KickStarter Mechajammer (formerly Copper Dreams) - cyberpunk RPG from Whalenought Studios

[grimace]

Last month we finalized a 3d art style we’ve been tinkering with for awhile. As we’re more comfortable with traditional 2d, we’ve always been looking for a way of making 3d more comfortable to work with. Making everything sketchy is just a treat to design.

This style allows us to abstract a lot of gameplay elements that would otherwise be hard to make look realistic. We’re preparing a wonderful week of news for Copper Dreams: turn-based motorcycle action, more tentacle arms, and new rolling with Search skill!

The explanation from https://twitter.com/whalenought seems to state that the realistic animations associated with previous visual styles were not satisfying/believable.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

I like Whalenaught and all but pitching the game in one distinct style, asking for funding for that and then turning it something so completely different that it changes the whole tone and atmosphere is bordering on consumer/backer deception, to be honest.

At my count its the second big change in art and ironically the original low-fi style still looked best and most charming imo.

I don't even necessarily hate that new art style but its is a huge change and simply not what people gave their money for originally.

 

[Big Wrangle]

Copper Dreams is LSD Dreams now.

 

[BlackGoat]

Looks similar now to that Moebius style game that just showed at E3

 

[LESS T_T]

Looks similar now to that Moebius style game that just showed at E3

Oh right, Sable:

 

[Zombra]

Joe is an artist, you guys. Of course he's going to revise his creation, turn it this way and that in the light, see what realizes his vision and what doesn't, and make changes accordingly. Only the most emotionally stunted patron would lock a painter in a room for two years with an abstract sketch and expect the finished painting to look exactly the same but moreso. Only a humorless philistine would expect an unfinished symphony to sound the same after two years of experimentation and revision. Anybody who would demand a refund because an artist changed the way he expresses himself over the course of time is a childish asshole, period.

 

[Big Wrangle]

That's fair, but the departure in here is pretty large; this isn't a matter of slight tweaking or "more pixels." I don't mean to antagonize the devs or anything, but when you pitch something you should have the art direction set in stone as that's what people will see as the final product.

 

[Alienman]

In before stick figures work best for the animations.

 

[Big Wrangle]

In before stick figures work best for the animations.

Cyber of Loathing confirmed :D

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Anybody who would demand a refund because an artist changed the way he expresses himself over the course of time is a childish asshole, period.

Dude, nice speech, but he pitches the game in a certain style and asks for funding, then he offers something that looks completely different from that. How about he expresses his creative freedom in another game if his ideas depart completely from the original vision that he already asked money for.

The way he announces it in an offhand tweet instead of explaining such a massive departure in a detailed update is also a minor PR disaster, of course people are going to be pissed.

 

[grimace]

Honestly, the graphics weren't especially important to me then and they aren't now either, but I'm concerned that this back and forth is getting costly.

Forward progress is moving up and moving onward. This is incline. This is not backtracking or losing progress.

Joe is an artist, you guys. Of course he's going to revise his creation, turn it this way and that in the light, see what realizes his vision and what doesn't, and make changes accordingly. Only the most emotionally stunted patron would lock a painter in a room for two years with an abstract sketch and expect the finished painting to look exactly the same but moreso. Only a humorless philistine would expect an unfinished symphony to sound the same after two years of experimentation and revision. Anybody who would demand a refund because an artist changed the way he expresses himself over the course of time is a childish asshole, period.

Agreed.

A patron is a person who supports and gives money to artists, writers, or musicians.

A person who kickstarts is a Patron?

That's fair, but the departure in here is pretty large; this isn't a matter of slight tweaking or "more pixels." I don't mean to antagonize the devs or anything, but when you pitch something you should have the art direction set in stone as that's what people will see as the final product.

Should?

Should what and says who?

I do not want an incomplete not polished idea set in stone and rushed out unfinished. (I have Kickstarter those projects already. Never again!)

 

[Zombra]

The way he announces it in an offhand tweet instead of explaining such a massive departure in a detailed update is also a minor PR disaster, of course people are going to be pissed.

I don't disagree with this part. Of course I have no expectations of either of them to be smart about PR.

 

[Mustawd]

Fuck...this looks like GTA V now. At least it’s TPP cyberpunk. Mebrilia .

Spoiler

In all seriousness, i’m loving this art style. Great job Whalenought_Joe.

I do like the idea of the old one, but man if this aint something unqiue and fresh.

Altho tbh, this color pallete is closer to the original logo artwork. Although that was a bit darker.

EDIT: Fuck this looks better everytime I look at it.

 

[Alienman]

Does the patron argument still work if they change the setting completely, or will that be too much of a change?

Say from cyberpunk to steampunk.

 

[Zombra]

Does the patron argument still work if they change the setting completely, or will that be too much of a change?
Say from cyberpunk to steampunk.

The kickstarter page actually talks in black and white about the setting and features. Major alterations to what is described in the text would be pretty scummy imo. Of course you could say the same thing about the art - it isn't "text" per se but it is showing what to expect - personally, though, I expect intangibles like art and music to evolve and even mutate.

Honestly, I don't see such a mutation in the writing as reasonably possible. It makes sense for Joe to decide "these animations look terrible, these visuals aren't working, I have a better idea", but for Hannah to suddenly decide her story and setting don't make sense any more would be pretty bizarre.

 

[ArchAngel]

I also like the new art style, it is certainly more ... unique. Also if they can hide that terrible walk animation with this style more power to them.

 

[Grotesque]

All I'm interested in if bullets will still look like steaming burgers.

 

[Brancaleone]

Sensuki, take that Desert Eagle off Joe's temple and allow them go back to the original graphic style, that's just not cricket.

Otherwise, one more iteration and it's going to look like

 

[frajaq]

Both the new style and previous one look like ass tbh

 

[Fenix]

Have no pro no contra yet, no positive no negative.
Too little information to make conclusions.
The main thing - how it will be played....

 

[conan_edw]

I honestly preferred the previous one but bullet effects were too cartoony so I guess this works better

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I'm more concerned with how this affects the release schedule.

 

[Jazz_]

New art style looks way better, carry on.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

The initial gfx style worked better for me, but if this change means they'll make a game they're satisfied with and actually manage to get it released, then I'm fine with that.

 

[Metal Hurlant]

The new design has been growing on me. I do wonder about the release date. How much of the game they had completed with the old design, and by starting again how much they have completed with the new design.