JUNE 8 SINGAPORE - Developer Springloaded today revealed a series of updates for upcoming game dev simulator Let’s Build a Dungeon during Summer Game Fest, including a collaborative new game mode and playable parody. Premiered during Wholesome Direct, Just Build Mode is a low pressure, streamlined version of the in-depth management sim with a focus on shared creative control for up to 4 players online. The studio also shared a first look at Buddyland, an in-game experience that parodies real-world games industry drama. Let’s Build a Dungeon is coming to Steam and Xbox and is available to wishlist now on Steam.
Buddyland is a fully-playable parody that solidifies Let’s Build a Dungeon as a true-to-life simulation of the games industry. Revealed at Summer Game Fest’s Southeast Asian Games Showcase, this oddly familiar in-game experience invites players to ask themselves what it really takes to develop a successful indie game.
Watch the ‘Buddyland’ trailer:
https://youtu.be/G9BjAcirhyc
Buddyland is a crafting-focused, monster-catching survival game that features as part of Let’s Build a Dungeon’s campaign mode. Players act as both CEO and game designer of their own development studio and will be faced with various pitches, proposals and moral choices. The proposed development of Buddyland is just one example of Let’s Build a Dungeon’s branching narrative and features a fully-playable experience, heated discussions with external partners and an ongoing risk of falling into legal hot water. Browse the ‘Younify Game Engine Asset Store’ and make decisions that could make or break your game studio, including the opportunity to create a monster-catching survival game… WITH GUNS.
James Barnard, CEO at Springloaded said:
“Running an indie studio and making games can be really crazy. We’re all too familiar with headlines about legal challenges being faced by game developers across the world, with disagreements dragging through the courts and communities choosing sides online.
The accompanying online discussions often raise the question of what it means to make a successful game, and that’s something we want to explore in Let’s Build a Dungeon. There is no definitive answer, but it’s something that indie developers have to think about all the time. Every decision we make in game development has a consequence, and we want to share these experiences with our players. Buddyland is one of the ways we’re giving players the opportunity to make their own moral decisions in the shoes of a games industry CEO, with the chance to see exactly how things play out.”
Buddyland feature overview:
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Playable parody experience within Let’s Build a Dungeon
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Build and explore a fantasy world alongside mysterious creatures called ‘Buddies’
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Survival gameplay featuring monster catching, farming and crafting
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Gather resources to avoid running out of food
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Morality choices impact the fate and success of your game studio
Springloaded also revealed Just Build Mode at Summer Game Fest, which invites players to work alone or as part of a team to build the perfect MMORPG, without the full responsibilities of running a game studio. In this streamlined game mode, the focus is on the joy of creation and shared decision making, rather than delving into the details of studio management. Without the intricacies of the main simulation campaign, this new mode makes building a world together and seeing virtual player numbers rise easier than ever.
Watch the Wholesome Direct ‘Let’s Build a Dungeon Just Build Mode’ trailer:
But game development is never predictable. As players progress they draw from a deck of randomized cards to shape their path forward, casting votes to make crucial group decisions. Will they expand the world with exciting new content and asset packs, or line their pockets with ruthless monetization tactics and DLC horse armor? Each quest card will be randomly generated, offering hundreds of possible combinations featuring a wide variety of objectives, quest-givers, locations and more. Drawing from a huge variety of cards to shape every decision and quest, Just Build Mode promises an exciting world-building experience with almost limitless possibilities.
Just Build Mode feature overview:
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Co-op enabled game mode focused on the joy of creation and world-building
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Deck-building format that makes no two playthroughs the same
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Online co-op supported for up to 4 players
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Collaborative voting system with weighted votes, allowing all players to have their say
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Multitude of game-changing cards to draw from, including asset packs to broaden building options, marketing cards to entice virtual players and randomly generated quest cards that each offer a unique experience
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Choose from a variety of cursors to share your own personal style
ENDS
Let’s Build a Dungeon
Players of Let’s Build a Dungeon take charge as both Game Designer and CEO in a bid to develop the greatest MMORPG the world has ever seen. From hiring and firing to tackling investor demands, dungeon designing to world building - this multi-layered management sim is a true-to-life depiction of what it takes to run a fledgling game studio, with various game modes to suit every player.
Let’s Build a Dungeon is available to wishlist now on Steam and is coming to PC and Xbox in partnership with Kowloon Nights. The game recently celebrated surpassing 110,000 Steam wishlists and Springloaded are inviting players to sign up for updates over at LetsBuildADungeon.com. A Steam demo is available to play now in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Thai and Brazilian Portuguese.
Springloaded
Springloaded is an award-winning independent game development studio based in Singapore. Founded in 2012 by games industry veteran James Barnard, the team specialise in creating charming simulation titles that combine both nostalgia and new ideas to push the boundaries of the genre.
The studio is previously known for critically acclaimed management sim Let’s Build a Zoo on PC and console, and successful mobile RPG, Tiny Dice Dungeon.
Contact
Hollie Hughes
pr@springloadedsoftware.com
James Barnard (Studio Founder & Game Designer) - Available for interview