Awesome! Thank you for the feedback! :D
DVNC Tech
Creator of
Recent community posts
Hi sorry for any confusion! You can join the Lobby Discord through this link:
https://discord.gg/aCRYePz
We had to close the original links as we were having too many people enter the Workshop Discord!
Wow!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so so so much!!!! Excellent feedback!!!
With this build we've been focusing on polishing out the narrative and art thus battles are definitely lacking! We currently have a build on Patreon and floating in our community that showcases an updated more strategical battle system! (It'll be available on Itch sometime in near-ish future)
Thank you for your interest in the project! If you've filled out our form for the on-boarding wait-list then we'll be reaching out soon! (We've gotten more than 2500+ applications and are setting up communication pipelines to help with this exciting, but unexpected rush!). Thank you for your patience and for trying out the demo and leaving such a great review!!!
Hi thanks for commenting! We've been in production for a year focusing more on the art, world, and story! We're currently in a development sprint focused solely on the battle system. Currently Joking heals and captures enemies. Once you have an enemy in your Troupe you can use their skills. These become the attacks in the demo thus if you use Otto's joke you're healing (probably capturing) but if you use a creature skill you're defeating them in the traditional RPG sense :)
We're keeping the battle build under private testing for now and are working towards a July/August Kickstarter date! The Kickstarter will hopefully provide us the funding we need to polish and juice the game to completion!
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! If you've filled out our waitlist form: https://info.dvnc.tech/tester-workshop-waitlist you're all set!
We'll be reaching out in the next few weeks once we get an updated build going!
Thanks for the fantastic comments!!! We've started on our next round of development and plan to have two pre-builds (that will probably be available via the Patreon) leading up to an update that will hopefully remedy everything you've mentioned. We're implementing updated dialogue, battle, and quest systems to help notify and inform players better!!!
Thank you again for trying the demo and providing great feedback!!!
Hi! My name is Lilly Joyce! I’m a current Game Design Intern working at DVNC Tech. It’s been an awesome experience so far, and I’ve been lucky enough to work on the Monochrome RPG level designs! The Monochrome RPG is a berry punny 1920s cartoon-styled narrative game we’re, the Monochrome Workshop an online community supporting the development of the Monochrome RPG, excitedly working on!
Five New Levels!!!
I’ve created five new level layouts for Otto to explore. The Monochrome RPG has continued to evolve as development continues. Each new level will be transformed with stylized assets from the awesome artists in the Workshop!
The 1920s was such a metamorphosis of interior styles, ranging from conservative to extravagant. Each level layout is the framework for an engaging and beautiful gameplay experience of an interior environment. At finalization, they will truly come to life and encourage a unique and distinctive overworld.
For each design, I focused on creating base level sketches, defining major structural areas and types of furniture and decor. These have been separated by their various asset types:
- Background - Assets that create the base floor and boundaries of the world
- Midground - Assets that build out structures and the environment
- Foreground - Assets that will be usable by the player
After the initial sketches, I translated the sketches into the block-based layouts seen below:
Greyshade Farmer’s House
In Greyshade Valley, a spiteful old farmer lives in a small rundown house made of damaged and splintering wood with his always wondering granddaughter. With a knack for pickling, the old farmer lives a life, eager to remain unbothered and safe with his granddaughter. The house consists of two floors, the main floor and basement. Players can explore the living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen of the main floor, and sneak into the basement in search of extra goodies.
Talent Town Inn- Main floor, Second Floor, and Speakeasy
The Talent Town Inn is the main hub of Talent Town, known for its great eats and yummy treats. Characters of all shapes and sizes spend time at the Inn, either mingling in the lounge, having a wine and dine with fine food in the restaurant, or having some much-needed rest and relaxation in the upstairs rooms. Consisting of three floors, there’s something for all Talent Town and Vaudeville toons to enjoy at the Talent Town Inn!
The main floor is home to the cozy lounge and elegant restaurant for visitors of the Inn. Guests can snack on a wide range of food and enjoy some quality social time. The kitchen, bathroom, and main check-in desk are all found on the main floor as well.
Guests who may have traveled from far and wide can take a break from their troubles in the second-floor bedrooms. Consisting of a coat check and six bedrooms, guests can unwind in rooms adorned with all necessities. For guests of a higher status, and a few surprises might be in store...
