The Wayward Realms is a new open-world fantasy RPG currently under development by the company Once Lost Games, led by Legendary developers Ted Peterson & Julian Lefay.

Will This Game Be Similar To Skyrim/Daggerfall/Elder Scrolls?

We consider The Wayward Realms to be a spiritual successor to The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. Our Directors, Ted Peterson & Julian Lefay worked primarily on Elder Scrolls I & II: Arena & Daggerfall. While they pursued other projects, they always felt there was untapped potential left from Daggerfall. Though The Wayward Realms is a different world & story, we are inspired by many features beloved by fans of Daggerfall and plan to incorporate similar features & that nostalgic feeling.

Why Do You Consider TWR To Be A Spiritual Successor To Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall?

There are many design philosophies and features that were present in Daggerfall that we are using as a basis for the design of The Wayward Realms. These include a realistically-scaled, procedurally generated world, a deeper and more robust character class system, a power struggle between the ruling factions that plays out with or without player interference, player crafted spells and much more. Our aim is to take the design philosophies and features that worked in Daggerfall and expand or improve upon them as a proper sequel would have done.

What is a Grand RPG?

We are creating our game with 4 pillars of focus in mind. Choice, Consequence, Scope, & Role-playing. We believe we can bring each of these in game with more depth & interest than ever before creating a first of its kind, Grand RPG.

Is This Game A Part of Bethesda/The Elder Scrolls?

No, we do not work with Bethesda nor The Elder Scrolls. Our lead developers, Ted Peterson & Julian Lefay, did previously work at Bethesda and on earlier Elder Scrolls Games, but do not have collaboration with Bethesda or The Elder Scrolls Stories/Games at this time.

What’s The Release Date For The Wayward Realms?

We don’t have an established date for a full game release. Our roadmap is very dependent on our funding resources. We are hosting a Kickstarter soon in hopes of funding 1 year of full production in order to create a Digital Early Access Copy of the Game. With this Early Access we plan to approach publishers for further funding to complete the game.

What Languages Will The Game Be Available In?

Our goal is to make the game accessible in as many languages as possible, however localization will be something handled by a publisher. We do not have any publishing deals set in motion yet, so we cannot say how many languages TWR will ultimately be available in.

Will There Be Early Access to the Game?

Assuming we have a successful Kickstarter coming up, we expect to fund full production for 1 year and bring a digital copy of the Early Access in 2025.

Is There A Main Quest/What Is The Main Quest?

We have opted to not have a “main quest” in the traditional sense, we believe keeping the world very open for player perception/interpretation will improve the overall role playing experience. Instead, the player will encounter world events that they can choose to participate in or ignore. These world events will have effects on the world. We also have dozens of factions, both major and minor, that players can join, shaping their narrative and that of their allies and enemies.

Is There The Wayward Realms Merch Yet?

Not yet, but keep a lookout. It is certainly something we would like to provide as soon as we have the appropriate resources to provide it.

How Can I Support The Game?

We have a Kickstarter launching May 30th, 2024. Donating to our Kickstarter is the best way to support the game right now. By doing so, you’re helping us fund 1 full year of production and pay our team of current volunteers so they can work full time on this project. We understand some are hesitant to donate to Kickstarter projects. If for some reason, you are unable or unwilling to donate on Kickstarter you can still support us by wishlisting our game on steam, and by liking, commenting, & sharing about our game on social media. This really helps us continue to build our community and prove to publishers that there is an interest for this kind of game within the community. Find us on Kickstarter, Steam & more at: https://linktr.ee/oncelostgames.

What Will The Game’s Rating Be?

We are developing this game with a mature audience in mind. There will be nudity, blood, and darker themed quests/story lines. We will not be including anything of a graphic sexual nature, but we do recommend this game for audiences of least 17+ years old at this time.

What Is The Environment/Setting of The Game?

The Wayward Realms will take you on a journey through the Archipelago, a chain of islands divided between the kingdoms of Sidh and Splendour.

While Splendour was once the heartland of the Orkish nation, the Humans have driven the Orks ever further north into the harsh mountainous terrain of Sidh. There, the disparate ruling clans lie in wait for an opportunity to reclaim their former homeland.

