Wurm Online has been a long time in the making so it will come as no surprise that we're working our way through the most current 'gold' build of the game building up to our final review in a few weeks. See what we've got to say about our earliest steps in Wurm Online then join the conversation in the comments.

Lining up for the side of sand castles and dreams is Wurm Online. A fully transmutable, build-athon, with skills, thrills, and wild crocodiles that will give you many a "heavy bruise". Since 2003 this MMORPG has been in development, entering beta in 2006, and finally maturing into a fully fledged example of what one can achieve with Java, a few ideas, and a shovel.

The concept of Wurm Online is simple. There are no heroes here, not a single evil terraforming dragon, or even a busty elf in sight: you are as ordinary here as you might be in reality. The goal is to simply survive, and maybe if you have time, do a tiny bit of flourishing to boot. 

Read more of Adam Tingle's Wurm Online: Review in Progress #1.

I've spent the last 4 nights trying to start anew in Wurm and to try to find a spot of free (and nice enough) land to build my cottage in. The problem is, in Exodus there is not a free spot of decent land anywhere and I do mean anywhere. Huge compounds and Playboy mansions (and more than a few decaying ruins) litter the land. So in case somebody else jumps into the game, make sure you pick a right world to begin your adventures in. I didn't really think this through and my adventures as a mad solitary survivalist in the middle of nowhere just won't happen it seems.

Wurm Online in its current form is nothing but a pay-to-win MUD without any character customization and the worst animation system of any game in gaming history.

There's your review, now the OP can move onto a better mmo worth spending time writing about. 

Sounds great, looks awful...

It's a shame we cant have a game like this but with GFX like TERA.

Originally posted by Iselin
It's nice that masochists have something to play. You deserve your own games too!

So are you some kind of carebear that can't take a challenge? Sounds like you only play easy PvE games. Do you even understand what a masochist is??

Originally posted by Chingo

I've spent the last 4 nights trying to start anew in Wurm and to try to find a spot of free (and nice enough) land to build my cottage in. The problem is, in Exodus there is not a free spot of decent land anywhere and I do mean anywhere. Huge compounds and Playboy mansions (and more than a few decaying ruins) litter the land. So in case somebody else jumps into the game, make sure you pick a right world to begin your adventures in. I didn't really think this through and my adventures as a mad solitary survivalist in the middle of nowhere just won't happen it seems.

      I had the same exact problem....I played about 10-12 hours and couldnt find anywhere to build or even start on....Maybe the game needs to mark land better or not allow so much to be deeded on?....Anyway I had the same issue and moved onto another game.

Originally posted by Czanrei

Wurm Online in its current form is nothing but a pay-to-win MUD without any character customization and the worst animation system of any game in gaming history.

There's your review, now the OP can move onto a better mmo worth spending time writing about. 

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Your view of the game Sir is very outdated.

Wurm now has fully customisable characters (as per any other modern MMO) with visibile armor, 3D animations, multistory housing and much much more.

Your experience is no longer valid in the context of the revamped game systems that have now been implemented within Wurm.

For those out there that would like to extend there own view I would suggest rolling a free character (you can play for free with all skills up to level 20) to see if you like the game. Your ownly investment is some time to make you own judgement.

Originally posted by AvsRock21

Originally posted by Iselin
It's nice that masochists have something to play. You deserve your own games too!

So are you some kind of carebear that can't take a challenge? Sounds like you only play easy PvE games. Do you even understand what a masochist is??

I agree with Iselin.  "Hardcore" games is an oxymoron.  It's one thing to implement challenge into a game, quite another when it feels like a second job or is frustrating as hell.  We aren't carebears, we are casual gamers who like to play casual games.  Although if you are going to label us as carebears, then he is certainly within his rights to label you guys as masochists, because that's what it feels like to me after playing games like DF1 or EQ after level 60.

Originally posted by Vorthanion

Originally posted by AvsRock21

Originally posted by Iselin
It's nice that masochists have something to play. You deserve your own games too!

So are you some kind of carebear that can't take a challenge? Sounds like you only play easy PvE games. Do you even understand what a masochist is??

I agree with Iselin.  "Hardcore" games is an oxymoron.  It's one thing to implement challenge into a game, quite another when it feels like a second job or is frustrating as hell.  We aren't carebears, we are casual gamers who like to play casual games.  Although if you are going to label us as carebears, then he is certainly within his rights to label you guys as masochists, because that's what it feels like to me after playing games like DF1 or EQ after level 60.

