Minecraft meets Zelda meets Fable

Rik · May 2013

Earlier today, we at Nerd Kingdom launched the Kickstarter campaign for our first game project, TUG. We've developed a voxel engine from scratch, and have a ton of content in the works that enables some pretty amazing character development, crafting systems and exploratory possibilities.

Nerd Kingdom: TUG Kickstarter

The Kickstarter funds will help keep production going and allows us to add more of the cool content we've been developing. I could spam the press release, but that's up on a couple other outlets so I'll just link it for for anyone interested. (It reads pretty damn well, I must say). http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/mmo-sandbox-tug-launches-its-kickstarter

I encourage everyone to check out what we've been working on, and to pledge some cash monies if you want to help keep development going. It's been a hell of a great experience working on this game, and for my first industry job I couldn't have asked for a more dynamic project.

ZacD · May 2013

Looks really interesting, sadly I do not have a DX11 graphics card, yet.

Isaiah Sherman · May 2013

Good luck! Hope you guys meet your goal. Sounds really cool

flaagan · May 2013

Looks wicked! Stubbles shared the link up on facebook, I'll take a proper look at it at home where I have a computer with speakers hooked up to it.

flaagan · May 2013

Aaaand backed. Good luck, guys!

Rik · May 2013

Thanks for the comments and the support Isaiah, ZacD and flaagan!

Rik · May 2013

We're a little more than 24 hours into the campaign and already 15% closer to our goal! Thank you guys who have already pledged!!

Here's some more concept art, and the animatic we've created:

[ame="

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sDS-MrLVFg"]TUG Animatic[/ame]

ZacD · May 2013

15% in one day hopefully means the kickstarter will go smoothly, already seen some press for it.

Kevin Albers · May 2013

Cool! Best luck

Farfarer · May 2013

Looks cool, backed

slipsius · May 2013

I've seen a lot of fantastic kick starters... This though.... is officially the first kickstarter I have backed!

I`ll see you in alpha!

But Im curious. These companions. Are they exclusive to backers? or can anyone get them in game? and the mount and all that. And do the companions help you attack, or just follow you around? The wisp sounds useful. wouldnt need torches or whatever. or nto as many (assuming you have torches. totally comparing it to minecraft). And the mount, im guessing you`d travel faster. but what do the golem do? Attack? or just follow? I may bump up to the trio, depending what they do.

Rik · May 2013

slipsius wrote: »

I've seen a lot of fantastic kick starters... This though.... is officially the first kickstarter I have backed!

I`ll see you in alpha! But Im curious. These companions. Are they exclusive to backers? or can anyone get them in game? and the mount and all that. And do the companions help you attack, or just follow you around? The wisp sounds useful. wouldn't need torches or whatever. or nto as many (assuming you have torches. totally comparing it to minecraft). And the mount, im guessing you`d travel faster. but what do the golem do? Attack? or just follow? I may bump up to the trio, depending what they do.

Hell ya! Glad you're excited about it slipsius!

The companion question has come up several times. Our lead designer has answered that on our website forum and I'll reiterate what he's said: The Kickstarter companions are more pets than the fully functional versions. We have other types of Golems that you discover later on in the game. Same goes for the mount and the wisp (which will act as a subtle light source).

The mount will have a speed factor to it, but know that numbers and stats play a huge role, and it's all about tradeoffs. We're very aware of balancing issues, and the general consensus is that we don't want to give players a distinct advantage over other players just because they pledged more than someone else. We'll be providing more information about their functions later on.

slipsius · May 2013

Ahhh, thats too bad then. Cause if you have fully functional golems/ mounts or wisps in the game, then these should be fully functional as well. cause its not really an advantage so much as it is a head start. Admittedly a lot of my thoughts at this point are going off what minecraft is like, and what TUG looks like. So, having a mount at the start that you can travel a bit further a bit faster doesnt really say unbalanced to me, so much as ease of play. Unless its a pvp experience, which I didnt see? If its more of a single player / coop experience, mounts and light sources arent bad, i think. They really dont help you along (again, not know mechanics). Though, Golems, I can see it being unbalanced I guess, cause you could kill way stronger stuff and what not. But, if you have golems in the game for everyone to get, then if you have the meteor golem, it hsould come as a follower companion, but also as a skin choice for your real golems.

