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[Vamphuntr]

Looks like inXile is taking a page from Iga's playbook. New Monster KS update:

Well it worked for IGA so it might help here a bit but I'm not expecting miracles.

 

[Eusis]

Well it worked for IGA so it might help here a bit but I'm not expecting miracles.

I think what helped a lot for Bloodstained was that a good chunk of it involved characters that I think had a lot of potential appeal for people to draw and write about, whereas this isn't really the situation for Bard's Tale so there probably isn't as much to do on the fanart/comic front.

Kilt pictures though, that's going to be... something.

 

[BrokenFiction]

Kilt pictures though, that's going to be... something.

 

[Durante]

I just checked on this for the first time in a while and was stunned that it still hadn't been funded.

It seems like each time a company returns to KS their funding gets more front-loaded.

 

[Mengy]

I just checked on this for the first time in a while and was stunned that it still hadn't been funded.

It seems like each time a company returns to KS their funding gets more front-loaded.

Yeah, it's close though. So very close....

 

[dude]

I've backed it.
I have some doubts,as other than graphics they didn't exactly piqued my interest, but in the end they managed to get me excited enough to pledge. Now I'll follow the campaign more closely and we'll see if they can even get me to up my pledge.

 

[MightyHedgehog]

I just checked on this for the first time in a while and was stunned that it still hadn't been funded.

It seems like each time a company returns to KS their funding gets more front-loaded.

No stretch goals, no reason to rush to hit the number a month before time is up. Also, IMO, there's never been a strong base for first person dungeon crawls compared to every other type and there are recent options in the umbrella game type available. WL2 and TToN were much more in demand for what they are (spiritual) sequels to compared to this one. Return trips by a KS project maker isn't the problem with the funding being front-loaded, it's the project itself not living up to the previous ones in terms of appeal.

 

[Elaugaufein]

It probably doesn't help that Bard's Quest has been dead a very long time (and the game that would be most recognized by that name is barely related). Wizardry would probably do better just because more people know what it is (the last mainline release was only a decade and a half ago).

The other thing is that being dead for so long and being one of the series that solidified the genre, Bard's Tale has very little that's unique to it when compared to modern dungeon crawlers. When I think about it, it didn't have a whole lot that was unique to it when it came out for that matter. When compared to Wizardry it's much more stripped down mechanically and I can only think of a handful of differences (summons and bards). And summons is iffy because Wizardry IV came out the same year.

 

[Matty8787]

How does backing work? Am I essentially paying upfront for the game to help them with development costs?

How do they profit that way?

 

[~Kinggi~]

How does backing work? Am I essentially paying upfront for the game to help them with development costs?

How do they profit that way?

It is to reduce risk of making the game. If they put all the money up front and people dont buy it, it can cause financial problems. If they had money upfront that they dont need to pay back like a publisher, then there is less risk.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

It is to reduce risk of making the game. If they put all the money up front and people dont buy it, it can cause financial problems. If they had money upfront that they dont need to pay back like a publisher, then there is less risk.

This, but it doesn't mean the game doesn't need to sell.

 

[mrpeabody]

It probably doesn't help that Bard's Quest has been dead a very long time (and the game that would be most recognized by that name is barely related). Wizardry would probably do better just because more people know what it is (the last mainline release was only a decade and a half ago).

The other thing is that being dead for so long and being one of the series that solidified the genre, Bard's Tale has very little that's unique to it when compared to modern dungeon crawlers. When I think about it, it didn't have a whole lot that was unique to it when it came out for that matter. When compared to Wizardry it's much more stripped down mechanically and I can only think of a handful of differences (summons and bards). And summons is iffy because Wizardry IV came out the same year.

Bard's Tale was a fine dungeon crawler for the time and actually sold very well. In addition to summons and bards, it had excellent graphics and sound, and an overworld instead of just dungeons.

I think dungeon crawlers just don't have the same nostalgia pull as the Infinity Engine games. Plus the dungeon crawling genre is actually still alive, with games like Legend of Grimrock and Etrian Odyssey. You don't have the same feel of drought like you did with Pillars of Eternity.

 

[Eusis]

BT was a fine dungeon crawler for the time, I think dungeon crawlers just don't have the same nostalgia pull as the Infinity Engine games. Plus the dungeon crawling genre is actually still alive, with games like Legend of Grimrock and Etrian Odyssey. You don't have the same feel of drought like you did with Pillars of Eternity.

