So another 2 heroes added (104), a top battle minigame (beyblade?), and a korean localization tier reached. Should see an update to the stretch goals today.
For today’s update, we’re going to be taking a peek at the game’s battle system. You may have seen that some of the battle screenshots we’ve shown have the party members standing in different places and at different elevations. This plays into the mechanics for battle.
In Eiyuden Chronicle, characters will automatically be placed in formations that match each battlefield's elevation differences, obstacles, and other unique features. So while this is a turn-based RPG, the dev team is striving for battles that really pull you into the scene.
It's not just skin deep, either:
Snipers and mages can attack from vantage points.
Characters can hide behind cover to protect themselves and support comrades
Mages can use magic to burn away the grass, or sunder the land and affect topography with earthquakes. Terrain matters in this game and can be used to gain the upper hand.
That’s a first little look at the new features the team is working on for the battle system. We can’t wait for all of you to get your hands on it!
New Game Plus:
We’ve also gotten a lot of questions about both the game’s difficulty, and what New Game Plus has in store for players.
First, New Game Plus will feature a significant boost in difficulty, and different attacks patterns for existing bosses. Additionally, should you still find the New Game Plus difficulty too easy, players will be able to set a variety of handicaps to make the game even more challenging.
Naturally, New Game Plus wouldn’t be complete without the ability to carry over your characters from your previous game.
How does New Game Plus sound to you? Are there other key aspects to a New Game Plus playthrough that you’d like to see added?
One thing I'd like to see in a NG+ mode is Hero Lockout. I guess what I'm envisioning is kind of an anti-NG+ mode? If you used a certain character for X% of the game (or they were in your party when you completed the game? or they reached a certain level threshold when you completed the game?) then you can't use them in NG+, forcing you to use more and more of the massive character cast. Maybe for ultimate completionists they could add some sort of reward (cosmetic? trophy?) for locking out all of your heroes.
Welcome to our first addition of Painter’s Easel, where we highlight the art of Eiyuden Chronicle. This time, we’re focusing on two of our recently announced characters, Hildi and Maxim, and getting some insight on the inspiration behind the uniforms many of the characters wear.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Hildi
AGE: 21
HOME: A military family
FAVORITE FOOD: Sugar toast
Seign's right-hand officer, a capable aide with an incredible attention to detail. Sometimes, Hildi is so prepared that she's ready to carry out her orders before they're given. While she hails from a famous military family, a disreputable act attributed to her father has sullied their honor. She is determined to restore dignity to her house.
Hildi's hobbies include tidying, organizing, tidying, cleaning, and tidying. When she's in a foul mood, she chases the soldiers from the barracks and cleans the dickens out of the place—their personal effects included—so they are extra careful not to rile her up.
QUOTE:
"Everything has been arranged, sir. Otherwise I wouldn't be doing my job."
Anyone would be lucky to have someone like Hildi at their side on the battlefield. Just don’t annoy her!
Maxim
AGE: 24
PROFESSION: Officer in one of the League's armies
FAVORITE FOOD: Roast beef
A second lieutenant in the army of one of the League of Nations' member states. He's earnest to a fault, and isn't shy about professing his idealistic views. Fortunately, his soldiers and friends see past that and recognize Maxim as a likable and honest man who just wants to achieve his very best.
QUOTE:
"I already know the secret to success. Care to hear it? It's quite simple: don't stop trying to succeed."
Maxim sounds like he’ll make for a reliable ally, if maybe a little too naive? I guess we’ll see in the final game!
Military Uniforms of Allraan
Since we decided to spotlight Maxim and Hildi, two military officers, in today’s update, we thought it appropriate to get some word from the development team on their thoughts on the design intent behind the game’s various uniforms. Here’s what designer Junko Kawano had to say about the uniforms in the game:
“Seign and the others' uniforms were designed with the idea that it's a uniform to be worn by strict people who take rules and balance very seriously.
For all of the characters, we took into account their position and standing when designing their clothing. Nowa's uniform, for instance, is sort of like a hodge-podge. Nowa himself just put it together using what he could find.”
+1
miscellaneousinsanitygrass grows, birds fly, sun shines,and brother, i hurt peopleRegistered Userregular
i just realised they're listing everyone's favorite foods because of the cooking battles, not just for flavor text
Guild System
In the Fortress Town’s early stages, you will need to take a direct role in expanding the town by gathering resources, conducting trade, and so forth. However, as the Fortress Town gets bigger, you’ll gain the ability to found “guilds”: a miners’ guild, woodcutters’ guild, guardsmen’s guild, blacksmiths’ guild, cooks’ guild, traders’ guild, etc.
Once you’ve established these guilds around town, they will start doing some of the resource gathering and other legwork for you. And if you expand the guilds further, you’ll be able to set up special detachment parties (separate from your main party) to carry out guild work and amass even more resources and funds. These resources can then be invested to upgrade the Fortress Town and its guilds even further.
Now, we plan for these detachment parties to actually move through the game world toward their objectives. And while the more responsible heroes may head straight for the finish line and mine the ore or defend the town that’s in trouble, other heroes may be more inclined to warm a tavern seat or take side trips. Not only that, depending on the abilities of the heroes you choose for the detachment, they may bring home extra resources. Or, if they are attacked along the way without an able fighter, they may be put to flight and return home empty-handed.
Basically, since your characters have a variety of abilities, you’ll want to choose your detachment rosters carefully to maximize your results.
Rune Lenses
Rune-lenses are the backbone of all power in the world of Eiyuden Chronicles. Lenses have different significance from nation to nation and culture to culture, but people everywhere have learned to harness their magical power and have handed that wisdom down—whether it’s to cast spells; use supernatural powers; or wield the lens symbolically, claiming the “divine gifts” represent a communion with god. The lenses are commonly crafted into weapons and accessories. However, the Galdean Empire has figured out how to amplify the lenses’ power by placing them inside specially engineered rings called “regules.”
The most valuable rune-lenses are sometimes handed down through families. There are also some individuals who are born with them inside their bodies. Many heroes have their own rune-lenses—no doubt you’ve noticed the back of Marisa’s hand or Perrielle’s hairpin—but you may also encounter heroes who don’t rely on rune-lenses at all.
The lenses’ importance carries over into the game system, too. By affixing runes to your heroes’ lenses, you can give them new magics and skills, or perhaps improve their physical abilities. Each hero’s lens is unique and supports runes of different type, rarity, and quantity. Some lenses may already contain a specialized rune that cannot be removed. Others may require runes of a certain type be affixed in specific positions. And when your heroes level up, the number of runes their lenses hold can potentially increase. We hope that players will use this system to create a roster of heroes that feels personal and powerful.
I wonder where else a brave adventurer might find rune-lenses in the world of Allraan?
Mellore is on a grand adventure to become a mage, but what she pictures in her head and what mages actually do are...shall we say...two different things. She's completely convinced that the spell-slinging "magical girls" depicted in one of her father's books are what the job is all about.
QUOTE:
"In the name of love and justice... I am Mellore and I call my magic!"
She doesn’t quite get what being a mage is all about yet, but she’ll figure it out eventually...
