NEW KICKSTARTER: Darkest Dungeons

[Bryy]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1460250988/darkest-dungeon-by-red-hook-studios

 

A 2D rogue-like where your characters personalities matter as much as their stats!

 

• The Jester has seen one too many party members die in combat, and is prone to nihilistic rants, stressing the other party members! Do you send him carousing in town to blow off some steam?
• The Man-at-Arms has begun relying on the bottle as much as his battleaxe. His inebriated fury is a welcome damage boost for the party, but he has grown increasingly unpredictable and erratic. Do you bench him in town, or simply lash more liquor to his pack?
• At camp, the Plague Doctor's methods unnerve the Highwayman, and he refuses her treatments. Maybe you should rethink the idea of combining them in the same party again.
• A critical hit from a skeleton sends the Vestal reeling, and instills in her a crippling fear of the Undead. She can fight well enough against other foes, but if you expect her to keep her head through the Crypts, you'll first need to send her to the Abbey to do some serious prayer and contemplation.

 

The reward tiers are actually pretty good, too!

[IndiraLightfoot]

I just backed it as it is as of now entering "funded"-territory, and all that in one day!

[Majek]

Looks interesting enough to consider backing. I'll just set  a reminder for now.

[Humanoid]

I hate dungeons but the overarching concept is interesting enough for me to keep an eye on (kind of how I felt about Rogue Legacy). If they can guarantee the DRM-free option I'd probably make a goodwill pledge regardless.

[Oner]

Finally!

[Starwars]

This looks really nice. It got funded quickly and already broke some stretch goals as well.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Hmm. The exclusive class reward keeps bugging me. It doesn't feel Kickstarter-y, just greedy- Look what happened to Deathfire.

[Bryy]

I don't see the problem with an exclusive class/item/etc.; the initial response is to cry catastrophe or injustice towards "the other player" (i.e. me).

[IndiraLightfoot]

I don't see the problem with an exclusive class/item/etc.; the initial response is to cry catastrophe or injustice towards "the other player" (i.e. me).

Just to be clear, exclusive things when buying a game in a store, I'm absolutely fine with. It just doesn't fit the Kickstarter model well, as it's a matter of backing a project. Let them rewards be creative, but not exclusive content (unless it's like server tower/team games or something). Any backer should be able to back the full game, full stop.   (as that is not the same as buying it.)

[Bryy]

But if it's exclusive, that to me says that it is outside the complete product. Now, this is not to say I don't have issue with "what is and is not Kickstarter" - of which I have many, but that's for the general Kickstarter thread. But the "full/complete" game... I've never bought into that talk.

[IndiraLightfoot]

Fair enough! And as for "exclusive content", well, that usually ends being exclusive the first day it's released or after one month, tops!

[agris]

For $15, the game looks like a steal. The art fits the setting and mood that the devs are trying to convey very well.
 
They also have a new narrative video up.

 

 

It isn't just a side-scrolling rogue-like, there is a large emphasis on the psychological damage caused by facing these demonic creatures and being forced to kill. With an emphasis on resource management, the sanity of each team member has to be balanced against your desire to continue exploring. Add in the fact that the town is upgradeable, and you actually manage a roster of players (ala XCOM teams), the game looks pretty awesome. I'm chugging down the kool-aid and loving it.

 

Some screenshots showing combat UI, camping resource management and the upgradeable town, respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

If any of you are more interested, here's two good interviews with the devs:

Pre-KS

Post-KS

[AGX-17]

Never been a big fan of dedicated dungeon crawlers. Really more interested in blithely criticizing the historical inaccuracy of naming one class and the issues of gender inequality in þe olden tymes. Quote from Man on the oblong mire of mud and feces which acts as a main thoroughfare through the village: "A woman? Doctor? AHAHAHAHA!... But seriously, SHE'S A WITCH, BURN HER!"

[agris]

Well then, it certainly sounds like the game isn't for you...

[ShadySands]

I'll back it when/if they do the DRM free thing

[Bryy]

So, give me names for my custom Hero.

 

And we have a new class. The Lord tier was taken. As well as a Class Update tomorrow.

 

They already have around 1200 custom Heroes to make.

 

I think we're literally making this game for them.

[aluminiumtrioxid]

Dunno, mixing the elements of gothic horror with classic dungeon crawling gameplay seems like the very antithesis of fun. Also, the "Dark Souls burtonized" art style doesn't really do it for me, but that's completely subjective.

[Bryy]

Class update tomorrow.

[IndiraLightfoot]

"Exclusive Class Update

The campaign is only days old, but we have been fortunate already to have many supporters and some passionate debates in the comments and via messages. We welcome your thoughts, and read them all.

One major point of discussion has been about the exclusive class that is offered in the ADVENTURER tiers and higher. We definitely misjudged the way that this exclusive class would be received. That was our mistake and we own it. The class was conceived as a cool variant on an existing archetype and something that backers could have a voice in selecting. We hope you understand that it was imagined in the purest spirit of fun and reflects our deep desire to bring value at every tier and involve the community.

It's clear now that the exclusive nature of the class is perceived negatively by some. If we could rewind three days, we would eliminate the exclusive class and put another equally valuable but less divisive reward into the ADVENTURER tier. We have debated the options for hours at a time, pretty much nonstop since it came to our attention. We explored changes, alterations, timed exclusives, add-ons, and every possible combination thereof. We considered and championed new and different approaches to achieving some form of resolution. It was exhausting, but critical that we do so: our growing community had voiced a concern, and we take that very seriously. 

As many of you may also know, once a Kickstarter campaign launches, you cannot edit the reward tiers. This makes sense - you don't want to change what people get, after they have pledged money to get them. The way we see it, we've entered into a contract with our backers at every tier; changing ANY reward terms is in very poor taste, and arguably unethical. Just as we couldn’t possibly remove Early Access from the WANDERER tier, we have a firm responsibility to honor what the ADVENTURER and higher backers (approximately 1200 people so far and growing) have pledged for. It is for this reason that we have concluded that we cannot adjust the tiers. We believe any adjustment or compromise at this point would undermine our obligations and trustworthiness.  It's better that we own up to the mistake and vow never to repeat it, than it is to compromise what we have offered – and sold - to our backers.

We spent an incredible amount of effort before the campaign crafting interesting rewards, and the exclusive class was the only in-game exclusive item we dabbled in. This is just the one area where we erred.  It doesn't reflect an overall philosophy or trend of any kind. 

We ask for your support in this, no matter what tier you have pledged at. We also respect and understand that some of you might not agree.  We would encourage you to look at the larger balance of everything we are doing and the true passion that we have poured into Darkest Dungeon. We hope that you can remain excited about all of the other cool rewards we are offering, and of course...the GAME! Thanks to your support, in-game content for ALL players is growing by leaps and bounds with every stretch goal we cross!"

 

I really appreciate their taking the time to sum up their feelings about this and taking on the responsibility for anything they felt went wrong. My confidence in them after this is certainly enhanced by leaps and bounds!

Edited February 14, 2014 by IndiraLightfoot

[Bryy]

Basically them going "well, that's great, but it's not changing".