements of the roguelike genre, where you will go on an adventure with the guardian family of Bergsons.

The family have lived on the outskirts of Mount Morta, guarding it for many generations. As a tragic event in Morta corrupts the roots of life deep in the mountain, all the creatures turn into furious, mindless monsters. Now the land’s only hope is for the Bergsons to find the seeds of life and use them to cleanse the corruption.

The game has a unique art style blending the old-school 2D pixel art aesthetics with a few modern lighting and rendering techniques, bringing to life a world of fantasy and mystery.

Sunday - December 28, 2014

Kickstarter - Various Game News Roundup

by Couchpotato, 05:34

Here is a little round-up of news on three different Kickstarter games.The first game is called Soul Knights, and I coverd the gae last month. The game is now funded.

The good ‘ole JRPG is revived and adapted with a smooth operating, cutting-edge interface that retains its strategic gameplay.

The second game is Zpocalypse: Survival, and failed to get funded again on the second attempt. Greenbrier Games posted a new update with more infomation.

Mixing combat, gathering, advancement and team strategy in a roguelite, RTS survival game set in a randomized post-apocalyptic world.

And for last is seems Yes, Your Grace a game I mentioned in the forum has managed to somehow get funded. Here is a short  recap of the game.

A unique blend of text-based and strategy-oriented gameplay. Rule your kingdom like a true monarch; from your magnificent throne!

Friday - December 26, 2014

Americana Dawn - Funding Unsuccessful

by Couchpotato, 05:27

The Americana Dawn's Kickstarter failed to achieve its $70,000 goal, and was only able able to make $28,239 in thirty days. I hope developer Bit Bonton tries again.

Here is a short recap of the game.

Imagine a Suikoden game set in Colonial America inspired by elements of Chrono Trigger, Grandia, Fire Emblem and the writings of Mark Twain.

  • Innovative turn-based combat system! Combining strategy with real time elements.
  • High quality pixel art.
  • Hand-drawn portraits and cutscenes.
  • A sweeping epic story spanning two centuries.  
  • Interact with historical figures and play a role in pivotal events.
  • Tactical RPG strategy war system in a historical setting! 

Monday - December 22, 2014

Kickstarter - The 10 Best Kickstarter Games

by Couchpotato, 05:42

Maximum PC released a top ten list of the best kickstarter games this year.

The Kickstarter scene exploded a few years back, as gamers discovered the crowdfunding platform and began to fund various video game projects. The plethora of games seeking funding ranged from new concepts to sequels that boasted new, unique features or appealed to our sense of nostalgia. Because of Kickstarter, we have seen some amazing games that have raised millions of dollars in funding, such as Star Citizen and Pillars of Eternity. 

Still, other Kickstarter projects raised much more money than their originally stated goals, thanks to an excited gaming community willing to fund them. However, over the past couple of years we’ve seen games that received funding way above their goals, then get cancelled due to not having enough funds (or other reasons).

Clang, a project headed by science fiction author Neal Stephenson, was cancelled two years after its successful Kickstarter campaign, because of financial issues. Double Fine, which had two successful Kickstarter campaigns, has stumbled with financial issues, too. Over the past two years, quite a few projects have fallen to the wayside or not lived up to the ambitions set by the developers.

Despite such examples, successfully funded games have slowly made their way to the community. So, we decided to list 10 Kickstarter games, in no particular order, that we feel are the best so far. However, we narrowed our list to games that have been completed and not being sold through Early Access.

Tuesday - December 09, 2014

Americana Dawn - A 90s Enspired RPG

by Myrthos, 21:51

Americana Dawn is a classic JRPG inspired by American history and folklore and is currently on Kickstarter, asking for $70K and are currently at $22K with 13 days to go.

Imagine a Suikoden game set in Colonial America inspired by elements of Chrono Trigger, Grandia, Fire Emblem and the writings of Mark Twain.

  • Innovative turn-based combat system! Combining strategy with real time elements.
  • High quality pixel art.
  • Hand-drawn portraits and cutscenes.
  • A sweeping epic story spanning two centuries.  
  • Interact with historical figures and play a role in pivotal events.
  • Tactical RPG strategy war system in a historical setting!

Americana Dawn is a role playing game which explores over two centuries of early American history using a new tradition of folklore and tall tale. Throughout its story, we follow Foster, the spirit of the sea, a gentle and innocent being who arrives in America with no apparent heritage or home. Lost to the wilderness of Shenandoah Valley, he lives in complete isolation for a hundred years until he is found and recruited in the provincial militia.  

Thus begins his strange journey, spanning across three wars and the entire eastern seaboard of North America: from the French and Indian War to the American Revolution, from the colony of Georgia to Quebec City. Foster witnesses once loyal English become American rebels. He fights against dear friends turned foe, watch mortal companions blossom and wither, bears witness to the chain of events that would create the United States, and is left with revelations both inspiring and woeful. 

 This is not a story about a man who changes the world, but a world that changes a man.

 

Thursday - November 27, 2014

Numenera - Back on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 00:11

Monte Cook's Numenera is back on Kickstarter, this time you can get yourself a deluxe boxed version of the game rules, which are behind Torment: Tides of Numenera.

The Kickstarter has already been funded, but there are still 16 days to go if you want to join the crowd and help reach more stretch goals.

At Monte Cook Games, we love Numenera and we love Numenera fans. We want to give them the best, coolest, most wonderful products that we can create. 

Now that the game has been out well over a year, won many awards, and garnered an audience of enthusiastic fans, we'd like to do something special--but only if it's something that you'd like too. Our idea is to create a boxed set, like the RPG boxed sets of our youth, for this game. Only we'd love to make it absolutely beautiful and crammed full of all the coolest extra content we can come up with: character sheets, XP cards, and even a gorgeous cloth version of the poster map! With your help, we’re going to make it a reality. If this sounds cool to you, pledge now: This is a short Kickstarter, and once it’s over there is likely to never be another opportunity to get Numenera in a boxed edition!

(Already own Numenera? Don't worry--we've got some things that will interest you as well as those new to the game.)

Monday - November 24, 2014

The Diviner - Steady Progress and Screenshots

by Myrthos, 22:50

The Diviner, a text based single player role-paying game, which was succesfully funded on Kickstarter last year, had an update earlier this month on the progress and some screenshots.

Hey everybody - we have some new screen-shots from the game, as well as a longer update. As you are all aware, we've been pushing back the release date for The Diviner. I wanted to take some time to explain to you why we have fallen behind our schedule. These are not excuses and we see these issues as places where we can learn to improve.

The short story is that all we need to do to finish the game is write and edit the decisions and dialogue for a couple acts of the game. While that doesn't seem like much, our team has shrunk, and it is a massive undertaking

Thanks M00n1ight.

Monday - November 17, 2014

Rising End - Multiplayer Hack&Slash

by Myrthos, 15:46

Rising End is a game on Kickstarter that still needs funding with 26 days to go. It is told to be a 'Multiplayer Hack&Slash Game with customizable gameplay with an amazing adventure'.

Rising End is a Multiplayer Online Hack & Slash game with a great diversity of gameplay styles that will take you on a amazing journey, revealing tons of story and cinematics as you battle amongst your enemies or even eachother. Characters will have 10 levels, and each level you get will grant you a skill depending on what class you pick. You will not be tied down to one class like many force you to do, but instead allow you to be a mix of many, that way you will be able to play exactly the way you desire. If you desire to be a full Warrior, or a half warrior/half shaman, that would be all up to you. Skills will not increase in damage as you level to increase the skill-level needed to succeed instead of just levels itself. Think of it this way.. a good level 1 character can kill a level 10 character if enough strategy is used, but the level 10 will have the benefit because of the amount of skills he contains.

 

Thursday - November 13, 2014

Epic Manager - Kickstarter Update

by Couchpotato, 03:43

The Epic Manager kickstarter has sixteen days left to get funded, and has manged to earn $20,368 of the games $30,000 goal. The game also has eight new updates. 

Let us start by saying that we had an AMAZING weekend! 

We’ve reached 62% of our goal and there’s still 18 days to go! Thanks again for your support and let’s keep it going everyone!

Here is a recap of the game in-case anyone has forgotten.

Epic Manager is a unique Fantasy RPG Tycoon game for PC and Mac that lets you create your own Adventuring Agency! Rated "E" for EPIC!

Thursday - November 06, 2014

Stasis - One Year Later Update

by Couchpotato, 04:47

I briefly mentioned the adventure game Stasis last year when it was successfully funded on Kickstarter, and it's hard to imagine a whole year has gone by already.

The games developer Christopher Bischoff released a new one year update with information on the games development, and posted a new preview video.

A year ago today I clicked the big green LAUNCH button and listed STASIS on Kickstarter. 

I hoped of attaining the vast $100,000 goal, which would validate three years of my part-time labors and allow me to work full time on my passion project, STASIS. You, the backers of STASIS stood behind me and rallied support. 

We did it and more!

It is now November, a year later and a few months after my initial planned BETA release date.

I want to give you an in depth look at what we've been up to and where we've been allocating our time and your money. So much more has been added. More than initially planned. STASIS is now looking and feeling like the game I dreamed of all those years ago - this has taken a little longer than anticipated, but is coming together splendidly.

Thursday - October 30, 2014

Flamberge - A New Tactical RPG

by Couchpotato, 15:34

Flamberge is a new tactical RPG from a developer called Michael Savage-Benoist who is aking for $1,500 to help fund development of his game.

Flamberge is a tactics RPG with simultaneous turns. Both teams plan out their attacks, and then they execute simultaneously.

The developer also offers a free demo for everyone to download.

Current features of the playable demo include:

  • Three demo missions
  • Three playable characters with different skills
  • A music player to preview the soundtrack in-game; includes 12 tracks

Wednesday - October 29, 2014

Epic Manager - A Fantasy RPG Tycoon Game

by Couchpotato, 04:03

ManaVoid Entertainment has launched a game called Epic Manager on Kickstarter this week, and is asking for $30,000 to help fund the development of the game.

Epic Manager is a unique Fantasy RPG Tycoon game for PC and Mac that lets you create your own Adventuring Agency! Rated "E" for EPIC!

Monday - October 20, 2014

Legena: Union Tides - A Classic 16-bit RPG

by Couchpotato, 06:16

I mentioned Legena: Union Tides last year when the developers launched their first kickstarter to get funded that failed. The game is now back on Kickstarter.

This time the developer is only asking for $1,000, Here is a short recap of the game.

Legena is a 2D Turn-Based RPG trilogy that takes turn-based combat and adds new ideas and designs to bring a fresh feel to the formula with the blood of the 16-Bit classics coursing through every design.

The project even has a demo to try if you're interested.

Friday - October 17, 2014

Border: Remembrance - A New Pixel Art ARPG

by Couchpotato, 08:25

I found another interesting kichstarter called Border: Remembrance from a developer called Istvan Gal. I have to say the game reminds me of Hyper Light Drifter.

Border: Remembrance is a fast paced, high difficulty Metroidvania game, in the spirit of Castlevania games mixed with Dark/Demon souls. The pixel art visual style delivers a weird and twisted tale of a world’s last 3 weeks.

In the interest of time, here is the short summary of what this game is:

  • A grand misery.  
  • Nonlinear storytelling.  
  • Multiple endings.
  •  Countless secrets.
  •  Architectural level design.
  •  Alternative routes, shortcuts.
  •  Different characters have entirely different routes for the same level. • Up to 20 different weapons and spells for each character.  
  • Destructible environments; burn, blow and slash your way through obstacles. Who needs keys when you have a rocket launcher?  
  • No tiles. Each level is hand drawn.  
  • A mixed technology setting; swords meeting magic and space age technology.  
  • Themes inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

Monday - October 13, 2014

Kickstarter - Two New Games of Interest

by Couchpotato, 12:49

I found two new Kickstarter games this week . Now I would usually would post them in a separate news-bit, but I need to know if people are interested.

The first game is called Fortune's Tavern by a developer called Michael Flynn.

Manage a tavern, explore procedurally generated forests and dungeons, breed monsters, quest for recipes, interact with hundreds of NPCs

The second game is called The Flame in the Flood by a developer called The Molasses Flood. The interesting part of this one is the developer is full veterans of the BioShock, Halo, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band series.

A rogue-lite river journey through the backwaters of a forgotten post-societal America. Forage, craft, evade predators. For PC & Mac.

Saturday - October 11, 2014

DiceTiny - Digital Tabletop Board Game

by Couchpotato, 03:12

I found the following Kickstarter yesterday while searching for new projects. The game is called DiceTiny:The Lord of the Dice from a developer called Fakedice.

DICETINY is a Digital Tabletop Board Game with RPG & Card Collecting elements where Epic Fantasy and Humorous Parodies coexist.

Tuesday - October 07, 2014

Immortal Empire - A Multiplayer Tactics RPG

by Couchpotato, 00:56

Immortal Empire was brought to my attention today from the games developer Tactic Studio. It's a new Multiplayer Tactics RPG looking for funding Kickstarter.

Hi  My name is Jesse from Tactic Studios. I'm writing to let you know that we have just begun a Kickstarter campaign for our multiplayer tactical role-playing game, Immortal Empire. It’s like a cross between X-Com, Diablo, and Dota set in a fantasy universe.

You control a party of up to 5 different immortals, each with a unique set of spells.  You can play through Immortal Empire alone, or co-op with a group of up to four players.

As you level up, find equipment, and enchant custom items for your party, your immortals grow in strength. But there are always more difficult enemies to face; regular mobs and bosses, with their own spells and behaviour that require new strategies to defeat.

Immortal Empire has a unique leveling system where you can apply experience towards any one of your immortals. In fact, you can even choose to play the whole game with only one (very strong) immortal, or distribute your points evenly across all five.

The developer also has a new thread on our forums.

Friday - September 19, 2014

Kai Rosenkranz Album - The Final 48 Hours

by Couchpotato, 01:46

Kai Rosenkranz latest update for his funded kickstarter album has a new video, and more information about the final 48 hrs of the campaign.

The Journey Home Kickstarter ends on Saturday, September 20th, at 11:11am CEST (German time). That means we're now officially in the final spurt!

Here's an overview video I created to get you all up-to-date on recent and upcoming developments. So many things are happening so quickly in this last phase, so I expect this video to be outdated in the very moment I hit Publish. ;)

In this video:
+++ I'm inviting you to a Live Stream (Twitch) for the final minutes of my Kickstarter
+++ I shed some light onto all stretch goals!
+++ Singer Lisbeth Scott (Avatar, Transformers, Gothic 3 ^^) joins at $36.000
+++ Director Baris Aladag (Alanis Morisette, Clueso) makes a music video!
+++ Composing workshop is unlocked. Check the new reward tier at $140!
+++ We have a main sponsor! Someone donated $5.000! WohoOo! :D

Hope you like it!

Monday - September 15, 2014

Kai Rosenkranz - Risen Rewards Update

by Couchpotato, 06:05

Kai Rosenkran's is now offering a Risen fan Teir for anyone who wants want to help support his funded kickstarter album. So here are the details of the new baker teir.

RISEN FAN« Reward Tier now open!

This is just a quick update to inform you that the RISEN FAN reward tier is now available. As announced previously (watch video), it contains the following for $196:

  • An exclusive RISEN t-shirt designed by myself
  • A pamphlet with sheet music for RISEN 1
  • A piece of RPG underwear
  • A Journey Home picnic blanket
  • A Journey Home special GIFT BOX with some surprises and an autograph card
  • A Journey Home sheet music book
  • A Journey Home t-shirt
  • The Journey Home deluxe album on audio CD
  • Your appearance (name & picture) in Hero Backers video
  • A "Thank You" tweet / Facebook posting to your accounts
  • All downloads (album, sheet music, medley, "thank you" card)

All physical rewards have been revealed and the vinyl edition is announced as a stretch goal, so here's the final overview.

Wednesday - September 10, 2014

Kickstarter - Mid-Week News Roundup

by Couchpotato, 02:47

Once again I have a bunch of updates for various kickstarters this week, and I also found one interesting article about how the funding is spent. So read on everyone.

Ice Pick Lodge sent out a press release with news Pathologic is 65% funded.

Moscow  September 9th: Ice Pick Lodge, the developers of Pathologic, launched their Kickstarter for the game’s reimagining just 4 days ago and are already over halfway to their goal of $250,000. The game, which was originally released in 2005, is a bleak and harsh plot-driven survival open-world adventure game. Set in a remote Steppe town full of strange local traditions a plague breaks out. The player has to figure out how to stop the disease spreading and discover why it broke out on the first place. When first launched, it attracted a great deal of critical acclaim. It still retains a strong community of fans, many of whom have helped the Kickstarter fund grow so quickly by backing it.

Ross Tunney has news the Data Hacker: Reboot (Relaunch) is now funded.

We did it! Divine blessings upon you all!

Ah... it's such a massive compliment from you all, to be able to present a project like this and to actually get funded! Granted, we're not talking mega-bucks here, but

So what's next? Those familiar with how Kickstarter works will know, but for those who don't: KS will collect pledges from you over the next couple of weeks. Once that's done, if I need any information from you, such as shipping address or details of a Tombstone/Ghoul/Mercenary Design you've pledged for, you'll receive a survey as soon as I'm ready to receive this information.

Kai Rosenkranz's new kickstarter album JOURNEY HOME is also now funded.

Tonight we exceeded the funding goal of $20,000! What an awesome night. We still have 10 more days to secure the campaign against last-minute drop-outs and maybe even reach some of the stretch goals. I'm going to talk more about stretch goals tomorrow! Now it's time to celebrate! I'm full of gratitude.

Here's the link to my "Thank you" video recorded tonight, after I came home from "Guardians Of The Galaxy". Great movie, by the way. ;)

Trexrell has two more updates for Demon’s Revenge. The first update is about Sinara's cut scene, and the second update is about the games artwork.

In this update I would like to thank Ricky Gunawan, our artist for Demon's Revenge. What he has done for our project has brought us to where we are today. He has always supported us from the very beginning. When we give him a character or description he almost always get it right the 1st time. His work is always excellent, and he would amaze you with how fast and efficient he could get a work of art done. Even though he works on a commission basis, he lets us know that he will be there when we need him. Ricky prides himself with his work and will never sacrifice quality over anything.

Interdimensional Games has a new update for CONSORTIUM that has information about Pax Prime 2014, the games sequel, and backer rewards.

It has been six months since our rather disastrous launch back in January (see: HERE ) and while we are still reeling over said launch both emotionally and financially, we have nonetheless come to grips with the reality of things and are able to speak openly about our plans for the future. 

Our original plan was simple: Make Game One with an incredibly low budget and overhead costs so that we would only need to sell a small number of copies in order to self-fund Game Two and continue on from there. Unfortunately it has not quite worked out so simply. 

So far, CONSORTIUM has sold well enough to keep certain key members on the payroll in order to release the Master Edition and other patches since launch (including creating and sending out the physical rewards for all you backers and working on the port for Mac and Spanish localization). These efforts have allowed us to fix and improve the game in addition to making strides to reach a wider audience. The Mac port is 90% done, and the Spanish localization is pretty much finished – we are just working out a few bugs with it. Getting the game localized into Spanish was a FAR more difficult task than we anticipated.

Goldhawk Interactive has another post about backer rewards for Xenonauts.

Onto the final stretch now - the first 250 of the 500 packages have already been dispatched to all corners of the globe and we have a final date for the arrival of the Art Books!

And for last a new article on Gamasutra with Kee-Won Hong about how all his funding was spent on his kickstarter game. It's an interesting read.

Full disclosure is the primary purpose of this post. The backstory - in March of 2013, I ran a 30 day Kickstarter for my cyberpunk 2d shooter 'Contract Work'; it finished just over it's goal of $5000 with 110 backers. Although the campaign was a success, the initial public release was a dismal failure, selling only 3 copies (though many more people did play the game). This is a breakdown of the money numbers and thoughts on what worked, what didn't, and what happens now.

Monday - September 08, 2014

Kickstarter - Untold Universe Sci-Fi Voxel

by Wisdom, 20:43

Untold Universe : a new Sci-Fi space centered voxel-based game on Kickstarter. Looks to follow a similar theme to EvE Online with the addition of voxel technology.  Apparently closed alpha already exists so its off the ground as more than speculative already.

  • Massively Multiplayer Sandbox: Play with people from all around the world, team up to be stronger and shape entire worlds all together! 
  • Explore an Infinite Universe: Land on planets of different types, then explore and exploit them! New planets will be added as more players enter the universe.
  • Build and Trade your Designs: Gather resources and use them to build anything from factories to spaceships then sell or use them to your own benefit!
  • Fight: Protect assets and fight your rivals on the ground and in space. Attack other players' bases with various infantry weapons, or pilot Fighters, Carriers and Flagships built by your team or bought from the best designers on the market!
  • Team up: Team up with friends or other pioneers and start Corporations to improve your strength and reach greater goals!
  • Colonize: Take control of entire planets with your Corporation, build infrastructures on them, and dominate parts of the new world!
  • Choose your role: The game will not limit you to a particular skill-set. Want to be good at something? Just do it! 
  • Jobs system: Colonizing worlds alone can be long and hard. Those who want to make quick cash and meet new people to work with will be able to take jobs generated by other players corporations. Defend assets, find a place to mine, build infrastructures, many jobs will be available to improve in your favorite field!

Official Website

Sunday - September 07, 2014

Kickstarter - Weekend News Roundup

by Couchpotato, 05:44

When I find five or more kickstarter updates I prefer to round them all up in one news-bit. So lets get started as I have six of them for you today.

Ultimate Fantasy Studio has a new post-funding update for The Meridian Shard.

Aside from the demo, I have made great progress over the past month with many improvements to the game design, animation frame rates and icon design. These two videos will show some of the painstakingly detailed backgrounds I have made, including a new dungeon floor mat that looks fantastically aged and colored with randomized stains and tones over all the stones. You will also see some of the new menus and items in action as well.

Inglenook posted a new post-funding update for Witchmarsh.

Apologies for going a bit quiet there, we've had our faces planted firmly in code, story documents, research and the many joys of business administration. We henceforth promise to make these updates more frequent. :)

Trexrell posted two updates for Demon's Revenge found here, and here.

This is a Vlog of myself Tyrell talking about the current status of our crowd funding efforts. I want to think positively and move forward with everything we have now.

The Hard West Kickstarter is now over, and made $94,183 of the $70,000 goal.

Thank you kindly for your backing!

While the timer suggests it's over, it's actually only the beginning. We're finally able to focus on making the game, but there's still a whole lot more in the store for you.

Kai Rosenkranz's kickstarter for a new music album has 13days left, and has only managed to earn $15,999 of the games $20,000 goal. So keep spreading the word.

My new album made it past the 75% mark. And who did it? YOU did it!

I cannot thank you guys enough for all your support. This really means a lot to me! Can I hug you? :) We still have more than 2 weeks left, and I'm starting to believe that we can actually make it. But no ... Must. Not.

And for last a new article from ten ton hammer about kickstarters being the, "The Land of Glorious Vaporware and Disappointment."

I just hate early access and I hate Kickstarter for video games. It’s just not good. It’s not good at all. Just recently, Stomping Land got pulled from Steam for being vaporware. The developers apparently had the audacity to just take money and not do anything. Proving yet again that early access and Kickstarter are terrible ideas for monetizing video games.

Friday - September 05, 2014

The Scoundrels Guild - A New Adventure RPG

by Couchpotato, 04:21

Thanks to forum member daveyd we have news of new kickstarter game that might interest a few of you, The game is called The Scoundrels Guild: A Tale of Thieves.

From nobility to feeding off rats in the streets, you begin your adventure as a simple vagabond begging townsfolk for what they can spare. More often than not, you end up with nothing more than a copper shilling and another restless night of sleeping in filth. However, your luck is about to change, for today marks the dawn of a new beginning for you. No more will you feed off vermin, without a place to call home. The Scoundrels Guild welcomes you.

 Victor Oreh is a man stricken with anger and a thirst for justice after he was wrongfully stripped of his previously acquired title of nobility—both his family's land and inheritance were taken away. Now, with nothing more than a cloak on his back and a dagger on his side, Victor seeks revenge by joining a small band of miscreants, known only as the Scoundrels. From a highly respected nobleman to an underworld rogue, Victor will do whatever it takes to have his revenge.

The goal of the project is $35,000 with forty nine days left.

Friday - August 29, 2014

Kai Rosenkranz - New Kickstarter Album

by Couchpotato, 21:25

If you're a fan of Kai Rosenkranz who made the music for Gothic, and Risen the following kickstarter should interest you. He is asking for $20,000 to make a new album.

Hi, I'm Kai Rosenkranz. I'm a passionate musician, and now I'm excited to be on Kickstarter to make a new album!

I've started making music when I was a kid, and I got a job in the games industry at the age of 17. I wrote music for the "Gothic" series and "Risen" by German RPG studio Piranha Bytes. After 12 years, I took a break from game music to found my own company Nevigo and create development tools for the games industry. I still do that, and it's a lot of fun. But music as a way of creative expression plays an important part in my life, and now, after 5 years, I really want to make music again.

With your help, my heart's desire could actually become true, and I'll be so happy to write new music and share it with you.

Thank you all!

He also has three new updates posted already, and has earned $13,157.

Thank You Pladio for the links.Wink

Wednesday - August 20, 2014

Vagante - A New Platform Adventure

by Couchpotato, 06:12

Vagante is a new action-packed platform adventure game from Nuke Nine on kickstarter. The developer is asking for $50,000 with twenty eight days left.

"Vagante is an action-packed platforming adventure game that features permanent death and procedurally generated levels. Inspired by games such as Spelunky, Castlevania, Metroid, Dark Souls, and Dungeon Crawl: Stone Soup, Vagante is a game designed for players who like a challenge. "

"While the game is in early development, a free public alpha demo is available."
Alpha 6 Demo: http://nukenine.com/vagante.zip

Monday - August 18, 2014

Data Hacker: Reboot - Kickstarter Funded

by Couchpotato, 05:13

Ross Tunney's new JRPG Kickstater Data Hacker: Reboot has been funded, and has managed to make two of its stretch goals with 22 days left to go.

Funded, funded, funded!

Good day Hackers! 

In less than a week, we've hit our target! Applause and fanfares all around please!

Tuesday - August 05, 2014

Kickstarter - RPG News Roundup

by Couchpotato, 05:23

Well I'm back from my vacation, and I have a lot of links to share. So lets get started with a new kickstartrer roundup. Usually I would put them separately but this is easier.

Ross Tunney has relaunched his latest game called Data Hacker: Reboot. He is asking for £2,900 with thirty five days to get funded. So far he has made £2,105.

Thank you so much for checking out the campaign! The Data Hacker Saga is blossoming into something truly special and unique, and I thank you all for supporting us along the way. 

The purpose of this campaign is to ask for the development funds required to complete 'Reboot' - the third title in the series. 

Naturally, the game is due to change considerably between now and release, so do keep in mind that much of what you have seen is actually placeholder and not representative of the final product. This is particularly true of the RM-style 'bobble-head' characters.

Punchbag Entertainment's new update for Gravia Tactics has information on how to Refer Your Friends, and Get Cool Stuff. It has made £3,421 of £120,000 with 21 days left.

Here's a quick look at our statistics so far:

  • Video Plays: 1781
  • Backers: 134
  • Conversion Rate: 7.52%
  • Funding achieved: 2.12%

The conversion rate has stayed at a strong 7.5% for the whole campaign. This steady rate alongside a low number of video plays points to the conclusion that our project has a core interest group but lacks sufficient exposure.

We're doing everything we can to expand that exposure, but the more people we have spreading the word, the more views we'll get. This leads us nicely to our exciting news: Referral Rewards!

Gomiya Games latest update for Braven Arts talks about Character Progression. As for funding the game has made $4,874 of the $20,000 goal with seventeen days left.

Today we wanted to take some time to discuss an integral part of character progression: specializations.

  • Each character will have their own unique class with three specializations, each focusing on a different play style to give each character multiple options.
  • Every time a character levels up, they’ll receive a point to place into one of the specializations, giving stats in relation to the the sections playstyle.
  • Characters will have a set of static abilities they gain from simply leveling up, and every 10 points in a specialization will unlock 3 Variant Skills they can choose out of.
  • Every 5 levels in between each tier of Variant Skills (for example 5, 15, 25) you will unlock a pair of passives that you will be able to choose between.

To explain this system through examples we will be taking a peak at Risa's skill tree. Her skill tree will branch into 3 different styles: Engineering, Marksmanship, and Medic.

The Elysian Shadows Team latest update for Elysian Shadows has information on their future plans. The game has made $49,635 of $150,000 with twenty six days left.

To everyone who has supported our campaign so far :)

You are making our dreams come true and helping us provide you with something truly special.

In the last update we mentioned some Adventures in Game Development themed merchandise. Well, as it turns out it has been pretty popular so we have been looking into that heavily and should be able to provide what everyone wants. Expect more news on that soon!

We are into our third day right now and have just crossed the $45,000 mark. That's close to one third of our goal already. Which is astounding!!