Rody
AGE: 13
HOME: Son of a League craftsman
FAVORITE FOOD: Pretzels
A boy who dreams of being a great watchmaker. Is he a little disagreeable? Yes. But there's something about that sparkle in his eye as he gazes, transfixed, at an elaborate timepiece.
QUOTE:
"Ohh... So that's what makes it tick... Well, I could put together one of these, easily. Just give me a year."
Rody seems pretty determined to be a watchmaker. Let’s hope he one day achieves that dream!
Thespian’s Stage: Osamu Komuta Interview This week’s interview is with Director Osamu Komuta. We chat with Komuta-san about battle systems, the game’s surrounding systems design, and his experience working with Murayama-san for the first time.
Minigame Explanation The world of Eiyuden Chronicle is filled with exciting minigames to take your mind off the war that rages across the land. Whether you’re looking to become the very best, or just looking for a diversion, there’s plenty to do!
Fishing
Once the player reaches a certain point in the game, they will meet a hero who knows how to fish, thus allowing them to access the fishing game. There are many different fishing spots all over Allraan, each featuring different fish. You'll even find some bizarre fish with human faces.
Successfully catching lots of fish will require skill not just as a gamer, but knowledge in terms of selecting the right bait for the fish, and acquiring better fishing rods. Fish you catch can be made into cooking ingredients or sold for high prices.
The fortress town will also eventually acquire strange fishing spots that contain fish from all over the world.
Beigoma
In Allraan, beigoma has been popular with people of all ages for a long time. Shops in town sell beigoma starter kits, customization kits, and other various beigoma-related merchandise.
When you start playing beigoma, various other beigoma players will challenge you to duels. Skill tournaments will also be held. You'll meet up with famous beigoma players, learn different skills, and gain many different opportunities to prove to the world that you're the best beigoma player there is.
Trading
Merchants in Allraan travel across political borders to do business, and the player can also acquire trading goods at various trading posts in towns and villages. The price of each trading good will change depending on the time and place. Buying low and selling high can help make your adventure go much more smoothly!
Once you acquire the fortress town and find some heroes with a knack for trading, you can open a trading post in your own town.
Eggleg Racing
Eggleg races provide another source of entertainment in Allraan. Races are held in large towns, and lots of people gamble on the eggleg they think will win. Players can also take part in the gambling.
Once you acquire a fortress town and find an eggleg trainer, you'll be able to raise and breed your own egglegs, then send them out to race.
Eggleg Trainer
Once you acquire the fortess town and find an eggleg trainer, you'll be able to raise your own egglegs. Egglegs can be found on your adventure or bought directly from breeders.
Aside from raising and breeding your egglegs, you can also send them out to races. If you raise up a talented eggleg and it wins a lot of races, you'll become world-famous as a talented trainer (and earn tons of prize money, of course).
They've reached 108 characters from stretch goals, the 3.125M goal leads to the 109th character.
“Our 108th hero has been born through a new stretch goal. The number 108 is certainly a special number for many people, myself included.
However, that is a number that holds special value for the Genso Suikoden series and we want to show our respect for what that series means by finding our own number and moving forward to something new.
To symbolize that we would like to create the 109th character in the game by allowing the fans to choose between multiple character design sketches that Junko Kawano has created.
It’s my hope that this is a very important evolutionary step forward that we can take with the help of all our passionate fans.”
To that end, the visual design of character 109 will be chosen through a poll on the Eiyuden Discord. Voting will begin Friday 21st at 12 Noon ET (9 am PT). We will be showing off each of the four possible character designs on different platforms: The official Eiyuden Twitter, the official Facebook page, the official Instagram, and the unofficial /r/Eiyuden subreddit, which has been gracious enough to allow us to post the designs there.
The poll will last for exactly 24 hours. May the best design win!
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
An influential leader of several guilds. That grin of his seems amiable enough, but this is a man who has been through hell, more times than one. When trouble goes down, Gocteau gets a look in his eye that scares the pants off the younger guildsmen.
He loves to gamble, but rarely wins.
QUOTE:
"Heaven hadn't even shat you down to earth yet when I started working this business. So do us all a favor, clam it, and watch a master ply his trade."
Gocteau certainly sounds like an experienced fellow! He could make for a very useful ally!
Iris
HOME: The University of Carles
FAVORITE FOOD: Black tea, and biscuits to go with it
An architect who graduated from the League of Nation's prestigious University of Carles. She's usually quite pleasant to chat with, but when it comes to her trade, she can't shut up. Mention the word "gables" and you're in for an hour-long ode to the perfect slope—and don't even get her started about gambrels!
QUOTE:
"Oh, hello there! Come in, don't be shy. This is a happy space! That's what they pay me to build. I know, I live a charmed life."
No question, an architect could certainly come in handy when building a whole town!
Music Spotlight
While Painter’s Easel is all about characters, in this particular update, we’d also like to focus on music. To that end, we’ve got comments from both Motoi Sakuraba and Michiko Naruke about being able to work on the project.
Motoi Sakuraba
I'm very honored to be able to be a part of this project, which is filled with the hopes and high expectations of those who have supported me and have such amazing passion for the development team. I'm looking forward to composing great music for this game and I hope to create something that will resonate with you all!
Michiko Naruke
Hi, it's nice to meet you, or to many of you, it's been a while. My name is Michiko Naruke, and I'm a composer on Eiyuden Chronicles.
When I saw the names of the creative staff who asked me to participate in the production of this game, I had to catch my breath, because those were the names of people that I had always looked up to and hoped of working with someday.
A lot of things went through my mind at lightning speed. ("Are they seriously going to offer this job to a bumbling goofball like me? I mean I'm not exactly a hip, fresh composer...") But then, I made up my mind, and thought to myself, "I have to do this!"
To be honest, I was thinking that I might never have another chance to be involved in making a JRPG again.
As I'm writing this, I'm suddenly reminded of the first time I got a job for Wild Arms, and I thought, "This is surely going to be the last time I'll ever get a job like this."
More than 20 years have passed since then... In the ever-evolving game industry, I've been struggling with the difficulty of continuing to work, but I'm still fighting the battle somehow.
I've been supported by my friends and predecessors, who talked with me to the hilt and sometimes gave me harsh words of encouragement, as well as by the many fans, who have always supported our production and given me well-chosen words of encouragement. Without them, I probably wouldn't have been able to continue.
Through the Kickstarter system, we've been able to get a strong sense of how many of you have come to love JRPGs.
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who supported us in our efforts to make this game possible.
I'm a bit overwhelmed by just how high the expectations are, but I'll keep on trying (P-please root for me...).
I'm going to cherish the feeling I've been having, of making another JRPG, at every point in my life, and I'm looking forward to working with the wonderful production team.
Wish us luck!
And, last but not least...
Now in 2020, at this difficult time in the world, I'm sure there are many people who are finding it difficult to live their normal lives for a variety of reasons, including illnesses and disasters.
Some of you may be reading this from places other than your home.
Some day in the not-too-distant future, I hope to see (and hear) you all in "Eiyuden Chronicle" in good health, and I will fight as hard as I can where I am from now on, so that you can enjoy it to the fullest at that time.
I hope that you will remember me when you are in a difficult situation, and that gives you a little bit of strength.
Let's go through this together.
Ending Theme, Featuring You!
