The head count was taken, the support has been found, the logistics sorted, prototypes created, and today I have begun preparing the Kickstarter page.
(／°_°)／ (／ ・.・)／ BEHOLD! ＼(・.・＼) ＼(°_°＼)
See the sea on CD in 2D!
I've prepared everything that can be designed or decided well in advance of beginning the crew funding to make the wait time between taking pledges and shipping shorter than Benjamins life expectancy.
What lies before your creativity bereft eyes are the first samples of the main box, the game and soundtrack CD designs, sleeve designs, and the manual. Perfection at its finest and I'd bet your last doubloon that you won't be disappointed.
Imagine whipping this bad boi out for everyone to see.
For those of you who are brave enough to fly the black flag and declare war against the world, the Joyless Roger will be the second tier reward.
I've hinted a bit about the third tier reward. Feeling bold enough to hazard any guesses?
Your input is desired! ...by someone, for once, finally.
There have been many ideas and suggestions for stretch goals and rather than leaving them to be prioritized by the bumbling hands of a hat holding nincompoop, I'd like you lads to rank some here!
Restoring cut content would undoubtably be the most requested feature. To pull out my cutlass and engage with the enemy that is whatever the devil I was thinking during development last year would likely begin coding battles that could last for months and I would be sure to have the new features playtested for a month before goldmastering the game to never be updated again. How patient are(n't) you?
I'll use your feedback to plot a timeline. The next time you hear from me I shall have a Kickstarter page for you!
One of the new hands aboard this ship?
Welcome aboard! You can make yourself useful by etching an honest review onto the store page.
If you wish to have Caribbean Sail related information shoved down your ear canals every time it surfaces, join the verified Victorian Clambake Discord server: https://discord.gg/clambake
Fair winds to you all! - Your Captain, Evan
Christening the next game! - Shell Shuffle
All hands on deck!
Ready to help your Captain out in our time of need? The only way to get exposure on Steam on release day anymore is if we can beat out the competition by sales and engagement!
Shell Shuffle is our next title- I didn't make this one alone! With the help of two friends who created the artwork and soundtrack respectively, we've put together a polished game that's simply fun to play.
You can let me know what you think in a Steam review after the dopamine high wears off at 4:00 AM when you're pushing your eyeballs back in place with a spoon because you haven't blinked in 8 hours.
Just kidding, review it as quickly as possible to help it gain traction on launch.
It's been a trick at the helm and three bells since the last update.
I've implemented a little new feature to save you just a tad more of your fleeting mortal life from the ravages of time and tedium; Auto-fishing.
Right click on the "Go Fishing" button and one of your crew will get off their lazy rumps and inefficiently catch a few fish, but, mind your harpoons because some sailors have trouble counting and may throw up to five harpoons in a single session!
I'd like all of your feedback on this as it's currently the fastest way to get food but also the most inefficient. To me that seems right but I'm open to hearing you all out!
-but that's not the only change! "Oh Lord, what has he gone and done now?" I hear you all cry. Nothing else drastic this time, just a few water bugs murdered and a new line of dialogue for a few of the Captains.
Fixes
Flag pickups won't replace the spyglass and other important items when you defeat ships.
Holiday text won't run off the page.
The flotsam no longer appears multiple times on the same save file.
Maximum ship speeds should no longer change when you reload a save.
Your sail will now be fully repaired when fixing your ship in port.
The battle tutorial is less prone to confusion and failure now.
News from the slow boat to china!
Physical edition is still underway. Shell Shuffle encountered some development hiccups and may take a couple more months to polish and beta test which pushes the TCS limited edition kickstarter back a bit. Remember to load the clambake cannon with your email over on victorianclambake.com so you don't miss the limited edition news as it comes!
Just so you don't leave empty handed today, here's a hint about that final secret backer reward.
Mind your boots don't get caught on any anchor lines and if your winds fare you well, I look forward to our next adventure together!
Your Captain - Evan
Limited Physical Run - Initial Timeline
Our final voyage together has begun lads.
