KickStarter Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption - adventure-RPG from the creators of Quest for Glory

[Alexian]

Regarding the graphics posted above, all I can say is I hope that's just some early speculation. That view looks like standard RPG Maker but worse.

That perspective is going to probably stay as it let's us creating a larger game on a smaller budget. The art style will change drastically and probably me more painted in style (think Bastion).

I was also thinking the paper doll has fewer inventory slots than I'd have figured... but then QfG didn't have much in the way of equipment, but it was a different style of game.

Equipped items will be less important in this game as you're not really built to fight things heads on. Most of your items will be poisons and traps, which don't need equipping.

 

[FeelTheRads]

That sounds good. Maybe later on during the Kickstarter you get to put up a mockup of where do you intend to go with the style.

 

[oldmanpaco]

So is Alexian Corey or one of the minions?

 

[SerratedBiz]

He's their son.

 

[Aeschylus]

Yay, it's here!

:: tosses money at them ::

 

[Infinitron]

I do some votsing here: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...hero-u-now-on-kickstarter.77096/#post-2326279

 

[J1M]

I understand what they are going for here, but with the quality bar set at "free-flash-game-art" I can't see why this project is asking for $400,000.

If I was an artist I would be embarrassed to show those 3 mock-ups.

Obviously art isn't everything, but that plus the tone of the video makes it sound like this project isn't even started yet. It is off-putting because it says that the creators require kickstarter followers to believe more in the project than they do.

 

[Jaesun]

I understand what they are going for here, but with the quality bar set at "free-flash-game-art" I can't see why this project is asking for $400,000.

If I was an artist I would be embarrassed to show those 3 mock-ups.

Obviously art isn't everything, but that plus the tone of the video makes it sound like this project isn't even started yet. It is off-putting because it says that the creators require kickstarter followers to believe more in the project than they do.

You do understand this is a pitch, and with very early art and they stated (The art style will change drastically and probably me more painted in style (think Bastion)?

The 400,000 is to make the game featuring all the game's features specified in the KS page. The game (just like PE) is just starting to be made.

 

[J1M]

I understand what they are going for here, but with the quality bar set at "free-flash-game-art" I can't see why this project is asking for $400,000.

If I was an artist I would be embarrassed to show those 3 mock-ups.

Obviously art isn't everything, but that plus the tone of the video makes it sound like this project isn't even started yet. It is off-putting because it says that the creators require kickstarter followers to believe more in the project than they do.

You do understand this is a pitch, and with very early art and they stated (The art style will change drastically and probably me more painted in style (think Bastion)?

The 400,000 is to make the game featuring all the game's features specified in the KS page. The game (just like PE) is just starting to be made.

If they are only going to spend the time to create one (1) piece of environmental concept art it should be the best damn piece of concept art they can do, not something throwaway done hastily.

If they are going to show two (2) mock-ups of gameplay screens instead of something from their engine work-in-progress then they should look like the game will, not like fan art.

In conclusion, I know it is a pitch. It is a poor one. So poor that I didn't bother reading the kickstart page after watching the video.

 

[HanoverF]

I'm backing because it's Corey and Lori Cole, but yeah the combination early Ultima/Facebook game look isn't very exciting, and the pitch video is kinda mediocre. Not slit-your-own-throat-at-the-start-of-the-campaign bad like the Tom Hall Brenda Brathwaite pitch video just meh.

 

[Corey Cole]

So is Alexian Corey or one of the minions?

We prefer the term "minion". We once did a psychological profile that asked, "Would you prefer your child to be creative... or useful?" Lori and I looked at each other and pretty much in unison asked, "Why can't he be both?" So Alexian became our minion... er, son.

 

[Corey Cole]

Our games at Sierra and Legend were pretty, but the focus was on the game design. I prefer the original 16-color version of Hero's Quest to the pretty VGA remake, because the game balance was better, and the parser made it more challenging.

We're in a similar situation here. We don't want to raise $5 million to make a beautiful game with no depth (which is what most of the traditional publishers are doing). We're asking for one-tenth of that to make a game that will look good - but not stunningly state of the art - and will run circles around those others in terms of story, play balance, and humor. Seriously - any first-person shooter? Farmville? Diner Dash and its clones? Even Bejeweled and such, which we enjoyed for a while... All of them are toys, not games. To be a game, they have to have a beginning, an end, and game play that has some variation to keep it interesting. We also like drama, characters, and a story you care about in a game, even though I admit you can make a good game without those.

Did adventure game puzzles suck? Many of them did. Others were awesome. We loved the first two Monkey Island games, and liked Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Jolly Rover is a great adventure game. But go back and play almost any classic adventure game you haven't played. Do it without hints, the way we did back then. You'll soon be banging your head on the table. Grim Fandango is remembered as a great game, but even it had multiple stopping points at which most players (including me) would get totally stuck without hints. I can handle a little frustration, but after a while, that just isn't fun.

So yes, Lori and I came to Sierra not liking any previous Sierra game. We then made our own game that used their tools, but was designed to feel like a tabletop roleplaying experience with a good GM. We were lucky enough to be assigned a pretty good team that worked well with us. We made a pretty good game, then some more pretty good games. Based on reviews and popularity, they might even be great games. Well, now we're going to do it again, with a new set of tools, and again with the tiny budgets we had for our first Sierra games.

Will our new game be good? Not if we can help it. We intend to make it great.

 

[made]

I keep wondering, is it a conscious choice to use that art style, or is it because an entire generation of art school grads don't know how to draw anything but?

 

[Mother Russia]

Corey Cole: Hey there Corey. This game looks awesome, like a spiritual sequel to QFG 4 from the art.

