Frogster’s successful fantasy MMORPG, Runes of Magic, will be entirely playable in a browser window and on Facebook starting in Q2/2011. The international publisher has signed an agreement with technology partner Kalydo. The Dutch middleware provider will realize the browser integration with a browser plug-in and a scalable server architecture running on a cloud computing platform that they have developed. Using the so-called Kalydo Player, the originally client-based MMORPG can then be enjoyed through any browser on practically every Windows PC without any constraints.
The initial focus of the partnership will be Facebook integration. For registration, the partners will use the social network’s user-friendly single-opt-in function, allowing every Facebook user to dive straight into the virtual world without having to complete any additional registration procedures. Once inside the social network, Runes of Magic can be played in either full screen or windowed mode without limiting any of the game’s functionality. The Kalydo team has already started with the technical implementation of the browser version. Frogster will show a first test version to selected media partners at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco from February 28th to March 4th. The publisher can be found in a shared booth with its parent company Gameforge in the North Hall of the Moscone Center, booth No. 702.
“We are expecting to see a marked increase in the numbers of players for Runes of Magic through this cooperation with Kalydo. Powered by the impressive Kalydo technology the browser version will enable us to attract new target groups who previously have found the download, installation and registration process too complicated”, commented Andreas Weidenhaupt, Chief Licensing Officer of Frogster Interactive Pictures AG on the signing of the contract.
Doki Tops, CEO of Kalydo agrees with him, “This is the future of gaming. Players enter the game with a single click of the mouse instead of spending hours on a download and installation and get the exact same experience. We praise Frogster for recognizing this potential and taking a leading role with us in pioneering this massive new style of gaming.”
Kalydo has already successfully incorporated the 3D role-playing game GodsWar into Facebook, which has gone from strength to strength.
Runes of Magic going to browser could represent a huge change in the way MMORPG games are played. While playing games on browser has been done with games like Farmville and even an MMORPG like Runescape, being able to reproduce a game with pretty good graphics like Runes of Magic in browser mode will be big.
This isn’t something new to Runes of Magic as they already had dropped their 7 gb download to a more manageable 3gb. They are now trying to get rid of that download altogether. It’s also something that other MMORPGs have tried a little of as both Everquest 2 and World of Warcraft had small downloads and would download in the background while you played the newbie area for their trials.
By going to browser based it opens up the game to even more new players who may not want to download a game. Facebook will also be integrated with it. Players will be able to get into the game quicker and may get hooked. I might even play it again when it goes this way as Runes of Magic is a great game.
Interesting mmorpg game with good community,graphic,and gameplay,i suggest it 🙂
This is decent mmorpg video game,I recommend it everybody 🙂