Trove, new Minecraft-like MMO from Trion

[kildorn]

This really looks like some legit game devs decided cube world looked awesome and that they could easily outpace cube world's development speed.

The shader does look pretty ass however.

[Mrbloodworth]

For me, its just the black lines really. Not a fan of that in this application.

This doesn't look like a Minecraft clone, it looks like a Cube world clone.

This.  Cube world also gets old VERY quickly.  I don't see how this will have any 'stick' to it at all.

If I understand properly this does actually have building stuff in it, right?

From that article, I didn't read anything about building in the free form way Minecraft does, it reads more like cube world/Diablo.

Hartman had a difficult time classifying Trove because the game doesn't lend itself to a nice, neat category. While it will be an MMO with persistence and have many players interacting and adventuring together, it won't be a conventional MMO in any respect.

So the concept behind Trove is that the game will contain "a universe of worlds" that players can travel between. While Hartsman was cagey about some of the specifics of the game, he repeatedly suggested we rethink how MMOs work; in this case, each world should be thought of in the same way as a mob spawn. Worlds will be created when players log in and could (but might not) disappear when they log out. The universe of Trove will expand and retract dynamically to fit the population.

There are two types of worlds that will be encountered. Public worlds will be created by the system, randomly generated with specific objectives. Hartsman compared it a little to Diablo's maps in how each run-through will be a little different in terms of layout, but the core objective will remain. Public worlds also have the chance to hold unique or special resources. Then there are private worlds, where just you and your friends (or just you!) can go off for a grand adventure of your own.

[tazelbain]

I just don't know. Fun in sandbox games is usually based on trial and error and vision of a single individual. Who is this person Trove?

I see EQ Next as a much better plan.  Take the sandbox fun pioneered by Notch, bring it to 21st technology. Then use it as content generation resource for modern content-based MMO.

[Simond]

I see EQ Next as a much better plan.

"Things you never expected to see posted on F13 dot net" for 250 please. 

[tazelbain]

LOL, I just scope that to the subject of cloning minecraft. I still have great doubts about Sony's commitment to F2P or viability of raid centric content.

[UnSub]

The problem with Trove will be turning all the neat features it could have into something that's actually fun for a lot of people who have to interact with each other.

Whenever I see the "you can create / destroy what you like in the game" I know it will either be abused by players or so minimised as to be unimportant to game play.

[Sky]

TIL: the reason nobody has replicated minecraft is because nobody at the management level understands minecraft. Or how to monetize it.

And the few indies that do get it are painfully unprofessional.

[Venkman]

This is why Trove can't just be positioned as a free MC. The price is so low they've got everyone who wants a MC like experience.

I think this is where you are wrong. MC may not be expensive, but any cost at all is a large barrier to entry. $5-20 may not be much for you, but it's an insurmountable cost for someone that doesn't easily have a way to make credit card purchases online.

I'll agree they have a really wierd checkout and profile-management UI, kinda like devs just slapped it together and did no UAT with normal people.

However, the amount of revenue they've generated disagrees with you. There's free versiosn of MC on select platforms, the gateway drug to eventually convincing the parent to make the purchase. If they project stratospheric adoption numbers by going free/f2p, they'd have done it.

But then, just as they have issues with the business side of the experience, I'm also not sure they have much business savvy. That allows for competition which is good.

But like Sky said: the competition doesn't really understand MC.

[Sky]

Hey remember going to their website to sign up for beta? Looks like Trion jumped on the pay for beta KS-like bandwagon.

Trove Support Packs are now live at trovegame.com! Everyone who supports Trove with one of these special Credit bundles will get a spot in beta (or alpha for Adventurers and above!)

[Paelos]

TIL: the reason nobody has replicated minecraft is because nobody at the management level understands minecraft. Or how to monetize it.

And the few indies that do get it are painfully unprofessional.

I fully expect Activision to give it a shot within 4 years.

[HaemishM]

Hey remember going to their website to sign up for beta? Looks like Trion jumped on the pay for beta KS-like bandwagon.

