Ren's Mechscape April 2009 Research Summary, Lots of MechScape information Options

[Ren]

Update: MechScape has been reborn as Stellar Dawn so much of this information is out of date. Check out this article for the latest!

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Foreword by Ren
Hello and welcome to Ren's April 2009 Research Summary, which aims to provide readers with a good overview of MechScape followed by the various source materials used to inform this view. If you are interested in MechScape then I encourage you to sign up to these forums and become a member of the MechScape World community.

This is the sequel to my 2008 Summary (which you now don't need to read unless you are interested in the futures of ThirdScape, RuneScape and FunOrb). Last time I tried to mix lots of quotes with the summary itself, and much of the source material was linked to but not included. For this summary I will be taking a different approach, with a summary that actually condenses the information followed by the source material. There is also much more source material, not only because a lot has happened since the previous summary, but also because I've taken a more comprehensive look at all of my past research. The main omission here is the gallery images, which I utilise but do not embed within the summary. I highly recommend you check out the gallery, especially the official concept art images kindly provided by Jagex.

I would like to thank all those who have supported me with the research I have been conducting into the game since I discovered it in September 2007. Whilst I strive for accuracy there may be some mistakes. As such, I would ask that people link to this article instead of quoting it, as this will allow me to correct errors and omissions as they are reported to me.

MechScape in a nutshell
MechScape is the working title of an upcoming sci-fi MMORPG from Jagex, the creators of RuneScape. Although is designed to appeal to all fans of science fiction it is specifically aimed at those in their 20's. It is based on the same technology as RuneScape, and so will be browser-based using Java, but will be using more advanced technology, and will be graphically superior as well as using a different control mechanism and MechScape will be more complex than RuneScape. The game features giant robots known as mechs, but there is much more to it than that. It is a non-linear planet-based game which focusses around four distinct races. The player can choose their alliances shaping their own adventure.

Jagex have made it clear that MechScape is not "RuneScape in space". Due to innovations in terms of player advancement it will be different to all other MMOs as players won't be levelling skills up by grinding. Jagex officially began development in 2006 and hope for the game to be released at some point in 2009. There are currently 70 members of staff dedicated to working on the project. Player-built vehicles and space ships should feature heavily in the game. The same subscription model as RuneScape will be in place meaning there will be both free-to-play and pay-to-play content. From launch Jagex expect for the game to be the same size as RuneScape, although it seems like it will be larger in scale and scope, and there is already a year's worth of content updates "waiting in the pipes".

MechScape's early history
The first known usage of the name 'MechScape' dates to December 2003 when the MechScape.com domain was registered. One of Jagex's stated ambitions for 2003 was to begin work on their second game, although they repeated this aim for both 2004 and 2005. John S claims to have worked on an "online space MMORPG" between April 2005 and October 2006. Jagex officially began working on MechScape in 2006, with Head of MechScape Henrique Olifiers joining the team in January 2006, and many job vacancies for MechScape content developers being published in June 2006 (asking for people interested in sci-fi, graphic novels and Anime).

According to a statement by Mark Gerhard, who joined Jagex in 2008 and became Chief Executive Officer in 2009, the game originally focused on robots known as mechs (hence the name "MechScape"). However, he claims that "during the game's early evolution we became a lot more ambitious, and substantially widened our vision beyond just robots to encompass the wider possibilities of the sci-fi genre". Jagex registered a UK trademark for MechScape in October 2005, around the same time as they received an investment from Insight Venture Partners.

One aspect of MechScape's early history led to the creation of RuneScape HD: "The first time we started talking about OpenGL was back in mid-2006. It was quite an unusual kickoff. Andrew Gower came over to the Mechscape team to chat about some of the game's features, and saw a printed picture of a creature roaming the corridors of a space base hanging on the wall. We created the image with proper in-game models, but using a real-time commercial OpenGL renderer just for kicks. The next thing we heard was "You know, there's no reason we couldn't do that with our engine if we create an OpenGL version of it... A few months later, after proper evaluation of the installed base, specs, a lot of brainstorming and engine roadmaps, our tools and engine teams were busy putting together the master plan for the HD version of the game".

MechScape's innovative nature
So, if they wanted the game to not be "RuneScape in space" as per their development motto, and they desired for it to be more than just giant robots, what should this "futuristic" game be? They investigated other sci-fi MMOs to identify why they were unsuccessful and "discovered that these games were nothing more than fantasy mechanics dressed in a sci-fi wrapper. Having a set of skills that you level up through grinding is basically a fantasy mechanic. So from here they identified what game mechanics make a good sci-fi game, and they have developed most of these as completely unique features that have never been seen in any MMO before". Jagex feel that the approach they have taken will make Real World Trading (RWT) a non-issue in MechScape, as they worked at a "core design level" to "remove the need for RWTing". They have told us that "there won't be any RWT in MechScape if we did our job right".

So from this they developed a game which was "a completely different game, from every possible perspective, not only from RuneScape but from other MMOGs out there". They are a bit vague on how it is different, but it seems to relate to player advancement: "Levelling in MMO's can be tedious and some games make levelling difficult in an attempt to cover for a lack of content. We are approaching game design in a totally new way, player progression will be unlike any other MMO currently on the market". One of the employees says that he has "been trying to find ways that we can take the genre forward in terms of storytelling and player grouping, while also developing cool missions and mini games".

Technology, target audience and RuneScape
MechScape will be targeting those who feel they have grown out of RuneScape as well as older players and general fans of science fiction. They claim that one aspect that will carry on from RuneScape is the opportunity for character customisation. Jagex are very adamant that the game will be nothing like RuneScape and claim it will offer more complicated and deeper gameplay than RuneScape, and that while it should appeal to all sci-fi fans it is aimed at an "an older, more advanced audience" of people in their twenties.

While it is based on the RuneScape engine the graphics and technology will apparently be better than RuneScape. There will be both a higher polygon count and higher minimum system requirements. "Players can expect to see an extremely different looking game to RuneScape". Unofficially, mentions have been made of "fire, smoke and explosions" as special effects that Jagex have been working on. One major difference will be the controls, with a mix of mouse and keyboard alluded to. MechScape will use the same subscription model as RuneScape, with some content provided for free but "deeper content" requiring a monthly fee. While there is no link with stats or items, Jagex accounts are shared between RuneScape, MechScape and FunOrb.

What MechScape is about
At the 2009 Games Developers Conference it was revealed that "The game centres around the tension among four distinct species, each with their own look, abilities and back stories. Throughout the game, players can choose their alliances, which shape the path of their adventure. There are hints of cloning, player-built vehicles and even spaceship building eventually". The official concept art features what appears to be a human pilot, meaning humanoids are likely to feature. It has been described as "planet-based" and "non-linear". An early vacancy mentioned that employees would work "to build creatures, shape virtual worlds, design quests and storylines" implying that they intended for there to be multiple worlds in the game. It seems that the game will be the same size as RuneScape at launch but will be larger in scale and scope with a year's worth of future content in the pipeline.

In addition to giant robots it has been confirmed that the Pliigi (Esperanto for 'increase', with pliiĝi also meaning 'augment' and 'grow') will feature as a playable race, and there are various pieces of concept art which mention the Pliigi whose habitat seems to be a swamp-like terrain. One piece of concept art mentions the rock-like Mortiga (Esperanto for 'deadly') but this race has not been confirmed. Other terrains mentioned include "denaco crater" which features a mining vehicle, and a planet that has a mixture of grassy, sandy and rocky terrains with roads, bridges and flying ships as well as an industrial-style complex. There are many references to vehicles made by staff, and the concept art includes a "Lava Harvester" as well as other vehicles. Sources of inspiration for the game include games, movies and fiction.

Where we stand
Jagex has a dedicated team of 70 employees exclusively working on MechScape, which is currently playable but not complete. They expect it will be out this year, but there is currently lots more work to be done. While previously they provided estimates for the release that proved to be wrong they are now merely saying it will be released when it has reached maturity. According to Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard, "We can't give you a release date at the moment because large complex game development projects such as this one are extremely hard to estimate. The last thing we want after spending so much time and energy on this project is a rushed release, which is why we won't launch it until we are confident that it is ready". Head of MechScape Henrique Olifiers has asked players to "forget about any dates you might have heard for its launch, we're not bound to them but to quality and excellence".

It seems two things in the works that will affect MechScape are the introduction of a display name facility across Jagex's products and the addition of DirectX support for better compatibility. Another issue is the name of the title, which was "definitely going to be MechScape" until fairly recently when they began to reconsider the name, with one possible title suspected by fans being Stellar Dawn. Jagex have said that they might stick with the MechScape name, but they could change it because the game no longer revolves so much around "mechs" and the "scape" part of the name might lead people to mistakenly believe the game is merely "RuneScape in space".

