You still have time! Lower your Mighty No. 9 pledge and put all your money into Shantae: Half-Genie Hero!!
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Shantae: Half-Genie Hero (PS3/4/Vita/360/XB1/WiiU/PC) Kickstarter [800K/400K Funded]
- Thread starter DenisQc
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Worthintendo
Member
Yeah I would have gone for something alot higher but I have this, Mighty No 9 and the Cities of Gold game kickstarter all ending at the same time. I'd love to give all really high pledges but one had to take the fall for a base level pledge and it had to be this one
No way I can lower my MN9 pledge because I want the HC art book. Fuck, I'm actually considering raising it to get the physical copy of the game. I may still raise my Shantae pledge (currently $12 for the early bird) but I haven't decided yet.You still have time! Lower your Mighty No. 9 pledge and put all your money into Shantae: Half-Genie Hero!!
Heh, I was just kidding. Don't kill your wallet.
The sad thing is, this game has less backers even when compared to Hyper Light Drifter. :/
Hyper Light Drifter has tons of publicity. I've even seen comic artists spread the word about that one.
twothunder
Member
Shantae getting completely overshadowed by mighty number. 9 is quite a pain.
Sadly. Little we can do about it now. Still. We are about to pass the first stretch goal (if you include paypal numbers)
Oni Link 666
Member
So, I asked WayForward on Kickstarter if you could play the PC beta and choose to get the game on consoles and they said, "Of course ". I asked because there was some confusion about this on the Mighty No. 9 thread.
". I asked because there was some confusion about this on the Mighty No. 9 thread.
Oni Link 666
Member
Hell yeah! Risky Belt!
Oni Link 666
Member
It's not just for the costumes. All that money goes into making the whole game better. It's the same for the other stretch goals. That extra money is not just paying for that content on that specific stretch goal.
It's a 2D game, so Shantae would need to be drawn and animated all over again for each costume.
Lord British
Member
I don't think this is true, surely?
Oni Link 666
Member
It's true for Shantae. All the characters and enemies are 2D. At least so far. The environments are all 3D.
Yes! Risky Boots mode is probably the most interesting stretch goal.
Regarding the transformations, I feel like they are a bit lost as far as character designs go. They are suddenly not limited to a few colors/details and they are going a bit overboard
So as usual I tried fixing them:
For the spider they need to decide whether it's a mermaid or scorpiontaur like half humanoid or a full on spider monster. If it's the former the human part should retain Shantae's colors. If it's the latter there shouldn't be separation between the upper and lower halves (I removed the navel to avoid possible issues). Also doesn't need million shades either way.
Two tones are enough just like she looked in the original Shantae.
Regarding the transformations, I feel like they are a bit lost as far as character designs go. They are suddenly not limited to a few colors/details and they are going a bit overboard
So as usual I tried fixing them:
For the spider they need to decide whether it's a mermaid or scorpiontaur like half humanoid or a full on spider monster. If it's the former the human part should retain Shantae's colors. If it's the latter there shouldn't be separation between the upper and lower halves (I removed the navel to avoid possible issues). Also doesn't need million shades either way.
Two tones are enough just like she looked in the original Shantae.
Linkstrikesback
Member
Ok, now we see if we will reach the 600k goal. I hope so, but am doubtful. We have what, 4 day sand ~20 hours left?
I'm pretty confident we can reach the 600k goal, maybe even the 700k goal, it's the goals after it I'm doubtful of.
700k really? ~200k in 4 days seems excessive.
Not excessive enough, if you ask me.
Based off of the way they're doing her art, yes. Each frame of animation is a completely separate and whole image. There are other ways of doing 2D animation where this isn't the case, instead using a flat or nearly flat model, but it is with Shantae. There's usually some sort of trade-off where the modeled character is easier to animate and can be tweened so that the animation framerate is the same as the game framerate, but the movement is more rigid. It's harder to get a properly deforming, bouncy character when you use a model.
Still, three more sets of animations shouldn't take 100K to fund. Granted, Shantae probably has more animation frames than any other character or enemy in the game, but not to that extent. My theory is that the new-level stretch goals are more expensive than most of the others, so littler stretch goals like new costumes in between the levels help offset the cost.
twothunder
Member
Here's the entire update
Update 30: Risky Mode funded, Final Stretch Goal revealed!
Happy Sunday folks! Thanks to all of your pledges, were happy to announce that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will now have 2 full campaigns to play; the main storyline featuring the heroic adventures of Shantae, and the alternate storyline featuring the villainous antics of Risky Boots! A very heart-felt thank you to everyone!!
