Terraria Released on Steam

By: Derek Yu

On: May 16th, 2011

The multiplayer, sandbox platformer Terraria has been released on Steam for $9.99 ($29.99 for 4 copies). Release trailer after the jump:

Posted in Multiplayer, Platformers, Steam, Windows | Tags: AndrewSpinks

Markus Amaya

Mine Story ripoff.
Draxephi

Yea, yea. And Minecraft is an Infiniminer ripoff. We've heard it all before and it's getting pretty old.

Anyway.
This seems rather unstable. I just downloaded it 5 minutes ago and it has already crashed several times, and I haven't even created a world yet.
Gio32k

Are you trying to set it to full screen mode from the get go? If so, make your game file, save & quit( without terminatiing the program) than go to the options and set it to full screen. that shoild “fix” the problem. So far for me it worked. I've been playing the game nonstop so far. Been playing 9 hours (not all at once of course).
http://billy.wenge-murphy.com/ Billy Wenge-Murphy

Not even an “infiniminer ripoff”. Infiniminer didn't invent digging either. There is a whole world outside Tigsource. It's a shame when people substitute one myopia (“everything is inspired by the flavor of the week!”) with another one (“everything is inspired by the narrow selection of games Tigsource is aware of”). Sorry, you're not that influential. All culture does not flow from your increasingly 4chan-esque forums.

Minecraft was inspired by Dwarf Fortress[1] as well.
Dwarf Fortress was inspired by MinerVGA[2] (1989).
MinerVGA was inspired by “Miner!” (1980).

Also inspired by MinerVGA are Miner Dig Deep (XBLIG) and Motherload (Flash). Both copied its “dig, upgrade your tools, dig some more” gameplay loop before Minecraft came along. Then many games (mostly apps) copied THOSE very closely. And so on.

Notch did not invent digging
Notch did not invent voxels
Notch did not invent heightmaps
Notch did not invent noise functions
Notch did not invent the technique of combining the aformentioned 3
Notch did not invent zombies
Notch did not invent “survival” gameplay

Notch just smashed them together. If a game doesn't copy almost all of the factors, combined in almost exactly the same way, then don't attribute it to this fall's latest gaming fashion. Everything is derivative, and the derivation of your “clever” idea probably goes back a LOT further than you think.

1: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/…

2: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/…
http://twitter.com/Kadabro Niklas

The biggest issue I have with the game is how you host servers. I hope they release a standalone server software in the future because having to run two clients is messy and kills my CPU.
Lalala

Doesn't mean this doesn't look a lot like Minecraft.
Guert

It looks more like Clonk.
Markus Amaya

How didn't you get the play on “Cave Story ripoff”? Wasn't that, like, you know, a thing here?
Hela

Billy Wenge-Murphy is correct in everything, including the 4chan tone that TIGSource has acquired of late. Very unfortunate for a community that used to be a very nice place to be at, or at least to follow; now is full of these stupid “CaveStory rip-off” and “dum” phrases.
Phubans

Honestly, this is more of a rip off of my game “Sword of Legends” than anything.
Chont

Eh, not really. Just because something isn't completely original doesn't mean it can't be ripped off.
Chont

I'm sorry, but no, it really isn't. I see how they're similar, and I understand you wanting to think so being its creator, but it's not even close to being a rip off of SoL.
Foo

How is 'derivative' a bad thing? More games like those we already love. Excellent!
Phubans

Haha, I'm joking. I doubt the creator of this game ever even heard of SoL.

Other than that, this game looks really cool and perhaps even a little more appealing to me than Minecraft. I'm really thinking about getting this, but I was kind of put off by the comment about it being buggy.
Chont

Agreed, similar to MC or not it does look like a good game.
So does SoL btw, I'll definitely play it if you ever finish it.
http://twitter.com/AllenWalton Allen Walton

I think it looks like it could be really fun, all indie-cock measuring aside. I hope it's a success.
Briker Ed

As a concept this looks highly appealing to me due to it being in 2D but I'm absolutely put-off by the visual aspect. I don't mean I need hi-res, quite the contrary. I love pixels, but not all retro is good retro. I think they'd benefit greatly if their tiles & sprites got a retouch to make them look at least less generic, if nothing else.
Hela

I don't think anybody said it wasn't a rip-off. (But really, who cares if it is a rip-off?). It's more of a mixture of many other games, and so what? This kind of 'rip-off, dum' joke has become such a sad pattern in TIGsource. People as of late is taking this kind of 'mixes' and 'homages' to be a bad or wrong thing to such a sad state that now “rip-off” as a term is being used as a stupid joke that you hear every time —and sometimes it even sounds very pejorative. People as of late is taking this kind of 'mixes' and 'homages' to be a bad or wrong thing to such a sad state that now “rip-off” as a term is being used as a stupid joke that you hear every time —and sometimes it even sounds very pejorative.
http://www.facebook.com/reardon Jonathan Reardon

Really? I didn't know this place was starting to get “4chan-ish” but I guess I don't spend enough time around here. I don't think this is a copy, I thought fortresscraft was a copy. This is more of a re-imagining imo. I was interested in playing it actually…until someone stated it was buggy. Kind of put me off =/
Exkaiser

They've mentioned that they will, presumably with Steam integration.
Eagle0600

Very true. I can see that.

