A cooperative game of sci-fi survival horror for 1-6 players, inspired by Lovecraft’s work and featuring amazingly detailed miniatures.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Samuel and the Sphere, the QuoteStar FAQ, and a DM Discussion
over 7 years ago
– Fri, Nov 02, 2018 at 04:51:31 AM
Hi there, everyone! I hope you've been having a great day.
For those of you who haven't played Deep Madness yet, you might be wondering what makes this game different, and what all the fuss is about. Well, here's a podcast put on by our friend Mike over at One Stop Co-Op Shop. It's long, but it is a very in-depth look at Deep Madness. We recommend it, and we hope you'll enjoy it.
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QUOTESTAR'S FAQ
Also, as many of you know, our resident celebrity Maddy (otherwise known as the one and only QuoteStar) has diligently been compiling a FAQ for this campaign, just as she did for the first DM campaign. If you haven't checked out her FAQ, you really should do so. It's much more in-depth than the official one on the FAQ page of the campaign, and she updates it every time we throw a monkey wrench into what she's already written. (Which is often.) You can find it at
And last of all, we've knocked one achievement out and are getting really close on a couple of others! That intro scenario is getting so, so close! Can we do it? (Hint: absolutely we can!)
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SAMUEL AND THE SPHERE
Next, I thought we'd go over one of the Sphere Faces a little more in-depth. And, honestly, since he's the captain of the whole bunch, I thought it very appropriate to start with Samuel.
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Dry, dusty boards crunch under Samuel's feet as motes dance in the anemic light sifting down from the filthy green windows. Jagged stained glass reflects a shattered reality, twisted in the minds of some infernal fallen angel. Samuel enters the dark cathedral's sanctuary, and finds he hasn't wanted a drink this badly in years.
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Walking beside Samuel, you frown in alarm. Something is happening in the corridor up ahead. You have seen so many things in Kadath's dark labyrinth, but this seems to be new. The world is shimmering, splitting at a seam. Samuel holds you back with one hand. "Hold up," he whispers. "What in the name of. . ."
It's coming through.
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Reality twists anew. The floor is alive, wriggling with living, jeering, screeching guilt. Samuel has let so many down: His crew in the sub, this team in Kadath. His friends. His charges. He led them to their pits, and he watched as they tumbled in, helpless to save them. The squirming chaos of regret winds around him, constricts around his body.
The voices have claws and teeth. They rip at him; devour him. "Crucify the false messiah," they gurgle. "Burn his soul at the stake." It's like there's rigor mortis in his arms, pulling them taught and pinning them in place. Samuel feels his head split into a crown of thorns. Lord help him.
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The creature spills into the room before you, arms upraised, mouths churning and gnawing and slurping as tentacles whip and thrash. Samuel starts to raise his SMG, but then he freezes, his breath hissing through his teeth.
"What is it, Samuel?" you ask. "Shoot it!"
"That cross around its neck," Samuel whispers, his hand straying towards his chest. "That thing -- it's – it’s me."
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Samuel Smith Sphere Face. Sculpted by BigChild Creative.
Painted by BigChild Creative.
As mentioned in a previous update, Sphere Faces are an entirely new kind of threat. They don't exist to kill you. They aren't event particularly interested in you, to be honest. They just roam aimlessly around the board, trapped in their own personal hell, and sew chaos in their wake.
When investigators first encounter Samuel's Sphere Face, they might almost be glad for it, as investigators in the same room as him gain one extra resistance die. The problem is, if those same investigators are still there when his activation begins, then they will also take one madness token instantly. So do you chance being in his presence for the extra resistance? Or do you flee to avoid the madness? (Or do you try to kill him, removing him from the game and taking the reward on the back of his card?)
Samuel Smith Sphere Face Card.
In the end, the Sphere Faces don't just sew chaos: they also add another strategic layer to the game, offering you more choices and new paths forward.
Well that's it for this update. We'll talk to you again tomorrow with more cool stuff! Have a great day!
News, Reviews and Contests
over 7 years ago
– Thu, Nov 01, 2018 at 04:38:37 AM
CATCHING UP ON THE LASTEST
Hey there, everybody! We just have a quick update for you tonight about the state of many things Deep Madness.