As you’ve seen, this week we unveiled our first fan participation selection via the ongoing Character 109 Backer Vote. We’re not done, though! When Murayama-san said one of his core reasons for coming to Kickstarter was to collaborate with his fans, he meant it.
Here’s a message from Murayama-san himself:
“Thank you for sending so many requests and ideas for Eiyuden Chronicle. We've decided to take those great ideas and turn them into an exciting event.”
To that end, we are happy to announce that we will be looking to gather a sample of a single phrase from the song, sung by our backers, that will later be edited into the game’s Ending Theme. We know some people might be skeptical about this, but we ask you to have faith in our ability as creators to not only choose the right voices, but to masterfully...FIX IT IN POST!
All joking aside, this is something we really want to do with the backers. We are currently discussing how to make this happen with the two composers who have agreed to participate in the project, Mr. Motoi Sakuraba and Ms. Michiko Naruke.
This is something symbolic of not only the fact that this game exists because of the backers, but also the diversity that we are focused on. After all, “You Are the World!”
Another Story: Marisa DLC
We mentioned that there would be FREE backer DLC. We finally hit the budgetary threshold to be able to provide that. At the 3.25 Million Dollar stretch goal, backers will be entitled to receive the Another Story: Marisa DLC. This content pack will contain a 5-10 hour adventure featuring one of the central characters to the story. You will get to see the world of Allraan and its many problems through her eyes.
Hopefully, this will be one great advantage that you will get for having faith in the project, and for being a backer. Courage should be rewarded!
Closing Stream
While it’s not set in stone, we are considering the idea of doing a closing stream during the last 4 hours of the campaign. The goal would be for this to be a celebration of how far we’ve gotten, as well as to get to know the key creators better. We have one problem though: we don’t know what you would like to see on the stream.
Do you want to see Murayama-san eat curry out of his pot helmet?
Would you like to see all four creators have an artist’s draw-off to see who can make the best Human-Faced Fish?
Should we ask them trivia questions?
The point is, we don’t know, and we’re looking for any suggestions you may have. Post your suggestions in the comments section for this update.
Much as we know you may want it, there’s one thing we cannot do, and that is stream previous titles that the creators have worked on. Thank you for understanding.
How to Pronounce “Eiyuden”
Because we know foreign languages can be difficult, we put together this short video to help you to take your first step into proper Japanese pronunciation. And what better way to do it than with the name of your soon to be favorite game? EIYUDEN!!
Dr. ChaosPost nuclear nuisanceRegistered Userregular
edited August 2020
You'll even find some bizarre fish with human faces.
Uhh...no thanks, I'm good.
Definitely don't need to see that screaming in horror as its reeled up with a hook in its mouth and struggling to breathe while screaming "Kiiiillll meeeee!!"
Saw this pop up as an ad. Surprised this looks really good. Not sure how I feel about never ending stretch goals, sounds like this is 2023 at the earliest. Maybe I'll throw down now, or just wait till it's released, not sure.
Did some looking up and saw that Suikoden 2 is the one to play. Do you need to play 1 to understand what goes on in 2? I wonder if it's available on the switch, seems like a good retro game for mobile.
Saw this pop up as an ad. Surprised this looks really good. Not sure how I feel about never ending stretch goals, sounds like this is 2023 at the earliest. Maybe I'll throw down now, or just wait till it's released, not sure.
Did some looking up and saw that Suikoden 2 is the one to play. Do you need to play 1 to understand what goes on in 2? I wonder if it's available on the switch, seems like a good retro game for mobile.
You don't need to play Suikoden 1 to understand whats going on in 2, but there are several returning characters (both major and minor) and references to the first game (most of the games take place in the same world on different continents. Kind of like the Trails series).
In fact if you have a save file from 1, any returning characters who join you in 2 will start off at a much higher level than normal, as well as some other bonuses (most of the games have some kind of save file connectivity like this)
I'd argue that Suikoden 1 is still worth playing, even if it's A LOT more primitive than 2 in every single way.
Unfortunately, most (but not all) of the games have only been re-released on PSN (meaning you can play them on PS3/Vita), that's pretty much it. And I think I'm confident that Konami doesn't consider this franchise important enough to deserve any kind of release or collections on modern platforms.
Which is also why I'm super excited for Eiyuden, and I'm definitely backing it!
Funny reading one of the articles, they mentioned no switch port for it either as it's not powerful enough. They mentioned maybe Switch 2, which I guess by 2022/23 maybe we'll know more about.
Origin ID\ Steam ID: Warder45
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BlackDragon480Bluster KerfuffleMaster of Windy ImportRegistered Userregular
Decisions, decisions.
Should I spring for the digital with the physical Sigil collectible, or 2 copies of the digital version to use as a secret Santa gift?
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
It’s the end of the week, which means we’re back with another fearsome update! This week for Thespian’s Stage, we’re interviewing the ever-evasive Junichi Murakami. Sweet! We also have a little surprise that all of you have been patiently waiting for. It’s going to be a doozy of an update!
Let’s get to it!
Moving Up the Ranks
Eiyuden Chronicle continues to push forward through the ranks of video game Kickstarter history, by becoming the 7th most funded video game campaign of all time! That’s without a major first party press conference. That’s with so many people being negative about crowdfunding campaigns. That’s in 2020!
Thanks again, all of you brave backers for choosing to have hope instead of doubt. You’ve helped make our creators’ dreams come true (and you’re getting FREE DLC to boot!).
Murakami Interview This week’s interview is with Junichi Murakami, Producer and Art Director on Eiyuden Chronicle. We chat with him about his past working with Koji Igarashi, what it’s like working with the Eiyuden team for the first time, and more!
Unfortunately, Murakami-san won’t be able to attend the Discord AMA this weekend, but if we do hold a final AMA, leave it to us. If he doesn’t attend, he’ll know the Aria of Sorrow firsthand!
Obsidian Comes to the Rescue Much as it was great to have Warren Spector share his thoughts on Eiyuden, it was wonderful to see yet another East/West collaboration with Obsidian pledging to the Kickstarter campaign. Obsidian, of course, is well known for developing some of the best RPGs ever made, including the Kickstarter funded Pillars of Eternity.
A hearty “Thank You So Much!” to all the wonderful people at Obsidian for supporting our journey!
Backer Vote Update
As you have seen by now, we’ve revealed all four character designs for Character 109. Just in case you are not on social media and missed them, here’s a second look at each choice.
The poll will begin on the Eiyuden Discord in the #Polls channel in the Community section, starting today at Noon ET/9am PT/4pm UTC. The poll will run for 24 hours. If there is absolutely no way you can participate via Discord, send us a direct message on Kickstarter with your selection.
If you haven’t joined the Discord, you can do so by clicking here.
May the best monster win!
Sneak Peek Video #1
We teased it last update, and we know you’ve all been hankering for it. Without further delay, here’s our first Sneak Peek Video, revealing a much-requested battle system mechanic!
One of the things we will attempt to do after the Kickstarter is over, throughout the production is to occasionally upload a sneak peek video of different parts of gameplay. As you can see, oftentimes these will be merely 5-10 seconds of footage. You may notice that the footage takes place in the same area as the screenshot found in the “Celebrating the JRPG” section of the campaign page. Because of the crispness of the image, some of you may have thought that was a mock-up or a target screenshot. As you can see from the footage, that was in fact actual in-engine gameplay!
