Aod News Main Thread

[Jedi Master Radek]

I didn't secretly hope to sell 200-300,000 copies (what are the odds of that?) much like I don't secretly hope that the dungeon crawler does *really* well but in case it does we can take one of the endings (you'll know which one when you get there and you're going to love it) and make another crawler. Maybe even hire a couple of extra people.

How many sells it has to make for you to make a sequel?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Sequel to AoD or DR?

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Sequel to AoD or DR?

I originally meant DR, but I am also curious about Aod

 

[Vault Dweller]

Well, had AoD sold 200-300k copies (not that anyone on the dev team expected it), we would have made a sequel. Not because it takes that much money but because it would have meant an overwhelmingly positive response that would simply demand another game in that setting (and even if it sells half of what AoD sold, it would still be ok).

DR - same story. Right now all possibilities are on the table. It can fail (as it doesn't have the aspects that many people liked about AoD), it can do ok (as we hope), or it can do surprisingly well, creating a strong demand for a sequel based on a certain ending. Naturally, we can't drop the CSG and start pumping out dungeon crawlers, so we'll have to expand the team to be able to do both. Expanding team is both risky and expensive, hence the need to do really, really well. How much? It's hard to say at this point as this game will be much cheaper (under $10), so it will require a much higher volume to add something to both the CSG budget and the budget to expand the team.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Well, had AoD sold 200-300k copies (not that anyone on the dev team expected it), we would have made a sequel. Not because it takes that much money but because it would have meant an overwhelmingly positive response that would simply demand another game in that setting (and even if it sells half of what AoD sold, it would still be ok).

Give it 5-7 years. Game is already a cult classic, and cult classics tend to gather new fans slowly, but steadily. Like a slow motion avalanche.

 

[Slimu]

Well, had AoD sold 200-300k copies (not that anyone on the dev team expected it), we would have made a sequel. Not because it takes that much money but because it would have meant an overwhelmingly positive response that would simply demand another game in that setting (and even if it sells half of what AoD sold, it would still be ok).

DR - same story. Right now all possibilities are on the table. It can fail (as it doesn't have the aspects that many people liked about AoD), it can do ok (as we hope), or it can do surprisingly well, creating a strong demand for a sequel based on a certain ending. Naturally, we can't drop the CSG and start pumping out dungeon crawlers, so we'll have to expand the team to be able to do both. Expanding team is both risky and expensive, hence the need to do really, really well. How much? It's hard to say at this point as this game will be much cheaper (under $10), so it will require a much higher volume to add something to both the CSG budget and the budget to expand the team.

The game will cost under 10$? The price seems very low. I think that at least 10$ is a good price if the combat is good (based on AoD combat, I'm expecting it to be very satisfying).
How long would it take to finish it?

 

[PlanHex]

inb4 it costs $9.99

still tho

 

[HoboForEternity]

Well, had AoD sold 200-300k copies (not that anyone on the dev team expected it), we would have made a sequel. Not because it takes that much money but because it would have meant an overwhelmingly positive response that would simply demand another game in that setting (and even if it sells half of what AoD sold, it would still be ok).

Give it 5-7 years. Game is already a cult classic, and cult classics tend to gather new fans slowly, but steadily. Like a slow motion avalanche.

Yeah, after all torment was performing underwhelmingly when it released. Now even some mainstream gaming media recognize it.

I myself found out about it in 2011, and it became my entry to the genre as a whole.

 

[Elhoim]

The game will cost under 10$? The price seems very low. I think that at least 10$ is a good price if the combat is good (based on AoD combat, I'm expecting it to be very satisfying).
How long would it take to finish it?

Around 10 hours, depending on many factors, of course. There are 50 fights, plus dialogues, exploration, looting, crafting... Dying and reloading again, and again, and again...

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Dying and reloading again, and again, and again...

Put "isometric party based Dark Souls" in the trailer to double the sales. Starved to write something popular games related, gaming media may pick it up.

 

[Zanzoken]

Also, wasn't the maximum party size going to allow five characters (like the CSG) or did I misread? The linked post seems to talk about the number of recruitable companions, since the game is supposed to let you have a group of two at least (unless I'm misremembering that as well).

We reduced to 4 fairly early for balance reasons.

Do you care to expand on this a little bit? I figure 4-man parties got popular when RPGs started being blockbuster multi-platform releases, but I know that's not why you guys are doing it.

 

[Vault Dweller]

The more people you have in your party, the more enemies we have to throw at you to maintain challenge. It works better in RT games like BG/IWD where you can kill a bunch of enemies fast, but doesn't work as well in a TB game with a relatively slow-paced combat (you don't kill anyone in 1-2 hits). Plus, in most crawlers you're meant to have a full party and losing most people isn't someone a player would accept. This game is designed differently, so you'll lose party members left and right, which means that you might go alone against enemies designed against 6 people. They will slaughter you before you can do anything. So we assume that you'll have 2-3 people, which is a more manageable range than 2-6.

For the record, not all crawlers had 6-8 people. Dungeon Master and Lands of Lore had 4 and 3, iirc.

 

[Goral]

Biggest Polish gaming site has covered the Dungeon Rats news: http://www.gry-online.pl/S013.asp?ID=100332

I'm surprised how detailed it is considering that GOL is a Polish equivalent of IGN. Besides Dungeon Rats info that's available on Steam page, they mention that Iron Tower is responsible for unpolished but very abundant/vast game that has many fans. They also mention Colony Ship Game.

Also, vote for DR at GOG: https://af.gog.com/wishlist/games/dungeon_rats?as=1649904300

P.S.
Should we create a separate thread for DR or do we dump all news here?

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Author of this article also wrote this : http://www.gry-online.pl/S018.asp?ID=1310&STR=8

 

[AbounI]

Happy birthday AoD

 

[HoboForEternity]

:3

 

[Modron]

I think I just got diabetes.

 

[Aenra]

Regarding the dungeon crawler, i'd have to be honest and say i'd be surprised if it did well (and by well i mean not merely perform its task, cover your in between expanses, but do like proper well, ie on its own right). That's my personal perspective influencing judgement of course; am so out of touch with what's hip or not today, may well be wrong. Sure hope so.
But the big one? I think it can do better than AoD. Not as.. demanding, mentally (less focus on reading) and assuming i comprehend the whole Charisma system? A lot more flexible, should be able to satisfy both group and solo lovers which i'd consider a huge plus. You combine the two with the nu-graphics, yeah, should do well

 

[Lurker King]

Author of this article also wrote this : http://www.gry-online.pl/S018.asp?ID=1310&STR=8

Age of Decadence - surprising heir of the first Fallout

 

[Bésame Mucho]

AoD has new webpage frontend. Made for free by a russian fan?

Dreed
Irenaeus

 

[HoboForEternity]

Vault Dweller Elhoim come and celebrate your baby's birthday

 

[Irenaeus]

AoD has new webpage frontend. Made for free by a russian fan?

Dreed
Irenaeus

I'm considering translating AoD to Portuguese. Any thoughts?

 

[Goral]

I'm considering translating AoD to Portuguese. Any thoughts?

Don't consider, just do it.

 

[Bésame Mucho]

Not worth the effort.
Dreed
Irenaeus

 

[agris]

Expanding team is both risky and expensive, hence the need to do really, really well. How much? It's hard to say at this point as this game will be much cheaper (under $10), so it will require a much higher volume to add something to both the CSG budget and the budget to expand the team.

I think the sub-$10 price point is smart. Volume can more than make up for thin margins, as Walmart and others can attest to. I hope it works out, I'll be D1P'ing Dungeon Rats.