Jane Austen MMO on Kickstarter. Really.

Who says there are no new MMO ideas these days?

New to Kickstarter is Ever, Jane, an MMORPG by 3 Turn Productions set in the Regency Period of England, the time of the literary works of Jane Austen.

No, really. We're not making this up.

"Instead of destroying dragons, we use gossip to destroy our enemies," explains 3 Turn CEO Judy Tyrer in the video for the project. "While traditional MMOs have epic raids, we have extravagent balls." Characters have personality traits like kindness, happiness, and duty, and can send invitations to people they like while spreading vicious rumors -- or should it be rumours? -- about those they don't, the equivalent of the game's PvP. There are a host of minigames in the works, representing such genteel hobbies as dinner parties, balls, landscaping, sewing, and embroidery.

The game's prototype, which you can download and play, has a small village and limited character options. According to Tyrer, the goal of the Kickstarter is to expand the game, offering larger estates, parsonages, and cities.

According to the FAQ, Ever, Jane will use a hierarchical revenue model, whereby free players are essentially dirty peasants who have three months to find a job or starve. Wait, is that permadeath? This game is hardcore! Incremental payments will raise your standing in life, all the way up to a royal estate, title, and your own town for $50. Which may not seem like much, but this is early 19th century England, where $50 (or the equivalent in pounds) would go a long way.

So, if you've always wanted to roleplay a proper pre-Victorian lady or handsome foppish rogue -- and who hasn't? -- here's a chance to make your dreams a reality. Pip pip!