The Monochrome RPG is a berry punny black and white 1920s cartoon-styled comedy narrative adventure!
Play as Otto a, not for long, lone comedian who sets out on the journey of a century after his daily routine is ruined! Head to work after a Maniacal Morning, rush through the Grim Greyshade, deal with the Trouble in Talent Town, try to fix the Broken Barge, and Venture into Vaudeville, the city of entertainment!
Otto is a bit of an oddball loner who lives on the outskirts of Vaudeville, the city of entertainment and smiles. In Vaudevillian society, acting ability is the most important skill to have. Conflicts are solved with staged bouts, money is made through attention and those who can’t wow a crowd are left alone....
Read the rest on: Patreon
Follow us on:
Thank you! We're currently in the process of looking for a publisher / investor :)
If we don't find a publisher / investor and a crowdfunding campaign doesn't succeed we plan to release something in late 2020.
If we have another successful funding search then the full game will be released in mid-2021! If you'd like you can follow the creation on our discord!
Hi! We’re looking for Jazz & Swing Musicians to help create music and sound assets for our project, the Monochrome RPG (https://dvnc.itch.io/monochromerpg). The Workshop welcomes those interested that have a few (or more than a few) hours each week to contribute to an indie game!
The Game
Theme: 20s/30s Cartoon
Setting: Toon version of US Roaring 20s
Genre: Narrative-driven Comedy RPG
Platforms: PC, Mac, hopefully, more!
Engine: Unity
In Vaudevillian society, acting ability is the most important skill to have. Conflicts are solved with staged bouts, money is made through attention and those who can’t wow a crowd are left alone.
With his constant stage fright and unique appearance, Otto our protagonist, eventually, put on a white garb and cap then barged his way out of Vaudeville to avoid the constant bullying. He found a pre-furnished house just outside Talent Town, past the grim Greyshade Valley where he could live cheap thanks to the rude furniture.
Years pass, toons change, and politics happen! Vaudeville has a new mayor, Mayor Munchen LeStache! The economy is now in an uproar! The entertainment bubble has burst! Interestingly, labor jobs are decreasing as work is deemed dangerous due to suspicious disappearances.
What could be causing these sudden changes? How will they impact Otto’s new life? Watch as the disruptions in Vaudevillian society thrust Otto into a series of annoying situations that evolve into the adventure of a century!
Try out the latest version of the Demo on Itch
Need a video? https://youtu.be/QANqgGrUSrw
What You’d Do
While working as a Musician for the Workshop your primary responsibilities would be:
- Creating music or sound effects based on documentation
- Participating in Musician meetings and occasional discussions
- Using the Workshop creation pipeline to submit assets
In this position, you’d be able to work with a team of other musicians to create music and sound assets for the RPG. While working with the Workshop you’ll be able to:
- Be paid ($1-$100) per asset (depends on sound vs music asset, and length of assets)
- Meet and learn from other creatives (artists, designers, writers, etc)
- Access resources focused on music and art principles
- Participate in various community events
About the Team
The Monochrome Workshop is an online cooperative of more than 125 members contributing art, animated, and music assets. As a cooperative, the Workshop wants to see its members grow and flourish through professional experience. This translates into our payment model which is a rev share and contract model dependent upon how many assets each creative creates. Thus as you create assets that are implemented into the game you get a share of the revenue from the sales of the game or are paid directly on Paypal based on how difficult the asset is. Other benefits of the Workshop include
- A growing network of new and professional creatives
- Opportunities to increase payment through community participation
- Chances for mentorship, potential internships, and continuous freelance work.
Contact Info
Form to Join Workshop: https://airtable.com/shrdWPVVgtSGkMHjr
You can also message us on discord: ottojokes#8802
If interested you can send a message via Discord or send your resume and portfolio link directly to workshop@monochromerpg.com and our Community Manager or Art Director will reply.
--------------
Additional Info
What’s Been Done
We began the development of the Monochrome RPG in February of 2019. In June 2019 we finished a Demo version of the RPG (the latest version is available on Itch). Since then we’ve been continuously updating the build. We are now beginning the development of a vertical slice which we plan to use to find more investors, a publisher, or use for crowdfunding.
- Project Development - Full Game Narrative, Marketing Plan, Art Documentation, and more!
