"Insanity's Blade" - Indie 16-bit game now in Arcade Mode! Kickstarter-backed

[NightWolve]

Update: February 16, 2016

Chris' game was completed and has been live on Steam since December 5, 2014. It's fully matured well over a year now with all the latest patches, so good time to buy it, most especially when there's a sale and it only goes for $2.22!!!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/334190/Insanitys_Blade/

Trailer/Purty Screenshots

Update: December 12, 2013

My friend Chris has gotten serious with the production of his indie videogame and has set up a kickstarter project with 6 days to go. It's done in 8-bit retro classic style and I think a few of you on here might be interested in supporting it. Check it out!

kickstarter.com/projects/353834117/insanitys-blade-ultimate

Interview:

Deleted: 4colorrebellion.com/archives/2013/12/-12/kickin-it-with-causal-games-studio-insanitys-blade
PCEFX Archived: https://www.pcengine-fx.com/content/InsanitysBladeDeveloperInterview2013.html

You might remember him as LoboDaMainMan if you ever hung around the #rigg chatroom (@Keranu).

Update: January 07, 2014

P. S. It succeeded in obtaining its minimum Kickstarter-backing at the last minute because of some generous big spenders. 

DEMO - WINDOWS:
New "Arcade" version: http://causalbitgames.com/demos/IBARCADE-WIN32.zip
Old 8-bit Retro version: http://causalbitgames.com/demos/IBWIN.zip

http://www.4colorrebellion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Insanitys-Blade-Header.jpg
http://www.4colorrebellion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Insanitys-Blade-Boss.jpg
http://www.4colorrebellion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Insanitys-Blade-Cutscene.jpg
http://www.4colorrebellion.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Insanitys-Blade-2.png

[pixeljunkie]

Looks rad, but these projects always annoy the piss out of me. I see them, I get all excited then I find out they are just a PC/IOS game. Oh, an 8-bit "style" game? How original.

If they did a special edition NES cart version of this, BAM! Here's $100. Otherwise....pass

[Nando]

Looks rad, but these projects always annoy the piss out of me. I see them, I get all excited then I find out they are just a PC/IOS game. Oh, an 8-bit "style" game? How original.

If they did a special edition NES cart version of this, BAM! Here's $100. Otherwise....pass

You make a good point.

Game looks like it could be fun. The sprites are HUGE and nicely animated.  Wished they would have gone with a 16/32 bit look (color palette.) or kept the "constraints" of the 8 bit machines.

It also looks like they met their goal too.

[_Paul]

Looks rad, but these projects always annoy the piss out of me. I see them, I get all excited then I find out they are just a PC/IOS game. Oh, an 8-bit "style" game? How original.

If they did a special edition NES cart version of this, BAM! Here's $100. Otherwise....pass

Good game is good game, the retro look is a bonus.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Looks rad, but these projects always annoy the piss out of me. I see them, I get all excited then I find out they are just a PC/IOS game. Oh, an 8-bit "style" game? How original.

If they did a special edition NES cart version of this, BAM! Here's $100. Otherwise....pass

If they did a special edition NES cart, it would take 5 years to be made and they'd probably lose interest before it gets completed.

and, it probably wouldn't turn out nearly as nice.

I'll take the 10$ download over a 100$ NES cartridge of the same game.

[NightWolve]

Oh, an 8-bit "style" game  ? How original.

I guess I agree with you if you mean that you'd prefer at least 16-bit or more color/graphics in your gaming. NES games look/feel too much like Atari 2600 to me now so it's hard for me to want to play them. But, as I have long since learned from PCEFX, for some people, retro is REALLY in:

Good game is good game, the retro look is a bonus.

Thus, there is still a market for this.

Now, I'm here, I visit/participate in this forum (the only one, pretty much), so obviously I'm a bit of a retro-enthusiast as well, but there's varying degrees to everything of course. A retro-look is not exactly a "bonus" in my eyes cause I likes me some eye candy, but hey that's fine, each to his own.


FYI, Chris is interested in getting someone to port the game to our beloved NEC console platform. The basic Windows version will be finished by March. It's an open call to anyone that'd like to port it since he's too busy right now (Old Rover ?).

P. S. Looks like there was a big spender(s) that came in the final days that pushed it over the first finish line. It's 110% backed now! 

