Kickstarter for Old-school RPG manned by Brenda Brathwaite and Tom Hall

[C2B]

Deserves its own topic I think

 

[Majek]

maybe, when it gets funded.

[Humanoid]

Not too be too negative, but I wonder if they have the name recognition to pull that $1m target. A big marketing point of other 'big' Kickstarted titles give them that extra buzz kick: "Shadowrun", "Wasteland" and "Infinity Engine" have much broader 'OMG' pull than this proposal, which I would compare with The Banner Saga and Dead State, neither of which really threatened the $1m mark. (Neither did any of the post-Double Fine Adventure kickstarters either.)

 

Not saying I won't be pledging, I will be putting in some small amount, but this isn't the style of RPG that appeals to me.

[WorstUsernameEver]

I'll probably pledge later. To say that Brenda Brathwaite and Tom Hall have the same clout of a bunch of ex-BioWare Austin guys (who are working on something that looks pretty good, mind you) though is kind of.. insulting? I mean, I don't think they have the same recognition of Chris Avellone, but I don't see why they would be less well-known than Brian Fargo. I mean, Tom Hall was one of the co-founders of id Software!

[C2B]

Not too be too negative, but I wonder if they have the name recognition to pull that $1m target. A big marketing point of other 'big' Kickstarted titles give them that extra buzz kick: "Shadowrun", "Wasteland" and "Infinity Engine" have much broader 'OMG' pull than this proposal, which I would compare with The Banner Saga and Dead State, neither of which really threatened the $1m mark. (Neither did any of the post-Double Fine Adventure kickstarters either.)

 

Not saying I won't be pledging, I will be putting in some small amount, but this isn't the style of RPG that appeals to me.

 

I would think that this has less draw than Obsidian for rpg fans. But, certainly more than Banner Saga and Dead State.

 

Edited October 3, 2012 by C2B

[C2B]

It's coming kind out of nowhere though. So, I think they will have a rather slow start.

[Majek]

I think they'll reach their goal without problems. Just not in 27 hours. :D

 

edit: well word has to get around first.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Majek

[Humanoid]

I'll probably pledge later. To say that Brenda Brathwaite and Tom Hall have the same clout of a bunch of ex-BioWare Austin guys (who are working on something that looks pretty good, mind you) though is kind of.. insulting? I mean, I don't think they have the same recognition of Chris Avellone, but I don't see why they would be less well-known than Brian Fargo. I mean, Tom Hall was one of the co-founders of id Software!

Maybe it speaks of my own ignorance (and general disregard for shooters), but I couldn't name their work until I read the text - perhaps they'd be well served by a better working title.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Humanoid

[molarBear]

they should have announced it later (after project: eternity is finished). i mean they will get little pledges from PE backers (if none at all).

PE did this right. they waited after wasteland 2 kickstarter to finish. they are also way too vague about their game(s).

Edited October 3, 2012 by molarBear

[Nepenthe]

Tom Hall could ride my deus ex nostalgia buck for the year, but seriously bad timing on their part (at the same time with eternity, coming out of nowhere? Meh!)

[WorstUsernameEver]

they are also way too vague about their game(s).

 

PE and Wasteland 2 started pretty vague too, but they both had some kinds of references that helped paint a broad picture in people's minds (the original Wasteland and the first 2 Fallouts, IE games, etc.). As of now, we don't really know what kind of viewpoint will be chosen, etc.

 

And yeah, I agree, bad timing, should have waited a little bit longer. Still, the pitch seems good to me, and I'm not going to surprised if they attract some people that didn't pledge to PE because it's too "popamole".

[Majek]

Hmm i think it's aimed at different crowd than most PE backers anyway.

 

edit: besides if the pitch fails they can wait a few months and make a new one.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Majek

[Humanoid]

Superficial I know, but Wasteland has the Wasteland title and general rights, while they haven't managed to wrangle the Wizardry name for this title: the headline can be a pretty big deal (though I'll contradict myself by mentioning Eternity). Now I understand that they might not even be seeking the Wizardry name, but it'd be a pretty big "in".

 

 

P.S. A bit confused about Romero's role in this. Doesn't seem to be involved in the general scheme of things (thank god some of you might say), but his mug is writ large at the end there...

[WorstUsernameEver]

P.S. A bit confused about Romero's role in this. Doesn't seem to be involved in the general scheme of things (thank god some of you might say), but his mug is writ large at the end there...