Naturally, all of this is still very early prototype footage. There will be many adjustments made, including potentially User Interface overhauls, adding names of attacks, and character animations. This is merely to keep you in the know when it comes to what progress is being made. We know there are a lot of people that have their doubts about Kickstarter. We plan to prove them wrong through hard work, experienced developers, and maximum transparency. That being said, we don’t want to spoil the game, so these will largely be quick looks.
AMA Reminder
Don’t forget that the Developer Discord AMA, featuring Kawano-san, Komuta-san, and the ever-stealthy Murayama-san, will take place on Saturday August 22nd, Noon EST/9am PST/7pm UTC.
A separate AMA will be held on Discord for Japanese speakers on August 22nd, at 11pm JST.
Design Spotlight On this week’s Design Spotlight, we’re focusing on a few different systems listed in the stretch goals, particularly the card battling game, dueling, and the newly unlocked Farming System.
Card Battles
As you progress through the game on your journey through Allraan, you will get access to a collectible card game. The game’s cards will feature characters and monsters from the world of Eiyuden Chronicle. As you explore more of the game, you’ll be able to collect more cards and build different decks.
You’ll also encounter rivals along the way that you’ll be able to battle with! Become the best there is!
Duels
As you further progress the game, you will sometimes encounter one-on-one duels with other characters. These fights will , which is different from a standard battle and massive battle.
Utilize a unique and thrilling battle mode full of choices and dramatic cutscenes. You’ll even get the opportunity to negotiate with your opponent depending on the situation!
Farming System
Once you develop the fortress town enough, you'll be able to create a farm. There, you can grow crops, veggies, fruits, as well as raise livestock in order to gain meat and milk. All of this can be used as ingredients for cooking, as well as food for the people who live in the town.
Raising your farm's rank will give you access to new types of crops and livestock, and your fortress town will be able to hold more inhabitants, allowing you to further develop it. Selling off excess food can serve as a good source of income for the town as well. And you're sure to discover new food recipes.
Backer Vote Results
There are a few reasons why it was an exciting weekend on the Eiyuden Chronicle Discord, and the Backer Vote was one of the reasons. You came out to the Discord to vote on your favorite design for Character 109, and we have the results to share with all of you today.
Let’s take a look at how the final votes shook out! Our final tally, including those that voted via Kickstarter’s Direct Message system is:
Congratulations to the Skeleton King for winning the vote! Now that he’s been officially added to the cast, we thought we’d share his profile, which includes some interesting information about our boney friend, including his unusual food preferences…
Markus
PROFESSION: Skeleton king who has “lived” for three centuries
FAVORITE FOOD: Champagne and jelly beans
In times past, Markus tried to found a kingdom for the undead—a failure that cost him dearly and put him to flight. These days, he contents himself with a single castle and a band of loyal followers who, um, might best be described as the “old” guard.
It was certainly an intense competition, and we could see emotions were running high. As Junko Kawano said in her AMA, she was a bit surprised the voting was not more level across all four choices, but it’s much better than one choice blowing the other three out. We’ve seen many backers and fans state that they would love to have Design B (New-Wave Vampire) appear in the game in some way, shape, or form. Murayama-san knows how many people liked Design B and said he'll think about whether there is a good way to keep the Design B dream alive in the game.
Some people felt being able to see the results in real time wasn’t fair, because it was swaying different votes, and we know that some people didn’t like the idea of a vote to begin with.
We obviously want to have the happiest and most engaged community as possible, and while it’s disappointing not being able to make all of the backers happy, we want to emphasize one of the core reasons for the team coming to Kickstarter: they wanted a closer connection with the fans. During the AMA, Junko Kawano also said that she loved all the designs that she works on, so do keep in mind that she would have been happy no matter which design had been chosen. She put the same amount of love and thought into each of the designs.
The group song and this Backer Vote are the first of many fan collaborations that the team would like to continue to do with the backers as development proceeds. This, of course, does not mean that they do not have a vision, or does it mean that the backers are designing the game by themselves. This means that they have largely decided upon the core design, but want this game to be special, not just for them, but for everyone.
Playwright Spotlight: Back Story Novel
This update’s spotlight is focusing on the Back Story novel. We asked Murayama for his thoughts on creating the novel:
“When I started making RPGs, my only other team member was Kawano-san. She designed the characters, and I thought up the story. We started working together due to circumstantial reasons, and at some point writing scenarios became one of my lifelong vocations.
The joy of creating something from nothing is something that all creators understand, but one of the great joys for me with scenario writing is being able to create worlds, countries, and people, and thinking about how they feel about their lives.
My job is to share all the excitement I feel inside me with other people.
I really hope I get the chance to share one of the adventures in my mind with people through a novel this time, rather than a game.”
And there you have it! We can’t wait to share more about the novel, which will be unlocked at $4 Million, in the future!
Stretch Goal Spotlight
As you will see, we’ve updated the stretch goal list, revealing the names for the next three. We’ve also added DLC tags to the stretch goal list, so you’re able to keep an eye on that as well. And before you ask: no, these are not all of our planned stretch goals. We still have a few surprises left up our sleeves!
Anyway. since we’re doing Playwright’s Desk for this update, it’s a great time to also talk about the Theater System! Let’s get to it.
Theatre System
The theater system is an exciting addition to the Fortress Town. At this stretch goal, you’ll be able to put on plays to entertain your citizens, and there’s even the chance to attract famous troubadours and writers to your Fortress Town to create masterpieces!
Character 110 - Kunoichi
Starting on Thursday at Noon ET/9am PT/4pm UTC, we will have backers vote for their favorite Kunoichi design. The polls will be open for 24 hours. For those of you who may not know, Kunoichi are female ninjas in Japanese history.
Now, the problem: people seemed frustrated at the Character 109 polling process, so we spent a great deal of time looking into options that would obscure polling results until the end. The unfortunate news is that there is no great solution on our official social media platforms that allows for this option. Bots on Discord can be overwhelmed by rapid voting, and break. Twitter does not allow us to hide results until polling is complete. Facebook is the smallest community, and would require an account to vote.
So, in doing all of our research, we are going to go with Google Forms as our solution. We know not everyone has a Google account, but it’s the only way to guarantee that people aren’t double voting. Due to the low numbers, we will still keep the option for backers to choose their selection by sending us a Direct Message via Kickstarter. In order to vote, please click the link below.
Results of the Kunoichi vote will be announced during the closing stream (see below).
Closing Stream It’s official! We will be doing a closing stream! As this was something we decided in the spur of the moment, and quite frankly from seeing all the passion generated through the Discord AMA, we are nervous as to how well we will be able to pull it off. We are doing our best under a short timeframe to use some of your creative ideas on content, as well as find the right technical solutions to do this with the current pandemic issues.
We will be listing the timetable and schedule for the event in Friday’s update. Again, if any of you have last minute suggestions, feel free to post them in the comment section below. We’ll be doing our stream on Twitch TV, at this location:
Here are the stream times:
US ET: Saturday 29th, 8am-noon
US PT: Saturday 29th, 5am-9am
UTC: Saturday 29th, Noon-4pm
JST: Saturday 29th, 9pm-1am
This of course means a very early morning for some of you American fans, a very late night for some of you Japanese fans, and a pleasant post lunch viewing for our fans in Europe. In an ideal scenario, the last four hours of the campaign would not sync up with such challenging time zones, but alas, Kickstarter campaigns end at the exact same time they were launched. There’s sadly nothing we can do to adjust this.
