Earthrise
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Neutrality and criminality in the dystopian setting of Earthrise
The developers at Masthead Studios dropped some info about their post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise today, explaining how they've designed the game to allow freedom of choice. In true sandbox style, players will not be forced to choose between the main factions of Continoma or Noir and can, in fact, remain neutral. Earthrise Community Manager Moll writes in the latest Question of the Week, "Aside from Continoma and Noir as major Factions, there are 10 smaller political groups (called Organizations), and 4 of them will be Neutral and will provide neutral players with quests that allow them to build their Reputation and unlock rewards that cater to their political standings." Cloning, which may prove to be one of the most vital services players will require, will be independent of faction standings, Moll explains. On that topic of cloning, Earthrise fans have also wondered how criminals can gain access to the same advanced infrastructure used by the more legitimate factions. Or, for that matter, how do criminals gain access to the various resources and markets used by non-criminal players?
Earthrise developers seeking player input
Players having more input or control over the games they play is an interesting direction some MMO companies are taking. While not every company will establish something structured as EVE Online has with the Council of Stellar Management or (as Massively reader Se7en pointed out yesterday) Star Wars Galaxies has with its Galactic Senate, the simple fact that game developers are making efforts to allow more player input is encouraging. Masthead Studios is a newcomer to the MMO scene with Earthrise, a far future post-apocalyptic title, but already they're showing an interest in getting player feedback as they develop the game. The devs at Masthead will now have a "Community Consensus" on the Earthrise forums which brings up key issues with the game's design, to learn how players feel about these aspects of the title. It's not clear yet exactly how much input the players will really have on Earthrise but if the devs are willing to listen to the playerbase, we'd say this is a step in the right direction. The first Community Consensus deals with an issue that will likely be hotly debated -- adding additional incentive for player killing, with greater benefits at higher levels of notoriety.
Earthrise interview details mechas, game environments and tactics
Among the independent game studios out there working on something a bit different for the MMO scene is Masthead Studios in Bulgaria. The studio is developing Earthrise, a post-apocalyptic MMO with a setting that's more far future sci-fi than the near-future burned out world of a title like Fallen Earth. While the game's launch is still off on the horizon, Masthead Studios has been keeping Earthrise's fans informed about various aspects of the game, either in Question of the Week installments on their official site, or through interviews with the gaming press. The latest Earthrise interview is from GameSNAFU, who recently spoke with Atanas Atanasov, CEO of Masthead Studios.
Earthrise reveals new environmental screens
In the post-apocalyptic world of action MMO Earthrise you'll encounter bone-filled deserts, lush jungles, other-worldly forests and... alien hatcheries full of membrane fauna? Hmm, oh that's right this is a sci-fi game, so that's totally cool. Even still, sweeping vistas and mysterious looking locations are all present here, which is exactly what an exploring player hopes to see in an upcoming MMO.Indeed, many of the new images are deliciously pretty -- just be aware that as you click through them, you're bound to come across that alien hatchery. Of course, if creepy alien hatcheries are what you're all about, then pleased you will certainly be.%Gallery-48760%
Earthrise lead game designer on core concepts and game mechanics
One of the independent MMOs in the works that interests Massively is Earthrise, being developed by Masthead Studios in Bulgaria. We came across an Earthrise interview at OnlineWelten by Anja Gellesch, originally in German but translated into English. Masthead's Lead Game Designer Apostol Apostolov gives a well-worded introduction to the premise of the game and its "post-post-apocalyptic" setting, but there's plenty of details to be found in the interview as well. He discusses player choice in the game, how some will opt to join a faction while other players remain neutral in the struggle between the technocratic elite Continoma, and the shadowy resistance movement Noir. Apostolov also mentions that there are 20 different zones spread across the game's island setting of Enterra.
