The Dark Eye Blackguards - turn-based tactical RPG set in The Dark Eye world

[Bubbles]

Press Release:

Blackguards RPG coming to Steam early access on Nov. 7

Turn-based role-playing game Blackguards will be available to purchase on Nov. 7 via Steam Early Access, three months ahead of its official release, publisher Daedalic Entertainment announced today. Users who buy the game early through Steam will be able to play ahead of launch and mail in feedback based on pre-release builds. Blackguards will be published chapter by chapter through Early Access, with the first of five chapters made available Nov. 7.

The game will be available to purchase at a lower price pre-launch. The Standard Early Access Edition including all chapters at their earliest and the full game post-release can be bought for $24.99 as one of the three payment options for the game. The Blackguards Early Access Deluxe Edition includes a 150 page artbook, developer interview videos and exclusive wallpapers for $34.99. Finally, the Blackguards Early Access Contributor Edition features the buyer's name in the game credits, the first Blackguards DLC and a copy of point and click adventure game Chains of Satinav for $49.99. Blackguards will officially launch in late January 2014 for Windows PC and Mac.

Clever move - this way they can still release before Grimoire.

 

[Infinitron]

Source?

 

[Infinitron]

Source?

http://gamebanshee.com/news/112575-...ble-via-steam-early-access-on-november-7.html

Blackguards to be available via Steam Early Access on Nov 07, 2013

Hamburg, October 29th, 2013 –As of November 7, three months before its official release, Daedalic Entertainment’s upcoming turn-based RPG Blackguards will be available for purchase thanks to Valve’s Steam Early Access program.

Early Access is designed to allow players to play a game before its official release, and to influence the development process by mailing in their feedback based on pre-release builds.

Blackguards will be published chapter by chapter while in Early Access: On November 07th, 2013, Daedalic Entertainment releases the first part of the game, all other chapters of a total of five will follow after three weeks’ time each.

Daedalic Entertainment offers several packages for those interested in Early Access. In every case, players will secure access to the final version of Blackguards, by paying a lower price than they would if they purchased the game after its official release.

Additionally, they have the opportunity to purchase exclusive extras that will only be available before the official release: For $24.99/£18.99/€24.99, players receive the Standard Early Access Edition of Blackguards, including all chapters for PC at their earliest availability, and the full PC & Mac version of the game after the official release. For $34.99/£26.99/€34.99, players receive the Blackguards Early Access Deluxe Edition, additionally including an approx. 150 page artbook, as well as developer interview videos and six exclusive wallpapers.

Priced $49.99/£29.99/€49.99, the Blackguards Early Access Contributor Edition additionally includes an appearance of a buyer’s name within the game’s credits, as well as the first Blackguards DLC and a copy of the The Dark Eye point & click adventure Chains of Satinav for free.

 

[WarHamster]

For $24.99/£18.99/€24.99, players receive the Standard Early Access Edition of Blackguards. For $34.99/£26.99/€34.99, players receive the Blackguards Early Access Deluxe Edition.

Ahh, Steam, gotta love that pricing scheme of yours. Euro trash are effectively paying 25% more than customers from Yankistan with their banana dollars. Attaboy!

 

[Infinitron]

For $24.99/£18.99/€24.99, players receive the Standard Early Access Edition of Blackguards. For $34.99/£26.99/€34.99, players receive the Blackguards Early Access Deluxe Edition.

Ahh, Steam, gotta love that pricing scheme of yours. Euro trash are effectively paying 25% more than customers from Yankistan with their banana dollars. Attaboy!

Steam doesn't set the prices. Blame the devs. And they're Europeans, too. How unpatriotic.

 

[Bubbles]

Think of it as a discount for Americans in exchange for giving them shitty translations.

 

[tuluse]

Euro price probably includes VAT, so the difference isn't as big as it looks.

 

[felipepepe]

Finally, the Blackguards Early Access Contributor Edition features the buyer's name in the game credits, the first Blackguards DLC and a copy of point and click adventure game Chains of Satinav for $49.99.

I'm curious about this, DLCs don't really fit with this kind of game... unless they add stuff like "Explore the Lost Tower of Blablablá" or some other big side-quest like that.

 

[cherry blossom]

For $24.99/£18.99/€24.99, players receive the Standard Early Access Edition of Blackguards. For $34.99/£26.99/€34.99, players receive the Blackguards Early Access Deluxe Edition.

Ahh, Steam, gotta love that pricing scheme of yours. Euro trash are effectively paying 25% more than customers from Yankistan with their banana dollars. Attaboy!

Eurotrash live in welfare paradise where you can simply exist without challenge. Paying 25% is just.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Excidium]

SCREEN SHAKE

 

[felipepepe]

Is up on Steam as well: http://store.steampowered.com/app/249650/?snr=1_7_15__13

Also, they were smart and posted a nice FAQ on the Steam forums, I recommend anyone instrested in the game to read it:

F.A.Q.
Why does swapping arrows consume an action?
Like swapping weapons, swapping ammunition uses up an action, encouraging players to anticipate.