Splendour, on the other hand, is now the kingdom of Man, forged through centuries of militaristic expansion. Still tending to its wounds after a recent civil war, those within and outside Splendour’s borders plot to claim its vast lands for themselves.

Off of Splendour’s western shores lies the desert island of Merothwyr, a fragment of sea floor raised to the surface by a calamity long ago. Though many Humans inhabit the lush coastlines, Merothyr’s wasteland interior is now home to Goblins, one of the few races that can thrive in such a hostile climate.

To the south lies the lush and humid islands of Iwerrdon, a realm settled by the Elves in days of yore and brought into the splendorous fold just a few centuries ago. Many amongst their residents squirm under the tyrannous yoke of Splendour, longing for the chance to overthrow their foreign masters.

Where Can I Learn More About News/Progress/Updates?

We post all our news & updates on the game on our social media platforms. Discord is the best place for getting involved in the conversations of the game development, & Youtube is the best for watching videos of our trailers, DevLogs & more. Find us on your favorite platforms at https://linktr.ee/oncelostgames

Where Can I See/Watch Gameplay?

We’re still working on the game in major ways, so our gameplay clips are limited at this time, but we have shown off a few things you can watch on our Youtube channel. Find our Youtube channel and all your favorite platforms at https://linktr.ee/oncelostgames

Are There Chance/Dice Rolls?

We are not planning on having chance or dice roll mechanics as some players may be accustomed to seeing in games such as Daggerfall or BG3. All skills checks and attack chances are based on your skill sets.

Will There Be Voiced Dialogue?

At this time, there are no plans for Voiced dialogue other than greetings, grunts, battle cries and combat noises, as well as ambient chatter for things like taverns and city streets. We have considered adding a Text-To-Speech option as an accessibility feature.

Does The Wayward Realms Have A Publisher?

We do not have any publisher deals at time. We are looking to partner with a publisher whose vision aligns with our own.

What Sets The Wayward Realms Apart From Other RPGs?

Wayward Realms harkens back to what many RPGs have lost, choice. We are creating a game that does not shy away from limiting the player from pursuing the quests of rivaling factions or skills outside of their build choices

Can Players Expect Post Launch Content or Expansions for The Wayward Realms?

Provided everything goes well, we plan to continue offering updates to the Early Access version and eventually the release of the main game. Though things are still under discussion, we have a few ideas for potential expansions to the base game.

Kickstarter

Is There A Kickstarter?

Yes! We have a Kickstarter launching May 30th, 2024. Donating to our Kickstarter will help support the project and allow us the opportunity to go into full production for 1 year in hopes of releasing our Digital Copy of the Game in Early Access. https://linktr.ee/oncelostgames

Why Are You Going To Kickstarter?

Recent changes in the industry, as well as some advice from other industry professionals, has prompted us to reconsider our strategy for acquiring funding. We feel much more comfortable turning to our community to help us fund what will become the base systems for the game via the Early Access Build, which we will later use in talks with potential publishers/investors for further funding.

Allowing our community to take part in this means that you all can shape the game and ensure that we have a solid foundation and a fun product with which to approach investors, as well as show them that there is a demand for such a game in today’s gaming landscape.

What Is The Funding Goal For The Kickstarter?

Our goal is $500,000 with a few potential stretch goals that will add some more content or features if reached. We feel this goal will be enough to expand on our progress that we have already made in order to bring an Early Access build to players sometime next year.

How Will You Handle Post Launch Support?

Once we have released the Early Access build we intend to continue updating it via patches, adding new features and system updates. All Early Access players will receive these updates.

What Happens If I Donate To Kickstarter & It Doesn’t Reach Its Goal?

Kickstarter will refund your donation as per their policies. As for us, we will continue to work on the game in our current volunteer status and seek out potential publishers/investors to fund the development.

When Can I Expect My Rewards?

The rewards will be received when the Early Access build launches. Those who will be designing a character or relic will be consulted over the following year as we work on creating them. Ted’s novel is currently being written but we do have a set date for its release. We will provide more updates on that as it nears completion.

What Is My Donation Going Towards?

Your donation is going strictly towards the development of the game via employee salaries, hardware upgrades and software license fees.

Are The Rewards A Guarantee?

We have kept most of the rewards digital in order to best deliver on them. That being said, there is always a possibility that we might not be able to fulfill a reward for some reason. In that case, we will do everything in our power to do right by our backers and ensure your satisfaction for your donation.

