DeepWorld is a 2D Minecraftalike Coming to Mac And IOS
If you put a handful of gaming catchwords in a hat, and then pulled them out one by one and put them in order, you might have a rough description of the coming Deepworld. It's a 2D steampunk post-apocalyptic MMO with Minecraft-style creation, and block graphics that allow players access to a quite varied and vast world of games. Deepworld is almost a game that promises too much to live up to it's promises, but its developers Bytebin (consisting of three players who have a ton of experience in server architecture, but not as much experience in game development or design) know they're promising a lot.
The version that they showed me at GDC last weekend definitely was a good representation of what they had promised. It didn't just include two of their characters traveling around the world together, but it also included the entire game. Deepworld's graphics may not look amazing in screenshots (they're ... "stylistic", you might say) however, when you travel through more of the world, there's a glimmer there that can't be denied. The game's beauty was only discovered after the construction of a shelter with lanterns and pools of light.
There is a lot of beauty to be found in the various mechanics. Bitrix One of the devs describe the game as "a game based on a kind of scarcity" and that scarcity is a reference to all the diverse resources found in this largely barren planet. As you dig down, lava can be found that creates steam, which can then be transferred into pipes and used to power technology. There's a crafting feature however, unlike Minecraft (where items must be discovered and built) the game simply provides a menu of the items you can construct using the different resources you've collected.
The interface is also nice. You can make whatever you like 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" your creations directly on the iPad's display.
The most significant issue with Deepworld isn't actually in the game itself, however: It'll probably be with keeping the servers running. The game is divided into 1200x800 blocks "zones," and the developers hope to limit these zones to a specific number of players (and maybe eventually even charge players to customize and save the zones). Bitrix Bitrix But there will be a metagame of sorts in "improving the ecosystem" of each zone and it's easy to see how Bytebin could face difficulties should the game prove to be uber popular, in keeping its servers afloat.
Bytebin recognizes the need (and again, the team's experience is in running large servers for software companies So they stand an opportunity to win at least) However, we'll see how they do when the game launches to an open beta later on this year. Alpha will take place "in a few weeks," and there's a beta signup for the game today. Deepworld is stunning and it's an iOS and Mac title we will be proud to own.
