KickStarter BEAUTIFUL DESOLATION - isometric post-apocalyptic adventure from STASIS developer

[Helly]

The maps are absolutely stunning, but if I have one complaint, it's that they're a bit too empty for their size. Although I've only finished the "tutorial" stage, maybe they get more dense later. I mean, in principle, it's fine for an Adventure game to have 1-2 "active" spots per map, it's just that the maps are normally much smaller.
But I'm enjoying the game a great deal nevertheless. It's just the kind of fix I need at the moment - exploring a reasonably open and very intriguing world at a relaxed pace. Pyke!

I agree with your first point. Most of the maps are sadly...boring and empty. And what you do find is in the end fairly standard stuff. I've been playing for a couple of hours now, and I just couldn't take it anymore. Used the warden and sadly, the new maps were no better.
Great isometric engine, though, but I personally really didn't dig the design.
Also, Fallout style conversations looked great on paper, but only 3 options max? And I felt after 2 hours that there was very little to no C&C.

 

[Jenkem]

The only adventure game I can think of with C&C is Lamplight City except for QfG type "pick your class" routes

 

[rusty_shackleford]

rpgcodex rpg of 2020 material

 

[Grotesque]

oh man!

The main menu music kicks some serious ass!
Love it

 

[Modron]

The only adventure game I can think of with C&C is Lamplight City except for QfG type "pick your class" routes

Blade Runner, Fate of Atlantis has mutually exclusive routes, Primordia has some, but yeah adventure games with c&c in flavor endings are a rarity and even rarer are the ones with c&c through out outside of CYOA games are unicorns. I suppose there are more life sim like adventure game oddities like Quandaries.

 

[Binky]

Played a bit. You know everything's gone to hell when you see dancing obese holograms. Also nice to hear that South African accent in a game again. Still remember Malan from Stasis: "You rrrreally are a rrroach, Mr. Maracheck."

 

[Zarniwoop]

How come the GOG version is a LOT more expensive than Steam?

 

[HoboForEternity]

How come the GOG version is a LOT more expensive than Steam?

region price

 

[Pyke]

Have the GOG keys been sent? I had asked for GOG, but they key I received doesn't seem to work on GOG. Pyke

Can you send a mail to studio@thebrotherhoodgames.com and we will sort you out!

 

[Ludwig von Eisenthal]

I have to say: There is so much life and activity packed in these nature scenes it's just oozing atmosphere! The first game I felt reminded of was Albion with its similarly lush jungles and all the critters creeping and flying around. In many adventures the background only serves as a place to give the player puzzles to solve but here the scenes are meant to be experienced in their unique atmosphere and strange beauty and puzzles are only a part of the whole, not the main thing (at least that's how I experience it). There are not many games where I just decide to stand around for a few moments and admire the environment but here it's the case. The only very minor thing: I'd prefer not to have the labels on things popping up automatically, they have the tendency to draw me out of the beautiful illusion of this world a bit.

 

[Pyke]

I have to say: There is so much life and activity packed in these nature scenes it's just oozing atmosphere! The first game I felt reminded of was Albion with its similarly lush jungles and all the critters creeping and flying around. In many adventures the background only serves as a place to give the player puzzles to solve but here the scenes are meant to be experienced in their unique atmosphere and strange beauty and puzzles are only a part of the whole, not the main thing (at least that's how I experience it). The only very minor thing: I'd prefer not to have the labels on things popping up automatically, they have the tendency to draw me out of the beautiful illusion of this world a bit.

Thanks! Yeah - the UI was a tough one here. I've already got some ideas on how to improve it for the next game!

 

[V_K]

The name of the game does have the word DESOLATION in it, after all.

Well, the way I understand it, desolation implies a lack of people, not lack of things.

What may not be obvious for first time players is that some maps have new hotspots / interactables open up as progress occurs in the story, bringing you back to those seemingly desolate maps.

Oh, it's very noticeable in the opening area. But it's arguably part of the problem, making the areas seem even more like story backdrops rather than places to explore.
I think the core of the issue is the game distinguishing between "interactive" hotspots and "read-only" hotspots. It's one of the supposed "QoL" features in modern adventures that doesn't take into account how it affects gameplay loop. It both makes puzzles very straightforward and easy and reveals how little interactivity the maps actually have.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Well, after a couple of hours with it I can say without a doubt that it's one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. Superb art, art direction, and just an all around feast for the eyes. But we already knew that, didn't we?

