The Mortal Online team released a rather big announcement today. Mortal Online will be available for pre-order on June 29 with an added bonus of beta access for those who pre-order. Pre-orders will be available in box version, digital download, or a special edition with only 999 copies available (all granting beta access). They go on to give the usual “things are going well”, give some rather nice looking screenshots, a peek at what the races will be, and then a list of what they plan to test in the upcoming beta:
– The full Myrland continent
– At least 9 races, male and female
– Blood mix and character customization
– Main features of the skill system
– Full PvP, full loot
– Full melee and ranged combat
– Basic magic combat
– Mounts and mounted combat
– Basic GUI for the crafting system
– Resource gathering
– Basic Guild mechanics
– Basic player housing
– Basic NPC mobs and wildlife
– Hidden/secret features
Personally, I’m not sure if I’ll pre-order yet. The screenshots are sinking their claws into me and the features (omg player housing at launch) are making it feel impossible to not jump right in head first. I just can’t help but feel afraid of being burned yet again. I’ll have to see what my friends are planning on doing and continue to fight with myself over whether or not early adopting is worth beta access.  There are plenty of betas coming this summer, but guaranteed access at the beginning of summer could be a great way to spend the next few months. See? I’m already trying to talk it out.
They’re aiming to launch in Q4 this year, but we’ll see. The “things are going well” speech is always accompanied by a delay.  Thoughts? Anyone dead-set against giving Mortal Online a shot or planning or jump right in?
One question Keen, (and I will bother to check the comments again later, I promise) what features/qualities/etc set this game apart from Darkfall, or is it just like, really similar only in a different world?
Bigger. Badder. UNCUT!
Actually, no idea what sets them apart really other than this game reminds me more of Oblivion based on the few videos I’ve watched.
As for jumping in… Hehe, I love your never say die attitude, Keen! Is a pre-order worth beta when you might not like the game though…? I’d rather play a released game than a beta to be honest, even if it’s simply a hold-over until the release of something else.
The features alone are numerous and I’ll do my best to list a few quick ones. The “qualities” I can’t speak to until I try it, but I can say that the skill system, crafting system, PvP flagging system, and attention to detail all appear to be better.
The skill system looks to be an actual system instead of linear skill gains, player housing is something Darkfall lacked, mounted casting/archery, actual PvE, and a world that (from the info we have) appears to be far more dynamic. Those are just a few that I can think of real quick.
Once I play the game I’ll be able to tell you if it feels different from Darkfall. The reason why it appears to be so similar is that both DF and MO are shooting for the same ideal result. Darkfall did not achieve it. Mortal Online is much closer to the mark in development. Launch will tell.
Hahaha! Thanks Snaffy. So basically Keen it sounds like this game is produced by a company rather than a handful of individuals working for 7 years, correct? Interesting. I’d love to see how it actually turns out. When do you think it will launch? My guess is next year at the earliest, but I am just going by the trend to delay once or twice.
I plan on trying Mortal Online, but I absolutely loathe the idea of pre-order granting access to a beta. “Buy our stuff early, and we’ll let you be our tester!!!”
I’m happy to help test for free, but I’ll be damned if I’m paying for it.
Andrew,
Technically you’re not paying for a beta test, they’re giving you their completed product, with the option of playing earlier and helping them polish their product.
“Buying” your way into Beta isn’t their intention, it’s a reward for people who are actually excited about the product.
It’s no secret in 2009 that Beta Tests are an important part of the MMO cycle.
They were supposed to launch this game this summer because they said they would run out of the money planned to be spent in beta.
However, the game wasn’t ready so they move the release date to Q4 AND they start the preorders with 10000 units. This will grant them almost half a million dollars to keep going until launch date.
If I’m right this is a brilliant bussiness move and they will also make a better game and keep the followers happy. It’s a win win situation.
Sorry for my bad English
It is a somewhat sketchy thing to do but its probably not how they wanted to do it. They are after all an indie developer and the game they are making is considered niche since its more “hardcore” with its full loot and full pvp.
I really don’t like how there’s been so many preorder bonus’ lately since I always like to read a review before I spend money on something. Hopefully there will be some player reviews or something to go off of before its too late because this is something I would be interested in. The developers are cool guys and they talk a lot on the forums, you can even hang out in irc with them
Like all games when it comes out, some will love it and some will hate it. Hehe, you know you are gonna have to “try it”, even if its just to answer if its better than darkfall. So since we both know you will eventually buy it, why not buy it early and get in beta. 🙂
I have been screaming for a while that I would put a nonrefundable cash deposit up towards game purchase to get in beta, betas today are mostly filled with people looking to play for free or just hunting for exploits to use later. i think more games should do it….
I guess I’m one of the few that likes the preorder perks that companies do and I hope to see more of it. War’s preorder was only $10 and the main features were preview weekend and a couple days early start. Eventhough, I didn’t play the game past the first few months, I thought the preorder was well worth it.
If the game has me hooked from what I read about it, and their preorder is $10 and offers beta access I would gladly give it a shot.
Another note, For WAR I got the box version of the preorder from Best Buy, and I feel calling it a preorder is misleading because it sounds like the preoder is an obligation to buy the game, but all your buying is the perks of the preorder. I don’t know if the other ways of purchasing it were similar but this was the way at Best Buy and I like it that way.
[…] and Graev post about the Preorder Beta for Mortal Online. The beta begins on the 29th of June, with a target launch sometime in the fourth quarter this […]
I am really happy to see mortal online get to this point. But i would not pre order. Just a few weeks a go their own developers description of their completed crafting system seemed really basic. Not the idea of the system but the actual coding of it. They were still using a lot of temp meshes and what not.
Also something is has always plauged MO they are working with the same people who released thrones of chaos/ mourning. Those guys make the terrain editor used in MO. That a lone is gonna make me extremely cautious about putting my money on them.
I would rather keep my money on a slowly developing darkfall then an unkown MO.
1st Quarter: October 1, 2008 – December 31, 2008
2nd Quarter: January 1, 2009 – March 31, 2009
3rd Quarter: April 1, 2009 – June 30, 2009
4th Quarter: July 1, 2009 – September 30, 2009
Figured most people don’t understand this.
@Czechmate,
That makes absolutely NO sense. Why call it Q1-2009 if its not even in 2009? If Q1 was april 09 – july 09 then it would atleast made a BIT sense, considering it’s the start of the new fiscal year..
Czech, that’s the 2009 fiscal year and not what they’re talking about when they say “releasing in Q4 2009”. Q4 2009 is like October, November, December. Just break it down into 3 month increments.
I skipped Darkfall (glad I did), but there’s no way I will be able to stay away from this title at release. This is number one on my most anticipated list. I do admit to being worried because the game looks too good and I know how that usually turns out.
I’ve never pre-ordered a game or had any interest in being in beta…until Mortal Online. So many great features…and lack of things that I find off-putting about other MMOs…this may be the game I’ve been waiting for.
Well, i skipped darkfall (i’m also very glad I did), and I certainly *will* be able to stay away from MO until a few months after release. There’s no way i’m spending $50 + sub fees + life on something that’s going to be another DF disaster.
I’ll be playing plants vs. zombies until people with more spending power can prove there’s a game worth playing in it.
Plants vs Zombies rocks.
my thought is also that all sandbox games have a slower learning curve while u figure what style and play work for ya best and where to go….if u can learn all these things prior to “day 1” you can hit the ground running when they do release imo
One way I can immediately tell this game is different from Darkfall is that it uses the Unreal Engine with Atlas technology. It gives them a lot more time to spend on actual development rather than building an engine.