It's actually probably why stuff like free roam is important to me, if I just wanted grid based dungeon crawling I can play those games, and even if I wanted towns to explore there's M&MX. But to get another that goes the path Wizardry 8 did exploration-wise, now that's something that has been painfully unaddressed. It feels like a genre that's kind of stuck in the past, and could stand to find a way to modernize in ways that don't just lead to Elder Scrolls or even Ultima Underworld/Deus Ex. Free roaming yet party based/command based would be one of those ways, in that exploring is fresher but combat stands out from most modern first person RPGs.

 

[mrpeabody]

It's actually probably why stuff like free roam is important to me, if I just wanted grid based dungeon crawling I can play those games, and even if I wanted towns to explore there's M&MX. But to get another that goes the path Wizardry 8 did exploration-wise, now that's something that has been painfully unaddressed. It feels like a genre that's kind of stuck in the past, and could stand to find a way to modernize in ways that don't just lead to Elder Scrolls or even Ultima Underworld/Deus Ex. Free roaming yet party based/command based would be one of those ways, in that exploring is fresher but combat stands out from most modern first person RPGs.

This reboot could be your thing then, judging from what they've promised. It definitely has party-based combat and the option to move without a grid.

 

[Eusis]

This reboot could be your thing then, judging from what they've promised. It definitely has party-based combat and the option to move without a grid.

Definitely, I read about that and backed afterwards (helps there's no actual monetary commitment UNTIL it ends, and that I'll get a copy of Wasteland 2 to gift away and now the original three updated in a manner hopefully better than in Bard's Tale 2004), though I do wonder the impact on design. Well, I guess that's part of why it's a Kickstarter, to see how each design idea goes over.

 

[Elaugaufein]

Bard's Tale was a fine dungeon crawler for the time and actually sold very well. In addition to summons and bards, it had excellent graphics and sound, and an overworld instead of just dungeons.

I think dungeon crawlers just don't have the same nostalgia pull as the Infinity Engine games. Plus the dungeon crawling genre is actually still alive, with games like Legend of Grimrock and Etrian Odyssey. You don't have the same feel of drought like you did with Pillars of Eternity.

Oh I know. I said it helped define the genre. I was just having problems thinking of something that you could point at today that made the games unique (so the graphics/sound doesn't help that much especially since the easiest version to play now (the DOS ones) were middle of the road by series standard). Then I realized that mechanically it wasn't particularly revolutionary even for its time and tried to think of stuff that was new at the time.

Overworlds certainly existed before (eg Ultima I in 1981) but it may indeed be one of the first times a dungeon crawler had one.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Funded! Took longer than it should, but whatever.

 

[ZoddGutts]

These are always my favorite updates... we did it!

Nearly 30,000 of you have put your belief in us once more, and we are forever grateful. You've heard me wax poetic on the subject of crowdfunding enough, but truly we would not be able to make these games without your support every step of the way. Your social media love you have given over the course of the campaign has been invaluable, and your continued support will let us make The Bard's Tale IV bigger and better than ever.

But for now let's just enjoy the moment of reaching our goal!

The Bard is back!

Brian Fargo
Leader inXile

I think it's doing well for an IP that isn't too well known. Torment did well because of it's connection with Planetscape:Torment and Wasteland with it's connection with Fallout, Bard's Tale didn't really have anything latch with a well known IP. Pretty sure Inxile had their expectations in check with this KS.

 

[BrokenFiction]

I think it's doing well for an IP that isn't too well known. Torment did well because of it's connection with Planetscape:Torment and Wasteland with it's connection with Fallout, Bard's Tale didn't really have anything latch with a well known IP. Pretty sure Inxile had their expectations in check with this KS.

Probably why it was front loaded too.

 

[hemtae]

New update: Brian Speaks on Saves and More, PayPal Pledging Open, Social Media Achievements

So in case you missed the big news: we fully funded over the weekend, and we couldn’t be happier! You guys have been awesome, helping spread the word and giving us great feedback on both the campaign and the game every step of the way. And on that note, we know you've had some additional questions on The Bard's Tale IV's design. As before, Brian is here to answer! This time, he tackles the hot topics of save games, grid-based vs. free movement, and more!