Thursday - July 31, 2014

Kickstarter - Two New RPG Games

by Couchpotato, 06:18

Here are two more kickstarters that maybe of interest to some of you. Wink

The first kickstarter is a new JRPG by developer Gomiya Games called Braven Arts. The asking goal is $20,000 with twenty two days left. Here is a short description.

Braven Arts is a 2D turn-based fantasy RPG, influenced by the 16-bit JRPG classics such as Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and Suikoden planned for release in late 2015. We want to take the backbone of the old classics, whip it up with modernized systems and mechanics, and give players something fresh that they can dig hours into just like we did with the old games.

The second kickstarter is a new narrative RPG called Fritz from Truceful Entertainment. The asking goal for this project is only $15,000. Again here is a short description.

Fritz is a narrative RPG with brutal real-time combat about life in the trenches of the First World War. You play as Fritz, a German soldier on the Western Front. Most of the gameplay is comprised of everyday activities like guard duty, getting food, and talking to your fellow soldiers. Attacks are sparse, but deadly and challenging.

The main aspect of the game is character development, both of Fritz and of his comrades. Each of them is shaped by interaction with others and the things they're going through. Your comrades can die practically randomly during attacks, but the longer they survive, and they closer they get to Fritz, the better their chances of survival as everyone helps each other.

Saturday - July 12, 2014

TUG - Nerd Kingdom & Yogscast Details

by Couchpotato, 05:58

It has been a while since we posted any news about the open-world survival RPG TUG. It seems the game is now on Early Access, and they released a new press release.

Nerd Kingdom and Yogscast Combine Powers for TUG

Los Angeles - July 10, 2014 - Nerd Kingdom announced today that leading YouTube gaming broadcasting group, The Yogscast, will be an official partner for its game, TUG. This unique collaboration, one of the first of its kind, will bring original TUG content onto Yogscast’s YouTube channels.

TUG , which recently launched in alpha on Steam Early Access, is an open-world survival RPG that utilizes social sciences to allow players to impact how the game evolves. TUG’s engine is built in-house with a heavy focus on architecture to empower modders and server owners.

“We are all about making worlds and tools, and The Yogscast is all about sharing them, we just fit,” said Peter Salinas, Founder of Nerd Kingdom and a developer on TUG. “Being huge Yogscast fanboys and geeks ourselves, we are ecstatic to be working so closely with them.”

“We’re always looking for great new gaming experiences to share on our channels and as massive fans of what the guys have been doing with TUG, we are really excited to be partnering with Nerd Kingdom,”said Lewis Brindley, co-founder of Yogscast. “We’re looking forward to having a key role in helping Nerd Kingdom deliver a game that all Yognau(gh)ts will want to play and making some really cool videos along the way.”

“As this opportunity comes at a time when the developer of Yogventures, Winterkewl Games LLC, has had to cease development, we also want to announce that everyone that backed the game on Kickstarter or pre-ordered it from Winterkewl Games will get a free copy of TUG,” added Mark Turpin, Yogscast CEO.

All Kickstarter backers and paypal supporters of Yogventures will receive a Steam Early Access code for TUG along with a final copy of the game when it comes out. Yogventures supporters will also be able to get exclusive TUG rewards based on the amount they pledged. In addition, Nerd Kingdom will offer them the chance to have their input in how TUG is developed. Yogventures backers should look out for an email in the coming days.

TUG currently runs on DirectX 11 and will be porting to Linux and Mac further into development. TUG is available now on Steam Early Access for $9.99 at

http://store.steampowered.com/app/277930.  

Related Links

Official Nerd Kingdom Homepage: http://www.nerdkingdom.com

Official Nerd Kingdom Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheUntitledGame

Official Nerd Kingdom Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tugnk

Official Nerd Kingdom Tumblr: http://nerdkingdomofficial.tumblr.com/

Official Nerd Kingdom YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/NerdKingdomOfficial

Official Yogscast Homepage: http://www.yogscast.com/

Main Yogscast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BlueXephos

Monday - July 07, 2014

Legena: Union Tides - Gay Main Protagonist

by Couchpotato, 04:26

I mentioned the new turn-based RPG kickstarter game Legena: Union Tides yesterday. It seems the developer have decided to include a gay protagonist, and serious themes.

Here is the short press release.

Legena series confirmed to have a gay main protagonist

During an interview with GayGamer, Grandpa Pixel confirmed that one of the main protagonists, Atesan Turwin is gay. They also stated that they wanted to bring in more LGBT ideas for the storyline as they felt it was ideal to have it in a series that explores time travel which allows them to explore how equality evolves over the course of centuries.

It was also confirmed that Atesan would have a darker story than most protagonists are exposed to. The developers felt that while they wanted Tetiro to be the protagonist that grows with the player, they wanted another main protagonist who has already experienced the rough parts of being a hero and an outcast. Something they know happens in other countries just because of their sexuality.

Legena: Union Tides is currently running a KickStarter for £5,000. The KickStarter can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/971843557/legena-union-tides

Sunday - July 06, 2014

Legena: Union Tides - A New Turn-Based 2D RPG

by Couchpotato, 11:39

Grandpa Pixel sent us news about their new 16-Bit JRPG game called Legena: Union Tides. Here is usual game description followed by a video to see if you're interested.

Legena is a turn-based 2D RPG series inspired by 16-bit classics with a unique take on time travel, superheroes and morality.

 Take the role of Tetiro Aceus and Atesan Turwin to explore the open seas, stop the pirate lords and discover the dark side of the Legena universe. And how their roles turn the gears of a legena that spans countless eras.

Frozen State - Released on Early Access

by Couchpotato, 11:15

It has been a while since I posted news on the failed kickstarter for Frozen State. The developer Snow Arc has decided to still make the game and released it on Steam.

Here is the latest kickstarter update with information.

Pricing

The Alpha will cost 10$ (the price is the same for every country, but it will be converted into your home currency automatically by Steam, Not us). The price of the game will be growing gradually with the new major updates, and the final game will cost around 20-25$. There won’t be any discounts or sales until the game is finished. 

Platforms 

 At the moment it will be available on PC and MAC, but we are working on Linux version as well.

Steam

I know some of you would prefer a DRM-free copy, but right now we don’t have a good and flexible system to roll out patches and new updates for DRM-free versions. It may not sound as a big deal, but in fact it can cause some issues. Due to this, the game will be available only on Steam, but this is temporarily, once we find a solution, I’ll inform everyone. 

Alpha

Well, we worked a lot for the past eleven months and we did a lot, though the alpha is far, far, far from the final game. At the moment it has very solid foundation, and we will keep improving it, implementing new features and content based on your feedback. 

What to expect 

This build has only one character, twelve locations ( over 1 square km combined) , stealth and crafting systems, cooking, basic needs, random interiors, three types of enemies, permadeath. At this current stage the game plays more like a sandbox roguelike.

Road map

New Updates will be released fortnightly. All our plans on each update can be found on the forum, though it’s not set in stone and can/will change over time http://frozenstate.net/forum/showthread.php?tid=5

Warning

Please read everything carefully, the game is NOT finished. It’s still in development, and its current state is ALPHA. If you have even the slightest doubts about the game, please don’t buy it.

However, your early involvement helps us to make Frozen State better and bigger.

Sunday - June 08, 2014

Data Hacker: Reboot - A New JRPG Game

by Couchpotato, 03:21

Data Hacker: Reboot is the next game from Ross Tunney of New Reality Games. You may remember him from the failed kickstarter Fractured Reality.

Reboot is part of the Data Hacker Saga - games that aim to explore the premise of there existing countless virtual realms beyond our current understanding or reach; blurring the lines between the real and the virtual.

Our previous titles; Initiation and Corruption, receive consistently positive feedback, and Reboot is a gargantuan step for us in terms of gameplay and presentation. 

At its heart, Data Hacker: Reboot is a classically-styled RPG that utilises many features that RPG fans will be familiar with, presenting them in such a way that enhances the overall experience.

We hope that the concept of the game intrigues you; piques your interest, and you see fit to back us! If it's not your thing; thanks for looking!

Friday - May 16, 2014

Shards Online - A New Sandbox MMORPG

by Couchpotato, 05:19

Shards Online is a new sandbox MMORPG from a new developer called Citadel Studios, and they are asking for $320,000 to make the game. Here is the games description.

Shards Online is the next step in online sandbox gaming, heavily inspired by the great herald of online worlds, Ultima Online, and other popular sandbox games. Citadel is breaking away from the modern MMO conventions of levels, classes and quest grinds. With Shards Online, we are returning to living virtual worlds where stories emerge naturally as players explore the worlds laid out before them.

You can also watch a few video the developers Youtube channel.

TUG - Released on Steam Early Access

by Couchpotato, 05:08

The developers of TUG Nerd Kingdom sent news their kickstarter game is now available on Steam Early Access. They also posted a new update with more information.

Steam Early Access Launch News Round-Up

TUG has been on Steam Early Access since Friday, and things are going well! If you have a friend who's been curious about TUG, now's the time to lure them in so you can whack them around in the Survival Ga... er, build a nice house with them!

By now, you all should have gotten your Steam keys! If you haven't, shoot an email to support@nerdkingdom.com.

Here's some rad press coverage we've gotten from PC Gamer and Massively, as well as a great interview with Peter (Ino) about the design philosophy of TUG!

Developer Blog Series

In case you missed it, we've been sharing new dev diaries every Thursday from different Nerd Kingdom team members. Here they are!

Runes and Video

The most recent rune series came to an end on Monday. Here are all the runes compiled so you can scrutinize them at your leisure! You can join the effort to translate them in this forum thread.

Azzy made an excellent video retrospective of how far TUG has come since our Kickstarter campaign. We've made a lot of progress since last year, and it's all thanks to you guys!

Thursday - May 01, 2014

Quest For Infamy - Release Date

by Couchpotato, 03:25

While I have not covered Quest For Infamy in the news I thought of few of you might be interested in reading about the adventure games release date.

Quest for Infamy Will Be Released on June 26th 2014

 It's been... wow, a journey.  But I think we've created a really amazing, classic style adventure and I just hope you like it.  To all the backers who made this happen - thank you, from the whole team. 

 The Digital Downloads will be available that day - in the coming months, we'll be confirming your emails, etc to make sure you'll get your download codes as backers - Physical Rewards will be following after the digital release of the game, and we'll keep you more informed about that the closer we get.... but we're just so excited to be able to share the game with you!

Tuesday - April 22, 2014

Apexicon - Kickstarter Successfully Funded

by Couchpotato, 05:44

The developers of the Word Puzzle RPG Apexicon Actos Games share news the game is now funded, and talk about the games stretch goals. Here are the details.

WE MADE IT!

Happy Sunday to you all! We've passed our goal, and Apexicon is now funded!

What does this mean?

  • A portion of the funds will go to Kickstarter and Amazon, as usual
  • The rest of the money will be thrown into development of Apexicon, slated later this year!
  • Once the KS is over, we'll be handing out rewards (as we can) and getting forums set up so you can continue assisting us on development
  • Special backers that have NPC and Character rewards will be contacted after the KS to get setup on their entries into the game!

Stretch Goals!

We hope these goals are worth going after, and as always, we appreciate your feedback!

Tuesday - April 08, 2014

Shining Empire - Third Kickstarter

by Couchpotato, 04:51

Arcade County has launched the third kickstarter for their RPG Shining Empire asking for only $1,400 this time. The game was funded in just one day this time.

Shining Empire reaches $1,400+ - Stretch goals in the works!

Thanks to everyone that has contributed. We reached our goal in less than 72 hours and we're well on our way to dwarfing the other 2 unsuccessful  kickstarter campaigns. Once the media gets into gear on Monday we're hoping for even more contributions.

So now it's time to start talking about stretch goals. I'll try to finalize the list later tonight, but suggestions are more than welcome. Right now here is the tentative list:

$12,000 - full online co-op

$9,500 - Online factions (join a faction and help other players online)

$8,000 - Empire Anvil Level 2 (share your creations online)

$7,000 - Empire Anvil Level 1 (create your own games using the S.E. engine)

$5,500 - Social site where you can compare stats and share screen shots

$4,500 - Achievements and online leaderboards (time played, city value, % completed etc)

$3,500 - Air and sea combat (with upgradable weapons/armor)

$2,500 - Boats and airships for faster travel over land/sea

Thursday - April 03, 2014

Prodigy - Kickstarter Launched

by Myrthos, 13:32

Prodigy is and odd game to most of us I guess. It is a tactical RPG that adds an additional playing interface next to your keyboard and mouse. With it you can move figurines that are placed on physical board that is connected to your PC.

Prodigy is a turn-based tactical RPG featuring high quality figurines for PC.
The player manipulates magical objects to fight epic multiplayer battles and follow a heroic solo campaign.
Prodigy's gameplay focuses on squad-based combat on a physical board for deep-thinking and fast paced 1v1 fights.
Prodigy is a new way to play without any keyboard, mouse or joypad.

This is where they are now:

Prodigy is currently being developed for PC (Windows) with the Unreal 4 engine. We have a prototype of the game that has proven its worth - it includes our first figurines, displays a wide range of NFC (Near Field Communication) interactions and demonstrates the basis of our combat system. It’s been tested multiple times, works really well and we have received lots of good feedback so far from those who have played the prototype.

And this is where they want to go:

Now we're aiming for the real thing: we're deepening the gameplay and tactical use of the board and figurines, building the storyline so each figurine has its own personal content, enhancing the universe with a solo PvE campaign, and polishing our technology for an even more robust and reliable product.

At the moment they are already close to reaching half of their goal of $100K.

Tuesday - April 01, 2014

NevenTale - A User Driven MMORPG

by Couchpotato, 05:58

NevenTale is a new MMO RPG kickstarter from a developer called Vavel Game Studio. They are asking for $2,000,000 to get funded, and describe the game as the following.

NevenTale is going to be the first game that would deliver the gameplay quality of an adventure RPG, by creating an endless tide of story-driven quests. It is going to be possible because the tools needed to create the game are going to be delivered to the player community. Once the players boost the game expansion process, the NevenTale will be updated with more gameplay hours than anyone would ever be able to finish.

So if anyone wants more coverage of the game let me know in the comment section.

Thursday - March 27, 2014

Shining Empire - Second Kickstarter Failed

by Couchpotato, 05:24

The second Kickstarter for Shining Empire has failed to get funded. The developer Arcade County released a press release saying they would cancel the game if funding failed.

Well according to the latest update the game still has a slim chance due to one backer investing a certain of money. Here are the details from the update.

Shining Empire NOT dead after all? Possibly!

I know it sounds crazy, after I wrote it off as dead just a few days ago, but the tide MIGHT be turning. I recently had a very generous Shining Force fan commit $2k to the development of SE. I'll make a decision within 48 hours on what I'm going to do. We've gotten $1.5k in contributions both times, so I may try a third time and lower the amount to that ($1.5k) and work from there. That should be enough to get the game just about finished and at least get the beta going. After that, another smaller kickstarter could run to finish the game off.

Wednesday - March 26, 2014

Apexicon - Second Kickstarter Relaunch

by Couchpotato, 04:46

Apexicon is a Fantasy Puzzle Combat game I mentioned last year that failed to get funded. Actos Games sent a press release with information the game is back on kickstarter asking for $5,000 to get funded.

APEXICON Launches Second Kickstarter

Burlington, NC - March 24, 2014 - Later today, Actos Games, LLC., an independent developer in video games, will be launching their second Kickstarter for their premier entry into the Puzzle RPG genre: APEXICON - Fantasy Puzzle Combat. Setting the initial goal at a modest $5000, down from the original goal of $15,000, Actos Games looks to secure funding from fans and newcomers to the game. Backers can choose between their version of the game they wish to acquire (Wii U, PC, etc) and claim rewards from the collector's edition or get a copy of the game early. 

"We're really proud to launch the second Kickstarter for APEXICON", Jonathan Meyer, CEO of Actos Games, LLC. stated. "After our initial attempt and all the fans continuing to watch our current progress, we really believe we have a great line up of content to show off the hard work we've done for the game in recent months." After the initial Kickstarter failed to succeed its initial goal, Actos Games went back into deep development, creating a much more fully-fledged Alpha for fans to try out and see the game. "Our hope is that the fully created Alpha provides a slice of gameplay that players will want to come back for more." 

Actos Games also announced that development for Nintendo's Wii U console was on the list, even though it was a stretch goal last time around. "We believe that to truly reach out to audiences, we need to develop versions for both PC gamers and console gamers, and Apexicon is a perfect fit for the Wii U GamePad." Jonathan continued. Utilizing the Nintendo Web Framework, and Construct 2, Actos Games will be bringing the highly anticipated Puzzle RPG to the platform with unique features, including local co-op play. "Having the game on the Wii U opens our capabilities on what we can do with the technology, and we're really excited to bring fans a quality experience out of the indie game scene." Jonathan remarked. 

APEXICON - Fantasy Puzzle Combat is a puzzle RPG based around creating words from a boggle-like board. Calling itself a "successor to Puzzle Quest", it features four RPG classes, town-building, side-quests, and special hidden NPCs you can find to change the game's multiple endings. Similar to Bookworm Adventures, you are able to deal more damage to enemies with your words based on the skills you activate and use during combat. 

For more information on  APEXICON - Fantasy Puzzle Combat's Next Kickstarter, please visit at  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paladium/apexicon-fantasy-puzzle-combat for news when the new Kickstarter will be launched.  The Kickstarter will be launched later today on March 24, 2014.

Tuesday - March 11, 2014

Shining Empire - On the Verge of Cancellation

by Couchpotato, 04:17

Arcade County sent out a new press release announcing they might be cancelling Shining Empire if the games second kickstarter is not successful.

"Shining Empire on the verge of cancellation"

Dallas, Tx - Shining Empire, the hybrid RPG city builder/massive combat game (for Mac and PC) is on the brink of cancellation, citing poor results on Kickstarter with less than 2 weeks to go. Arcade County, the Dallas-based developers behind the ambitious 100+ indie RPG title, are surprised at the low turnout, despite a good amount of videos and information on the project.

"It comes down to a couple of things", says Arcade County head R. Mulvany. "We're only focusing on computers, so console users aren't contributing, and it's a new IP. You see a lot of inexperienced studios rummaging around and finding old IP's to buy on the cheap and then resurrecting them. Those are almost always successful on Kickstarter. To put it into perspective, I've seen new studios acquire an IP and post nothing more than a piece of concept art on Kickstarter and have 1000% more success than we have."

Mulvany is concerned that Kickstarter (and crowdfunding in general) isn't really necessary at this point, since Paypal is really all you need.

"If studios can collect donations themselves via Paypal, why even use Kickstarter? Take Double Fine for example. All they really needed was a donations link. They brought that money to Kickstarter then gave them (and Amazon) 10% of the total. The gaming media gave them that publicity. I think they closed at $3,000,000+. That's $300k they didn't get due to those fees. And it's not as if Kickstarter is protecting anyone's investment. If a company fails to deliver on a product they're screwed."

Arcade County's Kickstarter for Shining Empire would be fortunate to close at 40% funded at this point, but they'll continue to keep it online regardless of where it ends up. The question then becomes: What next?

"A lot of games continue to be worked on if their Kickstarter fails. This is not one of those games. It would be impossible. Not only impossible from a financial standpoint, but if we're not getting enough press/interest to reach our goals then the game simply cannot be appealing enough to gamers. It's not easy to spread the word. If you don't have one of those IP's I talked about, or you don't have some established products out there - you need luck. As it stands right now, we seen to be pretty empty-handed in all those regards."

You can find out about Shining Empire on the Kickstarter page.

Friday - February 21, 2014

Shining Empire - Kickstarter Relaunched

by Couchpotato, 04:14

Arcade County has relaunched their kickstarter for Shining Empire, and sent out a new press release with more information.

Shining Force Online developer takes to Kickstarter (again)

Arcade County, developers of Shining Force Online (which Sega closed the doors to in December) have been hard at work at a spiritual successor to the popular classic  Sega Genesis series:. A Kickstarter campaign ran in January for the newly titled "Shining Empire", but was unsuccessful mostly due to no gameplay footage and a very  confusing design explanation. Fear not! We're back with 4 gameplay videosand a better description of what the game is. CEO R. Mulvany goes into details on a Livewire  interview where he explains what's happening with this title.

"I got a lot of emails from people begging me to not make it an MMO. It wasn't, but people got confused. They knew that I've pretty much just been making MMO's for  the past decade so they assume this would also be. We really needed some gameplay footage, so I grinded away for a few weeks and came up with some pretty detailed  videos which should better explain what kind of game this is."

The videos are available on the Kickstarter page as well as an updated explanation of what kind of game Shining Empire is. Mulvany wants to reiterate that it's not  an MMO every chance he gets.

"It's single player! I promise! It's funny how much people seem to dislike MMO's. I'm with them. I wanted to do something different with Shining Force Online but you  get stuck in these traps where you just end up doing what everyone else did. There are some serious design flaws with MMO's that we can't escape. The only way to  break the taboos is to stop making these games. So this is a complete 180 from where we were with Shining Force Online. it begins with building your own fantasy  city. That's what these videos really cover. It's sort of a mash-up of Viva Pinata, Sim City 2000, and Roller Coaster Tycoon. The difference with our game is you can  leave your land and explore the same as you can in any adventure game. It's not JUST a city builder."

Shining Empire aims to be a massive game. The true goal is to make a game that cannot be completed in under 100+ hours. However, the player gets to (in part) decide  what they consider the "end game."

Friday - January 31, 2014

Wayward Terran Frontier - A Space ARPG

by Couchpotato, 01:46

Wayward Terran Frontier is a new kickstarter asking for $50,000 to get funded. It is being developed by one man named George Hultgren. Here are the details.

Wayward Terran Frontier is part space-trader and part exploration-driven ARPG, with a whole lot of functionality packed into the space between. The game takes place inside a procedurally generated galaxy filled with dynamic events, making each game a brand new adventure.

At the every galaxy’s heart is a handful of human worlds which act as safe havens, and commerce hubs with functional economies. The core planets are brimming with life, surrounded by space stations and NPCs going about their daily lives (yours to bother and exploit). Out in the wilds of frontier space, there is more opportunity for profit—but also far greater danger.

The game also has a demo for eveyone to try.

 

Thursday - January 23, 2014

Shining Empire - Kickstarter Update

by Couchpotato, 01:42

Shining Empire the RPG simulation I reported about last week has two new updates. From the amount pledged so far the game is in trouble of not being funded.

So if you lkie the game spread the word.Wink

Update #1 - New video! Amazing Art in Under 4 Minutes

The Empire Anvil is a huge part of Shining Empire. It allows people to make their own RPG's using the exact same tools we use to create Shining Empire. In this video, I use the painting tools to create a tree in under 4 minutes. The tools are simple. Draw a shape and use the texture tools to shape it into great pixel art. I am not an artist but I was able to create a tree worthy of game production. Check it out!

Update #2 - Paypal Contributions Now Accepted

Due to popular demand, we're not accepting paypal contributions. You can make a contribution on the indiegogo page here:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/shining-empire-the-massive-rpg-simulation

This is a smaller campaign ($1,200) and indiegogo.com takes payal, so check it out if you want to contribute via a non-amazon payment method!

Thursday - January 16, 2014

Kickstarter - Small RPG Roundup

by Couchpotato, 01:31

I usually find a few Kickstaters that no talks about, and so for today I have two new games to share. Here is a link with a brief description of each game.

Knight's Destiny - Dungeon RPG 

Games such as Diablo, Zelda, and Runescape have been a huge inspiration for me in the making of this game. Any game that has dungeon exploring and fighting has been what I've always played. Knight's Destiny takes bits and pieces from every single one of those games (including additional awesome features) to create a new lightweight and fun to play RPG! The one major thing that you'll notice is unique is the lighting. Dungeons are always dark, right? Unless you have thousands of torches lined up against the wall. But let's face it, it's the medieval age, torches don't last for years, and they don't light up a big area. In Knight's Destiny, the player will have only a lantern on themselves to guide them through the pitch dark (and what lies within the dark), aside from random torch positioning against the dungeon walls. This makes for a truly challenging and unique play experience.

Framed Wings: A Indie Fantasy RPG

Framed Wings is an independently made fantasy RPG with elements close to those of Zelda games. The game shall be packed with quests, dungeons, intense boss battles, and much more. Framed Wings is being developed using the RPG Maker XP engine. At the moment I am quite early into development and have run into many issues, which is why I've turned to Kickstarter for support.

Sunday - January 12, 2014

Shining Empire - Massive Role-Playing Simulation

by Couchpotato, 04:01

Shining Empire is a new kickstater game asking for $9,500. The game was originally a fan made project, but Sega pulled the plug.

Now I will only cover the game once since it is an MMO. So if your a fan of the older Shining Force games you might be interested.

Last June we began work on Shining Force Online - a free massively multiplayer version of the classic Sega Genesis franchise. Unfortunately, Sega shut down the game and we're left with a huge, feature-packed title we cannot release. Rather than give up and scrap the title, we're taking it to kickstarter to raise funds to replace all of the Sega-owned trademarks (the main one being art) so that it is an original title in the same tradition as the Shining Force series.

The goal is to release the game November 2014 (with betas starting this summer). We'll release on Windows (Steam as well as a downloadable Windows version on our site), Mac, and iOS. The price will be $10 and all updates (including new content down the road) will be free. There will be no microtransactions and no DLC costs.

In Shining Empire, we want the player to have an incredible amount of control. In other RPG's you walk into a town and there's a few townsfolk to talk to, often times giving you quests or hints. We want to populate each village with hundreds of citizens, most of which you can recruit to joining your party. Some will have specific requirements: They may request that you're a member of a certain faction, or they may view your party and see one of their friends has joined and that entices them to tag along. Some may even become discouraged if your ethics start to clash with theirs and they may threaten to leave.

Update- Thanks to new information from daveyd the game will not be an MMO now.

"We're evolving the game from a forced online experience to a hybrid of pure single player with the option of multiplayer features".

Wednesday - January 08, 2014

Bible Chronicles - A Christian RPG

by Couchpotato, 00:43

A studio by the name of Phoenix Interactive has started a new RPG Kickstarter called Bible Chronicles: The Call of Abraham. The goal of the project is to raise $100,000.

Follow Abraham as he is challenged to leave his homeland and trust in the promise that he will become the father of many nations. Adventure alongside him in this epic role playing adventure as you choose your path in the course of history.

Travel to ancient lands and take part in the action and excitement of Abraham’s life. Fierce battles, honor and glory, and the destruction of ancient evils await you on your path as you choose how your own story will play out.

Now it has to said keep the replies civil as any time you mention religion it gets out of hand. I will be watching this thread.

Tuesday - January 07, 2014

STASIS - Kickstarter Postmortem

by Couchpotato, 03:21

Christopher Bischoff has taken his time to write a Kickstarter postmortem for his funded adventure game STASIS.

When Nic and I decided to take on Kickstarter we wanted to run the smoothest and best campaign possible. Now, while the road certainly wasn’t without its bumps and bruises, I think that the campaign for STASIS went remarkable well.

Below are a few thoughts and things to consider when setting up your own campaign. Some are obvious, and others are things that we only realized once we were neck deep into our campaign.

After 33 days we managed to hit our $140,000 goal.

For an unknown developer on an unknown license hitting that magic $100,000 mark was an incredible feeling, but an exhausting experience! It was a month of extreme highs and lows, but I wouldn’t have changed anything about how we ran our campaign.

I wish anyone looking at going this route a lot of luck! Buy extra coffee…you are going to need it!

Sunday - January 05, 2014

Kickstarter - Two More RPGs

by Couchpotato, 04:25

I have two more kickstarter RPGs I found this week. Below is a video and a brief description of each one. Let me know if you want more coverage of either one.

Midora

Explore a beautiful continent, relive book legends and fight your way through unforgiving dungeons to prevent a war of the elements!

The Meridian Shard

A classic adventure RPG with unforgettable characters steeped in a supernatural tale of courage, sacrifice, secrets, and shenanigans.

Friday - December 27, 2013

Wild Season - A Harvest Moon RPG

by Couchpotato, 10:03

Wild Season is a new RPG inspired by Harvest Moon on Kickstater. The game is nearing the end, and is already funded. Here is a video and some details.

The main character (You) lives in the big city! However due to some unfortunate circumstances you have lost your home and most of your possessions to the mafia. On your way home you pass by a realtor, and you see an amazing deal on an old farm not too far away. With no home and little chance to find somewhere else in the city you see this as a fresh start! An opportunity to get away from it all. You empty out your bank account, sell what remaining possessions you need to, and you buy the farm! 

The sales associate gives you keys and directions, and before you know it you're home, packing what you have left into your car (before the Mafia throw you out!), and you drive out to the farm!

However its not all smiles and roses, getting to the farm is not as easy as it seems, and when you arrive, the townsfolk are friendly but distant, the town seems to hide a secret, there is a dark feeling coming from the forest...

Monday - December 09, 2013

STASIS - Kickstarter Funded

by Couchpotato, 04:16

You may remember me mentioning the point & click adventure game STASIS. It seems the game is now funded. Here is the info from the latest update.

