Update 5
[edit]
Feb 8 2015
Let me introduce you to a couple of the game designers building Underworld Ascendant.
Tim Stellmach was one of our gifted designers at LookingGlass. He was lead designer on Ultima Underworld II, and made key contributions on Terra Nova and Thief. Tim tells more:
Scott Kimball has designed board and computer games for over a decade. He collaborated with me on the design of several mobile games, including Civilization. Scott speaks:
On another topic, I want to talk about getting the word out about Underworld Ascendant. Back at LookingGlass we made some great games that fell under the radar. For example, our System Shock games were largely ignored when first released. Only years later have these games been broadly recognized as classics. Ultima Underworld fared much better, but even then it took nearly a year following release to get wide attention.
The Underworld Ascendant Kickstarter lasts but a month. We can’t wait a year for a larger audience to find us.
While we’re well along towards reaching our base funding goal for the project, it’s still up in the air how many of our stretch goals might get funded. We would love to do them all! They include some great extensions to the Stygian Abyss, and to gameplay. Also some wonderful innovations.
To reach more stretch goals the community of Backers will need to steadily grow over the next couple of weeks. You are the vanguard who first recognized the vision for Underworld Ascendant. It's your voice that will ring loudest with friends and colleagues to join us. Let’s make sure they don’t miss out on this great game.
So we've got a little challenge… Over this next week let’s see if we can exceed 8,000 Backers by a healthy margin.
As a pat-on-the-back for all Backers, if we end up exceeding the 8,000 mark by noon (EST) Sunday the 15th, we’ll gift everybody who pledges $5 or more a special Kickstarter Exclusive in-game item:
These dwarven-crafted claw knuckles pack a surprising punch for such an inconspicuous weapon. And for every 500 new Backers past 8,000 that join us by Sunday, our dwarven smiths will set an extra fine Blue Opal stone in the knuckles of the Little Friends. Let’s go for the bling!
Finally, if the $1,200,000 Stretch Goal (which includes co-op mode) gets unlocked during the Kickstarter, we’ll upgrade everybody’s Little Friends with an Enchantment of Stunning. If a pair of friends can simultaneous land a blow on a common foe, they will deal out a one-time stun.
So we ask that you venture forth and let your voices be heard!
P.S. Just a reminder that while the all of in-game Backer Exclusive items are fun and distinctive, and some oddball, none are powerful. We don’t want to imbalance the game, or give a meaningful edge over players who might not have these items. But they are unique and will not be offered to any players after the Kickstarter ends.