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[Kickstarter] Kitaru - Sci-Fi RPG - $25,000 Goal (Trailer & Concept Art)

P

PaulLFC

Member
Just noticed this game on Kickstarter, it sounds very good and I thought the intro trailer was great. Their goal is only $25k as well. Its estimated release according to the Kickstarter page is October.

**link removed**

photo-full.jpg


The Plot
The nation of Saph teeters on the brink of war, both with itself and a neighboring country of vastly superior strength and technology. When Saph's best agent, the beautiful, headstrong Akai enlists the help of janitor/hackerboy Tama they discover the darkest secret they can imagine when a supposedly dangerous revolutionary reveals that his only true crime was an idea. He will force them to confront which is worse for their land: outright civil war, or the perpetual twilight of tyranny. As both countries prepare for battle, Akai and Tama can only meet their destiny in the presence of Saph's final target, a desert wanderer called 'Kitaru'. A mysterious girl who can command the skies and move the sea, she alone will hold the key to breaking Saph's grip on its people, to restoring peace and showing Akai the truth about her past.


About Kitaru
Kitaru is an interactive sci-fi epic that breaks the mold of RPG storytelling. Its innovative, postmodern storytelling approach thrusts the dystopian fantasy of George Orwell's "1984" into the realm of classic gaming's Chrono Trigger, Shadowrun and Metal Gear Solid.

In doing so, it creates a fascinating thriller that weaves adventure and intellect with ingenious humor and pop culture references. In development for six years by creator Ben Steele, it is now in the final stages of production with a team of volunteers from all over the world.

The brains and creativity behind the rich fantasy world of Kitaru is Ben Steele. Ben is the award-winning artist & director of 2005's "Fragile Machine," named by Cyberpunk Review the "Best Animated Film of the Year," and winner of numerous international film festival awards. Kitaru and its many unique characters are part of a fully-developed fantasy universe that Ben has written and crafted over the past five years in the finest detail. His vision and eye for detail promises to please hardcore gamers around the world.

Kitaru will unfold over numerous episodes and engage players in a long-term, rich story delivering a unique, interactive experience. In Kitaru’s ravaged world of Saph, four factions tear apart society, only kept in order by Saph’s team of deadly assassins led by prodigy Akai. It is up to the players to fight enemies on all sides to bring peace. Covert ops, assassinations, diplomatic duties, and game altering decisions are all at the mercy of the players in this intense, gripping narrative.

Kitaru will initially launch on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Google Android devices. Subsequent releases will follow on the major gaming consoles.

In order to pull together the necessary team members and resources to launch the first season of Kitaru, we need your help. As you can see in the trailer video above, and the included images, we have already developed an extensive portfolio of high-resolution characters and digital environments, and completed work on pre-alpha proof-of-concept gameplay complete with NPC interactions, battles, a custom UI framework, and a variety of custom level-design tools.The quality and detail is among the best you will find anywhere.

We are now ready to move forward with full production and bring the world of Kitaru to you.


Concept Art

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jSwfXduk5AzvO.jpg


jpnQh8Iz8WoSS.jpg


jrnKdCB30QvD9.jpg


Videos
Kitaru Intro Trailer

The Tiers

PLEDGE $15 OR MORE
FIRST MOVER – Pre-release copy of Kitaru for your platform of choice (PC, Mac, iOS, Android) AND an exclusive in-game object AND Official Supporter-stamped "Save the Game Designers" Digital Wallpaper and our heartfelt thank you!

PLEDGE $25 OR MORE
BEHIND THE SCENES - Exclusive access to Dev Blog, along with Pre-release copy of Kitaru for your platform of choice (PC, Mac, iOS, Android) AND an exclusive in-game object AND Kitaru Official Supporter-stamped Digital Wallpaper.

PLEDGE $50 OR MORE
MEDIA PACKAGE - Kitaru Original Soundtrack Vol. I (for download) AND Digital Wallpapers for main characters AND limited-edition Kitaru Digital Comic Book AND the previous reward level!

