The Ancient Equation - New Indie Revealed

Steve from Blackwater Games writes in to reveal their upcoming turn-based, post-modern indie RPG using the Torque engine, titled The Ancient Equation. Steve tells us the game is about 2/3 complete and they hope to release in the next four months or so. You can grab some screens at the official site and here's a feature list:

- Playtime will be around 80 to 100 hours
- Over 150 unique missions
- Control a party of up to 6 characters with each having their own special abilities and stats
- Over 70 feats and skills to choose from
- Over 60 ranged and melee weapons
- Dozens of unique items and enhancements
- Over 20 non-human enemies
- Over 30 mutant enemies with each having a special attack. For example, the Underwood mutant doesn't have any internal organs so it takes very little damage from bullets
- Dozens of places to explore such as old military bunkers, pirate bases, lost government labs, etc
- Over 100 items to use
- Turn based tactical combat
- Over 30 telekinetic powers to use
- Almost 200 different characters to interact with

Click to expand...

More information.

I think you meant post-apoc instead of post modern.

I hate to be negative because any indie game maker needs to be encouraged (the more of them there are the better for us). But those screens do not look good at all. The character status screens look ok, but the inventory, and 2 game world shots look fairly rough. For 1 the character is way too small (but maybe he just had the camera pulled way back). The terrain and inside that building are just too barren looking. It needs either smaller spaces, or some kind of filler objects so it doesn't seem like just big empty spaces for no reason. I'm not complaining about the quality of the graphics here...just the big empty spaces that have no personality or any way to tell what it is.

Of course the game could still be good even looking the way those shots do. That list certainly makes it sound interesting.

I think the 2/3 complete thing could explain the screenshot quality. I'm sure (well somewhat sure) they'll flesh it out before release.

You're right about the size of the characters. Unless they're supposed to be halflings.

The barren landscapes, I would think, would be one of the last things to do. I'm no programmer but I'm sure that getting it working and bug free would be first on the agenda, then adding in the detail to the world.

It looks promising though. The graphics are decent and I love that they're putting playtime for this game at 80 - 100 hours. I haven't seen a game advertising that in a long time. Actually, I can't remember the last time any game advertised over 80 hours of gameplay.

Majnun said:

I think you meant post-apoc instead of post modern.

Click to expand...

Actually, the game author himself says "post modern".

As for the game, I'll have to agree with Majnun - it looks a bit underwhelming: it looks like the author tries to do too much (100 hours of gameplay! -- I'd much prefer a smaller game with a unique setting and innovative character development, as opposed to the standard D&D system I see here). Still, a new indie is always a good thing, so I'll be watching out for this.

I like the pulled back camera if it results in good long range tactical gun battles. This is a point that most games do badly. To do it well, however, the game needs lots of cover, a good weapons range and accuracy algorithm, and some decent enemy AI. I hope the developer is a fan of JA2.

VPeric said:

it looks like the author tries to do too much (100 hours of gameplay! -- I'd much prefer a smaller game with a unique setting and innovative character development, as opposed to the standard D&D system I see here).

Click to expand...

This is where I differ with most peoples view. Innovation is fine but so is the standard stock. Like NWN2 and MOTB. No one can say MOTB wasn't different. I enjoyed it as much as the OC with the usual grumpy dwarves/tree hugging elves. Imo innovation doesn't always mean better, just different.

You maybe right about trying to do too much, but lets wait to see on that. He maybe able to pull off a game that takes at least a month to pass and is fun to boot. I haven't played one of those since Ultima 3 and 4. Well Witcher was close to that length but not quite.

So the best they can come up with is "we're got all kinds of stuff to kill and all kinds of ways to kill it"? What about story, character, setting, ...

A bonus that it take splace in an non typical fantasy setting. They do have a forum, maybe with enough prodding on it the dev can be pe persuaded to divulge some story and quest types. And if they need more attention be prodded to do so.

Another game that was abandoned?