Hey, Backpackers!
Are you ready to learn about another character?
It’s time to meet CR-8 (pronounced as crate), a very special robot!
If you’re passionate about mechatronics, you’ll love CR-8’s playstyle! Instead of having the energy system, CR-8 has a core that creates a beam which activates items in its path. How did this robot come to life though?
CR-8 knows little of its past. It simply blinked to life one day somewhere deep in the dungeon. It knew nothing about the world or its own purpose. All it had was a feeling of loss and sadness. CR-8 felt that something was missing, something it could never get back.
Sometimes, when deep in the dungeon, CR-8 could hear a call. A call in a voice that once felt so warm and friendly, but has been warped and modulated into something unrecognizable. CR-8 followed this voice deeper and deeper, ignoring the dangers of the dungeon, but it was always distant. After a long period of wandering, CR-8 eventually shut off.
CR-8 was found rusted and in disrepair by Constance, a mouse living in Haversack Hill. She had never seen anything like it! With the help of her old friend, Matthew, they dragged the robot out of the dungeon and attempted to repair it. It was challenging work as they didn’t know exactly how CR-8’s intricate circuitry worked. They pieced it together as best they could, putting Constance's old clockmaking hobby to good use. The repair wasn’t a perfect recreation of CR-8’s complex electrical engineering. Most of its wiring had been replaced with clockwork gears after all. But still, it blinked to life for a time!
Unfortunately CR-8 was now required to be wound regularly. But it wasn’t an issue at all for the genius duo! This time, Matthew provided the solution. Taking a patch from his magical bag, and an old relic he found deep in the dungeon, he fashioned a power backpack that could keep CR-8 running on a single wind up for days!
Extremely grateful for Constance's help, CR-8 vowed to help her and stay with her forever. Constance loved CR-8 like a child, and CR-8 thought of Constance as the mother it had lost. Or was that a friend? This feeling of loss would never leave CR-8 though, and it would still feel the call of the dungeon. It relayed this desire and feeling to Constance, and she supported him in his quest to feel whole again. CR-8 began to delve into the dungeon looking for the signal it had once followed. It also brought up supplies to help his new mother figure with her research.
CR-8 might not remember much about his past, but we do!
…at least when it comes to his development. CR-8 was the third character unlocked in our Kickstarter campaign, and the second to be released. Out of all of the additional characters he has changed the least, in that he was always meant to be an auto-battler type character. The method of how he did that went through a few iterations until we found the right feel with his components. Originally he had activation "spaces" in the center of his bag, but that was quickly scrapped.
Gif from Retromation's video
The biggest challenge of CR-8’s development was actually just getting him to work in the first place, and balance. In fact, we plan to have his update that fixes a lot of his long standing issues shortly before release, so if you're a CR-8 fan you have that to look forward to!
Plus, Constance, the mouse who helped CR-8, is one of the people you’ll meet in Haversack Hill soon!
How do you like CR-8's story?
Next week you'll learn about the last character, Pochette!
READ ABOUT OTHER HEROES:Purse
Satchel
Tote
Pochette
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1970580/Backpack_Hero/