Notes

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

You could be able to describe the Deepworld by putting some gaming terms in a hat, then took them out one at a and then arranged them. It's a 2D steampunk post-apocalyptic sandbox game with Minecraft-style creation, and block graphics that open up to a vast and vast game world. Deepworld is a game that seems too good to be true to its promise however, the creators Bytebin (consisting of three men who have a ton of experience in server architecture, but not quite as much experience in game development or design) understand they're delivering a lot.



The version they showed me at GDC last weekend definitely was a good representation of what they had promised. Not only did it include two of their characters roaming around the world together, but also the entire game. Deepworld's graphics may not appear amazing in shots (they're ... design "stylistic" it could be said), but when you travel through more of the world, there's a glimmer there that can't be denied. The only thing that happened was that a shelter was built complete with lanterns that spread pools of light and a storm erupted in the background with lightning flashing across the sky and acid rain falling down hard, did the game's beauty really become apparent.



There is a lot of beauty to be found in the different mechanics. One developer describes the game as "a game that is based on a kind of scarcity" that refers to all the resources that exist in this initially barren world. When you dig the earth, you'll find lava, which creates steam, which can be then transformed into pipes and used to power technology. There is a crafting system however, unlike Minecraft (where items must be discovered and built) the game simply provides a menu of what you can build with the different resources you've collected.



The interface is beautiful as well -- it's possible to build whatever you want using the cursor on the Mac version, and while the iOS version is in development ("There's a few kinks with touch," Bytebin says), being able to "draw" creations on the iPad's screen will be nice.



The biggest problem with Deepworld probably isn't in the game, however: It's likely to be in keeping the servers running. The title is subdivided into 1200x800 blocks "zones," and the devs are hoping to limit these zones to a certain number of players (and perhaps eventually charge players to customize and save the zones). But, there's a metagame in "improving each ecosystem", so it's easy to see how Bytebin could face issues when it becomes extremely popular to keep its servers in operation.



Bytebin is aware of the issue (and again, the team's background is in managing large servers for software companies So they stand a fighting chance at the very least), but we'll find out for sure how they fare when the game goes to an open beta later on this year. Alpha will begin "in the next few weeks" and there is an open beta sign-up for the game. Deepworld looks amazing, and it's an iOS and Mac game we'll be proud to own.


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