Ebony Spire: Heresy - dungeon crawler about throwing items

[Infinitron]

From the Codex inbox:

I'm working on a first person dungeon crawling RPG due to release on Steam on November 2nd 2017 and I thought about reaching out to you for coverage. It's a weird RPG that blends classic first person dungeon crawlers with roguelike mechanics (turn based, grid based movement) with a focus on acquiring and throwing items at the enemies.

You can think of it as a cross between Eye of the Beholder and Ancient Domains of Mystery. The item mechanic revolves around picking up items that are split into several categories (Weapons, Armors, Trinkets, Artifacts, Potions, Scrolls)

All items can be equipped, activated and casted but they can also be thrown. Throwing an item can and will trigger it's effect. And all enemies have access to the same items and abilities as the player. Enemies can steal your items and use them against you. As such they can summon more monsters, run away with the keys needed to unlock the next area of the game or teleport you to random locations. They can also throw heavy armor at you and crush you with it. There's a trailer for the game here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OESoi9BMFBI

The steam page is also live here:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/725040/Ebony_Spire_Heresy/


Thank you for your time,
Constantin Ciprian Bacioiu

 

[Biscotti]

Cross between EotB and ADOM
Seriously though, the concept seems pretty interesting and the game looks competently made. Definitely keeping my eye on this.

 

[IHaveHugeNick]

notbad.jpg

 

[BacioiuC]

Hi Guys,

Developer here. Sent that e-mail to via the contact form a few hours ago! Glad it got through and thank you for posting about it. I'm finding it really hard to spread the word about the game and to find communities of people who might enjoy this type of game. It's made with love for First Person dungeon crawlers but developed by a roguelike enthusiast.

Biscotti : ADOM + EotB is the easiest way for me to describe the game. It's a dungeon crawler, with grid-based movement but the action is turn-based. You play as a single character so no party. Levels are hand made and not generated via procedural means (although I am toying with the idea of adding an "infinite dungeon" mode after release). I've been playing ADOM with the first person NotEYE integration and I loved every death so far. Key-bindings and the means of interacting with the game are really ADOM inspired, but a bit more streamlined. You can Pickup items, Throw them, Use them etc. All items can be picked-up and used by the enemies and they will do their best to hit you hard with a really heavy armor chest piece . If you enjoyed ADOM you might like the game. It's not as complex as I wanted the game to be "easily accessible" and available for play during a <slightly longer> coffee break.

I'm preparing for a release on November 2 and I'm planning on running a closed Beta starting with 21st of October to check for any compatibility issues on Windows PC (mainly a Linux user here). If the community is ok with it I'm thinking of sticking around and doing some development updates and maybe drop some steam keys for the beta (again, if management is ok with this). <Deity name> knows I need a few good sets of eyes on the game.

 

[Infinitron]

DarkUnderlord Crooked Bee Devtag for BacioiuC (Bearded Giant Games)

 

[BacioiuC]

Hi guys,

I'm back with a few more information. Right now I'm trying to finish re-designing the levels. I changed the way they the map importer works and sadly, I have to recreate them. On the bright side, it helps with balancing the difficulty of the game. I also released an article on gamasutra on how the AI in the game makes decisions. It's the third in my series of articles on how the game's mechanics are implemented and it might be an interesting read. I'm also using the articles as a way to document how the game's engine is implemented and since the code will be available with the game on purchase, people can use it to make their own games (or mods, or what ever). But back to the game itself, besides the map re-design process which is time consuming this week the game received a couple of new additions that were not show in the trailer:

- Guns have been added as items in the game (quick test from this morning). Pirates are common in the ESH world and via portals (and summoning) the player can encounter them. Pirate themed levels will contain flintlock pistols that can be used as a range weapon (open the inventory, select the weapon and press the <use> button). The current problem with guns is balancing them. So far I'm stuck between two mechanics: Having a X number of available bullets/usages per gun. When it reaches zero the gun becomes unusable (breaks) or (mechanic 2) the gun itself has unlimited charges but the more powerful it is the more chances there are for it to blow in your face damaging you in the process. The second option is the most interesting one because guns might blow up in enemies faces making a dire situation more hopeful for the player. Or vice-versa! Also trigger happy NPC's can and will kill other NPC's and get into gun fights because of the way the AI works.

