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It's dangerous to Shadowrun Online alone, take a friend
Shadowrun Online, the successfully-Kickstarted game set in the magic-meets-cyberpunk world of Shadowrun (no, not that one), has been updated to include two-player cooperative gameplay and character customization. So now when you blast that cyborg Ork, you can do so with a friend and look good doing it. If those sound like features you'd expect to be in the game at release, well ... the game hasn't actually launched yet; not fully, anyway. Shadowrun Online is in Early Access, and was only made available via Steam's service earlier this year. The recent patch to the game changes plenty of other features in the game as well, such as a user interface overhaul and fatigue system. You can check out the full list of changes on the Shadowrun Online website. [Image: Cliffhanger Productions]
Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall content flies solo in September
A new, standalone version of the Shadowrun Returns expansion Dragonfall will rear its scaly head in September, developer Harebrained Schemes has revealed. The standalone version of Dragonfall is being labeled as a Director's Cut, though what exactly was cut and/or will be added in for this re-release has yet to be revealed. Harebrained Schemes promises we'll hear more next month, but until then, good news for anyone who backed the game on Kickstarter or already owns the expansion: you'll be getting the Director's Cut for free. Free is our favorite price. [Image: Harebrained Schemes]
Shadowrun Online is on Steam Early Access, 30% off this week
Cliffhanger Productions has launched its turn-based tactical multiplayer RPG Shadowrun Online via Steam Early Access, giving wannabe deckers and samurai a preliminary look at their dystopian cyberpunk future. The result of a successful Kickstarter campaign, Shadowrun Online is set 20 years after the events of last year's Shadowrun Returns, building on the previous game's storyline with new settings, characters, and missions. The final version will deliver co-op gameplay and an in-depth PvP component, along with an array of item and character customization options. Cliffhanger Productions notes that the current Steam version lacks many features that are planned for the finished product, however. "This is the most basic early access version - it contains four missions and a 1 vs 1 player PvP, but no character creation, progression or anything else yet - this will all come in time," the developer warns. "We want to make sure the basic combat gameplay works well before we pile more features on it." Shadowrun Online is regularly priced at $29.99, but is available for $20.99 during its debut week. [Video: Cliffhanger Productions]
Shadowrun Online infiltrates Early Access on March 31
Those anxiously awaiting the turn-based roleplaying action of Shadowrun Online won't have to wait much longer to dip into the cyberpunk world. Developer Cliffhanger Productions has revealed that the game will make its Steam Early Access debut on March 31. Though the version of Shadowrun Online that appears on Early Access will not be the complete game, it should give players a good idea of how the full game is shaping up. According to Cliffhanger, the Early Access build will initially serve as a prologue to the core Shadowrun Online campaign and will introduce players to the game's combat mechanics. Once the basics have been nailed down, the developer plans to roll out periodic updates which will bring new content to Shadowrun Online. No specific schedule for these updates has been established, but Cliffhanger hopes to issue new content on a monthly basis. The final, complete version of Shadowrun Online is still slated for release on PC, Mac and mobile devices toward the end of 2014, but keep in mind that any number of things could happen during Early Access testing to delay that vague release window. [Image: Cliffhanger Productions]
Shadowrun Online heading to Steam Early Access on March 31st
You might be able to play Shadowrun Online sooner than expected, as the title is heading to Steam Early Access on March 31st. In a new video, Managing Director Jan Wagner announced the Early Access release and answered several questions that the community has had for the game. He said that this version of the game will be a "prequel" with many of the core elements from Shadowrun Online, such as combat and PvP. Wagner explained why the game slipped from 2013 (they had to recode the game from scratch), promised a future DRM-free version, and assured the addition of "more building blocks" every four to six weeks as the development progresses. You can watch the full video after the break. [Thanks to Chris for the tip!]
