[Alextended]

Kickstarter: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...realm-explorer
Realm Explorer: http://www.realmexplorer.com/
RealmSource: http://www.realmsource.com
IndieDB: http://www.indiedb.com/games/realm-explorer
IRC: #RealmExplorer @ GameSurge

Announcement footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nBf2o3bAd0
RealmSource: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EUFHqcHzh8
Character customisation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUiTUwnnA2s
Breaking stuff footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdREjI88X2Y
Undead monsters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdXYR1Jz0YU
Dev diary #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVYN8fDbOts
Dev diary #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qorLGBYpOEE
Dev diary #3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvtqAr3f9jI
Dev diary #4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVkjHFVAd1s

At its core we didn’t want Realm Explorer to be just another “sandbox” – we wanted it to be a true sandbox RPG. Character customization and development are just as important to the game design as being able to mine and dig. To start you will be able to completely customize your character’s appearance. From hair and skin color for both male and female characters to facial hair and other details you can make a character that looks the part. With so many options for customization your character can truly be unique.

We’ve also gone to great lengths in creating a world in which nearly everything you wear can be visually represented on your character. Backpacks and belt pouches don’t just sit as icons in your inventory; your character wears them for everyone to see. Each piece of armor or clothing is also visually represented and individual pieces can be mixed and matched for utility or style; it's entirely up to you. If you’re wearing a chainmail shirt and cloth pants you will see the different pieces visually in the game. You can even go so far as to wear a different boot on each foot or a different glove on each hand.

What would an RPG be without character advancement? Not only can you dig for resources like iron and gold or diamonds and rubies and then craft items from them; your character will also gain skills as he performs different actions. The more you play the more powerful your character will become. This will allow him to create better and more interesting items or fight more powerful monsters. Your ability to craft different items is based not only on what resources you have collected but also how far you’ve advanced your character's skills. Keep mining, digging, building, crafting and fighting and your character will continue to grow as you play.

Now, before the hardcore sandbox fans get too concerned we’ve already got you in mind as well. You will be able to completely configure the game to your desired play style. If you simply want to mine, dig, collect resources, craft items and build structures you’ll be able to do so. You can configure your realm to exclude various RPG elements, including hostile enemies, skill gain and even death and damage if you so desire. Realm Explorer is designed with features that go above and beyond the basics of what we normally think of in a sandbox game but you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful visuals without the risk that adventure elements bring if you so choose.

We wanted to continue to expand a genre that is near and dear to our hearts and the hearts of many indie game players and developers alike: the fantasy sandbox RPG. Big publishers have so far mostly ignored sandbox games which is probably for the best. This means that we the fans have to take up the flag and lead the way into the future. Realm Explorer is our way of making those hopes and dreams a reality and bringing a new and exciting experience to you, the player.

I thought this deserved a thread, outside some PR hyperbole and lack of information I've got a good feeling about it but it's yet to get meaningful coverage. A press demo they're preparing among other things will hopefully fix all that. I've already pledged.

More information, additional media, etc, on the various links provided. If someone else made a thread and I missed it, lock & mock.

[Clevinger]

Sounds pretty cool. We need more non-roguelike procedurally generated games.

[ClosingADoor]

Sounds like Minecraft within a real fantasy setting. Looks cool, but a bit ambitious with just 250k maybe?

[deim0s]

Minecraft and Second Life?

[Pinko Marx]

Sounds pretty cool. We need more non-roguelike procedurally generated games.

I disagree. We need more roguelikes in general.

[Orayn]

Holy crap, this sounds fantastic! I'm in.

[Toma]

Sounds pretty cool. We need more non-roguelike procedurally generated games.

Currently trying some ideas for a procedurally generated classic RPG, in the vein of FF1 or Breath of Death. Definitely interesting project, hard to do though on a full scale. Especially 3D. I wonder whether they already have some terrain generation going on, or whether its just "bullshots".

[Alextended]

I disagree. We need more roguelikes in general.

There's like an infinite number of them already out there!

[bengraven]

Fuck yes and fuck yes.

I'll Kickstart all the randomly generated RPG games.