PLEDGE $75 OR MORE
GAME DEV SCHOOL - Learn indie game dev tips from our experienced team via exclusive VIP access to the Kitaru Dev Blog and a monthly video conference call with key members of dev team! AND Kitaru Original Soundtrack Vol. II (for download) AND Honorable Developer Status recognition in game credits AND all previous rewards!

PLEDGE $100 OR MORE
JOIN THE BETA TEAM! - Participate as a Beta Game Tester during game development AND Ability to personally submit your game ideas via private Kitaru Team email address! AND Five Limited-Edition 4"x6" Character Cards AND Bronze Status recognition in game credits AND all previous rewards! (Please add $20 for international shipping)

PLEDGE $250 OR MORE
SWAG BAG - Limited-Edition Designer Kitaru T-Shirt from creator, Ben Steele AND Limited-Edition Kitaru Game Poster, numbered & signed by Ben Steele and the dev team (suitable for framing) AND Remastered DVD of award-winning Fragile Machine, signed by creator, Ben Steele AND Silver Status recognition in game credits AND all previous rewards! (Please add $20 for international shipping)

PLEDGE $500 OR MORE (Limited to 100 pledges)
GET INVOLVED – Have your Name or Handle Image placed in the game AND a 30 minute Video Conf with Ben Steele to discuss the development of the Kitaru story AND a ONE OF A KIND Kitaru Game Poster, featuring your screen shot, signed by Ben Steele and the dev team AND Original Kitaru Level Design Sketch by Danny Escoto (first 10 donors) OR Original Kitaru Character Sketch by Ben Steele (second 10 donors) AND Gold Status recognition in game credits AND all previous rewards! (Please add $20 for international shipping)

PLEDGE $1,000 OR MORE (Limited to 15 pledges)
THE NAME GAME - Work personally with our design team to name a character in the game AND a ONE OF A KIND Kitaru Game Poster, featuring your named character, signed by Ben Steele and the dev team AND Ten 4"x6" Character Cards, featuring your character to share with friends AND VIP and Beta access to all future releases of Kitaru! AND Get a Kitaru Voice Actor to personally record your voicemail! (Choices include Ben10/The Prince of Persia Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt from Bleach, Naruto & FFXIII) AND Platinum Status recognition in game credits AND all previous rewards at the $250 level and lower!

PLEDGE $2,500 OR MORE (Limited to 10 pledges)
BE A STAR! - Work with design team to create an in-game virtual character of yourself AND a ONE OF A KIND Kitaru Game Poster, featuring your virtual character, signed by Ben Steele and the dev team AND Ten 4"x6" Character Cards, featuring your personalized character to share with friends AND all previous rewards at the $250 level and lower!

PLEDGE $5,000 OR MORE (Limited to 5 pledges)
FEATURED PRODUCTS - Prominent in-game billboard and/or product placement, as appropriate AND all previous rewards at the $250 level and lower!
 
MMaRsu

MMaRsu

Banned
Looks pretty damn cool, but honestly I'm always wondering if these kickstarter games werent already in development.
 
A

Almighty

Member
Unless I missed it not much info there beyond being a Sci-Fi RPG. I have no idea what gameplay style they are aiming for or anything. Without more info I can't decide if the 25k they are asking is a reasonable goal for the type of game they want to make. i seriously have some major doubts about this Kickstarter. How it stands now is the lack of info makes me wonder even if they got the 25k would they be able to deliver the game with that.
 
Alexios

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
In development for six years by creator Ben Steele, it is now in the final stages of production with a team of volunteers from all over the world.
Click to expand...

We are now ready to move forward with full production and bring the world of Kitaru to you.
Click to expand...
So, which is it? Almost done, or almost started? It kinda makes a big difference, lol. Especially with nothing but concept art and poser-like models to show after all this time. They'll probably get the money but not with my help, until they can impress me in some way, be it with showing this project or the members' past work, etc. Granted, Wasteland 2 and Shadowrun Returns didn't show more, but one can trust those names better than no names, even if it's still a risk as far as the final product's quality goes.
 