- Lore books have been added. I did not want players to have to go through dialogue or have to read line after line of text. The ESH world and setting can be discovered while exploring (due to the environment and the npc's in it). But some background details about deities and monster types, as well as settings and environments can be revealed by pickup book items and read from the inventory. Once triggered, the book's entry will be pushed into the log and the player can open it up and read. Fully optional and, hopefully, it will not hinder players who do not care about the lore in any way.

Trying to churn through the list of issues I have over on trello and get ready for a beta at the end of next week. This last 10% of development really takes a long time.

If you have any specific questions about the game, shoot! Might help me pen down some things for the steam page and grasp what the public's perception of the game is. I'm also thinking of adding a "Why you might not enjoy this game" entry on the steam page describing certain features people may not enjoy (like the keybindings) and your questions can help me define the list.

 

[Biscotti]

Regarding the guns: The second option does indeed seem like the most interesting option to me. I like the idea of using a really powerful weapon, knowing the risk of it backfiring on you. Gives you less incentive to use it unless you really need it.

Also trigger happy NPC's can and will kill other NPC's and get into gun fights because of the way the AI works.

Does this mean there will be infighting among enemies, or am I misunderstanding it?

 

[catfood]

 

[BacioiuC]

@Biscotti: Yes and no. I previously linked to the Article that explains how the AI makes decision. Melee fighting between them is a no-no, but enemies under threat (low hp, wounded) will try to use potion and items/artifacts. So they might throw a "throwing dagger" at another creature nearby out of fear or shoot them.

Edit: A small example of what can happen was from a few tests I did today with the weapons. Gave them to all NPC's in a test level. I wounded an NPC that got scared and ran. He triggered the gun and shot another one wounding it which in turn started firing. Ended up on turn 6 with most enemies shooting at what ever moved and on turn 7 with only two gun wielding npc's alive (and wounded) while the other 5 were dead. Reading through the log gave me a small chuckle . So yeah, can't make guns all that common or there's a chance of a chain reaction kill spree. It also sucks for the player if 3 or more enemies decide to shoot him on the same turn. However 1 enemy wielding a gun can be interesting in hunting him down and trying to acquire the weapon. Or seeing the gun and having an enemy picking it up, shooting at someone else who goes into a potion throwing frenzy that summons more NPC's.

 

[YES!]

I don't really see throwing items as a big hook for me.

 

[BacioiuC]

YES! I'm thinking about changing the line to: "A first person dungeon crawler where the enemies are kleptomaniacs". Throwing items is one way to describe the fact that enemies use the same items and skills as you and will use them against you in the same way you can. But it was one way to set the game apart from other first person dungeon crawlers. It's less about puzzles and more about "What's going to happen? Did he threw a freaking teleportation potion at me? Did that guy hit me with a steel armor?".

 

[mondblut]

I am sure everyone whose first exposure to RPGs and PC gaming in general was EOB, initially thought it was a game about picking up items from inventory and throwing them at the enemies.

That right mouse button thingy was very obscure feature back in the day. True story

 

[Doktor Best]

 

[Lurker47]

Hi Guys,

Developer here. Sent that e-mail to via the contact form a few hours ago! Glad it got through and thank you for posting about it. I'm finding it really hard to spread the word about the game and to find communities of people who might enjoy this type of game. It's made with love for First Person dungeon crawlers but developed by a roguelike enthusiast.

Biscotti : ADOM + EotB is the easiest way for me to describe the game. It's a dungeon crawler, with grid-based movement but the action is turn-based. You play as a single character so no party. Levels are hand made and not generated via procedural means (although I am toying with the idea of adding an "infinite dungeon" mode after release). I've been playing ADOM with the first person NotEYE integration and I loved every death so far. Key-bindings and the means of interacting with the game are really ADOM inspired, but a bit more streamlined. You can Pickup items, Throw them, Use them etc. All items can be picked-up and used by the enemies and they will do their best to hit you hard with a really heavy armor chest piece . If you enjoyed ADOM you might like the game. It's not as complex as I wanted the game to be "easily accessible" and available for play during a <slightly longer> coffee break.

