BitCraft Online News

🎉 100k wishlists…you all did it! In under 2 months, the BitCraft community hit a huge milestone and unlocked more pets coming to the game! Thank you for the incredible support! Stay tuned for new companions joining your journey! 🦉

[h2]What is BitCraft Online?[/h2]

BitCraft Online is a community-driven sandbox MMORPG set in a procedurally generated world shared by all players. The whole world is completely editable. Not only can you cut down trees, build roads or construct buildings and cities, but because it’s an MMO, you can build societies, economies, and relationships. Players start with nothing and work together (or compete) to shape the world around them. You get a rich world to explore, a huge community of players to befriend and compete with, and the freedom to figure out what kind of society you want to build.

We’ve been working on BitCraft for over 7 years, and with early access on the horizon, we’re making a decision that we hope will set the tone for the future of the game: we’re open sourcing the code.

[h2]Why We Are Open Sourcing[/h2]
There are 3 foundational reasons for this decision:

1. We want the genre to be more accessible
   
2. We think BitCraft will benefit from open source collaboration and exploration
   
3. We want to give something back
   

[h3]
1. Making MMOs more accessible[/h3]
   We believe deeply in the genre of massively-multiplayer games and the unforgettable social experiences that these games can create, but the barrier to entry is simply too high to allow indie developers to experiment in the space. Building a single, scalable, editable world like BitCraft’s presents perhaps one of the most difficult technical challenges in server-side backends.
   
   We believe that the BitCraft source code will provide both an example of how to build an MMO and an example of how to use SpacetimeDB to do so. That’s both a win for the developer community and for our platform.
   
   [h3]
2. BitCraft Will Benefit[/h3]
   We believe that BitCraft itself will benefit substantially from open source collaboration. This could take the form of something small like earlier flagging of performance or security bugs by the community. It could also take the form of community members contributing features to the code base directly. We’re already seeing amazing things from players who build tools, spreadsheets, and fan sites to support the game.
   
   The benefits could even take the form of the community forking the server entirely and building an even more fun game which we take inspiration from.
   
   We believe that games are made better by modding and rapid playtesting and experimentation. BitCraft is more than just a game, it’s a world. And we’ve always imagined that world growing in ways we can’t fully predict or control. Opening up the code gives the community a direct way to shape that future. We’ll never be able to do as much experimentation as the entire community.
   
   [h3]
3. Giving Back[/h3]
   Lastly, we want to give back to the Open Source Community. BitCraft wouldn’t exist without open source software. From the operating systems we run on, to the source control we use, to the infrastructure that runs our servers, to the libraries that power the tools we build, open source code has been a core part of our development journey from day one.
   
   We’ve benefited tremendously from this ecosystem, and we believe it’s only right to give something back. But more than that: we genuinely believe that open ecosystems produce better software. They encourage transparency, creativity, and collaboration. Problems get solved faster. Communities form. Innovation happens in the open.
   

[h2]Why Almost No One Else Does This[/h2]
Despite the benefits mentioned above, to our knowledge BitCraft will be the first venture backed/commercially developed MMORPG open sourced under an open source license. It’s incredibly rare for an online game, an MMORPG in particular, to be open sourced. There are a few reasons for that.

First, games are complicated. The codebases are large, idiosyncratic, and often tightly coupled with proprietary tools and content. Making a game’s code public is not just a technical decision. It’s a legal, cultural, and organizational one.

Second, many studios view their code as a kind of secret sauce. Something to be protected. In a world where most game companies live or die by a few percentage points of retention or monetization, it’s easy to see why so many prefer to keep things close to the chest.

And third, frankly open sourcing your game means giving up control. People will see your bad variable names. They’ll criticize your architecture decisions. They’ll fork the code and make things you never expected. And by definition you don’t have control over what they create.

The fear is that you will help to create your own most fearsome competitor. If you don’t manage the community right, your business might be undercut by your own hard work. That’s scary, and understandably so, but we think the potential to make something that truly lasts is worth it.

As a for-profit business, it is imperative that we go into this clear eyed and in a principled, well thought out way. We believe that we can open source the game in a way that does not undermine our business. Our first and most important priority is to build an incredible company that builds amazing products. The only way we can do that is to make money so we can pay our incredible team and the investors who believed in us and our vision from the very beginning.

