Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Devs Recommend the Powder Mage Series

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Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Devs Recommend the Powder Mage Series

As a lifelong gamer with a deep love for fantasy and historical elements in my games, I can’t help but be excited about the upcoming release of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. The genre of Flintlock Fantasy, with its unique blend of magic and early firearms, has always intrigued me, and I’ve been following its development with great interest.

In recent years, there has been an increasing number of games that combine elements of fantasy and early firearms. One such game, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, is set to join this trend. Notably, it shares the limelight with other titles like the survival crafting game Nightingale and the role-playing game Greedfall, which also features a sequel. Although there are more games that fall into this category, “Flintlock Fantasy” is not yet ubiquitous within the gaming world.

Flintlock Fantasy at its heart offers equal footing for gods and guns, but this genre frequently draws from the technological and cultural influences of the 18th and 19th centuries, infused with a sprinkle of magic and mysticism. Flintlock and gaslamp fantasy serve as counterparts to magic in the same way steampunk does to technology, offering unique storylines that deviate from the typical settings. Literature and gaming can merge seamlessly, as A44 Games takes cues from Flintlock fantasy novels while creating their game. In an interview with Game Rant, Simon Dasan, the creative director of “Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn,” acknowledged a particular book series as a significant influence on the upcoming game.

Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage Trilogy

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn Devs Recommend the Powder Mage Series

Dasan says the idea for Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn came from books like the Powder Mage trilogy by American author Brian McClellan, which was among a plethora of works read by A44 developers. McClellan has also written a follow-up trilogy, Gods of Blood and Powder, with the six overall books releasing between 2013 and 2019.

One of the books we were all drawn to was this captivating sub-genre of literature called flintlock fantasy. For those interested, the “Powder Mage” series is a great place to start with this genre! We became so captivated by these intriguing worlds that we decided to develop a new game based on them. This game came to be known as “Flintlock”.

In the initial installment of the “Powder Mage” series, titled “Promise of Blood,” we delve into the chaos that ensues following a coup in the kingdom of Adro. Although this realm’s technological advancements mirror those of late colonial Europe, its mages possess an extraordinary ability: they can metabolize gunpowder to amplify magical spells, harness telepathy, or even ignite powder without a flame. As of 2021, Canadian producer Joseph Mallozzi is working on bringing the “Powder Mage” trilogy to life on television, having previously contributed to the “Stargate” franchise.

In the end, Flintlock Fantasy resonated deeply with Dasan and his team at A44. It offered a distinctive fantasy atmosphere with a powerful sense of identity, whether rooted in historical fact or fiction.

In the process of designing ours, we developed a unique and intricately detailed world from scratch. We sought advice from a few Flintlock Fantasy literary experts during the initial stages. This captivating setting, filled with depth and allure, stood out as an exceptional choice for our game due to its scarcity in comparison to other locales.

Certainly, Powder Mage and Flintlock aren’t the only ones in this genre, but they contribute significantly to its rich history, recurring motifs, and intriguing evolution.

The Growing Genre of Guns and Gods

In addition to the mentioned novels, there are other works in the flintlock and gaslamp fantasy genre. Notable among them is the “Cinder Spires” series by Jim Butcher, a renowned author who is famous for his urban fantasy noir series, “The Dresden Files.” Another instance is the “Alchemy Wars” trilogy penned by Ian Tregillis. Furthermore, Theodora Goss’s “The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club” bridges the gap between flintlock and gaslamp fantasy. For our team at A44, McClellan’s works served as an excellent introduction to this genre that has captivated us and influenced our development of “Flintlock.” Despite extensive exploration in literature, the fantasy subgenre of flintlock remains largely unexplored in video games.

The genre of “Flintlock” isn’t exclusively owned by that name. There has been an increasing trend in gaming recently towards themes of humanity fighting gods and monsters using both magic and gunpowder from the era. For instance, “Greedfall” and its sequel “Greedfall 2” explore colonialism through a blend of magic, myth, and monsters, merging the science of the time with mythology and genuine deities native to Teer Fradee. Similarly, “Nightingale” brought survival crafting fans a human population scattered across fae realms, led by none other than Puck from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

As a passionate fan of niche fantasy games, I’ve been captivated by the unique times and themes that have mostly flown under the mainstream radar. With the recent addition of Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, I can’t help but feel that this intriguing genre is on the verge of gaining widespread popularity. Until then, I eagerly recommend the following titles for fellow fans to explore and savor the magic of these unconventional worlds.

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2024-07-15 16:28