Choose my Adventure: Fallen Earth

Join me as I brave my way through lands unknown in an adventure dictated entirely by you, the Massively readers! Vote for everything from game played to character creation to ultimate goal and watch it unfold in a series of journals and galleries here on the site. Then, as our two months is up, we'll do it all over again in a new game!

The winter holidays are wrapping up and it's time to get into yet another game for this edition of Choose my Adventure. Despite what was a close race for most of the last few weeks of votes, Fallen Earth pulled ahead to win the polls this time around. This post-apocalyptic MMO released in September of this year, and has enjoyed some positive reviews from most of the blog-o-sphere (including yours truly).

So follow along after the jump to make your votes count towards the character creation process and how I will begin my journey through Fallen Earth.

As a bit of a background on the game, Fallen Earth can best be described as gritty, savage and a scavenger's wet dream. You start your life as a clone in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, in search of the elusive alpha clone. You'll need to scavenge to survive and build your life (and character) from scratch.

It's no secret that I personally love this game, so I'm excited to take a break from my main (and other alt) to start the game new, with you in the driver's seat.

This poll will run until Tuesday, January 5th, when I will create my new character and get it ready for action in Wednesday's Choose my Adventure. So let's give a bit of an explanation as to the choices in this initial poll.

Character Creation

I don't think I need to describe the differences between male and female to you, but Fallen Earth has more of a character evolution process, rather than a character creation process. After you choose the gender of my character below, you'll also choose the main focuses that I'll pursue throughout my six weeks in this project.%Poll-39289%

Weapon Focus

Melee - Fireplace pokers, 2x4s, closet rods and even full medieval replica swords make up the melee weapons available. The best thing about being a melee fighter in this game is the fact that you don't need to craft or scavenge expensive ammo. Point, smash, repeat.

Pistols - Beginning with tiny BB guns (called Zip Guns) and progressing into dual-wielding submachine guns, the pistol combat in Fallen Earth can be the fastest, but also the most expensive. Duel-wielding revolvers is pretty cool, as each mouse button is assigned to each hand.

Rifle - One shot, one kill. That's the motto of the rifle combat focus, and it's usually meant quite literally. Rifles are extremely powerful weapons, but they give a -60 to melee defense, so you better make sure that first shot counts. Later in the game, they can use powerful scopes on their rifles to zoom in (complete with accurate range finder) for that headshot. Despite all of this awesomeness, a rifle character should have a bit of melee skill too, because your first target might have friends.%Poll-39292%


Skill and Style Focus

These certainly aren't the only ways to play your character in Fallen Earth, but I threw together some fun "builds" (for lack of a better term) that can be effective in the game. These will also play heavily into the in-character roleplaying part of the project, and allow for more of a personality to our character. Since these play styles are fairly general, I will make sure to refine the focus with future polls.

Charismatic Leader - The one that everyone turns to for encouragement and enthusiasm. Focus will be on Charisma, Intelligence and Perception for stats, and Social, Group Tactics and Enhancement (Techs and CHOTA faction mutation) for skills.

Medic - You're not afraid to run into the heat of battle to patch up a team member or revive them when needed. Stat focus will be on Intelligence, Charisma and Perception, while skill focus will be on First Aid, Group Tactics and Enhancement (Techs and CHOTA faction mutation).

Savage - The wasteland has not been very nice to you, but it's made you into one tough cookie who's not afraid of anything. Stat focus will be on Endurance, Strength and Willpower, while skill focus will be on Athletics, Dodge, Patho-Transmission (CHOTA faction mutation) and Primal (CHOTA and Vista faction mutation).

Assassin - The master of stealth, the assassin is all about the most efficient kill, and doing it alone. Stat focus will be on Coordination, Dexterity and Perception. Skill focus will be on Athletics and Dodge.

Brick Wall - You were made for the front lines of battle and you're not afraid to take a hit or five. Stat focus will be on Strength and Endurance, while the skill focus will be on Armor Use and Dodge.%Poll-39296%


Crafting Focus

This is basically yes or no. I didn't want to make a scavenger character as a skill/style focus choice because you can easily mix a crafter/scavenger into any role. If you choose crafter for me, I will create all of my items (besides quest rewards). If you choose no on crafting, I will need to buy everything from the auction house, but still scavenge for parts to make money.%Poll-39302%

For six weeks, and the level of involvement this game needs to be played successfully, it will be tough to do much with factions, but I want to make sure that I can at least get into that part of the game and show the readers what there is before we stop. Once that time comes, the faction we chose will be entirely up to you.

Next Wednesday I will introduce you to my new character and we can work on getting a group of us together to play on a regular basis throughout the next six weeks. It should be fun, and I look forward to it!