I am a huge fan of this game but I have to say you two have a point.  I've long been of the opinion that a 'wurmlite' version of the game would be very popular amongst casual gamers.

The only legitimate option for casuals at the moment is to join a good village, otherwise it is far too much work for one person playing a few hours a week.

Good to see Wurm getting some more attention on this site now that it has gone gold.  Nobody is doing what Rolf is doing better at the moment.  If you want a sandbox with true freedom then check it out.

p.s. If you are having trouble finding land to build on, get friendly with some locals and ask them to point you in the right direction.  Don't give up and eventually you'll find someone willing to take some time to show you good areas.

Originally posted by Czanrei

Wurm Online in its current form is nothing but a pay-to-win MUD without any character customization and the worst animation system of any game in gaming history.

There's your review, now the OP can move onto a better mmo worth spending time writing about. 

The highlighted part only shows that you have no idea what you're talking about.

I played the game for a while.  It is very hard to start, there really is not much land area when you come down to it.  I liked the initial challenge, but the game gets very boring after awhile.  I have not played in a while, so I am sure things have changed some, but the idea of a game to me is to have fun and I just was not having fun in this game, it felt like a job.

It is a problem that many indie games face, they focus so much time on getting the systems right, they don't have the time for content.  I just hope this game continues to evolve and grow.  It still has a lot of potential.

Originally posted by Larsa

Originally posted by Czanrei

Wurm Online in its current form is nothing but a pay-to-win MUD without any character customization and the worst animation system of any game in gaming history.

There's your review, now the OP can move onto a better mmo worth spending time writing about. 

The highlighted part only shows that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Did they finally add a currency system which you didn't have to pay real money to get silver? When I played, upkeep cost an arm and a leg, and unless you bought silver with real money, there was virtually no way to get i;. And there was no real in game economy because of it.

Not to mention your skills are locked at 20 unless you pay per money, leaving you useless and defenceless. If that isn't pay to win, I don't know what is.

I don't mind shelling out cash, I bought silver, but theres no sense defending the game when it clearly favours those who are willing to spend real money, and that's the definition of "pay to win"

Originally posted by Vorthanion

Originally posted by AvsRock21

Originally posted by Iselin
It's nice that masochists have something to play. You deserve your own games too!

So are you some kind of carebear that can't take a challenge? Sounds like you only play easy PvE games. Do you even understand what a masochist is??

I agree with Iselin.  "Hardcore" games is an oxymoron.  It's one thing to implement challenge into a game, quite another when it feels like a second job or is frustrating as hell.  We aren't carebears, we are casual gamers who like to play casual games.  Although if you are going to label us as carebears, then he is certainly within his rights to label you guys as masochists, because that's what it feels like to me after playing games like DF1 or EQ after level 60.

Exactly. I play games to have fun and when they're no longer fun I move on.

I have no problem with PVP--not even ffa full loot PVP if it's well donel. I certainly don't consider myself a "carebear." But the term does amuse me when a fan throws it around at those who would rather play than bookeep.

What I don't enjoy is repetitious drudgery passed off as "hard" gameplay. Games have evolved away from having to manage food and drink and other mundane tasks simply because they are just that: uninteresting mundane tasks. Maybe people who didn't experience that in older games need to experience it for themselves...shrug. Any type of grinding and unnecessary amounts of bookeeping is just garbage, imho.

I don't know who these retro "hardcore" (there is a laugh) games appeal to but I played EQ and Asheron's Call and I appreciate many of the new convenience features that let me use my play time to, well... play, instead of spending 5 hours performing the necessary preparatory tasks (like walking there, gathering supplies, etc.) before you can actually get to it. Been there, done that.

I'd rather abstract all the mundane crap and get down to the real gaming.

Originally posted by AvsRock21

Originally posted by Iselin
It's nice that masochists have something to play. You deserve your own games too!

So are you some kind of carebear that can't take a challenge? Sounds like you only play easy PvE games. Do you even understand what a masochist is??

Yes I do know what it means. It actually has several usages and when it's not being used in the psychiatric sense in relation to sexual perversion, it mrans something like this:

"gratification gained from pain, deprivation, degradation, etc., inflicted or imposed on oneself, either as a result of one's own actions or the actions of others, especially the tendency to seek this form of gratification"

And fyi, boring repetitive garbage doesn't make a game "hardcore" it just makes it boring and repetitive...and yeah, garbage.