Jack Houston and the Necronauts

For a while now, I’ve been working with a team of artists and writer/artist Mike Oliver to visualize what will be my first commercial graphic adventure game.  We’re getting heavy into the design, so I wanted to take the opportunity to give you guys a peek at it on my new website WarbirdGames.com!

The genre doesn’t stray far from Han Solo Adventures.  The setting is a universe of space fantasy, in a very retro “Buck Rogers” style.  The player character is Jack Houston, a salty test pilot curmudgeon who would be right at home in a heated game of Sabacc with Han himself.  The artwork will be cell animation style with painted backgrounds, and it will feature a full cast of voice actors.

Now for a little rumor control:

Q: How much effect does this have on your commitment to the Han Solo Adventures project?

A: Zero.  I started the Han Solo game on paper when I was a kid, and I will finish the game no matter what.  If LucasArts came down on me like a ton of bricks tomorrow, I would still finish the game for my own satisfaction, even if I were legally restricted from releasing it to the public.  It’s a passion project.

Q: Will this game have the same SCUMM interface as Han?

A: No, the interface will be original, but familiar to Sierra and LucasArts gamers.

Q: Are you sticking with classic, low res graphics and midi music?

A: Not on your life.  While I love the look and feel of classic DOS games for Han Solo, Jack Houston is a 100% modern game with modern graphics and sound.

Q: When will we have a demo?  When can we see the gameplay?

A: Hard to say.  We’re still in the design phase, so don’t expect to be playing it soon.

I’ve released a few concept art images on the Warbird Games site, and later this week I will be releasing a short teaser video to give you an idea for the feel of the game.  Of course, the game is still somewhat on the horizon, but I like to remain transparent and include you guys in everything I’m doing when possible.

So check out the full story on the Warbird site, enjoy, and stay tuned both here and there for more updates on the adventures of Han Solo and Jack Houston!

Viva Adventure Games!

-s