Make My MMO: Pantheon’s Brad McQuaid is ‘feeling great’ about the game’s progress

This week in MMO crowdfunding, Pantheon’s Brad McQuaid posted a lengthy dev blog all about its use of Unity and how the game has progressed using the engine.

“With MMOs, networking code and support (and speed and efficiency) is paramount. At this point we are using code that is plenty robust enough to take us into alpha and probably beyond. That said, we are also considering our own network layer to make things run even more efficiently and to give us the control we need to create both vast regions with hundreds or thousands of players and NPCs, as well as smaller areas packed with gamers perhaps doing a raid (or some other get-together). What’s key is we have options – modify what we’re using now, take advantage of tech that appears in the future, or even write most or all of our own tech. […] So I’m feeling great about: 1. how far we’ve come (just look at the early stuff), 2. where we’re at now, where we can put up screenshots that I think are pretty impressive, even when compared to other new and AAA titles, and 3. where we’re going to end up at launch, again with tons of new art assets and graphical upgrades we’re doing in-house as well as using the version of Unity that exists then as opposed to now.”

Thanks, Bazgrim, for the tip! Meanwhile, Destiny’s Sword’s Kickstarter continues inching toward its $22,770 goal with just a week remaining, Albion Online is dropping Percival in July, Crowfall is working on its newbie experience, and Camelot Unchained’s Mark Jacobs spoke to us about the state of his game’s current beta.

Read on for more on what’s been up with MMO crowdfunding over the last week, plus our roundup of all the crowdfunded MMOs we’re following!

Star Citizen

Recent MMO crowdfunding news

Interview: Camelot Unchained’s Mark Jacobs on the state of the beta and the NDA - We've been watching Camelot Unchained ever since its original Kickstarter in 2013 - and a lot has changed in the ensuing six years, including the anticipated launch date, as the…

Albion Online’s Robin Henkys elaborates on how Percival’s solo randomized dungeons will work - Albion Online's game director Robin Henkys has put out yet another video featuring him sitting in a comfy chair and explaining something coming to the sandbox MMORPG. In the latest…

Star Citizen talks PTU flow for alpha 3.6.0, plus snub fighters and trains - Cloud Imperium is back with another Inside Star Citizen video this week, this one focused on the PTU - the public test universe. As Star Citizen players know, elite testers…

The Stream Team: Dare you duel in AdventureQuest 3D? - Massively OP's MJ didn't ever get the necessary AdventureQuest 3D mob to spawn to continue her quest for kittens from last week, and she's ready to take her rage out…

Crowfall is working to make the new player experience smoother - Starting a new game can always be challenging, but it gets a bit more challenging in a very open-ended title like Crowfall. The developers have listened to feedback that starting…

Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen offers a closer look at the Enchanter class, posts June newsletter - When Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen goes live, I suspect the Enchanter class is the one I would gravitate toward. Its primary functions are listed as "crowd control" and "utility,"…

Albion Online’s Percival update drops July 10 with new solo random dungeons - With last week's update in the rear-view mirror, Albion Online is pushing onward to its next big thing, Percival. Sandbox Interactive announced today that the patch will officially launch on…

Star Citizen’s alpha 3.6.0 has reached the Evocati, though the law system isn’t done cooking yet - Star Citizen fans, rev up your space engines for another round of testing: The game's initial alpha 3.6.0 build has rolled out to Evocati testers to muck around with. The…

Camelot Unchained hardens up to squash some bugs, prepares for tentative weekend test - With another week comes another Camelot Unchained development update, and the folks at City State Entertainment have been hard at work ironing out bugs and creating new features for the…

Star Citizen’s new Pillar Talk series stars key devs discussing the 3.6 alpha - Your eyes aren't deceiving you: Cloud Imperium has brought back Pillar Talk as a real thing for the Star Citizen community, and it's not just a joke title this time.…

Elite: Dangerous’ galaxy-spanning, six-month player voyage concludes with 4000 explorers - What lies at the very edge of the known galaxy? As of this past week, a select group of very dedicated Elite: Dangerous players know the answer. Back in January,…

