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Valiance Online is coming soon to Steam early access
Great news for Valiance Online, as the fledgling superhero title announced recently that it has been voted onto the Steam Greenlight program by the community. This means that Valiance Online will "soon" be available to play through the digital platform via early access. The team said that it still discussing its release and pricing plan, although fans can currently access it in the open pre-alpha test going on right now. Valiance Online is making good progress as a City of Heroes spiritual successor and even picked up a former artist from the sunsetted superhero game in December.
Das Tal boasts that it will 'do things better' than ArcheAge
Consider the gauntlet thrown down from one sandbox to another. Das Tal Head of Communications David Wells posted a new essay today in which he says that his title will best ArcheAge: "Unfortunately I, like a lot of others, have come to the conclusion that ArcheAge is probably one of the worst MMOs to come out recently -- but the reasons why are not straight forward. I am going to go over the good and bad, as well as shamelessly point out how our game will do things better." Wells says that ArcheAge stumbled with a messy housing system, bad monetization, cultural differences, hacking, heavy grind, lackluster PvE, no solid PvP, shaky server tech, and a lack of good communication by Trion. He goes on to provide a counterpoint for each these items, explaining how Das Tal will succeed where ArcheAge has failed. Or, if you're looking for a TL;DR version, "How we do it better: To put it simply, we give a s**t."
Ex-DICE leads found Fugitive Games, build space survival sim
Ben Jones, previously lead designer of the Battlefield Premium service at DICE, and a team of former DICE, Capcom and Sony America developers have formed Fugitive Games, and their first project is an open-world space survival simulator called Into the Stars. In Into the Stars, players are the captain of a ship exploring a huge solar system to find a new home for humanity. Players oversee the details of ship management, including choosing unique resources, modules and personnel to take on the journey. Into the Stars is single-player, it features crew permadeath, and it's in development for PC and Mac, running on Unreal Engine 4. The score comes from Jack Wall, the composer behind Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Fugitive Games is seeking $85,000 on Kickstarter to build Into the Stars, and it's up for voting on Steam Greenlight. On the Kickstarter campaign page, Fugitive explains the decision to seek crowdfunding with the following message: "We've been involved in the Kickstarter community for several years now, so when it became clear that we required additional funds to complete this project, we knew just where to turn. The reality is that we simply can't provide the high level of polish, quality audio and compelling score this game demands with our existing resources. Though we could potentially turn to publishers to fill this void, we'd much rather deal directly with gamers like you who can help shape the experience into something truly special!" [Image: Fugitive Games]
Project Gorgon is coming to Steam
Indie sandbox Project Gorgon finally caught a break this week in the form of Greenlight approval on Steam. Two separate Kickstarter drives failed to fund, one in 2012 and another earlier this year, but former Turbine and Perpetual developer Eric Heimburg continued work on the project and has now announced a forthcoming Steam launch. "There's a lot of work to be done to get the game Steam-ready, and I don't know the exact timeline yet," Heimburg wrote. "But the hard part was getting Greenlit." Gorgon seeks to marry old-school and new-school MMO design; it includes features like player-authored books, exploration without signposts, and additional goodies that you can see in the video past the cut.
Valiance Online moves to Greenlight and picks up a City of Heroes artist
So you want to back Valiance Online as a longtime fan of City of Heroes, but your Kickstarter budget right now is at a solid $0. Good news, then; you can support the game just by voting for it on Steam Greenlight. It's still early in the testing cycling, but the game has added a rather significant feather to its cap with the addition of its newest staff member, former City of Heroes animator Ron Friedman. Friedman's stated duties will be training the team on animation methods for the superheroic game, reviewing and modifying existing animations, and creating new animations as necessary. It's a good sign that the game will inherit a fair chunk of City of Heroes visually, so if you've been on the fence, now might be the time to consider voting for the game after all.
