Game News Grimrock devs reform as Ctrl Alt Ninja to create Druidstone, a procedurally generated turn-based RPG

[Metro]

I can understand. I'm sure it's easier/cheaper to push something like this out and get money coming in than it is to make a more in-depth and arguably more niche version of Grimrock.

 

[Joined on the 4th of July]

Let them do whatever the feel like doing.

They can always go back to making corporate software if they need the money.

 

[luj1]

Looks like its aimed towards kids and possibly mobiles



Burn it before it spreads

 

[Country_Gravy]

I guess this means for turn-based...I'm sticking with chess for now.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

Its TB so yay.
I doubt it can be more horrible than the cancerous dancing simulator Grimrock.

 

[Konjad]

I'm 100% certain it's not going to be shit.

 

[Melan]

I can understand. I'm sure it's easier/cheaper to push something like this out and get money coming in than it is to make a more in-depth and arguably more niche version of Grimrock.

The first Legend of Grimrock sold a respectable 900,000 copies, while the second apparently apparently sold much less (250,000 on Steam). I have no concrete numbers to back this up, but it seems to be the hearsay on the net. To go even more niche may not be a viable strategy.

Too bad this new project looks utterly generic, with a gimmick mechanic that may or may not save it.

 

[Jarpie]

Wasn't a lot of the 900k from the bundles, which goes for much cheaper?

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Yes, every time the subject of the Grimrock series' sales is brought up, it's always in terms of units sold rather than revenue. Unfortunately, it seems that no-one (aside from the developers) knows how much revenue either the first or the second Grimrock amassed, which makes comparison less than meaningful in an era of digital downloads, steep discounts, and bundles.

 

[Reapa]

Legend of Grimrock 2 sold 375k, which isn't exactly a 0-profit game. Few indie RPGs sell almost 400k. So while it's a lot less than what LoG sold, it's not something to dismiss and start exploring a different genre. They should have developed the concept further and added towns, characters, quests, etc.

they should have developed it further by switching to turn based combat first, then increasing party size and then add towns, characters and quests.
but the discussion is pointless, obviously there were a few people on the team who didn't understand shit about what brought them success and are doing now an idiotic single character roguelike/lite for mobile.
it's a good thing that they split up if that's what some of them wanted to work on.
maybe Almost Human is now looking for replacements to work on Grimrock 3.

 

[commie]

Wasn't a lot of the 900k from the bundles, which goes for much cheaper?

LOG2 was bundled as well a couple of times, including in a Humble Monthy subscription. In light of that, real singular sales would appear even worse compared to the first game which at least got a lot of mainstream press before it was released that helped a lot with initial interest.

I actually bought LOG2 the second time it was bundled for a dollar. Don't have the first game either.

 

[Infinitron]

I wonder what TalesfromtheCrypt thinks about Codexers' preference for a real-time dancing simulator blobber over a turn-based tactical game

P.S. People who think the Legend of Grimrock formula could be improved with "quests" remind me of those game journalists in the early 90s who asked why you couldn't talk to the monsters in Doom.

 

[Elwro]

I played LoG till the end. It's one of those memorable games which are actually broken when it comes to mechanics (the ridiculous skill / spell system) but you can't stop playing them (at least I couldn't). Once you accept the waltz, it seems that the already good game could be really improved if the stat / spell system was better thought through and there was a tiny bit of lore more. (Maybe 2 or 3 EoB-style quests to give the dungeon more flavour.) You could see that the guys know how to make a blobber, they could've just polished the formula.

(I bought LoG2 but didn't play it since they decided not to do a Linux port.)


Now, of course, the question is: is this new thing 'real turn based' or roguelike style 'I move 1 step, you move 1 step'?

 

[Vault Dweller]

I wonder what TalesfromtheCrypt thinks about Codexers' preference for a real-time dancing simulator blobber over a turn-based tactical game

P.S. People who think the Legend of Grimrock formula could be improved with "quests" remind me of those game journalists in the early 90s who asked why you couldn't talk to the monsters in Doom.

Talking to monsters in a shooter is pure nonsense. Having NPCs and quests in a blobber is not. Even Dungeon Master had traders, which added something to the game.

