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Summary: The video offers an in-depth look at the enduring MMORPG, Tibia, through an interview with one of its original creators, Steve. It covers the game's genesis from a vision of graphical multi-user dungeons, its incremental development driven by community feedback, significant milestones like the introduction of vocations and the handling of high-level content, and the rationale behind its remarkable 28-year longevity, attributed to continuous improvement and a strong community. The discussion also touches upon recent updates like sounds and a new class (Monk), and speculates on future developments.
Introduction to Tibia and Interview Context #
- The speaker reflects on their long history with Tibia, recalling playing it in primary school and being surprised by its longevity.
- They visited CipSoft's offices in Germany, interviewing Ben (Managing Director) and Steve (original creator).
- The interview covered Tibia's beginnings, development milestones, new class addition, and behind-the-scenes information.
The Origins of Tibia #
- Steve presented a "magic folder" containing original development documentation from the first years of Tibia's creation.
- The initial ideas for Tibia emerged about 30 years ago, at a time when graphical online games were non-existent.
- The developers were inspired by text-based Multi-User Dungeons (MUDs) but desired graphics like those in the Ultima series.
- Their vision was a game that looked like Ultima but could be played with people worldwide.
- The game started with basic functionality (walking and talking) and gradually added monsters, weapons, and other features based on constant community feedback.
Early Development and Milestones #
- The first city in Tibia was Thais, and Steve personally designed many early buildings and elements.
- Sam was introduced as the very first NPC in the game shortly after its launch in 1997.
- Tibia officially launched in January 1997, conceptualized in 1995.
- Yahoo created a new category, "graphical multi-user dungeon," specifically for Tibia due to its unique nature.
- Steve vividly remembers the day the first player logged into the game, a very exciting moment for the developers.
Evolution of Gameplay and Hardcore Elements #
- Tibia was initially very hardcore, with players losing everything upon death, similar to MUDs.
- As players invested more time, this harsh penalty became frustrating, leading to changes in the progression system.
- The game became less hardcore, introducing skills and classes (vocations) to allow for specialization and meaningful choices, inspired by pen-and-paper RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons.
Significant Updates and Challenges #
- The introduction of vocations (classes) was a major update that made the game feel like a "real game" for the first time, around 1998.
- The developers addressed early botting issues by changing game mechanics to make automation harder, a decision that altered the game's character but was necessary for its growth.
Level Progression and the Level 999 Gate #
- Initial level design considered level 20 to be very difficult to reach.
- Developers were surprised when players started reaching levels 40, then 100.
- A level gate requiring level 999 was introduced with no expectation of anyone ever reaching it.
- When players eventually neared level 999, the developers had to ensure there was meaningful content behind the gate.
- The first player to pass through the 999 door opted to keep what was behind it a secret, encouraging others to experience it themselves.
Recent Updates: Sounds and the Monk Class #
- In 2022, Tibia received sounds after 25 years, surprising many players.
- The game also introduced a fifth class, the Monk, specializing in fist fighting and secondary healing.
- Adding a new class to such a complex and long-running game was challenging due to intertwined game mechanics.
- The current development team, considered the best the company has ever had, meticulously designed the Monk to fit organically within existing classes, with community feedback playing a crucial role.
- The new class has been well-received, bringing back old players.
Longevity of Tibia #
- Unlike games like Anthem that fail despite ambitious plans, Tibia has run continuously since 1997.
- Steve attributes Tibia's longevity to the developers' unwavering belief in and love for the game, constantly seeking to improve and add new features.
- He believes that introducing new content keeps the game alive and brings back long-time fans.
- The strong sense of community and the friendships formed within the game are also key reasons players stick around for years.
The Future of Tibia #
- While there are no current plans for a sixth class, Steve wouldn't rule it out, though finding a new combat-focused niche becomes increasingly difficult.
- There are plans for significant "big things" for Tibia's 30th anniversary, though nothing has been decided yet.
- Going "full 3D" is not on the short list of future developments.
Conclusion and Reflections #
- The speaker expresses gratitude for visiting CipSoft and talking to the developers.
- They encourage viewers to share the video and their own Tibia memories.
- A longer, German-language video about Tibia and CipSoft is mentioned and linked.
- The speaker also mentions an upcoming video about CipSoft's new game.
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