WarCry network has a new interview up with Travis Baldree, whom we know as the lead behind Mythos.
The interview is quite short, however gives some interesting insights.
WC: The business model for Mythos is unusual. Please explain how Mythos will ‘make money’ if not through subscription play. What sort of items will be sold through through the premium shops?
Our initial plan is to utilize a dual-currency system similar to what is used by Three Rings for Puzzle Pirates. In this system, there are two ingame currencies - one that is earned, and one that is purchased for actual money. Certain goods and services will be available for purchase with the ‘purchased’ currency. The unique part of this system is that players can trade purchased currency for ingame currency or items - in this way, even those who never pay any actual money can still have access to goods that require it. Our aim is not to sell game-in balancing items, but rather convenience services and cosmetic options, primarily.
WC: Mythos has had the ‘casual gamer’ label slapped on it by MMO purists. How do you respond to that? What sort of gamer is Mythos attempting to attract?
I don’t have any problem with being labeled a casual game - primarily because as I grow older I am making the shift from hardcore to casual myself. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about a fun game with a deep core experience - it means I’m unwilling to put up with needless time wasting and grind. Casual gamers don’t want less of a game - they just want the time spent playing it to count. We’d like the hardcore to play as well - we intend to keep layering the experience, and deepening it with late-game content that we hope will keep players interested and active, without feeling they need to commit an extraordinary chunk of their life to do so.
See the WarCry page for the rest of the interview.
The official Mythos website is reporting on a couple of bits of new Mythos things.
First is a set of new exclusive screenshots of the Overworld by RPG Vault and second is a front page magazine review of Mythos, in an online Magazine, Thirteen1 Online.
Over at RPG vault there are six exclusive Mythos screenshots of the Overworld now available in our Test Center server. Check them out by clicking Read More… below.
Mythos was given a cover spot on the latest issue of Thirteen1 Online Gaming Magazine as well as a three page preview. Check out the June 13th issue over at their website.
Headshot Radio has a new review up of Mythos, where they talk of the various aspects of the game, as well as having a short interview with the devs at the end of it.
This is exactly what it feels like to play Mythos. Mythos is a game in production by Flagship Studios, a company with numerous people who worked on the Diablo Series, worked at Blizzard, and more talent from other companies, such as programmers from FATE as well. The combination is a fast paced, imaginative, and fun dungeon crawler with a sprinkle of MMORPG elements spread throughout. All the things that made Diablo and Diablo II fun are there: Multiple classes, randomized dungeons, lots of loot, multiple skill trees, item customization via crafting, gems, enchantments, etc., and so much more. To make it even better, there are numerous new elements in the game, such as different races, Achievements (which can be equipped for stat boosts and such), a PvP-only version of the game world, and much much more awaits. To top it all off, the game is free to play, with an in-game store (described in the interview at the end of this article) as the company means of making money from the game.
Allakhazam has published a new feature of Mythos entitled “Mythos: From a Player’s Perspective“. The new article serves as a nice introduction to some of the game’s features, especially to players who aren’t yet in the beta test. The article includes introductions to the game’s Character Stats, Talent Trees and Crafting. Here’s a snippet:
Character Stats
Strength directly affects overall damage and is a measure of physical might; Dexterity affects hit ability and dodge ability; Vitality is a measure of the players hit points and Wisdom, which impacts the overall mana pool available to the player.
To further augment the player in the course of their characters leveling, which is currently capped at level 50, players are also given achievements for different things done during the course of adventuring. Everything from killing x number of insects or undead to breaking open a specified amount of crates or boxes will grant the character additional enhancements. Each character has 5 slots total for their achievements which can be mixed and matched at any time with no penalty or cost to switch.
If you missed Allakhazam’s original introduction to Mythos, be sure to check it out here.
Both of these articles were mentioned on the official Mythos website.
The first is Binary, which is a gaming blog, which has a preview of their gaming experience in Mythos:
The game starts quite smoothly with no long tutorials or cutscenes. You are quickly tasked with going into a vestry to return the undead to the soil from which they crawled and once complete are sent to the castle town, Stonehill. This is the primary world hub, where you can get new quests, buy/ sell and upgrade items, and access your storage chest.
