Indie developed Divergence Online to combine third person shooter with MMO
Divergence Online is a sci-fi hybrid of a third person shooter and MMO, from indie developer Stainglass Llama. The game is set hundreds of years in the future, in a time when human and alien civilizations clash. The rated-M game will feature a "hybrid interface" where players can switch between "RAG Mode" (Run-and-Gun Mode) with crosshairs and "MMO Mode" with auto-attack, more standard MMO-style targeting, movement, and camera control.
The MMO Gamer has some early info about the game, revealed in an interview by Mobin Koohestani with Divergence Online Project Manager Ethan Casner, who is also the creator of the Divergence universe. Casner gives The MMO Gamer a brief overview of the game's concepts, lore and game mechanics in the interview. He says, "Our goal is to get as close to the feel of combat in a traditional FPS/3PS as possible, with the capabilities of an MMORPG such as character progression and a persistent world populated by (hopefully) thousands of players at the same time."
A major aspect of Divergence Online is player freedom, but this will be tempered by consequences. Given Divergence Online is a shooter first and an MMO second, yes, players will be able to randomly attack others but they'll also pay a price for such actions. Taking the example of a player who goes into a dance club to unload rounds, Casner says this sort of behavior should be curbed by its negative impact on faction standings.
Casner explains, "[...] in Divergence, faction is everything. You're given the freedom to do as you please, but with the understanding that you had best be prepared to reap the consequences of your actions, just as in real life. In that scenario, not only would that individual be KOS from then on to the guards posted outside and inside the establishment, but would be quite unwelcome in many other important places as well."
Casner also tells the MMO Gamer about how Divergence Online's PvE and PvP are not separated (giving more of a feel of a seamless world), full looting, depth of character customization, and of course their release plans for the title. Check out The MMO Gamer interview with Ethan Casner for more on Divergence Online, and you can find out more at the game's official site as well.