I know that the standard practice in the final 24 hours is a call to arms to spread the word about your project! However I feel that you; the backers,  journalists, 'Let's Players', forum and community members from around the world....have gone above and beyond already and I want to take this time to thank you.

Three years ago I set out to create my ultimate adventure game. Drawing on a love of Science Fiction and a burning need to tell stories I envisioned Stasis.  

Weekends, holidays and nights; Stasis is the result of hard work and pure passion. 

My family  can attest to the fact that just before we sent our Alpha Demo, my hands were shaking. The first thought that went through my head was "everyone is going to hate this...people aren't going to enjoy the game. It's slow...it's going to crash..." 

I started to get feedback and at first I thought that people are just being kind. They didn't want to hurt an artists feelings. More and more people started to experience the world through the Alpha and I realized just how special Stasis is.

Taking Stasis to Kickstarter was not an easy decision. It took me a long time to weigh up the pros and cons. The thought of having other people put their money and support into my game scared me. To be honest, it still does! I knew that the world of Stasis needs more than a few spare hours to take it to its full potential. It needed MORE of me - and the only way that I could do that is with YOUR help.  

This Kickstarter campaign has been an amazing journey. Through Stasis I have met so many amazing and talented people. Kickstarter is a special community that is built on giving - on the power of creating.

I now have the freedom to delve into Stasis and create the ultimate Adventure Game, the game that I wished someone else would make. 

Through Kickstarter, Stasis will have one of the greatest composers in video games working to create an incredible tapestry of sound.

Through Kickstarter Stasis will get every waking moment of my time and energy to create a rich, diverse, and terrifying world.

Through Kickstarter Stasis will be ALIVE. 

I want to reflect on everything that the 4000 strong collective of people has done; taking an unknown concept from an unknown developer and helping to make it into tangible reality. 

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

Friday - December 06, 2013

Festival of Magic - Video Preview @ IndieRPGs

by Couchpotato, 04:17

IndieRPGs takes a look at Festival of Magic in a new video preview. You may recall  I mentioned the game in my last kickstarter roundup.

Craig checks out the Kickstarter alpha build for Festival of Magic, a jRPG by Norwegian indie developers Snowcastle Games. The Festival of Magic Kickstarter still has 17 days left to go; head on over if you want to contribute, or simply try the demo for yourself.

Mansion Lord - Murder Mystery RPG/Business Sim

by Couchpotato, 03:53

Well here is another kickstarter that might interest a few of you. It's called Mansion Lord, and described as a Murder Mystery RPG/Business Sim.

Mansion Lord combines a murder mystery business sim with tile-based world building and turn-based RPG combat. Build your mansion tile-by-tile, invite unscrupulous aristocrats to dinner, and, with the aid of your hired detectives, capture them for bounties after they slay the other guests. You can level up your detectives, equip them with hundreds of different weapons and accessories, and teach them a variety of skills. All in the name of profit!

Sunday - December 01, 2013

Matt Barton - Kickstarter Editorial

by Couchpotato, 09:54

Matt Barton better know as Matt Chat has written a short article on Kickstarter that ponders on why publishers are needed sometimes. Now read the article as he has a point, and then you can comment if your still angry.

I’ve been noticing a trend lately (inevitable, I guess) in the number of Kickstarter updates along these lines:

  • “Sorry I’ve been out of touch for the past few weeks…”
  • “Unfortunately, the project has turned to be more work intensive than we thought…”
  • “We asked for X, when we really needed XXX. Now we’re back asking for more.”
  • “I apologize for my inconsistency. I’m accustomed to having a publisher yelling at me, without that, I just procrastinate endlessly.”

Okay, I made the last one up, but I bet it’s true for at least a few projects. But I’m not just posting to complain about all this. After all, it’s only human to make mistakes, especially when it comes to overestimating our abilities (especially our self-discipline). Likewise, there’s no denying that, as much as we like to bash them, publishers do bring certain things to the table: forcing everyone to stick to a schedule, cutting costs at every corner, saying “NO” to things that would disrupt the schedule or the budget. Kickstarter-funded developers, of course, are still accountable, but the folks who funded them aren’t in a position to get their money back or fire them.

 

Tuesday - November 26, 2013

Kickstarter - RPG Roundup

by Couchpotato, 01:23

Here are a few more RPG kickstaters a few you might find interesting. These are usually ones I wont cover with every update. So take a look or not it's your choice.

TheDiviner

A text-based single-player roleplaying video game with dynamic storytelling and gorgeous illustrations, where every line carries weight

Astrobase Command

A sandbox base-building RPG in a low-tech science fiction universe. Explore the stars with the computing power of the Atari Age.

Festival of Magic

Festival of Magic is an original adventure role-playing game where the players must fight and farm their way to glory.

Windforge

CONTRA meets MINECRAFT in a building-block RPG! Explore an ever-changing steampunk world featuring Airships & Sky Whales.

Monday - November 11, 2013

STASIS - A 2D SciFi Horror Adventure Game

by Couchpotato, 00:17

The following kickstarter isn't an RPG but some of you may be interested. The game is called STASIS, and is a "2D Isometric SciFi Horror Adventure Game".

Here is the usual pitch video, and a link to a demo for everyone to try.

Stasis is a 2D isometric, point-and-click adventure game for Windows & OSX, set in the distant future on a desolate spacecraft. John Maracheck must interact and solve puzzles to save his family, while uncovering horrific experimentation, illicit research, and an ever deepening mystery.

Wednesday - October 30, 2013

Confederate Express - A New Tactical RPG

by Couchpotato, 04:50

Confederate Express is a new kickstater that asked for $10,000, and is already funded with $13,342. The game itself is decribed as a strategy-oriented tactical RPG.

Confederate Express is all about exploration, fighting enemies, and making your way towards the main goal: trying to survive while delivering a package. Packages vary by size, weight and fragility; which makes every delivery a unique experience, ranging from a quick 15-minute tasks, all the way to a challenging journey throughout various events and locations. The more difficult the delivery, the greater the rewards: mercenaries, gear, weapons and ultimately - greater challenges.

Friday - October 25, 2013

The Strange - New Monte Cook Tabletop RPG

by Couchpotato, 00:31

Monte Cook Games has a new kickstarter that is already funded based on the
Cypher System of Numenera.

Monte Cook Games is thrilled to announce its next big tabletop roleplaying game: The Strange! Written and designed by Bruce Cordell and Monte Cook, The Strange is a game that crosses multiple worlds, called recursions, which player characters can explore and defend. In The Strange, your characters change with each world they travel to, taking on new aspects suited to help them function in that recursion's unique laws and structures. But dangers found in these recursions threaten not only characters, but also our very own Earth. If characters persevere, however, they can not only save themselves and Earth, they may even gain the ability to create a recursion of their own! 

If you enjoyed the inspiring scope of games like Planescape, Gamma World, or Numenera, or mind-bending scenarios like Moorcock's Eternal Champion series, the TV show Fringe, or movies like the Matrix, you're going to love The Strange.

We've assembled a great team to work on The Strange. In addition to Bruce and Monte, the exceptional Shanna Germain will serve as lead editor, and she's developing some amazing concepts both for the game and the presentation of the material. Superstar artist Matt Stawicki serves as the lead artist. He's working with us to create a unique visual look for the setting. But we'd love to see you join the team too, either as a backer, or even a contributor (see the backer levels for more information).

For more information, please visit TheStrangeRPG.com. A lot of news about the game can be found there, and much more is coming! And keep checking back for frequent updates and more previews!

Thursday - October 24, 2013

Cornerstone - New Demo & Update

by Couchpotato, 00:17

Cornerstone the Zelda inspired kickstarter has a new demo to try for those that are still on the fence. As for the project itself it has three days left to get another $6,000 to be funded.

The "long awaited" ;) Pre-alpha demo. it doesn't represent the final game but it shows the direction we're aiming for. its still a work in progress so dont get too shocked if you bump into  a bug, and even report them to us so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Most important of all! YOU NEED TO SPREAD THIS DEMO!

Please contact your youtubers/bloggers and get them to play. or simply make a video yourself ;)

we will be posting a lets play but we didn't wanna spoil the fun of exploring!

Before you start having fun with this demo please upvote our reddit posts

HERE & HERE!

DEMO LINK

Wednesday - October 16, 2013

City of Titans - Interview @ IncGamers

by Couchpotato, 00:45

IncGamers interviews Missing Worlds Media about their new kickstarter City of Titans.

Congratulations on reaching the Kickstarter goal so quickly. You must be pretty excited?

Chris “Warcabbit” Hare, lead developer: It’s the odd combination of terror and awe you get when you suddenly realize that yes, you have a baby. It’s yours. No going back now.

DC “Terwyn” James, business manager: There has been copious amounts of screaming followed by small amounts of hiding, so Chris is pretty accurate in the assessment.

Looking back at the few months before the Kickstarter launched, was there any point where you thought it may not succeed or did you have any doubts about committing your time and resources into what was going to be a long-term project?

Chris: I refused to allow myself to have doubts.

There were those who did, but I could not let myself have them, if we were to succeed. I know, rationally, there is a long way to go, and we will face challenges, but I must be convinced we will surmount them all.

DC: Simply put, yes, but it is in the nature of the human mind to disagree with itself, so those doubts enhanced the trust I have with the rest of the team, rendering it a moot point.

What I cannot do on my own, we have been able to do as a team. Failing to succeed at one point is not so terrifying when you realize that losing a battle does not immediately end a war. It is a long-term project, and mistakes will be made. Those mistakes will be learned from.

Now that the funding is in the bag, what are the team currently focusing on as far as the game development is concerned?

Chris: Well, it’s not in the bag till we hit the final day, the cheques are in the account, and we write our final thank you letters.

That being said, when we do have the funding in the bag, we’re going to be moving back to the Character Creator, and working on the infrastructure we need for it.

It will have more features than simply a paper doll device; we plan for it to have a number of authentication and network-based features. For example, unlocking the mind controlling beard for everyone who kickstarted with us, not to mention social media integration. We plan on costume contests from the very start, after all. As a result, the Character Creator project will move us on the way to being a functional Massively Multiplayer project, even if the rest of the world isn’t fully operational yet. By the time Titan City is up and running, we’ll have plenty of tests and real world information about how our system works.

DC: While I’m not actively involved on the production side of things, and instead make sure everything is functional on an organizational/administrative level, we’re focusing on delivering what we’ve said we’re going to deliver.

Thursday - October 10, 2013

Cornerstone - Interview @ Worldsfactory

by Couchpotato, 23:07

Cornerstone the Zelda and Dark Souls inspired kickstarter RPG I posted about last week has been interviewed by Worldsfactory. The kickstarter itself stills needs half it's funding with 15 days left.

First of all, can you briefly describe the game to our readers?

Cornerstone is an open world action adventure, with an emphasis on exploration and combat mixed with physics and player choice. A game inspired by The Legend of Zelda games and Dark Souls.

The art style of Cornerstone looks really beautiful. Why do you think there’s been a recent spike of interest in Wind Waker-inspired design? What have been your other influences?

I guess indies are cheap :P minimalism is easier to do,  It’s sad but that’s the main reason nintendo are just really good at being cheap. For Indies going 3D it’s usually a bad idea to try going realistic, we save a lot of time with the style we have. It’s also easier to get a vibrant and more interesting environment.

We also know that the combat system has been inspired by Dark Souls, but From Software’s acclaimed title has been traditionally associated with harsh and challenging gameplay. What kind of difficulty options will you offer to players? Will you have a stamina system to prevent “button mashing”?

In cornerstone there’s usually never just one way to progress. We won’t have a difficulty setting, we think it’s better for the player to adapt to a play style most suited. whether it’s a combination of crafting sneaking or straight on combat. In dark souls you only have the option to fight (or run haha!)

We have stamina right now but we’ll see how we add it in combat, there’s still some balancing to do and the stamina could throw it off.

Tuesday - October 01, 2013

Cornerstone - Wind Walker Meets Dark Souls

by Couchpotato, 00:35

Cornerstone : The Song of Tyrim is another kickstarter asking for $30,000 to release on the PC, Mac, and Linux. It's desribed as a open world action adventure, with an emphasis on exploration, and combat mixed with physics, and player choice.

Cornerstone is an open world action adventure, with an emphasis on exploration and combat mixed with physics and player choice. A game inspired by The Legend of Zelda games and Dark souls.  

The world is structured similar to Wind-Waker with a series of islands connected within vast ocean, almost every areas is accessible from the start. The main method of transportation between islands will be by Ship (and don't worry, there will be fast travel).

We’re aiming for an art style that invokes a sense of wonder but at the same time has the ability to charm your socks off. Stylized geometry with simple textures but with realistic rendering, and of course much inspiration will derives from the Viking culture.

Monday - September 23, 2013

Kickstarter - RPG Roundup

by Couchpotato, 00:57

Today I thought I would do something different. I have three new kickstarters looking to get funded that might be of interest to you. So here we go.

Up first we have a game called Cedaria: Blackout asking for $50,000.

Cedaria: Blackout is a cooperative adventure RPG, featuring a unique blend of Middle Eastern and steampunk architecture and style.

Next we have a game called Magic Meisters asking for $20,000.

Magic Meisters is an open world RPG filled with mystical creatures, magic, dungeons, and multiplayer adventuring for all ages!

And for last I have Tales of Terrene: Book One asking for $20,000. They even have a demo to try.

Explore the world of Terrene and defeat the spreading evil in this top down RPG. Gameplay inspired by Baldur's Gate & Diablo 2

If anyone is interested in more roundups like this let me know.Wink

Monday - September 16, 2013

RPG Music Moods - Music for Tabletop Games

by Couchpotato, 00:40

RPG Music Moods is a new kickstarter asking for $500 to release professional background music for table top role-playing games.

RPG Music Moods:  Enhance your role-playing table top game experience with professionally made background music.

Each track is 10 minutes long and loops seamlessly in your favorite music device. We've produced 2 tracks (demos below) and we're looking to raise funds to make a complete 10 track collection.

Get your RPG Music Moods rewards the same day we fund! 

We'll produce new tracks as they're unlocked by reaching stretch goals.  Samples of the new tracks will be posted as they're completed!

I also have two samples if you are interested here and here.

Saturday - September 14, 2013

Sojourner Tales - A New Board Game

by Couchpotato, 00:15

Sojourner Tales  is a new kickstarter from authors Tracy & Laura Hickman. Together they have written many D&D, and original novels. Now their asking money for a board game that features new downloadable ebook adventure modules.

Welcome to Sojourner! I'm Tracy Hickman. I'm an International and New York Times Best Selling author and game designer. For over thirty years, my wife Laura and I have been writing novels and designing games ('Dragonlance', 'Wayne of Gotham', 'Ravenloft', 'Dragon's Bard'). Now we're thrilled to invite you on our latest adventure: to bring interactive adventure storytelling to families and hobbyists alike. 

In Sojourner Tales, you will use strategy and wits as you discover and collect the pieces of your mysterious story as you strive to be the first to complete the epic adventure. The tale is different every time you play ... or you can download new Sojourner Tales to explore from our website!

Thursday - September 12, 2013

Golem Arcana - A New Type of Tabletop Game

by Couchpotato, 00:38

Harebrained Schemes has a new kickstarter, and this time it's a new tabletop game. It's described as a, "Game that combines miniatures with mobile technology to deliver a tabletop game that's easy to learn and fast to play."

We love tabletop miniatures games, but they can be a huge investment of time and effort. With so many games - both digital and physical - competing for our precious gaming time these days, it can be hard to commit to miniatures games that require hours upon hours of leafing through sourcebooks, measuring distances, and debating the rules. And while painted figures are cool, not everyone has the time or materials to paint an entire army of miniatures.

That’s why we're creating Golem Arcana - the digitally-enhanced miniatures game. 

By integrating your touchscreen phone or tablet into the tabletop experience, Golem Arcana removes the busywork associated with miniatures games. Record-keeping is automatic. Important game information is all quickly searchable at your fingertips. Instant feedback is provided for movements and attacks, eliminating the need to refer to complex results tables. Skirmish scenarios can be completed in less than 45 minutes. Plus, all Golem Arcana figures come fully assembled and painted* so you can start playing right out of the box. You can forget the work and focus on strategy and fun.

Golem Arcana merges the energy of friends at a table, the engrossing tactics of a miniatures game, and the convenience of a computer game to create a unique new style of game that's fast and accessible without sacrificing depth of gameplay.

Tuesday - September 10, 2013

Mazaki No Fantaji - Tabletop RPG

by Couchpotato, 01:14

Mazaki No Fantaji is a new kickstarter looking to get funded. In case your curious it's described as,"A cinematic Tabletop RPG inspired by stunning anime and immersive JRPGs, using qualitative stats and a unique, tile-based system."

Mazaki No Fantaji started with a single question: How can we develop a role-playing game grounded on dramatic, cinematic stories, if the "story" is exactly what we, the creators, have no control over? As gamers know, it is the players who come up with the plots, the twists, the intrigue, the developments. We creators just build a world and an engine to interface with that world. What role can we play in the stories? 

Well, the first step was figuring out that a good story has NOTHING to do with the plot. Only a superficial understanding of stories reduces a good one to its plot. A good story has GOOD characters, GOOD conflicts, and GOOD themes. In other words, interesting characters, meaningful conflicts, and relevant themes. The plot is an emergent unfurling/entangling of those things. 

"So," we said to ourselves, "If we created a game that demanded interesting characters, meaningful conflicts, and relevant themes; we'd have a GOOD (i.e. dramatic, character-driven, fun, intense, deep) role-playing game." 

So we created that game. Enter Mazaki No Fantaji.

Friday - August 16, 2013

Mother of Myth - Multi-platform Action RPG

by Couchpotato, 01:22

First of all the next kickstarter I'm about to announce is being developed for smartphones, tablets and web browsers. You have been warned no protesting our arguing. The game is called Mother of Myth and it's described as the following:

Mother of Myth is an action role-playing game inspired by Greek and Roman mythology which puts the player into the heart of some of these classic stories. In this beautifully rendered 3D environment, you will learn how to be a rhapsodist, a hero who harnesses the power of spirits to defeat enemies and help save your village. Based on story-driven quests, you will explore a large variety of dungeons where you will have to fight against mythological beasts and discover the hidden truth behind the myths and legends.

The core features of Mother of Myth are:  

  • Having the option to use your favorite device to play Mother of Myth. 
  • Jumping into engrossing battles and defeat epic mythological beasts. 
  • Mastering non-stop swipe and combo attack skills. 
  • Collecting deity skill cards and harnessing their powers. 
  • Crafting and selling various items including weapons, armor, shields and helmets.

It seems interesting and who knows you might be surprised.Wink

Saturday - August 03, 2013

Legend of Dungeon - Now in Beta

by Couchpotato, 01:03

If anyone on the watch pledge to fund Legend of Dungeon the game is now in beta. In case no one knows what the game is it's described as the following.

Legend of Dungeon is a 4 Player Co-Op Roguelike-like Beat'em'up with dynamic lighting on awesome pixel art.

I also have a video trailer for those that are interested.

Friday - August 02, 2013

DwarfCorp - Explore, Exploit, and Profit!

by Couchpotato, 00:41

If you were a fan of Dwarf Fortress developer Completely Fair has a new kickstarter for you. It's called DwarfCorp, and they even have a prototype demo available to try.

Dig deep into the earth to discover rare gems and ores, and send them back to the motherland in a balloon or ship. Defend your colony with walls, traps, and mercenaries. Promote your employees for their good work, or give them a slap if they get sloppy. Meet Elves, Goblins, Mole Men, Demons and more!. Design your company logo and color scheme, and watch your company stock rise and fall against your competitors! 

We are a two-man team of amateurs making the game of our dreams in our spare time. After developing this game for almost a year, we are looking for backers to help us make releasing this a reality. We are also looking for feedback and potential collaborators. We'd love to hear from you!

Bring Revolution 60 - Heavy Rain Meets Mass Effect

by Couchpotato, 00:09

Bring Revolution 60 is a new kickstarter being developed by Giant Spacekat. It's described as follows:"Heavy Rain meets Mass Effect with an all-girl cast, made with the Unreal engine. One choice changes everything."

Revolution 60 is an intense, movie-length story - told cinematically with gorgeous 3D animation and full voice acting from stars like Amanda Winn-Lee. You play as Holiday, an assassin for Chessboard, tasked with discovering why an American orbital weapons platform has malfunctioned. This indie game topped the list of best games of PAX East, and has been called, "One of the best games you've never played," by MSN. 

Now, the team needs your help bringing Revolution 60 to PC and Mac. The advantage of using the Unreal engine is the ability to port a completed game to other platforms with relative ease. For an indie team like Giant Spacekat, this is extremely important, allowing us to get our game into as many players' hands as possible.

Tuesday - July 23, 2013

Numenera - Read All About It

by Myrthos, 12:28

This is about Numenera, not Torment: Tides of Numenera. As you might, or perhaps should, know Monte Cook's Numenera is the table-top RPG which is used in Torment: Tides of Numenera.

This is also about letting you know that in August you can read all about Numenera so you can play this with your friends or just check in what ways Torment: Tides of Numenera deviates from it.

We're so very close to the release of Numenera! The books are literally being printed and put onto trucks as I type this. There's still lots of logistical stuff to do even after they start arriving in the warehouse (not the least of which is that I have to do lots-and lots-of autographing), but we hope that packages will start shipping August 6th. The on-sale date (when it will be in stores) is August 14th, so there's a really good chance that Kickstarter supporters and preorder customers will have theirs before that date.

To be clear, we hope that this includes not just the corebook, but the Player's Guide, the Nightmare Switch exclusive adventure, the dice, the cypher deck, the XP deck, the t-shirts, and the screens. All of that should be shipping starting on August 6th.

Regardless of all that, the ebook versions of the corebook, the Player's Guide, the decks, and the screen inserts should all be available to Kickstarter backers and preorder cutomers on August 1st. That means you should be looking for an email with download instructions on that day. If you don't get one by the end of that day, contact Annie at info@montecookgames.com.
Apps

The great people at 3lb Games are making an amazing app for Numenera. It will hopefully also be done in August. This app will be available in the iTunes app store and other places when it's ready (look to 3lb Games for more info). For Kickstarter backers at the DABBLER level and above, we need your app platform choice. Kickstarter backers should check out the recent update for more information.

Monday - July 15, 2013

Legend of Iya - An Epic Metroidvania Adventure

by Couchpotato, 01:36

The kickstarter I'm bringing to everyones attention today is called Legend of Iya. It reminds me of the old Alundra games on the playstation.

The Game:

Legend of Iya (it's pronounced Ee-yah), has been my never-ending passion project as long as I can remember. Beginning with early 8-bit computers, and stretching all the way to present day, the game has changed, evolved and improved over the years, from a simple 8-bit run-and-jump to something far more compelling. The game has seen at least half a dozen iterations, each time dying, but being reborn as some kind of a stubborn freaking phoenix.

Legend of Iya (LOI) is a 2D, story-driven metroidvania game in development for Windows PC. As I am a pixel artist by trade, the game features top-shelf pixel graphics and animation reminiscent of 16 and early 32-bit era, with lush, varied environments, tons of animation and detail, and some crazy-huge setpieces.

Oh, and let's not forget awesome boss battles! Will have a bunch of those. In fact I ended up writing my own procedural module-animation editor for bringing those to life without killing me with animation work. The results are vaguely reminiscent of bosses in games like Castlevania  SOTN and 16-bit Contras.

Saturday - July 13, 2013

Ambient Environments - Soundtracks for RPG's

by Couchpotato, 01:15

Todays kickstarter is not for a game but for a project that seeks to create a sountrack to listen to while playing RPG's. It's called Ambient Environments and needs a little more help to get funded.

Soundtracks inspired by years of dungeon delving, treasure hunting and tavern hopping—just in time for your next adventure!

ou’re a GM that loves to take control of their environment in order to provide an immersive experience for your players. Or a war gamer who likes to set the mood by enriching your environment with the sounds that one might hear on the battlefield. Or maybe you’re a game store owner hosting a local GM night and you need to provide a backdrop that will work for any game.

Setting the mood is one of the more difficult tasks of a GM, and yet one of the most important to keep players engaged in your environment and story. These high-quality MP3’s (320 Kbps), each a glorious 10 minutes in length, are meant to help GMs inspire their players. They have been play tested, gamer critiqued, and are ready to be brought into your living room or gaming store.

The basic goal of our Kickstarter is to provide you with 48 tracks. That's over 480 minutes of soundtracks for your games, with many more planned for our stretch goals!

Unlike some products that just provide sound effects on a loop in the background, Ambient Environments is a complete soundtrack for your gaming experience. Just like music in a film enhances the movie's tension and emotion, it can do the same for your game. Sure, the sound effects are there too, but they're only one part of the whole!

NOTE: Want a different set of soundtracks then what is offered in the pledges? You can create your own reward by using our Add-ons!

Wednesday - July 10, 2013

Tales of Terrene - A Steampunk Adventure RPG

by Couchpotato, 05:59

Tales of Terrene is a new kickstarter being developed by Kortex Studios. It's described as a steampunk themed adventure RPG game. So do the usual spread the word, or just go meh and move on.

Tales of Terrene follows the main character and their struggle to adapt and survive in an ever evolving world filled with enemies. The story is set in the steampunk themed world of Terrene. The main character is a renegade airship captain who has had his vessel stolen, along with something of great worth on board. He must fight and transverse his way across Terrene and beyond battling enemies and other various renegade Captains to require his ship and the precious treasure that everyone seems to pitted on taking.

Tales of Terrene utilizes the Unity engine and Dolby inspired 7.1 sound channels. Working in conjunction with Dolby we plan to implement their sound technology to bring you a great game that really comes to life in surround sound! The Development team is working around the clock to create a game that is compelling and challenging, insuring a great experience for all gamers. We plan to include features like...

  • Talent Tree
  • Currency System
  • Interactive NPC and Shops
  • Experience Leveling System
  • Compelling Lore & Quest Line
  • And Much More!

If you'd like to see Tales of Terrene come into fruition please take the time to get information from our website and Kickstarter and donate. All donations of any amount are generously appreciated!

Thanks goto rjshae for finding the game.Wink

Friday - June 28, 2013

Kickstarter - Hollowfear Launched

by Myrthos, 01:16

The developer of Hollowfear sent us word that his game is now on Kickstarter.

HollowFear, an innovative and challenging blend of RPG, Tower Defense and Action Hack & Slash is LIVE on Kickstarter. A highly playable early demo build is available for press and our kickstarter supporters. Key features of the game: -A unique blend of different genres -Innovative, fast paced yet tactical combat -Weapon attack zones, shield defense zones -Defense tower management (upgrading, defending, repairing...) -RPG style character development -Various level objectives (defending victory points, defeating enemy bosses, surviving, escaping etc. and combinations) -Set in medieval land of Carantania (territory of present-day Slovenia), based on slavic pagan mythology This is a true indie project from the grounds up. It started up 4 years ago as a hobby of a programmer, passionate about computer games. The design was evolving slowly, with many iterations and considerations. It is currently in a late development phase and is scheduled to be released in Q1 2014.

The demo can be found here and if you want to help Greenlight them you can do that here.

 

Tuesday - June 25, 2013

Infinite Space 3: Sea of Stars - New Game Trailer

by Couchpotato, 02:36

The Kickstarter Campaign for Infinite Space 3: Sea of Stars now features a new trailer from Digital Eel's upcoming roguelike sci-fi sequel. The game was successfully funded.

Video showing some progress on Infinite Space 3: Sea of Stars. The main things shown are more refined star map and other user interfaces, as well as some item art and new ambient sounds.

Saturday - June 22, 2013

PixelsorDeath - Creators Could Be Killing Kickstarter

by Couchpotato, 00:31

The next newsbit doeasn't deal with RPG's but with kickstarter. Joshua Dennison of PixelsOrDeath wrote an editorial about kickstarters and backer awards.

Question is do you agree or disagree?

To backers, this stings. The pride of helping fund someone’s passion simply isn’t there if everyone else can eventually have a piece of that pie, too. No matter how they’re acquired, behind-the-scenes documentary videos, “alpha” builds, and in-game perks aren’t exclusive anymore if everyone can have the same perks. Arguably, it’s even worse when, in a few instances, these pre-order bonuses are coming in cheaper than you could have initially gotten them with the crowdfunding campaign.

It could be viewed as a question of whether or not someone is willing to effectively pay a “crowdfunding surcharge” for early access, but again, occasionally the same “alpha” or “beta” access is being offered to everyone who pre-orders in the traditional sense.

In short, creators should be careful about alienating potential contributors. If creators are willing to make the rewards, they should be willing to cater to their backers, too. Internet culture is a touchy, fickle thing, and it doesn’t take much to alienate a vocal minority (a very vocal minority).

There’s a great deal at stake here. These crowdfunding efforts are the only chance that some of these creators have, and they could lose that resource if we’re all not careful. Games like Kentucky Route Zero and FTL: Faster Than Light might not have ever seen the light of day without Kickstarter, and we certainly wouldn’t have seen Dominique Pamplemousse in “It’s All Over Once the Fat Lady Sings!” without Indiegogo.