[h2]What This Means for the Community[/h2]
If you're not a software developer, the phrase "open source" might sound like jargon. But it's a simple idea with a powerful impact. Open source software is software that anyone can inspect, modify, and distribute. That means the code behind a project is publicly available and not locked away behind a corporate firewall or encrypted into a black box.

In practice, this allows developers, hobbyists, and curious players to see how the sausage is made. More importantly, it means anyone can build on top of the work that’s already been done to create tools, mods, or entirely new projects. This is the foundation of many of the tools we use every day, including much of the modern web and game development stack.

This is uncharted territory and we are essentially running an experiment. For this reason we’re not licensing or open sourcing the game’s assets - the art, music, and IP will still be protected for the time being. But all of the code that makes the game run will be made public. We have not chosen the exact license under which we will be open sourcing the game’s code, but it will be one of the OSI’s approved open source licenses.

This means you’ll be able to browse the codebase, modify the code, share the code, host your own servers, experiment with mechanics, or just satisfy your curiosity about how an MMORPG ticks under the hood. For indie developers, we hope it can be a useful starting point. For modders, a powerful toolkit. For curious players, a new way to engage.

We know this won’t be for everyone. Most players just want to play. But for those who want to go deeper, to tinker and build and contribute, we’re excited to see what you do with it.

[h2]When will Open Sourcing be Available?[/h2]
Our focus will be on a smooth and successful Early Access launch on Steam, which is our highest priority. Only once we are happy with the state of the game will we start the process of open sourcing BitCraft. As always, we will be sure to keep our community updated as soon as we are able to.

We can’t wait to see everyone in game for Early Access. And for those of you who are code-curious we’re looking forward to seeing you poking around in the codebase once we’ve cleaned it up and made it public.

Wishlist BitCraft on Steam here!

— Alessandro, 3Blave and the BitCraft team

There is nothing that Laru and Varu can’t mend. Not metal, not fabric, not broken friendships nor a bad haircut. The twins didn’t have a home per se, more of a workshop where the sound of clanging metal was only ever dwarfed by the bickering that would spark out of nowhere. It is said that someone who once stopped by to have their boots mended interrupted a heated discussion regarding whether or not metal studs or leather stitching is better for fastening a saddle, and asked Varu why the two lived together if they rarely seemed to get along. They soon left barefoot, sprinting with Laru at his tail, her blowtorch roaring as she shouted behind him. Thankfully Varu managed to calm her twin down enough to apologize and return the client’s boots.

The twins are truly two parts of the same whole, both completing the other. The hot headed Laru would spend day and night repairing broken tools and jewelry, her skill with a hammer and blowtorch unmatched by even the most seasoned of masters. Her eye for detail was her boon and her bane, once refusing to move on from completing an intricate wrought iron chandelier until every last detail was flawless. Were it not for her twin, she could still be working on it to this day. While Varu could never seem to focus on one thing at a time, taking on more and more projects for others and herself until she would look down at her station and realize she needed a dozen hands just to keep up with the demand she had set for herself. It took Laru calculating just how long it would take to fill an entire order of leather jerkins single handedly before Varu admitted she needed help. While leather was not her preferred medium, Laru insisted on assisting, even if she did complain the entire time.

The twins never seemed idle, the workshop bustling for weeks at a time before they had anything resembling a break, then the two would meander about and wonder what to do with their free time. Would they do as Varu suggested and catch up on the latest gossip? Or take up Laru’s idea to plan other projects? In the end they would typically wander the streets repairing rusted lamp posts and tattered banners to busy themselves. Usually these idle periods would last for only a brief moment before they found another task to work on, but the lulls in business soon came more frequently and lasted longer. Until, finally, the two had spent days and days at a time with no one but each other to talk to. After engaging in yet another debate about whether or not the refined stitching of thread or the sturdy bond of iron was the better approach to garments, the two grew tired of waiting for a challenge and set off to find one.