I'm enjoying exploring and getting to know the setting. Very interesting so far.

EDIT: I'm playing as a nice guy, because I like it. But boy, I'll probably do a playthrough someday as a total dickhole, cause I'm sure there's a lot of a fun to be found there.

 

[Bah]

Pyke The game is playing well in linux with Steam-Proton with the exception of cutscene videos which don't play. Do you have any details on the libraries that the game uses for full-motion videos? I'm hoping I can track down a library that can be installed in the WINE prefix to get the game fully playable (e.g. windows media foundation).

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Pyke The game is playing well in linux with Steam-Proton with the exception of cutscene videos which don't play. Do you have any details on the libraries that the game uses for full-motion videos? I'm hoping I can track down a library that can be installed in the WINE prefix to get the game fully playable (e.g. windows media foundation).

FYI if you were unaware, there's an easy way to install media foundation in wine
https://github.com/z0z0z/mf-install
afaik winetricks doesn't have it due to licensing issues or somesuch

 

[Pyke]

Pyke The game is playing well in linux with Steam-Proton with the exception of cutscene videos which don't play. Do you have any details on the libraries that the game uses for full-motion videos? I'm hoping I can track down a library that can be installed in the WINE prefix to get the game fully playable (e.g. windows media foundation).

Yeah - the videos are the main issue in Linux, and its actually why we couldn't do a Linux launch release!

This is the plugin we use for the video.

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/video/avpro-video-56355#description

AVPro Video.

All videos are encoded with Quicktime 7's basic export with H.264 at 10000 kpbs.

You can actually access the videos in the MEDIA folder if that helps you!

 

[1451]

Does this support a controller.

 

[Pyke]

Does this support a controller.

No - just mouse.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Edit: Nevermind...

 

[Grotesque]

what I am supposed to do here? I am stuck. I don't know if it's a bug or not. used a code, used the Agnate eye, nothing happens

 

[Pyke]

Hey man - this may actually be a known bug - I'm actually sorting it out right now. You'll be happy to know that you are the second person out of about 2000 people to actually run into this!

Sorry - you have to use the agnate eye on the box, click the button, then go to the other box, put in the code (found in your codex) and it will unlock.

What you do to trigger the bug is you use the agnate eye, and close the PDA without pressing the button. The bug prevents you from opening it again!

Sorry for this inconvenience! You may have to run back to that same point again if you dont have a save right there. The next version will be up in a few hours with the fix!

 

[Grotesque]

also quick saves made via F5 key are listed as autosaves in the list

 

[agris]

Save management in general isn't great - we can't name, and deleting the excessive amount of saves that pile up is pretty cumbersome. You can't multi-select, so you have to delete each save file-by-file, and there's a confirmation dialogue box that pops up each time. You can't just delete them from the AppData folder either, if you use cloud backups then it just restores them all.

We really need "maximum number of autosaves" and "maximum nunber of quicksaves" options Pyke

 

[agris]

Also, Fallout style conversations looked great on paper, but only 3 options max? And I felt after 2 hours that there was very little to no C&C.

The "C&C" isn't inXile / Obsidian / Bioware-style, i.e. where it mostly means nothing but is put in front of you constantly and touted through their marketing. The choice and consequence in BD happens less often, to greater impact. The wiping out of factions, the choice to engage in murder-for-sport, and helping (or not) various in-game factions. These all have an impact on how the story unfolds (as I understand it, haven't finished BD yet).

If you're looking for the drip-drip-drip dopamine hit of other RPGs, this adventure game isn't for ya. But it sounds like you aren't very far and your expectations are probably conditioned from some of the mainstream junk people consume on this forum. Keep playing, you'll get some satisfying C&C.

Now I can stop using that fucking expression.

Separately - did anyone else notice the "Fargo Oil" sign in the first map? The Brotherhood really are Bros, they get that Fargo is a snake oil salesman :D

edit: while 3 options max per conversation node is not a lot, they also serve their purpose. How you speak to people impacts things, and since there is very little / no going back in conversation, certain options also reveal more hints as to the story and setting. Again, since this isn't like those other developers' games, this setting is actually interesting and makes you WANT to know more about it, so the "correct" conversation options are rewarding. There aren't lore dumps all over the world - except for the Old Doli at the very beginning, and the robot mechanic. but the first world (Vesta) is considered tutorial apparently, which is why its content is more spoon fed to the player.

 

[ScrotumBroth]

Saw a patch download on Steam. Good thing I'm waiting for the weekend.