Thursday, March 11th, 2010 Posted by CG Channel Administration

GDC: BigWorld MMO Engine Goes Indie, Student and Small Developer

If you’ve been dreaming of making an Massively Multiplayer Online game, you might have a chance to with the new product offerings from BigWorld. The boys down under at BigWorld Technologies have been making the BigWorld MMO game engine for years and have announced three new products. Indie teams, registered education institutions and any small commercial company may be eligible to apply for a ‘BigWorld Indie’, ‘BigWorld Indie Source’ or ‘BigWorld Academic’ license. For pricing, eligibility requirements and a full list of terms and conditions visit www.bigworldindie.com

“This announcement comes as a bona fide boon for students, indie and prototype developers who have previously been unable to gain access to BigWorld’s premier, complete and proven MMOG solution”, commented John De Margheriti, CEO, BigWorld. “Many developers have been placing solutions for Indies and making available prototype builds for emerging game companies for quite some time. BigWorld has kept its focus on the fully commercial marketplace and to date, there are over 40 commercial licenses in development or launched on BigWorld Technology. We are now well positioned to expand our product offerings to include academic institutions and mod and indie developers, who are in our belief, stronger and more capable than ever to take advantage of virtual or graphical social worlds and MMOs”.

BigWorld Indie is for the casual enthusiast and can be used as a pathway to the BigWorld Indie Source or the full scale BigWorld Commercial license. It’s the most affordable of the three offerings, but also carries the most restrictions. This offering is supported through online forums which are moderated by BigWorld staff.

BigWorld Indie Source is the likely choice for those companies wishing to build a prototype to show potential investors, or for pitching an idea to a publisher. Support forums are enabled and you are able to buy direct-interaction support packages for one-on-one time with BigWorld support staff in blocks of 10 hours.

BigWorld Academic is strictly for registered educational institutions and will enable students to gain a grasp on the technology and experience the issues involved in developing MMOGs and large scale online virtual worlds. Employers can look forward to getting their hands on more industry ready graduates who have been exposed to some of the intricacies of the BigWorld Technology.

Even though there are caveats on all three new product offerings, BigWorld have gone the extra mile to help developers elevate themselves to a winning position. Progression plans are available to upgrade to a BigWorld Commercial license and BigWorld is looking forward to welcoming an abundance of new developers.

Related Links
BigWorld Tech
BigWorld Indie