KickStarter Underworld Ascendant Pre-Release Thread

[taxalot]

Unity games can't be modded ?

 

[unfairlight]

They can.

 

[Avonaeon]

I think for a smaller team, it's very easy and tempting to rely on or use third party tools for Unity, which become a licensing problem if you want to open it to modding. There are other reasons why Unity doesn't make it easy to open for modding, but that's one of the big reasons, I think.

 

[Katana1000S]

Coming up to 2 weeks until this is on sale, no way am I buying this unless absolute miracles can happen in such a short time.

 

[Infinitron]

Suddenly, a Kickstarter update: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/othersidegames/underworld-ascendant/posts/2333336

Backer Beta Patch: Mac and Linux Available!

Quick update for any JOURNEYMAN backers ($35+):

We just pushed a patch to the Backer Beta build on Steam! This patch should update your game on Steam automatically and is now Mac and Linux compatible.

CHANGES:
- Mac and Linux update: they fallback to opengl if metal or vulkan don't work, which should fix some of the crash issues we noticed
- Alienware DLL bulletproofing for PC / Mac / Linux
- key bindings window fix
- mac bootup crash with missing video DLL's fix

 

[Nano]

They're supporting Vulkan? Nice.

 

[BEvers]

Previewers seem to like the new build:

Externally things may seem quiet, but we have had many press meetings and interviews, including an onsite event here, Joe traveling to a few cities on a tour and a number of interviews with Joe, Paul and Warren. We secured print (and digital) coverage with Game Informer. 505's European team has been doing demos this week and last week. Our next major marketing beat is this coming Monday (11/5), where the "Previews" embargo will lift and that will include a new trailer, new screenshots, new info about the game (most of which you guys know already). Our sense is that the meetings have gone well and that most of the people we've talked to are genuinely excited about the game and have realistic expectations for it. That said, you never really know until the day so fingers crossed, besides only some will do a preview while others will report closer to launch.

Rest of the marketing prep is for launch, including new assets, creative for ads, media buying planning, Steam promotion, influencers and cross-promotions with some of our developer friends.

Of course, we're also working furiously on the backer rewards--hope to have a note out today or Monday about the status. I believe most of the in-game stuff is done. Physical goods take more time, but that production is underway.

https://www.othersideentertainment.com/forum/index.php?topic=6430.msg35122

 

[LESS T_T]

Growing?: https://otherside-e.com/wp/jobs/

Office Manager
Concord, MA

We are a growing video game development studio seeking an Office Manager to join our team. Your role will be to help foster a creative and supportive work environment, while ensuring robust organizational effectiveness. We seek an energetic professional who enjoys wearing multiple hats, is experienced in handling a range of day-to-day operational and executive support tasks, and able to work independently. Prior experience working in software or technical workplace, together with fuent skills using office software, is a must. The role will also include periodic travel to our Austin, TX studio.

Job Responsibilities

• Help ensure we have a robust and fun office environment for our teams
• Coordinate with management on HR

• Assist finance team in budgeting, payables and receivables
• Support of marketing team, such as with events and presentations
• Establish and run office operations and procedures

• Procuring and maintaining office equipment and coordinating with IT support
• Help organize and schedule meetings and appointments
• Manage relationships with vendors, service providers and landlord
• Provide general support to visitors
• Point person for maintenance, mailing, shipping, office supplies, equipment, and errands
• Assist in recruiting staff and providing orientation and training to new employees
• Participate actively in the planning and execution of company events
• Booking transportation and accommodation for people travel

Requirements:

• Proven office management or administrative support experience in tech company
• Knowledge of office management responsibilities, systems and procedures
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task and prioritize work
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Extensive computer skills and knowledge of office software packages
• Knowledge of human resources management practices and procedures
• Knowledge of business and management principles

If you meet the requirements and are interested in the position, send a cover letter and resume to jobs@otherside-e.com

Also a new executive producer:



https://www.linkedin.com/in/richgallup/

As if they're preparing for the next thing regardless of the fate of UA (new art director and producer, hiring lead programmer).

