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[FullMetaltech]

That looks really good. About time we get a Tenchu like game again. Im going to keep this under my radar.

 

[MattyG]

Woooooow, that looks awesome. Can't wait!

 

[ALLseeingEYE]

This looks cool, and I like the character design quite a bit.

Also, it certainly looks very 'Tenchu' for better or worse. I personally think that's a good thing, but I would like to see some flashier stealth kills. The ones I'm seeing in the gifs above get the job done, but the stealth kills in Tenchu always had this sort of flair that made them awesome to execute over and over.

Generally, the visual design has this cool, supernatural edge, it would be cool to see that come out a bit more in the gameplay/animations/effects. Perhaps it does, perhaps later in the game, but I'm just not seeing it in the brief gifs?

 

[Screaming Meat]

a problem I find with stealth games is the sheer predictability of the routes of guards. and I hope the enemy behavior doesn't reset itself.

I imagine being too unpredictable would get frustrating; not only when running around, but at the planning stage as well. It'd need to be really finely balanced. At the end of the day, stealth games are puzzle games and to solve puzzles you need to know the rules and what all the parts do, and that includes how an enemy is going to react and at the very least where they're likely to go.

With resets, I think I prefer the option. Linking with difficulty is always good.

 

[More_Badass]

This looks cool, and I like the character design quite a bit.

Also, it certainly looks very 'Tenchu' for better or worse. I personally think that's a good thing, but I would like to see some flashier stealth kills. The ones I'm seeing in the gifs above get the job done, but the stealth kills in Tenchu always had this sort of flair that made them awesome to execute over and over.

Generally, the visual design has this cool, supernatural edge, it would be cool to see that come out a bit more int he gameplay. Perhaps it does , later in the game?

In the original prototype, you could do stuff like teleport-kill from the ceiling by creating shadows above an enemy

 

[Nuke Soda]

I shall be watching this game closely.

 

[Loxley]

Looks freaking awesome, will definitely be watching this one. I miss the Tenchu series so much.

 

[Aikidoka]

I imagine being too unpredictable would get frustrating; not only when running around, but at the planning stage as well. It'd need to be really finely balanced. At the end of the day, stealth games are puzzle games and to solve puzzles you need to know the rules and what all the parts do, and that includes how an enemy is going to react and at the very least where they're likely to go.

With resets, I think I prefer the option. Linking with difficulty is always good.

I agree that it's fun to be able to analyze a situation and then figure out the perfect timing to make it through. But, some cases, like Dishonored, just have guards walking up and down the same exact section of street, pausing in the exact same places, for the exact same amount of times. It's fun the first couple of times, but over the course of a whole game is gets all "been there done that".

It would definitely require a great deal of care to introduce some psuedo-random behavior correctly. I imagine that the default positions should be fairly constrictive as usual but make the enemies be more perceptive (i.e., have an FOV greater than 30 degrees terminating 10 ft in front) and reactive to things in the environment.

 

[Rogue_Ledr]

I saw the thread on here yesterday and hadn't even realized the Kickstarter failed.

Glad to see this is still alive.

 

[Amir0x]

The devs are working on a level editor for this, so you might get your wish

Oh I heard they were looking into it but I didn't know they actually committed to doing it

ALRIGHT I'M ON BOARD

 

[More_Badass]

Oh I heard they were looking into it but I didn't know they actually committed to doing it

ALRIGHT I'M ON BOARD

Yeah, here's some info and GIFs from last year about the level editor:

I'm prototyping a new level editor for Twin Souls. The idea is to create a new game mode akin to Metal Gear Solid VR Missions (but with a more.. 'magical/dark' aesthetics.)

It's going to be minimalistic. Create a level layout, place guards and patrol routes, light sources and objectives (mostly). It's very early to say if it will work, but right now my only concern is the placing of navigation meshes. The vanilla Unity nav meshes are baked, but we are using the RAIN plugin, so I think we can create them in real time. We'll try to find a way anyway.

