Game News Subterranea Kickstarter Goes Live

[Apexeon]

generic sci-fi is just as bad as generic fantasy.

Both require a lot of fruit box to play hick hick.

 

[JMab]

The swinging pov is unnecessarily distracting from the content of the dialogue.

There was also some discussion re Torment/PoE about skilled dialogue options being "auto-win" buttons, and either hiding the [persuasion] etc before the fact, or not making them auto-wins.

Got it on the swinging POV, don't worry, that's one feature that has been dropped!

Yeah, I'm still deciding about the dialogue skill checks. Three options I can think of:

1) Go for full-on info, i.e. your skill level plus the DC check required to pass. Then show the results of the roll.

2) Just say that this option will require a Diplomacy/Intimidate/Bluff skill check and just tell you whether the roll succeeded or failed (though still show the actual roll on the Rolls History window, like all in-game rolls.

3) Hiding the fact that this option would require a skill check.

1 would probably suit people who love the stats/dice rolling aspects of PnP and CRPGs, and 3 might be the most interesting game-wise, to introduce some surprise/tension...

I'll have to think about what's best, happy to hear further ideas...

 

[thesheeep]

Honestly, the KS presentation is... pretty bad. It is very hard to understand you (so silent!), the female narrator seems unprofessional (why did you not do it yourself, it seems unnecessary) and generally the whole page has a rather unprofessional and sloppy vibe to it.
I really think this will cost you funds, and that you should have put some more effort into it.
If you look at other indies and read some interviews, it is normal to spend a whole month (or more!) in preparing the campaign. I know, nobody likes to do that (at least no developer, usually) and I'm not exactly in anticipation of the time when we will prepare our campaign, but it shows and is usually worth it.

That said, the product itself seems fine (it's time for something like this!), the goal reasonable and you seem very honest and open about it all.
So, you get a basic pledge from me (and likely others who can/want to see behind the campaign's shortcomings), but I really think you could've done better (not at the project itself but at selling it).

P.S: I have no clue what an AUD is worth, just guess it is similar of USD, but it is more of a shortcoming of Kickstarter that it does not automatically convert it to the local currency of the viewer.

 

[JMab]

OK, thanks for the honest feedback. The page is basic, though hopefully gets across the information.

I am learning a lot at the moment! Of all the content creation skills, 2D art, 3D art, level design, animation, etc, 2D art is undoubtedly my weakest skill. Gaining a 2D artist as a collaborator would be very beneficial, and something I need to investigate ASAP. Obviously on reflection, this is something that should have been done pre-campaign, as I understand more now how important the marketing is to the production of the game itself (probably equally as important).

On the currency conversion, I uploaded a currency conversation table to the Kickstarter page about 10 minutes ago, from AUD to USD, EUR and GBP, at the urging of others...

Thanks again.

 

[JMab]

OK, I've updated the titles on my Kickstarter page:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jmab/subterranea-a-3d-fantasy-role-playing-game

so that it no longer looks like "my first web page". Only cost me $5 for a font...

Inching along at 17% funded and 12% towards getting Greenlit (that's ~1,000 people that said they would buy it on Steam), but at least going in the right direction!

 

[Awakened_Yeti]

why so square everything

empty low-res

 

[JMab]

Tough crowd!

I'm better at designing 3D collapsible rope bridges than web pages. I keep tweaking it though, pushing the boundaries of my 2D artistic skills...

Here's an interview I did on RPGWatch, may be interesting to some!

http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=237&ref=0&id=637

 

[Dorateen]

JMab

On your latest update about the interview and recent activity, the dates should be March, not February, no?

For what it's worth, I made a post on NWN2 forums. It's a graveyard, but hey, you never know. There ought to be some crossover. Any chance you can promote this project on a Circle of 8 or other ToEE related forum? It would help to tap into a dedicated fanbase for this type of game.

 

[JMab]

Yes, they should be March, not sure what happened there...

Thanks for the post in the NWN2 forums. Another backer has already posted about the game on a Co8 forum...

I did an interview today with a startup news company - just spreading the umbrella a bit wider. Have another one lined up.

indiegaming.com also promised to post something.

You're right, I need to find the niche that wants to play a game like this, a D&D, tactical, turn-based CRPG. To that end, I'm posting a bit on Giant in the Playground at the moment:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334328

I think they are a pretty big D&D PnP community, the kind I should be interacting with, for feedback and exposure...

