Blade Kitten website launched

Company
Krome Studios

Blade Kitten, the game adaptation of the long running comic by Creative Director and co-founder, Steve Stamatiadis, is in the works at Krome Studios, and we've finally been able to get a glimpse of the game. The Blade Kitten website was recently launched, providing a sneak peak of the game as well as a tonne of information and art on Blade Kitten, blog, and store.

From the Blade Kitten press release...

Kit Ballard also known as Blade Kitten is a bounty hunter and one of the best in the business. Together with her alien sidekick Skiffy and her sword, the Darque Blade, she hunts down rogue mechs and soft targets.

Join Kit and Skiffy on a tumultuous series of events on the outskirts of civilized space in an exclusive new version of the comic with updated art exclusive to the new site.

You can also check out your favourite character profiles in the Universe section as they are introduced into the new look comic series and even get behind the scenes info. With new content uploaded three times a week there is always something new and exclusive to check out.

Vote for your favourite character and then jump on the forums to talk about the comic and game or just Blade Kitten in general.

Members of the Krome Studios team developing the title, and Kit’s creator Steve Stamatiadis, will give fans an inside look at what the team gets up to on a daily basis with a blog that’s updated regularly.

So head to www.bladekitten.com and check out the all the new exciting Blade Kitten website.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/09 - 9:49 AMPermalink

Are you absolutely serious? How on earth can Krome pass this off as professional work? I'm not trolling - the animation is terrible, the music is out of time and the mix is dreadful, the character's design is really poor, and that's just the beginning! Honestly, are these people blind?

I have sympathy for all the people that went from working on Batman...to this.

Submitted by designerwatts on Sat, 08/08/09 - 12:58 PMPermalink

In most part I'm going to have to agree with some of the points made out here. This trailer does look rough around the edges.

I'm looking at this trailer seriously, so here are my own thoughts on it. I'm not going to repeat what's been stated above.

Positive points:
- The shader technology I think looks fantastic! It's looking more smooth and refined then most game related cartoon shaders. I think character faces need some more work to show more expression like in Ratchet and clank.

- Its got a colourful world. Not to mention that some of the environments look interesting to navigate and explore.

- Its someone's idea. I know many people are poo pooing blade kitten for the reason that... well it's blade kitten! But at the very least give some credit for the guy to put his own creation on the line for people to poke at and criticise. That takes some serious balls and many Aussie developers have reservations on sharing their IP ideas.

Negative points:
- Where is the gameplay? So we've got a website and trailer that shows us a trailer for blade kitten..in which blade kitten does a bunch of stuff. That's cool but at the very least for such a trailer I would've liked to have seen 30 seconds of gameplay. I want to know what kind of game type BK is going to be and how it's going to sell me a fun, gameplay filled experience. :D

- The franchise is looking, admittedly a little anime clishe. We have the female warrior, big robots and a cute little mascot that the hero loves.

I got nothing against following the norm. But I want to see in both gameplay and story what makes blade kitten stand out from the rest. I would direct it's development team to look at a similar sort of game, titled "X-Blades" as an indication of how this game should NOT be done.

Really though, it's new aussie IP. It's got people working and it's coming from a 400 strong studio. If this is going to be their small, controlled departure from Lucasarts games to make some of their own IP then I'm looking forward to seeing the result.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/09 - 11:15 AMPermalink

Does look pretty rough, but you gotta admire a guy who starts a games studio just to make a game based on his own comic... Original IP FTW!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 08/08/09 - 2:53 PMPermalink

Wow, Ok.

First off, I admire Krome for it's achievements. It has been a damn successful company with what it does, and there can not be any doubt about that. Being one of, if not the biggest independent studios in the world does not happen by accident.

Which is why I often scowl at some of the comments on this board that take pot shots at Krome. They can't even post a job listing here without several snipers having a go.

Wether we like it or not, Krome is a pivotal component in the Australian gaming industry. The employ so many people are release so many titles, that we all need a successful Krome, wether we are on their parole or not.

