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Earthrise dev diary highlights West Horizon lore
Ready for more sci-fi lore, courtesy of the Earthrise dev team? If so, head over to MPOGD.com and check out the latest journal entry for the sci-fi MMORPG. Like the previous two installments, the piece focuses on the history of a particular location in the world of Enterra, and this time around that location is the West Horizon. The West Horizon is a name given to a section of inhospitable coastline by the region's original settlers. The area was home to various strains of mutant wildlife as well as toxic chemicals washed ashore by ocean currents. Over time, the pioneers terraformed West Horizon and eventually all of the nearby Sal Vitas Valley. The tranquility didn't last long however, as West Horizon soon came to host a Continoma-sponsored compound built to house the human test subjects from a secret government project. West Horizon also features a mysterious sect alternately referred to as the Alpha Principle and the Sisterhood (due to having exclusively female members). This secretive group reportedly believes that humanity must purge itself of all physical and mental taints, and has achieved a kind of immortality via a scientific process known as Crystomatrix. Check out the rest of the lore-centric details at MPOGD.com, and don't forget our previous Earthrise coverage that you may have missed.
Massively Exclusive: Earthrise's Atanas Atanasov on PvE, banking, chat, and more
Earthrise is a title shrouded in a certain amount of mystery. Massively began covering the game way back in January of 2008, and since then, the information flow from Bulgaria-based Masthead Studios has alternated between a vacuum and a trickle. Recently, thanks to a wave of interviews and screenshot releases, interest in the game has started to simmer, and comparisons to older sandboxes like Star Wars Galaxies are commonly heard. Masthead boss Atanas Atanasov was kind enough to grant us our second interview exclusive in as many months, answering several of our burning questions. Join us after the cut as we talk about everything from the game's friendliness towards PvEers, to skill progression clarification, to universal banking and more. Also be sure and check out the latest pair of Earthrise screenshots in the gallery below. They feature two new creature types: the burzun (one of Enterra's top predators) and the leapers (ape-like mutant pack-hunters who love to ambush their prey). %Gallery-48760%
Two Earthrise screenshots enter; one Earthrise screenshot leaves
It took the end of the world to finally see what we were missing all along: gorgeous vistas of a post-apocalyptic wonderland. Masthead Studios continues to dribble out information about Earthrise in the form on screenshots, and today we're glad to bring you two new peeks into the strangely lush world after the fall of civilization and the rise of a dysfunctional new society. You can see the UI elements in these screenies, and it is obvious from them that Masthead is ascribing to a minimalistic UI so that all eyes can remain on the sights and action before you. Plus, we notice there's no mention of SWG this time in the chat window, which leaves us no room for wild speculation! While we wait for the real information tide to finally roll in, comfort yourself during the wait with these new screenshots in our Earthrise gallery below. %Gallery-48760%
Earthrise devs detail The Arcology
MPOGD is back with another Earthrise developer journal, focused again on the sci-fi sandbox's seemingly substantial reservoir of lore and backstory. This time around, readers are treated to a brief history of The Arcology, a terraforming project begun by Continoma (one of Earthrise's major factions) at a point prior to the game's timeline. As gamers log into the world of Enterra for the first time, they'll discover that The Arcology now lies ruined and overrun with mutants and other unsavory predators looking to take a bite out of unwary clones and their allies. The research compound, located in the northern Atlas mountains, originally hosted a large variety of plants, animals, and organisms from the far corners of Enterra prior to its destruction in a cataclysmic event known colloquially as the "Backlash." Read all the grisly details over at MPOGD, and also be on the lookout for a new interview with the Masthead dev team coming soon, exclusively on Massively.
Earthrise's Atanas Atanasov strikes back
Masthead's Atanas Atanasov returns with another interview about the studio's upcoming Earthrise MMORPG. This time around, the focus is fairly general, with topics ranging from the economy, to PvP, to the type of player that will enjoy Earthrise. "While casual players can enjoy the game without going too in-depth, the interwoven player-run economy and complex social competition for influence and resources provide addictive mechanics for hardcore players to fine-tune their characters," he says. With over 800 crafting technologies and a skill-based combat engine, the game aims to provide plenty of sandbox for players looking for something outside the mainstream of the holy trinity quest grinder. Earthrise also looks to depart from the norm by encouraging player interaction, to the point that Atanasov says it will be hard to progress on your own. "There are no rats that can drop you a high-tier rifle; no bosses with epic loot that out-stats every other item in the game; no quest will supply you with good gear - you have to rely on crafting or larceny to earn your bread," he says.
