Codex Interview RPG Codex Interview: The Banner Saga, 2D Turn-Based Strategy RPG

[Ulminati]

But I iz hungry

 

[Aeschylus]

All I have to add is that Tyr putting his hand in Fenris' mouth is definitely the most apt visual metaphor for a developer visting the Codex that I can think of.

 

[Jaesun]

Project backed. Funding ended at: $723,886

 

[felipepepe]

Project backed. Funding ended at: $723,886

Now we wait.

 

[mindx2]

Project backed. Funding ended at: $723,886

That's pretty darn impressive considering they really didn't have a "known designer" attached to the project. I'm hoping for a descent game with good atmosphere and at $10 I don't feel like I've broke the bank as I did with Wasteland 2!

 

[Metro]

 

[OSK]

Well this was one roller coaster of a topic.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to my poster this summer.

 

[almondblight]

As an aside, what's with the whole "the Codex is a nasty and rough place" attitude people seem to have (both on this site and other sites)? Are gamers really this sheltered?* If you look at the comments section for news articles the comments are often just as harsh if not worse. I frequent political blogs, and you often get commentators that are pretty insulting towards each other/major figures. Then I go to a gaming site and there's a thread were people disagree over how great a game is, and the moderator thinks he has to lock it "just in case." I don't really think the Codex is rough by internet standards, but by gaming site standards.

*Which also would explain why when one female shows up gamers often don't know how to act. I don't see that on other kinds of sites, where women are relatively common.

 

[felipepepe]

I don't really think the Codex is rough by internet standards, but by gaming site standards.

Very true, probably because most game sites have to consider kids too as a big part of their audience, and they are very passionate about their games, so strict rules are necessary to avoid forums looking like Lord of the Flies or Kidergarden Cop.

I can't think of any other subject that people from all ages would be so passionate about and discuss together on the internet...perhaps music, but no one would be able to impose a heavy censorship on a Metal forum, it would be ridiculous to even try...I'm looking at you, Blabbermouth.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

LOADSA MONEY! PHWOAR EY, PHWOAR EY!

 

[Burning Bridges]

I don't really think the Codex is rough by internet standards, but by gaming site standards.

Very true, probably because most game sites have to consider kids too as a big part of their audience, and they are very passionate about their games, so strict rules are necessary to avoid forums looking like Lord of the Flies or Kidergarden Cop.

Sites directed at adults are not better, matrixgames.com, subsim.com etc. A lot of the posters are family fathers and lap dogs. They are conditioned into thinking that people need to be told off all day, need to constantly do things they hate. Then they will suddenly go apeshit about political topics. Really strange.

As an aside, what's with the whole "the Codex is a nasty and rough place" attitude people seem to have (both on this site and other sites)? Are gamers really this sheltered?* If you look at the comments section for news articles the comments are often just as harsh if not worse. I frequent political blogs, and you often get commentators that are pretty insulting towards each other/major figures. Then I go to a gaming site and there's a thread were people disagree over how great a game is, and the moderator thinks he has to lock it "just in case." I don't really think the Codex is rough by internet standards, but by gaming site standards.

One of the things that arose from being at the codex is that I unlearned how to really do much on other sites. It's not like I can't make good post there (with the rigorous training from the codex I can win practically any argument elsewhere ..) it's just that I can't stand not making my point in the way I want, i.e. sometimes pissing off someone if I want to.

It's like going directly from a prison yard (RPGCodex) into work in a very big office, where you have to adress every one as Mr./Mrs. SoandSo. In prison you could at least do what you wanted as long as it did not call the wards to the scene.

In more drastic words, both our societies and the internet are about to becoming totalitarian, with the majority taking power over the minority, where you have the freedom to say anything you want, as long as it's not against the rules. This is essentially the same definition of free speech as in the former socialist countries. When you talk to people nowadays you often see someone suddenly stop and suddenly use a different word than they wanted to use, usually one they heard in TV.

 

[Burning Bridges]

Same with gaming, dissent of opinion is not good for sales, but our new culture of self-conscious yes-men is.

A nation destroying wall street bailout? Big deal, look at this gay pride parade and westboro baptist church a while.

it's all a ploy to detract from the biggest problem of all, the decline of the Holy CRPG.

