Game News Subterranea Kickstarter Goes Live

[Shannow]

I'll back this.

• I like actual tumbling animations for tumbling and reflex saves.
• Interactive environment always has the potential to be awesome (and gimmicky).
• My old enemy, rotating cameras in TB, party based games
• Multi-classing only a stretch goal: NOOOOoooooo....!
• Environments and animations look crappy, but thats what the KS is for, so no real issue. (It'd be servicable in any case.)

 

[JMab]

Video has vague seductive breathy voice of an English woman. BACKED!!1



Now with honesty: the game looks mildly interesting, but it relies on too generic a D&D fantasy setting. Combat looks like it could be promising if it isn't too tedious. The graphics remind me of neverwinter nights, which I like.

I'm not in yet, I'd have to hear more about the story and combat before I make up my mind.

Hi SitS,

It is a generic fantasy setting - this is a paraphrase from an interview response I'm putting together now; "Although I know it's an over-used setting, I still love the typical D&D high fantasy setting, and think that there still some ways to keep parts of it fresh. I like a realistic/gritty world rather than a cartoony/over-the-top one, so Subterranea will be closer to the vibe of a Witcher or Gothic, rather than a Kingdoms of Amalur. Although obviously the gameplay will not be like those ARPGs!"

I've been drawn more to fantasy than sci-fi historically, and I think post-apocalyptic and zombie is heading the way of fantasy in terms of getting overdone.

I think you'll find combat interesting and exciting - there are many options available to each character, going beyond the normal range even for a D&D CRPG. One thing that's a bit crap with spellcasters using the Vancian spell memorization system is that at low levels they are often standing round at the back, either passing on their round of missing with a sling shot. With the physics focus, I want to allow them to push over barrels to roll them into enemies, or throw a jug of oil followed by a torch to burn an area.

I think I'm introducing new possibilities into a game with tactical turn-based combat, so hope that will make it interesting despite the admittedly generic setting.

Also building a lot of non-combat "adventuring" challenges, like oasis says above, you can collapse the bridge, but now you need to figure out how to get across that chasm, choice and consequence...

 

[JMab]

I'll back this.

• I like actual tumbling animations for tumbling and reflex saves.
• Interactive environment always has the potential to be awesome (and gimmicky).
• My old enemy, rotating cameras in TB, party based games
• Multi-classing only a stretch goal: NOOOOoooooo....!
• Environments and animations look crappy, but thats what the KS is for, so no real issue. (It'd be servicable in any case.)

Tumble and slide animations: Those animations are good - if the KS succeeds, I'll get access to 1000+ of those type of animations for $750, great value.

Interactive environment: I think this is a differentiator, as the best of the genre (P:T, BG2..?) use beautifully-rendered 2D, but pretty much static, environments. I want the horizontal and vertical spacial feel of Ultima Underworld combined with the ability to actually change the environment - I'm talking about collapsing roofs, knocking over columns, etc. But you're right, there's a gimmicky trap there, you don't just stick that kind of stuff in there because it would be AWESOME!!!!111, you stick it in there because it makes sense in the environment and it introduces gameplay scope and tactical options.

Camera: The camera is still very much a work-in-progress, but isn't a rotatable camera a good thing? You hold down the mouse scroll wheel to rotate in 360 degrees around the selected PC and scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. You think there should be a fixed one? I initially toyed with the idea of having the best fixed camera position that I could figure out per room, but I find it better to be able to look around at whatever angle I like. Interested to hear more ideas here...

Multiclassing. It's on my nice-to-have TODO list, so will get in if I somehow free up time on my schedule, but to be honest, it's a lot of work. Not so much in implementing, but in testing all of the combinations. The funding from the stretch goal would mean it gets tested properly...

Environments and other animations: Yes, exactly. I'm mainly a developer, but can model, texture, etc. in a pinch. My artistic skills are always improving, but if successful, the KS funds would be mainly for the professional "mass market" vendors of animations, 3D models, etc., which I'll be looking to use pretty much off-the-shelf, rather than having them built from scratch, to save money.

 

[kazgar]

RPG development in Melbourne? Who would've thunk it. Have you gone and advertised with the people who LARP in princes park on a Friday night? They may be keen on something with local angle.

Good luck, will back next payday.

 

[JMab]

RPG development in Melbourne? Who would've thunk it. Have you gone and advertised with the people who LARP in princes park on a Friday night? They may be keen on something with local angle.

Good luck, will back next payday.

Ha! I didn't know about those LARPers, but I should go down there and try and get them on board with Subterranea!

I used to live in the UK, and owned a house right next to Chislehurst Caves (tens of miles of hand-cut chalk caves, 10x10 foot). Every few weeks a bunch of LARPers dressed as Elves and Orcs passed our house on the way to the caves. This is their page:

http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/venue/

 

[kazgar]

RPG development in Melbourne? Who would've thunk it. Have you gone and advertised with the people who LARP in princes park on a Friday night? They may be keen on something with local angle.

Good luck, will back next payday.

Ha! I didn't know about those LARPers, but I should go down there and try and get them on board with Subterranea!

I used to live in the UK, and owned a house right next to Chislehurst Caves (tens of miles of hand-cut chalk caves, 10x10 foot). Every few weeks a bunch of LARPers dressed as Elves and Orcs passed our house on the way to the caves. This is their page:

http://www.labyrinthe.co.uk/venue/

Never been down there, whole idea is a bit silly to me, but they have money and like swords, so y'know.

http://www.swordcraft.com.au/

 

[General Maxson]

Looks nice, good voice actor choice (for male population, that is ), realistic funding goal.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Will back as soon as I can, this looks real interesting.

