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KickStarter Hibernaculum - sci-fi survival horror dungeon crawler from Wormwood Studios' Victor Pflug
- Thread starter Victor Pflug
- Start date
Victor Pflug
Wormwood Studios
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
- Messages
- 278
Folding Box Design.
Victor Pflug
Wormwood Studios
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
- Messages
- 278
Thank you!
Who knows I may want to implement a toggle to allow the turn based system to force a wait or something...
TBH that broke Arcanum for me though - having that option. Just ended up going real time for tough fights and breaking the game etc.
Victor Pflug
Wormwood Studios
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
- Messages
- 278
Art Book.
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3752779
The Art of Hibernaculum
So, I'm really quite pleased & exited to announce (drum roll pls) the finalized cover art for;
The Art of Hibernaculum!
A comprehensive compendium of all the artwork, design, pixel-art and pre-production art that went into making Hibernaculum. Along with production notes and game design + art/pipeline tips/info this may be a must-have for the Hibernian enthusiast interested in delving into the thinking behind the art - or perhaps for a budding artist or developer.
The Art of Hibernaculum.
Victor Pflug
Wormwood Studios
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
- Messages
- 278
Okay - so while these are a very early draft of the mechanics - I'd like to hear any thoughts you might have if you're interested in giving them. Of course further refining of these ideas (the ones that survived the drafting process) will be done with my KS backers, Patrons, followers & of course team etc during playtesting but while things are still somewhat up in the air I wouldn't mind seeing if we can't at least throw out some of the worse ideas and accentuate the better ones.
Like most of the stuff here I outlined these systems almost to be as simple as possible, within reason. I think the way bleeding and irradiation would work is, while not strictly realistic, a fairly close enough approximation for these purposes. Combat and irradiation damage can’t just be hand waved away, they have consequences. This will hopefully force the player to make hard choices and create strategies that prioritize certain things; radiation can be ignored - but only for so long. Wounds can be treated; but require actual treatment and rest eventually, as well.
STATUS WINDOW
Regaining hit points/healing would be done* through “resting” the character, or making camp like the TSR/Westwood titles**. CON/STR attribute number would set the base HP gained during resting. Applying bandages, first aid kits etc to various body areas/hitboxes would add to the base healing rate of those parts during resting.
6 hit point boxes, for the body parts (basically like Horrosoft’s Elvira/Waxworks games).
If hit points get low/hit zero for any specific body part;
*HEAD - damage causes reduction on combat accuracy, 0 = lowering/loss of vision(?)
*TORSO - damage causes no special effect, 0 = dead/unconscious
*x2 ARMS - damage increases weapon "cooldown" time, 0 = loss of use of hands/weapons
*x2 LEGS - damage lowers movement speed, 0 on both = complete loss of movement
BLEED/IRRADIATION STATUS
Any hitbox has the ability to suffer bleed status from say, a heavy hit etc, this sets a damage counter on the hitbox indicating the eventual loss of points to this box - or blood loss, in red. This number counts down as the body part bleeds out, eventually removing a number of hit points from the hitbox according to the bleed severity.
Bandages, tourniquets, first aid and medkits are applied directly to body parts via the status screen before resting or to staunch bleeding or treat radiation burns. A bandage or tourniquet will staunch bleeding and/or temporarily halt radiation damage, and also add a point or so to the base healing number during resting. First aid and med kits can also be applied to staunch bleeding/treat irradiation, these would have an even higher + to the base healing rate and also have the ability to heal crippled status limbs. Of course actual healing can only be done over time by resting or insta-heal in combat with rare stimpak-like items.
For the radiation itself, I was leaning towards simpler mechanics generally; radiation clouds or fields would emanate from various sources at varying strengths - small reactors, scattered yellow cake, spent fuel rods etc etc. These hazards would irradiate all your hit boxes mildly, generally speaking.
For enemies I thought it would be interesting to have them generally full body irradiate you if you get close (some could have radiation fields, too) or if you attack them in melee combat without protective gloves/gauntlets, your arms would become extremely irradiated, for instance. Pools of radioactive runoff on the ground would work the same way - only irradiating your leg hitboxes without protective pants/greaves.
Radiation would basically work a bit like bleeding, a counter appears on the body parts and also does a slow countdown over time, removing the indicated number of hit points from the relevant area as it dissipates.