Jagex intend to run a beta for MechScape, but is unclear as to who exactly will be eligible. Jagex has said that "we have a number of valued subscribers who have been loyal to Jagex and it is only right that we thank them. Current subscribers will be given access to the Beta and it will be free to play". Players are advised to be very wary of any website claiming to be related to a MechScape beta, as they may very well be a scam to steal your Jagex account details. There are various such phishing scams in existence so always think twice when you visit an unfamiliar website.

Jagex has tried to make it clear that MechScape will not be 'replacing' RuneScape. According to Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard, "RuneScape will live forever! We have dedicated teams behind each game and the launch of Mechscape or any other title for the matter will never undermine the continued investment in RuneScape". In fact, they say that "If anything, RuneScape has and will continue to benefit from the development of the new title: some of the novel features recently implemented in RS are a result of technology improvements triggered by the development of the new game" and that "while each development team has their own core developers, the technical side of things are run by the same folks, allowing them to learn and grow together. In fact, RuneScape's newest HD launch was made possible by the advancements in MechScape".

There is much I could say about Jagex's relationship with MechScape World, and how they have shown a real willingness to open up and work with fan sites, but that's for another time and another article. Instead, I'll close with some words from the Head of MechScape: "I think my proudest moment is still to come, is where I've released my first big game here in Europe, and there's so much momentum being built around this project I've been working the past two and a half years, I think seeing that game coming together, and the stage it is right now, being playable and people enjoying it, but it's about to be released and open to the world. I'm starting to feel that this is my proudest moment."

Ren's MechScape Fact Sheet
Ren's MechScape fact sheet (based on Jagex's public statements, etc):
1. MechScape is an upcoming sci-fi MMORPG from Jagex.
2. Due to innovations in terms of player advancement it will be different to all other MMOs as players won't be levelling skills up by grinding.
3. It will be browser-based and use the same engine as RuneScape, but their development motto is that it is not RuneScape in space.
4. It will use superior technology and have better graphics than RuneScape with a higher polygon count. Expect it to have a very different look to RuneScape and have a higher minimum system requirements.
5. MechScape was the original name of the game, but is currently its "code name" as they might call it something else but they aren't sure.
6. Its history can be traced back at least as far back as 2003, but they didn't officially start working on it until 2006.
7. It is playable but not complete. There is still a lot of work to do on it, but they expect it to be out in 2009.
8. They claim it won't be released until it has reached maturity, or until it is "awesome".
9. It is a non-linear planet-based game which focusses around four distinct races, one of which is the Pliigi. Humans and Mortiga are also mentioned in concept art, but are not confirmed.
10. You will use the same account as on RuneScape or FunOrb. That doesn't mean you will share stats. They do however have plans for display name system in a couple of months.
11. The target audience is people in their 20's, but they expect it will appeal to sci-fi fans of all ages.
12. There are currently 70 members of staff working exclusively on the project.
13. It will use the same revenue model as RuneScape, so there will be some free-to-play content and for more you have to go pay-to-play.
14. On launch it should be the same size as Gielinor, although it seems like it will be larger in scale and scope than RuneScape.
15. While RuneScapeHD uses OpenGL, they are working on support for both OpenGL and DirectX for MechScape for increased compatibility.
16. It will not mean the end of RuneScape. They will continue to develop and invest in RuneScape.
17. They already have a year's worth of content updates waiting in the pipes.
18. They claim it will offer more complicated and deeper gameplay than RuneScape.
19. There will be giant robots, cloning, player-built vehicles and space ships.
20. It will have a different control scheme to RuneScape, using the "best of both worlds" of keyboard and mouse.
21. "Players can expect to see an extremely different looking game to RuneScape".
22. You may have seen Tom W's yellow troopers with big guns which some claim to be from MechScape. While he used to work for Jagex that wasn't MechScape concept art.
23. We can thank MechScape for various improvement to RuneScape, such as RuneScapeHD.
24. There is going to be a MechScape beta for loyal RuneScape subscribers, but who exactly will be eligible we don't know. Mod MMG thinks that it mind be people who have been continuous subscribers for a few months at the time of the launch of the beta, but they haven't hammered it out yet. Beware of any MechScape beta scam sites!
25. You are allowed to discuss MechScape World on the RuneScape Official Forums as per a statement made by Mod Emilee.

Written by Ren. Proof readers: Xela and Simba. Do not copy without permission.

[Ren]

Articles and Public Statements (Pre-Gerhard)

"Jagex intends to become a significant operator in all the major gaming markets. Developing and commercializing highly compelling persistent character games that appeal to a wide audience. Our ambition for 2003 is to exceed 100,000 subscribers for RuneScape and begin work on our second game."

Source: Jagex Mission Statement (Jagex, 2003)

"Our ambition for 2004 is to exceed 120,000 subscribers for RuneScape, to take RuneScape into non-english markets and to start a completely new game. By the end of 2004 we plan to be a games company that a lot of people are talking about!"

Source: Jagex Mission Statement (Jagex, 2004)

"We intend to become a significant online operator in all the major gaming markets worldwide; developing and commercializing highly compelling persistent character games that appeal to as wide an audience as possible, based on cutting edge technologies developed in house.

Our ambition for 2005 is to exceed 400,000 subscribers for RuneScape, to take RuneScape into other non-english language markets and to begin the development of a completely new game."

Source: Jagex Mission Statement (Jagex, 2005)

"RuneScape, is one of the most popular MMORPGs (Massive Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games) in the world. Jagex currently has over 3.5 million active players and 500,000 paying subscribers. The Company intends to become a significant online operator in all the major gaming markets worldwide, developing and commercializing compelling persistent character games that appeal to a wide audience and based on cutting-edge technologies developed in-house. The Company aims to grow RuneScape market share in non-English language markets as well as to release completely new games for its loyal user community.

"Jagex represents an ideal fit for Insight's investment profile," said Jeff Horing, founder and managing partner at Insight Venture Partners. "The Company has a dedicated community of users, innovative technology that allows for maximum player experience, and more exciting games in the pipeline. We are very enthusiastic about the prospects for the Company and look forward to working with the Founders to accelerate growth.""

Source: Jagex Ltd Secures Investment From Insight Venture Partners (Jagex, 25 October 2005)

"Our ambition for 2006 is to exceed 750,000 subscribers for RuneScape and to launch in a further three languages."

Source: Jagex Mission Statement (Jagex, 2006)

"As well as RuneScape our second game is now in full scale development - this is scheduled for release in 2007."

Source: Jagex Company Report (Jagex, 2006)

"Our aim for 2007 is to continue to develop and improve RuneScape, while at the same time taking RuneScape into other non-english language markets following Germany. And to develop further games using our technologies."

Source: Jagex Mission Statement (Jagex, 2007)

"Our aim for 2008 is to continue to develop and improve RuneScape, while at the same time taking RuneScape into other non-english language markets following Germany. And to develop further games using our technologies."

Source: Jagex Mission Statement (Jagex, 2008)

"Eurogamer: If you want to tackle it at a core level, is there an argument for getting rid of the inherent grind mechanics of the genre that real-world trading has grown up around trying to "cheat"?

Imre Jele: That's a very, very interesting idea, and the only thing I can tell you now is that we have some amazing products going live next year - a new MMO - and we are tackling this issue at a core design level. I think you summed up a very reasonable way to approach this.

Eurogamer: Lord of the Rings Online boss Jeffrey Steefel told us the MMO business model would change over the next five years to incorporate real-world trading. What do you think about that?

Imre Jele: I think there are going to be different models. There are going to be companies that sell things to players for money. There are going to be other companies that go the way of Sony and say I'm not selling anything but players can sell to each other. Then there are going to be other companies who think if you subscribe to the game then you should enjoy it fully without spending extra money. But those games need to have different game design approach. I don't think there is one single solution."

Source: The Great Digital Gold-Rush (Eurogamer, 19 February 2008)

"Q: Are you also planning more MMO products along similar lines to RuneScape, as that's your speciality?
Geoff Iddison: You're absolutely right, we've got a very, very big investment into another MMO.

Q: Would that be something you would start in Europe again and then filter into more markets across the globe?
Geoff Iddison: No, it will be launched in the US and Europe at the same time.

Q: Can we expect it to be launched this year?
Geoff Iddison: You can expect it early next year, Q1 2009.

Q: Is that the rumoured MechScape brand?
Geoff Iddison: I can't say too much more, I'm afraid.