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miscellaneousinsanitygrass grows, birds fly, sun shines,and brother, i hurt peopleRegistered Userregular
feeling pretty torn between B and C..
also gotta remember to up my pledge for the steelbook
Just backed at the digital game/soundtrack tier. Had saved the project a bit back to remind me to back and I guess now's as good a time as any! As for Kunoichi I voted for D. I like the veteran design the best out of those shown.
For our final Thespian’s Stage, we sat down with Koji Igarashi himself to chat about all manner of topics. Igarashi knows many of the Rabbit & Bear team well from their time at their old jobs, and we thought it would be great to get his perspective.
Some fans of Murayama-san and Kawano-san’s previous work might remember some particularly...unusual Western box art that saw the light of day in the West. We’re happy to announce that after finally unlocking the last tier of the Painter’s Gallery in the social game, Kawano-san will be creating alternate “Bad Western Cover Art" that will ship with every physical copy of the game...whether you like it or not! But as they say: "Beauty is in the eye of the backer".
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His life must be a living hell between that and probably a head he can't move.
Edit: 2.6M is a full orchestral soundtrack.
Architect’s Office #1
Battle System Spotlight:
Hey everyone,
For today’s update, we’re going to be taking a peek at the game’s battle system. You may have seen that some of the battle screenshots we’ve shown have the party members standing in different places and at different elevations. This plays into the mechanics for battle.
In Eiyuden Chronicle, characters will automatically be placed in formations that match each battlefield's elevation differences, obstacles, and other unique features. So while this is a turn-based RPG, the dev team is striving for battles that really pull you into the scene.
It's not just skin deep, either:
New Game Plus:
We’ve also gotten a lot of questions about both the game’s difficulty, and what New Game Plus has in store for players.
First, New Game Plus will feature a significant boost in difficulty, and different attacks patterns for existing bosses. Additionally, should you still find the New Game Plus difficulty too easy, players will be able to set a variety of handicaps to make the game even more challenging.
Naturally, New Game Plus wouldn’t be complete without the ability to carry over your characters from your previous game.
How does New Game Plus sound to you? Are there other key aspects to a New Game Plus playthrough that you’d like to see added?
Welcome to our first addition of Painter’s Easel, where we highlight the art of Eiyuden Chronicle. This time, we’re focusing on two of our recently announced characters, Hildi and Maxim, and getting some insight on the inspiration behind the uniforms many of the characters wear.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!
Hildi
AGE: 21
HOME: A military family
FAVORITE FOOD: Sugar toast
Seign's right-hand officer, a capable aide with an incredible attention to detail. Sometimes, Hildi is so prepared that she's ready to carry out her orders before they're given. While she hails from a famous military family, a disreputable act attributed to her father has sullied their honor. She is determined to restore dignity to her house.
Hildi's hobbies include tidying, organizing, tidying, cleaning, and tidying. When she's in a foul mood, she chases the soldiers from the barracks and cleans the dickens out of the place—their personal effects included—so they are extra careful not to rile her up.
QUOTE:
"Everything has been arranged, sir. Otherwise I wouldn't be doing my job."
Anyone would be lucky to have someone like Hildi at their side on the battlefield. Just don’t annoy her!
Maxim
AGE: 24
PROFESSION: Officer in one of the League's armies
FAVORITE FOOD: Roast beef
A second lieutenant in the army of one of the League of Nations' member states. He's earnest to a fault, and isn't shy about professing his idealistic views. Fortunately, his soldiers and friends see past that and recognize Maxim as a likable and honest man who just wants to achieve his very best.
QUOTE:
"I already know the secret to success. Care to hear it? It's quite simple: don't stop trying to succeed."
Maxim sounds like he’ll make for a reliable ally, if maybe a little too naive? I guess we’ll see in the final game!
Military Uniforms of Allraan
Since we decided to spotlight Maxim and Hildi, two military officers, in today’s update, we thought it appropriate to get some word from the development team on their thoughts on the design intent behind the game’s various uniforms. Here’s what designer Junko Kawano had to say about the uniforms in the game:
“Seign and the others' uniforms were designed with the idea that it's a uniform to be worn by strict people who take rules and balance very seriously.
For all of the characters, we took into account their position and standing when designing their clothing. Nowa's uniform, for instance, is sort of like a hodge-podge. Nowa himself just put it together using what he could find.”
The cooking stuff has me stupid excited.
Also new stretch goals include:
$2.8M "Background Check" -Secret Stretch Goal-
$2.85M Trading Minigame
$2.9M Clockwatcher Rody Joins
$2.925M Western Linguistics (western dubbing?)
I'm assuming this is the character background investigating feature as well as telling you how to recruit new characters.
Cool.
Guild System
In the Fortress Town’s early stages, you will need to take a direct role in expanding the town by gathering resources, conducting trade, and so forth. However, as the Fortress Town gets bigger, you’ll gain the ability to found “guilds”: a miners’ guild, woodcutters’ guild, guardsmen’s guild, blacksmiths’ guild, cooks’ guild, traders’ guild, etc.
Once you’ve established these guilds around town, they will start doing some of the resource gathering and other legwork for you. And if you expand the guilds further, you’ll be able to set up special detachment parties (separate from your main party) to carry out guild work and amass even more resources and funds. These resources can then be invested to upgrade the Fortress Town and its guilds even further.
Now, we plan for these detachment parties to actually move through the game world toward their objectives. And while the more responsible heroes may head straight for the finish line and mine the ore or defend the town that’s in trouble, other heroes may be more inclined to warm a tavern seat or take side trips. Not only that, depending on the abilities of the heroes you choose for the detachment, they may bring home extra resources. Or, if they are attacked along the way without an able fighter, they may be put to flight and return home empty-handed.
Basically, since your characters have a variety of abilities, you’ll want to choose your detachment rosters carefully to maximize your results.
Rune Lenses
Rune-lenses are the backbone of all power in the world of Eiyuden Chronicles. Lenses have different significance from nation to nation and culture to culture, but people everywhere have learned to harness their magical power and have handed that wisdom down—whether it’s to cast spells; use supernatural powers; or wield the lens symbolically, claiming the “divine gifts” represent a communion with god. The lenses are commonly crafted into weapons and accessories. However, the Galdean Empire has figured out how to amplify the lenses’ power by placing them inside specially engineered rings called “regules.”
The most valuable rune-lenses are sometimes handed down through families. There are also some individuals who are born with them inside their bodies. Many heroes have their own rune-lenses—no doubt you’ve noticed the back of Marisa’s hand or Perrielle’s hairpin—but you may also encounter heroes who don’t rely on rune-lenses at all.
The lenses’ importance carries over into the game system, too. By affixing runes to your heroes’ lenses, you can give them new magics and skills, or perhaps improve their physical abilities. Each hero’s lens is unique and supports runes of different type, rarity, and quantity. Some lenses may already contain a specialized rune that cannot be removed. Others may require runes of a certain type be affixed in specific positions. And when your heroes level up, the number of runes their lenses hold can potentially increase. We hope that players will use this system to create a roster of heroes that feels personal and powerful.
