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Learn more about Hero-U and try out the playable adventure and combat demos on our web site: www.hero-u.com.

There is danger and intrigue within the hallowed halls of Hero University. Danger? Ha! Rogues laugh in the face... Well, actually, they sneak up behind danger and bop it in the head. Then they run really, really fast.

You can be that Rogue!

Sneaking Through the Monster-Infested Wine Cellar

In the spirit of our acclaimed Quest for Glory series, Hero-U is an adventure game and an RPG that combines role-playing, exploration, turn-based combat, an immersive story, and rich character interactions to create a unique and fun game experience.

Shawn's life has not been an easy one. Caught red-handed during his thieves' guild initiation, he has a choice - go to Hero University or rot away in prison. Some of the students and school staff seem intent on making Shawn's life miserable, while danger lurks in the halls and dungeons below the University. It would help if he didn’t need to worry about both passing the midterm exams and fighting for his life.

As you help Shawn navigate his freshman year at Hero-U, you will begin to unravel the mysteries of both the school and of Shawn's past. Others may have their own plans for Shawn, but you alone have the power to forge his destiny.

Books... Why Did It Have to Be Books?

Adventure! - Hero-U is a classic graphic adventure game with a rich story and many places to explore

- Hero-U is a classic graphic adventure game with a rich story and many places to explore Excitement! - Hero-U is also a role-playing with skill development, equipment, treasure, and turn-based combat - no twitch skills needed

- Hero-U is also a role-playing with skill development, equipment, treasure, and turn-based combat - no twitch skills needed Experience! - Game design and direction by Lori Ann Cole and Corey Cole, award-winning creators of Quest for Glory, Castle of Dr. Brain, Mixed-Up Fairy Tales, and Shannara

- Game design and direction by Lori Ann Cole and Corey Cole, award-winning creators of Quest for Glory, Castle of Dr. Brain, Mixed-Up Fairy Tales, and Shannara Beauty! - Beautiful 2D and 3D graphics let you explore the castle and the story

- Beautiful 2D and 3D graphics let you explore the castle and the story Beasts! - Character models by Concept Art House, famous for their work on such games as League of Legends, Clash of Clans, World of Warcraft, Magic: the Gathering, and Hearthstone

- Character models by Concept Art House, famous for their work on such games as League of Legends, Clash of Clans, World of Warcraft, Magic: the Gathering, and Hearthstone Friends and Enemies! - More than 20 fascinating characters and many ways to talk to and interact with them throughout the game

- More than 20 fascinating characters and many ways to talk to and interact with them throughout the game Music and Magic! - Stunning original soundtrack by award-winning television and game composer Ryan Grogan highlights the magic and mystery of Hero-U

Let's take a break and stretch for a minute.

Wraith Lair Stretch Goal Achieved!

If Hero-U exceeds the $100,000 campaign goal, we will use the additional funds to add features to the game. We've chosen a set of stretch goals that will provide the most value while being within our development budget.

First up is the Tower Garden. We had reluctantly planned to cut it for budget reasons even though it is a unique area of the castle. However, our first $10,000 backer is a garden enthusiast and put his support behind the Tower Garden. As a result, it is Safe From Elimination and back in the game. We're glad! Heroes need a place to rest and recover from their heroic travails.

This room was one of the first areas we designed. The Tower Garden could be a romantic hideaway for Shawn and someone special. It can be an active classroom for identifying and harvesting strange mushrooms and healing herbs for First Aid. It’s also the only area in the game where Shawn can see the sea in the sunshine or the moonlight.

Not everything in this game has to be epic or scary. It’s the quiet beauty that makes the world worth saving.

Just past the basic goal is Improved Animation at $105,000. Currently the game animation is minimal, partly because of budget, and partly because we did not have a strong animator on the team. We've now added the talented Al Eufrasio to the team and have two other candidates waiting for the result of the Kickstarter. Improved animation is a feature we really think will improve Hero-U, so we have set it at a stretch goal below its actual cost.

This is the one that everyone on the team would like to see. Shawn needs some fancy combat and victory moves. Oh, and a snappier walk while we’re at it. Monsters need to have better attacks and dramatic death scenes.

Just beyond that at $110,000 is the Sea Cave Puzzles goal. The Sea Caves are the second role-playing area that Shawn will discover, and it's important for them to be atmospheric and interesting. We have a few puzzles in the design script that add to the challenge, but will take extra art and programming to get into the game. If we meet this goal, the Sea Caves will be more puzzling and challenging.

