Black Geyser - Gameplay Video & Kickstarter Soon

I'm looking forward to the Kickstarter, but there are a lot of topics I would like to know more about:

- Combat mechanics (RTwP we know, but that's just the interface. How about to-hit, resistance, armor, damage, spells, speed, stealth etc.)
- Character builds (12 classes? Ok cool. In a entirely new system? What will differentiate them? Perks, skills, attributes, levels, roles, stances, pets? Diplomatic skills vs Combat skills?)
- Loot system (You've talked about the greed system, but what about gear in general? Random/Hand placed, Scaled/Absolute, Weapon types, Armor types, Artifacts etc.)
- Enemies (Enemy variety, challenge level/scaling, AI, respawns etc.)

A lot of Kickstarter pitches do a good job of telling the story and the general concept of a game, but a poor job of telling the specifics. I understand there may be changes during development etc. but I reckon these things are a BIG part of a game like this and should be pretty much decided beforehand.

Being clear about these things from the get-go of a Kickstarter is also a good way to avoid angry backers down the line, since a lot of us are borderline autistic and will rage if a game contains mechanics we loathe, be it respawns, multiplayer, dice rolls, level scaling, loot scaling or awesome buttons.
 
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First, a question: would anyone here be interested in an event on a Black Geyser Discord channel where you could ask real-time on chat? About ruleset as well, for example. We received several requests already from fans to setup a Discord channel.

For TomRon's post:

The core of rule system is certainly done, but fine-tuning, balancing and some changes are possible and expectable, as Black Geyser is a work in progress. So my answer may not be complete to you, so feel free to keeping asking.

By default, you can assume Black Geyser works as the games it was inspired by. With fine-tuned differences, of course. So, when I don't answer to a point, you can assume the above.

Then, compared to this default, they are differences. (Again, ruleset is not yet optimized and balanced.)

- Combat mechanics (RTwP we know, but that's just the interface. How about to-hit, resistance, armor, damage, spells, speed, stealth etc.)
The ruleset is too complex to be explained in a forum post (and subject to smaller changes, as I said), but a key concept is called "Direct Indicator". A Direct Indicator is something that directly influences the game in a real scenario (for example, the chance of a successful Stealing by a Thief). It's a value used in a final formula to calculate the outcome/result of something that has direct effect on gameplay (such as stealing, or damaging another character). So, it's calculated from other stats of the same character, but is not used for further intermediate calculations. Your ability or race can never be a direct indicator, because they determine a bunch of (intermediate) things as well at the same character. That is, you don't kill someone with your Physique or with your short sword's base damage. It's the final value of the damage, on his side, that causes him to die.

Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness has two subgroups of direct indicators: universal (every creature has it) and class-specific (for example, for Thief or Swindler). They are more of an engine concept than a public concept, but why not to share some insider infos about the engine. :)

Every creature can have Natural Armor and Artificial Armor. Natural Armor can be, for example, the very thick skin of a giant. Artificial Armor is, for example, your character's chainmail. Then, a powerful giant may wear an Artifical Armor above his skin, of course.

Resistances (which are universal direct indicators) are as follows. All effects are covered by one or more of these. Composite effects are covered by more than one.
  • Resistance to Arousal Effects
  • Resistance to Cold
  • Resistance to Depressive Effects
  • Resistance to Heat
  • Resistance to Illusion & Manipulation
  • Resistance to Poison & Acid
  • Resistance to Pulse and Blow
  • Resistance to Slashing
  • Resistance to Stabbing
  • Resistance to Strain & Pain
For example, fear or panic are arousal effects, while sleep or stun are depressive effects. When you get hit by a blunt weapon, resistance to Pulse and Blow is applied. As another example, a lightning bolt has to do with 3 resistances:
  • Pulse and Blow
  • Strain & Pain (electricity!)
  • Heat (obviously)
We use a weighting factor, so some resistances can be more important for a particular effect than other resistances.

- Loot system (You've talked about the greed system, but what about gear in general? Random/Hand placed, Scaled/Absolute, Weapon types, Armor types, Artifacts etc.)
No scaling or senseless randomness. A goblin will drop the same set of items at the end of the game as at the beginning. Available weapon skills (not all classes have all of these available, as you can see on the Classes page):
  • Bows and Arrows
  • Slings and Fustibals
  • Throwing in Short Range
  • War Clubs and Hammers
  • Greatswords and Long Swords
  • Short Swords and Daggers
  • Battle Axes
  • Spears and Halberds
  • Rods and Staves

- Enemies (Enemy variety, challenge level/scaling, AI, respawns etc.)
No scaling (if we understand exactly the same definition of scaling). No senseless respawn. Reasonable approaches are possible, but I wouldn't necessarily call that respawn. AI is certainly scriptable.

The 6 abilities are as follows: Physique, Dexterity, Intelligence, Focus, Charisma, Supernatural.

More to come later. I attached a picture about a work material which shows a dependency graph between various things.

Note that Direct Indicators are a working name, and eventually it might not be used at all in the public, final version of the ruleset. The logical layer of the game engine, however, uses it as an internal concept for sure and this won't change.

So anyone from here, interested in a Discord event?
 

