Blackwell Epiphany

Dave Gilbert · Wed 20/02/2013 16:44:03

Wadjet Eye Games presents:
Blackwell Epiphany
(Blackwell #5)

Teaser Trailer

[embed=720,405]http://youtu.be/6ZLCmUiC7SQ[/embed]

Launch Trailer!

[embed=720,405]http://youtu.be/WAK_CcCDE84[/embed]

Release date:
April 24, 2014

PRE-ORDER IT NOW FOR $14.99!

The story
A dead man's soul cries out against the force of a ferocious blizzard. He cries for help. He cries for answers. Then he screams as he is torn apart like damp tissue paper.

This wasn't the first time, and it won't be the last.

The police are powerless to stop it, so the duty falls to the only who can. What force could be so powerful - and so malevolent - that it would destroy the very core of a life in order to get what it wants?

Rosa Blackwell and Joey Mallone mean to find out, even if it means risking themselves in the process.

Screenshots

Rosa fortifies herself with coffee. The dead don't sleep and neither can she.

Joey talks to a ghost in an abandoned building, who makes the usual amount of sense.

The Blackwell homestead - now seen from a different angle!

Sam Durkin returns.

The void between worlds.

Team
Written and programmed by: Dave Gilbert
Background and Character sprites by: Ben Chandler (ben304)
Music by: Thomas Regin

Also, Abe Goldfarb and Rebecca Whittaker both return as Joey and Rosa.

FREE DEMO HERE!

Estimated release
April 2014

Darth Mandarb · Wed 20/02/2013 16:50:55

Excellent-ness! The saga continues!!!

JSH · Wed 20/02/2013 17:24:23

Finally official!

I'm super psyched for this next installment.

Best of luck with the game Dave, I know I'll buy it!

Intense Degree · Wed 20/02/2013 17:38:42

Brilliant, great to see this!

Although the super paranoid Sophos at work won't let me see your screen shots.

QuoteHigh Risk Website Blocked
Location: www.davelgil.com/boe/epi/BE-shot1.png
Access has been blocked as the threat Troj/Unif-B has been found on this website.
Return to the page you were previously viewing.

sophos web protection

I just looked on my phone and they look great!

Daniel Thomas · Wed 20/02/2013 18:26:06

Looks and sounds great.
And such a small team, impressive!

Dave Gilbert · Wed 20/02/2013 19:35:35

Quote from: Intense Degree on Wed 20/02/2013 17:38:42
Brilliant, great to see this!

Although the super paranoid Sophos at work won't let me see your screen shots.

QuoteHigh Risk Website Blocked
Location: www.davelgil.com/boe/epi/BE-shot1.png
Access has been blocked as the threat Troj/Unif-B has been found on this website.
Return to the page you were previously viewing.

sophos web protection

I just looked on my phone and they look great!

Weird! I moved the images to the wadjet eye website (where they should have been in the first place, really). Do they display now?

Ilyich · Wed 20/02/2013 19:50:27

Yay, officially announced! Great to see that there's a lot more city streets this time round, and I like how Rosa has an indoor and outdoor outfits. Looking good!

Saren · Wed 20/02/2013 19:51:10

I love Rosa's new outfit.

Anian · Wed 20/02/2013 20:11:51

I got to stop staring at those backgrounds, for a moment I thought Joey did the ghostly floating animation at one point. I'm freaking myself out.

Will be nice to see how you plan to raise the ante again after the climax of the last game. Looking forward to this.

Quote from: Que Tran on Wed 20/02/2013 19:51:10
I love Rosa's new outfit.

She kind of went all fashion aware and a bit darker.

Nikolas · Wed 20/02/2013 20:20:13

YAY!

Not much else to say here!

Mati256 · Wed 20/02/2013 21:38:34

Looks awesome, the art department can't go wrong if Ben is in there. Now I must finish Deception before this one comes out!

