"Realms Beyond: Ashes of the Fallen" Now on Kickstarter

[daveyd]

Realms Beyond: Ashes of the Fallen just launched today.

 

It's a party based CRPG with turn-based tactical combat on a hex grid and using the OGL ruleset (i.e., 3.5e D&D).   They're also releasing the game with the editor / toolset so it will hopefully have many user created mods.

 

It looks absolutely fantastic to me. I much prefer TB to RTwP.  I only hope the story will be better than ToEE.  The KS is raising funds in part to help hire a lead writer so that's a good sign

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by daveyd

[Armanz]

Looks amazing graphically and solid for the rest from the things I've read and seen so far and I might actually back this despite not going to play it due to turn based combat.

Edited October 16, 2018 by Armanz

[kanisatha]

I much prefer RTwP than TB but I'm going to back it.

[Volourn]

 Can it beat PF:KM? That game is the modern BG2... just way more annoying bugs. LMAO

 

 

P.S. they don't even have a 'lead writer' yet/? That's not a good sign.

Edited October 16, 2018 by Volourn

[rjshae]

It looks like an interesting mix of different RPG system elements. The KS relies quite a bit on nostalgic elements, but it seems good enough to stand on its own. Definitely on my backer list. Hopefully they can write an enjoyable plot with interesting NPC interactions.

[daveyd]

 Can it beat PF:KM? That game is the modern BG2... just way more annoying bugs. LMAO

 

 

P.S. they don't even have a 'lead writer' yet/? That's not a good sign.

 

I don't think they mentioned it in the Kickstarter but it was revealed awhile back that Guido Henkel (producer of Planescape: Torment and a lead designer of the Realms of Arkania triology) was working on this game as creative director.  He contributed to the world design, lore, etc. Unfortunately it seems they couldn't really afford to pay him a salary so he left the project earlier this year in search of a paying gig. I was / am hoping that maybe after a successful KS they could bring Mr. Henkel back onto the project.

 

Anyway, aside from basic world-building, it seems Ceres main focus up to this point has been working on the game engine; so they already have a working combat and dialogue system.  And they have acquired the art assets from the canceled CRPG "Chaos Chronicles".  What they need now is more actual content and writers to flesh out their dialogue and story.  

Edited October 16, 2018 by daveyd

[injurai]

I much prefer RTwP than TB but I'm going to back it.

 

Yeah, I much prefer RTwP, but we don't need every game to be in the same vein. I do like their choice of art/graphics direction.

[Volourn]

Since theya re going with a whole world map I really hope they look into spells like Teleport and the priestly one that is si8milar.  It would be really nice if they had it in KM.

[Messier-31]

I only ever backed 4 titles.

 

This is the 5th.

 

Just sayin'

[IndiraLightfoot]

I've become almost eager for a turnbased take on a D&D CRPG or any other CRPG with a similar system, and this may very well be the answer to my little prayers.

A surefire backing on my behalf.

Edited October 17, 2018 by IndiraLightfoot

[Melusina]

Wish to back this but low on cash and will stay that way. Also no bard class which sucks big way, but not deal-breaker.

[Armanz]

Wish to back this but low on cash and will stay that way. Also no bard class which sucks big way, but not deal-breaker.

 

Bard class will very likely be a stretch goal.

[Melusina]

 

Wish to back this but low on cash and will stay that way. Also no bard class which sucks big way, but not deal-breaker.

 

Bard class will very likely be a stretch goal.

 

That's great, but it may fail.

[Melusina]

Early bird discount on base game is gone. I decided to back this up, since you pay it on kickstarter ending, anyway.

[Tigranes]

I've been watching this one for a long time - they had to overcome various business hurdles to get this far, but they've really taken their time to create a solid old school RPG piece by piece, and who knows how good it'll be, but at least they've put a ton of thought into how they design it from their discussions over the years that I've seen.

 

Between POE, Pathfinder (which is apparently amazing if they can fix literally enough bugs to fill 10 RPGs with) and this, it's a fantastic turnaround for isometric old-school RPGs. We even have room for shovelware clones like Sword Coast Legends!

[Manveru123]

I very rarely finish TB games more than once. I feel like their replayability suffers due to the fact that TB combat often takes too long. It bores me, even if the game is good.

 

This is why I did not touch DOS2 Definitive Edition. It's a great game. But ugh the combat zzzzzzzz....

 

EDIT: From what I've read it seems that the game won't have story companions. That's a dealbreaker for me in a game with a group, I do NOT want create a full party or recruit random sidekicks without dialogue or personalities. **** you Icewind Dale.

Edited October 18, 2018 by Manveru123

[Melusina]

I very rarely finish TB games more than once. I feel like their replayability suffers due to the fact that TB combat often takes too long. It bores me, even if the game is good.

 

This is why I did not touch DOS2 Definitive Edition. It's a great game. But ugh the combat zzzzzzzz....

 

EDIT: From what I've read it seems that the game won't have story companions. That's a dealbreaker for me in a game with a group, I do NOT want create a full party or recruit random sidekicks without dialogue or personalities. **** you Icewind Dale.

 

I love IWD2. I'm glad I backed.