I'm preparing for a release on November 2 and I'm planning on running a closed Beta starting with 21st of October to check for any compatibility issues on Windows PC (mainly a Linux user here). If the community is ok with it I'm thinking of sticking around and doing some development updates and maybe drop some steam keys for the beta (again, if management is ok with this). <Deity name> knows I need a few good sets of eyes on the game.

Throwing an item can and will trigger it's effect.

it's

Fix this. Your entire career depends on it.

 

[BacioiuC]

Hi guys,

Came back with some details regarding the beta and I already posted an announcement on the steam discussion forums. In short I'm looking for people who use Windows as their OS: 7, 8 or 10. The game is mainly developed on Linux (Ubuntu) and I want to make sure no pesky porting errors got away from me. The keys you receive for the beta will remain active after the game launches so you can consider the game your own from the moment you get access to the beta, with the only caveat being that not all levels and items will be unlocked from the start . I'm rolling them out every couple of days until launch so I can test compatibility and maybe get some data on their balance before the full game hits the proverbial shelves.

On another note, made a video a few days ago showcasing the faeries. In one of the worlds (Forest Ruins) they can be encountered and hunted for a chance to get the Tome of Teleportation:


Lurker47 ay ay! Going to try my best to not screw it('s) up! Thanks for pointing it out.

Thanks,
BacioiuC

 

[Fedora Master]

Graphics continue to degrade in the indie scene, huh?

 

[CryptRat]

Graphics continue to degrade in the indie scene, huh?

If we're talking specifically about RPGs whose complexity and therefore abstraction are two important attributes then it is not fundamentally a bad thing.

 

[BacioiuC]

Hi,

Launch day arrived! Game should go live on Steam in about 8 hours. Came back here to drop the new trailer and mention that I have a couple of keys to giveaway to a few members to share their impression on the game with the rest of you. You know, as to make an informed purchase decision. I think this is the best way to do it since youtube coverage is basically nil so far and I'm not a big fan of conning people into purchasing it and maybe then hope they won't bother asking for a refund.

So, here's the new Launch trailer:


And as for the keys, they will be given in a first-come first-served fashion with a small mention of "please leave a honest review/impression in this topic" on the game.

Thank you guys for having me here. Dropped out from the forum for a bit to finish the last remaining bits before launch.
Good luck and if you get the game, I hope you'll enjoy it. If not let me know and I can do better next time!

 

[Reapa]

races, classes, character progression?

 

[BacioiuC]

There are no races, but 3 classes: Berserker, Night Shade and Scroll Mage.
There are 3 stats in the game accessible with the "2" key. Weapon Affinity, Magic Affinity and Gun Knowledge. Each class handles one or the other stat better than the rest. Character progression is based on what item type you use the most. For example the berserker will do more damage the more he uses melee weapons. The Night Shade has less chances of having his gun backfire on him and can increase his damage output the more he uses it. All classes can use all the items and weapons, but some just have better starting stats and grow faster.

Characters do not level and there are no points to add. They increase while using an item corresponding to that stat.

 

[Reapa]

There are no races, but 3 classes: Berserker, Night Shade and Scroll Mage.
There are 3 stats in the game accessible with the "2" key. Weapon Affinity, Magic Affinity and Gun Knowledge. Each class handles one or the other stat better than the rest. Character progression is based on what item type you use the most. For example the berserker will do more damage the more he uses melee weapons. The Night Shade has less chances of having his gun backfire on him and can increase his damage output the more he uses it. All classes can use all the items and weapons, but some just have better starting stats and grow faster.

Characters do not level and there are no points to add. They increase while using an item corresponding to that stat.

sounds very lazy and rushed. no wonder people throw armors at each other if armors don't have armor value. no speed, no dexterity, no strength, no intelligence, no accuracy, no armor value, no equipment slots, no game basically.

It's a dungeon crawler, with grid-based movement but the action is turn-based. You play as a single character so no party. Levels are hand made and not generated via procedural means.

and i was like: "go on; ok; hell yeah; wait, what? whatever..." so we have a single character dungeon crawler. at least it's turn based. but:
- itemization is as good as non existent
- replayability too
- there's no pc-npc interaction other than combat

you being a roguelike enthusiast doesn't do shit for me if what your releasing is not a roguelike. dropping names and genres won't magically give your game any depth.

and as a side note, i don't care what coding language you use and how hard it is to make your own engine, if these graphics are all your engine can deliver, maybe you should have gone with unity. there's nothing special about your "pixel art" to make me want to look at this blocky mess.

