Once Upon A Coma Official Kickstarter Video (2018)

Key insights

5 takeaways

01
Once Upon a Coma is an indie adventure game developed by Thomas Brush, the creator of the 2016 Kickstarter-funded title Pinstripe, which raised over $100,000.
02
The game features a unique core mechanic requiring players to learn the soundtrack on a piano, integrated alongside traditional exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat.
03
The narrative follows a boy named Pete navigating a surreal, parentless world to find his missing sister, spanning environments from the fields of Reddington to the peaks of Ashcliff.
04
The project has been in development for eighteen months and serves as a spiritual successor to a personal concept the developer created a decade ago.
05
Thomas Brush is collaborating with developer Eric Coburn to finalize the game, utilizing this crowdfunding campaign to maintain creative freedom following the developer's post-Pinstripe burnout.

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Transcript

Hello again Kickstarter. My name is Thomas Brush and I'm the creator of Pinstripe, which raised over $100,000 in 2016 thanks to you. I'm excited to announce my return to Kickstarter with my next game, Once Upon a Coma. Once Upon a Coma is a strange adventure about a little boy named Pete who wakes from a coma only to find a hauntingly beautiful world with no parents. With the help of your father's rusty barber's

blade, you must slash your way through giant insects, solve puzzles, and learn to play the game's beautiful soundtrack on your piano. From the twilight fields of Reddington to the misty peaks of Ashcliff, it's up to you to uncover the secret of your missing sister note by note. I've been working on Once Upon a Coma for the past year and a half and I'm super excited about the project so far. But, believe it or not, recently I wanted to quit making games, a dream I've had since childhood. Say Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. I'm your Mario. Yes. Yes, Peach. YOU CAN ALL YES, SUPER MARIO. I TOLD YOU, JAMES. YES. IN 2016, you made that dream a reality. After 5 years of solo development, you helped me release Pinstripe on Steam. It received great reviews and I couldn't be prouder of the final product we made together. But like so many indie developers, after

release, I kind of lost my way. To be honest with you, I spent so much time focusing on the numbers, I lost sight of the dream. I started to tell myself it was time to grow up and find a higher paying job at a AAA company. But that's when my dad reminded me of my very first project, a story about a little boy in a coma. And what I discovered was a personal project I made almost a decade ago, made just because. Just a story to tell straight from the heart. At that moment, I knew I couldn't give up just yet, and the idea for Once Upon a Coma was born. For the millions of players who loved the original game, Once Upon a Coma is a sequel. But for anyone else who loves strange and personal adventures, Once Upon a Coma is a standalone game and my most ambitious project yet. To reach its true potential, I really

can't do it alone. I need you to push me as hard as you can, because I want to continue to pursue that childhood dream of making incredible games that you love. In addition to your partnership, I'll also be supported by a brilliant developer and a long-time Coma fan, Eric Coburn. I'm so thankful for your support, and I look forward to seeing what we create together. With your help, we can awaken the story of Pete and discover what's just beyond the doorbell.

Summary

Once Upon a Coma is an ambitious indie adventure game developed by Thomas Brush, the creator of the previously successful title Pinstripe. The game follows a young boy named Pete who awakens from a coma to navigate a surreal, parentless world. Gameplay mechanics center on exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat using a barber’s blade, alongside a unique musical component that requires players to learn the game’s soundtrack on a piano. The narrative spans diverse environments, from the twilight fields of Reddington to the peaks of Ashcliff, as the protagonist searches for his missing sister.

The project serves as both a standalone experience for new players and a spiritual successor to a personal, decade-old concept created by the developer. After the release of Pinstripe, which raised over $100,000 in 2016, the developer experienced a period of professional burnout and considered leaving independent game development for a career in the AAA sector. Rediscovering the original story of Pete provided the creative motivation to pursue this project, which has been in development for eighteen months.

To ensure the project reaches its full potential, the developer has partnered with Eric Coburn, a long-time fan and experienced developer. The campaign seeks community financial support to finalize the game, emphasizing a collaborative approach to indie development. By leveraging the success of previous crowdfunding efforts, the team aims to maintain the creative freedom necessary to produce a deeply personal and artistic gaming experience that resonates with fans of strange, story-driven adventures.