About
Deadlock is a project that emerged during the ‘7 Day FPS challenge’ : the first version featured a 10-30 minute length gameplay experience.
We were 5 (more or less) independent game developers from different cities in France to work on it for 5 days.
After some good feedback from players over the Internet, we decided we should try to take the game one step further in order to make it just as we wanted it to be.
Definitively check out the following links to get the latest news about the project!
Our Website
Our Facebook
Imagine a gigantic Tower composed of metal cubes, planes, and cylinders shining in an endless void: this Tower is the last remnant of an ancient civilization that vanished a long time ago.
The Tower is a megastructure of high technology composed of multiple areas which are maintained in a relatively good state by an AI-driven system. This system combines robots, turrets and lasers that constantly monitor the state of the structure.
All of these areas represent living stories of the past that now keep drifting in the silent space, waiting for something or someone to bring them to the ultimate end.
You may be that "someone".
As you are waking up after a long fall through magnetic storms, you see a huge Tower in front of you: with your memories torn apart, the only thing you know for sure is you must climb that Tower in order to get all the answers.
But you must do it quickly: the Tower’s cleaning system is already restarting and destroying everything that does not belong to the structure.
Deadlock is a FPS mixing environmental puzzles and platformer elements.
Your main opponents are the robots and turrets who maintain the Tower's integrity: they will use their force fields to propel you into the void, which would certainly result in you being disintegrated by the Tower’s cleaning system (basically, huge, red, nasty lasers).
Fortunately, your avatar is equipped with the ‘Switch Gun’, a powerful tool that grants you the ability to switch on/off most of the Tower’s elements, like robots, turrets or jumpers (platforms that can propel you far far away). The gun will allow you to temporarily stun your opponents, to open new passages and finally, to create your own way through the multiple areas of the structure.
The game also features tricky platforming sequences that require you to accurately use double-jumps and air control in order to avoid falling. Chaining jumps while avoiding enemy fire is a situation often experienced in Deadlock!
But the best way to get it is trying the demo available here (feedback is always greatly appreciated ^^) :
What are the funds for?
We want to try crowdfunding because we think it is the best way for us to develop our game without the usual restrictions game developers may encounter (trends, marketing studies etc).
But it's not the only reason. Another one is: we want to stay close to the players and have the possibility of sharing our work with them so we can discuss the possible ways the development should follow.
So here is more information about our objectives for Deadlock in terms of development steps and how much we would need to achieve them.
- Step 1: Polishing the existing game (3,500 euros)
- Our first priority will be to focus on this set of features as they represent the core of the game:
- Polishing the gameplay (controls, camera, scoring system, etc.)
- Revamping and extending the level design
- Adding narrative elements
- Adding an enemy and a world interactive element (a magnetic platform that bends gravity!)
- Adding a leaderboard system and achievements
- Adding and polishing sound ambiance and special effects
- Adding and polishing visual elements
- Estimated time: 3 months.
- Funds will be used to buy unity licenses. No money for the team, the plan is just making a good game featuring 1-2 hours of gameplay.
- Our first priority will be to focus on this set of features as they represent the core of the game:
- Step 2: Creating a full solo game (32,000 euros)
- Now we're talking! This step consists of creating a full 4-5 hour length game with far more content, like a real story that would allow the player to discover the truth behind the disappearance of the Tower’s former inhabitants and a speed run mode with specific challenges.
- Estimated time: 10 months.
- Funds will be used to buy enough Unity3D licenses for the team and a few beers to keep our sanity.
- Step 3: Adding multiplayer (66,000 euros)
- As huge fans of multiplayer games, we think there could be really fun multiplayer modes based on Deadlock's gameplay, like races (free-for-all or with teams), capture the cube, area domination, hordes etc… We want to see this happen!
- Estimated time: 16 months.
- Funds will be used to rent a place fully equipped to work together closely on adding multiplayer games modes, designing dedicated maps, playtesting them and (maybe) developpng a level editor.
Yeah, we know there are huge gaps between each step... That's why we thought about a system of 'Upgrade Packs'!
It's quite simple: for every extra 5,000 euros we manage to raise after reaching one of the 3 steps (but not the next one), we will let our Premium Supporters vote to choose a pack of additional content that will be put into the game (see the project FAQ section).
Take a look at the following drawing for some examples of Upgrade Packs.
As you can see on your right, we are proposing many different rewards to thank you for your support: they range from a DRM-free digital version of the game to a level design jam organized in Paris, France.
Let's give a few details about rewards:
- Every reward contains a DRM-free digital version of the game + access to the developer’s forum where you will be able to chat about the game with us and the other players.
