Melan on 4/3/2015 at 08:33
Quote Posted by Shadowcat
Would you not agree that the writing of a
complete novel of backstory will assist the developers in providing deeper lore and backstory?
Yes, but also no. The novel is almost certainly a by-product of Hickman's work on setting fundamentals, lore and stuff.
However, a full novel can also constrain designers in a way similar to the high budgets Paul Neurath has mentioned on multiple occasions. A novel creates expectations which the designers have to work around instead of fitting the story to the game. It introduces plot elements, characters and locations which become canonical, and are not easy to alter if the neccessity comes up (even with the novel being set in the distant past of UA).
Fortunately, Otherside have a lot of experience working in established settings which goes back to UW1, but I think there is a risk the novel will start dictating the design instead of the other way round. Let's assume someone wrote a tie-in novel for Dark Camelot. Could Looking Glass turn Dark Camelot into Thief with that weight around their neck? Or would they have felt the need to conform to someone else's imagination instead of exercising theirs?
Vae on 4/3/2015 at 10:33
The inclusion of Tracy Hickman in the early stretch goals, is for the purpose of bringing him on-board in timely fashion as part of an overall business strategy...From a macro business perspective this takes priority over the extra work that may possibly be put into a deeper backstory and more elaborate sound design...considering that both will most assuredly be sufficiently deep to begin with.
icemann on 4/3/2015 at 13:31
Also there's the secret stretch goal:
* 725k - Dire Grove added.
Odd how they've not updated their kickstarter page to include it, but it's been mentioned several times in the update emails.
Looks like the Lizardmen stretch goal will be met, going by the amount the pledges have gone up to on a day - day basis. Paypal payments have been approved for after the kickstarters completion, so that will hopefully mean more stretch goals get met.
On the forums for otherside, several forum members have been emphasizing the importance of the Underworld builder kit (the 1,050k stretch goal), and how it should be a much lower stretch goal, due to how it will add longevity to the game in the same way that dromed did for Thief and System Shock 2.
Thirith on 4/3/2015 at 13:43
I couldn't tell you exactly what it is, but I am way less enthusiastic about this Kickstarter than I've been about others. Partly it's probably that I was never as hung up on the Underworld games as I was on others at the time, but the campaign itself hasn't really got me very excited either. They haven't said anything wrong, but I just don't get that feeling of getting sweeped up in the process that I got with other Kickstarters. Perhaps I'm also a bit Kickstartered out.
belfong on 4/3/2015 at 14:31
There have been some grouses on why supporter who upped their pledges to help achieve the novel Tier has to pay additional $5 to get the digital novel their just helped achieve. Hmm....
icemann on 6/3/2015 at 04:47
Too true.
More stretch goals reached as well.
Lizardmen and enhanced music have been unlocked.
Dynamic music and SFX and the new area of the Resonance Caves is next up at 850k.
Quote Posted by Thirith
I couldn't tell you exactly what it is, but I am way less enthusiastic about this Kickstarter than I've been about others. Partly it's probably that I was never as hung up on the
Underworld games as I was on others at the time, but the campaign itself hasn't really got me very excited either. They haven't said anything wrong, but I just don't get that feeling of getting sweeped up in the process that I got with other Kickstarters. Perhaps I'm also a bit Kickstartered out.
For me, this is more about supporting the rebirth of Looking Glass and giving my bit to those who've given me such great games in the past (eg Thief, System Shock 1 & 2, Tera Nova etc). And by supporting this, hopefully someday there will be a new System Shock or whatever.
Also I absolutely love dungeon crawlers, so that adds to it.
froghawk on 6/3/2015 at 14:14
I don't really like Dungeon Crawlers and could never get into Arx, but I want LGS back enough that I funded it anyway. :P
Quote Posted by icemann
On the forums for otherside, several forum members have been emphasizing the importance of the Underworld builder kit (the 1,050k stretch goal), and how it should be a much lower stretch goal, due to how it will add longevity to the game in the same way that dromed did for Thief and System Shock 2.
Apparently they're going to continue crowd funding it through their website, so maybe they'll get there.
242 on 6/3/2015 at 23:37
Haven't played any Underworld game, but if it will be anything like Arx Fatalis or King's Field: Ancient City I'll be happy. I love those games.
Brad Schoonmaker on 6/3/2015 at 23:38
Quote Posted by icemann
For me, this is more about supporting the rebirth of Looking Glass and giving my bit to those who've given me such great games in the past (eg Thief, System Shock 1 & 2, Tera Nova etc). And by supporting this, hopefully someday there will be a new System Shock or whatever.
Very much my reasons for my support. LGS deserves to be referred even more than it already does considering that every game they made was a trailblazer within the industry.
Since the enhanced and dynamic music/sfx goals got funded, I particularly look forward to the sound propagation from Thief that still stands out above everything else in game for me.
