It is Monday again and that means it’s Respec time. We look back at the past week and see what has happened in the indie sector.
Astral Terra
The sandbox MMORPG Astral Terra has been in the Early Access program on Steam since November 10, offering players the chance to explore the basics of the game. The developers have teased that players will be able to create their own worlds procedurally in the future. Additionally, survival elements and the ability to develop heroes will be added, which is currently not possible. A PvP mode is also in development along with monsters and dungeons. Nevertheless, the “Minecraft” aspect will be central, where you create your own objects and alter the landscapes.
Pangea: New World
The newly announced MMO Pangea: New World also focuses on the survival aspect. After a global catastrophe, it’s up to you to survive! You find yourself in a post-nuclear world that spans about 90 km². You can either team up with other players to explore this world together or become bandits and raid others. Quests also need to be completed.
Interesting: Your actions are said to have far-reaching consequences. For example, if you kill an animal, you could influence the entire game economy. The Unreal Engine 4 is being used, providing beautiful graphics. Pangea: New World will be released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One at an unspecified time.
Eco
The sandbox survival online game Eco has now opened its doors for backers. They can now get a first impression of the game by exploring an initial settlement and trying out the crafting system. Eco can be viewed as a kind of online Minecraft, where players must cooperate to build a large city and create a functioning economy within the game. However, there are also global catastrophes that players must cope with. The release of Eco is planned for early 2017.
AdventureQuest 3D
AdventureQuest is a well-known 2D MMORPG with comic graphics that is now set to be released in 3D. To achieve this, the developers have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $200,000. With this, they aim to secure the game’s funding. AdventureQuest 3D will be playable on PC, tablet, and smartphone, immersing you along with many other players into a colorful fantasy world that visually resembles World of Warcraft.
The game’s story will be continuously expanded, and there will be PvP battles in special arenas. Solo content will also play a role. If the Kickstarter campaign is successful, AdventureQuest 3D is planned to be released in the middle of next year.
Stash: No Adventurer Left Behind
For the MMO Stash: No Adventurer Left Behind a second Kickstarter campaign has been launched. Developer Frogdice aims to bring strategy to MMORPGs through turn-based combat. Additionally, there is a sophisticated housing system and dungeons that will be both handcrafted and procedurally generated. Many classes, a focus on loot and exploration, along with colorful comic graphics are intended to persuade gamers to invest their money. The campaign has already been successful, paving the way for the MMO’s release in April of the coming year.
John Smedley doesn’t like microtransactions
John Smedley, former head of Sony Online Entertainment and Daybreak Game Studios, stated that he dislikes how microtransactions dictate games. When he talks with gamers about games, the game should be at the forefront, not its funding.
Therefore, he will use a Buy2Play model for his next game. The game is expected to cost 20 dollars, of which only an artwork showing a warrior with a massive axe has been revealed so far. Smedley wants to focus entirely on the development of this game and not think about monetization, as the Free2Play market is much more fiercely competitive than many realize.
Many interesting things happened last week, and this week is likely to be no different. So keep an eye out for the next Respec edition!
