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1.1m Goal Reached!
Looks like the 1.1m stretch goal has been reached and we'll be supporting Linux and Mac versions of the game! Thank you all so much for making that possible!We're working on bringing the demo onto OSX, but no concrete release date for it just yet. We’re hoping to having it some time next week if all goes well.
1.4m Goal Changes
We've altered the 1.4m stretch goal to something a bit more manageable from a game development standpoint. Before, it was vague and misleading regarding “RPG Elements”. That lead to a bit of confusion and unease with our backers, and to be perfectly honest, deep system features like that are pretty dangerous as stretch goals. We have an awesome vision for the game and setting a bunch of features we deeply believe in to a stretch goal stifles our own creativity since we can't fully plan for things.
Now, the 1.4m stretch goal is something much safer for us to scale if we don’t make the goal. It’s to add content in the form of more maps such as Groves, floors of Citadel Station, and Cyberspace content. This will make it better for us to properly execute on our core vision of the game, while still being able to offer some more awesome content if we hit the stretch goal.
So the RPG Stuff...
As I mentioned before, we have a pretty good vision of where we want to take things and what RPG systems we’ll be leaning towards within our budget. Also, RPG systems can imply a lot of things, so I'll go over some core concepts that we're following with the overall systems design.
I know that isn't very detailed, but it's still early in the game’s development, and things can change. Those rules above are what we're confident in delivering. At the end of the day, we always ask ourselves “What would Looking Glass do?” and strive to carry on their tradition of innovation and quality while being as faithful as we can be to the original game.
- Stats are boring - Instead of letting the player feel stronger with stat boosts and level identification, we’re more in favor of ability and skill depth. As the player progresses, they will get more abilities/weapons, which will take skill to master (player skill, not skill points)
- Things should make sense - We want to have vending machines, but they're mainly for food/drinks that the player can get to help heal themselves or provide a slight boost to their abilities. You won't hack a vending machine to get a gun, since why would a vending machine on a space station have a gun?
- Upgrades are good in moderation - Throughout the game, the player will find upgrades to their abilities and find better weapons. We're not going to get crazy with this one since the point of the game is to have fun, and not noodle around in your inventory. If something is tedious, don't expect us to do it.
- Multiple ways to solve a problem - We're going to assume our players are smart and want to find creative solutions to problems/enemies. We'll provide the tools/weapons/abilities, and the player will decide how they want to solve the problem given their playstyle.
- Jason
Cause stats are boring!
System Shock Remix Album: Zardonic; Sound Design Livestream
Posted by Jonathan Peros
Hey again! It’s Jonathan (audio) here, with another announcement for our System Shock remix stretch goal! To recap, the $1.9m stretch goal for the project is to have the soundtrack from System Shock 1 remixed by a roster of fantastic musicians to be released along with the game. There is also an achievement in which we will implement these remixes as an alternate soundtrack for the game. We are making good progress in this last week of the Kickstarter, and if you folks keep spreading the word, we can definitely make this happen! Recently I announced the involvement of Celldweller, Blue Stahli, zircon, and Robotkid; now I’m happy to announce:
Zardonic
Zardonic is a keyboardist, DJ, composer, producer and remixer best known for his Rock infused EDM, seamlessly encompassing Glitch Hop, Breakbeat, Electro House, Dubstep, Drum & Bass and Hardcore Techno with shredding Metal guitars and commanding vocals. Having remixed crème de la crème Industrial rock pioneers Nine Inch Nails, Billboard top charters Pop Evil, Norwegian black metallers Gorgoroth, Zardonic represents an undeniable, threatening, genre-defying force that relentlessly pushes all boundaries.
His heavy mixture of distorted guitars and electronic sounds will bring the industrial rock style of much of the original System Shock to a new level of intense. Just like the original System Shock, Zardonic rejects all standards of the mainstream, never settles for any rules, and pioneers a unique sound, setting a new standard for future music. And let’s be frank: with that mask of his, he looks like he would get along great with SHODAN.
For more information on Zardonic, visit: https://www.facebook.com/zardonic
Sound design Livestream (achievement)
You guys have also managed to get yourself another achievement! Great job! As such, you guys get to have a cozy little time with me on our Twitch stream while I do some sound design for System Shock! I’ll be streaming next Tuesday (July 26) at 6pm PST. Hopefully my new synth modules come in the mail before then, so we can explore them together!
Go ahead and follow the Nightdive Studios Twitch page!
You guys have managed to unlock a couple more achievements, too! Stay tuned for info on these as well, and keep the achievements coming to unlock some more cool rewards!!
Keep up the awesome work! Share the project and get word out however you can!
-Jonathan
How did you choose System Shock for a remake?
Once we had acquired the rights to the System Shock franchise we worked with a SystemShock.org modder to create the Enhanced Edition we eventually released on GOG.com. What they were able to accomplish was nothing short of amazing - with the addition of mouselook, higher resolution support, and some bug fixes we knew the game would be much more accessible to a wider audience, but at the same time we began to recognize the potential for creating a remake from the ground up. The game design, narrative, and pacing all withstood the test of time and we knew that by translating those timeless features into a new engine and recreating the iconic look of Citadel Station within it we’d have something very special. We started with a simple prototype to experiment and once we began to revisit the enemies we brought Robb Waters (the original concept artist) on board to breathe new life into his oldest creations. Momentum started to build and it was decided that remaking the entire game would be the next evolutionary step for not only System Shock, but for Nightdive as well.