About a month ago I shared the news of our next title, Shell Shuffle, along with my vision for a limited physical edition run of The Caribbean Sail. You've made your voices clear and the support we need is definitely here!
If you don't want to miss anything when the apocalypse inevitably occurs this winter and you repress every memory from 2020 then you need to join the Clambake Newsletter at the bottom of this page: https://victorianclambake.com/
Fore-warning; this read will be more dry than usual.
What is this all about?
What began as a little test, turned into a black and white pixelated passion project that consumed three years of my life. Looking back on my work now has shown me how unbelievably large this game really is, and it needs a proper send off celebration. I'll probably never be able to create another game like this.
My plan is to create and release a limited big box edition of The Caribbean Sail with the soundtrack and game on CD with a manual as was customary to old game releases. The perfect celebration of gaming and nautical history.
When? WHEN? WHEN!?!?!
Settle down there lads, I'm still a one man team when it comes to this project and I've barely begun the research. Winter is on the way and I don't want to compete with the holiday season or the Shell Shuffle development cycle. I'll need to have samples printed, CD's written, the manual designed, and other details sorted out before moving to production. Most important of all, the game will need to finally be gold mastered which means one final update. Can't update CD's after all.
Start stashing away your doubloons because I'll be coming for your coffers come springtime. I've decided to go with Kickstarter and the soonest possible time the campaign could be run is March 2021, don't take that as gospel though, it may not happen until even later.
I've been tallying up the costs and finding every corner I can possibly cut. I'll be manually assembling each package for shipment with my crew and sourcing each item from different manufacturers to get the best quality and value. Our minimum viable funding goal is currently $2,000 unless the manufacturing costs change.
After funding is complete, production will begin. Each piece will be manufactured and shipped to the Victorian Clambake studio for package assembly before being sent to those of you who become backers! This may take anywhere from a few weeks to months so my best guess for the earliest time you can get your hands on a copy will be in June.
What will I get and how much will it be?
The base package will probably be $25 - $30* - One game CD and one soundtrack CD One Caribbean Sail game manual filled with game tips, history snippets, lore, jokes, mysteries, the secret recipe for hardtack, and maybe some shanty lyrics One retro sized big box with the box art printed on the front and that classic carefree Victorian Clambake brand marketing fodder on the back
Mid-tier package will probably be $50 - $60 - Everything in the base package along with a flag that has the emblem of a Caribbean Sail style historic pirate (like the wallpapers that come with the soundtrack) or the iconic TCS skull and crossed arms.
Top-tier package will probably be $100 - Everything in the other two tiers along with an autograph from yours truly and something delicate that will be a real challenge for me to create. (I'll need to actually make one before I say more)
All of these packages and prices are prone to change. I'd like to have some game map posters printed too if I can ever find a decent value printer for them.
*(I'm either a product finance management logistics wizard, or I'm missing something huge because none of the special edition manufacturing companies thought I could get it done for less than $40 per unit without ordering thousands)
Summary
Save some doubloons, sign up for the newsletter, come fund the campaign in March/April and receive your very own physical copy of The Caribbean Sail around June!
I can't quite express the feeling of seeing how enthusiastic your support has been! The closest comparison I can make would be to say it's like sailing from London to Shanghai on a Raft and surviving.
Thank you one and all for your help on this long journey! - Your Captain, Evan
BIG NEWS! ALL HANDS ON DECK!
Gather round lads, I have much to share!
Contrary to popular belief, I have not taken a much needed moments rest since the soundtrack was released. Instead, I've gotten right back to work and am now proud to present the next official Victorian Clambake game to be released; SHELL SHUFFLE!
Pause for ooo's and ah's.
The Steam page is up and should answer many of your questions! BEHOLD THE SHELLS!
This hard left turn of a casual game is a personal challenge to create the best possible experience I can with all that I've learned. I've recruited the Cartographer who will be creating the art assets and we're going to work together with a clear route to ship Shell Shuffle on February 5th, 2021.
The demo is planned to release in October to get you hooked and the competitive local multiplayer will tear your friendships and family apart. Co-op is also being worked on in order to help you put your relationships back together but we can't promise that yet.
