WE DID IT! Edo Superstar will become a game! Thank you for your trust and support.
You can follow the game's progress at edosuperstar.com (Please give us a little time to build the site, as we work on the game.)
Art cards, woodblock prints, and t-shirts will continue to be available at ukiyoeheroes.com. All proceeds from those items will go towards making the game even better.
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NOTE: All reward levels include a download of the game, for all available systems. Backers will be able to download the game for multiple systems.
The fans have spoken! We've had many requests to port the game to Windows and Mac. We've discussed the implications, and decided it will be quite easy to adapt the game to these systems. Because we're developing in Unity, porting the code won't be a problem. As for controls, we'll focus on perfecting the game for gamepad. Players in a pinch will also be able to use a keyboard/mouse combination.
Gamepads and Mobile: The mobile build will now have the option of working with bluetooth controller attachments.
We're aiming for a release date of Fall 2014 for mobile, and Winter 2014 for PC/Mac.
My name is Jed Henry. I'm a professional artist and a big Japan nerd. I've been working in the classic Japanese style for a long time, using traditional tools and techniques. My Ukiyo-e Heroes series, which depicts famous game characters as woodblock prints, is made possible by amazing supporters like you.
As I dig deeper into Ukiyo-e, I'm constantly inspired by the scope and beauty of this rich world. I want to take my work to the next level, and create a fully immersive Ukiyo-e experience. And so, I'm making a video game!
I love Japanese games. As a child, they resonated with me. I loved how they looked. I loved how they played. I connected with the characters, and was drawn into their vast worlds. That magic still drives my creativity today, and I've always dreamed of making my own game.
As I've shared my ideas with fans online, they've responded with tons of support and encouragement. The time is right. The vision is clear. I have assembled a talented team. With your support, we can make a very special game.
Every great game starts with a great hero, and so Masaru was born!
Masaru is a small-town monkey with big dreams. He wants nothing more than to become Japan's greatest star. At the start of the game, Masaru joins the Shiga Ninja Clan and learns to fight, hoping it will boost his reputation. However, he soon realizes that the Clan works only in secret; not a good fit for a star-struck monkey!
Masaru quits the Clan, and heads off to find fame in the big city. Along the way he meets a fast-talking rat who becomes his agent. Masaru's agent guides him from town to town, pitting him against Japan's most notorious bad guys.
By defeating enemies and impressing the locals, Masaru's fame grows. Fight by fight, stage by stage, Masaru makes his way across medieval Japan to the capital, in hopes of becoming a true Edo Superstar!
Here are just a few enemies we have planned for the game. For a collectable set of prints featuring these baddies, check out the Character Art Cards reward to the right.
Tanuki is the first of the three ninjas that hunt Masaru. A master of the kusari-dama (chain balls), Tanuki is dangerous at both long range and close up. Whatever you do, don't get snared by his bola-coil attack! Like all the ninjas, Tanuki is known for shapeshifting. He will blend into his environment for the perfect surprise attack.
Mountain Cat is the Shiga Clan's #2 assassin. The quickest of her Clan, her attacks leave little time to think. While her claws inflict less damage than other weapons, Mountain Cat compensates by relentlessly tearing her enemies to shreds. Beware her eye scratch attack - it will temporarily block visibility!
The leader of the Shiga Clan, Fox is ruthless and cunning. He employs every form of deception to confuse his enemy: shape-shifting, teleporting, and an unreadable fighting style. If you are struck by his poison darts, shake your device to dislodge them, or they'll quickly finish you off!
Tengu are the mythical crow-people of the mountains. Neither gods nor devils, they are mischievous, and sometimes even malevolent. Defeat them in battle, and you just might learn some of their fighting secrets!
Lots more to come!
Edo Superstar was originally conceived as a fighting game for iOS and Android, and we're 100% committed to delivering on that promise.
Simultaneously, we've received many requests to port the game to more conventional systems. For this reason, we've expanded our release to Windows and Mac as well. We take this very seriously, and promise that these versions will have great controls. Players will have the option to choose between a gamepad, or a keyboard/mouse combination. Obviously, the gamepad will feel much more intuitive to the experienced gamer.
On the mobile side, we designed the controls specfically for multi-touch screens. We've eliminated the clumsy virtual buttons found in most mobile fighters, and focused instead on direct interaction with the characters. Gameplay is all about timing and precision. Here are some great combos we have planned:
♦ Double-tap on enemy's fist/weapon: Masaru grabs.
♦ After a grab, swipe in any direction: Masaru will throw the enemy.
♦ Grab + swipe straight up: Enemy is tossed into the air, for you to kick on the way down!
♦ Grab + swipe straight down: Enemy is laid flat - perfect for a double-foot drop kick!
♦ Grab + swipe forward: Enemy is pushed back off balance - the perfect set-up for a quick combo.
♦ Grab + swipe over the shoulder: The classic judo throw, for a solid bit of damage!
♦ Grab + shake your device: This takes the weapon from enemy! Masaru can use it for a short time.
♦ Swipe up on enemy: Simple uppercut / knee kick.
♦ Swipe down on enemy: Brings heel or elbow down on enemy.