We have only 4 days remaining, and while this recently met Stretch Goal will double the fun, there is still time to expand the overall scope of the game! Our next Stretch Goal is a Bonus Chapter, which will nest right in the middle of the game. In it, Shantae travels to Cape Crustacean to participate in the Magic Carpet Races! Shell also get one more transformation, and an epic boss battle! Take a look:
At this time wed like to also reveal our FINAL Stretch Goal! As many have guessed, reaching this goal means well be adding fully animated cutscenes to the game. The intro, ending, and key plot points will be displayed in full screen television quality animation with voice over and music! These sequences will be animated by one of our outsourcing studios, just like we did for the Boy and His Blob intro, Batman the Brave and the Bold, and our previous Spongebob titles. We are also welcoming suggestions for studios you may be fans of!
Since this is the last Stretch Goal and our campaign is nearing the end, wed like to remind everyone that PayPal is now open! Any additional funding for the project received after October 4th will be applied to these Stretch Goals.
Update 30: Risky Mode funded, Final Stretch Goal revealed!
Happy Sunday folks! Thanks to all of your pledges, were happy to announce that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will now have 2 full campaigns to play; the main storyline featuring the heroic adventures of Shantae, and the alternate storyline featuring the villainous antics of Risky Boots! A very heart-felt thank you to everyone!!
We have only 4 days remaining, and while this recently met Stretch Goal will double the fun, there is still time to expand the overall scope of the game! Our next Stretch Goal is a Bonus Chapter, which will nest right in the middle of the game. In it, Shantae travels to Cape Crustacean to participate in the Magic Carpet Races! Shell also get one more transformation, and an epic boss battle! Take a look:
At this time wed like to also reveal our FINAL Stretch Goal! As many have guessed, reaching this goal means well be adding fully animated cutscenes to the game. The intro, ending, and key plot points will be displayed in full screen television quality animation with voice over and music! These sequences will be animated by one of our outsourcing studios, just like we did for the Boy and His Blob intro, Batman the Brave and the Bold, and our previous Spongebob titles. We are also welcoming suggestions for studios you may be fans of!
Since this is the last Stretch Goal and our campaign is nearing the end, wed like to remind everyone that PayPal is now open! Any additional funding for the project received after October 4th will be applied to these Stretch Goals.
Doctor_Thomas
Member
I am sad that we will not get fully animated cutscenes.
twothunder
Member
Yeah. It sucks ,but I kinda expected we wouldn't could come close to 1.3 million for some time now. I actually would have been happy if they made it to 900K. (Extra chapters. All playable characters and costumes)
Vermillion
Banned
FUUUUUUUUUU
Arghhhh...why do you tease us like this Wayforward???
well the paypal store is still gonna be open after the KS ends and the pledges will still be counting for the stretch goals so i reckon that some of those can still be reached
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236620800/shantae-half-genie-hero/posts/609066
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236620800/shantae-half-genie-hero/posts/609066
TDLink
Member
With the final push I expect that 600k is probable while 700k has a rare chance. Anything beyond that isn't going to happen unfortunately.
I would love to be wrong, of course.
I'm also wondering if we get the 600k (and the remote chance we get any further chapters as well) if there will be a Risky equivalent now that her campaign is funded. It says she will have her own versions of all of the levels but does that only apply to the game's original levels or these stretch ones too? They all only mention Shantae, which is why I am curious about it.
I would love to be wrong, of course.
I'm also wondering if we get the 600k (and the remote chance we get any further chapters as well) if there will be a Risky equivalent now that her campaign is funded. It says she will have her own versions of all of the levels but does that only apply to the game's original levels or these stretch ones too? They all only mention Shantae, which is why I am curious about it.
They said all levels including stretch goals.
TDLink
Member
That's good news. It means getting to 600k will effectively get us two chapters, at least.
Yes. If the completed game sells well to non-backers, they'll make some money. If they can afford to reach one of the stretch goals using those profits, then they might consider using that money and offering the result as DLC.
If the DLC earns them enough money to reach another stretch goal, then they might try again.
So there's a chance that they might reach all of their stretch goals, eventually.
Oni Link 666
Member
I called it! Sucks that we probably won't be getting them, though.
SparksterMeta0
Member
Does this mean there will be an extended period for the purpose of meeting more of these goals?
Possibly. I just think they want to keep paypal open as long as possible so people won't miss out.
KillerTravis
Banned
Additional funding via PayPal.
I believe the official line is "Several Months" so, maybe till the end of the year?
Yes, any digital version.
And to be clear, MN9 PS4/Vita isn't a separate tier, they're stretch goals.
twothunder
Member
http://www.thumbsticks.com/2013/09/30/shantae-half-genie-hero-matt-bozon-interview/
Shantae Half-Genie Hero: Matt Bozon Interview
Shantae Half-Genie Hero is the fourth game in WayForwards platforming adventure series and the first to be released on home consoles. We spoke to Matt Bozon, Creative Director and creator of the Shantae series, about the developing game and the challenges of using Kickstarter to fund its development.
