Latest Mechscape News

Interview with Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard: Part 3 of 3, 'MechScape,' sci-fi MMOs, and 2009
Brendon Lindsey, Chief Editor, MMOLife Network: You've mentioned it once or twice, but for those who don't know, you guys have been talking recently about working on MechScape, a sci-fi MMO...

Mark Gerhard, CEO, Jagex: Yes.

Is that something you've been working on for a while? And is it tied into RuneScape's development at all?

Gosh, I think it's nearly four years in the making. So there's a significant amount of effort into this. Basically, a few years ago we sat down and said, "You know what" -- when we started out RuneScape we said "This is cool and fun, but I wish we did this, or that, and we can't change this now..." So with this one we went, "Now we know what to do, so what if we built this game with all of this stuff in mind."

I mean, RuneScape evolved over nine years with all these developers on it, and you can tell. It has all these different flavors. And, you know, it's quite organic. So we thought about, from the start, what if we had a bigger design brief, with these robots almost like Mech’s, and it was very consistent. And it was only meant to be a year-long project originally launched in 2006. But every year we went "Wouldn't it be better if we did this..."

So the 2006 project became a 2007 one, when I joined it was a 2008... Now it's looking like 2009. But we'll talk about that when it's closer to the gate!

For all intents and purposes the game is done. It's finished, in testing, and working. But we're in testing and going, "What if we change this..." I suppose we're so excited about what the end result can be that we're tolerating all these changes in 11th hour so to speak. There's nothing really arbitrary, ti's all things we think will really help gameplay or make it more fun. I do expect it to be released in 2009, but it's hard to guarantee these as I'm sure you know. The Studio is however doing a fantastic job and working tirelessly to get the game awesome and ready for Beta.

Traditionally sci-fi MMORPGs don't succeed as well as fantasy, so how are you combating that?

That's a good question. I suppose MechScape should be clarified as it's not a traditional sci-fi MMO. Even the name, it probably won't be MechScape. Certainly four years ago it would be sci-fi, robotic, and mech-like. But even now, that's just one of four factions, if you will. So it's grown and evolved as the sci-fi genre allows.

I suppose, if you look at who's the most successful but also hardcore, you'd have to look at EVE. I would say MechScape is not going to be as hardcore; it's kind of casual like RuneScape, but still gives you the depth, complexity and intrigue that all of the sci-fi MMOs can bring.

We're conscious of what's out there, and of things that haven't worked. But, I think we feel that ours is uniquely different. Alternatively, it may not work for those very factors. But, we think having taken the best lessons, if you will, from RuneScape and still making it casual and accessible for a different audience, we've gotten the best of both worlds.

As always with these things time will tell, but we're quite confident about it.

You guys also came out recently with Armies of Gielinor, which takes place in the RuneScape universe. Do you guys have plans to put out other things taking place in the RuneScape world eventually, or was that a side project that turned into a fun game?

It actually was a side project that we thought would make a fun game, and it ended up being tremendously successful. Probably one of the most popular games on the [FunOrb.com] service right now. And that taught us that RuneScape has an incredibly loyal fan base and is a strong IP, so we'll probably do a lot more with it, but that's a reasonably new element.

"Armies of Gielinor" is a great example of what FunOrb was made for, to test new things without having to spend millions a big project. One of the things Jagex likes the most is inventing, be it a whole new product like Mechscape or a game like "Armies of Gielinor." I don't think it would be fair to our creatives to just shoe-horn them into the RuneScape world, we like doing lots and having fun, really. But, I do think we will look at other RuneScape opportunities. And, at the same time, I'd like to make sure we remain innovative outside of that sphere as well, because we can.

So is 2009 still the "Year of upgrading 'RuneScape'" for Jagex, even if you're going to be looking at other opportunities?

Yeah, that strategy was actually set by Andrew pre-myself taking over. And, you know, I think it already had a lot of momentum. And you're going to see a ton of upgrades on the game from content and gameplay to graphics and stuff coming throughout the year.

The problem we've got is that there are so many opportunities. We maintain documents we call “master plans”, these lists, are of all the awesome cool things we want to do. And the challenge is the list is like 300 projects long. We're always wrestling with the top 10 on the list, and it's always "That's cool, we should do that." "No, let's do that one." It's hard, what do you sacrifice?

So the hardest thing right now is not deciding what we could do; the hardest part for us deciding what not to do.. So that's where we are. The order of projects tend to change rather fluidly, but I think that the overall trajectory is kind of set on what we want to do with RuneScape.

But if that changes you'll be the first to know! [laughs]

Hello everyone,

In a recent press release we stated that our upcoming sci-fi title was code named “MechScape”. Many people have been looking for clarification regarding the name of this new game, so we decided it would be best to attempt to clarify this matter.

