Post by ATB Staff on Apr 3, 2017 12:46:22 GMT -8
Thank you for your interest in After The Breaking MUD, a MMORPG set in the world of Robert Jordan's series, "A Wheel of Time(tm)". Compiled here are some frequently asked questions that came from our design focus group and also came to mind when we started this project.
Why "After the Breaking"?
First of all, everyone on the Staff loves the world created by Robert Jordan, hands down. When exploring time periods as suggested by all the books, we felt that the actual series of books itself is already covered very well in the online world through various communities and other MUDs. We also know, through experience, that once something is in a book, purists loyal to the world want not only everything exactly as they read it but also to progress in a certain way. We chose the time period of After the Breaking because it is the least covered time period in the book series, and referred to almost entirely as a footnote in the actual series books. In "The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time" there is very little material about this time period, with only 5 pages solely devoted to it, as Chapter 10. This gives us a lot of creative leeway to explore and create.
Can you place the time period for us?
Our focus is as the Ten Nations begin to rise, approximately two hundred years after the actual Breaking of the World and into the Trolloc Wars, which occurred approximately AB1000 and raged for almost 350 years. For perspective, our setting preceeds the calendar change from AB (After Breaking) to FY (Free Year), the birth of Artur Hawkwing in FY912, his death in FY994, the War of the Hundred Years after his death, the calendar change from FY to NE (New Era), and the birth of Rand al' Thor in 978NE. Our time period is thousands of years before the Wheel of Time book series even begins.
What is the backstory for After the Breaking MUD?
Please email us with the subject line "backstory" and you'll get the full document. It is also posted on our forums.
Is there PvP?
Yes. Absolutely. Is it really a MUD if there isn't PvP?
How many Races are planned?
The initial design team is focused on humanoid and trolloc, with sub-sections within both to include Ogier, Nym, Fades, Greymen, and others alluded to as appropriate to our setting and time period.
What is the map focus?
The setting calls for one main continent, with some outlying islands. We have chosen the nation of Coremanda for the initial build-out phase, so that will essentially by the center of the game in terms of geography.
What about guilds or structured play alliances?
There will be, of course, Aes Sedai and Gaidin, as well as Wisdoms and Hedge Doctors, military forces to protect each Nation, and other roles to play that are familiar to mainstream Wheel of Time fans. Our time period also allows us the potential opportunity to explore the Aiel and their rich history, along with the mysterious lands of Shara and the Ayyad.
How many levels are there to the game?
Limitless. Absolutely limitless. We initially were going to cap it at 50 levels but we want an ongoing, sustainable story so we're revamping the concept of "levels" as being an end-game to enjoying your character.
Is there Roleplay?
Yes. Absolutely. The roleplay is what the players make of it, and references to the real world will be discouraged. We want your experience to be as immersive as possible.
Will there be player file wipes planned?
Not unless the server burns and we hit a zombie apocolypse at the same time. Let's hope that never happens.
How complicated is the design vision?
The game is designed to be something you can drop into at any time, for however long you can play. Whether your time available is an hour or ten hours, there will be adventures for you to participate in to match your needs. For example, if you are on a pre-set adventure and you have to leave it, your progress is saved and you continue from that point at your next login.
Rules? Stats? Insider details?
Simple, published, and no secrets to daily play. You'll know the stats of your items in the game. Think of it like this: If you were sitting at a table playing a game with friends, you could pick up a reference book and know exactly what kind of damage your broadsword does, or how a spell affects things in combat, and you know the rules because they're clearly written. The same applies to After the Breaking MUD. We want to keep it simple and fun; if you're frustrated it should be because you just fumbled your to-hit roll, not because you don't have a clue what a to-hit roll is.
How much does it cost to play After the Breaking?
Not one penny. After the Breaking MUD is 100% free to play, and is owned and operated by a Non-Profit. The first year of server hosting is already paid for. After that time, if the game is as viable as we hope it to be, we will begin accepting anonymous subsidy donations. It is important to note that all donations will be completely anonymous; no player or contributor will be acknowledged or given special attention or rewards in the game; and a full accounting of all financials will be published on a monthly basis so that the players can track how donations are spent whether it's for server hosting, advertising and promotion, or any other related expenses.
How do I log in and play?
Currently the game is closed to the public. When the initial ten world zones are functioning, a beta test date will be announced and opened to a max of 20 players at a time. After the beta test is complete, the game will have an official launch. Our current expected date to open for second beta is May 2017, but at the rate we're going, it could be earlier.
