RAVENMARK: Scourge of Estellion (by Witching Hour Studios) Universal

[Tebius]

Originally Posted by Uberskooper

I'm pretty excited about the new Ravenmark campaign and Ravenmark multi-player.

The concept for the multi-player app in particular sounds really well done. I like the idea of having the player assume the role of a mercenary captain. Hopefully there will be some sort of an experience or in-game money mechanic with which the captain can purchase small bonuses. Do you have any information about how matchmaking will work? Will there be an easy and straightforward way to find opponents?

You'd have your own mercenary camp from which you'll be commanding. Within, there are various buildings that you can purchase upgrades from, recruit new units and manage your army.

Matchmaking should be much like Words with Friends - you can request a random opponent or challenge a friend. Also, for those that aren't competitive, we also plan to have co-op missions in which two players can take on the AI.

Multiplayer aside, there's also a single player component where the player can take up mercenary contracts from the various nations. There will be sets of contracts that tell stories across an arc.

I hope that answers your questions!

[Ayjona]

Originally Posted by Tebius

You'd have your own mercenary camp from which you'll be commanding. Within, there are various buildings that you can purchase upgrades from, recruit new units and manage your army.

Matchmaking should be much like Words with Friends - you can request a random opponent or challenge a friend. Also, for those that aren't competitive, we also plan to have co-op missions in which two players can take on the AI.

Multiplayer aside, there's also a single player component where the player can take up mercenary contracts from the various nations. There will be sets of contracts that tell stories across an arc.

I hope that answers your questions!

Wow. That is a LOT more sense of progression and persistence than I expected. Had I not suspected you guys had all of this in mind all along, I could almost believe you actually did heed my call for an asynchronous strategy game WITH persistence, progression and illusion of achievement

I have been excited for RAD Soldiers for a while now, for that very reason, but a Ravenmark async mp with progression mechanics beats out RAD Soldiers on my wishlist in every single way!

Since I seem to recall that you are going the freemium route, please ensure that all stuff that affects gameplay in multiplayer matches (as opposed to visual customization) can be unlocked through gameplay alone (if this is a viable economic model for you). The devs of RAD Soldiers have stated several times that all content will be accessible through the in-game currency that can be earned in infinite amounts simply through gameplay, and this has already been proven to be a very popular point. Strangely enough, when people hear that they don't have to spend a single dollar, they grow less reluctant to actually spend money on that game (perhaps because they know that fun can be had and progression attained even in times when they don't have money to spend, and thus the game promises to always offer progression and entertainment, without the definite barriers put up when some players compete online with purchased advantages).

As a contrast, IAP that offer a definite edge in competitive online play might just be the most disliked form of IAP there is (and one of the few cases where I don't find the rampant hatred of IAP often a little overblown and irrational).

Good times ahead for the async community, and for me, Ravenmark now leads the charge...

[DaviddesJ]

Originally Posted by Ayjona

Strangely enough, when people hear that they don't have to spend a single dollar, they grow less reluctant to actually spend money on that game

I don't think there's any real evidence for that. Do you have some?

[Hound16]

So the new content has me positively slavering, it really looks promising guys.

Any idea how the multiplayer currency will work? Will you buy new units with it? upgrade existing ones? Unlock abilities? Or all of the above? And then most importantly how will you get your paws on some? Only through in game victories? Or with IAP?

Then finally - not to sound impatient, but any indications of an ETA? Even if it's a vague one like 4th quarter 2012 or whatever.

[Tebius]

Originally Posted by Hound16

So the new content has me positively slavering, it really looks promising guys.

Any idea how the multiplayer currency will work? Will you buy new units with it? upgrade existing ones? Unlock abilities? Or all of the above? And then most importantly how will you get your paws on some? Only through in game victories? Or with IAP?

Then finally - not to sound impatient, but any indications of an ETA? Even if it's a vague one like 4th quarter 2012 or whatever.

It's great to know people are keen. =)

1) We have an idea on how to do the currency, but I don't think we wanna share it this early.
2) Yeah, you will actually have a Company Herald that you send out to recruit new Elements.
3) Yes, there are upgrades - you can also combine Elements to gain access to higher tier ones.
4) Buildings from your Merc Fort will have upgrades and ability unlocks.
5) You can gain everything without spending a cent. But a dollar our way keeps us going. =)

We're building the engine from the ground up, so we're looking at 1st or 2nd quarter 2013.

[Hound16]

Originally Posted by Tebius

It's great to know people are keen. =)

1) We have an idea on how to do the currency, but I don't think we wanna share it this early.
2) Yeah, you will actually have a Company Herald that you send out to recruit new Elements.
3) Yes, there are upgrades - you can also combine Elements to gain access to higher tier ones.
4) Buildings from your Merc Fort will have upgrades and ability unlocks.
5) You can gain everything without spending a cent. But a dollar our way keeps us going. =)

We're building the engine from the ground up, so we're looking at 1st or 2nd quarter 2013.

So you're going for epic rather than EA style rushed production? Good on you.

It definitely sounds like a great model - but as a quick opinion : an IAP system that I personally don't mind for something like this would be one like Hero Academy (or was it tiny heroes? Whatever, the turn based game on a chess board) where one faction is free, unlocking the rest costs a dollar a pop. Obviously as the armies are balanced it doesn't provide a edge in combat, but rather varied styles of play.

Which brings us to the following : are you planning to make all the large factions (the Sotrans, Lyri, kaysan

[Hound16]

and empire) playable?

anyhow, I can't wait.

[Tebius]

Originally Posted by Hound16

So you're going for epic rather than EA style rushed production? Good on you.

It definitely sounds like a great model - but as a quick opinion : an IAP system that I personally don't mind for something like this would be one like Hero Academy (or was it tiny heroes? Whatever, the turn based game on a chess board) where one faction is free, unlocking the rest costs a dollar a pop. Obviously as the armies are balanced it doesn't provide a edge in combat, but rather varied styles of play.

Which brings us to the following : are you planning to make all the large factions (the Sotrans, Lyri, kaysan

If we're gonna do it, might as well do it right. =)

Well, in multiplayer, you'll have access to all the races right away - you just have to gain enough favour with a faction to access the higher tiered troops.

[Mag]

Originally Posted by witchinghourSG

It's really difficult to promise an ETA, but I'd like to see it happen before May rolls around! Our lead programmer tells us that the GC triggers for Achievements don't really play nice with our system, so we'll need to dig deeper before we can give an ETA.

What I *can* promise you is that when we get the F2P multiplayer/skirmish app going, that will definitely have GC integration!

I guess you didnt quite make it in time for May but I'm still looking forward to it

[Tebius]

Originally Posted by Mag

I guess you didnt quite make it in time for May but I'm still looking forward to it

It's all done. =)

One week of polish and we're throwing it at Apple. Look out for it!