Embers of Caerus 

Rough estimate release date is late 2015 currently in friends and family alpha.  

Official website http://www.embersofcaerus.com

What we know so far

Their using the trinigy game engine.

It sounds like a sandbox MMO very much like Mortal Online.

There are only 5 or 6 developers working on this project.  One of the developers has plenty of experiance in making games, but most of the developers are relatively new to developing MMO's.  

The developers don't want to call this game a "sandbox" but from what they describe the game sounds like  a quintessential sandbox mmo.  It feels like they don't want to call the game a sandbox only because most other so called sandbox games were released with less then steller results.  

Embers of Caerus (pronounced Karus) is supposed to have realistic combat.  There's no tab targeting.

 The game world is going to be many many times larger then the game world of Mortal or Darkfall.  The game world will consist of multiple large continents with different climates like cold and snowy, arid desert or tropical forests.  

There will be "boats" and horse mounts.  You can not put boats or horse mounts in your inventory like in darkfall.  

There are said to be already 100+ buildable buildings players can create.

The developers tend to have wars over resources, or in game religions, instead of just bragging rights or mindless deathmatches.  The developers intend to design a game were battles are fought in game for the same reasons battles were fought in the middle ages.

The game is heavily influenced by Eve Online, as well as Mortal Online, ShadowBane, Dark Age of Camolot, Meridian 59, and Darkfall.  All the developers are avid gamers and are influenced by these games.  

The developers are are using what they learned from the successes and failures of other MMO's and trying to use that information to create a more perfect game.  

-Sources

http://www.thesandbox.mmosmacktalk.com/?p=253

http://www.embersofcaerus.com

Here's their "vision" straight from the horses mouth.  http://www.embersofcaerus.com/content.php/137-The-Vision

Here's a pre alpha video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5--1rZR7VTo&hd=1

As for the down side, it's a REALLY small dev team.  The game won't be released for litterally years so don't hold your breath on this one.  It's better to play another sandbox MMO and maybe switch over to this one if it's any good 4 or 5 years from now when it's released.  The trinigy engine doesn't look like a "proven" engine for MMO's and they may experiance many of the same problems Mortal Online did with there network solution.  They only have enough funding for the next 6 months although they say it shouldn't be a problem getting more funding in that 6 month time frame.  All in all this game has "potential" but then again that's what we said about Mortal Online, Xyson, and Darkfall and look were that got us.  For the time being I'm sticking with Mortal.

Hey, Forum Mod's  do you think I can get tipster status for this post?  I didn't see Embers of Caerus posted anywere else on mmorpg.com I think this is the first post about this game.  Thank you....

Hero Engine accepts almost all indies applying to get into beta. That's a upgrade option which would yield better gameplay mechanics and base engine. It would also expedite the process of making a mmog with their source codes, and examples. Big World is another solution, less examples but its basically straight forward. Hero does "area" inside zones. So tecnically zones make up x areas that spin together. Though I think this is retarded, and for majority of the reasons I don't like working on Hero Engine, the examples that come with it can make prototyping easily done in teams of 5 and 6. You mainly just focus on particles and artwork, as any code written in Hero Engine is written VB-like with the functionality of C++ control. As for Big World, its written in plain C++ and Python for gaming scripts.

For my personal taste, and a bigger budget go with Unreal Technologies Atlas. Though a bit pricey, it turns unreal engine 3 into a full scale mmog with all the functional tools of the unreal engine.

There is some good points,but saying "i would never box the players into a set role" is a huge mistake,this is a RPG or is it not?Your dream is to join the game with no goal or role just join as a nobody?That doesn't sound like some amazing role i would like to play in a game.

Also point and click is not really the best design for pvp,it is in real life,but this isn't real life there are too many factors involved and missing.

Even the perfect fps shooter with awesome map design will still fail due to latency,so trying to mimmick realsitic combat but with many more problems involved is a bad  thing.

Sounds mysteriously like a sales pitch... Are you after funding OP?

Originally posted by redpins

Hero Engine accepts almost all indies applying to get into beta. That's a upgrade option which would yield better gameplay mechanics and base engine. It would also expedite the process of making a mmog with their source codes, and examples. Big World is another solution, less examples but its basically straight forward. Hero does "area" inside zones. So tecnically zones make up x areas that spin together. Though I think this is retarded, and for majority of the reasons I don't like working on Hero Engine, the examples that come with it can make prototyping easily done in teams of 5 and 6. You mainly just focus on particles and artwork, as any code written in Hero Engine is written VB-like with the functionality of C++ control. As for Big World, its written in plain C++ and Python for gaming scripts.

