Once again today, we take a look back at the past week and see what has happened – especially in the indie MMORPG sector.
The market for indie MMOs is very interesting, and it is always exciting to see how these games develop. We will now showcase some developments.
Crowfall
The first Pre-Alpha test of the promising MMORPG Crowfall has concluded. The testers are enthusiastic, as the game mode was almost more fun than many finished MMOs. In this still quite early version, players could fight on a map while the “Hunger” slowly consumed it. Those who remained at the end were the winners. Although Crowfall still has a long way to go and there have naturally been some issues, it is remarkable what progress the game is making in a relatively short time.
Shroud of the Avatar
The newly launched Pre-Alpha Version R22 has sparked a fundamental discussion about the combat system in the “Selective Multiplayer RPG”. The WoW-like system used is seen by some in the community as too “overused”, too classic, too boring. Therefore, a discussion with the developers will take place on October 6.
It should be noted: Shroud of the Avatar still has a very long way to go and is far from finished. Therefore, the combat system is still being refined – nonetheless: It would be nice to play something new and exciting that can also capture the thrill of a battle.
Wild Terra
The interesting indie MMO that we mentioned in the last issue of the Respec column received a comprehensive update. This improves performance and adds new languages. The Early Access of the Ultima Online-like sandbox MMO is now also playable in German! So, if you prefer to play in German and are interested in the Early Access of Wild Terra, you can take a look now if you wish.
Camelot Unchained
City State Entertainment announces that the beta of the unofficial successor of Dark Age of Camelot is expected to start before the end of the upcoming winter. This means all fans of the MMORPG Camelot Unchained can look forward to a beta in early 2016. The team is currently working on bringing life to the procedurally generated landscape and integrating further game systems. Additionally, a class called the Devout has been introduced, which serves as a mix of mage and healer but will have a different “flavor” for each of the three factions in the game. So it will only be a few months before players can get a reasonably good impression of Camelot Unchained and see if it can truly follow in the footsteps of Dark Age of Camelot.
Tree of Savior
Tree of Savior, the spiritual successor of Ragnarok Online, is about to enter another closed beta phase. This is set to begin later this month and will give even more players the chance to test the MMORPG. A total of 5,000 players will be admitted. The closed beta will be conducted in English. There are currently no plans for other languages. It is also still unclear who will handle the publishing of the game in Europe. Initially, it was said that the developer studio IMC Games would handle it themselves, but they later decided to look for a publisher instead.
Star Citizen
One might argue whether Star Citizen still falls into the indie game category. On one hand, it has a very large budget; on the other hand, it has no publisher… The development of Star Citizen is also progressing – although some are dissatisfied with the speed of progress. Last week, criticism of the game surfaced again.
A spaceship that fans can buy for 1,000 dollars ignited strong feelings. Both among fans and among other developers in the gaming scene. What does one do with such an expensive spaceship in a non-existent computer game? Of course, everyone decides for themselves what to do with their money. If someone wants to spend 1,000 dollars for a virtual spaceship, they are free to do so and support the developers. In other games, like Shroud of the Avatar, you can buy virtual cities for several thousand dollars. If someone needs it and finds it good, why not? In case someone hasn’t seen it yet, we also addressed another criticism initiated by the US magazine Escapist: Star Citizen: “No game, just a facade” – Roberts denies smear article
We are already looking forward to what will happen in the indie sector of the MMO world this week, so that we can report back to you on the upcoming Monday.
