KickStarter Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption - adventure-RPG from the creators of Quest for Glory

[Pope Amole II]

The Hero-U KickStarter *never* managed to produce anything which solidly represented what gameplay will look like.

Would've brofisted this if I could.

And honestly, I'm disgusted by the codexian attitude on this one. It's, like, "oh, they're totally half-assed about this and there's no good reason to believe anything good will come out of this (oh, and they say that they couldn't play PST as they were distracted by the monster fights too much - le fuck?), but they're AWESOME and they might fail - ooh, let's give them teh monehz!!!"

With such way of thinking, how are you fucking better than biowhores and bethestards?[/quote]

 

[taxalot]

I was about to back it up, because seriously, Quest For Glory. But then I saw Matt Chat's video. I saw two (not very good looking, but what the hell) looking almost half drunk, selling their game clothed like if they were on holiday. I saw people jumping on the bandwagon and say only vague stuff about how the game was going to be like.

I'm glad I'm broke.

 

[evdk]

Sell your top hat and monocle. Fucking cats.

I fully admit I supported this in full nostalgia mode, hopefully they will deliver something worthwhile.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Actually, what I was referring to was the fact that Star Citizen actually managed to produce something resembling their game, and to have a solid message about how gameplay would work *before* they started their KickStarter. They had preliminary designs, videos, and other well-produced material that give insight as to how exactly the game will play.

You know what else they had? A ton of money. In case you haven't figured out my comparison with Bethesda.
Too bad the Coles didn't have the funds to make a demo with AAA-level graphics, huh? Then it would be the best game.. err, I mean pitch ever.

Also, what argument? Your only argument is: I don't like the graphics and I don't understand what game they're trying to make so the pitch is bad?
It's quite obvious what game they're trying to make, they explained it a lot of times. I guess you're just too dumb to figure it out. Of course, it will suck, because they didn't do a sprite in the correct perspective, but hey.

 

[iamlindoro]

You know what else they had? A ton of money. In case you haven't figured out my comparison with Bethesda.
Too bad the Coles didn't have the funds to make a demo with AAA-level graphics, huh? Then it would be the best game.. err, I mean pitch ever.

You seem pretty threatened by this. In fact, you seem so convinced by your own argument that you're ready to believe that a well done pitch is somehow a *bad* thing. The Coles and their team, in a month of a KickStarter that struggled and seemed to realistically be poised to fail, could not produce a single polished piece of artwork. How much do you expect that would cost? If a team cannot produce a *single* professional-quality graphical asset in a whole month, what should I conclude? That they are "resting up" and that as soon as the check clears, they will get right to work, only for reallies this time?

The artists and development team should have been working overtime to produce their best work in order to support their pitch. I don't think that's unrealistic. So let's assume that is exactly what they did. If this is the best that a month's work yielded, and all there is to show for gameplay is one screen with visible pencil marks, mixed perspectives, and two dimensional character sprites, what should my conclusion be?

If in one month the developer cannot produce a single screen of working gameplay, on an engine that already exists and whose logic he wrote, what should my conclusion be?

You're right, a major part of my argument is that I don't like the graphics. A more serious part of my argument is that even within the parameters they have specified-- top down, tiled, etc.-- they themselves appear incapable of producing something that doesn't appear to be very amateurish. Seriously-- a whole month. They can't produce a character sprite that doesn't look like a 2D paper doll? They can't produce a tiled map in the engine? They can't at least use the Photoshop smudge tool and eliminate the pencil strokes from the "new, improved" mockup? That concerns me. And it should concern you too.

But by all means-- tell me "I'm too dumb to get it" as though that doesn't expose that the best you can do is to attack me instead of countering what I'm saying.

 

[FeelTheRads]

you're ready to believe that a well done pitch is somehow a *bad* thing

And apparently you think a "well done pitch" is free considering how you're pointing out to the Star Citizen one as an example.

If a team cannot produce a *single* professional-quality graphical asset in a whole month, what should I conclude?

I don't know what you can conclude but I conclude you're dumb. They said their last mockup was pretty much how it will be in the game, so what else do you want them to show? Not professional enough? Well, apparently that's all they can do with the amount they raised.

They can't produce a character sprite that doesn't look like a 2D paper doll?

Again, that's likely how they intend to do the game. Read the fucking updates or something before blabbering like a retard.

They can't at least use the Photoshop smudge tool and eliminate the pencil strokes from the "new, improved" mockup?