Either way, it looks nothing like minecraft
Pockpock

Comments are a bad thing… Just because there's one comment about the game beeing buggy, three people stated they won't buy it. Apart from that it just may be his computer this could spread “don't-by-it” like a fire resulting in a financial flop for the developers…
Phubans

My sentiments exactly. Pixel art is an art and theirs isn't following the rules it needs to to feel proper and as a result their graphics come off looking a bit amateurish. Somewhat reminiscent of a lot of free-ware PC games that use pixel-based sprites, but a far cry from any proper pixel standard (like you'd see in a Nintendo game) Other than that, it looks fun. If they fix up the bugs and reskin the game, I'll definitely buy it. Until then, I think I'm going to hold off.
WaveringRadiant

looks fugly, but maybe it's fun… Sorry, I'm a graphics whore, my pixel art needs to be nice
Vania

When an innovative game comes out everybody tries to find examples of games it supposedly ripped-off. But when yet another run/jump/shoot game comes out nobody seems to care.

It's like, if your game doesnt have 100% innovative mechanics its a rip-off…
Tiganon

LURK MOAR
Banana

this is a minecraft ripoff
Tiganon

It's not the graphics so much as the horrid animation that puts me off. When I have to watch a guy swing an axe or sword or something 8 million times an hour, it needs to not look like a cheap cartoon from the 60's. I picture the developer being all offended by this comment, and reaching to throw something at me, and his arms are stiff, because he has no elbows, and no idea what they are for.
Holse

Comments are a bad thing, oh wow.
Someone warning other people that a product might be buggy, and those other people not wanting to buy a buggy product, thereby not greasing the pockets of yet another talentless indie hack… that's a BAD thing?
Besides, it's on steam for less than a tenner, I'm sure it being a financial flop is unlikely.

Personally I don't see the appeal. It's like minecraft, only 2D with sprites blatantly traced from final fantasy, and even less point to it. I can understand if people like building things with blocks in 3D and showing it to strangers/friends, but doing the exact same thing in 2D just strikes me as horridly autistic.
Briker Ed

It doesn't have to be on-par with Nintendo titles, but it can be made more appealing none the less. To clarify a bit what I meant in my previous post; The game, as it is graphically, reminds me more of what you'd find in programs like RPG Maker, or pretty much any game maker – Default generic graphics. For several reasons 'Under The Garden' springs into mind, just as an example of what it could (not necessarily should) look like. Just bit more unique if you will….

All this aside, the gameplay looks really interesting from what I've seen in various vids. Could dig into it if it were more visually appealing. But that's just my taste….
Rivon

Hey guys, just stop criticising and come play it. It's real fun and so addictive :D
D2king102000

This game is WAY better than minecraft…wish I hadn't bought minecraft now
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/EJUMVRTBBP5JEJ2JOTDNZCQQ5E Sum One

Yeah, it's such a financial flop that it's already sold 50,000 copies.[1]

1: http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05…
http://twitter.com/Kadabro Niklas

This game is not about building. It's more about exploring and digging. Think 2D platformer with building elements. Personally I dont build anything. I made a house over the spawning point and that's it. I'm just out exploring and finding new ores and items.

If you're buying this game only for building stuff then I think you missed the point of it.
Randy1014762

I really find it quite unique. It does have a basic Minecraft/Clonk/DF structure but it's also like a metroidvania! Online! It's really interesting.
Fret

All bickering about who ripped off what aside, is the game itself any good? I'm certainly intrigued by the concept, but I find the bland FF-esque graphics off-putting.

Any chance of a full review?
Briker Ed

:D I'm sure it is but I just…. can't >_< I know I'm prolly at a loss there but with a mild OCD and being a graphic designer I just can't neglect some things like that ._. I's a (horrible) professional deformation, I know :/

And I like criticising :P but only cause I really, really think this game deserves some more appealing graphics. If I thought it was a 'meh' game, I wouldn't bother posting :x

(I secretly do like watching other people's gameplay vids though, cause they do silly awesome stuff in the game and make silly comments while at it)
Theon

What?
You can just use alt+enter.
Theon

I haven't seen ANY bugs, and the game is actually pretty darn fun.
It's like a 2D Minecraft, but with way more content! :D
Love the music, too.
Theon

The tiles are splendid. Absolutely beautiful.
But the player sprites, on the other hand… Well, just gear up a bit, and you won't notice.
Theon

It's not buggy at all, as far as I know. And it's mountains of fun ;D
Theon

Bullshit. It's fun as fuck to build.
But yeah, Terraria has huge amounts of area-specific secrets, enemies and dungeons, so it feels almost like a metroidvania at times. Which is just what I want Notch to do for Minecraft.
rinkuhero

i've heard from many sources that it's as good or better than minecraft provided you like minecraft. however, if you do not like minecraft, you probably won't like this either.
rinkuhero

this is well-put. i think the reason is that many people don't like to believe that games which innovate are worth anything compared to the games they like (which do not innovate). they want to devalue the quality of 'innovation' itself, by downplaying it and saying it is impossible to do, and that the only worthwhile thing to do is to do the same thing others do.

it's a bit of a mental block; it's basically “conservatism” (not political conservatism, but conservatism nonetheless). it's analogous to how people see anything new as a threat, so they want to devalue anything that looks new by saying it's not actually new, but just copying something old. it's basically a war on the future, using the past as a weapon.
Narvius

This is the first game ever that managed to steal 35 hours of my life within two days after being released.
Krunk

I gotta say, combat in this game is terrible…. or maybe I'm just too far over the hill for this stuff.
Droqen

I think 'steal' is apt
I feel robbed of my time
guest

Notch did not use any vovels anyway.
http://laserbrainstudios.com Christian Knudsen

They actually do have an artist on board. Take that as you will…
https://sites.google.com/site/maybegames/ xhunterko

Platformer+procedural generation+dig and mine+castlevania(no blood)-no demo = Wait for bytejacker review then buy.