Going Beyond
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Going Beyond —
Going Beyond — Feature One
Introducing Project Nightshade;
80s roleplay revival meets
cutting-edge technology.
This is “Project Nightshade” - our internal concept trailer for the first adventure being built on the ARISE platform.
Hey, I’m Fox - Creative Director here at Those Beyond.
In this ongoing series Going Beyond, we’ll be exploring our platform ARISE - giving a behind-the-scenes look at our content, technology - and even playable prototypes for you to get hands on.
Part One
Dungeons, dragons and the future of social play: where 80s roleplay meets cutting-edge technology.
From the very beginning here at Those Beyond, I've consistently pointed to Dungeons & Dragons as the primary influence behind our platform, ARISE.
By now, I've become accustomed to the raised eyebrows and inquisitive glances that greet me when I share this unconventional reference to a 50-year old game. However, as a Dungeon Master myself, I've personally experienced why D&D sets itself apart from conventional gaming, and why its cultural persistence just might signal an important future for the gaming industry at large.
When I began playing (and hosting) D&D, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Despite my early expectations that D&D would be similar to other board games I’d played, I was consistently surprised at how it differed from any of my previous gaming experiences to date.
My fellow players (many of whom were also avid gamers) were equally engrossed. Over a span of several years, we grew deeply passionate not only about the game itself but also the broader cultural sphere that envelops it. We actively engaged with others online, immersed ourselves in discussions, and watched hundreds of hours of Critical Role.
In fact, on numerous occasions, we pondered questions like, "What sets this apart and makes it more fun than spending time playing Call of Duty together?"
The conclusion was always the same; that D&D felt like a totally different experience - more involving and imaginative, and reliant on improvisation and roleplaying over motor skills, mechanics and precision.
From these responses, we gleaned that even the most sophisticated games impose limitations on player decisions and abilities - where interactions are often confined within a fixed narrative or prescribed interactions.
This is what sets Dungeons & Dragons apart; it's a game that prioritises a style of gaming in which possibilities seem limitless and player defined. It's a fusion of collaborative storytelling and imaginative problem solving - it taps into our atavistic need for telling stories in an immersive, tremendously enjoyable and surprisingly profound setting - with friends.
However, beyond these aspects, D&D faces significant barriers to entry. An extensive ruleset, the need for a Dungeon Master, scheduling complexities...not to mention that D&D is mostly bound to in-person meet-ups.
This is precisely why I believe that by integrating cutting-edge technology such as AI, there is an opportunity to usher in the next major paradigm of play - deep storytelling in worlds that anyone can enjoy and be a part of - brought together by a common love for escapism, lore, roleplaying and discovery.
At the heart of this concept lies ARISE, our recently unveiled platform. The ARISE platform blends worldbuilding tools with a storytelling engine, resulting in a distinctive RPG 'community play' experience that I believe will stand apart from any other form of entertainment out there.
“As tabletop games and video games collide, it becomes increasingly likely that the next big innovation in social play will be a merger of the two. With classic games like D&D, Warhammer, and Magic all reaching unprecedented levels of digitally-propelled success, the question is not if, but when and how.”
Part Two
A look at “Nightshade” the first roleplaying world on the ARISE platform.
For us, “Nightshade” is not simply a demo vehicle for our technology, it is also an incredibly ambitious IP in it’s own right - bringing ARISE with it in tow.
When we set out to build Project Nightshade, the most important question to us beyond the mechanics was how the environment would affect the roleplaying aspect of our game.
How does the environment force you to adapt? To be good or evil? To make the hardest choices? To risk it all?
Early in the process here in Those Beyond, we kept talking about zombies as a great conduit for roleplaying. In zombie worlds, the external environment forces you to take sides, to be ruthless or empathetic - and the level of constant peril that has you questioning what kind of character you want to be versus what player you have to be to ensure survival.
After all, are you a Rick Grimes or a Shane Walsh?
What was great about this approach is that we realised how the theme of the world could create wonderful opportunities for player interactions - not as apathetic passing avatars but as meaningful parts of your characters’ story.
Should you be on death’s door, who might show up to help? And how do we as creators facilitate a bond between these two complete strangers? After all, it’s these kinds of interactions in digital spaces that foster social connections and give players a sense of belonging.
So… when it comes to Nightshade, here’s the inside scoop.
This first world on ARISE will be a science fiction roleplaying experience, set in a dynamic solar system we’ve nicknamed LUPIN (for now).
This solar system will have many planets - ranging from densely populated urban worlds to rugged, untamed wastelands that appear devoid of life. Yet the stability of the system is unraveling as it teeters on the brink of total collapse.
Players will assume the roles of citizens within this solar expanse, enlisting one another for contracts and quests, engaging with NPCs, deciphering puzzles and exploring the planets. Ultimately shaping their own destinies in a delightfully detailed world.
The world of Nightshade will be a mix of gritty day-to-day survival twinned with moments of epic exploration and action.
On the one hand, it’s a poignant warning of how runaway expansionism can have apocalyptic consequences, and on the other, it will prove that even at our darkest moments, there is always a faint glimmer of humanity…
Stay tuned!
Micro feature: Harkan city - a multicultural metropolis overrun by corruption.
Harkan city is one of the key locations in Nightshade - the centrepiece of the planet Serpens Eridani. We wanted Harkan to resemble a Blade Runner-esque feel - a sprawling, heavily concentrated metropolis plagued by overpopulation.
Orange Hues
Dust storms are frequent in Harkan. High winds twinned with loose topsoil from drought-ravaged farms, blows dust throughout the city - lighting the skies an angry red-orange hue.
Denizens on the brink
Scattered throughout the neon-flecked grime are the denizens of Harken. Living amongst trash-strewn and rat infested streets, Harkan’s collapsing infrastructure fuels political dissent as they turn to crime and corruption in order to survive.
Design and Art of Nightshade
Part Three
Citizens of Nightshade.
Your story has yet to be told.
As with all good multiplayer worlds - we’re simply the Game Masters - it’s up to players to bring vibrancy and colour to the world of Nightshade.
Beyond the world-agnostic technologies ARISE is being built with, we’re also exploring ideas and concepts that are bespoke to the Nightshade world alone.
One of the more fascinating concepts we’ve been exploring is the “Timers” concept - a global law in the world of Nightshade which will affect each and every player differently.
I won’t ruin too much for now, but if you’re familiar with the films “Blade Runner”, “Repo Men”, and “In Time”, then you might have some clue as to what you’re in for.
For our players, the “Timers” concept is a central theme to the world of Nightshade - it will give the players an opportunity to discover their characters’ alignment, goals, motivations and personality. But moreover, it will act as the catalyst for your characters’ overall arc…
…and it will most certainly force you to make some hard decisions along the way.
Lastly, here’s two worlds that are inspiring us right now.
The World of Playground
Rodrigo Sousa’s twisted playground-meets-horror trailer has sparked YouTube’s imagination; gaining 3.4m views in under 3 months.
The World of Everwild
Rare’s (Sea of Thieves, Banjo Kazooie) next IP is set in a natural and magical world where characters called Eternals live in symbiosis with nature. We’re so excited to see more…