The fuck? Seriously fucking retarded.

 

[Blaine]

With such way of thinking, how are you fucking better than biowhores and bethestards?

They gave us Quest for Glory, so they deserve a chance to prove themselves. If they fuck up, their reputation among adventure gamers will be ruined, and they know it.

I'm no apologist, either. Earlier in the thread I can be observed posting some very scathing skepticism.

 

[Morkar Left]

Wtf guys? They made 26 updates, have lots of artwork (there's actually beautiful artwork similar to QfG), have an entire website dedicated to the game and made a lot of interviews and gave long information and honest insights how the style of the game would be. It will play in the QfG universe and it will focus more on the rpg parts than QfG, including combat (and combat in QfG sucked. Period.). Plus they are still funny.

But codex? "Ohh no, they look creepy and the char I have to play is redhaired and it isn't EXACTLY like QfG. But even when it would be exactly like QfG it would still suck because than the artwork would be cartoony exactly like QfG and that isn't grimdark and because therefore will suck. This is an outrage!!!!!"

Seriously, I'm beginning to doubt if half of the bitchers here have even played QfG... QfG was good because of the mostly tongue in cheek fantasy world with quality dialog and some puzzles you could solve in different ways. Why shouldn't they be able to do it again? They still have their wits together.

I'm glad they made it and I'm looking forward to the game curious how the game will be different gameplaywise from QfG and other traditional rpgs.

 

[Aeschylus]

You are being far too reasonable. Release the hounds!

 

[Minttunator]

Final score: $409,150 pledged of $400,000 goal.

 

[Corey Cole]

lol at Aeschylus. Love the trolls here on both sides - yay for flame wars. We are funded, and in a year all we will all know whether the game is "good enough" for each of our tastes. We'll have some real graphics much sooner than that now that we (well, in a month or so after we get the funds) can actually pay people to do work for us.

We think it's going to be awesome - We have a great group of developers who are very excited about the project as well as highly talented. But we don't have a staff of 40 artists for 3 years as we did on Quest for Glory 5, so everything will be tight.

FeelTheRads has it absolutely correct about money up front. We did our Kickstarter on a shoestring with all-volunteer labor. Even so, it cost people a lot of time with which they would otherwise be doing contract work at $50+/hour. So definitely not "free". Obsidian has about 150 full-time employees, which means a burn rate of perhaps $1 million each month. How much do you suppose their Kickstarter cost them during the month it ran and the month or more it took them to prepare? (I don't know the answer; it depends on how much of their staff was involved.) It was a wonderful, smoothly executed project partly because they had many full-time employees who could work on it. They could also show real project work during the Kickstarter because they had the luxury of knowing it was funded on Day One. Try pulling employees off another paying project if you don't know whether this one is going to happen at all. (Example: Loot Drop - Their failed campaign had a very high opportunity cost for the employees who worked on it.)

 

[FeelTheRads]

Congratulations!

Now start that PayPal thing already!

 

[Zed]

Congratulation Corey Cole! I wrote that it was impossible for you guys to get funded a week ago, and look at you now. I feel like I should eat a hat or something. Regardless, I'm happy, because I pledged and I'm now looking forward to seeing more of your game. And ultimately play it.

 

[Blackthorne]

I know that we spent almost 6 months working on the demo that released simultaneously with our Kickstarter for Quest For Infamy - because we KNEW we'd have something to prove. We were a bunch of independent game makers - and while we made some well received remakes, we knew we didn't have a "name" to pin our game on, so we busted our asses to produce what we thought was a high quality demo to market our game. I think it paid off - I don't think we would have been as successful as we were without the demo. Even with the demo, people had gripes - but the nice thing about that was that we were able to get feedback from people, and makes some changes based on the suggestions to hopefully make the game better. It's made our full fledged production run even better. We're releasing a larger "Demo v 2.0" next month, and I expect to get some more feedback on that.

I think the more prepared you are for your Kickstarter, the better you'll do.... though, heh, I do find it funny that on Hero-U some people were like "Ugh! I hate this! Here's money anyway!"

Bt

 

[suejak]

What I'm REALLY looking forward to is my copy of McGruff's Jolly

 

[Jaesun]

SO Happy you guys made the goal. Looking forward to a great game form both of you and your team.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

I can't add anything that has not already been said. But I have played all five Quest for Glory games (1 and 4 being my favorites) and I wanted to add my congratulations and say that I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

 

[Stainless Veteran]

I still have some reservations about art style, but otherwise I'm happy that Hero-U was successfully funded. It's almost a pity that I already got all QfG on GoG, otherwise I'd be sorely tempted to pledge higher amount.

