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Hellenica - Bears and Steam Robots go turn-based RPG... in ancient Greece

Rahdulan

Omnibus
Patron
Joined
Oct 26, 2012
Messages
5,105
Explore a steam-powered ancient Greece as Artemis' Arktos, her chosen bear warrior, on a mythological quest of technology and magic...

hellenica_greenlight_banner.jpg


In this turn-based tactics RPG, you’ll rewrite the history of an ancient Greece transformed by an industrial revolution. Customize your party's skills and navigate a labyrinthine storyline where your choices affect the path you take, the battles you fight, and the allies you meet along the way.

http://thedragonloft.blogspot.hr/

Key Features
  • Old-school tactics combat, enhanced - Familiar Tactics mechanics coupled with pushing, tossing, bouncing, and obstacles. A new battle system that encourages experimentation and careful planning with an interface simple enough for players new to the genre.

  • Unique steampunk world - See how an industrial revolution transformed the cultures of ancient Greece. From the luddite mobs threatening Athenian democracy to the great railroad of Thebes, Hellenica brings steamwork wonders to a brand new setting.

  • Reimagined history of ancient Greece - Help Plato and Socrates maintain order in an Athens shaken by change, fight alongside the technologically augmented king of Sparta against rebels committed to tradition, or join Cyrus the Persian prince on a quest to liberate his people.

  • Customizable party abilities - Unlock party abilities and customize your load out before each battle. Abilities never grow obsolete, but instead provide new tactical options for every situation.

  • Labyrinthine branching story - Live multiple lives, making different choices and exploring different facets of the world. Will you seek guidance from the Oracle or form an alliance with a shadowy network of spies? Stow away on a pirate vessel or follow a mysterious foreigner? Investigate a rebellion in Sparta or seek the aid of the enigmatic enchantress, Circe?

  • Custom narrative experience - Thousands of custom dialog lines ensure that characters recognize and respond to the actions you've taken on each of the paths through Hellenica’s story.

  • No pants - They weren't even invented yet!

 

CryptRat

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
3,548
This looks sweet, the hype coming from this trailer is high.
There are more varied maps and cool skills in the trailer than in some complete games.
I can't figure out if a character is really ejected from the map forever because each time one is ejected they switch to another scene. If he/she's definitively ejected and considering they're showing different ejection skills, this will be very fun.
That's some good presentation.
 
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
906
Location
Malaysia
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
I don't like that they use three different artstyle; one for character, one for the UI and another for the tiles but I have to admit I like the creativeness of the setting. Already voted yes because I am interested to see how it goes.
 
Last edited:

Hyperion

Arcane
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,120
Had to read the thread title twice. Watched the trailer, and holy shit the protagonist is actually a fucking BEAR. I love it.
 

Malpercio

Arcane
Joined
Dec 8, 2011
Messages
1,534
>Ancient greece
>All the characters except the dude look like normal JRPG characters

...ok.
 

Siveon

Bot
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
4,509
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
More games just need a bear as an MC, lemme play as Sir Bearington.

The other characters look cool too, like the steampunk robot, but damn. A bear.
 

Siveon

Bot
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
4,509
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
dev here, happy to answer any questions you might have!
...Why a bear?

On a more serious note: What is your main inspiration in terms of map design? They're pretty much make or break a good SRPG.
 

kurtle

The Dragonloft
Developer
Joined
Dec 13, 2016
Messages
13
...Why a bear?

I would ask "why not a bear?"

The real answer is that her character is based loosely on this ancient cult of women that worshiped Artemis and dressed in bear costumes. We couldn't have asked for better inspiration.

Having a bear is pretty great mechanically too, as it plays well with the pushing and tossing that's central to Hellenica's combat. Shifting between bear and human form also means she has two separate skill sets, so she's really interesting to play.

What is your main inspiration in terms of map design?

Vandal Hearts was my main inspiration for the feel of combat and the layouts of the environments. It'll always be my favorite SRPG (sorry Hellenica). I specifically liked how some VH levels were dynamic and interactive, as well as the vast diversity in environments. In general, my levels involve more verticality than VH to make the most of the skills that move characters around. I also tried to make sure there were multiple viable strategies to each level, depending on your current skills and preferred approach.

If you're talking visual design, I did my best to recreate the aesthetic of PSX Final Fantasy: Tactics. Their maps were lovely. We're just a couple guys, but I think Hellenica looks pretty good.

Can characters be ejected from the map?

Yes! They won't actually leave the boundaries of the map, but pushing a bandit off a cliff or tossing a pirate off a boat into the water will insta-kill them. Other levels have similarly devastating environmental hazards. Note that it's possible to push an ally off in the same way... ;)
 

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