Dyscourse is a survival sim featuring various indie devs
UPDATE: Reaches funding goal with a day to spare.
UPDATE: Boston-based studio Owlchemy Labs has reached its $40K funding goal for its survival sim Dyscourse.
Currently resting at $41,827, the campaign currently has 24 hours to go. Like a lot of Kickstarter projects, this one really picked up steam towards the end. Three days ago it hadn't even broached the $30K mark.
To see Dyscourse in action, Owlchemy have released some early gameplay footage of the project below.
ORIGINAL STORY: Owlchemy Labs, the developer behind such titles as Snuggle Truck, Jack Lumber and Aaaaa! for the Awesome! have recruited several indie developers to lend their likeness to its upcoming survival sim Dyscourse.
Currently midway through its Kickstarter campaign, Dyscourse is struggling with only $15,386 pledged of its $40,000 goal with 17 days left before its 6th December deadline. However, Owlchemy Labs has announced a new scenario entitled "Indie Plane Crash" that should bring some attention to the project.
The premise is self-explanatory: A bunch of indie developers on the way to a conference have crash-landed and must band together to survive - or possibly tear each other apart. The choice is yours. Developers featured in the game so far include:
- Tim Schafer (Psychonauts, Broken Age / Double Fine)
- Edmund McMillen (Super Meat Boy / Team Meat)
- Phil Tibitoski (Octodad / Young Horses)
- Alexander Bruce (Antichamber / Independent)
- Ron Carmel (World of Goo / 2D Boy)
- Robin Hunicke (Journey, thatgamecompany / Funomena)
- Ichiro Lambe (Aaaaa! / Dejobaan Games)
- Adam Saltsman (Canabalt, Hundreds / Semi Secret Software)
- Will Stallwood (Auditorium / Cipher Prime)
- Rami Ismail (Super Crate Box, Ridiculous Fishing / Vlambeer)
Indie Plane Crash won't be a stretch goal as it's already confirmed, but it's worth noting that this is only one scenario. The main game stars a fictitious barista named Rita who's marooned with tourists.
"We wanted to make something different and focus on the human element," said the developer in its Kickstarter pitch. "We want to explore people at their best, their worst, and everything in between. Dyscourse focuses on the interactions, tough decisions, bonds, and betrayals of a small group of survivors. What's a greater threat to the survivors: the dangers of the unforgiving island they've been cast upon, or the threat of their fellow man?"
Owlchemy Labs is adamant that "Dyscourse is not merely a glorified Choose Your Own Adventure story." As such, the it will feature: "an AI interaction system, complete with sneaking, hunting, projectile weaponry, and fight-or-flight mechanisms."
The developer has already struck a deal with Valve to get the game on Steam with a beta version due in May 2014. Backers who pledge $15 or more will receive a Steam key for the game on PC, Mac and Linux upon its estimated September 2014 release, while those who donate $20 will receive a beta key next May along with a digital soundtrack, art book and wallpaper.