The Endless Forest: Second Decade crowdsourcing campaign is starting soon!

Michael Samyn's picture
Deer players,


We hope you're getting excited for Halloween in the Forest! Because this year will be special!

Next week we intend to launch a crowdsourcing campaign for The Endless Forest on IndieGogo. The purpose of the campaign is to collect the necessary funding for a complete (and faithful) remake of the game in a new contemporary engine. As you may know, the current technology behind the game doesn't allow for much expansion and even severely limits the amount of players that can be active at any time. This has also been the reason why we can't do much Abiogenesis anymore.

But if the crowdsourcing campaign is successful, all of that is coming back. And more!

To convince people to co-fund the project, we want to enlist your help!

First of all, if you have a moment and you feel like it, please make a short video of yourself saying something about The Endless Forest (5-20 seconds). It can be very general, very specific or very personal. Just something you want to share about your feelings and experiences with the game. We will select as many as we can fit to be featured on the campaign page. You can use whatever technology you have: a phone or webcam recording is just fine. Try to shoot in 720p resolution horizontal, if possible. If you feel shy about video, you can send us audio too, or even just a plain text quote.

When you are ready, please upload your video, audio or text file to our Google drive (no account required).
(We are trying to remove the 5 MB upload limit but in the mean time, if you can't wait, please upload bigger files somewhere else and email a download link to the.endless.forest@tale-of-tales.com.)

Next we will be recording new video footage of the game itself to show the world. So we invite you all to come have a look this Saturday 22 October between 7 and 8 pm in Belgium (that's 10 am in San Francisco, 1 pm in New York, 6 pm in London, 8 pm in Moscow and 2 am the next day in Tokyo). There will be flowers!

And finally, if the campaign would exceed the budget we need for remaking the engine, we will want to use some of the extra money to hire someone to help improve the community site. So please let us know what improvements you would like to see here.


That's it. The thought of being able to work on The Endless Forest again makes us very happy. And even simply putting the campaign together to show the game to the world is a joy.

Please let us know what you think in the comments.

We will keep you posted!


See you in the Forest!

Michael & Auriea.

where can i watch the video?

where can i watch the video? :^) i'm super excited!!
Aivilo's picture

We'll shoot, the stream is

We'll shoot, the stream is pretty much worthless because the statues only move when both gods are in. OH WELL I tried :<
WayfarerHart's picture

Both are in!

Both are in!

Clare's picture

they are both in??

they are both in??
Flyleaf's picture

Awesome Abio !! The twin Gods

Awesome Abio !!
The twin Gods Festival ....yessssss Smiling !!
Thank you both for this lovely time you gave us today !
I needed it !
Avatar @ Sluggs Siggy @ Amazegenalo
Bouncing Fly by Mary13

That was my first Abio! it

That was my first Abio! it was so great sobs <3

We love you too &hearts; For

We love you too ♥
For my first Abio I had such a huge blast ; _; Tysm for hosting this, we wish you luck on the campaign!
WayfarerHart's picture

The first Abio in years! I'm

The first Abio in years! I'm so happy for everyone who got to see this for the first time. ;; <3

WE LOVE YOU TOO.

WE LOVE YOU TOO. <3
Naremara's picture

I am very happy I got to

I am very happy I got to participate in this Abio.
It was the first one ever, for me!

TEF is truly magical!
Tisority's picture

SECONDING JIN, we love you

SECONDING JIN, we love you guys too <33 thanks so much for taking time to put on that awesome Abio for us, it was loads of fun and it was great to see you guys in the forest again ;w;
calemvir's picture

I recorded the entire thing

I recorded the entire thing up until the magic fountain because my computer couldn't handle it from that on

DOWNSIDE TO THIS IS I FORGOT TO RECORD AUDIO
45 MINUTES OF SILENT FOOTAGE
:)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

hhhhhh ;;

hhhhhh ;; <3

Wildrose's picture

Can people give some space ?

Can people give some space ? other might need to get the mask that most others already have not trying to sound selfish but I am busy thru most of Halloween so please just make some space ?
quadraptor's picture

Just sent in my submission.

Just sent in my submission. Sorry about the webcam quality, didn't know it was going to be grainy, but I have a lot to thank this community for, especially for being here for me in 2010 when my dad passed away.
Kaoori's picture

Thank you for everything you

Thank you for everything you do, M&A. ♥
Evern's picture

Managed to record everything

Managed to record everything including some Halloween stuff! Gonna take a while to save/upload though. We love you too. <3

Thank you M&A.

Thank you M&A. <3

- Lone deer atop the crying idol
Aivilo's picture

Caleb - that's funny because

Caleb - that's funny because I have audio but no video, lmao
Jayternator's picture

This has been my first true

This has been my first true Abio and I haven't felt so happy in a while.
thank you so so much, we love you too <33333
Aquilo's picture

I'm SO sad I missed it when I

I'm SO sad I missed it when I was at work, but I'm also super happy for TEF and the community at large! ♥ Can't wait (:
Player & Character Hub
Discord: Gulonine#4267
Skatmat's picture

Thank you so much, M&A!

Thank you so much, M&A! Magical abiogenesis <3
LowLights's picture

This was my first Abio!! And

This was my first Abio!! And it was jaw dropping! I literally felt my heart stop when I seen Velocity!!
Also, I have a question if you don't mind me asking. Who exactly does play Velocity? Sorry if it's a dumb question!
LilyBlue's picture

I'm a bit sad that I missed

I'm a bit sad that I missed the Abio, but at the same time I've been here for... -checks first account- A smidge over six years. I've had my fair share of the breathtaking events you both put together. I remember when I saw my first Abio. I had a little fawn following around Saosin and Jin lead me to it. I've never been so happy. I'd always missed them before but there it was... waves of poppies and raining stars.

