Stygian Sentinel 5
Issue #5, July 6th 2015
Reaching for the Lich
We're going to start off this issue of the Stygian Sentinel with a reminder to everyone that we are oh so close to getting Liches into Underworld Ascendant! With just a few thousand dollars to go to hit the next stretch goal, we can literally feel the malevolence that may soon be found in the darkest depths of the Abyss.
For those of you who didn't hear the news, in addition to regular ole Liches being added to the game, if this stretch goal is met we'll also be adding a special Lich to the game: Tyball the Damned from Ultima Underworld.
Once the Liches have arrived, it's on to the Necropolis. Pledge now (or increase your pledge) to bring a bit of evil to your game. We promise not to let them corrupt your entire soul... just the good parts! Pledge Now!
Now onto this week's update!
Joe Fielder joined the Underworld Ascendant team a little while back, but he's been so busy he hasn't had time to introduce himself to our fans. We thought this week we would change that.
Not Your Average Joe
Hey, everyone. It's been a few months since I joined on as design director, so I thought I'd say hello, explain what I do around here, and hint obliquely at what's next for Underworld Ascendant.
My game background is pretty wildly disparate, ranging from level design in first-person shooters in the Medal of Honor series, puzzle design for Stephen Spielberg’s BOOM BLOX, narrative for BioShock Infinite, and more. I’ve also been a producer for art, narrative, and design, a game journalist, and a comic book writer. I’ve worked on enormous AAA games and scrappy indie projects.
The reason I mention this is I’ve found myself drawing on ALL those experiences on a daily basis.
For instance, puzzle design comes to bear, albeit a little abstractly, while considering ways that the player will utilize the Improvisation Engine to find clever ways to interact with the environment and the creatures within it. Narrative and level design play a part in plotting out how we introduce those game play elements and tie them into the overall world in fun, interesting ways. Comic book writing helps me consider what information we might express visually and game writing, how to keep dialogue lean, focused, and out of the way of the action. Game reviewing means always thinking about what players will find compelling and fun. And my time in production means I have some incredibly talented artists and audio designers to draw upon to help ensure the Stygian Abyss looks and sounds amazing.
Another daily occurrence? Being inspired by my co-workers at OtherSide.
Getting to collaborate with a group of former Looking Glass developers has been quite an experience so far. To say I have a professional crush on the folks I work with is an understatement. I mean, they helped create Ultima Underworld 1 & 2, System Shock, Thief 1 & 2 -- games that proved our medium could be more than just shooting and introduced in-depth worlds that begged to be experienced. Without them, there wouldn’t be BioShock, Deus Ex, Minecraft, Skyrim, Dishonored… The list goes on and on.
Grant Morrison once said: “Inspiration gets passed like a baton at a relay race.” It’s a positively romantic take on the collaborative creative process and really sums up what it’s like working at OtherSide. Every person on staff routinely provides thoughts and feedback that gets your gears turning further. We’re always pushing and playing off of each other’s ideas. It makes for an equally challenging and rewarding environment where you’re always learning.
In other words, I've never had so much fun making a game.
Over the last few months, we’ve taken the time to work out the game’s backstory, not only so we know the spine of the overall narrative, but so we understand the underlying philosophies behind each Faction. Knowing their wants and desires helps reveal their points of conflict with each other and how to design how they live, build, dress, create, fight, and utilize magic. It informs us exactly how the story of the Underworld should seep into every stone AND tie into game play systems, so we can create a world full of wonder that's fun to play and fascinating to explore.
At the same time, we’ve been tackling those aforementioned game play systems and fleshing out our bestiary of creatures, so that those elements are equally integrated and pervasive. But that’s a topic for another day, after [redacted] is finished. Suffice to say, we have some fun stuff in store.
We hope you'll enjoy what’s bubbling up in the Stygian Abyss...
Next Friday, July 10th, at 2pm EST OtherSide will be conducting another twitch play session, this time diving into the wacky and wonderful world of The Magic Circle. Join the fun as Paul, Tim, Chris, Will and Joe play a game about being game designers. Will fantasy match reality? Will their life experiences translate in any way to a world full of actual design dangers? Join us and find out!
Oh, and did we mention that the creative team behind The Magic Circle – including BioShock series’ veterans Jordan Thomas and Stephen Alexander – will be joining us for the Twitch? Well, we just did! And here is a promo video for the whole shebang!
It's the final week for our friends over at inXile Entertainment and their wildly successful The Bard's Tale IV Kickstarter! If you haven't jumped on board yet, now is the perfect time to help make this classic dungeon crawler, and to revive one of OtherSides favorite gaming genres. Head on over to the Kickstarter and check it out!
The OtherSide Team