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Jane Austen MMO gets funding, promises 18th century delights

Jane Austen MMO gets funding, promises 18th century delights

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Ever, Jane, the game that aims to let players live in "the virtual world of Jane Austen," is a go after hitting its funding this week. The Kickstarter project netted roughly $10,000 more than its $100,000 goal, and will take its current prototype into a completed game. That includes adding various game scenarios like dinner parties, hunting, and fishing, as well as expanding the world to include multiple villages. Some of the project's stretch goals (which were not reached) could have brought music, estate planning, and even virtual farming.

"Instead of dungeons, we will have dinner parties."

The game follows the trend set by many MMOs by putting players in historic periods, though bucks the trend by tying its plot to literature. "Ever, Jane is about playing the actual character in the game, building stories," says creator Judy Tyrer:

Ever, Jane is an on-line role-playing game set in the virtual world of Regency England and the works of Jane Austen. Unlike many multi-player games, it's not about kill or be killed but invite or be invited. Gossip is our weapon of choice. Instead of raids, we will have grand balls. Instead of dungeons, we will have dinner parties.

Tyrer says the team's at work building the full game, but will keep the prototype version available in the interim. You can see more of the existing gameplay footage and features in the pitch video below: