KickStarter Underworld Ascendant Pre-Prototype Thread

[Malignant Manor]

A successful CTO now of three online casual game startups

 

[Infinitron]

A successful CTO now of three online casual game startups

I don't want to tell you what Paul Neurath has been doing for the last decade

 

[Malignant Manor]

A successful CTO now of three online casual game startups

I don't want to tell you what Paul Neurath has been doing for the last decade

He was the creative director of Zynga Boston. Wow, working as a morally bankrupt creative director that shamelessly rips off people's games sure makes him a great candidate for innovation.

 

[Zep Zepo]

Tracy Hickman AMA now live

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Awesome!

Zep--

 

[Infinitron]

A successful CTO now of three online casual game startups

I don't want to tell you what Paul Neurath has been doing for the last decade

He was the creative director of Zynga Boston. Wow, working as a morally bankrupt creative director that shamelessly rips off people's games sure makes him a great candidate for innovation.

If you're hardcore about this sort of thing, then Kickstarter is best viewed as a platform for tainted yet repentant souls to purify themselves.

There are no innocents.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

...and does each of you currently pay the bills doing the very thing that you would be defined by? Some are so lucky, some wait for the chance, others do not and with they could. Some are brave enough to turn from their current lot towards the glory days and are willing to walk away from assured lucrative employ. I will take the latter group as those who had but.lost and are now risking a lot to get the magic back.

 

[Marquess Cornwallis]

Regarding the over-abundance of digital tchotchkes (which are mostly harmless I guess, but in terrible taste and completely out-of-character for an LGS successor), I can't help but wonder whether it's helping their cause at all. I mean, I'm not hardcore enough to dive into the comments and find out whether there are people who actually see this as an incentive, but judging by the surveys on their forums to the effect that most of their backers do actually go all the way back to the UU days, it would seem to be counter-productive, if anything. (I know I'd be willing to up my pledge considerably if they decided to get rid of the rubbish.)

 

[Korron]

I'm sure when the money is inevitably tight all this find the toy at the bottom of the cereal bullshit will be the first thing to go.

 

[Melan]

Nah, the thing about ceral toys is that they are incredibly cheap to make. A competent model artist can do the rings and boots and all that crap in a short amount of time, someone else can assign them a few bullshit properties (since they are built on already existing subsystems), and they are done. The real hard tasks are things like modelling, texturing, rigging, animating and voice acting an AI. In the Thief / Dark Mod fan mission scene, I have seen tons of people who make new sword models or a new golden amulet, but only a handful who could do convincing AI (in a way that isn't just reskinning something).

 

[Darkzone]

So now we have less than 72h till the end of the ks campaign. Will the ks fizzle, boom or even go NUKE at the end?
Fizzle = 70k - 160k. Boom = 160k-250k. NUKE = 250k-350k.

 

[Infinitron]

UPDATE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/othersidegames/underworld-ascendant/posts/1151856

As we head into the final days of the Underworld Ascendant Kickstarter campaign, a few of us were reminiscing about what it was like when we first got OtherSide underway, a little over a half year ago. The studio began with little tangible; no office, no desks, no computers. But we had our skills and experience, and passion and perseverance, to chase our vision. We didn't know for certain what lay in store for us in the months ahead, but we knew it would be an adventure.

The beginnings of our studio mirror, perhaps in a way, what is in store for the Avatar at the start of Underworld Ascendant. Stepping through a Runegate and hurled through space and time from their earthly home, the player lands deep in the gloom of the Stygian Abyss, a dark and hostile underworld.

Equipped with little more than some clothes and a pair of sturdy shoes, the player will need to gather their wits, and learn to survive in their strange, new home. And those eyes, those red unblinking eyes that stare out from the dark.

Finding a weapon will likely be at the forefront of a player's thoughts. Perhaps a yellowed thigh bone from some long dead creature, uncovered in a dark nook, will provide a crude club. A nail to stick in the end would be a godsend. A piece of twine and a patch of leather from a shoe could make a sling, useful for throwing stones into the dark, to keep the things making that chittering noise at bay.

Fire. Fire is a necessity, both for warmth, and to light the way as the player explores this brooding labyrinth. Maybe the player learns a simple spell for throwing spark, or procures a flint. Moss, pulled from the walls, provides fuel for a torch.

Perhaps, the player stumbles upon a well-worn path in the caverns, which leads to a settlement. A small community of other exiles with food, and some lore to share. If the player can convince them to take him in, for a short while at least, he will have time to learn about this world, and begin to uncover its secrets.

The player may start out in a humble state. But with skill, clever choices and perseverance, over time they will rise to become a master of their new world. It’s a hero’s journey. It is your journey.

 

[CyberP]

Lol, "RPG cat life simulator" by Will Teixeira launched on Kickstarter????

Cat-Shaped Life: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/766207746/cat-shaped-life

I guess he won't be a full-time employee of Otherside then.

 

[Bubbles]

Also in that update:

Upon reaching $700,000 in Kickstarter funding, a digital copy of Sir Cabirus’ portfolio revealing a half-dozen exotic locations in the Abyss will be gifted as a KICKSTARTAR EXCLUSIVE reward to all backers in the JOURNYMAN pledge tier or higher. This visual travelogue is part of the lore we are fleshing out for the game, together with backstory we plan to draw from Tracy Hickman’s novel.