Follow along and wishlist it so you don't forget! The giant mollusk demands it!
The Caribbean Sail - Limited Physical Edition!
I've been tossing this idea around in my head for awhile like a shark toying with Benjamin and the conclusion is that I need your feedback.
I've yearned to create a physical boxed edition of the Caribbean Sail ever since release. As development finally nears completion the possibility of creating this passion project has increased. Like any good pirate, I need your money but I can't wait around on a sinking ship.
If you would be willing to throw $20 my way on Kickstarter or Indiegogo for a retro style Caribbean Sail branded box containing a copy of the game and the soundtrack along with possibly a manual (and maybe more at a higher tier!) you must leave a comment stating so!
We need 50 lads to make this happen and a skeleton crew won't cut it. From the few I've asked so far, I've already found 10 supporters. Once we have 50 I'll begin working out the logistics and estimate the time it will take before taking the crowdfunding live.
If you're interested, you absolutely must speak up!
Complimentary entertainment!
The website was looking quite bland, so I've started to give it a hand. There's a new fun deck section, with a free fun collection! Go check it out, that's a command!
You'll find a 3-7 player card game I created that can be played with any standard deck, a sailor quiz, and a bizarre game-jam submission about milking a space cow. You really have to see it.
Thank you all for sticking with me on this long voyage. - Your Captain, Evan.
V1.7.1.1 - The last bugs to die
Ahoy there lads!
My lovely game has been cursed with inconsistent framerate issues which randomly pop by and I think that I have finally fixed the issue once and for all! Buy a better toaster. I changed the internal settings to alternate the synchronization method which has made things significantly more reliable.
There was another bug from the depths of hell sent to rain torment on my peace of mind which caused crew names to duplicate inexplicably. After months of ceaseless searching I've decided to just say "The outcome of exerting the time and energy to see this bug fixed does not outweigh the consequences of not seeing this bug fixed." so now it's a feature! In the rare event that this bug attacks your precious save file, you'll encounter a new event of finding a stowaway aboard!
There have also been some exciting things happening on the Discord channel, climb aboard and say "Ahoy!" if you're curious!
Listen to that and I'll make a shantyman out of every one of you yet!
There's also another bonus; I created seven 4k wallpapers depicting the pixelated flags of famous pirates!
A final request, soundtracks on Steam rarely get more than 10 reviews so leave a review or think of your favorite pirate joke and leave that as a review on the soundtrack. It will help me more than you know!
After all this, what comes next? That's a very tough question to answer. Victorian Clambake is going to change a little as I move away from only working on one game to creating more games while experimenting with new ideas. There may be a few things left in store for The Caribbean Sail, so keep a weather eye on the horizon.
Fair winds to you all! - Your Captain, Evan.
The Caribbean Sail Soundtrack making port next week!
Ahoy there lads!
Soon you'll never have to leave your shanty collection behind when you stop playing The Caribbean Sail to do something significantly less important because the soundtrack is being released on the 11th!
Every track has been compiled using a painstaking process of individually recording each track rather than using the default Beepbox export method in order to have a higher quality sound than there is in-game. Many an intro and outro have also been added to various loops for your listening pleasure!
There are four bonus songs that can't be heard in-game even though they were created, along with an album exclusive pirate metal song about the game created by Anchorsmashed!
