KickStarter Underworld Ascendant Pre-Release Thread

[Nyast]

In terms of level design, there's a glimmer of hope:

The second area in the Backer Alpha ("Upper Erebus") is a small chunk of the actual level. There are several different pathways you could take to reach the same overall area, and we only included one pathway/portion of it to make sure it was the most bug-free and was already polished from E3. I just played through the level today for our internal playtest and got lost because I went a way I'd never tried before. I know it's hard to judge the rest of the game based on what you've seen, but please be mindful that we still haven't shown a lot.

As I said on their forums, their strategy makes no sense to me. Why would you, on purpose, show the worst that your game has to offer ( aka. boring, empty, linear levels that contradict UU's spirit ) right before release when you're supposed to get momentum and stack up on your fan's excitement ?

 

[Big Wrangle]

I know it's hard to judge the rest of the game based on what you've seen, but please be mindful that we still haven't shown a lot.

You'd think the tone of the writing would be more confident sounding at this stage.

 

[Infinitron]

Nothing new here: https://otherside-e.com/wp/update-backer-alpha-e3-unite-berlin/

UPDATE: Backer Alpha, E3, Unite Berlin & More

Hello everyone,

June has been a really busy month for us, so let’s dive right in:

BACKER ALPHA NOW AVAILABLE FOR EXPLORERS+


Our Backer Alpha build is now available for Explorer level backers and above! ($50+)

Please log into your BackerKit to access the Steam key under the Digital Downloads page. We’re excited to announce that this is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux!

Note that unlocking the Alpha access on Steam does NOT mean you are locked into downloading Underworld Ascendant on Steam for your final digital download when the game launches.

If you had access to the Pre-Alpha/Prototype build, you do NOT need a new Steam key. The Underworld Ascendant app should update on Steam to the Backer Alpha Build.

For more information on what’s in the build, what you can expect, and a feedback form, check out our page here.

JUNE TRAILER & SCREENSHOTS
On June 1st, we unveiled a new trailer and released some new screenshots! You can view more of the released screenshots here.

E3 & UNITE BERLIN WRAP-UP

This month, we traveled back to back from E3 in California to Unite Berlin in Germany to show an early Alpha build of Underworld Ascendant. We were nominated for Best in Show by Hardcore Gamer and PC Gaming Enthusiast!

It was great to see familiar faces revisit our progress over the last few months, as well as making new friends and saying hi to some Kickstarter backers!

From E3:
Giant Bomb at Nite – Live from E3: Nite 1 – featuring Warren Spector & Joe Fielder

Watch Full Interview

Alienware livestream Interview & Playthrough – featuring Paul Neurath & Joe Fielder

Watch Full Interview + Playthrough

Shack News – Watch Full Interview

Neoseeker – Watch Full Interview

We were also invited to speak at Unite Berlin just last week. Lead Level Designer Justin Pappas gave a talk about “Lighting for Stealth Gameplay in Underworld Ascendant,” which is available to watch on YouTube here.

BACKER ALPHA LIVESTREAM WITH WILL TEIXEIRA


Want to see what’s in the Alpha build but don’t have access? On Wednesday, Lead Engineer Will Teixeira and our Community Manager Sam Luangkhot played through the Backer Alpha build on our Twitch. We showcased some of the features you may have missed at home, and talk about some of the behind-the-scenes systems. You can watch the playthrough here.

INSIDER BLOG


This month’s Insider Blog is about QA’ing for events, written by our Senior QA, Amanda Rivet! This post is available for Explorer level backers and above ($50+). Read about Amanda’s QA process here.

EXTERNAL PLAYTESTING & OFFICIAL DISCORD


Last but not least, we launched our official Underworld Ascendant Discord! Join us to sign up for an exclusive biweekly play-testing opportunity and stay updated on a daily basis on our progress.

We’ll have more to share next month! See you soon!

Cheers,

The OtherSide Team

In Other News…

• Clear 100 hours in your calendar, because CRPGs are here to stay via Rock Paper Shotgun
• Filling Bottles with Water… and other Immersive Sim Elements in Underworld Ascendant
• Warren Spector listed as one of the top “50 over 50” Veteran Game Creators of 2018

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Zep Zepo]

So... Two Nostalgia "Ultima" based games (UA and SotA) are shit.

Who'd a thunk it way back when during the Kick Starters.

Oh...I DID.

Told ya so.

System Shock 3 will also be shit (If it's even allowed to go forward after these 2 disasters).

You heard it here first.

Zep--

 

[Nano]

System Shock 3 will also be shit (If it's even allowed to go forward after these 2 disasters).

Maybe it could turn out to be another Daikatana/Deus Ex situation where the other team makes a disgrace of a game while Spector's team saves the day.

Probably not, but it's nice to fantasize.

 

[Azazel]

Considering Spector is a hack who has only ever had projects saved from his asinine ideas, it is unlikely.

Go read the design docs for Deus Ex or any other classic he was involved in. The man was a dumbfuck saved by more talented designers working under him. Is it any wonder he crashed and burned for the better part of the past two decades?

 

[RatTower]

Oof this is depressing. At least there's still Monomyth

 

[Big Wrangle]

Now now slaves, stop arguing with eachother.