Who are you guys?
We're gamers, just like you, from all walks of life, with greatly detailed experience spanning over 30 years in RPGs, MMORPGs, tabletop gaming, console gaming, and of course, MUDs. Our initial advisory panel includes a top name in the pay-to-play gaming industry. We're all volunteers. At this time we're going to be anonymous because we want the focus to be on the game project, and not on who we are.
How do I get on the advisory panel?
When the game opens for beta, the first 10 players with a character to reach level 20 will be invited to the beta advisory panel. In addition, the beta advisory panel may include people who have contributed world zones to the game prior to launch, as well as the coders we have on board as regular contributors.
Are you looking for help?
The Staff are the actual owners and administrators of After the Breaking MUD. As the game grows there will be Game Masters (GMs) to host adventures and roleplay opportunities. To become a GM, you will need to fully build at least one complete world zone for After the Breaking. We also welcome coders, though at this time our Coding staff is full. All of these opportunities are explained in a separate document. Please email us with the subject line "Volunteer" to receive that information.
How do you envision this all working?
The short answer is that our mission statement is to create a self-sustaining environment where the players help shape the world, literally. We believe that if players have a stake in the game that they play, the game itself will be a vibrant and self-renewing experience for everyone, from the casual gamer to the hard-core session gamers. By not having "Immortals" in the game we get rid of politics and power struggles. By having Game Masters we mimic old-school tabletop gaming in which if you have an adventure in mind, you have the means to host it and run it either live or built into the game itself, while also assisting with live roleplay. We have a development tool open to players, so anyone will be able to submit proposed changes or improvements and not only receive a response but also be included in the process of implementation. We envision this being a bunch of friends who love to play, being able to come together with a clear set of gameplay rules and an expectation of fair play.
When does Beta open?
Initially we were going to open in September 2016. However, we had one of those epiphanies that lead to an even broader vision, which required a serious coding revamp that we believe will bring the concept of a MUD to the current century. This is taking longer than we initially thought, so we're working to open the base 10-12 areas for second beta by May 2017.
Second Beta?
Long story. Short version: 1,200 rooms are in and connected, we're currently populating and scripting the in-game automated quests and adventures, at which time we'll need another round of volunteers to test mob balance and content with us.
Anything else?
This FAQ is subject to update or revision. It was last updated on March 9, 2017.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you soon in After the Breaking MUD!
Why "After the Breaking"?
First of all, everyone on the Staff loves the world created by Robert Jordan, hands down. When exploring time periods as suggested by all the books, we felt that the actual series of books itself is already covered very well in the online world through various communities and other MUDs. We also know, through experience, that once something is in a book, purists loyal to the world want not only everything exactly as they read it but also to progress in a certain way. We chose the time period of After the Breaking because it is the least covered time period in the book series, and referred to almost entirely as a footnote in the actual series books. In "The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time" there is very little material about this time period, with only 5 pages solely devoted to it, as Chapter 10. This gives us a lot of creative leeway to explore and create.
Can you place the time period for us?
Our focus is as the Ten Nations begin to rise, approximately two hundred years after the actual Breaking of the World and into the Trolloc Wars, which occurred approximately AB1000 and raged for almost 350 years. For perspective, our setting preceeds the calendar change from AB (After Breaking) to FY (Free Year), the birth of Artur Hawkwing in FY912, his death in FY994, the War of the Hundred Years after his death, the calendar change from FY to NE (New Era), and the birth of Rand al' Thor in 978NE. Our time period is thousands of years before the Wheel of Time book series even begins.
What is the backstory for After the Breaking MUD?
Please email us with the subject line "backstory" and you'll get the full document. It is also posted on our forums.
Is there PvP?
Yes. Absolutely. Is it really a MUD if there isn't PvP?
How many Races are planned?
The initial design team is focused on humanoid and trolloc, with sub-sections within both to include Ogier, Nym, Fades, Greymen, and others alluded to as appropriate to our setting and time period.
What is the map focus?
The setting calls for one main continent, with some outlying islands. We have chosen the nation of Coremanda for the initial build-out phase, so that will essentially by the center of the game in terms of geography.
What about guilds or structured play alliances?
There will be, of course, Aes Sedai and Gaidin, as well as Wisdoms and Hedge Doctors, military forces to protect each Nation, and other roles to play that are familiar to mainstream Wheel of Time fans. Our time period also allows us the potential opportunity to explore the Aiel and their rich history, along with the mysterious lands of Shara and the Ayyad.
