Tobold's Blog
Monday, May 02, 2011
 
Glitch

This Saturday I had more fun in a MMORPG than I had for the whole year yet: I was playing the early beta of Glitch. What is Glitch? Well, the devs call it "a web-based massively-multiplayer game which takes place inside the minds of eleven peculiarly imaginative Giants". I'd describe it as a 2D non-violent MMORPG. And while this is still an early version, and not even yet open all of the time, I guess the 2D non-violent MMORPG part is going to stay. This is a very different game from classic MMORPGs, or as the devs say: "What's different? For starters, it's all one big world. Which means everyone is playing the same game and anyone's actions have the ability to affect every other player in the game. It also involves very little war, moats, spaceships, wizards, mafiosos, or people with implausibly large muscles."

If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say that most of you never played a MMORPG which doesn't have combat. But then again all that MMORPG combat you know doesn't really involve fighting; you just click on things or press keys. So I hope you believe me that clicking on things and pressing keys is also perfectly possible in a virtual world without combat. And what a world that is! 2D side-scrolling, yes, so don't expect photorealistic animations and textures. But those photorealistic animations and textures usually cost hundreds of millions, and then the investors want "something like WoW". So Tiny Speck, a small company, wisely decided to rather make a game with a lower budget (still several millions), and rather put that budget into developing an interesting world and good gameplay instead of top-notch graphics. So the world is big, full of creativity, open (there are no instances), and dynamic, with the players able to change things in the world.

But Glitch isn't just some "social" virtual world, there is a real MMORPG gameplay in there. You have levels, a skill system, and quests which are about teaching you about the many different activities in the game, and not repetitive "kill 10 foozles" affairs. Gameplay revolves around activities that consume energy, like gathering and crafting, and then getting that energy back by eating. But to eat, you need to get food first, and that involves farming, gathering, and cooking. There is a whole skill-tree just about making food! Glitch even has player housing, so one early big step forward in food procurement is getting a house with your own little "Farmville" garden in the back. But that is just one of many different gameplay activities. Don't let the cute, family-friendly look fool you: Glitch is actually quite a complex game; well, I guess you could just run around and explore if you feel like it, but if you want to get anything done, there is a lot of planning and optimization involved. The trailer on the Glitch homepage gives you a first idea on how many skills and recipes and activities there are.

As I said, Glitch is still in closed beta, with a release "sometime this summer", although that is the sort of flexible release date announcement which I wouldn't bet on. But when it will be out, it will be Free2Play, but with an item shops in which you can't "buy win". There are various clothing and outfits for sale, and the only non-fluff shop item rumored to be in development is teleportation tokens. There will also be premium accounts with a subscription with access to yet more fluff, if you prefer that method of payment.

I played all Saturday, and made it to a first house, and level 13. Now I'm really looking forward to be able to play again, at the next test session. The game already runs very well, but the devs are adding lots of new features all the time. If you want to check it out for yourself, right now the only thing you can do is sign up for the beta. Or wait for open beta and release. I'll keep you posted.
Comments:
Great!

This caught my eye a while ago when I read an article about it (probably in gamasutra.com). It's the project of one of the co-founders of Flikr, and is showing a lot of professionalism and quite sizable budget, even at first glimpse.

Good to hear positive first hand opinions. Thank you Tobold.
 
I would slightly enhance your comment on the description of most current MMORPGG's: "... or people with implausibly large muscles." and add "or people with implausibly large breasts"
 
Finally! So nice to hear someone is doing something innovative and creative. It sounds so unlike wow! I can't wait to try it!
 
Timely reminder! I watched the trailer for this last year sometime and thought it looked interesting but I'd forgotten about it.

It has a nice antifolk vibe. Looking forward to trying it.
 
Sounds awesome. Plus, it's perhaps a game i could share with my childrens (at least the 12 daughter), because for obvious reasons, i don't want to encourage them playing the current mmorpgs.
 
I'm another beta tester (was also alpha tester for about 1.5 months), and I can heartily recommend this game.
I have played a lot of videogames (Wii, computer download games, a couple other MMOs, Facebook games), and I have honestly never enjoyed a game more. The humor is topnotch...there are quests to drink 12 beers, die and come back from hell, kiss people with garlic breath. You can get achievements for petting pigs (I love the Pork Fondler badge) and trees, for "splanking" other players, for consuming certain amounts of food, chatting with players, etc. The game is so highly addictive that some of us started an in-game group called The Glitchodone Clinic just to amuse ourselves between tests. Hope you find us in Glitch as soon as you can!
 
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