Most of you guys know me, and most of you know that I try and answer your questions when I am able to. A lot of you have been wondering what happened to our 3D browser game, Adventurequest 3D: Legend of Lore so I'm going to try and explain it.
First, I think it's important to say that the project has been shelved. This does not mean that we've given up on it but it DOES mean that halted most work on it (pretty much everything, really) several months ago. We have no CURRENT plans to continue developing it but we hope that our situation changes and we will be able to continue working on it at a later time down the road.
We were a Flash based company. All of our games had been built in Adobe Flash and we were building AQ3D in Unity with plan of delivering the game through the next generation of Flash Players (Kind of like how YouTube plays video files through the Flash Player) After about a year of development on AQ3D, Adobe (the company that puts out Flash and other programs such as Photoshop) announced that it was halting all work on the next generation of Flash to change direction. With Adobe no longer making the next gen of Flash Players, Unity dropped all 3D support for Flash, meaning that we would NOT be able to deliver our game.
This left us in a REALLY bad spot. We had already spent a year making this game and suddenly, over night, we had lost the ability to deliver the game to our Flash enabled players which, being a Flash game company, meant everyone.
Making games is expensive. Just the programs alone cost heaps (and you can't use cracked versions for legitimate games), not to mention the skilled developers, the server costs for an MMO, the bandwidth bill for (hopefully) hundreds of thousands of users, and advertising costs because you need players to survive and you can't just build a game and HOPE that people show up. That's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of how much money it takes to keep a single game going. If we couldn't deliver the game to OUR players then we would have wasted a lot of time and money in a time when we can afford to waste neither.
So, either we keep working on this very expensive 3D project knowing that our market penetration would be pathetic and the game would essentially be dead-on-launch... keep making web-based Flash games in a world where more and more gamers were leaving the web for smartphones and tablets... or shelve the 3D project, continue development on our currently active and profitable web games and set a new course into the Mobile world, where we might be able to build smaller, faster and less expensive projects and maybe even reuse the 10 years of fantastic art that we've gathered over the last decade. The choice was obvious.
Here we are in the present. Adobe has more or less abandoned Flash in favor of HTML5 and Java. Unity continues to produce a very powerful 2D and 3D engine that is getting better release day and MIGHT (one day) once again give AE the power to make a 3D MMO that we can deliver right to your browser.
Until that day, we will store the work we did somewhere safe and cherish the memories of running with you guys through one of our buggiest and funniest Alphas ever.
A few people have asked recently so I thought I would just tell everyone else the same story.
I lucked out.
My degree is actually a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in illustration and animation. In 2005 I moved back to home to Tampa Bay where I grew up. I was looking for a job on Craigslist when I saw an ad for a Flash Animator position at a local web game company. I had spent a lot of time learning Flash in university because a lot of studios at the time were making web cartoons based in Flash.
I've been a life-long gamer but I never dared dream of actually trying to get into the industry. It just seemed too far out of reach. I sent in my resume with a link to my online animation reel and some of my illustrations. The next day I was at the mall drawing people and I got a call from two guys who ended up eventually being very good friends of mine, Artix and Galanoth. They wanted me to come in for an interview.
They following day I showed up and Artix asked if I could draw a knight's helmet on the fly as a kind of stress test. I drew it in about 40 seconds and he liked it (that helm eventually became the Pactogonal Knight's helm in DragonFable). I was so excited and nervous that you could see my hand shaking in the drawing.
I was hired on the spot.
At the time, the Secret Underground Lab was Artix's kitchen table and there were only 4 people working at that table. Artix, Safiria, Zhoom and Me.
BONUS FACTS
Here are 2 little known facts about the contract that I signed with AE. 1). I am required to finish off any extra sushi when we go out for sushi and there is some still left on the table. 2). It is literally part of my job to take Artix down a few pegs when he gets too full of himself.
Hey guys. Today I wanted to share something with you. I posted this on my Twitter once but I wanted to discuss it a little more. During one of our longer Game Lead meetings I was thinking about what elements a perfect game would have and jotted down a list on the napkin under Artix's cup of tea.
Keep in mind that this is a HUGE list making a game with every element, perfectly balanced with the rest of the game would likely takes YEARS of development.
1. FUN!
This one seems obvious but sometimes when you're making a game you get so wrapped up in trying to make the flow natural and adding all the sweet visuals that you actually have to step back and seriously ask yourself "Will this be fun?". It's a game, after all. If it ain't fun then you're doin' it wrong.
2. INTUITIVE CONTROL
Playing the game needs to be intuitive. This means making and tweaking UIs (User interfaces) until every button is where you would very naturally expect it to be. It needs to be very useful giving the player immediate access to whatever they want without being cluttered, which is a challenge. If you put your JUMP button where everyone else puts there INVENTORY button, you'd better have an excellent reason or your game will get frustrating and bomb.
3. BRAND RECOGNITION
This one only comes into play if you already have a recognizable brand. Mickey Mouse is one of the most recognized brands in the world. If he didn't appear on the cover of EVERY Kingdom Hearts game then someone screwed up. If you have a character, or logo or art style that has a following, USE IT! Give the people what they want.
4. MEDIA TIE-INS
This is stuff like a TV show or a line of plushies or a line of clothing. It seems like selling out but really what it does is it gives your game credibility. Pokemon is a great franchise but it also has had several cartoon series that developed fan followings of their own and pulled people into the game. When people see a Happy Meal featuring a toy based on your game, they might want to check it out. Plus, how freakin' cool would an AdventureQuest cartoon be?!
5. FREQUENT UPDATES
Once upon a time you could just release a video game, put it on the shelves then move on yo making your new game. Those days are over. People nearly INFINITE choices of what to play. If you grabbed their interest, that is great. But if they play all the content and get bored, they leave. Adding new content frequently keeps people coming back for more while you pull new people in. It doesn't have to be weekly like most of our games but the more frequent the better.
6. ENGAGING STORY
Engaging doesn't mean complicated. If you look at most of the great stories, they are very simple. Goku, Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter, Superman, King Arthur (and so many more young heroes) start a journey, discovering secrets of great power being lead and taught by a wise, older figure (Master Roshi, Obi-Wan, Gandalf, Dumbledore, Jor-El, Merlin). If you really look there are only about 5 different story types out there being told over and over. You just have to tell it well and get your players invested in the character. When they care about the world you've given them, then you've got something really special.
7. PvP
People love to complete. It doesn't have to be fighting, it could just be comparing collections or beating each other's top score but PvP makes a game that might otherwise be boring, a different experience each time. It also provides a new challenge for the player to overcome which keeps them engaged and invested. It takes a really light touch to properly balance PvP but when you've got a well balanced PvP game, then people will come to compete.
8. CRAFTING
This is once of those things that makes a game deeper without making it more complicated. If you just have running quests and killing monsters, the game gets boring to the people who have been there for a while. Things like crafting let them change their personal gameplay experience, provides a time-sink that will keep them logged in and coming back and adds something to the game to make it deeper for those who want to feel like there is more to the world that you've made than just killing 100 wolves for Farmer Sven. Achievements also fall under the same category of making a game deeper. It gives players additional goals and provides a feeling of accomplishment.
9. TRADE
This is something I wish that we could add to AQW but I really don't think we will ever be able to for a lot of reasons. Trade (like PvP) is one of those things that takes a static game and turns into a living, breathing entity all of its own. A thriving trade economy can (and has in several games) actually become the backbone of the game, and the main reason that people keep playing it long after they have lost interest in the story. Also like PvP, it takes an unimaginable amount of work to balance the entire world economy. People will also look for the fastest way to earn currency in the game, but if you have a well balanced game economy, the answer will not be obvious.
10. PLAYER CREATED CONTENT
Minecraft. What could be better than seeing the thing you made right there on the screen?! In an ideal situation, it's very easy. The cream rises to the top, as they say, and some people might wear the wonky armor that a first-time artists creates but... the better the content, the more people will like it. The good stuff will become more popular, the bad stuff will fade away and this raises everyone's game. It makes content creators try harder to meet the competition eye to eye. it also provides a personal touch to a game that limited customization can't touch.
