- Joined
- Jan 10, 2014
- Messages
- 34
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- 6
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
UPDATE - 07/03/2017 - PROJECT CURRENTLY IN STASIS!
Due to various environmental factors with all the currently working devs, this game's development has been halted indefinitely. I would like to continue this project at some point, rest assured. But don't expect much in the way of updates for some time. I'll update this thread if/when development picks back up.
Until then, feel free to contact me with questions or applications, just be aware that I may not have the mental energy to reply immediately, and we currently have three coders, four artists, a composer and two spriters on board with the project. We are, of course, always on the lookout for anybody who wants to help, so don't feel dissuaded. But just keep in mind who we already have on board.
Thanks! Take care
----------------------------------------------------------
Hi there! If you've clicked this thread, then I'm willing to bet you've played, or at least heard of the game series “Dark-Souls”, and you enjoyed it at least enough to be interested in some crazy bugger who wants to make something similar. Assuming that's correct, then welcome! Welcome to my thread full of wide-eyed ideas, crazy dreams, high ambitions and fragile optimism! Have a read through of what I'm trying to create, and if you feel you want a part of it, please, let me know!
But before that, allow me to introduce myself: I'm Veerdin, I'm a 20-something autistic Australian skeleton wearing the skin of a human. I've got a bad case of ADHD, a caffeine dependency, and a mind that won't stop churning no matter what I do. I've been doing bits and bobs in game development work for almost 8 years, now. I started out making absolutely awful texture mods for Source games way back in 2009, and since then I've been jumping on and off the game development train here and there. If you want some somewhat recent examples of my work, you can check out my Steam Workshop.
To my shame, however, I've never actually put together a full game.
I want to change that. And I want you (yes, you.) to help me! If you're interested, of course.
And the project I want to make is a 2D Souls-like RPG, which is currently called “Wayward”.
What is “Wayward”?
To put it simply, “Wayward” is the working-title for an RPG I've had “in the works” (a phrase here meaning “shotgunned across several random documents”) for a year or so, now. It is heavily inspired by dark fantasy games and media. Most notable of these inspirations being, of course, Dark-Souls: From Software's flagship game series, known for its dense, mysterious lore, excellent gameplay and tough-but-fair difficulty.
Now, you may be thinking that a small team trying to create a “Souls-Like” game is a recipe for disaster. And you'd probably be right. But dammit if I don't want to try! I love Dark-Souls and I'd love nothing more than to make a game that gives players everything that they love about the 'Souls series on a smaller, more modest scale. I'm not trying to make the next Bloodbourne here, we're sticking to 2D. But that won't stop us from making a game worth playing. And also buying.
I hope...
While things like “story” and “setting” are a little up in the air right now (I have plenty of ideas for those, but they're nothing without a bedrock to put them on) I have a very clear idea of how the game itself should play. With many of the “traditional” Dark-Souls inspired themes such as:
All of this, but in a much smaller, 2D game. I'm not trying to create some huge Triple-A title, here. But I do want to make a “Souls-Like” RPG from a slightly different perspective.
I want combat that feels almost like a puzzle in of itself, where choosing when to attack, when to block, how to manage your stamina, mana, and resources and what attacks to use are all just as important as dealing high damage. Where encounters are optional, and the most direct path isn't always the best one. A game where any gameplay style can be viable (which isn't the same as saying they're all “easy”) where you can choose to help people out to further your own gains, or just straight up murder all the NPCs for a laugh.
A game, in short, that has everything in it which makes Dark-Souls and its brethren the gems that they are, but in a format that is actually viable to make for a caffeine-dependant, scrawny 20-something millennial with two developmental disorders and a fantasy fetish. Online elements are probably out of the question for this project. But who knows, if all goes well, maybe we can even get a good co-op and/or PVP section in. Hell, even the ability to leave messages and hints across the game world would be a cool little feature to add. But that's far, far in the future, if at all.