 

[Morkar Left]

Game sounds interesting. I prefer world exploration rpgs but I wouldn't mind a good dungeoncrawler with interactive environment.

Is it Steam only JMab?

 

[mindx2]

Any chance if you reach your goal you could offer a boxed version? :D This looks really interesting and you set your goal at a very reachable/ reasonable level.

 

[Shannow]

Game sounds interesting. I prefer world exploration rpgs but I wouldn't mind a good dungeoncrawler with interactive environment.

Is it Steam only JMab?

No.

 

[JMab]

Game sounds interesting. I prefer world exploration rpgs but I wouldn't mind a good dungeoncrawler with interactive environment.

Is it Steam only JMab?

Absolutely, Steam are non-exclusive, so there's no reason for me not to approach every distribution channel that would have me. GOG.com is an obvious one...

 

[JMab]

Any chance if you reach your goal you could offer a boxed version? :D This looks really interesting and you set your goal at a very reachable/ reasonable level.

I've tried to avoid physical rewards to keep the costs down - the only one I've got is the printed and bound manual currently.

I'd have to do a fair bit of R&D on the potential for a box version, as I'd need to have the box art created, the DVD printing costs figured out, the shipping costs, etc. I'll at least need a proper box art image anyway, but whether that will translate into getting physical copies created yet will depend on how many other people think this is a good idea - you're the first so far mindx2, so I'll see who else mentions this!

 

[80Maxwell08]

Any chance if you reach your goal you could offer a boxed version? :D This looks really interesting and you set your goal at a very reachable/ reasonable level.

I've tried to avoid physical rewards to keep the costs down - the only one I've got is the printed and bound manual currently.

I'd have to do a fair bit of R&D on the potential for a box version, as I'd need to have the box art created, the DVD printing costs figured out, the shipping costs, etc. I'll at least need a proper box art image anyway, but whether that will translate into getting physical copies created yet will depend on how many other people think this is a good idea - you're the first so far mindx2, so I'll see who else mentions this!

Well if the game is good I would love a boxed copy just because I like boxes but I honestly have no idea how one would go about getting them made so if it's too hard I would understand.

 

[Alchemist]

Hi Alchemist, the game composer who did the track for the teaser trailer is Matthew Pablo http://www.matthewpablo.com/

I found his track on http://www.opengameart.org and liked it enough for the trailer. I reached out to him a month or so ago, and he told me to run with it and we'll talk post-successful funding.

I've also had contact from a couple of other composers. I need to put aside some time to figure out what I'm going to do. Matthew has a leg up due to supplying the track in the teaser trailer...

Thanks for the clarification on possible composers. I'll check out Matthew's other work a bit.

 

[mindx2]

Any chance if you reach your goal you could offer a boxed version? :D This looks really interesting and you set your goal at a very reachable/ reasonable level.

I've tried to avoid physical rewards to keep the costs down - the only one I've got is the printed and bound manual currently.

I'd have to do a fair bit of R&D on the potential for a box version, as I'd need to have the box art created, the DVD printing costs figured out, the shipping costs, etc. I'll at least need a proper box art image anyway, but whether that will translate into getting physical copies created yet will depend on how many other people think this is a good idea - you're the first so far mindx2, so I'll see who else mentions this!

Well if the game is good I would love a boxed copy just because I like boxes but I honestly have no idea how one would go about getting them made so if it's too hard I would understand.

Exactly. I certainly understand why he would not do it and he's certainly been smart about the amount he's asking for, just never hurts to ask.

 

[JMab]

Hi guys, I've just done an update on branching dialogue:



From my website...

This pre-alpha gameplay video is a special one as it includes a glimpse behind the scenes to show how branching dialogue is modified. In the scene, one of the player’s character has become separated from the rest of the party before they were captured by temple guards. She is attempting to bluff her way past the jailer to affect an escape!

 

[theSavant]

I got interested by the title, started the Kickstarter video, heard babies/children blabbering, switched off. No thanks.

 

[commie]

Mainly because I don't the budget (or the talent!) of developers like BioWare! The Kickstarter is all about making the game look great though...

talent!) of developers like BioWare

talent!) of developers like BioWare

talent!) of developers like BioWare

You say like that's a bad thing.....

 

[ERYFKRAD]

He means with respect to hi-fi graphics, surely. I hope.

 

[Dorateen]

Not sure how well the swinging camera back to the PC speaker will go over. Better to keep it locked on the NPC throughout the conversation.

 

[Alchemist]

Not sure how well the swinging camera back to the PC speaker will go over. Better to keep it locked on the NPC throughout the conversation.

Agreed - not fond of the swinging back and forth.

Aside from that, I like what I see of the dialogue system.

 

[JMab]

The camera animating between speakers was a last-minute addition as the video looked quite boring with a fixed camera, but I hesitated, and see your points... it's a few lines of code, so following my principle of "why not make it configurable?", I'll probably leave that animation in as a configurable option, that's off by default, as I can see that most true CRPG bros won't want it.

It's tough to make a video about branching dialogue visually interesting, and I'd be hammered on Steam Greenlight if I didn't give them something to look at while I'm exchanging dialogue!

 

[JMab]

He means with respect to hi-fi graphics, surely. I hope.

Err, yes, I mean "developers" in the sense of programmers and content creators. Bioware has some stylish 2D artists...!

 

[Apexeon]

Mainly because I don't the budget (or the talent!) of developers like BioWare! The Kickstarter is all about making the game look great though...

You should get together with Apexeon, he works for wine

Fruit box by the pallet.