Why isn't there a Dead State kickstarter thread? What's wrong with you guys?

[ShadySands]

Hit M to bring up the map when you are on the blue tiles

[Oner]

Thanks.

[ShadySands]

Not a problem

 

Here is the manual because some things like healing, lockpicking, switching places, and trading aren't that intuitive

Edited February 14, 2014 by ShadySands

[Labadal]

Played it for about an hour. I know I'm going to enjoy the game but the UI is horrendous. It needs to be worked on. Not just the menu. Just about everything that needs to be reworked in that department. I also don't like any single font used in the game. Other than that, the game is fun.

[sorophx]

looks like it's time to grab a bag of popcorn and go to RPG Codex

[Bryy]

So... is it playable yet? Anyone?

[GhostofAnakin]

System requirements?

[ShadySands]

So... is it playable yet? Anyone?

 

I've played the demo about 3 times if that counts. It's currently very limited but I really enjoyed it

 

No idea when the full game will be released but I read they've had some setbacks due to some team members being in Ukraine

 

System requirements?

 

From Steam

 

Minimum: 

OS: Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8 

Processor: 1.7 GHz Processor or better 

Memory: 2 GB RAM 

Graphics: Nvidia Geforce 8500 GT / ATI Radeon HD 7290 (512 Mb) or better 

DirectX: Version 9.0c 

Hard Drive: 1500 MB available space

[Bryy]

No, I mean is it playable as in are the gamebreakers out?

 

So... is it playable yet? Anyone?

 

I've played the demo about 3 times if that counts. It's currently very limited but I really enjoyed it

[ShadySands]

I didn't have any issues outside of the occasional crash while loading a saved game but from what I've read other haven't been so lucky

[Oerwinde]

I didn't have any issues outside of the occasional crash while loading a saved game but from what I've read other haven't been so lucky

This is me for every single game that is some sort of bug riddled unplayable mess. Its like my PC is the optimal configuration because I never encounter anything that hinders playing any game. The worst bug I have ever encountered in any game was one in both KotOR where the dialogue would skip until I could make a response every half hour of play or so.

[ShadySands]

New patch came out today apparently

 

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the very first update of Dead State’s Early Access! In this update, we have a healthy mix of stability improvements and content additions. We’re happy to report that many crash and soft lock issues in the previous build have been eliminated. Check out the changelog below to find out more specifics about the contents of this update.

Update #1 Changelog



Added random encounter functionality and ten random encounter maps
Added harvesting and harvesting locations on the area map
Added fishing locations on the map (fishing pole item is not in current build, but we’ll see about patching that in soon)
Added ally inventory management on shelter storage screen
Added healing over time for characters inside shelter
Added a button on the job board to pass time
Added GUI for choosing # of parts that are assigned towards repairing fence, and made them be used immediately, and refunds parts if everyone is removed from task
Fixed a crash that reported “none of the directions match”
Fixed a soft lock happening during zombie movement
Fixed a soft lock that occurred when loading a save from the main menu
Fixed an issue where a zombie’s turn would be skipped
Fixed an issue where zombies would get up after knocking someone down, move to another square, and then feast on empty square
Fixed an issue where zombies wandered a bit before moving to enemy
Fixed a soft lock occurring in the code related to allies following player
Fixed noise so that it degrades over time more appropriately
Fixed a bug where fence repair progress was lost if you left the shelter after assigning a job and returned before the job was completed
Corrected spelling of Abilene on area map
Fixed issue where knockback after knockdown caused zombies to feast on an empty square
Fixed an issue where bodies T-posed upon returning to a visited place
Fixed a soft lock where console reported “teleporters graph has too few nodes”
Fixed problems with drag & drop functionality on inventory screens
Fixed issue where hitting Esc. while in inventory screen took you to menu instead of exiting GUI
Fixed a crash bug that occurred when attempting to quick save in shelter inventory
Fixed a soft lock occurring when stunned / downed enemy was surrounded
Fixed a bug where reloading a save incremented the counter on # of visits to an area
Fixed a crash where reloading a save after dying from exhaustion crashed the game
Fixed a bug where morale-reducing items are automatically stocked
Fixed some blocking issues
Fixed a bug where medical items (gauze, painkillers) could be equipped directly rather than loaded in satchel
Other small fixes here and there


We will be updating the Known Issues list here on Steam and on our forums as soon as we can with more detailed info about the bugs we’re aware of so far that aren’t yet fixed in the Steam build. We hope you enjoy the new update, and as always, please continue to share your feedback and bug reports with us either here or on our dedicated forums. We have a special bug-reporting subforum available where you can provide your quicksave files and screenshots, which goes far in helping us track down and squash those more elusive bugs. Speaking of which, we want to say a big ol’ “THANK YOU” to everyone who helped us track down issues before now and reported reproduction steps to us on Steam EA discussion boards and on our forums. We’re also particularly grateful to our mods, Caidoz and DrunkZombie, who have worked tirelessly to answer questions, track down and report bugs, and help compile all the bugs being reported by the rest of the community. I don’t know what we’d do without them!
 