Earthrise teases new beta screenshot, reminds players of SWG
"Well, short help's better than no help at all Chewie," said everyone's favorite sci-fi smuggler as an Ewok hugged his leg prior to the climactic ground battle in 1983's Return of the Jedi. Similarly, scattered tidbits of Earthrise information are better than no Earthrise information, and so we present to you the latest beta screenshot from Masthead Studio's forthcoming sandbox MMORPG. While we'd prefer beta invites for everyone and a release date, this random screenshot will simply have to do for now. As you can see, it features a player character checking out some sort of power gizmo thing-a-ma-doodle. Upon closer inspection, you'll also note that although they blacked out the player names in the chat box, they didn't black out the discussion which reads, in part, "this reminds me so much of SWG." Check out the shot above or in our Earthrise gallery below. %Gallery-48760%
Earthrise devs detail Autonomy
'Tis the season for Earthrise dev diaries, apparently, as MPOGD.com has surfaced with yet another one from the increasingly vocal developers at Masthead Studios. This time around, the focus is on the sci-fi sandbox game's lore as opposed to its skills and equipment, and the new piece delves deep into the who, what, when, where, and how of a place called Autonomy. This strangely-named section of Enterra functions as a sort of smuggler's haven, or as the article puts it, "a place of crime and corruption where castaways rot in their own sins." At first blush, it sounds a bit like a darker, danker Mos Eisley or Nar Shaddaa, albeit it with a mutant-infested penal colony known as The Nest lending a bit more dread to the general atmosphere. Check out the original article as well as our gallery below. %Gallery-48760%
Earthrise character build brings the pain
Things are starting to pick up on the Earthrise news front, and thank goodness. We gamers are a fickle and impatient bunch, and extended time out of the spotlight invariably brings cries of "vaporware!" and the like. Happily, Masthead Studios has begun to release more details regarding its upcoming sci-fi sandbox, including interviews, screenshots, and dev diaries. The latest diary appears courtesy of German fansite OnlineWelten and features the third in a series of character build articles designed to highlight aspects of the game's combat and equipment systems. Moving on from last week's featured avatar, a ranged specialist named Tommie, the Earthrise devs have unveiled Freddy, who looks to be Enterra's answer to the traditional tank archetype -- albeit with a hefty dose of offensive capability thanks to the game's use of skills over classes. The dev diary goes into great detail regarding Freddy's skill build and also drops a few hints about his equipment (which includes the Translunex Corporation's Agony flamethrower as well as power armor). "He can lay waste to a carefully planned team build and as such, is a primary target... Freddy is one of the most powerful builds in Earthrise," says the article.
Massively Exclusive: Dilov & Hristov on the systems of Earthrise
With an open PvP model, a rich crafting system, and a sumptuous art style, Masthead Studios' upcoming sci-fi post-apocalyptic game, Earthrise, has been gaining more and more interest from our readers. From everything we've seen of the game to date, this title will offer some interesting options in terms of how one chooses to play through the world. That's why, when we were given the chance to ask some questions of Momchil Dilov, Lead Writer and Plamen Hristov, Senior Game Designer on Earthrise, we were happy to do so. For those not familiar with the game, you'll want to check out the interview noted yesterday, then join us behind the break as we ask about different systems such as crafting, PvP sieges, the importance of guilds, customization, character penalties, and more!
Atanas Atanasov talks Earthrise PvP, crafting, and payment models
GameOgre has scored an interview with Masthead Studios director and Earthrise producer Atanas Atanasov that's worth a read (and not just because Atanas Atanasov is quite possibly the coolest game dev name in history, with all due respect to Tasos Flambouras and Ragnar Tornquist). Anyhow, Atanasov answers a hefty number of questions covering a wide range of topics including the inspiration and backstory for the game, the purpose behind the title's open PvP, and a few details on the crafting system. "Almost every item in the game comes from crafting and the whole economy and combat system is aimed at conquering territories and supplying resources to the guild and friendly crafters," he says. Atanasov also weighs in on the decision to go with a subscription model for the sci-fi sandbox, a move that bucks current industry trends and is something the Masthead dev team has alluded to before. "A subscription-based game puts players on level ground by giving them all access to the whole world and every game feature. We want to make sure that every player in Earthrise will be treated equally and there will not be paying and non-paying players, players with purchased gear, and players with free gear. Earthrise is an all-inclusive title, pay once and enjoy everything that's included," he says.