 

[RNGsus]

They must be selling pills and pussy and UA's just a cover. It really shows.

 

[Sinatar]

Growing?: https://otherside-e.com/wp/jobs/

Office Manager
Concord, MA

We are a growing video game development studio seeking an Office Manager to join our team. Your role will be to help foster a creative and supportive work environment, while ensuring robust organizational effectiveness. We seek an energetic professional who enjoys wearing multiple hats, is experienced in handling a range of day-to-day operational and executive support tasks, and able to work independently. Prior experience working in software or technical workplace, together with fuent skills using office software, is a must. The role will also include periodic travel to our Austin, TX studio.

Job Responsibilities

• Help ensure we have a robust and fun office environment for our teams
• Coordinate with management on HR

• Assist finance team in budgeting, payables and receivables
• Support of marketing team, such as with events and presentations
• Establish and run office operations and procedures

• Procuring and maintaining office equipment and coordinating with IT support
• Help organize and schedule meetings and appointments
• Manage relationships with vendors, service providers and landlord
• Provide general support to visitors
• Point person for maintenance, mailing, shipping, office supplies, equipment, and errands
• Assist in recruiting staff and providing orientation and training to new employees
• Participate actively in the planning and execution of company events
• Booking transportation and accommodation for people travel

Requirements:

• Proven office management or administrative support experience in tech company
• Knowledge of office management responsibilities, systems and procedures
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task and prioritize work
• Attention to detail and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• Extensive computer skills and knowledge of office software packages
• Knowledge of human resources management practices and procedures
• Knowledge of business and management principles

If you meet the requirements and are interested in the position, send a cover letter and resume to jobs@otherside-e.com

Also a new executive producer:



https://www.linkedin.com/in/richgallup/

As if they're preparing for the next thing regardless of the fate of UA (new art director and producer, hiring lead programmer).

Rich Gallup as in the dipshit who used to write for Gamespot? Good lord.

 

[LESS T_T]

UA Director Joe Fielder used to be Gamespot editor/site director in early 2000s, so...

 

[BEvers]

He had a lead role at 38 Studios, working on Curt Schilling's MMO:

Lead Producer
Company Name 38 Studios
Dates Employed Feb 2008 – May 2012
Employment Duration 4 yrs 4 mos
Location Providence, RI


• Managed 7 producers on MMO codenamed Project Copernicus as we established and evolved an Agile work environment. Created small, focused interdisciplinary crews and scrummaster assignments for each sprint. The 173-member dev team consistently landed 90% of planned goals.
• Defined quarterly release and monthly sprint plans by leading strategy sessions with Studio GM, Game Director, and Directors of Design, Engineering and Art, carefully balancing the needs of Dev with emergent priorities from other stakeholders in the company.
• Founding member of 38 Studios, reporting directly to Studio GM. Helped studio grow from 40 to 379 while expanding and improving processes to match our increased velocity. This included creating a cross-discipline band structure and product owners group that resulted in improved communication, structured pipelines and faster workflow.
• Implemented a formal, group playtest-based review cadence with Design, Engineering, Art and QA to achieve sign-off on game systems and assets for both fun and quality assurance.
• Maintained the game’s product backlog and developed the studio’s standards for daily tracking documentation.
• Implemented and hosted lively, company-wide sprint presentations.

Taking the Otherside gig seems like big step down for him. Maybe he's an RPG fan?

 

[Max Heap]

[...]and that most of the people we've talked to are genuinely excited about the game and have realistic expectations for it. [...]

Probably "realistic" as in "they knew nothing about the project or its history with Ultima Underworld".
Cause if that was the case with me I wouldn't expect all those cut features either.
Either way, I'll be on board day 1 anyway, so I'll see it in two weeks.

LIMITED TIME PURCHASE OFFER - BUY WEEK 1 & RECEIVE BONUS ITEMS*:
2 Quest Companion Creatures:
• Vorpa: A herbivore that appears mild-mannered, but will launch itself at those nearby who are at extremely low health
• Mana Leech: It absorbs Mana in the world and when the player is low, it "fires" its reserve amount at the player

Map of The Stygian Abyss:
Digital map of the iconic Stygian Abyss that you'll be exploring in-game

*Offer Valid 11/15/18 - 11/21/18

Welp... there it is.
As if the other stuff hadn't been enough of a kick in groin already, here's the one thing I genuinely hate:
Bonus items that alter gameplay.