- In-Game - General Player Systems (health, movement, etc), Battle System, Creature Collecting System, Narrative Sequences, and more!
- Website - Front-facing pages, team-focused backend, documentation integration, and more!
The Team
The team is filled with a mixture of student and professional artists all helping with art for the RPG. Meetings are held once a week (with the occasional off week to allow for development time and holidays). The Workshop is using a new platform to help with task management and uses Discord for team communication.
How’s Development Going
Development is in full force. We have recently received a relatively small budget from our investor and are now paying our members through Paypal while also allowing for rev share opportunities. Right now we are focused on sourcing the core art for the first 3-4 major regions of Otto’s journey. After that, we’ll go into a heavy implementation cycle while planning the next art push!
We’re also getting ready to announce our first Art Bout. The bout will be an opportunity for workshop members to earn bonuses for contributing assets to the game! More info is available in the Discord:
Form to Join Workshop: https://airtable.com/shrdWPVVgtSGkMHjr
Hi! We’re looking for 2D Artists to help create hand-drawn toon style art assets for our project, the Monochrome RPG (https://dvnc.itch.io/monochromerpg). The Workshop welcomes those interested that have a few (or more than a few) hours each week to contribute to an indie game!
The Game
Theme: 20s/30s Cartoon
Setting: Toon version of US Roaring 20s
Genre: Narrative-driven Comedy RPG
Platforms: PC, Mac, hopefully, more!
Engine: Unity
In Vaudevillian society, acting ability is the most important skill to have. Conflicts are solved with staged bouts, money is made through attention and those who can’t wow a crowd are left alone.
With his constant stage fright and unique appearance, Otto our protagonist, eventually, put on a white garb and cap then barged his way out of Vaudeville to avoid the constant bullying. He found a pre-furnished house just outside Talent Town, past the grim Greyshade Valley where he could live cheap thanks to the rude furniture.
Years pass, toons change, and politics happen! Vaudeville has a new mayor, Mayor Munchen LeStache! The economy is now in an uproar! The entertainment bubble has burst! Interestingly, labor jobs are decreasing as work is deemed dangerous due to suspicious disappearances.
What could be causing these sudden changes? How will they impact Otto’s new life? Watch as the disruptions in Vaudevillian society thrust Otto into a series of annoying situations that evolve into the adventure of a century!
Try out the latest version of the Demo on Itch
Need a video? https://youtu.be/QANqgGrUSrw
What You’d Do
While working as a 2D Artist for the Workshop your primary responsibilities would be:
- Creating 2D art assets based on documentation
- Participating in art reviews and design discussions
- Using the Workshop website to submit assets and Discord to receive feedback
In this position, you’d work with a team of other artists to create black and white cartoon 2D art assets for the RPG. While working with the Workshop you’ll:
- Be paid per asset/asset pack ($1-$125) via Paypal
- Have opportunities to earn revenue share
- Meet and learn from other artists
About the Team
The Monochrome Workshop is an art cooperative of more than 60 members contributing art, animated, and music assets. As a cooperative, the Workshop wants to see its members grow and flourish through professional experience. This translates into our payment model which is a rev share and contract model dependent upon how many assets each artist creates. Thus as you create assets that are implemented into the game you get a share of the revenue from the sales of the game or are paid directly on Paypal based on how difficult the asset is. Other benefits of the Workshop include
- A growing network of new and professional artists
- Opportunities to increase payment through community participation
- Chances for mentorship, potential internships, and continuous freelance work.
Contact Info
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/hWHsqtK
You can also message us on discord: ottojokes#8802
If interested you can join the Discord or send your resume and portfolio link directly to workshop@monochromerpg.com and our Community Manager or Art Director will reply.
--------------
Additional Info
What’s Been Done
We began the development of the Monochrome RPG in February of 2019. In June 2019 we finished a Demo version of the RPG (the latest version is available on Itch). Since then we’ve been continuously updating the build. We are now beginning the development of a vertical slice which we plan to use to find more investors, a publisher, or use for crowdfunding.
- Project Development - Full Game Narrative, Marketing Plan, Art Documentation, and more!
- In-Game - General Player Systems (health, movement, etc), Battle System, Creature Collecting System, Narrative Sequences, and more!
- Website - Front-facing pages, team-focused backend, documentation integration, and more!
