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I'll get right to the point -- why do I think Stash: No Loot Left Behind deserves a penguin clan?

1. Stash: No Loot Left Behind is going to be one of those rare MMORPGs that treat Linux users as first-class citizens

The team behind Stash, Frogdice, has been using Linux for years as a game
server. Unlike some companies that were happy to only take from the community and never give anything back, Frogdice has shown their appreciation lately by giving good Linux support in their games without worrying about the (still small, but hopefully growing) sales percentages.

In Frogdice's 2 previous kickstarters, Dungeon of Elements and ReignMaker (formerly Tower of Elements 2)


2. Stash: No Loot Left Behind is going to be an unusual MMORPG altogether, run by hard-core role-players determined to put the "RPG" back in MMORPG

  • Sandbox MMORPG - content is mostly generated by players, with main theme usually being variations of guild/clan/faction war PVP
  • Theme-park MMORPG - pre-canned content from developers, almost requires reset/respawn "Groundhog Day" effect so that everyone has opportunity to experience it... but nobody has an opportunity to affect plot signficantly
  • Rogue-like RPG - content is procedurally generated, players might be able to get creative on how to survive but they can't really affect major plot-lines (if there are any...)
  • Pen-n-paper RPG - content is result of creative synergy[1] between GM and the players: original story outline decided by DM, but players have a huge role in how things actually turn out
  • Stash MMORPG - mixture of procedurally generated content to explore and GM-created plots allowing synergy[1] with participating players, where even low-level characters will be given opportunities to participate


To summarize Stash gameplay with a little more detail, it offers classic RPG-ness



mixed with MMO-ness

  • Highly customizable player housing
  • Crafting
  • Clans
  • Optional PVP


while avoiding other common MMO habits like

  • Bind on pickup
  • Quest grind
  • Obsessive focus on "end game"
  • Level caps


How many existing MMORPG have both turn-based combat and native Linux clients...? NWN is a wonderful multiplayer RPG, but I always wondered what it would have been like with turn-based combat!

As I'm writing this article, the Stash: No Loot Left Behind campaign is 84% funded with a few days remaining, and thus appears to be on track for getting funded sometime during the final 48-hours. I would love to have more fellow GOL members join up and start a penguin clan, so please go take a look if you're an RPG fan, and drop a mention in the comments if you plan to give it a shot.

[1] this article brought to you by cartoon foxes and plenty of chunky bacon Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Crowdfunding, MMO, RPG
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jdub Sep 10, 2014
*goes to see what how little the "little push" is*

*sees 7.5 grand*

*sadface*
stss Sep 10, 2014
Looks pretty awesome. I like the style and the fact that it will have turn based combat

The only negative thing I see right now is "XP boosts" for backers. I really don't like that sort of thing in MMOs
But overall it seems like something worth backing
Segata Sanshiro Sep 10, 2014
I hope this makes it. Must be really infuriating to have a campaign and have it miss out on the goal by a tiny margin - Kickstarter really sucks for that kind of thing, if the funding is within 5-10% of the goal by the end, then they should automatically extend the limit by a couple of days.
zimplex1 Sep 10, 2014
I've never been too interested in their previous titles, but this is something I'm interested in... So I really hope it works for them. It looks like it's a very ambitious step for them as an MMORPG is a very big task. Plus as of right now I am not aware of any MMORPG's for Linux.
Nyamiou Sep 10, 2014
The campaign really need a boost, at the current rate they are not going to make it.
Speedster Sep 10, 2014
Quoting: NyamiouThe campaign really need a boost, at the current rate they are not going to make it.

That's totally true, at the current rate, but as a fairly veteran crowdfunder I can tell you the momentum is just starting to build again at this point in the campaign, with a make-or-break last couple days in which it's more likely to fund than not.

Sidekick has the most realistic prediction algorithms among the kickstarter tracking sites
http://sidekick.epfl.ch/campaign/1287881026-stash-no-loot-left-behind-pc-mac-linux-consoles
and even it started predicting 95% success because there has been so much progress during the typically "dead" middle half of the campign -- up to 85% before the 48-hour reminders from kickstarter have gone out to remind all those who like to decide at the end whether to bother backing. You'd be surprised what a big boost that can be for campaigns that are deemed "close" and thus people realize they can make a real difference and are motivated to back.

This is another project I've backed (also has turn-based combat and RPG theme, but single-player)
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/1878147873/hero-u-rogue-to-redemption/#chart-daily
it needed 8 * Stash-goal, so don't look at the absolute figures but look at the shape of the curve, how the final 3 days each got about as much as Day 2 of the project, a lot more than any days in the comparatively slow middle half of the project

and here is a game project that had an even bigger boost in funds at the end, with 28% coming in the last few days (almost mirroring the first 3 days!)
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/1949537745/armikrog/#chart-daily

Now look at the Stash curve, which is just starting to turn up after some slow time (memorial day weekend + Pax + Dragoncon lead to a really slow week 1st week of September)
http://www.kicktraq.com/projects/frogdice/stash-no-loot-left-behind-pc-mac-linux-consoles/#chart-daily
and notice that 2 more days like Day 2 would lead to success.

So it's gonna be a close one, but still doable!
Speedster Sep 10, 2014
Quoting: zimplex1I've never been too interested in their previous titles, but this is something I'm interested in... So I really hope it works for them. It looks like it's a very ambitious step for them as an MMORPG is a very big task. Plus as of right now I am not aware of any MMORPG's for Linux.

I have played another one called Ryzom, that I wanted to like, but it wasn't really to my taste -- too much boring farming of certain mobs trying to get mats for crafting decent eq. My local Linux gaming buddy wanted to know if I helped Frogdice write the update about "not your typical MMO" because it promises to avoid so many of my pet peeves in other MMOs ;)
oldrocker99 Sep 10, 2014
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Backed at $15, which includes the game itself, which, I'm sorry to say, is the amount I've pledged in every Kickstarter game I've backed. Of course, I have backed a number of games, and have gotten a game from each one. Now I have Wasteland 2, which was the first game I backed, some others which aren't necessarily that good yet, and waiting eagerly for Torment:Tides of Numenaria and Pillars of Eternity.
Speedster Sep 11, 2014
Speaking of turn-based RPGs that I backed, Worlds of Magic is supposed to have a beta Linux build very soon, and I'm looking forward to that! They released the early alpha for backers on Linux, so they are really supporting Linux as promised, but there is some issue with the beta build that they need to clear up before pushing it to Steam Early Access.
Speedster Sep 11, 2014
Quoting: jdub*goes to see what how little the "little push" is*

*sees 7.5 grand*

*sadface*

Less than 4 grand now, with almost 2 days left -- like I said, right on track for success on the final day :D
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