Not sure if it'll still be minimalistic as originally stated but here's a level editor update from the previous page:

We are working on a contracts/challenge mode that it's mainly a mission editor linked with Steam Workshop, so everyone can create their own missions with assets from the game, place patrols, mark targets etc.. and upload the mission to the workshop. As Lince Works, we'll be creating a different packs of missions with the tool, and the 1st mission we'll be uploading will be a direct reference to the Kill the Evil Merchant mission from Tenchu 1.

 

[xDavidLeon]

Everything is looking impressive! Thanks for throwing this onto my radar.
I am deeply saddened that Tenchu seems to have died, I honestly thought the series still had lots more it could've done. Will be sure to pick this up once its out.

This last year I've played Shinobido 1+2 and Tenchu Z, as well as Tenchu 4, and the formula has become stale. If we made another Tenchu people would bash it because it would be exactly the same as the other 5 Tenchus. The nostalgia is strong with this one. Maybe a 'realistic' ninja simulator with more options and modern mechanics would be feasible.

Any chance you could fit this game for a Vita release?
When is the expected release date of this game?

I tested a build on Vita last year and it went at 3 FPS or so.. This is a game heavily dependent on real-time shadows, and Vita is not powerful enough

The point of the post flew over your head completely in olympical proportions or maybe it pulled a ghost run on your critical thinking level XD

What you described above is what i called "pure stealth" and it is also what i like. But we are not getting those types of game much these days or at the least, developers seem to consider that they don't sell well enough to the bigger audiences.

Edit: Miles typed something related to my post:

Fun fact: Spoke with a publisher yesterday who was puzzled (and concerned) because of the lack of combat. Yay! ... :/

I know it's probably early, but the AI doesn't respond at all.

Come on.

That gif it's some months old and was recorded while playing on a development build with all AI at 1/5 normal "difficulty". AI reacts a LOT faster than in that gif, and we're still iterating over it.

I imagine being too unpredictable would get frustrating; not only when running around, but at the planning stage as well. It'd need to be really finely balanced. At the end of the day, stealth games are puzzle games and to solve puzzles you need to know the rules and what all the parts do, and that includes how an enemy is going to react and at the very least where they're likely to go.

With resets, I think I prefer the option. Linking with difficulty is always good.

It's like you say.. very clear/repetitive patrol routes lead to boring gameplay, as it becomes too easy; but random patterns can frustrate the player very fast, as you can't find a good opportunity to sneak and end up just sprinting through the level etc. It's a careful mix; for example, you can do the default patrol routes but make guards stop and look around or start talking between each other from time to time, think like that (but always with a clear animation that triggers before he 'turns around').

Yeah, here's some info and GIFs from last year about the level editor:


Not sure if it'll still be minimalistic as originally stated but here's a level editor update from the previous page:

I was testing aesthetics and code architecture there. The current level editor uses 'real' assets and props like walls, trees, constructions, rocks etc. Every user level will look like a real level.

 

[Rogue_Ledr]

BTW is there any word on how far along this is? I'd love to try it out.

I imagine its still a ways off.

 

[More_Badass]

Fun fact: Spoke with a publisher yesterday who was puzzled (and concerned) because of the lack of combat. Yay! ... :/

Damn, that must have been frustrating to hear. How hard is it to grasp the concept of a stealth game? I enjoy open-ended sandbox gameplay as much as anyone, Hitman Blood Money was my introduction to stealth and made me a fan of the genre. But there's something very rewarding about playing a game like SC Chaos Theory and ghosting a level.

 

[system11]

Interested, would buy this - never heard of the kickstarter.

 

[Risk Breaker]

This looks awesome!! Had me at Tenchu.

 

[Tizoc]

I find it sad that some would refer to this game as 'like MGS', shows just how low stealth games have fallen when someone can't think of any other stealth game series to compare one with.

I tested a build on Vita last year and it went at 3 FPS or so.. This is a game heavily dependent on real-time shadows, and Vita is not powerful enough

lol, that's OK then I'll get it on PC/Steam once it releases and should I like it enough, double dip on the PS4 ver. =)

Just uh let me know when I can pre-order it.