R

ReaperXL7

Member
Almighty said:
Unless I missed it not much info there beyond being a Sci-Fi RPG. I have no idea what gameplay style they are aiming for or anything. Without more info I can't decide if the 25k they are asking is a reasonable goal for the type of game they want to make. The lack of info makes me wonder if even they got the 25k would they be able to deliver a game with it.
Click to expand...

but if you dont than little Lisa won't get the clothes that she "needs"......Although from her picture i'm not entirely sure that she really does need them.

I agree though there is not enough information here to gauge if this is a worthy kickstarter project. I'd atleast like to know what style the game, and combat are..
 
B

BrLvgThrChmstry

Banned
Alextended said:
So, which is it? Almost done, or almost started? And nothing but concept art and poser-like models after all this time?

They'll probably raise the money but not with my help. Granted, Wasteland 2 and Shadowrun Returns didn't show more but one can kinda trust names better than no names...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was expecting a little more than.. this considering how long its already been pre-heating in the oven. Is a prototype asking too much when it comes to these kickstarter projects? ...and perhaps demo it?
 
O

Omikaru

Member
Real sceptical about this one. Looks like a 90s CG animated cartoon right now, and I really don't think there's much, if any, game actually made yet.

And they're only asking for $25,000 for such an ambitious project? Doesn't that seem a bit low, as if they want the project to meet its target easily so they get an almost certain cash payout?

I don't want to outright say that this is a scam, but well, my bullshit alarm is going off big time.

Edit: To be balanced and all that, in their defence, there is a video of the game on their YouTube channel that is at least two years old.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vq_y1hFlrY

I still think $25k is a suspiciously low amount, mind you.
 
H

hardcastlemccormick

Banned
Looks pretty cool. I really like the art design a lot. Very neat assets.

I don't think I'll back it through, because the game's design wasn't described very much, and that is still more important to me than the very cool artwork.
 
P

Patryn

Member
$25,000 sounds way too low for an RPG. Also, it's on Mac, PC, iOS and Android? That's a little crazy ambitious.
 
P

Pachterballs

Banned
they set the bar really low so that they will get the 25k and run. you just wait and see that happen. because anything after 25k is bonus money.

snake oil merchant
 
P

PaulLFC

Member
Hmm, is it best if I ask a mod to lock this one? I just saw the Kickstarter on the discover page and thought it looked interesting, but 25k does seem low for what they want to do.

They do have other videos on their Youtube showing character controls with a bit of in game footage, but obviously that doesn't give much indication of whether or not they'll actually make a full game.

Edit: Removed the link to the Kickstarter for now.
 
Alexios

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Edit: information has been kind of a clusterfuck, nevermind this post, standing by my others.
 
S

Sera O

Banned
I like the art a lot, but that's a lot of words with pretty much nothing specific to say. That and the low budget make it seem pretty sketchy.
 
O

Omikaru

Member
I should also add that this does seem too good to be true in many respects:

- All the platforms it's going to be made for.
- The style, setting, aesthetic, character design, and so on seem to push the right buttons. It's science fiction in a cyberpunk dystopia, with a red-headed protagonist in an RPG... yeah, we don't get many games like that these days, but the kind of people Kickstarting projects -- myself included -- really dig that sort of thing.
- The pitch is kind of vague, laced with jokes and trying to ride funding on this guy's personality, but I really don't know much about the game. If he had indeed written all those lines of dialogue and story about the game, he'd be able to give a more detailed pitch than what we've gotten. What I got from what he's told us is not too different to how I'd explain some early novel ideas I've had to my brother. Just vague ideas, but nothing solid.

