MMORPG without unnecessary details

Hello, my name is Alex and I'm an independent game developer. Two years ago I retired from Wargaming to a little to experiment and make MMO game, in which I would be interested to play. Eventually I was joined by a couple of great people — Alexander and Elena Dedkova. Now I will briefly tell what happened from this venture.

About the toy

"Tale" is the browser based Zero Player Game with the current model of the fairy world.

As expected, the Central figure of the tale is Character — ward of the player. Characters are independent personalities who have character and preferences. they Are Autonomous and do not depend on the player in the game or not. The main occupation of the characters — it's the execution of tasks, each of which has some variants of development and changes the game world. About generating tasks I've covered in the a separate article.

The player can affect the hero only indirectly: select the job to specify his preferences (for example, with what the NPC he will be friends, what city is considered a native) and ability. In addition, the actions of the player determines the character of the hero: notions of honor, love of peace.

Hero quests are not taken out of the air, and are issued by NPC, consisting of councils of cities. Counselors in their interest — they are fighting for power. From the results of each task depends on the changes in the impact of participating in this NPC. Advisers who help the heroes, strengthening their positions, those who are heroes in the way, will eventually lose their influence and leave the game.

From the counselors affects the economy of cities and their racial composition. The city (and other buildings) affect world map. Due to this, it always changes: in place of the plains appear of the mountains, arid deserts give way to marshes.

The game features policy — players vote make the laws that affect the game world. You can rename the city to conclude trade deals and to do other interesting things. The presence of the guilds gives political life more acute.

Thanks to the independence heroes for the player remain the only really important actions significantly reduces the time required for "normal" games and control the fate of the world. Those looking to be more involved can seriously take up politics and engage in debates with other players.

In addition to the interesting gameplay, the game features an original world, which we strongly Holim and cherish (mostly this involved Alex and Lena). Meet him and his players through excerpts of stories of legendary personalities, such as:

such

...are You sure about the smartest of the dumbest representatives of their race? You want to buy ulcerative himation?.. And the price you imagine?.. What?! If I didn't have that cloak, I would have said so, believe me, Canillo. I have everything. Yes, but ulcerative robe – thing, to put it mildly, on the fan. But, since you insist... Please. Look at this thing...

But-but! I am certainly tolerant of different and many things in life. Otherwise, I wouldn't live in a city where the number of elves inversely different to the idiots of different races. But still I would not like that you would be sick in my mind, freshly laundered shop...

Forgive generously. Moreover, I understand your feelings. Ulcerative himation, cloak from the skin of asomura covered with disgusting scabs, appearance, rare stuff. Sometimes, in wet weather, this skin continues to exude something disgusting, like EW. Even he does not want. But, as I understand it, you recommend the coat, the as excellent defense? Well, the thing is, of course, useful. ... If you're not squeamish. You want?..

Merchant Bainillin "Bargaining with the traveler"

or

I Went once to the city of the orcs... I don't know, as it is now called, was renamed... the Sand around, night, cool... Yes, in the desert, what would you know, nights are cold! Youth... And then out of nowhere appears a sort of humanoid gorilla bald. In some pants of leather, the belt dried human heads... you Know, like skukozhilas to the size of a fist? Blackened?.. What do you have gurgles? Normally feel?.. Okay. So. The growth of one and a half to me. On the hand claws, your sickles. Muzzle bared, and the teeth can be seen — it is not herbivorous. I only steel from the scabbard, pulled...

The only time Periyar sorry that went on the hunt. Then I found out — the devil came down on me. He told me the first blow both legs broke, the bastard. The second colon I was released. I before the end, still managed to see them a sort of fountain of meat off... Well, who? Guts!.. Yes, mine! Well, whose else then?.. What!? I Periyar, lying?! My angel guardian, to life me back. Yes, I am, that you knew, that Satan, the beast, the next day on the trail caught up with him. You see in a jar of something pickled? Guess what?...

fireside chats with the old Pariyaram

And, of course, during the existence of the toys we have formed a small but friendly community (about working with them too wrote), which is helping us in every way (thank you very much, the storyteller and the storyteller). Join us :-)

Incoherent jumble of interesting facts

the

the
• development took 9 months of formal prototyping + 2 years full-time of one programmer's work;
the
• the toy is completely written in Python (as a web framework uses Django);
the
• over 2 years of development was 41 release, which is about one update every 2-3 weeks;
the
• about half of the code to make the tests (there are more than 3000);
the
• "clean" code (without tests and migrations) is 40K rows or 1.5 megabytes;
the
• code game gradually laid under the BSD license, with time, it will open all (the list of selected libraries can be viewed, for example, here), now it is the generators name, card, text, quests;
the
• currently in the game 2400 registered players, of which 450 are active, 90 subscribers;
the
• about 30% of the players in the game brought friends;

since the introduction of payments (August 2013) we earned 1800$ :-) the

• in the entire history of paid 190 players (8% of total);
the
• average payment: 5$;
the
• more than 60% of revenue is subscription;
the
• to develop for 2 years, left about 1500$ (food and accommodation not included).

some more text

The aim was to develop the creation of original toys and, if possible, its monetization. So now we are at a crossroads: leave the game as a hobby or to continue to develop it without slowing the pace ideas for many more.

Of course, we'd like to continue, but it needs your support. So this post can be considered not only a story about the game, but also an invitation to the folk financing. Our virtual currency — cookies — come ;-)

We are also happy to do so (and can do) with all interested in technology and mechanics used in the game.

Article based on information from habrahabr.ru