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Hunted Cow releases Eldevin 1.16, desktop client
Hunted Cow wants you to know that its Eldevin MMORPG is no longer exclusively browser-based. The firm's latest update features a desktop client along with new systems like story mode dungeons. The 1.16 patch also "lays down some preparatory work" for Eldevin's hardware rendering engine, which Hunted Cow says will improve graphics, frame rates, and overall performance in "a few weeks' time." The game will also be launching on Steam, and the full 1.16 notes are embedded after the break. [Source: Hunted Cow press release]
Eldevin gets thumbs-up from Steam
It's a big week for Eldevin, as the indie MMO got greenlit on Steam this past week. Hunted Cow thanked the community for voting on the title and said that it's working on getting the downladable version of the game prepped for Steam: "We've got some work to do to get it ready for release on Steam (implement Steam achievements and integrate it with Steam accounts etc.) but we'll keep you updated on the progress." Eldevin won Massively's Frindie Award for Best Browser Game in 2013.
Ask Massively: Giveaways, zombies, and capturing the spirit of Ultima Online
This week in Ask Massively, we're answering questions about eerily quiet games, giveaways, and capturing the spirit of classic sandboxes and The Walking Dead. Holden asked, "Why has Perpetuum dropped off the map? I never hear about it anymore. The only time I even remember it is when I am doing searches for (more) robot/mech desktop wallpapers. Once monoclegate blew over, it was as if Perpetuum fell of the face of the earth, but it seems that it is still around from glancing at the website." This was such a good question that we went digging for an answer before we even added it to Ask Massively. It had been a long time since we'd reported on Perpetuum because it had been a long time since Perpetuum had made a big splash in the news. Readers speculated that the game's playerbase has shrunk over the last two years, but in fact over the winter holiday, developer Avatar Creations posted a dev blog detailing plans for a newbie tutorial island intended to bolster the new player population. Hopefully Holden and other fans of the game will enjoy this "island of noobs" (Avatar's words, not mine!).
Eldevin making a run at Steam Greenlight
Browser-based MMO Eldevin, which launched at the end of November and was named by our own Beau Hindman as indie browser MMO of the year, is now entering the fray that is Steam Greenlight's open voting pool. Fans of Eldevin can vote for the game if they want to see it come to Steam; Hunted Cow aims to create a standalone Java-based version of Eldevin that will run on Valve's digital distribution platform. Greenlight has proven a boon to many small studios. Since its inception, hundreds of games have been greenlit for distribution on Steam with the most recent batch landing just today. If Eldevin clears the vote threshold, it might just make it through Valve's approval process and onto Steam's digital shelves. Check out the Eldevin launch trailer after the break and have a look at the game's Greenlight listing for more information.
Massively's Third Annual Frindie Awards
It's time once again for me to throw out my awards for the best of free-to-play, indie, and oddball MMOs, a real niche-within-a-niche. It might seem that I am assigned many of these titles as though I were some modern day Mikey, but the truth is that I get a huge thrill out of finding a new game but get even more of a thrill when I realize that no one is covering it. I had to really think hard about the criteria for the awards this year, mainly because "indie" is quickly becoming one of those often hard-to-define words, alongside "MMORPG" and "free-to-play." Fortunately, I think I know it when I see it. I kept my choices to games that I have actually played this year. I wanted to avoid games that appear to be really cool. If you want a more broad batch of prizes, check out Massively's best of awards. (Side note: I voted for Defiance as my game of the year.) These awards are for games that are being created on a shoestring or independent of massive budgets. Some of them are connected to some money, of course, but instead of trying to define "indie," I will only repeat: You'll know it when you see it.
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Rise and Shiny: Eldevin
Sometimes, this column scares me. I eventually had to learn to play the games I write about week after week ahead of time, else I could end up with a really boring, crappy or broken game that I have to suffer through for a week. Occasionally I cannot vet a game and go old-school R&S by jumping into a game without looking. If I'm lucky, I stumble across a real gem. This week, I took a chance on Eldevin, a browser-based MMO by Hunted Cow Studios (maker of Fallen Sword and other titles), and I got lucky. Really lucky. It turns out that Eldevin is a great example of good indie development. Sure, the game isn't perfect, and many modern or younger players might be initially turned off by its older looks and isometric camera, but for those of us who enjoyed Ultima Online or RuneScape, Eldevin is a fantastic title. Heck, it should be a good game for anyone who gives it a chance.
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Rise and Shiny: Zombie Pandemic
I really want to recommend Zombie Pandemic, a browser-based, post-apocalyptic "MMORPG" by Pixel Pandemic. I really do. The problem is that I can see you sitting down to play a cool-sounding game, recommended by me, only to leave it within an hour because its server issues literally make the game unplayable at times. It's such a shame because there are several great ideas going on in the game and several systems and mechanics that rely heavily on real timing and, you know, the server running smoothly. During my time with the game this week, I had the game reset a good portion of my progress, kill me with server burps, and block me from purchasing item shop goods. Yes, that's right... not only did the game prevent me from playing at times, but it also prevented me from giving it money. Still, I'm going to tell you why I liked the game and why you should still check it out. It's a great game for players who enjoy zombies, post-apocalyptic survival, board games, and relatively deep storylines.
Eldevin launching on November 30th
Browser-based fantasy title Eldevin announced today that it will be launching globally on November 30th. Those who have supported the game by purchasing a founder's pack may get into the game as early as November 27th, however. The team's been hard at work patching in improvements including auto-attack, new abilities, an improved tutorial, server-wide chat, a revised UI, and additional crafting items. The game's first open-world PvP area will be part of this launch package as well. Eldevin claims to provide a robust AAA-like game experience as a free-to-play title that runs great in a browser.
Fantasy MMO Eldevin enters closed beta
Last month we introduced you to Eldevin, a new browser-based fantasy MMO being developed by Hunted Cow Studios. If you're looking for a story-driven game filled with quests, PvP, and dungeons, all set in a corrupt fantasy world, Eldevin might be the place for you. And now, you can jump in and experience the world as the game moves into the closed beta stage. Developers are also very eager for player feedback. John Stewart, the studio manager of Hunted Cow, stated: "The closed beta test is a very exciting milestone for us in our development of Eldevin, our goal was to create the best browser-based roleplaying game on the market. Our small studio has been working on Eldevin diligently for the best part of 8 years and we're incredibly proud of what we've accomplished. We hope players enjoy the close beta test and we're looking forward to finding out what they think of the game!" The first wave of invitations for beta testing has already been sent out, but more will be sent over the course of the beta. Players wishing to participate should head on over to the official site to apply. [Source: Hunted Cow Studios]
Eldevin is coming to your browser, and it's got the trailer to prove it
So how do you want to try your new games? Do you want them in a separate client or do you want them as something you can just run in your browser? The team at Hunted Cow Studios is aiming at the latter with its upcoming game Eldevin, a large-scale fantasy MMO currently in development for browser play. Eldevin is meant as a story-based game, containing all of the hallmarks you'd expect from a normal MMO -- dungeons, quests, a long-format story, PvP, and so forth. The designers are aiming at content on par with client-based AAA MMOs, but the game will be playable on an operating system and on lower-end machines without a loss in quality. Sound intriguing? Then you can check out some early screenshots of the game and its UI as well as a new trailer just past the break. Closed beta signups are available now, with testing commencing in March and open beta and launch slated to follow later this year. [Source: Hunted Cow Studios press release] %Gallery-177902%