Unlike bleeding (which can only bleed the max number of HP leaving that limb useless at 0 HP until healed) radiation would stack exponentially - a highly irradiated arm would never heal/un-cripple back from zero with rest, it just stacks, and keeps irradiating until removed. Obviously with 0 torso HP = death, a highly irradiated torso would be a big problem that could only be put off for so long.
Chemical showers (rare) would remove all radiation, as would rare, single use anti-rad drugs.
Bandages and medkits on the area would halt the radiation damage ticking down, although unlike bandages on bleeding - the damage would just be halted until you rest - the counter would resume after you finish resting and you’d have to find a chem shower or just deal with the damage.
Bandages, kits, etc last 12 hours game time once applied to a hitbox - so perhaps like 12 minutes. Like EoB it’s an extremely slow healing process until you really make time to find a safe place to rest and regroup.
A few other ancillary ideas could be painkillers and local anaesthetics to restore damaged limb movement/action temporarily, and anti-radiation meds to prevent or reduce radiation status.
Possibly bed rolls to increase base healing? Medical beds increase base heal even more?
Rare decontamination showers could be a way to flush large radiation doses from your system.
As it is IRL, regular clothes and combat armour would give some protection against rads, as chem suits would give some minor resistance to damage. Making unique/rare armour with combinations of these traits is where it will really get more interesting.
I think it could be an interesting choice between going full combat and dealing with radiation/damage (mostly Fighter and somewhat Combat Medic) or going with a more cautious Tech class and mostly wearing chem suits and using more traps along with lighter/energy weapons. Mixing and matching these modes of attack/defence could be fun.
Critically damaged limbs will reduce your combat capability, literally halving or quartering (or nullifying) your number of attacks per "round" whereas limb damage may merely lower your to hit chances somewhat. Wounded legs will reduce movement speed, with damage to the face/head also reducing to hit rolls and visibility.
* At least one exception to this rule are rare "healing potion" (stimpak) items of varying strength that insta-heal Ego, and can be used from the quickslot belt on the main UI.
**Resting subject to the same randomized wake up encounters that EoB had - you're more likely to be awoken by monsters if you say, rest out in the open or a corridor. If you don't set barricades or traps etc etc. Like Resident Evil saferooms but you'd have to set up your own.
Like most of the stuff here I outlined these systems almost to be as simple as possible, within reason. I think the way bleeding and irradiation would work is, while not strictly realistic, a fairly close enough approximation for these purposes. Combat and irradiation damage can’t just be hand waved away, they have consequences. This will hopefully force the player to make hard choices and create strategies that prioritize certain things; radiation can be ignored - but only for so long. Wounds can be treated; but require actual treatment and rest eventually, as well.
STATUS WINDOW
Regaining hit points/healing would be done* through “resting” the character, or making camp like the TSR/Westwood titles**. CON/STR attribute number would set the base HP gained during resting. Applying bandages, first aid kits etc to various body areas/hitboxes would add to the base healing rate of those parts during resting.
6 hit point boxes, for the body parts (basically like Horrosoft’s Elvira/Waxworks games).
If hit points get low/hit zero for any specific body part;
*HEAD - damage causes reduction on combat accuracy, 0 = lowering/loss of vision(?)
*TORSO - damage causes no special effect, 0 = dead/unconscious
*x2 ARMS - damage increases weapon "cooldown" time, 0 = loss of use of hands/weapons
*x2 LEGS - damage lowers movement speed, 0 on both = complete loss of movement
BLEED/IRRADIATION STATUS
Any hitbox has the ability to suffer bleed status from say, a heavy hit etc, this sets a damage counter on the hitbox indicating the eventual loss of points to this box - or blood loss, in red. This number counts down as the body part bleeds out, eventually removing a number of hit points from the hitbox according to the bleed severity.
Bandages, tourniquets, first aid and medkits are applied directly to body parts via the status screen before resting or to staunch bleeding or treat radiation burns. A bandage or tourniquet will staunch bleeding and/or temporarily halt radiation damage, and also add a point or so to the base healing number during resting. First aid and med kits can also be applied to staunch bleeding/treat irradiation, these would have an even higher + to the base healing rate and also have the ability to heal crippled status limbs. Of course actual healing can only be done over time by resting or insta-heal in combat with rare stimpak-like items.
For the radiation itself, I was leaning towards simpler mechanics generally; radiation clouds or fields would emanate from various sources at varying strengths - small reactors, scattered yellow cake, spent fuel rods etc etc. These hazards would irradiate all your hit boxes mildly, generally speaking.
