indie-mmo
Latest
Project: Gorgon hits Kickstarter
Touted as "an indie MMO by industry veterans," Project: Gorgon has launched a bid for public affection (and donations) on Kickstarter. The effort is being spearheaded by Eric Heimburg and Sandra Powers, who've worked on titles like Asheron's Call, Asheron's Call 2, EverQuest II, and Star Trek Online. Project: Gorgon is meant to promote and reward exploration and remove constrictions on gameplay. Its creators are calling it a "thoroughly modern MMO" with a "quirky, old-school feel." The details of the game's cost and possible subscription fees haven't been finalized yet, but the rewards that have been set out seem to be hinting to a free-to-play model paired with subscriptions for extra access and goodies. Rewards include alpha and beta access, game time, special items (including a vial of -- we kid you not -- "wolf spit"), and the opportunity to vote on game features in beta and shortly after launch. Hit up the Kickstarter page to let the team speak for itself, or skip below the cut to see some pre-alpha footage of the game.
Zandagort indie MMORTS features 'finite servers'
Looking for an indie game to satisfy that online sci-fi strategy itch? Zandagort just might be the one. Or it might not, but seeing as how it's free-to-play, you don't have much to lose. The title is the brainchild of Hungary-based Zanda Games, and it's a browser MMORTS that features tactical starship maneuvers, a vibrant economy, and diverse gameplay options that touch on everything from trade to warfare to ecology. What's with the name? Zandagort is a malevolent alien ruler who serves as the game's antagonist, and he's also a literal bit of endgame, according to the game's website. The title features something called finite servers, and "Zandagort arrives at the end of each server to destroy mankind. Players who were enemies before have to collaborate to prevail," Zanda says. If that sounds interesting, give it a whirl and let us know what you think. Don't forget to tip us about other indie MMO projects while you're at it. [Thanks to Jergis for the tip!]
Retro-themed sandbox 8BitMMO announced
Archive Entertainment is looking to get a slice of the massive Minecraft pie (which is square, not round), as the team has dived into the concept of a retro-style sandbox MMO called 8BitMMO. It may not boast the most incredible graphics, but that's kind of the point; players who recall their NES days with fondness will be right at home with the presentation on display. 8BitMMO is touted to be a "100% player-built world," where anything can be built, destroyed, and harvested for raw materials. Up to 250 players can occupy a server at the same time, and there's the option to group or go solo while you build, explore, or fight off the evil LawyerCats. There are quests, PvP engagements, and methods of protecting one's buildings from griefing. This project is the sole creation of Robby Zinchak, who was formerly a producer at Microsoft. Zinchak has been working on 8BitMMO since 2001 and is impressed with the creativity shown in the game so far: "People are creating some genuinely cool architecture - everything from towering windmills to sports arenas. One player even made a huge statue of a flying dragon. The community is very inventive, and I can't wait to see what they'll come up with next!" Currently, 8BitMMO can be played on the official website as it continues to be developed. You can watch the trailer for this interesting project after the jump. [Source: Archive Entertainment press release]
Friday Livestream: Eskil Steenberg's LOVE
Hey everyone, it's your favorite day -- Friday! The weekend is fast approaching, so let's kick it off by checking out a brand-new game! This week's topic of the livestream is LOVE, the single-man MMO created by Eskil Steenberg. LOVE is a surreal fantasy where players fortify their settlements against waves of hostile computer-controlled tribes. However, LOVE doesn't stop the players at creating just fortifications alone! Players can terraform the environment, lay down power lines to defensive weaponry, construct buildings, and more! So please, hit the play button above to watch the livestream narrated by Seraphina Brennan, or double-click the video to be taken to our Livestream page, where you can chat with other Massively users in real time, talk with Sera, and learn more about LOVE or the MMO industry at large! Update: Thanks everyone for coming! The stream may be over, but you can catch a re-run of it by pressing the play button above! Enjoy!
Vendetta Online to be ported to the Android OS
Google's operating system, Android, has had an odd genesis. It's been ported around for every flavor of mobile device, from phones to tablet PCs, but it's coming into a field already crowded with operating systems -- and the plethora of hardware running the system has hampered some efforts to port games to the architecture. Guild Software Inc. is making the push, however, adapting their indie MMO Vendetta Online to the Android system architecture. For proponents of the Droid over the iPhone, the good news is that it's the same operating system on your phone of choice. However, the port is specifically targeting the NVIDIA Tegra processors, aiming toward smaller netbooks and tablets rather than phones. In the official FAQ, the developers clarify that they're not currently planning to aim the port at any phones, although the door is open once the initial port is finished. It's still an exciting step for the Android architecture, however, and it continues expanding the network of MMOs available for mobile devices.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite indie MMO?
There's never enough credit given to the indie MMO developers. These are the teams that usually put it all on the line with the hope of making a darn good MMO for people to play in. They don't have the budgets that the big teams do, and sometimes they don't have the graphics, but what they always have is the soul and innovation to put out their title.So today's Daily Grind is dedicated to the independent teams out there. And, in honor of them, we ask you what your favorite indie MMO is. You've got lots of choices, from Love to Face of Mankind to Neocron to Fallen Earth to Ryzom to Istaria to Darkfall to A Tale in the Desert to many others. We could keep going, but you'd probably get bored of us naming off all of these games.So tell us of your favorite indie MMO! For good measure, tell us some stories about your indie MMO of choice! Go go go!
Anti-Aliased: What is Love?
So what is love? That's certainly the metaphysical question of the ages, isn't it? Is it simply an attraction to another gender, or is it a deep bond between two people that goes beyond mere friendship, and more into the realm of headbanging, suit and sunglasses wearing pride? Do I have the authority to take on questions such as this in my editorial column?Heck no! That's why we're going to spend this week talking about Eskil Steenberg's indie-MMO, Love! We've been covering Love extensively this week, announcing that the alpha was available and showing off some really beautiful in-game footage. But, even with all of that, we never got into the meat of the game. What is Love about? What do you do in it? Why is it so special to us on the Massively staff?Those questions and more will be answered in this week's edition. So come on in, the Love is great!