Added, Windows DEMO: http://causalbitgames.com/demos/IBWIN.zip

[lwizardl]

Hey nightwolve,
 NIce to see this post here, I was very happy that chris was able to get this going.

[JoshTurboTrollX]

I'd shit my bricks if at the end of the video demo it faded out and then the title:

Legendary Axe III

popped up. 

[esteban]

I'd shit my bricks if at the end of the video demo it faded out and then the title:

Legendary Axe III

popped up. 

Sh*t your bricks. Now.

[Opethian]

this is just a rip off of Inferno!! ark will sue

looks great!

[NightWolve]

Hmmmm... He's wanting to go more for a 16-bit update apparently.

I notice that wavy effect from Dracula X now.

Question: Game is the same ? Or you added that wavy effect ?

...game and music
...I got rid of wall jump awhile ago
...oh there are lots of effects added now
...completely recolored
...also the end of the stage in the hose I changed the map around

So, I looked at that video in 720p mode and honestly this is the version I would rather play... Much better compared to the video and screenshots at the top. 4096 color-mode just about! After watching the whole level up to the boss, I gotta say, the game is far more in the kickass territory now given the music, color-level, effects, and considering it's fan-made.

[o.pwuaioc]

Looks rad, but these projects always annoy the piss out of me. I see them, I get all excited then I find out they are just a PC/IOS game. Oh, an 8-bit "style" game? How original.

If they did a special edition NES cart version of this, BAM! Here's $100. Otherwise....pass

Unfortunately, this is how I feel about a lot of the retro games these days. I'd love more homebrew, but not many are willing to bite.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Unfortunately, this is how I feel about a lot of the retro games these days. I'd love more homebrew, but not many are willing to bite.

A good game is a good game, regardless of the console it's on.

I could make a game that is identical in visuals and sound to the PC Engine, for PC, and it would probably take me a few months as opposed to a year or more of headaches.

Not many are willing to bite with homebrew for old consoles because it's a royal pain in the dick for a target audience of <= 500 people, some of whom won't even buy the game or play it, and some of whom will complain anyways.

[NightWolve]

Alrighty, the new 16-bit/Arcade demo is now up for some play time!

http://causalbitgames.com/demos/IBARCADE-WIN32.zip

I hate those damn bats he brought in from Castlevania, man... Heh-heh. They were hard to deal with then, they're hard now!! And even Capcom's Red Devil was nice enough to join the fray!

[Tatsujin]

1x for PCE plz ^^

[Trenton_net]

Personally, I too am also annoyed with all these "Retro" games. The reason being, it's so pointless to reproduce such a game on a modern system. Sure, if I had a Pentium+ with 2GB of ram, I could churn out anything of 8-bit quality with a touch of innovation/cool factor. But that's no real feat or amazing achievement.

Not that I would play it on a modern console, but I have way more respect for games like "Retro City Rampage" which at least started running on real 8-bit hardware. That's much more impressive/purchase worthy than some random PC game made to look retro.

[_Paul]

Sure, if I had a Pentium+ with 2GB of ram, I could churn out anything of 8-bit quality with a touch of innovation/cool factor. But that's no real feat or amazing achievement.

Go on then, try it. Let's see how far you get.

[Psycho Punch]

I don't like pseudo 8 bit games that throws tons of effects on screen to go with the graphics plus palette cheating, etc. But that's just me though.

I do like games that actually TRY to be authentic (Oniken for example), both graphics and gameplay mechanics. And Insanity's Blade fits the description. Why didn't I find out about this game earlier?

[Arkhan Asylum]

Personally, I too am also annoyed with all these "Retro" games. The reason being, it's so pointless to reproduce such a game on a modern system.

Pointless? Why?  There's nothing pointless about people programming games they like on a platform that's got a much wider audience than a retro console that has a small fan base, complete with people like you who are complaining about it not being on an old platform instead.

Sure, if I had a Pentium+ with 2GB of ram, I could churn out anything of 8-bit quality with a touch of innovation/cool factor. But that's no real feat or amazing achievement.

As was stated already, go ahead and do it then.  You make it sound like it's so easy to program games just because the machine is newer.   Programming games is not simply about performing great feats or doing something that's to be considered an amazing achievement.   Producing a fun game of good quality is the most important factor.   Feats/Achievement dickwaving come secondary, if they come at all.