Q: How confident do you feel going against multiple MMO competitors, in such a vibrant and growing market?
Geoff Iddison: It's always helpful to be paranoid in managing a business, and certainly we're always looking over our shoulder to see who's coming along to compete in the MMO space. There're new companies coming along every week. It's certainly going to get a lot more competitive."

Source: MMO Week: Jagex's Geoff Iddison (gamesindustry.biz, 9 May 2008)

"At the GameHorizon conference in Newcastle last week, Geoff Iddison, from Jagex, the makes of Runescape, was part of a panel about the future of games - things like user-generated content, and different billing systems such as micro-transactions. He spoke about the technology behind Runescape, and also revealed that the company, who have recently launched a casual games portal, are also working on a new MMO jokingly (we assume) called 'NextScape' which will launch in 2009. They also have plans for a third MMO sometime in 2010.

"We've got an infrastructure behind Runescape which is the real silver of the Jagex, the value of the company," Iddison said. "It's not the game, the game is going to come and go."

The forthcoming MMO will likely use a subscription based model, similar to Runescape with some free to play features and others that you need to pay to get access to. The 2010 one may use micro-transactions. Iddison was quick to stress that they will not introduce micro-transactions in Runescape, as they feel it would un-balance the game and alienate their existing players.

The conference was very developer focused, so they didn't talk about what the forthcoming games would be, but it was interesting to hear them mention the plans even in passing."

Source: Jagex Working on New MMO (Myth Games, May/June 2008)

"Runescape developer Jagex has revealed it is working on a brand new MMO due for launch in March 2009 - and added it will start developing one new casual game every week for release via its FunOrb portal. The unnamed casual MMO was revealed by CEO Geoff Iddison during a panel discussion at today’s GameHorizon Conference in Newcastle. Dubbed ‘Nextscape’ by Iddison, the game was said to incorporate - as Runescape does - a variety of business and subscription models to drive consumer engagement, he said.

However, although the company has run its successful Runescape MMO since 2001 - offering biweekly content updates - with the new property due to join it early next year, Iddison said that Jagex’ real value isn’t its IP, but its infrastructure. “We’ve got an infrastructure behind Runescape which is the real silver of the Jagex, the value of the company,” said Iddison. “It’s not the game, the game is going to come and go,” he said.

“The infrastructure is the thing that can scale. Runescape has 10 years of good growth - but the infrastructure is infinitely scalable,” he added of Jagex’ vast operation of servers and online support teams. Although Jagex employs 400 people at its Cambridge, UK HQ, only 25 per cent are dedicated to development. Half the staff are focused on content and support while the rest are dedicated to that infrastructure. “All the emerging markets, mobile games and payment systems are a driver bhind Jagex,” he added when discussing how the infrastructure takes advantage of emergent industry trends in the online space to drive company growth. “Once you’ve got that infrastructure ticking its amazing what you can get on it.”

It’s possible that Jagex’ next offering will look to target a wider consumer base/ Although a big force in the more casual end of the MMO market, Runescape’s fantasy world has mostly male players ages eight to 18 which are getting younger as time goes on, admitted Iddison, saying the firm’s strategy currently excluded female players but that “we’ve got some plans there” to redress the imbalance."

Source: Jagex ramping up FunOrb activity (Casualgaming.biz, 18 June 2008)

"Developer of Runescape Jagex is planning to make a new mmorpg which is set to be released on Mar. 2009. This news was announced by the CEO of Jagex Geoff Iddison during a symposia. The name of this new game was not announced, but Iddison name it as Nextscape, which make us think it will be some tie with the Runescape. He also express that the Nextescape will be a free game hoping to attract more players."

Source: The Nextescape of Runescape (rpgrank.com, 25 June 2008)

"Earlier today we spoke with Jagex CEO Geoff Iddison and developer Henrique Olifiers about the future of the company. We'll have more from that discussion later today, but as we talked we noticed something interesting about Mr. Olifiers' business card. His official title, according to the card, is "Head of Mechscape." So we asked, point blank, "what's Mechscape?" Mechscape, according to the company men, is the next MMO coming from the folks at Jagex. They're expecting that it will be released in the first Quarter of 2009. It's going to be the next step or two beyond Runescape HD in terms of technology, and a slightly more mature product. Their view is that, as players grow older with the fantasy product, they're going to want something a little more in-depth, deeper. That said, they don't feel that players will want to give up the jump-in jump-out portability of a browser-based game.

Mechscape will capitalize on that by providing a science fiction world and more complicated gameplay, all via your standard web browser. What's amazing is how passionate Jagex's fans are for this game already: the above logo was discovered by nosy fans searching out information about the game. There are already two fansites for the game, even though there are almost no details released about the game yet. They've even put together a video showing what assets and information they've unearthed. which is embedded below the cut. Stay tuned to Massively for more on Jagex's new game as we hear it."

Source: E308: Jagex teases sci-fi successor to Runescape, Mechscape (Massively, 15 July 2008)

"It's pretty common knowledge that we're working on a new MMO that's going to be launched in Q1 of next year... We're keeping our cards very close to our chests... We can say that it's nothing like RuneScape. It's going to be browser based so it's gonna be exactly the same technology, but it's going to be aimed at an older demographic and it might be a little bit sci-fi."

Source: The MMO Report: E3 '08 Special Part 1 (G4TV, 18 July 2008)

"As for the future? With RuneScape HD, the playerbase has seen rapid growth, and Olifiers affirmed that Jagex intends to continue working on the game as they have been since 2001. While the game might receive further graphical updates in the future, the developers are committed to ensuring that machines that ran the first RuneScape Classic can run whatever iteration of the game they put out next, so the game will likely never become a graphical powerhouse.

He did, however, drop the name MechScape to me as a title that they've been working on for the past two and a half years. MechScape, said Olifiers, will take technology beyond what they've done with RuneScape, and is also aimed at an older, more advanced audience (if the "sweet spot" for RuneScape is early teenagers, MechScape is aimed at people in their 20s). Though he couldn't tell me anything more about their new project, I'm a personal fan of giant mecha, so there are plenty of reasons to keep an eye on Jagex in the future."

Source: WarCry and Jagex Talk RuneScape (WarCry Network, 23 July 2008)

"The title has just launched in its latest iteration, RuneScape HD, and we talk to Jagex's Henrique Olifiers (head of development on their upcoming Sci-Fi sequel to RuneScape, MechScape) about the title, its technology and demographics...


Q: So your 400-odd developers and customer support - they all work on RuneScape?
Henrique Olifiers: No, we have a new game coming out in March 2009 called MechScape, and we have another site called FunOrb, which features mini-games. Most of the company works on RuneScape. For example, it accounts for 95% of our customer support, by which I mean billing, GMs, taking care of the community, making sure the game is working from a player perspective, and so on."

Source: Interview: Henrique Olifiers on Jagex's Procedurally Generated MMO, RuneScape HD (Worlds In Motion, 4 August 2008)

"As I sat down to discuss RuneScape HD with Jagex’s “Head of MechScape,” Henrique Olifiers, we found ourselves drifting off into a conversation about the online games each of us had played in the past...

The MMO Gamer: First of all, for those among our readers who may be unfamiliar, could you please introduce yourself to us, and tell us a little bit about what it is you do at Jagex.

Henrique Olifiers: I am Henrique Olifiers, I’m the head of game development at Jagex. I’m responsible for the teams running and developing the games that we have. One of them is RuneScape, the other one is FunOrb, and we have a third game in development right now called NextScape which is scheduled to be released in March, 2009...

Henrique Olifiers: ...Some of them talk about advertisement, which is also a revenue stream for us, advertisement is a very small revenue stream. From our know-how, even with six million players, advertising is strong, but not as strong as subscriptions. Subscriptions is the model to go for us...

The MMO Gamer: I like to end my interviews on a somewhat more philosophical note, as opposed to “How many exclusives are you going to give me?” So, why do you make games? What made you get into the industry? What compels you to go to work at Jagex every day?

Henrique Olifiers: I love games. I want to create worlds, I want to create realities. And, I want to know that people are having a laugh, having a great time, playing something that I created for them. I’ve been creating games since the mid-80s, on the Spectrum using Assembly. It always gave me a buzz to see a whole universe, a whole new mechanic - especially a gameplay mechanic, I love being a game designer - or telling a story, through that new form of media.

I think that if you have never tried making a game before, even if it’s a small mini-game, and showing it to your friends, and seeing that spark in their eyes, experiencing something different that you’ve created, you have to do it. It’s a unique experience, and it rewards you every day. I wouldn’t wish anything else."