Places like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are fertile grounds for creative talent to take their would-be projects, but creators have to be careful not to squander the interest of supporters. We’re not in questionable territory anymore; crowdfunding is a widely-accepted practice, and creators have to be aware of their actions. It might only take a few more exclusives-turned-pre-order-bonus items for that vocal minority to denounce crowdfunding on the whole, potentially sullying the entire ecosystem for future hopefuls.

Wednesday - June 19, 2013

The Great Gaias - A Story-Driven RPG

by Couchpotato, 00:38

Here we are with another kickstarter RPG, and I can see the not again expressions. This time the game is called The Great Gaias. The goal is $25,000 with 24 days left.

Horizon’s End is proud to present its first game, The Great Gaias. This modern take on the classic JRPG genre brings forth the best qualities of these forgotten games. With more than sixty hours of gameplay including sidequests, hidden characters, crafting, and multiple endings, we hope to rival such classics as Chrono Trigger, Xenogears and the Final Fantasy series.

The Great Gaias is an ancient tome authored by the Gods that is able to reincarnate the souls of ones who have led a life that was supremely influential and helped shape history. The First Men, the Chosen Ones, having been granted immortality by the Gods and free will, were charged with the governance of lesser man and ruled justly and righteously their new city called Validus. After years of prosperity, a stranger from the east, Grindelwald Maultor, brought magic to the First Men, and with this new-found power came tyranny. 

Using this mighty gift he corrupted the immortal First Men, transforming them to wickedness. The Gauf, as these ten immortal warlords were named, waged a bloodthirsty war against the other free folk of Tenat.  It wasn’t until the Warriors of Old, souls birthed from The Great Gaias, battled Validus, and pushed their forces back, imprisoning the immortal Gauf and Lord Maultor within an ancient Tower of the Gods.  

Peace has reigned for a millennia, but a new age is dawning in which an ancient magic is returning to the world. The souls of the Great Gaias have all been reborn into existence once again, and the seals of the ancient tower are weakening. It is up to a small group of unlikely adventurers to uncover the past and fulfill an age-old prophecy that will undoubtedly shake the very foundations of the modern world and shape the direction of a new age.

The Great Gaias will employ many features that were cherished by the players of this classic style. Throughout the game you will encounter an elaborate and highly developed lore supported and developed upon by the many systems revolving around it. Features such as the bestiary, biography, quest journal, and The Grand Arcanum, all help to compliment our vision of this rich and detailed world.

Tuesday - June 18, 2013

Soul Saga - A J-RPG Inspired by Playstation Classics.

by Couchpotato, 00:12

Indie developer Disastercake has announced a new retro-styled JRPG Soul Saga. The goal is to get $60,000 and so far it's earned $11,849 with 27 days left. Now if you dislike or just loathe JRPG's this game wont be for you.

A love letter to J-RPG classics from the Playstation era like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Suikoden, and Persona.

Story

The Tempest Reef is a protective barrier of storm clouds that Medonia sits on.  This barrier is the only thing keeping the islands safe from the terrors of the Ink corruption that ravages the planet below.  Nothing can pass through the Tempest Reef without being utterly annihilated.

And Now...

300 years after it's conception, the Tempest Reef is weakening, and the Islands of Medonia are dying and falling from the sky.  There are rumors of a passage called Cloud's End that will allow a ship passage through the Tempest Reef to the surface world below.  It is assumed that Mithos' father had found this passage, but he left no trace of its existence behind.  The Guilds of Medonia now search for Cloud's End in hope to find a cure for their dying islands somewhere on the surface of Oterra.

 

What's a Disastercake?

Disastercake is one normal guy with one large dream: to make games he's passionate about.  This guy's name is Mike Gale... and that's me!  I've been working on Soul Saga for years as many roles including a programmer, game designer, and technical artist.  I also outsource a lot of Soul Saga's art to talented artists around the world using my life's savings.  I use to work at Microsoft in their games department, but I've quit that comfy job to work on Soul Saga, a game inspired by classic J-RPGs. 

Why a J-RPG?

J-RPGs (Japanese Role Playing Games) are the reason I fell in love with the game industry.  When I was young, I spent countless hours playing games like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Suikoden, and Persona.

What attracted me to J-RPGs was that they are one of the most impressive forms of multimedia to date.  They contain nearly all forms of media in one beautifully orchestrated piece of art.  Traditional art, graphic design, 3D, music, sound, lighting, cinematography, choreography, script writing, acting, story telling, and a whole lot more!

But it's a fine balance.  If one part seems off, the rest suffers greatly.  For this reason, it's also one of the most challenging forms of media to orchestrate successfully.  I hunger for that challenge!

 

 

Saturday - June 15, 2013

Frozen State - A Survival Based Horror RPG

by Couchpotato, 00:34

Frozen State is a new rpg on kickstarter looking for funding. The project still has 37 days left and has raised  £7,763 of  it's £60,000 goal. It's worth a look so spread the word.

It is a survival based horror RPG, which will immerse you in a Siberian, post apocalyptic wasteland. The game takes place in a secret Soviet city,which was partly destroyed. You will get by, side by side, with vicious alien hybrids, ruthless bandits and other survivors like you, who haven’t lost hope. Exploring new areas, scavenging and fighting for your life, you will be making hard choices between greater good and your personal goals, which will lead you to different outcomes. 

Our inspiration comes from many sources: games like Fallout 1 and 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R Shadow of Chernobyl, Metro 2033, Half-Life 2, Resident Evil; films The Thing, Alien(s),Prometheus, The Road, The Myst; our favorite writers Isaac Asimov, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, Stanislaw Lem and many others. 

We are making a game which will have virtually an ultimate freedom without labeling you as a bad or a good guy, a game where your actions affect the world, a game without hordes of brainless zombies, but rather with strong and dangerous enemies. The game with tense and grim atmosphere.

Thanks go to rjshae for bringing this game to my attention.Wink

Friday - June 07, 2013

Reobirth: Magic's Awakening - A New ARPG

by Couchpotato, 01:24

Well it's time for another underappreciated kickstarter RPG. This time the project is called Reobirth: Magic's Awakening.

Reobirth: Magic's Awakening is a fast-paced 2D action RPG currently being developed for PC (with possible Mac and Linux ports through the stretch goals!). Drawing inspiration from some of the most memorable and classic ARPG's (Secret of Mana, Castlevania, Super Metroid), Reobirth combines world exploration, elemental magic, and intense battling into an exciting and challenging adventure that spans the lands!

When Reo, a powerful and devastating form of elemental magic, is unleashed across the greatest expands of the universe, sinister monsters of dark magic begin growing all throughout the galaxy. On earth, humanity is forced to seek refuge by escaping to the Hove, a large man-made airship that valiantly hovers high above the clouds. The privileged and high ranking civilians retreat to the Hove under command of the questionable Emperor Vioz, while the commoners are left on earth to fend for themselves against the growing masses of dark monsters. Two hundred years upon the Hove and the once mighty airship now slowly grazes through the air, desperately seeking restorations: damaged, quickly losing altitude, and seemingly mere moments away from plummeting back down to earth for the Emperor and all passengers to meet their untimely fate: death by Dark Magic monsters.

But in a moment,  a mysterious young boy with aquatic blue hair is seen standing motionless on the deck, mysteriously blending with the darkness of the night. No name, no origin -  stricken with an eerily uncanny silence and a deadpan expression drawn across his pale face.

"Who is this young boy that has slipped aboard?" the passengers whisper, completely perplexed. "There is no entrance to an airship that hovers hundreds of miles in the air!"

And this Reo - such a relentless and destructive force - how did that come to be?

Thursday - May 30, 2013

Dungeon of Elements - A Unique RPG Kickstarter

by Couchpotato, 00:25

This kickstarter project is called Dungeon of Elements. To put it simply it's a RPG with combat inspired by Dr. Mario & Tetris. I brought attention to the game a few weeks back.

Dungeon of Elements is an RPG dungeon crawler with combat inspired by some of our favorite classic puzzle games like Dr. Mario or Tetris. In Dungeon of Elements (DoE), core meets casual as we combine many different styles of gameplay in a fun, immersive experience. While trundling through dungeons, ruins, and 45 different environments, you will defeat over 60 enemy types, collect pets, craft items, weapons, and armor through alchemical experimentation, build your bestiary, and more.

We are here on Kickstarter for more than just raising funds. We want to build a community with our players starting right now: before the game is launched. If you have input and feedback, we want to hear it! You can help us make this game the best it can possibly be by sharing your insights and feedback over the next couple months. Your participation will really take this game to the next level.

Dungeon of Elements is very close to completion. If we successfully fund, we estimate delivery of the game to our backers in less than a month. We wanted to bring a project to Kickstarter where the backers get almost instant gratification for their support. We realize this is a bit unusual, but hopefully you gamers out there will appreciate it.

 

Monday - May 27, 2013

Artifact Red-X - A Hybrid RPG/TB Strategy Game

by Couchpotato, 00:13

Artifact Red-X is a game similar to XCOM being developed by a small studio called Tier2 Games. Here take a look and see if your interested as the kickstarter needs help.

The vision of ARTIFACT: RED-X is to create a hybrid real time empire-style builder with turn based squad tactical combat . The role of the player is that of the invading enemy, where they must conquer an alien planet that they have selected themselves. The real time main gaming view of ARTIFACT: RED-X will use an adaption of the traditional tabletop-style board game mechanics.Each tile or hexagon will have resources and terrain attributes which will help or hinder the player's progression.The turn-based squad tactical view will also be divided into tiles and provide strategic advantages and disadvantages.

Play as the leader of one of the 10 greatest colony factions as you wage planetary conquest from space, land, sea and air. Your faction's core religious and social beliefs will influence how you conduct diplomacy, espionage, research, manage your bases and people in your quest for glory, honor and wealth.

Hand-pick the alien planet to invade, establish a base of operations, operate reconnaissance mission over alien territories, abduct aliens for research, launch terror campaigns on alien cities to destabilize local governments then infiltrate them to turn on their own people.

Locate and secure rare and valuable resources, build mining outposts to extract, process and transport the precious cargo back to base. Watch out for local anti-human agencies who will attempt to take down your supply ships and raid your resource hubs.

Play at your own pace. Jump straight into playing and receive guidance and advice on how to best play the game. They also provide insight for decisions first-time players make. Play in real time or change the speed of the game to suit your gaming style.

Individually recruit and customize each soldier, weapon, item and armor pieces to create a truly personalized gaming experience.Hand pick each solider for your squads based on their individual skills and abilities in an RPG-style attribute system. Customize each soldiers' load out, training and select who gets promoted. Upgrade weapons, items and armor based on each soldier's performance traits to enhance their effectiveness.

Research and manufacture new technologies. Power them with the rare element "Red-X" and become an unstoppable force. Watch out as element "Red-X" releases exotic radiation which causes Freeform evolution to occur. Squad units evolve & physically mutate, unlocking new abilities, technologies and more!

Turn based Ground squad combat with up to 36 ground units on battlefield. Using an isometric graphics style that makes it easy to identify and play.

Challenge your friends to single turn-based tactical games or stay in it for the long haul and compete for dominance of the planet as either human or alien species.

Monday - May 13, 2013

TUG - A Sandbox RPG Going Social

by Myrthos, 14:32

According to themselves TUG is a multiplayer open-world sandbox-RPG using new technology and social sciences to directly involve players in the game’s design. They are currently trying to get $215K at Kickstarter and are currently at 98K with 18 days to go.

TUG sits at the crossroads where survival sandbox and multiplayer RPG’s meet, offering both elegant simplicity and a world of complex secrets for those who desire to seek them out. From freezing snow capped mountains to dark dreary caves, TUG offers a massive procedurally-generated world to explore, full of mystery and danger -- but what makes TUG truly unique is its ability to help us learn what you as players enjoy about the game, and to use your interactions to make an amazing world even better.

The project draws inspiration from fun, accessible games we love such as Minecraft, Fable, Animal Crossing, and Zelda, as well as games that feature deeply complex worlds, including Eve Online, Monster Hunter, and Dwarf Fortress.

What do we think you’ll like about TUG? Some of the things we’re most excited about include:

  • Integrated modding support: we won’t just have support for modding tools hooked in from the beginning -- we’ll be sharing our tools with modders. 
  • Pets and Companions will join you in your travels and help along the way.
  • Entire Civilizations lie hidden for you to uncover... or create new ones to conquer the world! 
  • Day, Night, and Seasonal Cycles with perils and opportunities unique to each. 
  • Exotic Wild Beasts to tame, hunt, breed, or ride! 
  • Logic Engineering, from simple trap triggers to reprogramming your golem! 
  • Dark Mysteries to unearth, and ancient powers to unleash! 
  • DRM-Free. That includes the servers, which we’ll also be sharing with you.

Source: Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Tuesday - May 07, 2013

Chasm - Kickstarted and Demo Available

by Couchpotato, 00:03

The Kickstarter for Chasm shows the project from Discord Games has surpassed its $150K funding goal with several days remaining in the campaign. There is a playable demo so the game can be sampled also.

PLAY THE DEMO AND PLEDGE NOW! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/d...

Chasm is a 2D Platformer Action-RPG currently in development for Windows, Mac, & Linux. Taking equal inspiration from hack 'n slash dungeon crawlers (procedurally generated dungeons, loot drops, etc) and Metroidvania-style platformers, the game aims to immerse you in its 2D fantasy world full of exciting treasure, deadly enemies, and abundant secrets.

Monday - May 06, 2013

Adventure Maximus! - A New Kid Friendly Table Top Game

by Couchpotato, 00:30

Eden Studios sent news for their recently started kickstarter. It's a card based Role Playing Game for players 8 years-of-age and up. It looks like a good way to get kids interested in RPG's.

Eden Studios has been known for publishing award winning and fan favorite RPGs for over 15 years. Today we embark on a new project to bring in new players to the world of role playing games. It's time for a role playing game adults & kids can both enjoy. Make a character in under 2 minutes. Start playing out of the box.

That project is entitled Adventure Maximus!

Adventure MAXIMUS! is a card based, introductory Role Playing Game for players 8 years-of-age and up. Players can take on roles from eight different races. Working together as a famous "Adventure Company" based in the fantastic, post-apocalyptic world of Ex-Machina they can become heroes of legend.

Adventure MAXIMUS! follows the classic role playing game format consisting of someone who runs the adventure (who we call a Maximus Master) and 2 or more players who interact with the adventure. Inexperienced Maximus Masters will find using our Adventure Creation System helpful when making their first adventure. Also, the role of Maximus Master can be taken over by a player in mid adventure so that everyone gets a chance to play!

 

Friday - April 26, 2013

RPGs are Evil - Dark Dungeons: The Movie

by Couchpotato, 01:57

I was introduced to this kickstsrter via an email notice in my newsbox . This time the kickstarter isn't about a game, but about the famous 1984 Anti-Dungeons and Dragons comic Dark Dungeons.

I won the lottery.  Not the jackpot, "just" a thousand bucks, and being a typical middle-class middle-manager a thousand dollars is nice, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't going to change my life.  So I decided to do something special with the money.  I decided I wanted to spend it to bring something that would last;  I would spend it to try and bring Jack Chick's epic 1984 graphic novel / tract to film.

I wrote Chick Publications explaining this to them and I'm super-excited to announce that I have obtained the video rights to make a movie based on Dark Dungeons.

If you're not familiar with Dark Dungeons you can read it in its entirety here;

DARK DUNGEONS:  THE COMIC

But all you really need to know is that it sets out to show what Jack Chick knows to be the truth behind role-playing.  It shows that;

*Playing RPGs can make you gain real life magic abilities

*If you gain a high enough level you will be invited to join a secret cult

* Gamers whose characters die are in danger of committing suicide. 

* That DM's are vile temptresses that are out to corrupt their players to the forces of evil. 

Given all those startling claims it's amazing that the crusade against RPG's has not been more successful!  In fact, the last movie to crusade against D&D was Tom Hank's 1982 classic, "Mazes and Monsters."

We are going change all that. I'm already investing all of my lottery winnings in this project but it's just not enough to get it filmed and that's where you come in. 

If the idea of seeing a movie where all the anti-RPG arguments above are made with every last drop of drama and conviction I can wring out them appeals to you, then I want you to invest today and make this movie a reality. 


Tuesday - April 23, 2013

The Realm Game - A New Adventure Game Set In Post-Civilisation England

by Couchpotato, 01:59

The Realm is the latest title asking you to part with your pennies and pounds in the form of a Kickstarter.While not a RPG I know some of you are interested in adventure games.

               

The Vision

We are a group of experienced game developers asking for your help to make a unique and visually stunning graphical adventure. We will be using a combination of inspiring 3D and beautifully crafted 2D artwork to set a new artistic benchmark for the point and click genre, not just on PC and Mac, but on tablet devices too. We call our style ‘Western Art, Eastern Heart’.

We’re re-imagining the point and click adventure, bringing it up to date so that it can be played just as easily on touch screen devices as with a mouse. We've taken out complicated inventory screens and obscure puzzles and replaced them with the streamlined interactivity and intuitive design now expected of modern games.

So What Is 'The Realm'?

The Realm is set in a far distant future where the world has been reclaimed by nature. Our once proud cities now lie abandoned - overgrown with strange plants and twisted vines. The locations in The Realm reflect the real-life landscapes and architecture of the North East of England.

Some humans remain, but they are now leading a more simple life based around small rural communities entirely divorced from modern technology and science. The age of magic and mysticism has returned and there are rumours of stirrings in the forests.

Kickstarter - Nine Year Old Raises $24,534

by Couchpotato, 01:46

You read the headline right it's not wrong. A nine year old  named Mackenzie Wilson wants  to create her own RPG game. She just successfully concluded her Kickstarter campaign for her RPG, raising $24,534 pledged by 1,442 backers.

I play games on my computer, PS3 and KindleHD all the time and it's fun but I REALLY WANT to create my own games to play.  Ultimately I want to learn to program really cool stuff, but since I'm 9 I'm starting with RPG Maker because it lets me create something awesome without having to know how to actually program everything. I'll learn to program more as I get older, but right now, RPG Maker's drag & drop functionality makes it pretty easy for me to create working RPG games quickly. And each time, my games get better & better. I'm having fun playing with the software now and learning how it works.  It's given me lots more ideas about how to make the game I'm going to build at RPG Camp even AWESOMER!  

Right now, I know for sure that my game will be more age appropriate than the games I'm stuck playing. Sadly there just aren't many cool RPGs out there for kids my age that aren't stupid or silly.  

As I said in the video, I want to create an RPG that isn't too violent and isn't filled with bad words, still has a good story line & cool graphics, but has shorter cut scenes, less menus & fewer controls.  And most importantly, I want a game that allows team members to face danger together and get hurt but doesn't kill team mates off & eliminate them from battle.

It's no secret there aren't enough females in STEM professions so part of my Kickstarter campaign is aimed at raising awareness and getting girls thinking about careers in technology at an early age. I want to be a role model for kids - but especially to girls so there are more girls in tech because I don't want to be the only girl in the room.  My Mom and I created fun messaging about things girls can do followed by "KEEP UP!" which implies that the person who's supporting the campaign is ahead of others and a leader.  Both of these items will be built in the game.

 

Monday - April 22, 2013

Steven Kimura - Disappointed With Kickstarter

by Couchpotato, 14:05

I know this news post has nothing to do with RPG's, but it has eveything to do with all the recentt RPG's kickstarted. Former Harmonix and Irrational Games turned indepent developer Steven Kimura has has spoken of his grievance with the direction of Kickstarter.

“Kickstarter is becoming a burned out, cynical market that can’t support the kinds of projects we’re working on.” says Kimura. “It’s disheartening for me to see some rehash of a game that was popular 20 years ago get funded. I get it, because that’s a reflection of the retail market – all sequels – but those kinds of projects have really burned people out on Kickstarter for us.”

“For me, indie development is about making something creative and different. I think that’s what Kickstarter was supposed to be about, but I think that it’s shifted, especially in the game space. Now it’s just a shop and I think that’s the death of that platform. That’s not what it’s for.”

Now the question is do you agree with him? I for one am grateful for kickstarter. I have more RPG's that would of never been funded by a publisher.

Tuesday - April 16, 2013

Chasm - 2D Fantasy ARPG

by Couchpotato, 04:22

Yes I can see it already your thinking not another one, and were does he keep finding them. Discord Games has started a kickstater called Chasm.

Chasm (pronounced kaz-um)  is a 2D Action-RPG Platformer currently in development for Windows, Mac, & Linux. Taking equal inspiration from hack ‘n slash dungeon crawlers (procedurally generated dungeons, loot drops, etc) and Metroidvania-style platformers, the game aims to immerse you in its 2D fantasy world full of exciting treasure, deadly enemies, and abundant secrets. 

We are attempting to create an authentic retro experience similar to the games you remember. Chasm was heavily influenced by games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid and Diablo. If these games are your style, then this is the game you have been waiting for! 

In Chasm, players take up the role of a soldier passing through a remote mining town on their journey home from a long war. The town’s miners have recently disappeared after breaching a long-forgotten temple far below the town, and reawakened an ancient slumbering evil. Now trapped in the town by supernatural forces, you’re left with no option but to explore the mines below, battle enemies and bosses, and increase your abilities in hopes of finally escaping and returning home. 

 

World of Magic - Interview @ RPS

by Myrthos, 00:05

Rock Paper Shotgun has an interview with the Worlds of Magic devs, who are currently running a Kickstarter for their game.

RPS: On the Kickstarter page, you state – “Our primary goal for Worlds of Magic is to capture the essence of what made Master of Magic the classic it is” – what do you believe are the most important features and what have other games lacked?

Wastelands: There are a number of elements that we feel made Master of Magic the incredible classic that it is. Just browsing over the feature list on our Kickstarter page will give you an insight into our thought process. I’ll take a moment to touch the highlights here: First it’s very important to maintain the true 4X feel. Procedurally generated random maps, fog of war, interesting locations to discover, long lost loot to find, it’s all in Worlds of Magic. Spells, magical artifacts, and magic in general are also an essential piece. With Worlds of Magic we’ve expanded on the concepts found in Master of Magic. We offer a wider range of magical schools (we call them circles) to choose from. Your spell circle choices have an effect on what spells you can research and cast. It also effects what kind of artifacts you can make for your heroes. Of course, heroes are yet another fundamental piece. Just as Master of Magic did, Worlds of magic offers a number of unique heroes you can persuade to join your armies. They can gain more experience and reach higher levels than normal units and you can equip them with magical weapons, armour, etc. There’s a great deal more, but I can’t touch every point here. Our Kickstarter page has a much more in-depth explanation.

As far as other games are concerned I would say that we haven’t seen a real spiritual successor to Master of Magic because developers tend to want to put their own new “spin” on things. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and if you add nothing new you just end up making a clone, not a successor. Worlds of Magic has a lot of new stuff in it. However, it’s stuff we’ve worked hard to make sure would have fit into Master of Magic in the first place.

Monday - April 15, 2013

Lex Laser Saves The Galaxy, Again - Starting on Kickstarter

by Myrthos, 14:50

A sci-fi tactical puzzle RPG for busy people is what the team behind Lex Laser Saves The Galaxy, Again is saying about their game that has just gone live on Kickstarter.

Between missions, you can use the various technological items and alien artifacts you have found to improve your arsenal. You won't have to guess at recipes, though. Lex Laser is a top-notch technician, and can stick almost any mod onto any weapon.

For example, the Orthobarrel mod might add a second projectile to every shot from a gun, but always 90 degrees to the right of the main shot, and the gun will take twice as much ammo per shot. Stack the Explosive Ammo on top of that, and you can turn your simple pistol into a mini-multi-grenade launcher. That's fantastic until you find yourself in a museum filled with fragile crystal sculptures - then you might want to go back to the base model.

You might also find (or build) sensors, such as a tactical readout that predicts enemy actions, or a life detector that can give you hints about where to go to rescue that last refugee.

This equipment mechanic is the primary way Lex Laser improves as the game goes on, so a little creativity here can go a long way.

Sunday - April 14, 2013

Infinite Space 3 - Kickstarter

by Couchpotato, 17:54

Well this news is a little late, but I want to bring attention to another rougelike kickstarter game.  

Infinite Space 3: Sea of Stars is going to be a single-player science fiction roguelike with turn-based navigation and real-time combat. There’ll be randomly-generated open worlds, frequent deaths, and mod tools.

A three-dimensional follow-up to our classic indie space-roguelikes, Strange Adventures and Weird Worlds.

Although Sea of Stars builds on the universe you visited in the earlier games, it is expanded with fresh new material and gameplay. Discovering the interactions between items, alien races, characters and random events will keep you busy for years - yet each session of the game is a complete adventure that you can finish in one sitting. To extend the game's longevity even further, we encourage people to make mods and even provide tools for it!

At its core, Sea of Stars is a single-player science fiction roguelike similar to Strange Adventures and Weird Worlds. Turn-based star map navigation is combined with a real-time combat system. The game provides a randomly generated open world for you to explore, and will only reveal a fraction of its secrets each time you play. There is no going back to a saved game - everything you do has a permanent effect. Death is frequent, but only makes you want to try again.

 

 

C-Wars - A Roguelike Pixel Art Game

by Couchpotato, 10:36

Onipunks a China based developer has just started their kickstarter called C-Wars. They already have two updates and the project is half funded.

What happens when Cyberpunk apocalypse roguelike meets RTS in pixel art? C-Wars!

We love apocalyptic themes (not in real life, of course!), and have been thinking about the best way to integrate themes of desperation, chaos, and hope into one game. This isn’t just about simple storytelling or displaying a crisis in front of you; it’s our invitation to you to enter into and interact with this world.

C-Wars is a roguelike game. Its gameplay allows you to explore this cyberpunk apocalypse in your own way. 

Roguelike is retro but not old fashioned, especially when embedded with an original combat system.

In addition to the numerous special/random encounters commonly seen in a regular roguelike game, we’ve spent a large amount of time creating this unique combat system, which follows an RTS spirit with an ARPG essence. Our goal is to amplify units collaboration and micromanagement.

It's a magnificent combination of retro-style visuals and innovative gameplay.

Plot-

A global nuclear war reset humankind, and Luna base became the final outpost of civilization. 150 years later, Alpha, the largest Luna city, was infected by Crystal mutants. Despite all the precautions taken, the infection broke the quarantine barrier and hit Delta City.

Luna Council decided to use tactical nuclear weapons to terminate the two cites. You, as Sector 7's field commander, must enter these infected areas and find out the truth before it's too late. Your decisions in the game will determine Luna's fate.

They also have an alpha version to try.

Source: Kickstarter

Friday - April 12, 2013

Kickstarter - The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death Update #9

by Couchpotato, 19:45

Cancelled RPG kickstarter The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death has another update . It's called "Why we can deliver a good and deep story".

Before sharing the vision doc next week with you guys, I want to share some thoughts on a topic that greatly affects the new take on the game. I am talking about the story.

The initial vision for the story on TDT was including well-known elements from a standard high fantasy setting. This would allow us to have more time to develop the dialogues, as people already know how elves, dwarves or orks are supposed to behave.

 One of the issues that we had was that the plot for the story was initially written with a lesser scope in mind. But now the game has evolved in many senses, and keeping the same story would be limiting ourselves too much and we wouldn't deliver the best possible experience. We are aware that we can't aim at the moon, we are not Bioware or Obsidian, but we definitely trust that we can deliver something really good. I'm fully convinced of it.

 Another issue we had was the language. It's difficult for us to write the story and dialogues directly in English. Our lack of a proficient command of the English language meant that we were losing many nuances and subtleties inherent to the language, and that meant that we couldn't convey or instill enough richness to the characters and situations. 

 As we told in a previous post update, we will now write the story and dialogues in Spanish, as it's our native language. This will allow us two things: conveying this lost richness due to our lack of a proficient knowledge of the English language and be 20 times much faster. We will then send all the texts to a professional English native translator specialized in literature to ensure this richness is not lost along the way. We think this is key for the success of the game, besides taking care of the other systems of course, like combat, non-combat skills or the new factions system. 

 Why this focus on the story won't affect other game systems? 

 First, because we can now deliver a great amount of text ensuring the quality doesn't diminish. I will write the most part of the story, but Miguel will also help me. We both have been writing stories since we were children, so we've developed a good sense of what it takes to develop a good plot and characters to make the story engaging an inmersive enough - this doesn't mean we don't see this as easy-peasy, Lord forgive me!-. Also, with your help during the beta stage, we can iron out things that need to be modified and suit best to the story. We also have the chance to get the help of some mates that have written and published some stories, and the best of all, we are all long-time CRPG players, which makes things easier! 

 Also, in this case we, as cofounders, will take charge of the writing, and this means no additional budget costs to be spend on the texts besides the translations. I hope this makes sense to you guys. Anyways, all the texts we will share with you regarding the story, the Vision Doc, etc will be already translated in English, no worries for that! =)

The Thief of Dreams Novel Kickstarter by Betrayal at Krondor Author Neal Hallford

by Gorath, 12:21

RPG veteran Neal Hallford, lead writer of the classic RPG Betrayal at Krondor, gamers' most favourite screen saver Dungeon Siege and a couple of other well known RPGs, started a Kickstarter campaign to fund a couple of months full time work on his fantasy novel The Thief of Dreams.