Why aren't there more character customization options?
Character creation was made deliberately simple to ensure a quick access to the actual game. You can freely skill and level up your character. You can decide which spells, skills and attributes you favor. The only preset you have to choose is a character type at the game's beginning.

Why is there no 360° camera?
We wanted to keep interaction in towns simple, without too much time going into the search of certain characters or dialogue partners. On the battlefield, this also contributes to a fast paced gameplay with good navigation. However, you can still tilt the camera in different angles for an optimized view.

Why aren't there random encounters?
The Adventure Point (experience) system is balanced towards optimal, constant difficulty. Random encounters or repeatable battles would mess with that system. Random encounters would also slow down the game's pace, significantly harming immersion.

Why doesn't the combat log show dice rolls?
The combat log is a tool designed to show a detailed summary of a battle. The game's calculations are pretty complex and displaying all variables would render the combat log much less useful.

Why do piles of crates and barrels always fall into a certain direction?
Piles are placed in certain strategic areas. If they'd fall randomly, they'd probably impair a maps intended design.

Why is there no storage area for my stuff or housing in the game?
This game is about a desperate escape followed by a journey. A safe house or a long-term home would contradict this premise. Also, the amount of loot should not be too much to carry around. The game encourages players to decide if they want to keep stuff or not. Exceeding weight capacity has negative effects on your combat performance, so it's another strategic call to make. Having a storage area would nullify this strategic component.

Why are prices for items the same at every vendor and why are there no discounts or something like that?
We wanted to prevent unnecessary time sink. Players shouldn't have to run to special vendors just to sell certain items.

Why are throwing knifes one-shot items?
Throwing knifes are considered consumables like arrows. If you use them, you have to buy new ones. That's how consumables work.

Why can't I declare an attack by clicking a portrait?
The portraits are useful for showing initiative sequences, but are not suitable to display complex tactical situations. Declaring actions by relying on portraits could result in pretty frustrating mistakes.

Why is there no window mode?
So you won't get distracted ;-).

Why have resolutions other than 16:9 black borders?
The game is optimized towards 16:9 ratio. Other resolutions would cause problems. Fixing those problems would've meant disproportional amounts of work.

Why is there no lip-synch?
The cutscenes consist of a limited amount of animations. Due to budget reasons we just couldn't lip-synch all of our cutscenes.

Why are there no flanking modifiers and why can you parry attacks from behind?
We experimented with a flanking system, but ultimately, we ditched it. It would've caused unwanted 'tactical' patterns, having players running around enemies every turn just to get a flanking bonus/backstab.

Why aren't there penalties for enemies at low health?
The wound-system covers this mechanic. By wounding them, you can deliberately weaken opponents.

Why is there no endurance mechanic?
Endurance mechanics would have caused a great imbalance between casters and melee fighters. To keep the balance, we decided against such a system.

Why is there no cursor screen lock?
Since we don't know of any problems in regards of moving the cursor to other screens, we didn't think a screen lock option was necessary.

 

[Excidium]

R$40 for shovelware, no thanks

 

[felipepepe]

R$40 for shovelware, no thanks

You would be surprised... it definetly beats Shadowrun Returns and Conquistador.

 

[Darth Roxor]

 

[Excidium]

They were in beta.

 

[felipepepe]

R$40 for shovelware, no thanks

You would be surprised... it definetly beats Shadowrun Returns and Conquistador.

How do you know this? Just curious.

Roxor and I may or not been beta testers and may or not be currently writting a preview of the game.

Ah yes, DISCLAMER: I'm not talking about the super-secret NDA beta stuff here, but about the press build they kindly offered. :3

 

[Infinitron]

Who knows, this game just might be a NEW CODEX CLASSIC THAT SURPRISES US ALL. Not that I would know anything about that.

 

[Grunker]

This looks better and better.

Who knows, this game just might be a NEW CODEX CLASSIC THAT SURPRISES US ALL.

Just for the record, let it be known that I called this!

 

[Delterius]

I'm sorry, your indirects are a bit too mystifying. Is this going to be the Citizen Kane of something or what?

 

[Grunker]

I'm sorry, your indirects are a bit too mystifying. Is this going to be the Citizen Kane of something or what?

Right now, it looks to a be solid tactical RPG that recognizes its own weaknesses (unlike Shadowrun: Returns or Conquistador which were way too ambitious given their budget).

 

[tuluse]

Shadowrun: Returns wasn't very ambitious.

 

[Delterius]

Well, given that I found Conquistador to be enjoyable I'll likely like this one. Will it fill the void left behind by Chaos Chronicles? Only time will tell.

Also, is it wise for Felipepepep to review this game? Isn't he a pretender to the JRPG weeaboo forum's throne?

I'll never forget you recommended FF XIII to me, Felipe. Only thing worse than that was Hommlet.

 

[Excidium]

Nobody better than a JRPG fan to review a tactical turn-based game with awfully gamey mechanics.

 

[Darth Roxor]