Why Are There No Physical Rewards Like Collectibles, Shirts ect?

In order to make sure we can deliver on our rewards, we have opted to keep most things digital and thus easier to fulfill. It is important to us to maintain trust and integrity with our community, therefore we did not want to make potential promises we would be unable to keep at this time with physical merchandise. We are looking into offering some physical goods in the future for those who are interested.

Can I Support The Game Without Donating?

If you are unable to donate but want to help support the game, please help us spread the word. Be sure to tell family and friends, share on relevant Discord servers, or drop a link to your favorite YouTuber or Streamer. Spreading the word helps us immensely.

Lore

How Many Gods/Goddesses Are There? What Do They Value?

There are 6 primary Goddesses worshiped on the Archipelago, their influence ranging from love, to travel, to war & death. Though they are the primarily recognized divine figures, there are many other divine-like beings such as Nymphs, Saints, or more powerful & sinister entities.

Is There Racism In The Game?

The Archipelago is a pretty mixed population of various races and cultures. As such, there is no prominent racism, but rather the usual prejudices and discrimination that one can expect to find in a fantasy setting. Oftentimes, these are aimed more towards a culture than a particular race.

Will The Game Have An Alien Environment Like Morrowind?

We do have some alien environments, the most notable being Merothwyr, an ancient seabed that was raised to the surface through a calamity. It is a wasteland marked by dead coral reefs, strewn whale bones, and giant, fossilized clams. Both the Fauna and the Flora have adapted to this deadly environment by becoming quite dangerous themselves.

Where Can I Find More Info On Lore?

You can look through our social media for tons of concept art and lore snippets. We are always sharing new information with our community, so be sure to follow along on your favorite platform: https://linktr.ee/oncelostgames

Are There Different Regions/Environments to Explore?

Yes, the Archipelago is a very diverse landmass. You can find such varied environments as snow-capped mountains, ancient forests, underwater caverns, deep lakes, rocky beaches, white stone cliffs, flower-filled meadows, decaying swamps, and verdant marshlands.
Each region of the map hosts several of these environments, ensuring players get plenty of variety whilst exploring.

System Info

What Will The System Requirements Be?

We are aiming for GTX1060/RX580 class GPU, 4 Core CPU with 16GB of system ram, and SSD class storage. The minimums may change during development.

What Game Engine Is Being Used?

We are using Unreal Engine 5.

Will The Wayward Realms Be Available On Consoles?

Our current development focus is on PC. We hope that with full funding resources and the support of a publisher, we will be able to bring the game to console.

How Are You Creating Such A Large Game (In Size)?

Like Daggerfall, we will be using Procedural Generation to create a large world map.

Why Are You Using Proc-Gen?

We want to create a world with a realistic scale and such a world is impossible to create by hand. By harnessing Proc-Gen we can create a truly enormous world with many remote nooks and crannies to be explored by the players.

How Will You Make Sure There’s Not A Ton Of Empty Space With Such A Large Map?

We have several ideas on how to keep the landscape from feeling empty and lifeless. We plan to generate a wide variety of wildlife and monsters to hunt, various resources and types of flora to seek out for crafting, unique artifacts and treasures to stumble upon, smaller populations of people located at camps or forts to come across, a variety of different travelers and dynamic encounters to run into, and many more. We also want players to just take in the beauty of nature from time to time, set up a camp, or enjoy a peaceful ride through the wilderness.

Will The Game Be Available In VR?

VR is not currently planned, but it is something many of our developers are interested in exploring, so it's not fully off the table.

Will There Be Co-op?

This is currently an ongoing discussion, and we would love to support a drop-in-drop-out co-op mode so players can experience Wayward Realms with friends.

What Kind Of Graphics Will The Game Have?

Things like landscapes and environments, items, weapons, and armour will have a more “photorealistic” look to them, whilst our characters will have a more stylized look to avoid the uncanny valley effect. A strong art style is vital to ensuring the longevity of a video game as opposed to trying to make everything true to life.

Will There Be Mod Support?

Mod support is something we have kept in mind, and have been interested in, since we started development. Modding is incredibly important to us, and something we would definitely like to support if we're able to.

What Platform(s) Will The Game Be On?