Just my two cents.

Rik · May 2013

Our 5th Kickstarter Update goes into more detail regarding the role of companions in TUG:

TUG Companion Update

Companions are often some of the coolest and most memorable elements in the games we love. Whether it be the mysterious being bent on devouring your soul forced into servitude, the feral beast brought into submission with the offering of a tasty treat, or a friendly gunslinger you recruit into your service... one thing is certain about these allies -- they add a new dynamic to play that offers a greater variety of interactions. But how rewarding is it when you are already predetermined to find that companion, especially when all it takes is beating in their face or offering them a cookie, and really, how much does that relationship matter?

There are several types of companions within the world of TUG; some will be able to help you carry items or harvest them, some are there to fight by your side, and others are there to tag along and keep you company. But the things companions do are not all mutually exclusive -- what a companion is doing when you meet (or build!) them is subject to their relationship with you, or the components used to alter their behaviors. Is there any reason that a cute critter could not grow into a battle companion? Or even a mount? Logic would say no, but in a game where variation of play is one of the key objectives, such evolutions may be a critical element of gameplay.

How you find or acquire these companions will not be as direct or linear as you may be used to, and again, experimentation and discovery play a key role in finding and recruiting the most effective allies. A wandering blind traveler may be trading goods while lost in a forest, but treat him well enough and he may prove to be pretty handy with a blade. A beast may be seen as good huntin, but there may be an approach that will allow you to make him something more than food. And ancient golems may be found seemingly dead in vast deserts or deep caves... activating them may not be as good an idea as you might initially think, at least not without the proper knowledge of what is going on.

Even the location, behavior, and appearance of certain creatures will give insight into their habits and some insight into what steps may need to be taken to find them again, or how to bend their will to your own. This is also something that makes the significance of visuals and associated logic incredibly important for play, and to negate a reliance on statistics, constant text, or random prompted icons that guide players on what to do. Such systems break immersion, and by extension, the presence of the user within the game.

How companion death is handled will vary greatly between different types of companions. Some creatures and pets may simply be lost forever... while others may be able to be repaired or rebuilt. And other companions will be treated similarly to how player death is treated... something we will touch on in a later update. Additionally, companions won't be reduced to inventory items that you can summon at will... if you want them to leave your side temporarily, you'll have to leave them somewhere safe, or send them away on a task. And who knows, some companions may prove extremely useful when it comes to guarding your property!

With a modular phase of development, and the support of this already amazing community, we are able to introduce increments of these systems over time and watch, in real time, how the game and world is changing. This allows us to be smart about our budget and not guess where time and money needs to be spent. Some systems will have little to no complexity, while others will have a greater amount of moving parts and complicated elements... seeing who discovers what, how, and when is actually very exciting and important for us to see, as developers. Understanding what people are doing and why with these systems allows us to create more content fairly rapidly with different rule sets that should make play very rewarding. This is also why data is INCREDIBLY important when it comes to making changes or introducing content.

These systems may seem very complex, but they ultimately come down to a web of information that triggers events based on statistical/mathematical values. This is often what makes these systems more complex than what most publishers want to handle (well, that, and thinking that gamers like to be spoon fed content). These complex systems are where we shine, and making those complex systems approachable -- what we like to refer to as optional complexity -- is really a science in itself. Some of those systems are also useful tech on their own that can be packaged and shared with other indie developers, or the modding community, to use for their own projects.

Another important task for us is making sure that the changes made during this modular or phased development are consistent with the changing world mythology. While a golem may be able to only do so many things in early phases of the of the games life, we don't want to break the significance of the worlds setting by just dropping new features into it. There will be subtle changes, like the introduction of single items or components that change the way everything else is done, which also is attributed to a web of information and values for us. And we will continue to add new content for as long as you all are playing and enjoying it.