For enemies I thought it would be interesting to have them generally full body irradiate you if you get close (some could have radiation fields, too) or if you attack them in melee combat without protective gloves/gauntlets, your arms would become extremely irradiated, for instance. Pools of radioactive runoff on the ground would work the same way - only irradiating your leg hitboxes without protective pants/greaves.
Radiation would basically work a bit like bleeding, a counter appears on the body parts and also does a slow countdown over time, removing the indicated number of hit points from the relevant area as it dissipates.
Unlike bleeding (which can only bleed the max number of HP leaving that limb useless at 0 HP until healed) radiation would stack exponentially - a highly irradiated arm would never heal/un-cripple back from zero with rest, it just stacks, and keeps irradiating until removed. Obviously with 0 torso HP = death, a highly irradiated torso would be a big problem that could only be put off for so long.
Chemical showers (rare) would remove all radiation, as would rare, single use anti-rad drugs.
Bandages and medkits on the area would halt the radiation damage ticking down, although unlike bandages on bleeding - the damage would just be halted until you rest - the counter would resume after you finish resting and you’d have to find a chem shower or just deal with the damage.
Bandages, kits, etc last 12 hours game time once applied to a hitbox - so perhaps like 12 minutes. Like EoB it’s an extremely slow healing process until you really make time to find a safe place to rest and regroup.
A few other ancillary ideas could be painkillers and local anaesthetics to restore damaged limb movement/action temporarily, and anti-radiation meds to prevent or reduce radiation status.
Possibly bed rolls to increase base healing? Medical beds increase base heal even more?
Rare decontamination showers could be a way to flush large radiation doses from your system.
As it is IRL, regular clothes and combat armour would give some protection against rads, as chem suits would give some minor resistance to damage. Making unique/rare armour with combinations of these traits is where it will really get more interesting.
I think it could be an interesting choice between going full combat and dealing with radiation/damage (mostly Fighter and somewhat Combat Medic) or going with a more cautious Tech class and mostly wearing chem suits and using more traps along with lighter/energy weapons. Mixing and matching these modes of attack/defence could be fun.
Critically damaged limbs will reduce your combat capability, literally halving or quartering (or nullifying) your number of attacks per "round" whereas limb damage may merely lower your to hit chances somewhat. Wounded legs will reduce movement speed, with damage to the face/head also reducing to hit rolls and visibility.
* At least one exception to this rule are rare "healing potion" (stimpak) items of varying strength that insta-heal Ego, and can be used from the quickslot belt on the main UI.
**Resting subject to the same randomized wake up encounters that EoB had - you're more likely to be awoken by monsters if you say, rest out in the open or a corridor. If you don't set barricades or traps etc etc. Like Resident Evil saferooms but you'd have to set up your own.
Victor Pflug
Wormwood Studios
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
- Messages
- 278
Okay this one should be divisive - I'm essentially going with Ultima style inventory pouches that limit carry capacity - with the caveat that an (also limited) "quickslot belt" is present on screen at all times - like Lands of Lore.
The multiple INV pouches you find (vary size - kinda like Resi Evil side packs) can be accessed from there - as can healing items for quick use etc. Pouches open up/appear over the movement arrows. Backpack of 12 slots is always available.
EQUIP WINDOW
The multiple INV pouches you find (vary size - kinda like Resi Evil side packs) can be accessed from there - as can healing items for quick use etc. Pouches open up/appear over the movement arrows. Backpack of 12 slots is always available.
EQUIP WINDOW
Attachments
LudensCogitet
Learned
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I like this. Someone will probably call me a retard (I love you, codex) but I prefer systems that can be easily internalized and understood, but then combine in interesting ways.
It makes it easier to really appreciate what is happening in the game. I also think of this quality as very immersive-sim-like.
This whole post makes combat sound super dangerous and gives good survival horror vibes.
Do you think it will be difficult to balance a melee / combat heavy play style?
If healing is so slow and enemies irradiate you on proximity or contact for instance, what would be the benefit of ever using melee or directly confronting enemies at all?
Will the player be forced into combat? I certainly don't expect a pacifist run to be possible at least, it's a dungeon crawler.
This sounds a bit like torso hp = "real" hp, whereas other limbs being damaged sounds like a constant probability of suffering status effects. Just an observation.
I think the idea of exploration and looting being rewarded with an expanded inventory sounds rad. It's a good combination of RPG progression and survival horror limited carrying capacity.
But please make them simpler to work with and keep track of than Ultima Underworld. ("Which sack did a put those pouches in?"
