The future of Fall from Heaven

[Kael]

4/17/2010

I announced the following: "The next game in the Fall from Heaven series is currently in production as a stand alone game. Watch this space for further news."

Rock, Paper, Shotgun was good enough to post an article about it on 04/27/2010: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010...mbs-to-heaven/

9/14/2010

Unfortunately the FfH game became a casualty of the the games industry and the project died. It's tough to get that big break, and this time it didn't work out.

Here are a few questions you may have:

What was the game?

It was a Fall from Heaven Tactics game set in the time after the events in the FfH2 scenarios. You recruited characters, fought tactical level battles, gained levels, got treasure, etc. The setting and story were very specific and detailed and covered the return of Laroth, sailing off to investigate the missing Aifon's, follow up in the Deadlands and the Fane of Lessers after the defeat of the Sheaim and the Infernals, etc.

Will this game ever be made?

Maybe, I still think it's a great game and I would like to see it made (not to mention I have a 210 page design doc and tons of my time invested in it). But right now it has been shelved.

Who were you working with?

The full story is more convoluted than this brief description, I'm not going to go into all the details. There are some side projects and other proposals that play into it, but I don't want to start naming names. The FfH team members (especially SeZereth, Nikis-Knight and Loki) have been involved throughout as well as games industry people from various companies. They were all great people to interact and work with.

The project didn't fail for lack of talented people helping out.

Why did it fail?

Lack of financing (isn't this always the reason).

There were 2 ways this project could have been financed, both fell through. We developed up until the point where it was clear exactly what the investment would need to be to complete the game, at that point a business decision had to be made. Was the risk and investment worth the potential reward? The folks providing the budget decided that it wasn't. There was no animosity and no ill will. Simply a business call.

Was it a waste of time?

Maybe. I was paid as a lead designer so I made some money on the deal and came out of it with a big design that I own. I enjoyed the experience and got to work with some very cool people so I'm happy I got to do it, but sorry that I don't have a game to show for it.

Would you do it again?

Yes, in a heartbeat. These are amazing opportunities. They don't always work out, But you have to try just on the chance that it does work. I would do it again, I hope to do it again.

Have you considered <insert radical financing idea here>?

Yes we have. We considered everything, community financing, preorder funding, community development, etc. I'm not saying we won't follow up on any of them. Just that for now this particular project is dead.

What's next for Fall from Heaven?

I don't know, the team and I are talking. Right now I need a little time to decompress, I'm going to be a modder for a little while. There will be more FfH projects.

Is there any good news?

Yeap, Civ5 comes out next week! This means I have plenty of time to play, mod and dink around with Civ5. I'm excited to see what can be done and how to do it.

9/23/2010

Brad Wardell invites me up to the Stardock offices to meet and talk about the future.

9/27/2010

I spend the day at Stardock talking about gaming and meet the elemental team (a great group of people).

10/5/2010

I accept a job at Stardock and resign from my day job to become a game producer and designer full time.

10/12/2010

Stardock announces our deal to the world, http://www.stardock.com/about/newsitem.asp?id=2056.

11/01/2010

My first day at Stardock. What a great group of folks, Brad was even nice enought to create a forum post about it. http://forums.stardock.com/399705

It's been an amazing journey, and it is still going on. Wish me luck!

[Tholal]

Nice! That's a big move!

[Valkrionn]

Originally Posted by Kael

The next game in the Fall from Heaven series is currently in production as a stand alone game.

Watch this space for further news.

I will buy it. And then hopefully mod it.


This is awesome news!

[black_imperator]

Truely Great News for all of us erebus-lovers

[Adrogans]

Whoohoo!

[esvath]

Yes! Yes! I want to know what will happen with Ethne And, be sure to make it modmoders friendly, please!

[Adrogans]

well it wouldn't be a mod mod anymore huh? Just a mod.

[PPQ_Purple]

So wait, let me take this in. You are actually going to have a completely new PC game based on FFH.

In that case I have two things to say:
1. Please link us to a internet shop as soon as you start selling it
2. Please include a .pdf or better yet printed manual

Now excuse me while I go and faint.

[Opera]

Awful teasing, you!

[Jarrema]

OMG
is it the most important news of the year? or will the comet struck the Earth in summer?

[Nor'easter]

Huge news, Kael, congratulations!

[Sephi]

way to go Kael! Best of Luck

[MiKa523]

Great news!

In case you run short on cash, I highly recommend taking pre-orders for the new FFH.
I think many current FFH2 players, including me, are willing to pre-order, especially considering how many hours we spent on a free game.

[[to_xp]Gekko]

finally a game I'll be willing to spend cash on. it's been a long while. Kael, you just made my day.

[Stoik]

[Ekolite]

*draw drops*

No wonder Kael's been so quiet about porting FFH onto Civ 5. This is great news!

[Grey Fox]

This is definitely awesome news

[GoodGame]

Sweet! So this is a commercial product through Firaxis/2K?

I'll be buying it!!!!

[Link]

amazing news. i must own it.

[Kalina]

I really, really hope we will be able to buy it here in Poland We sometimes have troubles with hmm... less mainstream games here