Community discussion

Dizzy Returns (Cancelled)

Started by Peter Teal on 23 November 2012 • 35,532 views

75 posts

#5521223 November 2012

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theolivertwins/dizzy-returns/

Philip and Andrew Oliver, the original creators behind Dizzy, one of the most successful European computer game brands of the late 1980s, have today announced Dizzy Returns, a Kickstarter UK campaign to fund a brand new adventure game starring Dizzy.
The Dizzy Returns campaign gives fans old and new the chance to be a part of Dizzy history, not only by giving their financial support by pledging, but also by being involved with design decisions throughout development via backer-only design forums. Other rewards on offer include exclusive digital content available only to Kickstarter backers and opportunities to be immortalised in the new game, with more rewards to be announced during the 30 day campaign.

“Dizzy Returns is the game that Andrew and I have wanted to make for over twenty years”, says Philip Oliver, CEO at Blitz Games Studios, the company founded by the Oliver Twins in 1990. “We've always believed in creating games that are fun, challenging and rewarding and we've carried those principles through into everything that Blitz has created since. Dizzy encapsulates these ideals perfectly: quirky characters and story, interesting locations, challenging platforming, the satisfaction of a puzzle well-solved and exploring a colourful, fun world.”

The first Dizzy, published in 1987 was an instant hit with gamers of all ages, with its perfect blend of platforming, puzzle solving and exploration. It spawned a hit series of over 15 games over multiple platforms, including the Amstrad, Spectrum and Amiga.
Successful funding of the £350,000 campaign will allow development to begin on iOS and PC versions of Dizzy Returns, with additional platforms dependent on the final amount raised.

“It’s been over two decades since the last brand new Dizzy game” continues Andrew Oliver, CTO, “and since then not only has technology advanced dramatically, so has the way we play games. We want to bring Dizzy bang up-to-date, and introduce him to a new generation of gamers. We also want to give loyal fans the Dizzy game they’ve been waiting for! Capturing the spirit and magic of the original series of Dizzy games, whilst creating a gaming experience relevant to gamers today is something that we’re confident that we can do, and do right.”

Dizzy Returns is billed as ‘the biggest and best Dizzy game ever’ and The Oliver Twins will be working closely with the development team at Blitz to create new control methods, new game mechanics and new puzzles never before seen in a Dizzy game.
Philip continues: “Dizzy Returns is not about simply replacing the old; we want to create fantastic new Dizzy memories that will be looked back on in 20 years with the same warm feelings as the original series.“

PLEASE VISIT THE KICKSTARTER PAGE AND MAKE DIZZY HISTORY!

#7834323 November 2012

I have pledged and am really excited about this! Thank you Oliver Twins for trying!

I hope they get to their target... £350,000 seems like a hell of a lot of money.

#7834423 November 2012

Dizzy Returns - The all time classic retro platformer is back with a kickstarter !
http://indieretronews.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/dizzy-returns-all-time-classic-retro.html

MY ARTICLE

There is also a way to relive many of these glory days by fan made remakes, which you can try out on the awesome dizzyage website. You can even play the originals on your pc today, all you have to do is download, install and play. Some of the fan made remakes have had a lot of work put into them and even the dizzy age people themselves have created a massive story such as Dizzy and the Other Side which you can still download. Also keep an eye on this website as fan made development is an ongoing cycle, one day you might visit the website and find a brand new fan remake for you to try. You can even create your very own dizzy games with the specialized tools for Dizzy gamers Before we move on, Dizzy age is going to release a Christmas bundle in Dec ( 25th ) for which I'm excited about!

:teethy: Read it :teethy:

#7834723 November 2012

I can't believe I'm reading this! {yolkfolk}:jawdrop:

I disappear for 18 hours and this announcement comes :teethy: Bare with me guys, I've got some catching up to do. :smile:

#7835023 November 2012

I really hope it makes it but I too think that is a lot of money, yeah it takes a lot to make a game but maybe too far a reach, maybe the iOS game did quite well

#7835323 November 2012

This is great. Seems like an awful lot of money to get in only a month though. I'm unfortunately going to have to hold off on donating right now. With the price of the US dollar plummeting I have no idea exactly what I would be giving come the 21st. Right now it's £1 = $1.59. So if I gave £20 it would actually cost me $32. :surprise:

#7835423 November 2012

Might just have £350,000 somewere under my car seat.... Nope :sad: sorry.
Lotto tomorrow.

Anyway, shocking news, so unexpected. They wont reach the target however but if the company is already making other games then why can't they just make a Dizzy one? Seems a bit odd, i would assume they will make it but need extra financial support. (they could always work weekends, labor of love, after all you don't need money you need people)

#7835623 November 2012

Sounds good to me and I will pledge but...not being very technically minded, will I be able to play this on the PC?

If not, then it is a little pointless to me as just like the last game on the Android and Iphone and that, I wasn't able to play cos I am one of these with the old style Nokia. A phone should be a phone to me and not an instrument!!?

#7836023 November 2012

[quote data-userid="260" data-postid="78356"]

Sounds good to me and I will pledge but…not being very technically minded, will I be able to play this on the PC?

[/quote]

Looks like it according to the Kickstarter site.

To those of you that use Twitter, there is a Dizzy Returns Twitter account you can follow. :smile:

https://twitter.com/DizzyReturns

Also, try to get this project trending on Twitter with #dizzyreturns .

#7836223 November 2012

Great news indeed. I hope it goes well. The request is not really that much for making a game and others asked and got a lot more. What worries me is that Dizzy has to make most of these money from the UK, while other such projects had the whole US to count on.