Early Access will launch on Steam. We hope to bring the full game to as many platforms and storefronts as possible, but that will be up to our future publisher.

Will You Implement Some Form of AI To Do Text-To-Speech Or Generate Conversations With The Player?

Yes, however currently this is only with the intention of using it for accessibility so that players struggling with long texts can enjoy this game as well.

Features

What Is The VGM?

The VGM stands for Virtual Game Master. The VGM is a unique system we are creating that will function as a digital game master, catering encounters, loot, quests & more to your play style. This is to keep the game interesting for your play style and guarantee variety in your replays.

Can You View Your Character In 3rd Person?

Yes! You will have the option to switch between 1st and 3rd person.

Will NPCs Have Their Own Schedules?

Yes! NPCs have their own lives and will be following certain schedules to match.

How Large Will The Map Be?

The game will be over 521,000km² in size (2.5 times the size of great Britain).

How Many Factions Are There?

There are dozens of factions of varying sizes and influences. Some will have deep storylines which the player will have major influence over, such as the Noble House of Splendour or the Ork Clans of Sidh, while others will offer more supplemental content of interactions within other faction storylines, such as Bowman Bastards of Eyjar.

Will There Be Illnesses/Diseases In Game?

Yes, there are dozens of afflictions that will accompany a player character on their journey across the archipelago.

What Attributes Are In The Game?

You can expect to see Willpower, Endurance, Dexterity, Perception, Intelligence, Charisma, Speed, & Strength.

Will You Be Able To Own A Player Home?

Yes, we will have options for players to purchase homes within some cities dotted across the Archipelago for all your hoarding needs. Some ships will also have a cabin that players can use as a home.

Will There Be Mining?

We are somewhat undecided but it definitely would not play any major role.

Can The Player Kill Anyone In The Game?

You will be able to kill any adult NPCs.

Will There Be Romance?

While there were originally no plans of including it in the game, it is something we are now pursuing. We had told the community we would not be doing it unless we found a way to do it properly, and we believe we have found the solution.

Can The Player Become King/Queen?

No. The player will not be able to hold any position of notable nobility.

Can The Player Own Land?

No. The player will not be able to own land of any kind due to lore and gameplay reasons, but player housing will be a thing.

Can The Player Craft?

Yes, however we are very much not a crafting focused game. Crafting gives the player slight advantages such as replenishing ammunition by creating their own arrows, or creating bandages to alleviate injuries. We also have enchanting and alchemy crafting.

What Kind of Quests/Storylines Can I Expect In TWR?

WR focuses on quests emphasizing choice, greatly assisted by the VGM which can create successive quests to continue the storylines of even radiant quests.

Will There Be Stealth?

Yes. Stealth is one of our core gameplay pillars, coming with many abilities varying from assassination and poisoning to completely silent movement.

Will There Be Lockpicking?

Yes, though we want there to be other options for getting at secured items such as breaking their containment at the cost of causing quite a ruckus.

Will There Be Pickpocketing?

Yes, players can acquire the ability to remove and add to NPC inventories provided they are not caught.

Will You Be Able To Interact With All Objects?/Will The Game Have Realistic Physics?

No, most interior objects will be static; immovable. There are some caveats to this, however.

Say you walk into a tavern and have the urge to kick a table. It will break into pieces, sending the objects that were on it flying in different directions.

We have also discussed environmental interactivity for our combat system. This would allow you to pick up something like a metal plate, a lantern, goblin, a flagon, etc. and bash an NPC over the head with it.

Character & Skills

How Many Playable Races Are There?

Great question! There are 8 playable races planned for the full release of The Wayward Realms. They are Humans, Goblins, Orks, Ogres, Fey, Cambion, Elves, & Dwarfs.

Will There Be Racial Bonuses?

Yes! Each race has a bonus to their attributes based on their physiology & characteristics. For example Humans have a bonus to Willpower, a trait that once helped them conquer the known world, while Orks have a bonus to Endurance representing the hardships they overcome and survive through.

How Will Leveling/Raising Skills Work?

Unlike some RPGs where you simply earn enough XP to raise your level and then choose what skill you’d like to advance, we plan on building our system around your actions. There is no player level, but rather your skills individually level up through use with their maximum level being dependent on whether they belong to the limited selection of skills the player can pick during character creation. This places a great importance on how you play and allows for more unique playthroughs.