The Thief of Dreams will be

 a new fantasy novel set in a world where magic is forbidden, where sorcerers are spies, and where a force beyond imagination threatens to transform the long simmering cold war between the nine kingdoms into a cataclysmic, world-shattering conflict.

In the misty town of Durande, nobleman Turiel de Juarde nearly dies at the point of an assassin's blade, but his surprising rescue by his spell-hurling younger brother Aeris uncovers a connection to unsuspected world of treachery, deception, and magical intrigue. As the secret society of Owls scour the streets for Turiel's would-be assassins, the King's soldiers hunt the sorcerous Owls on suspicion of treason, and a net of fear and paranoia unravels a hard-fought truce that could tear the kingdom of Eaden apart forever. Dispatched on a mission to ferret out whether the assassins are agents of a foreign power, or a dangerous offshoot of the Owls, Aeris and Turiel will confront powers that could end all life in Callendia.

Filled with adventure, mystery, and court intrigue, The Thief of Dreams combines a unique blend of magic and espionage in a story that will keep you reading long past midnight, and well into the dawn.

Betrayal at Krondor is an all-time classic which pushed game writing forward and combined a slick interface for its time with a lot of depth and turn-based combat. Krondor series creator Raymond E. Feist later made Neal Hallford's BaK story canon by writing a novel based on it which made it onto the NYT bestseller list.

The Kickstarter is currently at 3k$ of 24k$ with 30 days to go.

A successful book Kickstarter could even be an important stepping stone for an upcoming spiritual successor to Betrayal at Krondor, says The Codex.

Thanks, Charles.

Tuesday - April 09, 2013

Kickstarter - Sanguine Nights: Darkest Blood Campaign

by Couchpotato, 21:01

Team Ravenous is the latest independent developer to bring their project to Kickstarter,  a It's a new vampire-themed action RPG entitled Sanguine Nights: Darkest Blood for the Linux, Macintosh, and Windows platforms.

The team is looking for $75,000 over the next 34 days and is hoping to cater to fans of both multiplayer and single player.

If you were a fan of games like Vampire Bloodlines, and Vampire The Masquerade the game should feel similiar. They could really use the help. Spread the word.

Here is the link to the Kickstarter.

Tuesday - April 02, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death - How the Team is Organized

by Myrthos, 17:59

Abel Bascunana Autoloot games provided us with more information on the way the development of The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death is handled.

Today is one of those days I can’t sleep. Here it’s 4am.

It’s been many weeks that I’ve been going to sleep between 4-6am. I tried to organize the work, had the KS video prepared, while at the same time wrote the game and press texts, sent them to proofread, recorded the ingame video footage, managed the press news, etc. What I do recall as the most stressful time before the KS campaign was the day before launching, when messing around with the Visual .Net code Jose Manuel did so I could change the chars speed, the particle effects and trying to position the NPCs to make them move properly without them getting stuck when they touched each other (blame the collision system!).  I didn’t have the slightest idea how it all worked, even JM left some indications before leaving to BCN. Also Carlos could not connect at all times to solve things that were not working properly. 

And compiling… 

I must have done it three hundred times. Compile now and check if things are correct. Are not? Then apply changes, commit the files on the repo and check again if it worked properly. It was very time consuming and getting good video takes wasn’t easy. Miguel was at Seville due to personal matters for a week, so I was overwhelmed by all the work we needed to pull out for the KS campaign. 

Rafater worked hard to have the video ready while I was preparing the KS layout. We finished it all at 9am, having been up all night long. The day after, KS approved our page and the backers know the rest of the story and how it ends… Anyways this time we’ll take it longer so we can push a proper KS campaign, as said on the last update.

So as you see, we rushed quite a lot, also because we are trying to meet our internal deadlines. Why such a hurry?

The reasons are as follows. 

When the team was made up by Miguel (Combat and IA Design and Production), Jose Manuel (Lead Programmer), Rafa (2D Art) and me (Story, Dialogues and Quests, Production), both Miguel and me could pay the expenses for Jose Manuel’s and Rafa salaries. But as the project needs increased, we needed to hire more people. Now that David Lopez (3D GFX), David Lucena (Lightning and Shadow casting) and Carlos Mangas (Combat Programming) have joined the team, it’s very difficult to keep up and pay them all from our personal savings. 

Both Miguel and me are making remarkable efforts to maintain afloat this lifetime cRPG dream of us. Miguel has had to let go some of his clients from his personal business to allocate more time to the project. This also means a reduced income and more economic constraints, besides he recently moved with his girlfriend with all the expenses and hassle this means.

In my case, I voluntarily left a Social Games company that I’ve seen ranking up from 17 to 120 employees in a year and a half. I was the QA Manager and my job was pretty stable. But dreams are dreams, and to make them come true you must risk something. I’ve been working on some freelance translation work to help pay my part of the expenses, but this doesn’t give enough money to make the cRPG we want to make.

We’ve achieved many, let me write it in capital letters, MANY good things with such adverse circumstances. Jose, David Lopez, Carlos Mangas, David Lucena, and me, are now working full time on The Dark Triad  (Jose Manuel has been the only one that has been working on the project full time during the last 10 months). Miguel and Rafa are working part-time, even Miguel works almost 7-8 hours on the project. Rafa is also involved in other projects, but when he is needed he’s always there to respond with hard work.

So we can say then that our modus operandi almost resembles that of other established professional RPG game companies, with the difference that everybody works from their homes. I don’t really know if we are the first ones to attempt a cRPG at this scale doing remote work. This, rather than being an obstacle, has meant an increased productivity, as we have a schedule where we must overlap and be together during all the morning, and then everybody has some flexible hours, which allow them to work at midnight for example when they feel more proactive. The team has daily meetings by Skype, also all the activity, tickets, messaging, etc. is centralized on Assembla. Before finding out what worked best for us Project Management-wise, we tried with Trello, Google docs, Jira and other Agile Dev solutions, but Assembla is the one we all feel most comfortable with. 

If you’ve read our other entries, you know we already have some major systems in place, specially our proprietary 3D tech, which consists and a fully fledged 3D game editor and a model viewer. We don’t use Unity. We would do in the future if things go well, but having our own 3D tech allows us for a great flexibility to mess in the heart of the code itself and adapt it to our needs.

We find ourselves in a critical stage where we are redefining many things, specially regarding the story to make it more compelling, and, tied to this, adding the necessary non-combat skills to provide the players with enough options to work out things in different, unexpected ways. As you can imagine, this affects the classes, skills, abilities, companions interactions, etc., we we must have a clear vision of what we are doing before start adding content involving those systems (and what was already done will need to be rebuild to adjust it to our new vision). 

Next week I’ll send you a draft of what I’m coming up regarding the story, with so you can give me some honest feedback if you wish. I will need it if we want to make The Dark Triad the memorable RPG we are pursuing. If we can fund the game on KS, I’ll be able to work 12-14 hours/day on the story and dialogues. That’s my oath to all our backers so the characters, the story is truly engaging and the choices you make have real consequences in the game world.

Even I have not gone into full detail, you see that making a game, specially an RPG, is a complex affair that involves many procedures and logistics, and there are many constraints and challenges to solve along the way.

What amazes me and makes me most proud of all this is the commitment of each team member. David Lopez and David Lucena have been working in the games industry since the early 2000’s for some important companies, and they have been really interested since the knew about our project, and they are being really proactive on making The Dark Triad a dream come true. Carlos and Rafa are also super committed, and without Miguel’s partnership, work and commitment, The Dark Triad would not had even made its first breath. But this time, please allow me to mention Jose Manuel Alcaraz, our Lead Programmer, the man that goes to sleep at 7am many times, who has designed our 3D engine from scratch, and who is the essential cornerstone of the project. I know some day he’ll have a deserved recognition as the one that helped to make The Dark Triad come true. 

Please Hail Jose Manuel =)

Sunday - March 31, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death - Update

by Myrthos, 13:01

The devs of The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death send us a status update on what they are planning for their next Kickstarter pitch.

The team has been talking a lot about the things that we did wrong, and we are just working and planning how to make a bigger impact on our Kickstarter relaunch. We are working on different areas to do so:

- Combat: we want to include combat footage that explains the mechanics much better. We don't have all the mechanics in place yet obviously, but at least we want to show you much more interaction, both in the attacks, counterattacks, enemy Ai, contextual info like enemy stats, improved particle effects, more variety on the animations and new interface combat elements (like movement arrows, damage taken floating numbers, etc).

- Story: When we started designing the story for the game 10 months ago, the game had a lesser scope. Believe it or not, we thought we would be only capable of including big dungeons by reusing a few 3D tilesets with no outdoors. This has changed dramatically and we will have outdoors, towns, temples, woods, mountains, etc besides indoor areas. The original story was adapted to our graphical limitations. Now, we'll try to make the story more clear and less stuffed . We will tell less in our presentation (the video plot was 7min. long!), but it will hopefully be much more interesting.

- Dialogues: This is related with the non-combat skills. We want to show you some examples of dialogue interactions with npcs where new lines will appear depending on your non-combat abilites.

- Non-combat skills: We are discussing what non-combat skills must be mandatory in our game. This has many implications, as it affects the classes, the kind of interactions of the party members, the stats and abilities systems, the dialogues, the world map elements and much more. We must be conscious of our limited budget to include the ones that are a must. Once the game systems have been set into place and tested, we can think of including new secondary abilites that we left out from the initial pool.

We will prepare a clear introduction of the non-combat skills so you can understand what we want to achieve.

- Graphics: The new Kickstarter relaunch video will showcase some new cool areas and monsters.

- Dynamic Lightning: Yes! and it's awesome to witness how the shadows of your party members and enemies adapt to the light sources in the scene and project to solid elements like walls, etc! With this change, the game atmosphere will improve quite a bit =)

- Language translation: We will write the story and updates initially in Spanish, and then we will send it to a professional Spanish-English translator so it all is crystal clear. Spanish is the mother tongue of most of us and we feel there has been many communication misunderstandings due to the bad way of expressing ourselves in English during our Kickstarter updates, besides the many typos that cropped out on the Kickstarter home page.

- PR: we will soon start working with a PR agency to help us promoting the game. We feel we didn't have a good graphic material to show to the press. Now we are preparing some renders and ingame screens that will hopefully catch the media eyes this time! =)

There are some other things we'd like to show you, but we are not sure we will be able to. For example, we have a very basic inventory system with the drag&drop functionality, but it's not fully fleshed out yet, so it's better not to rush until it has a better look. 

Does it sound like a good plan? Let us know on our forums.

Monday - March 25, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death - Canceled

by Myrthos, 17:58

The Kickstarter for The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death has been canceled. Here is the information on the reasons for the cancelation and that they will be back.

We want to thank the almost 300 backers that have shown their faith in The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death during this Kickstarter campaign.  Thanks for your support and passion, for making great suggestions and engaging with the community in the comments section, and trying to spread the word about the game, we appreciate your efforts A LOT!

We’ve gotten $5,589 in 5 days. The first day was awesome, with more than $3,500 after Brian Fargo, inXile cofounder, tweeted "This game deserves a look at," on his account in reference to The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death (thanks Brian and we wishTorment: Tides of Numenera breaks all records!!).

The days after have been a dire struggle to usher more potential backers to our KS page. The problem has been ours in part, as we hadn’t secured the services of a PR agency to spread the word properly. Second, this weekend PAX East was held, and next week it’s the GDC’s turn. This means that no matter how much money we would spent on PR right now, it would be almost impossible to be mentioned on gaming sites when the big boys on the block  are gearing up to announcetheir coming games for the Christmas season. Besides, we launched after Torment: Tides of Numenera and Shroud of the Avatar were on KS, the two biggest projects since Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity. This may have made things more difficult, especially as backers might have supported both games and now would not have the money to spend on other smaller-scale projects such as ours.

Also, we must be critical of ourselves and recognize that we haven’t done a good job of conveying what the game is about. Yes, you know it’s a CRPG, and that there will be combat and dialogues, but the way we’ve explained it all has been confusing to say the least, and there was a lack of information regarding the main gameplay mechanics from the beginning, which we think hasn’t helped. It hasn’t helped either that some texts were not properly proofread due to a lack of coordination with our editors and translators because of the hour difference, which resulted in some glaring typos cropping up.

We are currently preparing a pitch and gameplay video that will explain much better how the combat and dialogues work, and what options are available in them. We’ll also redefine the story. Many of you said it was too convoluted, and maybe contained too many elements. Besides, we want to remove some important limitations, like that fact that the party member characters had to be from a certain race and classes, or that you couldn’t play with a female character on your party.

We will also adjust the initial scope of the game. We wanted to add many things, but we think it’s better to focus on the two main aspects of the game: a good turn-based combat and a nice non-combat conversation system. We will maintain and improve the graphic quality of the game, but we will reduce the game map extension. We can’t attempt to put in as many 3D assets as Baldur’s Gate, but we will maintain enough content for the game to provide dozens of hours of play. At the same time, this reduced map will allow us to reduce our pledge by almost half. And this is important, as we think that if potential backers see that we are near the funding goal, they will feel more confident in backing the project. Our goal is to expand the game content as soon as The Dark Triad is available for purchase.

We have also detected a clear imbalance with the rewards. Once you create a tier and at least one backer has pledged for it, Kickstarter won’t allow you to add new rewards into it. We forgot to tell you that the downloadable version of the game will be DRM-free, and even though we put it on top of our main page, many people didn’t see that. We could only communicate new reward additions through the updates, but for new backers this is important information that should be clearly visible. Also, we wanted to include boxed edition tiers and we saw that first we needed to adjust the digital tiers content, and we couldn’t do so due to the aforementioned restrictions.

We’ve also received some complaints from US backers about the difficulties they were having pledging. It seems some US banks block payments overseas by default, and you must call them to remove this restriction. Other people was confused by the lack of an option to pay via Amazon. The reason for that is that the UK project payments are handled by Kickstarter directly without being funneled through Amazon. And last, some of you didn’t know if paying in pounds would charge you any extra when making the payment (which is not).

We’ve taken all this weekend to reflect about all these issues, and after reaching a consensus, we think the best course of action we can take is canceling the current pledge drive. This will allow us to focus on preparing new content, explain things much better and securing a PR agency from the very beginning to help spread the word about The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death. We will take one month and one week, and on the 6th of May we will come back to run a brand new Kickstarter campaign for the game.

Meanwhile, we’ve opened an Indiegogo campaign for all of you that want to help us support the game development for the next two months until we can succeed in our Kickstarter campaign. These funds will help us to pay our 5 team members and stay afloat during this time. We don’t have any publisher behind us and before approaching any we will try to go with crowdfunding so we can remain independent game developers (unless it’s a known RPG publisher that could guarantee us IP rights and the max creative freedom).

Last, you can stay in touch with us on our forums. We are currently asking what non-combat skills do you like to see in the game

Once again, thanks for your support guys, you made us happy even if we didn’t make it this time. I hope that what we will show the next month can make you even more thrilled about the possibilities of The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death. We won’t stop until you have the chance to play the medieval fantasy world of TDT:DD in your homes! =)

Kickstarter - Pixelry, A Jousting RPG

by Myrthos, 17:51

The devs of Pixelry let us know of their Kickstarter for their jousting-focused medieval RPG, a game that likes to show its pixels. They are currently at 1,800 pound out of an asked 25K. It has an alpha version available to check the game out.

Hopefully you're already familiar with Pixelry, but if you aren't then all you need to know is that it's a jousting-focused medieval RPG. The version that's been available during alphafunding is now being referred to as Pixelry Classic, and that contains a few mini-games to play, the King's tournament to compete in and some customization options to your heraldry and horse. That version is no longer on sale.

What we're now working on is the full version of Pixelry as intended, and this is what will be known as Pixelry Champions. It is this that we are seeking funding for, as Pixelry Champions will have many extra features and needs lots of polish.

Reaching our goal of £23,000 will mean that we can work on the game full time and add the following features to the Pixelry experience:

  • Better sound system. 
  • Choose gender: Male - Female. 
  • Fix resolutions. 
  • New room transitions. 
  • Implement the use of the mouse on the UI and add hotkeys to different places. 
  • Animations, ambience, particles, give more life to the world. 
  • New music and sound effects. 
  • Better RPG aspects and combat system of the game.
  • Detailed inventory system with more options, items and better implementation on the combat strategies. 
  • Enhanced UI with universal mouse support with simple drag & drop system 
  • Better enemies and more difficulties and leagues. 
  • Calendar with special events or minigames. 
  • Item offers and different incentives and challenges.

Sunday - March 24, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death - Update #3, Character Customization & Game Story

by Myrthos, 21:46

More information on character customization and the game story is made available in update #3 of The Dark Triad: Dragon's Breath.

It seems The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death's plot is generating some controversy. There are the ones that like the setting a lot, and there are others that plainly abhor it. I decided to write this piece to make some things clear, as I think one video can’t explain accurately what’s hidden behind a seemingly cliche story.

Some may argue that the story of The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death is the classic conflict of Good vs Evil, and that’s true to a certain extent. But this is true only in a black and white sense-- in reality, we are trying to make the distinction between these forces much grayer. What one can view as good and bad depends on his own point of view and beliefs, which are conditioned by his or her life experiences and the environment in which they were raised.

TDT:DD is based in a medieval fantasy setting. Obviously a fantastic setting does not mean that the story and, by extension, dialogue, cannot be highly realistic, at least regarding the social events and personal interactions with other NPCs and party members. 

At the same time, we cannot say realism can’t be mixed with a high degree of fantasy. If we think more deeply about this contradiction, we could actually form a connection between them: Fantasy might be an attempt to explain reality, using an associative logic that has not yet understood the laws of nature or those of cause and effect.

Thursday - March 21, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death - Extra Reward

by Myrthos, 12:07

In the first update for The Dark Triad: Dragon's Breath Kickstarter (currently at 4K GBP from an asked 80K) the news is that the 20 pound tier now has an extra reward.

Yes! We've include a new reward on tier £20 and above! The Adventurer's Guide to the Isolated Lands is an ancient book assembled from buried scrolls found in the deep caves at the shores of the Sea of Litanies. The Adventurer's Guide is an illustrated account written and drawn by unknown scholars about the different kingdoms of the Isolated Lands, their history and races, their remarkable locations and also includes shredded maps that point out to secret places known only to a handful who dared to tread their dangerous paths and came alive to give an account of its many hidden wonders, traps and treasures! It's a good piece of knowledge for both explorers and warriors alike! 

(if you are interested on this item, remember that you can update your pledge manually anytime.)

Regarding the game itself, we’ve been following your comments both here and on the forums. You want to know more about the combat: how it will be played, how the AI will work and if it will be complex enough to have you engaged throughout the whole game. Miguel, Carlos and Jose Manuel will work hard during the next days to post a meaningful update regarding this area, and hopefully we'll be able to show you new combat mechanics on a gameplay video in a couple of weeks.

Wednesday - March 20, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Death - On Kickstarter Today

by Myrthos, 13:15

After yesterday's announcement that The Dark Triad: Dragon's Breath was going to be on Kickstarter today, we can now inform you that the newsbit was correct, so here it is.

The Dark Triad: Dragon’s Death is a 3D-isometric, turn-based computer RPG with an amazing epic history and a fresh dynamic turn-based combat, developed by Autoloot Games Ltd., an indie studio formed by veteran industry game developers from Ubisoft, Gameloft, or Funcom to name a few, that have participated in the development of games such as Age of Conan, Warhammer Online, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, Heroes of Sparta 2 or Prince of Persia among many others.

They are asking for 80.000 pounds, which is about $120.000.

Tuesday - March 19, 2013

The Dark Triad: Dragon's Breath - On Kickstarter Tomorrow

by Myrthos, 12:39

The devs from The Drak Triad: Dragon's Breath wrote in to inform us that they will be launching a Kickstarter for their game tomorrow.
More news tomorrow I suppose.

Tuesday - March 12, 2013

Delver's Drop - Preview

by Myrthos, 22:50

Craig Stern has a video preview of Delver's Drop, the action RPG that is to be released on PC, Linux, Android and iOS. It still has 7 hours to go on Kickstarter and has almost doubled it's asked amount of $75K.

Tuesday - March 05, 2013

Kickstarter - Matt Barton's Kickstarter Project: Untitled

by Myrthos, 22:00

Matt Barton, who you might know from his regular chats on Armchair Arcade, is announcing his Kickstarter for a game with various rules and a quantifiable outcome. Ha is planning to ask for just $100 million, which might not be enough to fund it.

After days of planning and hours of editing, I have finally completed my Kickstarter announcement video. Please pledge right now to help me reach my funding goal of 100 million dollars in 30 days. That may sound like a large sum, but when you hear this pitch and what I'm planning, I think you'll agree it's well worth taking out a second mortgage on your home.

=I can't reveal too much without spoiling the game's many twists and surprises, but following are some FAQs and my responses.

Can you describe exactly the kind of game you're proposing here?
Of course. In short, this will be a game with a system in which players engage in an artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome. That's about as specific as I can be at this point, but hopefully that answers your question.
$100 million doesn't seem like enough money to make an indie game. How will you budget it out?
You're absolutely right--just the martinis, spa treatments, Belgian chocolates, and Star Wars collectibles for the office can quickly reach upwards of a million. Of course I also have a taste for exotic ales that has to be factored in. But I think there should be at least enough left over to pay an amateur coder a part-time salary to do the heavy lifting. I'm also planning on including art and perhaps some public domain music.
Will it have rats in it?
Who the hell do you think you're talking to here? Okay, that's all the time I have for answering questions. Now pledge!!!

Thursday - February 28, 2013

Kickstarter - Heroes of Steel

by Myrthos, 22:51

Bob informed us of the Kickstarter for Heroes of Steel, which already met its goal with 17K pledged of an asked 12K, but there is still an opportunity to join within the next 50 hours, if  you like its concepts.

In Heroes of Steel, you command a party of four heroes with a diverse set of backgrounds, skills, and abilities as you strive to protect the shattered remains of civilization from dark powers. Your adventure will follow the heroes through a sprawling story that will start a few years after the shattering and covering the legendary struggle against the dark. A rich world full of sub-plots, quests, and diversions will be wrapped in and around the main story, allowing you to enjoy the world of Steel to the fullest depths.

The world of Steel, as you will know it, will feel like an endless series of dungeons, underground lairs, lost highways, and buried cisterns. The druids led the survivors into the under-deep, and they have been forced to settle there and scratch out a life beneath the surface. Much of the action of Heroes of Steel will occur below ground, but there will be brief glimpses of the surface, when nearing a town or traversing open ground, when the weak light from the sun slants down through the chasm to the stony floor.

As you progress through the game’s story, you will uncover many secrets of the world of Steel and its splintered pantheon of gods. The main plot and the web of subplots will deepen your understanding and appreciation for the rich world, and the forces of evil that threaten to overwhelm it. The courageous acts you will undertake in Heroes will become the core stories, myths and legends spread by humanity in future games within the trilogy of Steel. Taking inspiration from the pen and paper role-playing games developed by the Trese Brothers, you will find grim themes running through the storylines and a focus on human problems.

When creating your party you can choose from a variety of distinct characters to form a balanced group. Heroes of Steel will provide four unique classes from which to choose, each with their own abilities and special powers which you can further develop. Taking inspiration from other classic games, each class will have its own tree of special abilities allowing you to choose how each character evolves. This depth of customization will allow you to create characters of the same basic class who function very differently within your party. Will you build a purely offensive sorcerer wielding fiery wrath, or spread your talents to enable a team-player or a defensive caster?  In Heroes, you have that flexibility.

 

Monday - February 25, 2013

Days of Dawn - Funded

by Myrthos, 12:48

The Kickstarter for Days of Dawn managed to gather quite a bit of money in the last hours, saving the day for the devs. With a total of $54,135 they have managed to reach their pledge of $50K.

We have made it!

Thank you so much, everybody! You have been the most supportive and astonishing backers I could ever imagine. We are thrilled about what you've done for Days of Dawn. This has not been the photo-finish we expected it to be – we actually ran a second round getting 108% of the funding goal.

I can hardly tell you how we feel right now. This has been one of the most exciting experiences I've made in my life. Getting in contact with you, virtually meeting wonderful people who trust in our ability to create an awesome game. And here goes my promise to you: We'll do everything we can to knock you off your shoes with a game that's dragging you right into a fantastic world full of wonder.

So what about the stretchgoals?

We have almost reached the first stretchgoal at $55,000. As a thank-you for your wonderful support we're going to add the first stretchgoal to the game nonetheless and call it reached. We will start up a Paypal-site very soon to allow all those people without a credit-card to join us and will try to reach the second goal as well by this.

Let's stay in contact!

We had a wonderful time with you guys and we don't want to loose contact now. Please think about joining our boards on board.bumblebee-games.com/
If you send me a mail with your Username here on kickstarter, the amount you pledged and your name on the forum, I will unlock access to the backer-only board for you. There we'll get into in-depth discussions about the games future, you can take part in polls, see concept-artwork and so on. Please join us there to keep contact.

Once again: Thank you SO VERY MUCH! We're so thankful for what you've done for us. We'll start right away on creating a wonderful game to have the closed beta ready in june!

Sunday - February 24, 2013

Kickstarter - Delver's Drop

by Dhruin, 08:17

Anthony wrote in a few days back about Delver's Drop, a "stylish physics-based Action RPG" for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. The campaign has been running for a while and has 16 days to go, with $40k of the $75k goal on the board:

Delver's Drop is a 2D Action RPG with fluid physics-based movement, snappy combat, shifting dungeons, and a rogue's gallery of individually leveled character classes. With an emphasis on mystery and dynamic gameplay experiences, the game features randomization for infinite replay, enigmatic puzzle permutations to unravel, multiple narrative paths, customizable character growth, and layers of secrets to unearth.

Our game is built on inspirations from the 8 & 16-bit eras, but acknowledges contemporary progress in game design and fully utilizes current technology. The gameplay is familiar yet distinct with stunning HD visuals and snappy, fluid 360-degree control. It is accessible yet deep and tactical, and is incredibly replayable.

  • Immense & Unpredictable Dungeon Dive — 8 zones of castle dungeons with 4 sub-levels to explore. Levels will be combined from masterfully designed hand-crafted rooms and components, with randomized content and floor layouts.
  • Physics-based Hack & Slash Combat — Since all characters and enemies move and collide on a physics-based system, any interplay of attacks, traps, and magic resolve based on responsive, snazzy, and sometimes chaotic physics effects.
  • Multiple Characters & Play Styles — Play the game with one or all of the 5 character classes (some to be decided by backers!). Classes have unique speed and movement properties, weapon, special ability, and perk tree, giving each a different play style.
  • Character Growth & Customization — Gain experience as you play each class, and keep this progress through the class’s perk tree even if your current character dies. Level up if you want more flexibility, but Delver’s Drop is totally grind-free.
  • Weapons & Sub-Items — The player can find and purchase interesting and upgraded weapons for each class, as well as a large suite of expendable sub-items that are randomly spawn during each session. But items slots are limited, requiring intelligent use!
  • Puzzles & Secrets — Like many action adventure games, Delver’s Drop will feature interesting puzzles, requiring clever manipulation of dungeon elements, using physics to advantage, and resourceful usage of secondary items.

Thursday - February 21, 2013

Days of Dawn - Close to the Finale

by Myrthos, 12:41

The Kickstarter for Days of Dawn has entered it's last 3 days and is stil 20K short of it's 50K goal. Quite some updates on this turn-based RPG have been produced since the last time we covered this game, so make sure to check out their updates pages to see if this is a game you would like to lay down some some money for.

Tuesday - February 12, 2013

Wildman - Kickstarter Cancelled - Gas Powered Games Might Still Survive

by Aries100, 18:24

Chris Taylor from Gas Powered Games has updated Wildman's Kickstarter page with the news that tke Kickstarter  campaign for this now is cancelled. His focus is now on other ways to save Gas Powered Games:

Greetings Kickstarters. We have some news today. We are canceling the Wildman Kickstarter.At this point, it makes sense for us to focus our attention on other ways to keep Gas Powered Games running. Unfortunately, we are unable to share any specifics in public. When we have news to share, we will be posting it on our site. If you want status updates, or if you want to continue discussing Wildman and/or this Kickstarter, please consider migrating over to forums.gaspowered.com.

Source: GameBanshee

Monday - February 11, 2013

Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey - Begins Kickstarter Campaign

by Aries100, 22:16

From BrownEyedTigre at Gameboomers comes the news about a Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey Kickstarter campaign.  While this game is an Adventure and certainly not an RPG, I'm posting this news since I know many us here at the rpgwatch also enjoy playing adventure games as well. Currently Ragnar Tørnquist's new independent studio Red Thread Games managed to collect more than 625,000 $ in about two days.