When we first came up with the idea for our new game it was primarily focused on robots known as “mechs”, hence the name MechScape made perfect sense. It drew on the main theme of the game, and also played on the “-scape” brand which we had established with RuneScape. Okay, we thought, we have the name sorted, so now let’s get on with the exciting bit of development.

And so we grew fond of the name, and some fans found out about it and many of them got invested in the name too, and therefore we believed that the name was definitely going to be MechScape. But recently we decided to re-evaluate it, which is why we referred to it as just a “code name”. There are various reasons for us to stick with the original name, and it is possible that we might end up doing just that, but there are also reasons why we might still want to change it.



During the game’s early evolution we became a lot more ambitious, and substantially widened our vision beyond just robots to encompass the wider possibilities of the sci-fi genre. This meant that the first half of the MechScape name could give people an overly narrow view of what the game is about. Similarly, if we drew on the RuneScape brand by using the “-Scape” suffix then it could make people think the game was essentially RuneScape in space, which it defiantly is not. Whatever name we go with we will be using for a very long time, so we want to get it right and that is why it is back on the table for discussion.

So the honest answer to the question of what the game will be called is that we don’t know yet. We have a number of ideas, one of which is just to stick with the initial name. We understand that many people would have liked to have known earlier that the name wasn’t set in stone. In response to this we would like to make it clear that it was only very recently that we seriously began reconsidering the name again. However, I admit that we should have told our fans as soon as we were unsure about it. We are aware that the name of our title is a very emotive area, and whatever decision we ultimately make we will not make lightly.

Please don't take this statement to mean that the game is now done and all we have to worry about now is what to call it. There is still a fair amount of development work left for us to do. We can't give you a release date at the moment because large complex game development projects such as this one are extremely hard to estimate. The last thing we want after spending so much time and energy on this project is a rushed release, which is why we won't launch it until we are confident that it is ready.


I do hope this clarifies matters a little bit more and that you remain as excited about the game as we are.

GDC09: What Jagex has in store with MechScape

We've been hearing some new info this last week concerning Jagex and their latest MMO project. The company has enjoyed wild success so far with their free-to-play browser-based MMO RuneScape, and they hope to replicate that success with their sci-fi project entitled MechScape. We had the opportunity to sit down with a few members of the company's top development team for an interview during the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco to discuss this new project and the current state of the company.

So what is MechScape? Well, first off, it's important to note that MechScape is not the game's name, only the project's code name. It is a sci-fi MMO project that has been in development since 2006. Although it will be running on the RuneScape HD engine, Jagex is very determined to point out that this game will not simply be RuneScape in space. It will have its own mechanics, its own storyline and a planet-based, non-linear game experience unlike anything they've tackled before.

When the project was first conceived, the team started out by analyzing the current sci-fi MMOs and discovering why they weren't truly successful in the market. They discovered that these games were nothing more than fantasy mechanics dressed in a sci-fi wrapper. Having a set of skills that you level up through grinding is basically a fantasy mechanic. So from here they identified what game mechanics make a good sci-fi game, and they've developed most of these as completely unique features that have never been seen in any MMO before. Of course any real details on that are yet to be announced.

The game centers around the tension among four distinct species, each with their own look, abilities and back stories. Throughout the game, players can choose their alliances, which shape the path of their adventure. There are hints of cloning, player-built vehicles and even spaceship building eventually.

One of the greatest advantages Jagex has with this new project is the experience behind the team. With RuneScape boasting 150 millions users since their launch in 2001 (and the Guinness World Record for the largest free-to-play MMO in the world), they've had the chance to learn from their experiences, both good and bad. While each development team has their own core developers, the technical side of things are run by the same folks, allowing them to learn and grow together. In fact, RuneScape's newest HD launch was made possible by the advancements in MechScape.

In addition to MechScape, Jagex is enjoying what may turn out to be a great year for the company. RuneScape is still played by over 5 million players a month and their gaming hub FunOrb is constantly gaining new hosted games.

We look forward to hearing more details on MechScape and what Jagex has up its sleeve to keep the largest free-to-play MMO so wildly popular.

Laura's Interview with Adam Tuckwell
Featuring questions by the site members!

1) The biggest question on everyone's mind: When is MechScape coming out? If you cannot answer this, then what are the signs we should look for that MechScape is coming soon?

Adam: Sadly we are keeping the answer to that very close to our chest. In truth we want to get the game launched when it is ready, polished and full of compelling content to keep everyone busy. We know that there is a lot of excitement about the game and it is really great watching the excitement grow. The player anticipation is a real motivator for us to release the best game that we can.

