State of the Game and What's Next
OrbusVR launched into Early Access almost exactly 6 months ago, and since then we've seen an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm and support for the project. I'd like to take a moment to reflect back on what we've done thus far, and discuss where the game will be going throughout the rest of 2018.
Where We've Been
It's hard to believe that just 6 months ago when the game launched there weren't even end-game dungeons, or a fleshed-out pets system, or a Trickster's chest. Things that we already take for granted as major parts of the OrbusVR experience were just an idea back then, and I'm incredibly proud of how hard our team has worked to bring dozens of hours of new content and staple MMO features to the game in just a short period of time.
The community around the game remains very strong as well. Since launch, we've sold more than 25,000 copies of the game across the Steam and Oculus stores. That's far and above what I was hoping for (our original goal was to sell 10,000 copies in the first year the game was out). In addition to that, more than 6,000 players are still playing the game on a monthly basis even though it's been out for over 6 months, which in terms of an MMO is a very strong statement that the game is providing an ongoing, fun experience for many players.
In addition to that, we've been able to take the proceeds from those sales and re-invest them significantly into the game itself, expanding our team since launch to include at this point 5 full-time and 5 part-time positions, which is what has allowed us to put out new content and features at such a great pace. We'll be expanding the team further as we ramp up development for the next phase of the game.
Where We're Going
The next 3 months are going to be all about improving the foundations of the game for the future. That means fixing bugs, polishing existing features, and adding new mechanics to the game that will open up new opportunities for future content. We will also be putting out new content for our most dedicated players in the form of Hard mode and Expert mode Raids, as well as some new community content which should bring everyone together toward a common goal.
After that 3 month roadmap is completed, we'll be announcing the next major phase of the game. We're still figuring out everything that's going to include, and we'll be sending out a community-wide survey here soon to gather feedback on what everyone would like to see us working on for that.
Q3 2018 Roadmap
Sprint One - June 22nd
Our first Sprint will roll out in two parts. The first part will come out on Monday, June 18th and will feature a few improvements to the Ranger traps and the Warrior hit detection, as well as a new "charge" mechanic for Warriors which can reduce the amount of physical fatigue needed to play the class. The second part on Friday, June 22nd will introduce our Hard mode Raids. We'll also be introducing a new "Beta" version of the game with an updated version of Unity that should address some lingering crash issues.
Sprint Two - July 16th
Our second sprint will focus on transmogrification, a system which allows you to change the look of your armor to a different armor set while keeping your stats the same. We'll also be rolling out new improvements to the Fellowship system, including officer ranks and a shared Fellowship chest.
Sprint Three - August 6th
Our third sprint will focus on a Mounts system, which allows you to get around the world more quickly. We'll also be introducing a cosmetic-only in-game store which allows you to purchase a few items which do not affect gameplay, such as costumes. We'll also be rolling out our Expert Mode Raids later that week on August 10th.
Sprint Four - August 27th
Our fourth sprint will focus on fleshing out the Dragon pets system further. We'll also begin our "Defend the Realm" server-wide event, which will encourage players to band together and contribute resources to fend off a currently-unseen threat that could affect the whole realm.
Sprint Five - September 17th
The fifth sprint will focus on improvements to the LFG and introduce a queuing system to the game for dungeons. We'll also be introducing a level scaling system for the "beginner" areas and leveling dungeons, so that high-level players can aid newer folks while still getting rewarded for their effort.
It's been a great journey thus far toward building the first VRMMO, and I can't wait to see what's next. Thanks for joining us, and let's work together to keep creating a fun, immersive experience in VR for everyone to enjoy!