Here's some info from the Kickstarterpage for this game, first about the game:

Dreamfall Chapters continues and concludes the gripping story of Zoë Castillo, the Dreamer.  Revisiting familiar locations and characters, and introducing new sights and sounds, new faces, new game mechanics, new thrills and challenges, Dreamfall Chapters takes the player on an emotional, exciting and challenging journey -- from a dystopian cyberpunk future, through the mysterious and dreamlike Storytime, to the magical landscapes of Arcadia. We aim to recapture the heart and soul of The Longest Journey and to improve on the immersion and game mechanics of Dreamfall in order to bring you a fitting, satisfying and emotional conclusion to the Dreamer Cycle.

Then about Red Thread Games:

Red Thread Games is an independent game development studio founded by Ragnar Tørnquist. For years it's been our dream to tell more stories in The Longest Journey saga, and now we've finally brought together the core team behind Dreamfall for this long-awaited sequel.

Source: BrownEyedTigre at Gameboomers

Sunday - February 10, 2013

Kickstarter - Project Awakened

by Dhruin, 21:42

Bob sends word of Project Awakened, a "AAA" action game with some RPG elements made with Unreal Engine 4 and built by a team that apparently assisted develop UE4. It seems ambitious for the $500k being chased, with $94k currently on the board:

Project Awakened is a genre-defying game that lets you answer the question: "Who do you want to be?" For the first time in a modern AAA action game, you will have the opportunity to completely define your dream videogame character, from abilities to aesthetics, all while playing in an action-packed world that responds to your personal playstyle.

 Destructoid“Awakened is a Game that may very well be brilliant”

  • Modular (not class or skilltree) a-la-carte ability system
  • Incredibly customizable character visualization
  • Characters that are as unique as the player who created them

Project Awakened contains a modular powers and skill system that allows players to select from a huge number of abilities and combine them in unique ways. Unlike other games which use a class system or skill trees, Project Awakened leaves every choice and ability up the player. Likewise, players will have the opportunity to completely customize the appearance of their characters. Comical or serious, rough or polished, nearly any character imaginable can be created using the Project Awakened Player Creation system. The result is a game with seemingly limitless gameplay and replay potential based on which abilities players choose.

While Project Awakened allows for players to make typical videogame heroes such as Ninjas, Snipers, or Urban Warriors, what makes Project Awakened truly unique is the potential to craft gameplay experiences and challenges that have never existed before. An invisible hero who can charm enemies to fight for her. A non-violent hero with super speed and agility racing past enemies to the goal. A man who spontaneously combusts at will and touches everyone to incinerate them. The possibilities are endless, and allow players to craft a gameplay challenge unlike anything anyone has ever seen before. The only limit is the player’s imagination.

Friday - February 08, 2013

Wildman - Updates #11 & #12

by Myrthos, 13:58

In the recent updates for the Wildman Kickstarter (7 days to go, 453K/1.1M) more videos can be watched. Kevin Pun shows how he creates concept art.  Bruce Bjorkland has a daily live Twitch.TV stream. Chris Taylor and Brian Fricks dive deeper into the Wildman level creation process. And there are some images of concept art and Q&As.

Tuesday - February 05, 2013

Wildman - Chris Taylor Interview @ PC Games N

by Aries100, 21:14

Chris Taylor has been interviewed by PC Games N,  in the interview he describes the troubled times Gas Powered Games had in the past and is experiencing now as well as the Wildman Kickstarter Campaign.  A snip about the bad times in the past:

There have been times when they had debt and no projects and no publishers. There have been times when he’s been at serious risk of not just losing his company, but the home he shares with his family. “Driving home in my car, owing 4.3 million dollars, and not knowing where payroll was going to come from on Friday, is the most horrifyingly naked, frustrating, shiver-y, feeling,” he says. “Driving into the driveway of my home in tears. I lived these things in my 15 years here!” And he survived. Paid off every cent he owed. He’s 46 years-old, working on PC games since he was a teenage amateur and a lead designer and studio head since 1998.

A quote on when the troubled timed began at GPG this time:

Heading into the fall, Gas Powered had four months' worth of "burn" in the bank, the operating costs needed to sustain the studio, and its health seemed more secure than it had in years. But it never rains. Not only did Microsoft inform Gas Powered that they had decided to suspend development on Age of Empires Online, but suddenly Gas Powered's other contracts started falling apart. Right now there's a small team at Gas Powered completing work on a project that Taylor is sure will never see the light of day, just to fulfill a contract with a publisher. Suddenly Gas Powered's cash reserves represented a life meter, a timer counting down on how long the company had to save itself. To reduce the outflow, Taylor laid off a significant portion of the company. In retrospect, he suspects he should have cut deeper. But he couldn't.

A quote on how Chris Taylor sees Kickstarter:

Only now does Taylor fully understand what will sell and will not sell on Kickstarter. On Three Moves Ahead this week, he told us, "I felt like GPG, and Wildman, and my leadership would be the right answer. And people would get behind me... That ‘s been true of the six thousand odd people that have pledged. But that's not the same turnout that we've seen in other games that are nostalgic, frankly, that are going to be remakes of old games that people understand. They can practically see the design of the game in their head."

And finally, a quote on how his father helped Chris Taylor financially:

His father called him over the weekend with an offer of help. His father has money, but he also tends to be tight-fisted. It’s habit. He’s not rich, but he’s comfortably retired after a career as a construction contractor and then a manufacturer. They were businesses that Taylor might have inherited, if life hadn’t sent him falling 14 feet from scaffolding at a work site when he was 20, crushing a vertebra in his lumbar. With a bad back, Taylor wouldn’t be able to work in construction, and so he'd been free to devote himself to programming and game design. It had been his passion since his father got him his first computer when Taylor was 14. Now, thirty years later, his father was calling because he  wanted to help his son continue in that career. “Chris, I’ve got $2,000 here that I want to give you,” his father told him. “But... I can’t figure out this Kickstarter site. How do I give this to you?”

Source: GameBanshee

Akaneiro - Funded Succesfully

by Aries100, 19:30

Akeneiro is now succesfully funded with a total bakcing of around 204,000 US dollars, so Spicy Horse's Kickstarter page informs us. The game needed 200,000 US dollars to be funded. Everyone at Spicy Horse is very happy and excited about this as their thank you letter tells us:

Greetings Hunters! Amazing!  We did it!!!
From myself, Ophelea, the entire team at Spicy Horse and Lulu (DOG), Thank You! Your support in helping us spread the word and fund this campaign over the past 30 days has been absolutely fantastic. So, what's next? First we wait on Kickstarter to do their end of campaign "house cleaning," which can take a few days or more. Then we'll get working on delivering campaign rewards - starting with virtual items like Karma. The development team will begin work on their planning and we'll post info about delivery dates ASAP. Lots of questions about Ouya, so we'll start figuring out what we can do to support that demand. Physical items will start to get shipped around, signed and sent out. And we'll keep you updated throughout.

 

Monday - February 04, 2013

Wildman - Interview @ IncGamers

by Myrthos, 12:32

IncGamers interviewed Chris Taylor on Wildman and Gas Powered Games. This next bit is about what might happen when the Kickstarter will fail.

IncGamers: Was that kind of a hint there that if this Kickstarter doesn’t go through, that you’d be launching another one, essentially?

Chris: It kind of sounded like a hint, but it wasn’t. It was pure… you know, I don’t care what you’re doing, I don’t care if you’re trying to… like, anything you do, if you fail at it and you do it again, you do better at it. You keep doing the same thing over and over again until you master it. You get back on the horse. But if you’re at the rodeo and the bull throws you off and the clowns rescue you, you don’t go back on the bull – you go to hospital for two weeks! The bruising goes down and you recover and you think “Maybe next year’s rodeo, I might try it again with the lessons learnt.”

You don’t chase the clowns away and get back on the bull right away, you have to recover from it. We’ll have a very difficult situation to manage through but I want to say that the phone has been ringing, people have been calling and asking us about Wildman. They are saying, “Hey, maybe there is a partnership here.”

I don’t know the details, those conversations are just getting started. We haven’t worked out any terms – it’s just the phone has rung and I’m really busy, and we’re going to kinda see how it goes. But let’s say, for example, the campaign doesn’t go through and someone says “How about we kick in $500,000 and you give us rights to territories X, Y and Z,” and then someone else comes along and we give them rights to another territory. Maybe we can do this a different way, and maybe we can do some fundraising right off our site, which you can actually do right now.

I think we’ve raised a grand total of $1,000 because we direct people to the Kickstarter site. We don’t want to raise the money through our site, per se, unless you don’t have access to Kickstarter. This is a really subtle point – in case you can’t get access, you can still get our site. If the thing doesn’t go through we are going to refund those folks; they won’t be paying anything, to make that little quick digression.

Maybe there’s another way we can make Wildman, but that does not mean going right back to Kickstarter instantly. Maybe we can do it a different way if we can get funds to bridge the company. So anything is possible.

Thanks Asteria!

Wildman - Update #10, Node Creation

by Myrthos, 12:21

In a new video update for Wildman Chris Taylor and Jeremy Schmidt talk about node creation for their map editors.
In addition they also will have a QA session on Twitch.tv today and there was an interview with Chris taylor was interviewed at Robert Space.

Friday - February 01, 2013

Wildman - Update #9, Windows Map Editor

by Myrthos, 12:29

The video for Wildman on Kickstarter ($399K/$1.1M, 14 days to go) has been updated, in it Chris Taylor and Brian Sturm show with the stand alone map editor how levels in Wildman are created.

And there are two new pieces of concept art as well.

Image-207097-full

Thursday - January 31, 2013

Akaneiro - Launched

by Dhruin, 21:01

Amercian McGee's Akaneiro has launched according to Bluesnews, though you still have three days to plonk down some money for the Kickstarter, if financing already-released F2P games is your thing:

January 31 2013. Shanghai. Spicy Horse Games, makers of "Alice: Madness Returns," "BigHead BASH," and "American McGee's Grimm" announced today that "Akaneiro: Demon Hunters" is now available for play via SpicyWorld and Kongregate for Mac and PC.

Based on the Little Red Riding Hood story combined with Japanese folklore and myth, and illustrated in Spicy Horse's unique dark fantasy style, "Akaneiro: Demon Hunters" is an action-RPG that lets players hunt legendary monsters in Edo-era Japan.

Akaneiro launches with 20 maps of content with more options on the way, including Steam integration. If the now-running Kickstarter is fully funded, Linux and mobile versions and additional systems including co-op gameplay and equipment crafting will be arriving in the near-future. To check out the Kickstarter plans and reward tiers, please visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/spicyhorse/akaneiro-demon-hunters

The game is free to download and play, with a $20 "unlock all maps" one time purchase option for those who'd like to get all the content in one shot as well as various options purchasable with the in-game currency, karma, for those planning to buy things piecemeal.

To play Akaneiro now, players need only visit the official site.

Source: Blues News

Wednesday - January 30, 2013

Wildman - Updates #6, 7 & 8, Video Updates

by Myrthos, 12:21

The last 3 updates for Wildman ($379K, 16 days to go) brings us 3 different videos.

Update number 6 talks about fitting an RTS into an action RPG and the first comcept art for dinosaurs.

Update number 7 covers mod tools and Project Mercury, which is the web platform they are using.

And in update number 8 Chris Taylor answers a bunch of questions that were raised on Kickstarter.

Tuesday - January 29, 2013

Days of Dawn - Re-Kickstartered

by Dhruin, 12:31

Bumblebee's colourful Days of Dawn has returned for a second attempt at Kickstarter, this time looking for $50k - around half of their first goal. So far they have $13k, with 26 days to go:

 

  • Explore an open world full of mysteries and adventure in multiple nonlinear storylines 
  • Experience a unique magic system with an emotional approach in a world whose magical forces just awakened 
  • During your journeys, have three companions out of a range of seven complex player characters join your party 
  • Engage in incredibly fast and intuitive turn-based battles 
  • Join in-group interactions and social involvement among your party members 
  • Encounter original characters and creatures in beautifully handpainted scenery and a fantastic musical score 
  • Basic version to be developed in English
    (additional languages made available by stretchgoals, send us your requests) 
  • Will be available for PC, Mac and Linux 
    (additional systems made available by stretchgoals)

 

Monday - January 28, 2013

Kickstarter - Have a Drink

by Myrthos, 23:17

With this one we stray a bit from our regular RPG newsposting, but it's just this time and it still is somewhat RPG related and kinda fun. In the Kickstarter for Blasphemous Coctails you can pledge for a book of cocktail recipes inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, the Cthulhu Mythos, and the horror genre in general.
The book will include drinking rules for Dungeons and Dragons d20 and Savage Worlds, so now you can sip the same drink at the same time as your character in-game is drinking it.

Wildman - Chris Taylor on Matt Chat

by Myrthos, 22:35

In the latest Matt Chat, Chris Taylor is interviewed on the current state of the Wildman Kickstarter and what happened with Gas Powered Games these weeks.

Here it is, the Matt Chat to end all Matt Chats! Gas Powered Games' latest project, Wildman: An Evolutionary Action RPG, hasn't been going well, and Chris blames himself. In this hour-long interview, we see Chris at times sad, grateful, guilty, and brilliant. Without doubt, he's a Good Person, someone that nobody should want to see fail regardless of the project he takes on. What makes the situation worse, though, is that Wildman actually looks like a great game, especially for folks like me who love Civilization-style tech building. Check out the video, and don't forget to pledge a few dollars to the Kickstarter campaign. Every little bit helps.

Sunday - January 27, 2013

Wildman - Update # 4

by Aries100, 16:01

The Kickstarter page for this page has seen its 4th update bringing the the total sum up to abput 328,000 US dollars with 19 days to ago in the Kickstarter campaign. This update features a video showing us the the design process behind the game.

A quote:

Today's video walks you through the design for Wildman and delivers some insight on how to fit an RTS into an action-RPG.

Source: GameBanshee

Wednesday - January 23, 2013

Wildman - Update #5, Screenshots

by Myrthos, 12:24

Today's Kickstarter update for Wildman shows two in-game screenshot that are made with an older version of the engine.

Image-203983-full

Tuesday - January 22, 2013

Wildman - Update #4, Getting the Word Out

by Myrthos, 18:06

In update number four for Wildman, Chris Taylor talks about the emotional weekend after the lay-offs, what is coming with respect to the updates for this week, such as how the RTS elements are combined with the core RPG engine, a new video that will be available on the mod tools, more concept art and updates to the existing tiers.

In addition they also added a new $85 tier.

Saturday - January 19, 2013

Wildman - Update # 3, Team Members Laid off at Gas Powered Games

by Aries100, 17:43

Chris Taylor from Gas Powered Games appears in this third update from the games Kickstarter page. Apparently, Gas Power Games has laid off much of the team, since GPG won't be able to pay the members of the team severance pay if funding for this game fails. Chris Taylor now asks the backers if the Kickstarter project should be cancelled.

Source: GameBanshee

Friday - January 18, 2013

Wildman - Update # 2 - Q&A as Well as Gameplay Prototype

by Aries100, 22:23

A scond update for this game has been posted at its Kickstarter page. The update features
a Q and A session as well as video showing prototype gameplay:

So, we've prepared Wildman Video Update #1, which includes some of the current prototype gameplay. This is extremely early development footage using an older version of our 3D rendering technology with the lighting removed and placeholder models and textures. For those interested in the new tech, it will use deferred rendering; you might want to Bing that. (Hah, kidding. Google.) Everything will be significantly better looking when the engine upgrade is completed.

Thursday - January 17, 2013

Wildman - Update #1, DRM, Offline Mode and More

by Dhruin, 20:59

Bob points out the first Wildman update, which covers DRM, offline mode, multiplayer and more:

Greetings people of Kickstarter!

We’ve had an amazing first couple of days with Wildman, and would like to thank every one of you for supporting the project. In reading over your feedback and questions, we realize that we had a few holes in our initial pitch and need to give a few more details.

No DRM

Wildman will have no DRM. Nada. Zip.

Offline and Online Mode

Wildman will have an offline and online mode. We’re focusing our initial efforts on the offline version. The offline version will not require an Internet connection to play. It will also support all mods. We may allow offline characters in private co-op, but that’s TBD.

The online version will feature a character vault that allows you to easily move the same character between machines, and will be more secure. It will be the version used in public co-op multiplayer, and will allow limited “approved” mods.

Linux and OS/X Support

These are stretch goals. Once we meet our initial funding, we will unveil the goals we need to reach to support additional platforms. We are not using a commercial engine like Unity, so each additional OS adds requires additional development and testing to our project. However, we have already started the work to make our engine support multi-platform OpenGL instead of Windows-only DirectX.

(This is the primary reason we’ve been hesitant to show gameplay; we are mid-renderer, which means the game today does not look as good as it will when we are finished.)

Multiplayer

We are initially focused on developing the single-player version of Wildman, and after we get that version complete we will add co-op support to War Zones.

It is our belief that adding co-operative play to an already entertaining single-player game makes for a fun co-op multiplayer game. The opposite, however, isn’t always true.

Project Background 

In the first week of January, 2013, Microsoft announced that it was ending content development for Age of Empires Online. Unfortunately, some news sites incorrectly attributed this decision to us; the official statement came from Microsoft, and they alone could make that kind of decision.

Wildman was already in development. The basic concept was conceived of early last year, but we finally assigned a team to the project at the start of October. Everything in this Kickstarter represents the first three months of development work, which is one of the reasons why some of the details are still up-in-the-air. Every day, we come up with more specifics; we intend to share those decisions with the public, and backers will have a chance to shape those decisions. 

 It’s one of the reasons why we’re here, to let you take part in this game’s development. If we were further along, these decisions would already be made.  

Tuesday - January 15, 2013

Vacant Sky: Awakening - Pre-Apocalyptic RPG

by Dhruin, 11:18

Bob sends word of Vacant Sky: Awakening, a "pre-apocalyptic", episodic RPG with jRPG stylings. Their Kickstarter is nearly at their goal with $7.2k/$8k with 21 days to go:

In Vacant Sky: Awakening, the player assumes the role of a young nobleman and follows his seven year journey for glory, fame, power, and love. As time moves on, the player will see characters grow and contend with the new issues that come with adulthood – such as taking responsibility for one's past actions.

The gameplay is a fusion of old-school tabletop RPGs such as Dungeons & Dragons and modern digital ones such as Persona. Players customize their characters not by spending points but by making decisions, seamlessly weaving together narrative and gameplay to create a unique experience each time the game is played.

  • Episodic: The story spans seven years and eight episodes. As the cast grows up, they must face the different problems which come with adulthood - such as taking responsibility for their past actions.
  • RPG: Customizable characters. Party management. Character development. Exploration and sidequests.
  • ...without the fat: No random encounters. No grinding. No crystals. No heroes. No time left.
  • Cross-platform: The game will be released on PC, Ouya, PS Vita, and Android (including a tablet-optimized version). Based on demand, we might expand to other platforms.
  • Character engagement: Rather than an impersonal method of character advancement such as spending experience points or navigating a tech tree, players direct their characters’ growth by controlling their decision-making and seeing them grow as people.
  • Relationships: Success in battle requires learning the relationships between characters and using them effectively.

Friday - January 11, 2013

Akaneiro - Preview @ IndieStatik

by Myrthos, 12:58

IndieStatik takes a look at Akaneiro and share with us their dislike for the game, stating that it is bad and disappointing or maybe he actually just doesn't like American McGee despite the intro:

I like American McGee. There, I said it. Guy has nice hair, he made a couple decent games and he has a nationality for a name. If I could, I’d call myself Irish O’Flannigan, but I don’t have the kind of swag that Mr. McGee commands. Who does, really? The guy worked for Id, he coded on Quake, he made a horror adventure out of Alice in Wonderland. It was even pretty good. That takes some serious swag.

So this guy makes American McGee’s Alice and it’s a pretty good game. He slaps his name on it because I guess game designers are like celebrities now, and all we need is their name to convince us to throw money at them like cash-flinging gibbons. He’s a figurehead in the industry, so naturally he makes a couple more games, and this is how we ended up with American McGee’s Scrapland. American McGee’s reviewers gave American McGee’s newer games mixed reviews. Our faith in the man was shaken, but not destroyed. Every real artist releases a stinker or two sometimes, right? The next one would be better. Finally, after months of waiting, we got American McGee’s Bad Day L.A.

He doesn't like the Cunning class either;

 

Let’s get this out of the way right now – the Cunning class blows. Don’t pick that one. This already isn’t a great game, and you don’t need a poor class selection making it worse. Their ranged attacks are very costly and don’t do a lot of damage, plus the range is questionable at best and they’re as resilient as wet paper bags. For all intents and purposes you’ve got two class options: you could pick Fortitude, which is a decent option if a little boring, but trust me and pick Prowess instead. This will ensure you have a character so powerful that you can walk all over the game. Prowess characters are fast, well-armored and can deal ludicrous damage to wide swaths of enemies at once right out of the gate, not to mention they only get better.

Nor does he like the Kickstarter move:

Yes, you heard me: the game is completed. Finished. Though American McGee has since retracted that statement now that the Kickstarter has been launched. Apparently, the game isn’t finished now, and he meant that they had ran out of funded development time on the game, thus implying the intention was to release an unfinished game or…what? It’s releasing soon anyway and will likely make it on to Steam due to the Greenlight program. It even has a business model set up with that Karma Crystal market. But they’re still running a Kickstarter for it, as if it has loads of development ahead of it and they weren’t in the position where they could just release the game and start raking in the revenue as they were going to originally via a free-to-play model. Think about that.

Wednesday - January 09, 2013

Akaneiro - Open Beta Launched

by Dhruin, 20:48

American McGee and Spicy Horse have released the open beta for Akaneiro, so you can check it out for yourself and decide if this "finished" F2P game is worth your Kickstarter dollars:

Greetings Hunters!

Let's just get this out of the way... OPEN BETA!!!!!

Go play the game RIGHT NOW: 

http://spicyworld.spicyhorse.com/world/game-akaneiro.html

What'd you think? We'd love to hear your feedback, comments and suggestions! Discuss them here on Kickstarter if you like, but please be sure to also share them over on the SpicyWorld Forums and via the ZenDesk link labeled "Report Bugs/Suggestions" at the bottom of the game frame. This phase of Beta will last from today (Jan 9th) until a week from now (Jan 16th.) We'll then take the game offline for one week, during which time the team will tune, adjust and repair - based largely on the feedback you provide. Find something you don't like or think we should improve? Great! Tell us all about it! This is YOUR game!

Source: Blues News

Tuesday - January 08, 2013

Akaneiro - "100% Finished"

by Dhruin, 21:29

American McGee has written to Kotaku to take issue with with their reporting of his Akaneiro Kickstarter. It appears he wasn't comfortable with them saying the campaign was to "finish" Akaneiro:

"The game is 100% finished," he wrote. "The company is not out of money. The project was completed on time, on budget and will be shipped this month (Jan 2013.) It has been in Closed Beta with 25k people having run through it since late last year."

McGee also addressed the line "we're out of time and money to do so," which has since been removed from their Kickstarter.

"When the Akaneiro team says they are 'out of money/time' it just means they came to the natural end of their development cycle on that project," McGee told me. "The KS campaign would allow them to extend that—something we'd ask a publisher to consider were we funded that way. We're not, so we ask the audience instead."

I asked McGee to clarify this: if the game is 100% finished, why does the Kickstarter say that the team feels "some key features are missing"? Why start a Kickstarter at all?

"'What's been achieved both artistically and mechanically is fantastic… but it's just not enough to call the game complete, to satisfy our fans or ourselves,'" McGee wrote, citing his Kickstarter page. "THIS is the main idea. We're not satisfied. We'd like to take the game further and make it better. In the days when we were funded by a publisher, we would have asked them to review our ideas for additional features and approve (or not) a longer development cycle. 99% of the time they would have said 'no.'"

Clear as mud. The campaign is currently at $47k / $200k, so contributing to a finished F2P game doesn't seem to be a hurdle.

Friday - January 04, 2013

Akaneiro - Kickstarter Campaign

by Dhruin, 23:20

Akaneiro is a P2P action/RPG (currently single-player but co-op is planned) from American McGee and Spicy Horse. They are looking for $200k over the next 30 days to finish development and create an iOS/Android port:

A free to play ARPG with classic design sense meets fast-paced action, inspired by Japanese themes and the Red Riding Hood tale.

Veteran game designer American McGee (Quake, Alice, Grimm) and Spicy Horse (Alice: Madness Returns) are set on delivering players a uniquely enthralling free to play action role-playing experience. 

Akaneiro: Demon Hunters will transport you to a world realized in a striking visual style inspired by Japanese ink, watercolor and woodblock illustration. We’ve dug deep into the history and folklore of Japan when designing our scenarios and characters. Mixing this foundation with an original mythology inspired by Red Riding Hood yields a fantastic and inspiring setting for players to explore.

Akaneiro provides players with a free to play ARPG of depth, blended seamlessly with the speed and intensity of a pure action title. Combat is fast and unrelenting, but you can sway the tide with careful selection of abilities and equipment. A multitude of character building paths are available, though we've avoided being overly prescriptive, ensuring you can find the best balance of abilities and equipment for your personal play style. 

It does look visually striking, if you are interested.

Halfling Wars - Kickstarter for iOS

by Myrthos, 16:51

The devs of Halfling Wars which is labeled as a mobile social RPG from the Hobbit genre wrote in to inform us of their game on Kickstarter.

I am not sure if this fits the interest of our readers but here is a bit of info on the game:

One of the many appealing aspects of Halfling Wars is that it can by played using several styles of gameplay.  Build your village and farm for gold.  Build an army and claim more land. Buff out your creatures and fight your friends.  We’ve designed it so that it is more than just a 5 minute logon to check your eggs, cash in your crops, and then either log off or spend money.  You can continually play Halfling Wars at the normal game play rate without spending a penny.

Our main goal was to create something fun and unique - a perfect blend of both light and dark for each player's experience. On one side the player is a gentle, jolly, good-natured Halfling who prefers nothing more than growing anything green, smoking pipe weed, or drinking a nice ale. On the other side the user plays as a Darkling, a bitter mischievous creature who prefers the twilight hours to go about his business. Instead of giving the player the option of which creature to play, we allow them to do both at the same time… after all there is a little Halfling and Darkling in all of us.

Wednesday - December 19, 2012

Kickstarter - Days of Dawn

by Myrthos, 12:31

The devs of Days of Dawn let us know they have a Kickstarter going where they are aiming for 95K and are currently at 22K with 13 days to go. As they say themselves:

„Days of Dawn“ is an original roleplaying game coming in HD-glory, pledging to bring back the flair of early roleplaying games – imagine classic titles of the 16-bit era in beautifully handpainted hi-res graphics and an orchestra-quality soundtrack.

The spells in the magic system use your emotional state to determine the effect. Only by learning to channel your emotions in the right way you can get the desired effect out of a spell.

With two additional traits – emotional control and emotional strength – and seven feelings of differing intensity, not only do your characters personalities influence the outcome of magic usage, but also the experiences and encounters they make during their journey.

The game is scheduled to be released on Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and Pandora (an open source handheld gaming platform).

There is an early beta version of the game available to all those who have at least pledged 69 dollars.

Monday - December 10, 2012

Kickstarter - Data Hacker Initiation

by Myrthos, 12:11

Ross informed us of his game named Data Hacker Initiation on Kickstarter. The game has already met its goal of 300 pounds, but it still has 30 days to go. So if this floats your boat, there is still an opportunity to pledge.

My brainchild; the #data//hacker series is a three-parter, and is based around an online game called 'Online World.' I draw a lot of inspiration from games such as Final Fantasy and the .hack series, but am sure to make this project my own.

Initiation follows Jay as he seeks revenge on the Administrators of Online World, who cruelly banished him from the beloved fantasy realm after a case of mistaken identity. Jay soon becomes entangled in the mess of corruption and deceit led by the infamous corporation. 

While the core concept can be likened to the .hack series, I can assure you with no doubt that the game takes on a very different take, climaxing in Reboot, which I am hoping to develop in Unity 3D. More details on Initiation's features are detailed below.

I expect to be releasing the final version of Initiation in March 2013; the project is coming along steadily.

Core features of Initiation are as follows:

A Branching, Immersive Storyline with a wide range of memorable characters that you can interact with on many levels

Continue your save file from Initiation into Corruption

An estimated 20+ hours of core plot content, with optional content making up many, many more hours.

Dungeon-based exploration, with each and every dungeon feeling unique and different from the last (no copy-paste dungeons like in .hack)

Dynamic world that changes based on your actions whilst playing

Recruitment system that allows you to make significant tactical choices

300+ Items of equipment, with over 30 classes to wear them, each with their own unique skillset. 

Generic classes mature depending on your actions into unique classes such as the Noireknight, Dracokin, Bladedancer or Astromancer (and many more)

Lots of optional content including locales, bosses, dungeons, real estate, DodoBaird racing and a featured Card game named Trioarch!

Thursday - November 29, 2012

Kickstarter - Barkley 2

by Myrthos, 12:27

Jack let us know that Barkley 2 an RPG Sequel to Barkley Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden is on Kickstarter asking for 35K, while they are now at 33K with still 29 days to go, so it is a safe bet that they will reach their goal.

