Announcing: My Bōgle
by Andrew Douglas · 06/30/2006 (6:41 pm) · 5 comments
Well, I promised I would talk about our new game, so here it is:
Now, what is a Bogle? They are fantastical, mischievous creatures that love to pull pranks and generally just terrorize and annoy others (in mostly harmless ways), like our modern day bogeyman. In My Bogle, you get to control one or more of them in a top-down, turn-based, online multiplayer game that consists of simple, fast-paced game play mixed with a variety of unique features and game modes that add tons of strategy and fun. The game takes place in a typical sub-urban home town that will bring back childhood memories and maybe a few bad dreams.
I'm also happy to announce that the game will feature the innovative, Friends Play Free invitation system. Buying a copy of the game unlocks the ability to send game invitations to your friends and family. The invitation allows them to play all of the multi-player modes, online, with you... for free... forever. No strings attached. It's like "spawning" copies of those first LAN games when they just became popular, but designed specifically for the downloadable PC game market. If you'd like to know more about the Friends Play Free system, drop me a line at andrew@theoreticalgames.com
We're really excited about being to a point where we can officially announce the game and we look forward to sharing a whole lot more as we approach our beta release and beyond. If things go well, you may very well be playing the final version at IGC! For now, I'll leave you with a quote from the most recent blog entry by our wonderful and multi-talented artist, Jonathan Douglas. Be sure to check out the whole thing here.
... so, uh.. whaddaya think?
-Andrew Douglas
theoreticalgames.com
Now, what is a Bogle? They are fantastical, mischievous creatures that love to pull pranks and generally just terrorize and annoy others (in mostly harmless ways), like our modern day bogeyman. In My Bogle, you get to control one or more of them in a top-down, turn-based, online multiplayer game that consists of simple, fast-paced game play mixed with a variety of unique features and game modes that add tons of strategy and fun. The game takes place in a typical sub-urban home town that will bring back childhood memories and maybe a few bad dreams.
I'm also happy to announce that the game will feature the innovative, Friends Play Free invitation system. Buying a copy of the game unlocks the ability to send game invitations to your friends and family. The invitation allows them to play all of the multi-player modes, online, with you... for free... forever. No strings attached. It's like "spawning" copies of those first LAN games when they just became popular, but designed specifically for the downloadable PC game market. If you'd like to know more about the Friends Play Free system, drop me a line at andrew@theoreticalgames.com
We're really excited about being to a point where we can officially announce the game and we look forward to sharing a whole lot more as we approach our beta release and beyond. If things go well, you may very well be playing the final version at IGC! For now, I'll leave you with a quote from the most recent blog entry by our wonderful and multi-talented artist, Jonathan Douglas. Be sure to check out the whole thing here.
Quote:
Keep your eyes (and mind) open so you don't miss a chance to be inspired. You never know when 134 squirrels may cross your path again!
... so, uh.. whaddaya think?
-Andrew Douglas
theoreticalgames.com
About the author
#2
-David
06/30/2006 (7:39 pm)
I'm curious about the "friends play free" bit. Feel free to elaborate on that.-David
#3
We're building out the framework in such a way that the Friends Play Free invitation system will be applicable to a wide variety of genres and in a way that works well along-side existing DRM solutions. The initial roll out will be launched with My Bogle, but we will definitely be making the system available to other developers (as well as providing additional services and promotional opportunities). Please feel free to send me an email if you'd like to discuss specifics. Thanks!
-Andrew
06/30/2006 (7:59 pm)
@David: I went into some of the background in these two posts and the discussions that followed.We're building out the framework in such a way that the Friends Play Free invitation system will be applicable to a wide variety of genres and in a way that works well along-side existing DRM solutions. The initial roll out will be launched with My Bogle, but we will definitely be making the system available to other developers (as well as providing additional services and promotional opportunities). Please feel free to send me an email if you'd like to discuss specifics. Thanks!
-Andrew
#4
Of course, "well" for an Indie is different than "well" for a commercial gig.
07/01/2006 (7:22 am)
Netscape made its fortune by giving away a browser. So long as it's a fun game, I don't see why it couldn't do well.Of course, "well" for an Indie is different than "well" for a commercial gig.
#5
Thanks!
-Andrew
07/01/2006 (8:19 am)
@Eric: True, but even better examples are little games like Diablo and Starcraft that sold a heck of a lot of copies from what I've heard, and they "gave away" spawn copies, even if it wasn't something that was highly advertised. The Friends For Free invitation system kicks it up a notch or 3, though. It's certainly not a wholy untested concept - to expect people to buy a game that they can already play for free... given that they only to get play for free with their friends who have paid for the game. But it does remain to be seen how the model holds up in the downloadable PC games market, I'll give you that. From what feedback we've heard so far, it could very well be bigger than ... well... it could be realllly big :)Thanks!
-Andrew
Torque Owner Chris "C2" Byars
Ion Productions