If tackling this absolutely bonkers idea sounds appealing to you, then feel free to read on. But if you're the sensible sort and you're currently shaking your head at my overly-ambitious malarkey, then do the smart thing and abandon ship while the water's shallow. Because if I (and any poor, unfortunate souls I can wrangle together) decide to commit to this, it's almost guaranteed to be an odyssey of pain, suffering and misery that may not even succeed, much like Dark-Souls itself.
This will, as it were, be the Dark Souls of game development. (I'm not apologising for that one.)
Still interested? Alright, you crazy bugger, keep reading!
Who am I looking for?
While I'm fairly well-versed things like conceptual mechanics, art assets, writing and testing, there's a lot more that goes into making a game.
First and foremost, I need somebody who knows what they're doing with their chosen game engine. Currently, the only engine I own and know much about is RPG Maker MV. But I'm well aware that there are other engines out there. So, if you're well versed in either RPGmkMV or any if the other platforms, and want to help out, give me a bell.
Secondly, I'll need artists. I plan to cover a large portion of the art myself, but the more the merrier, as they say. And while I'm not a slouch in the artistic department, I'm just one guy and my experience with things like spriting, effects animations and the like is limited, to put it bluntly. This extends to writers, too. I feel writing is perhaps my strongest skill, but I'm far from the best and I know a lot of you folks have some pretty rad ideas. So if you're an artist – any kind of artist, pictures, animation, effects, writing, sound, music – and want in on this project, then by all means, hit me up!
Thirdly, programmers. This goes hand-in-hand with the first section, but anybody who knows how to code for whatever engine the game decides to use (assuming it's RPGmkMV, that'd be JavaScript) is going to be pretty damn crucial to making this happen. Ultimately, this boils down to somebody to whom I can say “I want to make this happen.” who will then be able to say “Alright, here's how we can do it.”
Lastly, testers. This isn't something we'll need very early on, what with the whole “not actually having any game to demonstrate yet” thing, and internal testing will probably be the go-to for a while. But once we've got a minimum-viable-product on our hands, we'll need as many people as possible to play it, and play it, and keep playing it until their fingers are numb, and then tell us about it. Tell us what's fun, tell us what's not. Tell us what's broken and what you'd want to see added. Again, this one is pretty late in the game, but it'll be important all the same.
What's in it for you?
Apart from the warm, fuzzy feeling of having completed something that people will (hopefully) enjoy, I'm afraid right now my offers are fairly limited. I'm unemployed, disabled and living on welfare right now. And while I'm working to improve my current situation, I can tell you I don't exactly have a huge amount of cash to throw around.
That said, I am willing to pay people for their work. It'd probably be an “on-commission” type of deal as there's no way I'm going to try and manage salaries and pay-checks in my current situation. So you'd be paid for what you provide, more or less. And naturally, with the end-goal being a commercial product (probably released through Steam and other digital distributions) then that means anybody who contributes will get a stake in the final product's revenue. The actual details of this will probably be up for debate and I'm more than happy to negotiate with anybody who wants to name a price. But we'll leave that for private conversations.
At the end of the day, I'm trying to put together a team here, I've got design docs, I've got artistic talent, I've got a licence for RPG Maker MV and I've got a vision. If you want to help me realise it, then the end product will be as much yours as it is mine. I'm offering the opportunity to work with other developers to actually make something, which is something I've been wanting to do myself for a long time.
And who knows, maybe whatever we create will go on to be a smash hit! Maybe it'll get super popular, and earn us tonnes of praise and sweet, sweet money! And maybe it won't. Maybe the only thing we'll get is the experience, the pay-off being knowledge, another thing to add to the proverbial resume of life. We won't know until we start!
Your investment in this project is entirely your own. If you want money (like, right now) then feel free to tell me what you're offering and for what price. But what I'd like most is for people I can talk to often, discuss ideas with, and most importantly, build a game with.
Interested?
If you read through all that, and you didn't get bored or turn away shaking your head, and you still want to be a part of this crazy project, then first off: Thank you. That commitment alone is a good start. I purposely made this thread long and rambling because that's what you're going to need to deal with when you work with me.
