Hi,
I thought you might find this interesting. We’re making a Linux-native strategy indie game that dares to be original, with unique environmental mechanics and a simultaneous turn-based action system. We are live on Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1757627321/epicinium-environmental-turn-based-strategy
You can find more information on the Kickstarter page and in our press kit via our website. Tell me what you think!
Best regards,
Daan (from A Bunch of Hacks)
Environmental strategy game Epicinium live on Kickstarter – including separate open-source release
Epicinium is a turn-based wargame where nature is a finite resource. Downtime is avoided by employing fast turns that are executed simultaneously. Players balance firepower and resources, as the victor is scored for how much nature remains when the dust settles.
After over a year of development and testing, we’re confident we can show that the game is already engaging and fun, and that we’re capable of covering the final stretch of development. Our plans to improve Epicinium further include adding a singleplayer campaign, making the game even more readable, and expanding the player’s tactical options with more units and game modes.
Besides a regular release on Steam and itch.io for Linux, Windows and macOS, we will have a separate open-source release under a GNU GPL license after a successful Kickstarter. This is aimed at modders, LAN-ers and tinkerers, and includes a simple command-line server, the engine and the full game logic. The game assets will be made available under a non-commercial license. This way, it allows starting AI and multiplayer battles from the command line. The upcoming singleplayer campaign will not be included, nor will the community and matchmaking services from the official game server.
After working for over a year to build Epicinium from scratch in C++ and SDL2, this is a risky decision for us. In hindsight, it might have been easier to go open-source from the start. However, we still think it’s the right decision. We are enthusiastic users of open-source software ourselves, and we support being transparent on what’s running on your machine. We would like to enable our community to do extensive modding and customization, and to allow fellow starting game developers to use (parts of) our engine for their own games.
Epicinium is planned for release in Q3 2019. The game will also include an easy-to-use map editor, adaptive AI opponents that learn from playing against you (to be developed in collaboration with staff and students from Utrecht University’s AI master programme) and a well-documented JSON API for writing your own AIs.
Epicinium is being developed by A Bunch of Hacks, a worker cooperative for independent game development from the Netherlands. We are looking to raise – 30,000 to ensure a successful development and release. The Kickstarter for Epicinium launched on November 1st.