I'm not saying that every game needs all of these things to be a success. In some cases, it only needs one done very well. Counter-Strike has survived for DECADES on just being an excellent PvP franchise. However, If I had the time and funding, I would build a game with all of these in it and I am pretty sure that this game would be a hit. Notice that I didn't put sweet graphics anywhere on the list. A pretty game is pretty and sometimes downright beautiful but there are SO many great, amazingly fun, engaging, addiction, multi-million dollar games out there that are not much to look at.
Drakath, the Champion of Chaos, waits for you at the top of Mount DoomSkull this weekend and after 6 years, the identity of the 13th Lord of Chaos will be revealed!
Battle your way up the treacherous mountain, defeat Chaorrupted creatures, and defeat (or re-live) each of the first 12 Lords of Chaos!
Defeat each Chaos zone to reach the top of Mount DoomSkull!
Confront Drakath in the battle to determine your destiny!
Unlock the Chaos Slayer Class shop after facing Drakath!
Saeva Lionhart and his diabolical offspring Immanence and Transcendence are invading Delta V. Prepare for battle with the Lionhart promotional package which includes:
10,000 Varium
Lionhart's Carnage (Physical Mutating Primary)
Lionhart's Knowledge (Energy Mutating Primary)
Lionhart's Avatar (Physical and Energy Bots)
The primary weapons include Lionhart's Shield active core, which protect you or an ally from damage for one round.
The bot comes equipped with the special ability Lionhart's Roar, which buffs Rage for you and an ally.
Overlord Overhaul
The Overlord Facility is being revamped to accomodate this large event, which will include several new screens and improved art.
Be sure to explore thoroughly and visit with the new Lionhart NPCs! If you're nice, they may let you live...for now.
Rage Reveal
Players will now be able to see their Rage and the Rage of their allies/opponents throughout battle.
Ever since the release of the four Knight orders, you’ve asked us for one thing....and this Thursday, the conflict comes to a head!
Experience an all-new four-way war between the remaining kingdoms of Lore, which hints at the size and scope of the conflict still to come!
Which kingdom will be victorious? What revelations will come out of this war? We can only be certain of one thing: the War in the West will never be the same!
(I know how that sounds but read the whole post before you get all butthurt about it.)
I can't even tell people at parties what I really do for work anymore. If I do, I spend the rest of the party being followed around being pitched game ideas by complete strangers. I lie and tell them that I'm a middle manager at an industrial adhesive company that produces glues for (mostly) binding school textbooks to their covers and other industrial applications.
Don't get me wrong, I love talking about game design and game theory as well as listening to and encouraging people's creativity. The reason that nobody wants to make your game is that the people with the skills to make games already have ideas of their own.
I know that you think that your game idea is totally the best ever and it would be a lot of fun (and maybe you're RIGHT) but game developers think the same thing about THEIR game ideas, so naturally... given the choice between your idea and theirs... they will make their game.
It's a problem with a very simple and obvious solution. All it takes is the will to do with most people won't do and learn how to make games for yourself! It has LITERALLY never been easier. There are SO many resources out there for aspiring game developers. YouTube tutorials on everything from animation or programming, access game engines of every kind for DIRT cheap (Unreal for $10 a month? Cry Engine for $30? That is INSANE), not to mention books. Mountains of books about game design stacked so high that you can't even see the top.
You don't have to learn how to do everything yourself (although I suggest it). Maybe you've got an artistically talented friend who is willing to team up and do all the art and animation while you learn C# or Unity.
The point is (TLDR version)... if you have a game idea, you should pursue your dream! Don't thrust your ideas on someone who is already pursuing theirs. I learned how and I'm a lazy idiot! If I can become a game developer, there is no reason that you can't.
People don't seem to understand what gold names mean in AQW. They think that we are all Mods.
We're not all Mods.
There are 4 types of people who have gold names. Mods, Testers, Player Support and Devs.
WHO ARE MODS?:
Mod is short for Moderator. They are almost always volunteer helpers who read over the reports that players make. They are the ones who mute or ban people who break the rules to try and keep AQW fun and safe for everyone.
So remember, if you someone is causing trouble and you report them, is the Mod team who respond to the report and get rid of the troll.
WHO ARE TESTERS?:
Testers pr members of the Quality Assurance team (Q/A team) are also usually volunteers who have no Admin powers (they can't mute or ban). They test the items and quests to find all the bugs and typos that they can before the release goes live for you to play.
