About this project
HD Trailer with 48fps
Watch the trailer in higher quality at:
https://youtu.be/G_8DA1nvRGg
Demo
Download a free digital copy of the PC alpha demo for up to 4 players at:
http://gamejolt.com/games/mad-squad/84104
http://www.indiedb.com/downloads/madsquad
Feel free to check out the Steam Greenlight page and to take a vote:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=505499903
Introduction
Mad Squad is a colorful and story-driven physics-based 2.5D Multiplayer Action Platformer with a unique game mechanic. Use energy waves to keep off your foes, to move objects or even to blast yourself or other players into the air.
Up to 4 players play local at the same time and solve physics-based puzzles and fight their way across an action-packed, beautiful world. Explore plenty of unique levels and a heart-warming and funny storyline about a special forces squad, their dog and the mission to save the world. Work together and cooperate with each other, and defeat Little Timmy, an emo kid that leads an army of shadows into a war against humanity.
Description
In Mad Squad, you take on the role of a special forces unit that moves through a detailed and colorful 3D world with realistic physics. Use your creativity and your special power to utilize the environment on your journey through carefully crafted levels.
In classic Jump-And-Run tradition, you move from left to right. You encounter NPCs that forward the storyline in a funny manner, and fight of the hostile army of shadows.
The player share the same screen similar to Little Big Planet and New Super Mario Bros locally. The distance between the multiple players is handled through the camera's zoom and all players are visible at all times. So no annoying off-screen deaths in case someone falls behind.
To help players to keep their focus on the characters, a depth of field camera effect is used, which basically blurs the fore- and background.
As fun as this game is to play alone, its real strength lies in the multiplayer aspect. Cooperating has never been this fun, as you have the precise control over your energy wave.
The energy wave even reflects physically correct of hit objects. This enables you, for example, to shoot on the ground and get blasted into the air by the reflected energy.
The game also has some Beat-Em-Up elements. Each character has its own set of attacks and varies in speed in strength, making each character somewhat unique to play. All characters and enemies are equipped with a ragdoll, so feel free to punch them as hard as you can, and watch them flying towards the sunrise.
The controls and animations are precisely synched through using the so-called root motion of the animation. This means that models (e.g. the player) are only moved through the movement of the animation which results in a natural look. Combine this approach with Animation Blend Trees, and you get a precise and transitionless movement between standing still to running for your life.
The game is intended to be easy and intuitive to pick up and is best played with a gamepad.
Why Kickstarter?
With the funding, I want to cover software, licenses, and hardware costs which I need mostly to cover the various platforms. Also, it is a good way to get early feedback for the game, and to build up a community.
Multi-Platform Limited Collector's Edition
The Limited Collector's Edition comes on a metal dog tag USB drive, packed in a wooden box. Both the box and the dog tag are laser-engraved with the Mad Squad logo.
The USB drive contains a copy of the game for each platform so you can stay flexible and use the platform of your current need or desire. Visit friends and plug it into a Wii U, Playstation 4 or XBox One. Use it on a Mac, PC or with the Linux distribution of your choice.
You receive one of only 150 existing dog tags, and you are a major contributer in the creation and funding of this mad game, Thank you!
About the Developer
Interstellar Game Studios is a Vienna, Austria-based game studio. It was founded about a year ago by me, Reinhard Zach. Ever since then I am working tirelessly to make it a success. I want to expand and get an experienced artist and musician on board full-time, once the budget belt is a bit wider. At the moment, I work with an artist for specific models and animations. My dog makes sure I take occasional breaks.
Before Interstellar Game Studios, I was working as a software developer and for the Technical University Vienna, developing a building automation system on a Raspberry Pi and publishing a paper about that at the ECPPM conference. Next to my job, I finished a BSc. and started my Master studies in software development, from which I dropped out, so I can fully focus on the game development.
For more information check out my linkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/interstellargs
I am working with Unity5, and my experience as software developer comes in very handy. Unity5 enables me to cover the entire set of platforms. And since I don't use any online services, or platform specific features, porting is almost as easy as pressing a button.
Links
Follow me on twitter and like the facebook page to get updates:
twitter.com/InterstellarGS
facebook.com/madsquadgame
facebook.com/interstellargamestudios
I also live stream the development on a regular basis at:
twitch.tv/interstellargamestudios
Press
Find Press Release Assets at
www.interstellargamestudios.com/madsquad/
Contact
office at InterstellarGameStudios.com
Risks and challenges
A risk is that the game might not get greenlit on steam, or that a platform declines the game to be listed in their store. In that case, I would have to fall back to an alternative store or provide you with a download of the game on my website.
I think the demo shows that I am more than capable of finishing this project successfully.
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Funding period
- (30 days)