Nihkee Moolah is a young Alternian troll living in Outglut during the time period of Hiveswap and Hiveswap Friendsim. Her bullet points were 'Active in Muscle Theater', 'Lost a leg but gained the upper hand', and 'Subcultural gatekeeper'. Nihkee was first revealed during the Hiveswap. An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works.

Hiveswap is an episodicadventure game developed by What Pumpkin Games and overseen by Andrew Hussie and Cohen Edenfield. Based in the universe of Hussie's MS Paint AdventureswebcomicHomestuck, it focuses on a girl who is accidentally transported to the planet of Alternia—home of the troll species seen in Homestuck. It is the first of two games, with a planned second, future installment titled Hauntswitch featuring a male troll who was swapped onto Earth in her place.

The game was the subject of a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, raising over US$2.4 million in funding. While development initially began with developers The Odd Gentlemen, it was eventually moved back in-house under What Pumpkin's own newly formed game development studio.

Act 1 was slated for release in mid-2015; however, this release date was postponed until January 2017. It was further delayed in January to an unspecified date.^[3] On September 14, 2017, What Pumpkin Studios released Act 1. This was the release date previously announced on August 29, 2017, accompanied by a new trailer.^[2]

Story[edit]

Hiveswap tells the story of a human girl named Joey Claire, who gets swapped with a troll boy named Dammek from the planet Alternia, as she tries to get back to Earth. A second game, Hauntswitch, will feature Dammek's adventures on Earth.^[4] While set in the same universe as the Homestuck comic, Hiveswap and the sequel exist in a separate storyline with only 'loose relation' to the comic, and involve a new cast of characters.^[5]

Development[edit]

On September 4, 2012, Andrew Hussie announced a Kickstarter to raise funds for a video game based on his MS Paint Adventures webcomic Homestuck.^[6]Those who remain game twitter. Development was to begin in 2013, with the finished product expected in 2014. Kotaku noted that the project had raised 'more than $275,000 in hours'.^[7] More than 80% of the $700,000 goal was pledged in the first day.^[8]

At the time the article went to print, the Kickstarter had been running for just over one day. The game reached the full $700,000 of funding in fewer than 32 hours.^[9] The campaign also reached certain 'stretch goal' amounts, whereupon Hussie added Mac and Linux support onto the proposed game.^[10]Digital Trends writer Graeme McMillan commented that the campaign was approaching, at the time, the record for most successful comics-related Kickstarter campaign, whose previous record was held by the Order of the Stick campaign with $1,254,120.^[11] The Kickstarter eventually raised $2,485,506, making it the 'fifth game on Kickstarter to pull in a full seven figures' and the third highest funded video game in Kickstarter history at the time. An additional PayPal-based fundraiser was created to accommodate those who could not donate via Kickstarter's available methods.^[6][12][13]

In December 2013, new details, a projected release date of June 2014, and concept art were posted on the game's Kickstarter blog. In the post, Hussie revealed that the game would effectively be a spin-off from the comic, with a new plot and characters that will only have loose ties to the original storyline, making it more accessible to those who are unfamiliar with the original story. Hussie also indicated that the game will not include any voice acting; he considered voice acting 'too easy to do badly', and stated that he was 'personally not that big on VA in games like this anyway'.^[5] On June 21, 2014, it was publicly announced that the game would be developed by The Odd Gentlemen—known for their game The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. New concept art, including that of another new character, were also revealed.^[14]

In an interview with Game Informer show, Undertale developer Toby Fox, who has worked with Hussie in the past, announced that he was contacted to write music for 'the Homestuck video game'.^[15]

On October 30, 2014, it was announced that the game's official title would be Hiveswap, and that production of the game had been taken back in-house 'alarmingly well' under Hussie's What Pumpkin studio. It was also announced that the game would be the first of two distinct stories: each will be an episodic story, but there will be parallels between them, and they can be played in either order.^[4]

On December 26, 2015, updates were posted on the project's Kickstarter page stating that the game was going to be using a 2D system rather than using the 3D graphics shown in the teaser trailer, asset reel, and other footage. It is stated that this is 'to make things a little more cost-efficient, and more rapidly producible over the full span of the series'.^[16]

On October 6, 2016, a teaser trailer was released showcasing the game's changes to the 2D system and other various elements of the game, including combat and interactive objects.^[17] A release date for the first act was set to January 2017, but was delayed for a non-specific number of weeks. ^[3] The game was greenlit on Steam on December 15, 2016, and showcased a number of in-game screenshots.^[18] On April 13, 2017 (Homestuck's 8th anniversary), another trailer for the game was released, this time showing parts of Alternia as well as more gameplay.^[19]

On September 14, 2017, Act 1 of Hiveswap was released for Windows and Mac. A patch added Linux support on October 16, 2017.

Promotion for Act 2 includes the 'Troll Call,' a feature of troll characters slated to appear in the installment,^[20] and the 'Extended Zodiac', a feature of 288 symbols, including the original astrological signs as used by Homestuck characters, as well as symbols used by Hiveswap characters, complemented by a personality quiz to determine the quiz taker's Extended Zodiac sign.^[21] The characters from the Troll Call were later featured in a spinoff video game called Hiveswap Friendship Simulator. Starting on September 4th 2019, a sequel to Hiveswap Friendship Simulator called Pesterquest began. The story picks up where Hiveswap Friendship Simulator ended and it follows MSPA Reader (the playable character) as they interact with the kids and the trolls from the original webcomic Homestuck, such as John Egbert and Karkat Vantas.

On October 31, 2019, the first teaser trailer for Hiveswap: Act 2 was unveiled, with a targeted release date in 2020.