2) We've heard from Mod MMG that there will be a race of pliigi. What other races may there be, and how many of them will be playable?

Adam: Certain elements of the game are a closesly guarded secret. I can't confirm anything right now, but we will be passing more information soon.
(Note: There will be playable races and Pliigi will be one of them. Adam was unaware of what Mark said the other night as he was traveling.)

3) While MechScape is aimed at an older audience it is still appropriate for younger players. Have you ever consider it having rated content or the possibility of disabling the chat filter?

Adam: We have designed the game so that it will appeal to everyone who is interested in Science Fiction. We believe that the content will appeal to an older demographic but as the game is a truly online game it is not necessary for it to be rated.

4) What do you feel are the main lessons you learned from RuneScape which you took into account when working on MechScape?

Adam: Since launching RuneScape HD last summer our technology team has been hard at work developing the game engine. Players can expect to see an extremely different looking game to RuneScape.

5) Could you please explain the gameplay of MechScape in detail? As of now you may only walk around in RuneScape by using your mouse, and leveling up is very tedious. Will MechScape have more advanced user controls?

Adam: Levelling in MMO's can be tedious and some games make levelling difficult in an attempt to cover for a lack of content. We are approaching game design in a totally new way, player progression will be unlike any other MMO currently on the market and we are sure that you and the other MechScape world followers will love it.

6) Various RuneScape stats can be levelled much quicker now than when they were initially introduced, which some argue lessens the achievement of early players. Do you expect the same to happen with MechScape?

Adam: As MMO's grow with additional content added there is a natural progression for content to become more difficult as it is added. Therefore, earlier quests or challenges will usually be easier to complete than the subsequent updates. In our games it is never the intention to lessen player achievements and we have put checks in place to ensure that this will not happen in our games in the future.

7) Let's talk character and "vehicle" design. How customizable will characters and vehicles be?

Adam: We are proud of our character customisation in all our games and we think that we will offer gamers a very wide variety of customisation for their characters which we will continue to focus on in all our future products.

8) Will the Beta Launch be free or will only paying members be allowed to enter the game, in the Beta?

Adam: We have a number of valued subscribers who have been loyal to Jagex and it is only right that we thank them. Current subscribers will be given access to the Beta and it will be free to play.

9) I've noticed that much of MechScape's concept art closely resembles Miyazaki movies such as Nausicaa and Castle in the Sky. Was Miyazaki an inspiration? What are some inspirations that brought MechScape together and gave it it's style?

Adam: The game has been inspired from a variety of areas, movies, games, and fiction all compiled together to get a truly unique gaming Experience.


10) Jagex has previously stated it would be tackling Real World Trading at a "core design level". Could you expand on this?

Adam: We are committed to abolishing RWT from all of our games. In MechScape we have designed the game to remove the need for RWTing. It is difficult to expand on what we have done for MechScape in particular until it is launched, we don't want to give RWT any clues.

11) A serious recession is slamming the UK right now. Gaming is known to be one of the booming industries right now. Is Jagex expected to ride out the recession and perhaps even turn a larger profit than 2008 in this frigid economic environment?

Adam: The UK, as with most of the world, is experiencing a financial slowdown. We have very popular games which are competitively priced, and we are confident that we will be able to ride out the recession.

12) Is Jagex planning to initiate any plans to further stop not just Real World Trading, but also cyber crime and child predators?


Adam: Cyber crime and child predators have no place in our games and we work tirelessly to remove any trace of them from our games. We have over 150 staff working 24/7 to provide player support and ensure that our games are safe and enjoyable for all of our users. Jagex has also worked closely with organizations that focus on ending cyber crime, and we have become well known in the industry for our level of safety and security.

13) Is Jagex planning to expand the customer support anytime soon? Last I heard, there were less than 300 support staff for more than 10 million players!]

Adam: We have over 380 staff of which over 150 are dedicated player support staff. We have one of the most well respected support teams in the industry and would never compromise on player safety. In addition to the paid employees we have a large band of players moderators who, in their free time, support players and help moderate the game.

In addition to the questions, here are some other highlights from the meeting with Adam:
March 23, 2008

- Jagex has demo'd the game to their PR agency, and the response from PR agents Catharine and Ashley was "very cool."

- MechScape has been worked on since 2006.

- MechScape, upon release, will be the size of the current world in RuneScape. It is a large game, nothing of which has ever been seen before on the web, and will differ totally from RuneScape.

- MechScape already has 1 YEAR of content updates waiting in the pipes!

- When asked the question of whether MechScape will be a more grunge type of Mech. or a futuristic Mech, the answer was Futuristic. I sort of confused him on that.

- MechScape has a dedicated team of 70 people that are in charge of supporting MechScape and only MechScape.