A new direction: a classic-style MMORPG in 2D

Rivenward Online started as a project of its own on 7 October 2026 and got its direction the same day. The short version is 2D Classic Plus.

What that means

Mechanically as close to the classic MMORPGs of the early 2000s as is allowed: tab-target combat, nine classes with three talent trees each, five-player dungeons, raids for ten and 25, honor and battlegrounds, a hardcore realm. On top of that comes the "plus":

• Sigils unlock new class roles,
• a short comfort list that never devalues a group,
• more endgame breadth instead of a single raid ladder.

Entirely our own: the world of Vessar, its history, every name, text, number, all graphics and the look of the interface.

Why the rules are this strict

Before any name was fixed, a team researched the legal situation. The line in one sentence: mechanics are free, expression is not, and accumulation tips the scale. That gives working rules for every decision:

1. Systems and rules may be adopted.
2. Formula structure may be the same, all numbers are our own.
3. No data exports from other games' databases, not even "to get started".
4. Every name is checked before it is approved. So far only the working canon is approved.
5. No third-party trademarks, no third-party assets, no AI images.

The spike comes first

Rivenward is a solo project with about three build days a week. So it does not start with "build everything" but with a four-week de-risking spike: one room, three roles, no content. Three kill criteria decide whether it continues:

• K1 netcode: does server-authoritative tab-target combat hold up under load and latency?
• K2 art pipeline: can pixel art be built by code at game quality?
• K3 estimate: does the MVP fit into 12 to 18 months at most?

If a criterion fails, that is a cheap, honest no after four weeks instead of an expensive one after two years.

The MVP after that

Levels 1 to 15, The Concordat only, human and court elf, Warrior, Priest and Mage, one starting zone, one capital, one dungeon, the realms Haven and One Life.

Saltwarden Online is inspired by classic MMORPGs and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any other game or its publisher.