Hints of espionage in Earthrise
One of the interesting things that happens when you create a sandbox MMO where players can establish political systems, even empires, is that factions of those players will form and work against their opposition. In some cases, this is through large scale PvP campaigns. But another, more subtle aspect to warfare between guilds is espionage, should the game developer allow it. Fortunately for Earthrise players, Masthead Studios won't just allow espionage in their post-apocalyptic game -- they encourage it. Espionage is the focus of the latest Question of the Week asked by a member of the Earthrise community. It seems that spying will be an important aspect of conflicts between guilds, but so will visits to other guild territories for trade runs. Masthead Studios implies that there will be a pass system used to allow non-guild members access to a guild's territory: "Even though one might expect only allies and friends to the guild would be allowed to visit using a pass system, it is possible for clever spies of enemy guilds to find a way to sneak in and report to their headquarters about the development of enemy bases."
Are new MMOs afraid to take risks?
Syp over at BioBreak is working on an interesting gaming project. He is valiantly attempting to flesh out a timeline for all MMOs in the history... of MMOs. While working on this project, he came to a stunning, if not somewhat obvious realization: MMOs don't take as many risks as they used to and the ones that do aren't rewarded for it. The latter is likely feeding the former in this situation.It seems with all emerging genres that the pioneers really are just that; the risk-takers who pave the way for future products (or services). Over time though, this innovative spirit is lost or at least lessened to a great degree, and when it comes to satisfying the masses, it is somewhat understandable. Take the television, music, and motion picture industries for example. How many hospital dramas have we seen since E.R. first aired? How many recycled pop music tracks fuel success for the next big boy or girl band? We just can't wait to see the next super-hero movie sequel! While individuals may crave fresh ideas and implementations, "the masses," just don't seem interested.However, not all creativity is lost. There are a number of independent MMO developers working on niche titles that might catch your eye. Don't bet on them being a huge hit with the masses, though we're sure they're just fine with that.
Earthrise mixes zone preview with lore in The Boneyard
Earthrise is the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO from Masthead Studios, and a game with a substantial body of lore released already. Masthead Studios had a lore series on IGN in the past, and more recently MMORPG.com has been hosting dev blogs which explain the game's zones and how they are tied in with Earthrise's backstory. The latest dev blog from Masthead Studios is "The Boneyard", and focuses on the game's desert zone. As with their past combinations of lore releases and zone previews, The Boneyard sets the tone for the game: Humanity was wiped out in World War III. Nuclear and seismic warheads obliterated civilization while nanomachine clouds unleashed bio threats which finished the job.
Earthrise shows off The Arboretum in developer journal
The Earthrise developers at Masthead Studios are turning out a series of blogs which explains the various zones of the post-apocalyptic setting of Enterra island. These developer journals hosted on MMORPG.com introduce us to the varied terrain and its inhabitants, while framing it all in context of Earthrise's lore. So far they've walked us through the burnt out factories of the Industrial Area, the dangers of the Cascade Mountains, and what happens when mutant ecosystems collide in The Hatchery.Their latest dev blog focuses on "The Arboretum" which is the refuge of the Nathura Society, largely comprised of scientists who maintain neutrality in the civil war between Enterra's main factions -- Continoma and Noir. The Nathura simply want to be left alone so they can pursue their ideal of engineering a truly symbiotic relationship between humans and the natural world.