The Team
The team is filled with a mixture of student and professional artists all helping with art for the RPG. Meetings are held once a week (with the occasional off week to allow for development time and holidays). The Workshop is using a new platform to help with task management and uses Discord for team communication.
How’s Development Going
Development is in full force. We have recently received a relatively small budget from our investor and are now paying our members through Paypal while also allowing for rev share opportunities. Right now we are focused on sourcing the core art for the first 3-4 major regions of Otto’s journey. After that, we’ll go into a heavy implementation cycle while planning the next art push!
We’re also getting ready to announce our first Art Bout. The bout will be an opportunity for workshop members to earn bonuses for contributing assets to the game! More info is available in the Discord:
You can follow the dev log (add it to your collections!) via the RPG's Itch page!
Check out all of the dev logs via the dev log page!
What is the Monochrome RPG???
A Quick Glimpse
Themes: Laughter is the best medicine, Violence doesn’t solve everything
Setting: Roaring 20s Cartoonland, Vaudeville
Genre: Turn-based Comedy RPG
Platforms: PC/Mac (Steam), Mobile, Consoles*
![](https://i1.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Image-from-iOS-2.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
RPG Overview
The Monochrome RPG is a 1920s cartoon style turn-based comedy role-playing game that follows Otto, an isolated citizen of Vaudeville, who must rescue the town. The Bleak Barons have begun to transform Vaudeville’s culture into something so dark and sinister Otto can’t standby and watch.
In Vaudeville citizens try their best to keep society as a whole happy. Vaudevillian society is focused on entertainment and theatrics. This means joking, dancing, singing, all to make others smile. Sounds perfect? Nope, far from it as each citizen sacrifices their personal happiness to make others happy.
Otto becomes the target of public ridicule, due to the difference in Vaudevillian values and Otto’s core values, up to the point where he must move to an island outside of Vaudeville.
Otto stays on the island until rumors about strange events happening in Vaudeville start spreading. These events have the name Bleak Barons attached to them. Otto’s few friends get dragged into weirdly, dangerous situations, leading him to leave the island and head back to Vaudeville!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/joke_1.gif?zoom=1.5&w=640&ssl=1)
Interested in how the game plays?
Try the latest demo on Itch.io!
In the Monochrome RPG, battle foes with the power of entertainment! The forces of Comedy and Tragedy can be used to heal or hurt enemies! Will you focus on Comedy and joke your way to victory? Or will you use the Tragedy to move enemies to tears? Or will you become a master of both forms of entertainment?
No matter what you choose, use your abilities to help rebuild the devastated Vaudeville back to the glorious city it once was!
What’s the Team been up to?
Hi! We’re the Monochrome Workshop a community of artists and technologists working together to create the Monochrome RPG.
Earlier in the year, we finished a Demo version of the RPG and took it to a game convention, GEXCon, where we were able to test it with more than 100 testers.
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/File-from-iOS.gif?zoom=1.5&w=640&ssl=1)
Overall testers rated the demo version of the game a 4 out of 5 saying that they loved the art and potential world. However, they thought that the gameplay and content could be greatly expanded.
After receiving the feedback we began planning more content and designing how a more cohesive gameplay loop could be formed. We realized from watching testers play that we could give the players more context and provide more guidance to onboard them into the world.
Testers said that they liked the idea of having to heal enemies to have them join your party, but the system was too basic making it difficult to play for long. We were happy that the majority of people who played liked the mechanic and were intrigued by its potential.
What we’ve been working on
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/gameLoop.png?fit=640%2C573&ssl=1)
An overview of our current Game Loop (Story – Battle – Troupe – Story)
Recently we released an updated version of the Demo that’s the first step to a new version of the game called the Demo+, a vertical slice or upgraded prototype. In this version we’ve updated and added:
Story
In the July Demo, we were focused on showcasing the art and world that had been created. Testers loved how the world felt through the art, however, they felt there wasn’t much depth to the world.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/july-demo-img.png?fit=640%2C344&ssl=1)
After showcasing the Demo we decided to rewrite the main story to build more depth into the world and characters which interested testers. We’ve provided players more information about the world to help make them more aware of their surroundings.
