Mechscape Questions

[Dullmage]

Anybody know the answer to any of these?

 

 

 

1. Is Mechscape's name staying as mechscape, or is it becoming something else? I heard Stellar Dawn somewhere, is this confrimed or even probable?

 

 

 

2. Does Jagex have a page where they talk about mechscape progress, news, release dates, or anything else?

 

 

 

3. What do we know so far about gameplay/levelling/combat/classes?

 

 

 

Thanks

[Den]

I found a Wiki for Mechscape.

 

 

 

They are probably keeping mechscape as the name.

 

 

 

You could check out here, it should have lots of info:

 

http://mechscape.wikia.com/wiki/MechScape

[Dullmage]

Thanks, but that page is pretty old. It says MechScape may still be released in Q1 2009. And Im pretty sure that glitch is a fake :roll:

[Den]

Thanks, but that page is pretty old. It says MechScape may still be released in Q1 2009. And Im pretty sure that glitch is a fake :roll:

 

 

 

They did say it was going to be released then a while ago. :P

 

 

 

Havent heard anything about a release date after that.

[ddaanniiellh]

Anybody know the answer to any of these?

 

 

 

1. Is Mechscape's name staying as mechscape, or is it becoming something else? I heard Stellar Dawn somewhere, is this confrimed or even probable?

 

 

 

2. Does Jagex have a page where they talk about mechscape progress, news, release dates, or anything else?

 

 

 

3. What do we know so far about gameplay/levelling/combat/classes?

 

 

 

Thanks

 

For Question 1, I have a quote here, which I got from Mechsociety:

 

Source: http://mechsociety.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=540

 

From Mark Gerhard, Jagex CEO:

 

 

 

Hello everyone,

 

In a recent press release we stated that our upcoming sci-fi title was code named MechScape. Many people have been looking for clarification regarding the name of this new game, so we decided it would be best to attempt to clarify this matter.

 

When we first came up with the idea for our new game it was primarily focused on robots known as mechs, hence the name MechScape made perfect sense. It drew on the main theme of the game, and also played on the -scape brand which we had established with RuneScape. Okay, we thought, we have the name sorted, so now lets get on with the exciting bit of development.

 

And so we grew fond of the name, and some fans found out about it and many of them got invested in the name too, and therefore we believed that the name was definitely going to be MechScape. But recently we decided to re-evaluate it, which is why we referred to it as just a code name. There are various reasons for us to stick with the original name, and it is possible that we might end up doing just that, but there are also reasons why we might still want to change it.

 

 

 

During the games early evolution we became a lot more ambitious, and substantially widened our vision beyond just robots to encompass the wider possibilities of the sci-fi genre. This meant that the first half of the MechScape name could give people an overly narrow view of what the game is about. Similarly, if we drew on the RuneScape brand by using the -Scape suffix then it could make people think the game was essentially RuneScape in space, which it defiantly is not. Whatever name we go with we will be using for a very long time, so we want to get it right and that is why it is back on the table for discussion.

 

So the honest answer to the question of what the game will be called is that we dont know yet. We have a number of ideas, one of which is just to stick with the initial name. We understand that many people would have liked to have known earlier that the name wasnt set in stone. In response to this we would like to make it clear that it was only very recently that we seriously began reconsidering the name again. However, I admit that we should have told our fans as soon as we were unsure about it. We are aware that the name of our title is a very emotive area, and whatever decision we ultimately make we will not make lightly.

 

Please dont take this statement to mean that the game is now done and all we have to worry about now is what to call it. There is still a fair amount of development work left for us to do. We cant give you a release date at the moment because large complex game development projects such as this one are extremely hard to estimate. The last thing we want after spending so much time and energy on this project is a rushed release, which is why we wont launch it until we are confident that it is ready.

 

 

 

I do hope this clarifies matters a little bit more and that you remain as excited about the game as we are.

