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[pa22word]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1829034266/volgarr-the-viking

ASKING FOR: $18,000

PLEDGED THUS FAR: $9,215

TIME REMAINING: 29 days

About:

Volgarr the Viking is a 2D side-scrolling arcade action game that has all the hallmarks of the true classics - simple controls, high challenge, and meticulous design. Featuring hand-made pixel art and thousands of frames of animation by a professional pixel artist, an epic soundtrack on par with modern AAA titles, and some fantastic game mechanics both old and new, this is the hardcore arcade action game you've been waiting for.

We plan to include a wide variety of enemies and obstacles to overcome, several unique environments to conquer, and insane boss fights to really test your skills. Volgarr is up to the task with multiple powerful abilities for you to master - but not to the point where you can just blow through everything by mashing the attack button! Each of his abilities and special gear power-ups has been carefully tuned to be important and useful, and mastering them all is essential to overcoming everything the game can throw at you.

Fortunately, like all the best arcade games, the controls are simple (and fully customizable, including support for all DirectInput and XInput controllers in addition to the keyboard). Its just a matter learning where, when, and how to best use the actions at your disposal... and having the skill to do so.

Volgarr will be released as a Windows PC game initially, hopefully on Steam. If all goes well, once completed we hope to port the game to other platforms such as the Ouya (we supported Ouya on the developer level) and anywhere there is enough interest. This project funding is purely for the PC version, however.

Reward tiers:

Pledge $5 or more:
"THANK YOU!": At this level we will send you some slick Volgarr-related wallpapers for your desktop and access to occasional backer-only updates!

Pledge $10 or more
"THE GAME": Receive a digital copy of Volgarr the Viking + the THANK YOU tier rewards!

Pledge $15 or more

"EARLY BACKER SOUNDTRACK SPECIAL:" Digital DRM-free version of orchestral soundtrack + exclusive heavy metal version of the game's theme covered by the band "Mjölknir" + THE GAME tier rewards!

Pledge $20 or more
"DOUBLE PACK": 2 digital copies of Volgarr the Viking + the THANK YOU tier rewards!

Pledge $25 or more
"ART BOOK": Digital Art Book and Behind the Scenes Videos + THE GAME tier rewards!

Pledge $30
"EPIC SOUNDTRACK": Digital DRM-free version of orchestral soundtrack + exclusive heavy metal version of the game's theme covered by the band "Mjölknir" + the ART BOOK tier rewards!

Pledge $35 or more
"TESTER": Beta Tester Spot and credited in the game as a tester! Early access to the game and ability to give direct feedback on its progress! Also includes the EPIC SOUNDTRACK tier rewards!

Pledge $40 or more
"FULL PACKAGE": Special Thanks credit (can still choose to be credited as a Tester instead if preferred), everything in the TESTER reward tier, and a bonus digital copy of the game (2 total).

Pledge $50 or more
"POSTER PACK": 18"x24" Wall Poster of Volgarr the Viking! Also includes the FULL PACKAGE tier rewards! **Please add $20 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $75 or more
"SPECIAL EDITION": Volgarr the Viking in a special DVD case exclusively available from Kickstarter, a digital copy of the game manual, and everything in the FULL PACKAGE tier rewards on the disc (2 total copies of the game, 1 digital you'll recieve immediately and 1 shipped on the DVD). **Please add $25 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $100 or more
"SPECIAL POSTER PACK": Everything in the SPECIAL EDITION tier + the 18"x24" Wall Poster! **Please add $30 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $150 or more
"COLLECTOR'S EDITION": Spoof box with dummy game cartridge, a hard copy of the manual, custom USB drive containing the game and all of the FULL PACKAGE tier rewards (2 total copies of the game, 1 digital you'll recieve immediately and 1 shipped on the USB drive). **Please add $25 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $175 or more
"COLLECTOR'S POSTER PACK": Everything in the COLLECTOR'S EDITION tier + the 18"x24" Wall Poster! **Please add $30 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $300 or more
"ILLUSTRATION": 11x17 Original, completely unique Ink Illustration of Volgarr by Kris Durrschmidt and the FULL PACKAGE tier rewards. **Please add $25 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $400 or more
"COLLECTOR'S ILLUSTRATION": 11x17 Original, completely unique Ink Illustration of Volgarr by Kris Durrschmidt and the COLLECTOR'S POSTER PACK tier rewards. **Please add $35 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**
Est. delivery: Feb 2013

Pledge $500 or more
"FOR ALL TIME": ALL future games by Crazy Viking Studios! Your name will also be listed before others in the Special Thanks section and in a different color! Also includes the FULL PACKAGE tier rewards PLUS 2 bonus digital copies of the game (4 total).

