KickStarter Underworld Ascendant Pre-Prototype Thread

[CyberP]

I keep telling myself I'm not going to back any more of these.
But I keep going in at the $20 minimum pledge anyway. At this point, I'm mostly doing it because I want more of these types of games to be made, and I want to support the developers who are making them.

Good man.

 

[wesleyclark]

I keep telling myself I'm not going to back any more of these.

My daily commute is 1 to 1.5 hours each direction, and I have a two young children at home (ages 5 and 2.5), so I have very little time to actually play any of these games right now. I've installed Wasteland 2 and started a game, but it runs way too slow on my notebook -- which was actually pretty decent when I bought it in 2009.

But I keep going in at the $20 minimum pledge anyway. At this point, I'm mostly doing it because I want more of these types of games to be made, and I want to support the developers who are making them.

I'll get around to playing them someday.

I find myself in the exact same situation. You're one up on me, though. I still haven't launched my copy of W2.

I despair when thinking of what the future holds, when the ones I'm really looking forward to hit. AoD, Stasis, PoE, TToN, SitS ...

And UnderRail. Can't forget that one.

 

[Alchemist]

But I keep going in at the $20 minimum pledge anyway. At this point, I'm mostly doing it because I want more of these types of games to be made, and I want to support the developers who are making them.

I'll get around to playing them someday.

I'm in a similar boat. I have a ridiculous backlog of things to play, so I don't really need any new games for a long time. But I see backing these as supporting the incline of CRPGs - and investing in my gaming future.

 

[Keldryn]

I find myself in the exact same situation. You're one up on me, though. I still haven't launched my copy of W2.

For all the good it did me. I created my party, and then tried to play it. I had to turn down the graphics settings and drop it down to 1280x800 to make it semi-playable (which looks like shit on a 1920x1200 screen). The game was still rather slow to respond. It was a decent enough computer when I bought it (Dell Studio 17 notebook, Core 2 Duo 2.1 GHz, 4GB RAM, Mobility Radeon HD 3650) back when I was doing freelance work. It wasn't a gaming powerhouse then (due to the Mobility Radeon), and it barely ran Dragon Age: Origins at native resolution. One day, I'll get a proper gaming rig again.

I despair when thinking of what the future holds, when the ones I'm really looking forward to hit. AoD, Stasis, PoE, TToN, SitS ...
And UnderRail. Can't forget that one.

On the plus side, this type of game tends to age fairly well and doesn't rely on state-of-the-art technical prowess as its main selling point. The games will be waiting for us when we finally do have the time to play them.

The only Kickstartered game I've really played was Broken Age, and that's because my 5 year-old and I played it together.

I'm in a similar boat. I have a ridiculous backlog of things to play, so I don't really need any new games for a long time. But I see backing these as supporting the incline of CRPGs - and investing in my gaming future.

Yeah, my backlog still contains games like Thief Gold, Thief II, System Shock 2, Gabriel Knight III, a bunch of Playstation and Playstation 2 games...

 

[mindx2]

The only Kickstartered game I've really played was Broken Age, and that's because my 5 year-old and I played it together.

 

[Absalom]

No idea why you people always go for these kickstarter scams. Just contributes to more devs spreading the early access cancer and never releasing finished games.

 

[Infinitron]

Finished games in 2015, lol

 

[stony3k]

I keep telling myself I'm not going to back any more of these.

My daily commute is 1 to 1.5 hours each direction, and I have a two young children at home (ages 5 and 2.5), so I have very little time to actually play any of these games right now. I've installed Wasteland 2 and started a game, but it runs way too slow on my notebook -- which was actually pretty decent when I bought it in 2009.

But I keep going in at the $20 minimum pledge anyway. At this point, I'm mostly doing it because I want more of these types of games to be made, and I want to support the developers who are making them.

I'll get around to playing them someday.

I'm in the same situation except my kids are a little older. Even weekends are no longer free. Just keep supporting the and hoping we'll play the games someday

 

[tuluse]

No idea why you people always go for these kickstarter scams. Just contributes to more devs spreading the early access cancer and never releasing finished games.

Let me tell you about a company named Troika...

