Phoenix Point Updates, $550,153 and Counting

The crowdfunding campaign for Julian Gollop's Phoenix Point is still going strong. The frequent updates all seem to involve some assortment of concept art, and sometimes – a short story. The latest one from update #6 is called Far Out There. At this point, I think an excerpt is unnecessary.

Update #7, on the other hand, brings us some news concerning high-tier backer rewards. Have a look:

How does the Immortalization reward work?

We have had a few questions about this, so here is a detailed overview of how it will be implemented.

You will work with our art team, writing team and design team to create a key NPC in the game.

You will create a haven leader - this means designing the face, the name, the bio and the personality of the character. The face can be after your own likeness, for which you will have to supply frontal/side photos of your head. Our art team work with you to create this and make it impressive.

Haven leader characteristics include aggression, guile, technocratic, diplomatic, charismatic, and so on. These characteristics interact with many systems in the game.

Your haven leader can be a member of a faction, or an independent leader. You will be able to define your character’s attitude to other factions (if independent). If your leader is a member of a faction it may have a high rank or key role, depending on the faction.

You can name your haven. You can define the layout of your haven, its structures and facilities and its tech. This must be within the confines of game world plausibility. However, your leader and haven will definitely be considered one of the major havens in the world.

Your leader may have any gender, race or nationality - but note that haven locations are partially randomized. You can specify a general area that your haven might be located, e.g. coastal, in Africa, deep inland, etc.

In the game, players interact with haven leaders in various ways. Haven leaders will request assistance against the aliens or other threats. They will propose alliances (if independent). They will suggest trades of goods or technology. They may also act independently, attacking other havens or making their own alliances. They will attempt to develop their havens and tech.

And, of course, a new short story. This one is called Recruiting.