Tracklist
1 - All for Me Grog! 2 - Rule Britannia 3 - Yo ho ho and a Bottle of Rum 4 - Blow the Man Down 5 - Drunken Sailing 6 - Windy Old Weather 7 - The Diamond and the Whale 8 - The Irish Washerwoman 9 - The Gate 10 - The Endless Unknown 11 - Fill the Void with Holes 12 - Haul on the Bowline 13 - The Devil's Trill Sonata 14 - The Kraken 15 - Hornpipe from Water Music 16 - To Cross a Reef 17 - Lowlands Away 18 - Go to Sea No More 19 - Reilly's Reel 20 - Rolling Down to Old Maui 21 - The Sailors Grace 22 - Cooley's Reel 23 - The Banks of Newfoundland 24 - Santy Anno 25 - Fiddlers Green 26 - The Cruel Carpenter 27 - Down Among the Dead Men 28 - The Place that Could Never Be 29 - Over the Hills and Far Away 30 - What will we do with a Drunken Sailor 31 - The British Grenadiers 32 - Hearts of Oak 33 - The Coast of High Barbary 34 - Hullabaloo Belay 35 - Leave Her Johnny 36 - Fish in the Sea 37 - Red Haired Boy 38 - Randy Dandy O 39 - Bound for South Australia 40 - Drowsy Maggie 41 - Eliza Lee 42 - Blow Ye Winds 43 - Where am I to go 44 - Whiskey in the Jar 45 - The Eddystone Light 46 - Out on the Ocean 47 - The Trooper and the Maid 48 - Massie's Melody 49 - Whistle Daughter Whistle 50 - The Parting Glass 51 - The Sailors Hornpipe - Bonus Track 52 - Don't Forget Yer Old Shipmate - Bonus Track 53 - Here's a Health to the Company - Bonus Track 54 - The Volga Boatman - Bonus Track 55 - A Caribbean Tale - Album Exclusive ft. Anchorsmashed 56 - A Caribbean Tale 8-bit - Album Exclusive
Now, perhaps you're deaf or you simply hate good music, I'd like to request that if you have enjoyed The Caribbean Sail or have been following ever since day one that you consider purchasing the soundtrack regardless and help support Victorian Clambake. Every penny spent on the soundtrack will go towards funding music production hardware my future games!
Thank you all! - Your Captain, Evan.
The Caribbean Sail - V1.7.1
Short patch poetry time!
The lads noticed some oversights dumb, So I whipped up the fixes for some, Bugs were solved with insight, And the screenshots fit right, The soundtrack is next to come!
FANTASY TOGGLE IS COMPLETE!
The gargantuan Fantasy Toggle expansion is finally complete and has been added for FREE
Alright lads, it may have taken me half a year longer than I expected, but nobody could have predicted the calamity maelstrom that has been 2020.
Unlike half the world, I passed my sanity check today, which means Fantasy Toggle is officially complete!
Short Changelog
Here's the short rundown of what I was able to implement in a year and a half: An optional Fantasy mode, four new locations, seven new professions, nine new ships, four new storylines, seven new shanties, eleven new achievements, a boatload of new events, a whole host of new encounters, new opportunities, an ammunition system, treasure hunting, walking the plank, airships, megalodons, the kraken, and more particle effects than you can shake a harpoon at!
No matter how many times I said "No" to crew recruitment, you lads kept taking it as a "Yes, but no themed" so I added a Landlubber difficulty setting that will allow you to keep your save file when you die and find a crew recruitment opportunity in any pub. You'll be doing it at the cost of your ability to earn achievements though so HAH! THERE! WHO GOT THE FINAL WORD IN?
Bottles out for Globalstats.io lads. I've taken the bottle message system offline because the functionality was woefully limited and continually caused a rare crash that was unable to be fixed from my side, but, with the help of two jolly tars I was able to save, moderate, and manually implement 2890 user written bottle messages making your chances of seeing the same two messages as low as recovering from the plague. You can also still write new messages that will be added to your local pool.
How to enable Fantasy Mode
Start a new save file and turn the lantern green by clicking on it!
I wanted to maintain the realism of Purist Mode while allowing the madness of Fantasy Mode so that you can play the nautical experience you prefer! Development was like building a game inside of another game which has been a playtesting nightmare. I think I'll do something easier next time, like developing a game using only my nose while upside-down and blindfolded.
What's next?
First, fixing any and all bugs you can find. After that I'm going to work on getting a 64-bit Mac version running and I'll also try to get a more optimized version for everyone. I'll also be updating the screenshots and working on a new trailer.
If you haven't already, leaving an honest review on the store page or updating an old one would be really helpful since so much has changed. Once you've had some time to play, you'll realize it's not the game it used to be at all.
I hope that I was able to bring the joy of exploration and mystery back into the world I created for you.
Fair winds to you all! - Captain and Developer, Evan.