And as it was made clear on the pledges list, for 10 GBP you'll receive the digital version for PC, which seems like a fair price for a PC game, especially one you waited for years :smile:

#7836324 November 2012

Was just about to post this up but hot of the press is already here ha ha.

I am still around although things have been frenetic recently work wise with big changes & challenges, making Dizzy Games im just not in a position to do as so busy & shattered, sadly not even been playing any of the recent ones (sigh)...but least they there for at somepoint.

Anyway this is promising news !!

#7836424 November 2012

Hi all,

Excellent news indeed! Here's hoping they hit the target - I daren't think what'll happen if they don't :sad:

I'm guessing the game would be created using BlitzTech engine which runs on virtually every platform, so there's a lot of scope there for ports to other systems.

I'm wondering if the Kickstarter does enough to explain the scale of what's being planned. If you look at the top three pledge rewards, each involves designing whole quests, which one would presume involves several items. Given that the old games had an average of 23.5 items (yes, I'm obsessed enough to have worked that out before), I suspect we're looking at sometihng substantially larger than any of the classic games.

Very pleased to hear more story aspects being worked on. I'd like to see something with Dr. Who levels of plot - not anything as complicated or grown-up as Lost, but Saturday-evening family-viewing kinda stuff. A bit of background for those who want to notice it.

#7836524 November 2012

I doubt they will hit the target and just giving £10 isn't going to make much of a contrition to such a massive target.

If it fails, the Twins can use Dizzyage and do it in their spare time like the rest of us.

#7836624 November 2012

Although I do always appreciate honesty when posting on the forums and allow people to express their views. I do however have to do disagree with Meph's lack of enthusiasm about the Kickstarter.

Both Andrew and Philip are being realistic as they have stated and they want to wholeheartedly bring Dizzy back and not make the fans of the game, themselves included, short changed and left wanting....

The Olivers, along with the rest of Blitz are very experienced in the games industry and know what they are talking about and financially how much all this would cost to deliver.

Kickstarter is a great launch pad for something like this. And YES is can be done.

An example of this would be the resent success of Stanless Games - Carmageddon's Kickstarter campaign.

They managed to collect roughly £390,000 in the same timescale.

The rate at which the money is coming in is 'on track'.

As for the issue someone raised about Blitz just funding it themselves its a massive risk. Companies like Disney paid Blitz for their skills behind the recent release of Epic Mickey 2. (Which is a really good game from the Demo I played on Xbox)

They have the knowledge and the tools and the experience behind them to make this work and its up to all of us to make it happen.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theolivertwins/dizzy-returns?ref=live

#7836724 November 2012

I don't feel that they'll reach the target either, I know It's only day 2 but I really was expecting a lot more than 8k to be pledged over night. :sad:

All I'm doing is constantly posting the link onto Facebook and Twitter in hope that many people would help out.

All I can suggest to all of you is to visit many forums and retro gaming sites as you can and keep announcing this on Facebook and Twitter (with the #dizzyreturns trend).

We're not giving up.

#7836824 November 2012

[quote data-userid="1" data-postid="78366"]

The rate at which the money is coming in is ‘on track’.

[/quote]

hmmm unfortunately I don't agree with you there. £350,000 in 28 days is £12,500 per day, and in just over two days it's raised £8,378. I don't mean to be pessimistic, but I think Meph could be correct.

At this rate, by the end of the 4 weeks the total raised will be about £120,000.

#7837225 November 2012

Well we've just passed the 10k mark, Just hope that it can make it to 350k.

#7837325 November 2012

Sorry chaps I'm as enthusiastic about the idea as the next Dizzy fan is and give as much support as possible.
But I'm also being realistic. (No expectations no dissapointments)
I have also seen some high profile projects and big names on kickstarter who've fail.

It's a LOT of money to raise for a project that many people wont be familiar with. Dizzy doesn't have a large underground cult following, it has a small community of fans. Younger fans wont know what it is or even have any money, older fans probably don't have money to give away, so just giving an odd £10-£20 really isn't going to push towards that target, there is not enough of us. What they need is a real backer to fund the majority of the project, or someone/company with some power behind them.

Let's see what happens.
Fingers crossed.

Can't they help raise money by selling games too? You can't just depend on Kickstarter.
IF those original games were coded for PC and mobile and sold to the public, not only will it raise money but raise awareness. It worked with the Prince Of yolkfolk remake, that was a success.

#7837625 November 2012

I agree with Meph, being realistic this is a LOT of money for what amounts to a relatively niche product. I would also expect that donations would be quicker at the start of the campaign and then slow down, as us fans will hear about it early on and contribute ASAP. Obviously I do hope they succeed, but cannot in all honesty, see it. I won't be able to contribute myself as I have recently been made redundant, so am having to look after all my pennies even more than I usually do being a tight wad!
With regards to PoY being a success, was it really? Surely Blitz will know how much it cost to develop and how much it made. Surely if it had been a great success they would have been able to plough some of the profits into a new game. I can only therefore assume that it was a minor success, making its money back, justifying a second attempt. And that was a game that was already developed, so it was just a case of rewriting for the new platforms, so I doubt development costs were astronomical.
So, in the words of Mr Banatyne, good luck with it, but I am out.

#7837726 November 2012

POTYF is a game originally owned by Codemasters, and so any revenue would need to be shared with them. The same is the case for all the other games, so one might expect that re-releases to raise funds would have minimal impact due to the revenue share. Not to mention the scope for franchise fatigue, where people would get sick of Dizzy after seeing all the old games re-released with all their flaws!