 

[Refreshment.01]

Fun fact: Spoke with a publisher yesterday who was puzzled (and concerned) because of the lack of combat. Yay! ... :/

As expected. If i may ask what would the budget be to bring this game as you guys envision it and how many sales would it take to get a decent cut at the price you are aiming?

i ask because, i think in a few years we (specially you developers) will see a light at the end of the tunnel, and a small team of guys will be able to make the 3D game they want withouth going broke or quitting their day job. You know, like in the golden age of home computers in Europe (Amiga, Spectrum, etc)

Also since you are making this type of game, hopefully you have played vast amounts of 2012 game of the year (for everyone that knew what they are talking about) MARK OF THE NINJA. Are you trying to make a 3D version of that but with it's own twist?

 

[Death Metalist]

Hell yes. If it's anything like Mark of the Ninja but 3D then it's going to be fucking great.

 

[Labadal]

Will add to my wishlist.

 

[PixyJunket]

No poison rice, no buy.

 

[More_Badass]

Mark of the Ninja, Hitman Bloody Money, and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory are the stealth triumvirate for me. The best in the genre, and nothing else comes close

Not only that, Mark of the Ninja is the only game in recent years where you feel like an actual master-of-the-shadows ninja rather than a combo-happy killing machine (cough Ninja Gaiden cough)

 

[xDavidLeon]

As expected. If i may ask what would the budget be to bring this game as you guys envision it and how many sales would it take to get a decent cut at the price you are aiming?

i ask because, i think in a few years we (specially you developers) will see a light at the end of the tunnel, and a small team of guys will be able to make the 3D game they want withouth going broke or quitting their day job. You know, like in the golden age of home computers in Europe (Amiga, Spectrum, etc)

Also since you are making this type of game, hopefully you have played vast amounts of 2012 game of the year (for everyone that knew what they are talking about) MARK OF THE NINJA. Are you trying to make a 3D version of that but with it's own twist?

About budget. We are 8 people, living in Spain, were wages are around 20k/year. That's really cheap for your usual gamedev budget..(compare that for example to DF's Spacebase df 9, where it was 100k/person). With our current team size we think we still have ahead maybe 1 year of development to have our desired set of features implemented (without cutting out content). It's a game with a target of price between $15 and $25, so around 20.000 sales could already let us survive for a while. We won't be rich, but at least we may not go broke.

MotN was our main inspiration for the art style. It does a lot of stuff well regarding user feedback, like the representation of sound and enemy behaviours. Aragami's changes in the clothes colors comes from MotN's binary stealth system (hidden/visible), which we use in a similar way.

Anyway, MotN is a stealth game more focused on puzzle elements / situations; while Twin Souls is more open and with a focus on verticality and fast movement (like in Dishonored/Tenchu). The use of Shadow Creation + Shadow Leap gives way to a lot of 'puzzle situations' where you can take advantage of the scenario, shortcuts and positioning; and the different Shadow Powers (like MotN items) interact with each other giving way to some emergent gameplay, but I'd say it will be quite different to MotN in regards of pacing. Time will tell.

Mark of the Ninja, Hitman Bloody Money, and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory are the stealth triumvirate for me. The best in the genre, and nothing else comes close

Not only that, Mark of the Ninja is the only game in recent years where you feel like an actual master-of-the-shadows ninja rather than a combo-happy killing machine (cough Ninja Gaiden cough)

Ninja Gaiden is just a hack & slash with an extreme difficulty curve; it's just a different genre.

 

[More_Badass]

Ninja Gaiden is just a hack & slash with an extreme difficulty curve; it's just a different genre.

Oh definitely, but I mean, in terms of recent games where you play as "ninjas" like Gaiden and Ninja Blade and Shadow Blade, MotN was the only one where you actually play a ninja. It was great to actually be a stealthy ninja for once

 

[GrayFoxPL]

Fun fact! Historians think ninjas used to wear red clothes to hide blood stains. The more you know..

Aragami turns dark when he's hidden, so we needed a bright color to create contrast. We decided on red as it worked really well with black and the blood. People also associates red with 'hero' features, I don't know why (Superman, Iron Man, Flash, Spiderman, Cpt America..?) but it makes the character more likable.