PSA: Shadowrun: Dragonfall arrives today
Better late than never, developer Harebrained Schemes has released the Dragonfall expansion for Shadowrun Returns, bringing the cyberpunk roleplaying game from the dark streets of cyberpunk Seattle to the likewise gloomy streets of cyberpunk Berlin. Along with the new setting comes a new plot, focusing on the titular "Dragonfall," a prophecy that heralds apocalyptic destruction if a certain dragon decides to cause trouble for humanity. Unlike the original Shadowrun Returns campaign, Dragonfall is said to be far less linear, with a hub supporting a variety of missions that players can attempt at their leisure. Dragonfall also adds new weapons, items and character portraits to the game, alongside new content for the Shadowrun Returns editor. Most crucially, this expansion finally gives players the ability to save their progress at any time. Dragonfall is currently available on Steam for $15. It requires players to already own a copy of Shadowrun Returns, but that can also be found on Steam for $20. [Image: Harebrained Schemes]
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding February 9 - 22, 2014
In the world of MMOs, no news is not necessarily good news -- especially when it comes to crowdfunding. Silence often denotes a lack of progress on a game, and that can certainly make investors nervous. Thankfully, many games provide players with updates that we, in turn, provide for you here. If no news is bad, then news is good, right? Unfortunately, this doesn't hold true. In the case of Star Rider and Hot Rod Hustle, the news is that neither met its funding goals. So we say farewell to these two games from Make My MMO. And Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen's campaign was chock-full of news, but in the end, its Kickstarter didn't succeed either; Pantheon, however, is continuing the fundraising effort on its official site. At least some news is good! War of Omens also leaves this round up, but for different reasons: Players can hop in and play the game! Likewise, HEX: Shards of Fate and StarCraft Universe move on now that both have moved into testing. Another sandbox, Terrayn, also joins the Kickstarter ranks. To hear other good news, keep reading.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding January 26 - February 8, 2014
The crowdfunding train just keeps rolling right along, with passengers always coming and going. New passengers hop aboard while others hop off at their desired destination. Sadly, some have to disembark early -- such is the case with Universe Rush and Antilia. Although the Kickstarter campaign fell far short of its goal, Antilia does plan to continue development on its own. On the brighter side of things, some passengers reached their stop; Tales From The Strange Universe reached its goal, and both it and Novus AEterno (which brought in over 3.5 times its initial goal) will now take their places in the funded category. The Repopulation, earning over 175K during this latest Kickstarter run, disembarks at Betawatch station thanks to its ongoing alpha testing. Catch up on all the news for all these titles as they journey through crowdfunding here in Make My MMO.
Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall expansion arrives February 27
Fans eager to return to the cyberpunk noir futurism of Shadowrun Returns will be happy to hear that developer Harebrained Schemes has finally nailed down a release date for the game's first official expansion: February 27. Titled "Dragonfall," the expansion ditches the rain-slicked streets of Seattle in favor of a wholly new tale set in a futuristic Berlin. Instead of continuing the story of the characters seen in Shadowrun Returns, Dragonfall introduces a new team of street samurai, deckers and magic users. Not much is known of the expansion's plot, but it has been revealed that the titular "Dragonfall" is an ominous event foretold in prophecy that threatens to destroy Berlin in apocalyptic fashion. When it debuts on February 27, Dragonfall will feature a $15 price tag. That may seem steep for an addition to a $20 game, but beyond the Dragonfall campaign the expansion also includes a swath of new weapons and items, additions to the game's content editing suite and, most crucially, the ability to save your game whenever you please. For more information, visit Harebrained Schemes' website.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding January 12 - 25, 2014
