Moons of Madness - upcoming game

[Zip]

I’m a little surprised no one has started a thread already about the new upcoming horror game Moons of Madness!
If you haven’t seen the announcement thread:

Announcing: Moons of Madness

Funcom and fellow Norwegian developer Rock Pocket Games are teaming up to serve up some bone-chilling, Lovecraft-ian dread with Moons of Madness, the first-person cosmic horror game coming this Halloween! Set on Mars in a not-so-distant future, take up the role of Shane Newehart, an Orochi technician stationed at the secret research base Invictus. Your low security clearance means you are completely unaware of the existence of a mysterious, intelligent signal that has been detected as coming f…

Official website:

Moons of Madness

What are your thoughts? Curious? Hyped? Meh…?

Personally I’m looking forward to play it around halloween! Judging by the trailer it looks great, nice setting, story sounds interesting and it is of course in the TSW universe! I liked The Park, however it was a little too short (understandable for trying out new engine, UE4) and I’m hoping this will be a couple of hours at least.

[Cristianothelock]

Of course too early to judge properly but, so far, looks as forgettable as The Park. Not really hyped to be honest. Also, Orochi… a whole division of them couldn’t defend a bloody van on Solomon Island, how can a single one hope to accomplish anything on Mars?

On the other hand, at least now I know where TSW’s development funding actually goes…

[Zip]

The Park was mostly their way to test and evaluate Unreal Engine 4, MoM is supposed to be a “real” game. I’m not hyped also but looking forward to try it nonetheless.
Good point about the Orochi! It’s possible we will die in first 30 minutes and the game is over.

I’m not so sure about the funding and try not to speculate too much since I haven’t read the latest financial report but it’s possible Funcom didn’t find it that much because they aren’t developing it.

[Pilchenstein]

On the other hand, at least now I know where TSW’s development funding actually goes…

No you don’t.

Game looks pretty interesting, though I’m curious about how well the lore will mesh with TSW/SWL given that it was in development for a long time before it became an official tie-in.

[Cristianothelock]

Honestly, at this point FC could show me their official, signed and stamped funding allotment info and I still wouldn’t believe them.

Regardless, looked a bit more into this MoM and… doesn’t really appeal to me. The Lovecraft boat sailed a long time ago ( one of the many reasons why TSW /SWL uually gets better the more it strays away from it).

[Agobi]

Might try it if its free…not giving funcom any more cash

[Svella]

Does it come with a lunar rover mount and a free red level 70 best in slot talisman ?

[Zip]

I see what you did there. I assume it’s safe to say they learned their lesson about giving out talismans the hard way back then. I have no problem with cosmetics.

[Jess]

Wow what a pessimistic start for a thread.
I dunno maybe I play too little but I’m not going to forget The Park. I’m not really sure if I’d like it before tSW/SWL but sine I played it already knowing the place - I’m quite fond of it.

This new game on other side… Well, first of all - I’m excited to see new stuff from SWL universe, that goes without saying. Writer is the same, I wait interesting plot and good game. After watching trailer I’m only concerned about looks. Which, uh, look ‘well, OK, I guess’ so far, like some not exactly high-budget indie game. Which is OK but I’d wait from Funcom single-player game a bit more, frankly speaking. Also I’m very conflicted about main character’s look, I hope that id card is only time we see it in game or I’m going riot about customizing.

[Pilchenstein]

Wow what a pessimistic start for a thread.

Anything and everything Funcom does that isn’t more free content for SWL is proof that the game is dead and they’re siphoning any profit it makes to fund other stuff.

[Zip]

I agree @Jess, already knowing the place before playing The Park made it quite good. I always found the amusement park interesting and get to experience it in a earlier stage made worth every cent.

Haha, hopefully you won’t be seing him too much. Cracked mirrors is usually a criteria for a horror game. As @Pilchenstein said I’m curious about how well they integrated TSW/SWL’s lore into the game. I watched an old gameplay of the game (not the full 20 minutes) and the ambience of the game is promising and I have never cared too much about graphics.

I’m very curious about the name of the station, Invictus. I joined the discord channel today and saw that one channel is named “mars-station-the-invictus”. Was it updated recently or is there some lore I obviously missed?

[Jess]

Ex-general channel was renamed right after game announce so it’s recent. Then, we sure have Sol Invictus in game if I remember their name correct. Not likely it’s their station but can be tribute or related.

[Meta-Moth]

Invictus

William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

[Meta-Moth]

As for MoM. For something that has been on the radar mid 2017 or so, (maybe even earlier)
dragging their heels is what FC does best.

[Mel-Addams]

Yep, Sol Invictus is present in Secret World.

There’s also a poem that you can kinda read written on the wall behind the lady looking at the artifact:

Which as far as I could tell (with the middle being more visible when she turns around in the closeup) is:

…[RAIN?]ING WITH MY TEARS
SUNNED IT WITH SMILES
AND WITH SOFT DECEITFUL LIES
IT GREW BOTH DAY AND NIGHT
TILL IT BORE AN APPLE BRIGHT
AND MY FOE BEHELD ITS SHINE
HE KNEW IT WAS MINE
AND INTO MY GARDEN…

I mean…sure, it could just be referencing the artifact. I’m not saying the base being called “Invictus” implicates Lilith, I’m just SAYING…*gestures vaguely at the apple garden poem*

Also, on the window at the beginning of the video:

Sample “Black” missing?

Everything is 100% fine.

[Meta-Moth]

A Poison Tree

William Blake

I was angry with my friend,
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe,
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears.
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole.
In the morning glad I see,
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

[Zip]

Nice catch @Mel-Addams! Made me look through the trailer again and I noticed these frames.

A little bit strange an old house being in a game which takes place on Mars?

Looks awfully familiar, hallway to Emma’s room?

If you look at the two seconds where the drones is walking, it’s face and body reminds me a lot of the nurse drones.

This one puzzles me. It reminds me of Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s cabin and we can see the person pull out a knife from his (I assume) stomach and the woman looks frightened. Maybe she stabed him? Could it possible be Mrs. Smith? I have just reached Carpathian fangs on my new run so my memory is foggy when it comes to the Smith situation. But these signs makes me wanna bet Emma/Anima will have some part or possible the Smiths. Edit: A portal between Carpathian fangs and Mars? Edit 2: Typos…
Edit 3: After reaching tier 23 of Mortal Sins and watching the cutscene I don’t think the woman can be Julia Smith. Funny how much of the story I have forgot in like 2-3 years!

[rzrgrrrl]

I’m completely stoked. <3