Interesting.

 

[Unicorn]

More games like Tenchu (and Shinobido) are always my jam.

This looks to mix the Tenchu for Wii/PSP and Classic Tenchu. I'm interested to see if it can be animated fluidly, provide lots of stealth kill variety, and puzzle-like approaches to stages. A level creator could be cool if robust enough.

 

[CastorTroy]

I welcome with open arms a new stealth title that has echoes of Tenchu.

Unfortunately, that doesn't look very much like Tenchu and I don't even know what to say about the portal power and teleporting up cliffs.

How about making a stealth game that's not polluted with crappy powers? Just you and your ninja skills, nothing more. Shifting, teleporting, etc makes stealth completely redundant...

Sigh. One day we'll get a traditional steath title. One day.

 

[More_Badass]

Interesting.

In fact, I read that historical ninjas were more like the Agent 47s of the era rather than the all-black outfits you see in movies. They would disguise themselves as farmers and workers, to get close to their targets without rousing suspicion. That's why quite a few ninja weapons look like farm tools so they could be armed in plain sight

This common ninja weapon could be hidden as a field scythe

 

[xDavidLeon]

In fact, I read that historical ninjas were more like the Agent 47s of the era rather than the all-black outfits you see in movies. They would disguise themselves as farmers and workers, to get close to their targets without rousing suspicion. That's why quite a few ninja weapons look like farm tools so they could be armed in plain sight

This common ninja weapon could be hidden as a field scythe

Exactly. The imagery of the black robbed stealthy ninja comes from the american action movies from the 80's.

Real ninjas probably were just spies and poisoners, no usual weapons in most contexts, as weapons were forbidden to peasants and common folk; that's why most martial arts weapons are mainly farm tools like the Bo (wodden staff), Sai (the 'fork' Raphael from the teenage mutant ninja turtles handles), Kama (the short scythe) etc. Farmers had to defend from bandits with what they had at hand: their farming tools or their fists

 

[More_Badass]

More details on the Shadow Powers

Besides the Shadow Creation and the Shadow Leap, we've narrowed the 'Greater Shadow Powers' to 6. These are powers you'll be able to unlock by finding Shadow Orbs through the game (like the runes in Dishonored?). The character will have a secondary energy bar for these special powers and there won't be many possibilities to refill this energy through the level, so the player has to think very carefully when to use each power. There's 3 aggressive powers and 3 pacific/stealth oriented powers.

The powers right now are:

Izanami: Aragami channels shadow energy into a solid weapon, throwing it to a targetted enemy, killing him instantly.An expensive long-range attack.

Burakkuhooru: Aragami draws a dark hex onto an enemy's back or any surface, which can later be triggered to create an explosion of dark energy.A 'C4' mechanic that creates a black hole when triggered.

Fūjin : Aragami throws dense shadows in front of him, blinding enemies caught in the attack.A mechanic to stun enemies in a cone arch.

Seishin: Aragami transforms into his spirit form, were he can become one with the shadows for a small amount of time. A temporary invisibility that turns off torches (making noise and possibly alerting guards) if you go near them.

Sukkaku: Aragami summons an humanoid shadow at the target position, which makes an eerie sound to attract nearby enemies. A long range decoy / distraction generator.

Karasu: Aragami's companion raven surveys the environment highlighting enemies and objects. Auto-explanatory.

 

[Rogue_Ledr]

No poison rice, no buy.

Meh! AS long as they have the awesome, ultra-bloody and totally preposterous stealth kills, I'm in.

 

[JaseC]

I need to make an effort to finish MotN; I thoroughly enjoyed what I played of it. What's stopping me, for the most part, is the presumably imminent release of AssCreed Chronicles, which appears to be Ubi's take on the formula. There's a degree of irony in the fact that what looks so little like AssCreed may potentially play more in line with what people were expecting with the original game (which, to this day, is still my pick of the bunch).

