By Adam Smith on June 14th, 2012 at 5:30 pm.
Admission: I’d forgotten that Wildstar existed until I watched a new video for the game today. I’m very glad to be reminded though because it looks like that rarest of things, an MMORPG that I might want to play for more than five minutes. The video shows giant monsters, death ray spewing robotfaces acting as an environmental hazard and demonstrates some of the capabilities for each possible ‘path’ players can follow. Read more about that concept in Alec’s interview or go right ahead and watch the video.
Word of warning – I was about thirty seconds in when I realised that Jeremy Gaffney is the prime candidate to perform the narration that should accompany me through my life. Even my dumbest mistakes would seem endearing.
I love so much of the design but I still shudder when I see the bunny ears and fox tails. They are optional though, clothing rather than anatomical, so expect me to replace them with a stovepipe hat and two plump bowler hats respectively.
Sign up for the beta here if you so choose.
14/06/2012 at 17:45 Torgen says:
Voted “#1 MMO That Should Be Made Into A Movie”
(that purple tail does look like it’s two tacked end-to-end now, though.)
14/06/2012 at 17:52 barelyhomosapien says:
I have to say it has to be the most interesting looking MMO currently released or incoming.
That the explorer, settler and scientist paths sound like they should possibly (hopefully?) be big modern MMO trend breakers is a big bonus.
14/06/2012 at 19:09 f1x says:
yes please, if they really focus on exploring and such its gonna be nice
it will all depend on content of course, but it feels refreshing at least
14/06/2012 at 21:42 fionny says:
The bother with that whole ideas is the one that RPS raised (think it was RPS anyway)
Will the explorable stuff be dynamic or will there just be a line of people waiting to do it.
15/06/2012 at 07:56 f1x says:
exactly,
that will make a huge difference,
it could make an awesome game or a turd
but as said at least they are starting with a “different” concept
15/06/2012 at 23:24 zbeeblebrox says:
And for the matter, will the Settler path **really** allow you to expand settlements for everyone in the world, or is it just an instanced improvement that affects just you/people in your party? On the one hand, it would be cool to see the world improve around you based on the actions of other players…but would that mean settlers will have to go out further and further as time goes on and thousands of settlements are upgraded? On the other hand, while instancing upgrades lets everyone play in the same area, what does that mean for players who don’t know any settlers/don’t want to be a settler? Are they just stuck with un-upgraded towns? Or worse, are the towns just automatically at peak upgrade level, thus negating the Settler Path altogether?
14/06/2012 at 17:55 Hoaxfish says:
Visually, it reminds me a bit of that Copernicus MMO from the Amalur lot.. or the other way around I guess, since it has been putting out information since before that ever came to light.
Combat is looking a bit different, maybe better than I’d realised, since I understood it to still be basic hot-key style.
14/06/2012 at 18:03 Tridae says:
I have no love for MMO’s but this is firmly on the watch/excited for list. Loving the visual style and environments. . reminds me of the first Jak and Daxter on the PS2.
14/06/2012 at 18:13 HisMastersVoice says:
Cave Johnson here…
But seriously, this is pretty high on my unreleased games bookmark list.
14/06/2012 at 18:18 ScubaMonster says:
Wow, that beta sign up is asking for a lot of personal info for a computer game beta. Home address is bad enough, but phone number? Lol seriously? Is this some massive data mining disguised as an upcoming MMO? Yes I know I can just put in a bunch of false information, but it seems a bit ridiculous to ask for this, you’re not setting up a subscription.
14/06/2012 at 18:46 Rivensteel says:
Yeah, I agree. I now live on Flooppy Lane, apparently.
14/06/2012 at 18:19 Trent Hawkins says:
Floating rocks… Zica artifacts… This looks familiar.
Any chance Microsol or any sort of Carrot ship is in this game?
14/06/2012 at 21:28 Dreforian says:
Hopefully it will have secret areas that can link to other secret areas and you can assault your enemies with wave after wave of bananas and oranges.
14/06/2012 at 18:30 Shiri says:
Their site has the following “Languages”: English, United Kingdom, German, French. And yet I can’t even find any words that would be spelt incorrectly in American.
14/06/2012 at 18:35 Kinth says:
This looks a lot better than I thought it did originally. But in the end it’s all going to come down to content and mainly end game content. The problem with most MMo’s is they offer great levelling experiences or new combat systems etc but then the end game is boring as hell.
14/06/2012 at 19:52 Keymonk says:
The great leveling experiences is a huge plus for me, since I’m a journey kind of person. :)
Endgame has and always will be boring for me, so for me that would be an excellent thing.
14/06/2012 at 18:36 JerreyRough says:
I had forgotten that this game existed. And now I’m excited about it again. The settler looks cool, methinks I’ll try that one out.
14/06/2012 at 18:45 elhreno says:
Well, butter my butt! But if it will be a rollercoaster to endgame all of it doesn’t matter. I hate endgames.
14/06/2012 at 18:49 Jupiah says:
Wait, so there’s a settler class that builds and expands towns, vendors and services? How on earth can that game mechanic work in a MMO game with a hundred settlers running around simultaneously and still remain interesting? Are they going to instance the towns for each group of players?
14/06/2012 at 18:59 Torgen says:
Perhaps there will be periodic NPC/monster invasions that, if not defended against, destroy player-made structures? (<– wild speculation)
14/06/2012 at 21:10 irongamer says:
One can hope.
