Ereban: Shadow Legacy
Play the Ereban: Shadow Legacy demo at the Steam Next Fest!
After a long time in the shadows, we have important news to share with you regarding Ereban: Shadow Legacy.
First of all, we wanted to announce that RawFury and us are friendly partying ways. We are super grateful for their support, for believing in us, and glad to have met and worked with some of the best people we’ve ever known in this industry and that we can count as friends <3
We are still adapting to this new situation and as soon as we have more information of what this implies, we’ll let you know. While now we need your support more than ever, rest assured, we are determined to go above and beyond to release our game in the best way possible. And regarding this, we have really great news!
Ereban: Shadow Legacy is almost finished, and we are glad to announce that for the first time ever, you’ll be able to try our demo at the Steam Next Fest, starting the 5th of February! We can’t wait to see you becoming one with the shadows! Also we will be sharing more information and content from now on, so stay tuned!
Baby Robot Games 💙
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1671360/Ereban_Shadow_Legacy/
Ereban: Shadow Legacy - Meet the…Pets? - (Meet the Devs IV)
Hello! Baby Robot Games Pets here!
Last week we skipped our ‘Meet the Devs’ blog because we were busy at Gamescom with our Shadow Merge video featuring in the Future Games Show - but when we got back to the office we found it had gone to the dogs! And the cats!
So, as a special bonus finale for the series, we’re very happy to introduce you to the Pets of the Devs of Ereban!
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Bella - (Elena Gómez - Environment Artist)
Bella arrived in our lives when she was seven months old. Her first family couldn't take care of her anymore so we decided to adopt her.
She has always been a calm dog and she likes to spend hours on the sofa with her owners to receive love and cuddles. She gets crazy around food and she may scratch your leg in order to ask for some ham, but obviously she has her own inside the fridge. However, she has to earn it sometimes so we’ve trained her to do some little tricks.
I like to call her princess because sometimes I feel like she is the owner of everything in the house, she has right of way around the whole place, she sleeps where she likes, etc… Oh, and don't you dare to give her bread only, she might not take it.
In conclusion, she is one more of the family and personally it's so good to have her close to you when you need to have a quick break from your duties. Although we lost some socks and flip flops during those years, it was totally worth it.
Charly - (Andrea López Tur - Producer)
This is Charly! He's been with me for almost two years, and the truth is that he’s the result of a foster fail!
Since I’ve been volunteering as a foster home for a local animal shelter, it has always been fine when the cats leave for their new home. However, with Charly it was different: he stayed with me way longer than usual due to the pandemic and I fell in love with him, so in the end… I decided to adopt him myself!
He's a very good boi that scratches everywhere but never breaks anything, he plays a lot with his foster siblings, and always keeps me company! He also loves his wet food and attending our online meetings when I work from home hahaha.
Ciri - (Alejandro Márquez - Game Director)
This is Ciri, a stray cat my brother rescued from the street.
She was only weeks old, was missing part of her ear and had her belly wounded. However, as the character we named her after, she was tough and managed to survive, and lived with us for many wonderful years.
She was really playful (was known for her bites) and smart, and whenever we had a visit, she always wanted to be in the middle of the conversation. Also, as you see in the picture, she really loved to lay down in the sun.
Unfortunately, she left us during this development, but in our family we'll remember her forever <3
Cleo - (Oriol Rubiano - Animation Director)
This is Cleo! She's a 9 years old jack russell and she's my niece.
During the day she's calm and friendly, but when night comes she transforms into a monster and starts barking at blind rollers and showing her teeth to anyone who wants to sit on the sofa too close to her. She's always the queen of wherever she is.
She hates firecrackers and other dogs, and loves the beach and unpacking presents. As you can see she always poses for photos, knowing she's a beauty. She even has an Instagram account!
Maya - (Jessica Adam - 3D Animator)
This is Maya! She's been with me and my family for over six years now, since we adopted her.
She is like a shadow following me around wherever I am, keeping me company at all times. I adore those moments when I'm working, turn around to check on her and I can see her sleeping so peacefully, it soothes me to the soul.
Sometimes we can see her, out of the blue, jumping on walls and running at lightning speed like she has been possessed or something - we need to be careful while stepping out of the room, or we might get run over by a crazy cat!
