Still not live but very soon:
Greetings to you, worthy friends! KotC 2 is the brilliant offspring of acclaimed computer role-playing game
Knights of the Chalice (
now available on Steam). The new game is intended to recreate the best aspects of past 2D D&D computer RPGs such as
Baldur's Gate 2,
Temple of Elenental Evil,
Dark Sun Shattered Lands,
Champions of Krynn and
Planescape: Torment.
KotC 2 uses the
OGL 3.5, the ruleset at the root of tabletop RPG
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5. D&D 3.5 is well known for its tactical depth and the wealth of its character classes, feats and spells. KotC 2 expands the library of races, classes, feats, skills and spells in order to be even more
Devious & Deadly than D&D!
Two-handed weapon, dual wielding or ranged combat: find your favourite fighting style!
KotC 2 comes with a powerful
integrated editor giving YOU the opportunity to turn your own idea of the perfect RPG scenario into the reality that many players will enjoy in years to come. The best modules may also generate an income stream for you.
The
graphic style for characters and monsters in KotC 2 has been the subject of many a debate. I say let this Kickstarter campaign be the judge of how complex the graphic style should be.
No matter the style, you can be sure that KotC 2 adventures will always give priority to the
quality of gameplay : the excitement of exploration and discovery, the satisfaction of using YOUR party and YOUR intelligence to overcome cunning enemy groups, the relief of surviving through gigantic traps only to become stronger, the sense of freedom and meaning experienced only when YOUR dialogue choices actually matter.
To me, RPGs are the most fascinating kind of video game. A good RPG maintains player interest by offering various activities that seem to flow naturally from one to the other:
- Character creation and improvement
- Exploration and world map navigation
- Tactical combat and survival
- Item collection and inventory management
- Riddle and puzzle resolution
- Coded message cryptography
- Story, quest and dialogue choices management
One of the hallmarks of a great RPG is the avoidance of the domination of any one of these activities over the others. For example, inventory management should not be overly time-consuming. KotC 2 addresses this issue by having enemies drop important items only, not their entire equipment.
Likewise, puzzles should not end up taking most of the player's time or become an endless source of frustration. Dialogue and story telling, while essential, are most effective when the opportunity of enjoying a substantial tactical combat challenge presents itself frequently to the player.
Why do I need a Kickstarter campaign? Why not simply release
KotC 2 Augury of Chaos (the first adventure made with the KotC 2 toolset) immediately? In fact, the amount of work and courage required for a KS campaign is significant, so any developer would be wise to hesitate!
Then again, this amount of work pales in comparison to the work I have had to put into the KotC 2 engine from 2009 to 2019 in order to bring my vision to life. Work and dedication certainly go a long way, so much in fact that, yes, Augury of Chaos could be released right now.
However, with the support of Kickstarter backers, we can transform KotC 2 from a single great game into an
awesome series of adventure modules that will stand the test of time. KotC 2 was made on a shoestring budget without any support from banks, publishers or government, meaning that the game is a
genuinely independent product.
A number of people generously donated their money, talent or time to the project. To these people I send a heartfelt
Thank You, as this game could not exist in its present form without you!
With KS funding we can envision greater things for KotC 2. We can envision graphical environments and creatures on a par with
Temple of Elemental Evil or
Baldur's Gate 2. We can envision epic music on a par with that of
Conan films or
Neverwinter Nights 2 Storm of Zehir and
Mask of the Betrayer.
We can envision a wealth of quests and companion interactions on a par with those of
Baldur's Gate 2. We can envision a wealth of story telling and dialogue choices on a par with those of
Planescape: Torment. We can envision the creation of new engrossing and challenging modules both by the developer and players for many years to come. With your help and support, let us turn this dream into a reality!
Animated GIF: The acid version of Power Fireball, followed by a five-foot step.
Here is the list of Stretch Goals:
Here is the list of Social Goals:
Here is the Timed Goal:
Animated GIF: Xifralia the Elven Wizard casts Fireball as part of a Ready Versus Spell action, thus disrupting the enemy’s plan to cast Electric Sphere on the party members.
I'm sure that with the picture below, you will be able to identify some of the most important sources of inspiration for the story of KotC 2 Augury of Chaos and the three upcoming adventure modules:
Create the ultimate battle party, or a band of reluctant misfits, the choice is yours!
The
World of Mindrel is one battered by rampant oppression, dreadful raiding, and sinister threats of invasion. A brutal world of scheming power-hungry Wizards in their golden towers, arrogant and remorseless Dragons and powerful Kings plotting the cruel downfall of their neighbours. Who knows how far will your party have to travel on its epic quest for
Good and
Justice?
Click here to read about the Gods and Dark Forces in the World of Mindrel
Powerful artifacts can make the difference between Life and Death for your party. Uncover these forgotten relics and improve them with 122 Enchantments!
Some of the monsters that your valiant party will have to face.
Risks and challenges
KotC 2 Augury of Chaos already exists as a full game, so there isn't any risk in that respect. The three new modules have yet to be created, but they will be created using the KotC 2 editor. This means that development should be fast.
There is uncertainty associated with the time required to implement the new features that will be unlocked as part of the stretch goal programme. The more features get unlocked, the more time will be required to implement them. That is particularly true of the following elements:
- Addition of any new Character Classes.
- Coding of Random Encounter Tools.
- Coding of the Animated-Sprite feature.
- The creation of visually-pleasing Animated Sprites.
- Addition of a 3D character engine, if indeed we unlock this and backers support it.
- The creation of 3D models, if indeed we unlock this and backers support it.
The creation of new hand-drawn environments and story images will also take time, as well as the creation of the Mac version of the game. None of these factors should be a particular cause for concern, but players should be aware of potential delays.
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