Anyway, , comrades and trannies!

 

[suejak]

New update today!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects.../362823?ref=email&show_token=1c4d42e0d4fdb956

Some serious WTFs in this one.

Terry's first "modest" change was to scrap the square tile interface in favor of an isometric art style. The game will still be 2D, but this will give it more of a 3D look. In particular, characters and objects on the screen will look more natural. The change will require a significant engine change, but will greatly enhance the visual appeal.

You wait until AFTER you barely squeak through on funding for your game, in part due to criticism of the engine and art style, to announce that actually you're not going to do it that way at all?

 

[Infinitron]

Here in the United States we will soon be celebrating our day of national thanksgiving. But in this instance we have cause to be thankful that breaches all borders. Not just for the Coles, who have returned from obscurity to the industry where they so deservedly belong, nor for Brawsome Studios who have given them the capacity to do so. Not just for the deeply rooted community that has coalesced around this project and put so much effort into promoting it, nor to the more than six thousand individuals who made a difference in funding it. What these things, in combination, have brought us is more than a game. It is the confidence that tomorrow, the sun will shine a little bit brighter.

We live now in the digital age. Where we were once influenced by books, and then cinema and television, games will play an ever larger role in shaping who we are as individuals and as a society. Hero-U is a reminder that transformational change is made up of many small instances of heroism, sacrifice, and faith in a greater good. It is also a message to the next generation that life is string of choices, choices that define our character and have a real impact on the world around us. Today we have made our choice. We have chosen the Coles over corporations, we have chosen compassion over compromise, resolve over reflex. We have done so for more than our own well being, but to bring substance to those struggling under the weight of social ennui.

Whatever impact Hero-U may have on the industry, what I believe in is the impact it will have on those who play it. Lives that have been empty shall be filled. Eyes cast to the ground will be raised. The hopeless shall receive purpose. If Hero-U benefits one person in the same way that the Coles work has elevated my life, I shall hold my head high in knowing that I was there, I was part of it; that mine was one of the many instances of heroism that helped make transformational change in the lives of people I will never meet, in ways that I will never know. For that privilege, it is my privilege to give thanks to you all.

 

[suejak]

Fuckin social ennui, man.

 

[Blaine]

Lives that have been empty shall be filled. Eyes cast to the ground will be raised. The hopeless shall receive purpose. If Hero-U benefits one person in the same way that the Coles work has elevated my life, I shall hold my head high in knowing that I was there, I was part of it; that mine was one of the many instances of heroism that helped make transformational change in the lives of people I will never meet, in ways that I will never know. For that privilege, it is my privilege to give thanks to you all.

Aaaaaaaand I think we've located someone certifiably more pathetic than babyfurs. That is some mighty impressive worshipful pontificating.

 

[Blackthorne]

Yeah - it's a little weird to sell the game one way, and almost immediately turn around and say it "won't be like that". There's no pictures yet of this new Isometric art idea they have - and though it sounds better in theory (and in writing) than the original plan, the fact remains that you still gathered $400,000 from people under a different premise.


Bt

 

[Blaine]

It's a little odd, but it doesn't change anything for me. I pledged solely because this is the Coles' new project; I was never wildly in love with their chosen format.

Corey believes visual format isn't hugely important to the core of the game, and for the most part I agree with him, but there's something charming about hand-painted rooms filled with little details you can click the "look" cursor on to view a clever description, joke, or pun.

 

[Blackthorne]

I think the isometric format, if done correctly, will definitely look better for the game. I didn't mind the tiled approach - but I just remember during the campaign, all the of stuff proclaiming "So good, you won't KNOW it's tiled!" and all the rallying against FPS and Adventure Games in general. With such a different funding model as Kickstarter provides, I feel you're obligated to keep your backers not only informed with text updates, but with visual updates too. If a decision has been made to do it this way, showing the people that gave you almost half a million dollars of their money at least a shot of what the new art looks like shouldn't be a problem.

I love the Coles, and their work (obviously) but I really think this Kickstarter, and the design of the game, was half-baked. It should have brewed for a few more months before it happened - now, it just seems to be a little chaotic... if I collected $400,000 from my fans, directly, I would feel a great sense of personal responsibility to them to keep them informed.

Bt