How long has Ground Branch been in development for?

[El Syd]

While reading about the development history of the point-and-click adventure game, Broken Sword, I somehow ended up going down the Wikipedia rabbit hole (as you do) and came upon an article about Peter Molyneux. Then it went from him to Mucky Foot Productions.

Then something lit up in my brain and I remembered reading on Serellan's forum about a studio that was working on a mil-sim around the time the ill-fated Takedown: Red Sabre was being funded by its Kickstarter campaign. Foot...something? The game was...something Branch? Branch Foot? Foot Branch? Black Branch? Project Branch??

So I searched using the words, 'branch foot arma'. Aha! 'Ground Branch' by 'BlackFoot Studios'.

I'm amazed that this is still going. It would be interesting to learn more about the development history.

[mr munkee]

The earliest videos on their youtube channel are from 11 years ago, so the idea must have originated even before then.

https://www.youtube.com/c/BlackFootStudios/videos

It's pretty interesting (to me) looking at all the old development videos, considering the game is so much further along now. There should be enough videos there to get a good overview of the development from the beginning till a year ago. I don't know if they'll have new update videos or not, but their last video was a year ago.

[tjl]

Originally posted by El Syd:

While reading about the development history of the point-and-click adventure game, Broken Sword, I somehow ended up going down the Wikipedia rabbit hole (as you do) and came upon an article about Peter Molyneux. Then it went from him to Mucky Foot Productions.

Then something lit up in my brain and I remembered reading on Serellan's forum about a studio that was working on a mil-sim around the time the ill-fated Takedown: Red Sabre was being funded by its Kickstarter campaign. Foot...something? The game was...something Branch? Branch Foot? Foot Branch? Black Branch? Project Branch??

So I searched using the words, 'branch foot arma'. Aha! 'Ground Branch' by 'BlackFoot Studios'.

I'm amazed that this is still going. It would be interesting to learn more about the development history.

Some responses by John and Scopey to this question in an old post here:- https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/0/1628539187778514293/

[KrisRedbeard]

I got involved in August 2012, at which point it was using Unreal Engine 3 (Not UDK).
UE4 version began in late 2013.
We had been given access to the Unreal Engine 4 Beta earlier that year, but had not considered changing until seeing how poorly received Takedown: Red Sabre was.

So, if, at least for this version of the game, 8 years'ish.
This is why it so amusing when people call it a scam or a cash grab and that we're just going to sell out, then cut and run etc. Or worried that we won't keep working on it etc.
I mean, look at us - we're still going :)

[WhiteKnight77]

I joined the BFS forums in 2007. This was after a few of us who worked the forums at GhostRecon.net were given a sneak preview of Ground Branch. I have watched work on Ground Branch progress from early test builds after many of us on the BFS forums brow beat John into taking our money as a way to help with development.

I welcome Kirs' involvement in development of GB. He has had some rough patches over the years due to burning the candle at both ends and is why I never give any of those working on GB any grief over the time it has taken.

As far as those thinking GB is a money grab, that they have been working on this game and have not stopped is testament that this is far from such. As someone who has donated money to this project long before it reached Early Access, I have never worried that I was throwing money away. I have admired john's dedication to seeing this through and to reach a final state where it was a "complete" game.

[d0x360]

8+ years!?

Time to crunch..,

[JohnJ]

There were a lot of times in that period where it would jut be myself and/or Kris working on it. Also short time periods of a few weeks where very little was done due to other jobs.

It's not like it's been in development for 8 years with a 30 person team.

[Bruce Springsteen fan]

I remember Ground Branch from when I was in middle school. I'm not saying the devs aren't passionate about the game, but I eventually got tired of waiting and just moved on to other games. Maybe I'll buy GB when it's out of EA.

[Mendes]

Originally posted by Palaiologos:

I don't care if it takes another 8. It's good to back a project that isn't built from the exploitation of developers to realize tight deadlines.

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