The ongoing crowdfunding effort for Underworld Ascendant has kind of plateaued, it seems; the pledge total on the project website is still a few thousand short of the $900,000 threshold…as was the case a few weeks ago when they announced that if that particular funding level is reached, liches — and, in particular, Tyball the Damned — will be added to the game.

So it’s perhaps fitting that the latest news update from OtherSide Entertainment re-iterates what reaching the $900,000 stretch goal means, and what lies beyond it as well:

We’re going to start off this issue of the Stygian Sentinel with a reminder to everyone that we are oh so close to getting Liches into Underworld Ascendant! With just a few thousand dollars to go to hit the next stretch goal, we can literally feel the malevolence that may soon be found in the darkest depths of the Abyss.

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Once the Liches have arrived, it’s on to the Necropolis. Pledge now (or increase your pledge) to bring a bit of evil to your game. We promise not to let them corrupt your entire soul… just the good parts!

The rest of the latest Stygian Sentinel was written by Joe Fielder; he discusses his role at OtherSide:

My game background is pretty wildly disparate, ranging from level design in first-person shooters in the Medal of Honor series, puzzle design for Stephen Spielberg’s BOOM BLOX, narrative for BioShock Infinite, and more. I’ve also been a producer for art, narrative, and design, a game journalist, and a comic book writer. I’ve worked on enormous AAA games and scrappy indie projects.

The reason I mention this is I’ve found myself drawing on ALL those experiences on a daily basis.

For instance, puzzle design comes to bear, albeit a little abstractly, while considering ways that the player will utilize the Improvisation Engine to find clever ways to interact with the environment and the creatures within it. Narrative and level design play a part in plotting out how we introduce those gameplay elements and tie them into the overall world in fun, interesting ways. Comic book writing helps me consider what information we might express visually and game writing, how to keep dialogue lean, focused, and out of the way of the action. Game reviewing means always thinking about what players will find compelling and fun. And my time in production means I have some incredibly talented artists and audio designers to draw upon to help ensure the Stygian Abyss looks and sounds amazing.

Click on through to read the rest.