Have fun, and thanks for playing Dead State’s Early Access!

 

[TheChris92]

I've generally grown tired of zombie settings, especially after Resident Evil stopped being good, alongside Romero, and seeing zombies be shoe-horned into almost any game they can get away with as of today. I am, however, a fan of Bloodlines so I'll give this game a looksie.

Edited March 17, 2014 by TheChris92

[Bos_hybrid]

New patch, details:

 

 

 

Project Update #43: Early Access Update #2
Posted by DoubleBear Productions
We’ve got a major new update to the Early Access build for you today!

We’ve added character creation, basic goals (experience system), two new locations, two new random encounters, combat bark functionality (note – allies will eventually have unique barks, grabbing from generic list right now), an ambient sound system, and many bug fixes and combat balance additions (although combat is getting even more polish/balance soon.) This update introduces the rest of the functionality that forms the backbone of the entire game. From here on out, much of the work goes into improving on and building out the systems of the game rather than adding completely new functionality and screens.

Also, keep in mind that the updates only represent a small amount of the work in the game and that the majority of our work is going toward our progression playthroughs of the game. This includes maps, characters, events, weapons, enemies, neutral AI, and minor systems that are getting added or tweaked constantly these days. Crisis Events have turned out especially well – they’re definitely feeling spot on to our original outline and navigating the subleader/shelter political layer is as unique a gameplay experience as we hoped it would be. If you were looking forward to putting a lot of hours in the final release of Dead State, you will not be disappointed. And as soon as the update goes out, we’ll go back to making more maps and implementing additional dialogues to make sure that the roads out of Splendid will take you to an ever-increasing amount of destinations. Think the Coyotes are a threat? Oh, just you wait…

As always, please feel free to contact us here, on Steam, on our boards, and let us know what you think or if you’re having any problems. Even if we can’t respond to everything, we do hear you and we’re taking notes. We’re firmly committed to giving you the best survival RPG experience you’ve had, so if you don’t hear from us, it’s probably because our screens are filled with editors, emails, text files, and team chat programs. Thanks for all your patience and continued support!

Here’s the official changelog:

• Character creation system added

• Goals system added

•Player and ally experience added

• Combat bark functionality added

• Ambient sound system added

• Three new maps added

• Inter-party dialogue no longer occurs when out on a scavenging mission

• Fixed morale bonus appearing twice on DRS

• Fixed issue where food found and fuel found bonuses were not applied correctly

• Fixed issue with DRS showing unnecessary/redundant information

• Fixed an issue where KO’ed characters did not turn if killed by the undead

• Fixed an issue with saving on dialogue triggers causing crash

• Fixed the “black screen” issue

• Fixed a harvesting-related exploit • Saving during dialogue is now disabled.

• Fixed an issue where splitting ammo stack between two characters caused one pile to be destroyed

• Trade screen fixed so initiating character is on left, character clicked is on right.

• Unique items now sort to the Unique tab correctly

• Fixed an issue where pressing Esc. while split stack GUI was up caused the inventory to fail to open upon returning to game

• Fixed an issue where pressing Esc. while character selector on trade screen was selected caused trade screen to fail to open upon returning to game

• Fixed an issue where random encounters persisted on the map after reloading while inside random encounter level

• Fixed an issue where saving and reloading in a random encounter level lost player position on the map

• Revamped loot creation and distribution system.

• Two new levels and a new random encounter level added • Fixed an issue where areas appeared over harvesting and fishing locations

• Fixed an issue where harvesting zones were marked as harvested in a reloaded game

• Fixed an issue where harvesting zones disappeared after exiting and reloading game

• Spawn rates and noise variables have been adjusted

• Capped noise that can be generated in a single square

Known Issues with Update

• Combat bark variety is limited right now and allies share same set of barks with enemies; may be expanded in a future update

• Portraits and models in the CCS are temporary placeholders using future ally assets.

• Crossbow model disappears after firing

• Perks are not active in this release, may be added in a future update

 

 

Edited May 15, 2014 by Bos_hybrid

[ShadySands]

Why isn't Dead State almost nearly even close to being next to adjacent of done yet?

 

Without a doubt, some of the most frequent comments we get at DoubleBear are about how we have been “Making this game forever” and “What’s taking so long?” and I’d like to take the time in this Design Update to talk a little about the business of game development and set the record straight about how this game in “5 years of development” could possibly not be done yet. If you’re one of the people who are frequently upset about the time it has taken for the game to be completed, please take the time to read this update. 

 

 

Game development timelines can come down to several factors:

Cost: The budget you have to work with. Most of the cost is in paying people for their time on the project, which in most cases means paying the costs to retain a full-time team each month. Cost goes up with additional personnel, release delays, and level of seniority of your team.

Time: The deadline for the project. If the deadline can’t be pushed back, features must be cut, left unpolished, or patched after ship. Polish and complexity add to the time needed for the project. The experience level of your team can sometimes reduce the time needed.

Personnel: The minimum amount of people needed to finish the game. If you have a gap in your personnel, you can lose time while trying to find a replacement.

Experience: Experienced team members have worked on games before – ideally in the same genre as the target title - and sometimes the most valuable knowledge t hey have is that they know what not to do. Less experienced personnel take more time to complete tasks, can make potentially time-wasting errors, and need more guidance than senior personnel. Teams that have worked together on a finished project or over the course of a project usually learn how to cooperate and divide labor much more efficiently.

Complexity: The level of intricacy and depth of the design, art, and programming required. Each element of a game requires an investment of time and effort from a different department. The more systems, writing, or modes (like co-op) a game has, the more challenging it is on the design side. The higher the fidelity of the art or number of assets, the more complex the game is on the art side. The more core features, newness of the tech, complexity of the network backbone, number of simultaneous players, quality of the AI, or amount of scripting required, the more complex the game is on the programming side. The more features that need to be tracked or personnel that need to be managed, the more complex the game is on the production side.

It should come as no surprise from the very small amount of companies making them, but branching narrative-based RPGs are some of the most complex games to make. RPGs require multiple robust core systems including loot scaling and distribution, experience and leveling, combat development and placement, dialogue structuring, global scripting, event scripting, quest construction, base-building, skill trees, item crafting, world-building, AI, and many more. The writing in a reactive, story-based game with multiple characters and outcomes can go way over 10,000 lines (where, in contrast, a screenplay for a feature-length film might have a 1000), but also requires complex dialogue and scene scripting… and this is without factoring in additional writing elements such as character barks, item descriptions, skill descriptions, and - for writer/designers - pages and pages of documentation. Since almost no game development engines ship with tools to create RPG-specific systems, they must be designed, coded, tested, fixed, and revamped to speed up the production of content. On the art side, RPGs need enough art to cover multiple areas (it’s not an RPG if there’s not enough places to explore/level up), multiple characters, armor/weapons/accessories, GUIs (Graphic User Interfaces – basically screens and menus) for each system screen, portraits, and character creation assets. From a business perspective, the only way to make an RPG within a couple of years is to hire a big enough staff to be able to generate content for the game and put it all together with enough time to test it (and the longer the RPG, the more time it takes to test and polish). Assuming the project has least several experienced leads, the staff on most non-indie RPGs (without state-of-the-art graphics and multiplayer) is going to be anywhere from 20 to 30 people minimum.

Now, I’d like to jump back in time to the summer of 2009. That was the year where Annie, me, and Iron Tower kicked around the idea of Dead State publicly and I eventually formed DoubleBear. It wasn’t until 2010 that we decided to go forward with full development of Dead State, and we went public with that knowledge hesitantly. I say “hesitantly“ because most games aren’t announced until they’ve cleared pre-production: however, we needed to find volunteers to help us out with the production, and going public was the only way to put the word out. Aside from money needed for engine licensing, computer equipment, and business fees, we had zero budget for production. Most of the time spent on the game in 2010 and 2011 was not full-time, but done as a side project for about 3-5 people - and a month of production without a budget does not equal to a month of full-time paid production. The difference is 40-60 hours a week per full-time developer, versus 20-40 hours a month for volunteer staff. Let me say that again: a complex game with no budget does not equal the same progress as a game that is being worked on full-time. Without adequate progress, momentum on any creative project gets stalled quickly, and that hurts everyone’s enthusiasm for soldiering on. When you need to pay the bills, your side project is going to suffer, and for a time in 2011, very little work was getting done on Dead State, and it was killing our will to continue making the game.