I've learned and grown as a person because of the people I've met and the experiences I've had. I've had my ups and downs... I've drifted away for weeks but also spent long hours playing. No matter what, I've always been welcomed back and greeted warmly. This game and the characters I've created because of it, will forever be with me. Just like I hope I can keep up with all the amazing people I've come to interact with over the years. I wouldn't trade my time spent on Tef for anything. Tef is apart of who I am, what I love. It's like a home to me.
Michael Samyn's picture

Originally the Big Zombie

Originally the Big Zombie Deer was played by visitors of the Velocity festival.
See http://tale-of-tales.com/TheEndlessForest/halloween.html
Now it's just Auriea or I.
SimoSimo's picture

Does anyone know if the BZD

Does anyone know if the BZD will come again for everyone?
Discord: SimoSimo#5556
Snowsauria's picture

This is very exciting news,

This is very exciting news, and thank you for the Abiogenesis yesterday, it was great!
The forest is such an amazing place, I hope you're able to collect the amount you need to be able to give TEF the remake it deserves. ♥
Draak's picture

This idea I'm kinda 50/50 on

This idea I'm kinda 50/50 on but in regards to the livemap, would there be a way to prevent posts from showing up after you click on a picto?

For example I click on someones picto, and instead of taking me to the miniprofile picto page thing, it leads me to a post titled with that pictos name. It's kind of annoying when you're trying to work out who someone is and you get taken to a long forgotten post or image from like 2008 and chances are it's not what you're looking for.
It'd also save someone from off topic posting on said post with a link to their deer's bio page.

But on the other hand it's great when it actually does work and takes you to a page about the deer you're looking at inforest.
LZonnaz's picture

Yesss! I'm super excited!

Yesss!Exclaim I'm super excited! I've been with this community for a few years now, and I may not have been as active, I still love this place and this community. We're like a big family here, and it feels as if it's Christmas and everyone is getting one big present. It's amazing
Iaurdagnire's picture

Ahhhhhh I'm so happy the game

Ahhhhhh I'm so happy the game will get the chance to be developed! Even though I'm not able to play nearly as much as I used to (missed out on that Abio dangit), I've kept my donation going simply because I feel this game is special and deserving of it. I feel like it's a game for people who aren't gamers and who are creatives, like me =D

I'd like to upload a text quote at some point, is there a date/deadline for when you need everyone's contributions? (sorry if this has already been answered)

Silcoonsixx's picture

ooh, wow! Glad I logged

ooh, wow! Glad I logged backin to see this! :0
-A genderless deer named Silk-
thelittleraven's picture

Uploaded my audio! I

Uploaded my audio! I apologise, I intended to make it a video but it was too great a filesize. The audio is still quite long at nearly 4 minutes, and I regrettably don't have any editing software to have cut it down. Hopefully it can still be used, though!

This game means so much to me and I'm excited to help it continue to thrive. Thank you so much, Michael and Auriea, for this truly unique experience.

In case any of you are interested, here's the video that goes to my audio.
Aivilo's picture

^Aww! I'm excited to see all

^Aww!

I'm excited to see all of these in the final campaign video!
Verdalas's picture

You can always count on our

You can always count on our support, M&A. I wish you the best of luck!
Michael Samyn's picture

Wonderful. Thank you!

Wonderful. Thank you!

I really hope you can remake

I really hope you can remake the game, i think it's going to be great!
Michael Samyn's picture

Almost there...

Almost there...
Evern's picture

Is there an end date for

Is there an end date for uploading videos to you and Auriea? If there is I'll make mine tommorow morning. Thanks!

Aivilo's picture

I know mostly you asked for

I know mostly you asked for suggestions for the community site, but I thought of something I'd really like to see back in the game - the ability to save stacked sets, even if it's only 2 of each spell type. I'd love to have a second pelt or mask etc under whatever I've got saved, and I know a lot of other people would, too!
Foodog's picture

I am as excited to hear about

I am as excited to hear about all of this as others are, but I do admit that I am a little curious as well as worried about a few things.

A lot of the players on here are aware of the glitches in the game, and a lot of the players use them more often than not. Some, if not all of these glitches are useful whether it be in obtaining sets that we wouldn't otherwise be able to have year round or when we use the Plaats to switch entire sets over to another deer. Or even when we use the Twin Statues in order to obtain a full set on a miniature deer. If a new version of the game comes around, I fear that we won't be able to do these sorts of things anymore as they'll be patched.

If this comes to pass and we do end up getting a new version of The Endless Forest, would it be possible that the Deer of The Dead set as well as the Zombie Set be available as easy as it is now? I understand that these things were meant for a special time of the year, more-so the Zombie set than anything, but I don't think I can count how many people have characters within the game who have skulls as a part of their set. Those who would very much like it to be able to remain easily available via the Plaats' glitch should an accident happen and we lose it. Of course there are other things that are hard to obtain such as certain masks and antlers. I'm asking that maybe these things could be available in the same way that others are. Via acorns, mushrooms, and sleeping deer.

As far as the community goes, others have said the same things I'd like to see. Such as being able to remove tracked threads and being able to officially make and edit comments under a changed display name. I'd also like to be able to delete my own comments on others blogs as well as be a moderator over my own threads in the case of spam or an instigating comment made by another person upon the community.
Paleray's picture

I agree with Vurufu, but I

I agree with Vurufu, but I also want to offer their ideas and assistance for the development of the community and the game in general.

Of course I do not have the ability to help you with money and a donation for the game.. but, if you need some help in the fan arts, then I can always draw free and I'm sure that a lot players too want to. I think so.
Yuri's picture

That idea seems very good as

That idea seems very good as such =) .
To be really wants to see new creatures walking down The Endless Forest sseria very exciting to see .....

Oh yay

Oh yay