Captain Blacksword is a secret filled combat platformer that was cut from the veins of an NES classic which you may have broken a controller over twenty some years ago.
Explore and unlock new abilities as you ravage the islands in any order you desire. You'll learn an array of skills from boarding axe jumps to digging up buried treasure in a quest for infamy.
So what happened to that development video series?
Since my last Steam post there have been many days fraught with doldrums and this voyage is admittedly well behind schedule but before you start throwing your first born into the ocean to avenge the wind gods of the sea, I have a new tack and will be working on a sporadic schedule to bring this game to safe harbor.
I made it fifteen seconds into a promotional trailer before my vehicle was caught on a reef but my hull has been patched and we're back on course to begin in February!
Fair winds to you lads, I hope you'll join me on my next voyage! - Evan, Captain of Victorian Clambake
... and don't forget to add my next game to your wishlist
The Caribbean Sail - Fifth Anniversary!
Five years ago on September 19th, The Caribbean Sail was released.
Since that day, The Caribbean Sail has seen numerous updates, two major expansion packs released for free, a shanty off contest, a soundtrack release, a successful Kickstarter campaign which enabled the release of 100 physical copies, and over 14,000 sales globally.
The production papers are also exclusively available here on Itch.io if you'd like to see behind the curtain a little and support my work further!
Victorian Clambake
Since creating this whimsical name and sprinting naked into the wilderness with a blindfold on, Victorian Clambake has achieved two game releases on Steam, two game jam releases, and organizing a community of like-minded nautical nerds on Discord.
All I can say is... God, what a waste of time this all was. I'm just yanking yer yardarm.
Believe you me, the plans aren't about to end.
It's been a year of insanity and instability, my life has changed dramatically and what remains of the studio is currently in a pile of plastic bins but that's not what you care or about and it's not going to hold me back.
Behold my next solo project!
I've been working on another title for the past three years in tiny bursts of inspiration and next month I'll release the Steam page!
The lads on Discord know more and have seen gameplay, you should be like the lads, join the server.
But wait! There's MORE!
I've been pitching this idea for years but it wasn't feasible until now.
Victorian Clambake - Voyage Reports
A development diary series released as monthly YouTube episodes to further grow our community, share my thoughts on games and development, and showcase the work that goes into creating a game!
They'll be short, fun, insightful, and coming next month if the wind is in our favor!
Keep your eyes on the horizon and sign up for the newlestter or follow along on Twitter so you don't miss a thing!
Fair winds to you all, I could have never made it this far without you. - Captain of Victorian Clambake, Evan Massie
The voyage is over.
Ahoy there lads!
'Tis a fine day. I've shipped every backer reward* and only 17 packages remain for purchase on Victorian Clambake!
*Look, Louis, I'd really like for you to fill out your survey so I can finally ship your package, savvy?
The next five orders will include an acrylic keychain!
I'll be going on shore leave and living a typical landlubber life for a time but if you have any questions I'll still check in on the forums, Discord, and support email.
Fair winds to you all! - Your Captain, Evan
Sailing Handbook now in your library!
Now you can read words instead of playing games!
The manual for The Caribbean Sail is now digital and in your Steam library!
Navigate to the library tab and try not to get lost along the way.
Select "The Caribbean Sail" and under the "Additional Content" section you should see the Sailing Handbook!
If you'd like to get the real thing there's still 25 available! https://victorianclambake.com/gold
Fair winds to you all! - Evan, Captain of Victorian Clambake
Physical Edition Available!
Are you a true Caribbean Sailor?
Only 28 copies currently available!
In case you were too hungover to notice the initial post, too hungover to catch the Kickstarter, and too hungover to see the email, you should probably get help. After you take care of that then take notice of this alert to claim your COLLECTOR'S EDITION OF THE CARIBBEAN SAIL!
Find out more and learn how to get one here: https://victorianclambake.com/gold or dig $60 out of your buried chest and send an email to: contactclambake@gmail.com
Thank you for coming along for this voyage, this is a sendoff to be proud of!
Fair winds to you all! - Evan, Captain of Victorian Clambake
V1.7.1.5 - Final Patch
All things must come to an end.
It's been a long time coming but sunk cost fallacy can't make this ship float.
I've enjoyed working on these last two patches and admittedly don't want to move on from The Caribbean Sail yet.
There are piles of cut content that could be restored and years worth of updates and ideas that could be implemented, but, no amount of new content is going to increase the broader appeal of this game.
It's time for me to finish the physical edition and move on to new waters and new voyages.
Your comments, reviews, upvotes, and genuine support of me and my work made it hard to let this simply be a bugfix patch and nothing more... so...
Without further adieu, the final features.
+ Added the pie + Added moonshine opportunity + Mystery content + One more particle effect
- Fixed Portuguese flag crashing in update log - Main Menu badges now copy the links instead of opening broken links
What's on the horizon?
Finishing The Caribbean Sail: Gold and ensuring it runs on CD before ordering 100 copies, then finishing the manual. Once those are complete and all the rewards have been shipped I'll have some tough choices to make.
I may take a break but Victorian Clambake will be far from dead even if TCS was its lifeblood.
I'd like to create Caribbean Sail merch.
Jolly Riot isn't cancelled though it will undergo redesign.
Shell Shuffle deserves a patch someday even if it is floating face down in the pool.
There are two new games that I've shared nothing about which already have had substantial work put into them.
So keep your eyes wide lads, carry a shanty in your heart and a jigger in your step.
I'll see you on the next voyage! - Captain of Victorian Clambake, Evan Massie
Fifth Year Anniversary - Final Updates
Ahoy there to all the new lads and laddies!
If you're enjoying your new found life as a sailor then be sure to leave a review!
This week marks the fifth year since The Caribbean Sail began development.
It's hard to even find the words to describe how I feel... maybe I shouldn't have fired my thesaurus out of a cannon.
Tasty new features!
This update is late but after contracting and recovering from multiple sicknesses, the worst storm of last year, breaking my elbow and temporarily losing function in my right hand- here's what I've got for you!
+ Slightly better controller support + New bottle messages + New tavern conversationalists + The Portuguese Navy + Dimmer in settings to stop burning your delicate little eyes at night + Steamship furnace now accepts less than 25kg of food + Trade tax event when excessive amounts of luxuries are sold + Steamships that are dead in the water will have the option to "Wait" for a passing ship now + Should anyone make it to Shanghai on a raft as the missionary immediately after starting a new game, your efforts will be acknowledged.
- Game crashing bugs obliterated - Repeat dialogue from conversationalists will be prevented - Name duplication bug FINALLY fixed (You should no longer have the stowaway event)
/Probably more that I've forgotten to log
What next?!
The physical release Kickstarter was a success and a few copies will be available after all the backer rewards have shipped! Keep up with the bi-weekly progress reports here!
Development will soon end so do your best bug hunting and report anything you find so we can ensure that this game sails into the sunset proudly.
The Caribbean Sail went silver!
On the penultimate day of 2021 the 10,000th Caribbean sale was made!
I'll have to make myself an award to gloat with at all the people who never tour my studio.
The end of this voyage is in sight. I doubt I could ever make such a groundbreaking game again, but that doesn't mean I won't try. ːTCS_Tophatː
Fair winds to you all lads! - Your Captain, Evan
[Funded] The Caribbean Sail - Physical Edition final day!
The day has nearly come and only half my hairs are gray so that has to count for something!
With your help the campaign has been fully funded and only a day remains before I begin rolling in piles of doubloons while laughing maniacally and plotting out the production timeline before turning those meaningless paper slips into something far more egotistically satisfying; The Caribbean Sail - Physical Edition.
Nearly an entire year has passed since I first pitched my vision to you all like a fist full of bait to an overfilled koi pond. The final stretch is ahead and I'll work to deliver something above and beyond your grandest piratical dreams.
If your region isn't available for shipping, let me know immediately! We still have 24 hours to calculate the UPS shipping costs and add it as an option! Should be easier than shipping boxes via carrier pigeon.
Pledge today and help reach a milestone that will bring the Sea Dragon back!
If physical items aren't your cup of Kickstarted tea, climb aboard the Discord server and tell us your worst pirate jokes!
Time to send this thing off with a bang! - The Captain
The Physical Release Campaign is live on Kickstarter!
The largest Victorian Clambake project yet has begun!
The samples are made, the costs calculated, the logistics sorted, the roadmap planned, the page written, the trailer edited, Jenkins flogged, and the campaign is LIVE after months of preparation!
Heaping piles of gold aren't the only way to contribute and this festival of a fourth year anniversary would be nothing without every hand on deck helping to have brought this voyage so far.
Every goal achieved will bring this voyage one step closer to its destination and bring rewards!
6 - Commemorative bronze metal pin
12 - Commemorative metal pin upgraded to silver
18 - Commemorative metal pin upgraded to gold
24 - The never before seen idea list for The Caribbean Sail will be revealed in its enormous entirety and the community will choose a single idea from it to be implemented.
Follow along and submit contributions via Twitter or Discord
By the powers of 3D resin printing and wood, I bring you; A real life Caribbean Sail Frigate model. A very limited number will be available for you to name and commandeer at the Legendary Edition tier and higher.
While I didn't set out to turn this two week project into the four year project it became, I'm proud of it and every lad who helped it come so far. I may honestly never be able to make a game quite like this again but I hope to continue creating games just as good in their own right.
The success of this campaign will play a huge role in what comes next after the physical edition has shipped. I hope you'll join me on those voyages too!
Fair winds to you all! - Your Captain, Evan
Caribbean Sail Physical Edition Kickstarter to begin soon!
After many many months of work, the Kickstarter is nearly ready to begin! Be sure to set your account in order and queue up for the notification here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/victorianclambake/the-caribbean-sail-physical-release
If all goes as intended (which it absolutely won't) then on the 15th you can open your wallets and dump their contents directly into funding the final development cycle and receive a glorious physical boxed copy of The Caribbean Sail!
In an immaterial age, why wouldn't you want one of your favorite games on a tangible medium?
There will be announcements, community goals that you can participate in achieving, and the goal of making possible my most ambitious project yet!