Pledge $550 or more
"MEGA PACK": Combination of the FOR ALL TIME, SPECIAL EDITION, and POSTER PACK tiers (4 total copies of the game, 3 digital, 1 on the DVD, and only 1 copy of everything in the FULL PACKAGE tier, included on the DVD). **Please add $30 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $600 or more
"COLLECTOR'S MEGA PACK": Combination of the FOR ALL TIME, COLLECTOR'S EDITION, and POSTER PACK tiers (4 total copies of the game, 3 digital, 1 on the USB drive, and only 1 copy of everything in the FULL PACKAGE tier, included on the USB drive). **Please add $30 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $1,500 or more
"WE LOVE YOU PACK": A customized video of Volgarr singing about his love specifically for you, by name in probably the most strangely violent love song ever written about... aw hell, Volgarr will probably go off on a face stabbing rant at some point (Kris doing his Viking barbarian voice over animated Volgarr). Also includes everything in the COLLECTOR'S MEGA PACK tier! **Please add $30 for shipping outside of the USA, Canada and Mexico**

Pledge $7,500 or more
"ULTIMATE ARCADE": Your very own Volgarr the Viking Arcade Machine for the ULTIMATE game purist experience! Complete with custom Volgarr side art, Marquee that lights up and X-Arcade Joystick. Lovingly constructed with our very own hands with superior [Rec Room Master] parts, shipped assembled** and Signed by the team. Arcade machine includes a PC (preinstalled with Volgarr the Viking game, digital sound track and art book), monitor and speakers so you can just hook it all up and play! Your name will be listed in the credits as an "Executive Producer". Also includes everything in the FULL PACKAGE tier. THIS REWARD IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO BACKERS IN THE 48 STATES OF THE USA. **Computer, monitor, speakers and X-Arcade Tank Stick are not preassembled in the machine.

Media:

SPECIAL EDITION (Pledge $75+) box:

COLLECTOR'S EDITION MegaDrive/Genesis spoof box with Cart (Pledge $150 or more, no classics were harmed in the creation of this box*):

Spoiler

USB device hidden inside cart

ULTIMATE EDITION ARCADE STATION (Pledge $7,500):

Music:

http://snd.sc/MmsOgE


The team:

Kris Durrschmidt: Kris has been in game development for over 10 years as everything from an animator to lead artist, level designer, and lead designer. He can even write his own code should the need arise (or someone really forces him to). Kris is most known for his work on The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night GBA (Lead Artist) and Shinobi 3DS (Lead Designer).

Taron Millet: Taron is a programmer and game designer with experience as both an independent developer and industry professional. With particular expertise in side-scrollers, combat systems, tight controls and classic game design techniques, Taron is dedicated to game-play above all else. His obsession with quality is well known in his work on titles such as The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night GBA, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows DS, and Shinobi 3DS.

Kochun Hu / Superhero Soundworks: Kochun is a composer and sound designer providing the epic orchestral score and action-packed sound design for Volgarr the Viking. Kochun has also written music for Battlezone: Red Odyssey PC and the Deadly Dozen series PC, and has provided sound design for Marvel Superhero Squad titles 360/PS3/Wii, among others.

Shinobi 3DS was one of the best 2D platformers released in the last 5 years, and I'm glad these guys are attempting another crack at it despite all the shit that went down. Here's hoping all goes well!

------------------------------------------------------------------------


UPDATES


Update 4:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1829034266/volgarr-the-viking/posts/274392

HALFWAY THERE ALREADY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiMHTK15Pik&feature=player_embedded

YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! THANK YOU!

Update 3:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1829034266/volgarr-the-viking/posts/274159

An Old Art Diary Video

Some of you may have seen this, however many of you have not.

This is a art diary video that I do every once in awhile as I make various assets for the game. We have been hard at work on Volgarr for a long time. I have already drawn over a thousand frames of animation related to the hero alone.