Not that I would play it on a modern console, but I have way more respect for games like "Retro City Rampage" which at least started running on real 8-bit hardware. That's much more impressive/purchase worthy than some random PC game made to look retro.

You "8-bit purist" types all sound like idiots when you say shit like this.  You're spitting on people's effort and work just because it's not on an old machine which makes it clear that you've sort of missed the point of independently made games.

Some people who pour a lot of effort into a game would like it to be enjoyed by a wider audience, complete with people who actually appreciate the time/effort that goes into making a game.

[wildfruit]

think it is a great idea to have an "older style" game on a,modern platform. If it wasn't for mega man 9 i wouldn't have gotten interested in the franchise. I had a mega man less childhood
If this game makes it to the euro wii u estore ill give it a whirl

[NecroPhile]

Pointless? Why?  There's nothing pointless about people programming games they like on a platform that's got a much wider audience than a retro console that has a small fan base, complete with people like you who are complaining about it not being on an old platform instead.

It's pointless because you're designing a game around limitations that don't exist.  Still, good games are good games; the platform and art style chosen don't negate gameplay mechanics.

On the other hand, I don't give much of a shit about non-OBEY platforms.  I hope it turns out well for y'all, but I won't be buying/playing it.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Pointless? Why?  There's nothing pointless about people programming games they like on a platform that's got a much wider audience than a retro console that has a small fan base, complete with people like you who are complaining about it not being on an old platform instead.

It's pointless because you're designing a game around limitations that don't exist.  Still, good games are good games; the platform and art style chosen don't negate gameplay mechanics.

On the other hand, I don't give much of a shit about non-OBEY platforms.  I hope it turns out well for y'all, but I won't be buying/playing it.

The only limitation usually imposed is the art.  However, because it's art... It shouldn't matter if someone decides to emulate the style of an old console.    Art is art. 

Now, if they decided to purposely throttle the CPU so that they are only getting ~4mhz out of the thing, and then try to cram all the art into X amount of space, and make sure only X amount of sprites are on screen at a time, and all of the OTHER hardware limitations outside of the color palettes, I could see that being pointless.

But stylistic limitations? pfsht.  Nothing wrong with that. 

[NightWolve]

1) "Insanity's Blade Will Put Hair on Your Chest" - Heh.

https://mashthosebuttons.com/2014/05/insanitys-blade-bringing-bloody-justice-on-may-20/

2) Screenshot of a new boss:



3)

Looks good! I dig the using a zombie/skeleton as a sled! Ha!

C: Nice, using a zombie/skeleton as a sled! Heh.
Q: Just you coming up with all this sh-t, eh ?
Chris: "Yeah. Other guy just codes for the most part."
Chris: "I came up with zombie surf whilst on the potty"

[Nando]

Looking NICE!

[Arkhan Asylum]

This game is an unofficial spiritual successor to Inferno, even though I never finished Inferno.

[kazekirifx]

This game does look awesome. I like the 2 player simultaneous play. Should be a lot of fun.

However, I'll echo the others by saying I usually don't play games like these unless they run on actual old consoles. Of course I realize how much more difficult it is to develop such a game. Sorry, but that's just how it is. I'm buying tons of homebrew games for the old consoles when they are released, but I never seem to get around to these retro-looking games for PC/modern consoles. Guess I just prefer "real" retro graphics/sound rather than imitated.

Still... I have to admit this game looks pretty awesome. I hope I do get around to trying this one.

[Arkhan Asylum]

This game does look awesome. I like the 2 player simultaneous play. Should be a lot of fun.

However, I'll echo the others by saying I usually don't play games like these unless they run on actual old consoles. Of course I realize how much more difficult it is to develop such a game. Sorry, but that's just how it is. I'm buying tons of homebrew games for the old consoles when they are released, but I never seem to get around to these retro-looking games for PC/modern consoles. Guess I just prefer "real" retro graphics/sound rather than imitated.

Still... I have to admit this game looks pretty awesome. I hope I do get around to trying this one.

I don't see the logic behind this at all. 

It's like homebrew for old consoles = automatically buy/play, even if the game's not that good. (See: Insanity)

I think alot of you guys are so used to blowing off anything after Sega Genesis that you forget to accept the fact that good games can exist on something that isn't a pain in the ass to create a simple game with.

[kazekirifx]

I get a hard on for new games on old hardware.;) That's pretty much it.
Especially when that hardware is being pushed to the limits and pushing out some awesome shit.