After a sleepy holiday season, the crowdfunding crowd has woken up and gotten down to business. And amidst that new bustle of activity, Make My MMO's ranks are altering a bit. Two games leave our listing, but each for different reasons; the cross-platform space sim Space Unfolding folded after missing its goal, and Face of Mankind moved along to Betawatch to join the ranks of the games in testing. And now that War of Omens' campaign has wrapped up, it moves into the fully funded category. Some campaigns have really kicked into high gear. Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen joined the crowdfunding race and has delivered a slew of nearly daily news. Novus AEterno has nearly tripled its goal and is closing in on yet another stretch goal these final days of its campaign, while The Repopulation has also blown away its initial goal and is aiming for its eigth stretch goal (not to mention revealed plenty of juicy new bits). A smaller title, Tales From The Strange Universe, is more than halfway to its modest goal with a week left. And newcomer Star Rider also jumps on the Kickstarter bandwagon. Unfortunately, others aren't faring as well. Things aren't looking promising for Antilia or Universe Rush, whose campaigns end soon and are still over $85K and $98K short of their respective goals. Want more details on these stories or an update on all the already-funded projects? We've got the round-up right here.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding December 29, 2013 - January 11, 2014
Was 2013 the year of Kickstarter? Whatever you think personally about the funding model, you can't argue with the fact that over $480 million was pledged through the crowdfunding platform in the last calendar year. That's definitely one hunk of change! But whether or not that figure translates into a tidal wave of awesome games has yet to be seen; the jury will remain out until even more funded games actually release and players get to experience what they backed. As for specific MMO news this past fortnight, the bulk of it involves new titles vying for a slice of 2014's crowdfunding pie. The CCG War of Omens has already grabbed a piece; it met its goal and has moved on to stretch goals for the last couple of days. Other hopefuls include more two space strategy games. Learn more about all of these, as well as the news from the funded front, right here in Make My MMO.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding December 15 - 28, 2013
'Tis the season... but not for news! With minds focused on the holidays, it looks as if not much happened in the realm of crowdfunding since our last Make My MMO update. Just how slow was it? It was so slow that Star Citizen did not announce earning another $2 million. A few tidbits did, however, did trickle out. Novus AEterno met its goal within 102 hours and still has a month of funding ahead. On the other hand, Empires of Tahn followed what seems to be the new norm: cancel the project before getting the dreaded "unsuccessful" label. And one title that is already strong in its development has jumped back into the crowdfunding realm; The Repopulation aims to incorporate even more features into the sandbox. There are also a couple dev blogs to speak of and a few odds and ends, all of which you will find rounded up for you below.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding December 1 - 14, 2013
If it seems as if crowdfunding's gone into a turkey coma lately, you aren't just imagining things -- at least as far as funded games are concerned. News on that front has seemed scarce compared to the deluge of some other two-week spans, but the current campaigns are trying to make up for it. Life is Feudal canceled its Indiegogo campaign, but devs vowed to "survive according to Plan 'B'," so we'll keep an eye out to see whether it moves into personal funding as other games have done. (That route is working for Neo's Land, whose donations keep creeping higher.) Similarly, Novus AEterno scrapped its second Kickstarter campaign, but in a twist, it's already restarted another with a lower goal. Outer Worlds Online, however, just didn't make the funding cut. On the successful side, manners and dinner parties will be coming to an MMO near you; Ever, Jane got an invitation to join the funded club. A few other funded titles also saw some progress, and still others joined (or re-joined) the race for your support. And topping all that, we also bid farewell to Elite: Dangerous, who leaves Make My MMO for Betawatch now that its alpha has started. You can catch all the updates below.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding November 3 - 16, 2013
A quiet fortnight in the land of crowdfunding these past two weeks have not been. In fact, with the popularity of this funding model, it may never be quiet again. The past two weeks have had their share of campaigns starting, campaigns closing, and campaigns obliterating goals and funding records alike. Three new prospective games have popped on the radar (including one for those with impeccable manners!), and one has disappeared. But even that game isn't gone for good; although pledges had climbed to over $86K, Trials of Ascension canceled its campaign in order to "regroup, rework, and return." Another title, City of Titans, is taking its place among the fully funded crowd. And there there is Star Citizen, which proved that a single fortnight can't go by without the game's gathering another million or two. All that information and more can be found here in Make My MMO!
