“Parkour and Dinosaurs”: A First Look at The Drowned Earth
Some games have a hook you just can’t ignore. At Essen Spiel, we found one with maybe the best elevator pitch of the show: “Parkour and Dinosaurs.”
We’re talking about The Drowned Earth, a skirmish game set in a post-apocalyptic, flooded world where dynamic movement is everything. This isn’t just a game with cool models; the high-flying action is the core of the rules. Our CEO Bart sat down with the team to find out how this 3D-focused game works and why its dinos are more than just window dressing.
Our Interview with The Drowned Earth Team
Parkour, Dinos, and PvPvE
Bart – Head of Studio:
This is the first time I’m seeing this game. In a few words, can you describe what it’s about?
The Drowned Earth:
Parkour and dinosaurs. Dynamic movement—especially jumping, climbing, and so on—is very important in this game. It’s very dynamic. You need a lot of 3D terrain to make it interesting. And, of course, dinosaurs. You can use dinosaurs either as part of your faction or as a neutral faction controlled by an AI system, adding a factor of chaos to the board.
Bart:
Okay, so it’s a PvP game with PvE elements?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes.
Bart:
Is it possible to play this solo, or strictly PvE against the dinosaurs?
The Drowned Earth:
Usually, you play Player versus Player, but we also have a board game version where you play against the game’s AI system. So, it’s Player versus Environment.
Bart:
How long is the game?
The Drowned Earth:
If you’re familiar with the rules and playing with roughly 100 points, which is about five models, it takes between one hour and one and a half hours. It can be done quicker. Adding more models will increase the time.
Bart:
Is 100 points the standard game size?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes, that’s the starter box size. Every starter box has around 100 points. My sweet spot is 120-125 because then you can add dinosaurs or other models.
A New Take on Reactions & 3D Terrain
Bart:
Beyond the awesome dinosaur theme, how does this sci-fi skirmish game distinguish itself from popular alternatives like Infinity?
The Drowned Earth:
Funny you ask, as the game has a reaction system similar to Infinity. However, you have to pay action points for reactions, so you must decide: Do you spend your action to achieve a goal, like climbing to an objective? Or do you react to an enemy model running past? Or perhaps you save that reaction in case a nearby dinosaur tries to eat you and you need to defend yourself.
Bart:
What level of terrain density is required? You mentioned extensive 3D terrain, but could you specify the exact amount?
The Drowned Earth:
The game really benefits from different heights, levels, and walkways. I personally like to make my tables very dense, but that’s just a preference. If you have two or three different levels with some connecting walkways or rocks, and you decide the mat is water – because swimming is possible – that’s enough. But you can go wild with terrain building.
Future Plans and In-House 3D Printing
Bart:
What are your plans for the game next year?
The Drowned Earth:
I’m just a very enthusiastic fan, not the product developer, but there are plans for MDF terrain that suits the setting.
Bart:
Pre-painted MDF?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes, fitting the setting and game system. We’re in the final phase of getting the latest Kickstarter ready, where every faction gets a huge dinosaur model as a mobile HQ support unit. And there’s also an RPG in the making.
Bart:
An RPG?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes. Half of the rulebook is fluff and background story about the universe and characters, so it really lends itself to an RPG.
Bart:
Will this RPG be based on 5e mechanics, or will it feature a unique system?
The Drowned Earth:
I don’t know yet.
Bart:
Okay, so it’s still in development.
The Drowned Earth:
Yes, it’s still in development, but there will be an RPG.
Bart:
And your models: are they 3D printed, resin, or hard plastic?
The Drowned Earth:
They are 3D printed. It started with metal models, but they shifted to 3D printing.
Bart:
Do you produce them in-house or in China?
The Drowned Earth:
It’s all in-house now. All the packaging, markers, and models are made in London.
Bart:
Okay, that’s really cool. Thank you.
The Drowned Earth:
We were at UK Games Expo earlier this year. We’re going to have more scenery, more everything to fill a bigger space.
A Closer Look at the Factions
Bart:
What is the current number of factions?
The Drowned Earth:
We have six factions. One of them is a mercenary faction. You have the Fondmen, who are armored, up-close-and-personal. They run up, hit you, and knock you on the floor; that’s their main mechanic. You have the Firm, based on criminal elements, who like to ambush and do a lot of damage if they catch you unawares. The Artifactors, who we call the “Tomb Raiders,” are very fast, dynamic, run-and-gun, and dodge. The Militia are exactly as they sound…
Bart:
Regarding faction development, what is your strategy? Do you plan to introduce more models to current factions or establish numerous new, smaller ones?
The Drowned Earth:
Each faction currently has two leaders, one of whom is mounted. For instance, if you take the Firm, they come with the leader, Kenai. But you could also have Castellas as their leader, who uses the same ambush mechanics but brings a different dynamic. It’s the same for each faction. You’ve got Nix here, a leader for the Artifactors. We also have a mounted version of Nix, so she can ride in on a dinosaur, dismount, and the dinosaur can go off and attack while she also attacks. Then she can re-mount. Her opposite number is Pledge, this guy up here, who has a unique ability to disappear and reappear—he teleports instead of dodging.
Bart:
So, these are mercenaries, then?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes, these are the Mercenaries, but they also form their own faction, the Corsairs, who are pirates. Jay and his group are very good at swimming; they have no penalty for moving through water, unlike other groups, and they are good at ambushing from it. They are also friends with these Wayfarers, who are a “jack-of-all-trades.” If you wanted to take a Wayfarer in another faction, it would cost extra points. But with the Corsairs, there’s no extra cost; they’re friends, so they intermix.
Durable Models and a Strong Community
Bart:
Given that 3D-printed models can sometimes be fragile, how do you ensure their durability?
The Drowned Earth:
We use Mirrolabs TGM-07.
Bart:
It’s flexible?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes, it’s very flexible. You could throw them on the floor. We moved away from spin-casting and CO casting and went to resin. We have an Asiga printer ourselves and moved all production from Denmark to London. We also got a laser cutter and started cutting our own MDF terrain because we saw a niche for it. You might have futuristic buildings, but with ramshackle huts on them. We want to offer that as an add-on, so you can get a normal building and then just clip the shacks onto it.
Bart:
Do you have distribution within Europe? Importing from the UK can be expensive.
The Drowned Earth:
Yes. Hackmara is our distributor in the EU.
We have a huge following in Germany and a large following in England. We’ve also started building a community in America. We have people we call “Wayfarers,” like Martin, who you met. I used to be one. They are enthusiastic community members who organize games, groups, and volunteers. They have a direct link to us. If they want to ask anything, they use Discord. Martin even has my personal phone number.
Bart:
So your main connection with the community is Discord?
The Drowned Earth:
Yes, we have Discord and a Facebook page, both called The Drowned Earth. We work through them mostly.
It’s better than email, as you won’t always get to them. One of the bonuses of moving from spin-casting to resin is that the models are single-piece casts. There’s no gluing; you get it out of the package ready to go. Even the large ones are only three pieces: a head, a tail, and the body.
Bart:
Cool. Thank you for the interview.
A Game That Moves in Three Dimensions
In The Drowned Earth, battles happen in three dimensions. Your miniatures will be leaping off ruins, climbing girders, and wading through flooded streets.
This means you’ll need cool models, and environment elements that really show off all the action.
You know the scene you want, but painting realistic water, reptile skin, and dynamic poses can take ages.
That’s where we come in.
You dream up the epic action, and we’ll deliver your models painted, based, and ready for their close-up.
Book a commission here.
