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Earthrise: First Impact shows off new alpha footage
When Earthrise closed down in early 2012, many MMO fans chalked it up to another failure in a growing heap of MMO ideas. German publisher SilentFuture snatched the IP and assets up a few months later and are happily chugging along with the game's alpha as we speak. But this still left many of us skeptical about the potential success of something that's already failed once. Earlier today, the devs released two alpha-footage videos showing off the Earthrise: First Impact's improved character creator and a bit of running around in the game world. You can see both videos after the jump below and be sure to head on over to the game's Facebook page to let the devs know what you think of the footage. [Thanks to David for the tip!]
Earthrise founder packages offer instant beta access
SilentFuture wants you to know that you can spend a little money on its Earthrise MMO shooter if you like. The company has updated its website with a founder page, and buying one of the package deals apparently grants you instant beta access. The original incarnation of Earthrise was developed by Masthead and closed its doors in February of 2012. SilentFuture picked up the pieces and announced that it was retooling the game a few months later. The game's founder FAQ says that it should release "late this year." In the meantime, the "alpha/beta is running mostly 24/7."
Guns and Robots enters no-wipe open beta
While this may be the only time that the term "no-wipe" is a good thing, Masthead Studios (developers of Earthrise) has announced that its free multiplayer online shooter Gun and Robots has entered open beta with no character deletion before launch. Guns and Robots is an arena-based shooter with destructible maps, three character classes, and "unlimited options for character customization." If you'd like to check the game out for yourself, you can download and play for free starting today. [Source: Masthead Studios press release]
SilentFuture retools Earthrise's network layer, GUI, and gameplay
So Earthrise is officially a thing. Again. The sci-fi sandbox initially launched early in 2011, and at the time, we thought it needed quite a bit of work. Two years later, quite a bit of work has apparently happened, as the game's new publisher is gearing up for a reboot and stage one of its alpha test. SilentFuture says that it focused on fundamentals while retooling the game. Specifically, "a new network layer was implemented," and the original Flash-based GUI was replaced with a customizable HTML5 version. The firm is also "focusing [on] the RPG factor with third-person fast-paced action combat" that is "more cooperative and shooter-like." Finally, the business model is now fully free-to-play and funded by microtransactions that allow for personalization without "affecting the gameplay." There's no launch date yet, but you can sign up for an alpha/beta tester position at the game's official website. [Source: SilentFuture press release]
Earthrise accepting test applications, prepares alpha phase
Earthrise might have gone down hard in February of this year, but a last-minute play by German studio SilentFuture kept it from becoming a permanent addition to the MMO graveyard. Ever since learning that this post-apocalyptic sandbox would be resurrected in a new form, we've kept an eye out for a sign that Earthrise would be, er, rising once more. That day is today. Just in case you were wondering. SilentFuture is taking test applications for what it's now calling Earthrise: First Impact. The site notes that just applying does not guarantee entry into the alpha or beta tests. The studio announced that the alpha will begin soon, although there is a technical issue preventing players from downloading the client. [Thanks to Marc for the tip!]
Leaderboard: MMO most worthy of resurrection
I had an interesting revelation this past week. While it seems that we've had so many MMOs shutting down over the year, when I look at the big picture of all of the major titles that have been released, the vast majority of them are still in operation. It made me realize just how resilient and strong this industry is. Yet there are those games that have seen their final days and exist now only in our memories and dusty screenshot folders. Some might be good riddance to us; others are still painful wounds. We've all harbored fantasies of MMOs coming back from the great beyond for a second lease on life, but if you had to choose just one, what would it be? That's the topic for today's poll, so look at the following list and think long and hard about your choice. Resurrection isn't something that happens every day in MMOs, after all.
