KickStarter Telepath Tactics Liberated - deterministic tactical RPG inspired by Fire Emblem

[Jack Dandy]

Neat, I remember enjoying the KS preview thingy. Might buy it.

Also, do you have any plans to remake Telepath RPG 3 with the fancy sprite set you got for this game?

 

[Craig Stern]

Neat, I remember enjoying the KS preview thingy. Might buy it.

Also, do you have any plans to remake Telepath RPG 3 with the fancy sprite set you got for this game?

The thought had occurred to me, though it wouldn't be as easy as it sounds. For one thing, I would probably have to run a Kickstarter so I could hire artists to supplement the graphics from Telepath Tactics. TRPG:SoG takes place in a different part of the world, and it actually uses a lot of graphics that don't have analogs in Telepath Tactics: desert tiles, shadowling dwelling graphics, animated sprites for Shadow Bugs / Giant Scorpions / Giant Mantises, animated sprites reflecting the regional garb (Ravinale guardsmen / merchants / townsmen / tribesmen) etc. I would also need to redo the game's dozens of character portraits in the TT style to keep the game from being aesthetically inconsistent.

From a design perspective, I'd want to improve some of that game's battles to take advantage of TT's superior combat engine; I'd need to add some hooks into the engine to make use of attack leveling while disabling character leveling; and I would have to redesign some portions of the game that rely on player reflexes (some of the trap rooms in the crypts, the patrolling golems in the Great Forest, etc.)

All of this would be doable for sure, but it would probably take me a year or two to accomplish, and I've got other games I'm itching to make. Maybe someday.

 

[felipepepe]

Yeah, don't go the Jeff Vogel route, leave that kind of remake to fans. I want to see the new stuff!

 

[pakoito]

So Craig Stern , in that poll today I just put my Fake McFakington address because I'm on a digital tier. Is that okay?

 

[Craig Stern]

Yup! KS adds that address update thing automatically for some reason; it's not anything I need for the digital reward delivery.

 

[pakoito]

Cool. See you tomorrow then.

 

[Craig Stern]

Heads-up: there's now a Telepath Tactics Steam page where you can follow the game! http://store.steampowered.com/app/357940

(It'll be on GOG too, though I don't think they make game pages public prior to release.)

 

[pakoito]

I know, I started a discussion about the Super Smash Brothers pitch but you didn't see it.

 

[Craig Stern]

Oh! Heh. I didn't even realize the Steam community page was up yet. (Can you tell I'm new to the site?)

 

[pakoito]

I still don't see how the SSB pitch fits in, I bet it's going to be in the first round of reviews.

Anyway if you need a hand just ask. Same nick on steam too.

 

[pakoito]

Today is the day Craaaaaaaig.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Good luck Craig Stern !

 

[Infinitron]

 

[CyberWhale]

Graphics should be more pixelated. It would look better that way + draw some of the hipster crowd to it.

 

[Infinitron]

'k, it's available for purchase: http://store.steampowered.com/app/357940/
http://af.gog.com/game/telepath_tactics?as=1649904300

 

[vonAchdorf]

Well, I bought it, even though I don't really have the time to play much.

First superficial impressions:

• Keyboard shortcuts ftw.
• Graphics are serviceable, maybe more distinguishable characters would be better, fonts are a bit on the tiny side.
• Performance is a bit iffy (is it an AIR game?)
• Lots of strong women (your first group is 5 women and one guy)
• Lots of missable treasure (chests and drops on the battle map) – might lead to some kiting to pick everything up
• Backstab mechanic seems a bit strange at first (lots of running around behind the enemies every turn) (no ZOC)
• Story leaves you (intentionally) kind of clueless, but moves on a nice pace, so you don't have the time to wonder
• Already some fun ideas in the writing
• Battles are fun so far (permadeath on normal difficulty)

 

[pakoito]

I didin't get my email yet.

 

[mastroego]

I'm intrigued.
Looks solid.

 

[Niektory]

Why are you selling different OS versions separately? Seems counterproductive to me, especially since you get all of them if you buy from portals.

 

[Craig Stern]

Why are you selling different OS versions separately? Seems counterproductive to me, especially since you get all of them if you buy from portals.

Technical reasons, basically. You don't just give Steam an installer--you create a "depot" through a rickety, persnickety, and other words that end in "-ickety" process. It's difficult enough to make one of these for Windows, but making them for Mac (let alone Linux) requires Herculean effort. I've been trying to make a Mac one for well over a week so far, and yet every one I make has thrown errors on OSX. I think I'm close, though!

GOG is much less of a pain to release non-Windows games for, though they don't want to sell anything that requires a separate install--and as of right now, the Linux version requires a separate install of Adobe AIR. The technique to get around this is difficult, obscure, and poorly documented, and so I'm relying on the guidance of a friendly fellow developer to get me through it--but that hasn't happened yet.

And that, friends, is the extremely boring tale of how I ended up selling different OS versions on different web sites.

 

[Craig Stern]

Put another way: it's what I get for not using Unity.

 

[Niektory]

What I meant is why do you sell the 3 versions separately on your website (via BMT Micro). Why not provide all versions via a single purchase there, like the portals usually do?

 

[Craig Stern]

Oh; I dunno! I guess I hadn't ever seen any demand for it, and selling them separately gives me rough analytics on what OSes my fans use.

 

[Niektory]

Well, I use both Windows and Linux, so I like having both versions for convenience, but I imagine it's not a common scenario.
I picked GOG in the KS survey for that reason, since you've said Linux version will be coming there too, and I don't really need it right now (I usually play on Windows anyway).

 

[udm]

Did my part to be an advertising plant educate the unwashed masses on the GOG forums. Can't wait to play it this weekend! Good luck Craig Stern!