UPDATE - Added the new Binary Bar preview

Otherland has been getting so much attention lately, and it's very exciting to see it going viral. I've been working on a compilation post for everything we know so far about Otherland. Firstly, I'd like to reiterate that according to the two sources below, Otherland is expected for release in Q3 or Q4 of this year, so likely between the months of July and December if you didn't already know that.

Originally Posted by MMORPG

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... Expected in Q3 Otherland is shaping up to be an impressive, unique, and highly hybridised vision of an MMORPG. From socialising, to crafting, and further to adventuring, the Singapore developer has left no online-shaped stone unturned: I can't wait to get my hands on the final product.

(Source)

Originally Posted by IGN

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Potentially launching as early as the fourth quarter of 2012, RealU's Otherland is an attempt to turn Tad Williams' sci-fi series into an MMO. ...

(Source)

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Massive Otherland Compilation
So I've been working on this for a bit, adding to it as new things are announced and think there's enough information to post a nice compendium of information. Lets get started!



Otherland is based on the famous virtual reality series of novels of the same name by the best-selling author Tad Williams. The state-of-the-art technology of the Unreal Engine 3 allows the action-packed MMORPG to have visually dazzling landscapes, highly-detailed character models and top-notch effects. The developers had a wealth of material to draw upon when creating the highly-varied multiverses.


Simulations in Otherland are large, virtual zones containing lush forests, farmland, fields, and a widely observable virtual atmosphere that engage users in PVP, creature combat, exploration, questing, leveling, and much more. Simulations offer most of the experience that a player will encounter in the game as they are basically what we know as "the world". There are many Simulations that we will be exposed to, but currently we only know a few:

Lambda Mall
Lambda Mall is the main social hub in Otherland, or otherwise known as the "Main City". It is technically not a part of Otherland in that it's not supposed to be known as a Simulation, but it is a main zone that players will be visiting frequently.



Hackerzones
Hackerzones are locations, only known to be so far in Lambda Mall, that are a more dark and sinister part of the cities. They are PVP enabled allowing players to attack each other, and offer exclusive bars and areas that may offer more prestigious buffs or items.



Metamorph Shop
Changing your appearance is easy in Otherland. Metamorph shops are placed throughout Lambda Mall for players to change into virtually anything they feel like. Most of the details are unknown at this point, but it is known that you will be able to change into the following:

• Races: Alien, Human, Simuloid
• Classes: Ranged-based Gunner class, Melee-based Rage class, others revealed later
• Players are allowed to change freely between these races AND genders at any time, penalties are not known at this time
• You can change the shape, clothing, skin color, etc of your character at will

Bank
Like most MMOs, Otherland offers a banking system. There are really no details on this at all, but we know that if you don't have your items banked you have the potential to lose them when you die. Banking your items is an important part of gameplay!



Bars
Bars throughout Lambda Mall (and possibly other simulations) offer a variety of music to select from: Techno, Dance, Rock, K-pop, and more! Each bar has a specific method of entry that will prohibit you from entering until you meet some "requirement". These requirements can be as simple as learning a secret handshake. Bars also benefit characters by providing special buffs to characters who buy their drinks.

• DJ Octo
  DJ Octo is a unique theme from the imaginations of the developers at RealU. DJ Octo has many limbs, so he can spin many discs at once! As a result this club has a rave theme that is perfect for dancing. The massive form of DJ Octo hangs above the dance floor, his huge headphones fueling his love for electronic beats as he spits out disco balls to light the night with.
  
  The music featured in this club was composed using some "watery" and "bubbly" synthesizer sounds. The composer aimed for a watery effect...like the feeling of being in an underwater club.
  
  
  
  
• Love Nurse Bar
  Love Nurse Bar offers cures to those with a longing heart. The decor consists of traditional hospital motifs turned romantic, with a team of beautiful nurses available to brighten up everyone's day! The music in Love Nurse Bar was written to have a fun feel, with a K-Pop like attitude to get people dancing together. Private rooms with pop art, massive glowing hearts, and animal patterned seating can be found in all the corners of the club.
  
  
  
  
• Permanent Ink Bar
  Permanent Ink is a rocker's bar, with tattoos growing up the sides of every wall and surface. The club proprietor is a large, intimidating individual who ensures that everything and everyone stays in control... for the most part. This club acts as an outlet for those who want to enjoy some traditional rock-n-roll while discussing the finer points of body art and modification.
  
  The primary music track featured in this bar is called "Rude, Crude and Tattooed"... it speaks for itself!
  
  
  
  
• Zebra Bar
  Bar Zebra is for the party animal. The walls, floor, ceiling, furniture and everything in-between are covered in zebra print, while dance poles sit upon mirrored bases so patrons can watch their favorite performers from all angles. The music composed for this club features heavy percussion to give a jungle feeling.
  