I wonder where else a brave adventurer might find rune-lenses in the world of Allraan?
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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https://www.wired.com/2015/01/suikoden-ii-psn/
(this next one gets a little spoilery in the bulleted list so you can stop there)
https://www.destructoid.com/stories/celebrating-20-years-of-suikoden-ii-the-best-game-ever-made-535321.phtml
not sure if i'm gonna spring for any of that so for now i've locked in my pledge amount
Mellore
AGE: 12
PROFESSION: She's a magical girl!
FAVORITE FOOD: Chocolate cake
Mellore is on a grand adventure to become a mage, but what she pictures in her head and what mages actually do are...shall we say...two different things. She's completely convinced that the spell-slinging "magical girls" depicted in one of her father's books are what the job is all about.
QUOTE:
"In the name of love and justice... I am Mellore and I call my magic!"
She doesn’t quite get what being a mage is all about yet, but she’ll figure it out eventually...
Rody
AGE: 13
HOME: Son of a League craftsman
FAVORITE FOOD: Pretzels
A boy who dreams of being a great watchmaker. Is he a little disagreeable? Yes. But there's something about that sparkle in his eye as he gazes, transfixed, at an elaborate timepiece.
QUOTE:
"Ohh... So that's what makes it tick... Well, I could put together one of these, easily. Just give me a year."
Rody seems pretty determined to be a watchmaker. Let’s hope he one day achieves that dream!
This week’s interview is with Director Osamu Komuta. We chat with Komuta-san about battle systems, the game’s surrounding systems design, and his experience working with Murayama-san for the first time.
Enjoy!
The world of Eiyuden Chronicle is filled with exciting minigames to take your mind off the war that rages across the land. Whether you’re looking to become the very best, or just looking for a diversion, there’s plenty to do!
Fishing
Once the player reaches a certain point in the game, they will meet a hero who knows how to fish, thus allowing them to access the fishing game. There are many different fishing spots all over Allraan, each featuring different fish. You'll even find some bizarre fish with human faces.
Successfully catching lots of fish will require skill not just as a gamer, but knowledge in terms of selecting the right bait for the fish, and acquiring better fishing rods. Fish you catch can be made into cooking ingredients or sold for high prices.
The fortress town will also eventually acquire strange fishing spots that contain fish from all over the world.
Beigoma
In Allraan, beigoma has been popular with people of all ages for a long time. Shops in town sell beigoma starter kits, customization kits, and other various beigoma-related merchandise.
When you start playing beigoma, various other beigoma players will challenge you to duels. Skill tournaments will also be held. You'll meet up with famous beigoma players, learn different skills, and gain many different opportunities to prove to the world that you're the best beigoma player there is.
Trading
Merchants in Allraan travel across political borders to do business, and the player can also acquire trading goods at various trading posts in towns and villages. The price of each trading good will change depending on the time and place. Buying low and selling high can help make your adventure go much more smoothly!
Once you acquire the fortress town and find some heroes with a knack for trading, you can open a trading post in your own town.
Eggleg Racing
Eggleg races provide another source of entertainment in Allraan. Races are held in large towns, and lots of people gamble on the eggleg they think will win. Players can also take part in the gambling.
Once you acquire a fortress town and find an eggleg trainer, you'll be able to raise and breed your own egglegs, then send them out to race.
Eggleg Trainer
Once you acquire the fortess town and find an eggleg trainer, you'll be able to raise your own egglegs. Egglegs can be found on your adventure or bought directly from breeders.
Aside from raising and breeding your egglegs, you can also send them out to races. If you raise up a talented eggleg and it wins a lot of races, you'll become world-famous as a talented trainer (and earn tons of prize money, of course).
They've reached 108 characters from stretch goals, the 3.125M goal leads to the 109th character.
Literally unplayable.
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
Gocteau
PROFESSION: Guild leader
FAVORITE FOOD: Steak topped with plenty of garlic
An influential leader of several guilds. That grin of his seems amiable enough, but this is a man who has been through hell, more times than one. When trouble goes down, Gocteau gets a look in his eye that scares the pants off the younger guildsmen.
He loves to gamble, but rarely wins.
QUOTE:
"Heaven hadn't even shat you down to earth yet when I started working this business. So do us all a favor, clam it, and watch a master ply his trade."
Gocteau certainly sounds like an experienced fellow! He could make for a very useful ally!
Iris
HOME: The University of Carles
FAVORITE FOOD: Black tea, and biscuits to go with it
An architect who graduated from the League of Nation's prestigious University of Carles. She's usually quite pleasant to chat with, but when it comes to her trade, she can't shut up. Mention the word "gables" and you're in for an hour-long ode to the perfect slope—and don't even get her started about gambrels!
QUOTE:
"Oh, hello there! Come in, don't be shy. This is a happy space! That's what they pay me to build. I know, I live a charmed life."
No question, an architect could certainly come in handy when building a whole town!
Music Spotlight
While Painter’s Easel is all about characters, in this particular update, we’d also like to focus on music. To that end, we’ve got comments from both Motoi Sakuraba and Michiko Naruke about being able to work on the project.
Motoi Sakuraba
I'm very honored to be able to be a part of this project, which is filled with the hopes and high expectations of those who have supported me and have such amazing passion for the development team. I'm looking forward to composing great music for this game and I hope to create something that will resonate with you all!
Michiko Naruke
Hi, it's nice to meet you, or to many of you, it's been a while. My name is Michiko Naruke, and I'm a composer on Eiyuden Chronicles.
When I saw the names of the creative staff who asked me to participate in the production of this game, I had to catch my breath, because those were the names of people that I had always looked up to and hoped of working with someday.
A lot of things went through my mind at lightning speed. ("Are they seriously going to offer this job to a bumbling goofball like me? I mean I'm not exactly a hip, fresh composer...") But then, I made up my mind, and thought to myself, "I have to do this!"
To be honest, I was thinking that I might never have another chance to be involved in making a JRPG again.
As I'm writing this, I'm suddenly reminded of the first time I got a job for Wild Arms, and I thought, "This is surely going to be the last time I'll ever get a job like this."
More than 20 years have passed since then... In the ever-evolving game industry, I've been struggling with the difficulty of continuing to work, but I'm still fighting the battle somehow.
I've been supported by my friends and predecessors, who talked with me to the hilt and sometimes gave me harsh words of encouragement, as well as by the many fans, who have always supported our production and given me well-chosen words of encouragement. Without them, I probably wouldn't have been able to continue.
Through the Kickstarter system, we've been able to get a strong sense of how many of you have come to love JRPGs.
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who supported us in our efforts to make this game possible.
I'm a bit overwhelmed by just how high the expectations are, but I'll keep on trying (P-please root for me...).
I'm going to cherish the feeling I've been having, of making another JRPG, at every point in my life, and I'm looking forward to working with the wonderful production team.
Wish us luck!
And, last but not least...
Now in 2020, at this difficult time in the world, I'm sure there are many people who are finding it difficult to live their normal lives for a variety of reasons, including illnesses and disasters.