This goal isn’t just to add a fancy puzzle. We will make the Sea Caves into a huge complex with many areas to explore and mysteries to uncover. No wonder no one has recovered the pirate treasure hidden in the Sea Caves – it will take wits, skills, and a handy treasure map.

If we reach $120,000, we will be able to add additional music and sound effects to the game. We've already checked with Ryan Grogan, and is excited about having the chance to create more stunning pieces for the sound track. We are also in contact with a sound designer who plans to help us improve how we use sound effects and music throughout Hero-U.

The Master Wraith Lair is another section of the game that was planned from the start but placed on the “optional” list. It will return to Hero-U if we reach $125,000 in funding. The Master Wraith is a boss monster in an area with some RPG-type puzzles - you can't just run up and attack it with any hope of survival.

Most monsters in this game can either be avoided or negotiated with, but not this nasty. He’s haunted this crypt since the heyday of the Illuminari, and he’s not about to let any would-be thief desecrate his crypt. This is the toughest battle in the game. Shawn had better be at his best to take on the Master Wraith.

The Sea Cave Boss - also known as The Unspeakable Horror - is a puzzle combat encounter in the Sea Caves. Think of the monster in the pool just outside the entrance to Khazad-Dum in Lord of the Rings. It's way too powerful to fight, but maybe there's something a clever Rogue can do about it.

Ever wonder why someone bothered to build a medieval castle on Sardonia? The castle conceals many dark secrets within its walls. Unfortunately, not all the darkness has been contained. Things – vile things – are invading this world. The Unspeakable Horror is one of those things that man (or woman) was not meant to know.

If we come up short of this $130,000 stretch goal, perhaps no one will know about them and the world will be swallowed up in Darkness! Don't let that happen, please.

The Temple to Gog-Sosloth is a gorgeous area that will add some very interesting story and game play to Hero-U. For just that reason, it's also challenging to implement - we will need additional art and programming to make it "sing", so we reluctantly moved it to a stretch goal. Reaching $145,000 in funding will allow us to do justice to the Gog Temple.

This will be a chance for Shawn to really put all his roguish tricks, wits, skills, and traps together if he wants to steal the Gog treasure. Those players who love combat will have Shawn fighting for his life here. Those who love stealth missions can sneak through and try to get past all the Gogs. It’s definitely one of the most exciting places to explore in the game.

If we do not make it to the Gog Temple stretch goal, we will plan on developing a Sea Cave Expansion after the release of Hero-U. This expansion will add the Gog Temple and other additional challenges to the Sea Caves. We want the Gog Temple in the game, but it's a significant and difficult area to integrate into Hero-U.

At $160,000, Shawn will find a new friend - a baby Kwirk companion that follows Shawn around, makes cute noises, and generally does its best to get in the way. There might even be a hidden significance to the Kwirk that even Shawn doesn't know about.

$180,000 will let us localize Hero-U into several additional languages. The most probable candidates are French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Other possibilities are Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Basic Chinese. We will prioritize languages according to a backer vote, and add in as many as we can at this and higher levels.

At the $200,000 mark, we will add voice acting with professional actors. In practice, this will cost much more than the stretch goal, but we will find a way to make it work because we think that quality voice acting will add a lot of dimension and warmth to Hero-U.

Beyond the posted stretch goals (and likely after we release the game) are conversions to other platforms. We would like to support iOS and Android tablets, and it only makes sense for Hero-U to appear on the Wii-U! Other possibilities are gaming consoles such as the PS4 and XBox One. Are console gamers ready for story-based role-playing adventures? We'd like to find out.

Watch Out for That Cat!

Game Play Demo at http://hero-u.com/press/gameplay-demos/

Combat Prototype Demo at http://hero-u.com/press/combat-prototype/

If you like what you see, please contribute to this project. We will use the funds to finish developing the game, add new art and music, and polish everything to a quality level where all of us can be proud of the game we made together.

We are rewarding our backers with a variety of exciting rewards. In addition to the game, you can get souvenirs such as box covers, t-shirts, hats, and keychains. You can also get accessories that enhance your game-playing experience like the “Art of Hero-U” book, the “Music of Hero-U,” and the Hint Book. We’re even giving away your opportunity to be a part of the game with our “Wanted Ads” and “In-game Paintings.” For details about these rewards, check out our reward page at http://hero-u.com/artwork/.