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EBZ-Mike
03-04-2012, 12:54 PM
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Elite Battle Zone takes no credit and all credit goes to original author. Article supplied to community members for informational purposes.

Work Cited "http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/355932838/crowdsourced-hardcore-tactical-shooter"

About this project

For years, fans of tactical shooters have been crying out for someone to make a quality, hardcore, tactical shooter. But in contrast to these requests, game publishers eschew realism and tactics in exchange for ease of use and ?cinematic? flavor. This campaign aims to see if my theory that real tactical shooters aren?t dead, and that enough people want one to justify the cost of development.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6801557226_56bbbdf497_z.jpg

I?ve been in the video game industry working on best in class shooters for ten years now ? designing and leading teams creating Tom Clancy games and Halo Reach. Now I?ve struck out and formed a new company for indie game development, Serellan LLC.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6947684153_1c58e74811_b.jpg

Why fund?

So Tim Schaffer beat me to the punch, but when turning an industry on its head, there?s plenty of room for multiple projects. And of course we aren?t talking about an adventure game here; we are talking a hardcore tactical shooter. And I?m pretty sure these fans are bigger, stronger, and have guns- and hopefully more money.

About this project

We have assembled a small team, all with years of video game industry experience and a specialty in shooters. We are focusing our initial development on a hardcore CQB tactical shooter.

This game will get back to the core of what is loved about the tac-shooter, featuring realistic weapon modeling, outfitting and commanding your squad, objective-based, non-linear missions set in real-world locations around the world, single player, co-op, and multiplayer.

Obviously, in this day and age, games cost more than a few hundreds of thousands of dollars to make. Engineers don?t work for Cheetos and free beer (although it helps). But it is enough to prove to our investors that the viability of the market, and set up the infrastructure for one of the really cool parts of the project: Crowdsourced development

What?s different about this project

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6945508791_4a59d746d6.jpg

Not only are you getting the game you have dreamed about over the past 10 years but our approach to development will be different. We aren?t just showing you inside the world of development, you will be participating.

We?ve created a set of tiered community levels for involvement ? Silver, Gold, and Platinum ? based on your level of support.

At the silver level, people will be able to have more influence on the game, such as voting for certain weapons, features, equipment, mission locations, etc.

At the gold level, supporters will have the opportunity to submit content, including weapon models, levels, and missions to go into the game. If the content meets the standards, it will be included in the final game and the submitter will be given full credit.

At the platinum level, supporters will have the opportunity to participate in creative meetings, visit the studio, and much more.

THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE GAMES INDUSTRY THAT YOU WANT THIS GAME MADE.

About Serellan LLC

Serellan LLC is an indie game development team based in Seattle, Washington, founded in 2011 by Christian Allen.

Christian Allen is an experienced AAA game designer and creative director. Prior to founding Serellan LLC, Christian served as Lead Designer, Creative Director, and Design Director of several AAA game projects for Ubisoft, Red Storm Entertainment, Microsoft, Bungie, and Warner Bros. Games. Christian?s titles include the award-winning Tom Clancy?s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and Halo: Reach. Titles he has contributed to have shipped over 15 million units, and earned over 20 ?Game of the Year? awards in various categories.

Christian has contributed to several gaming publications, including the Game Development Essentials series. Christian has been on the faculty of the Game Developers Conference most years since 2005, and regularly speaks at colleges and universities on game development topics. He is also a consultant for Guidepoint Global (formerly Standard & Poor?s Society of Industry Leaders), one of the largest technology consulting services in the world.

EBZ-Chris
03-04-2012, 05:20 PM
Im going to donate at least $15, but I want to do $50. This is awesome, but they need $200,000 by April 1st. I hope he gets it. I wish I could do $10,000. So anyhow, everyone who does shooters and is an EBZ community member should at least check out the information. This could be big. $15 gets you a copy of the game when its done.

chiamira
03-04-2012, 05:30 PM
I may have to throw him $15

sent from my Rooted DX2 w/ Eclipse ROM using tapatalk

EBZ-Mike
03-04-2012, 05:35 PM
I may have to throw him $15

sent from my Rooted DX2 w/ Eclipse ROM using tapatalk

I will be donating as well. Seems like an interesting idea, and so far I like this more so than SOF.

EBZ-Mike
03-04-2012, 05:35 PM
Im going to donate at least $15, but I want to do $50. This is awesome, but they need $200,000 by April 1st. I hope he gets it. I wish I could do $10,000. So anyhow, everyone who does shooters and is an EBZ community member should at least check out the information. This could be big. $15 gets you a copy of the game when its done.

We should send him a message and see if the Elite Battle Zone LLC, can donate as a company.

EBZ-Chris
03-04-2012, 06:18 PM
Yes. Great idea. How much can we get together if we get the community to pitch in?

Pryboy

EBZ-Mike
03-10-2012, 07:27 PM
So far as of today Saturday March 10, 2012.
548
Backers

$22,491
pledged of $200,000 goal

21
days to go

EBZ-Mike
03-16-2012, 02:48 PM
They are now getting more support as of Friday March 16, 2012.

1,364
Backers

$52,943
pledged of $200,000 goal

16
days to go

EBZ-Mike
03-26-2012, 04:26 PM
So far as of today March 26, 2012.

2,000
Backers

$74,222
pledged of $200,000 goal

6
days to go

EBZ-Mike
03-26-2012, 04:34 PM
Information cited from below link and all credit belongs to original author.