Source: Interview: Jagex's Henrique Olifiers Discusses the Past, Present and Future of RuneScape (The MMO Gamer, 22 September 2008)

"I think my proudest moment is still to come, is where I’ve released my first big game here in Europe, and there’s so much momentum being built around this project I’ve been working the past two and a half years, I think seeing that game coming together, and the stage it is right now, being playable and people enjoying it, but it’s about to be released and open to the world. I’m starting to feel that this is my proudest moment. I am almost in the clouds, walking in the sky, so -"

Source: Henrique Olifiers video (Icould, Circa September/October 2008)

"Jonric: To pick up from your mention of the HD version that launched this summer, how did the idea to create it come about?

Jagex: The first time we started talking about OpenGL was back in mid-2006. It was quite an unusual kickoff. Andrew Gower came over to the Mechscape team to chat about some of the game's features, and saw a printed picture of a creature roaming the corridors of a space base hanging on the wall. We created the image with proper in-game models, but using a real-time commercial OpenGL renderer just for kicks. The next thing we heard was "You know, there's no reason we couldn't do that with our engine if we create an OpenGL version of it..."

A few months later, after proper evaluation of the installed base, specs, a lot of brainstorming and engine roadmaps, our tools and engine teams were busy putting together the master plan for the HD version of the game... The company's main focus includes maintaining and developing RuneScape and FunOrb, our new casual browser games site, and also developing a new MMO, which will be released in spring 2009."

Source: RuneScape Interview (RPG Vault, 30 September 2008)

"Not to be outdone, the announcement that a new MMO from Jagex is in the works happened over E3 as well - sci-fi based MechScape launches in March of 2009."

Source: It's Gaming Season: No Permits Needed (Barokas, 18 Occtober 2008)

"Geoff Iddison: The whole business model of Jagex products, and this business model will go forward with our new MMO coming out next year, is free to play, and if you want deeper content, you pay a subscription. Subscription is five dollars a month for RuneScape and three dollars a month for FunOrb. To go into that content, you pay the monthly subscription, so it's basically a free to play model...

Q: Companies with several different MMOs can have a slight self-competing problem. How do you look at that issue?
GI: We don't know yet. But we positioned our new MMO at an older demographic than RuneScape. It's sci-fi, so it's a different genre altogether. You're not going to get people playing multiple MMO, they're going to be playing one at a time, so there may be some cannibalization of our RuneScape userbase going over to our new MMO. Tthe way we've positioned it is RuneScape, our new MMO, and then FunOrb, the deep casual game experience. So there should be a migration path from one to the other in those three games. But it's going to be interesting to see how it overlaps...

Q: What's your primary demographic?
GI: RuneScape's demographic is from 7 to 18, with a sweet spot being around 13, 14, or 15. It's 85 percent male, but we're keen to get more females into the game. There's puzzles that are aimed at the female audience, as opposed to the PvP stuff, which is more male-oriented.

After 18 is where FunOrb comes in. People at college perhaps haven't got the time to spend 12 or 14 hours a week out on RuneScape and MMOs, so naturally they'll graduate onto something else. But this is where our new MMOG comes in. We're hoping to collect a lot of those people graduate out of RuneScape to our new MMO.

But we've got a lot of people over 40 playing Runescape; we have whole families playing the game. We have granddads and grandmas meeting their siblings, nieces, and nephews within the game. We want to appeal to the whole. For anyone who wants to play RuneScape, there's something in there for them...

Q: Your strategy is to stay completely browser-based for all of your products?
GI: Absolutely. It's so compelling, and I think other companies are seeing this now. So the distribution model of the browser base is just fantastic. There's no third parties. We are the developer and the publisher. Anywhere in the world, you can access your MMOG. You don't need a high-spec PC. With any PC that's connected to the internet, you can just log on and you're there in your game with your avatar. That model is just so good for us, and we feel it's going to become more competitive in this space because the model's so good.

However, the barriers to entry on a massive MMO which is browser-based are pretty high. The infrastructure that we've got in place not just from a technical perspective, but the design, is pretty sophisticated. The black mark system, all of the filters, the chat filters, the policing of the game... those things are pretty high barriers to entry. You don't go diving into the browser-based MMO market without having to overcome some of those hurdles. It's not just a matter of getting a game out there.

And there's a whole regulatory perspective of this as well, with an MMO that's browser-based and accessible from anyone's PC, you want to make sure it's safe to play. That's why half of our company is dedicated to player support."

Source: Interview: Jagex CEO Iddison On Going 'Deep Casual' With FunOrb (Gamesutra, 24 October 2008)

"For Jagex to maintain its momentum, Mr Iddison is exploring new markets and products. French and Brazilian versions will launch soon and Mechscape, a science fiction game that will run on the same platform as Runescape, will be released next year. "We are forever looking over our shoulders to make sure we are staying ahead of the game," [Iddison] says."

Source: Battle begins for dominance of online role players (Financial Times, 27 October 2008)

"Mod Nicho: Ibc. Yes, Jagex is workng on a new Mmo called "Mechscape"
Mod Nicho: it is a science-fiction themed Mmo
Mod Nicho: Yes, really
Mod Nicho: You can visit the Mechscape holding page, and sign up for the news
Mod Nicho: In fact, I would encourage you to do so
Mod Nicho: Dragon312: That depends on what you mean by older crowd
Mod Nicho: However the game is bigger in scale and scope than Runescape is at the [moment]
Mod Nicho: I don't want to spoil any details, though!
Mod Nicho: Trust me, it's going to be a great game
Mod Nicho: Robertkds(?): Yes, we intend to continue focusing on Runescape even afe[r it]
Mod Nicho: Is released RuneScape isn't going away
Mod Nicho: Dragon, unfortunately I don't know the pvp details of Ms yet"

Source: Video Of A Jmod Talking About Ms Ingame? (MechScape World, 28 January 2009 [unverified])

[Ren]

Articles and Public Statements (Gerhard Era)

"Jagex has been going through the questions people sent to Mark Gerhard and have passed some of the MechScape ones to Head of MechScape Henrique Olifiers, and they've kindly provided us with a copy of his responses to share with you guys.

Is Jagex really working on a new, sci-fi game? What can you tell us about it?
Yes, we are and have been for some years now. We won't tell you much as this time in order to not spoil the surprise! Remember our CEO's, Mark Gerhard, post about preparing surprises for our players?
As soon as were ready to give away information, you will be the first to know straight from us. Don't fall for scamming sites or people who pretend to know a lot about the game: they're either wrong or trying to get hold of your personal details. We never told anyone what the game is about, it's being kept as a closely guarded secret - by lasers, missiles, energy shields and the like. And a dog, a huge rabid frothing dog.

When is the new title coming out?
One of the biggest problems with MMOGs these days is how rushed they are launched, invariably letting players down due to excessive bugs or half-baked design decisions. We want to make it right, fun, huge, amazing. When it has all these ingredients, we'll invite you to try it out and tell us what you think of it. Forget about any dates you might have heard for its launch, we're not bound to them but to quality and excellence. The game will be released when we feel it has reached maturity, as simple as that.

Will the release of the new game affect RuneScape development, updates, team or future?
No, never. The game has had its own dedicated team for years now, totally independent from RuneScape. Once it is launched, the current team might expand with new talent to take care of the game's updates, but again not overlapping or affecting RuneScape in any shape or form. If anything, RuneScape has and will continue to benefit from the development of the new title: some of the novel features recently implemented in RS are a result of technology improvements triggered by the development of the new game.

Would it be worth switching to the new game?
Switch? Why not play both?
We're putting all our heart and know-how into the game, expecting it to be ground-breaking. Only you will be able to tell if the end result is worth playing or not. We hope it will - and it should sit nicely alongside RuneScape!

Is this new game a futuristic version of RuneScape?
'This is not RuneScape in space' has been our motto since day one on the development front. It's a completely different game, from every possible perspective, not only from RuneScape but from other MMOGs out there.
It's not a secret that sci-fi MMOGs are not the most successful if compared with fantasy settings, despite the genre being extremely popular for single-player games, TV, films and comics. There's surely a reason for this, and we believe we know what it is... But that's for another time!"

Source: Head Of Mechscape Answers Your Questions (Jagex/MechScape World, 13 February 2009)

"Q) Haamske - Many people are wondering about Mechscape and how it will effect RuneScape. Less updates etc?
A) No not at all, MechScape has a dedicated team and management structure so it will have no impact on RuneScape.

Q) Yurple - Runescape is not meant to be on the same level as those types of games, but will Jagex abandon Runescape for it's new game Mechscape as a competing rival of games like WoW? Will Runescape continue to be updated regularly?
A) We will never stop developing and improving RuneScape irrespective of the success of our other games.