 

[~Kinggi~]

These poor guys launched in a tornado of distraction, with mega kickstarters and E3 happening its hard to get visible. Good thing they funded before Shenmue hit but would be nice to see stretches.

 

[hemtae]

New update: Mangar, Lagoth, Tarjan and…Monte Cook?

It's E3 2015 week, and it's hectic times all around. We have a great update for you all. We have lots to share, including some new talent we're hoping to have join the Bard's Tale team, some glimpses at the game's story background, and even a full track from the brilliant Mark Morgan!

 

[samuraidino]

These poor guys launched in a tornado of distraction, with mega kickstarters and E3 happening its hard to get visible. Good thing they funded before Shenmue hit but would be nice to see stretches.

Yeah,I cant help but feel sorry for them. I guess the major problem is that the Kickstarter is mostly being sold on the fact that its a Bards Tale game,which i don't think is really a big enough IP to attract major attention like Torment. Wasteland 2 probably would have had the same problems,but the major focus of that was it was a kickstarter for the WRPG genre,rather than Wasteland itself.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Well at least there is a new update.

 

[epmode]

Yeah,I cant help but feel sorry for them. I guess the major problem is that the Kickstarter is mostly being sold on the fact that its a Bards Tale game,which i don't think is really a big enough IP to attract major attention like Torment. Wasteland 2 probably would have had the same problems,but the major focus of that was it was a kickstarter for the WRPG genre,rather than Wasteland itself.

Wasteland is also really close to Fallout and there were a ton of people depressed about what happened to Van Buren.

I can't feel bad for inXile though. I never thought The Bard's Tale had much pull as a modern IP so I was just happy to see it funded. After this, I'd like to see them go with Van Buren or an original IP.

 

[Eusis]

Yeah,I cant help but feel sorry for them. I guess the major problem is that the Kickstarter is mostly being sold on the fact that its a Bards Tale game,which i don't think is really a big enough IP to attract major attention like Torment. Wasteland 2 probably would have had the same problems,but the major focus of that was it was a kickstarter for the WRPG genre,rather than Wasteland itself.

Well, it was well known enough in the right circles I think that Fallout was the spiritual successor to Wasteland, and by proxy I think a lot of people figured it'd probably be to Fallout what Fallout was to Wasteland in the first place, and there aren't exactly a lot of hardcore non-action post apocalyptic RPGs. Bard's Tale is kind of "Uhh, ok, but we have Etrian Odyssey, Legend of Grimrock, Might & Magic X, and a lot of other stuff bubbling up, why should I care about ANOTHER fantasy first person dungeon crawler, especially when those cover the other bases?" For me free roam's good enough, but that might not be a huge deal to a lot of people, and a lot of those people who really care about that are probably content with the likes of Skyrim anyway that go full action RPG. Or Deus Ex and Underworld, for stuff that gets more hardcore (probably fair to say that Deus Ex is at least a bit more hardcore anyway.)

 

[Dennis]

Pledged for $25

 

[ElectricThunder]

They should be OK as things calm down and they generally are able to get more out there---far more concerning in my mind is the fate of Dragons of the Rip come mid-late July in the wake of this and alongside perhaps the tail end orgy of spending that will be Sbenmue III and/or anything else crazy that pops up out of nowhere in the next few days. Then again, there's nothing to say BT IV itself couldn't get a boost from the Shenmue folks as is generally a common enough thing among Kickstarters doing especially well for themselves even if nobody happened to swoop down from the rafters for it at E3...

I don't think I can recall offhand a time where somebody helped out to do some nifty things in a Kickstarter only to then make their own bold gambit within pretty well the exact same sphere directly afterwards---I hope the notion is that Dragons of the Rip will be able to ride the surely good vibes of the end of the Bard's Tale IV KS campaign in a sense of the grand adventure continuing anew in a strange new land as otherwise the risk of another Deathfire or the various other cringing ones that didn't make it seems dangerously likely depending.

There's never been a better time for stuff in this vein for BT IV---be it in terms of the tools/tech/dev pipeline finally pretty well being "there", an audience cultivated/mutated from stasis in an alternate evolutionary path from Japan, or just the simple fact that if they waited much longer the odds of key original folks being dead rises tremendously.

 

[Bacardi151]

Pledged for this and am happy it met it's funding goal. Totally stoked for how this will turn out.