Testers are the ones who try to make sure that the releases run smoothly, but where most game companies go months between releases, AQW releases new stuff every week. We build the game at an amazingly fast pace and some bugs get missed in testing but the Testers do their very best.
WHO ARE DEVS?:
Dev is short for Developers. Devs are usually paid AE staff (but we have several volunteer artists), and we are the ones who do all the art, programming, writing, animating and design for the games.
Developers just build the games. We have the most fun job in my opinion and we're lucky that we get to do it but it's a job and not an easy one. You need several years of professional experience in your field (having a university degree helps too) to get a job at AE. We don't just hire people who tweet us drawings of their armor ideas.
WHO ARE PLAYER SUPPORT?:
Player Support members are usually paid staff of AE. Nythera and her Player Support team handle ALL account and payment issues. If you are banned or hacked and what to get your account back, you talk to Player Support.
Asking Devs/Mods/Testers to return your account won't help you because we have NOTHING to do with that. It is ALL Player Support but if you have account or payment trouble, they are always there to help you. They get THOUSANDS of e-mails a DAY so it may take a while for them to get to yours but if they can help you at all, they will respond.
Take down the deadly dragons of the Razorclaw Clan to help Galanoth and the Order of DragonSlayers!
With the Summer of Chaos beginning next Friday, June 6th, this is the perfect time to rank up your favorite classes and save up gold to buy better enhancements.
You're going to want to be stronger and faster than ever before, because once the full force of Chaos is unleashed... no one is safe!
Defeat Razorclaw the Cryptbreaker and his Dragon Clan for reward gear
Talk to Yara in Battleon to get the first animated items (and help us test the new system!)
Get your very own Daimyo pet this Sunday (only available during his birthday each year)
AdventureQuest Worlds, a land full of arcane magics and tangible chaos, is the brainchild of the tireless mods and programmers who have poured their ideas into it.
Unfortunately, they underestimated the true power of the chaos that they created, and the Chaorruption has leaked into the underground lab.
After infecting the programmers, it downloaded their deepest thoughts into the game, creating the Chaorrupted lab.
As the team watched, more and more of their ideas poured into these new worlds, and then it happened. The chaos managed to pull the programmers themselves into the game and Chaorrupted them.
With the chaos now more powerful than ever and no programmers to give the players a way to stop it time is running out to save the world of lore from complete chaos.
Can the players band together to save their favorite mods and save the game they love before it is plunged into complete purple havoc?
The Fortune City War is over. The Exiles have one another war and seized Fortune City from Legion control. Now is the time to login and claim your war prize!
Charfade's Charshoppe
Charfade has added several new items to the inventory, including a Little Gear mutation and new items from Juniu and Assassin Order! Be sure to stop by Charfade's location in the Barrens Outpost to check them out!
New Navigation
Now, you can use the redesigned world map to navigate to any NPC in any region!
Power Hour!
Double XP and Credits all weekend long!
Heroic Memorial Achievement
Be sure to stop by the Achievement shop to claim the seasonal Heroic Memorial Achievement!
Visit The Celestial Haven to find new weapons and spells, as well as learning more about the Nekos as they adapt to their new home and learn from their new spiritual guardians!
Don’t miss the Zardzilla Trample spell coming to the Limited-Time Shop this week. Only here for 2 weeks!
June Z-Token Package - Champion of Tera Suul Set
Replaces Champion of Airenal as the bonus items that come with the 50,000 Z-Token package.
Channel the powers of the Great Frost Wyrm Tera Suul and drag your enemies into an Icy realm!
May Guardian Bonus - Hydro Guardian Dragon Armor
This awesome armor comes free if you Guardianize your account any time during the month of May!
Existing Guardians can find the armor in the Guardian Tower at a super discounted price!
Grab this armor while you can because it will only be available until the end of May and then gone forever!
Bonus XP/Gold Weekend! From Friday 5/23 to Monday 5/26 gain an extra 10% Gold and XP from battles!
Thank you so much for your continued love & support for all Artix Entertainment games. For the past 11 years, Artix has strived to produce the best free MMOs and RPGs in the whole world, and we could NOT have gotten this far without YOU!
You always have a 5 Star rating in our eyes and in our hearts <3