New Art Assets
Since opening up the Monochrome Workshop we’ve received more than 20+ submissions from various artists.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/kitchen_1.gif?zoom=1.5&w=640&ssl=1)
These assets and more will be added to the final version of the Demo+ to help build out the world while also giving more depth to Otto, the main character.
Battle Loop Update (Thank you Unity Timeline!)
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/timeline_1.gif?zoom=1.5&w=640&ssl=1)
We’ve cleaned up the flow of battles so that animations and events trigger more in sequence.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/playerState-code.png?fit=640%2C994&ssl=1)
If you’re going to make a battle system in Unity we highly recommend using the Timeline to help with triggering events such as code, text, animations, sounds, etc. Before this update we were using a Coroutine system we had developed but switching it over to Timeline was super easy and completely worth it as now designers and programmers can work with the battle sequences.
Part of the reason why adding Timeline to the Battle System wasn’t hard is because the core system is programmed using a finite state machine. Replacing the current code with play and stop commands for timelines made the code much cleaner.
While integrating the Unity Timeline we also added new art to battles to help with feedback and setting. We made sure to include a custom battle start similar to how Pokemon-battles start, but with stage curtains and signs!
![](https://i1.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/battleOpen_1.gif?zoom=1.5&w=640&ssl=1)
In the July Demo when players had Otto tell a joke they read a joke and watched how it affected enemies. We’ve updated Otto’s jokes to allow for user choice and engagement by including a time-based interaction. This interaction helps to determine how effective jokes are.
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/joke2_1.gif?zoom=1.5&w=640&ssl=1)
Finally, we’ve added a battle summary screen that makes players more aware of how well they did during battles.
How has the update been received so far?
Earlier this week we had a Design meeting where we reviewed the latest version of the Demo with members of the Workshop who had the chance to test it. Everyone at the meeting agreed that they liked the progress that was made on the Demo though it felt like there were slightly more bugs than in the previous build.
Feedback on Story
Overall, suggestions for how to make the story flow better and give more information to the player were brought up. Ideas for text functionality that would allow for better testing were also discussed.
Feedback on the Battle System
Everyone at the Design meeting agreed they liked a lot of the stylistic updates that were made to the battle. Though the time-based interaction for Otto’s joke was a bit harder than expected. A delay will have to be added to it to make it easier to get a perfect joke.
The battle summary menu at the end of battles was said to be nice as it provided information and context to the battle, but the information provided may have to be updated a bit.
What’s up Next
In between now and when we release the next update for the Demo we will be fixing bugs that were brought to our attention by Workshop members such as not being able to progress through the whole story. We will also be adding the remaining foundational part of Otto’s Story up to the end of the Demo+.
We hope that by getting the sequences for the Demo+ finished early we can go back and figure out how we can:
-Teach the player the core systems while moving them steadily through the story
-Have the player feel a better sense of progression and reward
-Polish the core systems that interest players so they shine better
We’ll also be continuing to integrate assets made by members of the Workshop!
Thank you for reading this Dev Log! We hope to release at least 2 dev logs a month on Saturdays! Look out for more content!
If you want to follow development the best way would be to join our Discord Server!
Also if you have 5-10min we’d greatly appreciate it if you could give our latest Demo a try and submit feedback on our feedback form if you have any ideas, comments, or questions!
Hi! We’re looking for 2D Artists to help in creating art assets for our project, the Monochrome RPG (working title). The Workshop welcomes those interested that have a few hours (or more than a few) each week to contribute to a project!
The Game
Theme: 20s/30s Cartoon
Setting: Toon version of US Roaring 20s
Genre: Narrative-driven Comedy RPG
Platforms: PC, Mac, hopefully, more!
Engine: Unity
A 1920s styled 2D comedy RPG that follows Otto, an isolated citizen of Vaudeville, who must rescue the town. The Bleak Barons have begun to transform Vaudeville’s culture into something so dark and sinister Otto can’t standby and watch.
In Vaudeville citizens try their best to keep society abroad happy. Joking, dancing, singing, all to make others smile. Sounds perfect? Nope, far from it as each citizen sacrifices their personal happiness to make others happy.
Otto becomes the target of public ridicule, due to personal differences, up to the point where Otto must move to an island outside of Vaudeville.
Otto stays on the island until rumors about strange events happening in Vaudeville start spreading. These events seem to have the name Bleak Barons attached to them. Otto’s few friends get dragged into weirdly, dangerous situations and leading Otto to leave the island and head back to Vaudeville!