Earthrise dev diary details character builds
Bulgaria-based Masthead Studios, the developers behind the upcoming Earthrise sci-fi sandbox, have checked in with German fansite OnlineWelten for the second in a series of dev journals designed to shed more light on the enigmatic title. This week's piece focuses on character builds and details an avatar named Tommie who provides a jumping-off point for examining a few of the skill and gear options available to residents of Enterra. Tommie uses a combination of power armor and speed armor (Nova and Quicksilver, respectively), highlighting the ability to mix and match equipment bonuses in Earthrise. The character also uses a combination of weapon types including a long-range sniper rifle and short-range blades for melee encounters. The article also specifies a number of attack and buff abilities, though the Masthead team takes pains to elaborate on its desire to keep buffs in check. "We want to make sure that everyone knows that in Earthrise, buffs have very, very low durations and if you imagine having 10 of them at the same time -- well, this could prove quite difficult," says the article. Stealth on over to the full article for more details, including snippets regarding combat medic, assault, and concentration skills.
Earthrise reveals complex crafting screenshot
While the information flow from the Earthrise beta is a bit slower than we'd like, the team at Masthead is occasionally letting tidbits slip out into the wilds of the internet. In addition to last month's interview with studio head Atanas Atanasov and lead writer Momchil Dilov, Masthead has posted a beta screenshot showing off the sci-fi MMORPG's robust crafting interface. As ever, details are sketchy, but a thorough look at the shot reveals what seems to be a fairly complicated crafting system, with information on three separate processes (disassembling, recycling, and manufacturing) and a fourth, engineering, barely viewable at the bottom left of the main window. The screenshot also shows four variants of the item being crafted, in this case a Fasetech Rifle Chassis. While we don't yet have many details as to how the system works, we can say that the shot whets our appetite for the kind of in-depth crafting system that seems to have deserted the MMO scene in recent years, and we'll be keeping a close eye on the Earthrise beta. %Gallery-48760%
Earthrise interview sheds more light on sci-fi sandbox
Earthrise is one of those sandbox games that almost sounds too good to be true, and so we read with interest any tidbit that comes our way regarding the upcoming science fiction MMORPG from Masthead Studios. Whether we're looking at the player/crafter-driven economy, the limitless skill system, the faction-less PvP, or the intriguing social gameplay, Earthrise never fails to elicit a raised eyebrow. The latest bit of info is courtesy of MPOGD.com and its interview with Masthead producer Atanas Atanasov and lead writer Momchil Dilov. Atanasov and Dilov cover a lot of ground in the interview, talking about the lack of pre-defined player roles in comparison to traditional MMOs, as well as the fact that gameplay will evolve primarily due to the choices available to players (and their inevitable consequences). The skill system is also discussed, and, though no concrete details are given, Dilov does mention the fact that players aren't restricted in terms of what skills they can learn, nor is there any need for a respec mechanic. Dilov also makes clear that the crafting system is intended to be similarly complex and dynamic, with the learning curve evolving over time based on the ever-changing economy. "Earthrise will bring a breath of fresh air to the MMO genre, which is choking with class-based or free-to-play titles that introduce a lot of limitations to the player. We are going in a direction that I believe many people are looking for," Atanasov says. [Thanks to Super Healer for the tip.]
Fallout Online named, teaser site launches
Interplay has launched a teaser site for Fallout Online, presumably the proper title for Project V13 from Chris Taylor, designer of the original Fallout (with help from Masthead Studios). This comes in the wake of drawn-out legal action between Interplay and Bethesda over the rights to the Fallout IP, and news in January that a beta for the V13 title would be coming in 2012. The site offers a sign-up form for the Fallout Online mailing list and an option to be informed when registration for the open beta begins. We're contacting Interplay for more on the now-named game and hope to hear back before we all need to start carrying Rad Away. [Thanks, King of Creation]
Earthrise's Atanas Atanasov on grinding and more
German fan site Onlinewelten.com managed to snag an interview with Masthead Studios boss Atanas Atanasov regarding the forthcoming science fiction MMORPG known as Earthrise. Information on Masthead's post-apocalyptic sci-fi title is hard to come by, and we're always happy to see additional details come to light. The lengthy interview touches on everything from the player-controlled economy, to combat and exploration modes, to grinding. "Grinding has its advantages and disadvantages," says Atanasov. "Its disadvantages are well known and boil down to repetitiveness that can dumb down a game when left out of control. In Earthrise grinding will be possible, as collecting resources and components from mobs will bring organic material needed for many technologies. Still, it will not dictate that the players must spend time grinding if they don't want to." Hit the link to read the full interview.
