It was announced by German veteran indie developers now called the Backdrop Team, that they formed an alliance to launch the Kickstarter campaign for their new storytelling game Backdrop – Behind the Curtain. The Kickstarter campaign aims to collect 200.000 USD/175.000 € to develop an initial version of the game.
Check out the Kickstarter trailer of Backdrop – Behind the Curtain, showcasing the games’ features:
“All the world’s a stage in Backdrop – as in an actual stage complete with props and all. Players retell their version of the story as a fairy tale or a nightmare… or both. Featuring a wealth of original and unique gameplay concepts in a beautifully crafted setting Backdrop is unlike any RPG or adventure on the market. A group of game dev veterans, united by the love for this very special project, has started development on Backdrop and is now looking to the Kickstarter community to get the vision funded.
About the game
There are so many new ideas in the game, it is virtually impossible to boil them down to a comprehensible list.
Paper and cloth: Environments, enemies and even the player characters are made out of paper, cloth, wood and other materials – like props in a theatre. The physics of the world thus follow unusual rules: Players can slash holes in the background, blow away enemies with a gust of wind or be burnt to cinders by a candle toppled over during a heated fight. Finding ways to use the environment to the best possible effect is very important for making your way in the world.
Wordplay and Swordplay: Words can literally hurt or heal, move mountains and open doors. Words are a very real thing in this world and their power is boundless. Combat is of course not done with words only – swordplay and action-filled fights are an important part of the game, with each weapon getting a distinctly different combat feeling.
Emotion and magic: Emotions manifest in the world, allowing the hero to use emotional moments and memories almost like magical spells. The tears of a Mermaid may be used to soften the most ardent warrior, while witnessing the strange revelry of a goblin wake allows the player to employ the Dance Macabre, forcing that horde of enemies about dance a merry jig.
Ethics and power: In a world of fiction, good and evil both have to play their part. Of all the inhabitants of Backdrop, only the player can pick a role at will, be it the shining prince or malevolent villain. This gives him or her the power to harness the energy of good or evil and create powerful effects from both.
Masks and making: Instead of picking a fixed class, heroes will don character masks, each one changing their abilities and personality into larger than life characters, from the stern but noble knight to the mischievous but charming trickster.
The Hero’s Journey: The hero’s progress is not simulated by abstract XP and is not furthered by simply slashing away at monsters. Instead character progression is an outward and inward one, as players follow the steps of the hero’s journey and grow by the transformational power of their experiences.
About the developers
The Backdrop team is comprised of development veterans and talented young creators alike, united by their passion to bring something new and precious into the gaming world. They united behind the ambitious concept and have invested their spare time for years to get the project off the ground:
Franz Stradal (Sacred, Demonworld) has been doing games for almost three decades, working on over 100 titles in that time and being one of the most prolific designers in the industry.
Thomas Kronenberg (Neocron, The Dwarves) is an accomplished artist and designer. His credits include Sacred, Neocron, The Dwarves and a wealth of story based games.
Seçkin Ölmez joined the crew after successfully releasing his first adventure game Heaven’s Hope. He has a knack for storytelling games and the technical prowess to make them work.
Jan Wagner (Shadowrun Chronicles) is 25 years in the industry had him drift from Producer to Creative Director and Designer and he has worked for companies such as Blizzard and Sierra.”
For more information on Backdrop – Behind the Curtain, visit its Kickstarter page.
Includes several titles.
Which was showcased at E3 2003.