The German development studio tool1 has announced its first project. It is the MMO shooter The Invitation. This looks visually impressive and relies on players engaging with each other.
What kind of game is this? The PvX MMO shooter The Invitation takes place in 2081 in a rundown Eastern Europe, but has a very modern approach otherwise.
Thus, in addition to the typical rewards for loot shooters, players are supposed to take center stage. They should be able to interact with each other in every possible way:
- On the one hand, you can challenge each other with quests in the form of assassinations or invitations to a joint raid.
- On the other hand, you can also hinder each other in completing missions. After all, PvP is possible.
Especially the personal quests seem to play a significant role. The trailer and the website already indicate that players can easily create them and set the rewards. One can see how a player requests a Medi-Pack that is delivered directly by drone from another player.
Player quests would be an exciting innovation that many other games have failed at. Even custom texts are possible for a personal touch.
Player Quests as a Core Feature
What is so special about player quests? Since online games have existed, players have been challenging each other. However, a real system that allows players to automate quest creation and reward distribution has proven difficult.
One of the best systems was in the MMOs Neverwinter and Star Trek Online with the Foundry, an extensive editor, which allowed challenging quests to be designed in instances and unlocked for other players. However, the Foundry was discontinued, due to technical issues, as all content had to be constantly reviewed. The system of the new shooter, on the other hand, appears to be noticeably simpler, more restrictive, and more integrated into the game.
In a similar direction, with player contracts, the ambitious MMORPG Chronicles of Elyria wanted to go, but is struggling with financial difficulties.
What else does the trailer show? In the video, you can also see some gameplay scenes, including a brief fight against an alien named “Junk Eater”.
Furthermore, the trailer emphasizes with text and sound that The Invitation places a lot of value on interaction between players.
Unique Story and First Tests in 2021
What is The Invitation about? The story of the shooter is also interesting. The planet Earth is currently in a state of decay because aliens have contacted humanity. Since then, they have gained access to new worlds, and many have moved on to other metropolises.
Now only scattered humans and unknown aliens live on Earth. They fight over loot, but also important locations such as factories.
Are there consequences for death? The Invitation relies on full loot. So, if you die to an enemy, whether monster or another player, you lose all your belongings.
This may not be to everyone’s liking, but it also brings its own unique appeal.
When will The Invitation be released? Currently, the release of the shooter is still a long way off. Work is being done on the Kickstarter campaign, which is supposed to start once 1,000 members have joined the associated Discord server. On April 11 at 5:00 PM, there were already 462 members there.
An initial testing phase for supporters is planned for May 2021. How things will continue afterward is currently uncertain.
If you’re looking for a new shooter, we have compiled the best titles of 2020 here.
