Over the years, I’ve really enjoyed meeting and talking with developers at different conventions or getting to know them through MMO-Central. I find that many are very passionate about their game (as they should be), but the team at Retro Ronin making Voxelnauts may just take the cake. I recently had the chance to talk with Jason Archinaco, the studio’s president.

It made me laugh how many times the phrase “the everlasting gobstopper of games” was mentioned, but as I asked more questions, I found that the description may be spot on. This 3D VR sandbox game has the potential for almost limitless scope – and dependent on the players, could have something for everyone.

When looking at new MMOs I like to know what type of characters you can play, as it’s fun to start thinking of concepts before I play. Naturally, this was my first question and Archinaco’s answer set the tone for the interview and the game alike.

Just about any that you can imagine! And, we really mean that. The game is about you being whoever or whatever you want to be.

You can play anything you can imagine as the game as a whole doesn’t limit you based on set classes (though Archinaco clarified “one planet may have ‘classes’ while on another planet there are none”) and you can make anything – the game is very much like a Minecraft MMO, just use your imagination. While Archinaco is keeping some of their design details still under wraps, he did reveal that characters have skill levels, which can be restricted on specific planets by the planet’s creator.

This game has me excited to play because I see talented artists producing fan art and fan creations that this game can be a canvas for, for those brilliant minds. Voxelnauts is set up to allow players to be whoever or whatever they want to be. If you want to be a loner on a planet all by yourself, that’s fine. If you want to create a planet with bacon trees and filled with puppies, go right ahead. Make a world filled with monsters to beat up and kill all day long with friends, also possible.

You can literally create whatever you want; Voxelnauts is a metaverse comprised of endless planets created by players. Some may have a class based system, but the game itself does not require them. You can make it so a planet won’t allow a certain type of gun or skill to be used, or you could make a water world where no fire can be used on it. No-one knows what the game will be like or what it will become. Even species and gender are in the player’s hands and not defined by the game.

Outside of player creations they plan on having events and hidden treasures to find (but they want to leave it primarily up to the players more). As an example of studio-led content Retro Ronin is already working on a P-22 virtual mountain lion with the National Wildlife Federation (once they comply with all the charity rules).

Archinaco believes Voxelnauts can stand the test of time, as the game’s engine is able to scale up the number that of voxels that can be animated in the future as computer capabilities increase.

The problem with nearly every MMO before ours was a lack of persistency. The world eventually ended, became outdated, etc. Here though, Jon Olick has programmed a voxel base that can be expanded upon as necessary.

This sets the game up to expand in an unprecedented way – they won’t have to recreate the engine; the game will expand itself.

Server size is always a big issue or worry for me when a game launches, especially as I feel like no matter how well a game prepares, something happens at launch. They are still working on the specs and want to make movement between planets and worlds as seamless as possible, though that doesn’t rule out the possibility for some kind of travel mechanism.

Archinaco verified that server sizes are still in flux, with the team reluctant to commit to numbers they aren’t yet sure they’ll be able to deliver. With the number of planets in play, I’m curious to see how this process will be streamlined.

This brought up the question of how lore would come into play in a game with so much unlimited freedom.

Top secret! That would be like telling you the formula to the everlasting gobstopper! But obviously, we are very inspired by books like Ready Player One and Becoming Satoshi.

Archinaco also cited retro games, epic moments in MMOs, and pop culture as having a big impact on the studio.

MMO communities are important and I’ve said many times that the community will make or break a game. If it’s toxic, no matter how good the game is, it will drive players away. I get it more in MOBAs than MMOs but there is a fine line now a days. Reaching out to fans and keeping them excited about an unreleased game can be hard, so the Retro Ronin team likes to hide easter eggs when they can, for the community to find.

For instance, the first planet is called Oasis and there is a space station that orbits the planet which will provide a central point of commerce for the galaxy. Oasis has more meaning for the team though – it goes back to an homage for Ready Player One, as it’s the name of the VR system in the book and Oasis is the legendary home of Fansy the Bard in Everquest. Even a generic name has special meaning for them.

Most of the planets will be created by the players but some they did design themselves. With the game being limitless, there is no way to say what will be next, but the folks at Ronin are creating a PvP planet called Hyperion. “

Hyperion, the PvP planet, is second on our radar after Oasis. The prospect of planetary warfare on a massive scale intrigues us, but PvP is not for everyone. Some people like ganking (and never like being ganked), while others don’t. So developing PvP on our second planet is the right way to go.

You will see me there after work, letting off some stress.

Voxelnauts is a 3D VR game set for launch on the Oculus Rift and Vive virtual reality platforms (at a minimum) as well as a regular 2D version. So all the little worlds you want to create will be a nice mini vacation away from the real world for a bit. Stressful day at work? Go sit on a beach and let your Sharktopus frolic in the waves.

Archinaco had hoped to have developer kits in everyone’s hand’s by Christmas, but it looks like that may no longer be the case.

Coincidentally, the Oculus Rift got delayed to the first quarter of 2016, so we may target it to coincide – because the experience in VR is simply incredible and all enveloping. I have never experienced anything like it in my entire life. And, a couple extra months to let people experience it correctly – especially when the Oculus Rift launches will probably be the best thing.

I feel I downplayed how important Virtual Reality is to Voxelnauts – think of entering the world as if you were standing right in that new place. When you put on the VR goggles it is allowing you to view another world, one created and normally only exists on a screen. I believe that VR is going to change gaming, when you can place yourself right in the action of any game, and Archinaco agrees:

Gaming will never be the same, and I mean that in a great way. Many people that enter VR speak about a sense of deja vu that they experience when first entering it. VR will not just be changing gaming, but it will be changing everything. I can imagine the same future that NASA scientists are already talking about – simulated realities inside of computers.

Voxelnauts is setting a high goal of creating an endless game. In seeing Archinaco’s excitement I think I can understand why – this game has the potential to draw in anyone from any age group through creating a personal universe that anyone can visit. Putting this to VR will expand our thoughts and what we can imagine to create.

Their Kickstarter, going on right now, is to help accelerate development. This will also allow for people that are interested in the game to get unique items or awards that will only be given out once.

The game is planned to launch in 2016 and letting people experience the game as it was designed and have it launch with the VR tech is a great way to start off.

When it comes out, come find me on my Sharktopus planet!