Will You Gain Perks/Abilities As You Raise Your Skills?

We plan on having abilities you unlock as you raise your skill level. These would be action-based abilities instead of simple modifiers. A couple examples are Warcry as evolution of Taunt, or Parrying Projectiles as an evolution of Parrying.

Are Attributes Static Or Do They Also Grow Like Skills?

We plan for our skills to improve with use, and as you increase your skills, your attributes that associate with those skills will increase as well.

Will There Be Any Beasts’ Races?

We don’t have plans for any playable beast races currently. There are some that exist within the lore itself however & the player will have the ability to experience Therianthropy, if they so dare.

Combat

What Will Combat Be Like In The Wayward Realms?

We’ve opted to blend the modern click to hit with mouse drag controls & the ability to switch between them as you go. You’ll be able to block, parry, & kick with a variety of other movements & abilities.

Will Different Weapon Types Be More Effective Than Others?

Yes! Weapons will have certain damage types such as piercing or bludgeoning, these traits can be effective depending on the type of enemy you face in battle.

What Types Of Weapons Will Be In The Game?

We intend to have a wide range of weapons including swords, daggers, axes, hammers, bows, slings, polearms & crossbows. Additionally one-handed weapons may be accompanied by a variety of defensive implements such as shields and parrying daggers.

Do Enemies Level With The Player?

Enemies do not level with the player. It is fully expected that the player may be outmatched in some battles and need to flee depending on their enemies’ level, skills, & abilities.

Will There Be Firearms?

No, we will not have any firearms or black powder weapons. This was a unanimous decision amongst our developers as it lends itself better to the aesthetics of our world, and magic negates the need for primitive firearms.

Magic

What Will Spell Casting Be Like In The Wayward Realms?

Our goal is to make magic varied and rewarding. You’ll have a variety of battlefield & utilitarian style spells. We also want to allow players to customize the effects of spells such as delivery or meta magics.

What Type Of Magic Can We Expect In The Wayward Realms?

Players will be able to wield a variety of magic and create their own spells after having acquired the magical knowledge to craft them. Combat can include spells like fireball or psychological spells meant to break your opponent's will. Non-combat spells include abilities to charm others in your favor, or levitate over dangerous traps & hazards.

Can The Player Create Spells?

Yes, we will have a robust spell-crafting system where you can mix and match to your heart's content.

About Once Lost Games

How Many Team Members Does Once Lost Games Have?

Our team currently sits at around 40 developers.

Is There An OLG Office or is Everyone Remote?

Our company is based in Raleigh, NC, and London, England, but we do not currently have physical offices. 100% of our developers are working remotely from the comfort of their homes.

Are You Hiring?

We are currently looking for 3D animators/riggers, technical animators, character artists, and organic modelers. If you feel like your skill set matches any of these, please email your resume, cover letter, and any additional material you'd like to be taken into consideration to info@oncelostgames.com.

Is Ted Peterson Working On This Game?

Yes. In addition to holding the title of OnceLost Games’ CEO, Ted is also our Creative Director, and is actively, and consistently, involved in all aspects of development.

Is Julian Lefay Working On This Game?

Yes. Julian is our Technical Director, and his work has been invaluable to the development of The Wayward Realms. His life’s work has become the basis for the soul of our game, the VGM, and his experience as a designer has laid the inspirational foundation for many of our systems.

What Games Have The OLG Team Worked On Previously?

As a team WR is our ambitious debut, however we consist of many seasoned game devs, having worked on titles like TES:Daggerfall, Oblivion, and Morrowind, as well as Sifu, Ardenfall, Fable, Postal 4, and more.

Did Ted Peterson & Julian LeFay Make The Elder Scrolls?

Ted Peterson and Julian LeFay (who is colloquially referred to as “The Father of The Elder Scrolls”) were two of the lead developers that spearheaded the development of The Elder Scrolls I: Arena and The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall. In addition to the first two Elder Scrolls games, LeFay worked on the Elder Scrolls spinoff title “Battlespire”. Ted Peterson later worked on The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, as well as a little TV show called “Bones”.

Table of Contents

About The Wayward Realms

Overview

What Is The Wayward Realms?