[MusicallyInspired]

I don't know how into adventures many of you are, but I was a huge fan of them back in the late 80s and the early 90s. Games like King's Quest, Monkey Island, Full Throttle, Gabriel Knight, Quest For Glory, Legend of Kyrandia, etc. I loved adventures more than any other type of game. But my favourite was Space Quest. I thought I'd share with you a piece of exciting news that has been the source of much personal joy lately. Namely, that after 21 years, the Two Guys From Andromeda (Scott Murphy and Mark Crowe) have rejoined forces to make a new comedy sci-fi adventure game (dubbed "SpaceVenture") with their own special brand of dry sarcastic humour! Space Quest was my favourite game series ever and getting a new game from the Two Guys seemed like a pipedream after so long, but they've created a new company and are working together again at last for real.



Their new game is up on Kickstarter for you to fund. You can donate whatever you wish for the development of the project.Their goal is to raise $500,000 and they're already well on their way but they still need help! I don't know how many of you are familiar with Kickstarter, but many early game designers have begun putting new projects up on Kickstarter for community funding and they've been very successful. You pledge a certain amount, and there are different reward tiers depending on how much you pledge, which are all listed on their Kickstarter page. The rewards range from merely a free copy of the game to your face on the game box as an alien and inside the game itself to designing your own death sequence (Space Quest was notorious for its violent and hilarious death sequences of the main character) to various awesome physical rewards and dinner with Scott and Mark themselves!

I don't know how many of you are/were adventure fans, but if you like adventures and you like comedy this is the perfect fit. Check out their Kickstarter page at tgakick.com They've already got over 3000 backers and have raised almost $160,000 (as of now) of their $500,000 goal. There are more video updates too, as well as playable interactive prototypes that you can try out as they work out their game, which is pretty cool. There also are weekly podcasts about the Two Guys, SpaceVenture, and Space Quests where Scott and Mark themselves sometimes get on the mic and address some fan questions and whatnot. It's going to be awesome! And if you're a fan help spread the word!

[thatguy]

I love the support for Two Guys, but its so weird to see this on Duke4! lol Such a fine line between real adventure games (not RPGs) and any other genre.

[MusicallyInspired]

Heh I figured this wouldn't get much attention, but there is a gaming forum which means there's bound to be someone else out there somewhere on this board who would share the interest. Gotta play the odds! For all I know the lot of us are all Space Quest fans.

[thatguy]

MusicallyInspired, on 16 May 2012 - 01:46 PM, said:

For all I know the lot of us are all Space Quest fans.

You know, that would be some great odds. That would be totally awesome.

[Mad Max RW]

Space Quest 4 was my favorite of the series. I don't know why they need half a million dollars when these guys remade Space Quest 2 for free.

[Inspector Lagomorf]

Mad Max RW, on 16 May 2012 - 06:42 PM, said:

Space Quest 4 was my favorite of the series. I don't know why they need half a million dollars when these guys remade Space Quest 2 for free.

One imagines that it's a bit expensive to hire Gary Owens as a voice talent.

But I agree, they're asking for so much money when they're providing so little content. There's just no incentive to pledge to this project.

[MusicallyInspired]

I was on the team that remade SQ2. Let me tell you, that game took 6 years to make and I'm not doing another free one. $500,000 is nothing for the kind of game they're making. Double Fine's Kickstarter (the one that started this whole fad) asked for $400,000 ($100,000 which would go to a documentary) and they ended up raising almost $3.5 million. They released even less about the game than the Two Guys did of theirs. I guess sometimes you don't need content if you know what you're getting into. Which might be part of the problem. I gather more people know about Tim and Ron than Mark and Scott. But they're no less capable or funny, let me tell you.

Also, the pitch video reveals Rob Paulsen, Robert Clotworthy, Ellen McLain (GLaDOS), and John Patrick Lowrie (TF2 Sniper, HL2 citizen) as signed on voice talents.

[thatguy]

Mad Max RW, on 16 May 2012 - 06:42 PM, said:

Space Quest 4 was my favorite of the series. I don't know why they need half a million dollars when these guys remade Space Quest 2 for free.

A low budget free project.....is VERY different from a well made game.

[Mad Max RW]

What about a low budget well made game? Gemini Rue is a perfect example.

[Kathy]

Gemini Rue is great, but AFAIK it was picked up by a larger developer/publisher which boosted budget allowing the use of voice actors, further testing etc.

[thatguy]

Mad Max RW, on 17 May 2012 - 12:09 PM, said:

What about a low budget well made game? Gemini Rue is a perfect example.

Well made game? Of course, there are plenty....but rarely you will find a low budget/no budget game that is well made and isn't some puzzle game. Most if not all games that turn out great had some sort of budget if not a project that took five+ years to make.

[Mad Max RW]

s.b.Newsom, on 17 May 2012 - 06:29 PM, said:

Well made game? Of course, there are plenty....but rarely you will find a low budget/no budget game that is well made and isn't some puzzle game. Most if not all games that turn out great had some sort of budget if not a project that took five+ years to make.

Rarely you find a big budget game that is actually good these days. A handful of studios sell enough copies to succeed and the rest lay off their entire workforce then file for bankruptcy shortly after. For every Diablo 3 you have a hundred Kingdom of Amalur's.

[Kathy]

Mad Max RW, on 18 May 2012 - 04:21 AM, said:

Rarely you find a big budget game that is actually good these days.

Isn't the same could be said about low budget games?

[MusicallyInspired]

For anyone interested, this Kickstarter has got about 5 days left and is over the 70% line. It still needs help! If you've got any extra change lying around, please donate so we can get this thing finished! You will be loved by everyone! Fact.

Some fans from SpaceQuest.Net got together and in 3 days put together a little one-room adventure game in the style of the original Space Quests called Pledge Quest to raise awareness and promote funding 2GFA's SpaceVenture. It's a fun little game made out of love and a desire to see SpaceVenture succeed on Kickstarter! Play it! Have some fun! Credits music by yours truly as well.

Pledge Quest!
Pledge Quest! (Linux)

An article about it on Gaming Blend: http://www.cinemable...rter-43322.html

[Inspector Lagomorf]

So no actual official demo yet?

[MusicallyInspired]

Why would there be before being funded? There are the playable "Living Concept Art" HTML5 games that show their style of artwork, gameplay, and writing. That's as good a representation as any.

[thatguy]

MusicallyInspired, on 07 June 2012 - 01:56 PM, said:

Why would there be before being funded? There are the playable "Living Concept Art" HTML5 games that show their style of artwork, gameplay, and writing. That's as good a representation as any.

Quest for Infamy released a demo for their kickstarter. A pretty smart idea....for those that don't have celebrities aboard the project.

[MusicallyInspired]

Indeed.

How's this for information? Main character revealed, with detailed information about how the game will play (no plot spoilers or anything, probably because a plot is not set in stone yet anyway) but still a lot of interseting information. Some we already know, some we didn't. But at least it's all consolidated. Check it out.

PDF Version
PowerPoint Version

And a video of a pivotal character from the game Cluck Y'egger: Astro Cock, which seems to be voiced by Patrick Warburton (Joe on Family Guy, Kronk on Emperor's New Groove, etc).

http://youtu.be/d92HS_4Vp-o

[Kathy]

MusicallyInspired, on 07 June 2012 - 01:56 PM, said:

Why would there be before being funded?

Because they want your money. Pitching something substantial should be the norm in these kind of endeavours. Having an idea is not substantial. In fact, it's the easiest part.

[MusicallyInspired]

How different is this from going to a publisher with a game idea? They can't have anything created already in that scenario because they need the funding to get to that point. The publisher decides if the game idea is worth it or not. The idea here is that the fans (who know what the Two Guys, or anybody who has a project on Kickstarter, are all about) allow them the opportunity to see the game they want to make created. I, for instance, know that this game will be especially good because of their past games. So I trust that they will be able to deliver more or less exactly what I'm expecting. It's about trust. Perhaps some people can have a tangible product to submit, but I don't imagine those people are in the majority. And again, we have the interactive living concept art prototypes to play which are perfect examples of their style of game design, which is more than any other game Kickstarter has done (except for now Infamous Quests who have a whole demo).

[Kathy]

MusicallyInspired, on 08 June 2012 - 05:36 AM, said:

How different is this from going to a publisher with a game idea?

The diffrence is that publishers won't greenlight certain products because they take into account marketing, shop share etc. With publisher/producer out of the way and digital release you don't need most of the budget that publisher was needed to throw. And you're breaking even almost right away since it was donation based.

Quote

They can't have anything created already in that scenario because they need the funding to get to that point.

Douple Fine is a company. They have money to create at least some prototype before going into full production. Peter Jackson, if I remember correctly, pitched his LOTR after doing some stuff like artwork etc.

[MusicallyInspired]

The idea with Double Fine was that they wanted to document the project from beginning to end. Everything. So they did not have any ideas other than to make it an adventure game. The backers receive video episodes of the documentary behind the scenes as it's being made. The last one (the second one) was about Tim coming up with the idea and sharing some details with Ron. So they literally didn't have anything to start with. That was the idea.

In SpaceVenture's case, the Two Guys are trying to start up a company. They haven't been around making games already to have money to put into it. So they don't have funds beyond the KickStarter. They're riding solely on their reputations and the stuff they've released so far. And they've been writing material and concept art as the KS has been going on. And have been releasing it. I still maintain they've revealed more than any other KS project has (again, playable demos) while their KS was still going on. DF didn't start until after it was over. Most of the others I've seen are remakes. Even Jane Jensen's (author of Gabriel Knight) Pinkerton Road KS only had vague plot outlines with a single piece of artwork for each.

[Kathy]

So... the bubble could burst since we still haven't seen those high profile projects released.

[MusicallyInspired]

Sounds like you just don't approve of the whole Kickstarter concept in general lol. Suspicious much?

Certainly if you don't know those involved and what they're capable of, you're going to be a little worried about them following through. In Double Fine's case they've been making games for a while now and are certainly trustworthy. I and many other longtime fans of the Two Guys know that SpaceVenture will be created and will be done well. There's trust there. If you don't know anything about them it's harder to see that. But even so it's incredibly unlikely. I'm sure Kickstarter itself has a bunch of clauses and whatnot about actually completing the projects you put up for support once they get funded. But I really don't see it getting to that. These aren't just nobodies making games for the first time. These are seasoned game designers who have a few titles under their belts and know how to get a game done. And that's no less true for the Two Guys. These games will happen!

[Kathy]

MusicallyInspired, on 10 June 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

Certainly if you don't know those involved and what they're capable of, you're going to be a little worried about them following through.

Pretty much somewhat similar as with the publishers, I guess?

Quote

I'm sure Kickstarter itself has a bunch of clauses and whatnot about actually completing the projects you put up for support once they get funded.

Why are you so sure about that?

Quote

But I really don't see it getting to that.

http://www.kickstart...tal-arcade-game
http://www.kickstart...ure-video-game/
http://www.kickstart...games/perdition
http://www.kickstart...fused-videogame
http://www.kickstart...he-story-lets-b

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These aren't just nobodies making games for the first time. These are seasoned game designers who have a few titles under their belts and know how to get a game done. And that's no less true for the Two Guys. These games will happen!

Perhaps, but not nobodies should be able to fund projects without kickstarter. I mean... wasn't the whole idea of a Kickstarter was to help fund some small project for a nobody? Asking for half a million isn't small. Plus without valid checks and obligations it is risky as hell with these kind of money. Double Fine is a bigger company than 3dRealms for fuck's sake.

Let's not forget that they got these money before even starting to make a game. Thus since people already pretty much bought/pre-ordered their copies company can deliver the project without thinking about its quality. Now, I'm not talking about Double Fine itself, just that this whole idea of buying/funding something without obligation to deliver good product(or any product for that matter) could go wrong. And eventually it will.

For better or worse we need publishers to start funding not just blockbuster type games, but the one's that perhaps won't make much money yet they still will be profitable or even. In the movie industry all types of projects get funded - small, medium or big. Why can't videogame companies do the same?

At least Kickstarter is good for showing that people still want those type of games. Not that it's a revelation really.

[MusicallyInspired]

I don't consider it a last resort or a desperate act to turn to Kickstarter. The developers can easily go to a publisher. In fact, the Two Guys specifically have stated they would if they have to. They just wouldn't have the available freedom of choice in actual game design as they would running a Kickstarter. And it gets the fans involved directly to actually support them in that way which is a bonus for everybody, considering the rewards.

For those who are still interested, the project is sitting at only $24k left to raise to reach the goal and 26 hours left. http://tgakick.com

[MusicallyInspired]

Goal met! $505k raised and still climbing. To anyone that may have pledged, awesome work and thank you!

[wayskobfssae]

MusicallyInspired, on 10 June 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

. I'm sure Kickstarter itself has a bunch of clauses and whatnot about actually completing the projects you put up for support once they get funded. But I really don't see it getting to that. These aren't just nobodies making games for the first time. These are seasoned game designers who have a few titles under their belts and know how to get a game done. And that's no less true for the Two Guys. These games will happen!

That sounds equally scary for anyone using the service. Unless in the event of abandoning a project, there's at least a liability-free option for refunding people.

But then grants aren't always refunded. For example, I wonder how much NASA received for projects like a lunar base or a manned mars mission (by the year 2000).

[Inspector Lagomorf]

Quoting from the Kickstarters' website:

Quote

It is the responsibility of the project creator to fulfill the promises of their project. Kickstarter reviews projects to ensure they do not violate the Project Guidelines, however Kickstarter does not investigate a creator's ability to complete their project. Creators are encouraged to share links to any websites that show work related to the project, or past projects. It's up to them to make the case for their project and their ability to complete it. Because projects are usually funded by the friends, fans, and communities around its creator, there are powerful social forces that keep creators accountable.

The web is an excellent resource for learning about someone’s prior experience. If someone has no demonstrable prior history of doing something like their project, or is unwilling to share information, backers should consider that when weighing a pledge. If something sounds too good to be true, it very well may be.

The Two Guys may be popular, as the 500K investment shows, but they haven't produced a game in years. The lack of accountability concerns me.

[wayskobfssae]

Achenar, on 11 June 2012 - 06:35 PM, said:

Quoting from the Kickstarters' website:

The Two Guys may be popular, as the 500K investment shows, but they haven't produced a game in years. The lack of accountability concerns me.

Indeed.

I trust EA more with my money. How about you?