tilted-mill posts

As promised earlier this week, the folks at Tilted Mill did not waste any time in releasing the first free content expansion for their fantasy RPG-village building sim Hinterland. The full game was released only last week but this new content update is now available via Valve's Steam client.

As we previously reported, the new content update adds wo new characters (the Archer and the Dwarf Warrior) along with new features like creature specific item drops, a new character info screen, auto-equipping, acquiring resources through economic means and more. In addition, the update adds French, German and Spanish language support for the game along with numerous balance changes and bug fixes.

As mentioned in our new interview with the folks at Tilted Mill today, the developer plans to release its first downloadable content update for Hinterland, their recent fantasy RPG-village building sim. The developer sent over a press release with details on the new content.

Two new characters (the Archer and the Dwarf Warrior ) will be included in the update along with features like creature specific item drops, a new character info screen, auto-equipping, acquiring resources through economic means and more. The free content update will be released via Steam "shortly" but no specific release date was announced.

Tilted Mill surprised many in the game industry with their plans to release a series of downloadable original games on their own without any publisher support. Their plans have already started with the release of their fantasy RPG-village building game Hinterland.

But Tilted Mill isn't done yet for their plans for new downloadable games. This week they announced plans for Mosby's Confederacy, a historical strategy title set during the US Civil War. In their first interview about the game Tilted Mill president Chris Beatrice, senior designer Jeff Fiske and lead designer Matt Zimmitti talk about Mosby's Confederacy and its different take on the historical strategy genre.

Last week developer Tilted Mill released Hinterland, a fantasy RPG-village building game that was the first of a series of planned downloadable original games. Today the developer wasted no time in announcing their next project: Mosby's Confederacy. This tactical RTS game is set during the US Civil War and in a move that some might see as a bit unusual gives the player control of a squad of Confederate soldiers.

The company's press release for the game states, "In Mosby's Confederacy you command small bands of skirmishers, scouts and guerilla fighters on opportunistic missions to scout, ambush, steal supplies and harass a larger and better armed force of Union soldiers, in this game of turn based strategy and real time tactical combat for the PC." The game also has you trying to win the respect of the local population as well. The game is based on the real life US Confederacy leader John Singleton Mosby, also known as the "Grey Ghost" for his ability to elude Union forces. The game's official web site has more info on the title which should be released later this year.

As promised late last week, Tilted Mill's first original downloadable game Hinterland has now been released and is currently available only on Valve's Steam download service. The game costs $19.99 but again there's no word on when a free demo of the game will be released.

Hinterland is planned to be the first of a series of small, downloadable games from Tilted Mill who previously released retail city building games like Children of the Nile, (recently revamped and re-released via download) Caesar IV and most recently Sim City Societies for Electronic Arts. Hinterland is a combination of an action-RPG (going out on missions, slaying monsters) with a village building sim (gain resources to help expand and improve your village). The game was designed to be played either as a quick casual game or as a longer more hard core game depending on the adjustment of a number of customizable options.

Earlier this week we reported that Tilted Mill's first original downloadable game Hinterland was supposed to be released this past Monday but that the developer wanted to hold off for "a week or two" in order put in some additional content and features. That has apparently been accomplished and Tilted Mill has now announced that Hinterland will be released sometime early next week.

The fantasy RPG-village building sim game will be available for download and purchase via Valve's Steam service and will cost $19.99. At the moment there's no word on when Tilted Mill plans to release a free demo for Hinterland although in our recent interview with Tilted Mill co-founder Chris Beatrice he states there are plans to release one at some point.

Titled Mill is still hard at work on their first downloadable PC game Hinterland and this week the developer released some new screenshots from the title that show off more of the forthcoming fantasy RPG/village sim game. This will be the first in a series of downloadable original titles from the developer of Sim City Societies. The game's official web site also has some new (and brief) Flash-only gameplay videos as well.

The game's official web site states that Hinterland was originally supposed to be released last Monday but Tilted Mill decided to hold off for "a week or two" in order put in some additional content and features. The site states,"We know this delay may be disappointing to some, but we're confident it will ultimately provide a better play experience for all. "

The folks at developer Tilted Mill have become really busy of late; this summer they released a revamped version of their 2004 city building game Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile and announced plans to release an action-RPG called Hinterland. This week, Tilted Mill has released the first mini-expansion for Children of the Nile (they call it a city pack) titled Alexandria.

The city pack adds a new map, three new senarios, two new monuments and more to the game. The expansion is now available via Stardock's Impulse service (it will be available via other download clients "soon") and costs $5.99. It does require the enhanced version of Children of the Nile to be installed.

What other features do you have planned for the game?

Right now we are focused on creating a game with a really solid foundation, and making sure that it functions the way we want, is fun to play, and feels right. This means that down the road we will be able to build on this foundation, ensuring that expanding the play in a certain direction will always be fun.

You are going with a download-only business model for the game. Why are you doing this in lieu of shopping the game around to a more traditional retail publisher?

The short answer is, because we can do it this way ourselves. We have been approached by a few publishers, and we are talking to them, but we don't want the game to be dependent on an external party like that.

Do you feel the future of the PC game industry is in downloadable titles?

No one has asked me that question so directly, but I guess the answer is yes, I suppose I do think that. I'm pretty sure that's where our future lies. I would broaden and clarify that, though, to of course include MMO's, which may not necessarily be distributed by download only, but obviously by their nature are very well suited to the PC platform. And there will always continue to be big PC titles sold at retail, no question about that. I think the more in depth answer is that distribution by download will serve a huge number and variety of titles and users, will provide an in road to smaller, more innovative titles, some of which will "break through" to retail, though the majority won't. And a great many will be perfectly "happy" as downloadable only – players will love them, they'll make money, etc. I think the way I'd put it is that one of the unique things about the PC is that it is ubiquitous, and we are all just now starting to see that, I think. I think the recent rise of casual games, now aimed at what used to not be considered part of PC gaming, is a great example of this.


Will Tilted Mill update Hinterland with new content and expansions after the game has been released?

Absolutely! We're already cooking up new ideas to develop the game further.

Will there be a free demo of the game available before the full game is released?

That is the plan, though the timing might not be before the game is released.

What hints can you give us about Tilted Mill's future plans beyond Hinterland?

Hmm... let's see... we have three or four titles in the works, all coming out pretty soon. We'll be releasing more information about them in the coming weeks. One is related to Children, the other is going to explore some innovative game mechanics not in an RPG, city building, but still in a historic game...

Finally is there anything else you wish to say about Hinterland and Tilted Mill's new direction in general?

Our hope and belief is that there is not only room for a lot of different types of games in the PC space, but that there is in fact a need and craving for more variety and innovation, and for games that focus less graphics and technology (in addition to those that do focus on those things, which is appropriate for some), and that games of all levels and varying scope can coexist peacefully. We're not out here to buck the establishment, so much as to contribute to the establishment of a new paradigm for PC games, which I think is already underway.

Massachusetts based game developer Tilted Mill has been working on both their own projects and games for other publishers for the past several years. This year, however, the developer is taking matters truly into their own hands with the release later this year of the fantasy strategy-RPG Hinterland. Tilted Mill won't be working with a big publisher on this title but rather will make it available via digital download.

Big Download got a chance to chat with Tilted Mill co-founder Chris Beatrice to find out more about their plans for Hinterland along with their recent re-release of their first game Children of the Nile along with his views of the PC game industry in general and where he sees it going in the future.