And I can already hear people say "J-just don't use them, silly!"
But I ain't gonna scan and filter the inventory for shit I may or may not have had in there through DLC/additions/whatever.
Also I wont clean out my inventory at the beginning of each run to get rid of this stuff.
Yet it's annoying to know you are using "cheat items" that were probably slapped on the game as an afterthought.

I don't know why devs keep doing this shit.
For me this would be a reason to wait one week with my purchase (probably a good idea anyway - cause the way that beta looked this thing's gonna need some serious day 1 patching).

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

I don't know who this peraon is, but attributing to an individual the successes or failures of a company they have worked for is not logical.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I don't know who this peraon is, but attributing to an individual the successes or failures of a company they have worked for is not logical.

 

[Grauken]

who is the chaotic evil guy?

 

[Sinatar]

who is the chaotic evil guy?

Yves Guillemont, CEO of Ubisoft. Not sure why he'd be listed as Chaotic Evil.

 

[Invictus]

I don't know who this peraon is, but attributing to an individual the successes or failures of a company they have worked for is not logical.

Sawyer is the ultimate true neutral

 

[DeepOcean]

I don't know who this peraon is, but attributing to an individual the successes or failures of a company they have worked for is not logical.

This isn't updated, after Fallout 76, Todd alignment had a -1000 adjustment, he is chaotic evil for sure.

 

[glass blackbird]

Also a new executive producer:



https://www.linkedin.com/in/richgallup/

Spoiler

Product Owner, Game Director
Disruptor Beam Inc.
October 2017 – July 2018 10 months
Framingham, MA
• Product Owner, Game Director and Producer for a F2P mobile game.

Executive Producer
Disruptor Beam Inc.
December 2012 – July 2018 5 years 8 months
Framingham, MA
• Produced and shipped Game of Thrones Ascent (iOS, Android, Facebook, Web), Star Trek Timelines (iOS, Android, Facebook, Steam), and The Walking Dead: March to War (iOS, Android).

Co-Founder & COO
Summer Camp Studios
June 2012 – December 2012 7 months
New England
• Cofounded and incorporated a mobile development shop as an opportunity for hands-on education about shifting trends in the games industry while pursuing fun, simple gameplay.
• Provided production, creative, design and marketing leadership on Fart Cat! for iOS, reaching top 70 Overall Paid Games on the App Store and named Sports Illustrated’s This Week’s Sign of the Apocalypse.

Lead Producer
38 Studios
February 2008 – May 2012 4 years 4 months
Providence, RI
• Managed 7 producers on MMO codenamed Project Copernicus

Features Producer/Host
GameSpot.com
mars 2003 – augusti 2007 4 years 6 months
San Francisco, CA
• Head of feature video content for GameSpot’s team

So, a bloke who's produced mobile games for seven years straight, and been a producer for an MMO for four years prior to that. Does not inspire hope, in all honesty.

A producer's job is mostly to get shit out the door on time and in budget, which he's probably perfectly capable of doing. It's hardly the most damning thing going on--though there's plenty other stuff to be worried about here.

 

[Sacred82]

you had me at Peter Molyneux

 

[Tweed]

Oh boy only ten days left, I tingle with anticipation.

 

[Siveon]

Oh boy only ten days left, I tingle with anticipation.

I want to believe it'll at least be what I want. A fun FP dungeon explorer. Alas, it ain't looking that way.

Maybe in 3 years we'll get Underworld: Enhanced Edition.

 

[glass blackbird]

Those people comparing it to Thief made me think tthat, well, maybe it's no RPG but I'd love a new stealth game like that.

When I actually looked up footage though all I can say is it looks like ass

 

[Junmarko]

Lol. Molyneux is a living embodiment of Chaotic Neutral.

Even looks like he's rolling dice in that photo