A Tale in the Desert: A game with an ending.

[Nebu]

Citizens of Egypt,

  As I write this, the final monument has been completed in our first Tale in the Desert. By the time you read this, the last bonfires will have been lit, the last fireworks launched, the final goodbyes said. When I think back on all that has happened in the game in the last 18 months, I can't think of a better word to describe it than "Tale."

    ...The first laws that tried to come to grasp with how we treat
       those whos fun is to annoy others
    ...the age of large guilds
    ...the rise of Egypt's research and meta-guilds
    ...the transformation of our economy from barter to regional currencies
    ...The Stranger's bold entrance with offers of wonderous technology
    ...and the subsequent upheaval: A week without wood!
    ...the nightmare of Speed of the Serpent
    ...the final push to the monuments

  And now, the final chapter in our first Tale in the Desert has come to a close. After 1.9 million hours collectively spent building this civilization, after inventing challenges in the form of seven new Tests, we call on the next generation:
 
    A Tale in the Desert II will launch on Friday, 12:00 Noon EDT (GMT-0400).

Not sure the second telling is enough of a departure from the first to warrant a look... but for those of you that haven't checked this title out, it is a refreshing change from what you know (and hate) about most cookie-cutter mmog's.

[Sky]

I don't play to make bricks. I'm action-oriented.

I like a lot of the ideas of how they implement their game, it's just that the game sounds mind-numbingly dull.

[Rasix]

The core mechanics mostly are. If anyone actually enjoyed making charcoal, I'd like to meet this person.  And stab them.

[Nebu]

I don't play to make bricks. I'm action-oriented.

I like a lot of the ideas of how they implement their game, it's just that the game sounds mind-numbingly dull.

You have a point... and some of the tasks in game are just that: mind-numbingly dull.  I'm just saying that even though this game contains many new versions of old treadmills, it still has done some things right.  

For the social interaction and building schemes the game has created, it's worthy of a look.  The designer tried to take mmog's in a new direction rather than whoring the diku/AD&D standards for fun and profit.  For that he has my respect.