In the field of indie MMORPGs, quite a bit has happened in the past week. Many games have made significant progress in their development, while others have not. We will dedicate today’s issue of Respec to this.
MMORPGs go through various phases of development. Here, the graphics are improved as new features are added. After all, fans always want something new, and games – especially MMOs – undergo a constant development process where changes need to be made repeatedly.
Shroud of the Avatar
The upcoming selective multiplayer RPG Shroud of the Avatar is not one of the prettiest games. However, the developers at Portalarium are continuously making enhancements to improve the visuals. A while ago, the trees in the game were replaced with Speedtree trees, and now the water is up for an update. Previously, it looked more like an oily liquid. Starting this week with the Pre-Alpha Release R23, the team will implement the CETO Ocean System.
This will not only make the water graphically look much nicer, but it will also allow for various wave patterns to be simulated. For example, a storm can be noticed by the higher waves. In R23, the new water system will initially be introduced on a trial basis in some areas and will then be gradually expanded to all other scenes.
Camelot Unchained
The upcoming PvP MMORPG Camelot Unchained is also getting a graphic makeover. The developers announced that they would gradually take care of the graphics to improve them, including the armor, the female characters, and more. It was shown how the female Fir Bolg is being developed, and an updated version of the female Golem was also presented. Thus, Camelot Unchained is making a better impression graphically.
Additionally, the Shapeshifter class was introduced for the first time. There will be a deeper reason for the shapeshifting abilities. Moreover, the mere ability to use one’s head and spine as weapons is reason enough to want to play the class, right? The shapeshifters will, however, only find their way into the game after the MMORPG is released.
We have introduced the race overhaul and the innovative shapeshifter class in detail in the following post: Camelot Unchained: Class Trio of the Shapeshifters Unveiled
Infinity: The Quest for Earth
A different kind of development is happening with the MMO Infinity: The Quest for Earth. It was announced as a massive online game where players could explore 200 billion star systems and engage in real-time battles with thousands of players. However, the project seems to have overwhelmed the developers. Therefore, they have now decided to scale down the scope a bit.
Now it is said that players can engage in battles with around 100 other games in a single star system. This is to be implemented at scale. Sandbox elements and PvP are to be at the forefront. The developers want to finance Infinity: The Quest for Earth through a Kickstarter campaign, aiming to raise 300,000 USD by November 20th.
Sphere 3: Enchanted World
The Russian MMORPG Sphere 3: Enchanted World also aims to offer a backward development, back to the good old days when PvP was truly challenging and you could lose everything. The PK system is supposed to be brutal yet fair, and in addition to PvP, more than 1,000 quests, a sophisticated story, nine classes, and four races will be offered.
This autumn, the open beta test is set to take place on Steam. The developer team will announce a specific date soon. For those wondering, yes, there was also a Sphere 1 and a Sphere 2, of which we actually heard nothing here in the West. PvP fans who find current MMOs too soft should keep an eye on Sphere 3: Enchanted World.
Wurm Unlimited
The sandbox MMORPG Wurm Online is now available on Steam in its new version Wurm Unlimited. It is a standalone version that includes everything the game has to offer so far. In Wurm Unlimited, you don’t follow a story but create your own adventures. Crafting can even become a challenge. Wars between kingdoms, destructible terrain, founding your own settlements, private PvP servers, and the ability to become a god are meant to appeal to many Steam users. Graphically, Wurm Online may not compare to current MMOs, but it can surpass many in terms of scope.
It was another very interesting week in the field of indie MMOs. What will happen this week?