 

 

 

and on Question 3:

 

Take from Massively.com

 

Source: http://www.massively.com/2009/03/31/gdc09-what-jagex-has-in-store-with-mechscape/

 

 

 

GDC09: What Jagex has in store with MechScape

 

 

 

We've been hearing some new info this last week concerning Jagex and their latest MMO project. The company has enjoyed wild success so far with their free-to-play browser-based MMO RuneScape, and they hope to replicate that success with their sci-fi project entitled MechScape. We had the opportunity to sit down with a few members of the company's top development team for an interview during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco to discuss this new project and the current state of the company.

 

 

 

So what is MechScape? Well, first off, it's important to note that MechScape is not the game's name, only the project's code name. It is a sci-fi MMO project that has been in development since 2006. Although it will be running on the RuneScape HD engine, Jagex is very determined to point out that this game will not simply be RuneScape in space. It will have its own mechanics, its own storyline and a planet-based, non-linear game experience unlike anything they've tackled before.

 

 

 

When the project was first conceived, the team started out by analyzing the current sci-fi MMOs and discovering why they weren't truly successful in the market. They discovered that these games were nothing more than fantasy mechanics dressed in a sci-fi wrapper. Having a set of skills that you level up through grinding is basically a fantasy mechanic. So from here they identified what game mechanics make a good sci-fi game, and they've developed most of these as completely unique features that have never been seen in any MMO before. Of course any real details on that are yet to be announced.

 

 

 

The game centers around the tension among four distinct species, each with their own look, abilities and back stories. Throughout the game, players can choose their alliances, which shape the path of their adventure. There are hints of cloning, player-built vehicles and even spaceship building eventually.

 

 

 

One of the greatest advantages Jagex has with this new project is the experience behind the team. With RuneScape boasting 150 millions users since their launch in 2001 (and the Guinness World Record for the largest free-to-play MMO in the world), they've had the chance to learn from their experiences, both good and bad. While each development team has their own core developers, the technical side of things are run by the same folks, allowing them to learn and grow together. In fact, RuneScape's newest HD launch was made possible by the advancements in MechScape.

 

 

 

In addition to MechScape, Jagex is enjoying what may turn out to be a great year for the company. RuneScape is still played by over 5 million players a month and their gaming hub FunOrb is constantly gaining new hosted games.

 

 

 

We look forward to hearing more details on MechScape and what Jagex has up its sleeve to keep the largest free-to-play MMO so wildly popular.

[SupaDavis]

I can't answer 1 or 3. But for 2. I know not yet.

[Mike_Ike111]

1. It's not decided, but they have been fumbling between Mechscape or something total different. The reason being, is that at first the game was centered around Mechs, but as development continued the game dove further into the Sci-Fi genera.

 

 

 

2. Jagex has an official Twitter, in which at times they post tid bits of information concerning Mechscape.

 

 

 

3. So far, we know that there will be four different races to chose between. We know for a fact two races, Human and Pliigi. Leveling will be nothing like Runescape's, and with rumor seems to be as if there will not be Skill Levels at all, but something completely different and less Grind like.

 

 

 

Basically, Jagex has stated the game is NOT runescape in space. It is a whole other breed of a game, and it is acceptable to not expect anything along the lines of Jagex's current MMORPG.

[Laikrob]

I wonder if it will be possible to be logged into both RS and MechScape at the same time, unlike RS and FunOrb? :-k

[Forerunner]

I wonder if it will be possible to be logged into both RS and MechScape at the same time, unlike RS and FunOrb? :-k

 

 

 

So if I were to in RS & MechScape at the same time.. people would see me in their friends list as:

 

Forerunner Runescape world 145 | Mechscape world 56 ?

 

Need to fatten the friends interface. :P

 

 

 

But I don't think we'd be able to be on both anyway. ;)

[Laikrob]

The friends lists are not necessarily tied together, as in FunOrb. Well, at least not in the same way. They are making changes to them, I seem to remember, possibly for that reason?

[InkofDeath]

To be honest when you introduce a games site, the Friend list doesn't need to be changed that much, but when you introduce another MMO, it needs to be re-organized, badly.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure they should allow us to create our own friend groups in our friend lists. Like 'create group' in MSN, or whatever. That would solve a lot of issues that will arise with two MMO's tied together through a friend list.