KickStarter The Dwarves (Die Zwerge), a horde combat RPG from KING Art Games

[Doktor Best]

So what are those books about, just d0rfs killing endless hordes of örks?

Yes. He also wrote another book called "die Orks" which was as cheesy, but quite funny nevertheless because it was about a troop of orcs that killed endless hordes of humans.

 

[JarlFrank]

So what are those books about, just d0rfs killing endless hordes of örks?

Yes. He also wrote another book called "die Orks" which was as cheesy, but quite funny nevertheless because it was about a troop of orcs that killed endless hordes of humans.

What? No, Die Orks was originally an English book by an English-speaking author that became a huge hit over here when it was translated to German, and Heitz's publisher used his Die Zwerge as a cash-grab riding on the wave of success of Die Orks.

Basically, Die Zwerge is a typical "Oh hey, look at that book selling like hotcakes? WE CAN DO THAT TOO!" kind of me-too story.

EDIT:
Just checked wikipedia and yeah, that's basically the story, only it's even more blatant: the publisher Heyne actually called for authors to write "The [fantasy race]" knockoffs when they saw the success of the German translation of the English book trilogy "Orcs: First Blood", which was simply titled "Die Orks" in German.

This spawned "Die Zwerge", as well as "Die Elfen" and "Die Trolle". The only common fantasy race they left out was, apparently, the humans.

 

[SausageInYourFace]

Some tidbits from an interview (German only again) with the creative director, unfortunately most news aren't great :

the battles will be realtime, 4 "specialized" heroes (out of your bigger group) against hundreds of enemies

sounds terrible

the author Markus Heitz will contribute some characters or quests "if he has the time", they are quite free to adapt the world / characters if necessary

dear god no please have fucking mercy

they art style is of course "gritty and mature", "more GoT and LotR than WoW"

sure looks like it

Spoiler

they are looking into the impact of C&C, there will be at least some ("save a village from orc marauders -> they like you" duh)

alright, masterpiece confirmed

 

[Doktor Best]

So what are those books about, just d0rfs killing endless hordes of örks?

Yes. He also wrote another book called "die Orks" which was as cheesy, but quite funny nevertheless because it was about a troop of orcs that killed endless hordes of humans.

What? No, Die Orks was originally an English book by an English-speaking author that became a huge hit over here when it was translated to German, and Heitz's publisher used his Die Zwerge as a cash-grab riding on the wave of success of Die Orks.

Basically, Die Zwerge is a typical "Oh hey, look at that book selling like hotcakes? WE CAN DO THAT TOO!" kind of me-too story.

EDIT:
Just checked wikipedia and yeah, that's basically the story, only it's even more blatant: the publisher Heyne actually called for authors to write "The [fantasy race]" knockoffs when they saw the success of the German translation of the English book trilogy "Orcs: First Blood", which was simply titled "Die Orks" in German.

This spawned "Die Zwerge", as well as "Die Elfen" and "Die Trolle". The only common fantasy race they left out was, apparently, the humans.

Oh, i never checked the author of "die orks" because the book cover was the same, and the titles were also the same and i suspected the author simply goes through all fantasy races. the more you know i guess explains why "die orks" wasnt as terrible to read as "die zwerge"

 

[SausageInYourFace]

EDIT:
Just checked wikipedia and yeah, that's basically the story, only it's even more blatant: the publisher Heyne actually called for authors to write "The [fantasy race]" knockoffs when they saw the success of the German translation of the English book trilogy "Orcs: First Blood", which was simply titled "Die Orks" in German.

This spawned "Die Zwerge", as well as "Die Elfen" and "Die Trolle". The only common fantasy race they left out was, apparently, the humans.

While I am in no way 'ashamed' of liking fantasy literature, shit like that is exactly why, at least in certain situations, I am reluctant to admit it. When people who have no clue hear 'fantasy' they don't think of Abercrombie and Erikson and Wolfe and whoever, they think of Heitz and Die Zwerge and Die Elfen and all this other cringeworthy garbage thats shitting up the bookstore shelves.

