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Salem: We Cater to Normal People Too
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
One of our favorite things to do here at MMORPG.com is give our readers a preview of some of the hotly anticipated games on the horizon. In our latest preview, we take a look at Salem. It's definitely a must read for fans of the genre.
In our MMORPGs we expect goblins, a few elves, and some pointy swords. In later years we've innovated, moved with the times, and maybe, just maybe, we can now accept a space ship or two - but we totally draw the line at Firefly class frigates: You've gotta' have rules. Indie-developers Seatribe however, are looking to mess with the status quo: their new game doesn't have an emphasis on stabbing things, nor will it feature quests, and there isn't even a mention of the Elder race - oh, and if you die, you're pretty, well, um, dead. There is devil's play amongst us.
Read more of Adam Tingle's Salem: We Cater to Normal People Too.
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Comments
Awesome read. I have been following this game for about a year now. I am giddy with excitement for it.
But with all indie companies, I hope they can deliver on what they are saying. If they can, it may be the breakout hit of the year as long as it keeps getting attention from news sites.
The team has been working on this for years now and have promised a Haven and Hearth like gameplay, which means the sandboxers will be full of joy!
I just hope it at least feels like Haven and Hearth with its remoteness and hermit like life style + a little witch burning on the side.
Unfortunately, the size of their team is pretty small, so I don't think we can expect too many updates. This will probably be a great title in 5 year time, but for now, don't expect much.
I review lots of indie games and MMORPGs
If the gameplay features what he claims, for once i can totally ignore the graphics.
What concerns me however is this:
"One half of its development team Björn Johannessen explains..."
Which would suggest two devs. Unless that's referring to pure programmers, which isn't so bad.
But basically, genius if it pulls it off.
this game will fail perma death is wanted by a very very very slim percentage of gamers, perma death alone will be teh downfall of this game.
Great because H&H is really a very good game, so i really can't wait to play it.
Sounds great, graphics are meaningless as long as its' fun.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I think this studio is well aware of that, this isn't their first title like this.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
If it is anything like Haven & Hearth, then death would only mean that you lose your character and a substantial amount of "progress" is lost; however, some "progress" can be saved through a heritage system or simply walking with a new character to your old home (since create a building/tools is a form of progress).
Do we have access to stocks and pillories? Non-lethal ways to deal with criminals?
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
"We cater to normal people too" ? I thought exactly the opposite would be something special these days.
like the sound of this game, i can imagine it being fairly addictive once you start playing it
This game sounds amazing, everything i have been looking for besides not being able to build my own home (own home meaning the shape and size i want.)
The graphics / setting seems a little foreign to me, but perhaps that is a good thing, and will turn out to be one of this games strong points
C
i like the sound of this, but im a bit of a graphics freak as well.. might check it out as its free... well when its released that is.
I've seen a pics and read a few posting about this game.
I just don't get it. I guess I give 'em credit for thinking outside the box, but this game just looks stupid.
Release: Q3 2012.
The phrase i'm thinking of rhymes with clucking bell..
It "looks" stupid or it "sounds" stupid? Cause personally I agree it looks pretty stupid, but so does minecraft. But it sounds pretty interesting.
It sounds like they actually thought some stuff through... interesting enough is the "no skill cap". At first it sounds like a terrible idea, but with perma-death this sort of thing will sort itself out.
I originally wrote this game off as garbage, but its back on my radar again, good article.
"They essentially want to say 'Correlation proves Causation' when it's just not true." - Sovrath
like the ideas and concepts but really dont like the look of the game.
I wish I didn't read this though kind of...
Now I will be reminded it's trying to be like Ultima Online in more ways then one and that's probably something it will not accomplish based on that description/preview, heh..
I wouldn't play this game if you paid me, the barrier of entry is too high. But, I like that it exists. Much like popular games like Resident Evil and Catherine (as in, more games I'd never play), I enjoy reading about it and will enjoy reading/watching people's responses to the game, and I hope it's successful in giving that group of people that satisfying niche they've been looking for. I don't know how much staying power perma-death has, but it also doesn't sound like there's much to 'own' besides things you've built for a town or a home, so there's probably nothing to lose you couldn't easily get again.
I think everyone should have a game for them, and with sandboxers being mostly ignored - and very bitter about it - maybe games like this and Arch Age will give them somewhere to go. I'm also hoping the oddball theme and mechanics will show developers it's okay to try something new and take chances, even if that means shrinking your budget to more reasonable levels. I'd take a unique game made for a few million over something unoriginal for hundreds of millions any day.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
Sounds like what Warhammer mmorpg should have been like...
The paranoia, the fear of the mutant, the isolation...
Btw interesting idea that perma-death discourages griefing... we'll see how it pans out.
very interesting indeed. im not sure what to think about the graphics (since im a gfx whore)
but if the gameplay is just half as fun as its sounds on paper, i think im in...sooo tired of the themeparks that i didnt evev renew my swtor account.
I hope so
.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
If they put in those damn bears that come out of nowhere (they really can come running from out of screen vision), outrun and kill you without you having a chance to actually get away or defend, I am pretty sure I will not play it then.
Wait what? When was free too high of an entry barrier? "Bottles the mind" Huh?
For the graphics, people need to understand almost all screen shots are coming out of the Alpha testing. The dev has stated numerous times in other interviews that most of the graphics are place holders and better things will be released down the line. They are mainly working on core mechanics and things of that nature.
As for the game itself, it sounds like what I have been waiting on for some time. I caught wind of it from an article on massively a year or so ago and have been keeping tabs. Everything I have seen gets me more excited for its soon approaching release.
I think people are missing the point of this game. It isn't to be a "raiding" or PvP game. It is a game that gives you a world in which you can interact with, change, and do as you please. It has monsters and explorable areas, but it doesn't hold your hand saying "You are lvl 10, go kill x monster and collect x items". It allows YOU to decide what direction you want to take your game in. Want to be the hermit that lives out in the middle of the woods and sodomizes sheep? So be it, go make your house in the middle of no where and be self sufficient. Want to band together with like minded individuals and work towards creating and establishing a working town or government hierarchy? So be it. Want to be a witch and terrorize the countryside? Well, you are welcome to do that, heck start a coven with other witches in the middle of the woods, but if you get caught there are consequences. No more mamby pamby death penalty that lasts for 5 minutes. You die, you do not pass go, you do not collect 200$. No, you start over. Players extract revenge, players enforce their laws, not the game.
Love it.
Sounds like it might be an interesting title, despite the archaic cheap looking isometric look. Of course we are all weary of small teams out of Sweden making supposedly master level open world mmo's heh.
Reminds me of xsyon actually