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Open world RPGs is something Linux has quite a big lack of, so the steampunk-inspired RPG Gyre: Nova State would be a welcome addition.

Currently on Kickstarter, where the developer is asking for CA$150K, they have quite a way to go with 23 days left and only CA$8K pledged. A shame they haven't had a lot of traction currently, as it does sound like it could be awesome. Here's how they describe it:

Gyre: Nova State is an open world RPG that combines gameplay from Witcher 3, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Middle:earth Shadow of War, wrapped in a steampunk-inspired setting.

The world is based on an alternate history beginning in 1848, where over a dozen revolutions across Europe and Asia took a different turn. What followed was widespread, unrestricted technological experimentation. This resulted in scientific discoveries that allowed humans to adopt android form. Mechanized cities commonly referred to as “gyres” sprang forth and became focal points for the new android society.

Check out some gameplay from their Kickstarter video:

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I have to admit, playing as a customizable Android certainly sounds exciting. Love how it looks with the scene (at around 1:07) where you're walking through grass next to some sort of tower, looks quite beautiful. Given what they've shown off, I'm actually a little shocked this isn't funded already.

It will feature a non-linear story that revolves around you and your actions, combat and stealth abilities, an open world larger than The Witcher 3, an NPC system that's apparently more advanced than the Nemesis system found in Shadow of War where NPCs will form factions and a deep crafting system.

Find it on Kickstarter.

Hat tip to Cxpher.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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silmeth 23 May 2018
Worked on by a former BioWare designer, fair multiplatform declaration: “The platforms are Windows 10, Linux, Mac, PS4, and Xbox One. The Alpha is likely to be Windows only. We fully expect to have Mac and Linux support for the Beta.”, no PC=Windows as in “PC, Mac and Linux” bullshit. And the steampunk setting. I really like that.

I’d like to see one day a bit more realistic human-focused¹ steam-punk (19th century but with steam analytical machines connected to telegraphic teletype networks) rather than Victorian-era androids that are far more high-tech than what we do have now, but still I like it. :)

¹ or urban fantasy, ie. with humanoid dwarves, goblins, elves, & other fantasy races, but without too much magic.


Last edited by silmeth on 23 May 2018 at 11:38 am UTC
Arehandoro 23 May 2018
It looks good, kind of original setting but also full of promises, especially regarding narrative, that experience tells me to hold on fire for now. I hope they succeed and if it turns out to be a great game will definitely buy it.
elmapul 23 May 2018
i'm interested due to the steam punk aspects, but i already have more games in my wish list than i think its humanly possible to play in a single life, so i might skip that.

also they are promissing too much, an game should have focus, making an story that you can influence, build your own story is hard enough.
if they focus on story teling, they may achieve something close to that, but instead they will have an combat system with many options, they will have to sacrifice one of those 2 things.
either they have no idea that they will need to do that, or the game will be limited in one of those 2 things
[edit]
" rather than Victorian-era androids that are far more high-tech than what we do have now, but still I like it. "

agree


Last edited by elmapul on 23 May 2018 at 11:48 am UTC
RTheren 23 May 2018
Steampunk and RPG?

Instabuy once it's out
lucifertdark 23 May 2018
They had me at Steampunk. It's a shame about it being a kickstarter though, I don't do Kickstarter, ever.
Modanung 23 May 2018
More like steamdandy.

Last month they tried to raise CA$ 250k for the same project, btw.


Last edited by Modanung on 23 May 2018 at 6:37 pm UTC
cbones 23 May 2018
It looks interesting, but this kickstarter seems more like a promotional tool than a way to bring in much needed funding. They are trying to raise an additional ~3% of their total budget? Really?
nitroflow 23 May 2018
The sheer size of the map alone makes me weary, sounds like a whole lot of nothing to me and possibly lots of long distance busy work through said nothingness.
silmeth 23 May 2018
Last month these spoiled former AAA brats tried to suck in CA$ 250k for the same project, btw.

Reading through comments there it seems they just did not think over the reward tiers thoroughly (eg. they did not anticipate any physical rewards for higher tiers), and so closed the first campaign and relaunched it. Seems OK to me.

What is more suspicious for me is what cbones noticed a few comments above – that their Kickstarter goal makes only 3 % of their whole planned budget.
Modanung 23 May 2018
What is more suspicious for me is what cbones noticed a few comments above – that their Kickstarter goal makes only 3 % of their whole planned budget.
Do you think my $5,- a month is suspicious too? In my case a mere $15,- would break the 3% mark of the first goal. ;)


Last edited by Modanung on 23 May 2018 at 3:27 pm UTC
silmeth 23 May 2018
Do you think my $5,- a month is suspicious too? In my case a mere $15,- would break the 3% mark of the first goal. ;)

Your goal is $666 per month, and I can believe that is your intended final budget for whatever you do to be able to continue without losing money and needing external financing.