Stupot · Wed 20/02/2013 22:09:39

Epic-phany! It sounds like the series is taking a much darker tone. I can't wait to see

xenogia · Wed 20/02/2013 22:29:41

This game looks like the best visually out of the lot yet. Ben has done a fantastic job

homelightgames · Thu 21/02/2013 08:11:28

I've been looking forward to the next Blackwell ever since the last game.

I love the atmospheric backgrounds.

Awesome stuff!

Snarky · Thu 21/02/2013 13:19:18

Yeah, the backgrounds are really nice, and it's great to see Ben push his style in a slightly different direction. (It's quite inspirational to go back and look at the first attempts he posted on here, back in 2005. Not bad by any means, but it's come a long way since!)

I'm on board for another Blackwell game, though I hope Dave branches out a bit from just doing this series, ideally before he runs out of nouns for the titles!

Crimson Wizard · Thu 21/02/2013 13:43:30

err... you guys are stealing my art or what?

Spoiler

I would recognize that hole anywhere.

Spoiler

[imgzoom]http://imageshack.us/a/img197/3577/guardroomruined23.png[/imgzoom]

[close]

Tramponline · Thu 21/02/2013 16:39:14

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Thu 21/02/2013 13:43:30
err... you guys are stealing my art or what?

SCANDAL! LET'S RIOT!!

Looking awsome! Agree with Xenogia, the best visuals yet! Stunning.
The only thing I don't like is the sofa in Rosa's room. Too comicy(?) compared to the rest
/that's not the critic's lounge, you fool! - I know, Darth, I know - sorry!

Ghost · Thu 21/02/2013 16:43:39

Quote from: Dave Gilbert on Wed 20/02/2013 16:44:03
The Blackwell homestead - now seen from a different angle!

THAT totally sells the game to me!

Seriously, not too fond of the "darker and edgier" looks, but the team you got there should be able to pull it off. And I'm always game for another Blackwell episode

SarahLiz · Fri 22/02/2013 05:47:12

Brrrr...just looking at the outdoor creepy, snowy scenes gives me chills! I'm really liking the darker, more "sinister" look & feel to this Blackwell game so far.

But heck, you could make this game be "Blackwell: Rosangela Joins the Circus" and I'd be ecstatic to play it. I'm a huge fan of every game you guys make. Can't wait to see more.

Armageddon · Fri 22/02/2013 06:31:32

This I like, this I like...

AndyfromVA · Sun 24/02/2013 09:58:09

Between Dave's writing and Ben's art, how can you NOT have a great game?

Nikolas · Sun 24/02/2013 13:24:29

Quote from: AndyfromVA on Sun 24/02/2013 09:58:09
Between Dave's writing and Ben's art, how can you NOT have a great game?

And Thomas music!

Thomas has been on board every commercial release of Blackwell for the past... what 7-8 years now!

SSH · Mon 25/02/2013 20:50:16

I thought Pete Gresser did Legacy?

Sslaxx · Tue 26/02/2013 23:02:41

Quote from: SSH on Mon 25/02/2013 20:50:16
I thought Pete Gresser did Legacy?

Yes, he did.

thomasregin · Wed 27/02/2013 13:45:34

Quote from: Sslaxx on Tue 26/02/2013 23:02:41
Quote from: SSH on Mon 25/02/2013 20:50:16
I thought Pete Gresser did Legacy?
Yes, he did.

Great soundtrack, that.

Ali · Fri 01/03/2013 20:36:41

I remember a snippet of this from AdventureX, and it looks like the most stylish Blackwell game yet. Hooray for snow!

Dualnames · Sun 03/03/2013 18:45:02

Glad to see you're back coding. Particles must be moving prettily.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Fri 08/03/2013 00:15:54

This is looking really good. Ben is really outdoing himself on this one!

Tabata · Fri 08/03/2013 03:24:52

Great news and really wonderful pics!