First of all, it seems you were pretty excited about that last update about voting for the next Sphere Face. So far we've had 508 comments (as of this writing) come in! That is staggering, guys! Dang!
Wondering how your favorite is stacking up? Well here's a rough tally we have going on of the investigators:
Current vote tally.
As you can see, Ward Phillips and Jacob Clarke are absolutely neck and neck. They've been exchanging places for the top spot ever since we started this, and have pretty much left everyone else in the dust. In fact, really the only one who could pull out a come-from-behind victory in my opinion is… Hannah?!
That's right, apparently many of us in this community either love kids or just love to turn them into horrific slobbering monstrosities with demonic teddy bears, because Hannah, the little girl, is our third-place contender. Something that has given all of us a really good chuckle. Also of interest: while Amanda Weaver does have 54, I believe that a good half of those are actually just for Jon. We obviously have a lot of cat people in our midst, as well.
We also still have voting open on which regular monster you'd like to see become a standalone Epic Monster. Ravenous is already in the works, but you guys are going to tell us which one to do next. If you'd like to throw in your two cents on this, go to the update before last at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/diemensiongames/deep-madness-second-printing/posts/2330779. We haven't kept as close of a track on these as we have on the Sphere Face because there's still a couple days before this voting ends, but from a cursory look it's seeming pretty promising for Drifter and… the Mind Eater???!! Okay, I'll admit: the more I think about an epic Mind Eater, the less it seems like a joke and the cooler the idea gets. (Especially after someone commenting that the Mind Eater is kind of like a face hugger, and that it would grow and evolve very quickly.) But I guess we'll see. And, once again, there have been a lot of votes for Jon. Because apparently we have a lot of cat people in the group.
But that's not all we've got going on, friends! Oh no! We also have a whole slew of social stretch goals that are midway to unlocking! (And many thanks to KS Huntress for continuing to bring those back to people's attention in the comment section.) Unlocking these achievements will unlock some very cool stuff, like new scenarios, an audiobook, an eBook, and likely even more that hasn't been revealed yet. So let's get cracking on those! We're getting close on many of them, so it won't take us much longer to push them over the edge and start unlocking stretch goals! Here's where we currently stand:
Achievement Chart.
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DEEP MADNESS IN THE NEWS
Deep Madness is also making the rounds on the interwebs! We were featured recently in Tabletop Tribe's "9 Spooky Board Games Perfect for Halloween" list, which you can find here:
And Rolling Solo started a new series of videos about Deep Madness, which you can find the start of (a setup video) here:
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Also, just in case you haven't read Mike's very kind review from One-Stop Co-Op Shop (you can watch the video on the campaign page), you can find that review on Board Game Geek here:
We'll keep you informed as more fun articles, reviews, and more come rolling in.
Now, in the interest of brevity I think that's where we'll stop for tonight. But we will have a bunch more really fun, cool stuff coming up shortly. Like, tomorrow. In a few hours. We'll try to cover a wide breadth of content in the coming days, including how the game works for new backers, more on how the game's evolving for our returning backers, and more story stuff for those who are interested in that. And, of course, we'll have new stretch goals and vote updates coming your way shortly as well - including a couple potential things that I think you all are really going to like. So keep it tuned to Deep Madness, and we'll be talking with you again shortly!
A Halloween Treat
over 7 years ago
– Wed, Oct 31, 2018 at 02:08:06 PM
We have a very special treat for you all today on All Hallows' Eve.
Chances are, if you're a fan of Deep Madness, then you're also a big fan of Halloween. We are as well, and we like to do something special on it in our campaign. During our first campaign we unveiled Unbound. (And many of you have seen how that turned out.) Well, we've been brainstorming on ways that we could really give you guys something awesome today, and we think we've got it. But first, we're going to need your help.
Some of you may have heard on the live stream yesterday that we had originally hoped to make all of the investigators into Sphere Faces. Well, we're taking one step closer to that goal today. When we reach $450,000, we're going to make a brand-new Sphere Face figure that will appear in every copy of The Faces of the Sphere. So, if you get that expansion, you will get this stretch goal.