)
Harthwain
Magister
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So, to clarify, you can heal up 0 HP limb, but only if radiation is not involved?
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Kedar
Educated
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- Apr 14, 2022
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I was under the impression that Van Buren was going to be make or break for the concept of toggleable turn-based/real-time combat. And then it got canceled.
LudensCogitet
Learned
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- Nov 4, 2019
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This reminds me, Victor Pflug will this be, like, always on realtime like Dark Souls? So you open your inventory and the game is still ticking? Seems like, if not, the game is kind of defacto realtime with pause?
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3752660
o_0 3/4 to the 1st STRETCH GOAL
Hibernian Worms -
We have updated stretch goals that will be realised when we hit the 1st goal!!! o_0
GO TEAM HIBER
The merch pictures have also been updated & whilst some have been finalised, including the box design for the limited edition (and its CURRENT contents, YAY!!!) & a few other things -
Some will be finalised during development with the help of collaboration from backers/fans and other creators whom we have already spent the last year (& we can't wait for our new backers and supporters to join!! o_0) us role-playing, testing our ideas and concepts while taking on creative feedback & making the game bones - as we hope to have a lot more opportunity for all that once the crazy of KS is over.
- lots of stuff building in the background, I just can't wait to be playing & trading cards with y'all... forget you heard that...
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3755247
OST Neon Cassette
So here it is - the finalized design for the Hibernaculum OST cassette version!!!
I really tried to make the most out of the full on-body printing by creating essentially false tape rollers that will show through in neon like the real tape roller surrounds... Well, if it sounds complex it kind of is haha - but the effect will speak for itself - that glowing green poking out through all the mechanics is going to be pinnacle Hibernaculum livery.
Neon Cassette + Case Final Design.
The spool will still be visible through that large porthole-ish cutout as pictured allowing you to see where the tape is.
I may as well take a brief moment here to talk about the audio for the tape OST a little - what I'm going to test trial is actually a unique mastering for just the tape version by running all the audio through (yep you guessed it) a real old tape recorder. Now, a fair few of my sounds are actually created with real magnetic tape already for various SFXs and to "colour" the raw digital sound of 80's synths (the DX for example) but of course it's a bit more all encompassing to run the entire audio signal through one... That's a fair ways off though and I'd run a lot of tests first - but the whole fun is making this a unique item so that may on the cards - so to speak. Of course the digital version will be raw game audio looped into something more listenable - so if you're an audiophile that'll also still of course be available in 48khz 24 bit quality sound (or possibly higher if I can upgrade my DAW).
So dust off the boomboxes and walkmans(men?) let's kick it old school style!
Face Design for Cassette & Case.
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3755741
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3755771
Rule Book
Finalized design for the Game Manual/Rule Book - which is essentially an indexed compendium of basic gameplay instruction, lore essentials and various tables for combat, classes stats, bestiaries, maps character descriptions and so forth. Also includes play hints, detailed descriptions of various areas of the ship along with general bestiary of monsters and descriptions of the various denizens of Hibernaculum.
The decision was made to keep basic lore in the Rule Book and expand our extra/expanded lore materiel into what is now being called the Encyclopaedia Hibernacula - but more on that soon
Obviously I went with a design that calls back to Gold Box game manuals - especially the graphics design in particular of the Eye of the Beholder Rule Book. So, while we don't rely on nostalgia to make interesting games at Wormwood - the occasional 'member berry treat is allowed (after the main meal of course) hence this design being really a bit more of a pure nostalgic hit than our other Limited Edition merch.
Hibernaculum Game Manual/Rule Book.
Front Cover of the Rule Book.
Class/Stat Requirement Tables.
Detailed stat tables will enable the more advanced players to fine tune their gaming experience and squeeze the most out of each class build. This is not a requirement for play however as pre-made characters are available to quick start, if so desired.
Consumables Table.
Full colour interior with pixel art accompanying various descriptive sections will make for a beefy manual to satisfy all your pre-character building needs/curiosities. Our aim is to allow you to feel like you're in the game before you even "boot it up", so to speak. A comprehensive and well written/made game manual is a big part of that philosophy.
