The developer's reasons for making these changes are at the link.I just wanted to make this update to clarify that, yes, we're still alive, and work is still progressing on Steel Assault -- albeit slower than expected. Still, a ton of changes have been going on behind the scenes. We're undertaking a kind of retooling of the game. You'll hear more actual details about this in the coming months once we have something refined enough to show, but in very broad strokes, here's what you can expect:
- A more inspired and unique game. The version of Steel Assault we've showcased so far is pretty cool, but fundamentally, it isn't really doing much that Shatterhand or Batman or other similar games haven't done before. We have a really cool and even kind of unique set of new base mechanics, though, and we think it's going to be a ton of fun to play.
- A more atmospheric and cohesive world. We want to push the artstyle of this game as far as we possibly can, creating a detailed, lush post-apocalyptic atmosphere while still retaining the game's "8-bit feeling".
- Changing the scope of the game... not down, but sideways. We initially promised over 10 unique areas in Steel Assault. In our new version of the game, we have exactly 7 planned. This is related to the last item; with the amount of detail we now want to put into each area of the game, scaling back the number of them only makes sense. We believe that this is a far better approach. (And the length of the game will still be arcade-standard.)
New backer update:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/43113410/steel-assault/posts/1298620
The developer's reasons for making these changes are at the link.
I hope it turns out well but updates like this are often a bad sign.
So, I guess this is what you guys in the business world might call a "pivot".
Before we fully explain our reasoning and talk about the future direction we want to take Steel Assault, I'd like to apologize once again for the lack of updates in the preceding months. Life has been really hectic for all of us, with Daniel juggling commissions, me entering the graduate school portion of my 5-year university program, and much more... But we have exciting news to share.
Last summer, I was fortunate enough to work a 3-month summer internship at a "big 4" tech company, and in that time I made over twice the budget of the Steel Assault Kickstarter. This was not something I foresaw happening back in February when the campaign ended, or even fully considered until this July -- but it happened, and it got me thinking. My cost of living is currently at an all-time low, so why not funnel some of this money into the game's art budget? (And maybe some of the money from the next summer internship as well?)
With this increase in budget, we found ourselves considering two different options for the game:
1) Do we keep trying to push our 8-bit restrictions as far as they can go?
2) Or do we ditch the 8-bit restrictions (which we embraced in the first place because of our limited budget, as a stylistic choice to make the most out of what we had), and just try to make the most visually appealing game we can?
We initially tried the first approach, trying to mold our 8-bit restrictions to more detailed and vibrant environments. Not going into detail, it didn't really work out as well as we hoped it would. The more we tried to do, the looser our restriction set had to get... Until finally, we decided unilaterally to take the second option, and ditched them.
Hence the GIF above. There's still more work to be done even here (background animations and a reshaded player sprite, for example), but I think that, overall? It's a massive improvement.
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I'd also like to introduce you guys to a new artist on our team: Weston Tracy.
Weston is a freelance videogame artist living in Portland, Oregon, with a strong background in digital art. You can view his website here, and his PixelJoint portfolio here. He was also one of the original backers of Steel Assault!
In the coming months, Weston is going to be responsible for the game's environments and general art direction, with Daniel working on sprites and character designs. As you can see, they're doing a great job so far.
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How does all this affect you guys (our backers)?
I understand that some of you won't like this new direction. The game you backed was an 8-bit game, with an art style possibly recalling a specific time and place in your lives. The new Steel Assault isn't what was promised to you, or what you originally backed. So, for any backers unhappy with this new direction, I'm offering a full refund of your pledge. Just ask me, through e-mail, direct message, whatever.
For those of you who are alright with the new direction, everything stays exactly the same. You'll get the game when it's done, and for those of who you pledged for the soundtrack or for a special credit, you'll get those too. In addition, we will be reopening the backer forum soon (it's currently broken thanks to a server move), or possibly some other beta access channel. Look out for emails about that in the coming weeks.
(And the backer thank-you ROM will still be made eventually -- though, corresponding to these changes, it might be a Genesis ROM rather than an NES one!
That's all we have to say for now, but we have more cool stuff for you soon. If you have any feedback or criticism, don't hesitate to comment!
Thanks and happy holidays,
Sri, Daniel, and Weston
Putting aside the shift in art style (not that I'm fussed either way), I really don't have much confidence in this project anymore; the main guy doesn't seem to have any real vision for the game and seems far too dependent (or too susceptible) to outside opinions or suggestions. It should have been obvious during the campaign, honestly.
Basically this. It feels like things are being changed without any real reason, in a way that is totally at odds with the original vision that was presented for the game.
I'm not going to demand a refund--whatever, it's ten bucks. But I'm not really impressed with this shift.