This topic, like many others, may leave many people asking, Well, will I be able to do this, or that? and while it may be very contrary to the vast majority of this industry, we want give you the chance to experiment, break those systems into pieces, build off of one another, and challenge that complexity as a community, not let it challenge you. We believe this kind of challenge and experimentation says something amazing... not just about us as gamers, but about what we are capable of when faced with complex issues or challenges.

TrevorJ · May 2013

Very cool! Would be incredibly surprised if this didn't get funded. Great job on the kickstarter campaign, lots of useful info and great amount of early game-play video already.

Nick Carver · May 2013

Moses Wolfenstein, PhD is maybe the best name and title combo I've ever seen.

Best of luck with the Kickstarter!

Rik · May 2013

We've got another video update that goes into more detail on companions and Golems, and a bunch of unannounced game mechanics.

Our TUG forum has exploded with feedback and ideas from the community since launching it last week. I'm blown away at how quickly and strongly a lot of people have become attached to our game, and a lot of speculation about what the concept art means. Pretty damn cool.

[ame="www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd8cN68GYVE"]TUG Update #9 - Design[/ame]

Charlie · May 2013

Rik wrote: »

We've got another video update that goes into more detail on companions and Golems, and a bunch of unannounced game mechanics.

Our TUG forum has exploded with feedback and ideas from the community since launching it last week. I'm blown away at how quickly and strongly a lot of people have become attached to our game, and a lot of speculation about what the concept art means. Pretty damn cool.

TUG Update #9 - Design

I am loving the look and feel of this game so far and definitely backing it! It looks unique and has some really interesting ideas.

I was wondering if you'd be able to answer a question about one of the backer rewards though Rik. I want to back at this tier.

Pledge $65 or more
$65 NEW!!! DIGITAL ONLY ALPHA PLUS PACK!!! - Includes everything in the DIGITAL ONLY BETA PLUS PACK + IN-GAME ASSETS (wont affect balancing)!!! Youll also get a KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE RARE BEAST PELT for your character to wear on the hunt!

Limited (486 of 500 remaining)

Does this mean I get alpha access. I know its called the Digital Only Alpha Plus pack but it then says it includes everything from the Beta pack. I want to be sure I'm backing at an Alpha level and would greatly appreciate your assistance with this!

Again it looks fantastic and I can't wait to see where this goes.

Rik · May 2013

Thanks Charlie! Yes, that tier also gets you Alpha access. The wording could be reworked to be more clear, but it's everything from the previous tier (beta) plus the alpha and new digital content.

Charlie · May 2013

Backed it! Can't wait to see where this goes. I really hope you reach your goal!

Rik · May 2013

Charlie wrote: »

Backed it! Can't wait to see where this goes. I really hope you reach your goal!

Much appreciated!

Rik · May 2013

Update #10: NEW reward tiers, more accessible BETA access, and NEW digital goods.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nerdkingdom/tug-1/posts/478432

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

Weve been listening to your comments and internalizing your feedback to be responsive to your needs as backers, and we wanted to give you what you asked for!!! We have added THREE NEW TIERS:

1) $30 NEW!!! DIGITAL ONLY BETA ACCESS!!! -- Youll have access to the Beta version of TUG with ALL future updates + IN-GAME ASSETS (wont affect balancing)!!! Youll receive the MARK OF THE CHOSEN, a special tattoo on your players avatar EXCLUSIVE TO KICKSTARTER BETA BACKERS ONLY to identify you as a hardcore early Beta backer IN-GAME!!! Youll also receive an EXCLUSIVE Early Kickstarter Backer TUG forum recognition badge and credit on Nerd Kingdoms Wall of Devotus webpage, digital wallpaper pack, and digital font pack.

2) $45 NEW!!! DIGITAL ONLY BETA PLUS PACK!!! Includes everything in the DIGITAL ONLY BETA ACCESS TIER + IN-GAME ASSETS (wont affect balancing)!!! Youll get a KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE BABY SABRE TIGER COMPANION CRITTER to later train and have accompany you on your journey!!!

3) $65 NEW!!! DIGITAL ONLY ALPHA PLUS PACK!!! - Includes everything in the DIGITAL ONLY BETA PLUS PACK + IN-GAME ASSETS (wont affect balancing)!!! Youll also get a KICKSTARTER EXCLUSIVE RARE BEAST PELT for your character to wear on the hunt!

NOTE: if you are currently in the $45 BETA FORGE, $65 ALPHA FORGE, or any tier above, dont worry, we havent forgotten about you!!! You will also receive these assets at your respective ALPHA and BETA levels, so you DONT NEED TO SWITCH to take advantage of these new offerings at the same contribution level!!!

BUT WAIT, THERES MORE! DONT FORGET, IF YOU DONATED FOR A GIFT PACK TIER (2x, 4x, etc.):

1) YOU GET THE GIFT PACKS IN ADDITION TO YOUR PERSONAL COPY (so a 2x gift pack includes THREE games total)

2) GIFT PACKS ALSO INCLUDE ALPHA AND BETA ACCESS FOR YOUR FRIENDS!!!

3) ANY DIGITAL ASSETS TIERS ALSO INCLUDE THOSE ASSETS FOR YOUR GIFTED COPIES AS WELL!!!

Again, thank you for your support, and we hope you enjoy these new rewards! Also, if you haven't already, check out our video update #9 from yesterday! GO FORTH AND CONQUER THE KINGDOM! For SCIENCE!

DrunkShaman · May 2013

looking forward to it.

Oniram · May 2013

this project sounds awesome. im sharing this with as many people as possible.

Rik · May 2013

We just hit the $100k mark, and are inching towards 50%. It has slowed down a bit over the last week or so, so any and all sharing you guys can do is absolutely appreciated. And thanks, Oniram!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nerdkingdom/tug-1

Isaiah Sherman · May 2013

Halfway there!

ebagg · May 2013

I am a backer, it's looking sweet!

Rik · May 2013

We continue to add updates to our TUG Kickstarter page, today's focusing on how and why we plan on making our player observations available to the public. Check it out!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nerdkingdom/tug-1/posts/480089

Some fans have also started the first Facebook fan page for TUG: https://www.facebook.com/tugnk

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

Not only is the voxel engine built on a data driven foundation, but almost every element of the design phase of TUG, including social structures and market interaction, will be guided by recursively assessing player feedback, habits, behaviors, and attitudes. This allows us to react to player behavior in a way that fosters positive interaction and immersion. We're bringing to the table a very unique set of interdisciplinary tools that run the gamut from mechanism design, statistical estimation, and machine learning, to full-scale behavioral experimentation.

Consider asking a few basic design questions:

How to structure the environment so that players are more or less likely to come into conflict with one another?
What is the best distance allowed for communicating with other players to foster the most positive interaction?
How do NPC AI characteristics affect players likelihoods of trading versus fighting?

Insight to help guide answering these questions is out there, and we plan to use TUGs framework to find it.

I know Jeff Lin at Riot and his team have been trying to tackle some very interesting issues related to player toxicity (corrosive behavior online) and game design. Something as simple as the color of the message displayed on the screen can correlate with a players mood and subsequent attitude towards others. This is especially important in online games where one players bad mood can have a destructive ripple effect throughout.

Not only will we use this research to improve the state of TUG, but we want to share this information with the public to try and improve the overall state of the industry -- one that, for too long, has been strong armed by too few with too much say. By integrating the gaming community into the design feedback loop, we can make game design truly adaptive and responsive to our players.

While some players might think that this resonates as a cop out (by us) in an attempt to circumvent blame for making a bad title (and well take full responsibility if this approach fails, but keep in mind, this is a very NEW approach we are taking), the likelihood of the game sucking will decrease dramatically if you have constant support from a large enough cohort of gamers that are interested in helping fix it.

We are confident that weve assembled a very capable and specialized group of individuals to deliver something very unique by incorporating multiple perspectives before the fact -- we truly believe that this project can be a real game-changer. Were promising that what youll get in TUG will be borne from an entirely different approach to game design. Whether or not this approach works is sensitive to the degree and quality of community involvement in the project.

It is no secret and we will not be shy - we need YOU!

-Lefty

p.s. We finally have an official Facebook page for TUG!!! Follow us there for news, updates, art, and more!