♦ Swipe forward against enemy: A quick push, to get enemy off balance.
♦ Rapid tap on Masaru: Energy Charge! If you can find the time in combat, gives you extra power!
Here's a video showing the core controls. We're still very early in development, so you can expect TONS of elaboration on this system:
We believe mobile devices have an huge potential for great gameplay. They offer beautiful graphics and multi-touch input, not to mention gyroscopes, accelerometers and social gaming. And, they are ready to play whenever and wherever you want.
Edo Superstar is a mobile game for gamers. We designed it from the ground up, embracing new technology while maintaining classic game values. We turned to Street Fighter 2 for inspiration as we developed our tight, responsive fighting system. RPGs like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts provided inspiration for our story, characters, and leveling system. And, to spice things up, we followed Nintendo's example by including quirky bonus games to add a touch of humor.
We've chosen to fund this game in a very unique way, by offering a gorgeous series of handmade woodblock prints! We're teaming up once again with Japanese printmaker, David Bull. Dave has lived in Tokyo for 30 years, perfecting his craft and training the next generation of woodblock artisans. By supporting our project, you not only fund a great game, but will also help Dave preserve this amazing art form for the next generation.
Woodblock prints inspire the game's art, and the game helps support woodblock printmaking. It's a perfect match!
We're very proud of this print series! The new designs follow a bold, pop art format. They look stunning when displayed as a set, or individually. Dave has incorporated an embossing technique called karazuri, to give the prints even more 3D appeal.
This is not your average Kickstarter t-shirt! We're printing on American Apparel fine jersey tees, the most comfortable ones we could find. Shirts are a $30 reward level, and can be grouped with any other reward by adding $30. At the end of this campaign we'll send a survey, where you'll let us know if you added a shirt to your pledge. On that survey you'll also choose between men's and women's cut, and any size (S~XXXL). We're offering these sweet colors!
Dave and his apprentices will immediately begin sending prints once we're funded, starting with 'Certain Victory'. Over the following months, he will carve the blocks for the other designs, and print and ship everyone's orders.
On the game side, we will be busy creating Edo Superstar! Jed will hand-draw all the characters and backgrounds, and animate them. The game designers and programmers will be busy perfecting the game's core systems.
We plan to launch the full game in September 2014. Once it's ready, we will notify all backers when they can download it for free.
This graph shows how we plan to use the funds from this Kickstarter:
We're really excited to create a beautiful, fun sound track for this game. We've hired Jordan Henry, a talented composer from LA (who happens to be Jed's brother) to explore the sounds of Masaru's world. Here are some tracks he's already completed!
We have tons of ideas to expand Edo Superstar's gameplay. Our initial funding goal of $65,000 will allow us to perfect the core game mechanics, and create the first 3 chapters. Beyond that, we've planned many amazing features that we would love to include in the final game. Here they are!
Risks and challenges
This is my first leap into creating games. With a project this big, there are guaranteed to be a few snags. We'll be sure to keep you posted through Kickstarter updates if we encounter any delays. To minimize problems, we've prepared well to make sure production goes as smoothly as possible. Our main mantra is this:
It all comes down to the people!
I've assembled a passionate, brilliant team. We've already clocked hundreds of hours designing, programming, and play testing. Over that time, we've proven how well we work together. Our current build of the game confirms our initial concept - that we're making something very cool!
In more specific terms, we're carefully taking the process step by step:
Step 1: Fun gameplay
Our first task has been to perfect the core gameplay. This will continue for a few more months of development, after the Kickstarter ends.
Step 2: Expanding on gameplay for a fun, varied experience
Once we're certain the core concept is amazing, we'll expand outward, creating stages and levels. Our Game Design Document outlines the direction of each chapter in broad terms. Bit by bit, we'll nail down the fun specifics of each level.
Step 3: Tie it all together with a great story! Our goal is to make a mobile game with all the heart of a classic console title. While story is key, it's also easiest to implement.
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A note from Dave Bull about woodblock print delivery:
"Delivery timing of the woodblock prints: As everybody knows, the woodblock prints we are offering as rewards are totally hand made. It is thus very difficult for me to promise a certain delivery date when I don't yet know how many will be needed. It might take us a couple of months to make 500 prints, but if the demand is for 5,000 what then? So here is what I am going to do. Two of the block sets are already carved, and the others will be ready by the time the campaign is over. Rather than try to pull massive editions of hundreds of copies at once, myself and my staff will begin pulling prints from these blocks in batches of a few dozen at a time, shipping these out as soon as they are done (in order of backer signup, of course). Prints will thus be leaving our workshop in a steady stream during the months following the close of the campaign. If you decide to back this project through the selection of a woodblock print reward (thank you!), please have a look at the number of backers of that item to date, and guesstimate your own delivery time from that. If all goes well, all the prints should be in the hands of the backers by the dates specified on this page, but if we are overwhelmed with a massive flood of backing, it might take a bit longer. Thank you for your understanding, and please remember what they say in fine restaurants: "Faire de la bonne cuisine demande un certain temps. Si on vous fait attendre, c' est pour mieux vous servir, et vous plaire!"
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