Crown of Eldoria: Escaping Corporate Hell to Create NPCs with Actual Souls

Welcome to Day 2 of the "What The Hell Was I Thinking?" tour, also known as my 100 Startup Challenge. Today I've finally launched the Patreon for Crown of Eldoria, an indie RPG that's been rattling around my brain for years. After a decade of corporate coding hell and endless Jira tickets, I'm building a game where NPCs actually remember if you were an asshole to them. Wild concept, I know.

(If you're just here for the Patreon link, it's right here, but at least pretend to read about the game first.)

Why Create an RPG During This Insane Challenge?

Why build an RPG while attempting to launch 99 other startups? Because apparently sleep is overrated and I've spent too many years coding other people's dreams instead of my own. The corporate world was slowly draining my will to live, one pointless meeting at a time.

Indie game development might seem like a stretch for a 100-day challenge, but the skills I've honed building rapid prototypes during my first startup launch transfer surprisingly well. Plus, I figured if I'm going to stay up until 3 AM staring at code anyway, it might as well be for something I give a damn about.

The gaming industry is plagued with NPCs that have the memory span of a goldfish with amnesia. My game is fixing that problem—making characters who actually remember your choices.

What Makes Crown of Eldoria Different From Yet Another Generic RPG

Let's cut through the marketing crap and get to what actually matters about this choice-driven 2D RPG:

NPCs With "Souls" (Not Just Walking Quest Dispensers)

The core of Crown of Eldoria is what I'm calling the NPC "soul" engine (pretentious name, I know). Unlike traditional RPGs where villagers stand in the same spot for eternity, these characters:

Actually remember if you helped them (or screwed them over)
Form opinions about you based on your actions
Have their own schedules, relationships, and motivations
Spread gossip about your exploits to other characters
React differently when you become more powerful

That fisherman will remember if you helped repair his boat three months ago. That rival claimant to the throne will notice which allies you're courting. Your reputation spreads organically through the world based on your actions, not some arbitrary "karma meter."

A Path From Nobody to Ruler That Actually Makes Sense

You start as a nobody in a small village and can potentially end up ruling the kingdom—but only if your choices and relationships support that journey. No magical "chosen one" bullshit, just the consequences of your decisions and the alliances you build.

Using Patreon to Fund Indie Game Development

Patreon is step one in my game monetization strategy. I'm testing whether people actually care about a game with meaningful NPC interactions before diving headlong into full development.

The funding will directly support:

Development of the NPC "soul" engine
World-building for the archipelago of Eldoria
Character systems and relationship mechanics
Art assets that don't look like they were drawn by a drunk toddler (me)

What Supporters Get (Besides My Eternal Gratitude)

I've structured the Patreon rewards to provide actual value at each tier, not just digital pats on the back.

Instant Rewards Upon Joining (Any Tier - Coming Soon)

Exclusive Eldorian Lore PDF: "The Lost Chronicles of the First Crown"
Character Design Document: See exactly how I build NPCs with "souls"
Early Concept Art Collection: The evolving visual style of Eldoria

Special Experiences By Tier

Islander Tier ($5) Help shape minor characters and island cultures with monthly development polls and early access to lore documents.

Royal Advisor Tier ($10) Everything in the previous tier plus early access to concept art, music tracks, and exclusive wallpapers delivered twice-monthly.

Master Craftsman Tier ($15) Everything in previous tiers plus monthly tutorials showing how specific game features are implemented, with code samples.

AI Enchanter Tier ($25) Everything in previous tiers plus exclusive monthly deep-dives on how I leverage AI for creating believable NPCs, including custom prompt libraries.

Noble Ally Tier ($50) Everything in previous tiers plus exclusive development videos. Design a custom item that will appear in the game with your name in its description.

Eldorian Royalty Tier ($100) Everything in previous tiers plus your name or likeness as a permanent character in Crown of Eldoria, with input on their role and a custom side quest.

The Development Roadmap (Or "What the Hell Was I Thinking?")

Here's where the project currently stands:

Current Progress:

NPC "Soul" Engine: Early prototype functioning
World Map Generation: Basic island layouts created
Character Systems: Core attributes working
Choice Framework: First implementation

Next Development Phases:

Phase 1 (Current): Building the NPC "soul" engine, character systems, and choice framework
Phase 2: Crafting the archipelago, cultural diversity, and base storylines
Phase 3: Creating memorable NPCs, relationship systems, and kingdom management
Phase 4: Polishing & testing based on Patreon supporter feedback

I'll be sharing twice-monthly progress updates showing both the victories and the inevitable coffee-fueled debugging sessions at 2 AM when NPC relationships break in unexpected ways.

My Complete Monetization Strategy

Let's be transparent about where this is going:

Patreon Validation: Make sure people actually want this game before I go all-in
Early Access Pre-Sales: Once we have a playable base game (estimated 6 months)
Full Release: Priced at whatever seems fair for an indie RPG (~$15-25)
Mojang Exit: Get acquired for billions (approximately 0.0001% chance of this happening)

Unlike many crowdfunded games, I'm being realistic about the timeline. This isn't my full-time focus (gestures wildly at the other 98 startups I'm building), but development will be steady.

What's Next for Eldoria (And Day 3 of This Insane Challenge)

For Eldoria, my immediate focus is growing the Patreon community and completing the first playable prototype of the "soul" engine with basic character interactions.

For the 100 Startup Challenge, tomorrow I'll be tackling something completely different—as always. Subscribe to the challenge so you don't miss a single startup.

FAQ: Because I Know You're Wondering

Q: Are you insane trying to build an RPG as one of your 100 startups?
A: Yes, clearly. But the best ideas rarely come from sane people.

Q: How much of the game is actually built?
A: None. But I've some experience and a good idea for my next move.

Q: Will this actually get finished given your 100-day challenge?
A: Eldoria will continue development beyond the challenge.

Q: How are you using AI in the development?
A: AI helps generate initial character backgrounds and relationship networks, but all major characters and storylines are handcrafted.

Join the Eldoria Community

If you're intrigued by a game where your choices actually matter and NPCs have lives beyond standing around waiting for you:

Every supporter directly funds the tools and time needed to give these NPCs their "souls." Let's create an RPG where choices truly matter.

Follow my journey from code to crown:Bsky | 100 Startup Challenge

✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter