Whooo! The Rebuild: Gangs of Deadsville Kickstarter campaign is 50% funded after only 3 days! You guys are amazing. :) To celebrate, I’m announcing the project’s first stretch goal: 3 Extra Gangs! These NPC factions will sometimes appear in the city with you. Some are easy going and will help you out so long as you don’t scavenge all the best stuff near their fort. Other factions are… not so nice. Let me introduce you:
The Granville Riffs
Ever seen the cult 70’s movie The Warriors? Well I was a little drunk when I did (it helps) but afterward I couldn’t get it out of my head. This faction is a play on the Gramercy Riffs, a badass gang of tall black karate dudes with mirrored shades. They value discipline, have a strict code of ethics and take a little too much joy in killing zombies with katanas and well-placed roundhouse kicks. You can hire them as mercenaries once you prove your honor.
The Last Judgement Gang
These guys are just the opposite of the Riffs, and the two are always at eachother’s throats. The Judgement are a good old fashioned Hells Angels type biker gang, except… they dress like catholic priests. They’re all fire-and-brimstone and set to cleanse the world of zombie and human alike. If you’re alive, you’re probably a sinner, and that’s all the excuse they need to roll in and raid your fort.
The Luddies
Part hippie, part luddite, these vegan farmers live off the land, and are so much happier now that civilization has collapsed and they can take off their tinfoil hats: there are no more radio, tv and wifi waves flying around to cook their brains or control their thoughts anymore. You’ll clash with these guys if you’re truly intent on bringing back the evils of technology.
Church of the Chosen Ones
Another callback to Rebuild 2/Mobile, this zombie-worshipping cult have formed their own fort in this game. You could say they’re a little eccentric but mostly harmless… or are they? If their infectuous new religion takes root among your own survivors, watch out – because the ultimate goal of any Church follower is to join the “Chosen Ones” and become a zombie themselves.
St Micheal’s School for Boys
Still living in their former boarding school, this gang of kids is lead by a 16 year old (Rufio! Rufio!) who is the oldest of them because he was held back a year for bad behavior. But it’s not quite Lord of the Flies over there yet, and they get by on their ability to sneak, hide and steal.
The Pig Farmers
I introduced these guys in the Rebuild Mobile winter update. Avid meat merchants, they’ve got all these cuts of pork to trade at surprisingly good prices. Well, that is kind of a funny color for pork, and it does taste a little odd, but hey beggars can’t be choosers, right? They really don’t like people snooping around their pig farm and will shoot at anybody who gets too close. Everybody’s got a right to privacy, right?
The Government
These beurocrats are the last remnants of the actual local government. They claim to have contact with a central organization via a secret government network, and are under orders to regain control of the area and will mercilessly comondeer any supplies they need to do that.
The Rotten
Not all zombies are alike; in fact some of them manage to keep their wits about them, more or less. Unfortunately they still look and smell like rotting walking corpses, so most of them get shot on sight by humans. But a few have moved underground and are living a marginal life, hoping someday to find a cure for their illness.
Stretch Goal Factions
Now for the stretch goal: if we make it to $35,000, I’ll be able to add 3 more factions to the mix. These guys are more than just names & faces: each faction comes with a bunch of new random events and at least one major plotline that involves them. Stephen’s been coming up with some great storylines that I’m eager to see play out.
1337cREw (stretch goal)
These gamers had gathered together for an epic lan party on the night the zombie infection reached their town. They didn’t even notice the dead roming the streets outside until the Internet finally went down. Now they quest to get it back online.
The Pharmacists (stretch goal)
Drug dealers, anarchists, hipsters. This gang is in it for the money and not too concerned if a few people get hurt in the process. They’re makers of the hot new drug Bath Salts, which makes you feel strong and fearless but is terribly addictive.
The Suffragettes (stretch goal)
These women have had enough of a male-dominated society putting them in second place, and don’t think you need “superior upper body strength” to kill zombies or do what it takes to survive. Tired of being told to do the laundry (have you seen the The Walking Dead?), they’ve got big plans for a brave new world.
The Rebuild: Gangs of Deadsville Kickstarter is ending in just a few days on Halloween!
I’ve been gearing up for the Alpha test which starts next month. This first build will only be available to backers at the $15 level and above, so you’ve only got a few days left to secure your spot if you haven’t already. After that you’ll still be able to preorder on the official site and get into the beta, which will start sometime next year. The game is due for release around May 2014.
Sara Gross did some live character sketches on Twitch TV last week. It’s so much fun watching her bring Rebuild characters to life. I know they’re just concept art but I’m so thrilled, I want to use them as loading screens or something in the game.
Above is her Masai (nicknamed “Nipple Fist” by watchers) of the Granville Riffs, Young Rufio of St Micheal’s School for Boys, a few interpretations of infamous trader Gustav who also appeared in Rebuild 2, and some ideas for the Luddies. The Luddies are half hippie, half luddite, and make their own clothing out of hemp and goat wool. Sure there’s still plenty on the racks at the local mall, but hand sheared goat wool just feels better.
Meanwhile Adam’s been busy on the new buildings. Finally the last scraps of my old art (all the way from Rebuild 1) is being banished from the game, though he’s putting in references to some of it. He’s also taking fan suggestions to heart and re-evaluating the scariness of our zombies. It’s all a work in progress folks!