  
  
  
• Binary Bar
  Binary Bar is the place of choice for secret data exchanges, but is every bit as fit for socializing and light dancing. The music in Binary Bar reflects the computer-inspired imagery; it features lots of fast moving synthesizer parts lending it a feeling of being computer generated. Raw data cascades down the walls while the furniture is highlighted with a sleek blue ambiance, bringing the theme full circle.
  
  
  
  
• Eight Squared Bar
  Unknown at the moment!
  
• English Pub
  This is one of the first bars that you will encounter. It has some of the starting quest NPCs that send you off to different places. More on this later as we don't have much to share at the moment.
  
• Club 101
  Unknown at the moment!

Eight Squared
Eight Squared simulation is a large, grid-like place that serves as one of the main areas for experiencing the game. Players will be doing most of their initial game time in Eight Squared because it's one of the first areas that players will be questing, killing mobs, exploring, and leveling in. Eight Squared gets its name from the fact that it's an 8x8 grid, or 64 squares, area most noticeably referring to a chess board. This is evident from the floating holographic chess pieces floating mid-air!



Dungeons
The only information we have right now on dungeons or multi-player instances is the fact that the floating chess pieces in Eight Squared are actually entrances to some of them.

Zones
We know a few zones so far, but sadly we don't have much information on any of them other than a screenshot or two. We also don't have any confirmation that all of these areas belong in Eight Squared, but we're going to go out on a limb and say most of these are. We know that there's probably 64 areas in Eight Squared, so lets take a look at what we know:

• The OysterHouse / StoneCross
  
  
  
  
  
• Red Barracks / Beacon of Shards
  
  
  
  
  
• Mistral Rise / Monk's Retreat
  
  
  
  
  
• Tynedale / Appleton Market
  
  
  
  
  
• The Priory / Winds Idyll
  
  
  

Mars Simulation
The Mars simulation is designed to be the central trading hub, or in other words a place to buy and sell your goods. Mars Sim is a place where all merchants can feel at home selling or buying goods. It's supposed to be known as a sort of Black Market area, and a place where money can be made. It's most likely that an auction house of some sort will be present here in the future.



Auction House
A player-run auction house is planned for the future, but it is unknown if it will be implemented at launch or not.

MyLand / ClanLand
Both of these Simulations are designed to be player creations. Players are generally not able to create or change anything in the individual Simulations themselves, but rather collect a resource called eDNA to create things in his or her MyLand and ClanLand. Myland and Clanland are features designed specifically to promote PVP and player conflict, however the Otherland system has restrictions in place to protect lower level players from harmful players that are higher level than them.



MyLand
Like other instanced housing zones, the developer's have created a space in which players can craft and sculpt their own slices of paradise, but also these can be filled with mobs, and also give opportunities for PvP. Players create objects via eDNA that is harvested from basically anything in Otherland. It can be explored where players will find special rewards as well as the bad and ugly, and expanded and leveled up by collecting Soma. The Higher the level the larger the Myland and it's stats boost the stats of the players Simuloid when back in the main MMO worlds. Players can also populate their Myland with NPCs and other defenses harvested by collecting NPC fragments from the MMO worlds to help protect against hostile raids. Finally groups of players can combine their Mylands into Clanlands


ClanLand
ClanLands are an interesting concept. Guilds create ClanLands by combining MyLands together to create huge instanced areas.
Inside, you can build defenses, erect security perimeters, and place creatures you control to help guard the area. You'll be able to explore and expand the territory, an each MyLand area has an address, which guild members will need to know in order to enter. That also means that if you can uncover the address of another guild, you'll be able to access its area and attempt to take over its MyLand. Even if you are able to avoid being attacked by other guilds, there are creatures roaming around MyLand to provide a constant thorn in your side and a test of your defenses.


Customization knows no bounds in Otherland. With 3 races to choose from, you can really make yourself look like anything you want. You can change the size, bulkyness, clothing, etc of your sim simply by visiting the metamorph shop in Lambda Mall.



Below is a small overview of a couple of each race. You can see the Simuloid race on the left, followed by the Human race in the middle, and Alien on the right. We don't have any good quality previews of a male version of the races but judging from some of the videos out we can assume there's going to be genders of each.




Throughout the player's time in Otherland, they'll encounter a variety of quests include story, instance, party based, world event and sandbox quests.