Dave Gilbert · Tue 30/04/2013 12:50:25

And for kicks, here are some more screenshots:

Rosa and Joey get out of the city for once, and into the no-mans-land of Queens

It wouldn't be Blackwell without a real-world location or two. This is Grace Church.

Well. This can't be good.

kaput · Tue 30/04/2013 13:44:57

Looking good Dave

jwalt · Tue 30/04/2013 14:35:49

Does look good. I recently downloaded Baron's Winter Rose and was much impressed with the footprints left behind in the snow. These Epiphany images are static shots, so it's hard to tell if Rosa is leaving tracks behind. Joey, obviously, wouldn't.

Crimson Wizard · Tue 30/04/2013 14:40:58

Being a ghost definitely has one advantage: you don't have to change clothes.

Dave Gilbert · Tue 30/04/2013 15:23:37

Yep! There are footprints. Check out the police station exterior image in the original post. The footprints are subtle, but there.

Stupot · Tue 30/04/2013 22:44:04

Yikes. Beautiful screens. Especially the Grace Church one. Stunning.

myname · Thu 09/05/2013 03:35:24

Lookin' beautiful so far.

Dave Gilbert · Wed 10/07/2013 20:25:44

Ian's been working on the character portraits. Here are some of the finalized ones:

This can't be good.

Ghosts make about as much sense as they always have.

Sam Durkin, deciding that ignorance is bliss.

kaput · Wed 10/07/2013 20:41:59

They blend perfectly. This is going to be one hell of a game.

Gribbler · Wed 10/07/2013 21:40:42

Great potraits. Remind me of first Gabriel Knight. This game is on my top 10 "day one purchase" list.

Dave Gilbert · Wed 10/07/2013 21:43:09

Quote from: Gribbler on Wed 10/07/2013 21:40:42
Great potraits. Remind me of first Gabriel Knight. This game is on my top 10 "day one purchase" list.

Thanks! It's nice having two "veteran" Blackwell artists back onboard.

Ghost · Thu 11/07/2013 05:09:27

Quote from: Dave Gilbert on Wed 10/07/2013 20:25:44
Ghosts make about as much sense as they always have.

Looking good. Looking real good.

Armageddon · Fri 12/07/2013 20:33:33

Hey you uhhh, have conflicting pixel resolutions with the text there you know.

Ryan Timothy B · Sat 13/07/2013 06:30:03

And a ghost chick that talks about sexual positions and locations!

Spoiler

[close]

This is now becoming the most exciting Blackwell yet!

Myinah · Sat 13/07/2013 09:07:36

Quote from: Ryan Timothy on Sat 13/07/2013 06:30:03
And a ghost chick that talks about sexual positions and locations!
Spoiler
[close]

This is now becoming the most exciting Blackwell yet!

That is exactly where my mind went when I saw that screen shot. I'm glad I'm not alone in assuming she was just kind of a kinky ghost.

But for reals I am so excited about this game regardless of sexy ghost sex!

cianty · Sun 14/07/2013 19:55:14

Wow. This is really looking beautiful. Can't wait for this new episode.

Vince Twelve · Mon 15/07/2013 02:19:04

Damn, Ian and Ben's stuff work perfectly together. Gorgeous screens.

Surdy · Tue 16/07/2013 15:26:27

Well... gorgeous screens.

Ephiphany looks darker than the other ones.

After that, I hope Ben could work on his new game.

Dave Gilbert · Tue 16/07/2013 15:41:20

Quote from: cianty on Sun 14/07/2013 19:55:14
Wow. This is really looking beautiful. Can't wait for this new episode.

Neither can I, believe me!

shadowface · Wed 24/07/2013 17:20:30

The screenshots are grate although I think Rosa"s character portret is a bit more creepy.

Armageddon · Wed 24/07/2013 23:41:03

Quote from: shadowface on Wed 24/07/2013 17:20:30

The screenshots are grate although I think Rosa"s character portret is a bit more creepy.

Now that you mention it, it is pretty creepy looking. And the weird cut out rip effects around the portraits.

