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GamersFirst reveals APB live action trailer
It may be Veteran's Day here in the States, but GamersFirst is exhorting shooter fans to "be all you can't be" courtesy of a new APB: Reloaded trailer that mixes live action cinematography with in-game mayhem. The clip is a three-and-a-half-minute exercise in gangsta wish fulfillment, and it features enough short skirts, big guns, and urban thug chic to fill several summers' worth of action films. The video release coincides with APB: Reloaded's new Facebook campaign, which is designed to spread the word about the free-to-play title and reward customers who get their friends to join in the fun. Check out the clip after the break, and head to the official website for more details. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
PAX 2011: On the (re)starting line with APB: Reloaded
There's nothing like a car crash to slow down traffic as everyone rubbernecks at someone else's misfortune. Likewise, gamers and media alike were fascinated with the premature demise of last year's All Points Bulletin, craning their heads to see how extensive the damage was. But out of the wreck a new and improved version of the game was born, and now the crowds are equally taking notice of this resurrection. Not every canceled MMO gets a second chance at life, after all. This is why we were glad to sit down with GamersFirst's Jon-Enee Merriex at PAX to discuss how APB's reloading is going, what the devs have planned between now and launch, and what other projects they're tackling. Put the pedal to the metal and hit that jump -- this interview can't drive 55!
Wasteland Diaries: The story of the fall
I've determined that I'll make this week's post a bit of a history lesson. How did Fallen Earth fall? I'll tell you, because if there is one thing I can't possibly fault about the Fallen Earth dev team, it's their writing. Though it's a little far-fetched (in my opinion), the background lore is pretty good. The game dialogue is second to none, but it's the lore we are going to take a closer look at. Much of the story unfolds and is fleshed out throughout the game while talking to various NPCs. But knowing the back-story will help you understand a little better about what is going on in the Grand Canyon Province, especially how the factions inter-relate. So click past the cut and let's get started.
Wasteland Diaries: Faction interaction
The factions in Fallen Earth are a diverse bunch, each one bent on dominating the other five. They all have their reasons to want to impose their will upon the inhabitants of the Grand Canyon Province. They are all also very narrow-minded in their approach to rebuilding society. They are all very intolerant of the other factions and will impede and harass them at every opportunity. Some factions (those on the opposite side of the wheel) espouse downright hatred of their diametrically opposed faction and kill its members on sight. The factions also have sub-factions which usually straddle the beliefs of an allied faction. Each faction in Fallen Earth has one arch-enemy, two enemies, and two allies. The two allies are sometimes called the shoulder factions due to their position on the faction wheel. The allied factions, however, are enemies to one another. This can complicate relations in multi-factional task forces. It can sometimes lead to fighting one allied faction to appease the other. Sometimes the ally of yesterday becomes the enemy of tomorrow. Yes, it makes for some intriguing politics and some excellent canonical roleplaying situations. But when players are interjected into the politics, it can get downright confusing. After the cut, I'll describe the faction mechanics in more detail and the players' effect on the wheel as well.
Rumor: APB buyout apparently nearing the "light at the end of the tunnel" [Updated]
reddit_url = "http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/24/apb-buyout-apparently-nearing-the-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunne/"; reddit_target="gaming"; Tweet "It's looking like there might be light at the end of the tunnel for APB. The end of the administration process is apparently close and there appears to be a buyer for the game." Fans of the beleaguered and quickly shuttered All Points Bulletin may have something to celebrate soon, as the above message recently popped up in the game's patch notes. While the website has been taken down, the patcher is still delivering news. Earlier this month, the message went out that there still may be hope for APB, as the October 7th patch notes reported: "The negotiations continue! Still many groups in the fray, still hope that APB will rise again." While the patcher address appears to be a little sketchy, APB's Ben Bateman, one of the former community managers for the title, has retweeted the address of the patch notes in order to spread the word. There is no indication which company may be angling to take over -- and perhaps re-open -- the enforcers-vs-criminals MMO, although last we heard, Epic Games was a contender. We'll bring you more on this as it develops. UPDATE: Ben Bateman works for Codemasters, according to his LinkedIn. Did Codemasters buy APB? Commence speculation! [Thanks to Notturno for noticing the tweet and Mike for the LinkedIn profile!]
