Game atmosphere is one of the key factors. If anyone would ask me what atmosphere we're trying to create, I would say that post-apocalyptic romanticism is what we think describes the SKIES world best of all. Where romanticism is in this ruined, cruel world you would ask then? Well, let's refer to the book The SKIES:
"Desert... This word puts many in fear, reminds of emptiness and hunger, gives birth to anxiety. Any person is free in a desert but at the same time it rejects the person's freedom as such. Who is not afraid of being left alone in a desert? Who is not afraid of standing in the middle of a burnt prairie and smiling to the wind that carries sands? For a wanderer desert means life - the life that he lives and protects. Freedom of thought and action makes you real and you don't have to hide your real self anymore. You are here, you are now and you don't care what others think of you. You must survive and take every opportunity to do that..."
"Desert is like school: at first it teaches you elementary things without which you won't be able to live. Then you start helping it, give it a chance to feel protected and not so lonely. And it is grateful to you, it gives you signs which help you not to lose your way, not to get into a trap. Desert is as lonely as any wanderer roving in it is. But if you can communicate with it, if you want to become a part of it, then you become its guest and it makes you feel comfortable."
Do you feel it now?
So let's try to immerse deeper into the world of The SKIES MMORPG.
The Sun... This yellow dwarf star is the only star in our solar system, without it life couldn’t exist in the way we are used to. At the same time, the Sun is similar to a willful child that destroys sand castles. From time to time terrible storms rage on its surface, they affect the whole solar system… Magnetic storms cause drastic changes in the Earth’s crust. Tectonic plates migrate, dormant volcanoes become active, tons of ashes are discharged to the atmosphere. Power lines are dead, satellites are broken and as the result mobile communication and satellite navigation are out of work… Life on the Earth has stopped. People find refuges in special bunkers. Those unlucky who has failed to find a refuge are doomed to die. Somebody has managed to survive in the underground utility systems, but they are not real humans: white skin, mutated body and mind, degradation. Sons of the desert can’t stand sunlight and they will be really surprised to find new towns on the Earth’s surface...
For a long period of time the world had been plunged in darkness and chaos. Winter caused by ashes clouds gave place to heat. In several years all developed countries turned to ruins.
In 150 years people start coming out on the surface of the planet. First streams of sun touch their skin, first drops of rain fall on their eyelashes and they make first gulps of fresh air…
But it is no more a civilization it used to be. New towns emerge from the old ruins. People create a New World. And this New World is full of old vices.
People build new towns in the Wasteland (most of them are near the refuges). One of the biggest is Adaran, but the neighboring towns are of the same weight and significance. There is no such notion as “state” in the Wasteland. In course of time lust for power and avidity have prevailed over the primary desire to survive and restore the world. Towns become isolated fortresses – small states with their own government, taxation and motivation. The only thing that unites people is a token coin. High and mighties have decided to tie this Wasteland world by a single currency. Monopolies help to keep the delicate balance: someone produces weapons, others give them fuel in exchange, the third supply well-trained slaves… This New world is cruel and selfish, everyone defends proper interests. If you decide to help a person, don’t blame anybody then… But people rumor that there is a town… A town where everybody can find a place… Where people are happy and kind… Of course, it may be just a lie, a myth invented by sectarians. But people need to believe in something, to believe in Skies.
