Indie Skullstone - a 3d grid-based dungeon crawler, inspired by Dungeon Master, Stonekeep, LoG, Ishar etc.

[Anna Bury]

Steam Greenlight: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=870575498

http://skullstonegame.com

Spoiler

Hi guys

Me and my team are currently working on Skullstone - a retro dungeon crawler RPG. We’re all huge fans of the classics of the genre (Dungeon Master, Eye of Beholder, Stonekeep, Wizardy, the Ishar series, etc.) and we’re trying to capture that unique atmosphere of old-school dungeon adventuring.

Here's a short video to show you how the game looks like at the moment:


There's still much to be done, so any feedback will be appreciated

Visit our Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/SkullstoneGame
Follow us on Twitter: @SkullstoneGame

Thanks

 

[Comte]

Looks like a Dancing Legend of Grimrock clone.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Looks like a low budget Legend of Grimrock. Why not just make a LoG mod if you are trying to replicate the game as closely as possible?

 

[Zdzisiu]

Hi guys

Me and my team are currently working on Skullstone - a retro dungeon crawler RPG. We’re all huge fans of the classics of the genre (Dungeon Master, Eye of Beholder, Stonekeep, Wizardy, the Ishar series, etc.) and we’re trying to capture that unique atmosphere of old-school dungeon adventuring.

Here's a short video to show you how the game looks like at the moment:


There's still much to be done, so any feedback will be appreciated

Visit our Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/SkullstoneGame
Follow us on Twitter: @SkullstoneGame

Thanks

I would like to point out that Legend of Grimrock 2 sold way less copies than Legend of Grimrock 1, and that may be indicative of the fact that people arent that much into Real time blobbers and if you hope to make bank on the success of LoG 1, then you might be severly dissapointed.

 

[Overboard]

I would like to point out that Legend of Grimrock 2 sold way less copies than Legend of Grimrock 1

 

[V_K]

Why not just make a LoG mod if you are trying to replicate the game as closely as possible?

B-but you can't sell mods for monies! Where's fun in that?

Spoiler

 

[Zdzisiu]

Haha thanks, I've made fun of people for the same mistake and now I made it too, such is life.

 

[Pope Amole II]

It's really dumbfuck to namebomb us with

We’re all huge fans of the classics of the genre (Dungeon Master, Eye of Beholder, Stonekeep, Wizardy, the Ishar series, etc.)

When this game is a carbon-copy of Grimrock. And it's one of the most carbon-copiest games I've ever seen - it's like you loathe even the slightest possibility of inventing something new. Dunno what reaction you're expecting here, especially when there's quite a number of LoG mods that are quite free.

 

[Anna Bury]

Thanks for the replies, I kinda expected them to be like that
So, here's my little attempt to defend our work:

First of all, it’s quite difficult to avoid similarities within the genre. I personally think It’d be hard to make a retro fantasy dungeon crawler with modern graphics that wouldn’t resemble LoG in any way.

Also, you may point out that GUI is similar to the one in Grimrock. If you look at screenshots from various stages of development, you’ll see that Almost Human experimented with different GUI layouts, until they end up with the current one. Believe me, we’ve done that too, and it turned out (surprise, surprise!) that this one is the most comfortable. So ok, this may be the part where we did some “cloning”, but why battering an open door?

It might not be visible in the video, but there will be some major differences between Skullstone and LoG, in terms of both gameplay and design. Just to name some:

- You’re not trapped in the dungeon. Your party will have an opportunity to visit a nearby town to buy/sell some stuff, heal/revive party members, chat with the locals to receive some…
- …side-quests!
- There will be no customizable characters, you’ll choose your party members from a quite big group of pre-defined adventurers, each with his/her own set of strengths and weaknesses (sounds like Ishar? I hope so ).
- The approach to skills and magic will be totally different.
- We’ll give our dungeon critters some more abilities than walt+attack. Have you seen a mob’s aura in the video? Well, that’s what I’m talking about

So, Skullstone’s not about “cloning” Grimrock, rather taking part in the revival of the genre that Almost Human’s games have already started.
Also achieving a commercial success would surely be nice, but we are not (and were not) aiming at that, so, Zdzisiu, don't worry about me being disappointed

 

[Anna Bury]

It's really dumbfuck to namebomb us with



When this game is a carbon-copy of Grimrock. And it's one of the most carbon-copiest games I've ever seen - it's like you loathe even the slightest possibility of inventing something new. Dunno what reaction you're expecting here, especially when there's quite a number of LoG mods that are quite free.

I see your point, your holiness, but let me remind you that Grimrock itself isn't the most original of the games either. It's practically a clone tribute to Dungeon Master. You may want to compare the mushroom-like mobs that appear in both games (and the items they leave when killed), and still it will be just one of many examples.

 

[Desktop Commander]

Looks like a low budget Legend of Grimrock. Why not just make a LoG mod if you are trying to replicate the game as closely as possible?

It's really dumbfuck to namebomb us with

We’re all huge fans of the classics of the genre (Dungeon Master, Eye of Beholder, Stonekeep, Wizardy, the Ishar series, etc.)

When this game is a carbon-copy of Grimrock. And it's one of the most carbon-copiest games I've ever seen - it's like you loathe even the slightest possibility of inventing something new. Dunno what reaction you're expecting here, especially when there's quite a number of LoG mods that are quite free.

I don't know why they mentioned Wizardry but the rest are all sensible namedrops, which are part of the same genre of FP RT grid based blobbers (aka Dungeon Master clones/variants).
Calling any new game in that genre a Grimrock knockoff is on the level of "An RPG? Why are there no random battles/Can I get Cloud's Sword?"

