Camelot Unchained

[Regolyth]

It will have some PvE. I imagine it'll be minimal, like DAoC's PvE before any expansions. Maybe a little less than that. Maybe you brush up on your PvP skills.

[Morreion]

Camelot Unchained hires more staff, lays out roadmap (Massively)

Camelot Unchained has emerged from its slumber to deliver a doozy of an update. For starters, City State Entertainment has hired three new full-time staff members for its upcoming MMO: a producer, gameplay engineer, and community manager.

CEO Mark Jacobs also vowed to deliver regular roadmaps to the community regarding the current progress and upcoming goals of the team. The first such update mentions initial passes to server loops and the patching system, not to mention work on overhauling the website. The team's also beginning work on the next race: "We have two possibilities right now (both are Arthurians) and one of them is definitely a little easier than the other but we'll see. One draws heavily on a Scottish legend while the other, well, it's different and also not so different at the same time."

Camelot Unchained update talks Cait Sith race (Massively)

Jacobs says that CityState's Cait Sith interpretation will avoid the well-worn anthropomorphic path trod by the Thundercats and untold numbers of fantasy video games.

Camelot Unchained contemplates a Berserker race (Massively)

"I've always loved these guys and initial plan was to have them as a melee class within the game," Jacobs writes. "However, it might be a heck of a lot of fun if they were their own race. I thought about it and I decided that the idea of a Berserker Mage or Berserker Healer was just way too much fun."

Camelot Unchained producer's letter talks new race, development progress (Massively)

Tyler Rockwell recently joined the crew of City State Entertainment as producer for Camelot Unchained, and recently took a few thousand words to introduce himself to Kickstarter backers and CU fans via producer's letter. The update covers Rockwell's design history, introduction to the games industry, and recent migration to CSE's Virginia studios, in addition to a few developmental points regarding Camelot Unchained.

Camelot Unchained reveals the HelBound class (Massively)

Want to meet a new Camelot Unchained class that's part of the Vikings and can totally sear your soul if you so much as smile strangely at it? Sure you do! Mark Jacobs took the opportunity today to share some early details, lore, and concept art for the HelBound, a healer class that revolves around the theme of duality.

CityState teases Camelot Unchained animation test (Massively)

CityState bossman Mark Jacobs has updated Camelot Unchained's website with a fairly meaty post that gives us a good idea where the crowdfunded RvR title stands in terms of development. There's a whole list of completed tasks, as well as a preview of goals for the next sprint.

Piercing the Veil #1 (Camelot Unchained)

Every Class will have different Specs?

Maybe, sorta, kinda, yes and no /dodge! Sorry to be evasive on this one. We have discussed things like: having classes that do one thing very well, or having classes that can be specced multiple ways, as well as having combinations of both. Rest assured that if we went with limited class speccing, we would make up for it by having a greater number of classes than we laid out during the Kickstarter.

Jacobs pens new Camelot Unchained lore tidbit (Massively)

Camelot Unchained continued its semi-regular progress reporting earlier this week with a new lore tidbit focusing on the Bean Sidhe. The Banshee, as the race is also known, is the subject of a new Becoming tale penned by City State's Mark Jacobs.

Camelot Unchained interview with Mark Jacobs (IncGamers)

IG: The boons and banes system mentioned for character creation sounds intriguing, it reminds me of racial traits and negatives in 4x strategy games. Can you say more about this system and why you might be opting for it?

MJ: I want to give our players the most interesting character creation system yet devised for an MMORPG. I’ve said from the beginning of this process that choices matter. Well, in an MMORPG, how much does it really matter in the character generation process that you can select from 50 different eyebrows or you have a “boob-slider” or other such surface differences. OTOH, giving the players options that allow them to really customize their characters’ backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses gives them the chance to create an avatar that feels more like a real person than a computer generated toon.

Mark Jacobs Explains Camelot Unchained (Rock Paper Shotgun)

RPS: I have a pregnant sort of question, next: I think people are burned out on MMOs, and to invest time in an MMO they need to know that the game they’re getting involved with is will reward that time they put in. Is this going to be that kind of game?

