Notes

DeepWorld is a 2D Minecraft-alike Coming to Mac And IOS

If you were to put a bunch of gaming catchwords in a hat, then pulled them out one by one and arranged them in order, you might have an approximate description for the forthcoming Deepworld. It's a 2D steampunk, post-apocalyptic sandbox MMO, with Minecraft-style creation, and block graphics that allow players access to a vast and vast game world. Deepworld is a game that sounds too good to be true to its promises however the developers Bytebin (consisting of three players who have a ton of experience in server architecture, but not quite as many in game development and design) know they're delivering a lot.



The version that they showed me at GDC last weekend definitely did not disappoint. It didn't just include two characters traveling through the world together, but it also included the entire game. Deepworld's graphics may not look stunning in screenshots (they're ... "stylistic", you might say) but as you explore more and more of the world, there's a glimmer there that can't be denied. Only after a makeshift shelter was constructed complete with lanterns that spread pools of light and a storm started in the background, with lightning flashing across the sky and acid rain pouring down hard, did the game's beauty really make itself evident.



There's plenty of beauty to be found in the different mechanics. One of the developers describes the title as "a game that is based on a sort of scarcity," and that scarcity is a reference to all the different resources that exist in this initially barren world. When you dig the earth, you'll find lava, which creates steam, which is then transferred into pipes and utilized to power technology. There is a crafting system, but unlike Minecraft (where items must be discovered and built) The game basically provides a list of what's available to build with the various resources you've gathered.



The interface is also beautiful. Best Games You can make whatever you want using the cursor on Mac. While the iOS version is still in development ("There are some kinks with touch," Bytebin said), it will be possible to "draw" creations directly on the iPad's display.



The biggest issue with Deepworld probably isn't in the game itself, but It's likely to be in maintaining the servers. The game is divided into 1200x800 block "zones," and the devs are hoping to limit those zones to a specific number of players (and perhaps eventually charge players to customize and save those zones). However, there will be a metagame in "improving each ecosystem", so it's easy to see the ways Bytebin could run into problems in the event that it becomes very popular in order to keep its servers running.



Bytebin is aware of the issue (and it's true that the team's experience includes running large servers for corporate software So they stand an opportunity to win at least) We'll find out for sure how they fare when the game launches for an open beta later this year. Alpha will take place "in the next few weeks" and there is an open beta registration for the game. Deepworld looks fascinating, and it's a title we will probably be proud to have on both Mac and iOS.


Homepage: https://1pg.org/