The project was missing a dedicated FAQ so here it is.

This page will get updated over time as the state of development changes.

Last Updated: January 13, 2024

FAQ

Q. When will the game be released?

A. Currently no release date has been set.

A potential release is so far off that it’s unreasonable to pin down any exact time or window. Not to mention setting a deadline so early will limit our scope of what we can add in order to meet said deadline. However, the development of the game will likely take a few years to fully realize our vision.

That said, we are planning to release an early-preview demo to showcase gameplay sometime down the road.

Q. When will the demo be released?

A. Eventually.

The demo is getting close to completion. We’d like to have a small cast of playable characters (4 main and several minor), a fleshed-out boss battle, and some stages to traverse through. I’d estimate that the demo is about 60% finished.

Q. What platforms will the game be released on?

A. Windows, WebGL, Linux, and Android

Q. Any plans for Apple Mac or iOS support?

A. No.

Mac and iOS are very expensive to develop for. Not only do they require the hardware to test on, but they also require paying big yearly license fees to develop and have it maintained on the App Store. Also I have no experience working with iOS.

Q. How much will the game cost?

A. It’s free, forever!

We will never put the game behind a paywall.

Q: Can/Will you add X character to the game?

A: No guarantees, we can only promise most of the original cast in Eltorro’s RED: Shadow Maggots spoof video (confirmed roster below, names are/were tentative).

We will still be looking to add characters as non-playable enemies, but they’ll likely be sourced from Eltorro64Rus’ videos rather than anywhere else. We may consider entertaining character requests in the future.

Q. Has Eltorro64Rus seen this?

A. Yes

He likes it, and we consult with him about the various details of his videos for best accuracy!

Q: What tools/engine do you use?

A: I use Unity to put the whole thing together. For working with TF2 assets, Blender + Blender Source Tools + Crowbar

Q. Isn’t this infringing upon the copyright of Valve Software and/or RAID: Shadow Legends?

A. No to RAID. Yes, absolutely infringing on Valve’s copyright.

Whether or not Valve chooses to act on it is entirely up in the air, and more often than not, Valve opts to ignore fan-games. If you check out the Google Play Store, there are even TF2 fan apps that clearly use graphics/assets from TF2, are monetized with ads, and yet they’ve been active for years.

Valve only seems to have issues with fan projects that seek to replicate the Team Fortress 2 game using their IP/assets. Although RED: Shadow Maggots uses Valve assets and IP, we use our own code and we’re making a completely different kind of game.

So far there hasn’t been any precedent for Valve striking down non-profit fanworks that use Valve assets in non-Source engines. I’m personally very invested in creating TF2 fan projects outside of Source, so if Valve has a legal issue with it, it would be beneficial for me to know sooner rather than later.

If RED: Shadow Maggots ends up being taken down, then the community will finally have a precedent to cite for the above, and that’s ultimately a good thing.

Until then, we’ll be continuing with development unabated.

Q. Will RED: Shadow Maggots ever hit Steam?

A. No

I recently attempted to submit a different TF2 fan game I made to Steam as a Free game (no payments ever). Despite the fact that the vast majority of assets used in the game were custom-made for the game, it was still rejected on the grounds that we didn’t have the rights to use the TF2 IP. Since the application was immediately closed, without providing any opportunity for changes/revisions, Valve’s stance on non-Source-mod fan projects on Steam is very clear.

Q. Do you have a Discord server?

A. No. But-

We do plan on opening a Discord server after the demo is released to help collect more feedback on the game as it matures in development. More info on that to come.

Q. How can I support the project?

A. In response to popular demand, we’ve now opened a tip jar that you can throw money to! Do note that I work a decent day job and all work on the game is done by my team of volunteers, so proceeds will go towards paying off development-specific fees and rewarding the volunteers (not me) for a job well done! If you have the means and will to do so, you can donate via BuyMeACoffee.

Otherwise, you can always stay up to date on our development and share our works on social media!

Follow me on Itch.io (click the button in the top-right corner) to get notified on long-form devlogs.

Follow on Twitter to see shorter dev-update posts.

Subscribe on Youtube to see quality dev update videos.

Q. Can I join the RED: Shadow Maggots team?

A. Sure! As long as you understand that you will be working on and off, on a pure volunteer basis, without expectation for any, much less reasonable, monetary compensation.

Do check back every so often as our situation changes.

We’re currently looking for people to help in the following roles:

• 3D Character Animator
• Shader Programmer (Unity-preferred)

If you’d like to help in any other areas, feel free to reach out anyway!

If you wish to join as one of these roles, contact me on Discord at Brogrammist#2265