Earthrise developers on the beauty of speed
Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov recently dropped some info about the company's upcoming sci-fi MMO Earthrise, briefly mentioning the advantages and disadvantages of Exploration and Battle Modes in an interview. The Masthead Studio developers are following up with more on this topic in their latest installment of Question of the Week, "The Beauty of Speed". Players who aren't wielding weapons will be able to move faster, potentially evading combat situations. Entering this "Exploration Mode" in combat can also impart some benefits, namely that enhanced speed couples with shield regeneration. That speed could allow a player to minimize the damage inflicted upon them by attacks but also leaves them open to greater risk of harm, should they take a direct hit. The tradeoff for that speed is lowered damage resistance. Earthrise will offer certain abilities that affect battlefield movement as well. Have a look at "The Beauty of Speed" for more on Earthrise's combat system, and the related discussion taking place among the game's community members.
Earthrise interview focuses on game's progress
We're always on the lookout for more info about Earthrise, an upcoming sandbox MMO with a far future, post-apocalyptic setting. The latest interview updating on the game's status is a Ten Ton Hammer Q&A with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov. The studio head explains a bit about the combat system revamp, aimed at keeping Earthrise's combat dynamic and fast-paced, with a more intuitive interface as well. The interview also hits upon how they're fine tuning the game's economic systems as well as balancing rewards as players progress, plus Atanasov talks a bit about Earthrise's "exploration mode" (which imparts faster movement but greater vulnerability to damage) and specialized crafting. Check out Ten Ton Hammer's Q&A with Atanas Atanasov for an update on the state of Earthrise.
Interplay's 'Fallout MMO' beta to begin shortly before world ends
It seems all the legal rigmarole between Interplay and Bethesda isn't slowing down the former's work on Project: V13, an MMO set in the latter's Fallout universe. At least, that seems to be the message from Interplay, which recently announced a development partnership with Masthead Studios, which is lending Interplay its technology, tools and resources as it continues work on the post-apocalyptic online game. In fact, Interplay is so confident in the game's future release, it went ahead and announced a tentative date for the game's beta testing phase: 2012. Perfect! That should leave a few months for them to work out the kinks, then a few months for us to enjoy the game post-launch, and then the sun will explode.
Masthead Studios and Interplay finalize agreement for Fallout MMO
We have another step forward in the long-running saga of the Fallout MMO. Late last week, Interplay announced that they had signed "definitive agreements" with Masthead Studios regarding Project: V13, the highly contested post-apocalyptic MMO. We knew this development was a possibility, but things have been delayed by the legal battles with Bethesda. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, Herve Caen is the Interplay Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and gave an interesting piece of information: "This MMOG will have many unique features that we will disclose before launch of the public Beta in 2012." Project: V13 has been in development since November of 2007 (and highly anticipated by fans for the same amount of time), but has struggled along the way with problems including the court squabbling with Bethesda. This latest development is one in a series of small steps forward that Interplay is making, so we'll hold out hope for 2012.
Masthead Studios discusses Earthrise economy
It's an immutable law: create an online game where virtual currency is used and it'll inevitably give rise to a black market for that currency, not to mention for the various items in the MMO. Earthrise will be no different, but developer Masthead Studios aims to be proactive about the problem of gold sellers, rather than reactive. They also feel that their game will be difficult to bot. "Most of Earthrise design has followed the paradigm of requiring player interaction and skill through every aspect of combat, crafting and logistic movement so we firmly believe the game will be, by design, very difficult to automate via known methods," Masthead explains in their latest Question of the Week. Another factor that Masthead Studios feels will curb black market activities in Earthrise, at least in respect to items, is that every use of gear slowly degrades the item in question. Of course, where there's a will there's a way. So when Earthrise enters open beta Masthead Studios will keep a close eye on the various ways players find to exploit the economy.
