''Seed'' is an upcoming massively multiplayer

sandbox A sandbox is a sandpit, a wide, shallow playground construction to hold sand, often made of wood or plastic. Sandbox or Sand box may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Sandbox (band), a Canadian rock music group * Sandbox ( ...

simulation A simulation is the imitation of the operation of a real-world process or system over time. Simulations require the use of Conceptual model, models; the model represents the key characteristics or behaviors of the selected system or proc ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

in development by Klang Games, which began initial production in October 2016. According to Klang Games, the game is not connected to, or a remake of, ''

Seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

'', developed by Runestone Game Development, which closed in 2006.

Plot

Players are tasked with colonizing a large-scale,

exoplanet An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first possible evidence of an exoplanet was noted in 1917 but was not recognized as such. The first confirmation of detection occurred in 1992. A different planet, init ...

through collaboration, conflict, and other player-to-player interaction.

Gameplay

Players must manage multiple

colonists A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...

and create their routines, allowing them to develop their

community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...

and progress on their own organically. Each AI-controlled colonist can be given priorities or various tasks for survival. Players can collaborate with one other to form larger colonies. These large colonies can then form their own

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

s, rules, or taxes, and eventually, become cities. When a player is logged off, their colonists will still function within the game. However, players will also have the ability to defer the control of their characters to other players.

In-game politics

In May 2016, it was announced that the

Professor of Law Legal education is the education of individuals in the principles, practices, and theory of law. It may be undertaken for several reasons, including to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for admission to legal practice in a particular j ...

Harvard Law School Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States. Each class ...

, Lawrence Lessig, is working with Klang to create the game's political structure. Professor Lessig is creating a platform where players can choose from different forms of

governance Governance is the process of interactions through the laws, social norm, norms, power (social and political), power or language of an organized society over a social system (family, tribe, formal organization, formal or informal organization, a ...

to apply to a player colony. The options range from simple forms of government to a

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...

or different forms of complex democracies. Lessig noted that players shouldn't be burdened with political structure until they need it. In addition, Lessig noted that he is not interested in pushing his personal views within the game.

Development

Klang is utilizing the cloud-based

operating system An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. Time-sharing operating systems schedule tasks for efficient use of the system and may also in ...

created by Improbable, SpatialOS, which allows Seed to be a

persistent Persistent may refer to: * Persistent data * Persistent data structure * Persistent identifier * Persistent memory * Persistent organic pollutant * Persistent Systems, a technology company * USS ''Persistent'', three United States Navy ships See ...

, continuously running simulation, with all Seed game logic running and living on a single shard server. The game's low polygon

art style ''Art Style'' is a video game series created by skip Ltd. for WiiWare and DSiWare. The first game in the ''Art Style'' series, ''Orbient'', was released for WiiWare in September 2008. Another two ''Art Style'' games, ''Cubello'' and ''Rotohex'', ...

direction is led by 3D animator Eran Hilleli.

Reception

Seed has been described by

Rock, Paper, Shotgun ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' (also rendered ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun''; short ''RPS'') is a UK-based website for reporting on video games, primarily for PC. Originally launched on 13 July 2007 as an independent site, ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' was acquir ...

as “'

RimWorld ''RimWorld'' is a construction and management simulation video game developed and published by Montreal-based developer Ludeon Studios. Originally called ''Eclipse Colony'', it was initially released as a Kickstarter crowdfunding project in earl ...

but multiplayer or maybe ' The Sims but on another planet where the other Sims families don’t like you'.”

References

External links

* {{Portal bar, Video games Upcoming video games Massively multiplayer online games Multiplayer video games Open-world video games Construction and management simulation games Simulation video games