PlaneShift (computer game)
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| PlaneShift | |
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| Developer(s) | Atomic Blue |
| Engine | Crystal Space |
| Release date(s) | 2004-12-24 |
| Genre(s) | MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Macintosh, Windows & Linux |
| Media | Download or Bit Torrent |
| System requirements | Minimum: GeForce 3, Radeon 8500 or higher 3D graphics card (64MB+ on-card memory); 1GHz CPU (i686-compatible); 512MB RAM; 500MB free disk space; 56Kb modem Internet connection Recommended: GeForce 4 or higher 3D graphics card (128MB+ on-card memory); 2GHz CPU (i686-compatible); 1GB RAM; 1GB free disk space; Broadband Internet connection (ADSL etc.) |
| Input | Keyboard, mouse |
PlaneShift is a cross-platform fantasy MMORPG in development. Client software is available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X. It is produced by a developer community, founded by Luca Pancallo, and guided by the Atomic Blue non-profit organization. The engine code is based on the Crystal Space engine and therefore free software. The content is released under another license. [1].
The game is currently in the pre-alpha stage of development, at version 0.3, codenamed Crystal Blue. The first version, 0.1, was codenamed Atomic Blue and the next version, 0.2, was codenamed Molecular Blue. Molecular Blue was very feature limited, but drew a number of players because of its close-knit community. The Molecular Blue server was shut down on December 16, 2004. The current version, Crystal Blue, was released to the public as an open beta on December 24, 2004. The next version, 0.4, is codenamed Steel Blue.
As of March 2007, the game main server, laanx.fragnetics.com [2], has some 358,400 registered user accounts and 100,000+ characters.[3] The game forums have approximately 23,570 registered accounts[4].
Contents |
[edit] Setting
PlaneShift is set inside a gigantic stalactite named Yliakum, divided into eight levels, of which the lower two are flooded. Life in this stalactite is possible because a huge crystal, named The Azure Sun, draws light from the surface of the planet. PlaneShift currently has 11 playable races that all have their own homelands and characteristics. Outside of Yliakum are the Stone Labyrinths and through these the player can access even more areas, like the cave in which the stalactite hangs. In Crystal Blue, only the city Hydlaa and a part of the city Ojaveda are accessible.
[edit] Races
Many different races populate the world of Yliakum. Players can choose to create a character with any one of these races. However, in-game models have not yet been implemented for every race.
- Humans
- Xacha: are taller than most humans, but less robust and strong. Are good with magic and are excellent scientists
- Ylians: have an average height and average build. They can be skilled at almost anything and are prominent in government.
- Elves
- Nolthrir: are amphibious creatures with webbed feet and gills. Are good with magic, though weak with fire spells.
- Dermorians: have coppery colored skin and red to brown hair. They are good trackers and can survive in the most extreme conditions.
- Dwarves
- Clan Stonebreaker: pale skin and shorter than usual dwarves. Are great miners and are said to have made the Labyrinth.
- Clan Hammerwielder: have a darker complexion and are taller than most dwarves. They are skilled with gems and making weapons.
- Others
- Lemurs: have extremely pale skin. Are great artists and are superior in the mind to other races
- Kran: appear as man-shaped rock statues. They are a race beloved of their creator, the god Talad.
- Diaboli: have shiny dark skins and a zest for social interaction and the pursuit of life's pleasures.
- Enkidukai: have a feline-like appearance and are intended to be graceful and stealthy creatures.
- Klyros: are winged creatures who love the aquatic areas of Yliakum and who are equally adept on land.
- Ynnwns: are a stoic race formed by the union of Diaboli and Elf, and have an aversion to all precious metals.
[edit] The Death Realm
Unlike many other MMORPGs on the Internet, when a character dies he/she is transported into the Death Realm. It consists of a large maze that the player must navigate. It is full of annoyances like dead-ends, and most of the maze is suspended high over the ground, making falling punishable by starting over.
Even though Death is actually chained to a lengthy process, dying takes away no experience, items, or money. [5]
[edit] Creatures
Yliakum is populated by many creatures that can be fought for loot and experience.
- Carkarass: A strange flying creature living inside the Death Realm. Nothing much is known about this creature, but it is relatively easy to kill.
- Clacker: A large insect-like creature found mainly in the Arena and the dungeon.
- Consumer: A horrible monster found in parts of the Ojadeva road, they are quite fierce and have sucking mouths full of sharp teeth.
- Gobble: A foul creature living deep inside sewers. These humanoid beasts have dark gray-green skin and walk on all-fours.
- Grendol: Seen in the dungeon. It looks like a giant zombie and an air of death surrounds it; It is hard to kill and offers less or no loot.
- Rat: Found in sewers, most of these oversized rodents are an easy kill for beginners. Their hides and eyes have some value in Yliakum, so many try to pawn them to shopkeepers for quick money. There are two types of rats: a simple one eyed rat, and a robust rat. Robust rats are much more difficult for an untrained adventurer to kill.
- Rogue: Found in most places around Hydlaa's sewers, the neighboring Arena, Ojaveda, and on roads frequented by travellers. Rogues are dressed in dark clothing and may carry a weapon. They come in all levels, some are easily slain while others are more ferocious in battle.
- Tefusang: Found near plains on Ojaveda road. Tefusangs are large beasts that are harder to kill but their teeth are of great value and can be sold for good amount of trias.
- Trepor: Appearing like a giant deformed insect, these unintelligent creatures are always hungry and are quite lethal. Found in a field in the Ojadeva road and stronger ones found in the arena, they are often the target of higher-level characters. Their hearts are quite valuable.
- Ulbernaut: The most powerful creature in Crystal Blue, this abomination was built for killing. Having 2 arms both tapering into deadly points, they can kill most players in a single attack and almost always take a sizable group of people to kill. However, killing them is very rewarding as they drop good loot and offer a very large amount of experience. *Note that a skilled player can kill several without getting hurt.*
[edit] Screenshots
 An Enkidukai mining for gold in the forest. |
 The Magic Shop in the forest: an expensive place to buy high quality magic. |
 Spell casting against a Tefusang in the arena. |
 Fighting a Clacker in the arena: these are more deadly than they appear. |
 A screenshot of Hydlaa Plaza. |
[edit] Open source development
The code of the game is open source under the GNU General Public License.
The artwork and rules are licensed under a custom license, the PlaneShift Content License, that protects artwork from modification and redistribution to keep the uniqueness of the setting. This license forbids redistribution and using the content for profit, and also using the game content on an unofficial server.
PlaneShift developers and content contributors must also assign the copyrights of their work to Atomic Blue, primarily to help protect the project as a whole.
The license system has also drawn some criticism from former developers and contributors. Probable source for their confusion is that such arrangements are not common in other open source projects. A vast majority of the contributors agree to the necessity of the license, however.
PlaneShift uses the Crystal Space game engine and the Crystal Entity Layer.
