[Avasyu]

We're pleased to announce a new Iron Realm in development: . Set within the vast expanse of space, this marks our pioneer venture into the science fiction genre, with unique features ranging from a semi-classless structure, a novel approach to combat, a new skill system, flexible organisations, and of course, spaceships! Tears of Polaris is projected for open beta release in 2008. Visit their for the latest news.

[Avasyu]

Of course, like a total idiot I forgot to announce that Kunin (aka Joseph Monk) is our lead producer on Tears of Polaris. Joe has been playing and administering IRE games for many, many years and is a valuable addition to our team. Congratulations Joe!

[Baram]

Thanks for the introduction!

I'd just like to say that I am very excited about this project and hope to see you all in game soon. For the time being please feel free to browse the forums and post your questions, comments, and ideas.

[the_logos]

Congrats! Now kick some butt with it.

[DonathinFrye]

Is it weird that I am finding myself excited about an IRE game? I hope that space combat and the combat system brings a new look to IRE pvp, which while more advanced than the majority of pvp MUDs, has always bothered me with its system where real life money affects gameplay.

However, if there was ever a "scene" that I think an IRE system would work best in (aesthetically and gameplay-wise), it would be space. There aren't enough good space mmos/MUDs, and I really enjoy pvp on "space MUDs", though the heavy rpg focus on these games usually means that player-killing is punished. I've been denied for pking on more Star Wars MUDs than I can remember.

I'll definitely be keeping an eye open for the beta-testing, though, I'd like to see what this is all about.

[the_logos]

I no longer run Iron Realms directly, but I'd be awfully shocked to find out that real life money doesn't affect gameplay in ToP, just as a point of information!

--matt

[Baram]

You should keep an eye on our forums, each week I will be releasing more information on ToP. Yesturday I released our Archetype and Skill system, which I believe will a bigger help to those that do not wish to spend real life money. Of course, I hope they later choose too, but we have many things designed to make it easier to move up without spending.

[KaVir]

I'd been wondering whether or not Ilyrias would be back with a new codebase. Does this mean Persistent Realms is now completely dead, and not just hibernating?

Other than that, I'm a little bit surprised to see IRE going for a science fiction mud, as I thought Matt had said in the past that the demand for fantasy muds was much higher than that of sci-fi. Is it simply the case that, with four fantasy muds already, you decided it was time to branch out into a new genre?

[Baram]

I do not know what Persistent Realms is doing, the last time I spoke with Ryan he wanted to build a new engine and try again. After what happened there, and knowing that it wasn't the first time, I decided working with people that are dedicated to making good MUDs was the way to go.

When Matt and I were discussing a new game, we both agreed that what was needed was a good game in a different genre. After a few different designs we settled on Sci-Fi, and here we are... a whole year later. It is my hope that by having a different genre it will help to attract players that have so far stayed away from IRE games, but that is not the only thing we have to offer. ToP has gone very much away from the standard model, to the point that I started from a clean slate and didn't use the same base that most of the other games started with. This has allowed me to do some different things with combat, PvE, skills, a semi-classless system, etc. I've also taken some steps that I think will help in the ever popular arguments that in IRE games you can't get anywhere without money, of course it is still a commercial venture but we're trying some different ideas.

[Hephos]

Good luck with the game!

Btw if you ever want a spacy sci-fi client, man it would be cool to make one (a little more graphic intense)!

[DonathinFrye]

Yeah, I signed up yesterday to the forums and started reading. I think that IRE's model will make them money purely based on the fact that people have always proven willing to spend real life money on internet reality, but if you are willing to make grinding and gameplay fair (and not frustrating) for people who are (as I have certainly been on this subject in the past) "IRE skeptics"... then you may do something that IRE hasn't done yet and win over some of the nay-sayers, building on your player-base.

[crate]

This news is doubly exciting. I'd been waiting for news on IRE's new game that The Logos referenced previously, and I'd also been wondering what Baram had been up lately. Combine the two, and Tears of Polaris will rock!

[Baram]

Last week we released information about our system, needless to say everyone was pretty excited about the level of customization we are allowing, without going fully classless.

This week we also released information about how will be run in Tears of Polaris, come and check it out!

For those that are more into the history and role play of the world, be sure to read the history of the and an overview of the race.

[Rivalyn]

Faster releases of information appease the masses!

Combat should be interesting to say the least. I'm looking forward to a full skill list to ponder how the skill selection will work out.

[Aldraxis]

All IRE games are essentially trials until you pay to get anywhere in the game.
I'm sure there will be nothing new here, except space. But who cares when it's all about the $$$$.

[Baram]

All IRE games are essentially free until you pay to advance faster.

I personally was never a big spender, only in one of the three IRE games did I ever spend anything, yet in all three games my characters were of equal strength (the 3rd one, whom I spent no money on, was actually the biggest).

I would suggest you do even a little research before you go making such claims, as obviously you haven't spent any time looking at ToP. For example, our is different from the standard IRE model, giving players more freedom in what they learn and actually reducing the need to spend RL money. Also our system gives players another way to gain the most powerful items, without the need to spend RL money or gain credits from other players. In fact our whole is designed to increase the need for player skill and reduce the need for external money.