This video is of the "Standing Spear Throw".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMpuJ01BtnY&feature=relmfu

Update 2 (for backers only, click link to see if applicable):
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1829034266/volgarr-the-viking/posts/273465


Update 1:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1829034266/volgarr-the-viking/posts/273389

Added $400 Reward Tier

We had multiple requests for a new COLLECTOR'S ILLUSTRATION reward to include the COLLECTOR'S POSTER PACK and the ILLUSTRATION reward as a combo. Wish granted. New reward now live. Thank you!

-Feel free to adjust accordingly!

 

[ThatStupidLion]

that arcade and CE look nice. hope these guys get funded.

 

[Orayn]

In for $10. The classic game box won me over.

 

[Red Sutter]

Would be in if it were more original and didn't look like The Legendary Axe.

 

[PixyJunket]

What's with the music if this is supposed to be an homage to 16-bit gaming?

 

[Ziophaelin]

That's kind of the point of the project. I loved Legendary Axe ( still own it) but I think it even more closely resembles the spirit of Rastan in the looks department.

 

[Tain]

I haven't played Shinobi yet, but at this point I can't trust these guys to make a great 2D action game. And I feel like I've already seen enough of the roll move from that video alone.

Wait and see.

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

lol @ that box art. Reminds me of this:

 

[Khaz]

Spoiler

USB device hidden inside cart

Dissapointed. If you want to make a 16-bit game at least make it so it can run on real 16-bit hardware.

btw the cover reminded me of this:

edit: mine is better

 

[PixyJunket]

Dissapointed. If you want to make a 16-bit game at least make it so it can run on real 16-bit hardware.

Good luck finding developers well versed in various flavors of assembler.

 

[Bomber Bob]

Ouya port plz

 

[Ziophaelin]

Ouya port plz

We backed them at the developer level! When the game is done we DO hope to bring it over... but I guess that depends on everyone else.

 

[Celine]

Ah ah reminds me of Act Raiser 2

 

[ChosenPredator]

Wish they got a little bit of inspiration from dungeon and dragons shadow over mystaria

but i might go ahead and fund this game looks fun to play around with to bad the arcade setup is only for the USA.

 

[Ingueferroque]

Wow, they need much better art. Some of the gameplay mechanics are interesting, esp. the arrows system.

 

[Hero of Legend]

One of the folks who founded the company was one of, if not the KEY person who created the REALLY good Griptonite brawlers, which include:

Spyro: the Eternal Night (GBA)
Assassin's Creed II: Discovery (DS)
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (DS)
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (DS)
Shinobi (3DS)

 

[lopaz]

It looks cool. If I was a wealthy man, I would be in for the arcade machine

 

[Rubikant]

Wish they got a little bit of inspiration from dungeon and dragons shadow over mystaria

but i might go ahead and fund this game looks fun to play around with to bad the arcade setup is only for the USA.

Ha, that's so weird, Kris and I were just playing that the other day, SUCH a good game. We also played through its predecessor King of Dragons.

When we started Crazy Viking Studios we made a list of the types of games we always wanted to make, and this was up near the top. We decided to start with a side-scroller because it was the genre we had the most experience with, and make it viking themed to go with the studio name, but we have plans for more than just side-scrollers and viking games if this first attempt works out.

One of the folks who founded the company was one of, if not the KEY person who created the REALLY good Griptonite brawlers, which include:

Spyro: the Eternal Night (GBA)
Assassin's Creed II: Discovery (DS)
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (DS)
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (DS)
Shinobi (3DS)

Yeah that was me

 

[BobTheFork]

It looks cool. If I was a wealthy man, I would be in for the arcade machine

I think if I could piss 7500, I'd get an ACDC pinball machine.

 

[Sushigod7]

I'm kind of digging it, for some reason I can't resist vikings.

 

[ChosenPredator]

Ha, that's so weird, Kris and were just playing that the other day, SUCH a good game. We also played through its predecessor King of Dragons.

When we started Crazy Viking Studios we made a list of the types of games we always wanted to make, and this was up near the top. We decided to start with a side-scroller because it was the genre we had the most experience with, and make it Viking themed to go with the studio name, but we have plans for more than just side-scrollers and Viking games if this first attempt works out.