- Shipping and delivering costs are at the expense of supporters.
Check the project's FAQ for more information about rewards!
About the project owner
The team is composed by 5 French developers who met during their studies at the ENJMIN (Graduate school for video games and interactive media – www.enjmin.org) and have been working on games you may already know or on obscure personal projects:
- Adrien Pelov (aka "Le Bulgare") – (sadistic) Game/Level Designer
He worked for the Ubisoft playtest department and for Neko Entertainment.
- Antoine Guerchais (aka "Le Breton") – (wise) Programmer
He worked for Neko Entertainment on Puddle, an amazing indie game published on XBLA, PSN, PSVita and Android.
Website - Arnaud Noble (aka "Le Nissart") – (flying) Sound Designer
He is currently working for Ubisoft on the Just Dance series. He also worked on Puddle as a lead sound designer.
- Fabien Di Pardo (aka "Le Rital") – (jacky) 2D/3D Artist
He is currently working on his own company Rock Paper Glass.
Website - Victor Parent (aka "Le Ch’ti") – (hungry) Sound Designer
He worked for Eden Games (Test Drive Unlimited 2) and Ubisoft (Just Dance series). He also worked on Puddle.
News
The Dec. 12, 2012, 1 p.m.
Thank you all for your supportThe Dec. 6, 2012, 6:13 p.m.
Contest Deadlock : Fight against the clock !The Nov. 29, 2012, 11:24 a.m.
Press Review #3FAQ's
The ‘Social Edition’ grants you the 'Premium Member' status and give you the possibility to write a message or ‘Log’ that will be put in the game as the story of a former inhabitant of the Tower.
The 'Premium Member' status grants you a specific access to our forums with a dedicated tag displayed next to your nickname and on the game's Leaderboard.
Premium Members will be able to participate to several polls submitted on the forums, allowing them to vote for elements that should be put in the game.The ‘Crooner Edition’ (which already contains the ‘Social Edition’ rewards) will grant you the possibility to write one of the sentences spoken by one type of robot present in the game.
You feel like you are a naturally gifted actor and have the right stuff to record it?
Send it to us and if it's okay, it will be integrated into the game!Sure! The ‘Student Edition’ is meant to occur after the game release. Team members will meet one supporter individually for a full day dedicated to discuss and experiment around video game creation.
Location of meetings are depending on the specialty chosen:- 2D/3D Art: Grenoble
- Game Design: Marseille
- Programming: Paris
- Sound Design: Paris
The ‘Junior Level Designer Edition’ is a game jam meant to occur before the game release: it will will take place in Montreuil, during 2 full week-ends where 3 people at a time will team up with the rest of the team to design levels that will be integrated in the game’s final release.
Of course, people will be accomodated on site : )For both 'Student Edition' and 'Junior Level Designer Edition', supporters are to do the journey to the meeting location using their own powers/money/social skills (pick your preferred one)!
Deadlock is mostly developped using a professional version of Unity3D game engine.
In addition to it, several softwares are used by each team member, depending on their own specialty (Art, Sound Design etc...).
Contribute, Receive
This fundraising is finished
18
For $7 or more
Supportive Edition
One DRM free digital version of the game
+ Beta access.
25
For $14 or more
Solo Edition
Deadlock's Original Soundtrack
+ Your name in the credits
+ Supportive Edition
30
For $20 or more
Community Edition
1 key for a friend
+ Your message in the game
+
Premium Member access (see FAQ)
+ Solo Edition
14 / 30
For $34 or more
Crooner Edition
Your voice in the game: create a robot reply and
record it if you have the tools required! (see FAQ)
+ Community Edition
Limited reward
27 / 80
For $40 or more
Early Bird Edition
Physical version of the game and the OST
+ Post Card from the team
+ Community Edition
Limited reward
4
For $54 or more
Box Edition
Physical version of the game and the OST
+ Community Edition
4
For $67 or more
Deluxe Edition
A poster of the game (A1)
+ Box Edition
16 / 20
For $100 or more
Plush Edition
Deadlock's plush toy
+ Box Edition
Limited reward
1 / 10
For $200 or more
Student Edition
A lesson with a member of the team. Location depending on the specialty (see FAQ)
+ Deluxe Edition
Limited reward
4 / 6
For $267 or more
Junior Level Designer Edition
Map jam with the team to create your own map integrated in the final
game (Jam in Montreuil, France over the course of two days - see FAQ)
+ Deluxe Edition
Limited reward
I do not want any reward
Creator
Early Birds