Former Dawn is an impressive upcoming NES role-playing game that's generating significant buzz in the retro gaming community. Developed by Something Nerdy Studios, this game is pushing the technical boundaries of what's possible on Nintendo's classic 8-bit console.
Key points about Former Dawn:
1. Technical innovation: The developers have created a custom memory mapper to achieve advanced graphics and gameplay features not typically seen on NES hardware.
2. Visual quality: The game boasts graphics that rival 16-bit era games, featuring Mode 7-like effects and large, detailed sprites.
3. Ambitious scope: Former Dawn aims to be a sprawling science fiction RPG with a rich world, complex plot, and multi-dimensional characters.
4. Authentic hardware: The game is designed to run on real NES hardware, not just emulators.
5. Kickstarter campaign: The project is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a goal of $160,000 to complete development.
6. Multi-platform release: While designed for NES, the game is also planned for release on PC via Steam, with the possibility of other console ports in the future.
7. Playable demo: A demo has been released for streamers and content creators, showcasing the game's impressive visuals and gameplay.
The developers are committed to maintaining authentic NES limitations while pushing the hardware to its limits. This includes adhering to the NES color palette, sprite limitations, and CPU capabilities, even in the PC version.
Something Nerdy Studios is looking for $160,000 to help finish the game – which is also coming to PC via Steam – and has raised almost $100,000 so far.
The team behind the game explains the origins of this ambitious project:
We wanted to tell this story, but tell it in a unique yet classical style. In other words, we wanted to make it a retro game with a huge amount of rich content, yet run on authentic 1980s hardware: the Nintendo Entertainment System.
This wasn't possible without inventing our own memory mapper, so that's what we did.
This wasn't possible without recruiting the most skilled artists we could find from the pixel art community, so that's what we did.
This wasn't possible without holding ourselves to the highest quality programming and design standards, so that's what we did.
We believe that Former Dawn is on track to be the most advanced NES game ever created. It's not there yet, but with your help, it can be!
Former Dawn represents a significant achievement in retro game development, demonstrating that there's still room for innovation on classic hardware. The project has garnered attention for its ambitious scope and impressive technical accomplishments, making it a notable entry in the world of modern NES game development.