With the actual title of the game being: The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 - Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie - Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa, they have this to say about it:

The year is 666X. A powerful youngster, wise beyond his years, awakens from a B-Ball induced coma aboard the mysterious dwarf space ziggurat Necron 7, held captive by the Malevolent A.I. Cuchulainn. With no memory of who he is or where he came from, he adopts the identity of X114JAM9 and sets off into the Post-Cyberpocalyptic Wasteland in search of the enigmatic Cyberdwarf, the only one who can reveal to him the terrible truth behind his forgotten past and make sense of his harrowing future. Barkley 2 is a coming of age story, a story about love, hope, betrayal and redemption. It is a story about identity and sacrifice, a story about wayward jocks struggling for a purpose. It is a story about the trials of our dystopian future and most importantly...

...it is a story about You.

Barkley 2 is an open world action roleplaying game with heavy emphasis on exploration, choice, character development and discovery. It combines the focus on strong characters and narrative of Eastern RPGs with the non-linearity and openness of Western RPGs, drawing on the best ideas from titles like Realms of Arkania, Fallout, Dark Souls, Romancing SaGa, Dark Sun, Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall and Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. It is a game that combines core roleplaying ideas like character creation and development, quests and choices and consequences with fast-paced, action oriented combat (think Soldat meets Zelda) and Tales of Game's unique and erotic sense of humor. In short: this ain't your grandpa's rollenspiel.

Monday - November 26, 2012

Kickstarter - IceBlink Engine & Toolset

by Myrthos, 23:14

We received a mail on this Kickstarter pledge named IceBlink, which is about the creation of a 2D engine and toolset allowing you to create your own 2D role playing games. They only asked for $500 and are already over $1,000 so they are funded.

This project will develop a Role Playing Game (RPG) 2D engine and toolset as well as a demo adventure game module created with the toolset. The game is inspired by a few of my favorite games; The Bard’s Tale, SSI Gold Box series games, Baldur’s Gate, and Neverwinter Nights (1 and 2). The intent is to create a game engine that results in a virtual table top, Pen and Paper type feel in a single player computer game. The game engine will be free once completed, but the toolset will initially only be available to backers of this Kickstarter project. The toolset will allow anyone to create their own adventures to share with the rest of us.

Beasts & Blades - Funding Unsuccessful

by Myrthos, 12:23

One of the kickstarters we have been following a bit was Beasts & Blades. Over the weekend it has failed to be funded with gathering $1,760 out of the requested 12,500. They are continuing now on PayPal hoping to collect the required amount in that way.

Ok we promised the last update was the last, it was a fib.

Big thanks to all those who supported! Look for the campaign coming back again soon in jan - feb.

Please take notice of the paypal again, we've gotten donations from.... not very many out of 138 people! The game has pretty high development costs for an indie project, and we definitely do need what was pledged here on Kickstarter.

We've been yapping about it a lot, because it's important. We want to continue developing this project. We do most definitely need the help of the community to do that.

Lets bring this project back stronger shall we? We need your support to do that.

Wednesday - November 21, 2012

Kickstarter - Legend of Dungeon

by Dhruin, 22:25

The name rolls awkwardly off my tongue but Legend of Dungeon is a 4-player coop pixel-art-with-3D-lighting roguelike that has already passed its tiny $5k goal. A demo is also available.

Legend of Dungeon is a 4 Player Co-Op Roguelike-like Beat'em'up with dynamic lighting on awesome pixel art.

Legend of Dungeon is about looking for treasure in a dungeon full to the brim with monsters. Legend has it there is a massive treasure all the way down on the 26th floor. Your quest is to go down there, get the treasure, and make it back to the surface alive.

Features: 

  • 1 to 4 Player Cooperative Gameplay 
  • Real-Time Beat'em'up combat  
  • Permadeath 
     
    ...except with 2 or more players, you become a ghost, and have to collect spirit orbs to resurrect yourself. You'll come back with low health, but you'll be back in the game. Once you're all dead though, thats it, game over man.
  • Dynamic Lighting and Real-Time Shadows
    Legend of Dungeon uses 3D Normal Mapping on low-res pixel art to create dynamically lit sprites.
  • The Artwork 
    Based on the character designs of Sebastiaan van Hijfte (svh440 of r/PixelArt fame). Each character is adapted and animated for use with the dynamic lighting.
  • Dynamic Music
    The music generates from tracks composed by David Dirig, it dynamically assembles based on the types of enemies you are confronting.
  • Randomized Content
    Dungeon Layout, Monsters and Item placement, Potion Colors and Devices are all randomized each playthrough.
  • Online Score Board
    describing how you died and how much gold you collected.
  • DRM Free because no one wants that. 

Beast & Blades - Kickstarter Updates, Backup and Linux Support

by Myrthos, 22:22

The Kickstarter for Beast & Blades isn't going anywhere fast being at $1.800 of a $12.500 goal and only 4 days to go. They have however a backup plan, with is to gather funds through PayPal instead. In addition they announced that Linux support will be in.

It's now official, Beasts & Blades will be released for Linux based os's as well as win/mac , ios, and android including the ouya!

Thank you to our new backers, you guys rock! We thank you for your continued support, and definitely tell your buddies.

In the event the entire 12.5g goal is not met, we would like you to take notice of the paypal link located right under the Kickstarter video. It is a donation, so it is still tax deductable. We have a large goal to meet in a short amount of time! If the goal isn't reached this time, definitely help partially fund us through paypal so we can keep improving Beasts & Blades! Even partial funding is extremely important to the success of the project, and as noted before we can still gaurantee all of your rewards. We only ask a small additional fee for the t-shirts, as shipping costs at current rates are factored into the goal of 12.5g. T shirts through paypal will be $30. All other reward amounts remain the same.

That said, lets get us to 12.5 this time! Help push this campaign to the goal, without the awesome backer it is not possible. We thank you!

Monday - November 19, 2012

Ars Magica - Reaches the End

by Myrthos, 12:04

Ars Magica was not succesfull on Kickstarter with just 31% of the goal achieved. They will not try again either.

Sadly, this is not our hour.

First and foremost we want to thank each you, our patrons, for supporting our project. We didn't make it, but you all certainly fought for us. Your help, comments, advice and discussions brought this project closer to reality, and you have our gratitude and admiration. Atlas Games, too, brought every gun to bear, and were the ideal partner for this project.

We have heard the chorus of pleas for a second try, and we would like to, we would really like to. However, we cannot commit to it- our budget for speculative projects is small, and easily exceeded by the costs of a new campaign: after all, we somehow doubt you'd want to see the same video and screenshots again! ;)

There may come a time when we are able to create an Ars Magica game with your help, but we reluctantly believe it will not be soon. Which is a tremendous pity, because we believe gaming needs new, unique role-playing experiences, with original mechanics, stories and settings. But then, we've built a company around that idea. It's possible we're biased. ;)

Once again: thank you all for everything! It's been fun, educational and bittersweet, but it was an honor for the Team to work with you.

Thursday - November 15, 2012

Ars Magica - Nearing the End

by Myrthos, 21:51

The Kickstarter game Ars Magicka is nearing the end. At the moment of writing this they still have 69 hours but with 73K out of 250K this looks to be difficult to achieve.

Anyway, jsust in case there are some with plenty of money to burn here is the latest update on the combat UI:

The center portion of the UI is the map, and this displays not only the position of the combatants but also the various features available. You can mouse over these for more information, and click on them to take contextual actions or move characters to them. As noted previously, unused features can come and go as the rounds passed, so you’ll want to be looking at the map for additional options as time goes by.

You’ll also notice the little icons for the combatants which ring the map’s edges. You can click on these to change targets or focus on a feature, if you do not want to navigate by map.

Above and below the map you have information related to the currently selected character (top), and the active character (bottom.) Here you can review known information about the characters, generally contextual to the actions available. You can also click on the main portrait to see a more detailed character sheet, where appropriate.

To the right of the map is the general features list, for easy reference. Some features, as for example the Chesnut Limb and Hollow Trunk, are parts of a larger feature, in this case a Chesnut Tree. This list, like the map, is updated as features become available and/or move out of the flow of combat. You are also able to close this pane if you prefer to work directly on the map.

On the left of the map is the contextual action list for a specific target. The top portion of this pane shows actions which are directed at the target, and the bottom shows actions which are directed towards yourself. You can expand this pane to show more options, or you may close it and work directly from a larger map.

Monday - November 12, 2012

Beast & Blades - Kickstarter Updates, New Beta

by Myrthos, 18:14

There are some new updates on Beast & Blades (1.5K/12.5K, 13 days to go). Most interesting is that a new beta is available, bringing it to version 0.6:

New to version 0.6 :

- Several new additions to the in game menu (press "escape" when in game), including character stats, skills, items, equipment, party info, loading, exit, Quest log ... yes quests! and Crafting!

- Crafting!! Combine items you get from looting, chests / barrels with other items to make things! There are a handful of items you can craft now, and the list of craftable items and items you can pick up will grow huge!

- Several graphical improvements, including greatly improved battle cameras

- NPC characters now follow you in your party in normal navigation mode!

- We promised you a HUGE map to start with to run around, and we delivered.. There are only a couple fights outdoors right now, but you can explore everywhere. Beware, there are no world boundaries yet, and yes you can fall straight off of the terrain into the digital abyss. we know this :)

Kickstarter - #103 - A Turn Based Strategy Game

by Dhruin, 11:53

Gavin writes in with their Kickstarter with the rather odd name of #103 - a turn-based strategy game with RPG elements and a "rich story driven" single player campaign. They are looking for 50k pounds with 20 days to run:

#103 is to be a story rich 3D Turn Based Strategy game for Windows & Mac.  In it you play the role of a robotic Grim Reaper who has become disillusioned with a system he is forced to obey.  After being sent to 'reap' the soul of a recently deceased child he begins to question whether this souls destiny is truly right and decides to make a stand.

Played out in a detailed 3D world populated by strange creatures and teaming with souls of the deceased, the game is set across 2 distinct worlds : the real world and 'The Sanctuary' - a dystopian world created in the image of hell by the elders of the Reapers.

As you guide #103 around the beautifully crafted levels trying to complete the mission objects you will also control up to 10 souls (amongst a few other characters).  You will be able to combine #103's body and weapons with the freed souls to unleash new attacks and special abilities in your fight to free the trapped souls.

The game features:

  • Classic turn based gameplay
  • Detailed environments
  • Power up you weapons and attacks by combining spirits of the dead
  • Rich story driven single player game
  • Asynchronous online multiplayer game
  • Spectacular visuals and special effects
  • Earn new abilities and special moves by completing side quests

Wednesday - November 07, 2012

AAIMIE - Not Meeting It's Goal

by Myrthos, 13:21

A while ago we reported on AAIMIE, a Kickstarter game that looked promising and was aiming for 7000 dollars, but with 37 hours to go it is only at 582 dollars and will probably not make it (unless something close to a miracle happens).

This however does not mean the end of AAIMIE. It will still be made, but it's release will be more limited and does not include iOS and Android versions.

Tuesday - November 06, 2012

Ars Magica - Interview and the Schism War

by Myrthos, 12:21

The Kickstarter page for Ars Magica shows an update on the Schism war, which apparently is something known to Ars Magica fans.

What, exactly, is this ‘Schism War’ we’ve been hearing about?

If you aren’t an Ars Magica fan already, you may be puzzled by the references to the Schism War which have been flying around. This major event, which occurs right at the beginning of our period, opens with rumors of diabolism, blood sacrifice and apocalypse, and ends with the utter destruction of one of the thirteen Houses of Hermes: an unprecedented event in the history of the Order.

For those of you who are Ars Magica fans, you’ll have the pleasure of witnessing these events on the ground, and may even have a hand in shaping a little piece of their outcome...

It's the devil you know...

In the late tenth century, the leaders of House Tytalus were found to be making pacts with demons, believing that they had the strength to compel the loyal service of the fallen without falling to sin themselves.

They were wrong, and they paid the price as the Order purged their House.

In the aftermath, magi became ever more suspicious of one another's activities, demanding to inspect covenants, demands that were refused. Tribunals froze into deadlock as magi who were not directly involved avoided taking sides, and frustrated individuals took matters into their own hands.

Whispers become Swords

The Order of Hermes recognizes Wizard's War, by which a magus takes himself and his opponent outside the protection of the laws of the Order for one lunar month. During a Wizard's War, a magus may do anything to his opponent that his power permits, and such wars were declared to force investigations of suspect covenants.

The target of a Wizard's War may, of course, defend herself in any way she can; many died in these clashes.

In addition it also shows an interview with nathan Dilday.

1) How did you first learn about the Ars Magica tabletop game?

You know, I don't completely remember when I first learned about Ars Magica. But I certainly bought my first Ars Magica 5th edition book at Origins 2005, the year after it won an Origins Award. Through my college years, I actually collected way more RPGs than I played, and the magic system of Ars Magica, in addition to the narrative style, hooked me fast and hard.

For what was the first time in my experience, I had a magic system that really felt systematic. Magi weren't anything like the D&D style wizards that I'd stopped finding satisfying. Ars Magica magi didn't just have a list of five spells that they could memorize; they could create entirely new spells, they could have strengths in different sorts of magic that didn't rely on spell lists... it really opened my eyes to how interestingly magic could be modeled in a game.

More on the Schism war and the interview to be found here.

Monday - November 05, 2012

Beasts & Blades - Beta news

by Myrthos, 12:27

A new beta for Beasts & Blades is available for those who want to try this out. Those who made a pledge for this game on Kickstarter have access to additional in-game items and features. At the moment the pledges are not going that fast, so they can still use some help in getting to their goal of 12.500$.

Friday - November 02, 2012

Kickstarter - Solenttar

by Dhruin, 20:40

Solenttar is 2D RPG and toolset built using the openForgeRPG engine and developed by NWN Vault Hall of Famer slowdive_fan (Chronicles of Charnia). They are looking for a modest $4k on Kickstarter over the next 29 days:

This project will develop a Role Playing Game (RPG) 2D engine and toolset as well as the first adventure module created with the toolset, Solenttar.  The game is inspired by a few of my favorite games; The Bard’s Tale, Gold Box series games, Baldur’s Gate, and Neverwinter Nights (1 and 2). The first story based, adventure module created with the toolset will be Solenttar. It is an adventure that takes place in a fantasy world called Lanterna. It is similar to many other Tolkien like settings with a few unconventional features such as talking beasts. You create your own character and will have the option to invite others to join you on your journey.

You may have up to four members in your party and there will be at least six classes and three races to choose from. As part of this project, we are developing an engine and toolset called openForgeRPG. It is a simple 2D, grid based and turn based engine. The intent is to create a game engine that results in a virtual table top, Pen and Paper type feel in a single player computer game. The engine and toolset will be free, once they are completed, but Solenttar will only be available to backers of this Kickstarter project. The toolset will allow anyone to create their own adventures to share with the rest of us. What does this mean for players, builders and writers? The goal is to give writers and builders the ability to easily, quickly and effectively tell their story. Since the engine and toolset will be free, players can experience your stories without having to purchase a game first. That means all of your friends and family can enjoy your story, yeah! The game is being developed to run on Windows based PCs.

Who am I you ask? My name is Jeremy, also known in many places on the internet as slowdive_fan. I am a Hall of Fame author and a Mod of the Month winner on the IGN NWN Vault and The Neverwinter Nexus respectively. I am the creator of a number of adventure modules and campaigns in both Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2. Please help us complete this wonderful project. We really appreciate any support you have to offer. Thanks again!

Kickstarter - Beasts & Blades

by Myrthos, 16:13

Here is an RPG on Kickstarter that we missed up to now: Beasts & Blades. According to the developers it can be cetegorized as an 'epic 3D turn-based RPG adventure game' to be released on PC, MAC, IOS, and Android.
They are asking for 12.500$ and are currently at 1.071$ with 23 days to go.

There is quite some info on the game available including some videos and artwork of the characters including scarcely dressed women and men. Here is a bit on the story:

The basic story :

The storyline revolves around five main playable characters, a corrupt leader Lord Crewe, and a kingdom betrayed.

The game opens in a scene where a royal investigation team (five main characters) has been put together by Lord Crewe to investigate recent disappearances, including that of the High Mage's daughter, in the Mereen Forest south of the main town of Elmere. The players find only an abandoned ritual camp, or what seems to be abandoned. In a series of strange events, an evil force reveals itself from a portal to another realm, renders each player unconscious, and takes control of the team. Each player awakens to find themselves alone, in an unfamiliar place, and must battle their way out to find the rest of the investigation team and find out who is behind all of this.

What the players don't know yet, is the dark forces are secretly being controlled by their own king, Lord Crewe. Throughout the story the players must find answers as to the king's motivation, why he has become encircled in darkness and has betrayed his kingdom, and restore peace and order to Aurion once again.

Here is a video with some early beta gameplay.

 

Ars Magica - Updates

by Myrthos, 12:27

Several udates for Ars Magica were made since our last report on the Kickstarter campaing for this game, which is currently at 51K of the 290K goal with still 16 days to go.

The latest update is about combat.

Getting into Trouble

As mentioned in previous Updates, Combat can come as a result of Opportunities (your Covenfolk are ambushed, you prepare a raid against the local banditry, something goes terribly wrong and so on) and during the course of quests. Combat is party based, highly tactical, abstract and very old school.

The Middle Ages were Lethal

First of all, combat in the Ars Magica tabletop game is not something to take lightly. For those of you unfamiliar with the rules, hitting or missing is determined by a simple roll based on Attack and Defense factors, with degree of damage based on your weapon and the defender’s ability to ‘Soak’, or resist, wounding. A strong and well-armored warrior can dispatch many foes...but eventually even the greatest will fall due to fatigue and wounds. A weak and unarmored wizard, on the other hand is hopeless in a melee, and a dagger in the right hands can end your favorite character in a heartbeat.

Be careful. ;)

Combat in Years of Conquest uses the tabletop system in full and adds in an extra dimension of environmental effects. On the tabletop, you have a GM to tell you what your surroundings are, and in the video game you have the Environment. This is an abstract set of features and conditions which are reachable by any party (with some restrictions on positionality) within the bounds of the combat. It’s very diverse, and can range from a tree, your wagon, a muddy pool and a boulder, all in one encounter.

Negotiating with the Battlefield

Your party, and your opponent, use these environmental features to take shelter, improve their defenses, carry our special attacks, and to gain other bonuses. Unlike other tactical rpgs, the limits of your positional tactics aren’t flanks and area of effect cones, but rather the interaction of where you’ve positioned your characters versus where they’ve positioned their characters, and how you can best use that to your advantage. Characters themselves can be features, too- an important distinction when you really need to protect someone, for instance your mage.

A quick example of a typical combat situation might be helpful here: a warrior is making use of a ‘Narrow Ground’ feature so that your melee can only attack him, and no one else on the field. Meanwhile, an archer is at a ‘Tree Limb’ feature, which improves his ranged attacks. You might instruct your characters to contest the ‘Narrow Ground’ feature and rob the warrior of its bonus, direct your mage to snap the ‘Tree Limb’ and send the archer plummeting, take cover behind a ‘Boulder’, or make use of a ‘Witty Taunt’ action to bring the warrior to you (thereby removing the feature from them.) Only through careful use of the Environment will you be victorious- and since unused parts of the Environment refresh each round to reflect the shifting circumstances in combat, you’ll need to be constantly adapting tactics to succeed.

Magic and the Environment

For most of your covenfolk, features offer variations on key concepts: attack, defense, denial and movement. For your mages, however, features offer unique ways to set your opponent on fire, snare them, charm them to your side and empower your magic. Every feature usually has one or more spell action associated with it, allowing mages proficient with spells (or good at Spontaneous Magic) the ability to use the Environment against your foes. Turning your opponents ‘Narrow Ground’ into a muddy trap, using tree branches to capture the archer or tossing the boulder on top of a bandit is just the beginning...

Sweet Victory

Combat continues until one party flees, surrenders or is charmed into submission. And if you hold the field you’ll able to recover your wounded, loot, and progress...if not, well...you might find some of those lost items in a merchant’s inventory down the road. No promises.

Thursday - October 25, 2012

Ars Magica - interview @ RPGCodex

by Myrthos, 12:46

RPGCodex has teamed up with Josh Sawyer to put together some questions they could ask the Ars Magica devs about their Kickstarter game.

For those unfamiliar with the Ars Magica PnP system, can you briefly present it and point out its main strengths? How faithfully do you intend to reproduce these strengths and the PnP system in general, including the fatigue-based magic system, in your game?

This is a tough question. How to distill the magic, history, role-playing, alchemy, mystery, faith and personality of the table-top game? It defies classification.

In short, Ars Magica is a role-playing game set in Medieval history, in which you chart the rise and fall (and perhaps rise again) of a Covenant of mages and their underlings. The forces of the supernatural surround you: faeries, demons, magical beasts, and the encroaching world of the mundanes and the Dominion. Every character in the Covenant has a life of their own, with likes and dislikes of their own, and you can play any of them when you need them. Their personalities grow as the years pass, and by the end of every Ars Magica Saga you usually have a story or two to tell about everyone, even the least peasant. The heart of the Covenant is the mages, and each of them are vying for greater knowledge, power and prestige. The magic system is pseudo-scientific, and applies an interesting rigor to spells which you see virtually nowhere else. Your mages can research, study, and distill the forces of magic, creating ever more powerful, useful, or fun spells. Furthermore, via Spontaneous Magic, you can create a Spell to do most anything within the limit of your ability. We could go on and on, but that hits all the key topics. : )

We strongly feel that magic is an omnipresent part of the Ars Magica system, so it's omnipresent in our game, too. Whether you are looking at the Covenant map, in an Adventure, or a Combat, the spells which are contextual to the situation are available for use. And if you don't know the Spell, you can always try it Spontaneously. The Fatigue mechanic (and Twilight, too) are present, per the 5E rules.

Wednesday - October 24, 2012

Kickstarter - Sword of Fargoal 2 Interview by Eric Kain

by Aries100, 15:43

Eric Kain from Forbes Magazine talks with Jeff McCord and Paul Pridham, the creators of the game. You can view the interview here. 

The interview is about one hour; they discuss why it took so long for a sequel to appear, why they decided to use Kickstarter to finish Sword of Fargoal 2's development, the iOS version of Sword of Fargoal, the roguelike genre in general, and much much more.

 

Source: GameBanshee

Monday - October 22, 2012

AAIMIE - Update #3, Gameplay and Plot

by Myrthos, 12:39

In the third update of AAIMIE more detial on the gameplay and plot is given.

Today I thought I'd share a little bit about the power facility, plot and gameplay elements of AAIMIE. There are *possible spoilers* in this so if you don't want to know more about the story please skip this update.

My goal of this game has always been to make sure you are completely engulfed in the world. I want you to be able to explore this facility and start out as a lowly robot who finds itself part of this larger picture, not just of the facility but of this facility's place in the world, and the universe.

The game starts with you waking up after new AI routines are implanted. This AI makes you want to destroy this power facility. Now, this isn't any ordinary facility. It's one of hundreds on this planet and the produce a new, highly potent and sought after energy.

The facility itself can be thought of as an upside down Tower of Hanoi in its shape. These rings lie on top of each other and in the middle is the overlord of the facility. This overlord is in charge of every aspect of its operation. You can see this overlord in every level of the game. Through windows and open areas, from the very start, you can see this overlord and you know that your ultimate goal is to destroy it.

I feel this gives the player a connection to the facility and the goal. You aren't thrown in and after hours and hours of gameplay all of a sudden you see the "boss" for the first time. In AAIMIE, from the start, you know what it looks like. And throughout your journey to the bottom of the facility you will see this enemy many, many times.

At first, this overlord will pay no attention to you. You are insignificant. But as you progress, and gain abilities, and start damaging the facility it protects, you will become a threat. This overlord that you have been seeing as you descend will begin to start attacking you, and the structures you are in. This will heighten your connection to the world, and make destroying this overlord even more desirable.

So that is an update of the general gameplay of AAIMIE. I hope you enjoyed this update and the next update will be posted in a couple of days with even more details.

Saturday - October 20, 2012

Ars Magica - Kickstarter Launches

by Dhruin, 12:11

Ars Magica is a Kickstarter campaign from the folks behind Academagia to create a 2D RPG video game version of the well known PnP game. They are looking for $290k and have $8k pledged so far:

Black Chicken Studios, working under license from Atlas Games, is delighted to present a new simulation role-playing game for the PC. After 25 years and 5 editions, Ars Magica will at long last be paid tribute in a single-player, turn-based video game. Authentic to the original, this is a faithful, beautiful, and accurate depiction of covenant gameplay and the RPG’s legendary magic system during a dangerous century in the Stonehenge Tribunal. With your help, we’ll bring Ars Magica: Years of Conquest and its tapestry of wars, intrigue, invasion and, above all, magic to life!

Imagine a world where myth is real. Faeries dance in forest glades, angels protect the Church, demons corrupt the weak, and wizards wield magic beyond the ken of other mortals.

You play one of these mages, and belong to one of 13 Houses banded together to form the ancient Order of Hermes. You’re dedicated to protecting and perfecting your command over magic. Served by knights, warriors, and peasants, you contend with the perils of plagues, beasts, battles, and other wizards to defend your covenant, your power, and your prestige. Your wizard will need to master the perils of life and death itself, if you are to prosper over 100 years of gameplay.

Shaker - "Mercy killing"

by Dhruin, 02:11

In the latest Shaker update, Tom and Brenda have pulled the plug to regroup:

We are profoundly grateful to our fans. You were as excited about this game as we were, and from the very beginning, you encouraged us to post more details about it and even sent in fan art! We have received backing from over 7,000 of you and raised a quarter million dollars in just a few days (!). That's humbling and wonderful.

We are profoundly grateful to the press. You covered our Kickstarter's launch and story update and gave it as much attention as you possibly could. It was through your efforts that many heard about our game.

We are grateful to our friends in the game industry who gave us suggestions, support and critique. We are a wonderfully tight-knit community, and we owe you for all your feedback and friendship.

Ultimately, our pitch just wasn't strong enough to get the traction we felt it needed to thrive. Sure, it may have made it. We could have fought our way to a possibly successful end. In reading your feedback and talking it over internally, however, we decided that it made more sense to kill it and come back with something stronger.

In game design, mercy killing is the law.

So, please accept our thanks and apologies in equal order. Expect something more soon.  

Friday - October 19, 2012

Divine Space - Update 6

by Myrthos, 13:36

We missed several updates on the Kickstarter game Divine Space, but here is update 6 about joining Kicking it Forward,F2P, Click-n-Go and other news. Here is a snip:

Congratulations, we reached 10%, or $10,000 mark! 

You did it! You all did it – and we got up to 10% of light speed, which is equal to $10,000! This is a good sign, because the fight is only at the beginning. For now, we are only passing asteroid clouds, getting our cannons ready and programming our rockets so they would hit target when time will come. Meanwhile, our ally, LimpDigit team, is working on the new video for us, which will be a mix of our presentation and gameplay video. This shall significantly increase our chances to victory. There are still 35 light days to go, which is more than most of other projects have from beginning. We knew it would be a hard fight, and took additional two weeks to fix our project, tune it and prepare properly for press and big portals. Thanks to many of you, we managed to polish our page and make it much better.

Kicking it Forward: LETS DO SOME KICKS! 

Yes, we are finally in. We always wanted to be part of that noble community, but our future has been too unclear and foggy. For a while we have been flying through the area, full of dust and tiny asteroids. Perhaps it was a planet before, or it could become a planet and failed, who knows? But now we finally passed through this dangerous area and are ready to dock the starbase of Kicking It Forward team. Why we are joining that community? Because we know how hard it is to get acknowledged by the indie teams and we want to help our colleagues. Many projects are great and deserve support, but can't get enough attention. Kicking It Forward helps such teams, and we want to be amongst those great people! 

AAIMIE - Update #2, About Components

by Myrthos, 12:18

An update for the Kickstarter game AAIMIE is available now. The number of pledges are still a bit on the low side for this game with 20 days to go.

I've had a few people ask for more more details about the game. I intentionally haven't posted many details because I'm sticking with the "exploration" aspects of the game and don't want to give away too much. However, I do understand the need for more info so I am going to start posting more updates, and if I do post anything that I think might spoil the game I will preface it with *POSSIBLE SPOILER* so you will know to skip it if you prefer to be surprised when the game is released.

So today I'm posting on Components. Not a great name and I may change it later, but Components are items you can attach to AAIMIE which gives special "abilities". You start out with 2 slots to attach components and you can change them in and out at will depending on the situation you are about to face. You can upgrade later so you may add more than 2. Also, there are various levels of components. So you may get 2 "Energy Rechargers" but one could increase your energy at a higher rate than the other. There are also things you can do to increase the effectiveness of the components.

The Components list is as follows. These are subject to change based on how they affect gameplay, but this is the current list:

Cloak -
Reduces your chances to be detected by enemies. This is a passive component that is always active when attached.

EMP -
Discharge an EMP pulse which reduces the energy levels of enemies or even machines in the world. This is useful for weakening enemies and reducing the energy level of devices you are trying to hack.

