At the end of September, a new developer livestream took place about Ashes of Creation. In it, the developers also spoke about the PvP game Apocalypse – and why it is so important for the MMORPG.
What is Apocalypse? On September 24, Intrepid Studios released the free MMO Ashes of Creation Apocalypse. It is a pure PvP game, which currently only features a Battle Royale mode.
However, Apocalypse is set to receive more modes, including fortress sieges and the horde mode, which will introduce PvE enemies for the first time.
Apocalypse can be played on the official website and on Steam.
Why are some players concerned about Apocalypse? The MMORPG Ashes of Creation is currently not even in Alpha, while Apocalypse has been released as a standalone game.
Some players feel that too much development time has gone into the standalone. Additionally, there are concerns that Ashes of Creation could go a similar route as Fortnite, where the actual game gets forgotten.
In the new livestream, however, the developers reassure players, provide insights into the development of the MMORPG, and show how Apocalypse fits into it.
Apocalypse is used to build the Alpha
Why should players be excited about Apocalypse? According to the developers, the standalone PvP game primarily serves for the construction of the upcoming Alpha and the subsequent beta tests.
All the problems and issues that have already arisen with Apocalypse will thus be prevented in the upcoming tests and also at the later release. So, there have already been some improvements to the backend, including:
- Scaling of servers so that more players can be online simultaneously.
- Issues with various crashes.
- Issues with lags and rubberbanding.
- Adjustments to the layout of the game world and objects at a far distance (Hierarchical Level of Detail).
How does Apocalypse affect the MMORPG? Besides the backend, the combat system plays an essential role in Ashes of Creation. Already, differences can be seen between the first tests of Apocalypse in August and the current version.
The reason for this was mentioned by Alex Khudoliy, Programmer, in the stream:
We’ve been incredibly focused this month on adjusting the combat system, so a lot of work has gone into features like hitting multiple targets with one attack, 360-degree swings, and the variables for damage.
Additionally, the TTK (Time to Kill) has been adjusted so that players do not die too quickly. From these longer fights, the developers can gather more data for the upcoming combat system in the MMORPG.
However, the developers also acknowledge that battle royale does not reflect a complete MMORPG. Nevertheless, the data from the tests are extremely important for Ashes of Creation itself.
New developer letter, contests, and leaderboards
What else was revealed in the livestream? Fans of Apocalypse can look forward to leaderboards soon. Currently, details are still being worked on, but it is firmly planned as a new feature.
Additionally, a letter from the Creative Director is expected this week, which will provide news about the MMORPG.
Fans of Ashes of Creation can also look forward to the first giveaways starting in October. Gaming peripherals related to the game will be raffled off.
If you want to see a bit more of the MMORPG, you can check out the horses and thus the first mounts of the game here:
