[skurken]

When did this site go online? Is it new or am I repeating old news?
I was looking forward to this game so it´s nice to see some action again!

[Dale Baldwin]

I think the site's familiar, but the most recent news is only a week old. Neato.

[Maquisard]

I was just wondering about Rise the other day when I noticed a new game was featured in Adventure Architect (II). Will AAI ever get finished?

[chapter11studios]

Originally Posted by Maquisard

I was just wondering about Rise the other day when I noticed a new game was featured in Adventure Architect (II). Will AAI ever get finished?

Yes. Adventure Gamers will soon be publishing the 14th (and final) installment of my Adventure Architect series -- "soon" meaning "when I write it," which will be sometime in the next month or so.

As for Rise of the Hidden Sun, that is indeed a new website! And here's some background on the game itself:

Premise

Arizona, 1869. An ancient Indian legend, a mysterious secret society, and a down-on-his-luck cowboy with a knack for finding trouble are about to cross paths in Rise of the Hidden Sun, a new point 'n' click comedy adventure game in development by Chapter 11 Studios.

With nothing to his name but his wits, his six-shooter, and a tattered old treasure map, 'Rattlesnake' Jake Dawson needs you to help him win the greatest treasure hunt the Wild West has ever seen -- because the very fate of Western Civilization is at stake, and Jake isn't the only one on the hunt...

Who is the deadly outlaw Mary Jane Clayton, and why has she devoted her life to finding a legendary lost city of gold? What is the mythical Hidden Sun, and why will a murderous secret brotherhood stop at nothing to get it? And perhaps most importantly of all, is Jake willing to sacrifice everything to stop them from succeeding?

When completed, Rise of the Hidden Sun will feature:

- A simple Sierra-style point 'n' click interface
- More than 100 beautifully illustrated game screens
- A full musical score and sound effects
- Thrills! Chills! Spills! Laughs?
- An engaging story told in four downloadable episodes

Screenshots





Character Sprites



Progress

The story of Rise of the Hidden Sun will be told over the course of four episodes. The first three will feature cliffhanger endings that flow into the grand finale of episode four. Work on episode one is nearly complete:

Story: 100%
Puzzles: 100%
Dialogue: 100%
Game Screens: 100%
Music: 100%
Sound Effects: 20%
Animation: 10%
Scripting: 10%

More information

You can see more screenshots, download a free poster or desktop wallpaper, get monthly progress reports, and learn about the Rise of the Hidden Sun design team at our new website, http://www.rattlesnakejake.com

[eriq]

As always, I've been watching this game intently for a long time. It looks VERY good. You've got the eye for details and art directors like me can appreciate that. I've printed out your screenshots, made big 2560x1600 wallpapers from your backgrounds, and even studied your cool icon bar in-depth in Photoshop. Am I a fan? I would say so! This looks like a winner. Keep up the good work.

[Squinky]

Cliffhanger endings? *cringes in fear*

[chapter11studios]

Originally Posted by Squinky

Cliffhanger endings? *cringes in fear*

Ooh, why so? A lot of great serialized fiction ends that way, with the viewer (or player, in this case) wondering "how are they gonna get out of this one?"

Although in this case, the endings are all about setting up the action/quest for the next episode. So there's a sense of accomplishment/payoff for finishing an episode, but also a clear idea of what you'll need to do when the next one begins.

[Squinky]

Originally Posted by chapter11studios

Ooh, why so? A lot of great serialized fiction ends that way, with the viewer (or player, in this case) wondering "how are they gonna get out of this one?"

Yeah, and those make me cringe too.

Originally Posted by chapter11studios

Although in this case, the endings are all about setting up the action/quest for the next episode. So there's a sense of accomplishment/payoff for finishing an episode, but also a clear idea of what you'll need to do when the next one begins.

Well, that's reasonable. Personal preference on my part dictates that the more a single episode feels complete in and of itself, the better it is, mainly because my appreciation for episodic media stems from the fact that episodes are short by nature and therefore accommodate my busy lifestyle. Cliffhangers, other than being extremely annoying for the player/reader/viewer/what-have-you as they wait for the next installment, seem like a cheap marketing tactic that forces people to buy the remainder of your product. While I won't deny that it works, I find that I have much greater respect for media that don't resort to such trickery, and have people coming back for more solely on the basis of previous installments being of a high quality.

