History VideoGame / MassiveChalice

''Massive Chalice'' is a TurnBasedStrategy game developed by ''Creator/DoubleFine''; the brain-child of Brad Muir who previously brought us ''VideoGame/IronBrigade'', and is the second Double Fine game funded by Website/{{Kickstarter}}. Following on from the more open development approach of ''VideoGame/BrokenAge'' the team broadcasted public "live-team-steams" fortnightly; they discussed new ideas, cut material and progress (these are archived on [[https://www.twitch.tv/doublefine/videos/all Double Fine's Twitch channel]]). A full fledged documentary by 2PlayerProductions is also being finalized. It was finally released on June 1st, 2015 for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] and UsefulNotes/XboxOne.

* PlayerAndProtagonistIntegration: You are the immortal ruler bound to the titular Chalice at the start of the game who is periodically awakened from a long slumber to lead with the Cadence attacks.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: The three core class archetypes are sporting: a portable battering ram, a lacrosse craw that flings potions, and a [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon bazooka-style crossbow]].

* ItKindOfLooksLikeAFace: The jagged stem of the Massive Chalice makes a classic [[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Rubin2.jpg face/vase illusion]] with the asymmetry creating two distinct faces that represent the man and woman in the chalice on the left and right respectively.

* MinoredInAsskicking: Sagewrights keep their stats and when their guild is attacked they're placed on the map with a simple hammer. Not terribly helpful for hunters and alchemists but if it's an experienced ex-caberjack then they'll pack quite a punch.

* NeverMessWithGranny: That (slightly) smaller aging grey woman on the battlefield may just be the strongest thing on it! Of course, using her means she can't have children.
* NoArcInArchery: The Hunterss massive crossbow fires only straight -- and in the case of the Bone Barb Bow, straight ''through'' lines of enemies. Any sort of arcing is exclusively the domain of special attacks like the Alchemists' bomb-tossing.

* RatedMForManly: Despite equality among the in-game sexes the game seems to be leaning towards the similar direction of ''Iron Brigade''.

* RenaissanceMan: The Sagewrights, as shown in their character design, are a highly eclectic bunch. Their skills range from scholarly research to forging weapons and large scale building construction. This is partly because "research" and "building" are one and the same thing in this game.

* RunningGag: "Sound the horn of [event]", it's even the same horn noise no matter what.

* AreaOfEffect: The Alchemist bombs that have a cross section but their bee bombs really take this to the extreme expanding up to 10 tiles before it dissipates.
* AncestralWeapon: Fallen heroes have a chance of creating a relic that can be passed on down through their bloodlines; giving stat boosts and other bonuses.

* BallisticBone: The Bulwards fire bone shards. You can research your own bone firing weapon to get your own back.

* CutAndPasteEnvironments: Craftily utilized due to the tight budget; all levels so far only have a minimum number of objects necessary with liberal use of rotation and size variation giving the impression of unique objects.
* DemonicInvaders: The Cadence.

* EldritchAbomination: The Cadence all look suitably bizarre with one having the "head" of an orb held up by multiple arms sprouting from it's neck.
* EvilutionaryBiologist: Amusingly the player can become this. Coldly selecting "favourable" traits for the heroes they retire, while throwing those with undesirable traits into harms way, or completely out of the way into research. In some effort to curb this the devs separated traits into genetic and personality; so you may keep somebody that is a slow learner (less exp) but is quick footed (higher evasion).
* EvolvingWeapon: Relics gain XP just like Heroes, which allow them to convey better and better bonuses as they rank up.

* FinalDeathMode: Ironman mode, saves after every action, is optional for all difficulty levels.
* GenerationalSaga
* GoingThroughTheMotions: Repeatably mentioned in the "team-streams"; wherever possible every character uses the same set of animations to save time and money.

* HeroicLineage: A key component of the game is the careful cultivation of these a the start to provide better warriors in the end game.

** [[spoiler:The final battle is a more traditional example as you fight off hordes of enemies waiting for the Chalice to fire.]]
* HumanResources: Effectively, all resources are human resources. You can only staff your research-boosting Sagecrafting guild with heroes, you need heroes to rule keeps and breed children, you need a hero to run the training guild, and, of course, you need heroes to fight.
* ImprobableWeaponUser: The three core hero classes are sporting; a portable battering ram, a lacrosse craw that flings potions, and a [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon bazooka-styled-crossbow]]. The hybrid classes get even weirder from there.
* InUniverseGameClock: One of the more extreme examples of this trope, the game has the Epic Timeline; completing the game will take several generations, at least 300 years.

* LevelDrain: Lapses' attacks reduce your exp. Get hit enough and you'll loose a level and your skills.

* NewWeird: The team have gone out of their way to avoid the common MedievalEuropeanFantasy creating a new world with Russian and Mongol influences. The monsters are alien in design and do weird things not usually attributed to traditional monsters as well. Even the name of TheCorruption is weird, "The Cadence."
* NeverMessWithGranny: That (slightly) smaller aging grey woman on the battlefield may just be the strongest thing on it! Of course using her means she can't have children.
* NoArcInArchery: The hunter's massive crossbow fires only straight -- in the case of one special weapon, through lines of enemies. Any sort of arcing is exclusively the domain of special attacks like an alchemist's bomb-tossing.
* PlayerAndProtagonistIntegration: You are the immortal ruler awakened from a long slumber to lead with the cadence attacks.