Sounds like Minecraft within a real fantasy setting. Looks cool, but a bit ambitious with just 250k maybe?

http://wollay.blogspot.com/



I've wanted a Minecraft style random RPG game forever. And endless RPG where I can build my own house or castle inside of dozens of little villages and then find randomly created caverns full of monsters and get tons of unique loot.....oh, I do declayuh, I am gettin' the vapuhz.

[Slayven]

Something I been smashing for.

[Alextended]

It doesn't hurt that I'm getting Gothic-ish vibes from the way the world and characters look and move...

[Hari Seldon]

I find myself spending a lot of money lately on kickstarting awesome game concepts.

[SparkTR]

I find myself spending a lot of money lately on kickstarting awesome game concepts.

Me too. I have to limit myself, set aside a budget or something. I may have to pass this one up as Tex Murphy and DayZ Kickstarters are in the horizon.

[Hari Seldon]

Me too. I have to limit myself, set aside a budget or something. I may have to pass this one up as Tex Murphy and DayZ Kickstarters are in the horizon.

DayZ is going kickstarter??? They could raise millions lol.

[Alextended]

By the way, they've apparently contacted places like RPS for coverage with little success, but it would probably help if more people e-mailed them about it. I'm sure that they'll at least talk about their upcoming single player press demo but the more they pimp it the better, it's already been several days with little coverage and it kinda shows with the current result...

[Clevinger]

It doesn't hurt that I'm getting Gothic-ish vibes from the way the world and characters look and move...

Yup, first thing I thought of when I saw the screens was Gothic.

[Toma]

Super cool idea, but I am very, very pessimistic about this project for the execution. Some of their ideas make it too much seem like a single player mmo and 250k strikes me as a really low entry barrier to this kind of game for all the features they want to have in the game. Or lacking polish and feeling super clunky. They mentioned a demo in the video though, why didnt they finish the demo before starting up their Kickstarter? Weird.

[Schobeleth]

Pledged. So excited for this, even in theory/premise alone. I really hope it's everything it can/should be. Minecraft left me wanting so much more, they really abandoned it and it's nowhere near finished :\

[Alextended]

Super cool idea, but I am very, very pessimistic about this project for the execution. Some of their ideas make it too much seem like a single player mmo and 250k strikes me as a really low entry barrier to this kind of game for all the features they want to have in the game. Or lacking polish and feeling super clunky. They mentioned a demo in the video though, why didnt they finish the demo before starting up their Kickstarter? Weird.

They've been self funded so far and will also still do that to the possible extent, some have other/day jobs, others accepted to receive less than usual to see it to completion, etc. I didn't ask details. They sound like a pretty dedicated bunch to me.

[redlemon]

Don't know if I'd be bothered backing it. If it was heavily modable on the level of a bethesda game it'd be nice. You could basically assemble your own fantasy game.

[Alextended]

Don't know if I'd be bothered backing it. If it was heavily modable on the level of a bethesda game it'd be nice. You could basically assemble your own fantasy game.

So far they've said this about mods:

It's a little premature to discuss mod support at this time. If there is a large enough demand to support it it's certainly something we can investigate. That being said there will be numerous options for configuring the rules and other aspects of your realms / servers. You will be able to control and adjust a variety of aspects of the game but full mod support (at least in terms of a programmable API) is something we will have to evaluate after we see how the community grows.

[Jhriad]

This concept is pretty close to my dream game. I'm in!

DayZ Kickstarter are in the horizon.

Kickstarter is getting to be an expensive habit.

[INDIGO_CYCLOPS]

Wow this sounds really amazing. I'm definitely in to get this released. Just the thought of it is Fucking exciting, GAF.

[Alextended]

So the devs said there will be new footage soon and they hope to have the press demo early next week. Can't wait to see more.

[Jac_Solar]

Whoa, that sounds incredible. But 250k$ when something like this has never been done with those kinds of graphics? Or 3d graphics? (With all those features)

Sounds way too extreme and unlikely. I do hope they'll be able to pull it off, but since it has never happened before in 3D gaming (I don't know about 2D or text.), I doubt it.

And decent animations and mechanics, atleast to me, are very important in these kinds of games. Ie grabbing stuff, climbing ledges, or cancelling a light attack in the middle of the animation, or at any time. Character should also feel good on a controller, since the character is basically the entire point of the game a lot hinges on 'getting along' with the character.