What I'm getting at is, to me, the pitch feels like it was made to appeal to the kinds of people who buy a lot of games, but are unhappy with what we get from traditional developers/publishers, and are funnelling money into Kickstarter projects as a consequence. Combine that with a meagre $25,000 budget that may or may not be an easy target to ensure a payout, and I'm really cynical.

I'm going to feel really shitty if this turns out to be me just crapping on some people's hard work, but I have to call it as I see it.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
Character names are kind of cringe-worthy.
 
B

BentMyWookiee

Member
If this is legit, then this kickstarter is horribly put together. Their pitch video is a poor attempt to be funny, which doesn't really tell anything about the project and what they're going for.

And the fact that they provide so little info on this project feels really sketchy when their kickstarter page says:
In development for six years by creator Ben Steele, it is now in the final stages of production with a team of volunteers from all over the world.
Click to expand...
Six years in development and in the final stages of production? Really? Then why not share more footage or info on the game and its gameplay systems? I truly don't understand how anyone could feel confident in donating money to this project.

This kickstarter project just sounds like it's set up to be a take the money and run sort of thing.
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
Omikaru said:
Real sceptical about this one. Looks like a 90s CG animated cartoon right now, and I really don't think there's much, if any, game actually made yet.

And they're only asking for $25,000 for such an ambitious project? Doesn't that seem a bit low, as if they want the project to meet its target easily so they get an almost certain cash payout?

I don't want to outright say that this is a scam, but well, my bullshit alarm is going off big time.

Edit: To be balanced and all that, in their defence, there is a video of the game on their YouTube channel that is at least two years old.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vq_y1hFlrY

I still think $25k is a suspiciously low amount, mind you.
Click to expand...

That doesn't even look like game footage, unless it's an FMV game. It's also using music they definitely don't have license to, it's playing Massive Attack's Angel during one part of it.

My bullshitometer is rising.
 
W

wrowa

Member
This kickstarter is not a scam, I quite sure of it. It's a bunch of people who are developing a game in their spare time for a terribly long time already and that hope to get at least a little bit of money that helps them finishing the project. What should they do? They are completely unknown, if they demand more than 25k there's no way that people will back their game.

However, this game will nevertheless likely never see the light of day. And if it does, it's probably going to be absolutely terrible.

That guy is simply over-ambitious and the goals aren't realistically achievable. It's probably going to end up in development hell sooner or later. By the looks of it they are trying to make a game that rivals "AAA" games, even though they neither have the experience or money. It's a nice dream and that's about it.


The CG looks mighty impressive for something that a single person has made, though. Kudos to him.
 
R

RPG Wizard

Member
About Kitaru
Kitaru is an interactive sci-fi epic that breaks the mold of RPG storytelling. Its innovative, postmodern storytelling approach thrusts the dystopian fantasy of George Orwell's "1984" into the realm of classic gaming's Chrono Trigger, Shadowrun and Metal Gear Solid.
Click to expand...

Why does this read like pure buzz phrase marketing? It's like "We need people to get excited. Throw a Chrono Trigger into there! What else is good? Oh right, that Shadowrun thing is doing really well! Throw that in there too! To show that it's different, we're going to say it breaks the mold! etc."

The more I read of the first post, the more wary I feel.
 
W

wrowa

Member
BigJiantRobut said:
That doesn't even look like game footage, unless it's an FMV game. It's also using music they definitely don't have license to, it's playing Massive Attack's Angel during one part of it.

My bullshitometer is rising.
Click to expand...

Come on, at least go on the kickstarter page before responding... It's based on a CG movie the guy has done on his own for the last 5 years that he now wants to use as the base for a video game.
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
wrowa said:
Come on, at least go on the kickstarter page before responding... It's based on a CG movie the guy has done on his own for the last 5 years that he now wants to use as the base for a video game.
Click to expand...

I did go to the kickstarter page. If the game's been in development for so long and is ready to enter "final production", why is the only video footage we have prerendered?