Crimson Wizard · Thu 25/07/2013 08:10:44

I suddenly realized these new portraits remind me of Gabriel Knight (first).

Dave Gilbert · Thu 25/07/2013 19:00:12

Some some more portraits in. Here's Joey and Rosa wearing her coat. We've also low-rezzed the fonts due to overwhelming request!

Joey is not very hospitable to the outer burroughs.

Rosa leaves no snowman unturned.

Joey remains perplexed by modern technology.

jwalt · Thu 25/07/2013 21:28:20

Wonderful stuff, Mr. Gilbert! Can't wait. On the downside, I'm afraid, the Gary Cooper'esque Joey is the Joey I see in my mind's eye. I think he could take the Joey is these shots. ;-)

Armageddon · Thu 25/07/2013 23:33:05

I'm curious, did you import everything at 2x before to get the clear high-res font? Because Joey is floating between pixels in the third shot.

Dave Gilbert · Tue 30/07/2013 21:32:59

Rosa's horribly awkward grin is often the best thing about making a Blackwell game.

Dave Gilbert · Thu 03/10/2013 17:17:41

Since the beans was spilled in a recent interview (and on this forum!) I figured it would be a good time to announce on this thread that Blackwell Epiphany is going to be the final Blackwell game. My reasons are many, but they all boil down to "It is just time." Suffice to say, we are putting all our effort into making this installment the best installment yet and giving it the sendoff it deserves.

More info soon!

-Dave

JoshuaSmyth · Fri 04/10/2013 22:05:42

Those backgrounds and portraits look gorgeous.

Can't wait to play the finale.

Igor Hardy · Sat 05/10/2013 12:43:36

I hoped for least one more episode about Lauren.

But good to see the conclusion is being prepared and due to appear for certain. Always hate when a series stops or is canceled before it reaches a proper climax.

blueskirt · Mon 07/10/2013 19:25:00

I've got a quick question, why did you decide to make that episode the last one? I recall in the early days of the series you said you'd never stop making Blackwell titles if you could help it, but in a recent interview, I think you once expressed regrets for not having given enough thought about where you wanted the series to go early on, or for not having a grand plan for the series before you wrote Blackwell Legacy. Is it because you feel the series reached its natural conclusion that you are closing the series? Or is it because this lack of planning early on was nagging you and you've got in your sleeve something better, more planned, more laid out and more fun to write once Epiphany will be out?

I ask because, well, you could have wrote that grand finale and not made Blackwell games for a very long time, until you suddenly got a urge to tell another tale, prequel, sequel or interquel, starring Rosa or Lauren... and all would have been fine. That announcement that it's going to be the last one makes it sounds like you don't wanna revisit that world once Epiphany will be out.

Dave Gilbert · Mon 07/10/2013 19:36:40

In the early days I optimistically thought I could make a new game every 4 months or so.

That proved not to be the case. I did have a story arc in mind, and I could theoretically stretch it out as long as I wanted to ( a "spook of the week" serial, as it were), but I could see the series getting old and tired before too much long longer. Plus with the long (long!) waits between installments, I can imagine the fans' patience wearing out long before the series does.

As I said, it's just time. Rather than stretch it out and dilute it over several installments, I'm going all in - putting everything into one big game and going out with a bang. Or at least, I hope so.

Technocrat · Thu 17/10/2013 10:42:32

I know that feeling exactly!

Dave Gilbert · Fri 18/10/2013 14:25:35

First Rosa recording session yesterday! My new recording room is a tad echoey, so until it's fully soundproofed, we gerryrigged a temporary solution:

Towels can solve anything!

Calin Leafshade · Fri 18/10/2013 15:02:17

Try hanging a thick duvet a metre or so *behind* the actress.

A thin towel will likely absorb too much of the high end making the whole thing sound "boxy".

2 pence from a former sound tech.