To get in on this project, all you need to do is tell me. You can make a post on this thread, send me a PM, or even add me on Steam (here's my steam account, in case you didn't click the Workshop link above) from there, we'll talk about how best to get in more constant contact (again, Steam is my preferred method) and I can send you all the important documents and whatnot. From there, we can start whenever you guys are ready to! No time like the present, and all that.
Be sure to list off any limitations you may face, though, as well as your time-zone. I'm living in the middle of nowhere (otherwise known as Perth, Australia) so I'm on GMT+8 time, which just so happens to be directly inverse to a lot of the United States. My sleep schedule is pretty much non-existent, though, so I'm happy to stay up into the early hours and do game dev work.
Also, I'm well aware that many of you have jobs, school, and other life commitments. I've got a lot of free time myself, but even I spend a good portion of that with my partner, as well as procrastinating. So please make it absolutely clear how much time you're willing and able to commit to a project like this, I need to know how often I'll be able to get in touch with you! And don't be afraid to contact me even if you only get a few hours of free time a week to spend on this, that's still fine! Just so long as you make it clear right at the start.
Beyond that, though, just give me a bit of background info on you: What can you do? What have you worked on? Why are you interested? What's your favourite colour? Whatever you think is important for me to know! You don't need to provide examples of your work, but doing so certainly won't hurt.
And above all else, just be aware that I'm one guy with a vision. I'm not a company, I have very small funding and I'm not looking to re-invent the wheel, here. What I've got planned might turn out completely different to what I've initially envisioned. It might not even turn out at all! Or, heaven forbid, it might become "The Next Big Thing". But the only way to find out is for us to all get together and make it happen!
Looking forward to your posts, hope I'm not alone in this here crazy dream of mine.
Cheers, and take care.
- Veerdin
Due to various environmental factors with all the currently working devs, this game's development has been halted indefinitely. I would like to continue this project at some point, rest assured. But don't expect much in the way of updates for some time. I'll update this thread if/when development picks back up.
Until then, feel free to contact me with questions or applications, just be aware that I may not have the mental energy to reply immediately, and we currently have three coders, four artists, a composer and two spriters on board with the project. We are, of course, always on the lookout for anybody who wants to help, so don't feel dissuaded. But just keep in mind who we already have on board.
Thanks! Take care
----------------------------------------------------------
Hi there! If you've clicked this thread, then I'm willing to bet you've played, or at least heard of the game series “Dark-Souls”, and you enjoyed it at least enough to be interested in some crazy bugger who wants to make something similar. Assuming that's correct, then welcome! Welcome to my thread full of wide-eyed ideas, crazy dreams, high ambitions and fragile optimism! Have a read through of what I'm trying to create, and if you feel you want a part of it, please, let me know!
But before that, allow me to introduce myself: I'm Veerdin, I'm a 20-something autistic Australian skeleton wearing the skin of a human. I've got a bad case of ADHD, a caffeine dependency, and a mind that won't stop churning no matter what I do. I've been doing bits and bobs in game development work for almost 8 years, now. I started out making absolutely awful texture mods for Source games way back in 2009, and since then I've been jumping on and off the game development train here and there. If you want some somewhat recent examples of my work, you can check out my Steam Workshop.
To my shame, however, I've never actually put together a full game.
I want to change that. And I want you (yes, you.) to help me! If you're interested, of course.
And the project I want to make is a 2D Souls-like RPG, which is currently called “Wayward”.
What is “Wayward”?
To put it simply, “Wayward” is the working-title for an RPG I've had “in the works” (a phrase here meaning “shotgunned across several random documents”) for a year or so, now. It is heavily inspired by dark fantasy games and media. Most notable of these inspirations being, of course, Dark-Souls: From Software's flagship game series, known for its dense, mysterious lore, excellent gameplay and tough-but-fair difficulty.
Now, you may be thinking that a small team trying to create a “Souls-Like” game is a recipe for disaster. And you'd probably be right. But dammit if I don't want to try! I love Dark-Souls and I'd love nothing more than to make a game that gives players everything that they love about the 'Souls series on a smaller, more modest scale. I'm not trying to make the next Bloodbourne here, we're sticking to 2D. But that won't stop us from making a game worth playing. And also buying.
