Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Pure medievalism!

[Talk Show Host]

I think this deserves its own thread. It just looks... awesome.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Release date: 13th February 2018

 

 

 

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a single player, first person, open world, classless RPG that takes place during the middle ages in Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic). Developer is Warhorse Studios, based in Prague and director is Daniel Vavra, the writer of the first two Mafia games.  

 

The game has no magic, dragons, vampires, drowners, werewolves, etc. It is just a realistic depiction of the middle ages (from villages with real names and placement to architecture and customs) in the year of our Lord 1403. It is based on a true story and the plot sounds like a proper medieval drama of backstabbing, heirs and revenge. 

 

Plot:

Spoiler

Kingdom Come: Deliverance takes place in the Kingdom of Bohemia, part of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and modern-day Czech Republic. Specifically, Act 1 is based on the real-world area between Sázava and Rataje nad Sázavou. The game begins in 1403. 

 

The old king has died and his heir lacks the power to secure his throne. The new king's brother seizes this opportunity to kidnap the king and pillage his lands, seeking his own advancement. The mentioned kings being the historical figures Charles IV, Wenceslaus IV and Sigismund. The game will follow the son of a blacksmith, whose family has been killed by the invading army. The protagonist seeks revenge and will ultimately strive to restore the rightful ruler to the throne and order to the land.

 

Amazing story trailer from this year's E3: 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Except its sandbox approach which borrows the Bethesda model of free skill improving based on use, its quests will also be open ended. The combat is based on a system that takes into account realistic stances, weight of blows, skill development, weapon used, etc. 

 

Combat specialist video.

Spoiler

 

 

 

Also, for the first time in an RPG like this, we will have proper large scale battles and castle sieges. There will be a needs system, where the player must eat, sleep and mend his equipment, a reputation system that affects NPCs reactions and choices. You also get to wear armor and combine clothes and other protective pieces in an effort to look as awesome as this:

Spoiler

 

 

The game completed a successful Kickstarter campaign in order to convince an investor that there is an audience. It seems the investor was really convinced, as for the last year Warhorse has been using performance capture for all its cutscenes. Yup, ALL of them. In a sandbox, open world RPG. Check the video below for the absolute bearded proof:

 

Cast and Cutscenes video update.

Spoiler

 

 

 

Last but not least, you can watch here an hour developer playthrough. The in engine conversations still need work but everything else looks great. 

 

 

[Charliemouse]

As a medieval historian, this should be right up my street.

[Mr. Gerbik]

I've had my eye on this ever since thr Kickstarter. It's a very fascinating concept, and I can't wait to see how it turns out. 

[Gavin]

I've also had my eye on this for a while, glad to hear it has a solid release date.

 

I hope it turns out to be as excellent as it could be 

[Mr Cochese]

I knew I should have trademarked the fucking colon.

[Wiper]

I backed this on Kickstarter! I rather regretted it when the creative director turned out to be a Gamergater. So it goes. 

[Talk Show Host]

I really like how it has progressed. There is a huge quality jump compared to those kickstarter days. Fingers crossed.

[Takizawa]

I watched a YouTube guy (ESO) play the alpha of this a while back, it seems to have incredible potential. The E3 footage is much more impressive than the alpha.

[Gabe]

Also been watching this for a while, but watching some of the video linked to and I'm not sold on the combat, especially as there is a bit (at 1 hour 12 minutes in) where an enemy gets 3 arrows to the neck/head and is still fighting, with no ill effects. You would obviously hope that gets sorted, but even so, it all looks a bit clumsy and not particularly fun. Love the setting and scope, though.

[Talk Show Host]

Yeah, the arrow thing was annoying for me too. You would think that a game that focuses on realism should take into account that an arrow on the neck results in instant death. This is not Skyrim you know where guards' knees are made of metal. 

[Cosmic_Guru]

On 6/24/2017 at 19:54, Wiper said:

I backed this on Kickstarter! I rather regretted it when the creative director turned out to be a Gamergater. So it goes. 

 

Wasn't there also some controversy over ultra-nationalist politics of some of the backers?

 

Regardless, I'm interested to see how this RPG pans out from both a gameplay perspective (no magic, no magically enhanced weapons or armour, no other races or fantastical / mythological creatures) and with the writing.  How far are they prepared to be authentic in the use of language I wonder? (the answer I suspect is not very far given how significantly language changes - in Connie Willis's excellent though very sad time travelling tale, Doomsday Book, the traveller has a very hard time understanding the "English"spoken  at the time of the Black Death, - not to mention the use of then-contemporary expressions such as "blackamoor", or the feat of translating from Czech into other languages (if that is the case)).  