TAKEDOWN (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/355932838/crowdsourced-hardcore-tactical-shooter) A Video Games (http://www.kickstarter.com/discover/categories/Video%20Games?ref=project) project in Seattle, WA (http://www.kickstarter.com/discover/cities/seattle-wa?ref=project) by Christian Allen, Serellan LLC (http://www.kickstarter.com/profile/355932838)

About this project

http://s13.postimage.org/w79h9damv/Screen_Shot_2012_03_21_at_3_33_39_PM.png

In recent years, shooters have become homogenized. There used to be a wide range of different games to choose, from run-and-gun action titles to slow-paced tactical shooters focusing on strategy and tactics, but now most shooters follow the same model of big set pieces, regenerating health, linear levels, and ?cinematic experiences.? The realistic tactical shooters with in-depth planning have almost entirely disappeared in recent years.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/7016960521_f8d8586414_b.jpg

This project, working title TAKEDOWN, aims to change that. This game, the spiritual successor to games like the original Rainbow Six and SWAT series, will focus on realistic weapons modeling, squad based play, in a close-quarters battle setting. To succeed in this game you need to take things slow, study your plans, and execute flawlessly. If you get shot, there are consequences. You won?t be hiding behind a wall waiting for your health to regenerate. If a team member goes down, you will have to assess the situation and reallocate team members if necessary to complete the mission. Don't expect all of the tools and plans to be forced fed to you - it is up to the player to ensure their team is equipped and ready for the tasks at hand.

TAKEDOWN is a thinking-person?s shooter. The player that takes things slow, aims carefully, and plans their moves right will overcome the player who runs in with guns blazing. Close-quarters battle brings the fight inside, as you would see SWAT teams or SOF units taking down small numbers of dangerous adversaries. Non-linear environments allow for multiple routes and tactics and add replayability. The operation to bring down Osama Bin Laden is the perfect example of the type of scenario you will experience in TAKEDOWN.

You will plan your insertions and routes before going into the scenario, outfitting your teammates with weapons and equipment of your choosing, and then execute the mission. If one of your team members is killed, they are gone, and you have lost their valuable experience, so you have to be careful!

If you are a fan of old school shooters where thinking meant more than running and gunning or perks, or if you are just looking for something different in your shooter games experience, this is the project for you.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6870853666_9765036004_c.jpg

What types of play are planned? How about camera view?

TAKEDOWN plans a single player campaign, co-op play, and competitive multiplayer. First Person view is planned on PC, with PS3 going Third Person. Xbox 360 view is to be determined based on feedback from the 360 community.

What is the setting of the game? Who will I be able to play?

TAKEDOWN is set in today?s world, with no sci-fi or future elements. You take the role of PMC?s (Private Military Corporations), taking on scenarios all over the world for a variety of employers with various objectives, including hostage rescue, asset recovery, security, and target elimination. You will have operatives from many different countries and backgrounds, and will outfit them with weapons and equipment from all over the world.

What platforms are we talking about? What platform is the lead?

TAKEDOWN will be developed on PC as the lead platform, and then brought to consoles afterwards. Linux and Mac versions are under evaluation, based on demand from those communities.

How is TAKEDOWN different from Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Rainbow Six: Patriots, Call of Duty, Battlefield, or ARMA?

GR: FS focuses on future tech and using gadgets to reveal the locations of your enemies. R6:P looks to provide a ?Jack Bauer? experience. COD emphasizes huge movie-like set pieces and perks. Battlefield and ARMA bring different variations on large battlefields with a variety of vehicles.

Compare these games to the description of TAKEDOWN above, and we hope you will understand the difference.

What experience does the team behind TAKEDOWN have?

Serellan LLC, led by veteran game designer and BAFTA Award winner Christian Allen, is a small indie studio made of industry veterans from studios including Red Storm Entertainment, Monolith, Surreal, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Bungie, and others, with extensive experience on games like the original Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six Rogue Spear, Ghost Recon, GR2, GRAW, F.E.A.R., Condemned, Halo: Reach, Drakan, The Suffering, World of Tanks, and more. Also included is a recently retired US Army Ranger, with several tours under his belt who, along with Christian Allen's USMC experience, will bring realism and authenticity to TAKEDOWN.

We also have Rich Douglas (http://www.richdouglas.net/), composer, providing the score; Charles Guan (http://fantasticfunmachine.blogspot.com/) providing concept art, and Matt Corboy (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0179275/) (of The Shield, L.A. Noir, and The Descendants) signed to voice the Commander.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iTBMnycJmc&feature=player_embedded


How involved will the community be in the development of this game?
Community involvement is crucial to the development of this title. Based on the pledge level, community members will influence different features and content in the game, as well as being able to submit content for inclusion in the game. While this won't be a "design by committee," and the development team will make the final decisions, when it is appropriate to open it up to the community for things like available weapons, community members will have opportunities to vote and discuss with dev team members before the final decisions are made.


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7062/7016960599_bf8afd1e26_c.jpg


What will the $200,000 be used for?

$200,000 will bring TAKEDOWN to Alpha. Private investors are lined up, but unsure of the market for an old-school tac shooter. A successful Kickstarter campaign will convince them that this is a viable market. Along with their investment, pre-sales of the game (A $15 Kickstarter pledge is a significant discount on the final game price) will also contribute to completion of the project. Kickstarters will have access to a closed Alpha.

How can I help?

Take a look at the reward levels and pledge what you feel comfortable with. Then spread the word! Share this project on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. Tell news sites you want to find out more about it. Share our website, www.serellan.com (http://www.serellan.com/). Check out our Twitter feed at @Serellan.

Thanks for taking the time to look over this project, feel free to send us any questions, or join our forums at www.serellan.com/forums (http://www.serellan.com/forums) and get involved!

EBZ-Mike
04-02-2012, 12:04 AM
They did it. great job to everyone who donated money to this cause!!!

5,423
Backers

$221,833
pledged of $200,000 goal

0
seconds to go