Try out the latest version of the Demo on Itch
Need a video? Here’s a review of an old Demo build on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok5lU7Zdq80
What You’d Do
While working as a 2D Artist for the Workshop your primary responsibilities would be:
- Creating 2D art assets based on documentation
- Participating in art reviews and design discussions
- Using the Workshop website to submit assets and Discord to receive feedback
In this position, you’d work with a team of other artists to create black and white cartoon 2D art assets for the RPG. While working with the Workshop you’ll be able to:
- Meet and learn from other artists
- Access resources focused on 2D art principles
- Participate in various community events
- Earn a share of the revenue for the project
About the Team
The Monochrome Workshop is a new art cooperative of about 20 members funded by an Investor(s) and partnered with a development team. As a cooperative, the Workshop wants to see its members grow and flourish through professional experience. This translates into our payment model which is a rev share model dependent upon how many assets each artist creates. Thus as you create assets that are implemented into the game you get a share of the revenue from the sales of the game. Other benefits of the Workshop include
- A growing network of new and professional artists
- Opportunities to increase payment through non-art tasks
- Chances for mentorship and potential internships
The Investor has hired a development team to work on the programming aspect of the game and to help with marketing.
Contact Info
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/hWHsqtK
You can also message us on discord: ottojokes#8802
If interested you can visit monochromerpg.com and register or send your resume and portfolio link directly to workshop@monochromerpg.com and our Community Manager or Art Director will reply.
*Must be allowed to work in the US to help with art asset creation*
--------------
Additional Info
What’s Been Done
The team began the development of the Monochrome RPG in February of 2019. In June the team finished the Demo version of the RPG (the latest version is available on Itch) and took it to a game convention where the response impressed our investor enough to fund the next round of development. In the upcoming development sprint, we’ll be expanding upon the Demo and strengthening its weaker elements working towards a Kickstarter or more formal round of funding.
- Project Development - Full Game Narrative, Marketing Plan, Art Documentation, and more!
- In-Game - General Player Systems (health, movement, etc), Battle System, Creature Collecting System, Narrative Sequences, Item Pickup/Use, and more!
- Website - Front-facing pages, team-focused backend, documentation integration, and more!
The Team
The team is filled with a mixture of student and professional artists all helping with art for the RPG. Meetings are held twice a week (with the occasional off week to allow for development time and holidays). The Workshop is using a new platform to help with task management and uses Discord for team communication.
How’s Development Going
Currently, development is paused as we’ve been creating a website and task management system for the team. With both of those almost complete we plan to start active development in October and from there continue until the team and investor(s) feel that it’s ready for a crowdfunding campaign or other forms of funding (most likely early 2020).
The Monochrome RPG is a turn-based comedy RPG styled in a 1920s cartoon theme! Any feedback on the latest version is super appreciated!
Try out the latest Demo of the Monochrome RPG.
If you have any issues, ideas, or suggestions with/about the Demo let us know by filling out our feedback form or joining our Discord Server!
New Content
Story: Otto’s Morning
The first section of the Demo’s updated story has been implemented! Follow along as Otto starts his morning and strange events begin to occur in his house!
Workshop Art: Otto’s Cuisine and Decor
The Workshop has been creating new art assets to help flesh out Otto’s house and give players different objects to interact with. In this version, we’ve added more of the latest art (interaction to come)!
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/v0_0_1a_kitchen.png?fit=640%2C359&ssl=1)
UI Art: Updated Main Menu & Battle Menu
We’ve also found a strong direction for the user interface art. The Main Menu and Battle Menu now feature updated art with a theatre direction
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/v0_0_1a_mainMenu.png?fit=640%2C359&ssl=1)
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/v0_0_1a_battle.png?fit=640%2C356&ssl=1)
New Features
Interaction: Otto’s Jokes
We’ve added a time-based interaction for Otto’s joke ability which determines how effective the joke is!
![](https://i1.wp.com/www.monochromerpg.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/v0_0_1a_joke.png?fit=640%2C358&ssl=1)
Feedback: Troupe Members Attacks
Troupe members now come out onto the stage to perform their attacks!
What’s Next?