 

[Zombra]

No idea why you people always go for these kickstarter scams. Just contributes to more devs spreading the early access cancer and never releasing finished games.

Hey! Legend of Dungeon fucking delivered.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

My advice to OtherSide Entertainment: http://www.othersideentertainment.com/forum/index.php?topic=114.0

1) It's evident now that the audience of interested backers just isn't that huge. With that in mind, it may have been wise to set a slightly higher minimum tier for getting the game. Like, a $25 or $30 Early Bird tier. Shroud of the Avatar had relatively pricey minimum tiers and that worked for them. More money from less people.

2) Putting an exclusive in-game item in every single tier was a mistake. In other successful Kickstarter campaigns that I've participated in, the minimum tier for getting the game typically has no exclusives. Instead, an exclusive in-game item is placed at the tier one or two places above it (which is typically around $50 or $60). This entices people to upgrade from the minimum tier to that one. By placing exclusives at every tier, you've cheapened them to the degree that people will just ignore them. Copper Ring, Silver Ring, Gold Ring, who cares?

It would have been wise to show the fans a preview of these tiers before launching the Kickstarter. inXile did that with the Torment Kickstarter back in 2013 and they received a lot of valuable feedback.

Here is some feedback I gave on their forums some time ago.

-=-=-=-=

Re: Underworld Reboot Startup
« Reply #25 on: July 02, 2014, 02:50:22 PM »
QuoteModifyRemove
Here are some suggestions

First I would say be careful not to rehash too much - remaking bullfrog, rehashing Liz language - don't get me wrong those were both awesome but be cognizant of 'Police Academy sequel" syndrome.

A sense of wonder requires not knowing what is coming and needing to learn about the world... the mechanics, the systems - as you play. Languages, spells, factions...

Sandbox and simulation are important parts of the UW experience.

Utilitarian Crafting - I don't mean 6,000 types of sword to make, I mean crafting items that help you survive from whatever you find - necessity is important.

Quest solutions spring from use of game mechanics and interacting with the game world. Allow the player to discover what works by trying and learning, not by having an NPC or item tell them what to do or do it for them

Please no quest marker or at least the option to turn it off.

See if George Sanger can be recruited for music.

Paper Doll please

Manual (like UW) Inventory - make it look like you are looking into a pack - no grid or heavy UI inventory devices

Beautiful hand drawn 2D interface over 3d viewport

Bring back that wonderful automap - it was perfect

Item scarcity is important - please no sea of urns, vases and crates all over the place. One wonderful thing about the UW levels was that every placed item was worth checking out because there weren't 3,000 just like it all over the place

Item scarcity stems from and is supported by the oppressive atmosphere - the reality that you must scavenge to survive and that anything you find could be useful

Skill training through shrines, NPCs for major gains, through use for minor gains

Hunger, starvation, effects from foods

Alchemy

Bartering as best form of commerce or acquiring items you do not find yourself

Play & take what you can from Arx Fatalis

Force first person only view

Innovate heavily for first person combat mechanics

 

[Absalom]

Finished games in 2015, lol

AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT

No idea why you people always go for these kickstarter scams. Just contributes to more devs spreading the early access cancer and never releasing finished games.

Hey! Legend of Dungeon fucking delivered.

Never heard of it, looked it up, looks like babbys first roguelike.

Let me tell you about a company named Troika...

Yes, except instead of paying into and receiving a shit product when you were promised something good, you knew the product was bugged to fuck anyway and waited until it was fixed in a mod. And most likely on sale.

 

[imweasel]

We’ve been reading with interest the ongoing comments about the relative value of having Co-op play in Underworld Ascendant. It’s a stretch goal, but if the goal is reached we want to do it. There’s great potential for fun and surprising interactions when a pair of players tag team. Also, Co-op seems well-suited for the mechanics we’re supporting with our Improvisation Engine. At the same time, we realize that not everybody has a taste for Co-op play. The game will be balanced to be played entirely single-player for those who prefer that mode.

source

 

[CyberP]

It is killing me that I do not want that stretch goal to be reached.

 

[CyberP]

They actually seem legitimately serious about wanting to do it as well, which I find very worrying.

 

[imweasel]

Co-op boosts sales by quite a large margin. You can't blame them for wanting to make money.