 

[Big Wrangle]

Good to know we're on the page, then.

Also, I didn't know you could just smash doors to bits with your bare hands.

 

[fantadomat]

Babble, babble

...This act provides justification to prejudice.

Ramble, ramble.

...Have you ever once looked at a mirror in a while?
...I won't even be surprised to find you drugged next to a dumpster, vagrant.

Dribble Dribble.

You earned this title for you had exposed yourself to a criminal of some sort, now, scatter along to the darkness before you reside behind bars.

That is the spirit boy, i feel like we are already playing the rape game.

Now now slaves, stop arguing with eachother.

Back to the uranium mines with you!

 

[DeepOcean]

Watched some streams and there are really cool ideas on the game, there seems to be small plants that work as checkpoints, you can take their seed and plant them for a new checkpoint wherever there is dirt, so you have a movable checkpoint, at least it was how the streamer explained, dunno if he is wrong. This could be a pretty good middle term between save scumming and far apart checkpoint, a really cool idea.

Another cool idea is that the wands have a nomenclature linked with the magic system on the game, so Plant Something +1, Plant is the material the wand can work with, Something being the actual effect and +1 being the potency. This could point out to the runic magic system actually working and allowing for really deceiving complex system on environmental interaction that could lead to pretty cool level design. When you add this with wall running, water arrows, rope arrows and other stuff, things could get really interesting.

Problem is that Otherside actually have a full game with decent content or just an expensive technical demo? Proof of concept that failed into be an actual game? Does anyone knows how large was the team for Underworld 1? They are just 15 guys? This doesn't sound good. All those tools without anything to use them with is pointless.

 

[Thal]

Watched some streams and there are really cool ideas on the game, there seems to be small plants that work as checkpoints, you can take their seed and plant them for a new checkpoint wherever there is dirt, so you have a movable checkpoint, at least it was how the streamer explained, dunno if he is wrong. This could be a pretty good middle term between save scumming and far apart checkpoint, a really cool idea.

Yeah, great stuff. I wonder how they came up with this.

 

[RoSoDude]

Watched some streams and there are really cool ideas on the game, there seems to be small plants that work as checkpoints, you can take their seed and plant them for a new checkpoint wherever there is dirt, so you have a movable checkpoint, at least it was how the streamer explained, dunno if he is wrong. This could be a pretty good middle term between save scumming and far apart checkpoint, a really cool idea.

Yeah, great stuff. I wonder how they came up with this.

http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Silver_Sapling

Unless you're just being sarcastic...

 

[Ash]

Lol after all the dev's talk of needing to leave the prestigious past in the past and innovate, push this style of game forward, and everyone is saying this game lacks originality. Some are saying there's barely even a game.

 

[Big Wrangle]

Underworld Ascendant is just more proof that being your own hypeman is a bad idea; acclaim comes from those who play your game.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

Your assertion is that marketing is a bad idea and UA marketing proves it?

There are clealry building blocks of a LGS game there. Time will tell whether they can pull it all together. Some look at the alpha and judge it as the finished game... there is no accounting for internetz hyperbole.

 

[Big Wrangle]

Honestly, I would be saying different things had we been a year away rather than 3 months, especially after the impression journalists dropped at people. UA aims and tells to move the genre forward with total creativity, but fails to showcase it.

 

[Sacred82]

#immersivesim

a simulated feeling of immersion, now with 100% more breakable stuff.

 

[DeepOcean]

http://ultima.wikia.com/wiki/Silver_Sapling

Unless you're just being sarcastic...

Jesus, I'm growing completely senile.

Time to do a full playthrough of the series, it will be more productive than to wait for this to be a good game.

 

[flyingjohn]

I know i am probably gonna get flak for this,but games like these need a publisher breathing down their neck.Else all you will ever get is a tech demo barely resembling a game.
I mean publishers were responsible for bloodlines and stalker actually begin released as games and not as tech demos.(ironically publishers were also responsible for the downfall of bloodlines)

 

[LESS T_T]

Speaking of publishers, I wonder what their publisher, 505 Games, have seen about this game. They must have seen the content Otherside has been hide form public due to reasons (spoiler, lack of polish).

Also they seem to have no other release in Q3 (Bloodstained here? Likely not) and in Q4 they have fairly big release (console version of Overkill's The Walking Dead in November). Could Othersie afford a delay longer than a month from the publisher?

 

[Infinitron]

At some point after release we'll read stories about the insane crunch time they're doing now.

 

[LESS T_T]

Chris Siegel acknowledges your agenda: https://forum.quartertothree.com/t/...ught-to-you-by-zombie-looking-glass/76311/486

So now we know Major’s going to be crunching all summer.

Good luck sir.

LOL Rock…yep. crunch crunch.

 

[Zep Zepo]

I knew the game was going to be shit, so never bothered to watch videos of pre alphas and things...

However, today I broke down and tried to watch some "other side plays ua"

Over an hour long, some annoying retard girl "playing".

I lasted about 4 minutes.

What I did see was really terrible.

Seriously, wtf is with that font for items.

Why in the fuck are they outlining every stupid thing.

That fucking camera speed and jank is horrible. Like some twitch FPS camera.

Good PR with some noname retard girl playing.

GG, Otherside. You fucking hacks.

Zep--