Shadowrun Returns drops DRM, may appear on GOG
Harebrained Schemes has announced plans to sell all future copies of Shadowrun Returns (as well as its upcoming expansions) sans pesky digital rights management schemes. "Thanks to a new agreement we were able to negotiate with our partners at Microsoft, Harebrained Schemes is pleased to announce that we are now able to release fully DRM-free versions of Shadowrun Returns and future expansions such as Berlin," reads a message on the Shadowrun Returns Kickstarter page. Other than the removal of DRM, Harebrained Schemes assures fans that these new copies of Shadowrun Returns will receive the same level of developer support as any other version of the game. "You'll be able to download all game patches, use the Shadowrun Returns editor and experience user-generated content downloaded from third-party sites such as Nexus," the message states. Those few who ignored our glowing 4/5 star review and still haven't played Shadowrun Returns may have another chance to pick up the game when it makes its Good Old Games debut. Harebrained Schemes is currently working toward this goal, though there is as yet no word on when or if the game might hit GOG.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding October 20 - November 2, 2013
The news meter for crowdfunding keeps right on ticking. The last two weeks have seen a score of changes in the realm of community funding initiatives, with some titles experiencing success, others not meeting their goals, and even more joining the ranks. One big name in gaming, Brad McQuaid, is even planning on launching a campaign in the near future. The zombie-centric The Living was unsuccessful, and Story Quest Online failed for a second time. Mixmaster Online removed itself from the field and canceled its campaign. On the other hand, 8BitMMO met its first stretch goal, ensuring that a Mac edition of that game will be available for players. And then there's City of Titans, which is climbing closer to doubling its goal with only two days left. Finally, there are all the progress updates for those already-funded campaigns, conveniently rounded up right here for you in Make My MMO.
Shadowrun Returns summons temporary 33% price cut
If you've been waiting for a good opportunity to pick up Shadowrun Returns, this is your moment: Until October 30 at 10AM, the PC and Mac incarnations of Shadowrun Returns are available from Steam at a 33 percent discount. For $13.39, Shadowrun Returns offers players a grimy, dystopian futurescape that works nicely as a singleplayer experience, but really comes into its own when you examine the Steam Workshop community that's built up around the game. After completing the 10- to 12-hour campaign that ships with Shadowrun Returns, you'll find dozens of new adventures there available for free download. This was only attractive potential when our review was published, but the community has blossomed since, and it's now trivial to find numerous player-created adventures that humble the campaign built by developer Harebrained Schemes. In addition to cutting its base price, this Daily Deal also reduces the cost of the Shadowrun Returns Digital Deluxe edition. That version includes a downloadable soundtrack as well as a .pdf containing short stories set in the Shadowrun universe, alongside the game. Buying the Digital Deluxe edition will now set you back $23.44, though if you already own Shadowrun Returns, you can upgrade to Digital Deluxe for $10.05.
Make My MMO: Crowdfunding October 6 - 19, 2013
This was quite a fortnight in the realm of crowdfunding, and for once we don't mean just Star Citizen news! More than one game met its funding goals, with one title proving that fans can be a very passionate lot: City of Titans reached its lofty goal within days. On top of that, two other games joined the fight for funding. Conversely, Alteil Horizons pulled its campaign at literally the last minute to avoid the stigma of an unsuccessful stamp and plans to launch again. Want the scoop on all these stories and many more? Learn the latest right here in Make My MMO.
Shadowrun Online devs explain F2P model
Were you confused about Shadowrun Online's payment model? The devs have posted on the game's official website in an attempt to clear things up. First of all, everyone will play on the same server, regardless of whether you choose to pay for the campaign access tier or go free-to-play. Campaigners will receive the ability to buy every in-game item with in-game currency as well as boosts on cash, karma, and loot chances. Paying players will also apparently have more of a chance to affect the game's plot, "meaning their actions could count slightly more than the others' actions on the server in calculating what happens with the plot development." More details are available via the full news post, including a handy chart and answers to questions like "what happens when F2P players and campaign players play together?"
Shadowrun Returns pushed back to May, June 2013
Harebrained Schemes recently took to the Kickstarter page for its successful Shadowrun Returns funding project to note the game has been pushed back from an anticipated January launch date to either May or June of 2013. The Kickstarter project concluded with $1.8 million in funding in late April this year, resulting in Mac and Linux versions of the game in addition to PC, iOS and Android. Producer Mitch Gitelman said the January release date "might've worked for the scope of the game we originally envisioned but as our ambitions (read that 'features list') grew, so did the time we needed to deliver!" He added that the move from a top-down perspective to an isometric camera angle took "serious R&D time." Gitelman also noted that the ability to recruit any friends' characters into one player's game has been cut from the project due to time and budget demands.