 

[BacioiuC]

no speed, no dexterity, no strength, no intelligence, no accuracy, no armor value, no equipment slots, no game basically

You can equip armor, trinkets, wield a weapon, cast spells. Items have different stats which affect your damage output, your affinity abilities, your Armor Rating. There are teleportation spells, sleep spells and those that can do damage.

You're right about no pc-npc interaction other than combat-based. But NPC's can summon monsters, heal other via potions (or spells). Teleport away, shoot at you and yeah, throw items at you. Or equip the items themselves. And they choose the heaviest item they can throw at you if that'll hurt you enough.

Edit: I'd be happy to provide you with a key Reapa. Maybe my way of explaining the mechanics/the way the game works just isn't good . I'll post as soon as a few videos go up with the release version of the game if you're not keen playing it.

 

[Reapa]

no speed, no dexterity, no strength, no intelligence, no accuracy, no armor value, no equipment slots, no game basically

You can equip armor, trinkets, wield a weapon, cast spells. Items have different stats which affect your damage output, your affinity abilities, your Armor Rating. There are teleportation spells, sleep spells and those that can do damage.

You're right about no pc-npc interaction other than combat-based. But NPC's can summon monsters, heal other via potions (or spells). Teleport away, shoot at you and yeah, throw items at you. Or equip the items themselves. And they choose the heaviest item they can throw at you if that'll hurt you enough.

Edit: I'd be happy to provide you with a key Reapa. Maybe my way of explaining the mechanics/the way the game works just isn't good . I'll post as soon as a few videos go up with the release version of the game if you're not keen playing it.

so there's at least armor value and item weight as additional variables. if you're not starving yet and don't need this game to sell well from the start to keep working on it, consider adding more meat.
take "demise" for example. it's not procedurally generated, it doesn't really have much of a story, but it does feature a whole lot more to do besides throwing stuff at enemies and casting a few spells.
it has a bunch of classes, multi classing, quests, guilds, a party. of course all that stuff needs more basic mechanics.
or if you're going to turn it into a roguelike and keep it single character, do look at "dcss" (dungeon crawl stone soup). there's nothing inherently wrong with the improving at what you do as you do it approach but this is what a nice character sheet looks like when it comes to versatility of skills:

aptitudes are based on races and classes by the way and they affect how fast you improve at what you're doing. it's an elegant way (simple and effective) to implement more that just 3 classes and 1 race and make them matter.

and this is a free game!
now, by all means, do try and sell yours. but i wouldn't expect it to sell well until you give it some more depth if you're going for the roguelike crowd or better graphics if you want to catch some casuals. i may be wrong, but i don't think pixel nostalgia is still something hipsters will trow money at with no other incentive.

 

[Fowyr]

And it's done.
https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/Con...ip_at_least_700_units_to_stay_in_business.php

It's a constant stress and I don't think I can get out of the hole I dug myself into

At this point, I'm scared. I'm scared that I won't be able to pay my mortgage next month. I'm scared I won't be able to have anything left to eat. I'm scared my girlfriend won't be able to handle the stress I'm going through and be able to support me. I'm scared I'll loose the apartment I worked all my life to buy and I'm scared I'll end up on the street. I'm scared I'll loose my cat for good. And I'm scared that I will never take the risk to make my own game ever again.

It's been a soul crushing experience. And it's the end of the year. I banked on getting a job starting January. Almost no-one is in a rush to hire near the end of the year. I know I can get hired for a good salary again but I don't think it will happen this year. All I can do at this point is continue to improve the game and talk about it. The only thing I have at this point that makes me happy is seeing people playing my game on Steam. It's a coffee break game that you can finish in two hours. There are players with > 10 hours of game time in it. Those are my favorite people - they really enjoy it! But that's all I feel like I have left at this point.

As for me I'll keep updating my game. I won't have time to make a new one and put all my hopes in it. If I'm going down, I want to know I go down supporting my creation and the people that seem to love it. The game is called Ebony Spire: Heresy and I never thought I won't be able to survive this Christmas because of it.

 

[Infinitron]

Holy fuck, I feel bad for not posting news about this now.

He published that in November btw.