Broadly the quest themes follow two threads, one connected to the local events taking place within each of the Otherland worlds where the inhabitants do not realise they are simulations. The other revolving around the larger events unfolding in Otherland and the true purpose of its existence. The quests play on both the virtual setting of Otherland and the illusion within each game world.


eDNA
Otherland has a very cool and flexible customization and progressive upgrading system based upon electronic DNA – eDNA. Starting as a low level Simuloid, players begin the game in Lambda Mall, free to visit in game or web stores to select class, modify their form or fit initial gear, but start exploring and see a monster or NPC with something you like in the game, then battle it and harvest the eDNA or Fragment you like from it. Items like weapons, gear, skins, clothing (which all has stats by the way) can be tried and experimented with for free. There is a heavy focus on player customization and the collection of weapons and gear, so if you kill a certain mob enough times you may be able to craft whatever item they had equipped!

Soma
Gear can be enhanced and upgraded by collecting colored Soma, an in-game resource, in various quantities and bringing it to the Soma Forge, an in-game area where resources called "Soma" can be put together to craft things. Soma can be found either from raids on other users Mylands or by finding Soma pools in the main MMO worlds.


Combat System
Combat within Otherland is "non-liner", meaning the ever popular "skill shot" term comes into play with this game. Players won't be constantly just mashing skills that will automatically hit their opponents but rather will need to aim wisely when attacking. If you are wielding a giant sword and decide to swing it in front of you, you will hit everything the sword comes into contact with rather than just your target. Ranged classes are the same deal. You will need to target opponents and aim skillfully to be able to land a hit. Combat is meant to be a mix of action and traditional mechanics, meaning the use of skills and/or spells is present as well.

Weapons
Weapons are something that we don't have much information on yet. All we know is that there are Axes, Swords, and Guns. Players can equip weapons from a different class, allowing for example, a close-range melee fighter to equip long-range weapons if they wish. This allows the player to create a mixed Class character that still has a specialty. However, there is a stat penalty for off-Class weapons.

Skills
Otherland's interface allows for five skills to be slotted at a time, and lets you switch between three weapon types with the F1 – F3 keys. Skills are developed by leveling up and forging or acquiring enhancements that increase the abilities of the weapons and gear.

• Weapon-based Skills
  All weapons come with attacks and special abilities built-in. This means that each weapon the player equips brings with a new capabilities.
  
• Player-based Skills
  Each Class has a set of abilities that are independent of the equipped weapon that allow them to perform special actions unique to that Class.

Death (Rebirth)
There are a few stages to death to mitigate the frustration of death in the game. When a player runs out of health they fall to the floor and enter a revive state. At this point any player can approach your resting corpse and revive you. This takes some of the attending player's health, but gives XP in return. If there are no other players around, or no one willing to help you out, there will be purchasable items that allow the player to self-revive and continue to play from the same location they died. The final option is to respawn back at the last respawn marker you passed.

What the player risks from dying is damage to weapons and gear as well as being open to be looted and losing Bling that isn't banked. The player also loses some XP. However items can be purchased that protect against these risk.

NPCs
NPC's were recently announced to be very dynamic and act very unpredictable. NPC AI is designed to not be scripted, meaning NPCs will be different each day depending on certain circumstances. Their unique life-cycle will cause them to say or do certain things each day, or possibly walk around different places. Ultimately NPCs are not supposed to loop AI over and over and present you with the same stuff each time. RealU wants NPC interaction to be interesting and life-like.

Portals / Traveling
Traveling in Otherland comes in two forms: Portals and zone traveling. There's no word on loading screens yet, however it would be wise to assume that loading screens may exist when traveling between simulations and won't while traveling through the zone.

Portals
Portals are designed to take you through Simulations and are mostly present in a designated area that allows for portaling.

Zone Traveling
Zone Traveling comes in a variety of methods: surf ways (surfing), transport vessels (riding), hovering, and travel tubes (flying). Information on this is somewhat scarce, however we can assume that surfing, riding, and flying take you on pre-defined paths around the zone and are present in almost every MMO, also known as waypoints. Hovering is kind of interesting. Being able to hover is part of the book so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. I can assume that hovering will probably be a lot slower to taking other methods of transport.



Technical Points
Technical Points are something new that hasn't been elaborated on very much. All we know so far is that weapons and armour can only be equipped when a player has a certain amount of Technical Points. These can be earned through combat and other such activities, meaning that TP somewhat dictates your inventory and equipment selection. Even though the game is essentially classless and you're able to switch at will, TP aims to direct you more into a certain direction than to let you be every class evenly.

Telemorphic Capacity
The game also has the traditional EXP and leveling system for the player that as well as combining Simuloid and Myland stats adds a new variable called Telemorphic Capacity (TC for short). Increasing your TC allows more exotic weapons and gear to be equipped at the same time.

That's all we know so far! If I missed something let me know in the comments! I tried to be thorough but I'm not perfect!