WorldShards AMA recap #3 (May 2024)

What is the current progress in combating cheaters, what upcoming updates and plans do developers have, what are players most eagerly anticipating, and which biomes are they about to encounter soon?

In April, we actively discussed bugs, but now, despite the improvement in the situation with errors, we have encountered a new problem — cheaters. So let’s tackle this one first.

What solutions are there to prevent cheating?

It seems like there’s no end to the cheating problem. But it’s a normal phenomenon, especially for large and successful projects. We have good news for you, as today most critical cheats like item duplication, modifying player stats of any kind are impossible.

Cheaters in WorldShards do not go unnoticed, most of them are punished. However, there is still a group of sneaky cheaters who have not disappeared from the magical world and continue to break the rules. We are monitoring the situation with them, banning not only chats but also on the Open Loot account. We guarantee that they will lose access not only to our game, but also to partner games, for example, Big Time.

As we validate servers, we will add checks for the main actions that players take in the game. This will make cheating practically impossible, and there will be no point in trying to use them.

How are things going with the daily gold limit?

Currently, we have a limit of 10 gold set in place. We have a great feedback mechanism in place for listening to your suggestions. At the moment, we do not see the need to increase the gold limit, but if and when the time comes, we won’t hesitate to do so.

Can you set a 12 hour gameplay cap?

While we currently have no plans to limit your time in Murlandia, we ask that you do not play for more than 10 hours a day as it negatively affects your health. Remember to take breaks, go for walks, spend time with family, friends, and enjoy good food!

Do you plan to speed up the recycling process?

Development team has plans that will allow you to reduce processing time and increase processing speed. We are not just offering money to speed up the process, we aim to create an interactive and social experience.

What can we expect in the next update?

Let’s take a look under the hood of the WorldShards machine. There are plenty of surprises there, but not all are uncovered yet. We’re sharing tasty tidbits of the patchnote with you!

• Combat mechanics and gameplay change. In the new update, a new resource — stamina — will be introduced, used in the damage avoidance mechanic. Pay attention to the stamina bar, which will play an important role in your strategy.
• Lots of changes in the battle user interface, as well as in the stealth mechanics. Now, if you stealthily approach an enemy and attack them from behind, you will deal increased damage, adding new tactical possibilities.
• Update in NPC and monster behavior logic, as well as in attacks and characteristics. Expect an army of updated golems, wood-antlers, and new ranged weapons, to be revealed later.
• Changes in attack timings, enhancement of opponent strength, and much more.

Our update is also aimed at improving readability, user experience in the inventory, and usability of the interfaces we have in the game. UI SFX is on the way, which guarantees to solve the issue of silent clicking on settings.

Plus, the upcoming update would add one more piece — collectible items. Not all of the features of said collectibles will be available until our economy is launched.

Also, expect a multitude of small but necessary changes in visual design in accordance with your feedback on the island level design. For example there finally will be a notification when you get NFTs!

Are you going to introduce new decor NFTs?

Decorative NFT drops will change with each update so you can make your islands even more beautiful and diverse. During drops, old items will deplete, and new ones will appear. In the future, it may also be possible to reset islands or obtain them in other gameplay actions (but this is not certain).

You can expect a fresh set of decor and furniture to be added during the first week of June.

When will we be able to withdraw our NFTs from Open Loot?

If all goes according to plan this feature will be added before the end of May.

How is Founders Island different from other islands, what are the differences?

Founder’s island replaces the default island and cannot be placed next to it. Regular islands can be connected by bridges and placed close together, while collectible items will be crafted and used for future upgrades. We are also working on multiplayer functionality so that players can play together on a shared server in our MMO game.

What is included in the mid-term plans of WorldShards?

We have many mid-term plans, and one of them includes adding a whole new biome to the game. For our players, Christmas will come early, as we plan to introduce during the summer. Also, look at those skins! Want to be a ninja — be one, want to be a Viking — no problem!

There will be at least two major updates in the coming months that will be adding a new piece of the economy: firstly we’ll add the artifacts that will enable the collectible items crafting.

And after that we’ll enable extra land functionality allowing players to expand their domain. It’ll be a final step before launching the token and economy.

What about the multiplayer features?

We want to offer more than just visiting each other’s home islands and battling monsters. The goal is to provide a full-on multiplayer experience.

