IN ONE SENTENCE
In this 1st person pvx game players and the environment dynamically create quests.
 
IN THREE SENTENCES
THE INVITATION is a 1st person pvx, whose dynamic quest system leads to a whole new multiplayer experience. In this game quests are not given by NPCs. They come from events, players and the environment, which frequently invites to new tasks and tough decision making.
 
ABOUT THE GAME
The player finds himself in the rundown countryside of Europe in 2081. Since an advanced alien civilization connected humanity to an interstellar transport network, mankind localises in metropolises and enjoys the benefits of the changes after the Invitation.

The few people still living in the outlands follow their own law. Aliens browse the area. Groups fight for control of essential spots like factories or data centers. Individuals fight for loot and their lives.

It’s an open world game and players can set their own goals. On first glimpse it reminds of a typical loot shooter, but once you look closer, you realize: There is a hell of a difference! The player gets offered adventures on different ways. Not like in most games by NPCS though, there are three kinds of invitations: PvX / Player / Environment.

PvX Invitations are the flesh and bones of the game. Events of all kinds invite people to participate in the world. This ranges from roaming aliens to gang fights. These events allure players with obtainable equipment. PvX means that you can never be sure who you will be fighting against. It may start as an attack on an AI-driven alien but end as a battle against other players for the loot.

The developers will add more of such events from time to time to introduce ever changing challenges to the players. This will constantly change the ways to acquire items in the game.

Player Invitations come from players directly: Every player is able to create all kinds of quests for other players. These can range from player assassinations and emergency calls to raid invitations. As long as the reward is tempting enough, there should be a helping hand.

In the quest menu every player can edit one of the order presets or create an own for the unique needs. In this menu you can also filter which quests you as a mercenary are interested in – depending on the reward or the client’s reputation in the community for example.

Environment Invitations are areas that give players access to resources or adjustments on their modular avatars. In the hospital, for instance, players can attach previously found prostheses to their bodies using medical robots in order to unlock other abilities. With special 3D printers located in the armory you can create different kinds of grenades.

Since these areas will be used quite a lot, the developers expect a lot of fights, trades and betrayal.
With this new concept the developer team tool1 plans to create the base for a dynamically growing game. Besides adventures and harsh consequences, THE INVITATION offers one thing in particular: maximum player interaction.
 
ROADMAP
Currently the team works on the final touches of their Kickstarter campaign. As soon as their discord server has 1000 members, the campaign will go live. For this the developers entice people with insights into the development and discord exclusive skins.

In May 2021 they want to launch the Kickstarter exclusive alpha. Once the basic modular structure of the game is finished, the developers plan to add content dynamically. Besides more items and scoreboards, above all, pvx- and environment invitations shall be added into the game. Lead Game Designer Martin Kleingräber says, “This way, we want to offer an ever-growing playground for new adventures.”
 
THE FOUNDERS
Martin Kleingräber // Vision, Lead Game Design, User Interface, Concept ArtVisionary: Defines the goal and makes sure it doesn’t fall from view.
2017+: THE INVITATION
2014-2018: Master of Arts HAW Hamburg (Game Design)
2014-2016: Interaction Design at iExergy
2009-2013: Bachelor of Arts Design School Münster (graphic design / illustration)
2006-2012: Freelance Illustration and Design (i.a. Art Direction for Götterdämmerung (Deltadog Designz))
 
Timo Becker // Creative Direction, Management, Environment Design, Marketing, Game Design, Concept Art
Martin-tamer: Filters Martins idea output (to outsiders this might sound like a dispute).
2018+: THE INVITATION
2010+: Freelance Illustration and Design (i.a. Concept Art for Love, Death & Robots (Blur Studio), Illustrations for Siemens, fritz-kola, BerlinArtBang)
2017-2019: University Lecturer at Kunsthochschule Kassel
2008-2013: Bachelor of Arts Design School Münster (Grafikdesign / Illustration)
 
Stephen Fuhrmann // Technical Direction, Game + Network Programming, Game Design
Birdperson: BACKGROUND NOISE!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!!!!1!!
2017+: THE INVITATION
2013+: Product Specialist at Ventuz Technology AG
2014-2016: Master of Arts HAW Hamburg (Games/Programming)
2011-2014: Bachelor of Science HAW Hamburg (Media Systems)
 
HARD FACTS
platform: Windows
kickstarter launch: in a couple weeks (as soon as 1000 people joined the THE INVITATION discord channel)
kickstarter exclusive alpha including at least: one map with four Environment Invitations, 2 avatars including protheses (m / f), modular weapon and one PvX Invitation
kickstarter exclusive alpha launch: May 2021
company name: tool1 (tool1game1 GmbH, founded 2020 in Hamburg, Germany)
founders: Martin Kleingräber, Timo Becker, Stephen Fuhrmann
core team: 10 people
done so far: 1.127 days of work (147 days game design, 629 days art, 193 days programming, 93 days management, 65 days other stuff)
 
LINKS / HASHTAGSWebsite: https://the-invitation-game.com/

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