For my personal taste, and a bigger budget go with Unreal Technologies Atlas. Though a bit pricey, it turns unreal engine 3 into a full scale mmog with all the functional tools of the unreal engine.

I don't see how your post was in any way on topic, but I'll bite.

What other games beside Mortal uses Atals technologies?  I thought Atlas network solution was only used by StarVault, and they haven't had any other games released using Atlas MMO techonologies.  You can't use Atlas with the UDK  (unreals free developers kit for indy developers) so Indy developers for the most part stay away from Unreal for cost reasons.  

Originally posted by Wizardry

There is some good points,but saying "i would never box the players into a set role" is a huge mistake,this is a RPG or is it not?Your dream is to join the game with no goal or role just join as a nobody?That doesn't sound like some amazing role i would like to play in a game.

Also point and click is not really the best design for pvp,it is in real life,but this isn't real life there are too many factors involved and missing.

Even the perfect fps shooter with awesome map design will still fail due to latency,so trying to mimmick realsitic combat but with many more problems involved is a bad  thing.

 

Your a themepark gamer arn't you?   :}

That's ok.  This game is just not for you.

As for the post about funding, No I'm not trying to raise money for this company.  I am in no way affiliated with Forsaken Realms, or any other MMO company.  I'm a sandbox gamer and I just thought this was an interesting project.

Sadly this game will end up either scrapped or released in some horrible condition and end up closing shortly after release. Could be wrong but I doubt it.

Originally posted by username509

Originally posted by redpins

Hero Engine accepts almost all indies applying to get into beta. That's a upgrade option which would yield better gameplay mechanics and base engine. It would also expedite the process of making a mmog with their source codes, and examples. Big World is another solution, less examples but its basically straight forward. Hero does "area" inside zones. So tecnically zones make up x areas that spin together. Though I think this is retarded, and for majority of the reasons I don't like working on Hero Engine, the examples that come with it can make prototyping easily done in teams of 5 and 6. You mainly just focus on particles and artwork, as any code written in Hero Engine is written VB-like with the functionality of C++ control. As for Big World, its written in plain C++ and Python for gaming scripts.

For my personal taste, and a bigger budget go with Unreal Technologies Atlas. Though a bit pricey, it turns unreal engine 3 into a full scale mmog with all the functional tools of the unreal engine.

I don't see how your post was in any way on topic, but I'll bite.

What other games beside Mortal uses Atals technologies?  I thought Atlas network solution was only used by StarVault, and they haven't had any other games released using Atlas MMO techonologies.  You can't use Atlas with the UDK  (unreals free developers kit for indy developers) so Indy developers for the most part stay away from Unreal for cost reasons.  

Ok, I do not think you have ever heard the word map, let alone atlas, but I will bite.   I've run out of ideas now, I tried two and they didn't work, bollox.

Great concept, but they want to offer a game for casuals, as he wrote and for example, my dad is a 76 yrs old casual and pretty much incapable to play a game with a point and click combat so he would not be able to play his beloved hunter style character.
Point and Click combat rule to many people out!

The rest of the concept is the wet dream of a mmo-player!

Maybe SOE can step in at that point?
If they would make that right anything would be forgiven^^

Originally posted by GreenHell

Sadly this game will end up either scrapped or released in some horrible condition and end up closing shortly after release. Could be wrong but I doubt it.

Agreed.. I implied that in my last paragraph.  

However it should be stated that no indy sandbox company I know of has actually "failed" as in forced to declare bankruptcy and shutdown their game even after buggy launches so it could be safe to assume this game might actually succeed at some level.  

Originally posted by Wizardry

There is some good points,but saying "i would never box the players into a set role" is a huge mistake,this is a RPG or is it not?Your dream is to join the game with no goal or role just join as a nobody?That doesn't sound like some amazing role i would like to play in a game.

Also point and click is not really the best design for pvp,it is in real life,but this isn't real life there are too many factors involved and missing.

Even the perfect fps shooter with awesome map design will still fail due to latency,so trying to mimmick realsitic combat but with many more problems involved is a bad  thing.

 

Sounds like he doesn't like the idea of classes. Mistake? No, just a different system. The best sandboxes, imo, are classless. I'll definately be keeping an eye on this, even the pre alpha video looks great.