Often you can even judge these books by the cover.

Spoiler

 

[Jimmious]

This longer description is not appealing at all.

Exactly this.
I was like daaaayum turn-based like Fire Emblem from the guys that made Kronos....and then I saw the longer description.

 

[Siveon]

he mentions Fire Emblem only in regard to collecting heroes and world map dialogue

Oh no.

the battles will be realtime, 4 "specialized" heroes (out of your bigger group) against hundreds of enemies

No no no no no.

no FE like permadeath

Make it stop.

they art style is of course "gritty and mature", "more GoT and LotR than WoW"

Please, I can't take it any longer.

console port not ruled out

Spoiler

It went from 100 to 0 real quick.

 

[:Flash:]

Why cannot someone make a game where dwarves are the bad guys for a change that conquered everyone underground and are ruling them with a iron first in a kind of a perverted Roman Empire way.

Because dwarves are the pinnacle of sentient beings. And the driving philosophy behind dwarven culture is "Leave us the hell alone!". So there is no desire to enslave other peoples, since dwarves actually revere work and enjoy partaking in labour. Naturally, other races grow envious of their wealth and contented lifestyle, which is why you always find hoards of enemies assailing a stronghold leaving dwarves to fight from a morally defensive position.

Lol. I still want a game where all the dwarven grit and organization lets them conquer the known underground.

You can go with Magic of Endoria or Wiggles (Digglers in English, I think). Although in none of them the dwarves are evil, they are about Dwarves creating underground realms. It's kind of strange that the only two games that come to my mind are German.

 

[Morkar Left]

Sounds like a typical carbon-copy american mainstream rpg. Sadly the German sense for simulation and complex game mechanics in a rpg is completely lost.

 

[vivec]

Real Time Hack and Slash.

Interest nullified.

 

[theSavant]

Killing masses of enemies definitely has its own charm, so probably a bit fun in cooperative mode (if that is included). Then again what is different to Dungeon Siege 3 ?

 

[Renevent]

Real Time Hack and Slash.

Interest nullified.

Yeah...not completely cold on the game now but the updated information def put a chill a things.

 

[JarlFrank]

EDIT:
Just checked wikipedia and yeah, that's basically the story, only it's even more blatant: the publisher Heyne actually called for authors to write "The [fantasy race]" knockoffs when they saw the success of the German translation of the English book trilogy "Orcs: First Blood", which was simply titled "Die Orks" in German.

This spawned "Die Zwerge", as well as "Die Elfen" and "Die Trolle". The only common fantasy race they left out was, apparently, the humans.

While I am in no way 'ashamed' of liking fantasy literature, shit like that is exactly why, at least in certain situations, I am reluctant to admit it. When people who have no clue hear 'fantasy' they don't think of Abercrombie and Erikson and Wolfe and whoever, they think of Heitz and Die Zwerge and Die Elfen and all this other cringeworthy garbage thats shitting up the bookstore shelves.

Often you can even judge these books by the cover.

Spoiler

The German fantasy market leaves a lot to be desired, with most series just being cash-ins on whatever is currently popular on the English market.

 

[Abu Antar]

It doesn't hurt to keep an eye on this. The description sounds interesting enough.

 

[Xathrodox86]

Meh, I like the concept but this game just looks... medicore.

 

[upwardlymobile]

Why cannot someone make a game where dwarves are the bad guys for a change that conquered everyone underground and are ruling them with a iron first in a kind of a perverted Roman Empire way.

Because dwarves are the pinnacle of sentient beings. And the driving philosophy behind dwarven culture is "Leave us the hell alone!". So there is no desire to enslave other peoples, since dwarves actually revere work and enjoy partaking in labour. Naturally, other races grow envious of their wealth and contented lifestyle, which is why you always find hoards of enemies assailing a stronghold leaving dwarves to fight from a morally defensive position.

Tolkien based his dwarves on Jews. Dwarves can't be portrayed in a negative light because it would be anti-Semitic.