MMO dev: Steam Greenlight still 'a big black box' for indies
Fairytale Distillery is an independent studio based in Munich, Germany, with four full-time developers and a handful of freelancers who help out as needed – and they're all making an MMO for PC, Mac and Linux called Das Tal. It's not as massive as EVE Online or as intricate as World of Warcraft, but it's a huge project for such a tiny team to tackle. Fairytale Distillery co-founder Alexander Zacherl seems to have a solid development and launch plan that sees Das Tal thriving until the late 2020s, when he expects it to shut down. With just two founders and two developers who work on the game daily, Fairytale Distillery is overextending itself trying to handle all aspects of launching an MMO. Everyone on the team has hands in designing, developing, marketing and selling the game, Zacherl says. Part of promoting and selling Das Tal was the game's Greenlight campaign on Steam. Das Tal was approved for sale on Steam on November 6, after 91 days on Greenlight. During this process, Zacherl noticed a shift in Steam's approach to Greenlight – approved games aren't announced in batches anymore. Instead, it seems as if games in the top 100 are constantly getting the go-ahead with no official announcements, he says.
Das Tal gets the Greenlight, sells supporter packs
The indie sandbox Das Tal is feeling a little more vindicated today, as the title announced that the community voted to Greenlight it on Steam following a three-month campaign. The studio said that it will now be figuring out "how best to use Steam's platform" as the alpha MMO moves forward. Riding high off of the announcement, the Das Tal team announced that it will not be looking for further funding through a Kickstarter but will be selling development supporter packages instead. These packs go from $30 to $200 and include trial keys, alpha access, name reservations, and concept art.
Throw the couch, there's a Fly In The House
A new trailer for Fly In The House shows just why lone developer Mykhail Konokh calls it an "exploration and destruction" game that parodies Fullbright Company's own exploration game, Gone Home. In Fly In The House, you become obsessed with a nagging, buzzing insect's presence and take up arms against the nuisance. Much like Coffee Stain Studio's Goat Simulator, Konokh's game rewards players with points and ranks when they toss any item in the house they find at the fly, trashing the place they call home. While not officially on Steam Greenlight yet, Fly In The House's concept page notes that players will also "search hidden objects" and "reveal the mysteries" of the main character across varying game modes. Check out the trailer after the break. [Image: Mykhail Konokh]
Puzzling platformer Forward to the Sky scales Greenlight's tower
What do you get when you blend a third-person perspective, puzzles, platforming mechanics, JRPG-inspired art and a big sword together? Forward to the Sky, of course, the 3D puzzle-platformer-with-a-big-sword game from independent developer Magichnology. The Taipei, Taiwan-based developer added its first game to the list of Steam hopefuls on Greenlight, awaiting community approval for distribution on the PC platform. Starting out as a side project for the developer in September 2013, the game is set in a "sky tower ruin." Players control a princess that gathers crystal pieces while ascending the tower and learning about a disaster that seemingly erased history. Magichnology crafted six levels for the game, each highlighted by the game's "relaxing mood, bright art" and "adventurous but peaceful music." Forward to the Sky is slated to launch in Q4 of this year on PC, Mac and Linux for $10. [Image: Magichnology]
Let's watch this trailer, keep it Between Me and the Night
Between Me and the Night is a surreal exploration, puzzle and adventure game that deals in dualities. By day, the nameless young boy can explore his floating house and unlock new rooms to boost his skills. By night, he encounters and must conquer the fears of his mind, both in the house and while slipping into psychedelic slumber. Between Me and the Night is due out in mid-2015 from developer RainDance LX and its new publisher, Lace Games. "One year has passed since we were just students dreaming about this project in Lisbon, and now we are back to this beautiful city to turn this dream into a reality," RainDance LX CEO Joao Ortega says in a press release. "This investment makes all the difference for us, now we can focus 100 percent on making Between Me and the Night the best game we can, and with all the creative control and liberty that Lace Games gives us we can make exactly the game we planned from the beginning." Between Me and the Night has been in development since 2012 and was Greenlit on Steam (PC, Mac, Linux) in February 2014. It's getting musical treatment by Super Hexagon composer Chipzel, and Deadlight and Rime composer David Garcia. Between us and you, this game is looking mighty fine. See the trailer below. [Image: Lace Games]
Ascent: The Space Game's Kickstarter will fund updated graphics
When we last checked in on Ascent: The Space Game, the indie sci-fi sandbox MMORPG was already eminently playable, having launched on Desura and angling for a Steam greenlight. Now Fluffy Kitten Studios has posted a Kickstarter intended to fund specific upgrades for the game -- specifically, improved graphics and UI. In fact, the complete budget breakdown is provided on the Kickstarter page. Backer rewards include premium access time, credits, Steam keys, and ships. You could even get a planet named after you. The Ascent sandbox emphasizes freedom, colonization, exploration, trade, combat, farming, mining, ship customization, starbases, and co-op play with fully consensual PvP. The Kickstarter boasts of the game's 270 billion star systems. Massively spoke to James Hicks, founder and CEO of Fluffy Kitten Studios, back in April, when he explained to us his business model, his target audience, and how he's come so far by himself. As he put it then, "Have a look at what we've done, with one developer, in one year, on a shoestring budget for art, music, and sound. Do you want to see what we can do in another year, with more?" The Kickstarter seeks $35,000 and is already at 51% of its goal with 25 days to go as of the time of this writing.