 

[V_K]

LoG2 had sort-of-NPCs (stone faces) and implicit quests (in the form of inventory-based puzzles spread across areas). Doing much more than that would ruin the atmosphere and sense of exploration (as it did in other quest-based RPGs).

 

[Infinitron]

I'm not sure if people clicked CryptRat's link: http://www.grimrock.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=6865&p=98177#p98173

agreed, which is on the other side quite unfortunate, I hoped for some real open-world with NPC´s, shops, quests etc...
BUT, from my view I belive Log 3 could compete with many other RPG "open-world" games, it could be even better with a good story and level design (you can always hire some people which have this experience). It is just matter of money at this state, question is if it is worthy or not. Hell... we are missing some good RPG game in dungeon master style with good graphic. Was there some since...wizardry ?
Well... I am curios if Log3 wil come out one day.

It's not about money. LOG1 and LOG2 are how they are because of our preferences and vision of what kind of game we wanted to make. Even if we had 10x the budget, Grimrock games would not be modern open world (quest-based) games, which I personally don't find very interesting. In the early days of LOG2 development we tried to move into this direction, but found out we didn't like where that was leading us.

The best open world games for me are Ultima IV, Ultima V and ascii roguelikes, which tell simple stories on the surface but have compelling world and gameplay. Unfortunately translating these games into modern form is hard as you always seem to lose a lot of their appeal. The abstraction in these games is a really powerful tool for unlocking player's imagination. Ok, but now I'm starting to ramble...

It just rubs me the wrong way when it's implied that every game secretly yearns to be a disguised Black Isle RPG

 

[Haba]

Talking to monsters in a shooter is pure nonsense. Having NPCs and quests in a blobber is not. Even Dungeon Master had traders, which added something to the game.

You should add romances to Age of Decadence 2, it would really add something to the game.

 

[Vault Dweller]

It just rubs me the wrong way when it's implied that every game secretly yearns to be a disguised Black Isle RPG

You mean like MMX and Wizardry 8?

As for the link:

It's not about money. LOG1 and LOG2 are how they are because of our preferences and vision of what kind of game we wanted to make. Even if we had 10x the budget, Grimrock games would not be modern open world (quest-based) games, which I personally don't find very interesting. In the early days of LOG2 development we tried to move into this direction, but found out we didn't like where that was leading us.

No idea what that means. First, LoG is as close to an open world game as one can get it with a blobber, second, "quest-based" games aren't a modern invention. See Daggerfall.

Talking to monsters in a shooter is pure nonsense. Having NPCs and quests in a blobber is not. Even Dungeon Master had traders, which added something to the game.

You should add romances to Age of Decadence 2, it would really add something to the game.

Same thing?

 

[Haba]

You should add romances to Age of Decadence 2, it would really add something to the game.

Same thing?

It is just introducing key new elements that will bring AoD2 closer to Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

 

[Andhaira]

So they are making Eschalon 4, but with less customization?

Anyhow I never got the stupidity of making a party based REAL TIME game (LoG 1 & 2) but a single PC TURN BASED game...

People who think this makes sense are mentally deficient

 

[l3loodAngel]

Legend of Grimrock 2 sold 375k, which isn't exactly a 0-profit game. Few indie RPGs sell almost 400k. So while it's a lot less than what LoG sold, it's not something to dismiss and start exploring a different genre. They should have developed the concept further and added towns, characters, quests, etc.

they should have developed it further by switching to turn based combat first, then increasing party size and then add towns, characters and quests.
but the discussion is pointless, obviously there were a few people on the team who didn't understand shit about what brought them success and are doing now an idiotic single character roguelike/lite for mobile.
it's a good thing that they split up if that's what some of them wanted to work on.
maybe Almost Human is now looking for replacements to work on Grimrock 3.

It could be just a financial gig. Make new subsidiaries to not lose IPs and other assets that you have in case of bankruptcy or for screwing other owners/creditors. It's a hip thing now.

It could even be same people who are sitting in the same chairs just with different contracts.

 

[Andhaira]

This game has actually been kinda done, 20 years ago:

 

[Jaesun]

Wasn't expecting a turn-based game from these guys. Curious about this.