Still, it's your game, and you should release it however you like, but bear in mind that advertising cliffhanger endings as a game feature might end up turning some people off. (Or maybe I'm just an anomaly in this sense, in which case, feel free to ignore everything I've just said. )

[chapter11studios]

Cliffhangers, other than being extremely annoying for the player/reader/viewer/what-have-you as they wait for the next installment, seem like a cheap marketing tactic that forces people to buy the remainder of your product.

Well, my product will be completely free, so it's not about that! I guess it's a matter of taste. I want each episode to flow directly into the other, so that when played as a single unit it will feel seamless. If the episodes don't directly lead into each other it will, in my opinion, cheapen the game as a whole.

Still, it's your game, and you should release it however you like, but bear in mind that advertising cliffhanger endings as a game feature might end up turning some people off.

Well, in the end I'm trying to make the kind of game that means something to me personally. I hope that doesn't mean frustrating people or turning them off from the game altogether, but I have to stay true to my vision of the story in order for it to be something I'm truly proud of.

Anyway, thanks for your input. I hope you'll at least download the first episode when it's ready and see for yourself!

[Dasilva]

Originally Posted by eriq

As always, I've been watching this game intently for a long time. It looks VERY good. You've got the eye for details and art directors like me can appreciate that. I've printed out your screenshots, made big 2560x1600 wallpapers from your backgrounds, and even studied your cool icon bar in-depth in Photoshop. Am I a fan? I would say so! This looks like a winner. Keep up the good work.

Why Eriq, what lovely hands you have.

[eriq]

Originally Posted by Dasilva

Why Eriq, what lovely hands you have.

EWWW! LOL. Scary hands!

[Squinky]

Originally Posted by chapter11studios

Anyway, thanks for your input. I hope you'll at least download the first episode when it's ready and see for yourself!

Oh, definitely. Regardless of all I've said, it's looking to be a really promising game.

[eriq]

personally, I liked the original characters (in the shot I mocked up and printed out) much better than the new ones you posted which, although higher-res, seem to lack the same fun character. Especially the red head girl.

[skurken]

Originally Posted by chapter11studios

As for Rise of the Hidden Sun, that is indeed a new website!

Aha! I knew it!

Good luck finishing it, I look forward to it!

[Erwin_Br]

Originally Posted by eriq

personally, I liked the original characters (in the shot I mocked up and printed out) much better than the new ones you posted which, although higher-res, seem to lack the same fun character. Especially the red head girl.

Yeah, me too. That was the first thing I noticed, when I saw the picture you posted, Eriq.

The backgrounds look fantastic, though. Reminds me a lot of Bill Tiller's work, which I admire very much.

--Erwin

[Dasilva]

Originally Posted by eriq

personally, I liked the original characters (in the shot I mocked up and printed out) much better than the new ones you posted which, although higher-res, seem to lack the same fun character. Especially the red head girl.

Definatly, the new character sprites dont have enough definition, they look a bit washed out. If its possible I say go back to the original sprites, they looked better.

[chapter11studios]

Definatly, the new character sprites dont have enough definition, they look a bit washed out. If its possible I say go back to the original sprites, they looked better.

You say "a bit washed out," I say "they blend much better with the background art so as not to jump off the screen in an inappropriate manner during actual gameplay."

(Interestingly, the responses on the production thread over at the AGS boards seem to prefer the new sprites.)

Honestly, while I truly appreciate everyone's opinions... I like this style of character art better for the kind of game I'm making. I don't mean that to sound snide in any way, just that it's a design decision that brings the feel of the characters closer to my vision of the story. (Though I should have made this known earlier: Only the Jake sprite is finalized -- the cowgirl and villain sprites are still works-in-progress.)

One unintended byproduct of making the production process for RotHS so transparent (and by that I mean doing the Adventure Architect column and showing the full evolution of the game) is that people can go back and look at previous versions and disagree with my decisions. I think that's pretty cool, actually, but it also leads to second-guessing before the game even comes out. I never anticipated that!

p.s. I may as well pimp my help-wanted thread over at the AGS boards, too: http://new.bigbluecup.com/yabb/index.php?topic=31272.0

[Trumgottist]

I liked the old Jake better too. I'm guessing that's mainly because he looked more likeable. (I even preferred the version with the vest.)

But as you say, the choice of character appearance is yours, and I think you're right in changing it if the new style better fits what you want for the game.

[Squinky]

I agree. You can listen to other people's opinions all you want, but in the end, it's yours that ultimately matters.

[After a brisk nap]

Maybe you could post the sprites to the AGS Critics Lounge. You might be able to tweak them in a way that makes them more appealing to people while staying true to the style.