But will a 250k$ game offer good animations, physics and fleshed out mechanics? Most games in general (On console, PC, and so on.) don't have many mechanics (Jump, roll, evade, dodge, attack, heavy or light, combo, interact with characters, equip items and use items.) -- but this needs considerably more mechanics than most/all console games atleast, and it's an indie game -- and due to it being a sandbox game of this type, it also depends a lot on the mechanics feeling good/right, since they are the most important part of the game.

Overgrowth is an indie game, though, and it offer some of the best physics in gaming, in general. Absolutely INCREDIBLE mechanics, physics -- the fighting system is superb.

[Grakl]

There's like an infinite number of them already out there!

Haha, that's good.

[Pimpbaa]

Hope this pans out, I like the idea of this game.

[LuchaShaq]

First kickstarter game that didn't look awful imo, but look like bullshots.

[Clevinger]

First kickstarter game that didn't look awful imo, but look like bullshots.

They're not bullshots. There's some footage of the game in the OP. Be warned though that the animations are extremely rough.

[Alextended]

RockPaperShotgun finally wrote a little piece about it. They didn't even embed a video though...
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012...guing-but-hmm/
It's not very positive... It's a bit unfair imo, who cares if it becomes as big as Minecraft... But whatever, I just want to see more.

[Clevinger]

RockPaperShotgun finally wrote a little piece about it. They didn't even embed a video though... http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012...guing-but-hmm/ It's not very positive... It's a bit unfair imo, who cares if it becomes as big as Minecraft... But whatever, I just want to see more.

Heh. They didn't even bother to edit it, apparently.

"and Realm Explorer looks like the kind of thing a nerd, introspective man like can get behind"

[Quixzlizx]

I have a hard time contributing to Kickstarters from indie devs I haven't heard of. While I bought Minecraft when it was still in alpha, I at least had other people's opinions to go by, so I knew I'd have a chance of having $10 worth of enjoyment from an already-existing product, even if Notch had stopped updating afterwards.

[shidoshi]

Anybody know a good way to get ahold of somebody from this team? I'd be curious to talk to them, and see if maybe I could do something on the game for EGM.

[VVIS]

I find myself spending a lot of money lately on kickstarting awesome game concepts.

Kickstarter is the new Steam Sale. I probably won't ever play most of what I'm supporting.

[Emitan]

Looks fantastic. The world needs more procedural generation. You have my $15.

[Alextended]

Anybody know a good way to get ahold of somebody from this team? I'd be curious to talk to them, and see if maybe I could do something on the game for EGM.

The IRC channel I have in the OP. E-mail or whatever probably would work too, I haven't tried.

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Im not convinced in the slightetst. It doesnt have the building aspect of minecraft, the destruction, even if its in alpha, is really shity compared to games like Red Faction, it doesnt seem you can destroy the world as in Minecraft also.

It just looks like a mediocre and barren world with infinite RPG elements, sorry to say that.

It doesnt appear to be going to have good characters, partners, an interesting story (even if you can go about doing whaterver yo want, and that would be the interesting thing).

Basically, it doesnt play with the amazing freeness of Minecraft, nor the good single player with interesting characters RPG, it stands in the middle, like a boring and badly done Oblivion mod, at least right now.

Of course, I hope for the best and I would love if in the future it changed my mind.

[Alextended]

^ the game's not done. I don't see what of the "destruction" you think is lesser than Minecraft. Ok, it doesn't look particularly smooth, but it's definitely more freeform and natural looking than defined blocks. All it would really take is some particle/debris effects to hide the abrupt deformation and it would already seem much better. But perhaps they can also smoothen it out. Mechanically it doesn't seem lacking to me. And when did you sample its RPG aspects to pass judgement on them vs Oblivion or whatever AAA game? There is building, though what form it will take I haven't seen. At the end of the day though, it's a different game, not a Minecraft sequel in order to expect everything from that game to be included on top of enough new things...

A new video is up, character customisation:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUiTUwnnA2s&hd=1
Clearly not everything they discuss is already in, but I love the backpacks and pouches...

[SquiddyCracker]

$7,812
pledged of $250,000 goal

I dunno if they'll reach it, but I do hope they do.
Keep on contributing kickstarting people!

