Indie That Which Rises [Grimdark fantasy x Cosmic Horror]

[Alphons]

Speaking of the latter, did it release yet?

It's in closed beta, but development slowed down when the dev made a bank on eldritch NFTs.

From what I've played it feels like a full game, but several things are missing from the original pitch (mostly multiplayer stuff like coop, player invasions, but also the plague mechanics).

 

[Tyranicon]

Speaking of the latter, did it release yet?

It's in closed beta, but development slowed down when the dev made a bank on eldritch NFTs.

From what I've played it feels like a full game, but several things are missing from the original pitch (mostly multiplayer stuff like coop, player invasions, but also the plague mechanics).

You just led me down the weirdest rabbithole.

I went from interest, surprise, amusement, befuddlement, horror, betrayal and amusement again.

The codex thread on That Which Sleeps is 10/10 must read material, if anyone is interested: https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/that-which-sleeps-vaporware-strategy-rp.93379/

 

[Anonymous Wife Scholar]

I do love cute That Which Wifes game anons! I do!

Spoiler

 

[ERYFKRAD]

The codex thread on That Which Sleeps is 10/10 must read material, if anyone is interested

Ain't nothing compared to why Sir-Tek went bankrupt.

 

[Tyranicon]

Heroes and Rivals

The player is not alone in That Which Rises, and their quest for power is never unchallenged. Factions in the game will produce their own, resourceful characters that travel the world bent on achieving unique goals. Knightly Orders will send out Knights Errant, The Dyavolian Royal Court will ordain Champions, the cults of other Primordials will select their own Envoys, etc.

Heroes and Rivals will likely come into conflict with the player throughout the game, and can be dealt with in a number of ways. A more direct approach is to seek them out and kill them yourself, although that is never as easy as it may seem. Alternatively, you may attempt to send minions to do your dirty work… but that may only prove to strengthen the heroes’ resolve.

A cunning envoy will see the advantage in turning foes into powerful allies. Whether by careful manipulation or occult corruption, they may yet bow before your will.

Heroes/Rivals can lead their own retinues and are especially formidable in combat. They also wear lavish, uncommon clothing, have exceedingly good hair, and despite living in a time period where most of the populace lived short, squalid lives as serfs, are extremely good-looking according to modern sensibilities.

 

[Anonymous Wife Scholar]

Tyranicon Thank you Tyranicon anon! You are a good strong wifes game developer friend anon! You are!

Spoiler

 

[Fedora Master]

Why does it look like mid-grade 3D porn.

 

[Tyranicon]

Why does it look like mid-grade 3D porn.

Because it is mid grade 3d porn. Refer to the thread tags.

 

[Fedora Master]

Why does it look like mid-grade 3D porn.

Because it is mid grade 3d porn. Refer to the thread tags.

I'd argue there's more money in mid-grade porn than in game development.

 

[Tyranicon]

Settlement info panel. Entering neutral settlements will give you the following options, most of which are self explanatory.

• Request Audience
  • Meet with local leaders
  • Can charm/threaten/corrupt
• Trade
• Contracts
• Recruit
• Social
  • Espionage and Influence options
• Assault
  • Stealth raid (steal resources without incurring reputation loss)
  • Beseige (attempt to conquer the settlement)

 

[Tyranicon]

Some unique units for the three Primordials/Outer Beings in the demo.

Spoiler

 

[Storyfag]

Dragon swine?

 

[Tyranicon]

Dragon swine?

Local name for a stubborn, semi-domesticated species roughly analogous to indian boar. They don't breathe fire or anything.

 

[Tyranicon]

I think the battle maps for this game are going to be zoomed out compared to my previous work, as you're commanding some squads of men and monsters rather than individual characters. Because of this I'll also try to introduce back something that I haven't seen for a while: you can garrison your units in buildings, giving them cover from ranged attacks.

And also other effects, such as watchtowers/walls allowing archers to shoot more accurately, pits and traps to slow units down, etc. Looking forward to playing around with this stuff. Or rather, having my devpartner script everything.

 

[Tyranicon]

Scribbled some of my early thoughts for battlemaps and terrain.

Spoiler

 

[Storyfag]

Scribbled some of my early thoughts for battlemaps and terrain.

Forests should also slow characters/creatures down.

 

[Tyranicon]

The peoples of Dyavol:

 

[Storyfag]

Minor nitpick: theocracy and similar terms are a thoroughly modern way of classifying gov't types... and even then, there is no extant theocracy that uses the word as part of its name. Neither should your magocracy.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Second moonfall?

 

[Tavernking]

I feel like you just want to build a great RPG with deep mechanics but you're just adding porn so it actually sells.

 

[Tyranicon]

Minor nitpick: theocracy and similar terms are a thoroughly modern way of classifying gov't types... and even then, there is no extant theocracy that uses the word as part of its name. Neither should your magocracy.

You're right, it's a placeholder as I did actually have a more fitting name for Gushan, but it was in notes I wrote years ago and I need to do a lot of ctrl+f to find it.

Second moonfall?

The setting has a problem with artificial moons falling from orbit.

I feel like you just want to build a great RPG with deep mechanics but you're just adding porn so it actually sells.

I actually do like playing around with sex as a form of player gratification, something I probably picked up from playing a lot of early flash games as a horny teenager. I've also found it strange that you can add the most horrific kinds of violence into a game, but add some ass and titties and suddenly the moral guardians are waggling their fingers at you.

Says something fucked up about our collective society, I think.

But yeah sex sells, and it probably helps financially, although I haven't really figured out if it's worth it in the end. Much easier and probably more profitable just to drop the RPG side.

 

[Nortar]

The peoples of Dyavol:

Vityaz (knight) at the crossroads. By Viktor Vasnetsov, 1878.

 

[Harthwain]

I feel like you just want to build a great RPG with deep mechanics but you're just adding porn so it actually sells.

If a game is good it will sell regardless. Porn games fail primarily because they fail to be good games and they can't really compete with the actual porn.

I actually do like playing around with sex as a form of player gratification, something I probably picked up from playing a lot of early flash games as a horny teenager. I've also found it strange that you can add the most horrific kinds of violence into a game, but add some ass and titties and suddenly the moral guardians are waggling their fingers at you.

Says something fucked up about our collective society, I think.

Reminds me of a discussion about tabletop figurines for Blood Bowl. Someone used models for Amazons which looked like sort-of fitness Playboy Bunnies:

Spoiler

Some people said it was inappropriate sexualization. I said I would use models of sexy dominatrixes for Vampire players in a Vampire team, because it would be funny to make the opposing coach uncomfortable and thematically fitting at the same time. Hell, I could even go all-in by having the Thralls to be represented by figurines of female gimps to further mock the stuck-up attitude of people who think they have the right to dictate what's proper and what's not.

 

[Tyranicon]

Vityaz (knight) at the crossroads. By Viktor Vasnetsov, 1878.

My artist found it really difficult to find a license-able image of a Rus knight, so I pulled something off public domain instead. I'll probably do that more, keep forgetting that public domain art is there.

I was wondering if someone would recognize that.

If a game is good it will sell regardless. Porn games fail primarily because they fail to be good games and they can't really compete with the actual porn.

Porn games that do well are usually ones that veer hard into their specific fetishes. I personally don't find it very appealing, and the most successful fetishes are either outright illegal or banned by most platforms.

 

[Nortar]

I was wondering if someone would recognize that..

It's a rather well-known painting.
Besides, the plot is one of the earliest cases of a CYOA game.
The road menhir lists several options for travelers, something along the lines of: "Go left and lose your horse, go right and lose your life, go straight and lose both".