Rik · May 2013

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nerdkingdom/tug-1/posts/480907

Our latest update to the TUG Kickstarter page gives some insight on how our sound system is set up. Instead of having set musical scores and battle themes, your location in the world and the events happening around you will dynamically create the soundtrack that you hear.

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

Games and entertainment as a whole have utilized and relied on traditional music soundtracks forever. Even the phrase silent movie is a misnomer; though the film strips themselves could not produce sound, music was always played live alongside the screen. Music can do anything from setting the mood of a scene to changing time. Its ingrained in us so deep that we dont even know it, and thats what makes it so perfect to go alongside immersive experiences like games.

We dont need to know music theory to know that major chords make us feel happy and minor chords belay darker emotions; its part of us the same way that color is. But in TUG, there is no typical soundtrack. Were striving to encourage immersion through sound in a new way--that starts with the omission of a musical score.

As you walk through the world of TUG, you wont hear adventuring music or battle themes. What you will hear is the sound of the world. The leaves rustling, the calls of animals, and the sounds you make as you move through the environment. And though you might not notice it right away, they all come together to form a new kind of symphony.

All of the sounds in TUG are part of one chord structure. The wind, the animals, even your footsteps all fit together harmonically. These elements will build and change as you move through the game, creating a mood wherever you go. The sound of the forest will change from day to night, your world will sound creepier after dark, and the harmonic structure of the seashore will feel totally different than the harmonies in the forest. Music uses chord structures to imply or enhance the mood of the experience; TUG takes that idea and embeds it into the sound effects.

In addition to your world creating its own dynamic harmonies, it will build its own rhythms as well. Unlike dedicated rhythm games, however, TUG doesnt lock you into a grid system to do it. Sounds dont conform to a downbeat that mandates things happen at a specific time; they play out naturally at a speed that is consistent throughout your world.

The sound of your footsteps, the chirp of a bird, and the crackle of a campfire will all come together to create a type of bass line that will change dynamically depending on what you do, all while linking to the natural ambiance of a natural environment that subtly connects itself to this same tempo. Waves crashing on the shore, or large gusts of wind through the trees may sound completely natural when heard alone, but as you take action in your world the sounds you make will sync with the sound of your world to form your own score. This will help to not only lend to the immersiveness of your world, but give players real control over the soundscape of their environment, should they want it.

The sound of TUG will be like the game itself, dynamic and craftable. Using this system allows players to experience a unique soundscape every time they play, but also allows them to take charge of the sound of their environment. Players can capture and move elements that make sounds they like to create a soundtrack for their home, or merely sit back and listen to the sound of the world play out. In the end, we want it to make the world you play in feel like your own.

moose · May 2013

Backed! this looks really interesting, super curious how the aging cycle will play out with the narrative.

cool stuff!

katana · May 2013

Impressive and courageous.

Rik · May 2013

When we launched our Kickstarter campaign, we also launched our company website and our public forums. I'm completely blown away by the amount of traffic we're receiving and the insane amount of threads that have been created in only two weeks: Guild charter preparation, speculation on easter eggs hidden in our concept art, and the morality of unprovoked PVP and why it does (or doesn't) make you an asshole. It's truly amazing how quickly so many people have latched on, and how much feedback and content suggestions we're getting. Very exciting stuff!

PVP and Aggressors
Gods of TUG?

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

In many multiplayer games, we are accustomed to creating clans or guilds, or were forced into factions in artificial and, in many cases, meaningless ways. I personally have grown weary of the JOIN MY GUILD spams in my frequent online stomping grounds. So where does this come from? Why do these things have no meaning? And more than that, why does it feel like most of these groups are nothing more than large chat rooms?

Generally speaking, it comes from the source of the organization of the group. Certainly, there are epic FPS clans, or progressive raiding or PVP guilds, or even those that we create online in forums to join our private servers for some blocky action. But with so many others, why are they created? We could get DEEP into the human impulses of societal structures, and socio-progressive interactions in the real world that map into virtual worlds... but that would likely bore you to bits. The short of it is, if we do not put meaning behind how or why something is created... in effect, it becomes meaningless.