Yeah that was me

Wicked! positive things will work out for you guys and even better that you'll keep making classic era games mixed with your own styles.

 

[Orayn]

Volgarr must be trending, because the project has shot up from $1500 when this thread was created to over $3600 now!

 

[Dreamwriter]

I got my pledge in for the faux Genesis case/cart and poster; hoping for an Ouya version in the future since I also pledged for that!

 

[Grayman]

One of the folks who founded the company was one of, if not the KEY person who created the REALLY good Griptonite brawlers, which include:

Spyro: the Eternal Night (GBA)
Assassin's Creed II: Discovery (DS)
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows (DS)
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions (DS)
Shinobi (3DS)

Web of shadows was so awesome I'll kick a bit.

 

[soultron]

Hey, that looks pretty neat.

 

[Boney]

I'm just not into kickstarter and stuff, but best of luck on your endeavors, it looks great.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Make that TWO of the folks who are Crazy Viking being key folks being the Griptonite games (Ziophaelin was the Lead Designer of Shinobi and the Lead Artist of Spyro!).

 

[pa22word]

Oh and hey, does anyone mind linking me to the general KS thread here on gaf? This little game deserves every bit of attention it can get!

 

[Ziophaelin]

<3 NeoGaf, you guys are amazing! We are pushing close to 30% in the first day and the data is telling me it has a lot to do with you guys!

 

[Boney]

<3 NeoGaf, you guys are amazing! We are pushing close to 30% in the first day and the data is telling me it has a lot to do with you guys!

has to be the spear jumping

 

[Draft]

I'm in for $10.

 

[Rubikant]

has to be the spear jumping

Sweet, I knew that was a good idea!

 

[Grayman]

<3 NeoGaf, you guys are amazing! We are pushing close to 30% in the first day and the data is telling me it has a lot to do with you guys!

You guys have been pretty cool. I think it was Rubikant who posted about the spider-man game at a forum i was on years ago that brought it to my attention.

 

[ZoddGutts]

We backed them at the developer level! When the game is done we DO hope to bring it over... but I guess that depends on everyone else.

Hmm wonder if you can make it a stretch goal to port it over. Would be a good way to get the Ouya backers to back your game, since it looks awesome. Anyways hope to see more 16 bit games from you guys. As someone said a Dungeon and Dragons Shadow with online co-op would be awesome.

 

[Luigiv]

$18k seems kinda low. Are you guys sure you'll have enough cash left to do anything useful after kick starter royalties, no show pledgers, rewards and other hidden costs?

 

[Ziophaelin]

$18 seems kinda low. Are you guys sure you'll have enough cash left to do anything useful after kick starter royalties, no show pledgers, rewards and other hidden costs?

That is a really GOOD question!

Yes we absolutely will! We spent several weeks carefully calculating all cost of goods, % taken for KS and Amazon (at their maximum rate) and made room for what KS calls failed charges (basically people that didn't have funds in their account to actually pay).

Because Kickstarter is "all or nothing" they recommend that you only ask for the actual minimum that you need. It would suck if you only needed 18 to finish the game but asked for 25 and then failed your Kickstarter at 18.7 or something. There is some wiggle room built in on top of what I mentioned above. However, we do hope we reach that goal and beyond so we can make that game that much better.

Ouya as a stretch goal (android conversion) is always a possibility, but that really depends on if the project takes off.

It is my personal opinion that listing stretch goals before you get initially funded, feels a bit to me like counting your chickens before the eggs have hatched.

 

[Rubikant]

You guys have been pretty cool. I think it was Rubikant who posted about the spider-man game at a forum i was on years ago that brought it to my attention.

Was that on the Penny Arcade forums perhaps? I had a couple big threads there in the past, for Minebot Arena, Spyro: Eternal Night GBA, and Spider-Man. But then they got pretty strict about starting threads about your own game so I didn't try it again for Shinobi or Volgarr.

 

[Luigiv]

That is a really GOOD question!

Yes we absolutely will! We spent several weeks carefully calculating all cost of goods, % taken for KS and Amazon (at their maximum rate) and made room for what KS calls failed charges (basically people that didn't have funds in their account to actually pay).