Niru - (Fernando Barroso - Level Designer)
Adopted in Madrid after being found inside a trash can when she was just a baby, Niru started her second life by my side, and it didn’t take long until she embraced the Andalusian roots of her owner.
Highly sociable, when she’s not napping, she often asks for cuddles – even to strangers! She always gives them a warm welcome. Niru also loves to play, but ironically, she rarely uses the toys I buy her, and ends up entertaining herself with the first random thing she encounters.
Her personality brings peace and warmth at home, apart from lots of laughs, and she is one of those cats you always have to be ready if you want to capture her funny poses and bizarre behavior!
Roma and Tyrion - (Juanlu Pinto - Art Director)
This is Roma (the fluffy shar pei) and Tyrion.
We adopted Roma when she was 4 months old and Tyrion was 4 years old. Sadly, just when they started getting along, Tyrion got sick and passed away. He was really funny, always outside the cage, running, jumping, eating frame doors (not that funny), sleeping in places where he could see us. He used to follow me everywhere, He was like our first dog. Rest in peace my dear friend.
Roma is one of a kind. When she arrived home, we were a bit concerned because she spent around 20 hours sleeping (she has the spirit of a Koala), apparently something normal for a puppy shar pei. But now that she’s 1 year old, she is not like that anymore. Now she sleeps around 18 hours. She’s the laziest and cutest dog of the neighborhood.
She loves being around other people and dogs. She’s really friendly. When she sees someone she knows, she runs to say hello moving her tail and butt. But watch out!! Sometimes she gets super excited and she starts biting (gently) your legs. She’s part of the family and part of the Baby Robot Team, coming to the office from time to time just to make our day funnier…for some of us…
Shira - (Alberto Sánchez - Technical Director)
This is Shira.
She's been part of my family for more than eight years. She was only a few weeks old when we found her alone, wandering the streets of my mother’s hometown. We immediately decided to adopt her and bring her back with us to Barcelona.
She is very friendly and never barks, even if she doesn't know you. While I am at home, she is always around me, following me everywhere. She enjoys our company, and we enjoy hers.
Although she is not a puppy anymore, she is still very playful and loves running and meeting other friends from our neighborhood to play together.
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Well now you know the ENTIRE Baby Robot Games team! Just in case you missed them, you can read more about the other team members here:
- Meet the Devs I - Design, Narrative and Production
- Meet the Devs II - Art
- Meet the Devs III - Programming and Animation
If you like the game and wish to know more about the shadow powers and many other features of the game, make sure to wishlist us and follow us on our social media to get all our updates!
Thanks everyone,
- Baby Robot Devs
Ereban's Shadow Merge Ability Explained
Hey, Baby Robot Devs here!
We are proud to report that Ereban: Shadow Legacy was featured on last night’s Gamescom Future Games Show! In our segment, Game Director Alejandro Márquez spoke in depth on what you can expect from the Shadow Merge mechanic. In case you missed it you can watch Alex’s section just below, or read on to find out even more about the Shadow Merge ability.
SHADOW MERGE: ORIGINS
We’ve always been big fans of stealth games. Since we were children, we have grown up playing awesome stealth games such as Metal Gear or Splinter Cell, and this passion has continued with more recent titles like Dishonored, Aragami and A Plague Tale.
Unfortunately, we've always felt there weren't enough stealth games out there, so we really wanted to contribute to this genre that has given us such good memories. However, we wanted to do it our way and add something new to it.
Our first step was determining the main mechanic: traditionally, stealth games have used shadows and darkness to make you less visible, so we thought... “what if you could literally merge with the shadows?” Taking an entirely different game as reference, Splatoon, we started testing if it felt good to move through the shadows in a similar way they do with ink. That was the spark that originated Ereban and the Shadow Merge.
But apart from this original mechanic, we felt this was an opportunity to experiment a bit with the stealth standards and incorporate some properties from other genres we also loved. Enabled by the possibilities of this mechanic, we combined stealth with platforming and puzzles, making it more dynamic than classic stealth games and appealing to any kind of playstyle. No matter if you are a cautious or impulsive player or an explorer, this game will appeal to you.
SHADOW MERGE: ABILITIES
Now that you know the origins of the main mechanic, the Shadow Merge, we'd like to take a deep dive into it.
As we have mentioned, the Shadow Merge is the ability that allows you to literally merge with the shadows and navigate through the shaded surfaces like if you were swimming underwater. Let's take a look at the variety of possibilities this power has and why it makes you the perfect stealth agent!
Stealth
A big advantage of this ability is that when you’re inside the shadows, you’re totally undetectable. Imagine how useful this is to deal with your enemies discreetly! A few examples of what you can do are:
- Smoothly advance under the enemies’ feet without being detected
- Suddenly appear behind their backs if you choose to play lethal
- Conveniently disappear right in front of their noses if you’re in danger
Mobility
Apart from the convenient stealth possibilities, the Shadow Merge also means a big advantage in terms of mobility. Here’s some of the stuff you can to do thanks to the mechanic if there are shadows in the area:
- Climb walls and reach high and otherwise inaccessible places
- Use moving objects or their moving shadows to navigate from one place to the other
- Go through small spaces to access restricted areas, ignoring fences, bars or gratings
- Jump from high places and smoothly land in a shadow, completely safe and silent
The communion between Ayana and the shadows is something innate to her lost race, the Ereban. As you discover more and more about your ancestors, you’ll understand how they managed to dominate the shadows and all their possibilities for generations. Find these sources of knowledge, absorb them, and you'll learn not only new upgrades for the Shadow Merge but also completely new shadow powers. Buuut that’s a new topic for another time!
If you liked the game and wish to know more about the shadow powers and the many other features of the game, make sure to wishlist us and follow us on twitter to get all our updates!
Thanks everyone,
- Baby Robot Games Team
Ereban: Shadow Legacy - Meet The Devs (III)
Hello! Baby Robot Games devs here yet again!
Last week we continued our blog series introducing you to the members of Baby Robot Games working on Ereban: Shadow Legacy - you met the whole Art Team and learned how they make Ereban look so good.
This week is no different! Today we’re very happy to introduce you to the Programming and Animation teams! Meet Alberto, Oriol, Pablo, and Jessica!
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Alberto Sánchez - Technical Director
Hello there! I’m Alberto, one of the founders and Technical Director at Baby Robot Games.
To get to my first memory I have from videogames, we have to go back to the summer of ‘99, when one of my cousins gave me one of the best presents I’ve ever received: a Sega Master system with Sonic, Ghost ‘n Goblins, Streets of Rage and many more classics... I would not leave my room for the rest of the summer.
The following years were the years of Cybercafes. There, I would play for hours and hours with my friends. Games like Half Life and Counter Strike. Somehow, I managed to convince my parents to buy me a computer, so that I could also play at home. It was then that I discovered that many of these games come with modding tools that allow you to customize the gameplay and visuals of the game.
I remember creating my own levels and scripts that I could publish on my server so that other people could play them. It was amazing to see how players enjoy what you create. That was when I decided that I wanted to be a game developer, but I would never have imagined what was coming.
Developing Ereban: Shadow Legacy, has been the biggest technical challenge I have ever faced. The amazing Shadow Merge mechanic that we created together with cel shaded aesthetics opens a whole new world of opportunities but also challenges, in terms of shadow detection, surface collision and many more.
My main job as a technical director is to work side by side with the programming team and also the artist team, in order to achieve the best results and performance for the game. We work very hard as the programming team to provide the best gameplay experience for the players and also to create the best tools for the team. Also, as a graphics programmer, I work very closely with the artist team in order to improve the visuals of the game.
It’s such a pleasure to work together with this team and we are really putting our passion and efforts into Ereban to provide the best experience for the players.
Oriol Rubiano - Animation Director
Hello people! I'm Uri, co-founder and programmer at Baby Robot Games.
One of my first memories is watching my cousin playing Pokemon Red on his Game Boy. I loved what I saw. Those monsters, choosing the next attack, moving through a world full of adventures... It was love at first sight. Some time later my parents gave my sister a PS One (which I played more than she did) and to me they gave a Game Boy Advance SP, one of my favorite consoles ever that I carried with me everywhere I went. I remember those times fondly, the games had a special magic that I suppose is partly nostalgia now, but for me games such as Golden Sun, Advance Wars, Zelda: Ocarina of Times/Seasons and similar titles don't age by the passage of the years.