Jacobs: I totally agree on the point you make there. You’ve got an audience right now that has serious MMO fatigue. I don’t know how many hours you put in, but I put in crazy hours on certain games. I was tired of them. I was tired of “here we go again”, tired of seeing the same quest I have seen God knows how many times. Committing a whole lot of time to do the same thing over and over gets old. Now, in our case, because it’s going to be centered around player-interaction, whether it’s building, craft, or RvR, I think that model can work to minimise MMO fatigue. You’re going to be fighting different players and different strategies each night. That will help. We want to be able to reward people who can only put in a small amount of time. I don’t know if you’ve looked at this, but we are doing a horizontal rather a vertical progression, and that means that the guys who come and can’t keep up with the guys levelling up as fast as they can won’t have gaps between them as large as they would be in a vertical system.

[Oatik]

We want to be able to reward people who can only put in a small amount of time. I don’t know if you’ve looked at this, but we are doing a horizontal rather a vertical progression, and that means that the guys who come and can’t keep up with the guys levelling up as fast as they can won’t have gaps between them as large as they would be in a vertical system

.

I like this.

[Regolyth]

Me too, Oatik. I'm hoping they mean that there aren't any levels (which I think MBJ has said they're thinking of doing), which means it'll probably be some type of skill allocation system, perhaps like Rift.

[Morreion]

[Exclusive] Camelot Unchained Q/A (Keen & Graev)

K&G: Are there levels in Camelot Unchained? If so, how do you handle/balance low and high level people fighting each other?

CSE: Yes, there will be levels for individual skills and abilities. Not character levels in the traditional sense (Ding Gratz! Now add +x to HP, etc.) but skill levels. As a game with horizontal progression, Camelot Unchained will focus on having a lot of different skills for the players, but also on trying to lower the power gap in individual skills between new players and veterans.

Camelot Unchained dishes out details on alpha testing, combat, and player interaction (Massively)

So, are you a backer of Camelot Unchained? Are you wondering when you'll be able to get your hands on the game in a playable form? The earliest build will be available to players in August, but just what will that early alpha contain? In an interview with Eurogamer, Mark Jacobs has stated that at a bare minimum, players should be able to get large-scale battles going in the game. Progression will be there but will not be fully tuned or adjusted, and the earliest stages of building systems will be present.

Camelot Unchained eyeing $2.5 million Depths stretch goal (Massively)

City State has updated its Camelot Unchained website. It's also unveiled some new pledge tiers designed to speed the RvR sandbox on its way toward the next stretch goal. That stretch goal is The Depths, and it will be realized once the crowdfunding total crosses the $2.5 million barrier (it stands at nearly $2.41 million as of press time).

Camelot Unchained's internal testing begins (Massively)

Mark Jacobs just announced that fantasy PvP sandbox Camelot Unchained is officially undergoing internal testing. "Over the last 24 hours, we have done two stress tests of our client and server. This afternoon's peaked at around 407 client connections from our pool of internal testers," he wrote. "We experienced no crashes even though many players ran multiple instances of the client on their machines."

Mark Jacobs promises stretch goals won't delay Camelot Unchained (Massively)

Mark Jacobs made a sacred vow to fans: "I PROMISE, ON BEHALF OF CSE, NEVER TO ADD, OR ALLOW TO BE ADDED, STRETCH GOALS THAT ENDANGER THE ESTIMATED LAUNCH OF CAMELOT UNCHAINED IN DECEMBER 2015. Okay, now it's official."

Camelot Unchained meets Depths stretch goal, Giant race next (Massively)

"Giants will be used as both player races and as inhabitants of The Depths," says the update. "Each giant race will be unique to their Realm (no mirrors used here either). While the concept of giants isn't new, it wouldn't be Camelot Unchained if we didn't do things just a wee bit differently."

Camelot Unchained Q&A talks PvP looting, physical growth, and crafting (Massively)

Perhaps one of the most interesting pieces of information is that the team is putting in a physical growth system similar to the one that was promised but never delivered to Warhammer Online. Mark Jacobs confirmed the feature: "I'm happy to say that yes, certain races (I won't commit to all of them yet) will have meaningful changes happen to them, both cosmetic and gameplay. For example, our Dvergr might have more stone covering their body and their beards will grow. Other examples could be with our HelBound's faces, Hamadryad's tails, etc."

