In our latest Independency column, we take a look at a game that has captured Cassandra's interest: Topia Online. It's a game that all work for good or, as the developer says, "the world will die". Whoa...that's a sandbox. Find out more about Topia Online in Independency and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

Drawing inspiration from games like Ultima Online, Minecraft and even Dwarf Fortress, Topia Online is being designed to be a living, breathing, persistent world. It's being designed as a game where player-generated cities, dungeons, trade routes, bandit camps are possible, a game where it is mandatory to hire workers and gather resources in order to get bloody anywhere.

Read more of Cassandra Khaw's Independency: Working for the Greater Good.

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Originally posted by spinner_vis
interesting. can players also work for greater evil?

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Another kickstarter.

/sigh

I'll check back after launch.

Originally posted by Zekiah

Another kickstarter.

/sigh

I'll check back after launch.

ya agreed. while i think the KS revolution is in general a good thing, i'm not holding my breath for any real results anytime soon for any of these KS funded games.

> 'if you do not work together for a greater good, not only will you die, but the entire game world will die.'

^Always liked the idea of this.

The scripting sounds very interesting approach to sandbox.

Just once, id like to see prelaunch features line up with post launch features.

Originally posted by MumboJumbo

> 'if you do not work together for a greater good, not only will you die, but the entire game world will die.'

^Always liked the idea of this.

The scripting sounds very interesting approach to sandbox.

      So if the player base fails and the game world really does die, do they get their money back?

Asking players to work for the greater good is like asking North Korea to become a democracy.

This game will become a griefers paradise.

But... What if sacrifices are demanded by an Obelisk to keep it working?

The GREATER good might mean the spilling of blood.

Originally posted by Theocritus

Originally posted by MumboJumbo

> 'if you do not work together for a greater good, not only will you die, but the entire game world will die.'

^Always liked the idea of this.

The scripting sounds very interesting approach to sandbox.

      So if the player base fails and the game world really does die, do they get their money back?

Actually, a new world will spawn.

Not that it's very likely. The forum organizations show that most players are going to be pro-good.

Originally posted by kb4blu

Asking players to work for the greater good is like asking North Korea to become a democracy.

This game will become a griefers paradise.

 

 

There has been lots of conversation about this. It's not very likely. Start here: http://forum.topiaonline.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=53

Originally posted by lizardbones

 

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Originally posted by spinner_vis
interesting. can players also work for greater evil?

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According to the article, the world will end, so it's probably not in your best interest to do so. However, it might be fun to join another world and work against it.

Never confuse the developer's best interest with the player's best interest. ;)