I hope...
While things like “story” and “setting” are a little up in the air right now (I have plenty of ideas for those, but they're nothing without a bedrock to put them on) I have a very clear idea of how the game itself should play. With many of the “traditional” Dark-Souls inspired themes such as:
A game that is difficult, but fair, and that rewards practice and exploration.
A “checkpoint” system a'la Bonfires that replenishes the character but resets the area.
A universal “currency” that is used for both levelling up and general purchases.
Death placing the player at the last checkpoint and draining all “currency”.
The chance to “retrieve” said currency from the point of death, if you're skilled enough.
Free-form character development as you invest stat points into attributes of your choosing.
“Action” combat featuring dodging, blocking, parrying, ect...
Weapons, magic and armour that isn't “class-locked” and instead reliant on stats.
Multiple paths of progression that all lead towards a common goal.
A “hub” section that players can return to in order to level up, relax, plan, ect...
Weapon and armour upgrading + durability systems.
Progressive, environmental storytelling, where the game's lore is discovered by the player.
A clear end goal, but an unclear context and multiple methods of completing said goal.
NPCs who laugh at the end of every dialogue.
All of this, but in a much smaller, 2D game. I'm not trying to create some huge Triple-A title, here. But I do want to make a “Souls-Like” RPG from a slightly different perspective.
I want combat that feels almost like a puzzle in of itself, where choosing when to attack, when to block, how to manage your stamina, mana, and resources and what attacks to use are all just as important as dealing high damage. Where encounters are optional, and the most direct path isn't always the best one. A game where any gameplay style can be viable (which isn't the same as saying they're all “easy”) where you can choose to help people out to further your own gains, or just straight up murder all the NPCs for a laugh.
A game, in short, that has everything in it which makes Dark-Souls and its brethren the gems that they are, but in a format that is actually viable to make for a caffeine-dependant, scrawny 20-something millennial with two developmental disorders and a fantasy fetish. Online elements are probably out of the question for this project. But who knows, if all goes well, maybe we can even get a good co-op and/or PVP section in. Hell, even the ability to leave messages and hints across the game world would be a cool little feature to add. But that's far, far in the future, if at all.
If tackling this absolutely bonkers idea sounds appealing to you, then feel free to read on. But if you're the sensible sort and you're currently shaking your head at my overly-ambitious malarkey, then do the smart thing and abandon ship while the water's shallow. Because if I (and any poor, unfortunate souls I can wrangle together) decide to commit to this, it's almost guaranteed to be an odyssey of pain, suffering and misery that may not even succeed, much like Dark-Souls itself.
This will, as it were, be the Dark Souls of game development. (I'm not apologising for that one.)
Still interested? Alright, you crazy bugger, keep reading!
Who am I looking for?
While I'm fairly well-versed things like conceptual mechanics, art assets, writing and testing, there's a lot more that goes into making a game.
First and foremost, I need somebody who knows what they're doing with their chosen game engine. Currently, the only engine I own and know much about is RPG Maker MV. But I'm well aware that there are other engines out there. So, if you're well versed in either RPGmkMV or any if the other platforms, and want to help out, give me a bell.
Secondly, I'll need artists. I plan to cover a large portion of the art myself, but the more the merrier, as they say. And while I'm not a slouch in the artistic department, I'm just one guy and my experience with things like spriting, effects animations and the like is limited, to put it bluntly. This extends to writers, too. I feel writing is perhaps my strongest skill, but I'm far from the best and I know a lot of you folks have some pretty rad ideas. So if you're an artist – any kind of artist, pictures, animation, effects, writing, sound, music – and want in on this project, then by all means, hit me up!
Thirdly, programmers. This goes hand-in-hand with the first section, but anybody who knows how to code for whatever engine the game decides to use (assuming it's RPGmkMV, that'd be JavaScript) is going to be pretty damn crucial to making this happen. Ultimately, this boils down to somebody to whom I can say “I want to make this happen.” who will then be able to say “Alright, here's how we can do it.”