Camelot Unchained's internal testing 'successful' so far (Massively)

"We had a very successful start to internal testing," Rockwell reported. He mentioned that while Camelot Unchained's internal testing has taken place with small groups in limited environments, at one point the team had worked up to 286 players fighting in an area.

Camelot Unchained gives a first look at the Viking Jotnar [Updated] (Massively)

A new producer's letter from Camelot Unchained's Tyler Rockwell is out today with a first look at one of the giant races of the game. The game posted a piece of concept art for its Viking Jotnar as well as an image of a creature found in The Depths dungeon.

Massively exclusive: Camelot Unchained dev blog discusses armor, part 1

Drawing upon familiar elements of folklore and real world references, the three realms are the Vikings, Tuatha Dé Danann and Arthurians. In the world of Camelot Unchained, the geography and surrounding resources influence and reflect the uniqueness of each realm and its resident races. A player's ability to recognize anyone else's realm identity should be instant. To avoid confusion, our art direction must be based on high visual contrast. Each realm is assigned and designed around a primary shape, the circle, triangle or square. This will allow players to differentiate among the realms at the subconscious level.

The design elements for the Vikings revolve around the circle. Signature round shields are used in defense, shipbuilding, and architectural design. This realm is home to coastal nomads who capitalize on the native resources including fish and animal bone, teeth, leather and scales. Their appearance, while seemingly disorderly, is highly utilitarian. They are dressed and fastened tightly in heavy layers for exposure to extreme weather conditions. Layering also aids in adding protection from attack.

Massively Exclusive: Camelot Unchained armor dev blog, part 2

The Arthurian designs are regal and symmetrical. Using the square as the foundation, Arthurian right angles are iconic in art and architecture. They have a great sense of cultural self and accomplishment that they express in all facets of design. References from technological advancements in architecture and art are depicted in both garments and armor.

Massively Exclusive: Camelot Unchained armor dev blog concludes with part 3

Arthurians may have learned full plate armor is the most effective way to protect themselves in battle, while the Vikings may have found that chainmail is equally effective when worn with under layers of clothing. Some may even have their own tricks. Arthurian plate armor may help deflect or slide a sword off to the side, while Vikings found a tangle of bones can help trap a weapon and gain them some advantage. It makes customization and crafting far more fun and also keeps things interesting. Having armor reflect the culture of the realms really adds to the believability that these characters are as unique, alive, and different as the players themselves.

[Laethaka]

has anyone else read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell? There's a fairy king character who's so capricious and malefic and self-absorbed and arrogant... it's awesome!! I can't wait to play a Tuatha carrion-forest thorn-dryad venom-cleric

[Regolyth]

My excitement level for Camelot Unchained just bumped up a bit.

[Laethaka]

Looks like almost all the races are announced and there's been a slew of design discussion this week. And my friend said they were giving out prizes for DAOC trivia in the chatrooms??

[Regolyth]

Camelot Unchained had what they were calling Bat Shit Crazy Daze last week. They revealed a lot of information about the game, and it was really exciting. A few of the highlights are...

Stat System

• Bring back stat systems of early PnP games
• MMORPGs have been simplified over the years, limiting player customization
• Complex statistic-based systems require players to make choices. In our game, players can “gimp” their character, either accidentally or on purpose

[/ul]

• Bring back “usage-based” systems. If you want to increase your strength, do things that require strength

• Stats
• Resonance – Allows use of voice- and instrument-based abilities
• Eyesight – Increases Vision range and allows use of targeting abilities
• Hearing – Increases the player-character’s Detection rating
• Mass – Increases the difficulty of pushing the player-character, and grants increased pushing power

[/ul]

• Camelot Unchained also won’t put stat bonuses on items
• Goes against current MMORPG “standard,” which is a good thing
• Balancing item stats has always been a big issue for developers in the long term
• Overuse of stat bonuses is a major reason behind gear grinding

[/ul][/quote]

Magic System

• Reintroduce the concept of the spellbook, an important part of many PnP games, as well as lore and literature surrounding mages
• Magic spells are created by the player (not by the studio), by combining Runes and other components such as reagents

• All mages are given a spellbook in which to inscribe their spells
• Spellbooks can level with the player, as the runes and the player’s skill increases as well
• A spellbook also acts as an “achievement” system, where it records failures, successes, combinations of runes, etc.