Also, it's not based on a CG movie. It's by a guy who made a CG movie (Fragile Machine) in 2005. Sounds like it's set in the same sci-fi universe or whatever, but yeah.
 
B

B_Rik_Schitthaus

Banned
BentMyWookiee said:
Six years in development and in the final stages of production? Really? Then why not share more footage or info on the game and its gameplay systems? I truly don't understand how anyone could feel confident in donating money to this project.
Click to expand...



Agreed, it feels like a CG artists portfolio, if there is a game they need to show it.
 
W

wrowa

Member
BigJiantRobut said:
I did go to the kickstarter page. If the game's been in development for so long and is ready to enter "final production", why is the only video footage we have prerendered?

Also, it's not based on a CG movie. It's by a guy who made a CG movie (Fragile Machine) in 2005. Sounds like it's set in the same sci-fi universe or whatever, but yeah.
Click to expand...

Okay, I correct myself: Go to the kickstarter page and watch the video. He is not only explaining it there, there's also a few seconds of (pretty bad looking) gameplay at the end...
 
Patapwn

Patapwn

Member
"At the $45 tier, we managed to obtained super secret moon deeds from the United Coalition of Land. As a special thanks we're giving away 10 acres of the moon to all backers at this level. Thx for the support!"

That's the level of integrity that was conveyed by the pitch IMO. I could be totally wrong, but it just didn't seem right to me.

The super radical 90s cgi and the following 0% of time dedicated to talking about specifics threw up a huge red flag. Successful kickstarters do a good job giving an idea about all aspects of the project. The lore, gameplay, basically what to expect is sincerely portrayed.

Also, the modest budget is way too modest
 
B

border

Member
I am kinda debating whether or this is a deliberate scam to milk some money out of a project they have given up on and know that they will never finish, or a hopeless crusade that they actually believe they can accomplish.

Either way, there's no reason to donate. At least the video is honest and they claim they're just going to spend the money on alcohol and candy bars. If you give money you know that you're just feeding a bunch of hobbyists who will probably do the game anyway.
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
wrowa said:
Okay, I correct myself: Go to the kickstarter page and watch the video. He is not only explaining it there, there's also a few seconds of (pretty bad looking) gameplay at the end...
Click to expand...

Yeah, that "Kitaru Game Footage"? Some of it is from the "animation test" video someone else linked. It's definitely not gameplay. There's those hilarious iPhone videos mixed in, which I imagine are what the game really looks like, but they are deliberately obfuscating the truth by putting it next to that CG footage that says "game footage".
 
W

wrowa

Member
border said:
If you give money you know that you're just feeding a bunch of hobbyists who will probably do the game anyway.
Click to expand...
What kind of reasoning is that? Of course they will try to do their thing even if the kickstarter fails. What's so bad about it? Why shouldn't they be allowed to ask for a little money so they can invest it into one or two things they need to develop the game? Before Double Fine invaded Kickstarter most of the people there were hobbyists with a passion and an idea they wanted to execute... that was kind of the point behind Kickstarter. And if Kickstarter failed, of course the people try to execute their ideas nevertheless. There's nothing wrong about it.


BigJiantRobut said:
Yeah, that "Kitaru Game Footage"? Some of it is from the "animation test" video someone else linked. It's definitely not gameplay. There's those hilarious iPhone videos mixed in, which I imagine are what the game really looks like, but they are deliberately obfuscating the truth by putting it next to that CG footage that says "game footage".
Click to expand...

It's really not that hard to understand. The garbage-looking iPhone videos are what the game will look like. The other scenes are FMVs that will be played during the game. He's even talking about "computer animation" when the CGI is shown for the first time, it doesn't take a genius to understand what he was aiming at.


For the record: I'm not sold on the game by any means and I won't back it. I respect him for the CGI work he has done, but I think that the game itself is too ambitious and will end-up in development hell. So, I'm not trying to support it. I just think that most people in this thread are way too harsh for something that's probably something as harmless as a labour of naive love.
 
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