Guilty as charged. It's illogical.   I'm part game player and part old hardware buff. So, just having the gameplay there doesn't do it for me. I prefer to also have my hardware buff side stimulated at the same time. Otherwise I find I am unable to achieve gamegasm.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Yeah.  I find that mindset a bit unfair to people making games, lol.

[NightWolve]

Update: http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/04/insanitys_b_gets_av_overhaul

Stage 1 new build playthrough (Including boss)!!
He re-did stage 1, there's much more going on in the background now, plus new enemies, new background music (although I preferred the original music myself), etc. He's got about 10 stages finished, and intends for there to be 17 in total.

[Nando]

That's looking awesome!

[schweaty]

Just saw this today:

http://mynintendonews.com/2014/04/20/insanitys-blade-may-be-ported-to-nintendo-3ds/

The article implies Insanity's Blade is already slated for a Wii U release with a 3DS release a possibility.  I would very much be in favor of a 3DS release.  For one thing, I don't have a Wii U.  For another, this seems like the perfect portable device game.  The 3DS is tailor made for these types of downloadable games (and vita for that matter).

BTW - watch the video.  does that battle look just a lot bit like a certain game's openning?  here's a hint:  it rhymes with Blacula Hex:  Pondo of Mud

[NightWolve]

Yeah, he's working with another programmer to handle the Wii U release after having become a licensed Nintendo developer, but the PC version isn't even finished yet (10 levels ready with 7 to go), so the Wii U port will happen later. The code will be ported to something called "Unity" which is more universal than what he chose to build the PC version.

BTW - watch the video.  does that battle look just a lot bit like a certain game's openning?  here's a hint:  it rhymes with Blacula Hex:  Pondo of Mud

"Insanity's Blade" Indie Videogame: 2 Bosses, 1 Cart (Now cut/deleted) - Old Beta Teaser.

Heh-heh, yeah, he's kind of pushing it with all the influences "borrowed" from Capcom, Konami and others, etc. ;) I didn't know he had done this one, looks like it was published in January. It's pretty cool, I mean, they're respectful homages, but hopefully nobody complains or something. Good choice in background music for it too. I think I would genuinely like to play this thing beginning to end when it's ready.

[Tatsujin]

this must so much become a 3DS title!! fuck the wii U, nobody has that.

[NightWolve]

https://unity3d.com/unity/multiplatform/consoles

Well, looking at this "Unity" multi-platform game development engine, it can export/port your game to the following modern consoles: PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360. To port it for 3DS, you'd have to find another programmer to do it that's good on that system, is familiar/experienced with its particular devkit and so forth, etc. He should see how well it does after he gets the main version finished and released which won't be too long: 16 levels have been completed, one left.

[schweaty]

Well, looking at this "Unity" multi-platform game development engine, it can export/port your game to the following modern consoles: PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360.

Are they planning a Xbox 360 release?  I'd be good with that too (but 3DS is better)

[NightWolve]

Nope, nothing at all for that has ever been mentioned. Money was already spent to get a license for the Wii U platform, and from what I gathered he's gone over from what was raised with Kickstarter.

An aside, something that I was surprised to learn over time, but you know how you can make a game or any type of software for Microsoft Windows 98/ME/XP/2K/Vista/7/8, etc. and simply release it without issue ?? That's because MS gave up some IP Rights and chose an "open-licensing" model for their operating systems (as have many others of course). However, videogame console producers have a "closed-licensing" model, meaning, whatever type of software you wanna publish on their system, you FIRST gotta talk business with them which means pay a license fee and get a devkit AFTER they approve your type of game/software idea! That's how they want it. Nobody can just willy-nilly make a game for Xbox, Playstation, etc. If you do, it'll be "unlicensed" and they could theoretically pursue legal action if it REALLY bothered them that much.

Anyway, that's an interesting thing about how things "work."

[schweaty]

so what is driving the 3DS rumor?  pure speculation or is this a thing?

[DaMainMan69]

Hey Guys

I thought I'd pop in and say thanks for the support! I can give you a tiny game update. Things are going smooth for the most part. I can't believe the amount of work that goes into the gfx let alone the coding. The shift from NES to "arcade" is killing me. I've had to redesign all of the graphics and once co-op was added, I had to completely redesign the maps which were single player only.