[Manveru123]

The gameplay was ok but the story sucked because I was leading a team of random nobodies without personalities. Managed to somehow finish it once and then bye bye.

[Fenixp]

The KS is raising funds in part to help hire a lead writer so that's a good sign

Oh so they're hiring Chris "Personified Stretch Goal" Avellone?

[rjshae]

 

 

Wish to back this but low on cash and will stay that way. Also no bard class which sucks big way, but not deal-breaker.

Bard class will very likely be a stretch goal.

That's great, but it may fail.

 

Seems unlikely. They're already more than a third the way there, and having a neo-nazi in the development team doesn't seem to have hurt them too much.

[Tale]

I never feel like a fantasy RPG is complete until they start showing off classes and races that are beyond the standard array. I'm going to say World of Warcraft and Neverwinter Nights 2 made me this way.

 

Like D&D is shipping with Warlocks, Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Assimar now. Pillars had Godlike and Ciphers. Diablo loves its Necromancers, though how 3 got away saving it for a DLC I'll never know.

 

I need something!

[Messier-31]

EDIT: From what I've read it seems that the game won't have story companions. That's a dealbreaker for me in a game with a group, I do NOT want create a full party or recruit random sidekicks without dialogue or personalities. **** you Icewind Dale.

 

You didn't read the FAQ on the Kickstarter, did you? 

 

You can decide whether to create the whole party from scratch or to recruit some pre-existing NPCs. It's up to you.

 

The maximum party size is 6 characters and you can mix and match as you like: create just one character of your own and recruit the rest, create 3 and recruit 3, create 5 and recruit one...

 

Party creation and composition is entirely in the hands of the player.

Edited October 19, 2018 by Messier-31

[daveyd]

I never feel like a fantasy RPG is complete until they start showing off classes and races that are beyond the standard array. I'm going to say World of Warcraft and Neverwinter Nights 2 made me this way.

 

Like D&D is shipping with Warlocks, Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Assimar now. Pillars had Godlike and Ciphers. Diablo loves its Necromancers, though how 3 got away saving it for a DLC I'll never know.

 

I need something!

 

I don't know about additional playable races, but they have said there's probably going to be more classes either as stretch goals or barring that possibly adding them in a DLC / expansion at some point.  Bards, Monks, Psions are among those that have been hinted at.   They've also confirmed there's definitely going to be prestige classes (e.g., Arcane Archer, Eldritch Knight, etc.).   They said they want to devote a good amount of time to each class they implement (so for instance if they add monks, they'll have high quality martial arts animations rather than just using a generic punch).  

 

And while I'd agree that more options would be very desirable, one must take into consideration that the budget of this game is (so far) looking to be considerably less than the likes of Pillars, NWN or Diablo for that matter.   I guess how much they can add will depend on how well the KS does and I'd love to see this blow up and hit ~$1 million but that seems unlikely given most gaming news sites are completely ignoring this KS and the increased skepticism / cynicism regarding crowdfunding among the gaming community.   

Edited October 19, 2018 by daveyd

[daveyd]

 

EDIT: From what I've read it seems that the game won't have story companions. That's a dealbreaker for me in a game with a group, I do NOT want create a full party or recruit random sidekicks without dialogue or personalities. **** you Icewind Dale.

 

You didn't read the FAQ on the Kickstarter, did you? 

 

You can decide whether to create the whole party from scratch or to recruit some pre-existing NPCs. It's up to you.

 

The maximum party size is 6 characters and you can mix and match as you like: create just one character of your own and recruit the rest, create 3 and recruit 3, create 5 and recruit one...

 

Party creation and composition is entirely in the hands of the player.

 

 

I also recall reading in the RPGWatch Gamescom preview that all characters will have personality traits such as greedy, lazy, sneaky, open-minded, which may affect how they interact with NPCs, so even the characters you create from scratch will have some personality.  For example "The way this works in the game is that if you have a greedy character and you let that character barter with a merchant, it will probably not be a success, as the greedy character will not part from money or items easily and it is very unlikely that they will come to an agreement. So perhaps a greedy person is not the best person to barter with a merchant.",

[rjshae]

 

I never feel like a fantasy RPG is complete until they start showing off classes and races that are beyond the standard array. I'm going to say World of Warcraft and Neverwinter Nights 2 made me this way.

 

Like D&D is shipping with Warlocks, Dragonborn, Tieflings, and Assimar now. Pillars had Godlike and Ciphers. Diablo loves its Necromancers, though how 3 got away saving it for a DLC I'll never know.

 

I need something!

 

I don't know about additional playable races, but they have said there's probably going to be more classes either as stretch goals or barring that possibly adding them in a DLC / expansion at some point.  Bards, Monks, Psions are among those that have been hinted at.   They've also confirmed there's definitely going to be prestige classes (e.g., Arcane Archer, Eldritch Knight, etc.).   They said they want to devote a good amount of time to each class they implement (so for instance if they add monks, they'll have high quality martial arts animations rather than just using a generic punch).

 

The original Pool of Radiance gold box game had only six races and four classes. It's better not to overpromise and just ship an enjoyable, polished game. Hence, I won't mind if this game only has the current class/race mix -- they can save an expansion for the sequel. But we'll see.