Some of you may be reading this from places other than your home.
Some day in the not-too-distant future, I hope to see (and hear) you all in "Eiyuden Chronicle" in good health, and I will fight as hard as I can where I am from now on, so that you can enjoy it to the fullest at that time.
I hope that you will remember me when you are in a difficult situation, and that gives you a little bit of strength.
Let's go through this together.
Ending Theme, Featuring You!
As you’ve seen, this week we unveiled our first fan participation selection via the ongoing Character 109 Backer Vote. We’re not done, though! When Murayama-san said one of his core reasons for coming to Kickstarter was to collaborate with his fans, he meant it.
Here’s a message from Murayama-san himself:
“Thank you for sending so many requests and ideas for Eiyuden Chronicle. We've decided to take those great ideas and turn them into an exciting event.”
To that end, we are happy to announce that we will be looking to gather a sample of a single phrase from the song, sung by our backers, that will later be edited into the game’s Ending Theme. We know some people might be skeptical about this, but we ask you to have faith in our ability as creators to not only choose the right voices, but to masterfully...FIX IT IN POST!
All joking aside, this is something we really want to do with the backers. We are currently discussing how to make this happen with the two composers who have agreed to participate in the project, Mr. Motoi Sakuraba and Ms. Michiko Naruke.
This is something symbolic of not only the fact that this game exists because of the backers, but also the diversity that we are focused on. After all, “You Are the World!”
Another Story: Marisa DLC
We mentioned that there would be FREE backer DLC. We finally hit the budgetary threshold to be able to provide that. At the 3.25 Million Dollar stretch goal, backers will be entitled to receive the Another Story: Marisa DLC. This content pack will contain a 5-10 hour adventure featuring one of the central characters to the story. You will get to see the world of Allraan and its many problems through her eyes.
Hopefully, this will be one great advantage that you will get for having faith in the project, and for being a backer. Courage should be rewarded!
Closing Stream
While it’s not set in stone, we are considering the idea of doing a closing stream during the last 4 hours of the campaign. The goal would be for this to be a celebration of how far we’ve gotten, as well as to get to know the key creators better. We have one problem though: we don’t know what you would like to see on the stream.
The point is, we don’t know, and we’re looking for any suggestions you may have. Post your suggestions in the comments section for this update.
Much as we know you may want it, there’s one thing we cannot do, and that is stream previous titles that the creators have worked on. Thank you for understanding.
How to Pronounce “Eiyuden”
Because we know foreign languages can be difficult, we put together this short video to help you to take your first step into proper Japanese pronunciation. And what better way to do it than with the name of your soon to be favorite game? EIYUDEN!!
Definitely don't need to see that screaming in horror as its reeled up with a hook in its mouth and struggling to breathe while screaming "Kiiiillll meeeee!!"
Did some looking up and saw that Suikoden 2 is the one to play. Do you need to play 1 to understand what goes on in 2? I wonder if it's available on the switch, seems like a good retro game for mobile.
I want to say they are only PSN?
You don't need to play Suikoden 1 to understand whats going on in 2, but there are several returning characters (both major and minor) and references to the first game (most of the games take place in the same world on different continents. Kind of like the Trails series).
In fact if you have a save file from 1, any returning characters who join you in 2 will start off at a much higher level than normal, as well as some other bonuses (most of the games have some kind of save file connectivity like this)
I'd argue that Suikoden 1 is still worth playing, even if it's A LOT more primitive than 2 in every single way.
Unfortunately, most (but not all) of the games have only been re-released on PSN (meaning you can play them on PS3/Vita), that's pretty much it. And I think I'm confident that Konami doesn't consider this franchise important enough to deserve any kind of release or collections on modern platforms.
Which is also why I'm super excited for Eiyuden, and I'm definitely backing it!
Should I spring for the digital with the physical Sigil collectible, or 2 copies of the digital version to use as a secret Santa gift?
~ Buckaroo Banzai
It’s the end of the week, which means we’re back with another fearsome update! This week for Thespian’s Stage, we’re interviewing the ever-evasive Junichi Murakami. Sweet! We also have a little surprise that all of you have been patiently waiting for. It’s going to be a doozy of an update!
Let’s get to it!
Moving Up the Ranks
Eiyuden Chronicle continues to push forward through the ranks of video game Kickstarter history, by becoming the 7th most funded video game campaign of all time! That’s without a major first party press conference. That’s with so many people being negative about crowdfunding campaigns. That’s in 2020!
Thanks again, all of you brave backers for choosing to have hope instead of doubt. You’ve helped make our creators’ dreams come true (and you’re getting FREE DLC to boot!).
Murakami Interview
This week’s interview is with Junichi Murakami, Producer and Art Director on Eiyuden Chronicle. We chat with him about his past working with Koji Igarashi, what it’s like working with the Eiyuden team for the first time, and more!
Enjoy!
Unfortunately, Murakami-san won’t be able to attend the Discord AMA this weekend, but if we do hold a final AMA, leave it to us. If he doesn’t attend, he’ll know the Aria of Sorrow firsthand!
Obsidian Comes to the Rescue
Much as it was great to have Warren Spector share his thoughts on Eiyuden, it was wonderful to see yet another East/West collaboration with Obsidian pledging to the Kickstarter campaign. Obsidian, of course, is well known for developing some of the best RPGs ever made, including the Kickstarter funded Pillars of Eternity.
A hearty “Thank You So Much!” to all the wonderful people at Obsidian for supporting our journey!
Backer Vote Update
As you have seen by now, we’ve revealed all four character designs for Character 109. Just in case you are not on social media and missed them, here’s a second look at each choice.
The poll will begin on the Eiyuden Discord in the #Polls channel in the Community section, starting today at Noon ET/9am PT/4pm UTC. The poll will run for 24 hours. If there is absolutely no way you can participate via Discord, send us a direct message on Kickstarter with your selection.
If you haven’t joined the Discord, you can do so by clicking here.
May the best monster win!
Sneak Peek Video #1
We teased it last update, and we know you’ve all been hankering for it. Without further delay, here’s our first Sneak Peek Video, revealing a much-requested battle system mechanic!
One of the things we will attempt to do after the Kickstarter is over, throughout the production is to occasionally upload a sneak peek video of different parts of gameplay. As you can see, oftentimes these will be merely 5-10 seconds of footage. You may notice that the footage takes place in the same area as the screenshot found in the “Celebrating the JRPG” section of the campaign page. Because of the crispness of the image, some of you may have thought that was a mock-up or a target screenshot. As you can see from the footage, that was in fact actual in-engine gameplay!
Naturally, all of this is still very early prototype footage. There will be many adjustments made, including potentially User Interface overhauls, adding names of attacks, and character animations. This is merely to keep you in the know when it comes to what progress is being made. We know there are a lot of people that have their doubts about Kickstarter. We plan to prove them wrong through hard work, experienced developers, and maximum transparency. That being said, we don’t want to spoil the game, so these will largely be quick looks.
AMA Reminder
Don’t forget that the Developer Discord AMA, featuring Kawano-san, Komuta-san, and the ever-stealthy Murayama-san, will take place on Saturday August 22nd, Noon EST/9am PST/7pm UTC.
A separate AMA will be held on Discord for Japanese speakers on August 22nd, at 11pm JST.
