Epic Online Entertainment is a newly started (sole trader) company in Ireland. The purpose of the company is separate the Abydos Online projects funding/finances from the author (well that is me Christian) personal economy. In the following 6 months I will personally push about 10000 euro into this project, a business plan is being finalized and additional funding/grands will be applied for from the Irish government and EU.
Project Name: Abydos Online
Background Story:
Millennia before our current times, lived and ruled the ancient gods. Our knowledge about those times is limited, but it is sure that nature flourished and magnificent beings populated every part of the world. Mighty kingdoms and great empires rose to power, it was a paradise. The ancient gods gave birth to children, demigods, who were gifted with the wisdom and power of their creators.
Conspiracies and secret plots took root among the gods and their children, this lead to conflict and ultimately to war! This great war among the divine spread savagely across the lands, consuming everyone and everything. The ancient races followed their gods into battle. Powerful spells scorched the earth as their magic wrought unimaginable destruction. As the ancient races followed their gods into battle, vast armies clashed together, bathing the land in a sea of blood and steel. Above, the heavens thundered while the gods waged their war.
As the gods destroyed each other, one by one their cosmic powers unleashed chaos upon the world. Entire continents sank into the threatening ocean, others were brought into darkness by maddened beasts. The people changed, happiness was forgotten and disparity took its place.
For generations, our city struggled against the harshness of the war-torn world. Then something unexpected happened, a miracle: The wishes of the exposed and hopeless of our city were heard and new gods came to us. Understanding the power of prayer, new religions were born to the people.
This is the age we live in. The lands are healing, nature slowly repopulates the world. Though the wastelands remain filled with deadly creatures and dangerous remnants from the great war, old battle spells show signs of weakening. The people of Abydos are no longer forgotten. With new gods and new hope, we will build a future for ourselves.
Features:
Only one world
There is only one world, no instances or shards.
No classes, no levels.
There are no classes or levels, only skills and attributes.
Unique RPG style Gameplay
Abydos Online has its own universe, rediscovering the roots of todays fantasy to create a unique world of its own. Gameplay focusing equally on world building, crafting, mental/social activities and combat. Dynamic Environments Tired of seeing nice surroundings but not being able to interact with them? In Abydos Online, if you see an item, for example a wall, a tree or a bucket on the ground you interact with it as expected, for example you can travel in a forest with ten thousands of trees, cut down one and returning one month later it will still be lying on the ground (perhaps now covered with moss). Terrain can also be raised to lowered by players.
Scalable
Every experienced that to many players in one place creates lag? Abydos Online has an scalable backend allowing several thousands of players being active in one zone/area without lag.
MUD style Development Structure
The closest developers of the MUD are considered as core staff, they are responsible for the client and server development. Ever dreamed of creating a MMO yourself? In Abydos Online, if you show enough skill you can apply for godhood an join the ranks of the immortals, shaping an area in the world according to your ideas.
Target aim:
Free client download, account must be purchased to play (the payment method is not finalized yet). Aiming for player base of older teens and adults.
Milestones:
2011 - May - Alpha Release
2012 - Closed Beta Release
2013 - Open Beta Release
2014 - Final Release
Compensation:
We only accept volunteering and/or freelance positions at the moment. There is a contribution system that will ensure volunteers getting economical compensation for their work.
Technology:
The client is written in C++ and using MyGUI, SDL and Ogre3D libraries. The server is written in Erlang and will probably have some parts written in C.
Talent needed:
Currently seeking programmers experienced with Ogre to work on the client.
Team structure:
Server Development Team
Christian - Lead Server Programmer, Project Founder
Greg - Server Programmer
Haitong - Server Programmer
Client Development Team
Scott - Lead Client Programmer
Graphical Team
Cody - Art Director, 3D modeler
Alexander - Concept Artist and 3D modeler
Sound Team
Chad - Composer
Marcus - Sound Effect Artist
Writer Team
Laszlo - Lead Writer
Matt - Writer
Kristoffer - Writer
Christoffer - Writer
Sage - Game Mechanics/Writer
Freelancers
Bernadeta - Concept Artist
Frederick - Concept Artist/Illustrator
David - Concept Artister/3D modeler
Christian - Composer
Website:
http://www.abydosonline.com/
Contacts:
recruitment@abydosonline.com You can also apply through the website by clicking the huge recruitment buttons or drop message in the forums.
Previous Work by Team:
MMO engine built Christian (the project founder) http://www.next-gen.cc.
Artwork:
Old tech demo (over one year old):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIGkKCyI ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8Q_bZP2 ... re=related
New Alpha version of the game (placeholder graphics):
[youtube]lNo6yqXQPWk[/youtube]
Game Design Document:
We have an unfinished GDD for download here:
http://www.abydosonline.com/upload/Game ... cument.pdf