* RenaissanceMan: The Sagewrights, as shown in their character design, are a highly eclectic bunch. Their skills range from scholarly research, forging weapons and large scale building construction. (This is partly because "research" and "building" are one and the same thing in this game).

* TrickArrow: the six armed bow that fires bone shards from a particular enemy. It reduces damage but enables the "arrow" to pierce enemies hitting everything in it's path.
** Hybrid classes gain exploding arrows and (oddly) health arrows. As well as an arrow that plants fast growing seeds as it flies; providing cover all along it's flight-path.

* ShiftingSandLand: One of the five areas takes place one a dried up river bed with bizarre coral-like vegatation; taking influence from real-life salt-flats.

* StandardStatusEffects: The corrupted tiles left by Ruptures. You can also weaponize this adding it to your Alchemist's potions.

* BadassGrandpa: The game is designed so this will happen with the bitter pill that if you use him in battles he won't be able to have children.

''Massive Chalice'' is a TurnBasedStrategy game developed by ''Creator/DoubleFine''; the brain-child of Brad Muir who previously brought us ''VideoGame/IronBrigade'', and is the second Double Fine game funded by Website/{{Kickstarter}}. Following on from the more open development approach of ''VideoGame/BrokenAge'' the team broadcasted public "live-team-steams" fortnightly; they discussed new ideas, cut material and progress (these are archived on [[https://www.twitch.tv/doublefine/videos/all Double Fine's Twitch channel]]). A full fledged documentary by 2PlayerProductions is also being finalized.

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* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: heroes won't be wearing helmets to allow you to see character traits that will vary depending on their linage.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: The three core hero classes are sporting; a portable battering ram, a lacrosse craw that flings potions, and a [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon bazooka-styled-crossbow]].

''Massive Chalice'' is a TurnBasedStrategy game developed by ''Creator/DoubleFine''; the brain-child of Brad Muir who previously brought us ''VideoGame/IronBrigade'', and is the second Double Fine game funded by {{Kickstarter}}. Following on from the more open development approach of ''VideoGame/BrokenAge'' the team broadcasted public "live-team-steams" fortnightly; they discussed new ideas, cut material and progress (these are archived on [[https://www.twitch.tv/doublefine/videos/all Double Fine's Twitch channel]]). A full fledged documentary by 2PlayerProductions is also being finalized.

''Massive Chalice'' is a TurnBasedStrategy game developed by ''Creator/DoubleFine''; the brain-child of Brad Muir who previously brought us ''VideoGame/IronBrigade'', and is the second Double Fine game funded by {{Kickstarter}}. Following on from the more open development approach of ''VideoGame/BrokenAge'' the team broadcasted a public "live-team-steams" is fortnightly; they discussed new ideas, cut material and progress (these are archived on [[https://www.twitch.tv/doublefine/videos/all Double Fine's Twitch channel]]). A full fledged documentary by 2PlayerProductions is also being finalized.

''Massive Chalice'' is a TurnBasedStrategy game developed by ''Creator/DoubleFine''; the brain-child of Brad Muir who previously brought us ''VideoGame/IronBrigade'', and is the second Double Fine game funded by {{Kickstarter}}. Following on from the more open development approach of ''VideoGame/BrokenAge'' the team broadcast a public "live-team-steam" is fortnightly discussing new ideas, cut material and progress. A full fledged documentary by 2PlayerProductions is also being finalized.

* SuicideAttack: The Rupture's attack is exploding close to your heroes; causing damage and also corrupting the surrounding area.

** The whole game is one massive one, as you battle agaisnt the Cadence for 300 years waiting for the Chalice to be powerful enough to rid the world of the Cadence.

* PlayerAndProtagonistIntegration: You are the Immortal King awakened from a long slumber to lead with the cadence attacks.

* CreatureBreedingMechanic: You must partake in a ''hero'' breeding mechanic, where you, as the immortal king of the realm, must decide which heroes and heroines defending the lands have to retire to their castles, [[ArrangedMarriage intermarry]] and produce a new lineup of young heroes who inherit some of their old folks' powers and generally become stronger with each generation.

* NewWeird: The team have gone out of their way to avoid the common MedievalEuropeanFantasy creating a new world with Russian and Mongol influences.

* NoArcInArchery: The hunter's massive crossbow fires only straight -- in the case of one special weapon, through lines of enemies. Any sort of arcing is exclusively the domain of special attacks.

* RedOniBlueOni: The Chalice speaks with two voices; an older, sagely male voice and a younger, enthusiastic female voice. Sometimes the voices imply they used to be normal people.
* RenaissanceMan: The Sagewrights, as shown in their character design, are a highly eclectic bunch. Their skills range from scholarly research, forging weapons and large scale building construction.

''Massive Chalice'' is an upcoming game devolved by ''Creator/DoubleFine''; the brain-child of Brad Muir who previously brought us ''VideoGame/IronBrigade'', and is the second Double Fine game funded by {{Kickstarter}}. Following on from the more open development approach of ''VideoGame/BrokenAge'' a public "live-team-steam" is broadcast every fortnight discussing new ideas, cut material and progress. Currently in Beta so anything and everything might change as the game develops.

* RapidAging: Withers are powerful melee attackers that increase their target's age by five years for every hit. Not so good when you're trying to squeeze as many years of usefulness out of your troops as possible.