And those pedophiles and terrorists. Everywhere. Everywhere, I tell ya! But don't worry we'll protect you and your children though it's going to cost plenty.

.. and pirates.

 

[Achilles]

Their latest update convinced me to retain my pledge. I really don't mind if their game isn't super hardcore, I just want a good turn-based PC game to play. I hope that next time they'll choose their words a bit more carefully.

 

[MetalCraze]

I cancelled my pledge as well. They can take that console shit and shove it up their ass.

How did I miss this?

Wow what a fucking retard you are. First you defend it crying crocodile tears but when suddenly those shitty stats that detract from gameplay became cool again and FFT became shit as per Codex fashion you do a flip flop.

 

[kazgar]

Someone who invested should cut & paste the updates for those that missed out or chose not too invest.

Saw they're using java and adobe air as the main tech, and people raged over unity.

 

[Grunker]

This topic certainly was an interesting read. Never crossed my mind to back this, I thought it was pretty clear from the start that this wouldn't be no Wasteland 2. What did people expect?

Might turn out to be an enjoyable little game, but the lack of mention of actual RPG Mechanics is what made me steer clear. The same thing goes for Shadowrun Returns.

 

[sgc_meltdown]

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/04/interview-the-banner-saga/all/

I grew up on stuff like Final Fantasy Tactics and XCOM along with a heavy dose of games like Baldur’s Gate and Chrono Trigger. Those games were a part of my identity growing up. And like a lot of people who grew up parallel to me, I wondered where the heck those games went. Our big question with The Banner Saga was always “Is it just us?” and that was something we couldn’t have answered before Kickstarter.

The travel scenes from the video are actual game-play which are akin to a cross between King of Dragon Pass and Oregon Trail.

One of our major inspirations for the story has been great TV miniseries like Game of Thrones or Deadwood, and other media that isn’t actually interactive. My personal favorite is The Wire.

To me, 2D animation is like magic, the simple idea that you can draw something with your hand, and it actually comes to life and moves and thinks was something that has never gone away for me. If I didn’t care, we’d probably be doing it in that puppet style that’s become popular lately because it’s ten times quicker to produce. I have a deep appreciation for 3D animation as well but watching Rats of NIMH and Snow White on VHS tapes blew my young, squishy mind.

So on a less personal level, when we had nailed down the story and basic gameplay we started looking at a ton of different art styles we could go with. We actually tried a wide range of art styles but nothing was really striking us, which is when Arnie thought of Sleeping Beauty. We loaded it up and we immediately knew that was it. It was one of those art styles that you look at and can’t imagine it ever existing again because it was conceived and perfected by a single man named Eyvind Earle, who was the art director on Sleeping Beauty

 

[OuterSpace]

New screenshot from a development blog post. It looks good, but I could do without all the foreground parallax stuff.

 

[Aeschylus]

Looks pretty good, though the banners appear to be hanging from nowhere. Other than that I like the feel of the art.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Nice details! Love the dancing bear having a break in the corner and the dogs under the table.

 

[Brayko]

Looks good. Hopefully the actual game will back it up.

 

[kazgar]

Longish interview here with Stoic people:

http://thelivepixel.com/2012/08/22/interview-with-stoic-on-banner-saga/

Haven't got through it all yet, but there's a bunch more screenshots then previously seen (unit types, and unit/character sheets, and the stats available)

 

[Outlander]

I hope at least some form of text would appear when hovering the mouse over the icons, but it should just be there in the first place...

 

[hoverdog]

check out DAT ME SHIRT.

 

[Jim Cojones]

I hope at least some form of text would appear when hovering the mouse over the icons, but it should just be there in the first place...

Yeah, there's really no reason for not utilising that empty space right to the icons.

 

[felipepepe]

I hope at least some form of text would appear when hovering the mouse over the icons, but it should just be there in the first place...

Yeah, there's really no reason for not utilising that empty space right to the icons.

There's a description or the archer abilites in the article:

Renown up on the top right, followed by – Strength, Armor, Willpower, Exertion, Armor Damage (similar to armor penetration), and Ability

Exertion? Stamina was too mainstream?