German studio SilentFuture resurrecting Earthrise
Fans of Masthead Studios' late sandbox MMO, Earthrise, have cause to rejoice today. The Wuppertal, Germany-based studio SilentFuture announced in a press release today that it will be taking over development and operation of the title, which was shut down in February earlier this year. According to the press release, the studio is currently working on a complete overhaul of the game, from backstory to gameplay to technology. SilentFuture plans to have the game up and running again sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. Earthrise will return as a free-to-play title in which players "no longer find themselves in a post-apocalyptic world" but rather are "part of the apocalypse itself." Sounds promising! Hopefully we can look forward to more details in the coming weeks, but at least we know one thing for sure: Earthrise is back! [Source: SilentFuture press release]
Earthrise website jumps to life with new countdown timer
Remember Earthrise, the post-apocalyptic sci-fi sandbox from Masthead Studios? The fledgling title shut down last February after a tumultuous year that included a rough launch and lukewarm (or worse) reviews. Masthead originally intended to convert the subscription-based game to a free-to-play business model but opted to pull the plug entirely due to a lack of investor interest. As of today, though, there's a countdown timer on the official Earthrise website (as well as a new background graphic that shows off the game's sci-fi battle action). Has Masthead found an investor after all, and is Earthrise making a comeback? We'll see in a little over five days, but feel free to speculate in the comments! [Thanks to IMN for the tip!]
Earthrise killing subscriptions, going free-to-play in 2012
The struggling sci-fi sandbox Earthrise is no longer interested in competing in the subscription market, and is instead veering toward a free-to-play model in 2012. As of December 1st, all players will be able to experience the game without a monthly charge as Masthead Studios prepares for a F2P version. Masthead CEO Atanas Atanasov says that the move is an effort to retain customer trust while the developers shore up the game's weaknesses: "We decided to let all our players unlimited gaming experience until we all are satisfied with the experience in our game. At the moment Earthrise features one of the best visuals, content, and gameplay of all sci-fi MMOs on the market. However, it is missing polish and has annoyances that spoil the fun in the game. We are learning from our experience and that is why we will remove monthly charges until we bring the game to a quality state that is satisfactory to us and our players." Once the title is brought up to par, Masthead will transition it to a true F2P model, although Atanasov assures players that it will not incorporate pay-to-win purchases. Until Earthrise goes F2P, new accounts will be invitation-only as Masthead restricts the number of incoming players. All current subscribers will be able to invite a few of their friends during the transition, however. [Source: Masthead Studios press release]
Earthrise releases vehicle patch, reactivates old accounts
Masthead Studios has just informed us of the latest patch for Earthrise. There's good news for former players too, as the company is re-upping all inactive accounts for a free 14-day trial period. The patch itself includes new vehicles that can be obtained via quest lines, player crafters, or in-game vendors. The mounts are called hoovers, and when coupled with Earthrise's physics model, they allow players to perform drifts, jumps, and various stunts. Speed is a major factor as well, and Masthead says that explorers will appreciate the new vehicles when checking out the various nooks and crannies across the world of Enterra. Finally, the patch includes "large numbers of strong monsters" designed to provide more of a challenge for PvE players as well as provide greater loot rewards. You can learn more about Earthrise at the game's official website. Also, don't forget to check out the new vehicle concept art in our gallery. %Gallery-48760% [Source: Masthead press release]
Choose My Adventure: What is this I don't even
Where am I? What's going on? How did I get here? I'm so confused! Oh, uh, hi there. I'm Matt, or as most of you probably know me, the new guy. It looks like I'm next on the chopping block for Choose My Adventure, and I am contractually obligated to say that I was in no way coerced, blackmailed, or threatened into doing this column. Now that that's out of the way, let's get on with it. A bit about my MMO history: I've played everything. All right, super. That being said, I don't always play everything a whole lot, and right now I'm what you call "between games." That's where y'all come in. Help me out of my MMO slump by forcing me at gunpoint to play a game of your choosing. It's that simple! My playstyles vary wildly, and I can easily go from carebear PvE to hardcore PvP to melodramatic RP depending on which game I'm unceremoniously thrust into. So do your worst, Massively readers. If you're interested in knowing the logic behind the games I chose for the poll, read on past the cut. Otherwise, skip straight to the voting bit and be sure to get your votes in by 11:59 p.m. EDT on October 14th. I'll see y'all again next week!
