Game News Knights of the Chalice 2 Kickstarter May 26th until July 2nd

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Heroic Fantasy Games; Knights of the Chalice 2

Pierre Begue has finally announced the kickstarter date for Knights of the Chalice 2. The campaign will run from May 26th until July 2nd anno 2020.

Here's the announcement trailer:

​

There's more:

I have finished work on all of the Kickstarter updates that I wanted to prepare, so there is no reason to delay any further. The Kickstarter video can be found at https://youtu.be/P7D5mhcLQH0, the project's URL is https://www.kickstarter.com/project...-the-chalice-2-revolutionise-old-school-crpgs and you can also visit the project's preview page.

Knights of the Chalice 2 is a party-based computer role-playing game with turn-based combat for Windows and Mac OS. Just like the first game, KotC 2 uses the OGL 3.5, the ruleset at the root of Dungeons and Dragons 3.5.

The Kickstarter campaign will support the creation of future KotC 2 adventure modules. The first KotC 2 adventure module, Augury of Chaos, and the KotC 2 module and campaign editor for Windows and Mac OS will be released to backers as soon as the campaign ends. In KotC 2: Augury of Chaos, your Heroic Party confronts a group of Evil Fanatics allied with various Demons and Fiendish Dragons. Following the Kickstarter, the game is planned to be released on the developer's website, http://www.heroicfantasygames.com, and on Steam after a relatively short period dedicated to the improvement of the game.

A Reddit Ask Me Anything session is planned on 11 June using my Reddit username HeroicFantasyGames.

As part of the campaign, a series of puzzles will be posted on Twitter. You may want to try resolving them all! Please see the KotC 2 Kickstarter FAQ page for more details.

I will also be posting a number of real-life travel pictures and videos on Youtube, Instagram and the Facebook page.​

But wait, there's more:

PS. I submitted KotC 1 to GOG.com on 29 December 2019 and I've had no reply from them so far, so players who would really like to see KotC 1 on GOG might want to email GOG in support of KotC 1. Thank you!​

I know what you're thinking because I'm thinking just the same thing. Those Poles were probably just busy so far stealing German cars and didn't have the time yet to include KotC1 in their prestigious catalogue of modern popamole good old games. We must not forget that stealing cars is hard work, you have to get up early if you plan to get a decent amount of work done, for starters. I'm sure they will get around to KotC1 as soon as they can spare a moment.

 

[Bastardchops]

Looking forward to it.

 

[Elwro]

...but the borders are closed, right? we can't even get the cars into the country now :-(

 

[Rpguy]

0:38, top left. Sprites gameplay. Looking good!

 

[Antigoon]

That are some amazing tiers. 8£ more for a steam key, and for another 36£ you get another 3 kickstarter-only items. Each one takes him according the the delivery time half a year to make, amazing!

 

[Elwro]

Aren't these the campaigns he wants to make?

 

[jac8awol]

I didn't even know I had epilepsy until I saw that trailer, thanks Pierre! Ok I hope this works out, I enjoyed the first game. Kind of miss that low tech pixel charm though.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

The graphic style for characters and monsters in KotC 2 has been the subject of many a debate. I say let this Kickstarter campaign be the judge of how complex the graphic style should be.

I don't think that is a good idea. You better have some clarity of vision before you run a campaign like that.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Really looking forward to this

 

[luj1]

0:38, top left. Sprites gameplay. Looking good!

Yeah, what's up with that? I thought he decided to go with this flat checkers look (huge decline in my opinion) but it looks like we'll have both?

 

[Rpguy]

0:38, top left. Sprites gameplay. Looking good!

Yeah, what's up with that? I thought he decided to go with this flat checkers look (huge decline in my opinion) but it looks like we'll have both?

As I understand it, we will have both but the sprites are very limited right now, so if you choose to play with sprites you will get a mixed game of both, and he will add more sprites and animations later but that depends on the Kickstarter goal reached.

 

[Bastardchops]

I didn't even know I had epilepsy until I saw that trailer, thanks Pierre! Ok I hope this works out, I enjoyed the first game. Kind of miss that low tech pixel charm though.

The option to use the original pixel sprites will be available.

 

[Bastardchops]

I wonder if he'll get on GOG this time.

 

[Andhaira]

0:38, top left. Sprites gameplay. Looking good!

But will it be in the full game? He said he was going full tokens with this one, no animated sprites.

I loved KOTC I, but now that we have TB mode for Kingmaker (and its near infinite dungeon expansion) and will likely have it on Day 1 for Wrath of the Righteous, do we really need KOTC II anymore? I guess if you have older PCs who can't run Kingmaker you could look forward to it.

 

[luj1]

I didn't even know I had epilepsy until I saw that trailer, thanks Pierre! Ok I hope this works out, I enjoyed the first game. Kind of miss that low tech pixel charm though.

The option to use the original pixel sprites will be available.

I see. So do you reckon he will be adding more sprites and animations later, like RPGuys said? It would make me very happy if he'd drop this dumb token look. We just need the first game, but with more races and classes, that's it.

 

[karnak]

I wonder if he'll get on GOG this time.

Yes he will.
Source:
http://heroicfantasygames.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?p=5441#p5441

 

[Rpguy]

Will there be a Codex fundraiser for this?

 

[Rpguy]

I wonder if he'll get on GOG this time.

