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June 2009

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MechScape
The MechScape Logo
Developer(s) Jagex
Publisher(s) Jagex
Release date Cancelled

MechScape was a browser-based game being developed by Jagex Ltd. Its development started in 2006. In 2009, Jagex decided that MechScape was not up to their standards, and began working anew on the project, renaming it Stellar Dawn. This article has been preserved for historical purposes.

History[]

Jagex first mentioned the name "MechScape" in Jagex recruitment material. Sources indicate that this was to be Java-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based on the technologies used by RuneScape, another MMORPG by Jagex.[citation needed]

MechScape was cancelled on 29 October 2009, rendering much of the following article obsolete. However, Mark Gerhard, Jagex's CEO, has said that "much of the game—including its engine—will be reused in the new [not so] secret project the Jagex development team is now working on."

At E3 2008, Jagex confirmed that MechScape was in development and hinted that it would be released Q1, 2009. The game was to be released when it reached a mature state. They stated that they did not want to rush, and would release once they felt they had a product they would be proud of. [1]

On 25 October 2009, Jagex released an announcement declaring the discontinuation of MechScape development. The project was to be reworked under the name Stellar Dawn.[2]

Nature of MechScape[]

Jagex said that MechScape would be a step or two beyond RuneScape in technology. They also said that RuneScape targeted teenagers, while MechScape was to target people in their mid-20s. Jagex job advertisements for content developers claimed that a "sci-fi interest" would be useful, and that they were working on an undisclosed game. They also recruited people to create low-polygon models "for environments, objects, vehicles, characters and special effects." They used state of the art graphics and design in creating game.[3][4][5]

Mod MMG confirmed that the game was to use previous Jagex usernames. [6].

Jagex's trademarks for MechScape covered MMORPGs and some of the domain names registered appeared to anticipate real-world trading.[7]

Jagex hinted in news postings that they would prefer to keep the MechScape pre-launch hype as low as possible. Despite this, several fan sites were created in the years prior to the set release date of MechScape in anticipation of what they hoped would be a large and in-depth MMORPG.[8]

Former Jagex employee John Seru claimed to have been the lead modeller of an "online space mmorpg" between April 2005 and October 2006.[9] Thomas Woode claimed to be a Jagex employee who "moved to the role of Lead concepter for a exciting new MMORPG title currently in development," and provided concept art of space ships with a Jagex copyright notice on it.[10][11]

Jagex employee Rupert Turner insisted that MechScape would not be released until it was believed by the staff to be entirely ready for the public, and that these circumstances might not be reached until October, 2009.[citation needed] (In hindsight, their prediction was relatively accurate: on October 23, 2009, Jagex made their statement announcing that MechScape development would be discontinued.)[2]

There were fears among some RuneScape players that MechScape would eventually aim to overtake RuneScape in the MMORPG market. However, when directly asked, Jagex confirmed that never would their company abandon RuneScape, no matter the success of their other creations.

MechScape development terminated[]

On October 23, 2009, "Plexus," a Jagex staff member, announced on the MechScape World forums that MechScape development was discontinued, and much of the existing work would be transferred to a replacement project titled Stellar Dawn. Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard confirmed this six days later, stating that the project neared completion when Jagex decided that it wasn't the sort of game they would be proud of. They determined to rework the gameplay based on the original game design, but will utilise the original game engine designed for MechScape. Gerhard said that the new title will be released within a "meaningful time frame."[12] Which might be in 2010, as mentioned by Simon Seefeldt, the company's head of business development.[citation needed]

Domains[]

This is a list of internet domains registered by Jagex and the dates they were registered. Some of these domains were probably registered so that people could not register gold selling domains, or sites to market unofficial MechScape-based material whilst others may have been registered to create different versions of the game in different languages.

Domain name D/M/Y
mechscape2.com 24/08/05
mechscape.biz 24/08/05
mechscape.info 24/08/05
mechscape.us 24/08/05
mechscapecoin.com 15/05/06
mechscapecommunity.com 15/05/06
mechscapecredit.com 15/05/06
mechscapegold.com 15/05/06
mechscapeguide.com 15/05/06
mechscapehq.com 15/05/06
mechscapeinfinite.com 15/05/06
mechscapemillions.com 15/05/06
mechscapemoderators.com 15/05/06
mechscapeproject.com 15/05/06
mechscaper.com 15/05/06
mechscaperealm.com 15/05/06
mechscapeshopping.com 15/05/06
mechscapetrades.com 15/05/06
mechscapetrading.com 15/05/06
mechhq.net 15/05/06
mechscape.es 12/07/06
mechscape.mobi 26/09/06

mechscape.tk

04/10/06

Jagex has also registered 3 other domains, "vegascape.com," "stellardawn.com," and "alienscape.com". These may be alternative names for MechScape or serve some other purpose. However, "www.vegascape.com" redirects to the RuneScape homepage. "www.alienscape.com" redirects to Fun Orb while "www.stellardawn.com" is now it's own website and has an option to sign up for a closed beta of Stellar Dawn. It is unknown whether or not these other domains are reserved for upcoming Jagex games. "vegascape" was believed to have been a cheap, illegal copy of RuneScape in which real world trade (RWT) and macroing could exist without fear of termination.[citation needed] Jagex lawyers had it shut down and to redirect to RuneScape.

Beta[]

Note: This section is no longer applicable. It is preserved for historical purposes. Please see Stellar Dawn for more recent information.

Currently, there is no MechScape beta test; when there is, it will most likely be announced on the RuneScape, FunOrb, Jagex, and/or other Jagex pages such as the Jagex Twitter or Jagex LiveJournal, so do not enter the passwords to any of your Jagex game accounts on any website other than runescape.com or funorb.com. There is now a beta test for Stellar Dawn.

Trivia[]

  • There was a glitch on the RuneScape website. If you searched for "MechScape" in the RuneScape manual, a result would come up with MechScape, highlighted. Clicking the link will take the user to the normal page (without MechScape references).[13]
MechScape search

Searching "MechScape" in the RuneScape manual

References[]

  1. ^ http://www.massively.com/2008/07/15/jagex-teases-sci-fi-successor-to-runescape-mechscap
  2. ^ a b http://www.mechscapeworld.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=9997&view=findpost&p=146136
  3. ^ Jagex Ltd. Jagex - Content Developer vacancy (English). Edge Online. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  4. ^ Jagex Ltd. Activte Vacancies - 3d Modeller (Junior) (English). Jagex. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  5. ^ Jagex Ltd. Jagex - Content Developers x 6 (English). gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  6. ^ Mod Mmg Answers Questions About Mechscape (English). Zybez MechScape Help. Retrieved on 2009-04-23.
  7. ^ HawaiiGopher (2007). Jagex: Working On A New Online MMORPG? (English). Gameolosophy. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  8. ^ Zybez Corporation. Mechscape fan sites (English). zybez.net. Retrieved on 2009-03-10.
  9. ^ John Seru. John Seru's Curriculum Vitae (English). John Seru. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
  10. ^ Thomas Woode. Thomas Woode's Curriculum Vitae (English). Thomas Woode. Retrieved on 2007-10-23.
  11. ^ Thomas Woode. Thomas Woode's Concept Art. Thomas Woode. Retrieved on 2007-11-04.
  12. ^ http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/decision-to-cancel-mechscape-costs-jagex-tens-of-millions
  13. ^ MechScape Search Glitch. Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
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