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You probably read it, but here is the spell system:
http://www.blackgeyser.com/game-spells

An important concept is VDS (voluntary deep sleep). Required/useful for spell memorization, HP healing etc. VDS is important because not all sleep is deep and not all sleep is voluntary. A short rest of the party is not deep sleep. When your character falls to the ground in a battle due to a hostile Sleep effect, it's obviously not voluntary. :D
 
Do you guys really think it makes you game sound cooler or something to be using words like "voluntary deep sleep" when you want to actually say "Spell Memorization" ?

Serious, this is same shit like PoE where instead of Vampire they had Vampyr.. how deluded do you have to be to think we are retards that are going to say Cool instead of laugh at retard designers…

Also "Resistance to Arousal Effects".. really?! You don't think people will make fun of your game because of this?
Didn't you learn nothing from Crushmaster?!
 
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Do you guys really think it makes you game sound cooler or something to be using words like "voluntary deep sleep" when you want to actually say "Spell Memorization" ?
But Spell Memorization doesn't restore (heal) your Hit Points while VDS does.

this is same shit like PoE
You don't think people will make fun of your game because of this?
I think people who think PoE is shit will make fun of it, yes.
 
Having said that, Kickstarter is also about involving the audience into insider stuff of development and so on. Which means that some of these names or internal game engine concepts may never make it into the retail (boxed or digital) edition of the game. Because they are not for the end user.
 
[*]Resistance to Arousal Effects
Can we counter that resistance with Viagra-tipped arrows?

Out of curiosity (I couldn't find it anywhere), what's the native language of the people creating this game? Only trace of origin info I could find is that the blackgeyser.com website is registered to a company in Hungary.
 
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But Spell Memorization doesn't restore (heal) your Hit Points while VDS does.
Ok then calling it long rest, good rest or anything else normal works better than VDS.
I think people who think PoE is shit will make fun of it, yes.
I am not one of those, but some features of PoE were shit and made the game overall worse than it could have been.
 
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I see.

The native language of people creating this game is currently English, German, Hungarian and Slovak. We use English in company communication. Subteams with same language members may use their own language.
 
Ok then calling it long rest, good rest or anything else normal works better than VDS.

It may not. VDS is an uncommon combination of words, which ensures it is not used commonly. It is unlikely to be dropped here and there with no relation to the content it qualifies.

When effects stack and work into layers, the situation must be characterized with no ambiguity so that players manipulate at will effects and forecast consequences.
VDS is unlikely to appear in common texts, contrary to good rest.

The question is to know whether there are layers. When in VDS, this or that but when not in VDS, this or that etc
 
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This is something I'll never understand - why projects don't just post small, consistent updates. You don't need to pay for a PR blagger to make them "shiny". Just let people know you're still alive and working every month, and it would make all the difference in the world! No one's going to convince me that it's impossible to find time to write a couple of paragraphs every few weeks.

If you saw the dumpster fire of a thread on the codex you'd understand why they need all the help they can get in PR.

The devs are ESL in a very hilarious and awkward way. If you look at their youtube videos this is quite clear. The voice over actor reads the script verbatim, and there are grammar errors in even the tiny bit of narration.

I'm not sure where this dev team is, but they're website is bananas, their lore is incomprehensible, and the naming of things is just bizarre (e.g. "drying" mechanic). I'm not here to derail this thread or anything, but based on what I've seen since this project was announced on the codex a few years ago I'd recommend most people not get their hopes up that this team can deliver anything coherent.

However, if their kickstarter is well polished then that might change. Time will tell, but so far based on this thread it seems not much has changed.
 
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This product is RTwP and looks as if it plays RTwP. This feature alone wont get it many friends amongst people whose skillsets are limited to UgoIgo.
 
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@Mustawd;

Yes, and I was trying to pin down some of the things that contribute to that impression. Unfortunately the conversation took on an argumentative dynamic, and I didn't feel I was doing any good.
 
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This product is RTwP and looks as if it plays RTwP. This feature alone wont get it many friends amongst people whose skillsets are limited to UgoIgo.
Just because someone prefers turn-based RPGs doesn't mean it's because their "skillsets" are limited. Give it a fucking rest already with this fucking garbage you constantly spew, the oh-so-subtle insults. Your mouth, on this forum at least, is like a dumpster unloading at a landfill.
 
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RTwP is awful.
Only because you're awful at it!!!! HAHA!!!!!!

Actually, I'm an awful ChienAboyeur impostor. He would have said that in 3 long paragraphs of super awkward English but using lots of fancy words along the way, and a few words he invented himself.
 
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Only because you're awful at it!!!! HAHA!!!!!!

Actually, I'm an awful ChienAboyeur impostor. He would have said that in 3 long paragraphs of super awkward English but using lots of fancy words along the way, and a few words he invented himself.

When one plays that which has not been ideal from accepted playstyle then one has many disagreements and general dissatisfaction. The appropriate response should be garnered from the streaming community. Instead is found an accepted response of this site towards the crowdfunded scene. It is growingly difficult for the products to expand without streamer engagement. This site has only one engagement towards the crowdfunded scene.
 
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Meh I enjoy both RTwP and turn-based RPGs. :p

Obviously some games do it better than others, and it's a design choice. Also Rothgor don't let the negativity get to you, and develop the game you want to play.

Just watch Jeff Vogel at GDC this year for inspiration.

Link - https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1024944/Failing-to-Fail-The-Spiderweb
 
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Well I prefer turn based, but I play RTwP like a turn based, with some well placed auto-pause settings and my finger on the spacebar.
 
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