Raph Koster

We recently showed off STARS REACH at a local IGDA meetup, and I also got to do an hour long talk about the history of online worlds, from PLATO to looter-shooters and beyond!

Fig. 3. Jumping times in 3rd person action games – adapted from Cousins... Download scientific diagram | Jumping times in 3rd person action games – adapted from Cousins [2005].  from publication: Toward an understanding of flow in video games | In the domain of computer game...

I got that bit of info from Ben Cousins, and have mentioned it several times. Others have referenced it too, see www.researchgate.net/figure/Jumpi... which probably will link to his original source.

They also talk about Theory of Fun. :)

YouTube video by Controlled Chaos Gaming This player made freighter in Stars Reach is INSANE!

A giant build done by players in Stars Reach. It’s showing us what we need to optimize!

youtu.be/rhvm3enxWkU

What You Need To Know About Stars Reach Stars Reach is the lifelong dream of game design legend Raph Koster. In some ways, it’s the game he has wanted to make for over 30 years now. The culmination of all his ideas and ambitions for virtual...

Worth reading if you are curious about Stars Reach!

hooby.blog/posts/what-y...

I’m still here. :) New game in progress even!

Looking forward to it!

YouTube video by Kaezlo Invasion + Fire 😈 Stars Reach 😈 |25e142| #StarsReach #KAEZLO #twitch

youtube.com/shorts/HqBm0...

Stars Reach doesn’t look like you remember

I've been remiss in posting updates on Stars Reach here. I mean, the Kickstarter finished back in March (late pledges still accepted)! Today, though, I want to brag about our awesome AI and proc gen driven worlds. Over the last few releases, we have been…

If you haven't seen Stars Reach in a while, you might be surprised. :)

From our daily standup today:

Major issues to help track and resolve before playtest:
Season Curve causing flora to burst into flames

Want to help build magical new worlds? 🌍✨ Playable Worlds is hiring! Remote roles in Engineering & Design, with full-time and contract options. Great perks, stock options, and a passionate team behind it all.

Apply now or send an open app: www.playableworlds.com/careers/

GUNC Mycityum after 14 hours. Got lots of materials last 3 hours to make Saturday easier so builders can start building their houses at the top!! Can’t wait to see what y’all build, maybe we will see a dev build up there!
@playstarsreach.bsky.social #PlayStarsReach #StarsReach #MMORPG

Stars Reach game director Dave Georgeson talks material density, XP rates, and skill trees

Former EverQuest Next boss Dave Georgeson is one of the key devs working on Raph Koster's Stars Reach MMORPG - hear him talk about progress in the pre-alpha:

YouTube video by Bingohomeslice Stars Reach Impact!! Gameplay First Look

"That's the craziest thing I have ever seen in any video game!"

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTma...

Ever wonder why for Hortus Renovare we create garden art and riddles for others to find, well now you can find out from the children’s fable - The Melody of Beauty
@playstarsreach.bsky.social
#PlayStarsReach #StarsReach #MMORPG

Here is a story highlighting some of the lore and the spirit of Hortus Renovare
🌸🌺🌼🍓🍫
The Origin of Chocolate Covered Strawberries - A Hortus Renovare Story
🌸🌺🌼🍓🍫
@playstarsreach.bsky.social
#PlayStarsReach #StarsReach #MMORPG

Hortus Renovare, It is about celebrating the enduring hope of a better tomorrow regardless of the struggles we have faced. And in this spirit, we would like to start the festival by taking a look back at the great SR moments!
@playstarsreach.bsky.social
#PlayStarsReach #StarsReach #MMORPG

STARS REACH: A Living Galaxy Sandbox MMORPG🌌 Explore a living galaxy in a shardless sandbox MMORPG from the visionary team led by Raph Koster, designer of Ultima Online & SWG.

Looking at the most successful video games KS campaigns during Q1 2025. A thread.

Kicking it off with Stars Reach - @raphkoster.bsky.social new sandbox MMO.
It raised $770k from 5.5k backers.

Like often with MMOs, the average pledge is quite high ($140).

www.kickstarter.com/projects/sta...

Save 20% on Lab Rat on Steam A metrics-obsessed AI will monitor, profile, and entertain you as you progress through over a hundred genre-bending puzzles in this delightfully satirical adventure.

Been tracking this one for a while, glad to see it launched!

store.steampowered.com/app/1304610/...

Lore PROJECT STATUS | FROM THE DEVS | SPOTLIGHT  | NEWS/PRESS | LORE Long ago, an incredibly powerful ancient alien civilization terraformed the Galaxy into their Garden. They had the ability to tear open...

Loving all the Lore stuff for #PlayStarsReach. It gives a really good insight into the universe overall.

Part 3 of Staying Grounded

A Gertan aide hears a tale that might be myth, or a memory. Clere says goodbye. A giant Fae whispers to a statue. And Shae Duvane? She once brought strawberries to a killer robot... and rewrote history.
The stars are calling again #starsreach

Read more at starsreach.com

Part three!

I never know myself, it just happens.

a blast from the past when all? most? many? game ills were my fault

Why don't people ever blame me for crafting being in everything? That actually might be true

STARS REACH: A Living Galaxy Sandbox MMORPG🌌 Explore a living galaxy in a shardless sandbox MMORPG from the visionary team led by Raph Koster, designer of Ultima Online & SWG.

If you want to join us last minute, you can do so here: www.kickstarter.com/projects/sta...

And they're collaborating on space settlements that even now in pre-alpha go way beyond our expectations.