Editing Brighter Shores

[[File:Brighter Shores key art.jpg|thumb|A promotional image for Brighter Shores]]
[[File:Brighter Shores logo.png|thumb|The Brighter Shores logo]]
'''''Brighter Shores''''' is an adventure {{Wp|massively multiplayer online role-playing game}} developed by [[Fen Research]] and designed by [[Andrew Gower]]. Early access to it was opened on 6 November [[2024]]{{CiteTwitter|url=https://x.com/AndrewCGower/status/1844016463205785795|author=Andrew Gower|date=9 October 2024|accessdate=9 October 2024|quote=We have decided to push the launch of Brighter Shores back to the 6th Nov, because apparently there is some sort of election thingy on the 5th - who knew?!|archiveurl=https://archive.ph/mSpI5|archivedate=9 October 2024}} at 09:48{{CiteGeneral|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/brightershores/comments/1gkuwtr/its_finally_here/|title=It's finally here|author=JankBrew|date=2024-11-06|accessdate=2024-11-09|quote=Character creating now!|archiveurl=https://archive.is/13FcD|archivedate=2024-11-09}}. It is available for Windows and macOS. The game is {{wp|free-to-play}}, but players can access additional features and content by purchasing the [[Premium Pass]].

Brighter Shores features an ongoing story with hundreds of hours of gameplay.{{CiteGeneral|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2791440/Brighter_Shores/|title=Brighter Shores on Steam|author=Valve|date=22 March 2024|accessdate=22 March 2024|archiveurl=https://archive.is/eYgMA|archivedate=22 March 2024}} New content is released in the game in an episodic format. Players start their journey in [[Hopeport]], as a member of the town guard.

==System requirements==
The official minimum requirements to run the game for different platforms are the following.

===Windows===
* OS: Windows 10/11
* Processor: Intel i3 or AMD equivalent
* Memory: 8 GB RAM
* Graphics: DirectX 11 capable graphics with at least 2GB RAM
* DirectX: Version 11
* Network: Broadband Internet connection
* Storage: 2 GB available space
* Additional Notes: Internet connection required to play

===macOS===
* OS: 10.13+
* Processor: Apple Silicon or Intel
* Memory: 8 GB RAM
* Graphics: Metal capable graphics
* Network: Broadband Internet connection
* Storage: 2 GB available space
* Additional Notes: Internet connection required to play

==Getting started==
The game can be downloaded and installed through its [https://store.steampowered.com/app/2791440/Brighter%20Shores/ Steam page].

After launching the game, the player is taken to the [[title screen]].

==History==
The game has been under development since September 2016, but some assets were taken from Fen Research scrapped ''Chasm Game''{{CiteTwitter|url=https://twitter.com/AndrewCGower/status/1819021220911673582|author=Andrew Gower|date=1 August 2024|accessdate=16 August 2024|quote=September 2016 Brighter Shores game started|archiveurl=https://archive.ph/VmmMK|archivedate=16 August 2024}} and was announced officially on 13 March 2024. An initial two-minute trailer was released, which depicts [[player character]]s engaging in [[combat]], several [[professions]], and a variety of different [[room]]s.{{CiteGeneral|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASIbNq_pLQQ|title=Brighter Shores Gameplay Trailer|author=MMOs.com|date=13 March 2024|accessdate=22 March 2024}}

Part of the reason that Brighter Shores took a long time to develop is because Gower decided to create a new game engine from scratch, as opposed to using a popular engine like {{wp|Unreal Engine}} or {{wp|Unity}}.{{CiteGeneral|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/runescape-creator-answers-our-biggest-questions-about-his-new-mmo-brighter-shores-classes-professions-monetization-and-a-ttrpg-open-world/|title=RuneScape creator answers our biggest questions about his new MMO Brighter Shores: classes, professions, monetization, and a TTRPG open world|author=Austin Wood|date=23 March 2024|accessdate=23 March 2024|archiveurl=https://archive.is/AxMwI|archivedate=23 March 2024|name=griv}} He had previously created his own engine for his previous MMORPG {{wp|RuneScape}} in the early 2000s, programmed in {{wp|Java}}. The engine that Gower built is called [[Fenforge]], and had previously been used by at least two games prior to being used for Brighter Shores. Gower has said that active development on Brighter Shores officially started in 2017.{{NamedRef|griv}}

Internal alpha tests with the first two episodes occurred in March 2024. The third episode was added to the alpha test in June 2024. Participants mostly consisted of staff, with a total of 12 people having Steam keys to access it.{{CiteTwitter|url=https://x.com/AndrewCGower/status/1819021220911673582|author=Andrew Gower|date=1 August 2024|accessdate=2 August 2024|archiveurl=https://archive.ph/FpqYj|archivedate=2 August 2024}}

A closed beta test occurred between the alpha test and the early access launch.

Early access to the game was opened on 6 November 2024, with the game still missing many key features such as player-versus-player combat, special attacks for epic weapons, and the fifth episode, [[Stonemaw Hill (episode)|Stonemaw Hill]]. Early access is planned to "maybe" last for 6 months. There won't be a save reset or price increases to [[Premium Pass]] at the end of the early access.{{CiteGeneral|url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/2791440/Brighter_Shores/|title=Brighter Shores on Steam|author=Valve|date=6 November 2024|accessdate=6 November 2024|archiveurl=https://archive.is/Vas8O|archivedate=6 November 2024}}

==Update history==
{{UH|
* {{UL|update=2024-11-06|date=6 November 2024}}
** Early access to Brighter Shores is opened to the public.
}}

==Trivia==
* The logo of Brighter Shores features [[Hopeport Obelisk]].
* Fen Research might have first wanted Brighter Shores to be named "Wondrous Shores", judging by the trademark filings on 11 January 2024<ref>https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00004001073</ref> and 15 January 2024<ref>https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00004002179</ref>.
* The game's early access launch was intended to be 5 November [[2024]], but was delayed by one day due to the {{Wp|2024 United States presidential election}}.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://store.steampowered.com/app/2791440/Brighter%20Shores/ Steam page]
* [https://brightershores.com/ Official website]

[[Category:Games]]
[[Category:Fen Research]]