I have fond memories playing the original 3. I never finished 2 ( the destiny knight). Played it on the c-64 and every time i would start to make headway the 5 /14 floppy would end up damaged. Finished 1 and 3 with a little help from the strategy guides at the time ( some of those puzzles were real nasty).

One of these days i'll go back to finish Bard's Tale II. Well maybe...

 

[~Kinggi~]

THey giving away a bunch of stuff for returning backers who back Bards Tale as well as backed Torment or Wasteland.

Read it here

 

[hemtae]

New update: First Stretch Goal Unlocked, Much More To Come!

E3 2015 week has concluded and we are back in the saddle after a rip-roaring time. As some of you may have noticed, the campaign slowed down during E3 week. This is something we anticipated, as we knew we'd be fighting tooth and claw for coverage and attention, and one reason why we wanted to make sure our campaign was a bit longer this time around. Now E3 is over, the big Summer Sales are wrapped up, and we’re ready to jump back in!

 

[Eusis]

Admittedly I suspect they didn't quite expect something like Shenmue III. Maybe someone using E3 to launch a Kickstarter, but not some long anticipated adventure like that one.

 

[hemtae]

New update: Let’s Talk Classes and Races

Now, we want to take a moment to talk a bit of design in this update. One of the more interesting challenges in running a Kickstarter comes in talking about design and details of the game before we’re truly in production. Our goal in pre-production is to identify a unified core vision for the game, and then the details are hashed out and iterated on during the following months and years. That’s why Brian has always worked with vision documents as it gives your game a solid foundation.

One challenge in fully describing the game is there is no one game we can point to that says “it’s just like that”, as we could for Torment: Tides of Numenera in Planescape: Torment, for example. We're drawing from many, many influences which of course include the original trilogy, but also the many RPGs that have come since then.

For instance, to give you a better sense of the world, in exploration (the focus of our in-engine video), The Bard’s Tale IV will be reminiscent of Legend of Grimrock and other dungeon crawlers with a heavy focus on detailed and interactive environments, in-the-world puzzles, and blockades you have to pass. But, similar to the original Bard’s Tale series, we are designing our levels in a non-linear fashion so you might not always be able to pass an obstacle as soon as you come across it. We love the sense of discovery and challenge this provides.

In combat, The Bard’s Tale IV will have a similar feel to first-person phase-based combat games going all the way back to The Bard’s Tale I all the way up to Might & Magic X – Legacy. While we can draw a connection to the combat of those games, we’re going to heavily improve on many aspects of that style of combat system. One example of this is by decoupling the animations from the inputs. Once you’ve learned your characters, it will allow you to play at a quicker pace, without having to wait for the same 5 second fireball animation to finish before you can make your next move. We’ll have more to say on combat in future updates.

 

[hemtae]

New update: Enhanced Crafting Achieved!

You guys surprise us yet again! Just a quick update before the weekend begins so that we can say: YOU DID IT! Our $1.35 million stretch goal has been achieved thanks to both Kickstarter and PayPal funding, which pushes us well past the goal!

That's all for now, but we'll be back next week with more to share with you...

 

[~Kinggi~]

Thats a Chris Avellone silhouette. Maybe

Flip the image


Also good interview with Brian on the campaign.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

I'd bet money that MCA is going to be revealed during his panel at SDCC.

 

[~Kinggi~]

I'd bet money that MCA is going to be revealed during his panel at SDCC.

When does that take place?

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

When does that take place?

July 11th, 7:30pm.

 

[~Kinggi~]

July 11th, 7:30pm.

Hmm, thats exactly after the KS ends adn honestly they teased his image as a new update coming soon. He said they have something for Monday.

 

[crazyrabbits]

The game sounds better and better as time goes on. Enjoyed the interview.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Hmm, thats exactly after the KS ends adn honestly they teased his image as a new update coming soon. He said they have something for Monday.

Brian Fargo's panel is the day before.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Brian Fargo's panel is the day before.

Project says funding happens july 10th

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Hm.

Less hype, but whatever.

 

[Ogimachi]

THey giving away a bunch of stuff for returning backers who back Bards Tale as well as backed Torment or Wasteland.

Read it here

Looks like a good deal, it's a shame inXile can't be trusted after the torment combat system "poll" debacle.

Thats a Chris Avellone silhouette. Maybe

Flip the image


Also good interview with Brian on the campaign.