Check out the rest of our update, and maybe back our project on our Kickstarter page!

Rik · May 2013

There's been a lot of demand for in-game virtual goods and more bundle packs, so we've updated our reward tiers to feed the need.

We're also releasing a new video update that focuses on the tech side of developement, hopefully sometime this afternoon.

Thanks to all of you that have backed up thus far!

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

Weve noticed that you all scooped up our SUPER RARE ASTEROID GOLEMS at the $195 rewards tier, so weve opened up some more at group price points! In addition, many of you asked for an improved gift bundle, more virtual goods, and a no physical goods tier (to avoid wasting money on shipping & handling) at the higher rewards levels, so weve decided to give you the best of all three in ONE!!! Weve added TWO DIGITAL ONLY GUILD BUNDLE tiers just above the recently sold out $195 tier, and they each include 6 virtual goods as well as gift packs for your friends!!! Weve also tried to sweeten the pot in the TUG 4 LIFE tiers as well!

See the other new tiers at our Kickstarter Page

Rik · May 2013

Update #18: Your Own Private (Floating) Island

TUG Update! Modding is a big (BIG) feature we're openly supporting and encouraging. To help ensure we do it right, we've been working with the creators of the Aether, Thaumcraft and BDcraft mods for Minecraft as we develop several different aspects to our game. These are three very successful Minecraft mods with a ton of following behind them, and so we're all excited to finally announce this collaboration.

We've got 9 days left in the campaign and still need around $80k to hit our goal! Please check it out, consider increase your pledge amount and sharing with friends!

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

Official Servers

Survival = There are no artificial rules in place to protect you or your items; this is a world at the dawn of time and its evolution is based solely on its inhabitants.

Adventure = Traditional RPG/MMO rules apply; items are safe, players are safe until they allow for combat to take place. A friendlier place for online play. Full control of your characters appearance.

Private Servers

Can be modded, hosted on your own servers, retextured, and turned inside out. If you are not into the way the official servers are run or done, run your own!

Single-Player

Can be modded, run at home, shared with friends, or left to gather dust. No what if here, no always on, nobody telling you how to play... and its only as terrifying as you want it to be. Play the ultimate survival experience completely alone... or turn off the darkness and get creative!

Check out the rest of Update #18

Oniram · May 2013

congrats on meeting/exceeding your goal.

ive been following this very close the past few days. watching the backers/$pleged as if it were the stock market.

Isaiah Sherman · May 2013

Hooray!

Justin Meisse · May 2013

congrats you jerks! I was going to make this game *cries*

katana · May 2013

Congratz!

BoBo_the_seal · May 2013

Congrats! Very fun looking project. Can't wait to play.

- BoBo

Rik · May 2013

Thanks guys! We had a huge surge of pledges in the last 4 days, and we're now at $250,000+ !

We've added several stretch goals, and we're going to launch a followup Paypal campaign soon, which will allow us to implement a bunch of more features.

Player Death Mechanics

TUG Kickstarter wrote:

The wisp will grow brighter as it gathers energy, and you must gauge when the best point to re-enter your stone and revive your Seed will be. You may choose to awaken at any point during this energy regeneration process.

The wisp will pass through four rough phases as it gathers energy:

Dim - Re-entering early while the wisp is still dim will cause your Seed to awaken in an extremely weakened state, far below the baseline for their current stage of life. It will take quite some time to heal and recover.

Glow - If you wait a bit until the wisp has accumulated a medium glow, when you revive you will be in a semi-weakened state. Many character-specific body changes will be lost, and your Seed will be reset to the baseline state for the stage of life they were at prior to death. However, you wont lose learned skills... your body will be weakened, but you wont have magically forgotten how to craft!

Bright - This is the optimal window! Revive here, and your Seed will awaken in his or her prime state, no worse for the wear (well, maybe with a couple new scars or bruises here and there)!

Overload - Watch out! If TOO much energy is collected and the wisp becomes too bright, re-entry will cause the stone in your Seeds hand to overload, destroying your Seeds body and reviving them instead as a newly formed child Seed.