Game News Help revive the dungeon crawler! (again) - The Bard's Tale IV Kickstarter is LIVE

[AbounI]

Backed the collector edition .I can't go higher

 

[Killzig]

So the guys who after two multimil kickstarters only delivered one very mediocre game go for a revival of what's probably the worst non-indie blobber out there and people throw money at them like mad? The world is surely doomed.

At least it's not a card game.

 

[mondblut]

I understand phase based as simultaneous execution.

No. Phase-based is when giving orders and executing them happens in separate phases. First you give everyone an order, then you press "do it", and do they did. In Wizardry etc execution of orders still happened in sequence, not simultaneously.

 

[Goral]

@Brother None
Will PayPal payment option be available any time soon? I would back this up but don't have a credit card.

 

[Crooked Bee]

The pitch video is incredibly weak, though.

Spoiler

A good indication of what the game will be like?

Well, no one gives a shit about The Bard's Take series, Fargo had to improvise here.

I think you underestimate the amount of people for whom Bard's Tale I/II/III was (one of) their first RPG(s).

Still, yeah, Fargo did need to think about expanding the audience there, for sure.

 

[Turok]

 

[ghostdog]

So, "dynamic phase based combat dungeon crawler".... This basically means it will be like Might and Magic 3-5 ?

This KS is fucking weak, it needs much more information. Funny kid-publisher videos won't cut it for me anymore.

 

[Zetor]

The entire combat description paragraph is weak. The only concrete take-away is that it's blobber combat with no initiative and thus the player can choose any sequence of orders, probably resulting in "player team goes first and kills every enemy / destroys the most dangerous targets before they can act" situations most of the time. Of course it's probably going to be more than that, but there's no way to tell with what's in the pitch. Going to give them the benefit of the doubt for now and assume they're saving that stuff for KS updates...

 

[Infinitron]

It's a 38 day campaign. I doubt they're going to spend all that time trying to sell you in-game items ala Underworld Ascendant

 

[Don Peste]

Is that consultant kid from the video the one who convinced Obsidian to do the PoE card game Kickstarter?

 

[thesheeep]

On one hand, I would never spend any money on a campaign that does not show any gameplay at all.
It's a kick in the face for all the small teams trying to get funding via KS and really have to try hard to produce any showable material.
Then along comes someone with a name and an idea, supported by a really bad video (that wind scene, wtf, they weren't even trying) and people throw money like there is no tomorrow.

On the other hand, I just pledged 20$ because I know I won't get it cheaper anywhere else once it's out.

 

[Brother None]

@Brother None
Will PayPal payment option be available any time soon? I would back this up but don't have a credit card.

It'll be available at a later date but as always not before the Kickstarter itself funds.

 

[Gwendo]

I understand phase based as simultaneous execution.

No. Phase-based is when giving orders and executing them happens in separate phases. First you give everyone an order, then you press "do it", and do they did. In Wizardry etc execution of orders still happened in sequence, not simultaneously.

Like Frozen Synapse?

 

[Athelas]

Acting in sequence depending on initiative stat is supposed to be an abstraction of simultaneous action, so that still fits the bill of phase-based, I think. Otherwise only stuff like Frozen Synapse, where the phases take place in real-time, would qualify as phase-based and I don't think the term is that narrow.

 

[tuluse]

Like Frozen Synapse?

Frozen Synapse is phased based (order phase, resolution phase) and simultaneous resolution. The latter is not needed for the former.

Check out Battle Isle for sequential resolution phased based combat.

 

[felipepepe]

Eh, weak pitch and I'm disappointed there's no prototype video... sure, it's a smarter move (vide Underworld), but they did boast about it on one of those pre-kickstarter interviews, Fargo saying that "BTIV makes Grimrock look like BT I"....

Fargo gonna Fargo, I guess. But it will surely succeed.

 

[tuluse]

There is the 5 seconds of fiery corridor!

 

[mondblut]

I understand phase based as simultaneous execution.

No. Phase-based is when giving orders and executing them happens in separate phases. First you give everyone an order, then you press "do it", and do they did. In Wizardry etc execution of orders still happened in sequence, not simultaneously.

Like Frozen Synapse?

Haven't played. What I implied is that simultaneous execution is not required for phase based. Delayed order execution without player input in a phase separate from the order-assignment mode is what defines phase-based. Wizardry and Battle Isle are some of the examples of phase-based with sequential execution, while Combat Mission (when not in RT mode) or Baldur's Gate with only end-turn autopause enabled and no arbitrary pausing are technically phase-based with simultaneous execution - which is only one step away from realtime autocombat with timed interrupts for player input.

 

[Wizfall]

The video is not funny and this come from someone who really liked the W2 one.
The first time i had the feeling the acting/speech was very natural and not forced, this time it feels really too much and artificial.
I'm grateful to Fargo though and i love complex blobbers so i will pledge as soon as my credit card issues are resolved.
Still the speech is weak and not very exciting (and i don't care very much about nice screenshots or video demo).

 

[Siveon]

Paging mindx2. We've got another physical tier.

I'm hopeless, I just can't resist the god damn box. I might lower myself before the Kickstarter ends but...

 

[Jack Dandy]

On one hand, I would never spend any money on a campaign that does not show any gameplay at all.
It's a kick in the face for all the small teams trying to get funding via KS and really have to try hard to produce any showable material.
Then along comes someone with a name and an idea, supported by a really bad video (that wind scene, wtf, they weren't even trying) and people throw money like there is no tomorrow.

On the other hand, I just pledged 20$ because I know I won't get it cheaper anywhere else once it's out.

Make sure to back the next InXile project and you'll get Bard's Tale IV for free

 

[Fry]

Don't care about Bard's Tale, not a huge fan of blobbers, new (to inXile) engine with no prototype video, weak pitch video...

I still threw them $20. Sucker.

 

[Darkzone]

That Snake Oil salesman Fargo has managed again with his "The Bard's Song" to pull more than $100 out of my pocket. Here is one Bard's Song for Fargo:

 

[Morkar Left]

Backed.

This sounds interesting and like a novel feature for rpgs:

The sense of discovery and mystery doesn’t stop with the environment. Many items hold their own secrets that you’ll need to discover by carefully examining them. Similar to the intriguing video game series The Room, by thoroughly studying special objects, you can unlock ways to enhance or modify their properties. After looting a chest, for instance, you might find a dagger with suspicious holes dotting the blade. After examining it closer and rotating two oddly shaped discs on the hilt of your newly found weapon, a small compartment opens revealing a clock-like dial. Twisting this dial properly and locking it into place, you notice a viscous poison dripping from the blade which will add additional damage to each attack.

 

[DwarvenFood]

Whehehe that video.. Planet Scape.. paid mods.. hats.. will back