Zero Sum Games, the solo developer behind StarDrive, StarDrive 2, and StarDrive 2: Sector Zero, has taken their next title, Lonsword, to Kickstarter for funding.
Seeking $20’000 before the 12th of July, the developer has created a digital adaptation of a tabletop, tactics battle system.
Players collect champions, spells, equipment, and structures through continued play, which they can then decorate and add to their army. Combat plays out on classic hex-grids, similar to many traditional wargaming titles; like Talonsoft, Aegeod, and Matrix Games titles.
In addition to a single player campaign, there will also be multiplayer and co-operative modes, although the single player mode will contain several rarer units.
Each of the elements which make up a player’s army are represented as a deck whilst they organise, most of which can be traded. That said, the developer is looking to make use of the Steam Marketplace, where -like with Counter Strike, and Team Fortress 2- players can trade goods for real-world currency if they so wish.
The Longsword setting pack which gives the game it’s name is just one of several which could be on the horizon, there’s a teaser image of an ‘urban apocalypse’ setting shown off with a single image on the KS page, while the developer speculates on other potential settings which could be added should enough players express interest.
Perhaps most interestingly, players will have the chance to make their own maps using the in-game editor, and then share them with others through the Steam Workshop – making it easy to play a multiplayer map on a custom map.
Longsword is planned for launch in September should it’s campaign be successful, although people who pledge over a certain amount will receive alpha access next month. It will be free to play, with any development earnings coming from sales of vanity goods, or transactions through the marketplace.
Personally, I think this is a very interesting idea, not least because of the clever implementation of Steam features. It’s the 3D rendering of a tactics game (as Wartile has done before) combined with the sheer potential of multiple settings. It will be interesting to see if the settings are cross-compatible in future as well.
You can find the Kickstarter page for Longsword here.
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