Jaesun
Fabulous Ex-Moderator
That new art looks really good. I like it.
Today marks the two-year anniversary of the Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption funding campaign on Kickstarter. We’ve gone through many changes since then. Our original delivery estimate of October 2013 proved to be ridiculously optimistic. We based it more on the amount of time we could pay the team based on the Kickstarter contributions than on the actual requirements of building a unique new game. At that time, it didn't occur to me that we could use a combination of Kickstarter and other funding sources for the game.
I have resisted posting a new release date because we have had so many unknown factors, each causing more delays. Now that we are at 90% complete on art and music, and making good progress on the game writing, Lori and I have committed to a release date of Oct. 15, 2015. So, yes, two years into a one year project, we have exactly as much time remaining as I originally estimated the whole project would take. Project estimation is evidently not my top skill.
Actually, it’s that the project is not what we thought it would be when we began the Kickstarter campaign. However, the real issue turns out to be in the work Lori and I are doing, which in turn involves some promises we made during the campaign.
We promised that Hero-U would be a game in which relationships are critical, story comes first, and that the game would support multiple styles of play. Those were some pretty big promises, and they are proving very difficult to fulfill. The events in Shawn’s dorm room took almost two months to write and script, adding a number of improvements and new features to the Composer scripting tool as we discovered the need for them. The Rogue Classroom has taken about a month. Fortunately, those are the two most dialogue-intensive scenes in the game.
We expect to complete the writing and scripting in 4-6 months. We will need another 1-2 months to finalize and tune the combat system. Originally I planned on a 1-2 month testing period. However, now that we have a better idea of the scope and complexity of this game, we know that it will need much more testing than that. After much discussion and creating a “backwards calendar”, Oct. 15, 2015 stood out as the achievable delivery date for the game.\
Rona’s Ramblings – Interview with Game Designer Lori Ann Cole!
This is your intrepid reporter, Rona Gabbler, the Gnome with a nose for news, with an exclusive interview for Hero-News. Today, I’m talking with famed game designer Lori Ann Cole of Transolar Games.
RG: Tell me, Lori, what is your latest project and what is it exactly that you do?
LAC: Right now, I am Writer, Designer, and Creative Director for Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption game that we’re developing…
RG: So what sort of game are you talking about? A board game? A Massively Multiplayer Military Maneuver and Mutual Armageddon Pact? A new sport involving trampolines, tomatoes, and tutus?
LAC: Hero-U is a combination Role Playing and Adventure Computer Game…
RG: An Adventure/RPG? Really? Isn’t that like sooo last millennium?
LAC: I think that Adventure/RPGs are timeless classics. The art styles of older games like Quest for Glory might look dated, but the stories and emotional appeal touch people of all ages and lands.
RG: Yeah, but this is the 21st Century – we’re into fancy graphics, explosions, and instant gratification. What makes you think that anyone would even look twice at Hero-U?
LAC: Well, for one thing, the art is gorgeous. For another, it appeals to people who love mysteries. magic, and heroes…
RG: Heroes? You mean like Captain American, Thor, and Tony Stark? Weren’t they just adorable in their latest movies? Such Hunks…
LAC: Hero-U isn’t about superheroes. It’s the story of a young man learning who he is and what he wants to do with his future…
RG: Is he a hunk?
LAC: Not particularly…
RG: Well then, what’s the point? Who wants to play Joe-Shmoe with no superpowers or abs of steel?
LAC: For one thing, it’s set in a haunted castle full of intrigue. It’s about the importance of family and friends…
RG: Oh, so a Game of Thrones sort of thing where the hero has a wedding to kill off all his rivals and relatives in order to be crowned king?
LAC: No.
RG: Okay, so is it a case where all the other characters are found dead in gruesome but mysterious ways, the hero falls in love with the beautiful young Gnome woman with the tragic past, and the butler did it?
LAC: No.
RG: Does it even have a Gnome in it?
LAC: No.
RG: There you have it, Folks. Sounds like Lori Ann Cole and her team are creating a unique game unlike anything ever done before. I’m sure it will be something special even if it doesn’t have Gnomes in it. Or Superheroes… Or hunks…
This is Hero-Nues reporter, Rona Gabbler, keeping you up to date with all the latest and greatest news you need to know.
