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Vendetta getting 'major graphical and engine changes,' Steam release
Vendetta Online's latest newsletter has announced major graphical and engine changes, along with Oculus Rift HD support and a forthcoming Steam release. Lead developer John Bergman explains that Guild Software is "working on a whole new client-server architecture to make it possible for us to generate massively dense sectors of unlimited scale." The new sectors will showcase various graphical upgrades including advanced lighting, shadow, volume effects, and more. These and other upgrades are part of what Bergman is temporarily calling Vendetta 2.0, which "will represent the goals that I set out to build back when we started on this crazy space MMORPG development journey over sixteen years ago." Vendetta is a subscription-based sandbox MMO that allows players on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Ouya, and Oculus Rift to play on the same server. It first launched in 2002.
Vendetta adds persistent player mines, better mobile support
Guild Software has been crunching on various Vendetta Online improvements, chief among them some increased background and planetary detail on Android devices. The multi-platform space sim sandbox also boasts support for the latest high-speed mobile GPUs, as well as new persistent player mines that allow "for more complex defense of territory over long periods of time." Guild lead developer John Bergman says that the team has "big gameplay and graphical plans for 2014, as well as plans to expand the immersion of our existing support for the Oculus Rift HD."
Vendetta Online now compatible with Oculus Rift
Guild Software has announced the debut of Oculus Rift compatibility with Vendetta Online, the company's long-running space-based MMORPG. While genre heavyweights like EVE Online and Star Citizen are experimenting with Rift, Vendetta "marks the first time a live MMORPG has officially released support" for the virtual reality tech, according to a Guild press release. Vendetta's Rift release coincides with a significant graphics update which brings more detailed planets and procedural nebulas to the game. Vendetta's space trading and real-time combat gameplay is available on a huge variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and OUYA. "For the moment, [Rift] support is limited to the Windows version of our game, but we intend to expand this to other platforms with device compatibility," said Guild founder and creative director John Bergman. [Source: Vendetta press release]
Vendetta Online adds F2P Kickstarter goal
Guild Software has added an interesting new wrinkle to its Vendetta Online Kickstarter project. That wrinkle is a possible free-to-play tier which will be available to players of the sci-fi sandbox game should the fundraising drive succeed. Guild founder John Bergman states that subscribers will still have the best experience, and he also lays out how and why a free-to-play conversion is fraught with potential pitfalls for smaller indie studios and well-established games like Vendetta. In some corners it is argued that we must accept this new reality, that our MMOs must be designed more as an extension of monetization metrics than for the sake of the actual gameplay. This has never sat well with me; I design for what I want to play, and an experience peppered with carefully positioned opportunities to spend money is not one I desire. Nor do the mechanics or results of paying-to-win fit within my game-view. Many of us seek these games as a means of escape, and little violates that like the pervasive artificiality of monetization, or direct gameplay advantages granted by an opponent's larger financial outlay. Nevertheless, Guild is open to the possibility of F2P, so head to the Vendetta Kickstarter project to read further details.
Guild previews Vendetta iPad 2 build in new video
Guild Software is hard at work on a full port of its long-running Vendetta Online MMORPG for second-generation iPad devices. Guild founder John Bergman demos a prototype build running on an iPad 2, though he says that there is still "a lot of work to do." Current Vendetta players will be glad to know that Guild plans to "ship the iPad version as soon as we can, and then immediately focus all our attention on gameplay enhancements to make the 1.9 goals a reality in 2013." Vendetta's fund-raising effort is about a third of the way to its goal with nine days remaining.
Vendetta Online aiming for Steam release
Guild Software is seeking to release it's long-running Vendetta Online MMO on Steam, and the space-based sandbox title needs your vote to clear Valve's Greenlight hurdle. Vendetta is one of a very few MMORPGs that natively supports Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms, and Guild founder John Bergman says that his team would "like to integrate some of Steam's community and achievement features." Vendetta features physics-based PvE and PvP combat, extensive trading and economic gameplay, and an active development team that has been iterating on the game since its 2002 release. The firm's Kickstarter project, which is designed to fund both an in-game expansion and an expansion to iOS platforms, has 19 days remaining. Head past the cut for a two-minute gameplay trailer.
Vendetta Online pushes its Kickstarter program with new videos
Kickstarter isn't just being used by studios trying to get a new MMO off the ground. In the case of Vendetta Online, it's being used to fund something that the game otherwise simply wouldn't have. After nearly a decade of continual operation, the sandbox title wants to expand beyond desktop computers (it already has clients for Linux, Macintosh, and Windows, not to mention an Android client) by porting over to the iPad while launching a major graphical upgrade. Not convinced? The founder of Guild Software, John Bergman, has taken the time to outline some of what the small team wants to do with the added funding for development. First he discusses the dynamic warfare systems with full-on RTS elements, and next he discusses how new graphics will improve the game overall rather than just making it prettier. The campaign's modest $100,000 goal is already a quarter of the way to completion as of this writing, so if this seems like it'd be right up your alley, it's well worth a closer look.
Vendetta using Kickstarter to fund new expansion, iOS client
There's no shortage of sandbox MMO projects on Kickstarter these days, but how would you feel about a fundraiser for a game that's been live since 2002? That's the reality for Vendetta Online, as Guild Software has just announced a new pledge drive to help the game conquer Apple's iPad platform. Vendetta is already playable on PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and WinRT (and all of those space pilots play seamlessly on the same server, too), so Guild's next goal is integrating iOS users into its sprawling space-based sandbox. "We'll be thrilled to bring our intense brand of multiplayer space gaming to the iPad family of devices," says John Bergman, Guild CEO. "Our game offers a seamless transition between desktop and mobile, so players can easily switch back and forth between their iPad and their Mac without limitation." If successful, the game's Kickstarter project will also help fund a major expansion, which promises "enhanced player-owned capital ships and territorial conquest." Vendetta is a subscription-based MMO that features twitch-based space combat, extensive mining, trading, and exploration options, and a player-generated content system. You can check out an eight-minute gameplay video after the break, then head to the official website to sign up for a free trial.
Vendetta now available on Windows 8, RT
Have you upgraded to Windows 8 yet? Do you use Windows on a tablet? If so, Guild Software wants you to know that its long-running Vendetta Online sci-fi MMO is ready and willing. The indie outfit recently released the game to the Windows store, and as you'd know if you read one of Massively's multiple Vendetta impressions pieces, the game syncs seamlessly across PCs, Macs, Linux systems, and tablets, now including devices that run Windows RT. "Thanks to the scalability of our in-house NAOS Engine with native DirectX 11 support, we're able to deliver our desktop-grade MMO experience even on lightweight Windows RT tablets," explains Guild CEO John Bergman. Vendetta mixes combat, mining, trading, and exploration, and a free trial is available via the game's official website. [Source: Guild press release]