[/ul]

• Magic spells, once cast, can become the equivalent of objects on the battlefield

• Some examples:
• Water + Frost = Ice
• Water + Frost + Storm = Ice Storm
• Ice Storm + Wind = Amplified Ice Storm
• Fire + Wind = Fire Blast
• Fire + Water + Wall + Wind = Moving Steam Cloud

[/ul][/quote]

Combat

• All abilities are created by the player, in the same way that magical spells are created by the player
• Each part of a character’s body is protected only by its own piece of armor

• Body parts take damage individually, and each part has its own pool of health and injury effects
• A shoulder wound could reduce how fast you can swing a sword, but it won’t stop you from running away

[/ul][/quote]

Crafting

• We must support both “popcorn” crafting (simple crafting/repairing available to all players) as well as a full-time “pure” crafter class
• We MUST create a vibrant economy that ensures a key role for the crafter class in the game’s economy
• Economic support systems must be robust enough to replace an Auction House

• Treat the “pure” crafter as a mage: A crafter has stats, crafting points, and downtime
• Takers (they take from the land), Shapers (they shape the raw materials) and Makers (they make the finished item)

[/ul]

• Crafters can use bits of their own (or captured) souls in crafting an item
• Souls can grant additional power to items, and can also make those items more resistant to wear, breaking, etc.

[/quote]

RvR Map

• Players can claim unoccupied land easily
• Players cannot claim unlimited territory in their Realm’s Safe Zone
• Ownership of land also comes with taxes and other maintenance costs
• Players can claim additional land in contested territory
• Claiming land owned by another Realm requires all the stabilizers of that land to be destroyed first

[/ul]

• Once land is claimed, it will slowly begin to take on the characteristics of your Realm

[/quote]

Progression System

• Leveling up in most modern MMORPGs has become too easy, lessening the players’ sense of accomplishment
• Typical theme-park style MMORPGs push players through their linear content too fast; players don’t have time to enjoy the world around them
• Some modern MMORPGs’ streamlining actually increases the “grindy” feeling, due to constant progression feedback with little downtime
• Players are encouraged to rush their way through the game, leveling quickly to get to the “end game” or to “cap out” their characters
• As per the Kickstarter, we are designing our game so that players don’t reach the soft cap in a short period of time. Our slow but steady progression system uses individual stat and ability progression instead of generic EXP
• Our mantra is “Use it to improve it!” If a player wants to get stronger, he must do things that increase his strength. This system enhances immersion by tying the players’ actions directly to their character
• Players receive their progression rewards based on a “Daily Report,” rather than instantaneously
• At the end of each “game day”, players are rewarded with improvements to their character’s stats, skills, and abilities
• Players even get bonus resources based on heroic achievements and defensive actions, such as guarding player caravans
• Each player gets an email (and/or in-game) report that shows what they accomplished during the last day’s play session. Everything that the player did is listed in the report: defending, killing, mining, building, crafting, destroying, and more!
• You see a list of rewards that you earned from the game (stat and skill gains, new unlocks, etc.) and from the king of your Realm (gold, medals, honors, etc.)
• Because rewards are daily instead of immediate, exploit detection is easier, and we can punish destructive behavior such as “Keep Trading” between Realms
• Thus, rather than only caring about your own personal gains, you have an incentive to have fun, go where you want, and become a productive member of your Realm
• The actions of every player within a Realm count toward the rewards of Realm-mates. Helping out your Realm-mates and cooperating to achieve goals means better rewards for everyone!

UI Modding

• U.I.s in MMORPGs have been a source of great inspiration and frustration for players and developers
• As discussed during our Kickstarter, we are building our U.I. out of the web
• The UI uses jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes working with the DOM, AJAX, events, and effects much simpler
• In-game chat can be accessed via external XMPP clients, such as Trillian, with website integration accessible to all our backers (coming soon)

[Laethaka]

what races are you guys leaning towards? I'm pretty set on banshee but lurikeen guerilla-crafter looks cool too