14/06/2012 at 22:05 Dragon Master says:
Wild speculation? I’d date imagine that when one sets up a place he has to get other settlers to “invest” into his idea and, eventually, make it a town/hub. The weak and meek could indeed get destroyed by invasions.
15/06/2012 at 23:28 zbeeblebrox says:
Except what you describe sounds like a Sandbox, and what the narrator described sounds like **not** a Sandbox.
16/06/2012 at 01:10 Dragon Master says:
Well, then what’s the point in building a hub if you can’t build it wherever you want? Kinda looses it’s charm then…But I said it was a wild speculation, so I guess we’ll wait and see.
15/06/2012 at 02:49 Runs With Foxes says:
Being sceptical, I’m guessing it’s not truly player-made, but more of a list of things you can choose to create. So it’s all pre-built and you just turn it on, basically. But I’m not sure how you’d make a whole class out of that, so maybe there’s more to it.
14/06/2012 at 18:56 fenriz says:
ooh i like this game, look at the nice animations and awesome combat, all cartoonish epic.
Having said that: WoW clone WoW clone WoW clone WoW clone.
14/06/2012 at 19:26 pupsikaso says:
Settler? I don’t remember that from the interview.
What’s that class all about? And how can there possibly be enough space for every settler player without instancing?
14/06/2012 at 19:54 Keymonk says:
Phasing could work – like, character’s version of the place is different, and they show up to other group members, but otherwise stay as normal for others who are not in the same ‘phase’ as you.
15/06/2012 at 23:32 zbeeblebrox says:
See, but here’s the problem with global instancing solutions like Phasing in this scenario: what if you don’t play a Settler and never meet up with one? Do all towns remain un-upgraded forever? Or the reverse? Do they act fully upgraded **unless** you’re a Settler? It’s not clear, and neither option is a good way to solve the problem.
14/06/2012 at 20:03 JerreyRough says:
They want to make this game dynamic, so likely there’ll be monster attacks dependent on how much building’s going on. Without a balanced amount of combat classes with settlers then everything will keep getting destroyed.
14/06/2012 at 19:29 Elmokki says:
Freefrom targeting, combat where you don’t stand still whacking stuff unless it’s a big boss thing, at least a bit different ways to approach problems. Sounds good, but it still looks and sounds like World of Warcraft with some shiny extra features.
I mean, just like Rift. It promised all sorts of new stuff and it did deliver all sorts of new stuff, but bottomline it was World of Warcraft all over again.
14/06/2012 at 20:00 MadMatty says:
Bip-up to Jeremy Gaffney for doing a hype free presentation, highlighting the actual gameplay elements… so rare in the US.
Anyway, looks like WoW-clone done right, with enough stuff going on, so you dont fall asleep while trying to grind 140 Heavy leather, or whatever.
Looks completely gorgeous, great work with colours and lighting.
Only way to be sure is to try it out yourself i think, if it seems it might be up your alley. I´m going to sign up for the Beta.
14/06/2012 at 20:59 Shandrakor says:
Hear hear!
14/06/2012 at 20:16 Jupiah says:
I’ve been looking for an MMORPG that wasn’t a boring hotkey cooldown manager filled with stupid “collect 20 bear asses” quests for quite a while now, might have to pick this up.
Only other game I’ve seen that’s even close is Tera, but I hear the quests are just terrible and I’m not really interested in the ridiculous hypersexualized characters.
14/06/2012 at 21:09 Greggh says:
This is looking awesome :D too bad I can’t commit to playing online games, much less MMOs
On a side-note: we we’re talking ’bout female stereotypes the other day, huh? Big boobed mage much?? (say it three times, really fast – “big boobed mage much”)
14/06/2012 at 21:25 Farsearcher says:
This looks like an MMO Ratchet and Clank or Jack and Daxter. Parts of the art style gave me a psychonauts vibe. Certainly no bad thing.
14/06/2012 at 23:10 Butler says:
Is that… Nagrand?!
14/06/2012 at 23:55 Obc says:
not every area with a bit of green fields and floating isles is nagrand. here the isles seems to have a purpose than just being deco. (but tbh, nagrand was really amazing the first time i rode though the zone)
15/06/2012 at 00:16 Shaz says:
I hate this art style. I really, really do. It’s too incorrectly proportioned, too cartoony/kiddie/fake, with too much over-saturation in colours…
…but I don’t care. I really, honestly don’t care. This is definitely one of the instances in which ‘graphics don’t matter!’ to me. I game in which the things my Bartle test ranks high in (I’m an ESAK) are actually important, useful, and/or are the basis for classes? Yes please. And crafting actually being important? Yes, yes please. It’s exhilarating.
15/06/2012 at 07:38 lorddon says:
You hate puppies and kittens too, don’t you?
15/06/2012 at 04:20 aliksy says:
Does it have:
dynamic grouping
dynamic scaling (so i can play with friends despite level differences)
no sub fee?
If so: Very interested.
If not: I’m sure I’ll be at least slightly disappointed by it.
15/06/2012 at 05:51 lexoneir says:
Wow. I signed up for the beta for this last September. I had forgotten about it / thought it was gone. Maybe I’ll get into the beta early then. We shall see.
15/06/2012 at 11:28 kzrkp says:
wrote it off once I read “MMO” in the title… surprising, looks FUN. a mmo with fun gameplay, never thought that possible.
15/06/2012 at 13:35 ColonelClaw says:
If nothing else this game has fantastic art direction.
15/06/2012 at 15:40 Special Agent Brown says:
Cave Johnson, out.