 

He has founded the studio (loot Drop) and works there.

[Spider]

This was more vague than PE and W2 though. I have absolutely no idea what type of gameplay to expect, except it's party based and will have levels. And turn based. But while they cited a number of old school games they've worked on, they didn't really go into which this will be most influenced by.

 

That being said, their video was hilarious though, and was in itself worth the $15 pledge (Notch's came was inspired). I hope they make their goal, even though I'm not 100% sure it's a game for me.

[Humodour]

Not too be too negative, but I wonder if they have the name recognition to pull that $1m target. A big marketing point of other 'big' Kickstarted titles give them that extra buzz kick: "Shadowrun", "Wasteland" and "Infinity Engine" have much broader 'OMG' pull than this proposal, which I would compare with The Banner Saga and Dead State, neither of which really threatened the $1m mark. (Neither did any of the post-Double Fine Adventure kickstarters either.)

 

Not saying I won't be pledging, I will be putting in some small amount, but this isn't the style of RPG that appeals to me.

 

I would think that this has less draw than Obsidian for rpg fans. But, certainly more than Banner Saga and Dead State.

 

 

That game list sells it for me. Especially Anachronox (the best half-done RPG of all time!) and Jagged Alliance.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Krezack

[LadyCrimson]

Hm. Their video is entertaining, at least. Loved the bit re: how rpg's recently feel more like movies.

But it is vague and I don't have quite the loyalty/fandom factor here, so I'm going to have to wait a week or two to hear more updates first.

[AwesomeOcelot]

They're gonna have to start spacing RPGs out a bit more, I'm already backing 5 RPG projects. It's great but they've all started in a 6 month period.

[Flouride]

I think their timing is bad, they should have waited until PE closes and then launch their own Kickstarter. They gave no info, so yea it's an oldschool RPG, but if you ask a bunch of people what is an oldschool RPG you will get dozen different answers.

 

Never played Anachronox and that's pretty much the only game Tom Hall has worked on that wasn't a shooter that I might have actually liked. His work on Deus Ex was just voicework... apparently.

Brenda Brathwaite that names says nothing to me, okay I see she worked on Wizardy series, never really played those. I recall testing some Wizardy game when I still in my teens, and didn't like it. Her work on Jagged Alliance seems to be more on the writing/documentation side, not actual designing. So nothing in her resume that would intrest me to actually fund the game.

 

Namedropping/showing John Romero, seriously? Isn't it supposed to be RPG and not some generic shooter? I don't want to give my money to John Romero.

 

And aiming at 1 million? Are they really that well known names that they would get million dollars? Sure some Codex people will sell their grandma's on the black market right after they heard the words "old school rpg", but broader audience? But by the looks of it, even Codex ain't that intrested.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Flouride

[Tigranes]

Bad timing & to me it just reads like a vaguer, paler shadow of the PE / W2 pitches at the moment because of that.

 

Still, JA2/ROA/etc is enough of a pull for me, I'll wait for more detail and probably drop in the $15 pledge.

[Hurlshort]

Yeah, I wasn't impressed with the lack of details. There aren't many folks that are bigger fans of Sir-Tech than me, but Brathwaite wasn't exactly the head honcho behind Wizardry and Jagged Alliance. They have a sizable team, they should be able to come up with some more info or art before I drop a pledge.

[molarBear]

i also think the 1+1 games idea might be good sales pitch somehow but might fail at the end.

[HoonDing]

Sir-Tech just published Realms of Arkania in English, what are they taking credit for exactly?

[Amentep]

Sir-Tech just published Realms of Arkania in English, what are they taking credit for exactly?

 

Taking a wild stab based on the Sir Tech game credits, Brenda Braithwaite did playtesting on the English transation / version.

[Llyranor]

Brathwaite wasn't exactly the head honcho behind Wizardry and Jagged Alliance.

IIRC, she was still lead designer for Wizardry VIII, which has such an amazing combat system.

 

Since Anachronox features some of my favorite game writing, and we know it's turn-based, I'll certainly pledge for this.

 

 

-------

 

UPDATE:

 

Tom Hall ‏@ThatTomHall

Key updates on our RPG: 1st-person perspective, 4 character party, Unity engine, fantasy/sci-fi setting and theme. http://kck.st/QE9FFC

Edited October 4, 2012 by Llyranor