Next, we’ll be focused on implementing more of the story leading up to before Otto goes downstairs to his basement to talk to Gackle! We’ll also be adding progression features to help players get a better sense of what’s happening in the world and to Otto as they move through the story. We’re thinking towards: an Inventory System and Quest Notifications.
Thanks for reading!
If you’d like to help test new versions of the game and be a part of designing the game join the discord!
We’re looking forward to adding more to the demo as we get closer to the end of the year. Make sure to keep checking back to hear more about the project, the workshop, and the latest features!
Issues?
Let us know by filling out our feedback form for this version of the game!
The Monochrome Workshop is looking to work with 2D artists to help in creating art assets for our project the Monochrome RPG). The Workshop welcomes those interested that have a few hours (or more than a few) each week to contribute to a project!
The Game
Theme: 20s/30s Cartoon
Setting: Toon version of US Roaring 20s
Genre: Narrative-driven Comedy RPG
Platforms: PC, Mac, hopefully more!
Engine: Unity
The RPG is an adventure that follows the traveling comedian Otto as he attempts to rescue his hometown of Vaudeville from strange creatures that have been appearing, the notorious terrorists the Bleak Barons, and their leader Baron LeStache.
Otto is a bit of a loner, living on the edge of Vaudeville. He’s struggling to find his way in the world. He’s cute, he’s funny, but he just can’t seem to find the right job or the right friends.
Most of the creatures in Vaudeville appear to be having so much fun… but he just doesn’t see the world the same way. His sense of humor is a bit… odd. And the friends he does have are a bit… off. On top of all that, strange bugs and creatures have been appearing lately around his house…. Well, they are making him worried…
Here’s a Youtuber’s review of the Demo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok5lU7Zdq80
What You’d Do
While working as a 2D Artist for the Workshop your primary responsibilities would be:
- Creating 2D art assets based on documentation
- Participating in Art Team meetings and occasional discussions
- Using the Workshop website to submit assets
In this position, you’d work with a team of other artists to create black and white 2D art assets for the RPG. While working with the Workshop you’ll be able to:
- Meet and learn from other artists
- Access resources focused on 2D art principles
- Participate in various community events
- Earn a share of the revenue for the project
About the Team
The Monochrome Workshop is a new art cooperative of about 20 members funded by an Investor(s) and partnered with a development team. As a cooperative, the Workshop wants to see its members grow and flourish through professional experience. This translates into our payment model which is a rev share model dependent upon how many assets each artist creates. Thus as you create assets that are implemented into the game you get a share of the revenue from the sales of the game. Other benefits of the Workshop include
- A growing network of new and professional artists
- Opportunities to increase payment through non-art tasks
- Chances for mentorship and potential internships
Contact Info
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/CXBWMKz
You can message us on discord: ottojokes#8802
You can also send your resume and portfolio link directly to workshop@monochromerpg.com and our Community Manager or Art Director will reply.
We're using our website https://www.monochromerpg.com/ to track tasks. You learn more about the state of the project by visiting: https://www.monochromerpg.com/project/
*Must be allowed to work in the US to help with art asset creation*
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Additional Info
What’s Been Done:
The team began the development of the Monochrome RPG in February of 2019. In June the team finished the Demo version of the RPG (the latest version is available on Itch) and took it to a game convention where the response impressed our investor enough to fund the next round of development. In the upcoming development sprint, we’ll be expanding upon the Demo and strengthening its weaker elements working towards a crowdfunding campaign or more formal round of funding.
- Project Development - Full Game Narrative, Marketing Plan, Art Documentation, and more!
- In-Game - General Player Systems (health, movement, etc), Battle System, Creature Collecting System, Narrative Sequences, Item Pickup/Use, and more!
- Website - Front-facing pages, team-focused back end, documentation integration, and more!
The Team:
The team is filled with a mixture of student and professional artists all helping with art for the RPG. Meetings are held once a week (with the occasional off week to allow for development time). The Workshop is using a new platform to help with task management and we use Slack for team communication.
How’s Development Going:
Currently, development is paused as we’ve been creating a website and task management system for the team. With both of those almost complete we plan to start active development in October and from there continue until the team and investor(s) feel that it’s ready for a crowdfunding campaign or other forms of funding (most likely early 2020).
DVNC Tech LLC is currently looking to hire a passionate Entry-Level Concept Artist. This artist would be paid on a commission basis and would work with the DVNC team to create rough world designs for an upcoming VR Action Platformer, SuperHero in Training.