Q) Tenseiken - Things have never been really clear as far as the structure of Jagex goes since back when there were only a few people working there. I was wondering if you could provide an overview of the structure to include individual departments and who is in charge. Perhaps even a brief company history would make an interesting read for some of the bigger 'fans.
A) We have a very flat management structure, there is a executive management team, below that we have our divisional managers such as Head of RuneScape, Head of Mechscape, Head of FunOrb, Head of Core Technologies, Head of Web Systems, Head of Player support, ect, ect. Below that are some senior staff and the rest of the company.

Q) Lbiboy - will runescape be killed like classic once you make mechscape
A) Never

Q) I Cr4ft3d Rs - What do you see Runescape being in the future, maybe 5-10 years in the futre? Also, with the release of Mechscape coming soon, will Runescape still be your #1 priority or will the millions of Runescape members be ignored and your sole purpose being on upgrading Mechscape.
A) In 5 to 10 years I see RuneScape as the biggest most epic game in the world! RuneScape was our first born and we will always love it - FunOrb is our second child(taking first steps) and Mechscape will be our third (it's still in nappies although its already a VERY big baby). This particular parent will never stops loving any of our children and as they grow and mature we just get more proud.

Q) Bluesonic43 - What is to be of Runescape after Jagex releases Mechscape and the Untitled Third MMORPG (supposedly to be released in two to three years)?
A) RuneScape will live forever! We have dedicated teams behind each game and the launch of Mechscape or any other title for the matter will never undermine the continued investment in RuneScape

Q) Rangercart - Are you making something called "vegascape"
A) No

Q) Rct Schulzer - So when Jagex starts a large, new project, do they bring new employees in, or just disperse current employees (So there arn't as many people working on runescape, and less updates for us!)?
A) No when we start a new project we build a new team around that project, the current RuneScape team is the same key people that have worked on the project for years along with some new talent as well."

Source: Even more answers...... (Jagex, 16 February 2009)

"I'm afraid that we can't give you a precise release date at this time. We have to make sure that everything is thoroughly tested before it's released."

Source: RuneScape Q&A�" Further Answers (Jagex, 7 March 2009)

"Legend Gaara: What's the news on MechScape?
Mod MMG: MechScape will be awesome :)
Mod MMG: We can't launch it until then.
...
Mod MMG: Yes MS and RS usernames will be the same.
...
Legend Gaara: Pmods on RS = pmod on MechScape?
Mod MMG: Hmmm, good question - I'm not sure about the pmod status
...
Me: Will MechScape have a beta people can play?
Mod MMG: Yes there will be a beta for RS members.
...
Me: Will MechScape have PvP?
Mod MMG: I can't really say if it will have PvP or not
Mod MMG: MechScape will be completely different from RS I believe
...
Me: How will you be combatting RWT in MechScape?
Mod MMG: There won't be any RWT in MechScape if we did our job right :)
...
Me: Is MechScape going to have a similar control system to RuneScape?
Mod MMG: No it's got its own control mechanism.
Brummyboy: A mix of WASD and mouseclick would be good imo
Mod MMG: Yeah I think we managedto get the best of both worlds
...
Caps Lock13: Demontank1 wants to know if name change system will be added
Caps Lock13: For people w/ offensive names
Mod MMG: Yes name change system will be added in a few months
...
Caps Lock13: Is MS going t be run with OpenGL?
Mod MMG: We are working on a big graphics improvement
Mod MMG: To include both OpenGL and DirectX for better compatibility
...
Me: Will Pliigi be a playable species?
Mod MMG: Yes.
...
Me: Will MechScape have more than one playable species?
Mod MMG: Yes
Mod MMG: I mean yes Ren"

Source: Mod MMG Answers Questions About Mechscape! (Mod MMG Clan Chat / MechScape World, 20 March 2009)

"Me: Any idea about the minimum specsfor MechScape... Similar to RuneScape?
Mod MMG: I expect MechScape will be a higher spec than RuneScape
Mod MMG: We haven't locked down the final spec yet but we are using more polygons."

Source: Mechscape Likely To Have Higher System Requirement (Mod MMG Clan Chat / MechScape World, 23 March 2009)

"Andrew: MechScape is playable, but isn't complete :)
Andrew: Lots more work to do on it yet
...
Mod MMG: MechScape will be like RuneScape with a f2p and p2p section
...
Mog MMG: We cant really talk about the mechscape skills"

Source: Mechscape Likely To Have Higher System Requirement (Mod MMG Clan Chat / MechScape World, 10 April 2009)

"What was the surprise?! An interview! Not just any interview. Yesterday (23rd) my time was spent, as Ren sat on pins and needles, driving to Seattle to meet with the Jagex Head of PR, Adam Tuckwell. He's positively evil!

Laura's Interview with Adam Tuckwell
Featuring questions by the site members!

1) The biggest question on everyone's mind: When is MechScape coming out? If you cannot answer this, then what are the signs we should look for that MechScape is coming soon?
Adam: Sadly we are keeping the answer to that very close to our chest. In truth we want to get the game launched when it is ready, polished and full of compelling content to keep everyone busy. We know that there is a lot of excitement about the game and it is really great watching the excitement grow. The player anticipation is a real motivator for us to release the best game that we can.

2) We've heard from Mod MMG that there will be a race of pliigi. What other races may there be, and how many of them will be playable?
Adam: Certain elements of the game are a closesly guarded secret. I can't confirm anything right now, but we will be passing more information soon.
(Note: There will be playable races and Pliigi will be one of them. Adam was unaware of what Mark said the other night as he was traveling.)

3) While MechScape is aimed at an older audience it is still appropriate for younger players. Have you ever consider it having rated content or the possibility of disabling the chat filter?
Adam: We have designed the game so that it will appeal to everyone who is interested in Science Fiction. We believe that the content will appeal to an older demographic but as the game is a truly online game it is not necessary for it to be rated.

4) What do you feel are the main lessons you learned from RuneScape which you took into account when working on MechScape?
Adam: Since launching RuneScape HD last summer our technology team has been hard at work developing the game engine. Players can expect to see an extremely different looking game to RuneScape.

5) Could you please explain the gameplay of MechScape in detail? As of now you may only walk around in RuneScape by using your mouse, and leveling up is very tedious. Will MechScape have more advanced user controls?
Adam: Levelling in MMO's can be tedious and some games make levelling difficult in an attempt to cover for a lack of content. We are approaching game design in a totally new way, player progression will be unlike any other MMO currently on the market and we are sure that you and the other MechScape world followers will love it.

6) Various RuneScape stats can be levelled much quicker now than when they were initially introduced, which some argue lessens the achievement of early players. Do you expect the same to happen with MechScape?
Adam: As MMO's grow with additional content added there is a natural progression for content to become more difficult as it is added. Therefore, earlier quests or challenges will usually be easier to complete than the subsequent updates. In our games it is never the intention to lessen player achievements and we have put checks in place to ensure that this will not happen in our games in the future.

7) Let's talk character and "vehicle" design. How customizable will characters and vehicles be?
Adam: We are proud of our character customisation in all our games and we think that we will offer gamers a very wide variety of customisation for their characters which we will continue to focus on in all our future products.

8) Will the Beta Launch be free or will only paying members be allowed to enter the game, in the Beta?
Adam: We have a number of valued subscribers who have been loyal to Jagex and it is only right that we thank them. Current subscribers will be given access to the Beta and it will be free to play.

9) I've noticed that much of MechScape's concept art closely resembles Miyazaki movies such as Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky. Was Miyazaki an inspiration? What are some inspirations that brought MechScape together and gave it it's style?
Adam: The game has been inspired from a variety of areas, movies, games, and fiction all compiled together to get a truly unique gaming Experience.


10) Jagex has previously stated it would be tackling Real World Trading at a "core design level". Could you expand on this?
Adam: We are committed to abolishing RWT from all of our games. In MechScape we have designed the game to remove the need for RWTing. It is difficult to expand on what we have done for MechScape in particular until it is launched, we don't want to give RWT any clues.

11) A serious recession is slamming the UK right now. Gaming is known to be one of the booming industries right now. Is Jagex expected to ride out the recession and perhaps even turn a larger profit than 2008 in this frigid economic environment?
Adam: The UK, as with most of the world, is experiencing a financial slowdown. We have very popular games which are competitively priced, and we are confident that we will be able to ride out the recession.

12) Is Jagex planning to initiate any plans to further stop not just Real World Trading, but also cyber crime and child predators?
Adam: Cyber crime and child predators have no place in our games and we work tirelessly to remove any trace of them from our games. We have over 150 staff working 24/7 to provide player support and ensure that our games are safe and enjoyable for all of our users. Jagex has also worked closely with organizations that focus on ending cyber crime, and we have become well known in the industry for our level of safety and security.

