Another crowdfunded game, Chronicles of Elyria, is celebrating the anniversary of their Kickstarter with a pledge package sale. The game shares many of the same qualities that attracted me to Star Citizen, namely that it's taking a more realistic sim-style approach to the player experience. Overview: Low-fantasy setting Aging and dying with the potential for early permadeath after too many "kinda" deaths You're not destined for greatness simply by virtue of being a player Skill-based progression -- no classes or levels Success will be a product of making smart choices coupled with a mix of player and character skill To the extent possible, "deviant" behavior is dealt with through in-game, in-lore consequences, not the Terms of Service Player-run kingdoms with diplomacy and management mechanics for kings/queens and dukes, settlement management game play for counts and mayors, and the expected "profession" game play (e.g., mercenary, crafter, explorer) for the rest of us Family and dynasty system Roughly 32,000km^2 starting world Closed economy and finite resources Not a loot grind - e.g., the major difference between the best sword and the worst is in craftsmanship and durability, not damage Housing and construction and more... And two aspects that really set it apart: There's a story engine controlling a ten-year story arc. When your character is born, hooks to the story are written in to your "destiny" (though not exactly destiny as you're not required to act on these hooks). Offline Player Characters (OPC) - Your character never leaves the world. When you're offline, your character is controlled by an OPC script. Players can write (and trade) their own scripts. Like Star Citizen, their aim is to deliver memorable experiences and stories, not loot and levels. It's innovating, and it's exciting. And, as with any crowdfunded game, there are risks it won't deliver on expectations. Be judicious with your money. For the remainder of May pledge packages are 10% off (the cheapest being $40 USD discounted to $36). Please use my friend code (939529) when you create an account. They have forums and a Discord server where the community is happy to answer questions. https://chroniclesofelyria.com/