[chamberlago]

Brian Blessed is in it?! SOLD!

[Stevie]

This is on my list. Either it will be glorious or very bad.

[Talk Show Host]

17 hours ago, Cosmic_Guru said:

 

Wasn't there also some controversy over ultra-nationalist politics of some of the backers?

 

Regardless, I'm interested to see how this RPG pans out from both a gameplay perspective (no magic, no magically enhanced weapons or armour, no other races or fantastical / mythological creatures) and with the writing.  How far are they prepared to be authentic in the use of language I wonder? (the answer I suspect is not very far given how significantly language changes - in Connie Willis's excellent though very sad time travelling tale, Doomsday Book, the traveller has a very hard time understanding the "English"spoken  at the time of the Black Death, - not to mention the use of then-contemporary expressions such as "blackamoor", or the feat of translating from Czech into other languages (if that is the case)).  

 

I didn't know that. A superficial google search shows that even the game has taken some heat, can't tell why though.

[The Bag]

On 24/06/2017 at 19:54, Wiper said:

I backed this on Kickstarter! I rather regretted it when the creative director turned out to be a Gamergater. So it goes. 

 

[Talk Show Host]

Latest gameplay demo from Gamescom 2017. Looking pretty good I would say. 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Stanley]

Needs a Switch version.

[Mr. Gerbik]

44 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Needs a Switch version.

Nah

[Opinionated Ham Scarecrow]

59 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Needs a Switch version.

 

Judging by Skyrim, it'll be out on sw3tch in 2022 m8.

[Stanley]

53 minutes ago, Mr. Gerbik said:

Nah

Nyah.

[Cosmic_Guru]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-09-26-dont-be-put-off-by-kingdom-come-deliverances-stiff-characters

 

Continues to look interesting but will doubtless be written off as Euro Jank in some quarters spawning the inevitable "hilarious" gifs.  I'm still intrigued as much as anything to see how far the devs can produce an entertaining experience without modern language, experiences or tropes.

[Talk Show Host]

Judging by the trailer I don't see much of an issue. It looks way better facial animation/lip syncing wise than anything Bethesda has ever done and they do have motion capture for some excellent cutscenes. 

 

[Cosmic_Guru]

Brief preview here https://www.pcgamesn.com/kingdom-come-deliverance/kingdom-come-deliverance-skyrim-rpg-map-art

 

Needless to say I'm pretty excited about this one, although also sceptical as to how historical verisimilitude and entertaining game-play will be juggled in practice.

 

Quote

What was most impressive to me is that, once the quest is triggered, if you don’t go along to it, it will resolve by itself.

 

[Cosmic_Guru]

Video highlighting combat.  

 

 

[Cosmic_Guru]

Short trailer video - really looking forward to this one, except for 1st person horse riding which made me nauseous in Mount and Blade.

 

 

[RubberJohnny]

Did anyone back the Kickstarter? Any impressions on quality?

[MK-1601]

On 27/09/2017 at 11:13, Cosmic_Guru said:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-09-26-dont-be-put-off-by-kingdom-come-deliverances-stiff-characters

 

Continues to look interesting but will doubtless be written off as Euro Jank in some quarters spawning the inevitable "hilarious" gifs.  I'm still intrigued as much as anything to see how far the devs can produce an entertaining experience without modern language, experiences or tropes.

 

That's a fair assessment I think. Fully expecting this to be very ambitious but technically shonky.

 

I'm torn over Daniel Vavra's involvement. He has shitty politics but is a talented writer and designer.

[Mr Ben]

I have my eye on this.....

 

February 13th though....damn thats a bit soon. Was hoping to get some Monster Hunting done, but this may cut into that!

[dave7g]

On 2/2/2018 at 09:59, RubberJohnny said:

Did anyone back the Kickstarter? Any impressions on quality?

 

I played a build of it last year, I'll just put it down to it being early. It was not good, seemed like a fan made game.

[Talk Show Host]

To be fair, the beta built was already a year old last year (and still isn't updated).

 

Latest story trailer, at least in the cutscene department, characters feel natural and the writing is good (better than BioWare efforts in that department).