EDIT:

Also, if thats a reflexion filter or something similar thats not a pop shield, it goes *behind* the microphone.

Dave Gilbert · Fri 18/10/2013 16:50:18

That's a pop shield. I've ordered a reflexion filter as well!

Calin Leafshade · Fri 18/10/2013 17:01:13

Reflexion filters are awesome!

festilligambe · Fri 18/10/2013 20:53:18

Quote from: Dave Gilbert on Fri 18/10/2013 14:25:35
Towels can solve anything!

Reminds me of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Dave Gilbert · Fri 25/10/2013 02:18:14

Been doing nothing but recording, editing, and importing VO for the last two weeks. Here are some samples!

Rosa and Joey

Rosa and Durkin

Grundislav · Fri 25/10/2013 18:43:32

Man, that Durkin sure has a sexy voice

Snarky · Mon 28/10/2013 19:24:45

Hey, congrats to Ben on getting a full-time AGS job! And congrats to Dave and Janet on getting a full-time employee!

I have decided to take this as a sign that the next WEG game after Blackwell Epiphany will be an unprecedentedly ambitious and awesome affair. Not that BE won't be as well. It's just that, much as I like the Blackwell games, I'm really looking forward to seeing what else you can do.

ThreeOhFour · Tue 29/10/2013 05:43:21

Thanks, Snarky! It feels like I've finally reached a place I've been trying to be for some years. Looking forward to giving the Blackwell series the farewell it deserves and seeing what's next!

Dave Gilbert · Tue 29/10/2013 16:08:58

Quote from: Snarky on Mon 28/10/2013 19:24:45
Hey, congrats to Ben on getting a full-time AGS job! And congrats to Dave and Janet on getting a full-time employee!

I have decided to take this as a sign that the next WEG game after Blackwell Epiphany will be an unprecedentedly ambitious and awesome affair. Not that BE won't be as well. It's just that, much as I like the Blackwell games, I'm really looking forward to seeing what else you can do.

Thanks Snarky! There are a few other projects lined up after Epiphany (which WEG is publishing/assisting with and Ben is doing the art for), but I have given a LOT of thought to our next internal game. I've always wanted to do something more ambitious and now we can.

Dave Gilbert · Tue 26/11/2013 22:47:19

So Ben's been hard at work making art, and I've been hard at work implementing it all:

Dave Gilbert · Wed 15/01/2014 18:27:09

Starting to see the light at the end of the development tunnel! I just did my first playthrough that contains all the major elements. It's almost done aside from a few graphical elements and the VO.

Speaking of VO, here are some small samples:

Rosa's past catches up with her
Sam Durkin is back
Rosa does Joey proud

DrewCCU · Sat 25/01/2014 22:48:27

I played the first 4 games and I am super excited for this one!

Dave Gilbert · Wed 12/02/2014 19:07:11

So we officially announced the game today! The game is set to launch in April. In the meantime, here is a teaser trailer:

[embed=720,405]http://youtu.be/6ZLCmUiC7SQ[/embed]

Slasher · Wed 12/02/2014 20:12:39

Loved the trailer... Great stuff

kconan · Thu 13/02/2014 15:41:48

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/02/13/the-blackwell-epiphany-will-be-the-last-in-the-series/

A nice little write-up on Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Dave Gilbert · Thu 13/02/2014 18:42:05

I saw! I didn't even know John Walker was a fan.

SSBFreak · Tue 25/02/2014 15:22:41

I've always thought that the Blackwell games were real professional a well-made, and one of the true throwbacks to the adventure games of old. Definitely looking forward to this one!

Dave Gilbert · Sat 08/03/2014 13:25:48

Just got the finalized poster image finished:

(by Karen Petrasko).

GarageGothic · Sat 08/03/2014 13:31:49

Wow, great artwork. Looking so much forward to this one. The snowy NYC in the video seems so atmospheric. Hope we'll find out what killed Joey.

Armageddon · Sat 08/03/2014 17:04:33

Very cool cover. I wonder what they're looking at.

