KickStarter Dungeon Kingdom: Sign of the Moon, a realtime dungeon crawler - now available on Early Access

[kanda]

A word of unsolicited advice: if you want your game to sell, this should be your last post like that. It sounds defensive and defeatist at the same time, and frankly no one cares about whether you started development before or after Grimrock and how many resources you spent on it. Focus instead on what your game does better than the competition (which I suppose are physics-based puzzles and stronger story) and milk the hell out of these features.

I agree. I should have simply ignored mention about Grim and silently stay in the shadows. Going back to code!

 

[kanda]

You know what would really make it stand apart from the crawling plebs? Turn based combat.

We have debated about this before (maybe here on Rpgcodex). I would like the make such a crawler, and it could happen in the futur. But this is not Dungeon Kingdom, and it requires the game to be designed from the begining to be a turn based combat. Level design must care about the combat system. And that's not how we designed the environment and levels in our game. But for sure it would be a nice subject to explore later !

 

[vonAchdorf]

Believe it or not, the game has indeed been released to EA.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/329040

 

[kanda]

 

[mastroego]

Looks really nice (music sucks tho)

What about us backers? I'm not in a hurry to play anyway. Actually, I prefer the release version.

 

[vonAchdorf]

Compared to a year ago, the graphics really have improved a lot, and they weren't bad back then.

 

[Parsifarka]

I don't think that piece of dialog was the best to show. Besides that, it looks really good.

 

[kanda]

@mastroego : we juste received the steam keys, will send them asap, and will probably start tmrw

Thanks for your patience ^^

 

[Abelian]

Looks impressive. I smiled at the sandworm.
I'd say "within you..." sounds better than "living inside you!" at the end of the video.

 

[RuySan]

Great that there's lots of this kind of stuff coming up. It looks wonderful.

Too bad the name of the game is so bland. Same as with "Fall of the Dungeon Lords" or whatever it's called. You need something with a bit more zing to stand out in the myriad of indie releases.

 

[V_K]

Too bad the name of the game is so bland. Same as with "Fall of the Dungeon Lords" or whatever it's called. You need something with a bit more zing to stand out in the myriad of indie releases.

May I direct you to page 3 of this very thread?

 

[RuySan]

May I direct you to page 3 of this very thread?

Another example that nothing good comes from listening to the Codex.:D

"Sign of the Moon" would indeed be a better name.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Another example that nothing good comes from listening to the Codex.:D

"Sign of the Moon" would indeed be a better name.

May I direct you to page 1 of this very thread?

Was going to just be called "Dungeons Kingdom" before a bit of polite feedback resulted in the current compromise

 

[Jaesun]

Another example that nothing good comes from listening to the Codex.:D

You must be new here http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/underrail-now-available-on-early-access.69181/

 

[Abelian]

You must be new here http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/underrail-now-available-on-early-access.69181/

I normally don't do this, but the two levels of irony were too great to ignore:

Spoiler

RuySan
Joined: Jul 11, 2005

 

[RuySan]

You must be new here http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/underrail-now-available-on-early-access.69181/

Do you expect me to read 141 pages of conversation? Just tell me in one sentence.

 

[Abelian]

Do you expect me to read 141 pages of conversation? Just tell me in one sentence.

The Codex persuaded an indie developer to switch a post-apocalytic isometric RPG from RTWP to TB and is now one of the Codex's most eagerly awaited titles.

 

[AbounI]

According to the Steam forum page, some are already complaining about the lack of automap, which shouldn't be the case here.
But why not thinking about a simple feature, if it can be accorded with the lore of course: like in Conflux 3 (a Dungeon Master great mod), some scrolls can be hidden here and there.When the players find and read thoses scrolls, each one reveals a code (affiliates to the level they are find) to unlock some maps to download or print (or parts of maps).In conflux 3, players have to go through a link , but in the install folder, there's a file that can drive the players there, so it's relatively simple, and still optionnal for those who refuse the automap system.So I think it could be a good compromise for everyone, both for those who want to draw their maps by themselves and those who want the automap system

 

[kanda]

Yeah, that's exactly what i announced and it's has been a planned feature for a while. I don't like automap, and it can ruins some of the puzzles (dungeons master or chaos strikes back players will understand that). And the design of the levels (free from any constraints, no stack of 2d grids in dungeon kingdom) would make automap usage a bit tricky (players of daggerfall will get me too . Instead, i planned to add some local maps you will find (scroll) and use, in the areas we'll judge necessary.

Strangely, the players didnt miss/requested the automap are often new comers to crawler genre. Sometimes i wonder if some player got wrong habits with other games

In Dungeon Kingdom, we gave a different visual identity for most area. and for other, the hub style way to build sub levels part make it not so hard to find your way. The only difficult part for navigation is the abandonned area, and it was a choice to design it that way, part of the challenge. That's said, in apprentice difficulty mode, i think the local map for such an area will be welcomed indeed

 

[fanta]

kanda, I prefer not to play games in Early Access so have only gone through the tutorial up to getting to the tavern. Most basic feedback:
- Game looks great, art is good and portraits even better.
- The tutorial says 'overweight' when it means to say 'carrying too much'. Better word is 'encumbered'. Overweight means fat.
- The menu that is opened by ESC should also be closed by ESC.

The one thing I urge you to change is this. You have beautiful 2D portraits. As good as any AAA game. But then you try to animate them in conversations, and it looks bad or downright disturbing. It will always turn out so. Leave those portraits static. Don't turn a superior 2D asset into an inferior 3D one.

 

[Magellan]

kanda, I prefer not to play games in Early Access so have only gone through the tutorial up to getting to the tavern. Most basic feedback:
- Game looks great, art is good and portraits even better.
- The tutorial says 'overweight' when it means to say 'carrying too much'. Better word is 'encumbered'. Overweight means fat.
- The menu that is opened by ESC should also be closed by ESC.

The one thing I urge you to change is this. You have beautiful 2D portraits. As good as any AAA game. But then you try to animate them in conversations, and it looks bad or downright disturbing. It will always turn out so. Leave those portraits static. Don't turn a superior 2D asset into an inferior 3D one.

I agree with everything fanta says except the last point about the animated portraits. I thought they're fine.

 

[Nyast]

I actually thought the animated portraits were a good improvement compared to other games where they are static.

 

[kanda]

Thanks for the feedbacks. Corrected the 'overweight' and will update the ESC shortkey for that menu.

About portrait animations, that's very interesting to see the how much players are sensible about it. Some totally love it, some totally hate
We'll wait for more feedbacks about it to take a decision. Thanks again for the few issues report

 

[Nyast]

Easy solution: just make an option to turn them off. Problem solved.

 

[mastroego]

kanda
Any updates?
I remembered I'm waiting to play this game too. I've noticed it's still in early access.

Incidentally, would I qualify for Early Access? Not that I'd do it, most probably, I prefer playing the finished product. Still, curious.
Thanks for any info!

EDIT: found my Steam Key in my mail. My memory ain't what it used to be.