Soup is an intriguing take on the mechanics behind traditional real time strategy games, to say the least. initial release is on the PC
SOUP
Hi there. We at Gievo's Game Studios, a brand new start-up company, have launched a few different game creation projects, this being one of them. With these projects we intend to get enough money to license our business more fully, as well as get enough money to start renting a properly outfitted and networked workspace in Austin Texas. Please help us make this project happen, so that we can reward you with the creation of some awesome games, and with the knowledge that you helped push some fresh thinking into an industry that is largely controlled by large publishers.
This project is being run by Willie McIntosh, out of Austin TX, and we'll be updating this page with new information and art as it comes along. this project will take roughly eight weeks to complete, and our official start date for development is set for November 29th, (though we've been working hard during pre-development). Thanks, we hope you enjoy our ideas.
What’s the game?
SOUP is an intriguing take on the mechanics behind traditional real time strategy games, to say the least. The game is set in an alien, and menacing place, deep within the light-less caverns of a distant world. The player takes the role of a bio-luminescent, water faring, parasitic fungus, who is reliant on its control of “host cells” in order to retrieve its nourishment. The player, as they develop their fungus, will too develop their cells, by controlling the evolution of several strains of of alien bacteria in order to ultimately create their own unique colony. In forming this colony, the player will strive to equip themselves more effectively to explore their environment, and hopefully to survive the company of the beings that they may discover. Be warned; once the veil of darkness has been pulled back far enough to reveal what slumbers within the depths of this place, it will be too late to turn back.
How will it be played?
In most RTS games, the player controls their units with a point and click interface, choosing every action each unit takes. In many ways, this system puts the complexity of interaction in between the player and the development of their strategies. This will not be the case in SOUP. Instead of point and click control, the player directs their units by choosing each cell type’s reaction to various pheromones (which are given off by living, or once living entities). The player will also be able to inject various pheromones into the game environment, to encourage cells to do what the player wants them to.
As in nature, upon birth, cells will have a chance to mutate, and through selective breeding the player will create his or her own unit classes, each with their own specialized functions, letting his or her semi-automated herd carry out various tasks including such things as gathering food (any dead organisms the player may come upon), scouting out new territory, and waging war on other colonies/organisms. In addition to the management of his or her bacterial colony, the player will regulate the growth of his or her fungus, firstly and foremost by extending a pre-structural fungal web known as mycelium, the spread of which will both increase the area of influence of the player (as mycelium is required to induct pheromones), as well as giving them more space to create various fungal structures (comparable to buildings in other RTS games), with each having a different intended purpose.
Multiplayer:
Upon SOUP's initial release, there will likely be no multiplayer functionality, though we will be coding the game in such a way that, provided there is sufficient interest in the game, we will most assuredly be adding multiplayer functionality. Depending on how we implement multiplayer (whether it would be joint-exploration by two or more players, or if it would just be the kind of multiplayer you might usually expect from a real time strategy game), we may be opening another kickstarter donation run in order to get what we need to do so. We’ll be talking about this more through social networking and other similar means, throughout development, in order to see what kind of pre-release community support we can raise (and what ideas you all may have).
Why we’re asking you for help and where the money will go:
Currently, we’re in pre-development, with a set starting date of November 29th. In order to start by the 29th, we need to have at least 2 copies of the Torque Game Builder engine, but the $250 dollars it will take to get those does not, by any means, give us enough to finish the game. The rest of the money raised from this will go into buying porting software (in order to release on more platforms than just PC), graphics software, and additional equipment that will help us with the efficiency and quality of our output.
What role will this game play in the development of its parent company as a whole?
This game is the first of many projects under Gievo’s Game Studios. We are a start up entertainment company based in Austin. We currently have a variety of projects including table top and video games. Feel free to check out our two active projects (link to be added). You can also take a look at the art that was our inspiration for our potential december project, on our Facebook page. Feel free to check out our Facebook fan page( http://www.facebook.com/home.php... ) and our character page.
All rewards will get you mentioned on our facebook or twitter. In our weekly pledge update.
PLEASE NOTE: On top of this feel free to send us an email at gievo[AT]modpatio[DOT]com. We're happy to follow up on email communication over the phone or however else is convenient for you.
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
7
Backers
$385
pledged of $2,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Unsuccessful This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on December 19, 2010.
Funding period
Nov 19, 2010 -
Dec 19, 2010
(30 days)
Pledge $5 or more
1 backer
Anything helps. You’ve just gotten your name in the credits.
Pledge $10 or more
2 backers
In addition to our thankfulness, you’ll receive a pre-order of the game and you/your company’s name in the credits.