Their Kickstarter goal is $116,733, while they themselves claim in their campaign that they’ve already invested $1,200,000 (over ten times as much as they want to get from the Kickstarter) and that the remaining budget is $3,100,000 (almost 30 times as much).

That suggests that either they really do not need financing from Kickstarter and it’s only a marketing device, or that the whole thing is really risky, they want to get whatever they realistically can from backers (thus relatively low campaign goal compared to the whole budget), hoping they can secure the rest of the budget later. Anyway, apparently even successful Kickstarter campaign won’t fund their game. They either are funded already or not, successful Kickstarter won’t change it either way.

EDIT: but on the other hand I am totally not a business person. As far as I am concerned, it’s totally possible that those three percent of their planned budget is exactly what they need at the moment to actually kick start quicker development and publishing of the game.


Last edited by silmeth on 23 May 2018 at 3:52 pm UTC
Modanung 23 May 2018
As far as I am concerned, it’s totally possible that those three percent of their planned budget is exactly what they need at the moment to actually kick start quicker development and publishing of the game.
Kickstarter uses, what they call, all-or-nothing funding. I'm guessing this one will end in nothing.

Your goal is $666 per month...
My ultimate goal is to prevent humanity from destroying itself by promoting and teaching open source doctrine while telling the proper stories both of which will hopefully inspire responsible awareness. Such - I believe - is the way to blissful coexistence, automated agriculture and no money, haste or the need for laws.


Last edited by Modanung on 23 May 2018 at 7:26 pm UTC
14 23 May 2018
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They had me at Steampunk. It's a shame about it being a kickstarter though, I don't do Kickstarter, ever.
I guess the funding process doesn't matter a whole ton to me. Why is it a shame if it's opt-in?
lucifertdark 24 May 2018
I guess the funding process doesn't matter a whole ton to me. Why is it a shame if it's opt-in?
I meant it's a shame that I want to give them some money to help fund it but on principle as it's Kickstarter I won't, I've been burnt on kickstarter in the past with funding projects that died shortly after.
slaapliedje 24 May 2018
Open world RPGs is something Linux has quite a big lack of, so the steampunk-inspired RPG Gyre: Nova State would be a welcome addition.

I actually think there are quite a lot of open world RPGs for Linux. The problem is there aren't many really GREAT ones. They all kind of play in a similar way too.

I hate the fact that most of the time 'open world' means you are plopped in an environment with not much if any story line, you end up roaming around and chopping down trees and gathering resources and crafting, but not much else.

Now if it's more along the line of Shadow of Mordor or Dying Light that's great! If it's something like ARK, which mind you is a beautiful game, but feels pointless if you don't play multiplayer (which I rarely do).

This does look good though!
Beamboom 24 May 2018
Hmmm... The fighting looks very static, almost mmorpg-like. And the dialogues too remind me of a rather generic mmo, as do the city...

Don't get me wrong, I love, LOVE the concept/setting, I salute them for not going the fantasy route, and agree that we sorely miss a open world RPG. Plus I totally dig steampunk aestetics. But is this the one we wait for? I'm not sure...
PublicNuisance 24 May 2018
I normally would prefer a working Linux demo to kickstart a game but I broke down and backed it anyway. Game looks like something I would enjoy.
slaapliedje 26 May 2018
Hmmm... The fighting looks very static, almost mmorpg-like. And the dialogues too remind me of a rather generic mmo, as do the city...

Don't get me wrong, I love, LOVE the concept/setting, I salute them for not going the fantasy route, and agree that we sorely miss a open world RPG. Plus I totally dig steampunk aestetics. But is this the one we wait for? I'm not sure...

There's a discussion I ended up in about RPGs and railroad vs sandbox. This was about pen and paper RPGs, but pretty much applies to video games too.

Some didn't like the term 'railroad'. I usually hear it as 'on rails' when applied to video games, because some of them literally were on a train and you couldn't move anywhere, just shoot at things. But I think there are at least four levels here. I think there is

1) Railroad: really no control over what your character does, everything is force fed you and you can't wander off the beaten path much if at all. These are basically like the shooting games in the Arcade; Terminator 2, Hogan's Alley, etc.

2) Linear: story moves along, but there are some side quests here and there, but you can't just go wandering all over the map. Locks you in with either creatures you couldn't possibly overpower, or terrain you can't cross. Some of the Final Fantasy games, Doom and most FPS.

3) Open World: This is where you have some adventures around, can go pretty much anywhere, and just do your thing. Side quests, main quests, and just random things. But here there is still a beginning and an end. If you want there to be. This fits the Ultimas and Elder scrolls games.

4) Sandbox: You're plopped in there with no direction, very little story/plot, and you can just interact with things. Minecraft (before story mode? I haven't played that), Ark, etc.

I prefer games that are somewhere between Linear and Open World. Mainly because when they're too open, they end up becoming not complete and are more of a sandbox.
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