Western RPGs have seen a resurgence of late, with everything from classic turn-based games like Halcyon 6 to strategy titles like The Banner Saga. Now fledgling indie studio Storytellers Entertainment is trying to get their fantasy RPG dream off the ground with Imperium Omni, a dual novel/game project that will launch on Kickstarter on January 28th. The game is being built on Unreal 4 by fantasy writer/game developer Matthew Thomas, with assistance from Hollywood effects artist Bill Munns. The game will span four episodes and will utilize a fluid class system, that allows players to explore multiple classes concurrently.
I have to be honest, the proof-of-concept trailer looks pretty rough, with visuals and cinematography that would have seemed rudimentary even a decade ago. Still, you have to start somewhere and I commend the developers for their enthusiasm and grit. For what it's worth, the companion novel, Imperium Omni: Captain's Edition, is free on Amazon Kindle right now. Storytellers Entertainment is looking to raise $25,000 to fund the game, which isn't too terribly much compared to similar projects.
Back To The Future: New Game Studio Seeks Support In Returning Retro Gaming Golden Age
Four-part serialized RPG “Imperium Omni” Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to launch on 28th January
January 2019 - UNITED STATES: An emerging game studio, Storytellers Entertainment, is bringing new life to a whole new generation of fantasy-based retro gaming with “Imperium Omni”. The studio is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.com at noon PST on Monday, January 28th, to raise $25,000 amongst all RPG gaming enthusiasts.
Storytellers Entertainment was established by fantasy fiction writer and veteran game designer, Matthew Thomas and award-winning Hollywood SFX expert Bill Munns. They will cater to fans of retro-styled, fantasy-based, solo-RPGs following a surge in interest in retro gaming in recent years. With additional 3D content through Unreal Engine 4.0, modern gamers will be satisfied as well.
Imperium Omni is a four-part serialized RPG set in the vast fictional world of Aeris Pri. The game emerged from the founder’s earliest work in and on RPGs of all kinds, developing as a novel and a video game concurrently. Although to be released on PC, the game will also later be available on Xbox, PS4, iOS and Android platforms.
The game adopts a modern twist to the retro solo-RPG genre by utilising a class and relationship AI to allow the player to evolve with the content. This unique game feature gives players the chance to not only play their primary class but also to play concurrent classes like Pirate, Monk, Samurai or Spy.
Speaking about the crowdfunding campaign and the gaming community, Matthew Thomas said:
“We’re looking forward to getting support from the retro gaming community as well as all those RPG gaming enthusiasts out there to back our crowdfunding campaign starting on Monday, January 28th. Imperium Omni is unique with its map-based approach and we’re hoping that the retro gaming community, and the gaming community as a whole, will get behind the launch.”
The game and novel follow the characters of Shadow and Fara, explorers who live in the vast fantasy world of Aeris Pri. The player’s long term goal over the course of four novels and games is to move all the way from the lowest ranked player to eventually be crowned Emperor or Empress of the world, taking that honored spot from the current Empress.
Anyone who wishes to support the Imperium Omni crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter.com can do so here. The novel Imperium Omni: Captain’s Edition is available on Amazon here.
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About Storytellers Entertainment
The team behind Storytellers Entertainment includes an array of industry experts including an award-winning 3D Digital Artist, a computer language designer with notable patents in use by the US Department of Defense and a 25 year veteran in marketing and sales, directing high profile marketing activities for top-ranked fortune 500 companies.