Pledge $25 or more
1 backer
In addition to our gratitude, you’ll receive a pre-order of the game, along with you/your company’s name in the credits, along with an overlord fungus mousepad.
Pledge $50 or more
0 backers
In addition to our honest thanks, you’ll receive a pre-order of the game with your name in the credits and your choice from a number of T shirts with art from the game.
Pledge $50 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
We'd love to get our hands on a copy of “Spriteworks”, a piece of 3D-2D digital conversion software that will help us bring environmental objects to life. For $50, you can make our day! We hope to make yours, in return, we will provide you with your name in a special place in the credits, and a pre-order of the game
Pledge $75 or more
0 backers
In addition to our admiration, you’ll receive a pre-order with your name in the credits and a poster of art from the game, with the artist’s signature.
Pledge $100 or more
2 backers
In addition to our good will, you’ll receive a pre-order with your name in the credits along with both your choice from a number of T shirts with artwork from the game with the whole team’s hand written signatures on the back, and a poster with art from the game, signed by the artist that did that piece of art.
Pledge $125 or more
1 backer All gone!
We all know that good things come in threes, so it is no surprise that three more copies of the game engine Torque 2D would be a very, very good thing! Each donation of $125 lets us get one copy closer to our goal. In return for your generosity, we will put your name in a special sponsors section of our credits for the PC version of the game. We'll also throw in a pre-order of the game on the PC.
Pledge $200 or more
0 backers
Aside from our wholesome appreciation, you’ll recieve a boxed version of the game, With a concept art book of both this project and all other current GGSLLC projects, not to mention a special $200 donor level poster, which will be signed by the artist. You will also receive a full page dedicated to you or whomever/whatever you want in the credits (must be PG).
Pledge $200 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
Every kid has a dream. Our dream is to make Soup available on the the XBOX 360 live market place. With a contribution of $200 from you, we can make this dream come true. Your donation will allow us to get a copy of Torque X! If and when we port to the xbox, you will get a free copy of the xbla version of the game.
Pledge $350 or more
0 backers Limited (2 of 2 left)
Calling all patrons of the arts! We want to deliver the visual best experience that we can to our players. To do this, we need to get two medium Intuos4 drawing tablets. Two donations of $350 dollars can get us there. In return, we’ll get you your name in a special sponsors space in the credits and a pre-order of the game.
Pledge $500 or more
0 backers
Other than our utter gratitude, you will recieve a boxed version of the game, With a concept art book of both this project and all current GGSLLC projects, along with both the $200 level poster and a special $500 donor level poster signed by the whole team. You will also recieve a full page dedicated to you or whomever/whatever you want in the credits (must be PG), along with an invitation to one of our company gaming parties (via the internet).
Pledge $900 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
A single contribution of $900 will allow us to port our game to the iPhone market place, for use on any Apple “i” line product. In addition to getting a special page dedicated to you in the credits of the Apple Marketplace version of the game, this package also includes a pre-order of the game if and when it hits the apple market place.
Pledge $1,000 or more
0 backers Limited (10 of 10 left)
So you really like our ideas for the game? Want to meet us? Well, for $1000, we’ll fly to your town and hand deliver your copy of the game to you in addition to demoing the game with you and your friends. you will also get the option of getting 4 additional copies to give out to whomever you wish. Your copy of the game will also include a concept art book with art from all our active projects. A full page will be dedicated to someone or something of your choice in the credits (has to be PG rated).
Pledge $3,000 or more
0 backers Limited (5 of 5 left)
Along with a Pre-order to the game and your name in the credits, we will fly into your town and hand deliver a custom built computer and case, designed by the art team that created our game. The computer will come pre-loaded with our game, along with demo’s(if aplicable) of any of our other projects.
Pledge $6,000 or more
0 backers
We will fly you down to Austin with a companion of your choice, for 3 days (at an undetermined time) to tour our office space, to meet all our team members, and to get a little sneak peak into 3 or more of our projects (NDA’s required). You will also get to join in on one of our in-house company LAN parties, in addition to being treated to 6 meals across this time period getting a sample of each part of Austin’s rich food culture, with us paying for your lodging. This package also includes two 3 Day passes to the internationally famous ACL Music festival. In the our home town Austin, The live music capital of the world. We will post the band lineup to ACL in the spring, when it is released. On top of all of this you will get a boxed copy to the game, including a book of concept art from all our current projects. And free access to any DLC that is created for the game, and for any potential porting of the game. You will have a page dedicated to you, or anything you want(PG rated)
