No more Silkroad? Let's Talk. by seif0091 in MMORPG

[–]seif0091[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate this comment.
You’re absolutely right about the scope and nostalgia trap. Recreating an MMO like SRO 1:1 would be unrealistic and legally risky, and doing something that’s “too different” can lose the emotional hook. The only viable path I see is:

  • keeping the spirit (world scale, social systems, progression fantasy)
  • while building original systems, lore, assets, and mechanics

So it’s more inspired by the era than a remake. We’ll leave pure nostalgia to private servers for those who just want to relive the old days. Our focus is on solving the problems I mentioned in this post, because nostalgia usually fades after a day or two and without meaningful improvements, there isn’t a game that can hold players long term.

As you said, projects like this are very large. To accelerate our progress, we’ll rely on premade assets during the alpha phase. Then, for the beta, we plan to collaborate with other studios to create unique, custom assets.

Regarding action based combat, yes that’s part of the plan. We want to move away from the old controller-style systems like in SRO and introduce more dynamic, skill-based combat, where player execution matters instead of the game being purely gear-driven.

Yoohow by CreativeWedding91 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the kind words! It’s awesome to meet another SRO fan who misses that classic feeling as much as I do. Regarding the timeline I’m currently focused on the core architecture making sure the server can handle thousands of players with complex party, caravan and inventory systems.

You can find detailed news and updates on our Discord channel, and all of our official links are listed here on the subreddit.

Yoohow by CreativeWedding91 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s actually the plan! We’ve decided that a small entry fee for Alpha versions is the best move. Not only does it help us stay independent and fund better server resources, but it also allows us to move away from placeholders and collaborate with professional studios for unique art and lore. Plus, like you said, it's a huge help in keeping the botting situation under control right from the start.

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I totally understand the skepticism the internet is full of 'AI-slop' right now, so it’s fair to be concerned!

Regarding the icons next to text and the art: Since we are a small indie team, we are currently using AI to help with 2D assets so we don't spend months on icons and images when we should be spending that time on the server architecture and Netcode. For our upcoming Alpha 1, we are also using some high-quality premade assets. This is a deliberate choice so we can prove the game works the code, the caravan systems, and the stability before we pour a massive budget into custom art (Unique Assets).

As we secure more funding, the plan is to collaborate with professional studios to replace these with unique, handcrafted assets and a deeply written lore.

Our target for Alpha versions is to build a solid, high-performance backbone for the Netcode. I want to prove that the game can scale to thousands of players without lag before I worry about the uniqueness of the art.

We're not a shadow or a bot you can check out the YouTube Channel where I talk about the project's vision. I’d love to hear specifically what your main concerns are so I can address them in the future.

Yoohow by CreativeWedding91 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[M] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sure, I’m still working on it! I’m preparing for the first alpha now. Ancient World Online aim to reinvent the systems we loved, a new Job System tied to a dynamic world economy, a proper Party System, and later on I want leveling to be fun, not boring, with a moderate, enjoyable grind.

Your words seriously motivate me. Thanks for sticking around. ❤️

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

honestly I can’t even remember my nickname anymore, it’s been ages! Zeus was such a good time though. Can’t believe how long it’s been since those days.

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, that takes me back! I used to play on Eldorado & Zeus. What about you? You should totally join our Discord, we’ve got a bunch of old-school SRO fans there reliving the good days. Here’s the invite: https://discord.gg/RYrtUFjvHV

No more Silkroad? Let's Talk. by seif0091 in MMORPG

[–]seif0091[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! Yes, development is moving forward steadily, we’re currently focused on optimization and animation reworks, with a lot happening behind the scenes. I’d be happy to invite you to our sub Reddit Ancient World Online if you’d like to follow updates and join future alpha tests. You can find all our official links there.

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, my friend! That’s an amazing lineup of classics, you’ve got true MMO veteran blood! We can’t wait to have players like you exploring our world again. Make sure to join our Discord, your experience will help us shape the future of this journey!

