RPGWatch Feature - Ghost of a Tale at Gamescom

I talked to a couple of indie developers at Gamescom. One of them was Seith, who is working on Ghost of a Tale, which features a minstrel mouse, which is a lead character you do not see often in a role playing game. Given that I was looking forward to learn what he has accomplished since the Indiegogo campaign and interview him, resulting in this article.

The game has no combat mode in which you can fight with your opponents. It is a non-violent game and you will need to find other ways than fighting to defeat your opponents. Next to sneaking, running or hiding, you could for example also drop things on them. Not only do you need to use your skills to pass the rats, but you will need it as well to solve other problems. You are after all only a small mouse and many things aren't that easy for you. Like a key that is out of your reach, but can be obtained by dragging a stool from another room to climb on, thus shortening the distance to the key

More information.

Ghost of a Tale (GoaT) seems to be a very unique, interesting and charming game.
I backed it and after reading your detailed info I think it will turn out good!

Thank you for the info, Myrthos!

I agree, it sounds wonderful! I love the fact that the Developers have had the gumption to try something different to the bog standard 'kill enemy with big stick' approach to gaming.

I'm looking forward to this one

The game reminds me of the Redwall novels by Brian Jacques. That's not a bad thing either as I always wanted to play a game in my youth like this.

Thanks for the preview Myrthos.

Let's not give it too many points for originality. Even in the nice mouse game, they just can't break out of the same old escape-from-prison RPG intro.

That's a very interesting project.
I found it quite surprising which games influenced his game. Maybe this was in that long YouTube video for his IndieGogo campaign. Let's just say his answer to that question was exactly was our community wants to hear.

Originally Posted by Capt. Huggy Face
Let's not give it too many points for originality. Even in the nice mouse game, they just can't break out of the same old escape-from-prison RPG intro.

Many commercial CRPGs like to start your character off with next to nothing. This is just one way to do it. I suppose you could wake up in a gutter somewhere and wonder what the heck you're doing in the body of a mouse.

No Combat mode? I coulda sworn one of the very early vids I saw of this game was some little mouse guy battling some ghost rats by a seashore. But the no combat mode makes a ton of sense in this game and if that feature sticks I want this game even more. Actually, the no combat mode would be a cool feature to include in a lot of games. Sneak or Flee, very cool.

The German PC/XBox/Games-press is very positive, too:

Areagames.de

RP-Online

ingame.de

PC-Games Hardware

Originally Posted by Dajjer
No Combat mode? I coulda sworn one of the very early vids I saw of this game was some little mouse guy battling some ghost rats by a seashore. But the no combat mode makes a ton of sense in this game and if that feature sticks I want this game even more. Actually, the no combat mode would be a cool feature to include in a lot of games. Sneak or Flee, very cool.

Only very recently found out about this game and also remember seeing a video with combat, the same video I think, possibly on their website. The game looked like a breath of fresh air until I saw that video with combat, it seemed completely out of place and counter to the feel of the game, or at least my impression/hope for it so it's great news that there won't be combat.

The thought of a little mouse having to make do with its heavily limited physical prowess to overcome challenges rather than a tiny mouse fighting/killing relatively huge enemies is worlds better and has massive and good implications for how the rest of the game will have to be designed.

I feel any kind of combat would hurt the game, while without it I'm very interested in seeing all the alternative solutions to such "enemy" problems they come up with. Maybe stealth (shadows, noise), misdirection to make an enemy leave its post so one can progress. Hopefully with a number of options for many of those situations. I just hope they don't replace it to often with cliched things like using the environment to drop something on an enemy killing it etc.