Indie Archaelund: RPG that combines 1st-person exploration with 3rd-person TB combat - now available on Early Access

[Hobo Elf]

• Career-based character progression: your party members will start out as thugs, ruffians, scavengers, hunters, beggars or fortune-tellers; initial Career will be chosen semi-randomly. Later on you can reach the more "heroic" Advanced Careers, leaving your ignoble origins behind... Archaelund features over 60 Careers divided in Basic, Advanced and Elite.

This is the good stuff.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

• Career-based character progression: your party members will start out as thugs, ruffians, scavengers, hunters, beggars or fortune-tellers; initial Career will be chosen semi-randomly. Later on you can reach the more "heroic" Advanced Careers, leaving your ignoble origins behind... Archaelund features over 60 Careers divided in Basic, Advanced and Elite.

This is the good stuff.

Aye, very wfrp.

 

[Viata]

I love it.

I hope the camera view change speed keeps this way. Also, DavidBVal wouldn't it be better if the camera goes up from the enemies instead of from your party? Since you are looking at them, the camera going up while aiming at your party is kinda strange.

This is what I mean(ignore the shit drawing made on paint with a mouse):

It's not isometric because it's hard to draw it using a mouse, but the idea is still the same.

 

[Dorateen]

First person exploration, and top down combat is best combination.

Now for the important question... does race selection include dwarves?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

First person exploration, and top down combat is best combination.

Now for the important question... does race selection include dwarves?

More importantly, barbarians: Race or class?

 

[Dorateen]

First person exploration, and top down combat is best combination.

Now for the important question... does race selection include dwarves?

More importantly, barbarians: Race or class?

Should be one of the Advanced Careers. Professional barbarian is highest form of public service.

 

[Lyre Mors]

DavidBVal, looks even more impressive than I thought it would. Really like what we're seeing, especially at such an early stage. I want it now! But I'll wait patiently and be there to support it as soon as it hits early access. Keep up the good fight against bad RPGs, brother.

 

[DavidBVal]

I found your previous game to be a remarkable little thing despite its humble origins, with a lot going for it. Terse but playful writing that never verges on edgy territory, a surprinsingly broad and enjoyable world, and what's more a basic hack and slash gameplay that, rather than trying to pass for more than it actually is, intelligently decides to deal with what is its true core : attrition, which is arguably very simple gameplay-wise but that's here calibrated to near-perfection, keeping things tense all the way, dungeon raids being a prime example. I also like the non overpowered high-end abilities and the freedom/need to respec in order to optimize/try out builds, which keeps things fresh in the late game and makes you avoid a near universal pitfall in RPGs.

In conclusion i sure hope Exiled Kingdoms' qualities were not the mere product of the project's limitations, and that you'll be able to carve the same cleverly humble trail in this project...

Thanks for your kind words and your sound advice.

It's not isometric because it's hard to draw it using a mouse, but the idea is still the same.

Impressive art skills, bro. I get what you mean. I'll consider it, but think that enemies could be more distant, on top of high ground, etc. causing all kind of unexpected situations with camera. Centering on party seems to be less prone to trouble.

Now for the important question... does race selection include dwarves?

I am afraid not. There are no dwarves, elves, gnomes or hobbits in the Exiled Kingdoms universe.

More importantly, barbarians: Race or class?

Barbarian is one of the Basic Careers so you can play it from the very beginning.

 

[Darth Canoli]

First person exploration and 3rd combat feels a bit weird and in the "preview" party and enemies start the combat at melee range, i hope this part is going to improve a lot.
- would be nice if a lot of efforts were put into encounters design (interesting battle-scapes and starting positions, etc. )
- same for monsters design (monsters with unique skills)
- Few or no trash mobs.

Good luck.

 

[Glop_dweller]

Interesting. I will definitely watch for this one if it makes it to GoG.

The concept (as has been mentioned) is very reminiscent of Realms of Arkania, and is sat least somewhat akin to what I had hoped for in the recent Bard's Tale game.

Spoiler: (Why the hell do the spoiler tags not work?)

 

[DavidBVal]

I just updated the GIF animation on the first post with a version with better quality and resolution.