Albion Online

Campaigns and crowdfunded MMOs we’re watching

3001SQ (Société des Mondes Virtuels) – Kickstarter unsuccessful, dev halted in 2018.
AdventureQuest 3D (Artix Entertainment) – Raised 368k; beta began Oct 2016.
Albion Online (Sandbox) – Launched July 2017, hit Steam May 2018.
Antraxx (Team Antraxx) – Kickstarter canceled.
Ascent: The Space Game (Fluffy Kitten Studios) – Successful KS. Fully launched 2016.
Ashes of Creation (Intrepid Studios) – Successful KS. Alpha zero.
Broke Protocol (Cylinder) – Unsuccessful KS. In free early access.
Camelot Unchained (City State) – Kickstarter successful; open donations/packages.
Caribbean Conquest (Invenio) – First KS canceled, second ended unsuccessfully.
Codename Reality (Orode) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Contested Space (Zon)
Crowfall (ArtCraft) – Kickstarter win, open packages, Indiegogo crowdfunding ongoing.
Chronicles of Elyria (Soulbound) – Kickstarter successful, open packages.
Citadel of Sorcery (MMO Magic, Inc.) – Open donations.
City of Titans (Missing Worlds Media) – Successful KS; Issue 0 delayed into 2019.
Descent Underground (Descendent Studios) – Successful KS.
Destiny’s Sword (2Dogs) – Kickstarter ends June 29.
Divergence Online (Stained Glass Llama) – Three campaigns; now in KS early access.
Dogma: Eternal Night (Prelude Games Factory): Kickstarter. Probably dead.
Dragon of Legends (Thrive Games) – Successful Kickstarter.
Dual Universe (Novaquark) – Kickstarter funded, donor platform. Backer alpha.
Eco (Strange Loop Games) – Funded, now in alpha.
Edengrad (Huckleberry Games) – Kickstarter funded; in early access.
Elite: Dangerous (Frontier Developments) – Funded and fully launched.
Empyrion Online (Eleon) – Kickstarter canceled; launched on Steam early access.
Endless Trials (Fire Hurts) – Kickstarter canceled.
Epic Space (EpicSpace.net)
EverFeud (PSB) – Kickstarter canceled.
Ever, Jane (3 Turn Productions) – Now in open beta.
Fractured (Dynamight) – Kickstarter successful. Pre-alpha.
Global Adventures (SubaGames) – Kickstarter funded.
Gloria Victis (Black Eye Games) – Open donations, no end date; in early access.
Greed Monger (Greed Monger) – Abandoned, now allegedly in refund process.
Grim Dawn (Crate Entertainment) – Funded and launched.
Guardians of Ember (Runewaker) – Funded and launched.
Guns of Icarus (Muse) – Funded and launched.
Hero’s Song (Pixelmage) – KS canceled; Indiegogo. Canceled w/ refunds.
Infinity: Battlescape (I-Novae Studios)
HEX (HEX Entertainment) – Funded and launched.
Legends of Aria (Citadel Studios) – Kickstarted as Shards Online. Early access.
Life is Feudal (Bitbox): Indiegogo ended. Currently in beta.
LUX (Chimera) – Kickstarter canceled.
Maestros of the Anthymn (String Theory) – Kickstarter canceled.
Maguss (Maguss) – Indiegogo successful; open beta.
Mekria (Infinity Online Studios) – Kickstarter canceled.
Midair (Archetype Studios) – Kickstarter successful.
Nebula Online (Mizar Games) Kickstarter canceled; launched in November.
Neo’s Land (NeoJac Entertainment) – Open donations, no end date.
Novus AEterno (Taitale Studios)
Oath (Ready-Up) – Kickstarter funded.
OrbusVR (Ad Alternum) – KS funded March 2017. In early access.
Overpower (Hydrant Games) – Kickstarter unfunded; heading to early access.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen (Visionary Realms) – Open donations. Pre-alpha.
Pantropy (Brain Stone GmbH): First Kickstarter canceled, second funded.
Pathfinder Online (GoblinWorks) – Doom, mostly.
Planet Nomads (Craneballs) – Kickstarted, early access launched sans multiplayer.
Playcraft (Bebop Games) – Kickstarter funded May 2019.
Pixel Starships (SavySoda)
Project Gorgon (Elder Game) – Kickstarted in three tries + Indiegogo. Early access.
Project Oasis World (POW) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Pumpkin Online (Monique) – Downgrading from MMORPG.
Temtem (Crema) – Kickstarter fully funded; now in alpha.
The Exiled (Fairytale Distillery) – fka Das Tal; KS unsuccessful. Early access.
The Flower of Knighthood – Kickstarter canceled.
The Realm: Reawakened (Stephen Nichols) – Ongoing GoFundMe.
The Repopulation (Idea Fabrik) – Kickstarted twice by A&B. Back in alpha.
ROKH (Darewise) – Kickstarter canceled; in  early access but not active dev.
RUiN (Tarhead Studio) – Kickstarter successful.
The Stomping Land (Alex Fundora) – Abandoned.
Sacrament (Ferocity Unbound) – Kickstarter failed; Patreon ongoing.
Saga of Lucimia (Stormhaven) – Indiegogo. Intermittent pre-alphas.
Shadow’s Kiss (Clockwork Throne) – Ongoing Patreon, Kickstarter funded.
Shroud of the Avatar (Portalarium) – Soft launch July 2016. Launch March 2018.
Spycursion (Defun) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Squadron 42 (Cloud Imperium) – Beta delayed until at least 2020.
Star Citizen (Cloud Imperium) – Ongoing donations/packages. Backer alpha.
TUG (Nerd Kingdom) – Totally abandoned without a word. Now considered a scam.
Vigor Roads (NeuronHaze) – Kickstarter unsuccessful; early access planned for 2017.
War of Rights (Campfire Games) – Successful Kickstarter; in early access.

Destiny’s Sword

Yes, some crowdfunded MMOs most definitely do succeed. But others crash and burn, and you need to hear about the whole spectrum of games that sought your money early in exchange for the promise of input and transparency. And that’s exactly what Make My MMO does every Saturday. Help us keep ’em accountable, would ya?