13) Is Jagex planning to expand the customer support anytime soon? Last I heard, there were less than 300 support staff for more than 10 million players!
We have over 380 staff of which over 150 are dedicated player support staff. We have one of the most well respected support teams in the industry and would never compromise on player safety. In addition to the paid employees we have a large band of players moderators who, in their free time, support players and help moderate the game.

14. Our administrator, Ren, is planning to take over Jagex by getting your staff addicted to Space Pie. What is the antidote and where can we find it?!?!? -- phoneline cut; static --
Adam: Jagex castle is protected by an army of exploding sheep who have been trained to sniff out and eat Space pies. We believe that this army will keep us safe from harm.

In addition to the questions, here are some other highlights from the meeting with Adam:
March 23, 2009

- Jagex has demo'd the game to their PR agency, and the response from PR agents Catharine and Ashley was "very cool."
- MechScape has been worked on since 2006.
- MechScape, upon release, will be the size of the current world in RuneScape. It is a large game, nothing of which has ever been seen before on the web, and will differ totally from RuneScape.
- MechScape already has 1 YEAR of content updates waiting in the pipes!
- When asked the question of whether MechScape will be a more grunge type of Mech. or a futuristic Mech, the answer was Futuristic. I sort of confused him on that.
- MechScape has a dedicated team of 70 people that are in charge of supporting MechScape and only MechScape.
- Samantha H.'s MechScape concepts are not part of the official MechScape. This specific image from Darren B. is not part of MechScape.-Redacted

"Hi Laura,

Great to meet you yesterday. Just to confirm the Darrens art work IS genuine! I think you got confussed with Kris F whose art is not MechScape. Hope that that helps.

Regards
Adam"

- MechScape World was the key reason they changed their policy towards fansites!!
- The developers and artists of MechScape find great joy in reading our posts and love the feedback. Keep it comin'!
- Adam will be happy to answer follow-up questions to this post.

To end this post with a breath-taking announcement, I was presented, as a gift to MechScape World and a thank you, with a poster signed by the MechScape staff! Now, when I got home it was dark so the poster's brilliant artwork is kind of fuzzy. I promise to get better pictures in the daylight. This poster is absolutely gorgeous and every detail is wonderful."

Source: Surprise! Thank You Adam & Jagex! (MechScape World, 24 March 2009)

"We have new MMORPG games on the way aimed at an older audience. The games are what makes Jagex special. It's an awesome company with great staff and we just had the most successful two quarters in our history."

Source: Why Cambridge firm must protect its gaming world (Cambridge News, 24 March 2009)

"SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- 03/25/09 -- 2009 Game Developer's Conference -- Jagex, Ltd., the largest independent game developer in United Kingdom, has achieved rapid acceleration in its business as 2009 progresses, emergingfrom the two most profitable quarters in company history and growth among its existing game properties, RuneScape and FunOrb. On the heels of this momentum, Jagex will be launching its second, highly anticipated massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) later this year. The game -- under the code name MechScape -- has already generated significant buzz among gaming enthusiasts, and will appeal to both existing RuneScape players and an entirely new audience of online gamers."

Source: Jagex Gains Strong Momentum for 2009, Reinforces Position as Leader in Multiplayer Games (Jagex, 25 March 2009)

"Jagex's RuneScape and FunOrb - a games portal - remain hugely popular and a new MMORPG is expected this year."

Source: Jagex wins business of the year (Cambridge News, Circa 30 March 2009)

"Besides giving Blizzard a run for "which company could fill a pool with money and swim in it," Jagex is also preparing a brand new MMO game, set in the confines of science-fiction and giant robots. MechScape, as the project is currently known, will feature deeper gameplay than its fantasy cousin to target a brand new audience. MechScape will be based from RuneScape's technology and will feature graphics of a higher caliber than RuneScape HD."

Source: Jagex looking strong for 2009 (Massively, 30 March 2009)

"We've been hearing some new info this last week concerning Jagex and their latest MMO project. The company has enjoyed wild success so far with their free-to-play browser-based MMO RuneScape, and they hope to replicate that success with their sci-fi project entitled MechScape. We had the opportunity to sit down with a few members of the company's top development team for an interview during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco to discuss this new project and the current state of the company.

So what is MechScape? Well, first off, it's important to note that MechScape is not the game's name, only the project's code name. It is a sci-fi MMO project that has been in development since 2006. Although it will be running on the RuneScape HD engine, Jagex is very determined to point out that this game will not simply be RuneScape in space. It will have its own mechanics, its own storyline and a planet-based, non-linear game experience unlike anything they've tackled before.

When the project was first conceived, the team started out by analyzing the current sci-fi MMOs and discovering why they weren't truly successful in the market. They discovered that these games were nothing more than fantasy mechanics dressed in a sci-fi wrapper. Having a set of skills that you level up through grinding is basically a fantasy mechanic. So from here they identified what game mechanics make a good sci-fi game, and they've developed most of these as completely unique features that have never been seen in any MMO before. Of course any real details on that are yet to be announced.

The game centers around the tension among four distinct species, each with their own look, abilities and back stories. Throughout the game, players can choose their alliances, which shape the path of their adventure. There are hints of cloning, player-built vehicles and even spaceship building eventually.

One of the greatest advantages Jagex has with this new project is the experience behind the team. With RuneScape boasting 150 millions users since their launch in 2001 (and the Guinness World Record for the largest free-to-play MMO in the world), they've had the chance to learn from their experiences, both good and bad. While each development team has their own core developers, the technical side of things are run by the same folks, allowing them to learn and grow together. In fact, RuneScape's newest HD launch was made possible by the advancements in MechScape.

In addition to MechScape, Jagex is enjoying what may turn out to be a great year for the company. RuneScape is still played by over 5 million players a month and their gaming hub FunOrb is constantly gaining new hosted games.

We look forward to hearing more details on MechScape and what Jagex has up its sleeve to keep the largest free-to-play MMO so wildly popular."

Source: GDC09: What Jagex has in store with MechScape (Massively, 31 March 2009)

"As expected, many of the sessions this year focused on how to survive tough economic conditions. However, from where we sit, the online games arena remains a sweet spot. Our client Jagex, publisher of RuneScape and the soon-to-be-released sci-fi MMO MechScape, is breaking record profits and continues to grow. Online publishers, including client WildTangent, are benefiting from business models that enable low-cost entertainment to the masses, helping keep gaming alive even when consumer budgets are tight. All in all, the games industry appears to be resilient, a feeling reinforced through conversations with press, analysts and our clients."

Source: GDC 2009 - Gaming is Alive and Well! (Barokas, 1 April 2009)

"Hello everyone,

In a recent press release we stated that our upcoming sci-fi title was code named “MechScape”. Many people have been looking for clarification regarding the name of this new game, so we decided it would be best to attempt to clarify this matter.

When we first came up with the idea for our new game it was primarily focused on robots known as “mechs”, hence the name MechScape made perfect sense. It drew on the main theme of the game, and also played on the “-scape” brand which we had established with RuneScape. Okay, we thought, we have the name sorted, so now let’s get on with the exciting bit of development.

And so we grew fond of the name, and some fans found out about it and many of them got invested in the name too, and therefore we believed that the name was definitely going to be MechScape. But recently we decided to re-evaluate it, which is why we referred to it as just a “code name”. There are various reasons for us to stick with the original name, and it is possible that we might end up doing just that, but there are also reasons why we might still want to change it.

During the game’s early evolution we became a lot more ambitious, and substantially widened our vision beyond just robots to encompass the wider possibilities of the sci-fi genre. This meant that the first half of the MechScape name could give people an overly narrow view of what the game is about. Similarly, if we drew on the RuneScape brand by using the “-Scape” suffix then it could make people think the game was essentially RuneScape in space, which it defiantly is not. Whatever name we go with we will be using for a very long time, so we want to get it right and that is why it is back on the table for discussion.

So the honest answer to the question of what the game will be called is that we don’t know yet. We have a number of ideas, one of which is just to stick with the initial name. We understand that many people would have liked to have known earlier that the name wasn’t set in stone. In response to this we would like to make it clear that it was only very recently that we seriously began reconsidering the name again. However, I admit that we should have told our fans as soon as we were unsure about it. We are aware that the name of our title is a very emotive area, and whatever decision we ultimately make we will not make lightly.