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abc'Credits - HIVESWAP - An Adventure Game'. Hiveswap.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
2. ^ ^ab'HIVESWAP: ACT 1 LAUNCH TRAILER'. What Pumpkin Studios. August 29, 2017. Retrieved August 29, 2017. We’re excited to let you guys know that HIVESWAP: ACT 1 has a release date, and it is September 14th!
3. ^ ^ab'Hiveswap delayed several weeks'. MS Paint Adventures. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
4. ^ ^ab'Homestuck Adventure Game Update'. October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
5. ^ ^abTach, David (January 4, 2014). 'Homestuck creator details, debunks conjecture on Adventure Game'. Polygon. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
6. ^ ^ab'Homestuck Adventure Game'. Kickstarter. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
7. ^Cox, Kate (September 4, 2012). 'Homestuck Kickstarter Raises Over $275,000 in Hours to Make Game of Comic That Makes Fun of Games'. Kotaku. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
8. ^McMillan, Graeme (September 5, 2012). 'Homestuck Kickstarter Nears Game Goal In Less Than Three Days'. Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
9. ^Rigney, Ryan (September 6, 2012). 'What The Heck Is Homestuck, And How'd It Get $750K On Kickstarter?'. Wired. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
10. ^Davis, Lauren (September 9, 2012). 'Crowdfund a Homestuck video game, gruesome dog costumes, and Golden Age baked goods'. io9. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
11. ^McMillan, Graeme (September 6, 2012). ''Homestuck' heads towards new Kickstarter record'. Digital Trends. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
12. ^Curtis, Tom (October 4, 2012). 'Homestuck becomes the third highest funded game on Kickstarter'. Gamasutra. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
13. ^Tipps, Seth (October 5, 2012). 'Homestuck Kickstarter closes at $2.4m'. Develop. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
14. ^'Homestuck game now in development following $2.4M Kickstarter'. ShackNews. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
15. ^'GI Show Yoshi's Wooly World, Minecraft: Story-Mode, Undertale's Toby Fox'. YouTube. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
16. ^'A New Look - Homestuck Adventure Game'.
17. ^Homestuck Official (October 6, 2016), HIVESWAP: ACT 1, retrieved October 9, 2016
18. ^'Steam Greenlight :: HIVESWAP: ACT 1'.
19. ^Homestuck Official (April 13, 2017), Hiveswap: ACT 1: Trailer #2, retrieved April 13, 2017
20. ^'Happy 11/11!'. What Pumpkin Studios. November 11, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017. Today’s the first installment of the weekly TROLL CALL [..] New trolls will be revealed every Wednesday…and you can see them all in HIVESWAP: ACT 2, coming Spring 2018.
21. ^'You might have wondered about the symbols you've seen on the new HIVESWAP: ACT 2 trolls..'What Pumpkin Studios. November 27, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017.

External links[edit]

TAURCERTAUR. = Bronze Sign -.CER = Prospit + BloodSIGN OF THE CHERISHEDIf your true sign is Taurcer, then you possess the unique combination of qualities held by all Bronze Signs, Prospit Dreamers, and Blood-bound.Sign Class: BronzeBronze Signs have a warm and generous disposition, but you might not accuse them of it the first time you meet.

They have a tendency toward being withdrawn and slow to open up with new people. This can make them come off as arrogant and cold, like they think they are too good for everyone, although the reality couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, they crave validation and companionship. They are very open-hearted, but if a Bronze Sign decides to dig their heels in, it can be like talking to a wall.

More so than any of the other sign classes, Bronze Signs have a marked love of creature comforts. They crave stability and safety, and if they have the means, their homes will be full of beautiful things. Some might accuse them of being hedonistic; they would probably just claim to know what they like. As lovers they can be quite needy, wanting assurances that the affection they feel is reciprocated.

Maybe because of this, they have a particular affinity for animals. Don't try to break a Bronze's Sign's routines-they'll resent you for it, even if oftentimes they are too polite to say so.Lunar Sway: ProspitMarked by a flexible optimism, the personalities of Prospit Dreamers are reactive and intuitive. They naturally exist in the present, rather than look to the future or obsess over the past. When making decisions Prospit Dreamers tend to rely on gut instinct and whatever emotions they are experiencing at the moment. This makes them quick to act and reliable in a crisis, but it also can make them capricious. They have trouble thinking things through, and their feelings toward specific situations and decisions can change from day to day. They solve problems with creativity rather than cold logic, often seeing multiple options with ease and clarity.

Because they generally take things as they come, Prospit Dreamers are less rebellious than they are adaptable-instead of struggling against authority, they will find a way to coexist with it. Possibly because they are so instinctual and flexible, they like having a defined set of rules-a safety net for their passionate lives. Naturally trusting, they have trouble with deception or hiding their true selves, and will often worry about what others think of them. The self they project into the world is often not under their control.Aspect: BloodThose bound to the aspect of Blood draw their strength from bonds, from the trust and camaraderie that blooms among a group of people who all share a single vision. Blood-bound are absolutely leaders, but they inhabit more of an inspirational role than a commanding one.

They are prophets, rather than generals, giving others the strength and motivation to keep fighting. The Blood-bound can dispense excellent advice even when their own lives and interpersonal relationships are disasters. They can be very 'do as I say, not as I do' types. A Blood-bound can often be found on a sinking ship, forcing an endeavor forward with sheer stubborn force of will.

No matter how bad things go, a Blood-bound can always count on friends and allies. At their best, they are charismatic, uplifting, and magnetic. At their worst they can be sullen, unkind, and set-in-their-ways.Share your True Sign with friends.