 

[Darkzone]

Why cannot someone make a game where dwarves are the bad guys for a change that conquered everyone underground and are ruling them with a iron first in a kind of a perverted Roman Empire way.

Because dwarves are the pinnacle of sentient beings. And the driving philosophy behind dwarven culture is "Leave us the hell alone!". So there is no desire to enslave other peoples, since dwarves actually revere work and enjoy partaking in labour. Naturally, other races grow envious of their wealth and contented lifestyle, which is why you always find hoards of enemies assailing a stronghold leaving dwarves to fight from a morally defensive position.

Tolkien based his dwarves on Jews. Dwarves can't be portrayed in a negative light because it would be anti-Semitic.

Now that is an interesting thesis. Do you have any indication or any proof for this statement?

 

[Tigranes]

You idiots, nobody can make dwarves the bad guys because Volourn would murder them in their sleep.

 

[upwardlymobile]

Do you have any indication or any proof for this statement?

yes he said so in an interview

The dwarves of course are quite obviously - wouldn't you say that in many ways they remind you of the Jews? Their words are Semitic obviously, constructed to be Semitic.

http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp

 

[Darkzone]

Do you have any indication or any proof for this statement?

yes he said so in an interview

The dwarves of course are quite obviously - wouldn't you say that in many ways they remind you of the Jews? Their words are Semitic obviously, constructed to be Semitic.

http://www.lordotrings.com/interview.asp

Very good. That was for me interesting, because of some discussion that i had here in this forum. And in my interpretation of the witcher world this was the also the outcome or my better said a conclusion of my analysis. So you have truly supported my analysis. Sapkowski seems also to have recognised this or he even knew this and he used the dwarves like jews in his witcher world, which represents the history of central north europe.

 

[Bubbles]

More info:

>>Für welche Plattformen kommt das Spiel raus?
Wir entwickeln das Spiel momentan für PC. Allerdings ist es unser Wunsch, auch PS4 und Xbox One zu bedienen. Wir schauen momentan, wie wir das hinkriegen. Wahrscheinlichstes Szenario ist, dass wir die anderen Plattformen über den Kickstarter finanzieren.

>>Kickstarter?!
Jap. Wir planen Mitte August einen Kickstarter für das Projekt zu machen. Wir haben zwei Mal sehr gute Erfahrungen damit gemacht. Mehr dazu bald.

>>Wann kommt das Spiel raus?
Wir planen, Kickstarter-Helfern eine Alpha-Version des Spiels (vermutlich grob das erste Drittel) im Herbst zur Verfügung zu stellen und Ende des Jahres eine Beta-Version mit rund Zwei-Dritteln des Spiels. Die eigentliche Veröffentlichung vom ganzen Spiel ist dann 2016. Einen genaueren Termin haben wir in 2-3 Monaten.

- console ports are likely to be stretch goals
- Kickstarter is set for mid-August
- backers will have access to an early alpha in Autumn, and a beta by end of year

 

[LESS T_T]

http://www.kingart-games.de/dwarves/en/

In the teaser trailer you get a first impression of the dynamic battles. The enemies of the dwarves have a flocking behavior and react physically correct: If a dwarf lands a mighty blow with a heavy war hammer, struck orcs are thrown back, and some of them might even be pushed into an abyss!

Outside of the battles you travel across the game world on a very detailed world map and in atmospheric levels, that are shown from an isometric perspective, just like in games like „Divinity: Original Sins“ or „Pillars of Eternity“.

If you want to have a look for yourself, you can do so at Gamescom. We’re presenting the game Thursday to Sunday at 11am at the EuroVideo/Nordic Games booth (booth A60, hall 10.1).

On Thursday the author of the Dwarves novel series, Markus Heitz, will be attending too!

Namedropping D:OS and PoE for describing isometric perspective, heh.

 

[Infinitron]

Volourn where are you

 

[Abu Antar]

That looks more like a hack 'n slash than a tactical rpg.

 

[vonAchdorf]

The trailer was a snorefest appealing to the German audience.

Also the orcs have no weight and wait, evenly spaced out, for their turn to attack.