Independent studio inXile Entertainment launched their second Kickstarter project while Australia was sleeping last night, and before we woke up, it had already passed its funding goal. Torment: Tides of Numenera is pitched as a spiritual successor of the acclaimed Black Isle Studios RPG, Planescape: Torment, based instead on the new tabletop RPG setting of Numenera.

The pitch video eloquently explains the developer's justification for embarking on a new crowdfunding venture before the fruits of their Wasteland 2 project have been tasted, citing the need to keep their writing and pre-production staff on the payroll.

Many key members who played a role in the Planescape setting and Planescape: Torment are involved in Torment: Tides of Numenera. Colin McComb and Monte Cook were two of the three primary writers for TSR’s Planescape setting. Colin was also a key designer on PS:T, where he worked closely with lead designer Chris Avellone. For Torment: Tides of Numenera, Colin is leading the creative vision in the setting that Monte has crafted. The two are also joined by their long-time partner Ray Vallese, who edited and wrote for the Planescape setting and who'll be editing Torment content. (That’s right – the quality of writing for Torment is so important that we have a professional editor on the team.)

We have the honor to work again with Mark Morgan, who composed PS:T’s music. You can hear his first piece in our Kickstarter launch video. Other contributors to Torment in this preproduction period have included Adam Heine (a scripter on PS:T) and Aaron Meyers (an artist on PS:T). And, of course, it was Brian Fargo who originally saw the potential of Planescape: Torment at Interplay and who greenlit the project so that it could be made in the first place. And we're going to bring on a lot more people-some of the Wasteland 2 team, or course, and other high-profile writers who can provide their own inimitable voice to the game. We're excited to be working with them.

The team is expected to reveal stretch goals shortly, after being taken by surprise at the pace that the project passed it's initial US$900,000 goal. At the time of writing Torment: Tids of Numenera has raised over US$1.2M from over 24,000 backers, with a full 30 days left on the clock.