I cannot believe it has been three years since Thom, Chad and I first sat down at a local coffee shop to talk about the possibility of bringing Takamo back as an online game. We struggled for months working out how the game would look, what hardware we would need, the program language, and game features that would be developed. Chad, who wasn’t a glimmer in his daddy’s eye when Takamo ran the first time, had a tough time wrapping his head around the concept of the game. It was unlike anything he had seen in the computer gaming world.
Hoping to gather support from veteran Takamo players and entice new players to the Takamo game system, we launched a Kickstarter campaign. It had loads of concept art, a peek at the story line, music and a great voice actor to tell the tale of Takamo. THAT, we thought, would surely tell potential backers what Takamo Universe was all about. It didn’t. The most common question from potential supporters was, “What do I do in the game?”
However, there were some initial benefits to launching the Kickstarter despite not achieving our funding goals. We found some interested parties who wanted to support the game, as well as our Marketing Lead, Sam. He is an incredibly talented, super genius who could rule the world but chooses not to because of his great benevolence and mercy. He truly is a king of kings, a god among men! (Sam…this is Randy. I am going to kill you for writing that. See you Saturday!)
Later, after the Kickstarter campaign, as we gathered our development team, we discovered that no one on the team could understand the type of game we were trying to build. No one but the members who had played the original game. So, we decided to set up a PBEM version of the original game. We thought that the only way to understand Takamo is to play Takamo. To our surprise and delight, it is working, and in ways that we did not expect.
The PBEM has helped the Development Team’s understanding in a way that just describing the game can never do. It has also drawn back many Takamo Veterans who are glad to play the old game and are thrilled about the development of Takamo Universe. Those players are helping to further develop the history and back story that make up the galaxies of Takamo Universe. Takamo PBEM is literally becoming the test bed of concepts for Trade, Alien Enclaves, Diplomatic Actions, Spies, NPC Empires, and more.
Graphics are coming along nicely with an international team of modelers, artists, and voice actors that are making Takamo Universe a treat for the senses. Takamo players are involved here as well. A number of players have submitted designs for their starships and equipment as well as descriptions of their races. The first figure turned out by our artists is a Grishaka Khanate soldier. A Phantatwain figure is currently on the drawing board and we are lining up other player races to be brought to life.
Takamo Universe is beginning to take shape. Thank you for helping us bring Takamo Universe to life.
As part of Player Appreciation Week, we are having a scavenger hunt! If you want a new, shiny terraformed world or a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, click this link and have fun!