The Banner Saga [Kickstarter]

[Croakamancer]

Yes, everyone's suffering a little from Kickstarter burnout, and I do get why... but I do think it'd be a shame to let this little number pass you by. :) A tactical strategy RPG? With a focus on story? I'm pretty much sold from that, but these people really sound like they know what they're doing.

Anyone else seen this already?

[Flickerdart]

I am so pledged.

[Croakamancer]

:) Glad to hear it!

I've not seen a game like this being made for the PC in quite a while. I'm really hoping it does well.

[Croakamancer]

So... new update. :) Some big names coming on for both music and animation. This is looking more and more promising, IMO:)

[Bahamut Omega]

Been debating this campaign for awhile now. Was strongly attracted to the concept and the proposed FFT combat system.

[Brother Oni]

Pledged for this.

I hate to say it, but I was sold on the artwork (I like eye candy). I dispute their definition of mature though - mature can include gore/violence and it does have a place in the type of story they're wanting to tell (especially when vikings are involved - ask any medieval monks).
I guess that what they meant was non-gratuitous violence, which I can understand.

[Mewtarthio]

I dispute their definition of mature though - mature can include gore/violence and it does have a place in the type of story they're wanting to tell (especially when vikings are involved - ask any medieval monks).

I don't interpret that statement as meaning that sex, violence, and swearing are inimical to a mature story. It's just that, normally, "mature" is advertisement-speak for "NSFW."

A mature story for adults means forming relationships and making tough decisions; not sex, violence and swearing.

It's just clarifying the definition of "mature" ("This is what we mean by 'mature'; this is how a lot of people misuse 'mature'; please don't confuse the two") rather than excluding certain elements from that definition ("This is 'mature'; this is not 'mature'; never the twain shall meet!").

[Leecros]

"I can't think of anything more boring than doing something for the sole purpose of making money"



Man i wish that more people had that outlook, especially in the gaming industry.

[Brother Oni]

It's just clarifying the definition of "mature" ("This is what we mean by 'mature'; this is how a lot of people misuse 'mature'; please don't confuse the two") rather than excluding certain elements from that definition ("This is 'mature'; this is not 'mature'; never the twain shall meet!").

If their line had been "not just sex, violence and swearing", then I'd agree with you, but as that statement stands, it looks like they're planning to exclude most of these elements from their story.

Vikings without martial ability is like a samurai without honour. They're both stereotypes, but like all stereotypes, they have a significant grain of truth in them.

"I can't think of anything more boring than doing something for the sole purpose of making money"

Man i wish that more people had that outlook, especially in the gaming industry.

A lot of people do - not many people enjoy going to work, but instead do it to fund the fun and interesting things they want to do.

[Mewtarthio]

If their line had been "not just sex, violence and swearing", then I'd agree with you, but as that statement stands, it looks like they're planning to exclude most of these elements from their story.

Your edit would imply that sex, violence, and swearing are part of a mature game in addition to forming relationships and making tough decisions. By their use of the word, a mature game is about forming relationships and making tough decisions, while the inclusion or exclusion of sex, violence, and swearing is another matter altogether (though they can be a part of a mature story, just like they can be used immaturely).

Besides, I can't speak for the sex or the swearing, but it's a tactical combat game; I'll be seriously impressed if they pull it off without any violence.

[Cieyrin]

Besides, I can't speak for the sex or the swearing, but it's a tactical combat game; I'll be seriously impressed if they pull it off without any violence.

They'll just be playing Puzzle Quest for those situations.

[Opperhapsen]

A game about Vikings with little sex or violence?
Blasphemy!

Seriously though, I like the graphical style but I'm not really understanding how the gameplay is gonna work.

[Brother Oni]

Your edit would imply that sex, violence, and swearing are part of a mature game in addition to forming relationships and making tough decisions. By their use of the word, a mature game is about forming relationships and making tough decisions, while the inclusion or exclusion of sex, violence, and swearing is another matter altogether (though they can be a part of a mature story, just like they can be used immaturely).

I agree with you on this, although to remain true to the depicted nature of vikings, we need some of the sex, violence and swearing.

Violence is part and parcel of being a warrior and conflict of some form is essential, especially for a game like this.

Warriors of all types, tend to be blunt speakers, thus in order to keep their character consistent, it should have a smattering of oaths (especially in combat), but the swearing should be appropriate for their era and culture.

I believe the western series Deadwood decided to take the option to update the swearing to be relevant to modern audiences because either the writer or director didn't want the dialogue to 'sound like your grandmother having a mild snit'.
I'm not saying that it was the wrong decision to make, but it was a deliberate decision to retain the coarseness of the characters and whatever the writers decide to do for The Banner Saga, any curses should be flavourful/appropriate rather than sounding like a bunch of 5 year olds hurling insults at each other in the playground.

Finally, intimacy of some form is inevitably a part of relationships, so excluding it doesn't really help the story that much. I'm fine with ME1 levels of hinting, but the characters shouldn't be made chaste.

Besides, I can't speak for the sex or the swearing, but it's a tactical combat game; I'll be seriously impressed if they pull it off without any violence.

Final Fantasy Tactics handled the combat with very little graphic (ie. bloody) detail and Vandal Hearts did mostly did the same (although they put the blood saturation up to nearly silly levels) so I'll personally be happy no matter what they decide.

That said, the top backing level is them rotoscoping and animating a person into the game, so it may be more along the Vandal Hearts and Mortal Kombat level of graphicness, rather than the FFT/Streetfighter abstractness.

[Flickerdart]

Intimacy? Why would you want that in a game about viking armies murdering other viking armies? Screw the romance, bring on the fighting!

[Croakamancer]

Campaign drawing to a close. Here's hoping that they make some of those stretch goals; they look like a sensible set.

[Airk]

Intimacy? Why would you want that in a game about viking armies murdering other viking armies? Screw the romance, bring on the fighting!

If I wanted generic vikings killing generic vikings, I could go play Viking: Battle for Asgard or something. It's even rated "M for Mature".

Some of us have grown up beyond the "mindless killing" point in our videogame development.

[Brother Oni]

Some of us have grown up beyond the "mindless killing" point in our videogame development.

Some of us still appreciate it though and particularly flamboyant examples make us giggle like schoolboys (see Space Marine).