Yes he will.
Source:
http://heroicfantasygames.com/Forums/viewtopic.php?p=5441#p5441

HeroicFantasyGamesDotCom [developer] 3 May @ 2:12am

It would be great for KotC to join GOG very soon. Realistically though, I think I will be too busy with the Kickstarter to be able to complete the process in May/June. Cheers!

 

[BlueSalamander]

Hi all, thank you for posting about KotC 2 and the Kickstarter!

for another 36£ you get another 3 kickstarter-only items. Each one takes him according the the delivery time half a year to make, amazing!

Aha, yup. The extra delivery time is for the additional adventure modules I'm going to be making. It's really hard to anticipate how much time the additional modules will require. My goal for future modules is to be able to complete them in about seven or eight months each, considering that the programming aspect is already finished and I can use the integrated toolset to create the maps, dialogues and combat encounters relatively quickly.

I didn't even know I had epilepsy until I saw that trailer, thanks Pierre! Ok I hope this works out, I enjoyed the first game. Kind of miss that low tech pixel charm though.

Sorry for triggering your epileptic seizures!

I don't think that is a good idea. You better have some clarity of vision before you run a campaign like that.

I do have a vision for the game's graphics. I would like it to look like Baldur's Gate, both in terms of the character & monster sprites and the background artwork. Though I will keep an option to display characters & monsters with flat tokens, for those who prefer the tabletop RPG look, and because tokens are useful to display creatures in the combat initiative list or as a portrait during dialogue. With that vision in mind, it's the budget that will determine how elaborate the sprites will be, as described in the stretch goals.

I thought he decided to go with this flat checkers look (huge decline in my opinion) but it looks like we'll have both?

Yes, you will have both.

As I understand it, we will have both but the sprites are very limited right now, so if you choose to play with sprites you will get a mixed game of both, and he will add more sprites and animations later but that depends on the Kickstarter goal reached.

Exactly. There will be sprites. But I need the Kickstarter because so many different creatures, including huge ones like Dragons, will need to have high-resolution sprites.

now that we have TB mode for Kingmaker

Different games, different experience. The more RPGs with turn-based combat are being made, the better for everyone. KotC 2 was designed from the beginning as an RPG with turn-based combat, so it's bound to be a different experience from an RPG that was designed to have Real-Time-With-Pause combat plus an option for turn-based combat. Also, KotC 2 has an integrated adventure-creation toolset, which I love as a dungeon designer.

do you reckon he will be adding more sprites and animations later

Don't worry, I will.

Today I will post the second puzzle in the KotC 2 KS Puzzle Challenge on Twitter & Instagram, plus some of my favourite black and white images from The Dark Eye books on Facebook. Thank you for your support everyone!

 

[Jrpgfan]

Never thought I'd say something like this but I feel he should put the graphics improvements above everything else. Those token characters are below standards even for someone like me who doesn't care much about graphics. It's such a huge turn off and I know I'm not alone on this. I'm certain it will have a big negative impact on the campaign.

 

[Bastardchops]

Never thought I'd say something like this but I feel he should put the graphics improvements above everything else. Those token characters are below standards even for someone like me who doesn't care much about graphics. It's such a huge turn off and I know I'm not alone on this. I'm certain it will have a big negative impact on the campaign.

I think you're right, as it may put off newcomers who write the game off because of the graphics.

 

[Rpguy]

People complain about the graphics on steam as well. Here is the response:


HeroicFantasyGamesDotCom [developer] 17 hours ago

In support of KotC 2, I will say that the game's enjoyment isn't related to the game's graphics. It's all in the tactical combat, the AI, the dialogues and player choices, the creation of your perfect party, the fun puzzles, quirky companions and so on.

That being said, it is one of my goals to use the Kickstarter to improve the game's appearance and make it look like Baldur's Gate or Temple of Elemental Evil, if possible.

KotC 2 already supports both tokens and animated sprites.

 

[Jrpgfan]

Never thought I'd say something like this but I feel he should put the graphics improvements above everything else. Those token characters are below standards even for someone like me who doesn't care much about graphics. It's such a huge turn off and I know I'm not alone on this. I'm certain it will have a big negative impact on the campaign.

I think you're right, as it may put off newcomers who write the game off because of the graphics.

Not newcomers. Even on this site there are old users who enjoyed the first game but aren't too inclined to play this one because of the tokens. Scaring away your own (already small)fanbase is a recipe for failure.

 

[Bastardchops]

Hmm.

 

[Morality Games]

People complain about the graphics on steam as well. Here is the response:


HeroicFantasyGamesDotCom [developer] 17 hours ago

In support of KotC 2, I will say that the game's enjoyment isn't related to the game's graphics. It's all in the tactical combat, the AI, the dialogues and player choices, the creation of your perfect party, the fun puzzles, quirky companions and so on.

That being said, it is one of my goals to use the Kickstarter to improve the game's appearance and make it look like Baldur's Gate or Temple of Elemental Evil, if possible.

KotC 2 already supports both tokens and animated sprites.

??? Stick with the retro/board game aesthetics, just make them better.

Animation intensive stuff like Baldur's Gate and the Temple of Elemental Evil is a pie in the sky and also a good way drain your franchise of its visual identity.

A large part of the niche appeal of Knights of the Chalice is that it avoids the visual exhaustion the rest of the genre and other video games freely indulge in. It almost makes me want to avoid games and movies in favor of books by instinct, now.