On this week’s Design Spotlight, we’re focusing on a few different systems listed in the stretch goals, particularly the card battling game, dueling, and the newly unlocked Farming System.
Card Battles
As you progress through the game on your journey through Allraan, you will get access to a collectible card game. The game’s cards will feature characters and monsters from the world of Eiyuden Chronicle. As you explore more of the game, you’ll be able to collect more cards and build different decks.
You’ll also encounter rivals along the way that you’ll be able to battle with! Become the best there is!
Duels
As you further progress the game, you will sometimes encounter one-on-one duels with other characters. These fights will , which is different from a standard battle and massive battle.
Utilize a unique and thrilling battle mode full of choices and dramatic cutscenes. You’ll even get the opportunity to negotiate with your opponent depending on the situation!
Farming System
Once you develop the fortress town enough, you'll be able to create a farm. There, you can grow crops, veggies, fruits, as well as raise livestock in order to gain meat and milk. All of this can be used as ingredients for cooking, as well as food for the people who live in the town.
Raising your farm's rank will give you access to new types of crops and livestock, and your fortress town will be able to hold more inhabitants, allowing you to further develop it. Selling off excess food can serve as a good source of income for the town as well. And you're sure to discover new food recipes.
Backer Vote Results
There are a few reasons why it was an exciting weekend on the Eiyuden Chronicle Discord, and the Backer Vote was one of the reasons. You came out to the Discord to vote on your favorite design for Character 109, and we have the results to share with all of you today.
Let’s take a look at how the final votes shook out! Our final tally, including those that voted via Kickstarter’s Direct Message system is:
Congratulations to the Skeleton King for winning the vote! Now that he’s been officially added to the cast, we thought we’d share his profile, which includes some interesting information about our boney friend, including his unusual food preferences…
Markus
PROFESSION: Skeleton king who has “lived” for three centuries
FAVORITE FOOD: Champagne and jelly beans
In times past, Markus tried to found a kingdom for the undead—a failure that cost him dearly and put him to flight. These days, he contents himself with a single castle and a band of loyal followers who, um, might best be described as the “old” guard.
It was certainly an intense competition, and we could see emotions were running high. As Junko Kawano said in her AMA, she was a bit surprised the voting was not more level across all four choices, but it’s much better than one choice blowing the other three out. We’ve seen many backers and fans state that they would love to have Design B (New-Wave Vampire) appear in the game in some way, shape, or form. Murayama-san knows how many people liked Design B and said he'll think about whether there is a good way to keep the Design B dream alive in the game.
Some people felt being able to see the results in real time wasn’t fair, because it was swaying different votes, and we know that some people didn’t like the idea of a vote to begin with.
We obviously want to have the happiest and most engaged community as possible, and while it’s disappointing not being able to make all of the backers happy, we want to emphasize one of the core reasons for the team coming to Kickstarter: they wanted a closer connection with the fans. During the AMA, Junko Kawano also said that she loved all the designs that she works on, so do keep in mind that she would have been happy no matter which design had been chosen. She put the same amount of love and thought into each of the designs.
The group song and this Backer Vote are the first of many fan collaborations that the team would like to continue to do with the backers as development proceeds. This, of course, does not mean that they do not have a vision, or does it mean that the backers are designing the game by themselves. This means that they have largely decided upon the core design, but want this game to be special, not just for them, but for everyone.
3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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This update’s spotlight is focusing on the Back Story novel. We asked Murayama for his thoughts on creating the novel:
“When I started making RPGs, my only other team member was Kawano-san. She designed the characters, and I thought up the story. We started working together due to circumstantial reasons, and at some point writing scenarios became one of my lifelong vocations.
The joy of creating something from nothing is something that all creators understand, but one of the great joys for me with scenario writing is being able to create worlds, countries, and people, and thinking about how they feel about their lives.
My job is to share all the excitement I feel inside me with other people.
I really hope I get the chance to share one of the adventures in my mind with people through a novel this time, rather than a game.”
And there you have it! We can’t wait to share more about the novel, which will be unlocked at $4 Million, in the future!
Stretch Goal Spotlight
As you will see, we’ve updated the stretch goal list, revealing the names for the next three. We’ve also added DLC tags to the stretch goal list, so you’re able to keep an eye on that as well. And before you ask: no, these are not all of our planned stretch goals. We still have a few surprises left up our sleeves!
Anyway. since we’re doing Playwright’s Desk for this update, it’s a great time to also talk about the Theater System! Let’s get to it.
Theatre System
The theater system is an exciting addition to the Fortress Town. At this stretch goal, you’ll be able to put on plays to entertain your citizens, and there’s even the chance to attract famous troubadours and writers to your Fortress Town to create masterpieces!
Character 110 - Kunoichi
Starting on Thursday at Noon ET/9am PT/4pm UTC, we will have backers vote for their favorite Kunoichi design. The polls will be open for 24 hours. For those of you who may not know, Kunoichi are female ninjas in Japanese history.
Now, the problem: people seemed frustrated at the Character 109 polling process, so we spent a great deal of time looking into options that would obscure polling results until the end. The unfortunate news is that there is no great solution on our official social media platforms that allows for this option. Bots on Discord can be overwhelmed by rapid voting, and break. Twitter does not allow us to hide results until polling is complete. Facebook is the smallest community, and would require an account to vote.
So, in doing all of our research, we are going to go with Google Forms as our solution. We know not everyone has a Google account, but it’s the only way to guarantee that people aren’t double voting. Due to the low numbers, we will still keep the option for backers to choose their selection by sending us a Direct Message via Kickstarter. In order to vote, please click the link below.
Click here to vote: https://forms.gle/B5JNQb9TmeqwESjx9
Results of the Kunoichi vote will be announced during the closing stream (see below).
Closing Stream
It’s official! We will be doing a closing stream! As this was something we decided in the spur of the moment, and quite frankly from seeing all the passion generated through the Discord AMA, we are nervous as to how well we will be able to pull it off. We are doing our best under a short timeframe to use some of your creative ideas on content, as well as find the right technical solutions to do this with the current pandemic issues.
We will be listing the timetable and schedule for the event in Friday’s update. Again, if any of you have last minute suggestions, feel free to post them in the comment section below. We’ll be doing our stream on Twitch TV, at this location:
Here are the stream times:
US ET: Saturday 29th, 8am-noon
US PT: Saturday 29th, 5am-9am
UTC: Saturday 29th, Noon-4pm
JST: Saturday 29th, 9pm-1am
This of course means a very early morning for some of you American fans, a very late night for some of you Japanese fans, and a pleasant post lunch viewing for our fans in Europe. In an ideal scenario, the last four hours of the campaign would not sync up with such challenging time zones, but alas, Kickstarter campaigns end at the exact same time they were launched. There’s sadly nothing we can do to adjust this.
also gotta remember to up my pledge for the steelbook
For our final Thespian’s Stage, we sat down with Koji Igarashi himself to chat about all manner of topics. Igarashi knows many of the Rabbit & Bear team well from their time at their old jobs, and we thought it would be great to get his perspective.
Enjoy!
Ahahahhahaha. Oh man, that is GREAT.
Almost forgot to do that myself.
~ Buckaroo Banzai