How many levels are there to the game?
Limitless. Absolutely limitless. We initially were going to cap it at 50 levels but we want an ongoing, sustainable story so we're revamping the concept of "levels" as being an end-game to enjoying your character.
Is there Roleplay?
Yes. Absolutely. The roleplay is what the players make of it, and references to the real world will be discouraged. We want your experience to be as immersive as possible.
Will there be player file wipes planned?
Not unless the server burns and we hit a zombie apocolypse at the same time. Let's hope that never happens.
How complicated is the design vision?
The game is designed to be something you can drop into at any time, for however long you can play. Whether your time available is an hour or ten hours, there will be adventures for you to participate in to match your needs. For example, if you are on a pre-set adventure and you have to leave it, your progress is saved and you continue from that point at your next login.
Rules? Stats? Insider details?
Simple, published, and no secrets to daily play. You'll know the stats of your items in the game. Think of it like this: If you were sitting at a table playing a game with friends, you could pick up a reference book and know exactly what kind of damage your broadsword does, or how a spell affects things in combat, and you know the rules because they're clearly written. The same applies to After the Breaking MUD. We want to keep it simple and fun; if you're frustrated it should be because you just fumbled your to-hit roll, not because you don't have a clue what a to-hit roll is.
How much does it cost to play After the Breaking?
Not one penny. After the Breaking MUD is 100% free to play, and is owned and operated by a Non-Profit. The first year of server hosting is already paid for. After that time, if the game is as viable as we hope it to be, we will begin accepting anonymous subsidy donations. It is important to note that all donations will be completely anonymous; no player or contributor will be acknowledged or given special attention or rewards in the game; and a full accounting of all financials will be published on a monthly basis so that the players can track how donations are spent whether it's for server hosting, advertising and promotion, or any other related expenses.
How do I log in and play?
Currently the game is closed to the public. When the initial ten world zones are functioning, a beta test date will be announced and opened to a max of 20 players at a time. After the beta test is complete, the game will have an official launch. Our current expected date to open for second beta is May 2017, but at the rate we're going, it could be earlier.
Who are you guys?
We're gamers, just like you, from all walks of life, with greatly detailed experience spanning over 30 years in RPGs, MMORPGs, tabletop gaming, console gaming, and of course, MUDs. Our initial advisory panel includes a top name in the pay-to-play gaming industry. We're all volunteers. At this time we're going to be anonymous because we want the focus to be on the game project, and not on who we are.
How do I get on the advisory panel?
When the game opens for beta, the first 10 players with a character to reach level 20 will be invited to the beta advisory panel. In addition, the beta advisory panel may include people who have contributed world zones to the game prior to launch, as well as the coders we have on board as regular contributors.
Are you looking for help?
The Staff are the actual owners and administrators of After the Breaking MUD. As the game grows there will be Game Masters (GMs) to host adventures and roleplay opportunities. To become a GM, you will need to fully build at least one complete world zone for After the Breaking. We also welcome coders, though at this time our Coding staff is full. All of these opportunities are explained in a separate document. Please email us with the subject line "Volunteer" to receive that information.
How do you envision this all working?
The short answer is that our mission statement is to create a self-sustaining environment where the players help shape the world, literally. We believe that if players have a stake in the game that they play, the game itself will be a vibrant and self-renewing experience for everyone, from the casual gamer to the hard-core session gamers. By not having "Immortals" in the game we get rid of politics and power struggles. By having Game Masters we mimic old-school tabletop gaming in which if you have an adventure in mind, you have the means to host it and run it either live or built into the game itself, while also assisting with live roleplay. We have a development tool open to players, so anyone will be able to submit proposed changes or improvements and not only receive a response but also be included in the process of implementation. We envision this being a bunch of friends who love to play, being able to come together with a clear set of gameplay rules and an expectation of fair play.
When does Beta open?
Initially we were going to open in September 2016. However, we had one of those epiphanies that lead to an even broader vision, which required a serious coding revamp that we believe will bring the concept of a MUD to the current century. This is taking longer than we initially thought, so we're working to open the base 10-12 areas for second beta by May 2017.
Second Beta?
Long story. Short version: 1,200 rooms are in and connected, we're currently populating and scripting the in-game automated quests and adventures, at which time we'll need another round of volunteers to test mob balance and content with us.
Anything else?
This FAQ is subject to update or revision. It was last updated on March 9, 2017.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you soon in After the Breaking MUD!