Salutations, budding crocksmiths, and welcome to the world of Kiln! A game that we like to refer to as a ‘pottery power-fantasy.’ It celebrates both Creativity and Destruction: the pleasure that comes from both making beautiful things…and then smashing those beautiful things to smithereens!
In Kiln you’ll join a team of colorful spirits, and then you and your friends will face off against opposing teams in online arenas, where the ceramic creations you sculpt on a pottery wheel become the bodies you bring into battle.
But before you can head into the fray to smash up the opposing team’s pots, you’ll have to create your very own ceramic masterpiece. And you’re in luck, because Kiln features a best-in-class pottery wheel simulation experience for you to make all kinds of vessels, each one just as special and unique as you are (and perhaps even more so).
Mastering the wheel
You’ll be spending lots of time in Kiln’s shared lobby, The Wedge. Here, you can practice your pottery prowess, decorate your pots, and then share your creations with others (and admire their handiwork, too).
The first decision is an important one: how much clay will you use? There are small, medium, and large portions available, and each size comes with benefits and challenges, for example: small pots can roll much faster and squeeze into tiny holes in a map’s walls; large pots can block lanes or box in the enemy.
With size decided, you can start letting your imagination run wild! Manipulate the clay with your cute little spirit hands, use tools to change the texture of your pot, and experiment with a variety of different shape archetypes —such as jugs, plates, vases, and more. Finally it’s time for finishing touches, chosen from a huge selection of pottery-themed cosmetics.
● Toppers: We’ve got toad tops for your teapots, daisies for your vases, tiny umbrellas for your tiki mugs, and way, way more.
● Spouts and Handles: Fancy a pour? From the traditional teapot to the terror of a tentacle, we’re sure you’ll find a spout that suits your ceramic. And if you’re not a spout enthusiast, perhaps a handle is more your style?
● Charms: These bits and bobs attach in a pattern around your pot, and there are all kinds of attachments to try. You can add a line of subtle hearts, clovers, stars, or skulls to your piece, or you can get a little wilder with crustacean claws, sharp horns, or even gilded kintsugi cracks!
● Glazes: This is when a good pot becomes truly great—a huge selection of glazes awaits for you to dip your piece into, including glitter, gradients, patterns and more.
● Stickers: Rotate, scale, and place your favorites onto your pot, and make that beautiful vessel sing with individuality!
If you’re hungry for more options at your wheel, you’ll want to talk to Slip (he’s the very cute dog running The Wedge’s customization shop). Winning matches earns you chips, and you can take them to Slip to spend on all kinds of new stickers, glazes, and more. Don’t spend it all in one place!
Discovering unique shapes and abilities
The shape of your pots affect your attributes and your play-style. Are you big, or small? Wide, or tall? Will you make a plate, a jug, a cup or a bowl? There are 24 different combinations of pot size and shape, each with their own unique special ability. A small bottle can turn into a stick of dynamite and toss itself into the fray; a small plate can be whacked like a hockey puck into a group of enemies. Feel like wielding a chicken turret that blasts your enemies with high velocity eggs? Make a small chalice and go nuts!
We’re excited for you to discover all the different abilities and how they impact gameplay, so we won’t give away every single combination…but let’s just say if you’ve been dying to transform into an exploding bucket of popcorn, a sword-wielding swashbuckler, or a pie for an opponent’s face, we suggest a medium amount of clay.
Alternatively, if you love the idea of becoming an imposing figure on the battlefield with abilities like a spinning galaxy of doom or a giant cauldron filled with deadly brew to fling about, then slap the large ball of clay on your wheel and get shaping.
Becoming the ultimate pottery brawler
For you and your allies to win on the battlefield, you’ll have to know how the game is played.
The main mode is called Quench, it’s a fast-paced, 4v4 competition in which teams will need to work together to find the best combination of pots and play-styles, collect water inside their respective pots, break through enemy lines, and douse the flames of the enemy’s kiln.
It’s easier said than done. Each map has its own series of interesting features and environmental events that can either help or hinder your progress, plus you’ll be fending off the enemy team from extinguishing your kiln, too.
Does your team have what it takes to make and break your way to victory? As the battlefield becomes strewn with the shattered fragments of friend and foe alike, your brawling skills and some great teamwork will be required to assure victory. And don’t worry if you get smashed! That’s what glue and respawns are for. We’ll have you back out there splashing and smashing the enemy in no time at all.
Build your team, break down your enemies
We can’t wait for you to grab some friends and try out Kiln—and if you’re in need of teammates, our online matchmaking system will help you fill out your roster of pottery pugilists.
There’s just one thing missing from Kiln—you! We’re giving players the opportunity to get their hands on Kiln early with a series of beta tests leading up to launch.
Not only will you get to play before just about anyone else (some solid bragging rights), you’ll also be able to offer us feedback on your gameplay experience and help shape the future of Kiln. It’s easy to sign up, just head over to our official site to get started.
Get fired up for the throwdown, we’ll see you in The Wedge!