You have been working on the Shantae series for over a decade. Are you excited to see the series on the TV screen and does the larger canvas allow you expand the scope of the game?
The first game was intended to be on Super Nintendo, so weve come full circle in that regard! The series has lived entirely on handheld up till now, so its important to think about this game with fresh eyes. We want Half-Genie Hero to be modern, and really use the strength of these new consoles, but still be built on a classic-gaming foundation. We need visuals and audio that fills the room, and detail that the player and anyone watching will want to drink in. It should be fun to watch as well as to play.
What made you decide to go down the crowd funding route, and what are the benefits over traditional funding models?
Its huge. Without Kickstarter, its a fair guess that a Shantae game of this size would take longer to develop than a typical consoles life expectancy if funded bit by bit internally. It might sound like an exaggeration, but thats exactly what happened to the Game Boy Advance Shantae. By getting help from KS Backers, we can put a dedicated team on it and treat it just like a work contract. The team stays on, the deadlines are locked, and the release date is assured. Our internal games have never had that advantage, which is why theve always been our night job or passion projects.
You have forged a striking artistic collaboration on this project with Inti Creates, how did that relationship develop?
It was because of KOU, an artist at Inti Creates. We found this amazing fan art on his site and contacted him. He thought we might want to talk to his boss, who turned out to be Takuya Aizu, the president and CEO of Inti Creates. We discussed working together on Shantae and the Pirates Curse, and everyone was into it. That was back in 2011, and were still going strong. Every time artwork arrives its like opening a Christmas present! Theyre super awesome.
How important is the contribution of composer Jake Kaufman? Do you value the audio side of your games as much as the visual?
I think of a game as 3 equal parts: gameplay, visuals, and audio. Jake helped to give Shantae a musical identity with the original game, so I would not want to do this without him. There are many times where hell write music for Shantae, and I will design entire sections of the game to match what Im hearing. Often the music comes after the game is built, but I prefer to listen only to the soundtrack for months while I work. I show Jake some imagery before we begin but yeah, we just jive really well.
Having fans of the series being so close to the development process must bring its own set of pressures, what are they and how do you handle them?
Its hard to commit to ideas publicly. One of my biggest motivators as a game developer but really as an entertainer is the moment of the big reveal. I work faster and faster the more I think about the audiences reaction I tune and tear down, and really like to sculpt the experience. It drives the people I work with nuts I think. But Im looking forward that moment of astonishment when the player sees the game for the first time. Kickstarter has been a real balancing act, because we need to show enough to help Backers make a pledge and feel included, but not enough to spoil the game for them. After all, theyre who were making this game for.
With Kickstarter you have to be much more open about the the content of the game, will there still be plenty of surprises?
Ha ha, well yes. Even though we revealed a lot (maybe too much) in our reveal of Shantae and the Pirates Curse in Nintendo Power last year, so many things change during the course of development that it doesnt really matter in the end. The original germ of an idea is still in there though. Thats how I predict it will be with the Kickstarter project too. Backers will get a good idea of how games are made from watching the project evolve and take shape. But they wont have the true experience until we release the Beta to backers at that reward tier and ultimately to the public.
You can support the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Kickstarter here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236620800/shantae-half-genie-hero
Shantae Half-Genie Hero: Matt Bozon Interview
Shantae Half-Genie Hero is the fourth game in WayForwards platforming adventure series and the first to be released on home consoles. We spoke to Matt Bozon, Creative Director and creator of the Shantae series, about the developing game and the challenges of using Kickstarter to fund its development.
You have been working on the Shantae series for over a decade. Are you excited to see the series on the TV screen and does the larger canvas allow you expand the scope of the game?
The first game was intended to be on Super Nintendo, so weve come full circle in that regard! The series has lived entirely on handheld up till now, so its important to think about this game with fresh eyes. We want Half-Genie Hero to be modern, and really use the strength of these new consoles, but still be built on a classic-gaming foundation. We need visuals and audio that fills the room, and detail that the player and anyone watching will want to drink in. It should be fun to watch as well as to play.
What made you decide to go down the crowd funding route, and what are the benefits over traditional funding models?
Its huge. Without Kickstarter, its a fair guess that a Shantae game of this size would take longer to develop than a typical consoles life expectancy if funded bit by bit internally. It might sound like an exaggeration, but thats exactly what happened to the Game Boy Advance Shantae. By getting help from KS Backers, we can put a dedicated team on it and treat it just like a work contract. The team stays on, the deadlines are locked, and the release date is assured. Our internal games have never had that advantage, which is why theve always been our night job or passion projects.