Opening the valve: Steam Curators rule the front page
Ask a hundred independent developers what impacts their sales most and you'll likely get a hundred different answers, but among the more popular ones will be the topic of discoverability, the ways in which prospective buyers are able to find lesser-known video games. Platforms like the App Store and Steam see a lot of foot-traffic in their featured sections, and even brief visibility for independent developers can make for a massive difference in their bottom line. As more games have made their way to Steam via regular release, Greenlight and Early Access, it's become vastly more difficult for a new game to be discovered. Enter Steam Curators, Valve's means of placing the weight of game recommendations on those outside its walls. The service launched this week and allows any person or brand (such as your friends here at Joystiq) to compile lists of games their followers should play, shifting the scope of the store's front page to include recommended games and a section for popular curators. Given Steam's incredible popularity and its status as a "must-have" piece of PC gaming software, Steam Curators is a major step for the service, and developers hope that it might heavily influence independent game sales.
Albion Online makes it onto Steam
Albion Online is the latest upcoming MMO to garner enough community approval to make it onto Steam. Sandbox Interactive said that the sandbox title was successfully greenlit and is now an official member of the Steam family. As with other MMOs available through Valve's digital distribution platform, Albion Online will remain accessible apart from Steam. The game is currently in alpha and has founder's packs available for purchase. [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release]
Shroud of the Avatar has already been greenlit on Steam
Well, that was fast! After a brief campaign that began late last week, Shroud of the Avatar announced today that it has been successfully greenlit on Steam: As you can see on the page your overwhelmingly positive support has resulted in an incredibly fast green lighting of Shroud! Thank you all so much for your support. Stay tuned as we now work with Valve to get Shroud in the Early Access section of Steam as soon as we can. SOTA's successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign has to date brought in almost two million dollars. Early access is currently available with a $45 minimum pledge.
Richard Garriott's Shroud of the Avatar seeks Steam Greenlighting
Richard Garriott has conquered outer space, but can he get a foothold on Valve's popular digital distribution service? He sure hopes so; he and his team announced that they launched a Steam Greenlight campaign this past week for Shroud of the Avatar. "SotA's long-term success depends upon us reaching as wide an audience as possible, and Steam is a great way to do that," the team posted. Portalarium said that the possible Steam version will be not a replacement for the direct download of the game but an additional option. There is also speculation about giving current Shroud of the Avatar backers Steam keys so that they would not have to buy the game twice.
Zelda-inspired Blossom Tales looks to bloom on Steam
Rex Rocket developer Castle Pixel recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for Blossom Tales, the studio's Zelda-like adventure game. The action-RPG is also on Steam Greenlight seeking community approval for distribution on the PC platform. Castle Pixel is seeking $45,000 by October 17 to fund the rest of the game's development. Blossom Tales has players exploring dungeons that "combine pre-designed layouts and randomized areas," completing quests as the young warrior Lily. While Castle Pixel did not list any other guaranteed platforms for the game on its Kickstarter page. Rather, additional destinations for Blossom Tales will be unlocked should the project achieve its numerous stretch goals; it will head to Mac and Linux at the $60,000 mark and Wii U at $250,000. The Pittsburgh-based developer announced its Wii U and 3DS ambitions for the game back in May 2013. [Image: Castle Pixel]
Grimoire asks for funding to put FPS wizard multiplayer in your hands
You've played pretty much every first-person shooter that there is, but have you done a multiplayer FPS where there are no soldiers but wizards and no guns but fast-flung magic spells? This unusual bent on the formula is the basis for Grimoire, which has just begun a crowdfunding campaign. According to the Kickstarter description, "Grimoire is a multiplayer mage FPS with MOBA-style abilities that puts the player in control of devastating magic." Players can fight from first- or third-person views and take on the role of one of 10 wizard classes. Grimoire's been in development for a year, is currently being voted for on Steam Greenlight, and even has a combat preview demo that you can download and try right now. The makers said that the game's had "practically no budget" up this point, which is why they're looking to raise $42,000 to improve what's already been made. The soundtrack is being composed by Pirates of the Caribbean Online vet Marcus Zuhr. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
Sci-fi sandbox Beyond Sol hopes you'll Greenlight it on Steam
Here's a ray of sandbox sunshine to brighten your morning: Praxia Entertainment has unveiled Beyond Sol, sci-fi pseudo-MMO focused on space exploration, trade, crafting, and piracy. It's even got cities. According to the devs, Beyond Sol is a multiplayer, buccaneering, open world sandbox game, set in the distant future when humanity has developed into a young galactic space-faring civilization. As an independent ship captain, you venture to a newly colonized and virtually lawless outlying system within the rim in order to pursue new opportunities. Once there, anything goes: explore, mine asteroids, salvage derelict ships, plunder merchant vessels, hunt pirates, pilot capital warships, construct an epic orbital city, and make friends with – or rival – other factions and players. Just how MMOsy is it? "The game is designed for 1 to N players (N being dependent on your hardware capabilities)," says Praxia, "meaning you can play single player or you can invite people into your session." The game is angling for approval on Steam Greenlight and intends to hit early access in winter 2015. We've included the game's trailer below.
Das Tal jumps to Steam Greenlight
It's a big week for the PvP sandbox Das Tal, as the title has hopped on board the good ship Steam Greenlight in the hope that it will gain more attention and support from the community. Das Tal has also finished up its first round of alpha tests in July, with more to come every Sunday in August. The team pieced together a video from the alpha to show off some of the title's looks and combat sequences. The devs stress that many of the graphics are using placeholder images, but if you can stomach that, you can get an early peek at the game after the jump.
Vikings, pizza-delivery ninjas and more get the Steam Greenlight
Hopefully you didn't feel like Steam was already feeling overcrowded with content, because Greenlight, the service that lets Steam users vote for the games they want to see offered on the store, has pushed through 50 new games eager for your love and attention. Don't get attached just yet though, as some games are still a ways off from release. Ninja Pizza Girl, for example, was greenlit but still has 11 days left on its Kickstarter campaign. The game, which is less about saucy culinary delights and stealthy warriors and more about bullying and helping girls in particular with self-confidence, has not yet cleared its $35,000 AUD goal. Jotun, a game featuring a hand-drawn art style and taking place in viking purgatory, has also not yet cleared its Kickstarter funding goal, despite being greenlit. If neither emotional encouragement nor fighting giant viking monsters are your thing, keep an eye on the minimalistic - yet nonetheless visually mesmerizing - Absolute Drift, a game where your tires leave bold streaks across a white landscape as you race around, smashing into or avoiding bright red obstacles. Alternatively, there's Quadrant, a horror game where you play as a NASA facility employee in 1979, who must survive being trapped with mysterious creatures. We'd suggest keeping both eyes on that one, so you can see where all the bad things come from. Okay, so that's two paragraphs and we've described less than a tenth of what was greenlit yesterday. To avoid breaking the Internet (and your patience), we're gonna leave the list of games that were greenlit riiiiiight here. Enjoy. [Image: Valve]
