DeepWorld is a 2D Minecraft-alike Coming to Mac And IOS

If you put a handful of gaming catchwords in a hat and then pulled them out one at a time and put them in order, you may have a rough description of the forthcoming Deepworld. It's a steampunk-style 2D post-apocalyptic sandbox game with Minecraft-style creation, and block graphics that open up to a vast and vast world of games. Deepworld is a game that seems too good to live up to it's promises however, the creators Bytebin (consisting of three players who have plenty of experience in server design, but not as much experience in game development or design) understand they're delivering a lot.

The version they graciously showed me at GDC last week certainly lived up to that promise at least as two of their characters wandering across the globe together. Deepworld's graphics might not appear great on screen (they are... "stylistic" according to some) however, you'll discover charm in the world as you explore further. Only after a makeshift shelter was built complete with lanterns that spread pools of light and a storm started in the background, with lightning flashing across the sky and acid rain falling down hard the game's beauty really make itself evident.

There is a lot of beauty to be found in the different mechanics. The game's creator describes it as "a game that is based on a type of scarcity" that refers to all the resources available in this initially barren world. As you dig down to find lava, it can be found and it creates steam which can then be transformed into pipes and used to power technology.  international dir There's a crafting system however, unlike Minecraft (where items must be found and built) the game just offers up a menu of the items you can build from the various resources you've gathered.

The interface is also very attractive. You can create whatever you want with the cursor on Mac. While the iOS version is still in development ("There are some kinks in touch," Bytebin said) It will be possible to "draw" creations directly on the iPad's display.

The most significant issue with Deepworld probably isn't in the game itself, however: It's likely to be in keeping the servers up. The title is divided into 1200x800 block "zones" and the developers plan to restrict these zones to a limited number of players. They may also charge players to modify or save those zones. But there will be some sort of metagame in "improving the ecosystem" of each zone and it's easy to see that Bytebin could face problems if the game turns out to be uber popular, in terms of keeping its servers running.

Bytebin is aware of the issue. The reason is that their background is in large servers running corporate software, so they stand a chance. But we'll find out how they perform when the game is released to open to beta later in the year. Alpha is set to start "in the next few weeks," and there's a beta signup form for the game on the market right now. Deepworld is stunning, and it's an iOS and Mac game that we'll be proud to own.