Please don't take this statement to mean that the game is now done and all we have to worry about now is what to call it. There is still a fair amount of development work left for us to do. We can't give you a release date at the moment because large complex game development projects such as this one are extremely hard to estimate. The last thing we want after spending so much time and energy on this project is a rushed release, which is why we won't launch it until we are confident that it is ready.

I do hope this clarifies matters a little bit more and that you remain as excited about the game as we are."

Source: Jagex: Regarding The Name Of Mechscape (Mark Gerhard / MechScape World, 2009)

[Ren]

Job Vacancies

"Jagex Ltd, developer and publisher of the MMORPG adventure game RuneScape, is looking for imaginative people to join the content development team on a permanent basis. Your role will primarily be to build creatures, shape virtual worlds, design quests and storylines for our new, undisclosed game.... Also useful: ... Anime, graphic novels and general sci-fi interest."

Source: Content Developer x6 Vacancy (Jagex, June 2006)

"Key duties include: Design, creation and development of 3D graphics using in house tools for all of the company’s graphical requirements; Creating Models for Environments, Objects, Vehicles, Characters and Special Effects;"

Source: Junior 3D Modeller with Texturing Experience Vacancy (Jagex, June 2007)

"Key duties include: Manage small creative teams and large projects; Design, Creation and Development of 3D graphics using in house tools for all of the company’s graphical requirements; Creating Models for Environments, Objects, Vehicles, Characters and Special Effects"

Source: 3D Modeller wtih Project Management Experience (Jagex, June 2007)

"Key duties include: Design, Creation and Development of art assets using in-house tools for various game projects; Creating Models for Environments, Objects, Vehicles and Characters;

Requirements: Requirements: Art and Design or equivalent degree; A particular interest and skill in Low-Polygon Modelling; Must be creative and imaginative; A good fundamental knowledge of and ability in 3D, including modelling, animation, texturing, lighting, rendering, in any software; Experience working on a variety of textures, created using photo reference and also 100% hand-painted textures; Ability to work within limitations, and create great looking low-polygon count models and well-textured models from small-sized texture sheets; Good knowledge of Photoshop or equivalent 2D packages; Ability to be able to pick up new tools quickly"

Source: Junior Modeller with Texturing Experience Vacancy (Jagex, August 2007)

"A person in this role will need to create interesting and innovative concepts to help the design team in the production of the creation of 3D and animations. Key Duties Include: Design of characters, creatures, vehicles and environments for exciting games."

Source: Junior Concept Artist Vacancy (Jagex, September 2007)

"Key duties include: Design, creation and development of 3D graphics using in house tools for all of the company’s graphical requirements; Creating models for environments, objects, vehicles, characters and special effects."

Source: 3D Modeller (Junior) Vacancy (Jagex, ‎October ‎2007)

"The successful candidate will take on the challenge of leading one of our content development teams, working on an upcoming MMOG. This will include taking full responsibility of all managerial tasks and providing inspirational leadership to 12+ developers.

Key duties include: Leading a team of 12+ content developers ranging from new to senior staff...
Essential requirements: ...Knowledge of the MMO gaming market...
Desirable: ...Deep understanding of storytelling structure, roleplay mechanics and general gameplay; Anime, graphic novels and general interest in sci-fi."

Source: Game Development Team Manager (Upcoming Project) Vacancy (Jagex, February 2008)

"The Quality Assurance department is not only responsible for finding bugs; they are also responsible for ensuring the highest quality results for a number of games and other software products. This department currently comprises over 20 testers divided across 4 specific units, and we expect this to double in size as we launch new products."

Source: Quality Assurance Test Lead Vacancy (Jagex, ‎March ‎2008)

"The Jagex Quality Assurance team is not only responsible for finding bugs, they are taking an integrated part in developing the highest quality results for several games and other software products. This team has over 20 testers at the moment - including 3 team leaders - and we expect them to continue growing as we launch new products.... Key duties include: Leading 20+ QA game and software testers (including 3 team leaders)."

Source: Quality Assurance Manager Vacancy (Jagex, March 2008)

"Working closely with our Technology team and top levelmanagement, you will be responsible for the optimization of critical sectionsof our graphics engine.

Key duties include: Analysis and solution finding for faster overall system function; Analyse code implementations for performance improvement; Hand optimise critical sections to a byte code level; Discuss potential solutions with the Technical Management and other Technology team members; Provide excellent reporting on project status

Requirements: Strong programming experience, specifically in areas such as 16 bit platforms and embedded devices; Strong mathematical abilities; Highly organised, self-motivated and possessing excellent time management skills; Highly proficient in C++ and/or Java programming with excellent debugging and optimization abilities; Good knowledge of graphics and computer art; Excellent attention to detail and passionate about project success; Highly computer literate, with working knowledge of common project management software; Strong communicator both verbally and written; Strong personality and confidence to take ownership of role.

Job reference: opengl-prog"

Source: Programming Consultant Vacancy (Jagex, March 2008)

"Key duties include: Design of characters, creatures, vehicles and environments for exciting games."

Source: Concept Artist Vacancy (Jagex, May 2008)

"...Looking for an imaginative individual with excellent team management skills and a thorough understanding of games development, to take on the challenge of leading their game content development team, working on an upcoming title. This role will include taking full responsibility of all managerial tasks and providing inspirational leadership to a team of developers.

Key duties include: Leading a team of developers ranging from new to senior staff ... Desirable: ...Deep understanding of storytelling structure, role-play mechanics and general gameplay; Anime, graphic novels and general Sci-Fi Interest."

Source: Creative Producer / Game Development Manager Vacancy (Jagex, April & May 2008)

"You will be working with our Game Content Development department creating (design and script) new quests, skills and monsters for either our massively multiplayer game, RuneScape, or our upcoming MMOG... Key duties include: Create new game elements (quests, minigames, skills, monsters, etc) based on pre-defined expectations for our products."

Source: Game Content Developers (Designer) - Upcoming or Existing MMOGs Vacancy (Jagex, April & May 2008)

"This team, working on an in production title, currently comprises 4 testers. We expect this team to grow significantly in size as the product approaches and passes its launch date."

Source: Quality Assurance Team Leader (Upcoming MMORPG) Vacancy (Jagex, June & July 2008)

[Ren]

CV's & Employee Profiles

"Experience: Head of Game Content / Game Design at Jagex Ltd. January 2006 - Present: Leading the top-design team, MMORPG project; Team managing and coaching; Game concept and development."

Source: Curriculum Vitae of Henrique O (Head of MechScape)

"April 2005 - October 2006: Lead modeller, for an online space mmorpg. This was also for Jagex Ltd, release date and official title, not yet known. Principle responsibilities (lead modeller), to establish the modelling procedures for new game, document style guides and modelling techniques, maintain a high standard from all modelling staff, and make sure the essence of the concept art was best met, while fitting into the restrictions of the game-engine.

April 2005 - October 2006: Assistant concept artist, for an online space mmorpg. This was also for Jagex Ltd, release date and official title, not yet known. Principle responsibilities (assistant concept artist), to creatively push the designs of the characters, vehicles and environments, with out straying from the core design styles.

July 2004 - April 2005: 3d Graphic Designer for Jagex Ltd, online computer games at www.runescape.com. Principle responsibilities, were to do character and environment design, modelling and animation. It also has elements of 2d work for the website, which includes wallpapers for the fans and images for the newsletters."

Source: Curriculum Vitae of John S (Jagex Graphics Team)

"Content Developer at Jagex, October 2006 - Present: I'm developing content for a new MMORPG, from the makers of RuneScape - this involves a combination of design, coding, mapping and writing, all the skills that I've been trying to hone during my career basically. I've been trying to find ways that we can take the genre forward in terms of storytelling and player grouping, while also developing cool missions and minigames."

Source: Curriculum Vitae of Oscar G (Jagex Content Developer)

"Junior Graphics Artist for Untitled game (March 2008 - June 2008) Jagex, Cambridge. As this game is still under production, genre and content cannot be discussed. Responsibilities involved: Working to a set style guide (completely different to above) - This included working on intricate models. It enabled me to enhance my knowledge of modeling and texturing; Texturing environments and vehicles; Remodeling models to suit a certain texturing style - optimising low poly models; Modelling low poly models; Managing my own area in the game- this gave me the opportunity to work independently and be more responsible."