Once past the Tracy Hickman goal, lies the Lizardmen. To help induce the Lizardmen to come to the Abyss, we want to unlock the Dire Grove, a special area within the Underswamp we are sure they would enjoy. The Dire Grove is dominated by a massive species of swamp willow. These willows make fine roosts for Lizardmen treehouses. They also bear a fluorescent green fruit, which is said to have an odd magical effect if consumed.

Upon our Kickstarter reaching $725,000 in funding, we will add the Dire Grove to Underworld Ascendant.

 

[Tigranes]

You know, it would make sense for all lower level weapons to not be weapons. Just sharp bones, or torture devices snapped off the wall, and so on. Then it would make sense whyh you need to hit things 8 times for them to die, as well. Finding a worn sword would be the mid-level eureka.

 

[Gord]

Stepping through a Runegate and hurled through space and time from their earthly home, the player lands deep in the gloom of the Stygian Abyss, a dark and hostile underworld.
Finding a weapon will likely be at the forefront of a player's thoughts. Perhaps a yellowed thigh bone from some long dead creature, uncovered in a dark nook, will provide a crude club. A nail to stick in the end would be a godsend. A piece of twine and a patch of leather from a shoe could make a sling, useful for throwing stones into the dark, to keep the things making that chittering noise at bay.

Fire. Fire is a necessity, both for warmth, and to light the way as the player explores this brooding labyrinth. Maybe the player learns a simple spell for throwing spark, or procures a flint. Moss, pulled from the walls, provides fuel for a torch.

That is, of course, unless he's a backer at anything above the lowest tiers, because in that case he will have so many pre-order/kickstarter bonus items that he'll put any serious expedition to the african jungle to shame.

 

[Darkzone]

That is, of course, unless he's a backer at anything above the lowest tiers, because in that case he will have so many pre-order/kickstarter bonus items that he'll put any serious expedition to the african jungle to shame.

I have also addressed this in their forum, but more through the flower. Perhaps they have needed more addressing this by the crowbar, before their campaign.

 

[mindx2]

I have also addressed this in their forum, but more through the flower. Perhaps they have needed more addressing this by the crowbar, before their campaign.

Sorry, but I need this one translated...

 

[Abelian]

The beginnings of our studio mirror Looking Glass

Fixed

 

[Bubbles]

I have also addressed this in their forum, but more through the flower. Perhaps they have needed more addressing this by the crowbar, before their campaign.

Sorry, but I need this one translated...

Learn to speak German, it'll pay off in the long term if you love RPGs.

 

[Zorba the Hutt]

Regarding the over-abundance of digital tchotchkes (which are mostly harmless I guess, but in terrible taste and completely out-of-character for an LGS successor), I can't help but wonder whether it's helping their cause at all. I mean, I'm not hardcore enough to dive into the comments and find out whether there are people who actually see this as an incentive, but judging by the surveys on their forums to the effect that most of their backers do actually go all the way back to the UU days, it would seem to be counter-productive, if anything. (I know I'd be willing to up my pledge considerably if they decided to get rid of the rubbish.)

Well, they still have a couple of others planned for the final push. Perhaps the next one will be more to your liking?

Getting a bit lonely on your solitary dungeon crawl? What better way to liven things up than with the Ultimate Jester Hat of Doom, exclusive to Kickstarter backers - primed to entertain you with a selection of Richard Garriott's most famous witticisms delivered in an authentic Lord British accent. We'll even add an extra one-liner for every backer upgrading their pledge in the next 24 hours!

But that's not all. For every 1000 likes we get on facebook we'll decorate this prestigious accessory with an additional disco strobe light. No more stumbling through darkness for our valued backers. Become the life and soul of the party down under! (Note: this will not unbalance the game, although it will provide a non-trivial amount of fabulous atmosphere.)

But remember, the ancient enchantments which power this beauty must be serviced and only the finest silver will satisfy their hunger. So keep the meter topped up with an exclusive backer silver piece from your exclusive backer sow's-ear purse!

Spread the word and help us make your Underworld experience even more awesome.

 

[Darkzone]

I have also addressed this in their forum, but more through the flower. Perhaps they have needed more addressing this by the crowbar, before their campaign.

Sorry, but I need this one translated...

'Speaking through the flower' is to say something indirectly in a nice manner. You know if you want to get a woman in to a bed with you, then you bring her flowers.
Expressing something with a crowbar is to threaten someone into consent. If they don't do this, you will hit their head with the crowbar or you will break their teeth out.

 

[Bubbles]

Some positive news for younger Codexers:

I've a question for you, if you don't mind. I noticed there is sometimes an emphasis on keeping things PG-13, like on the forums and such. I'm fine with that, but it makes me wonder what kind of ESRB rating you're aiming with for Underworld Ascendant. Is it going to be a teen game, or will it be more on the mature side?

Good question. Probably a bit more than PG-13, but not truly "adult" fiction either.

The original games were played by plenty of kids. Not so many really young, but a fair number in the 12-16 age range. I would think UA might likewise be something played by this age range, not just adults.

 

[mindx2]

Looks like the pledging is starting to pickup again...

 

[Bubbles]

For good reason:

Nice note from the Chairman of Star Citizen/Roberts Space Industries. http://bit.ly/1EKAi7u

http://bit.ly/1EKAi7u

 

[Zep Zepo]

Looks like the pledging is starting to pickup again...

Uh..bid manipulation?

Pledge $10,000
5 backers

was 4

Someone really wants Hackman to make his cash...

Zep--