The interplay between faction standings and PvP in Earthrise
Although the post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise is still in development, the game's creators at Masthead Studios take a question from the player base each week and turn it into a mini dev blog. Granted, some of the mechanics as they exist now may very well change before Earthrise launches, but it's still a nice peek into the development of the game. The latest from Masthead Studios is "Fighting, Factions, and Guards" which explains Earthrise's system of establishing safety near the major cities and greater risk the further you venture from them.%Gallery-48760%
Earthrise dev blog advances lore with The Hatchery
Earthrise is an upcoming MMO where you will play as a survivor of nuclear and biological devastation from the Final Wars, living in humanity's sole refuge, a vast island called Enterra. The latest dev blog hosted at MMORPG.com from the Earthrise developers at Masthead Studios is called 'The Hatchery', which takes the game's lore a step forward. Or rather, it takes a step back to the centuries preceding the human race's rebirth via cloning technology. In the years that humankind remained dormant in the Librarium (cloning facility), man-made nano-viruses altered the world's ecosystems. As the environment began to regenerate after nuclear annihilation, separate ocean ecosystems slowly emerged. A vast colony organism became dominant and sought to expand its growth to the surface world. As it evolved, it released swarms of spores that traveled through the ocean currents like scouts, which looked for a surface habitat with enough biomass to support the colony's next stage of life. It found Enterra.
Earthrise reveals information on building damage and offensive structures
A small note of neat news has come out of the Earthrise camp regarding building defensive structures for your guild and the options available to attackers who might wish to destroy said defensive structures.In the forum's question of the week, the developers have revealed that base structures will have durability meters, as buildings just don't "break apart" the minute they're hit by something. However, these durability meters will slowly decline over time, representing wear and tear from the elements. This will require guilds to make sure that they upkeep their buildings, much like a real mechanic needs to check up on a building's machinery every so often. This "durability decrease" is currently set to a very infrequent amount, so busy guilds don't have to be repairing buildings constantly.Attackers will also have combat options, but these will come in the form of mechs and temporary structures that can be placed on the map. These options have nowhere near the permanence of what defenders can produce, and that makes a large amount of sense to us, at least.
Earthrise dev blog shows off the beauty and horror of the Cascade Mountains
The first MMO we're going to see from independent game developer Masthead Studios is Earthrise, a post-apocalyptic title that's bringing some new things to the table in the sci-fi/post-apocalyptic genre. If you've played games like Fallout 3, the setting of Earthrise will be quite different from what you might be expecting. The game will take place on a sprawling island called Enterra, with regions and environments ranging from lush jungles to futuristic urban centers. Of course Earthrise will have the requisite shattered city environments we'd expect of a post-apocalyptic backdrop, as well. Masthead Studios recently explained how terrain will impact gameplay, having written about some of the game's man-made environments like the Industrial Area. Now they're ready to discuss more about Enterra's natural environment with the Cascade Mountains, the focus of the latest Masthead Studios dev blog they've written for MMORPG.com.
Earthrise devs on how terrain will impact gameplay
Earthrise is the first massively multiplayer online game from Masthead Studios, an independent game developer in Bulgaria. The game has a dystopian setting, a single (but vast) island refuge is all that remains of the human race after the world was bathed in nuclear fire. As expected of a post-apocalyptic MMO, there will be areas of the game that are comprised of blasted out buildings and various gutted structures, but the island setting of Enterra will offer a wide variety of terrain for players to explore and exploit. Moll, Earthrise's community manager, explains in a recent blog post: "As we developed Earthrise, we made sure that the world is tailored in such a way so it provides different game experiences - the whole island is divided almost equally between plains, hills and mountains."
Earthrise concept art depicts bio engineered lifeforms
Earthrise is the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO from Masthead Studios, a newcomer to the industry. The game's take on the post-apocalyptic genre differs from other titles like Fallen Earth, in that Earthrise takes place in a massive island setting called Enterra, where the highest levels of technology have allowed humanity's technocratic elite to survive. Old habits die hard though. Factions have formed around certain belief systems or goals, often putting them at odds with one another and creating a dystopian society. Among those factions is the Nathura society. They originally had the high-minded ideal of finding a way for humans to live in harmony with nature. Over time, their collective reasoning devolved. The Nathura came to believe that the only way peaceful co-existence between the species is possible would be to alter humanity, creating a fusion between humans and plants... This did not go down well with the other factions. The Nathura eventually sequestered themselves away in an artificial ecosystem, where they've continued merging technology with living beings, and presumably generating legions of genespliced freaks to attack Earthrise players.%Gallery-48760%
Earthrise devs on player controlled resources
Although the game is still in its early beta stages, the Earthrise developers at Masthead Studios have been very proactive about discussing the post-apocalyptic title with the community. They've been dropping breadcrumbs each week about Earthrise's features and game mechanics, not giving too much info on the title, but enough to form a clearer picture of what Earthrise will be like. This week, they're focusing on player-controlled resources. Earthrise community manager Moll explains that the game's rare resources will be used in many different scopes of activity, ranging from crafting gear and vehicles to building and enhancing structures in conquered territories. As to the latter -- building bases and command centers -- player organizations will need to make some tradeoffs.
