I'll get right to the point -- why do I think Stash: No Loot Left Behind deserves a penguin clan?
1. Stash: No Loot Left Behind is going to be one of those rare MMORPGs that treat Linux users as first-class citizens
The team behind Stash, Frogdice, has been using Linux for years as a game
server. Unlike some companies that were happy to only take from the community and never give anything back, Frogdice has shown their appreciation lately by giving good Linux support in their games without worrying about the (still small, but hopefully growing) sales percentages.
In Frogdice's 2 previous kickstarters, Dungeon of Elements and ReignMaker (formerly Tower of Elements 2)
- Linux was NEVER a stretch goal
- Linux was released exactly concurrently with the other platforms
- problem reports with a Steam Linux release were taken seriously and quickly resolved with an update
2. Stash: No Loot Left Behind is going to be an unusual MMORPG altogether, run by hard-core role-players determined to put the "RPG" back in MMORPG
- Sandbox MMORPG - content is mostly generated by players, with main theme usually being variations of guild/clan/faction war PVP
- Theme-park MMORPG - pre-canned content from developers, almost requires reset/respawn "Groundhog Day" effect so that everyone has opportunity to experience it... but nobody has an opportunity to affect plot signficantly
- Rogue-like RPG - content is procedurally generated, players might be able to get creative on how to survive but they can't really affect major plot-lines (if there are any...)
- Pen-n-paper RPG - content is result of creative synergy[1] between GM and the players: original story outline decided by DM, but players have a huge role in how things actually turn out
- Stash MMORPG - mixture of procedurally generated content to explore and GM-created plots allowing synergy[1] with participating players, where even low-level characters will be given opportunities to participate
To summarize Stash gameplay with a little more detail, it offers classic RPG-ness
- turn-based party combat
- GM-created plots affected by player choices
- deep world lore developed over 18 years of running a (still thriving) MUD
mixed with MMO-ness
- Highly customizable player housing
- Crafting
- Clans
- Optional PVP
while avoiding other common MMO habits like
- Bind on pickup
- Quest grind
- Obsessive focus on "end game"
- Level caps
How many existing MMORPG have both turn-based combat and native Linux clients...? NWN is a wonderful multiplayer RPG, but I always wondered what it would have been like with turn-based combat!
As I'm writing this article, the Stash: No Loot Left Behind campaign is 84% funded with a few days remaining, and thus appears to be on track for getting funded sometime during the final 48-hours. I would love to have more fellow GOL members join up and start a penguin clan, so please go take a look if you're an RPG fan, and drop a mention in the comments if you plan to give it a shot.
[1] this article brought to you by cartoon foxes and plenty of chunky bacon Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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*sees 7.5 grand*
*sadface*
The only negative thing I see right now is "XP boosts" for backers. I really don't like that sort of thing in MMOs
But overall it seems like something worth backing
That's totally true, at the current rate, but as a fairly veteran crowdfunder I can tell you the momentum is just starting to build again at this point in the campaign, with a make-or-break last couple days in which it's more likely to fund than not.
Sidekick has the most realistic prediction algorithms among the kickstarter tracking sites
http://sidekick.epfl.ch/campaign/1287881026-stash-no-loot-left-behind-pc-mac-linux-consoles
and even it started predicting 95% success because there has been so much progress during the typically "dead" middle half of the campign -- up to 85% before the 48-hour reminders from kickstarter have gone out to remind all those who like to decide at the end whether to bother backing. You'd be surprised what a big boost that can be for campaigns that are deemed "close" and thus people realize they can make a real difference and are motivated to back.
This is another project I've backed (also has turn-based combat and RPG theme, but single-player)
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/1878147873/hero-u-rogue-to-redemption/#chart-daily
it needed 8 * Stash-goal, so don't look at the absolute figures but look at the shape of the curve, how the final 3 days each got about as much as Day 2 of the project, a lot more than any days in the comparatively slow middle half of the project
and here is a game project that had an even bigger boost in funds at the end, with 28% coming in the last few days (almost mirroring the first 3 days!)
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/1949537745/armikrog/#chart-daily
Now look at the Stash curve, which is just starting to turn up after some slow time (memorial day weekend + Pax + Dragoncon lead to a really slow week 1st week of September)
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/frogdice/stash-no-loot-left-behind-pc-mac-linux-consoles/#chart-daily
and notice that 2 more days like Day 2 would lead to success.
So it's gonna be a close one, but still doable!
I have played another one called Ryzom, that I wanted to like, but it wasn't really to my taste -- too much boring farming of certain mobs trying to get mats for crafting decent eq. My local Linux gaming buddy wanted to know if I helped Frogdice write the update about "not your typical MMO" because it promises to avoid so many of my pet peeves in other MMOs ;)
Less than 4 grand now, with almost 2 days left -- like I said, right on track for success on the final day :D