Full Monster Bestiary & Statistics for Basic Enemy Types will be included.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3755771
Encyclopaedia Hibernacula
So the decision to split the majority of the lore into a standalone booklet separate from the Rule Book came about twofold;
1) A desire to keep the Rule Book fairly straightforward and compact, free from overstuffing
2) To further the idea that your gaming experience starts before you even boot up the game, if so desired
Much of the inspiration for this book (apart from it's creation as a supplemental first and foremost) was a desire to recreate experiences of games from days gone by. The classic RPG game Return to Zork came packaged with what was called the "Encyclopedia Frobozzica" which essentially contained a mixed bag of stories & lore told from within the perspective of the game's history. Similar also to Brian Froud/Terry Gilliam's book "Goblins of the Labyrinth" which was essentially expanded lore for the film; The Labyrinth.
Encyclopaedia Hibernacula (additional font/symbology artwork by @MukkysWorld) with Hot Foil designs.
The book will take the form of various excerpts, logs, maps, diaries and lost technical scrolls + manuals concerning the past + present history of the Ship and it's inhabitants. Overall structure, forewords and choice excerpts will be written/illustrated by Victor Pflug. However the majority of the works/writings within will be from a range of collaborators, writers and artists we would like to develop this book with and take their ideas on board, so to speak.
As with the Rule Book - the Encyclopedia Hibernacula is useful (though certainly not necessary) to play and enjoy Hibernaculum & both will be attached in digital format to the full digital copy of the game.
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Extra Event: Mausoleum
Psionic mutations abound a forgotten Mausoleum; wade knee deep in pools of hydraulic fluid in search of relics, or grind out some XP in macabre style.
This event consists of several unique screens, areas, and some new/unique monster types and one-off relics such as weapons, armour etc as well as the usual randomly generated loot and consumables found throughout the Ship.
Of middling difficulty, this event will only be added to the current lineup of events + areas if we reach our 2nd stretch goal of 120k AUD (approx 80k USD), along with an early (digital only for now) release on the Nintendo Switch.
Insectoids with psionic capabilities infest this Mausoleum.
A huge broken machine sits in a pool of dark red hydraulic fluid, with a rickety staircase descending into the pit. Will you alight the stairs?
A small/medium sized catacomb with several points of interest, this Mausoleum was once a burial ground for ancient peoples. Before that, who knows...
A cockpit; mostly stripped bare of it's controls and instrumentation, lies before you.
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Nifft Batuff
Prophet
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I think that the graphic style and the animations are best suited for turn based mechanics.
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3759213
Pocket Grenade Launcher
Hark, Hibernians! We are *super* stoked to announce the Backer Exclusive Weapon;
The ultra rare (customized) hand dandy LT-14 - Pocket Grenade Launcher!!!
So, if we reach the second stretch goal (specifically, adding the Mausoleum to our Ship) this one-of-a-kind unique weapon will be gifted to all backers (at base game and above) to help battle the horrors of the Mausoleum.
How the weapon works is essentially just like a slow firing pistol, but fires grenades. Grenades are a consumable item that can be found and created by certain classes, however they must be equipped and thrown etc, making this small pocket sized 40mm launcher a great addition to your arsenal. Ammo will be extremely limited - but you will basically have a string of D&D fireball scrolls in your bandolier.
LT-14 stats:
- Base damage 1-8 PL
- Base Range 4
- Damage Radius 1
- Base speed 1
- Ammo Type - 40mm Low Velocity Shells
- Bonus + 1 to all rolls
Pocket Grenade Launcher +1 Concept Art.
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hibernaculumgame/hibernaculum-survival-horror-rpg/posts/3760976
Grimpressions Video + News Update
Heya everyone!!!
So, more exiting news - our friend Grim Beard just released a "Grimpressions" video about Hibernaculum that we just absolutely adore and wanted to share with you all right away.
Also yes - he did pronounce my name correctly
In other exiting news we are also past the 1/4 mark on our way to the second stretch goal which is, well, super exiting!!!!
I for one am now very much wanting the Mausoleum in game (plus will reveal further stretch goals soon which include more unique events, unique weapon + Monsters, more goodies, some REALLY interesting stuff still under wraps and most of all, more Hibernaculum all round. As I was unable to edit the Mausoleum post I'd like to take this opportunity to unveil a mini-boss, the controller of the Psionic Tardigrades that infest the Mausoleum;
PLAY
Exploratory theme for the Psionicists lair.
Spanglic globuli pulsate as the Psionicist listens intently for your thoughts.
So again, this mini-boss resident of the Mausoleum area is only going to be implemented if we hit the next stretch goal - so let's rock!
Oh also in case you're not following my Twitter account and want up to the hour updates, art, design + music content here's a direct link;
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