Bethesda denied restraining order against Fallout MMO co-dev Masthead
Legal battles, while academically interesting, are totes boring, even when they carry heavy implications for the future of a franchise, or even the industry as a whole. The monotony can turn something interesting into something no one cares about, so we're thankful that the Honorable John F. Walter has delivered an atomic buster's worth of smackdown to the ongoing case of Bethesda v. Everyone Else. Bethesda had sought a temporary restraining order against Fallout Online co-developer Masthead Studios, claiming that the company had illegally sublicensed Bethesda's intellectual property from Interplay. The court disagrees, however, and has denied Bethesda's ex-parte application, with Judge Walter essentially telling Bethesda that it's made its bed, and now it's going to lie in it: "Plaintiff has not demonstrated that it will be irreparably prejudiced if the requested ex parte relief is not granted, or that it is without fault in creating the crisis that requires ex parte relief. Indeed, Plaintiff was aware as early as February 2011 that Masthead was potentially infringing its copyrights. ... Yet, Plaintiff waited seven months to apply for ex parte relief. The Court finds that Plaintiff unreasonably delayed in seeking relief, and that the emergency that allegedly justifies a TRO is self-created." Yowch. Considering that this is the second injunction request denied of Bethesda since this whole thing began, things are starting to look pretty good for Fallout Online. Is anyone else weirded out by the United States Government actively defending a series based on its complete and total destruction? Just us? Okay.
Bethesda fails to block Fallout MMO progress, again
The latest development in the ongoing lover's quarrel for control of the Fallout MMO seems to be something of a body blow for Bethesda. The famed Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3 RPG maker was smacked down in a U.S. District Court this week as a judge ruled that the company "unreasonably delayed in seeking relief, and that the emergency that allegedly justifies a TRO is self-created." TRO stands for temporary restraining order, and Bethesda was seeking such against Interplay and Masthead Studios, which are developing the long-awaited Fallout MMORPG. This isn't the first time that Bethesda has turned to the legal system as a way of preserving its Fallout brand. It's also not the first time the company has been denied, as a 2009 ruling allowed Interplay to continue working on the massively multiplayer version of Fallout despite Bethesda's objections.
Some Assembly Required: Is the sandbox dead?
Let's face it, folks, 2011 has been a fairly bad year for sandbox MMORPGs. Whether we're talking about the premature (and, ahem, forced) demise of Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online's public relations disasters and its capitulation to the cash-shop-in-a-sub-based game fad, or Earthrise's rough launch, there hasn't been a lot to celebrate for fans of non-linear MMO gameplay in quite a while. I've even had several friends ask me point blank: Is the sandbox dead? The short answer is not just no, but hell no. Join me after the cut for a few bright spots as we look to the future, take stock of the present, and try to forget about the past.
Earthrise's subscription price (earth)lowered
Have you been wanting to take sandbox MMO Earthrise out for a spin, but just don't have the creds to shell out for it? Well, today may be your lucky day. Masthead Studios announced today that they had lowered the prices of Earthrise's game client and subscription fees in order to "greatly improve the in-game economy and... also make Earthrise a lot more fun for both new and old members." So what are the new prices? Well, if you're in the US, the game client itself will cost you $14 (a rather sizeable 60% discount), while your subscription options will be: $14 for one month, $30 for three months, or $50 for five months. European players, on the other hand, will have to shell out 12 Euro for the client, and the subscription options will be: 12 Euro for one month, 25 Euro for three months, and 46 euro for five months. Whether or not this move will reinvigorate the game as planned, we'll just have to wait and see.