 

[daveyd]

I'm surprised and appalled that this game isn't getting more support. It's got so much going for it gameplay wise: tactical turn-based combat, and the whole physics / interacting with the environment aspect. I think part of the problem may be that it isn't obvious enough that the gameplay footage is pre-alpha. People watch a pitch video and will assume that any gameplay footage they see represents the final visual quality. Of course, a big part of the reason you're seeking funds on KS is to buy assets and improve the animations and art as you mention down the KS page, but the problem is most people are really lazy and will just decide whether to back based on the pitch video ... It might even be useful to have a disclaimer like "Pre-alpha gameplay: subject to improvement with your help" in the corner of the video or something.

 

[Apexeon]

I'm surprised and appalled that this game isn't getting more support. It's got so much going for it gameplay wise: tactical turn-based combat, and the whole physics / interacting with the environment aspect. I think part of the problem may be that it isn't obvious enough that the gameplay footage is pre-alpha. People watch a pitch video and will assume that any gameplay footage they see represents the final visual quality. Of course, a big part of the reason you're seeking funds on KS is to buy assets and improve the animations and art as you mention down the KS page, but the problem is most people are really lazy and will just decide whether to back based on the pitch video ... It might even be useful to have a disclaimer like "Pre-alpha gameplay: subject to improvement with your help" in the corner of the video or something.

He has the type of gameplay I am interested in. A lot of work has gone into this game so far.
Backed him but it has just gone flat .

 

[JMab]

Yeah, I've been waiting to post the picture of the racing snail showing the "I love tactical, turn-based RPGs!" sign after we burst through the 20% funded mark, but we've stalled just before it!

I'm still out there spreading the word, along with some awesome backers, so I'll keep fighting to the end...

 

[JMab]

Subterranea funded over 20% on Kickstarter!

 

[Apexeon]

Developer makes Flappy Bird = $50.000 a day.
Developer makes Turn Based RPG = $2000 bucks.

Were is that cask of wine.

 

[Dorateen]

Subterranea funded over 20% on Kickstarter!

So will we be fighting giant slugs in Subterranea? The kind that spit acid.

 

[daveyd]

This has currently raised more funds than Subterranea:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2110528317/dark-skyes-an-epic-brony-dating-sim/?ref=kicktraq

What a fucked up world we live in.

 

[JMab]

Brony Dating Simulator? Surely that's illegal...!

Dorateen, yes, there will be acid-spitting snails, and jelly-smearing slugs!

Speaking of the denizens of the swamp, here's a shot of a Fighter sneaking up on the mysterious figure spotted there...

 

[Dorateen]

Some more updates have been posted, this is number six

Character Creation
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jmab/subterranea-a-3d-fantasy-role-playing-game/posts/773821

The video was already posted in the workshop thread, but might as well draw more people's attention to it.

 

[GlutenBurger]

Pledged because this project actually needs the support, unlike other projects which get way too much.

Spoiler

Also pledged three times as much to the epic brony dating sim.

 

[Sitra Achara]

I just backed it, but to be honest I think you're better off rebooting the campaign with a better presentation, because the current one is terrible. In particular the trailer, I've watched it twice before and lost interest 30 seconds in (which coincidentally is where the good stuff starts).

Another thing, I suppose you may have valid reasons for not stating "inspired by ToEE" in big bold letters (or some other legally permissible variation), but I'd recommend you do... would have grabbed me at any rate.

 

[Johannes]

The woman sounds like she's drugged out of her mind... But I suppose that's what it took to make her read out the lines.

 

[Abelian]

The funny this is that some codexers were encouraging the Zaharia devs to add a female voice-over to their video (but that was partially because they were non-native English speakers).

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

hiver asked for a sexy italian lady with cleavage.

 

[daveyd]

The woman sounds like she's drugged out of her mind... But I suppose that's what it took to make her read out the lines.

I think she sounds sexy... not sure what that says about me.

Anyway, I'm sad that the funding goal in all likelihood won't be met, but I agree the presentation could be improved... If the pitch video is reworked to be more interesting I think this could do much better. Most people have 30 second attention spans (at most) so you really need to grab their interest immediately. If you do a relaunch, I will of course back again.

 

[GlutenBurger]

Less than two days to raise more than $8000. Maybe he can call in a rich uncle?

The woman sounds like she's drugged out of her mind... But I suppose that's what it took to make her read out the lines.

I think she sounds sexy... not sure what that says about me.

You probably have low self esteem and so set your sights on women with an impeded capacity to refuse consent. Nothing to worry about.