 

[xDavidLeon]

I need to make an effort to finish MotN; I thoroughly enjoyed what I played of it. What's stopping me, for the most part, is the presumably imminent release of AssCreed Chronicles, which appears to be Ubi's take on the formula. There's a degree of irony in the fact that what looks so little like AssCreed may potentially play more in line with what people were expecting with the original game (which, to this day, is still my pick of the bunch).

I didn't know about AC: Chronicles! China and Japan would be the perfect settings for a more stealthy Assassin's Creed, and Chronicles looks like a mix between MotN and the 2D Prince of Persia, even though from the footage shown it looks very action oriented.

 

[PeregrinSe7en]

I haven't thought about other references to Tenchu, but we've planned some easter eggs from Dark Souls, Journey and other games we love

Do you have any suggestion for a Tenchu reference?

perhaps remixes/homages to the music in the tenchu series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC2Z8sc1PII&list=PL5E74868980E8AF3C

i enjoyed the musical score very much

 

[Wozman23]

I played the prototype a while ago, was instantly hooked, backed the kickstarter, and was dumbfounded when it failed. Normally I don't even like stealth games - and I never played Tenchu - but the mechanics, art direction, and character design are all very impressive. Plus, I'm a sucker for the organic integration of the HUD in Aragami's cape.

 

[KCroxtonJr]

This looks really cool, loved the Tenchu (and shinobido) games back in the day.

Why is the character to the right of the screen though? The last game I played that did that bothered me to no end...can you swap camera sides or is it locked like that?

 

[Biker19]

You see this, FROM? While you did good with the Dark Souls series, it's high time that you brought back Tenchu!

 

[BabyFaceKillah]

Yes


I will buy when it comes out.

 

[Persona7]

I thought I had voted for this on greenlight but I guess I never did.

 

[xDavidLeon]

perhaps remixes/homages to the music in the tenchu series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC2Z8sc1PII&list=PL5E74868980E8AF3C

i enjoyed the musical score very much

Two Feathers, the studio that did the music for HammerWatch, are working on the OST and SFX; I'll tell them about your idea but I think they already have a pretty good idea of what kind of 'feel' they want.

 

[Big_Al]

You ever think of contacting Devolver Digital ? They're a great indie publisher and whilst I'm not sure if they fund titles themselves they could maybe help you out in some kind of way Couldn't hurt to try and keep the game you want to make.

 

[xDavidLeon]

You ever think of contacting Devolver Digital ? They're a great indie publisher and whilst I'm not sure if they fund titles themselves they could maybe help you out in some kind of way Couldn't hurt to try and keep the game you want to make.

I spoke with some of the Devolver guys at Gamescon last year and they were pretty cool guys (obviously), but they only invest in a small amount of games each year. They are a small company and want to stay that way.

I might try contacting them again anyway.

Edit: Also, a 3rd 'Souls' game in their catalog might be a bit too much.. haha

 

[More_Badass]

I spoke with some of the Devolver guys at Gamescon last year and they were pretty cool guys (obviously), but they only invest in a small amount of games each year. They are a small company and want to stay that way.

I might try contacting them again anyway.

Edit: Also, a 3rd 'Souls' game in their catalog might be a bit too much.. haha

What's the second? Titan Souls and...

 

[xDavidLeon]

What's the second? Titan Souls and...

Crossing Souls

 

[More_Badass]

Crossing Souls

Oh, right, forgot they picked that one up.

 

[More_Badass]

New info about the game from this interview, talks about estimated length, the level editor, their experience with Kickstarter, and other aspects
http://www.onlysp.com/twin-souls-path-shadows-new-details-upcoming-stealth-game-lince-works/

 

[More_Badass]

Devs are trying to decide on a new logo design

 

[The Amusing Ciderman]

Do you have any suggestion for a Tenchu reference?

Name a character Echigoya! Or is that too blatant?

Liking the look of this game a lot. Best of luck with it. Subbed this thread.

As for the logo, I like number 1, then number 2.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

Devs are trying to decide on a new logo design

They should post less compressed images because it's impossible to judge any of those with the red artifacting like that.

That said, personally I'd go for the one without the tired blood splatter.

 

[texhnolyze]

Devs are trying to decide on a new logo design

The first one.