 

[The_Mask]

• Can you pursue any unarmed carrer(s) such as monk, and be able to do combat without the use of weaponry?

• Also... are any of the less attractive races available? Orcs or Ogres?

• And, finally, let us know if there is anything you can tell us about the premise of the story.

 

[Viata]

I'll consider it, but think that enemies could be more distant, on top of high ground, etc. causing all kind of unexpected situations with camera. Centering on party seems to be less prone to trouble.

Makes sense. It's just that 180 rotation before the camera turns down and goes up, if it could not do that, it would be nice. I know it's just nitpicking, though.

 

[DavidBVal]

It's just that 180 rotation before the camera turns down and goes up, if it could not do that, it would be nice. I know it's just nitpicking, though.

Oh, I just remembered one of the big reasons it quickly looks down upon the party before floating up: the ceilings. Every ceiling object disappears when combat begins, and if the camera is still looking at the enemies, you'd see some of those objects vanish, which looked real ugly and breaks immersion.

Can you pursue any unarmed carrer(s) such as monk, and be able to do combat without the use of weaponry?

Yes, if you check the Character Sheet screenshot, there's a Martial Arts skill.

Also... are any of the less attractive races available? Orcs or Ogres?

The playable races include 5 human cultures, one quasi-human race (Varannari, the green-skinned savages) and then five nonhuman races: Minotaur, Goblin, Batrax, Rexadon, Quartzan. The first three are featured in the splash image above; Rexadons are salamander-like humanoid reptiles, Quartzans are descended from both humans and earth-elementals. Wether any of them is "attractive" or not, it is your call.

And, finally, let us know if there is anything you can tell us about the premise of the story.

In the first post I included a brief setting introduction that timidly suggests what the main plot will be about; I am afraid I can't say anything else without spoiling too much.

 

[Cross]

Looks very impressive. The only thing I could nitpick is that dungeons should be a bit more spacious, to allow more room for movement/positioning once the game transitions into combat.

 

[ghostdog]

First person exploration and turn-based isometric combat sounds great. Many 3D isometric games have crappy exploration due to crammed spaces and crappy camera. First person exploration is a good alternative. It looks very promising! I will definitely keep an eye on this.

 

[a Goat]

salamander

reptiles

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Character screen seems to offer quite a lot utility or social skills.

DavidBVal is there anything you can tell about how those all will be utilized in game?
Or anything you can tell about dialogue system?

 

[Ent]

Nice. A wholesome tale of a group of murder hoboes making something of themselves.

 

[Merlkir]

Will be following this after I enjoyed EK!

(the artist is really good! Keep him.)

 

[deuxhero]

Will something like "Militiaman" be a basic career?

 

[DavidBVal]

Character screen seems to offer quite a lot utility or social skills.

DavidBVal is there anything you can tell about how those all will be utilized in game?
Or anything you can tell about dialogue system?

Many of them unlock dialogue options, which will be a very important part of the game. No loredumping (which I hate) but in EK I wrote over 400 dialogues - and it was a mobile game, so expect the NPCs to be very alive.

Some of them have other uses, like Leadership which will have an aura combat effect, and especially in battles where non-party members are involved (i.e, soldiers, etc).

Will something like "Militiaman" be a basic career?

There is a Soldier basic career that would cover that.

I'm going to publish a list with the 32 basic careers in a month or so.

 

[fantadomat]

I love it.

I hope the camera view change speed keeps this way. Also, DavidBVal wouldn't it be better if the camera goes up from the enemies instead of from your party? Since you are looking at them, the camera going up while aiming at your party is kinda strange.

This is what I mean(ignore the shit drawing made on paint with a mouse):

It's not isometric because it's hard to draw it using a mouse, but the idea is still the same.

So you are saying that it is a dick view camera that becomes third person camera...

 

[samuraigaiden]

I hope everything else about this game is as good as that GIF

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

Looks great. It's a little early to get excited though since it's going to be years in the making. But it's definitely a day-one purchase for me. I enjoyed Exile Kingdoms on mobile too (you may remember I was a beta-tester for the game for a bit.)