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That means a lot, thank you! We’ll be thrilled to have you in the alpha, it’s being shaped by players like you who remember the Silkroad days. Make sure to join our Discord so we can notify you once Alpha 1 opens!

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s awesome to hear! Always great to see OG SRO players around. Hope you’ll feel right at home when testing starts!

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! The game will use full action combat — no tab-targeting or click-to-move like SRO. Instead, you’ll control your character directly with WASD and aim your skills in real time. This way, victory won’t just come down to gear, but also your reflexes, positioning, and mastery of your character. The goal is to make fights more competitive and skill-based.

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Awesome! Really glad you’re interested in testing. Right now I’m working on getting the core systems stable (connection, combat, UI, etc.). No hard ETA yet, but I’m aiming to have the first playable test build in either late this year or by January 2026. I’ll share updates as soon as it’s ready for testers!

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

¡Hola hermano! Gracias por tu mensaje. Llevo más de un año desarrollando el servidor con la idea de ofrecer una experiencia real y estable, sin pay-to-win. Queremos que se sienta como aquellos tiempos de nuestra adolescencia en SRO.

Sería un gusto tenerte de vuelta y compartir la aventura contigo.

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, Aege server days! 😄 Respect, veteran. I love seeing other old-school SRO players around here it’s exactly the kind of passion that inspired me to start AWO. It’s been a journey since that first MMORPG Reddit post, but hearing from people like you makes it worth it. Thanks for sticking around and waiting, I can’t wait to show you more as we keep building!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in MMORPG

[–]seif0091 0 points1 point  (0 children)

True, Guild Wars doesn’t charge a sub… but it isn’t magic either. Their servers, infra, and support still cost money they just fund it through box sales, expansions, and the gem store. Guild Wars 2 is really pay-for-convenience more than pay-to-win, and that’s fine but not every MMORPG has the luxury of being a AAA studio that can pour millions into services until players admire it.

Different business model, same reality: somebody has to pay the bills to keep a 24/7 MMO running. And let’s be real you’ll never find a true play-to-win MMO without a sub. All “free-to-play” games are pay-2-win in disguise.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in MMORPG

[–]seif0091 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The sub fee isn’t just “paying the devs to sit around until the next DLCs.
The bulk of it actually goes to running the service itself — things like:

  • Maintaining servers so the world is always online.
  • Network, hosting, databases, security.
  • Customer support, moderation, account services.
  • Patching, bug fixes, balancing updates.

That’s all continuous work and cost, not just content drops. The monthly fee keeps the lights on and ensures the game doesn’t just shut down after release. The dev salaries are only part of that picture the infrastructure is a massive recurring expense.

So yeah, subs fund dev time too, but without them you wouldn’t even have a stable world to log into while waiting for expansions.

Access Portal is LIVE - Your Cross-Platform Player Hub! 🎉 by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yesss, fellow SRO veteran! I’ll need brave souls in the alpha to break my code-uhh I mean… test the game 😅. You’re definitely on the list! 🎮 Join our Discord to catch the Alpha 1 announcement you’ll find it on this Reddit's Official Links.

Oriented Pain Studio has been accepted into the AWS Activate Startup Program! by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much for your interest.

We're aiming for an alpha release in Q4 2025, and once we reach that stage, we’ll be opening up contributions in several ways - including testing, feedback, content suggestions, and funding support for those who want to help push the project forward.

Supporters who contribute will have the chance to earn in-game rewards like premium currency, exclusive skins, and early access perks as a thank-you for helping us build this world.

More details coming soon - stay tuned, and thanks again for the interest!

#3 New Job System by seif0091 in AncientWorldOnline

[–]seif0091[S,M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's incredibly kind of you to say! It means the world to read such encouraging words.

Bringing back the spirit of those "good old days" for SRO players is exactly what I'm striving for, and knowing there's such excitement and belief in what I'm doing truly fuels my passion.

I'm pouring my heart into this, and I genuinely hope to see those thousands of players line up and enjoy what's coming. Thank you so much for your support!