[Alextended]

Rewatched the new video without multitasking and it's much neater than I first thought, the system seems quite robust already, I like that you can equip different things on the left and right hands/legs like in Morrowind. But the backpacks give such a good vibe.

[SpacePirate Ridley]

^ the game's not done. I don't see what of the "destruction" you think is lesser than Minecraft. Ok, it doesn't look particularly smooth, but it's definitely more freeform and natural looking than defined blocks. All it would really take is some particle/debris effects to hide the abrupt deformation and it would already seem much better. But perhaps they can also smoothen it out. Mechanically it doesn't seem lacking to me. And when did you sample its RPG aspects to pass judgement on them vs Oblivion or whatever AAA game? There is building, though what form it will take I haven't seen. At the end of the day though, it's a different game, not a Minecraft sequel in order to expect everything from that game to be included on top of enough new things... A new video is up, character customisation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUiTUwnnA2s&hd=1 Clearly not everything they discuss is already in, but I love the backpacks and pouches...

I know the game is not done, but tieght now, IMO, it looks boring and dull. They didnt talk anything about destroying the world (i do not mean the objects) so thats why I said is not compelling. From hwat I saw It didnt seem there was construction, although if I missed
that, im sorry and that would be a point in its favour.
I was not expecting a Minecraft sequel, I was only stating the aspects that make minecraft great and that this game, as the say is a true sandbox, could have.
As I said, the game is being done and what I see in the future could change my mind, but right now, and for me (and thats the important thing, you can always have a different opinion) it looks as bland as a bad oblivion mod.

[Alextended]

But they do show the destruction... On soil and rocks alike, with the shovel and pickaxe. Dude had a tunnel going in the soil, then also showed that with the pickaxe you get the same result on rocky terrain...

Now they didn't show Minecraft's TNT or something, but nothing says there won't be anything similar. The tech can support it going by what they show, and I think that qualifies as destruction regardless of what tools they implement or don't implement.

They don't show the building yet but they do talk of it. I mean, they don't show combat or crafting yet either but it will have that.

So yeah, they're over time showing more of what they've got done so far, not what they haven't yet done (lol).

[SpacePirate Ridley]

But they do show the destruction... On soil and rocks alike, with the shovel and pickaxe. Dude had a tunnel going in the soil, then also showed that with the pickaxe you get the same result on rocky terrain... Now they didn't show Minecraft's TNT or something, but nothing says there won't be anything similar. The tech can support it going by what they show, and I think that qualifies as destruction regardless of what tools they implement or don't implement. They don't show the building yet but they do talk of it. I mean, they don't show combat or crafting yet either but it will have that. So yeah, they're over time showing more of what they've got done so far, not what they haven't yet done (lol).

Oh well, that really sounds much better. Thought the pickaxe was only for getting minerals from some rocks, not for destruction enviroment also.

[Alextended]

Na, it's for both, they show both in the first video they had. The ore was that darker thing, the lighter was just normal rocky terrain.

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

$7,812 pledged of $250,000 goal I dunno if they'll reach it, but I do hope they do. Keep on contributing kickstarting people!

$14,546

TRENDING TOWARD
5%
OF GOAL

[kswiston]

I wonder if the Song of Ice and Fire books were conspicuously placed on the shelf in that introduction video on purpose.

[Emitan]

I wonder if the Song of Ice and Fire books were conspicuously placed on the shelf in that introduction video on purpose.

They were literally the first thing I noticed.

[Alextended]

$14,546 TRENDING TOWARD 5% OF GOAL

I don't think that means much yet, they basically only had an RPGwatch mention to go off so far... I was hoping RPS would change things but it's such a pessimistic spin it won't do much... At least now it's mentioned on a few other places too after them... But they still have the demo to send out to the press (maybe more open too) so we'll see how coverage goes...

But yeah, a good chunk of their KS time was wasted with nobody covering it, that's gotta hurt...

[djplaeskool]

Seems interesting, but it ain't gonna make it without the most amazing push in KS history (going off current funding trend and percentages).

[Alextended]

The first dev diary type video is up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVYN8fDbOts&hd=1

I prefer the footage but these seemed to help. Although he's of course not that experienced in this sort of PR, they're not bad...

Also, the previous video is on reddit for those who wanna vote for it (or whatever, I don't use that site to know how it works).