Screeps is a strategy online game wherein the core mechanic is programming your units AI. With all the attributes of a real strategy game, you control your colony by merely writing JavaScripts which operate 24/7 in the single persistent world filled by other players on par with you.
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The game has already been developed and launched in the MMO mode. This campaign is aimed at two things:
Open-sourcing the game server engine giving anyone the capability to run his or her own game world locally with its own rules.
Developing a Steam client allowing to connect to the local world and play in it with your friends for free.
About the Game
If you are a programmer, didn't you think the last time you played your favorite online game that it would be cool to automate it somehow? Be honest: you did. Because it makes lots of sense: why waste precious time making routine actions that any bot could perform equally well? Why should you manually enter the game daily just to get a reward if a script could do this for you? No more wasting time on dumb movements even a child can do. We, grown-ups and programmers, can do much better. Not only Screeps allows scripting, but moreover, it's a game wholly about scripts!
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In Screeps, each player writes an actual JavaScript program which controls the play. By managing resources, base, and units, you fight for dominance in the gaming space inside a single, huge, persistent real-time universe. However, instead of traditional manual point'n'clicking, you build an AI which controls everything without your direct interference. Think of it as macro-management of the world with the help of some Matrix-like computer, but you are in charge of how it works!
Your units continue living their lives even as you are offline! Just write a script, and they will mine and build. Improve your script, and they will conquer and defend. And all of this – while you are at work, sleeping, or walking your dog.
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There is no session match-ups: units of all players coexist in the same real-time persistent open world and obey the same rules.
You could build a large empire with a complex network of roads, sourcing, mining, manufacturing, border defense which would live on its own, while you would occasionally drop in just to check the situation and polish your scripts, if needed. Everything is OK, up and running? Fine, isn't this why you are a programmer? Ask for pay rise! :)
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Screeps may be called a platform game. If you are a programmer, you well know how to study API docs and build an app upon an existing framework. Screeps gives you an opportunity to apply your skills to compete with other programmers (including right in your office) in a way you never thought was possible!
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Open Source
Currently, the only way to play Screeps is inside our main MMO world. Since running your scripts each second in the 24/7 mode requires vast computing resources, we charge a subscription fee.
This campaign will help us polish and publish to GitHub the game engine code to let you run the game world emulation on your own. You will be able not just create a copy of our online game world on a local machine, but also modify it over a wide range, change the rules, and even create new object types with individual behavior. You might even create your own game based on Screeps platform.
To achieve this, we need to rework the existing engine in such a way that it can be launched outside of our server environment. This work will not generate any revenue, since you will be able to play for free. This is why we ask everyone who wants this release to join our campaign.
Steam Version
To allow you to connect to our local game engine along with your friends using the graphical UI, we want to release a standalone Steam version of the game. You will just choose a server you want to connect to, be it our online world, your local machine world, or any IP address you wish.
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The Steam version will contain a game world editor allowing you to run and modify your world without downloading and setting up anything.
To deploy this version, we need your support on Steam Greenlight. Please vote to get Screeps on Steam!
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Perks
Steam version. You will get a redemption code for obtaining your copy of the Steam version with the capability to edit the game world (when ready).
Early access to sources. You will get the full source code of the fully functional game engine a month prior to the general availability release.
MMO game time. You will receive a coupon to activate your game time within our main MMO world right within 24 hours after purchase.
Custom badge. Each player chooses a symbol that will personalize his or her creeps in the game. Buying this perk will enable you to use your own custom symbol as your badge.
Lifetime MMO access. Exclusive limited offer for this campaign backers: you get unlimited game time in the MMO world without buying and prolonging any subscription!
Premium support. This perk is mostly for companies that want to use Screeps for education, entertainment, and team-building purposes in their engineering teams. We offer support and consulting on setting up and customizing your game world for your own needs, like changing some rules or creating your own game quests based on our engine.
Promotion
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Questions & Answers
Will I be able to play only after the end of this campaign?
No, the game has already been developed and launched, you can sign up on screeps.com and start playing right away by purchasing game time. This campaign is intended on releasing the Steam version and the game server.
Will Steam version be paid or free to download?
Playing on Steam will require a small one-time fee. Going forward, if you plan to play only in your local world, you won’t be required to pay anything.
The game world server as it is will also be available for download completely free.
How will the Steam version look like, what's the difference from the site?
In fact, it will be a variety of the Screeps web page client but packed through NW.js to run autonomously as a desktop app. Apart from connecting to the local world, it has more differences from the site: authorization via Steam and possibility of using local files as game scripts.
When is the Steam version planned for release?
We try to do everything possible to release the game on Steam in the second quarter of 2016.
Will I be able to use the Steam version to play in the main MMO world?
Yes, you will. On startup of the Steam version, you will choose which world to connect to, including our MMO world.
How much will the Steam version cost?
We can’t give the exact pricing at the moment since many factors depend on Steam itself. However, we want to make the local subscription-less version without the MMO mode as cheap as possible.
How will the authorization via Steam be connected to the onsite authorization?
You will be able to link your Steam account to your screeps.com account, so your game account will be the same via both authorization methods.
How will the game server be distributed?
We will release it as a package to npmjs.com letting you install and launch the Screeps world on your local machine with easy commands:
npm install -g screeps
screeps init-world
screeps run
Will I be able to play in my world only myself, or others can join too?
You can open access to your world to any owner of the Steam version of the game who can connect to you either by your IP address or by a Steam invite.
Will my friends have to buy the Steam version to play on my server?
Yes, they will. Each player has to own his or her own copy of the game to access the any local server.
Can I buy gift codes for my friends?
Yes, you can buy them through Steam when the game is released. If, however, you want to pre-order a large number of gift codes now on an attractive price, please email us at contact@screeps.com
I bought a perk with game time, so when will I get my coupon?
We regularly send out coupons in real time. If you haven’t received yours within 24 hours, please email us: contact@screeps.com
Does game time start from the purchase or I can activate it later?
On receiving your coupon, you can activate it at any moment you wish. The game time starts at the moment of the activation of the coupon on our website.