I was 14 years old the first time I had the idea of being a Game Developer and I started channeling all my studies to it, but I never imagined that I would be creating a company with five friends and having such a great team as we have right now.
Developing Ereban is one of the most intense and difficult experiences of my life. We have put so much effort in, but we’ve also had so much luck to be where we are.
I work side-by-side with Jess to make the animations look good and natural for the game, not animating directly but giving her direction for the feeling and actions of each one. However, my role in Ereban is very diverse, so it's hard for me to call myself "Animation Director", as I'm also in charge of the AI, gameplay programming, cutscenes and business paperwork.
I'm looking forward to watching people playing and enjoying our first game. I'm especially hyped to see how people use the Shadow Merge mechanic to create their own paths through the levels, exploring the maps freely or sneaking behind an enemy without making any noise.
Pablo Gómez - Gameplay Programmer
What’s up people? My name is Pablo, and I’m the gameplay programmer of the Baby Robot Games team. It’s cool, right?
The truth is that when I was a child, I wanted to be a firefighter. I imagined myself saving little cats, putting out fires and rescuing people like a hero. But then video games came into my life (or rather, into my school). I was 9 or 10 years old and I remember playing Prince of Persia for the first time and freaking out with it. After hours playing this and other games (Pacman, Golden Axe, Super Pang, etc.) I went to my teacher and asked him how I could make games like those. He told me that it was very difficult, because if I wanted to make video games I needed to study a lot of mathematics, computers and go to the University. Maybe, for a normal child, these words could have been discouraging, but not for me. I went straight home and told my mother that I already knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, a “videogame creator”. And well... I’m here, mini Pablo, we did it.
What I like the most about Ereban is the fluidity of Ayana’s movements, how she moves by the walls, floors or other objects while she’s merged in the shadows, dodging enemies or (my gameplay preference) killing them stealthily from behind. My work as a gameplay programmer is to make all the mechanics and elements of the game work perfectly to convey to the player our vision of this world, Ayana’s story and - of course - make them have a great time.
If you’re a merciless killer of robots like me, you’ll have a great time hunting them relentlessly with all the abilities, powers and gadgets you’ll have at your disposal. I'm excited to see you play Ereban!
Jessica Adam - 3D Animator
Hi! My name is Jess and I’m the animator who bestows life to the characters in Ereban: Shadow Legacy.
Ever since I was little I’ve loved devouring stories. What motivated me the most to keep reading book after book, or comic after comic were the characters. I wanted to know what would happen to them at the end of the story! Then one day I discovered video games, and I got hooked to the Final Fantasy series or any RPG that I could get my hands on. I was amazed at the brand new way that allowed me to enjoy storytelling through immersing myself as the character and exploring that world at my own pace and will.
I’m also a huge fan of Ghibli, I've lost count on how many times I’ve rewatched their movies, fascinated at how this animation studio brings characters to life, and how much detail and thought is put in every frame and movement. I think that’s what got me into animation.
After working as a graphic designer for some years, I wanted to do something more exciting, and when I finally entered the animation world, oh boy! I felt like I had discovered a new world that would broaden my horizons by meeting so many new people, cultures and learning everyday so much thanks to them.
I worked for a TV series before changing to videogames. I wanted to go back to my teenage self and have fun with interactive stories and environments, and of course, to play too!
I love to have the chance to work on Ereban, so I can be part of a game that other people can play and enjoy. I hope everyone will be curious about Ayana’s journey, what her decisions will bring her, what she is capable of, and what is going on in the world she is in. I hope you can just sit and be immediately drawn by the story and the action, to feel and be moved by the characters in this world as you enter it, and let your curiosity take the best of you.
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And now you know how Ayana is able to move around so stealthily using her Shadow Merge! Stay tuned for the last entry in the Meet the Devs series - and a fun surprise :)
In the meantime, please consider wishlisting Ereban: Shadow Legacy on Steam and follow us on twitter @BabyRobotGames - where we’ll be posting more content about the game!
Thank you all very much and we hope you like it!
- Baby Robot Games Team