It was originally envisioned to be an "Alternative to Ultima Online" and was mentioned in an article on the Slashdot news website,[1] which became a major source of interested developers.

Its significance lies in providing a proof of concept that the project can actually integrate and deliver software, artwork and media, as well as maintain a community capable of creativity and innovation.

The intent lies in developing powerful yet generic "item invention" algorithms capable of bringing a new dimension of dynamic content to interactive gaming, creating, in effect, a working physics model that enables players to build and operate objects within the game that were not originally intended by the creators.

[4] The project is also beginning to branch out into other forms of entertainment (e.g. comics, paper-and-pencil gaming), as it finds that its processes and multi-disciplinary nature are equally applicable there.

Both clients are fully capable of normal operation such as moving around the world and performing actions such as starting fires, planting trees, making stakes etc.