Earthrise spotlights the Industrial Area in recent dev diary
Of the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMOs, Earthrise boasts a feature that sets it apart from the others: more technology. This is evident in the screenshots we've seen and the interviews we've done regarding this Masthead Studios title. In a recent dev journal at MMORPG.com, the team explains the rise and fall the great nanofactories in the game's lore, and sets the stage for your heroic character to step in and help reclaim the Industrial Area."Sadly, Coordinator Jared and his men were great scientists, but poor diplomats. They found the worst kind of economical ally in the face of the Syndicate, who forced them into signing a beguiling contract relinquishing control over the industrial production and the operation of the installations of the Collective. In a matter of weeks, the shady elements of the Syndicate teemed in the Industrial Area, taking "temporary control due to terms of agreement" over the immense industrial plants. The Tech Collective was forced to watch helplessly while the bandits overstretched the production capabilities of the Industrial Area, ending in fiery destruction."Check out the complete dev diary for more of the intriguing story.
Lead writer of Earthrise sits down for an interview
Momchil Dilov is the very busy lead writer of the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise, but he found time in his schedule to sit down and chat about the new game's story, his influences, and how to write for gaming audiences.In his conversation with Gamesource.it, Dilov emphasized that players will be able to experience the story in a complete sandbox environment. He says that writing for books and movies is similar to writing for games, while writing for games you always have to keep the player in mind. You need to let your writing allow the player to experience the story, rather than simply giving the story to the player with your writing. As Dilov has said, "The greatest challenge in game writing is to tell the story, but not to confine the player inside it."The full interview with Dilov can be found in English over at Gamesource.it.
Earthrise PvE gameplay to give competitive edge in PvP
For a game that's still in closed beta, the team at Masthead Studios has been communicating with Earthrise fans quite regularly about the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO. Their "Question of the Week" forum always dishes out new info about Earthrise. This week is no different and the devs explain how PvE gameplay can give Earthrise players a competitive edge in PvP. Players will be able to progress through storyline quest chains, alternately focusing on combat, crafting, and exploration. Although Earthrise will have a player-driven economy, Masthead Studios writes, "At its foundation, however, it is dependent on the constant supply of resources that are directly connected to PvE gameplay. Many of the missions will be built around the constant competition around resources."
Earthrise developers explain how teleportation will affect gameplay
Last week we wrote about the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise and how players will be able to use mechas to establish trade and supply routes or, conversely, to hijack them. This brings up another transportation-related question, or several really. How will teleportation work in Earthrise? What limitations will be put on it? Is teleportation accessible to individuals or is it a guild-level ability? The latest Question of the Week entry from the Earthrise devs at Masthead Studios answers these questions and more. The game's sandbox setting of Enterra is a massive island with many zones. Conventional modes of transportation may not always be the best option for players who need to get from one place to another, hence the developers have included teleportation (travel, not combat) game mechanics, but characters seeking instantaneous travel will need to pay fees for the privilege. There will be two simple types of teleportation -- short range for within zones, and long range, which can be a jump from one end of Enterra to another. The further you travel, the more you pay. Teleporters will be run by NPC factions, available to players aligned with that faction or neutrals, but Earthrise's guilds will also be able to establish their own teleporters.
