The Big Sheep - Indiegogo Campaign for a Offbeat Noir Mystery Game

Started by Creed Malay, Sun 17/06/2012 00:23:27

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Creed Malay

"Wee Willie Winkie went running through the town, upstairs and down stairs, in his dressing gown, banging
at the windows and crying through the locks, and then the mob caught up with him, kicked seven shades of shit out of
him and dragged him, screaming to the middle of town, where they strung him high while the good people watched and cheered.
This is what passes for justice in this town these days. Me, I’m not even sure what justice is any more.
My name’s Bo Peep. I’ve lost my sheep.
And I don’t know where to find him."


Hi guys. I'm working up a game that I think is pretty great, and could be even greater with some more backing. Hopefully, I'm an old enough hand around these parts for this not to seem totally shameless! I really do think it's a game you guys will enjoy, and want to make it the best game possible. And also, to eat.

"The Big Sheep " is an off beat detective mystery game in the spirit of “Grim Fandango” and "Discworld Noir", but with the classic look of golden era point and clicks such as “The Secret of Monkey Island”. It's a dark, twisting noir mystery story, set in a world that's based on the idea that all nursery rhymes are fractured, confused accounts of events in the same twisted story. Boy Blue and Bo peep both lost track of their flocks? They must have been up to something together. There's no bone in Mother Hubbards cupboard? Well, Nick Paddywack gave one to *his* dog, so where'd he get that?

I've been putting a lot of research and writing into this, pulling together all these accounts and using them almost as a Rorschach blot, slotting the broken little stories that each rhyme suggests to me into one big twisted whole, a world that hangs together with its own twisted but weirdly familiar logic. It is at least in part a love letter to games like Grim Fandango, that put you in a seething, broiling world of intrigue and mystery that should be weird and baffling but somehow makes perfect sense, taken by its own rules.




The player takes the role of Bo the Peeper, private detective and one of few surviving good hearts in a town gone bad. What seems like a  straightforward case for her leads to clashing heads with Duke York, the chief of The Town's police force, and the Jacks, a sinister mafia-type organization that seems to be running The Town from beneath. As Bo gets entrenched deeper and deeper in the swirling, bloody pot of mysteries, can she get out alive? Maybe you can even help her solve the mystery that is still closest to her heart - Where HAS her sheep gone?

I know there's been a lot of kickstarter and indiegogo campaigns for games lately, but I really do think this is a game you'd all love, and a story I love to tell in to the highest standards possible. Any donations would be a great help in doing that. If you'd like to help us out but don't have any spare cash, that's cool. You could still help by rubbing this page or our indiegogo one in the eyes of anyone you can.

Figuratively speaking, of course.

You can find our indiegogo page here -  http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/121701

Thanks for taking the time to read!

Davy


Mobile Meat Machines - Comics of Animals and Education! - http://meatmachines.livejournal.com/

Armageddon

Ha, sounds cool. The backgrounds look like a cross between ON and Monkey Island. Best of luck to you!

Cyrus

I particularly dig the background with neon signs. Is this anyhow inspired by Jasper Fforde (sounds very similar to his Nursery Crime series)?

cat

I was intrigued with this game since you told me about it in Italy. Now that it also involves sheep I'm really looking forward to it!

m0ds

Nice to see you are making a move on this and progressing Creed! Hope to make a pledge soon, and wish you the best of luck meeting your target!

Creed Malay

Thanks for the interest guys! We had an awesome stat yesterday, and are already more than a tenth of the way to our goal!

Armageddon - Thanks! Was definitely trying for a Monkey vibe. If you'll excuse my acronym ignorance though, what's ON?

Cyrus - Glad you like them! One of the ideas for the visual theme of the game is this quaint old cutesy rustic nursery rhyme town being slowly infested by things like the neon signs. I've never read any Jasper Fford, though the name sounds familiar. I kind of don't want to read any now in case his ideas are close enough to mine to be discouraging. :P I know Robert Rankin has done a novel on similar themes, but the tone, story and setting of Big Sheep is hopefully far enough from his work to avoid too close a comparison.

Cat - Thanks! :D

M0ds - Cheers dude, thanks for the support! And rest assured I have not forgot Teardrop. :P
Mobile Meat Machines - Comics of Animals and Education! - http://meatmachines.livejournal.com/


Darth Mandarb

What?!?!  How did I not know about this?  And no GiP love?!  Davy... you insult me :P

Joking aside; this looks/sounds great!  I'll be tossin' some cheddar your way as soon as I have some available!

Andail

Yeah, this is looking nice, I hope you can get some funding :)
I plan to walk this way myself, will wait for a demo though.

AGA

Quote from: Darth Mandarb on Mon 18/06/2012 14:08:50
What?!?!  How did I not know about this?  And no GiP love?!  Davy... you insult me :P

Joking aside; this looks/sounds great!  I'll be tossin' some cheddar your way as soon as I have some available!

He's been talking about it at various AGS meets for a few years now.

AGA

Come on, people, step up!  Davy's work is awesome, and deserves to be supported.

Babar

You heard the administrator! Anyone who doesn't contribute faces a week's ban!


But yeah, seriously, help get this game made :P
The ultimate Professional Amateur

Now, with his very own game: Alien Time Zone

AGA

Week nothing.  Lifetime!  People don't need to give $100 or anything, even $5 per frequently active user would hit the goal.

magintz

If you're feeling a bit sheepish about this one then rest asheared that Davy's game will be awesome.
When I was a little kid we had a sand box. It was a quicksand box. I was an only child... eventually.

Creed Malay

Hi guys,
We're half way through our campaign, but still have a ways to go! Huge thanks to everyone who's helped out so far. If you could rub this in the eyes of anyone you think might be interested, we really would appreciate it. Thanks!
- D
Mobile Meat Machines - Comics of Animals and Education! - http://meatmachines.livejournal.com/

Tabata

           
Story sounds good to me and I like the style of those bg's.
Hope to get some more peeks of the game.   :-D

Creed Malay

Only five TWO days to go! We still gots hopes of making it. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please do forward the link to them! It isn't over til the big egg cracks!
Mobile Meat Machines - Comics of Animals and Education! - http://meatmachines.livejournal.com/

Babar

These projects have a habit of getting surges of funding near the end.


FUND FUND FUND FUND FUNG FDUN!
The ultimate Professional Amateur

Now, with his very own game: Alien Time Zone

cat


AGA


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