The problem is, we don't know which one to make. That's where we need your help. Just a few hours ago we asked you which standalone epic monster you'd like next as an add-on, but this one's probably even more important: which investigator would you like to see turned into a Sphere Face? Post your comments below as to which investigator you'd most like to see become a Sphere Face!
Choose one of them to become the next Sphere Face.
(Personally, I'm really rooting for a Charles Ryan Sphere Face. However, I can't deny a Ward Phillips Sphere Face would be very interesting indeed…)
We won't be able to update this update after we send it out, so keep an eye on the front campaign page to find out how the voting's going. We'll have it up near the top so it's easy for you to find. We'll also keep you informed in future updates. Voting on this will end as soon as the stretch goal is unlocked, so make sure your voice is heard soon! Oh, and did I mention that we'll be able to watch the winning figure being made, just like we did with Unbound? Fun stuff!
So what are you waiting for? LET'S GET COMMENTING!
(And Happy Halloween, my friends!)
The Monsters Rise
over 7 years ago
– Wed, Oct 31, 2018 at 03:17:26 AM
Hey everyone! I hope you've had a great day. We certainly had a ton of fun today on the live stream (well, I guess technically it was yesterday at this point.) If you stopped in to chat, thank you! And, if you missed it, no worries. The recording will be up for 48 hours from the end of the broadcast according to Kickstarter, and I'm sure we'll do another one since this one went off so successfully.
But now it's time for some monsters.
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FACES OF THE SPHERE
Many of you have been wondering how The Faces of the Sphere expansion works. And what exactly are those… things inside it? Are they Epic Monsters? Or are they something else?
In the coming days we will be going over the horrors contained within The Faces of the Sphere. However, for today, we're just going to go over how this expansion works.
(Please note that all of this is still a work-in-progress, and the rules and mechanisms are still subject to change before this campaign fulfills next August.)
When someone looks into the Sphere, when one is corrupted by its power, the abyss contained within it stares back. In it you begin to see your deepest fears, your darkest secrets, your potential realities. And then those things begin to come to life.
The Sphere contains worlds; galaxies; universes. It is furthermore the key to other dimensions. And in one of those dimensions something has arisen. You could call it a reflection of the investigators' faces. For now, we'll call these beings Sphere Faces.
Sphere Faces are not investigators. (Obviously.) But neither are they monsters. An investigator can still deal damage to them during an attack action, and when they take enough wounds to equal or exceed their maximum health they are still killed like an investigator or monster. However, that's about where similarities end.
Sphere Faces don't necessarily exist to kill investigators or even make the game harder. (In fact, sometimes their effects might end up helping the investigators in a round-about way.) Instead, they roam around the board and sow chaos wherever they go. Sphere Faces don't activate during the Activation Phase. Instead, they introduce a new phase to the game, called the Sphere Phase. During this phase, the Sphere Face creatures roam around the board, and new ones spawn in various devoured rooms. Then, any monsters or investigators that wander into its path are affected by its power, whatever that power may be.
When an investigator kills a Sphere Face, that player takes the creature's card and flips it over to reveal a special reward that this investigator will keep for the rest of the game. So, in a sense, they're kind of like traveling, fleshy piñatas. Yes. That's it. They're chaotic, game-changing, horrific, traveling fleshy piñatas. Piñatas that could potentially cause you endless grief until you actually kill the things.
So that's a little bit about how the Sphere Faces will affect your games of Deep Madness. We'll reveal much more about each individual Sphere Face in the coming days. And we will potentially have a very big, very awesome announcement about them very soon as well. But, in the meantime, we have one other very cool announcement to discuss with you.
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THE RAVENOUS BECOMES EPIC!
So, halfway through writing this update we were about to release a new line of resin miniatures called the Deep Madness Collector Series. But by the time we finished the update we had changed it completely. There's a reason for this. Basically, we had this awesome looking new sculpt for Ravenous, bigger and nastier than the original version. And we realized we wanted to play with it in Deep Madness, which would be much harder to do if it was a resin collector's item. So, we retconned our plan, and decided to make this big nasty baddy an Epic Monster instead. That's right: Ravenous is now all grown up and its own proper Epic Monster!
Here's the 3D modeling and our painted sample in all its gooey glory:
Epic Ravenous 3D modeling.