PSA: PAX East early bird special ends tomorrow, need more 'enforcers'
Attention East Coasters: The chaps at Penny Arcade have miscalculated the size and scale of the first-annual PAX East event and have announced a need for more volunteers -- aka "Enforcers." While the name would suggest selected individuals would be granted the ability to bust skulls with full immunity, "Enforcers" are tasked with helping the event run as smoothly as possible (while wearing the same shirt for three days). Also, for those interested in attending the event -- and let's face it, you are -- early registration ends on December 31, 2009. So, if you're keen on saving money and know that a Boston trip in March 2010 is in your future, make sure to get your paperwork in before the clock strikes midnight.
New All Points Bulletin video profiles the vigilante Enforcers
All Points Bulletin developer Realtime Worlds recently introduced fans of the urban crime game to some of the underworld organizations of San Paro. After focusing on the bad guys first, Realtime Worlds has released a follow-up video about the Enforcer vigilantes who hunt those criminals. Whether that makes Enforcers 'bad guys' too might depend on how morally flexible you are, but APB Lead Creative Designer Stephen Hewitt (aka 'Kitkat'), introduces viewers to the enemies of San Paro's criminals: The Praetorians are something of a well-funded private corporate strike force, while the Prentiss Tigers are only jocks trying to keep their city safe. Hewitt also gives more info on the backstory of All Points Bulletin from the Enforcer perspective. Stick with us after the jump for a video embed of All Points Bulletin's The Organizations of San Paro part 2, a closer look at the game's NPC factions.
All Points Bulletin chaos to balance out with Criminal and Enforcer dynamic
The upcoming criminals-vs.-vigilantes game All Points Bulletin holds the promise of being an absolutely chaotic rampage, where a hundred players lay waste to a sprawling urban environment. While that *seems* like it would be fun, for a while anyway, even the most destructive gamer incarnate of Jack Thompson's personal antichrist will ultimately grow tired of blowing stuff up. Fortunately, that's not what APB is going to be all about. In fact, a closer look at this game can makes us wonder: Is it really possible to compare the unbridled carnage and hot coffee of Grand Theft Auto with the gameplay of ABP? Not really, according to Realtime Worlds creative director Dave Jones, who spoke about APB with Chris Kohler from Wired's GameLife blog. Jones told Wired, "There's nothing to compare it to, but that's kind of what we try to do with our games."
Earthrise organizations revealed
Masthead Studios has released information about the factions that will populate the post-apocalyptic setting of Earthrise. These groups are referred to as 'organizations' rather than factions; players will work with them to gain access to 'design technology'. This acquired technology can be applied to items, 'creating unique, powerful, and highly sought-after creations.' The details released thus far on these four organizations in Earthrise suggest that the game will have high science/technomagic and psionics, as well as 'light' peacekeepers and 'dark' mercenaries. The organization descriptions also give some clues as to how they will relate to one another in the game's Enterra Island locale.
All Points Bulletin: Can drop-in PvP succeed in the MMO space?
All Points Bulletin is one of those games that fans of Grand Theft Auto have been wanting for years. Merely saying 'want' cannot convey the unbridled desire that a number of people have expressed for an urban crime game where you're not completely isolated from other players. There is a certain person on the Massively team -- blown away by GTA: San Andreas years ago -- who would go to sleep with whispered prayers in the dark, that his deviant rampages could be shared online with his equally deviant friends around the world, day or night. The allure of this type of game is strong, but equally strong is the likelihood of an overdose on pure chaos. One imagines a map full of amped up Criminals in desperate need of Ritalin, taking to the streets with RPG's and flattening traffic jams in backward-firing tanks, countered by a legion of overzealous Enforcers dispensing 'justice' with reckless abandon. Therein lies the problem: Part of what makes GTA so successful is that as Tommy Vercetti, or C.J. (or any of the other questionable protagonists a player becomes in the legacy title), there's no one else out there who's as badass as you. But what happens when mobs of Criminals or Enforcers of your caliber are turned loose in the city? What if they're even worse than you are? Welcome to the blender.
