Double Fine launches Kickstarter for Massive Chalice

After it's successful push to fund Broken Age, Double Fine has gone back to the crowdfunding well again, launching another Kickstarter campaign to the crowdfunding well again, launching another Kickstarter campaign to fund a new turn-based tactics title set in a feudal fantasy world called Massive Chalice. The goal is $725,000.

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After its successful push to fund Broken Age, Double Fine has gone back to the crowdfunding well again, launching another Kickstarter campaign to fund a new turn-based tactics title set in a feudal fantasy world called Massive Chalice. The goal is $725,000.

"We love tactical strategy games, roguelikes, and the idea of powerful Game of Thrones-style royal dynasties," said project lead Brad Muir, who also headed development of Iron Brigade for Double Fine. "Massive Chalice brings all of that together in a unique Double Fine package."

The game will put the player in the role of an immortal king or queen that tries to build a dynasty for its kingdom. Players oversee their kingdom, "arrange royal marriages, conduct research, and make the far-reaching decisions that will determine the fate of your legacy," according to the Kickstarter page. Also, "you fight brutal turn-based battles to defend your kingdom using small squads of customizable heroes."

Double Fine promises a DRM-free game, with Steam copies for Windows, Mac, and Linux. If the campaign is successful--it already had more than $100,000 in the first hour--the game will launch in late 2014.

The new campaign comes before Broken Age--previously Double Fine Adventure--has launched. The move is not unprecedented, as inXile Entertainment did the same, first with the yet-to-be-released Wasteland 2, then Torment: Tides of Numenera.

Contributing Editor
From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 30, 2013 11:05 AM

    John Keefer posted a new article, Double Fine launches Kickstarter for Massive Chalice.

    After it's successful push to fund Broken Age, Double Fine has gone back to the crowdfunding well again, launching another Kickstarter campaign to the crowdfunding well again, launching another Kickstarter campaign to fund a new turn-based tactics title set in a feudal fantasy world called Massive Chalice. The goal is $725,000.

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      May 30, 2013 11:33 AM

      Hmm, I know Double Fine has a good rep but do you not need more than a idea, some text and two sketches to be asking for that kind of coin $725k?

      Shouldn't there be more, this is not their first KS and game nor are they a few devs in a apartment or garage?

      What are your guys think? Seems wrong to me... I don't know you tell me.

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        May 30, 2013 11:39 AM

        Double Fine has a pretty solid track record of executing projects of (roughly) this scope, I don't think there's a problem with how little information they've presented on this KS

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        May 30, 2013 11:41 AM

        For Double Fine? I'd buy off an elevator pitch. WHat more do you need?

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        May 30, 2013 11:41 AM

        I feel like they presented more than enough info and their track record is strong enough that I feel comfortable backing them. Plus it's a new idea, there's probably no way they could get a publisher to fund it without having to change the idea a lot.

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        May 30, 2013 11:43 AM

        I think both Valcan and everyone else have a good point.

        1. Buying a DF game is a pretttttttty sure bet
        2. They did not do much to show actual gameplay meat which *is* what we've been led to expect on KS'd games (broadly)

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          May 30, 2013 11:47 AM

          Yeah but the point of kickstarter is to help fund projects. If they need funding to start development then they can't have a whole lot to show off.

          This isn't any different than their last kickstarter project which had no gameplay to show off.

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            May 30, 2013 11:51 AM

            Exactly. If a game is far enough along to show gameplay, I'd be interested in why they need money to finish up (see: FTL).

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              May 30, 2013 7:09 PM

              I think it's ok in either case. FTL was able to use the funding to add a lot to the game. I just think it's also ok when they have nothing but a pitch as long as it's an established studio.

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            May 30, 2013 11:55 AM

            Eh, I don't know if I agree w/ the absolution of that notion. Look at the Robotech Tactics RPG game. If they had just had sketches, it wouldn't have been that successful. But they had some art, some renders, some product and a basic set of the rules. Aside from artists sitting around making some minis and having them printed... they're pretty much done.

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        May 30, 2013 11:49 AM

        Good? Try Great or Amazing. And Schafer is a Golden Sex God.

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        May 30, 2013 11:52 AM

        I agree with you, as I have a rule against backing vague pitches. Maybe they'll fill it in more later but as of now I can't back that. :(

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        May 30, 2013 11:53 AM

        [deleted]

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        May 30, 2013 12:20 PM

        People forget that the DFA kickstarter had even less info and was basically TIm saying, hey I want to make an adventure game!

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          May 30, 2013 12:23 PM

          Yeah and they made fun of that in the video of how they started the trend of old guys coming out of the woodwork to bring back dead genres on Kickstarter. Haha.

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          May 30, 2013 12:35 PM

          that's actually Tim's project though. He's not going to be doing anything on this one.

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            May 30, 2013 12:53 PM

            Right but Brad Muir is more than capable of leading a project too. Trenched/Iron Brigade was a lot of fun.

