Grotesque - Hunting for Publishers

Dhruin

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This is the first newsbit we've had for Grotesque: Heroes Hunted here but some may recall a few newsbits back at RPGDot. This German project with a twist of black humour is now looking for publishers, so hopefully we'll be seeing more in the near future:
The Story-Intensive RPG: Grotesque - Heroes Hunted

Schanz International Consultants and their partner Developer Silent Dreams are gearing up to present the very special atmospheric fantasy RPG: Grotesque - Heroes Hunted, to publishers.

There has been a lull for some time and over the last half an year the team was busy improving Grotesque, both technically and design-wise based on publisher feedback. It will now be proudly unveiled again in its improved form.

Grotesque - Heroes Hunted is a deep fantasy RPG and is considered in direct competition with Oblivion, Gothic and Two Worlds. As opposed to the modern classic RPGs, or all action RPGs, Grotesque focuses on a very intensive and atmospherically dense story line, which, through its elements of black humour, party battles and striking characters reminds one of the cult classic in RPGs, Planescape Torment.

Rayk "DeadPoet" Kerstan, Creative Director of Silent Dreams says, "Whilst we were revising the graphics and technology, we set ourselves another big target. We want to release the most story-intensive game that has appeared over the last few years. For many years it is exactly the story and interesting characters that have been totally neglected, because the focus has been on a massive world and optimal freedom - this has been generally related to coincidence-based actions and generated characters, but a thread leading the gamer throughout the game has been missing, and that is exactly what we are now putting back into place."

Just imagine, you wake up one day and find yourself suddenly transported into a totally different world.

The story of Grotesque concerns Roger Sun, an everyday hero from the present, who is neither particularly strong nor particularly honourable. He is the guitarist in a heavy metal band, loves animals and is a huge fan of RPG and adventures. Through a mysterious artefact, a richly decorated antique mirror, he is sucked into another world and lands, complete with his lounge furnishings, right in the midst of a conflict between the alliance of humans and elves and grass-like creatures.

It seems as though the eternal battle between light and dark of this game that has been going on for years suddenly becomes serious and turns to become his reality. But Roger had never realised that a hero's life, as a prospective chosen one, would be anything like this.

The forces of the light that Roger urgently needs as co-combatants and friends, emerge mostly as arrogant, egotistical and to some extent even engage in inter-fighting. When the vampires, Dawnclaude & Solithaire, appear and with sadistic fiendishness hunt down anything human, it becomes quite clear that they are merely the forerunners of a very angry and murky power, a power that would not remain unaware of the sudden appearance of Roger Sun...

Gerhard Schanz, the Managing Director of Schanz International Consultants says, "Over the next few months we will disclose further material from Grotesque - Heroes Hunted from Silent Dreams, where it will become obvious how Grotesque can be distinguished from the monotony of Action RPGs. Indeed, Grotesque will be a treat to the RPG community and also encourage and attract new players to join this unusual saga with the hero of Grotesque"!

In order to be able to implement this also from the technological point of view, Silent Dreams works together with some famous Gothic graphic artists. This includes the Lead Artist of the Gothic series, Horst Dworczak.

Players and RPG fans are encouraged to actively contribute to the Grotesque forum, where the developers are always available for contact.

Grotesque - Heroes Hunted is announced for release in 2008. The publisher for the Russian territory is Akella. Licensing partners for Europe and world-wide are under consideration.
More information.
 
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Wauw. It seems Grotesque is a game that is to be watched in the future.
It happens seldom that a company writes such words in a press release but that is perhaps because most of the RPGs made are action RPGs.
It contained a lot of criticism towards the modern RPG.
 
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I like the premise; it will be interesting to see if the implementation is as good as the hype!! I hope so.
 
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I like the fact that they chose Planescape Torment as a comparison. I had almost given up hope of seeing another major rpg that focuses on story based roleplaying. The screenshots look quite nice as well. I only wish they had chosen a different title.
 
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And the focus isn't only on story-based but also on the black humor. And THAT is really the thing that's been missing in RPGs since decades. I can only think of Planescape: Torment and later on maybe Anachronox (but that's maybe not a real rpg ; - ) I just do like games that make me laugh out loud from time to time. And I do like RPGs. So a combination of this must be a good thing : - )
 
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DeadPoet was Part of our german NWN1 modding community. Maybe you know his module "Always Summer Nights". That's an indicator for Grotesque, though Grotesque should be less slapstick. Such things like NPCs called Brittny Spears are gone. But "Holy Avatar" is one of the key characters of the game (the guy with that big sword, calling himself only in third person).

I watched their progress since Grotesque has been announced. It's impressive how the game develops. At the beginnig I feared it would end up as a slapstick RPG, but as the graphics developed (Anyone out there, who remembers the first screens?), the game design also seemed to make progesses (as I understood my chats with Poet)

You didn't post the new screens (11.05.2007), Dhruin? Shall I send you the screens (without branding)?
 
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Oh yeah, this game looks hilarious. One of the screen shots shows 5 well armed warriors against a small tiger stripped hare. The dialog box says:

Sorry little wild rabbit, but I think I need to inform you that we are 5 against one. What will you do now?
 
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Um, Bard's Tale had a good dose of humor, never mind the gameplay... :)
 
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I'll but this even if it's not a good game, because if these guys are truly willing to make the effort - then they have earned my support.
 
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DeadPoet was Part of our german NWN1 modding community. Maybe you know his module "Always Summer Nights". That's an indicator for Grotesque, though Grotesque should be less slapstick. Such things like NPCs called Brittny Spears are gone. But "Holy Avatar" is one of the key characters of the game (the guy with that big sword, calling himself only in third person).

I watched their progress since Grotesque has been announced. It's impressive how the game develops. At the beginnig I feared it would end up as a slapstick RPG, but as the graphics developed (Anyone out there, who remembers the first screens?), the game design also seemed to make progesses (as I understood my chats with Poet)

You didn't post the new screens (11.05.2007), Dhruin? Shall I send you the screens (without branding)?


Can you please post a link to always summer nights, I cant find it at nwvault :( would love to play it!
 
Now that's what I call hyping! Direct competition with Oblivion, Gothic and Two worlds, with the comparison of Planescape: Torment. I have to admit, the game does look like it's worth trying, but I assume that kind of hyping is to get a decent publisher, not to give gamers realistic expectations, hehe.
 
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@Lernaian:
My fault, I'm getting older. The module's name was Always Summer Days.
Click
If you have problems to open the module, open it with the toolset, save it without changes and try again. :)

@Dhruin:

You've got mail. :)
 
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I must say that I like what I'm seeing and reading about this game. I'm definitely going to put it on my must watch list.
 
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