Leaving their workshop behind, they followed the main road out of town past the newly refurbished gates and walked along the overgrown pathways, until they reached a thickly wooded forest. As they fought their way through the thick weeds and twisting roots, they came across a small clearing where a disheveled stranger was resting against a tree. The stranger’s hair was unkempt and laced with twigs and leaves, their metal mask cracked and chipped. They were in desperate need of care, and the twins excitedly approached with tools at the ready before they had even uttered a greeting. Once the bedraggled stranger’s panic had died down and the two assured their new friend they were only there to help, Laru not only repaired the mask but added her own flair. Vine like engravings and a touch of red and white paint while Varu cleaned and trimmed their tousled mane, adding in streaks of dye that matched their new face. All the while Varu chatted the stranger’s ear off, telling them of long forgotten scandals between people she could half recall the names of. They spent hours grooming their new friend before they were happy with their handiwork and let him go, but they heard not one complaint. Their first customer in ages was thrilled with their craftsmanship and hurried off to gather his friends in need of their trade. Once they were done, they realized that setting up another workshop and staying in one place was not their calling. Repairing trinkets and garments was one thing, but what they truly appreciated was the satisfaction that came with helping someone in need. Instead of setting down roots they packed their bags and once again set off on the road to search for anything or anyone else that needed mending, styling or just a friendly chat.

In this video we sat down with the Co-Founder and Game Director to share our vision: a system where combat is part of the world but never required and where toxic behavior has no place.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

🚀 BitCraft Online launches on May 29th! Wishlist at https://store.steampowered.com/app/3454650/BitCraft_Online/

Plain broth and three slices of bread, that was the meal that Heimlich was most familiar with. One might look at Heimlich’s towering frame and assume he consumed thrice more than average, but this was far from the truth. The master chef preferred to eat last, enjoying a small moment of solitude with a simple meal to save ingredients for the next day’s dishes. He awoke every morning to a line of hungry and eager diners, his mind abuzz with culinary schemes and experiments. In the early days, there was a full pantry of spices, meats, vegetables, and fruits to work with. With no less than a dozen assistants and apprentices studying under him at a time, nobody had ever accused Heimlich of hoarding his secrets for himself.

To Heimlich, eating was not just a means of gathering strength to tackle the next day, it was a way of speaking to one’s own soul. Eating plain rice or unsalted noodles might allow your body to carry on a bit further, but could the spirit last? The master chef relished in the challenge of a new diner approaching his kitchen. It meant a new face and name to learn, a new palette to help refine. Many who enter his kitchen leave knowing things about their tastes they had not known going in, or trusted the chef enough to prepare them a dish they would never otherwise try, only to lick the plate clean. When traders came to stock his pantries less often with less ingredients, his work had become even more complicated. He enjoyed a challenge, but even Heimlich could only stretch a few helpings of salt so far before his menu grew stale. His hands forced, his offerings consisted of simple dishes with minimal options, eventually serving the very same plain meals that he himself ate. It pained him to offer so little, for his heart was nourished by the comfort he brought to his diners. Heimlich felt himself starving as he served only the bare staples they needed.

Diners would dwindle, his busy kitchen becoming quieter as time went on. He shutters his doors earlier in the day as even the most basic ingredients are harder and harder to come by. One day, nobody came to visit at all, and Heimlich felt an odd relief that nobody would frown while eating his cooking. Even as he spent more and more time in an empty kitchen, he never felt the urge to leave. He couldn’t leave his post, lest a hungry diner come to find he had left. Then again, what good would it do him to simply shrug and apologize for having nothing to prepare? It was then that Heimlich decided to set off to find ingredients for himself, foraging the woods far away from the crumbling city that he no longer recognized. He did not keep track of time, what seemed like days passing before he smelled something he had not smelled for a long, long time. Meat. Roasting over an open flame, that smoky aroma unmistakable. Heimlich almost dropped his basket of wild herbs, berries, and mushrooms as he stumbled along the overgrown path and found the encampment, the occupants roasting a haunch of strange meat over an open flame. The timid chef approached slowly, watching as the campers struggled to keep their flame burning and their makeshift spit from collapsing. Heimlich decided these inexperienced travelers needed help, and came with arms outstretched, bearing gifts of fresh herbs to garnish the meat, berries to mash into a jam and pair with their meal, and some much needed salt. It was then that Heimlich realized that his kitchen could never be confined to one place, not while there were so many in the world that needed his guidance. Not while he was hungry to bring comfort to the souls of the world.