Welcome to the Kickstarter campaign for Downfall of the State, a game created to sate the contemporary crave for immersion within a realistic and hardcore environment. The project began as a solo effort although several months of hard work culminated in an unexpectedly successful Steam Greenlight campaign and thus sparked the need for additional team members. The team is multinational ranging from English to Italian to Lithuanian inspiring a range of ideas from culturally diverse backgrounds. After two years of intense work the project is in it's rewrite phase as a direct result of the unprecedented levels of support it received via the Steam Greenlight platform and requires your help to add the polish and detail that you - the player - deserve.
What is the premise behind 'Downfall of the State'?
Middle Eastern governments have collapsed and in the wake of their demise the I.C.A. (Imperial Combined Arms) have swooped in to claim land for their own sake. By following a faction of your choice, ensure ultimate victory by controlling units across the gargantuan environments in which the campaigns are fought. Employ infantry tactics, combined arms and all out vehicular warfare to achieve victory although be sure to take into consideration the advantages and key differences that each faction possesses.
Key Features
- Faction based combat allows you to play from multiple perspectives and encourages a large variation in gameplay depending on the strengths/weaknesses of the factions themselves as well as the chosen campaigns, equipment and personnel.
- Open world conquests/campaigns ensure that the options are never linear - if you decide that a tank convoy is the way to go over a conventional paratroop drop then 'so be it'.
- Assume the position of any of your deployed units in realtime. Whilst deployed units will auto resolve battles on their own you can abandon control of a squad to control another in order to provide more convincing co-ordination.
- The 'imperium' system represents a factions influence within a state (or province). The imperium of a state can be boosted in a multitude of ways ranging from military to diplomatic methods although each state's populous will have varying levels of hostility towards your actions.
- Each faction isn't bound to its initial goals, if you want to flip the table and convert the U.E.F. (United Expeditionary Force) into a warmongering subjugator then you can by all means do so! The decisions you make however have differing effects rendering certain strategies more potent than others for each faction.
- Each player begins with a signature set of gear that can be upgraded over time. However, certain combinations of otherwise inaccessible gear may be more strategically advantageous depending on the unit types.
Gameplay Variations
- Infantry tactics: assume the position of an infantryman by being the boots on the ground. Multiple squads of infantry can be deployed and you can switch control between the squads on demand. Small arms warfare is perfect for urban battles in which it is strategically advantageous to engage in close-quarter-combat. The varying types of infantry that can be deployed differs from faction to faction although specialised infantry such as recon units can be utilised to really tip the balance of a conquest.
- Combined arms: when infantry are paired with armoured cavalry (APCs etc.) the effectiveness in battle can be doubled if not tripled under a good leader. Whilst armoured cavalry would be crushed in vehicular warfare, the correct usage in urbanised environments can prove to be battle winning.
- Vehicular warfare: although incredibly resource draining, the usage of helicopters and tanks can inspire fear within the enemies.The large free roam regions within each province (available for multiplayer) lend themselves incredibly well to combined arms and vehicular warfare with the primary objectives being kilometres apart and the stakes being so high.
Current Signature Weapons
The I.C.A. and U.E.F. each have their own signature weapons that are unavailable to the opposing faction. This signature weapon can be upgraded over the course of multiple campaigns and whilst is relatively underwhelming at the beginning, can become unmatchable.
The AS-VAL is a multipurpose special-operations sub-machine gun. It packs a serious punch in close quarters combat but the operative can be severely hindered by the low base magazine capacity. If the operative remains faithful to the weapon and continues to upgrade it from campaign to campaign the AS-VAL can become an unmatchable CQB weapon without contest. Will you remain faithful, or prioritise range for another strategy?
The C8 Carbine is a well rounded rifle (for the U.E.F. operatives) that can be modified for any purpose. The unique attachments found in the "Intelligence Operative" reward tier can instantly transform the carbine into a long-range engagement rifle or even a CQB monster. There are plenty of specialised alternatives although the well-roundedness of this rifle allows it to be repurposed on the battlefield with ease for different engagements.
The MPX's mediocre stats are redeemed by the incredible ability to repurpose the weapon for another calibre on the battlefield thanks to the weapon's customisable ease. When used effectively, the MPX can outperform any rifle in short to medium range engagements. The weapon is readily available for both the U.E.F. and the I.C.A. and a commonly looted weapon by the B.I.F (Bivouac Insurgent Force).
Mindfully crafted with Unity3D
Unity3D is unfortunately associated with poorly designed games although we want to break this precedent by proving what the Unity Engine is capable of when utilised to its full potential.
Check out this GDC Unity 5 trailer:
By adding custom modules and utilising advanced physically based rendering techniques the engine is able to produce outstanding results which is what I have endeavoured to achieve from the very beginning.
Why back this project?
Thousands of hours and pounds have been invested in not just the project, but also the creative vision for this ambitious project. The experience is our priority and we haven't/won't cut any corners to compromise it.
Check out the state of the game back in October 2015 with the Steam Greenlight trailer:
The vast environments in which the game is based are a huge part of creating a convincing, immersive experience and it is for this reason that the primary usage of funds will go into environment art. The project has a proven track record of support in the form of Steam Greenlight and YouTube and the project wouldn't be at this stage without it. However, it is time for the ultimate display of support in the form of Kickstarter...
Every single backer will bring the project closer to becoming a reality and a finalised product although it cannot be achieved without you!