KickStarter Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption - adventure-RPG from the creators of Quest for Glory

I feel bad - this project has definitely had some ups and downs. I hope they really find their "voice" both aesthetically, artistically and developmentally. It could still be done - pretty amazing things could be done with 200k if used properly. I know a good game could still be made with that - good games are being made with less!

Bt

 

Quest for Infamy uses AGS, isn't it?

 

Yep, we do. It serves our needs really well for the kind of game we set out to make.

Bt

 

That is what I thought, there is alot of people that is used with AGS. You just need to look to the games in the AGS site.I really don't understand why the Coles took the engine of an obscure casual game that wasn't really suited for do what they wanted instead of picking one engine that is already freeware and can make great adventure games as the Sierra fan remakes are proof more than enough. There are great games made by fans with that engine, they could gone in the forums there and ask for help and pay someone to work for them and quickly learn the engine. The demo must be full of placeholder art but you can pick most games made in AGS and they look alot better than this demo. Why didn't they seek help of people, Jane Jensen got the help of Phoenix Online. I know that you guys and the Himalaia guys must have alot of work with your games but I find mystifying that the Coles didn't seek out the help of the people that made really high quality remakes of their games and other Sierra games for free. This whole risking losing their house is fucking terrible.

 

I just think that many of older generation developers lost their touch, at least somewhat. They aren't really following trends in game design, judging by interviews, many haven't played even well-known newer titles, not to mention more obscure ones. It doubly applies to older generation adventure devs, because of genre's "death", its long hibernation and resurgence as... Well, I can't generalize, but IMO modern adventure games are rather simpler than 90s ones, mainly in puzzle aspect.
So:

• lack of a current involvement in high-profile or indie game industry;

• not making any games over a decade, or making casual shovelware;

• tendency to compare graphics and art direction of a new project with their older titles, and missing the point (confusing dated tech and art direction, while 90s titles tech is dated, but some of them had an excellent art design), also missing the point that many customers like retro-graphics;

• etc.

All this factors lead them to dubious decisions in game development.

I really feel bad for Coles, their heart seems to be in the right place (and that loan sounds troublesome).

 

Why don't Coles work with Adventure Mob.

 

Adventure Mob was still working on LSL a year ago maybe?
Don't know how much work have been done in this project. I read that they changed programmer(s)/animator(s) again to make the character animation right (as opposed to what's it like in the demo).
And Adventure Mob's kickstarter is not working out.

 

I don't think they're using that Brawsome enginge anymore, and it's probably not a good thing, because this screenshot looked a lot better that the current demo.

 

Well, the art is completely different in that screenshot, and better. Not sure it's related to the engine. But some were whining about that one because it's not "isometric." Like QFG was ever isometric.

 

It's related to engine in that, if I understand correctly, the original engine was pure 2D, while the one in the current demo uses 2D sprites in a 3D space - which is just bound to look unnatural.

 

That wasn't a screenshot, either - that was a mockup that one of the artists made during the KS to show how it would have looked with the Brawsome engine. I think different artists are working on it now. They're using Unity now, too - a 3D engine which a lot of people are trying to make 2D games in. I've heard the toolset for 2D creation is expanding and getting better, but I definitely feel it suffers from some problems. LSL: Reloaded was made with it, and you can't definitely see some awkwardness in the way characters move in the space, and interact with things. I hope the 2D toolsets people are creating continue to get better - though I think it's odd people resort to hacking a 3D engine to make a 2D game - the only reason I see is that Unity has great portability for multiple platforms. Having that work done for you definitely saves time when it comes to ports.


Bt

 

Speaking of which, how would you have ported your game on mobiles (if you reached that stretch goal) considering you're using AGS? I've seen people use some wrappers to port AGS games to MacOS and Linux, I think? Something like that?

 

There are people working on the direct ports of AGS to other platforms; I have someone working with me on the Linux port - he did port the demo - we've used a wrapper on the MacOS version, but work is being done on a native port. WadjetEye Games has done a successful port of AGS to iOS and has released Gemini Rue and The Shivah on iOS - so, you know, it requires a little bit more muscle, programming and "hacking" wise, but it can be done. In the next year or two, these features will be built in. AGS can do higher resolutions too, now - people are working on HD versions - though we use a classic resolution for our games because it's what we choose stylistically.


Bt

 

It's not so bad in LSL because the view is fixed. Camera scrolling is what does the most damage to Hero-U graphics-wise.

 

Yeah, camera scrolling may increase the effect. Still, Larry looks like he glides a lot in the game, and he rarely really interacts with objects. I chalk that up to having to scrimp on the animation budget a bit, though.


Bt

 

New update, they are going 3D characters route to improve the animation problem. Hope the new partnership with new 3D artists works out.
So AGS supports HD now? Sigh Coles should've use it instead. Somehow some of the 2D objects in the demo looks low-res enough.
And they blame themselves for not realizing that 3D animation is easier than 2D animation nowadays... I find this preposterous. It's the wrong engine, not wrong age.

 

I don't know if 3D animation is TRULY easier today - but there are a lot more people trained in it these days. Most of the people that do 2D stuff these days do it our of pure passion for the art form, and are kind of hard to find.

The new 3D model of Shawn looks much better than the art in the demo, and I'm excited to see it in engine. I see this project as having a few stumbling blocks and hurdles early on, but I think it'll start catching it's stride soon. I hope so, because regardless of all the problems, Lori is a good writer and she definitely weaves a nice balance between humor and adventure.


Bt

 

Man, that is the only reason I keep looking to this project.

 

According to the latest update, an ex-obsidian 3d artist Chris Willis joins the team...

 

Update

Not much there in terms of progress on the actual game. I feel bad for the Coles - we know, love, and trust them, but this project just doesn't look to be going well. What concerns me is this:

Granted, I don't have the insider access Corey mentions in the update, so maybe the progress is better than it seems. Either way I wish them the best and really hope that this project doesn't hurt them financially.

 

Yeah, the Coles gone with guns blazing before analyzing their options well enough. At least, they aren't bullshitting like some kickstarter developers did a few times in the past. I just hope the money they get from the game is, at least, enough to compensate them for their loses.

 

For me it would be fine even if the game would turn out to be shitty, or they won't be releasing it at all. At this stage I just don't want them to become bankrupt, that's all. Their hearts are in the right place, it's just they really should have hired a good production manager from the beginning. Sadly, it's not 90s anymore, when a couple of developers could make a game relatively quickly and without much hassle. Even then it wasn't always the case. But it seems that they've transferred their work methods right from 90s and haven't adapted to modern realities.

tl;dr I really want this to end well, at least for them not to be in debt or filing for bankruptcy.

 

Yeah, I'm most worried about them than the game at this point. They are a national treasure.

 

AGS games are indeed awesome, can't wait for Mage's Initiation.