I’ve never discussed this before, but there was a point where we nearly canceled Dead State. In 2011, we had to face the facts: without a budget, there was really no way to make an RPG. We had talked about Kickstarter back then, but I felt it wasn’t fair to ask for funding with just a good idea or screen mockups. My biggest concern for a Kickstarter was that we needed to get a basic version of the game together to show our work to potential backers, and we would only have a few months to do it. Together, we decided that in the spring of 2012, either we would take the time needed to create a pitch for Kickstarter, or we would cancel the project. It was only because of a dedicated effort that the game got into shape for the Kickstarter campaign, and it was that experience that showed me that the core team (including myself) could do the game full-time if we had the money to make that happen.

In June of 2012, we launched on Kickstarter, and managed a successful campaign despite some higher profile projects being covered in the press. In July of 2012, we had the funds we needed to pay for full production. This money also allowed us to bring on contributors full-time and additionally search for and hire additional personnel to round out our project staff. For all intents and purposes, the Kickstarter rebooted production of Dead State. As of mid-July 2012, we were finally working as a full-time production studio and the progress being made on the game was instantly a whole lot faster. As far as I’m concerned, production on Dead State started at the point when my team could get paid to do full-time work (you know, how most games actually get made).

Luckily, most of the pre-production was done pre-Kickstarter, so post-funding, it was all about further development on our tools, creating art and design content, establishing schedules, and looking for additional team members. I will say that once we had financing, that responsibility to deliver Dead State was profound, and I’m aware of it every single day. We are indebted to our backers: there would be no DoubleBear or Dead State without them. If we want to grow our business and continue to make games, of course Dead State is going to be finished - does anyone seriously think we’d blow our professional reputations by ‘abandoning’ a project on Early Access? (Side note: Unfinished RPGs on Early Access are not a license to print money.) It’s always been our goal to build to something, namely an experienced group of talent that can continue to make video games and maybe even attempt another RPG (if it doesn’t bankrupt us).

 

 

(To be continued next week...)

Edited July 2, 2014 by ShadySands

[Oerwinde]

I was wondering, what with Wasteland 2 and Pillars of Eternity looking to release before it, yet it entered development before either of them. I wasn't really worried, it will be done when it's done and I have too many games to play anyway.

[Lexx]

Well, we were waiting so many years already, a bit more won't hurt anyone seriously. Me personally, I want to play a finished game and not a rushed piece of software.

[Bryy]

Well, we were waiting so many years already, a bit more won't hurt anyone seriously. Me personally, I want to play a finished game and not a rushed piece of software.

The game was started in 2009. It is currently 2014, and even with a successful fundraiser, the game still acts like an alpha. 

 

And yet people say the above quotes and yet condemn Obsidian for doing something horrible such as market their game?

[Lexx]

Well, I never condemned Obsidian for anything.

[AwesomeOcelot]

They only started full-time development in 2012, and for lots of games you don't hear about in pre-production as it could be mostly ideas, writing, and concept stuff involving a few people, it's unfair to say they started in 2009 if you don't also take that into account when comparing it to other games.

 

I've never seen anyone complain about Obsidian marketing any of their games.

[Amentep]

I've never seen anyone complain about Obsidian marketing any of their games.

There were loads of complaints about them showing a demo to the press behind closed doors at E3 and not showing the kickstarter backers.

[ShadySands]

 

The DoubleBear team has some extra-special, ultra-awesome news for you to celebrate Halloween: Dead State has a release date! 

 

That's right: on December 4th, 2014 - just over a month away - Dead State will emerge from the cocoon of Early Access and transform into a beautiful, fully matured game! 

 

On top of that, later today we plan to release Patch #4 chock full of delicious, gooey content, features, and fixes, so keep an eye out for that.  Pretty sweet Halloween treats, right?

 

Aside from Patch #4 going out later today/tonight, we plan to release one final patch before the launch; after that, we’re going to focus our full attention on fixing, balancing, and polishing Dead State until we run full speed across the finish line. All you have to do is keep playing, having fun, and sharing your feedback with us, and we’ll do the rest. 

 

Please help us out by spreading the word about the launch date - take to Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and your other social networks / forums of choice and give them the good news.  After all, it's only decent to warn your friends about the coming apocalypse

 

Happy Halloween, everyone - may your undead slaying be merry!

[Bryy]

That's true, I really can't knock a game's dev cycle. The game just feels so unfinished.

[ShadySands]

It's out now

[Mamoulian War]

And on GoG as well \o/