TUG - A Sandbox RPG Going Social
 

According to themselves TUG is a multiplayer open-world sandbox-RPG using new technology and social sciences to directly involve players in the game’s design. They are currently trying to get $215K at Kickstarter and are currently at 98K with 18 days to go.

More information.

Well, I took a look at their Project and I have to admit that I'm intrigued. Although these guys look like some ragtag bunch of postdoc students along with their faculty, the project's idea is sound:

Free-roaming exploration plus RPG minus statistical numbers garbage of traditional RPGs to get you immersed into the world.

Sounds intriguing, I think I'll probably back this. Maybe a bunch of scientists making a game is just what we need to get something fresh and new these days.

Only downsides I see are:
- the name "TUG" is completely not inspiring or evocative.
- The character art style is a bit too hipster-ish for my tastes.

But those are not deal-breakers - I'd still play if the gameplay is truly interesting and fun.

Man, can't shake the feeling that this is the most cleverly designed physiological data mining project ever. Even if it's not, it's just a matter of time (in general).

The guys (and gal) making this are quite the nerd parade :) Nerd kingdom indeed!
Intriguing project though, watchlisted for now.

haha!

So is this an MMO?

Di you see those freakin eyebrows?!?

eeew. To me RPG means 'statistical numbers garbage', without it, it's basically an adventure game.

I was mesmerized by the facial tics and black eye the lady was sporting to notice any eyebrows.

Hmmm, this project seems very ambiguous. The framework seems to be more concrete than the actual content but then again it is in a very early stage of development.

Also this project will not be out for quite some time, folks.

That is how all kickstarters should be for release schedules since it is much more realistic then what they usually use.

I am curious of seeing what allowing players from the alpha stage delivers. Especially for projects that lean to originality. The constant pressure of players wishing for the same is going to be hard to sustain.

I don't get what they're saying. Is the game dynamic and somehow you influence it why you're playing? Are they going to ask modders and scientists what to put into the game while developing it? Everything sounds very vague, but maybe it's my grasp on English language that is failing me.

Interesting project pushing some boundaries and I wish them luck. I'm too anti-social to back anything MMO however.

As someone who is currently obsessed with minecraft, I'm totally open to something along those lines but much much more, which this appears to be heading.

Awful name tho, they really should reconsider that. I'll pledge to this project without hesitation, this could really be something legendary

note that in the FAQ they state:

Quote:

Will the game have a single-player mode? Yes, absolutely! All of the content available in multiplayer will also be available in singleplayer. This includes crafting, lore, exploration, companions, building, survival, NPCs, etc. There won't be any kind of "campaign" with a definite ending, but there will definitely be tons of incentives to explore and progress!

Agreed - though after further reading I found out that it stands for "The Untitled Game". In an interview they were saying they ultimately want the players to decide the name. I still think they should come up with something more interesting or descriptive though.

Queue RPGCodex… :end:

Last day of Kickstarter. It's been funded and is now looking at stretch goals.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nerdkingdom/tug-1

This one I found interesting and backed.