Camelot Unchained – Mark Jacobs’ Return to MMOs

Dark Age of Camelot was an MMO that captivated a dedicated contingent of PvP enthusiasts for years preceding the launch of World of Warcraft, and the subsequent transformation of the MMO genre into the gaming landscape which we recognize today. Many of the cornerstone philosophies of DAoC would seem foreign to modern gamers, and yet Mark Jacobs, former CEO of Mythic Entertainment, gambles that a valuable niche within the MMO genre still lingers unoccupied. The continued fanaticism of DAoC players when speaking about their beloved game acts as a testament that such a successor would be most welcome.

Jacobs’ has co-founded City State Entertainment, an independent development studio dedicated to replicating the kind of success which skyrocketed Mythic to prominence over 10 years ago. CSE has announced it’s flagship project, “Camelot Unchained”, a development project that is unashamed to directly target the ex-DAoC fan base. Jacobs has released a series of blog articles (9 so far) detailing the “Foundational Principles” of Camelot Unchained. Many of these principles hark back to a time in the MMO genre when players were presented with difficult decisions and thriving in a hostile fantasy universe required more than following a quest arrow. 

This article is not a thorough examination of Jacobs’ cornerstones, but it seeks to give MMO enthusiasts who have not been closely following this project a broad overview of CSE’s goals with Camelot Unchained.

1. Be willing to take risks – as a self (and Kickstarter) funded studio, Jacobs’ is committed to differentiating CU from other existing MMO options. He hopes that being bold will carve a niche within the disillusioned player base which long for a more traditional experience.
2. RvR is endgame – player vs. player combat in Camelot Unchained is more than simply a sideshow, it is the main focal point of the entire project.
3. Don’t hold players hands – Camelot Unchained will require a lot of its players in order for them to be successful, and won’t guide them gently every step of the way.
4. Choice matters – Players will be forced to make important (and mutually exclusive) character advancement decisions which will define the capabilities and role of their character.
5. No gold sellers – While perhaps a bit strange to focus on as a foundational principle, Jacobs’ publicly admits his loathing of this practice, and has vouched that CU will have extensive tools for protecting it’s in game economy. 
6. Rock, paper, scissors – Class design in Camelot Unchained will have natural imbalance, where each class is innately better equipped to deal with a different variety of situations.
7. Crafting should be fun, useful, and not repetitive – The crafting system in CU is intended to be a major focal point of the game, and will be an outlet for players to invest in the growth of their character outside of the persistent RvR endgame.
8. The game should be chaotic, with epic surprises – Camelot Unchained will not be a linear theme park, but will rather be an extensive and dangerous sandbox, with dynamically changing conditions.
9. Forced socialization – Jacobs wants to bring back the days when venturing out of town without the assistance of friends was both incredibly brave and incredibly foolish. 

I hope that this quick summary of Jacobs’ vision for Camelot Unchained has helped conceptualize the goals and nature of the project. As an ex-DAoC player myself, I certainly think it’s one to follow. It’s sure to end up either generating a unique and interesting game, or a fiery spectacle of embarrassing failure.