Codex Preview RPG Codex Report: Expeditions: Conquistador, Logic Artists and Kickstarter

[SlavemasterT]

Great article/interview, Grunker; truly inclining the Codex to our proper place in the world of Prestigious Gaming Magazines.

 

[Grunker]

Great article/interview, Grunker; truly inclining the Codex to our proper place in the world of Prestigious Gaming Magazines.

Well done

Thank you ever so kindly, dear sirs!

Ironically, whereas the Codex has long lamented its interests' position in the backseat of modern game development, it seems we are one of the core audiences of the new titles being announced funded through Kickstarter, and a fairly large audience at that. Wæver mentions RPG Watch, RockPaperShotgun and RPG Codex as the epicenters of the interest in Conquistador.

I think the heartening thing is that this isn't all that weird any more. The Codex has done some pretty damn good work of late as a place where some of these smaller projects with varying degrees of niche appeal, from Primordia to Eisenwald to Conquistador to Chaos Chronicles, can get a certain amount of sustained attention. You still see the same enthusiasm for all of these games in the larger communities, but discussion of them seems more likely to get lost or forgotten in the ocean of hyper-popular franchise megathreads. Whereas this forum if nothing else seems to be small and contrarian enough to be able to keep them more in focus and give them a decent public airing.

I found it surprising. Surprising in the way that I thought the main audiences for these kinds of things were RPS and SA and stuff like that, and then we made out a small part of that audience.

I did think the sign was a bit cringe.

Aww, you geezer! Bit of harmless fun, no more!

 

[Harold]

So so hyped to make sweet love to this game on Thursday. And excellent feature Grunker; bonus points for getting them to do both the sign and the doritos thing, they seem like a bunch of cool bros.

 

[MicoSelva]

We decided that we'd rather have a finite amount of hand-crafted battles than infinite computer-generated battles a'la Heroes of Might & Magic where all battlefields are just a flat square with a few obstacles chucked in at random. That also fits our more narrative-based design philosophy better, as the battles can be tailored to fit the story, and though we "only" have 75 battles in the game, they will change depending on your choices leading up the combat as well as the general state of the game

While I wholeheartedly agree that hand-designed missions are better than machine-generated ones, I think it would be best if there were some missions that You could only access after making certain decisions in the game, while excluding others at the same time. This way a player could, for example, experience at most 50 or 60 of 75 missions in one playthrough, which would add greatly to replayability. Although different mission variants are nice too.

 

[ghostdog]

That was definitely incline

 

[Avonaeon]

That's exactly how it works, MicoSelva

 

[Grunker]

That was definitely incline

 

[Zed]

I did think the sign was a bit cringe. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the game, and to your future work; I think you lads come across really well in your intentions indeed.

there are two types of people immune to cringey stuff in this world: germans and danes. it must be the beer or something.

super awesome job grunker, and very nice of logic artists to open their studios so that we could spread our germs in there.

 

[Ulminati]

While I wholeheartedly agree that hand-designed missions are better than machine-generated ones, I think it would be best if there were some missions that You could only access after making certain decisions in the game, while excluding others at the same time. This way a player could, for example, experience at most 50 or 60 of 75 missions in one playthrough, which would add greatly to replayability. Although different mission variants are nice too.

Of the 75 or so battles, half of them are optional/sidequests iirc. And all of them will have minor variations depending on how your party is set up prior to starting them. So it's EXACTLY how you just said you wanted it.



Can we start referring to the devs as BROgic Artists yet?

 

[MicoSelva]

Of the 75 or so battles, half of them are optional/sidequests iirc. And all of them will have minor variations depending on how your party is set up prior to starting them. So it's EXACTLY how you just said you wanted it.

Not if "optional" means what it means in Mass Effect (I can choose to do them or not). This way I could see all 75 missions in one playthrough (and probably would).

 

[Avonaeon]

We prefer Logic Bros

 

[Avonaeon]

Not if "optional" means what it means in Mass Effect (I can choose to do them or not). This way I could see all 75 missions in one playthrough (and probably would).

Some battles exclude others, and failing quests can disable you from being able to seeing combats as well.

 

[Jonas]

Can we start referring to the devs as BROgic Artists yet?

You may not! However, Logic Bros will be (reluctantly) accepted.

Not if "optional" means what it means in Mass Effect (I can choose to do them or not). This way I could see all 75 missions in one playthrough (and probably would).

Do you have any reason to assume our game has a lot in common with Mass Effect?

Hispaniola's main storyline is fairly linear, as it was intended as a tutorial (it grew a little out of control...). Mexico has two faction questlines that are mutually exclusive after the first three quests (before the point of no return, when you still haven't quite pissed off the opposing faction yet). A lot of the battles also exist in several versions, but you'll only get to play one version depending on your choices. Finally, a fair few battles will never even happen unless you're roleplaying as a massive douchebag. And then of course there's the ones that can be skipped if you're going for diplomacy.

There's easily enough replayability for at least 2 playthroughs, I should say

 

[Haba]

Hah! Almost bought another copy, even though I apparently did back this on Kickstarter!

You almost had me, you cunning connivers!

 

[Azira]

Glad that I supported this on kickstarter.

 

[Ulminati]

I supported this on kickstarter AND I'll be buying a copy on release for a deadbeat BRO of mine



Jewgoldz well spent. The press preview of this game has been almost as addictive as Kerbal Space Program.

Finally, a fair few battles will never even happen unless you're roleplaying as a massive douchebag.

Implying that someone from the codex WON'T be a massive douchebag. I lol'd.

There's easily enough replayability for at least 2 playthroughs, I should say

But can skyway complete it 7 times?

 

[Cyberarmy]

Hıımmm, i like what i read! At least some decent turn based tactical games in 2013 after all those "dry" years...

 

[Kirtai]

Nice interview. I have to agree with their comments on historical settings, there's such an incredible amount of weird stuff that no-one is bothering with.

 

[Irenaeus]

I missed their Kickstarter, but I'll certainly look into the released game. I hope their writing is up to the overall quality of the game, at least related to the time period without blatant anachronisms.

 

[MicoSelva]

Hispaniola's main storyline is fairly linear, as it was intended as a tutorial (it grew a little out of control...). Mexico has two faction questlines that are mutually exclusive after the first three quests (before the point of no return, when you still haven't quite pissed off the opposing faction yet). A lot of the battles also exist in several versions, but you'll only get to play one version depending on your choices. Finally, a fair few battles will never even happen unless you're roleplaying as a massive douchebag. And then of course there's the ones that can be skipped if you're going for diplomacy.

There's easily enough replayability for at least 2 playthroughs, I should say

Ok, that explains everything I had doubts about. Looks good. Thanks and good luck with the release.

 

[Darth Roxor]

What the hell @ those photos

 

[Tigranes]

Great writeup. Between this and other previews a lot of the things I was skeptical about in my preview last summer seem to havebeen improved as you guys went from WIP to gold. My personal expectation is that it won't be super-replayable or complex but a well made and unique title. Worth day 1 then.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Well, these folks seem like p cool guys.

















It will be a real shame to stomp their game into the ground

 

[Jaedar]

Well done to Grunker for the writeup, to the Logic Bros for letting the codex into their hearts.

 

[Ulminati]

It will be a real shame to stomp their game into the ground

Have you no respect for the sacred ritual of exchanging Doritos® & Mtn Dew™