Vendetta Online
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| Vendetta Online | |
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| Developer(s) | Guild Software |
| Publisher(s) | Strategy First |
| Engine | WGAF |
| Release date(s) | November 1, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | Windows, Linux, Mac |
| Media | CD-ROM (1) or Download |
| System requirements | (Windows) 1.0 GHz processor, 256 MB RAM, DirectX 8.1- or OpenGL-compatible graphics card with at least 32 MB RAM, Microsoft Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP (Mac) 1.0 GHz processor, 384 MB RAM, OpenGL-compatible graphics card with at least 32 MB RAM, Mac OS X 10.2.8 or better (Linux) 1.0 GHz processor, 256 MB RAM, OpenGL-compatible graphics card with at least 32 MB RAM, glibc 2.2 or better, GTK+ 1.2 |
| Input | Keyboard/Mouse and/or Joystick |
Vendetta Online is a twitch-based, science fiction massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Guild Software for the Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems. It uses the WGAF game engine, which was written in-house. Vendetta Online shipped as a commercial MMORPG on November 1, 2004, and currently costs US$9.99 a month (when bought in one-month increments). It is updated regularly (usually every other week) with new content and bugfixes. While "Vendetta Online" has already shipped, the game is still considered to be in beta status by both its users and its developers, and many defining qualities are still only in the stages of early planning.
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[edit] Features
[edit] Present
This list details some of the features already present in "Vendetta Online".
- Twitch-based combat engine, allowing players to fight using their own skill, instead of the statistics of their characters.
- Free, large-scale, extremely fast PvP, with the possibility to attack anyone (though doing so openly will incur the wrath of law enforcement groups) anywhere, capital ship combat, large-scale player wars, and large amounts of variation due to the large selections of ships and weapon loadouts.
- Class-less character advancement system
- Physics engine, handling player collision and explosion effects
- The direct involvement of players in the game, through different possibilities, such as player-run events, and the Player Contribution Corps, a group of players that aid the developers by creating their own mission for the game.
- Dynamic content, allowing players to affect gaming world through permanent resolution of storylines, cargo capturing efforts that affect weapon availability, and battling NPC factions that expand and seize territory.
- Dynamic economy, changing based on supply and demand, as well as direct player actions, such as blockades and pirating.
- Dynamic mission system, in where missions often contain randomized elements, such as different NPCs, rewards or star systems. Missions work according to dynamic principles, such as varied victory conditions, varied resistance, and the possibility to solve the mission in different locations. Players will might sometimes find themselves grouped with other players as a part of the mission, and teamwork can be required for success. Furthermore, because of the randomized elements of the mission and the structure of gameplay in "Vendetta Online", players will never be offered missions that are completely identical to other existing missions ( a concept which is extremely common in most MMORPGs, where players might find themselves performing a non-repetitive task given by an NPC which was nevertheless carried out by another player minutes before, given by the same NPC), which contributes to immersion and suspension of disbelief.
- Alternative and infinite advancement system that uses player-achieved licenses and badges of accomplishment to determine what equipment will be available for sale and what missions will be offered to players.
- Faction system, with different equipment and missions available based on the character's individual standing with different factions.
- Events run by the developers and the guides.
- A challenging A.I., both in combat situations, where computer-controlled ships act randomly and sometimes humanly, and in larger contexts, where NPC factions expand and seize territory of their own.
- Independent NPCs that live their own lives as traders, pirates, military or members of different factions.
- Different possible occupations and player activities, including pirating, bounty hunting, mining, missions, trading, and participating in the war between the different factions.
- High standards of "relative" realism (as realistic as a space simulation can get), where lawbreaking and offending activities are resolved through in-game mechanisms, instead of game engine limitations and real-world rules.
- An immersive universe, with and extensive backstory.
[edit] Planned
This list details the future features and additions planned and revealed by the developers of "Vendetta Online". As "Vendetta Online" is a game under heavy development, these features are important in understanding the vision and future gameplay goals of the developers of "Vendetta Online".
- More dynamic content, such as the conquest of territories, the possibility for players to construct and destroy space stations, and further permanent additions and changes to the storyline and universe.
- A deep crafting system, allowing players to used mined materials to create goods, and sometimes forcing players to work in larger groups to construct large projects, such as space stations or capital ships.
- Player-controlled capital ships, using a tactical Homeworld-inspired interface.
[edit] Story
In Vendetta Online, there are three playable nations and many minor NPC factions. The nations are the Itani Nation, the Serco Dominion and the Union of Independent Territories (usually referred to as the UIT). The Itani are reputed for their science and maneuverable ships, the Serco for their warrior nature and armored ships, and the UIT for their trading abilities and neutrality.
Vendetta Online has a long backstory available, which details the fate of humanity from 2140 to 4432. It was written by the lead game developer, John Bergman.