If interested you can email dvnc.interactive@gmail.com with a link to your portfolio.
Qualifications:
- Ability to Sketch, Shade, and Color Concept pieces of art for world building and/or character designs
- Solid understanding of human anatomy, color/lighting theory, and visual communication
- Experience drawing sci-fi or space-related content
- Interest in storytelling
- Passionate about video games (bonus points for VR)
Job Tasks:
- Drawing outlined, shaded, and potentially colored sketches for helping with the world and character design
- Communicating with the DVNC Team 2-3 times a week (potentially more if needed)
Game Story:
The Intergalactic League of Superheroes has never before seen humans as potential hero candidates, however, with recent advancements in Hero Gear technology humans for the first time have the opportunity to become heroes and join the ILS. You’ve signed up to train with the ILS to become the first human hero.
After leaving Earth and being transported to a remote base in the outskirts of the galaxy you’ve been given your Hero Gear, an Anti-Force Suit and EQ Gauntlets. The Anti-Force Suit increases your resistances and gives you alerts on your EQ Gauntlets. Your EQ Gauntlets enable you to swing using a magnetic hook and fly using hand thrusters.
Your first step on your path to becoming a hero is to complete the training courses within the ILS’s base using your new Hero Gear. Can you rise to the challenge and become the first human hero within the Intergalactic League of SuperHeroes?
Screenshots of Game
A new VR Action Platformer form DVNC Tech
The Intergalactic League of Superheroes has never before seen Humans as candidates to be heroes due to their soft exterior and lack of any remarkable characteristics. However, with advancements in Hero Gear Technology, Humans have a fighting chance for the first time.
Feedback is much appreciated!
https://dvnc.itch.io/sht
Hey this is Daye, currently in control of the login for DVNC Tech. We are a Philly based VR startup. Our debut title is Superhero In Training and the alpha is actually out right now! We would love some feedback and for y'all to go on this journey with us.
https://dvnc.itch.io/sht
Our plans for the game are to make it a highly competitive online and local multiplayer experience. But of course we need the help of an excellent community. Please give it a download, beat your own best time, and train to be the best superhero out there! Superhero In Training, coming soon to Steam, Oculus store, and your local VR Arcade.
Yep this is a very good point. With the release of the Oculus Go I really believe we're starting to see the beginnings of this trend (from $1000+ setups to around $200-$300 for basic setups). This is also why we're trying to create the game's mechanics in a way where two handed and single handed gameplay is possible (that way it'll port over to mobile VR nicely until more mobile headsets get 2 controllers).
Hi All,
My team is about to start development on a VR Action Platformer. We created a survey to see if people would be interested in the idea before we started active development. If you'd like to hear more about the project or just want to share your thoughts on a VR Action Platformer we'd really appreciate it if you could fill out the survey. We also didn't just want to put out the survey without giving back so included at the end of the survey is a link to a 4k wallpaper from a level mockup we did. Thank you for taking the time to help us out and we hope to share more with the community soon.
Also if you'd rather skip the survey please let us know what you think here.
Thanks!
The important thing is to not overwhelm yourself with trying to market (then you have less time to focus on your game). I'd say start with Reddit and just show off your game. If you have time make a short dev log weekly or bi-weekly and promote that where you can. Also don't forget about #screenshotsaturday (you'll always get a couple likes from that hashtag on Saturdays).
Thanks for reading the article!
Hey everyone, we just released an insanely long and detailed guide to marketing an indie game. This guide covers several strategies to marketing an indie game from gaining initial visitors on your site to building a list of email subscribers you can contact when you go on Kickstarter, Itch, or release your game.
Here's a link to the article:
Ultimate Guide to Marketing an Indie Game Before Release
This is only the first version of the article. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see added. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Thanks for reading!
Hey All,
My development team just released a blog post to help new and experienced game developers get started developing and find resources to cutdown their development time. The post talks about game development from a broad sense, then goes into active ways you can start making games and building a following. Finally, it lists more than 100 resources (websites, blogs, books, youtube channels, twitter accounts, etc) that should help with learning development or promoting a game.
Hope you all enjoy and thanks for reading!
Ultimate Guide to Getting Started in Game Development (w/ 100+ Resources)