Mystera Legacy – MMORPG Sandbox - Interview with the developer of a fantastic app

Did you have any prior development or coding experience?

Yes, I've been coding games since I was 8 years old on an ancient yellowish monochrome computer. In high school, I started working as a freelance web developer but I was always working on some kind of game as a side hobby.

What was the most challenging aspect of developing mobile app?

Sitting down to work on the code for this game is usually an enjoyable and easier part of development. The real learning curve has been with promotion/marketing, server administration, acquiring art and music, customer support, and everything else that isn't coding! I think developing a game of this scale by myself has probably reduced my lifespan a bit.

_{James Victor Hamer}

James Victor Hamer taught himself how to code rather than going to college. He's never worked for a big company but has always had a passion for creating fun indie games ever since he was a kid. He now feels very blessed to be able to support his family with these games.

Name a few of your favorite apps and reason you love them.

I admire apps that are fully free with no ads and no limits to gameplay since I designed my game to be that way as well. My daughters have been learning their alphabet sounds recently so I've really appreciated free kid's apps like ABC Kids and Baby games by RV app studios. Most of the other apps were loaded with in-app purchases and ads (maybe there is a great click-through rate with the baby demographic).

How long have you been working on this app?

This iteration of Mystera has been in active development for almost 4 years now, though it initially only took about 4 months before the game was released for open beta testing. The game borrows a lot of elements from another MMORPG I developed and released back in 2003 called "Mystera Legends".

What need of the user did you have in mind when developing this app?

I think it's deceptively hard to pull off a genuine 'sandbox' game these days. Player retention won't be great if newbies can be killed repeatedly, with no hope of catching up to veteran players. On the other hand, casual experiences with cookie-cutter content and a very limited rule set aren't very exciting and don't promote a natural storyline. In Mystera I've tried to find a happy medium where people can custom build their towns wall by wall and always have the opportunity to stand up to veteran players if they play smart.

In what way do you think your app is better than similar apps on the market? Please describe in detail what innovation you think you bring and what you are proud of in your app.

I've basically just made the kind of game that I always wanted to play. Something I could play completely free and donate only if I felt like it. I never wanted to feel like I was at a disadvantage to any other player, and that I could overcome any obstacle through my own strategies. I also wanted an experience that made me feel like I could stand out and have an impact on the world, becoming either a hero or a villain. So it makes me happy when people tell me that Mystera Legacy is unique and they haven't found another MMO quite like it.

What are your future plans and expected features of the coming new versions of this app?

There is a never-ending to-do list of features and they get released pretty regularly compared to other apps in this genre. A new party system, custom painted walls, and more intelligent 'Chaos' enemies are some things to look forward to.

Assuming new users of your app are reading this page. What do you want to ask them to do (contact you about X, Share the app, etc.)?

Learn more about the game at mysteralegacy.com, we have a player's guide, wiki, and discord. You can try it out directly in the browser right now as a guest or grab the app from the Play Store, it's less than 5mb in size. Thanks!