Trove Support Packs are now live at trovegame.com! Everyone who supports Trove with one of these special Credit bundles will get a spot in beta (or alpha for Adventurers and above!)

I'm getting awful fucking sick of "Founder's Packs."

[Falconeer]

You are voxing awesome.

[Numtini]

So all the Trion games are cash shop based, but they all use different points?

That doesn't seem smart

[Yegolev]

Sure it is.  Look at the shampoo aisle in any store.

[UnSub]

I'm getting awful fucking sick of "Founder's Packs."

It's got a better ring to it than "Pre-pay for Alpha", but the result is the same.

[schild]

You are voxing awesome.

This is how children die.

[Sky]

This is $5 for the next couple days. http://www.trovegame.com/2014/08/trove-access-sale/

For less than a burger and fries I snagged it. It's sort of a cube world where the devs actually update it regularly.

[ezrast]

Meh. I'm weak.

[Falconeer]

Quick comments, using Minecraft and Landmark as references?

[Malakili]

If Cube World is the reference point then the building is probably sadly limited to non-existent.

[ezrast]

There are monsters to fight and some neat mini-dungeon things, but somehow the world manages to feel emptier than Landmark. I'm probably doing it wrong.

[Stormwaltz]

Does it require installing Trion's pet version of Origin/Uplay?

[Pennilenko]

Yes

[Stormwaltz]

Then not even for $5. :\

Thanks for the answer!

[Sky]

If Cube World is the reference point then the building is probably sadly limited to non-existent.

No, there's a lot more building than that. I haven't done it yet though. I'd say more like Landmark where you get a small claim to develop.

[Sky]

Since there is a dopey cape for Rift for hitting level 10, I decided to give it a shot. It's definitely nailed the adventuring vibe of Cube World. Seems like they're keeping content pretty modular and plugging in different dungeons and bosses across the world, and of course there's dinglewtz. Lots of player-created content, most of the loot has a maker tag on it.

Still haven't done a whole lot with the building, but there are some pretty cool structures here and there.

No doubt I got $5 worth out of it as-is. I'm interested to see in where they go with it, given the modular stuff and player content (which I assume is curated).

[Cadaverine]

If there was anyone wanting to give this a try, I have a spare key to hand out.  Should be good until at least the 25th when CB starts.

[Segoris]

If your key is still available I'll give it a go

[Falconeer]

It's free for the weekend. All you need to do is to install Glyph, and download just 200MB. It's kind of cute.

[Mrbloodworth]

Played this over the weekend. I was impressed how well it ran ( Compared to cube world ). The user sourcing for content is well curated and is likely to provide more variation in items and environments then other games of the same style. The combat is enjoyable, its fun to explore, and the random item system is akin to Diablo like games. Classes appear to be more like MOBA characters in some aspects.

Right now, its game play is rather basic, Build and Explore/Dungeon, Garden. But the above is promising, if they add more layers to this, they just may have a great title here. Its a solid foundation.

The pocket housing is clever, especially in a MMO setting, and I hear tale that "guild" or "club" areas are free build instances.

[Scold]

Still waiting for someone to actually give me MMO creation (NPC scripting, etc.) tools along with the content creation tools.

[Hutch]

That will happen after someone figures out how to un-reveal Sturgeon's Revelation.

edit: unless you meant they should only give the tools to you, as opposed to the general public  

[Sobelius]

Still waiting for someone to actually give me MMO creation (NPC scripting, etc.) tools along with the content creation tools.

Did you ever try Neverwinter's Foundry? Pretty powerful tools.

[Lantyssa]

The pocket housing is clever, especially in a MMO setting, and I hear tale that "guild" or "club" areas are free build instances.

Yes.  You get a small bit of land in a huge area.  You can craft biomes to thrown down and expand the area you have, which requires resources.

It's fairly simplistic overall, but I'm enjoying it.

[Hutch]

Trove Open Beta November 5