[...]
My biggest concern with the game is that there’s a lot to take in for first time gamers. For a normal rpg I wouln’t think this is a problem - but since this is free it has the potential to attract a much broader audience. Hopefully, since this is a beta, the extra dev time will allow them to improve the tutorial/ docs. Being a massive multiplayer game you can always ask if you get stuck, however currently the world is quite empty. I am not sure if this is due to the fact the game is a closed beta or that the game has been designed this way.
Horned’s dungeon has a new interview up on their website with Max Schaefer.
It goes through a variety of questions about game features and what is to come in the future of the game.
Mythos will finance itself about so-called item-stores. In which prize area will these stores move?
Max Schaefer: You will be able to buy items and services from vendors using the in-game cash currency in each town. They will work very much like the regular vendors, only instead of gold, silver, and copper, they will take the cash currency.
Will there be for fans like me sometime maybe a collector edition? Lineage 2 has demonstrated it here and after 2 years has thrown on the market a collector edition.
Max Schaefer: That’s a little ahead of where we’re thinking right now, but I like the idea. If we are successful in launching Mythos, we’ll do something like that for our fans!
[...]
Thank you Mr. Schaefer for this Interview. I hope Mythos would be a great Game.. No, I know that Mythos would be a great Game. Im a big Fan of this Game. And if, nevertheless, you want to make liable to pay costs one day. I think here the fans pay with pleasure monthly. A survey of us confirms this that the people were ready to pay.
Max Schaefer: There really is no good way to get money from customers, is there? If only we could get a government subsidy and provide the game for free to everyone, then everyone would be happy! Seriously, a huge part of our market is the Asian territories, and they are almost 100% using the item store model. Since our team is as small as our budget, we can only support one financial model at this time, and are going with the item store concept worldwide. We think it provides the most flexibility, and the best option for those who cannot pay any cash to play.
There are more questions on their website, so go check them out!
Ten Ton Hammer has a bunch of screenshots and concept art from Mythos up on their website, and while we’ve seen most of them, it’s still a good source for signatures and avatars!
Mythos Conclave had their first round table discussion in IRC today, which was mainly to do with the overworld. While it was mostly fans talking, it’s an interesting read and Mythos Community Manager, Taylor Balbi, was present to add some of his input which can be seen below.
<@TaylorFSS`home> We’re looking at how many we can cram into an overworld, we really won’t know the true number until it reaches you guys. We’re thinking 100+ will be sharing an Overworld. Also, transferring from one overworld instance to the other will require you to be in a safe area.
<%G-15> From what I saw, cities are now part of the Overworlds
<@TaylorFSS`home> Correct G-15
<%G-15> Which means switching will probably be allowed everywhere.
<@TaylorFSS`home> Switching is not allowed everywhere
<@TaylorFSS`home> Forests are helpful hehe
<@TaylorFSS`home> Stack splitting is definitely something we need
<@TaylorFSS`home> ya, a smooth respawn rate would be nice to have
I want roving Giant bosses on the overworld that are random.
<@TaylorFSS`home> in due time Firedog, currently the overworld isn’t big enough to have giants roaming around
Gamer’s Hell has released four video trailers from Flagship on their website two days ago. The first three videos we have already seen, however they are now available for download in their High Definition versions. They talk of Mythos in general and also showcase the classes.
The fourth video is however the one to look at, as it’s a new trailer of the Mythos Overworld. The video previews the area and hints at an upcoming open beta!
Th Mythos website has been updated with a list of major changes that are currently happening to the game.
The main thing that they talk about, is the introduction of a full open world, with instances scattered throughout it. Best way to describe it would probably be something similar to Oblivion, but with randomised dungeons.
This on it’s own also leads to many other changes to things like PVP and quests.
You can read the full list of changes at our forums as well as seeing some screenshots.
Mythos Guru was founded early in 2007 as the first fansite and forum ever dedicated to Flagship Studios' online game, Mythos. It caters to an international base of players and guilds. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor Hellgate Guru, Mythos Guru shares a proud tradition of sponsoring and organizing community backed projects and events, and a powerful skill calculator. More
