Hat tip to +James Aulds ;)
Labyrinth Lord - The Computer Game - kinda has a ring to it.
Sadly, there's little more.
Lets be honest, the old computer RPGs many of us cut our teeth on in the mid and late 80s had their charm, but even if one were to recreate it today, your audience would expect more. Just like the retroclones allow us to play the older systems but with rewritten wording and cleaner presentation, I'd expect similar for a game looking to recreate SSI Gold Box games, or the Bard's Tale, or whatever.
Actually, I've played similar clones on my iPad and Android tables, and quickly put them to the side. It's not like folks have stopped producing such clones. I just find that the ones produced these days do not come anywhere near the depth of the stories that were present in the games of old.
I'd gladly play the game pictured here if it were well written as many of the titles of old. Regretfully, there is no mention of the underlying story or hooks in Labyrinth Lord - The Computer Game. The graphics themselves are 30 years old. The tactics are 30 years old. If Pete can present something as engaging as The Bard's Tale, the SSI Gold Box Series, Ultima and the like I'd gladly back this.
The above games were always more then their graphics, mechanics and combat options. I'm not sure Pete understands this. If he does, he doesn't indicate it in his pitch.
It looks very much like Wizardry from the 80's.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed a very disappointing trend on KS for people to come forward and ask for money to develop an idea from practical scratch.
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if things have changed, but I thought the whole idea behind KS was to present a product that was NEAR completion in order to get the last monies needed to get it produced.
I see all sorts of neat ideas on KS, but lately, too many of them include words to the effect of "I had this really cool idea, and now I want to find out if it had value..." Then they ask for money without a prototype. That is more IndieGogo or GoFundMe territory, rather than Kickstarter in my mind.
Some Kickstarters are basically hands reaching out for cash. There is no prior review by Kickstarter staff.
DeleteI WANT to support a Kickstarter like this, but I WON'T support this one.
Having played Wizardry, Ultima and Bards Tale back in the eighties, I understand your sentiments exactly. I revisited the original Wizardry I and although it was enjoyable, found myself going back to more modern fantasy games. Banner Saga was highly enjoyable and playable on my Samsung S5.
ReplyDeleteAs of a half-hour ago, he's cancelled it.
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ReplyDeleteAnd he just posted another project...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/552978902/blood-rune-party-based-rpg-adventure
I get my own retro dungeon delving fixes from Legend of Grimrock that does to those old square grid dungeoneering PC-games what OSR did to those pen and paper games I used to play.
ReplyDeleteThe images remind me more of Telengard than a Bard's Tale. No story, just killing random things to take their stuff.
ReplyDeleteI could use some cash. Maybe I'll start a Kickstarter with a vague notion of something maybe I'll get around to doing someday.
ReplyDeleteSounds awesome, Matt. I'm in.
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ReplyDeleteI was just about to post about this on OSRToday, but it's been canceled as of 12 hours ago.
ReplyDeleteAnd THIS one has appeared:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/552978902/blood-rune-party-based-rpg-adventure
Interesting comment in the creators last post over on the LL forums:
ReplyDelete"Unfortunately, Goblinoid Games have considered that attempting to get backers for the project on Kickstarter is different enough from what was originally discussed that they wanted the project cancelling. They are quite within their rights to do this and so I have had to do just that. You could say it is 'Game Over'."
Obviously he overstepped the bounds that Dan had set for the use of the LL name.
I love the original Bard's Tale.. I played the shit out of that game on the Commodore 64..
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