Lastly, testers. This isn't something we'll need very early on, what with the whole “not actually having any game to demonstrate yet” thing, and internal testing will probably be the go-to for a while. But once we've got a minimum-viable-product on our hands, we'll need as many people as possible to play it, and play it, and keep playing it until their fingers are numb, and then tell us about it. Tell us what's fun, tell us what's not. Tell us what's broken and what you'd want to see added. Again, this one is pretty late in the game, but it'll be important all the same.
What's in it for you?
Apart from the warm, fuzzy feeling of having completed something that people will (hopefully) enjoy, I'm afraid right now my offers are fairly limited. I'm unemployed, disabled and living on welfare right now. And while I'm working to improve my current situation, I can tell you I don't exactly have a huge amount of cash to throw around.
That said, I am willing to pay people for their work. It'd probably be an “on-commission” type of deal as there's no way I'm going to try and manage salaries and pay-checks in my current situation. So you'd be paid for what you provide, more or less. And naturally, with the end-goal being a commercial product (probably released through Steam and other digital distributions) then that means anybody who contributes will get a stake in the final product's revenue. The actual details of this will probably be up for debate and I'm more than happy to negotiate with anybody who wants to name a price. But we'll leave that for private conversations.
At the end of the day, I'm trying to put together a team here, I've got design docs, I've got artistic talent, I've got a licence for RPG Maker MV and I've got a vision. If you want to help me realise it, then the end product will be as much yours as it is mine. I'm offering the opportunity to work with other developers to actually make something, which is something I've been wanting to do myself for a long time.
And who knows, maybe whatever we create will go on to be a smash hit! Maybe it'll get super popular, and earn us tonnes of praise and sweet, sweet money! And maybe it won't. Maybe the only thing we'll get is the experience, the pay-off being knowledge, another thing to add to the proverbial resume of life. We won't know until we start!
Your investment in this project is entirely your own. If you want money (like, right now) then feel free to tell me what you're offering and for what price. But what I'd like most is for people I can talk to often, discuss ideas with, and most importantly, build a game with.
Interested?
If you read through all that, and you didn't get bored or turn away shaking your head, and you still want to be a part of this crazy project, then first off: Thank you. That commitment alone is a good start. I purposely made this thread long and rambling because that's what you're going to need to deal with when you work with me.
To get in on this project, all you need to do is tell me. You can make a post on this thread, send me a PM, or even add me on Steam (here's my steam account, in case you didn't click the Workshop link above) from there, we'll talk about how best to get in more constant contact (again, Steam is my preferred method) and I can send you all the important documents and whatnot. From there, we can start whenever you guys are ready to! No time like the present, and all that.
Be sure to list off any limitations you may face, though, as well as your time-zone. I'm living in the middle of nowhere (otherwise known as Perth, Australia) so I'm on GMT+8 time, which just so happens to be directly inverse to a lot of the United States. My sleep schedule is pretty much non-existent, though, so I'm happy to stay up into the early hours and do game dev work.
Also, I'm well aware that many of you have jobs, school, and other life commitments. I've got a lot of free time myself, but even I spend a good portion of that with my partner, as well as procrastinating. So please make it absolutely clear how much time you're willing and able to commit to a project like this, I need to know how often I'll be able to get in touch with you! And don't be afraid to contact me even if you only get a few hours of free time a week to spend on this, that's still fine! Just so long as you make it clear right at the start.
Beyond that, though, just give me a bit of background info on you: What can you do? What have you worked on? Why are you interested? What's your favourite colour? Whatever you think is important for me to know! You don't need to provide examples of your work, but doing so certainly won't hurt.
And above all else, just be aware that I'm one guy with a vision. I'm not a company, I have very small funding and I'm not looking to re-invent the wheel, here. What I've got planned might turn out completely different to what I've initially envisioned. It might not even turn out at all! Or, heaven forbid, it might become "The Next Big Thing". But the only way to find out is for us to all get together and make it happen!
Looking forward to your posts, hope I'm not alone in this here crazy dream of mine.
Cheers, and take care.
- Veerdin
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