Apart from the visual and technical upgrade, what element of System Shock are you most excited to re-touch?
I think the greatest obstacle new players have when first experiencing System Shock is the amount of information thrown at them from the very start. You enter your name, select a difficulty level and bam! You’re hit with all these red boxes covering the screen with descriptions of each area of the UI which is also taking up 75% of the screen. Going back and streamlining that experience and introducing the player to each of those elements in meaningful ways that’s conducive with the overall design is what I’m really excited about. It’s going to be a huge challenge to make all the various systems that are integral to the experience easy to understand and access, but once we solve that problem the player will be able to focus on the game itself from the outset instead of that initial feeling of being overwhelmed with information. I’m also very excited at the potential of adding new, never before seen areas to Citadel Station and re-working and modifying existing areas to make them more believable. I think that’s one advantage Shock 2 has over the original. Many of the decks on board the Von Braun feel like lived-in spaces where the crew existed and went about their duties before tragedy struck. I really want to bring that sense of depth and atmosphere to the many locations on board Citadel Station.
Gamers are concerned that the ambitious stretch goals will add stuff to the game which will somewhat change the original's DNA. What's your take on these additions, as well as the feedback?
These proposed changes to the existing foundation of the game won’t alter the experience in a dramatic way - for example we want to make sure that the roleplaying aspect of the game comes naturally to the player and that we don’t force them to choose a role from the outset like in Shock 2 and have that dictate the experience. They should feel free to experiment with the mechanics in the game and not feel penalized for a prior choice should their play style evolve and change throughout the game. If you want to take a more stealthy approach and focus on hacking and avoiding combat our system will reward you for that and make you more proficient in those skills. It’s more of a behind the scenes approach that won’t take you out of the game for an extended period of time, forcing you to think about where to put skill points. As for the feedback, it’s justified. As soon as you start talking about messing with the formula of a beloved franchise you can see the torches being lit in the distance. We want to add our own unique touch to the game, but it won’t in any way violate what’s been established or change the basic foundation of the game.
The head of Kickstarter's gaming department recently said that "Kickstarter fatigue only lasts until someone sees their favorite game pop up". Was that ever a concern for you, that people are done with Kickstarter?
Ever since Double Fine launched their Kickstarter I thought there was endless potential for crowdfunding and it’s been very interesting watching the scene evolve over the years since then. It has gradually become a tumultuous place where backer confidence and patience has been severely tested which was something I was completely aware of when considering Kickstarter as our fund raising platform. I knew we’d have to do something different in order to rebuild that confidence and show that we weren’t just talk, so we did what any serious developer looking for funding would do - build a demo/prototype that would show our understanding of the IP and prove that we’ve put some skin in the game and were ready to start development. This wasn’t just an idea, it was real, and you can play it right now before you even consider backing the project. I think this was the key towards our success and I think future Kickstarters will have to consider releasing a demo to the public before asking for funding.
How do you feel about fan response to the announcement and subsequent success of the Kickstarter campaign?
It’s been pretty amazing - I think the most fascinating thing for the team has been watching the hundreds of videos that started appearing on youtube of people playing the demo. The general consensus has been overwhelmingly positive and that’s really motivated us to go above and beyond as we get further into development. We reached our $900K goal in a very short amount of time and what else can I say? We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received and can’t wait to deliver an experience that captures the essence of what made System Shock so revolutionary. The Kickstarter campaign isn’t over quite yet, but once it’s done the real fun begins
This is the ugly truth. The majority of remakes aren't made for fans, but rather for those who never played originals, and usually completely alien to primary sources. People who ask for it have no idea what developers will have to do in order to make it digestible for the modern audience.
and like Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles, throw in ANOTHER game of the series alongside the original as a bonus
Yep, won't be giving money to NightDive any time soon, I've been reading so many redflag buzzwords and stupid popamole marketing shilling shit like this thing above that I definitely don't trust them.
Wonderful! More music that doesn't fit the original game and genre!
Original System Shock Devs on NDS Twitch Stream Tomorrow
Posted by Jason Fader
We have some exciting news for our final days of the campaign! Tomorrow we’re going to host a livestream on Twitch with some of the original System Shock devs including Warren Spector, Paul Neurath, Robb Waters, Tim Stellmach, and some of our Nightdive folks. Here’s the tentative schedule:
Tuesday, 7/25 (all times are in PDT)
Here’s a link to the Nightdive Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/nightdivestudios
- 1:00pm - System Shock Pre-Alpha Demo playthrough with NDS folks (Stephen Kick, Jason Fader, Robb Waters, and more)
- 1:30pm - Otherside Entertainment folks join in for commentary (Warren Spector, Paul Neurath, and Tim Stellmach)
- 2:00pm - 4:00pm - System Shock 1 playthrough with commentary
On top of that we’ll be doing a 24 hour Twitch stream from Wednesday at noon (PST) to Thursday at noon, right up to the final minutes of the Kickstarter and a bit beyond. We’re still finalizing the schedule and will have an update tomorrow morning with details
- Jason
So drop the console thing please! It just means that they are gonna get better sales and that's important for future projects.July Hangout with Stephen Kick said:
