Update 27
Humble Beginnings
Mar 3 2015
As we head into the final days of the Underworld Ascendant Kickstarter campaign, a few of us were reminiscing about what it was like when we first got OtherSide underway, a little over a half year ago. The studio began with little tangible; no office, no desks, no computers. But we had our skills and experience, and passion and perseverance, to chase our vision. We didn't know for certain what lay in store for us in the months ahead, but we knew it would be an adventure.
The beginnings of our studio mirror, perhaps in a way, what is in store for the Avatar at the start of Underworld Ascendant. Stepping through a Runegate and hurled through space and time from their earthly home, the player lands deep in the gloom of the Stygian Abyss, a dark and hostile underworld.
Equipped with little more than some clothes and a pair of sturdy shoes, the player will need to gather their wits, and learn to survive in their strange, new home. And those eyes, those red unblinking eyes that stare out from the dark.
Finding a weapon will likely be at the forefront of a player's thoughts. Perhaps a yellowed thigh bone from some long dead creature, uncovered in a dark nook, will provide a crude club. A nail to stick in the end would be a godsend. A piece of twine and a patch of leather from a shoe could make a sling, useful for throwing stones into the dark, to keep the things making that chittering noise at bay.
Fire. Fire is a necessity, both for warmth, and to light the way as the player explores this brooding labyrinth. Maybe the player learns a simple spell for throwing spark, or procures a flint. Moss, pulled from the walls, provides fuel for a torch.
Perhaps, the player stumbles upon a well-worn path in the caverns, which leads to a settlement. A small community of other exiles with food, and some lore to share. If the player can convince them to take him in, for a short while at least, he will have time to learn about this world, and begin to uncover its secrets.
The player may start out in a humble state. But with skill, clever choices and perseverance, over time they will rise to become a master of their new world. It’s a hero’s journey. It is your journey.
Paintings Discovered!
- Mysterious tomb complex painted by Sir Cabirus
Speaking of exploring the Stygian Abyss, paintings made Sir Cabirus have been discovered! Besides being the founder of the first colony of men in the Stygian Abyss, he had a gift for painting. It was known that he painted a visual diary of his explorations deep into the Abyss; but only now, more than century later, have a sheaf of his paintings been found.
Upon reaching $700,000 in Kickstarter funding, a digital copy of Sir Cabirus’ portfolio revealing a half-dozen exotic locations in the Abyss will be gifted as a KICKSTARTAR EXCLUSIVE reward to all backers in the JOURNYMAN pledge tier or higher. This visual travelogue is part of the lore we are fleshing out for the game, together with backstory we plan to draw from Tracy Hickman’s novel.
Dire Grove
Once past the Tracy Hickman goal, lies the Lizardmen. To help induce the Lizardmen to come to the Abyss, we want to unlock the Dire Grove, a special area within the Underswamp we are sure they would enjoy. The Dire Grove is dominated by a massive species of swamp willow. These willows make fine roosts for Lizardmen treehouses. They also bear a fluorescent green fruit, which is said to have an odd magical effect if consumed.
Upon our Kickstarter reaching $725,000 in funding, we will add the Dire Grove to Underworld Ascendant.
Rube Goldberg Would be Proud
Jeff and Will, our industrious engineers, have crafted a Rube Goldberg contraption within the Underworld Ascendant prototype, designed to deal with some pesky giant spiders. It illustrates how physics can be your friend!
Brian Fargo on Underworld Ascendant
Brian Fargo, founder of InXile, and behind of such games as Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenara, is psyched for Underworld Ascendant. He was kind enough explain why:
Announcements
We will be hosting another OtherSide plays LookingGlass Twitch session this upcoming Wednesday, March 4th from 11am to 2pm EST. This week Paul, Tim and Chris will be playing Ultima Underworld, with special guest appearances from Richard “Lord British” Garriott, Stephen Russell, the voice of Garrett the Thief, and others. Please join us in the fun.
Finally, this past weekend we reached the 10,000 backers necessary to guarantee a free Chattering Bart for all our Kickstarter backers, as well as 5 fan-created quips for Bart. Here are some quips posted by fans which are on the short list for inclusion in Bart's repertoire:
Zenm: “Be a pal and help me with an itch on my no...oh, that's right; I no longer have a nose!”
Descann: “We'll make it; I can feel it in my bones. Wherever they are.”
Failboat: “Couldn't you have pledged a few more gold to unlock the ‘Bart has Legs’ stretch goal?”
The Team at OtherSide