Until next time, remember, if you want news, you want Gnomes!
I wasn't impressed by what they've shown in the pitch (I barely even remember checking the game out at all, frankly), but I like what I see now. The 3D model isn't that great, but the art style gives out a good vibe. Fun, even.
RG: Okay, so is it a case where all the other characters are found dead in gruesome but mysterious ways, the hero falls in love with the beautiful young Gnome woman with the tragic past, and the butler did it?
Rogue to Redemption Latest News
We are still targeting game release date on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015. We have successfully added three new contract programmers to the team, and it is looking good. Cidney, Joshua, and Robert are all very talented and familiar with our previous games. We are thrilled to have them on the team.
Lori and I personally promise that we will complete and deliver this game. We are using personal funds and loans to make sure it gets done. This is our major commitment for the next year and we keep our commitments.
Way late reply because why the fuck not: They strike me as terrible liars.
Project Progress
We are still on target for release on Oct. 15 thanks to our talented new programming team members (see Update 60). They are rapidly filling out the game and keeping Lori and me on our toes trying to write game text fast enough to keep up with them. We still have a long way to go on development, but the light in the tunnel is no longer an oncoming train.
We plan to release a playable combat test and an updated version of the break-in house playable prototype late next month. These will lead up to a supplemental funding campaign in April-May.
When we originally ran the Kickstarter, we planned to make a much smaller and simpler game. As the campaign proceeded, it became clear that our backers wanted much more, and we promised to deliver it. Unfortunately, this is taking far more time and expense than that small game.
Even with several of our team members (including Lori and me) delaying compensation until after the game makes a profit, we have stretched our personal finances to the breaking point. We think it makes more sense to return to Kickstarter now that we have much more art and real development progress to show, rather than making a publisher deal or looking for venture funding. We also think a new Kickstarter campaign will give us a chance to reach many players who did not see the first one.
We are keeping the “Christmas Special” active on the Hero-U Collectible Store. Come byhttp://hero-u.net/ to read Lori’s “What’s New” updates, purchase collectibles and preorders, or participate in the Hero-U forums (under the Community tab).
A Time for Love
Today is Valentine’s Day. Wikipedia says, “The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.”
It’s a good tradition, and relevant to Hero-U. As Shawn makes friends with others in the University, there is always the possibility that friendship may blossom into love. In case you’re having any challenges in this area, here are a few tips Shawn might learn:
You Have the Right to Remain Silent
- Talk to your friends. Find out what interests them and what you and they have in common.
- Everyone has challenges in life. Learn about your friends’ problems and try to help them.
- Occasional gifts help remind your friends that you remember and care about them.
Conversation is a big part of Hero-U, and it affects your relationships. Anything you say during class or in a private conversation might be held against you, or it might increase someone else’s respect for you. Sometimes both reactions happen. You can’t please everyone all the time.
We are designing the dialogue to feel like a natural conversation. Each choice you make takes you down a different path, and frequently there is no return. After all, it’s pretty hard to answer someone’s question both politely and snarkily. Your choices help define Shawn’s personality and his friends.
To Reach the Unreachable Star
Our games have never featured “quests” in the sense of a modern MMO. Instead, we have characters with problems, and you can decide whether you want to help them. Not that Shawn is a complete altruist – He knows that helping people can lead to generous rewards and lasting friendships.
Take, for instance, the pirate’s daughter. She’s searching for the treasure that will make her fortune and earn her some respect. Sure, she can probably do it on her own. But just think how grateful she’ll be if you give her a little help. Did I mention that she’s really cute?
Shawn has his own share of problems, and it’s good to have a friend when things are hard. Help people out, and you’ll often find them willing to help you in return.
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
No, no, not that kind. Sardonia may be a dangerous place, but it’s relatively free of disease. There are other gifts which the recipients actually appreciate.
Tasty food and wine are popular gifts, as are books. Jewelry is hard to refuse, although it’s also expensive. Of course it pays to get to know someone first and find out what they like. As for the One and Only Ring, choose carefully to whom you want to give it; there may be side effects.
The really tricky part is what to do should you happen to find a second One and Only Ring, or a third. How much love is Shawn ready to handle?