Agree that right now the thing looks unappealing though - stone wall textures are just boring in 3D. But really, most important part will be the dungeon design - as sad as it is, FTL's games are still unsurpassed in that regard.

 

[DavidBVal]

It might not be visible in the video, but there will be some major differences between Skullstone and LoG, in terms of both gameplay and design. Just to name some:

- You’re not trapped in the dungeon. Your party will have an opportunity to visit a nearby town to buy/sell some stuff, heal/revive party members, chat with the locals to receive some…
- …side-quests!
- There will be no customizable characters, you’ll choose your party members from a quite big group of pre-defined adventurers, each with his/her own set of strengths and weaknesses (sounds like Ishar? I hope so ).
- The approach to skills and magic will be totally different.
- We’ll give our dungeon critters some more abilities than walt+attack. Have you seen a mob’s aura in the video? Well, that’s what I’m talking about

You took Grimrock as a base, to build upon, and added your own ideas on top. Nothing wrong in that. However what you have so far still doesn't show any of those differentiating features, there's a "will" on all of them, and in my experience, they sound like... most of the game development. So the criticism is understandable.

Good luck with the project, I know how hard it is!

 

[octavius]

Thanks for the replies, I kinda expected them to be like that

You've been here before?

 

[V_K]

Calling any new game in that genre a Grimrock knockoff is on the level of "An RPG? Why are there no random battles/Can I get Cloud's Sword?"

Not really, there are quite a few fairly easy ways to distinguish your game from Grimrock. Of the game discussed here on the 'Dex, Ruzar has a party of one; Dungeon Kingdom has physics-based interactions and puzzles; and 7 Mages is turn-based and has a party of 7 that you can split at will.* This, however, looks as carbon-copy-ish as it gets.

*any or all of them might turn out horrible, but that's not the point.

 

[a Goat]

You've been here before?

Codex is well known for being 100% about hate.

 

[Lord Azlan]

Thanks for the replies, I kinda expected them to be like that
So, here's my little attempt to defend our work:

- You’re not trapped in the dungeon. Your party will have an opportunity to visit a nearby town to buy/sell some stuff, heal/revive party members, chat with the locals to receive some…
- …side-quests!

Bravo! Keep us updated!

 

[Mortmal]

It just look good enough for me, i like the music too, but its not at the level of grimrock yet. Ive seen last year a much better looking project failing on indiegogo and the amount requested was very low, they are entering early access soon so there's still some hope of success (28 september):

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dungeon-kingdom-sign-of-the-moon#/story


If its an hobby and you dont expect to make a living from it go for it ill play it with pleasure. But like others i must warn you, if grimrock 2, a near perfect game, sold less than the first one, if dungeons kingdoms collect barely 3000 euros, that means you will need to do it with your own money with a small hope of sales as the market for this kind of games is extremely small. The bar on dungeon crawlers is set extremely high now .

 

[HobGoblin42]

Sorry, Skullstone, too late, party is already over.

 

[a Goat]

I don't understand why are people screaming "CLOOONE" here.

I mean, aren't Dungeon Master clones bound to be derivative?

As long as dungeon/map layout and puzzles are good, the game is good as well. This sub-genre is relatively simplistic for RPG standards, but it also means you have to nail that few key elements well to produce something decent.

And yeah - don't expect lots of money from it. As a trail blazing for your studio it can work though.

 

[Hobo Elf]

I personally think It’d be hard to make a retro fantasy dungeon crawler with modern graphics that wouldn’t resemble LoG in any way.

It is possible. Just look at Dungeons of Aledorn for example, the game features 3D FPP blob exploration but is artistically very distinct from LoG. King's Field and Shadow Tower, also 3D FPP dungeon crawlers but both have very different styles to their looks. I'm able to differentiate all of these games based on only looking at a screenshot. When I looked at the screenshot of your game it took me a nano second before my brain processed "Legend of Grimrock with worse lighting and less moss detail". Maybe your game plays better (I wouldn't be surprised since the combat gameplay in LoG was garbage), but there isn't anything interesting, new or unique about the look of the game so far. You even have giant spiders in your game FFS. No one has ever played an RPG where they kill varmint and thought that these are fun enemies to engage so I don't understand why people who develop these games keep perpetuating this horrible cliché. Matt Barton might interview you if you include rats, though.

 

[Neanderthal]

Got to admit I had fun wi these games up until about EotB 2, which was fucking excellent, but after that i've just grown a bit tired with em. Still I suppose execution's everything, good luck, think you'll need it.

 

[Don Peste]

Thanks for the replies, I kinda expected them to be like that

Please forgive them, I think they haven't noticed you are potato yet.

 

[Nyast]

Video needs sound effects, badly. You can't show gameplay, fights, with just a simple music

Head wobbling is a bit disturbing, doesn't feel right in terms of movement. Should be smoother.

Not much to say other than good luck, I'm a fan of these kind of games ( I'm working on my own too, hehe ) so I'll be more than happy to buy a copy when it's done

 

[Prehistorik]

Although it's fun to have a unique system, I think it doesn't really matter if you copy it or not.
Dungeon design and puzzles are the things that make a great game.

 

[getter77]

This has a chance same as anything else so long as you remain committed to getting the game to a good state AND THEN following it up with post-release support---setting it out there only to walk away only worked for Grimrock the first time around....look instead to the more traditional cRPG revival projects and see the value of keeping things lively.

That said, it would've went over so much better if you'd chosen the above mentioned town locale to be the first given screenshot to absolutely cement yourselves as being different than Grimrock as opposed to just mentioning it after the fact to then reactively ward off the critique.