You have forged a striking artistic collaboration on this project with Inti Creates, how did that relationship develop?
It was because of KOU, an artist at Inti Creates. We found this amazing fan art on his site and contacted him. He thought we might want to talk to his boss, who turned out to be Takuya Aizu, the president and CEO of Inti Creates. We discussed working together on Shantae and the Pirates Curse, and everyone was into it. That was back in 2011, and were still going strong. Every time artwork arrives its like opening a Christmas present! Theyre super awesome.
How important is the contribution of composer Jake Kaufman? Do you value the audio side of your games as much as the visual?
I think of a game as 3 equal parts: gameplay, visuals, and audio. Jake helped to give Shantae a musical identity with the original game, so I would not want to do this without him. There are many times where hell write music for Shantae, and I will design entire sections of the game to match what Im hearing. Often the music comes after the game is built, but I prefer to listen only to the soundtrack for months while I work. I show Jake some imagery before we begin but yeah, we just jive really well.
Having fans of the series being so close to the development process must bring its own set of pressures, what are they and how do you handle them?
Its hard to commit to ideas publicly. One of my biggest motivators as a game developer but really as an entertainer is the moment of the big reveal. I work faster and faster the more I think about the audiences reaction I tune and tear down, and really like to sculpt the experience. It drives the people I work with nuts I think. But Im looking forward that moment of astonishment when the player sees the game for the first time. Kickstarter has been a real balancing act, because we need to show enough to help Backers make a pledge and feel included, but not enough to spoil the game for them. After all, theyre who were making this game for.
With Kickstarter you have to be much more open about the the content of the game, will there still be plenty of surprises?
Ha ha, well yes. Even though we revealed a lot (maybe too much) in our reveal of Shantae and the Pirates Curse in Nintendo Power last year, so many things change during the course of development that it doesnt really matter in the end. The original germ of an idea is still in there though. Thats how I predict it will be with the Kickstarter project too. Backers will get a good idea of how games are made from watching the project evolve and take shape. But they wont have the true experience until we release the Beta to backers at that reward tier and ultimately to the public.
You can support the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Kickstarter here:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236620800/shantae-half-genie-hero
Azure Dream
Member
I'm sad this isn't getting more funding, but glad it at least passed the mark. Just updated my pledge from the early backer to the $200 level.
Would be nice if Notch or someone popped up, "Wait, animated cutscenes for only $700,000 more? I have that in my back pocket!"
Would be nice if Notch or someone popped up, "Wait, animated cutscenes for only $700,000 more? I have that in my back pocket!"
SparksterMeta0
Member
Also, I finally ended up putting down $15 now.
twothunder
Member
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236620800/shantae-half-genie-hero/posts/614365
Update #31 FREE! Backer Exclusive Costume!
Wed like to thank everyone whos helped fund this game by offering this Backer Exclusive Blue Costume, free of charge. If youve backed at $12 or above (tiers that include the game), you will receive one download code per copy of the game youve reserved. For those who are planning to increase their pledge and receive multiple copies of the game, youll get an equal number of Blue Costume codes.
Why blue? When Shantae was pitched for Super Nintendo Entertainment System and PC for the very first time, Shantae wore a red outfit that eventually upgraded to a triumphant blue near the end of the adventure. It seems fitting that we celebrate the success of this campaign by letting Shantae proudly strut her stuff in this heroic color scheme for the very first time! Together we accomplished something that was not possible before, so wear your Shantae Blue proudly!
Were in the last leg of this fantastic journey, with only THREE DAYS to go! Please help us spread the message to anyone who has yet to pledge!
Update #31 FREE! Backer Exclusive Costume!
Wed like to thank everyone whos helped fund this game by offering this Backer Exclusive Blue Costume, free of charge. If youve backed at $12 or above (tiers that include the game), you will receive one download code per copy of the game youve reserved. For those who are planning to increase their pledge and receive multiple copies of the game, youll get an equal number of Blue Costume codes.
Why blue? When Shantae was pitched for Super Nintendo Entertainment System and PC for the very first time, Shantae wore a red outfit that eventually upgraded to a triumphant blue near the end of the adventure. It seems fitting that we celebrate the success of this campaign by letting Shantae proudly strut her stuff in this heroic color scheme for the very first time! Together we accomplished something that was not possible before, so wear your Shantae Blue proudly!
Were in the last leg of this fantastic journey, with only THREE DAYS to go! Please help us spread the message to anyone who has yet to pledge!
Don't forget that the series isn't really that popular, and neither is the dev.
twothunder
Member
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