The single player experience in D:OS, for example, was great. And it isn't even a single player game at it's core. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[CyberP]

I mean I worry more about overall concept...bunny companions, co-op (and AI companions to replace a friend when offline), all those hand holding in-game backer tools that read like a AAA pre-order incentive...their primary audience is us, the fans, to even get funded. Shouldn't the backer rewards be more tailored to the hardcore player, not the opposite?

 

[CyberP]

Little of the design of the game is revealed, yet the exception is they have gone into significant detail regarding co-op.
Where do their priorities lie? Taken at face value it doesn't look good...

 

[Jaesun]

Co-op boosts sales by quite a large margin. You can't blame them for wanting to make money.

Oh I don't blame them, but is their passion to make an exceptional game or money?

If all they want is money, well then then just go to some damn Publisher then. Not Kickstarter.

Of note, HBS STILL won't add co-op to Shadowrun: Hong Kong. Because THEY are passionate about making a great core game. Same with Obsidian and inXile and......

Might have to lower my pledge now...

 

[CyberP]

But do not let me discourage anyone...I want this funded no matter what. It is Neurath for goodness sake.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

But do not let me discourage anyone...I want this funded no matter what. It is Neurath for goodness sake.

Still, the fact that they even want it feels questionable. I dunno about you bros but part of the appeal to me in UU was how lonely you felt. Finding the occasional person willing to talk to you (And then, shock, some small settlements) felt rare and surprising since most of the time you're crawling around in a maze like dungeon with all manner of nasty critters. Being able to go "A locked door? I SUMMON THEE, BRO" and a godmode ghost co-op partner (Even if your friend is offline) appears and opens the door for you sounds really shit.

Also as someone else mentioned, no goblin faction is

Honestly I probably shouldn't even be going for it but UU and LGS is still tempting me. I dodged the Lord British bullet largely because I was never as big on regular Ultima and his pseudo-online not really but kinda-MMO thing seemed iffy as fuck. This doesn't sound as questionable as that but I'm getting the same feeling a little.

 

[CyberP]

But do not let me discourage anyone...I want this funded no matter what. It is Neurath for goodness sake.

Still, the fact that they even want it feels questionable. I dunno about you bros but part of the appeal to me in UU was how lonely you felt. Finding the occasional person willing to talk to you (And then, shock, some small settlements) felt rare and surprising since most of the time you're crawling around in a maze like dungeon with all manner of nasty critters. Being able to go "A locked door? I SUMMON THEE, BRO" and a godmode ghost co-op partner (Even if your friend is offline) appears and opens the door for you sounds really shit.
.

It is not just Ultima Underworld. All their games followed the same core concepts.
So maybe they think they can innovate with co-op and bunnies, I wouldn't be surprised if they did, but it is the antithesis of their legendary concept that they are adored worldwide for.
They need to start showing some design concepts we all long for. They need to show those massive balls & brains that drove those old classics.

 

[CyberP]

Also as someone else mentioned, no goblin faction is .

To be fair, between the Underworlds and Arx they cannot really flesh Goblins out further & something new is fitting...they are a shallow race.

 

[Magellan]

Unless the engine has made huge advancements I can't possibly see Unity running well in a game like this. I will back it in spirit.

I'd hope they switch to Unity 5 once it's available, and in the meantime keep prototyping with Unity 4.

Might & Magic X has shown that this engine can reach it's limits fast.

Speaking of Unity, Warhammer End Times will be the first game using Unity 5 commercially. Look at the screenshots:
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_warhammer_end_times_vermintide_announced-16248_en.html

Looks very good.

You're not kidding, that looks really fucking nice!

 

[Rostere]

Unless the engine has made huge advancements I can't possibly see Unity running well in a game like this. I will back it in spirit.

I'd hope they switch to Unity 5 once it's available, and in the meantime keep prototyping with Unity 4.

Might & Magic X has shown that this engine can reach it's limits fast.

Speaking of Unity, Warhammer End Times will be the first game using Unity 5 commercially. Look at the screenshots:
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_warhammer_end_times_vermintide_announced-16248_en.html

Looks very good.

You're not kidding, that looks really fucking nice!

"co-op FPS"

lol