Energy Recharger -
Recharges your energy at an increased rate. Energy is very important in AAIMIE as most weapons and shields are energy based. The faster you recharge the more damage you can do.

Hacking -
Many puzzles are hacking based. This component makes certain puzzles easier to hack.

Energy Increaser -
Increases the base energy of AAIMIE.

Shield Booster -
Increases the strength of your shields allowing you take take more damage, either from enemies or from failed hacking attempts that attempt to harm you.

Turbo Boost -
Briefly increase your movement speed. This is a good for getting away from enemies or quickly approaching an enemy who is at range.

Aim Stabilizer -
Increases your chances of hitting and enemy

Armor Strength -
Once your shields are depleted your armor will start taking damage. This increases the strength of your armor allowing you to take less damage.

IR -
Allows you to see through walls

Radar -
Shows enemies and puzzles and hackable items within range.

Frenzy Enemy -
Increases the chances of the enemy to retreat from combat

Turret -
Throws down an energy turret to provide additional damage during combat

Strength Booster -
Every item has weight. This allows you to carry more items.

Attachments -
Allows you to attach an additional component to AAIMIE.

Energy Blocker (when enemies attack with energy) -
When enemies attack with energy weapons, this reduces the damage received. It only works against energy-based weapons.

Detection Feedback -
Allows AAIMIE to detect if she is currently being tracked, or is at risk of being detected.

That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed the update and if you haven't already done so please tell your friends about AAIMIE so we can make this game happen.

Shaker - Update #9, The World of Antera

by Dhruin, 10:22

It was a while coming but Brenda Brathwaite and Tom Hall's Shaker Kickstarter has a new update with a map of the world of Antera and some examples of major locations. An example:

Connelly (or whoever you customize as your main character) and team find themselves on a world they've visited before, but only in a narrow sense, under strict orders. Now they will be required to explore it more deeply to find out what happened...and if there is the possibility of any way home. If not, it's time to settle in and find their place in this new world!

This area is Blade Sector, the second sector in the way Shaker operatives have divided up this world and its primary inhabitation sites. Sector names are based on locally familiar words, so that an off-mention will not sound strange. Anvil Sector is inhabited, but is not near the Delta Node on Antera. 

 Here are a few highlighted places in the area the game will take place in:

THE HUB CITY: LOKE

Loke is a beautiful city on the water, a thriving city for trade and a meeting place for all races. This has been the team's first stop on all their missions.

FELAIRN FOREST: THE SURVIVORS

Living in Rhun-Daar, the humanoid race of the Paldor are survivors of a great onslaught of creatures from Darkling Crag. They won the war, but at a dear loss to their population. Those remaining have an intense mistrust of strangers.    

Monday - October 15, 2012

Kickstarter - Divine Space Announcement

by Myrthos, 12:16

Word received by us about a new Kickstarter campaign for a space action RPG named Divine Space.

Divine Space is a 3D  space adventure/quest ARPG in hard sci-fi genre, with real-time combat and click-n-go controls. It's a mix of the spirits of such games as Star Control, Elite, and Space Rangers; this simple gameplay comparable to Dark Orbit, with excellent, up-to-date three-dimensional graphics somehow comparable to Eve Online.

The first version of the game will be released for iPads, very soon after (within 2-3 months) - we will release version for Anrdroid pads. 

Later, there will be PC/Mac/Linux version and, hopefully, iPhone and later – MMO (previous are single-player versions).

Main features of the game:

  • Scientific: the world is built on real astronomical data, obtained from astronomers and scientists. Stars have their real positions, spectral classes, etc;
  • Construction of ships from parts. You can built your custom hulls and add devices and weapons;
  • Deep scenario and world design (it's almost USP nowadays). We built our scenario based on current research. It's somewhat a prediction of the possible future;
  • Most operating systems are supported. First, the game will be single-player ARPG, but the game will move toward serious MMO;
  • For the iPad and Android there are no similar space games of the same quality, and there are no similar 3D games with same casual controls;
  • Educative. We teach our players, and this is our mission - and they won't even notice that. We make world better.

We might be interesting for you because we are first Russian team that is going for such large goal - $100,000, while we are indie and unknown team. There weren't other Russian teams at Kickstarter (or other crowdfunding portals) with such goal. Our project is good, and of the good quality. It's not something we made in a month - we began development in end of 2011. We have very positive feedback from our backers; conversion to backers is 2,6% (and that's much for an indie game).

Sunday - October 14, 2012

Shaker - Update #8, Evolution of Concept Art

by Dhruin, 00:21

There's a new Shaker update discussing two pieces of concept art:

Hey there, Shaker operatives! This update we thought we’d let you check out the new tier you asked for, and give you a peek at the concept art process -- from sketches to finished design!

Before we begin, just want to remind folks of the new tier, $125 for the Old-School Edition + Cloth Map. People wanted something more affordable, and we priced it as low as we thought we could!

Concept Art

To review: Shaker: An Old School RPG features a six-character party - you and your 3 crew as well as 2 recruitable player characters. You begin the game as James Connelly, though you may customize him any way you like (including changing his appearance and gender). Next, you create 3 different Shaker operatives to join you on your Antera mission. Traveling back through time and space to arrive on Antera, you may recruit two locals to work on your crew. This is a medieval era world, with swordplay and magic.

So we needed cool concept art to convey combat in that medieval world.

Kickstarter - Fields of Fresh

by Dhruin, 00:11

This one is from left-field but who knows what people might like? Nathan writes in with his Kickstarter for a farming RPG called Fields of Fresh. They are only asking for $1000 and here's the intro:

Where have all of the good farming games gone?

To my memory, I have only played one good farming game series, it involved harvesting, sprites, and a moon. Every time I browse the web for a farming game, the results are games that are not up to par with my expectations as a gamer . Do farmers not deserve honor? After all, they provide most of the food we eat. In March 2011, I decided to make a Farming Game. This farming game will satisfy me as a gamer. The mission was to not make a lame social farming game, but a full-fledged farming RPG where the farmers have stories and lives.

Friday - October 12, 2012

Kickstarter - Shaker - Update # 7 Boxed Edition Like in the Good Old Days

by Aries100, 20:25

The people behind this game, Tom Hall and Brenda Braitwaite, has decided to reward people with a boxed edition of this game with a cloth map, a t-shirt and several other goodies:

$125: OLD-SCHOOL CLOTH MAP EDITION -- All the previous rewards + a BOXED EDITION OF OLD SCHOOL RPG + CLOTH MAP + CD CONTAINING THE OLD SCHOOL RPG AND SOUNDTRACK + EXCLUSIVE OLD SCHOOL RPG LOGO T-SHIRT + VIP IN-GAME CHARACTER HONOR + CUSTOM OLD SCHOOL RPG METAL DOG TAG MEDALLION. Harkening back to the golden era of RPGs, the Old School edition of Old School RPG comes complete with a classic RPG box which opens to reveal the Old School RPG t-shirt wrapping the game's CD and soundtrack. A cloth map of the world and classic trinket medallion -- in this case, a Shaker Corporation dogtag -- completes the 1980's effect. Please add $15 for international shipping.

Source: GameBanshee

Thursday - October 11, 2012

Kickstarter - Shaker - Editorial @ Edge

by Aries100, 19:46

Jason Killingsworth from EDGE has penned an editorial about Shaker, the old school rpg created by Tom Hall and Brenda Braithwaite. In it, he asks the question "old school rpg, what does that mean anyway?"

A quote about what he thinks about the rpgs of the past:

The primary distinguishing traits of many old-school RPGs were nothing more than creative workarounds for the nascent technology available at the time – text input, turn-based simulations, etc. The Kickstarter page assures us that the game will have the graphical fidelity players expect from contemporary games, but that doesn’t get us much closer to a working definition.

A quote about what he thinks about naming Shaker an old school rpg:

To label one’s project Old School RPG seems to just draw attention to this appeal to nostalgia in such an obvious way that it comes off feeling a little crass, perhaps too forward. Especially in a context where you’re trying to convince people to contribute money to your project. It’s easy to romanticise the past, but Brathwaite and Hall still need to offer a compelling case for what makes old-school RPGs not only meaningfully different, but preferable to the genre’s more evolved descendants living today.

Source: GameBanshee

Shaker - Update #6, Combat

by Myrthos, 12:41

Tom Hall and Brenda Brathwaite explain the combat of their old school RPG, Shaker.

Combat: Steel and Spells

Combat in the world of Antera is full of swords and sorcery! Outside of combat, you have free movement about the world of Antera, but once you have an encounter with the not-so-friendly residents of this medieval world, it’s old-school, turn-based combat.

Before the Encounter

Your party has six characters in total (your four characters and two local NPC recruits). Before combat, you are free to arrange your party as you wish in front and back ranks. The further back your characters are, the safer they will be. The closer they are to the action, the more brute-force damage they can do. Back-rank characters must have spells, long-range attacks or weapons, or special skills. All weapons and spells have specific ranges.

Entering Combat

Combat occurs when you near an enemy, and you enter combat mode. Before you, you see the creatures in the world, and combat proceeds in turn-based rounds. In traditional RPG fashion, you choose each character’s action. The NPCs are, at first, autonomous, but you can choose their actions once they fully trust you. Once everyone determines their course, the game determines who goes first based on everyone’s quickness (plus or minus any modifiers). Combat then plays out in front of you with each party member or enemy taking turns in order of their Initiative. Combat ends when you defeat the enemy or they run away, knowing what’s good for them.

Combat Rounds

During combat, your characters have several options to choose from depending on their available weapon, profession and location in the party. You may choose from: Attack using your current weapon, select a Spell/Special using your profession’s unique powers, or use an Item. You can also get the hell out of dodge or skip your turn.

Combat continues round after round until there’s a victor. Hopefully, you’re the one looking down on the bodies of your foes! :)

GOOD OLD GAMES

Vote up Shaker: Old School RPG on Good Old Games! Here's the link to add the game to the community wishlist.

Wednesday - October 10, 2012

Kickstarter - AAIMIE: "Tron meets Grimrock"

by Dhruin, 23:10

Indie developer James Sablatura writes in with his Kickstarter for AAIMIE - "Autonomous Artificially Intelligent Maintenance Industrial Engineer", which is described as "an old school RPG with a modern feel". James is looking for $7k to make the game.

AAIMIE leads a simple life. She is a maintenance robot on Power Facility #38. Her daily routine includes maintaining the facility, wiring, energy conduits and general repair. Her artificial intelligence routines allow her to perform her job without any outside influence. She is completely autonomous and free to roam the facility.

That is, until one day, while performing general maintenance, life as she knew it was turned upside down. After a brief power outage, she awoke to find that she was no longer restricted to knowledge of simple maintenance. Her memory banks were now filled with classified inside information on the power plant, its residents, its security systems, its weak points, and most importantly, an uncontrollable urge to destroy the facility. So how did this happen? Who implanted this knowledge and why? These are all questions that AAIMIE will have to figure out.

AAIMIE is a grid-based, first person point of view role playing indie game being developed for release on PC, Mac, ios and Android in 2013. It has been described as “Tron Meets Grimrock” with an emphasis on exploration and puzzle solving.

You play as AAIMIE just after her A.I. was altered, resulting in her desire to destroy the facility. AAIMIE starts as a simple maintenance bot with only a welding torch and basic navigational components. Through exploration, puzzle-solving and combat she gains weapons, armor and component upgrades.

Although there is combat in the game, the main focus is exploration, discovery of new areas, scripted events, puzzle solving and story telling. You will become part of the world, and discover all it has to offer.

Shaker - Update #5 from Tom Hall and Brenda Brathwaite

by Dhruin, 10:44

"Old School RPG" appears to have a name - Shaker: An Old School RPG. The latest update discusses some gameplay, the party (actually 6 characters when you include 2 recruitable player characters) and professions:

YOUR PARTY

Shaker: An Old School RPG features a six-character party - you and your 3 crew as well as 2 recruitable player characters. You begin the game as James Connelly, though you may customize him any way you like (including changing his appearance and gender). Next, you create 3 different Shaker operatives to join you on your Antera mission. Traveling back through time and space to arrive on Antera, you may recruit two locals to work on your crew.

YOUR CHARACTERS AND CREW

All characters and recruits have key statistics as quantified by Shaker Corporation: Strength, Vitality, Agility, Quickness, Intelligence, and Psy. The values of these attributes determine what Profession you qualify for. Your characters are also born with a specific BioTrait pattern. Similar to “race” in old-school games, a character’s BioTrait pre-disposes gives them certain strengths, weaknesses and powers. Recruiting locals (which you can, of course, fire) will help you to balance your party.

We are in pre-production at present, and want to give you an early look at the core Bridge Professions and how they map to Professions on the destination worlds.

Tuesday - October 09, 2012

Old School RPG - Update #4, More Story, Concept Art

by Dhruin, 13:21

Brenda Brathwaite and Tom Hall's Old School RPG Kickstarter has a new update with some more story and a single piece of concept art:

Shaker Corporation

“Welcome to Shaker Corporation.” 

At 806 employees, Shaker was a far cry from from its origins in a graduate student lab at MIT. Beginning as a mere mathematical model - but an exceedingly precise one - Shaker’s core technology eventually evolved into a device that allowed it to see 100 years into the future and as far back as all past human memory allowed. Catherine Shaker knew she had struck gold, and founded the corporation well before her graduation. At the time of her death, which she had accurately predicted, the company had already received massive funding from throughout the universe.

Next update will cover combat and gameplay, apparently.

Friday - October 05, 2012

Kickstarter - Old School RPG World and Story Details

by Dhruin, 22:57

Loot Drop posted a pretty good update for their Old School RPG Kickstarter a day or two back that provides much more detail on the setting and story. A sample:

SETTING 

James Connelly works for Shaker, a Bridge corporation between time and worlds. Depending on the job he - or any of Shaker’s 400 employees - can be anyone you want them to be.  Human warrior? Done. Cyborg Psionic, also done. "Remember the 4 F's: Frontier dictates form, function and family" according to the official employee manual. 

Officially, Connelly was a resident of the Bridge, but he spent so much time away from it that the concept of residence and permanence had lost its meaning over time. He lived out of a locker at Shaker, storing only his most important mementos there -- family heirlooms, a couple of gifts from post-jobs. He slept in rooms usually assigned to other Shaker employees destined for imminent departure. His family, a wife and two kids, residents of Barrow, would visit him when they could. 

On July 24, 2526, that would change. His frontier would become his home, his form would become his being, his function and new family possibly his forever. Shaker, it seems, had ceased communicating. The supplies and support he expected - he needed - were no where to be found. His return transport was unknown. He and his three crew were alone. 

Antera - a medieval, barely developed planet - was now his home. 

Gamasutra also has an interview:

Hall loves to develop universes, says Brathwaite. "We had just started talking... and seriously, within two days, he had 10 pages of story ideas. He had the name of a janitor in this universe already."

As for her, she has a deep love for systems: "I always have been and continue to be fascinated by game math," she says. "I'm fascinated with the underlying architecture of the game. Tom and I both love being architects, and we love drawing all the plans out... I'm interested in how this thing is going to work, and Tom is interested in laying the story over the top of that world and creating characters."

At least in pre-production, the two will lead a smaller team, with a couple of artists, four or five coders and a sound designer early on ("I think that affects the overall feel of the world," Brathwaite says). From there, they'll scale up the art as Brathwaite and Hall continue to lead the game design. 

Wednesday - October 03, 2012

Kickstarter - Brenda Brathwaite and Tom Hall RPG

by Dhruin, 14:29

I didn't expect this one, I must say. Brenda Brathwaite (Wizardry) and Tom Hall (Anachronox) have launched a Kickstarter for "An Old-School RPG" with their company Loot Drop. The gameplay isn't clear (unless I missed it), although the combat is turn-based and the party has four characters.

Loot Drop includes John Romero, for what that's worth, who is Brenda's partner.

The Kickstarter is looking for $1M with 32 days to run, though at $1.9M they promise "TWO FULL games - one designed by Brenda Brathwaite and one designed by Tom Hall". Here's a partial feature snip:

THE CHARACTERS

  • Characters: Create a group of up to 4 characters, choosing from multiple races and professions.
  • Skills: Balance your characters' strengths, weaknesses and skills, knowing each of them affects play.
  • Progression: Gain experience and gain levels to hone your characters to your exact liking.
  • Recruitable Characters: Hire NPCs to work with you, if you trust them, or allow them to hire you to be their guide.
  • Character Extensions (Stretch Goal): Wrestle with the old-school favorites from back in the paper days - alignment, age, rank and randomly-rolled temperament.

THE WORLD

  • Exploration: Explore a richly detailed world, home to unique, dangerous and sometimes crafty creatures who may be friend or foe.
  • Treasure: Loot castles, caverns and dungeons and defeat hordes of creatures in a world where your skill and cunning are key.

Saturday - September 22, 2012

Kickstarter - Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse

by Dhruin, 00:21

Kuki writes in, asking us to mention the Kickstarter for Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse. It's a classic adventure and well out of our mandate but I'm sure a number of readers will be interested. There's only 14 hours to go on their Kickstarter, which has almost doubled their original $400k goal, so you'll need to get moving:

Broken Sword is a point and click adventure game series starring unwilling hero George Stobbart, an intrepid American lawyer, and Nico Collard, a sassy French freelance journalist. Through the series George and Nico are unwittingly drawn into sinister and terrifying conspiracies, requiring them to uncover ancient mysteries and unravel myths across the globe. Nerve, cunning and guile are essential in order to conquer these compelling adventures. 

The four games in the series have won or been nominated for many awards, including:

  • 4 BAFTAs (Best Adventure, Best Story, Best PC Game, Best Design)
  • Best European Adventure - European Game Awards 
  • Best Video Game Script - Writer's Guild of Great Britain
  • Pocket Gamer Gold Award - Pocket Gamer Awards
  • Excellence in Writing - Game Developers Choice Awards

The games are regularly awarded exceptional review scores: for example Broken Sword: Director's Cut (iPhone) currently has a Metacritic (average) score of 91%!

Sunday - August 26, 2012

Kickstarter - Conclave

by Dhruin, 00:58

Remember Conclave? The indie browser-based tabletop-inspired game from 10x10 Room? Quite a few people tried it when we last posted - now they have a Kickstarter that's $9k into a $75k goal with 28 days to run:

Ever wanted to play a tabletop roleplaying game or an MMO with friends but had trouble finding the time?  We sure have.  Work, school, family, even other hobbies: they all make it difficult to schedule hours-long regular gaming sessions.

Since the alternatives we've tried are either clunky or lack the depth we're looking for, we decided to create an online multiplayer game that captured the experience of a tabletop RPG but didn't force you to schedule your life around it.  A game that would let you play for as long or short a time as you like, from any web-capable device, without sacrificing story or gameplay.

That's Conclave.

Friday - August 17, 2012

Kickstarter - Dungeon Master Pro: Online Character Sheet

by Myrthos, 12:48

Here is something RPG related that is not a game, but still might be of interest to you. Dungeon Master Pro is a tool that allows you to manage your character sheets online from a PC or mobile device.

Dynamic Online Character Sheet (DOCS) is a character sheet editor and online character repository for players and NPCs. Character sheets can be modified real time by player and GM alike. By creating a database driven character sheet, the GM can, during the game for example, modify hit points, spell affects, items carried or damages etc.. This allows discreet look ups and improves your overall experience, during the game or out of session. And you still have the option ot print and use your character for offline play.

Saturday - August 04, 2012

Kickstarter - Shadow Remnants

by Dhruin, 23:55

Shorebound Studios wrote in about their Kickstarter for Shadow Remnants, a tactical turn-based fantasy RPG. The campaign is looking for $75k over the next 27 days. Here are some descriptive excerpts and the feature list:

Shadow Remnants is a turn-based tactical role-playing game for the PC. As you travel through the vast country of Avatia, you will battle against the tides of corruption to uncover an ancient power with a dreadful secret. Using the wide range of character classes at your disposal, assemble a band of followers to aid you in battle. Make your way to the very heart of corruption, crushing your foes with both magic and sheer physical might.

If you enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea or other similar titles then you are not alone. The turn-based tactical RPG genre is a great one...so, why does it feel so neglected? We decided to create a game to reignite the excitement that these games brought us. We feel that infusing unique classes, non-linear talent trees, a crafting system, randomized encounters, epic boss battles, our soul fragment system, multiplayer and a lengthy single player campaign with dozens of side quests will make one awesome game.

  • 13 unique classes which become available through a tree-style unlock system to allow maximum player customization and a wide range of party compositions
  • 2 skill trees for each class, allowing for control over a specific character's focus
  • A crafting system that allows you to use raw materials obtained in battle to forge new gear
  • Turn-based combat on vibrant 3d battlefields where character skills, gear, timing and positioning all affect the outcome of a fight.
  • Online multiplayer where you can take your party head-to-head against other players and compete for rare crafting materials and rankings
  • Epic boss battles which will require every ounce of skill and strategy that you have at your disposal
  • Soul Fragments drop at random when an enemy is slain. After you collect a certain amount, you will learn a new spell from the soul.
  • A new and challenging gameplay mechanic that allows the player to directly influence the effectiveness of your abilities and spells by timing a charge meter. The closer the meter is to the critical zone, the more powerful the attack.

 

Wednesday - July 11, 2012

Kickstarter - Star Command

by Dhruin, 00:01

Von Paulus suggests the Kickstarter for Star Command is worth a look because of the RPG elements. I'm not sure how true that is but it certainly looks like fun for space fans. This campaign is to fund a desktop version based on the current iOS game:

Star Command is an upcoming space ship-simulation-adventure game where you build an interstellar starship of your own unique image. You choose the colors, the hull types, the size and most importantly, who and what goes inside. Engine rooms, medical bays, shield generators - the choice is yours.

After you build your vessel, you will search the galaxy for talented crew to hire and help on your voyage. You will level-up crew members, give them new ranks and powerful abilities like tactical grenades to obliterate invaders, deployable shield walls to defend from incoming laser basts, or even the ability to revive slowly-dying crew members.

Once your awesome ship and elite crew are assembled, you will hyper-speed to new and strange places throughout the galaxy, making contact with exotic alien lifeforms. Some will be friendly, some weird and bizarre, and some will be downright evil.

Sunday - June 10, 2012

Kickstarter - Cult: Awakening of the Old Ones

by Dhruin, 01:19

crazyirish writes in with Cult: Awakening of the Old Ones on Kickstarter, an "open-ended" RPG with "procedural storytelling". Apparently the game is all text at the moment but the developer is looking for a mere $5000 to have a tileset made and set up a website (currently $4485 with 25 days to go, so they will definitely get there):

Cult is an open-ended role-playing game set in a user-generated world with a strong focus on storytelling, exploration, and environmental interaction. In simpler terms, it is about exploring a richly fleshed-out fantasy world unique from any other, with procedurally generated stories, myths, legends, civilizations, creatures, gods, and - well, basically everything! Cult is one part role playing game and one part experiment into the possible depth of procedural generation, and one of my goals with this project is to intertwine computer-driven storytelling with random content in a way that appears as seamless as possible to the player.

I drew my inspiration from games like Dwarf Fortress, the Elder Scrolls series, Darklands, and even Crusader Kings. I have also been heavily influenced by games from the 90's like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Evermore and Final Fantasy 3 which relied on a very strong story to draw the player in and keep them hooked. I love playing open-ended games, but I've always wanted a game that combined a randomly generated, complex world with equally complex stories, history, and characters. Since I've never been able to find any games like that, I decided to make one of my own!

Tuesday - May 01, 2012

Kickstarter - Realm Explorer

by Dhruin, 22:49

Today's new Kickstarter project is Realm Explorer, a sandbox, free-roaming RPG with multiplayer and Minecraft-like elements (digging, building). I'm not clear on the game content beyond roaming, digging and crafting but take a look:

Realm Explorer will be a computer game about creation in the fantasy universe of Gnostaria; your creations.  In perhaps the most dynamic sandbox world yet to be conceived you will be able to dig the soil and mine ore, precious metals and gems all in a beautiful and dynamic 3D world.  The terrain will shape and form to your actions.  Drive a shovel into the ground and watch the earth give way.  Heave your pickaxe into a cave wall and see the stone disintegrate before you; revealing the treasure beneath.  Go on adventures alone or with friends via internet multiplayer and craft weapons, armor, tools and other items.  How you play is up to you.  The possibilities are limitless.

  • Generate unlimited unique worlds.  Explore vast and interesting procedurally generated sandbox worlds set in the fantasy universe of Gnostaria.  
  • Play online with friends via internet multiplayer or enjoy a single player world.
  • Built in server browser.  Find other games or host your own.
  • Persistent game worlds.  Play now and come back to the same world later, just as you left it.  Multiplayer games can be hosted indefinitely online for public or private worlds.
  • Shape the terrain.  Dig anywhere using shovels and pickaxes.  Mine resources from natural caves, raise or demolish hills and mountains or construct tunnels.
  • Cut down trees to clear land and collect lumber.
  • Craft and create any item in the game.  There are hundreds of weapons, armor, clothing and more.  If it's in the game you can make it.  Use the resources you gather to make new and better items.
  • Unique crafting system.  Use a combination of “hand tools” (e.g. hammers, scissors, saws) in your inventory and “craft stations” (e.g. forges, anvils, looms, tanning racks) to construct different items.
  • Complete character customization.  Change facial features, hair style, facial hair, skin color and more.  Choose between either male or female characters.
  • See what you wear.  Armor and clothing are visually represented on your game character on a piece-by-piece basis.  Mix and match armor and clothing pieces for utility or style.  You can wear a different boot on each foot or a different glove on each hand.  Your character will look like what you are wearing.
  • Visible backpacks and belt pouches.  Additional inventory-extending containers like backpacks, rucksacks, belt pouches and belt packs can be worn and are visually represented on your character.
  • Expand your inventory slots.  Different types of containers will give you more usable inventory space.
  • RPG elements including character skills and character development.  The more you perform actions the more your skills related to those actions increase.  For a pure sandbox experience players can turn off skills and focus entirely on gathering resources and building.
  • Drop items.  Pick them up later.  Items you drop on the ground appear and can be seen or taken by other players (or NPCs).
  • Physics.  Realm Explorer makes use of a physics engine for various gameplay elements.
  • Future game modes including multiplayer co-operative “Defense” mode, where players work together to hold off waves of incoming enemies, are planned.
  • Smash and destroy almost any item in the game.
  • Real-time action-oriented combat mechanics.  One click = one swing.
  • Battle fierce enemies.  From the common wolf or the mundane rat to incredible golems and horrifying undead.
  • Jump between offensive and defensive stances to block and parry attacks.  Perform defensive maneuvers like kicks and shield bashes.
  • Wield hundreds of different weapons and use different weapon styles; swords, axes, maces, hammers, spears, javelins, bows, crossbows, daggers, knives, one handed weapons and giant two-handed weapons.  If one weapon isn’t enough why not use two?  Dual wield any two one-handed weapons for double the fun.
  • Find and collect rare items and artifacts.
  • Interact with friendly and hostile NPCs.
  • Participate in dynamically generated quests.
  • Experience a breathtaking dynamic weather system and dynamic day and night system.
  • Enjoy a brief, optional story campaign “Gnostaria: Golem Wars” and take part in the exciting story of golem-kind throughout the realm.  Can a golem really have a heart of gold?
  • And much more!

Sunday - April 29, 2012

Kickstarter - Dark Meridian

by Dhruin, 11:19

I've created a category for Kickstarter, since we now get a couple of press releases a week for projects - though most of them are outside the genres we cover.

Dark Meridian is probably outside our coverage but here's one post to gauge the interest. They are seeking $250k and seem to have a fair amount of the game completed:

Dark Meridian is an exciting new fusion of RTS, RPG, and 3rd person shooter. It gives you a persistent RPG-like character with attributes, skill trees, and equipment, and lets you take that character into battle as a fighter, a squad leader, and a commander.

Characters gain levels and are given points that can be used to increase their abilities and attributes. Weapons and armor are awarded to players according to their actions in each battle. How you play and the choices you make when leveling your character will allow you to build a character that best fits your play style, whether that be a hand-to-hand fighter, a ranged marksman, an arcane mage, an efficient commander, or some combination of those. 

Players can choose to be in the midst of battle as a combatant and squad leader or they can act as a commander, building their town and defenses. Players are free to switch between commander and combatant as the battle dictates. It is up to the commander to place buildings, decide which technologies to research and which units to recruit. As a combatant, players join the battle from a close 3rd person perspective; they can ride mounts, man siege engines, and command a small squad of AI characters.

The game is built around multiplayer team based play along with single player and cooperative play against AI. Matches are highly customizable, allowing up to four teams with any combination of AI and/or human squad leaders and commanders. There are numerous options to customize a match, including an open world map system that allows for thousands of possible map variations.

Information about

#Kickstarter Games

Developer: Unknown

SP/MP: Unknown
Setting: Unknown
Genre: Unknown
Combat: Unknown
Play-time: Unknown
Voice-acting: Unknown

Regions & platforms
World
· Platform: Unknown
· To be announced
· Publisher: Unknown