Source: Curriculum Vitae of Soheeb K (Jagex Graphics Team)

"I often create mood paintings for pre-production of environments and creatures/vehicles"

Source: Profile of Neil R (Jagex Graphics Team)

"Creating all 3D animation content for a Java based MMORPG, the current main focus is human character animation, but other facets of the job have required the animation team to produce effects such as fire, smoke and explosions using none textured polygons and 100% key-frame animation"

Source: Curriculum Vitae of Richard B (Jagex Graphics Team)

"Rich is a hard-working individual who has got great enthusiasm for animation. Characters, chatheads,creatures, vehicles and environments - all categories are animated to the highest standard. Besides being a very skilled animator, he is always using his good organisational skills to deliver any required animations on time"

Source: Recommendation of Richard B by Rasmus K H (Jagex Graphics Team)

"Experience: 2002 - 2007 / Jagex Senior Artist

Cambridge Lead Concept

Jagex produce on line java games. I was originally employed to work on 'RuneScape' a MMORPG currently with 4,000,000 users (of which over 800,000 are Paying members). I have more recently moved to the role of Lead concepter for a exciting new MMORPG title currently in development.

Senior Artist: Supervising and motivating junior artists; Clearly communicating with Lead content designer, Lead QA and Head of graphics. Ensuring their needs are being met at constant high quality and to schedule; Curator role for all website graphics. Keeping imagery on site consistent and up to date. Improving website's design where possible while maintaining low file sizes for low-end users.

Lead Concepts: Establishing a style guide covering all visuals for new Jagex MMORPG. Includes characters, environments and interfaces; Ensuring styles are kept consistent throughout all stages of development. Ensuring all team members are aware of our products aesthetic aim and are creating the work necessary to produce the product on schedule; Producing plan sheets for concepted characters and equipment. Advising modellers and animators on original concept idea. Surveying characters/props from concept to completion for consistency; Supervising and advising concept team, giving motivational direction to lead environment artist and lead modeller; Producing designs and plans for all in game vehicles (a few hundred). Ensuring all vehicles are original, look great and have an equal and sustained level of development.

3D Artist: Producing original online content for Runescape from general concepting to scripting quests, level design and creating 3D/2D graphics. I've fully produced over 15 quests including story/script, 3d graphics and mapping; 3D modelling. Using in house software to produce hundreds of low poly models (characters, scenery, props) to stringent internal technical requirements; Level design and mapping. Surveying all Runescape map squares and improving on architecture and colour coordination, also ensuring that there was consistency of quality through out; Rigging and Animating characters and props; Writing briefs and timetables based around scripters needs. Predicting development schedules."

Source: Curriculum Vitae of Thomas W (Jagex Graphics Team) from 2007

[Ren]

Domains and Trademarks


Non-exhaustive list of MechScape-related domains owned by Jagex and their date of initial registration (DD-MM-YY):
15-12-03 mechscape.com
15-12-03 mechscape.net
16-12-03 mechscape.co.uk
16-12-03 mechscape.org
24-08-05 mechacape.info
24-08-05 mechscape.biz
24-08-05 mechscape.us
24-08-05 mechscape2.com
10-04-06 mechscape.tk
14-04-06 mechscape.eu
15-05-06 mechhq.com
15-05-06 mechscapecoin.com
15-05-06 mechscapecommunity.com
15-05-06 mechscapecredit.com
15-05-06 mechscapegold.com
15-05-06 mechscapeguide.com
15-05-06 mechscapehq.com
15-05-06 mechscapeinfinite.com
15-05-06 mechscapemoderators.com
15-05-06 mechscaper.com
15-05-06 mechscaperealm.com
15-05-06 mechscapeshopping.com
15-05-06 mechscapetrades.com
15-05-06 mechscapetrading.com
06-06-06 mechscape.be
12-07-06 mechscape.cn
12-07-06 mechscape.com.es
12-07-06 mechscape.es
12-07-06 mechscape.it
12-07-06 mechscape.pl
12-07-06 mechscape.ru
13-07-06 mechscape.nl
24-07-06 mechscape.dk
24-07-06 mechscape.fr
26-07-06 mechscape.se
27-07-06 mechscape.hu
26-09-06 mechscape.mobi
13-06-07 mechscape.com.pl
08-10-07 mechscape.net.cn
08-10-07 mechscape.org.cn
10-10-07 mechscape.co.in
10-10-07 mechscape.com.tw
23-10-07 mechscape.gr
07-11-07 mechscape.lt
27-11-07 mechscape.ro
10-01-08 mechscapemillions.com
10-01-08 mechscapeproject.com
03-03-08 mechscape.asia
22-04-08 mechscape.lu

You can see a list of various other Jagex-registered domains at http://www.mechscapeworld.com/jagex-domains.pdf

Jagex trademarks and date of first filing:
27-12-02 RuneScape (UK 2302308 & 2469132 & 2469135 & 2491753; EU 006613889 & 002942761 & 007223662 & 005077987, US 78904266 & 78189324 & 77382015 & 77566082)
13-06-02 Jagex (UK 2302759, EU 002943884, US 78189719)
11-10-05 MechScape (UK 2403672, EU 006389035 & 004863148, US 78851031 & 77453267)
14-09-06 FunOrb (UK 2432576 & 2448627, EU 005740287 & 006195895, US 77125854 & 77254605)
28-01-09 Stellar Dawn (UK 2507401 & 2511016, EU 008159931, US 77692485)
10-02-09 Dungeon Assault (UK 2508346)
10-02-09 Arcanists (UK 2508347)
10-02-09 Steel Sentinels (UK 2508348)
10-02-09 Armies of Gielinor (UK 2508349)
17-03-09 Never Ending Dungeon (UK 2511232)
17-03-09 Infinite Dungeon (UK 2511234)

MechScape logo (filed 24-10-07):


Their USPTO application states: "The mark consists of The stylized term MECHSCAPE with outer space background including planets."

Stellar Dawn logo (filed 12-03-09):

[mike470]

Fantastic job Ren, this is awesome. I'm going to need more soda before I start reading this one

[maddog1000]

Wow that must have taken FOREVER. Nice work

[Dirk]

They started talking about MechScape in 2003. It took three years to finally begin work on it. Releasing new languages took alot longer than expected too, it seems.

Ren, you've put more time into compiling this info than Jagex probably would have, lol. Some good stuff. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but will eventually.

[snooze_dude]

Hard Work, Well Done! :)

[Alex]

Wow that must have taken FOREVER. Nice work

When I asked him that he said a while.

It took me long enough to read and edit :P

Great job once again :D

[jmb]

Just finished it!

Good stuff Ren, a great summary of where we are now. I suspect the release date has internally been put back a few months and they are looking at H2 this year. One thing that occurs to me is the mention of anime, and graphic novels in the recruitment details.

Could it be that MS is going to resemble a graphic novel? I.e. resembling a 2d comic book effect like certain parts of 300 and Sin City, but with some 3D models in the foreground... I cant wait to see some ingame screenshots!

[JJ17400]

Very well done Ren, Some of those Statements i had not even see.

[Ren]

Could it be that MS is going to resemble a graphic novel? I.e. resembling a 2d comic book effect like certain parts of 300 and Sin City, but with some 3D models in the foreground... I cant wait to see some ingame screenshots!

I think the Anime thing was because originally it was all bout robots and Mecha anime, which feature robots/mechs, are very popular.

Andrew Gower came over to the Mechscape team to chat about some of the game's features, ...

MechScape.

Complain to RPG Vault not me, that's a direct quote.

http://digg.com/playable_web_games/An_insi...MORPG_MechScape <-- Darth Irule posted this thread to Digg - support us by Digging it!

[nich]

Finished reading. Wow!

Ren, you've put more time into compiling this info than Jagex probably would have, lol. Some good stuff.

Haha, i completely agree that you put more work into this than some jagex employees would have :D

[Jomihkie]

Very nice and informative. (Y) Good job.

[Asfastasdark]

Wow, great summary! This must have taken forever! Just a couple of things that should be fixed:

... non-linear planet-based game which focusses around four distinct races.

Should be "focuses."

Andrew Gower came over to the Mechscape team to chat about some of the game's features, ...

MechScape.

... a monthly fee

Missing a period.

... as well as a industrial-style complex.

Should be an.

All in all though, this is a great summary and really sums up what has been going on with MechScape as far as we know.

[mike470]

Wow, great summary! This must have taken forever! Just a couple of things that should be fixed:

... non-linear planet-based game which focusses around four distinct races.

Should be "focuses."

Wrong, both are perfectly valid.

[zepherusbane]

Excellent work Ren. Thanks for taking the time.

[Darth Irule]

Andrew Gower came over to the Mechscape team to chat about some of the game's features, ...

MechScape.

Complain to RPG Vault not me, that's a direct quote.

http://digg.com/playable_web_games/An_insi...MORPG_MechScape <-- Darth Irule posted this thread to Digg - support us by Digging it!

Once we get 100 we get on the frount page of the digg site which means huge traffic for the site and new members and new people playing mechscape!


Great great review Ren.