The Legacy Continues

History, as many wise souls have claimed, often has a way of weaving itself into the future. And in the heart of Lumenshard lies a legacy, a connection to a past that many remember fondly and nostalgically—A'therys. This isn't a mere walk down memory lane or a mere attempt to tap into a bygone era of Minecraft MMORPGs. Lumenshard's birth is fueled by a profound respect for what A'therys represented and a burning desire to propel that experience to unprecedented heights.

It's not just about resurrecting a realm; it's about revolutionizing it. Lumenshard represents more than just the next chapter; it's an entirely new volume. Think of it as revisiting a beloved novel series. Upon opening the first book, memories flood back: the adventures, the heartbreaks, the victories. But as you progress to the sequel, you're greeted with a world both nostalgic and novel. You recognize the essence, the soul of the tale, but now there are fresh challenges to face, new heroes and perhaps a few old friends, evolving narratives, and uncharted territories that beckon.

It's this duality—of homage and innovation—that makes Lumenshard more than a mere MMORPG. It's a journey that beckons players to not only relive the magic of A'therys but to co-create and experience new sagas, alliances, and perhaps even rivalries. A journey where every hill, every village, and every quest isn't just a game element but a testament to the rich tapestry of its predecessor while standing tall as a beacon of what RPGs can truly become in the Minecraft universe.

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Lumenshard's Expansive Universe

Picture a vast realm teeming with diverse narratives, topographies, formidable foes, and enthralling plots. That's Lumenshard in its essence. Our world design philosophy revolves around breaking this expansive universe into self-contained maps or "regions." These regions aren't mere geographic divisions but are narratives unto themselves, each with its distinct ambiance, challenges, and stories.

The invaluable insights we've gathered from A'therys are the guiding stars for Lumenshard. Our team, many of whom were a part of A'therys' journey, spent countless hours dissecting both its glories and its pitfalls. This reflective exercise wasn't mere nostalgia; it was a deep dive to discern the core elements that made A'therys resonate with its community and to understand where we could innovate.

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Rethinking the Single-Server Model

In the world of game development, innovation often stems from limitations. Confronted with the constraints of scalability, cost, and the quirks of the Minecraft engine, we revisited the drawing board. We realized that to bring our grand vision to life, we needed to fragment our colossal maps into intricate, detailed sections. This approach not only ensured a stable experience but allowed us to infuse each region with meticulous attention to detail.

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Unveiling Server Meshing

Marrying multiple servers into a coherent, unified experience is the cornerstone of Server Meshing. It's our solution to the age-old challenge of facilitating smooth transitions between vast game regions. While the technicalities are complex, the outcome is simple: players can move between servers with barely a whisper of disruption. Drawing parallels, think of games like "Albion Online", where each zone is a unique yet connected experience.

This will be handled by providing players a variety of options for traveling throughout the world, along with a handy in-game map that players can reference at any moment to recall where they are and where they've been, check out our Map & Travel System Dev Diary that goes over this fun quality of life feature we've been developing.

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As for methods of travel, players will be able to take on the world by:

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Every journey begins with a single step, and in Lumenshard, it's an invitation to explore. From the bustling capitals of nations to the quiet corners of secluded hamlets, your own two feet are the most intimate way to connect with the world. With each step, you're not just traveling; you're embracing the diverse tapestry of stories, cultures, and landscapes. So lace up your boots and let the horizons of Lumenshard beckon — every path is an unfolding story awaiting your footprints.

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Feel the exhilaration as you mount up and set forth across Lumenshard's vast terrains. Unlock your very own mount and feel its rhythm sync with your heart as together, you traverse lands, bridging distances at a pace that's twice as swift. Whether it's the gentle canter through meadows or a heart-racing gallop across desert expanses, riding amplifies the thrill of exploration. With the wind playing with your hair and the world rushing past, even the familiar trails transform into exhilarating adventures.

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Transportation isn't just about reaching a destination; it's an experience in itself in Lumenshard. Board a boat and let the undulating waves guide you to distant shores, with tales of maritime legends accompanying your journey. If it's speed you seek, hop onto a train, feeling the raw industrial might as you slice through the countryside. And for those who dream of the skies, airships provide a vantage like no other, offering breathtaking views as you soar above majestic mountains and valleys. Wherever you wish to go, Lumenshard ensures the journey is as enchanting as the destination.

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Beyond the mundane realm lies a world shrouded in mystique and wonder. At the heart of this enigma are Lumenshard's magical fountains. As you approach, a coin imbued with ancient magic becomes your key. Toss it in, and behold the transformation: the once tranquil waters turn into mirrors of the cosmos, reflecting a boundless expanse of twinkling stars and ethereal beauty. As you step through, reality shifts, and you find yourself in the awe-inspiring domain of an eternal entity, an ageless being whose origins are veiled in the mists of time and fantasy.

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Tackling the Inevitable Challenges

Server Meshing, while revolutionary, brought its own set of challenges. From concerns of data redundancy to potential hiccups when servers communicate, our journey has been one of trial, error, and triumph. One such nuanced challenge was ensuring consistent player data across servers. Through relentless innovation, we've found ways to database both plugin and server data, ensuring players always find themselves in familiar, yet ever-evolving surroundings.

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The high level summary of how our backend will work is we've worked had at coming up with a solution that works within the constraints of a Minecraft server. The reality is that there are no true in-market MMORPGs that rely on Minecraft as the foundation or the engine, it's just not built to support fully realized worlds filled to the brim with players, entities, activities, and more without seriously sacrificing other parts of the experience.

We've set out to build the largest Minecraft RPG world we can, but also ensuring that every region, every instance that the player steps into isn't an infinitely procedural generated space with absolutely nothing to do but walk and build. We want to build a world that feels truly packed and alive, where every step taken and corner you turned has new content for the players to discover and enjoy.

To keep things in perspective, this is almost impossible for a few friends in the discord server to assemble in any reasonable amount of time, so this structure of development lends us even more leeway to build the way we want as we can expand the world at anytime, without worrying about having to cut away and replace major parts of the world or impact the player building space.

The world will be sliced into many instances that players will be able to travel through in a coherent and consistent experience that will be flooded with content, quests, creatures, NPCs, and secrets for players to discover.

With the alpha stage in our sights, our excitement is palpable. Our design boards are already populated with sketches of the next two regions post-alpha: the ethereal landscapes of Aloreh and the mystical terrains of Ar'Selukk. We're committed to keeping our community in the loop, and we eagerly await your feedback as these visions come to life.

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Your Role in Lumenshard's Tapestry

Every game is as much a creation of its developers as it is of its community. Your feedback, support, and enthusiasm fuel our drive. We invite you to actively engage with us on Discord, share your thoughts, and even support our project through our Patreon.

From the bylanes of A'therys to the sprawling landscapes of Lumenshard, our journey has been unforgettable. And it's just the beginning.

Until next time,

The Lumenshard Development Team