Because Kickstarter is "all or nothing" they recommend that you only ask for the actual minimum that you need. It would suck if you only needed 18 to finish the game but asked for 25 and then failed your Kickstarter at 18.7 or something. There is some wiggle room built in on top of what I mentioned above. However, we do hope we reach that goal and beyond so we can make that game that much better.

Ouya as a stretch goal (android conversion) is always a possibility, but that really depends on if the project takes off.

It is my personal opinion that listing stretch goals before you get initially funded, feels a bit to me like counting your chickens before the eggs have hatched.

Well that's good to hear. It's also good you're doing this kickstarter early in the financial year so you don't get taxed on it before you can put it to use.

The early footage in your video looks great, exactly the type of game I'd love to play. Looks like this will be the first kickstarter I actually pledge to.

Edit: And done. Put $15 down.

 

[ezekial45]

It looks pretty cool. I hope they make it.

 

[Grayman]

Was that on the Penny Arcade forums perhaps? I had a couple big threads there in the past, for Minebot Arena, Spyro: Eternal Night GBA, and Spider-Man. But then they got pretty strict about starting threads about your own game so I didn't try it again for Shinobi or Volgarr.

Yes that would have been on PA and with the spider-man game for the thread I saw. I had a borrow a DS but I really liked what I played and am onboard with the new game being on the PC. Keep yourselves out there and interact. It worked well before kickstarter and now seems to be bigger than ever.

 

[Grayman]

It looks pretty cool. I hope they make it.

Almost a third of the way there in less than a day seems really promising. The physical goods in the higher tiers are awesome for the crowd who had a genesis growing up.

 

[Dreamwriter]

Almost a third of the way there in less than a day seems really promising. The physical goods in the higher tiers are awesome for the crowd who had a genesis growing up.

I actually had a SNES growing up, but I ponied up for that faux Genesis pack. I dunno what it is, but Genesis carts/cases seem more iconic of the era than SNES ones. Maybe because the SNES box was just that, a carboard box, while Genesis had the plastic cases.

 

[Ziophaelin]

I actually had a SNES growing up, but I ponied up for that faux Genesis pack. I dunno what it is, but Genesis carts/cases seem more iconic of the era than SNES ones. Maybe because the SNES box was just that, a carboard box, while Genesis had the plastic cases.

I debated with myself HARD for a long time about that too. I got the Genesis as a Sophomore in HS when it first came out.

The SNES was a bit more popular by the end of that generation, but when really thinking about a reward... it isn't that fun to get a paper box. I also have a special place in my blood pump machine for those cases. There was nothing greater than getting a new game and on the drive home with your parents getting to... crack the case open with that first whiff of new smell - games today don't really have it, I guess its the box or something. Then getting to absorb all the cool things games used to put into the manuals and getting even more excited about the game...

... then getting home and realizing you just bought Shaq-Fu. /epicfail

 

[-Mikey-]

The combat and abilities you get from power ups / gear look wonderful. I'm in.

 

[pa22word]

And it just passed the 1/3 mark (6k)!!!! I'm so happy this project seems like it's going to see the light of day

Oh and to long time gaf members: is there a limit as to how often I can edit the op? I was going to do daily updates of the progress, but if there's a hard limit I didn't want to hit a brick wall and be unable to progress =\

 

[Ziophaelin]

Amazing first day for Volgarr, thank you guys. Hopefully we continue to be this blessed for the remainder of the campaign.

 

[Dreamwriter]

Oh and to long time gaf members: is there a limit as to how often I can edit the op? I was going to do daily updates of the progress, but if there's a hard limit I didn't want to hit a brick wall and be unable to progress =\

Some of those game OT's get edited quite a bit over years, pretty sure you got nothing to worry about; updating the OP is considered a very useful thing. Keep in mind that one post can't be over 24,000 characters though...

 

[Crub]

To me it looks like the main character has a big blue mouth and a long nose. I can't see it any other way.

 

[Luigiv]

Some of those game OT's get edited quite a bit over years, pretty sure you got nothing to worry about; updating the OP is considered a very useful thing. Keep in mind that one post can't be over 24,000 characters though...

Yeah I'm not aware of any editing limits either. I must of edited the MH3 OT a good 2 to 3 dozen times myself.

 

[pa22word]

Alright, thanks for the info! I'll update with the new reward tiers and total amount earned here in a bit!