Earthrise
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Masthead prepping new Earthrise beta client, additional beta keys
Launch day for Earthrise is closing fast, and Masthead Studios is gearing up for the throng of sci-fi sandbox fans looking to make a new home on the game's single worldwide server. Masthead is also pushing a new version of the beta client to the game's test servers and will be distributing more beta invites in the very near future. The new client features combat and tactical tweaks, changes to crafting skills and item insurance, and revamped graphics and animations. "The development team has been working around the clock to continually add new gameplay functions and we are thrilled for our community of testers to become further immersed and share their thoughts with us," says Masthead CEO Atanas Atanasov. As for getting your hands on that elusive beta key, you'll want to head to the official site and sign up for your chance to win.
Masthead confirms Earthrise digital release date, system requirements
The team at Masthead Studios has nailed down a definitive launch date for Earthrise. The sci-fi sandbox MMORPG will be available via digital distribution on February 4th, with a European retail box and exclusive content to follow. "We have worked incredibly hard to make Earthrise the best sandbox MMORPG on the market, and we can't wait for players to fully experience all of our hard work and become immersed in Enterra," said Masthead's Atanas Atanasov in a press release dated this morning. In addition to last week's announcement that players will gather on a single worldwide server, the studio has also detailed the game's system requirements: OS: Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista SP1, Windows 7 Free hard drive space: 20 GB CPU: 2.4+ GHz Single Core Processor RAM: 2 GB Video Card: NVIDIA 7800GT+ or ATI Radeon 9800 SE 256-bit High bandwidth internet connection (DSL, Cable)
Earthrise going with single server worldwide
The team at Masthead Studios has provided a bit more information about Earthrise's recently announced February release date. While Monday's press release revealed that the sci-fi sandbox is coming to European retail in a few short weeks, it conspicuously left out any mention of an American launch or an American server. As it turns out, this is because Earthrise will feature a single shard for gamers all over the world according to a forum post sighted yesterday on the official boards. "There will be one global server for Earthrise when the game goes live in February. There is one server for all players, no matter where in the world they are located," says Kuliani, Masthead's community manager.
Earthrise announces European publishing deal, February release date
Bulgaria-based Masthead Studios has just announced a partnership with Iceberg Interactive to publish the sci-fi sandbox MMORPG Earthrise. The agreement covers the whole of Europe, and a press release on Iceberg's official website says that the game will be coming to European retail in February 2011. The release also hints at "exclusive extra content for boxed version buyers" as well as plans for localized versions to be announced at a later date. Earthrise is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi game set in the 21st century that features open PvP, a complex crafting system, skill-based advancement, and a player-driven economy.
This week on The MMO Report: Sansha Sansha Revolution
Sure, we know him for his wit and way with words -- but this week Casey Schreiner shows that he's got hotter moves than a level 85 fire mage. And of course, there's that MMO Report thing he does, in which he takes a look at the week's news. This week's targets topics include CrimeCraft's Bleedout expansion, which will offer new episodic content including goodness from artists like Ben Templesmith, Howard Chaykin, Tim Bradstreet, and many others. There's also more on Forsaken World, which is moving towards release by ramping up its teaser trailers. Also on the radar is today's opening of Rift's closed beta, Earthrise's broken beta button and video, and of course, the first bit of EVE Online's three-part Incursion expansion. Speaking as an EVE Online player, I can say that the windowed mode is awesome, but the bit about anti-aliasing being added in this last patch is pretty awesome too. Now we capsuleers can enjoy the finest basics that Windows can offer while the Sansha swoop down on us. Finally, he wraps everything up by taking us on a magical mystery tour through Uncle Casey's Mailbag, in which we find out that sending him your cosplay pictures probably isn't the best idea -- although sending charity notes is. You can catch all the hilarity here every week, or over on G4TV.com.
Masthead shows off Earthrise beta video
Earthrise fans are waking up to an early Christmas present this morning in the form of a lengthy new closed beta gameplay video available on the official website. While developer Masthead Studios has provided a steady stream of screenshots (and even a few interviews) over the last several months, footage of the sandbox title in action has been extremely hard to come by. No longer. Thanks to the five minute clip, we now have a clearer picture of the game's UI as well as an idea of how the PvP and PvE plays out. The footage also shows off various locales around the world of Enterra including Arcology, Autonomy, the Blasted Region, the Borderland zones, and the Hatchery. "The Masthead team is thrilled to finally offer more of our fans a window into the Earthrise beta testing environment. Our developers have been working exhaustively to fine-tune all of the game's features to deliver a uniquely captivating gaming experience, and we are very anxious for all of our fans to see it," says producer Atanas Atanasov. Check it out at the official Masthead website and let us know what you think in the comments.
Earthrise shows off shiny new web digs
Speaking of website makeovers... The folks at Masthead Studios didn't want us to have all the fun! As such, today they've revealed some awesome new artwork and serious web chops by introducing their very own shiny new website. Gone is the ho-hum grey background and text-heavy central area. Added is a great illustration featuring a new version of the lady who has long graced the page. Thrill at the shiny newness of hills, valleys, and sci-fi artistic goodness. Of course, the new site also boasts a nice, clean, clickable interface showcasing the newest news, lots of media, backstory, community, and more. Additionally, the beta button is clearly sitting there waiting to be clicked on by those who haven't taken the leap as yet. So if you're a connoisseur of all things intarwebby, curious about the new shininess of Earthrise's website, or all about some hot beta signup action, then head on over and check it out.
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.]