Resin sample produced and painted by Big Child Creative.
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The Epic Ravenous is available right now as an add-on for $15 (or $12 for returning backers) - unless you have an All-In pledge. Then it's included. If you'd like to add it to your pledge, go up to the "Manage your pledge" button in the upper-right corner, then click "Change your pledge" and add the amount of this monster to your total. Then save your changes and you're good to go. We'll find out what your extra funds were for in the pledge manager following the campaign.
Now, previously we announced that all of our Canadian backers from the first campaign would receive a free copy of the Ravenous Collector Series miniature due to their shipments being even later than everyone else. We will still honor that promise. However, now you all will receive the Ravenous Epic Monster rather than the Collector Series mini. So, for those of you who didn't really want to assemble or paint a mini, we hope this helps you out. :)
We will still likely launch the Collector Series at some point, but today will not be that day. That said, we were originally going to do a vote to see which monster you would like to next see made into a Collector Series mini. We really didn't want to kill the vote, so now we're just going to change it slightly. What normal monster would you most like to see made into an Epic Monster next? Will it be Agony? Wrecked? Immortal? Putrid? Delirious? Let's find out!
Post a comment below with your choice for your ideal monster to become an Epic. You can even pick two or three monsters if you'd like to, but let's try to keep it to one entry per backer per monster. This contest will last for about five days. The monster with the most comments will be our next Epic Monster! PLUS, three lucky commenters will be randomly chosen to receive that Epic Monster for no charge! So what are we waiting for? TO THE COMMENTS!
New Stretch Goal, Translation Update, and Live Stream
over 7 years ago
– Tue, Oct 30, 2018 at 01:30:27 PM
Hey everyone! Welcome to day two of the Deep Madness reprint!
Chances are we'll have another update later today for you, but there were a few things we wanted to go over now.
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TRANSLATIONS
First of all, we have good news for our international backers. We've created a new all-in pledge level specifically for you! This level removed the novel, and instead added translation packs. So now you won't have to add those as an extra add-on if you choose this pledge level. Want to change your pledge level? No worries. Just go up to the "Manage your pledge" button in the upper right-hand corner, click it, then click "Change your pledge." You should now be able to select the correct pledge level for you.
But now, what about that novel? We've seen many, many of your comments wondering if we were going to be able to translate the novel. And at this point things are looking significantly more positive than we were initially suspecting they would. But, before we completely commit to it, we wanted to gauge people's interest for it. So, we've made a brief poll to see what languages would be of the most interest to backers.
The top levels will be the ones we'll focus on getting translated first, and then we'll work our way down from there. Now, just to be completely up-front about this, translation is expensive. As such, we may need to end up charging more for the translated book, and it may end up shipping after the English version of the novel to ensure we have the translations perfected. We'll let you know more as all of this transpires, however. The important thing to take away from this is, we're listening. =)
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NEW STRETCH GOAL!
Well, it's time. Enough of these social goals. (Having said that, let's keep working towards those social goals! =D We're making great progress toward them!) Let's get one with an actual funding level.
So, at $400,000 we will be unlocking a special scenario that ties directly into the novel Shattered Seas, and will be included with the hardcover version of the book. (In every language, should translation go through - which, once again, is looking very positive at this point.)
Unlocked at $400,000.
There's not a whole lot to say about this scenario yet, because I have to write the book first. But, knowing Roger (the game designer), I'm sure it's going to be amazing. (And likely hard.)
Now, some of you might notice that we are currently over $370,000, and that stretch goal is for $400,000. That means we're under $30,000 away from unlocking it. So, sshh! Don't mention anything about it to the team, and let's get this unlocked before they realize they set this goal really low! ;)
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LIVE STREAM AT 3PM PDT!
Just as a reminder, I (Byron) will be trying out Kickstarter Live at 3PM PDT today. That's in just a couple of hours. I'd love it if you stopped in and said hi. If not, though, it'll be recorded and you'll be able to watch it for the next 48 hours I believe. This is the first time I've done this, so there's no real agenda apart from figuring out how it works. Please bear with me as we work out the kinks. =)
Wait, did I just say it was in a couple hours? Shoot, I should probably go get stuff ready…