Originally posted by Blutmaul

Great concept, but they want to offer a game for casuals, as he wrote and for example, my dad is a 76 yrs old casual and pretty much incapable to play a game with a point and click combat so he would not be able to play his beloved hunter style character.
Point and Click combat rule to many people out!

The rest of the concept is the wet dream of a mmo-player!

Maybe SOE can step in at that point?
If they would make that right anything would be forgiven^^

If your looking for a sandbox with world of warcraft style combat you might want to try Dawntide.  

BigGayNorman your post was incomprehesible.  Please sober up and try again.  

one game that comes to mind is Seed. I dont know if I'd call it a sandbox..infact I dont really know what I would call it.

Beta testing started on February 1, 2006. Open beta testing started on April 25, 2006. The game was released to the public on May 2, 2006.

As of September 28, 2006, Runestone decided to file a bankruptcy petition to the court of Aarhus, Denmark. A public statement [1] explained that the lack of money was caused by failing to achieve a partnership deal with publishers and MMO companies.

anyone remember that little gem?

Originally posted by GreenHell

one game that comes to mind is Seed. I dont know if I'd call it a sandbox..infact I dont really know what I would call it.

 

Beta testing started on February 1, 2006. Open beta testing started on April 25, 2006. The game was released to the public on May 2, 2006.

As of September 28, 2006, Runestone decided to file a bankruptcy petition to the court of Aarhus, Denmark. A public statement [1] explained that the lack of money was caused by failing to achieve a partnership deal with publishers and MMO companies.

 

anyone remember that little gem?

Gem? More like turd.

Seriously though we can't really call Seed a sandbox.  There was no PVP, there was no destroying anything.  In a true sandbox players have the ability to create and to destroy.  

Eitherway in the past 5 years no indy sandbox MMO developer had went bankrupt and had to shutdown there game servers after going live.  

LOL..you are right. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to mention Seed. I mean when will I ever get that chance again? Sadly I was in the Seed beta and it was the worst nightmare I have ever seen. Made AO and VG look polished at their launches.

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Originally posted by BigGayNorman

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Originally posted by username509

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Originally posted by Blutmaul

Great concept, but they want to offer a game for casuals, as he wrote and for example, my dad is a 76 yrs old casual and pretty much incapable to play a game with a point and click combat so he would not be able to play his beloved hunter style character.
Point and Click combat rule to many people out!
The rest of the concept is the wet dream of a mmo-player!
Maybe SOE can step in at that point?
If they would make that right anything would be forgiven^^

---

If your looking for a sandbox with world of warcraft style combat you might want to try Dawntide.  
 
BigGayNorman your post was incomprehesible.  Please sober up and try again.  

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Get your old man to try World of Tanks Blut.  And username509, I will have you know that I am half cut.

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Hehe, he was to young when the war was still going on but he tells storys of his father and uncles who have been lucky to survive tank attacks having the tanks overrun them and the most serious injury was a contused ankle.

Originally posted by username509

 It sounds like a sandbox MMO very much like Mortal Online.

There are only 5 or 6 developers working on this project.  

 

Stopped reading right there.

Originally posted by Biggus99

Originally posted by username509

 It sounds like a sandbox MMO very much like Mortal Online.

There are only 5 or 6 developers working on this project.  

 

 

Stopped reading right there.

 

 

Are you joking? Being in the game  field, it does not take 100 people to make a game, also indies have the freedom to make other games, unlike AAA's do because they follow the WOW forumla and need to make millions and pay out millions.

I  give indies alot of respect because the games come out of there heart, not out of there pocket like AAA's do . So for you to make that comment, is a joke to me. You gamers have no idea what it takes to make any game,  let alone a MMO, so for these games to do this, congrats , and the work I seen so far looks pretty good for some rookies. They look like that have talent and passion, and thats what you need in this buisness, but beware to many trolls around anymore that like to whine and complain and have no understanding about what it takes to make a game period.  

By the way to the people who are making rude comments, keep playing WOW clones.

If any indie team can do it, these guys are the ones. They are well-familiarized with the failings of MO any other sandbox's.

Originally posted by Biggus99

Originally posted by username509

 It sounds like a sandbox MMO very much like Mortal Online.

There are only 5 or 6 developers working on this project.  

 

 

Stopped reading right there.

 

 

55 Developers, close though :)