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            May 30, 2013 12:53 PM

            Way to miss the point.

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          May 30, 2013 2:06 PM

          First of I want to say I am a fan of Double Fine and secondly Tim is a real cool dude and defiantly one that does care about his games. Just want to get this out of the way I am not hating on the company or him at all, that is not the point what so ever.

          I did not forget at all, I personally don't like this approach at all no matter who is doing it.

          I think it is more than reasonable for investors us the gamers to expect that you would have sketches, pre alpha screens, target mock up screens, at least a prototype vid and the details of the game.

          So let me ask you this if I put up a Kickstarter] for my game and only had information a few sketches and nothing else and just tell you what I want to do would you support me with just that info?

          Now say I had sketches, pre alpha screens, target mock up screens, a prototype vid and the details of the game, and talk about my engine, and my plans would you not be more entitled to support me in this scenario rather than the first one?

          There are many Kickstarts that do show screens of the alpha or pre alpha and a vid and these are tiny teams and not a actual game shops with staff etc and games under their belts.

          Your telling me you would go to my second scenario "oh he has the game in great shape he is too far along I don't think he needs help to finish it screw it I want someone that has like nothing to show?"

          Really?

          • reply
            May 30, 2013 2:29 PM

            You aren't an investor. You are donating.

            What they essentially showed you is what it's like to be pitched a game -- minus funny pitch video -- if you were a publisher. The more established a developer is to a publisher, the less assets needed for a pitch.

            If you, someone I know nothing about and have zero history to show, tried to sell me a paper napkin pitch, then no I wouldn't even consider you worth my time. You would need to show a lot more to get my attention.

            Double Fine has a history, both from past games and their past kickstarter. That's what they have in place of someone with more to prove. You know they have the talent. If their past plus their pitch isn't enough for you, then don't donate.

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              May 30, 2013 2:41 PM

              ^^^ yep. Not to mention, Double Fine is well known enough that if they put up a truly pre-alpha or prototype video, it would probably detract rather than add to their pitch, because really early mockups like that look like absolute ass and DF is known for slick, pretty games.

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              May 30, 2013 2:47 PM

              ^^^^ this makes perfect sense, still I would like to see more personally no matter what, but yeah it does make perfect sense what you have said.

              You had me worried I thought you said that if some one like my self had a Kickstarter and showed a lot of stuff that meant people would not want to support me for I was in too good of a state with my game :) . I was like "WTF?" that makes no sense.

              Cool, we have mind melded and are in synced.

              • reply
                May 31, 2013 6:05 AM

                You have almost a whole month to decide if you want to back this. I bet there will be a lot more updates during this campaign and I suspect they will go a little more in depth on it all later.

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      May 30, 2013 11:41 AM

      Already gave them my dough. These guys deliver!

    • reply
      May 30, 2013 11:54 AM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      May 30, 2013 12:08 PM

      [deleted]

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      May 30, 2013 12:10 PM

      Sending them more money. Crazy I know.

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        May 30, 2013 12:56 PM

        I know, at this point I feel like I should just set them up for direct deposit. I just keep giving these guys money.

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      May 30, 2013 12:21 PM

      I heart brad muir.

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      May 30, 2013 12:45 PM

      I got much more worth than I paid for their last kickstarter and the game is not even released yet. I paid $15 bucks and got a year of fantastic videos on the development of their game, totally worth it. Gotta love DF. Take my money again, Tim!

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      May 30, 2013 2:12 PM

      If they're going to keep doing things this way, I wish they'd at least attempt a Psychonauts sequel. THAT's a kickstarter I'd buy into.

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        May 30, 2013 2:34 PM

        Tim said something along the lines that a Psychonauts sequel would require something like 15 million dollars. Notch offered to fund the game before he realized it would be that much.

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          May 30, 2013 2:43 PM

          Like that guy doesn't have access to $15 mil if he really wanted to do the legwork…

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      May 30, 2013 7:45 PM

      This might the one that actually breaks me down to donate to a Kickstarter. This game sounds so awesome. Fire Emblem meets X-Com meets Crusader Kings 2. 8O

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      May 30, 2013 9:20 PM

      I threw my money at them because they said all the right things!

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      May 30, 2013 10:00 PM

      I would have thought they would have released their first game before asking for money for a second one. Do these guys have no other deals going on with publishers?

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        May 31, 2013 3:54 AM

        Why? They have multiple teams to keep busy and always several projects on the go.

        As to publishers: why hand creative control and massive amounts of money to publishers when you have the track record and good will to crowd-fund all day long? I'm happy to sub them the money to get these projects off the ground.

        I get the game at the end of the day, for the same money as if I'd just bought it off the shelf, and I ensure that it gets made in the first place. Sound deal.

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      May 31, 2013 3:16 PM

      Not surprised after the XBone fiasco. And maybe the fact that Ps4 is 50 to 60% more powerful that the Xbone.

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