Rethinking Age of Mara
Hi everyone.
This is probably one of the most important devlogs we've written so far.
Over the last months we've been reflecting a lot about the direction of Age of Mara. Not just about mechanics or visuals, but about structure, scope and long-term sustainability. We reached a point where we had to make a serious decision about the future of the project.
And we decided to change the core approach.
From Open World to Instanced Design
When we first started Age of Mara, the dream was a full open world MMORPG. A living world, seamless, vast, ambitious.
But as development progressed, we realized something very important: building an open world is not just about terrain size. It multiplies everything. Systems, balancing, AI, optimization, networking, content density, polish. For a two-person team without external funding, the open world was slowly becoming more of a weight than an advantage.
So instead of expanding horizontally, we decided to go vertical.
Age of Mara will now revolve around a Lobby Hub + Instanced Dungeons structure.
Lumoria, Our Starting Point
For now, the game will take place on what we're calling Lumoria (see the image above).
These floating islands will serve as the foundation of the prototype and as the main social and learning space of the game.
This area will function as a Lobby Hub, and its purpose is very intentional.
It's not just a "starting zone".
It's where players will:
- Learn how their class works
- Understand and test their skills
- Pick up missions
- Fight initial mobs to get comfortable with combat
- Gather basic resources
- Access warehouses
- Trade via auction house or face to face
- Meet other players
- Form parties
- Create clans and alliances
- Explore and understand the world
The idea is that this island introduces the systems in a safe and social environment.
At the same time, standing at the edge of the island, players will see something bigger. Distant mountains, floating landmasses, dragons flying in the sky, airships crossing the horizon. The world will feel larger than what is immediately playable.
We want players to feel curiosity. We want them to look at the distance and think: "What's out there?"
The Real Challenge: Instanced Dungeons
The real progression and difficulty will live inside instanced dungeons.
Inside dungeons:
- Mobs become more dangerous
- Bosses have mechanics that require coordination
- PvP can exist
- Special and rare resources will be found
- High tier items will be obtainable
- Risk and reward become meaningful
Resources in the Lobby Hub will be basic. The more difficult and valuable materials will exist in dungeons.
We want the dungeons to feel intense. Structured. Designed. Purposeful.
This approach allows us to control combat encounters, balance difficulty properly, and design meaningful mechanics without being diluted by a massive open space.
Movement: Point & Click (Testing Phase)
We also want to talk clearly about movement.
Right now, we are testing a Point & Click system.
This is not a final decision.
We grew up playing Point & Click MMORPGs. It's part of our history as players. It feels natural to us. But we also understand that many players prefer WASD movement.
We initially moved toward WASD because of accessibility and familiarity in the current market. But as the project evolved, we felt that we were moving away from our original inspiration.
So now, we are experimenting.
We are testing a more dynamic, modern version of Point & Click. If it feels good, if it improves combat flow, if the feedback from the community is positive, we will continue refining it.
If the feedback is not good, or if it limits the gameplay experience, we are completely open to returning to WASD in the future.
Nothing is locked.
Nothing is ego-driven.
We are building this with you.
Why This Change Matters
This shift is not about shrinking the dream.
It's about making the dream achievable.
By focusing on:
- Deep combat systems
- Boss mechanics
- AI behaviors
- Instanced design
- Networking stability
- Polished core loops
We can build something solid first.
Once the foundation is strong, expansion becomes possible.
An MMORPG lives or dies by its core systems, not by map size.
Where We Stand
Everything we are building continues to be tested in online sessions. We are constantly fixing replication issues, balancing systems, improving AI and optimizing network behavior. For an MMORPG, these technical foundations are critical.
Lumoria is just the beginning. A learning ground. A social core. A foundation.
The real intensity, coordination and progression will come from dungeon content.
We are still fully committed to finishing a strong prototype stage before expanding further.
As always, thank you for being part of this journey.
Your feedback matters more than you think, especially now.
We're still grinding.
Still learning.
Still building.
And Age of Mara is starting to take its real shape.
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