While MMORPGs are very much evolving and growing worlds, often their game worlds are stuck in time where lands, characters, and events are kept locked in place. The upcoming Book of Travels is looking to eschew this design in favor of pushing the timeline forward through its periodic “seasons.”
The Might and Delight dev team explained how this works as part of a rather excellent overview of the game: “The chapter structure in Book of Travels is designed to enable the world to grow and evolve over time. Chapters will see time moving on in the world after a substantial ‘season’. As well as allowing the world to grow, the reason we really like chapters is that they give us the opportunity to direct the future of the land in accordance with player and community responses and play patterns, making for a better, richer, and player-lead experience.”
But what if you miss the boat on a season? The team says not to worry, as there will be a catch-up mechanic: “Players missing any world events/previous chapters will have access to key stories through graphic novels and in-game artefacts.”
Book of Travels is kicking off its first season, Chapter Zero, in early August for its Kickstarter supporters.