However, having said that, I found myself embarrassed watching this. I would expect better quality than this from a student showreel.

I don't know if the deadlines were too tight, of that technical aspects like the shader took longer than expected and caused the whole thing to be done in a rush, but at the end of the day Krome has put its name on this. I can't imagine anyone looking at this video and getting excited by the concept, so why release it?

Submitted by Lach on Sat, 08/08/09 - 8:27 PMPermalink

Without knowing whats gone on,and not actually ever worked at krome to know, to me it looks like old assets being used(ie circa Ty vintage ???). So my guess is: I don't think it was a tight deadline- I reckon they sat on it waaaay too long.
I'd agree the animation/fight is pretty dire though.

I think it just needs a revamp/makeover. I think it could be done though-, the ideas visually reinterpreted or refined in detail- but retain the heart of it.
Maybe, although its obviously close to his heart, Steve(*Hi Steve*) should let his team of artists cut loose on it and see where they take it? For example- shes a bounty hunter- why not draw inspiration from westerns in certain parts in lighting and mood?

Also think they need a bit more of the universe/characters on the website for starters- feels a bit like a house that hasn't been moved into yet- which is odd because after seven years you feel there ought to be a ton of stuff to wonder at from the get go.

Anyway...in all positivity, it would be great to see an update in a few months and be blown away.

Lach

www.lach-land.com
http://lach-land.blogspot.com/

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/08/09 - 1:43 AMPermalink

I believe I saw some footage of this on Good Game. They showcased it as a 2d platformer if I'm not mistaken. Oh, I heard thru the grapevine that many QA staffers at Krome got cut recently, beginning of this month. So much for Krome employing people in great numbers...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/08/09 - 12:11 PMPermalink

Yes, this is true.

A heap of QA got cut. I hope they all find work. although by the looks of the job ads i've seen on the internet, not likely.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/08/09 - 9:28 AMPermalink

It saddens me that a project such as this can make it into any form of production. A unimaginative Ip given a unimaginative visual treatment. That being said I can only hope something amazing has been done with the game play, however i fear the only thing pushing boundaries in that department might be some furry tickling mini game. The Australian games industry surely has better ideas to focus on than this? If Krome were really keen on once again pushing Furry ideals into a marketable game then surely they could have persuaded Lucas arts to let them work on a Ewok/Wookie date sim. My condolences to anyone who was forced to work on this project.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/08/09 - 11:45 PMPermalink

Note this is just a theory and I could be wrong, but here it goes...

Looks like a classic case of someone senior in the studio having a pet project and because it is their pet project, the project might not be as heavily scrutinised/evaluated as other potential projects normally would be. And the grunts have to put up with it because it's the bosses pet project.

This is not a new phenomenon, has happened at several studios locally and elsewhere. Problem with these pet projects is the emotional attachment can detach one from reality.

Sometimes the pet project pays off. Sometime it kills the company, although Krome are probably big enough to survive if it doesn't do too well.

And yeah, what is it with Krome and furries? Who is the closet furry that dresses up in the Ty The Tasmanian Tiger suit?

Submitted by designerwatts on Wed, 12/08/09 - 11:43 AMPermalink

Well it sounds like we have enough criticism here to make a small list. So I think that’s just what we should do.

I’ll be writing up a collected list of people’s criticism, comments and feedback and then post it off to Kromes HR.

I can make no guarantees that the list will even reach the development team or if they would take the feedback seriously. But I feel that as it’s one of Australia’s upcoming IP projects that we as developers should offer our thoughts on the trailer, website and overall current quality of the product in a critical and constructive way.

Comments that are directed to insult/troll Blade Kittens creator and the development team are not welcome. We’re here to talk about the product, not the people who made it.

All comments will be anonymous. If you’re interested in voicing your constructive opinion please follow the link to the forum topic posted here: http://www.tsumea.com/node/9330

Thanks. :)