We are creating an MMO game where players can not only play on one server but also interact with one another. This involves not only playing as a team but also spending time with friends, where exclusive opportunities will arise and the opportunity for collaboration on your island.

Can you tell us about these ”portal journeys to custom-generated islands”?

We are working on creating unique islands so that each of your adventures is different. Despite the procedural generation of islands, we will also have special locations dedicated to specific events.

We continue to work on procedural generation of each location, which will be included over the next year. We expect a significant increase in gameplay variability. You will be able to visit many more islands and get a variety of experiences.

What are the WorldShards’ long-term plans?

Our goal is to launch the PC version of our platform and achieve the desired functionality by the end of this year and the beginning of the next.

In the long term, you will be able to enjoy full-fledged storylines with quests, events, and even virtual world maps. And of course, with the development of the story, NPCs will appear, and we still plan to add companions.

We want our adventures to be accessible to everyone, so by the end of 2025, we plan to release the mobile version of the game WorldShards. This is one of our main goals and long-term plans.

We are proud of everything we have prepared for you all this time and hope you will enjoy it. And by the way, don’t worry, you will all be rewarded for the early access shenanigans you had to deal with.

What are the ways to obtain artifacts?

At the initial stage, you can only obtain them through sales, but in the future, we may hold events where we will reward you with artifacts. Our goal is to make each stage of the game as interactive as possible, without turning it into a paid and easy victory. We do not want to create games that we ourselves would not want to play.

Let’s talk about improving collectible items

The process is simple. Just take the target item you want to improve, and two additional items of the same rarity. After the upgrade, the selected item will increase in rarity, and the two additional items will disappear. In this way, you will get an improved item without any extra hassle.

Will there be any point, any form of character alignment, adjustment, and skill improvement?

For example, gamers who are actively engaged in fishing gain experience and skills, allowing them to successfully catch fish and increase their achievements. WorldShards also considers the possibility of preserving the training system and the opportunity for players to express themselves through the level of equipment. We have no plans to introduce character levels — a player’s progress in the game is reflected in their skill level. Some games do not have a character level system, and we see the benefits of this approach, including the ability for new players to catch up with more experienced ones without spending a long time. Skills, such as fishing skills we talked about, are necessary for players, but do not form the basis of the character’s level. We do not rule out the presence of attributes related to the player’s activities, but we plan to avoid character levels to emphasize other aspects of progression, such as base development, available recipes, and equipment.

Will there be a token farm this year?

There’s a short answer — yes, and a longer answer — yes, of course.

What are crystals in WorldShards?

Crystals are premium currency that can be earned during various events or purchased on the website and other places. They are used to charge collectible items and accelerate game time.

Fortune’s Favor: How long will this effect last? Is there a cooldown period for its activation?

The Fortune’s Favor effect will last depending on the amount of charge you receive while charging the item. There is no cooldown period for activating the effect — the only difference is in the duration of thr charge, which can vary from a few hours to a few days.

We aim to make the game as flexible as possible, giving you the option to play in different styles. You can quickly charge an item and embark on a short adventure, or charge it for a long time to play for more than 12 hours without a break. In both cases, the item will be charged throughout the process. In the case of Fortune’s Favor — the choice is yours.

Are there plans to have a comfort leaderboard?

Yes, indeed! We’re looking into ways to implement both permanent ranking, as well as seasonal leaderboards of various kinds. So if you were thinking about making your house more comfortable, there’s no day like today.

Finally, shall we delve into philosophy? How does increasing the “Luck” parameter along with the artifact requirement symbolize broader themes in the game, such as the balance between preparation and chance, or the idea of fate versus free will?

The conflict between luck and skill, fate and will, represents a broad theme not only for world maps and games in general. In seeking control over the outcome of each encounter, adventure, or grind result, artifacts provide additional opportunities for control. However, the game can always pleasantly surprise or disappoint. Perhaps you will receive the desired item, or maybe an undesired one. Your victories may be easy, but defeats are inevitable. It is this uncertainty that makes MMO games attractive — each adventure is unique, and you never know what to expect.

Today, the work continues on fixing errors, largely thanks to your feedback. Our experience and expertise allow us to solve problems quickly and decisively. As for transitioning to the second phase of early access, it will definitely happen. This will occur before the full economy launch. Stay with us to witness amazing events and updates in Murrlandia!