Definitely resembles MCA. It will surely increase pledges, but even if I wanted to back it, I just can't believe he'll get a meaningful role in the game's development.

 

[TheTrain]

Thats a Chris Avellone silhouette. Maybe

Flip the image


Also good interview with Brian on the campaign.

That would be amazing if true

 

[~Kinggi~]

Looks like a good deal, it's a shame inXile can't be trusted after the torment combat system "poll" debacle.


Definitely resembles MCA. It will surely increase pledges, but even if I wanted to back it, I just can't believe he'll get a meaningful role in the game's development.

Trusting em has worked out fine for me so far. Wasteland 2 was great, im getting a free upgrade for it, and im getting Bard's Tale 1-3, extra copy of Wasteland 2 and a Torment soundtrack for backing this at 20$. lol kinda ridiculous actually.

Im personally excited if CA is getting involved with Brian, cause it means he is choosing to do it after leaving Obsidian probably because he will actually have some value there.

 

[Ogimachi]

Trusting em has worked out fine for me so far. Wasteland 2 was great, im getting a free upgrade for it, and im getting Bard's Tale 1-3, extra copy of Wasteland 2 and a Torment soundtrack for backing this at 20$. lol kinda ridiculous actually.

Im personally excited if CA is getting involved with Brian, cause it means he is choosing to do it after leaving Obsidian probably because he will actually have some value there.

Glad it worked out for you, wish I could say the same, but that ToN "poll" was as shady and stupid as it gets.

As for MCA, don't hold your breath. He was also a stretch goal for ToN and his grand contribution was "providing feedback" and writing 1 companion. He might get his Van Buren KS, though, who knows.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Glad it worked out for you, wish I could say the same, but that ToN "poll" was as shady and stupid as it gets.

As for MCA, don't hold your breath. He was also a stretch goal for ToN and his grand contribution was "providing feedback" and writing 1 companion. He might get his Van Buren KS, though, who knows.

All that MCA stuff occurred while he was working at Obsidian. He is unemployed now until he isnt. Still though both Torment and Bards Tale look impressive enough without his involvement so it would be a nice bonus otherwise.

 

[KR_remix]

Chris Avellone stretch goal confirmed.

$1.9 million
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inxile/the-bards-tale-iv/posts/1278468

Some exciting news today. You asked for him, now help us get him, the one and only Chris Avellone!!

If you’re not familiar with Chris, he and I go back together to the mid-90s when he worked on the legendary cRPGs Planescape: Torment (as Lead Designer) and Fallout 2. Afterwards he co-founded Obsidian Entertainment and was the Creative Director. There he worked on many of their games, including being the Lead Designer of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and a senior designer on Fallout: New Vegas. We have very successfully worked with him before on Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera, a co-operation that is still ongoing to the joy of both parties!

Chris’ involvement will be locked in the moment we pass the $1.9 million mark on the Kickstarter, where he’ll be designing the Cairn of Horrors, an all new dungeon built from the worst things that live in the imagination of Chris Avellone. The Cairn has one purpose, and that purpose is to kill you. Here’s what Chris had to say:

"I owe my career to seeing Bard's Tale II on a Commodore 64 at a friend's house. When I saw the streets of Skara Brae up and running (gasp - in simulated 3D! And in color!), I suddenly realized I didn't have to be the game master all the time in order to get my RPG fix, there was finally someone out there who had done the formidable job of creating a digital dungeon master for RPG aficionados with the same amount of lazy players as I had. So I have Brian Fargo to thank three times - first for the game itself (and all the Interplay RPGs I played to follow, including Bard's Tale I, Bard's Tale III, and Wasteland), second, for hiring me at Interplay, and third, for asking me to be a part of Bard's Tale IV - with your support, I hope we can make it happen!"

Also Colin McComb at $1.7 million

Along with Chris, we’re also bringing back the second Designer of Planescape: Torment and Creative Lead of Torment: Tides of Numenera, the inestimable Colin McComb! He will join our team at $1.7 million, designing a dungeon set in the Realm of the Elves, because we all know no one has mastered the craft of the Elves as Colin has. We’ll also be expanding the game further by adding another new wilderness area, the Wilds of Lestras.

 

[Durante]

I went up to the physical tier.

That's the power of a professional stretch goal!