Ghost · Sun 09/03/2014 00:38:46

Wonderful artwork, really. I like that "look into the unknown" feeling... very fitting when this really is the last* game in the series.

__
*
Come on, Dave, talk to me. It CAN'T be true! The internet must be lying to me! Right?

Tabata · Sun 09/03/2014 09:36:25

WOW!
This cover is a very impressive work - moody, well done and interesting to watch!

danbuddle · Mon 10/03/2014 07:19:15

Sold! Looks amazing. Beautiful artwork.

Andail · Mon 10/03/2014 15:07:04

Looking good, Dave, couldn't have done it better myself

Dualnames · Tue 11/03/2014 00:23:26

Can't wait to have a go at this.

Dave Gilbert · Fri 14/03/2014 20:58:25

Blackwell Epiphany has hit the pre-order stage! It's launching on April 24th for $14.99, but if you buy it early you get a bunch of extra stuff!

To celebrate, here's a new launch trailer:

[embed=720,405]http://youtu.be/WAK_CcCDE84[/embed]

homelightgames · Fri 14/03/2014 22:02:02

Awesome.

Money, meet mouth.

Preordered.

Gribbler · Fri 14/03/2014 22:20:25

Will it be available from GOG at some point? I buy my games there.

Anian · Sat 15/03/2014 00:54:17

Might I ask a weird question - how long is the soundtrack? (if this takes a long time to find out, feel free to ignore the question)
And, with preorder, we get a Steam key and an option of a DRM free download?

Dave Gilbert · Sat 15/03/2014 01:47:01

Quote from: Anian on Sat 15/03/2014 00:54:17
Might I ask a weird question - how long is the soundtrack? (if this takes a long time to find out, feel free to ignore the question)
And, with preorder, we get a Steam key and an option of a DRM free download?

I'm not sure about the length. I'll have to look at the files. As for the preorder, yep you get a DRM free download and a steam key.

Ghost · Sat 15/03/2014 02:30:35

Time for my piggy bank to meet Mr. Hammer.

GarageGothic · Sat 15/03/2014 08:53:23

That was the quickest preorder I ever made. Great exclusives, looking forward to it.

Anian · Sat 15/03/2014 09:38:48

Quote from: Dave Gilbert on Sat 15/03/2014 01:47:01
I'm not sure about the length. I'll have to look at the files. As for the preorder, yep you get a DRM free download and a steam key.

Ah, cool. I'm probably gonna activate it on Steam, but still thanks.

Mister L · Sat 15/03/2014 11:56:49

I just placed my pre-order!
Is this really the final episode? I played all the other parts of the series, they are awsome! A must buy!

Dave Gilbert · Wed 19/03/2014 16:41:31

Quote from: Mister L on Sat 15/03/2014 11:56:49
I just placed my pre-order!
Is this really the final episode? I played all the other parts of the series, they are awsome! A must buy!

Excellent!

And yes, sadly it is the final game in the Blackwell series. There are lots of reasons, but they pretty much boil down to "it's just time." But since it IS the last one, we are throwing everything we've got into it. I hope the results are worth it!

Marygold · Thu 20/03/2014 09:31:39

I've been waiting for this one for a very long time. And I'm not sure how many times I have watched these trailer or found myself just staring that magnificient "poster art"...

However, it also makes me a bit sad to think it's goint to be the last one. But all good things come to and end

Thepeacefullman · Fri 04/04/2014 20:43:27

It's interesting that when I watched people play the first game I didn't feel sorry for Joey at all. And now I feel sorry for him.

Dave Gilbert · Tue 08/04/2014 22:26:37

Hi all,

If you've been looking to try before you buy, we now HAVE A FREE DEMO AVAILABLE!

-Dave

festilligambe · Wed 16/04/2014 23:26:03

I loved the easter eggs in the search engine of the phone, so far I've found 6.

Blackwell Epiphany

Saren