Masthead releases first Earthrise expansion, reactivates old accounts
Today marks a significant milestone for Earthrise, the indie sci-fi sandbox from Masthead Studios. A rather large patch has made its way to the live servers, and the changes are so numerous that Masthead's press release labels the update as Earthrise's first expansion. The big kahuna in terms of new content is the Territorial Wars functionality, and the patch notes mention new zones with bases ripe for the capturing as well as the ability for guilds to construct various economic and military structures. Speaking of guilds, leaders can now make use of a new ranking and permission system, and Earthrise now sports both friend and ignore lists in addition to improved client performance. The patch also brings a laundry list of weapon effect changes, combat re-balancing, and bug fixes, all of which are viewable via the patch notes on the official Earthrise forums. If all that's not enough to whet your appetite, consider that Masthead has reduced the initial client cost by 40% as well as gifted all previous account holders with 10 days of free play.
Earthrise goes on sale, looks ahead to expansion [Updated]
Big things are afoot in Earthrise, which is now going worldwide as publisher Iceberg Interactive has launched the English language version in all territories. To tempt players into giving it a try, Iceberg's digital launch will be offered at a hefty 40% discount, bringing the title to $29.99. Even bigger than that is the news of Earthrise's first free expansion: Territorial Warfare. This content update promises to double the size of the current game world and will let players take over territory, build bases, and fight against opposing forces. These bases can even provide players with resources to further expand their power. The price drop and expansion will apply to European boxed copies as well. The boxed versions also include a map and poster. Masthead Studios has been pursuing aggressive updates and fixes to the game as of late, and with the expansion there should be plenty of additional content for players to enjoy. [Updated: Changed the price to reflect US sales price.]
Huge Earthrise patch brings major combat tweaks, bug fixes
There are patches and then there are patches, and the most recent Earthrise update was definitely the latter. Masthead Studios has dropped approximately one gigabyte worth of changes on the world of Enterra thanks to the 18143 patch, and if the preliminary discussion thread is any indication, players seem to be happy with the tweaks. Many of the changes are found in the game's combat engine, with adjustments to core and special weapon damage as well as weapon ranges and substantial updates for assault rifles, precision rifles, flamers, melee weapons, and shotguns. AI line-of-sight issues have also been fixed, and several UI and party-related bugs have been squashed. There's also an interesting blurb in the patch notes regarding territorial warfare. Specifically, the notes say that "all bases and the environment around them are complete and standing by." While Masthead hasn't publicly confirmed that Earthrise's warfare system is complete and ready for prime time, it's encouraging to see some official progress.
Win a copy of Earthrise from Massively and Masthead Studios!
The Earthrise developers may be taking their time and making sure every detail is just right on upcoming patches, but they've promised fans it's going to be worth the wait. If you've been following the game's progress since launch and thinking about giving it a try, we've got just the thing for you! Masthead Studios has given us three digital copies of Earthrise to pass on to some lucky readers. Already an Earthrise player? No problem -- we've got you covered too! We've also got 10 spiffy Earthrise t-shirts to share. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment here before noon EDT on Saturday, May 7th. Let us know which prize you'd like to have (specify large or extra large if you're entering for a t-shirt), and Saturday afternoon we'll draw 13 winners! As always, take a look at our contest rules. Best of luck!
Earthrise patch coming soon, roadmap features delayed
Fans of Masthead Studios' Earthrise MMORPG have waited a long time between patches. According to producer Atanas Atanasov, the wait is almost over. A new post on the official Earthrise boards details what players can expect when the new version goes live toward "the end of this week, or early next week at the latest." The patch will include fixes for the inventory stacking bug and the problems with party experience gain. The game's shadow renders are also being tweaked, and AI attacks through walls and other solid objects are being addressed. Atanasov also tells us that the previously reported development roadmap has undergone a few revisions, and most of the items on that particular list are being delayed in favor of improving Earthrise's graphical performance. "Due to changes in our priority list you can expect [a] delay of some roadmap features such as vehicles, inverse kinematics, quest hints on the minimap, and item painting," Atanasov explains. "Our expectations are that you will see them in game in June/July 2011."