A significant portion of Steel Assault is already outlined and designed; almost the entire first half of the game is asset-complete currently (art and music are finished). So progress on the game is already well underway. However, there are still challenges in the coming months ahead.
Like I didn't back this but they said that the entire first half was pretty much asset complete during the campaign:
I don't see why they would completely start the project over to do this art direction change so late in the game unless they lied about how deep into development they were and aren't actually very far at all. Not sure I believe this will ever see the light of day tbh.
That's pretty disappointing. Not so much because I'm in love with the original style, but because the impression I got was that Sri was. He talked a lot about the limitations of the NES hardware in depth and in interesting ways, and I wanted to see what he'd come up with in the end. Maybe hear some cool explanations of how they overcame various challenges.
So, ok. Now it's something totally different. It's not that the new direction looks awful, it's just--why?
I dunno, I think the reason is fairly obvious. Because it looks better.
It very much does not.
It very much does not.
That's pretty disappointing. Not so much because I'm in love with the original style, but because the impression I got was that Sri was. He talked a lot about the limitations of the NES hardware in depth and in interesting ways, and I wanted to see what he'd come up with in the end. Maybe hear some cool explanations of how they overcame various challenges.
So, ok. Now it's something totally different. It's not that the new direction looks awful, it's just--why?
it basically looks like a SNES game or an arcade game instead of a NES game now. which is basically a different way of saying it looks better.
It's still has a retro throwback look, just to a different 'era', which might appeal to different people. I get that, but it doesn't actually look worse.
Yeah, this is pretty sad. The "8-bit" style might be "overcrowded", but the true 8-bit style is something hardly anyone can achieve. Of course I'm still hyped if it's a good game, since this is just a change in art direction, but the project is way less unique and interesting now. The game lost a ton of personality It's not an improvement at all.
Maybe those who backed this game did that because they specifically wanted the NES style. SNES is not "basically" better. I like both NES and SNES games but I personally prefer Super Mario Bros 3's visuals over Super Mario World.
SMB3 is an exception, the vast majority of NES games look worse than SNES games, that's not a controversial statement at all.
IMO the fact that he's offering refunds makes it mostly a non-issue to me anyway.
it basically looks like a SNES game or an arcade game instead of a NES game now.
It looks like a technically well-crafted but relatively generic and nondescript 16-bit game now instead of a stylish, elegant, well-realized example of the late NES aesthetic.
it basically looks like a SNES game or an arcade game instead of a NES game now.It's still has a retro throwback look, just to a different 'era', which might appeal to different people. I get that, but it doesn't actually look worse.which is basically a different way of saying it looks better.
Yup. I wouldn't be surprised if it now has Flash-like rotating sprites, modern lighting effects, and similar stuff. It's now a me too game without any distinctive element that makes it stand out.This doesn't look like any SNES game. It doesn't really look like any arcade game from the 16-bit era either. It looks like a typical modern-retro pixel game with a hodge-podge mix of 8/16/32-bit/modern 2D visuals.
It just doesn't have anything going for it now. There are tons of "pretty pixel art" games out there, it's a problem when the selling point so far hasn't been its gameplay. It now looks like a beat em up where you control a little toy robot.I think you're doing it a disservice by saying it looks like every other pixel game--it may not be slavishly imitating some old console anymore (not that it was very faithful to the limitations of a real NES game, anyhow...) but the new look is fine.
What hasn't changed is that he still isn't showing or even talking about how the game actually plays except to say that it's being overhauled.
Ideally I'd love to be making a 2D game that looks like the latest Guilty Gear with the soundtrack of Armed Police Batrider as much as anyone else. In the real world, though, I'm a broke 20-year-old college student, and no one knows who I am or has any reason to trust me with that kind of project lol. So this is the graphic style and budget level we're going for, we're committing to it as much as we can.
And for those of you who want to know more about the game plays, you won't be let down. It's just that I really hate showing incomplete stuff if I can avoid it (even making this update was a challenge for me, especially knowing many people might hate it, and did in the end...)
Most Pixel art games are not pretty but rather pretty simple and coarse. New artstyle is okay though I loved the attempt at traditional NES style.It just doesn't have anything going for it now. There are tons of "pretty pixel art" games out there, it's a problem when the selling point so far hasn't been its gameplay. It now looks like a beat em up where you control a little toy robot.
Anyway, I hope this post helps clarify my perspective and our decision. Once again, we're sorry to those of you who were disappointed with this update, and I hope that our work over the coming weeks and months will regain your trust and enthusiasm.
And for those of you who want to know more about the game plays, you won't be let down. It's just that I really hate showing incomplete stuff if I can avoid it (even making this update was a challenge for me, especially knowing many people might hate it, and did in the end...)