Swordhaven: Iron Conspiracy — Fantasy RPG from ATOM devs

[agentorange]

Didn't see a thread so. ATOM devs working on a new RPG, get hype!

There isn't much info but it looks to be fantasy, unless it's some kind of far future post-collapse setting where things go back to being like the middle ages kind of setting.

[rusty_shackleford]

Simultaneously excited and devastated.
No conclusion to ATOM?

[wndrbr]

Finally, a spiritual successor to Knyaz and Vseslav.

[rusty_shackleford]

BG3 releases, slavs decide to make another konung game.
Coincidence?

[wndrbr]

Apparently it's gonna be a low-fantasy turn based rpg with full party control. And you'll be using "historical European martial arts" skills in combat.

So, something like a medieval AoD/Dungeon Rats?

[agentorange]

get hype!

[krokodil]

please don't compare ATOM team games to Slop Tower games

[gerey]

And you'll be using "historical European martial arts" skills in combat.

I'm curious what and how they plan to implement this. Are they just talking about properly animating how (we think) European soldiers fought in the Middle Ages? Are they going to be introducing mechanics such as half-swording, or being able to rotate a poleaxe so you can use the hammer/axe or beak, or perhaps they mean tackling and wrestling?

[rusty_shackleford]

And you'll be using "historical European martial arts" skills in combat.

I'm curious what and how they plan to implement this. Are they just talking about properly animating how (we think) European soldiers fought in the Middle Ages? Are they going to be introducing mechanics such as half-swording, or being able to rotate a poleaxe so you can use the hammer/axe or beak, or perhaps they mean tackling and wrestling?

Well, Trudograd had some good animations to be fair.

[wndrbr]

A sneak peek from our new game's first location—a secluded forest trail leading to a fishing village. WIP, naturally.

Hello, friends! Here's an in-game art preview for one of the location maps, along with a screenshot. Please keep in mind that everything you see is a work in progress.

also Atomboy says the game's setting will be similar to Conan/Battle Brothers/the Golden Age of Berserk, and will have a fairly diverse set of fantasy creatures. It will not be a hard historical rpg like KCD.

[wndrbr]

[Shillitron]

Oh boy.. I always wanted to play a stinky polish farmer in a BG1 clone.

[Mondain]

Any news on release date? Immediately my most anticipated game.

[wndrbr]

@Mondain no release date, but you can try your luck and become a beta tester.

[1998]

Not a fan of that rtwp/TB hybrid approach, but Trudograd was too good to not be hyped now.

[Orvas Dren]

As long as they don't self-**** it will be great

[1998]

I'll understand this as an inclined NO

[wndrbr]

As long as they don't self-**** it will be great

well they stopped posting news on their VK page back in 2022, changed Russian flag on their site to the ****** white-blue-white one, and already stated that this game will only have one language (English), and others will be added depending on how many times it was wishlisted.

[Orvas Dren]

As long as they don't self-**** it will be great

well they stopped posting news on their VK page back in 2022, changed Russian flag on their site to the ****** white-blue-white one, and already stated that this game will only have one language (English), and others will be added depending on how many times it was wishlisted.

Russian libs are notoriously cowardly, so if Russia wins before the game is released then they'll probably switch back.

[rusty_shackleford]

ATOM team isn't Russian, only a couple of the developers are from there. Their only statement on the war was that they were being impacted by it, and oppose war, which still caused butthurt.
Fun fact, some ATOM devs worked on the Boiling Point: Road to Hell/White Gold/Precursors.

and already stated that this game will only have one language (English),

Good.
Localizations are a complete waste of time and resources, >90% of the target audience is proficient in English.

[Element]

Although the Ru sales were always pretty high for RPGs according to the data that Iron towers released, but with the exchange rate what it is it's probably not worth it

[wndrbr]

[rusty_shackleford]

I wonder how close it will be related to the non-bhaalspawn BG1 plot considering it's called "Iron conspiracy"

[Emphyrio]

How can they think something so dull will sell the game?

[Rand]

I wonder how close it will be related to the non-bhaalspawn BG1 plot considering it's called "Iron conspiracy"

TBH, I would have been happier with the BG and BG2 games if they didn't have the Bhaalspawn plot at all. Yes, this would destroy 2 as it is now, but I don't care. That game was basically on rails and annoyed me as a result.
I just want to form my crew and go exploring, dungeon raiding, and maybe take out a few bad guys, like I do in a TTRPG.
Where I also don't want a narrative story. There can be a vague point, and an overarching bad guy plot, fine, but I don't ever want to be told how to proceed with my adventure.
Think of The Caves of Chaos, or even The Lost Mine of Phandelver.
You can have a fine time roaming around Neverwinter and never bother going to Phandelver, because it's just there as a possible source of loot and adventure. It's not particularly important.

If you're gonna tell a story, then do it like The Witcher, where the MC is written into the story as an integral, central part. And the story is actually engaging.

[Rand]

How can they think something so dull will sell the game?

They're not at that part yet.
These are development screens.
They just want you to know what they're working on and give a general idea of the style.

[rusty_shackleford]

How can they think something so dull will sell the game?

I'd have already preordered if they accepted it.

[Emphyrio]

TBH, I would have been happier with the BG and BG2 games if they didn't have the Bhaalspawn plot at all. Yes, this would destroy 2 as it is now, but I don't care. That game was basically on rails and annoyed me as a result.
I just want to form my crew and go exploring, dungeon raiding, and maybe take out a few bad guys, like I do in a TTRPG.
Where I also don't want a narrative story. There can be a vague point, and an overarching bad guy plot, fine, but I don't ever want to be told how to proceed with my adventure.
Think of The Caves of Chaos, or even The Lost Mine of Phandelver.
You can have a fine time roaming around Neverwinter and never bother going to Phandelver, because it's just there as a possible source of loot and adventure. It's not particularly important.

If you're gonna tell a story, then do it like The Witcher, where the MC is written into the story as an integral, central part. And the story is actually engaging.

Removing the bhaalspawn plot would have been easy. bg2 had very little to do with the bhaalspawn thing until the expansion. The sidequests are all random and unrelated, and every chance to use them to reinforce bhaalspawn themes are missed. Even Irenicus is just a bunch of eclectic crap. He could have kidnapped you for any reason. His backstory is a non-sequiter. He could have been any wizard.

[Acrux]

I wonder how close it will be related to the non-bhaalspawn BG1 plot considering it's called "Iron conspiracy"

There was a mod I played back around 2008 or so that made all iron weapons have a chance to break, and removed some of the early magical weapons. That was a good mod.

[rusty_shackleford]

I wonder how close it will be related to the non-bhaalspawn BG1 plot considering it's called "Iron conspiracy"

There was a mod I played back around 2008 or so that made all iron weapons have a chance to break, and removed some of the early magical weapons. That was a good mod.

Don't all iron weapons have a chance to break until you solve the crisis anyways?

---

And yes, I think BG1 would have been better without the Bhaalspawn plot at all tbh.