25 Klicks

📍 Bristol, UK (GB)

🏷️ Video Games

25 Klicks

A Highly Social, Collaborative, Post-Apocalyptic World Building Game!

We need your help to create 25 Klicks!

25 Klicks will be a highly social, post-apocalyptic, world building game. It will take a sharp left turn from the usual 'survival game' in the sense that if you and your allies collaborate well enough, you won't be working to just 'survive'; you'll be working to rebuild a civilization... and all the joy, love and headache that comes with one. Every decision you make affects the fate of your town - from defending the gates to electing your mayor.

Why?

We don't think there's anything else like this available to gamers. While there are many sources of inspiration for this game, 25 Klicks takes a very different approach from the ground up.

25 Klicks is a unique online multiplayer experience where every social choice shapes the fate of your town. It challenges players to collaborate and build a shared world from the ground up, where they will have to defend it from both human raiders and zombie hordes. It draws inspiration from a wealth of games, and hopefully will be a unique blend that takes the best from all. One such inspiration was a classic called Die2Nite, however instead of having predetermined "traitors", every player has the freedom to choose whether they wish to act selfishly or helpfully - shaping the fate of their town and their own stories. (No Among Us style battle to the death.) If some of you are understanding my vision, you might also be thinking about games such as One Hour One Life (or 2HOL), and rightly so! However our design won’t need someone to be online and pumping out babies to keep the town alive!

The Vision

We believe that the most compelling games are those driven by player interaction and emergent storytelling. Our goal is to build a sandbox where social dynamics, rivalries, and alliances are as important as the mechanics of scavenging and building. With your support, we can bring this vision to life with two distinct but connected experiences:

Version 1: The Text-Based Foundation For our initial launch, we will build a robust text-based version of the game. This will allow us to focus on the core gameplay loops, ensuring the mechanics, from scavenging and building to horde attacks and player reputation, are perfectly balanced and engaging. This version will be fast to develop and serve as the core engine for all future iterations.

Version 2: A Habbo-Inspired Hellscape!
The second version will be the full visual experience. Inspired by the isometric art style of games like Habbo Hotel, this version will bring the world of 25 Klicks to life with detailed environments, character customization, and real-time movement. Imagine walking through your town, seeing the buildings you and your friends built, and watching the daily drama unfold in a vibrant, immersive world, or going out into the wasteland to crack some skulls.

The plan is to maintain both versions in parity, as best possible!

Gameplay Highlights

• 🏗️ Build Your Town:
  Your actions in the game are driven by a set number of Action Points (AP) that you receive each day. You will spend these AP to contribute resources and construct essential buildings, from workbenches and watchtowers to factories and foundries. While your AP refreshes daily, you can also find ways to earn extra points in-game through specific tasks and events. Every building is a step toward greater safety and prosperity. Starting as a small settlement of just a handful of players, a town can eventually grow into a functioning, sprawling city with a population in the thousands.
• 🌍 Explore the Wasteland:
  The game's name, 25 Klicks, comes from its lore: towns can never be closer than 25 kilometers from each other. Venture out into these vast distances to scavenge for resources. But be warned - the further you go, the greater the risks. The game is set on a shared global map, so if your town falls, you have the option to survive and travel to another town, seeking refuge or a fresh start. You can also craft and upgrade your own gear, building a personal character with their own unique story.

Player Driven Systems:

• 🚗 Vehicles & Expeditions:
  While scavenging the wasteland can be done alone, towns can collaborate to build vehicles that allow players to travel in groups on faster, more productive expeditions. An expedition leader can take command of a group, using their AP to move all members together and perform coordinated attacks, a vital strategy for tackling dangerous areas. A leader's poor decision, however, could leave an entire group stranded in the wasteland.
   
• 🏠 Player Homes & Inventory:
  While towns have a shared inventory for resources, players also have private homes. These spaces act as a personal sanctuary and private storage. As you upgrade your home, it provides additional inventory slots and a safer place to recover if injured.
   
• 💬 Intrigue - Reputation Matters:
  Every action you take can be witnessed by others. Will they trust you, or call you out? Players can reward or punish behaviour with reputation points, shaping alliances, rivalries, and even elections. Your choices don’t just affect you - they echo across the whole town.
   
• 🗺️ Persistent World: Unlike other survival games where towns have a limited lifespan, your town can survive indefinitely with proper planning and player dedication. When your character dies, you can simply create a new one to join another town, and your actions will have left their mark.
   
• ⚔️ Deep Social and Political Gameplay - Lead, or Be Overthrown:
  Towns need leaders, but power is never permanent. Players can run for important positions of power, gain influence, and guide the community… until bad decisions turn the town against them. Morale, reputation, and politics are baked into the game, making every choice, from cooperation to betrayal, carry real consequences. 
   
• 🎲 High-Stakes Consequences - Survive the Night:
  Every day is likely to end with an attack. The stronger your town, the stronger the horde / troops that will try to tear you down. Stand and fight with your neighbours, or risk losing everything. Hunger, gear, morale, and teamwork all matter. If too many hide instead of helping, the town will fall. Don't worry - we've thought of how players can engage in the battle without having to be online at the witching hour.
   
• ⚒️ Unique Roles & Specialisation:
  As a town grows, players can take on specific roles. For example, a "Founder" has a double vote in banishment decisions, and a democratically elected "Mayor" can recommend building projects. Many buildings will also come with associated roles, such as "Carpenter" or "Sheriff," that make a player twice as effective at a specific task. These specialisations create a living economy and social structure within the game.

Where Your Contribution Goes

Developer Salary: To accelerate development and create a polished, bug-free game engine.
Artist Salary: To begin designing the characters, environments, and buildings that will define the visual style of the game.
Server Costs: To ensure a smooth, stable, and low-latency experience for all players.
Kickstarter Fees & Taxes: Covering the essential costs of running a successful campaign.

Our initial goal is to hire a dedicated developer to assist in building the full text-based version and a talented artist to start creating the visual assets for the Habbo-inspired world.

The Team

Right now, the project is being worked on by a passionate developer (Alberto). This is being done on a freelance basis, although we'd love to be able to pay him to take on the project full time. Other than that, it’s just me (Antony). I'm a lifelong gamer who's seen it all since the SNES days. I'm a carer by day and also run a non profit organisation for people living with disabilities in the UK. I shall be working nights and weekends to make this dream real. I’ve built on other people’s games before (modding), but this is my first original project. My partner is an experienced business manager and will be helping me however she can. With your support, we can dedicate more time to the project and bring in the developer / artist this project deserves.

By backing this campaign, you're not just supporting a project; you're helping to build a committed and talented team to bring this world to life.

If you'd like more information, please do feel free to get in touch.

Thank you for your support!