That cart boss fight was scrapped about a month ago I think. I didn't like the first boss there at all, he was an upgrade from the nes version of the game. Just not feeling him. The ghost we're going to use elsewhere. Now we have the heroes on Horseback throwing their weapons at various enemies. The carts now have cages that contain prisoners. The bosses are gone as this stage will be the boss fight itself. I wanted to break up the game play a little and the horse riding will do the trick I think.

As far as supporting other consoles - that will come with demand. Right now we're getting massive requests for 3DS. So we'll probably venture down that road when Unity is available on it.

On a side note, I'm too attached to my Duo and it obviously showed in that cart fight. Now it's less climbing and more killing/action. If the game has to be compared to anything now it would be Magic Sword having a good time with Ninja Gaiden. Though unlike those games we have the mandatory "elevator" stages where you ride the platform down into the the depths as you get pummeled from all directions by enemies.

People were asking for more co-op and less Castlevania, and although the game never played like Castlevania, the atmosphere was gothic and led people to the conclusion that it must be a rip off of Castlevania. I don't remember being able to kick the balls off of zombies or rip them in half in Castlevania at least The cart fight was the only thing that resembled the series. Though because I put a castle into it (which is part of the story's plot) I'm sure I'll be hearing it from that angle now too!

Anyhow I'll leave you guys with a couple shots from the game that haven't technically been released yet Cheers!

Chris

[schweaty]

Chris,

Thanks for chiming in.  We arent used to getting info straight from the horses mouth, so I guess I'm a little shocked I'm not going to have to wade through 2 more pages of "I think they should do this...." posts.  I thank you for that.

If I wasnt clear in my previous posts:  "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY 3DS MONIES RIGHT NOW!" 

BTW - I like the homage to Drac X.  I dont think anyone will have a problem with it.  Its a love-letter-to-that-era game anyway so anyone who has a problem with it just doesnt get it and shouldnt be listened to anyway.

[lwizardl]

love the screen shots Chris, this game will be awesome!!

[Nando]

love those screen shots! MAKE IT SHINE FOLKS!!!!

Best of luck!

[Tatsujin]

so awesome chris

 how about hand out the grafx to "the old rover". so he could down grade it to fit on the PCE, once it hitted well in the mextgen market?

[Tatsujin]

also how do you create all those wonderfull pixel grafx all by your own? would be like a life task if I would try to do that

[DaMainMan69]

Ha ha! Thanks for the love guys!

@schweaty The 3ds version will happen when Unity happens for it. I think Nintendo is in talks with the Unity guys now. The game was coded in HTML5 so no chance of it happening on anything until the unity port is completed. We already have our Wii U Nintendo licence but we have to apply for a 3ds one. Personally I'd like to go Vita (I have both) as it's starving for games right now. Unity is already on vita so there is a good chance we can hit it quickly. But yeah, this is all up in the air at the moment.

As far as the drac-x cart bit goes, I just couldn't stand the boss fight. It felt clumsy trying to keep the boss on the cart and then dodging the ghost. I spent a bit of time on that ghost though, the driver... we'll see if he at least gets to sit and drive still LOL!

@Tatsujin We're thinking of releasing the game as an arcade cabinet. Table tops and what not. But for a game this size, it's not logical to port as no one will do all of that work for free As far as the graphics go, I do them all in a sprite editor - pixel by pixel. Some bosses are hand drawn and scaled down to game res and colors. But all BG tiles and sprites are done the hard way, which is actually pretty easy if you've been doing it for a long time. I often export the sprites to a sheet and alter the overall shades in Photoshop, then take them back to another sprite editor and tweak the palettes.

Thanks again for the kind comments guys! It means a lot!


Chris

[Psycho Punch]

Someone ought to port it to the obey engine.

[NightWolve]

Nice!!!

[Arkhan Asylum]

LOOKS LIKE SHIT.  WORST GAME EVER.

Just kidding.   I really like that moon in the background.   I should also go like, try the latest beta build thigny since I Kickstarted and evertythinggthrhnerg I can[t type. i quit.

[NightWolve]

New trailer is out. Looks like the game will be ready for a May 20th release!

Insanity's Blade Official Trailer
Could've been longer, but looks pretty bad ass. Still pretty surreal to see an old bud manage to accomplish this, both in getting Kickstarter backing and coming through with the goods. Congrats to him.

[Ninja16608]

Damn this game is looking better and better every time I see it.