However, correct me if I am wrong but there will only be the Rogue class that we can play in this right? Unlike the QFG games we won't be able to choose other classes right? And each future game will focus on a different class?

If so, why did you decide to do it this way? In any rpg, a player likes freedom to choose his/her character type. If I want to play a Paladin instead of the rogue, I should be able to, no?

 

[MightyHoax]

again, repulsive art style--but I backed it. Loved QfG series.

It would be better if they went with EGA graphics.

 

[Infinitron]

We're in a similar situation here. We don't want to raise $5 million to make a beautiful game with no depth (which is what most of the traditional publishers are doing).

Traditional publishers nowadays are making games with no depth with budgets on the order of 20 million dollars. 5 million dollar budgets created some of the greatest RPGs of the late 90's and early 2000's. (btw, did you play any of them?)

I realize you feel the need to justify your lower aim for this project, but five million dollars is simply not that much nowadays unfortunately.

 

[suejak]

I grew up with Quest for Glory (was actually my first RPG series, having begun gaming with Sierra adventures). However, I honestly don't know if the budget matters. If they think they can make a game as fun and pretty as QFG4 with $400k, assuming they haven't been cryogenically frozen and know that costs of changed and the dollar has lost value since the 90s, then I don't see any reason why they shouldn't get our full support.

I am expecting a game that builds on the atmosphere and freedom of the pre-QFG5 games. (Never did like QFG 5. It was probably the low-quality 3D and he bad combat.) I think part of the beauty of those games was the freedom of class choice. I also enjoyed the freedom to build my skills however I saw fit. If you think you can make a fun game that feels as free as that, while restricting the game to one class and a small budget, then I support you. But if your first game doesn't do it for me, I won't be waiting around for "part 2: wizard edition"

 

[Roguey]

The plan is to have one PC, who has multiple options and choices for how he handles combat situations.

Well, fuck. "Tactical" turn-based combat with only one character, right right...

 

[Achilles]

I'm afraid I'm all kickstartered out at this point, I've given a lot of money on games that I'll play in a couple of years at best. Best of luck to them though, I hope they'll make it.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

Why are people especting something like KotC when somebody mentions turn-based combat?

This is not a tactics game, watch their video again. This will be an RPG closer to the adventure genre, like Fallout, Torment, Ultima, and maybe (maybe) Quest for Glory are I really hope for a game with a good character creation screen, lots of puzzles and skillchecks, non-linear progression, great world and NPC interactivity and OK combat. Please, make it happen.

 

[Infinitron]

This will be an RPG closer to the adventure genre, like Fallout, Torment

I'd be more confident in that if they'd actually mentioned playing either one of those games.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

I want to believe.

 

[Jaesun]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1878147873/hero-u-rogue-to-redemption/posts/332460?ref=activity

Hero-U Update #1

Concept vs. Final Art

Most of you understand that games are developed using "placeholder art", but I am adding this since we've seen some complaints about the "test dungeon" art in the video. In previous games, we sometimes represented a character with a grey box or a red "X". The "game images" you see in this Kickstarter project are all placeholders. Some of them are really beautiful placeholders, but they may or may not be representative of final game art.

In particular, the 2D top-down image included in the video is a concept piece. That is the point of view you will have in the game, but the actual image is a placeholder. The actual Hero-U game will give you the freedom of movement and tactical actions that the top down view allows, but it will be carefully crafted to look Really Nice in the game. As it is, our prototype is way nicer than boxes and X's.

We will also have closeups of characters for dialogue and combat, and beautiful background screens for key scenes. The number of background screens we can afford will be partially dependent on the budget we raise from this Kickstarter project.

We will share more concept art, design notes, and other information about the game in future updates. We will also have links to press coverage and our blogs, testimonials from backers, and Other Cool Stuff. Thank you for reading this!

 

[suejak]

I don't really give a shit if they've played any of the hardcore RPGs I like.

They played Quest for Glory. I'd hope they make games like them again. I definitely don't want a Fallout from them.

 

[Roguey]

Why are people especting something like KotC when somebody mentions turn-based combat?

This is not a tactics game, watch their video again.

Tactical combat that is much more than "hack and slash"
...
Hero-U plays like a classic RPG, with turn-based tactical combat and exploration of the environment on top-down, 2D maps.
...

• Tactical combat that is much more than "hack and slash"

One doesn't just wander around an ancient, possibly haunted, castle and expect to have an easy time of it. Your hero must learn the cunning, deception, and just plain Rogue skills, then use them to survive. "Hack and Slash" won't cut it for a Rogue. Shawn must outwit and outmaneuver the creatures that lurk within the ancient catacombs beneath Hero-U.
Our turn-based combat system features an action point system that will make you choose between slow, powerful attacks, tactical movement, or a mixture of defense and quick attacks. Shawn will supplement his Roguish skills with clever use of traps and other items. Between battles, you will explore the catacombs, setting and avoiding traps and other challenges.

Combat will be a little more important in this game, and we want to have more options for tactical movement, improving your gear, and so on
...
We are distilling Hero-U into what we consider its essential elements – tactical combat, character progression, story, and dialogue
...
We want to focus on tactical options and not make this a "mash the button fast" game. There are plenty of that type out there! By keeping combat turn-based, we will have more of a thinking person's game.

As for the prominence of combat, we think it's fun, and it makes sense in this game. We watched some play-throughs of Quest for Glory and felt people were avoiding monsters all too easily. You'll be able to avoid some fights in this game – especially since you're a Rogue – but might not want to do that too often because it will be both fun and useful.
...
For Hero-U, we'll set up some of the combat settings to make combat more tactical.

They sure use the word "tactical" a lot for a game that isn't going to be.