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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 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.
Earthrise lead technical artist Ed Mattinian discusses visual influences
The Bulgaria-based developer Masthead Studios is hard at work on their first massively multiplayer online game Earthrise, a title that's equal parts sci-fi and post-apocalyptic. Nolvadex from the Italian MMO news site Gamesource spoke with the game's lead technical artist Ed Mattinian about the look of Earthrise. Mattinian discusses balancing form with function when it comes to how technology is depicted in the game, trying to create a futuristic world that's not simply cold and sterile. He says, "I'd say that technological products have their own beauty to them. It's all about function and how that 'product' -- be it a weapon, a craft, or a teleporter - is designed for its function. That's the beauty that we're looking for."
GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise
The futuristic game Earthrise is one of the upcoming sci-fi massively multiplayer games that we can see on the horizon. It's the first MMO developed by Sofia-based Masthead Studios and features the post-apocalyptic setting of a world divided between utopian idealism and revolution. Massively had a chance to sit down with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov at the Game Developers Conference 2009 where he gave us a walkthrough of Earthrise, shedding some light on what this new title may bring to the MMO world.%Gallery-48760%
Earthrise interview explains game's crafting and sandbox elements
We've been noticing that the post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise is getting a lot of press these days. The latest piece that's caught our eye is an interview with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov conducted by ReviewStash's Daniel Levy. The interview ranges across several topics of interest for potential Earthrise players, but perhaps what's of most interest are Atanasov's comments on combat game mechanics and crafting. Aiming in Earthrise's combat will be done as with standard shooters, but the weapons available to characters will allow a player to keep a bead on their target. On Earthrise's crafting system, Atanasov says that players will be "capable of infusing Designs into items -- special bonuses and enhancements, or totally separate effects that allow the crafter to customize an item to the needs of his or her customers." Certain crafters may well become influential figures in Earthrise, Atanasov says, known for coming up with powerful item builds.
Earthrise lead designer on player-driven economy and crafting unique items
MMO fans of all things post-apocalyptic are probably eagerly awaiting more info on the in-development game Earthrise. Will it be a breath of fresh air into an industry overwhelmingly dominated by fantasy titles? It's still far too soon to say, but the Earthrise developers, Masthead Studios, have been doing a good job of communicating what their vision for the game is, both in terms of building up a community (pre-beta no less) and actively talking about the title with the gaming press. The latest bits of info about Earthrise come to us through a Stratics interview with Lead Game Designer Apostol Apostolov. He starts off by succinctly explaining the lore behind the game, but his talk with Stratics also touches upon what he sees as the advantages of using a skill-based advancement system, which tips its hat to Ultima Online. Apostolov also discusses Earthrise's economy, with hints about rewards tied to the offline profession(s) a player chooses. On the subject of the players, Earthrise will have a completely player-run market which could be a boon to crafters.
Earthrise lore features clash between utopian idealism and anarchy
Earthrise is a new title that we haven't seen much of thus far beyond screenshots and concept art. Still, it's one that's holding the interest of a small but growing community, waiting to see if the game will offer an experience that's a far cry from a fantasy MMO. In making the game a departure from the fantasy genre, the Earthrise creators at Masthead Studios have been fleshing out the game's lore and relaying it to potential fans through its own newsletters and some media exclusives, at IGN's RPG Vault in particular. IGN continues its series of Earthrise previews, focusing on the lore of the post-apocalyptic setting. That is to say the old world is dead, wiped out in World War III. Those who weren't part of the Continoma-selected elite are either ash or reduced to slavering mutants prowling Enterra in search of their next meal. The previous piece titled Continoma: The Beginning focused on the corporate entity that rose to power and came to rule what was left of the earth following the near-annihilation of human society. IGN now looks at what happened after the burn in "Continoma: The Rebirth." Check out their piece for the full story on the pioneers of Earthrise who work to rebuild society to utopian standards, and the anarchists who resist the order of this new establishment.
An early look at the lore of Earthrise
More information about the lore of Earthrise has surfaced, giving readers a preview of the post-apocalyptic MMO's setting of Enterra. Although still in a pre-beta stage of development at Masthead Studios, some details were already known about the organizations in Earthrise. The newest information comes from IGN's RPG Vault, which has released their first of three installments on the lore of Earthrise.The IGN pieces will focus on Continoma, the corporate entity that governs the lives of Enterra's citizens. "Continoma: The Beginning" looks at how the Continoma Project developed into humanity's only viable chance for survival, via genetic rebirth which followed the cataclysmic Third World War. If you're a fan of the lore in your MMOs and sci-fi is your thing, check out the full story over at RPG Vault.
Earthrise newsletter introduces dev team and their influences
Masthead Studios has released the second newsletter for their upcoming sci-fi MMO Earthrise. As with their first newsletter, it's full of hyperlinks to images and audio related to the game, however there are a few new additions this time around. We've read about the game itself in recent months, but until now little has been known about the people behind the scenes who are working to make Earthrise a reality. The newsletter features an introduction to the members of the Earthrise development team at Masthead Studios in the form of a short Q&A for each developer. Each of the devs discusses what brought them to work on the project, their influences, and what they do at Masthead Studios to further the creation of Earthrise. There's also screenshots of a new area on Enterra called The Nest and a hyperlinked recap of Earthrise's media coverage in the last month. But the real focus of the Earthrise newsletters is on the community, and a number of issues are showcased in the latest iteration.
More questions arise for Earthrise
The gang at Masthead Studios recently answered another question from the community about Earthrise. This one is about how the main storyline will effect player development within factions. The answer - for those of you who aren't jaded - may surprise you.After getting familiar with the game, players can attempt storyline quest arcs that eventually lead to an epic story played out across the whole of Enterra. Completion of these tasks will vary depending on the faction the player is affiliated with. Case in point: some quests might involve a moral dilemma wherein the player must protect a settlement from attacks by mutant bugs... or kill every living person in the settlement. Virtually every quest will have dual options. Players can complete quests in favor of an opposing faction, sacrificing quest rewards for a good reputation. While players can change their allegiances and join different factions, that betrayal will be difficult and won't come without a cost. Plus, factions will have certain requirements that must be met before they welcome you with open arms. Some might not be easy.The game mechanics for this post-apocalyptic MMO (one of many it seems) sound very intriguing. We can't wait to jump in and go all Mad Max in the world of Earthirse.
Questing around Earthrise
This weeks question for the Earthrise devs asks: what types of quests will be available? Earthrise is geared towards player cooperation and PvP, but the devs aren't neglecting the casual gamers. They still want players to be able to solo through the multiplayer environment and advance their character (notice how thy didn't say "level up") without being forced to play with a group. As such, quests will be plentiful.Quests will follow a storyline based on the conflict between the Continoma and Noir. Many of these questions will have multiple solutions, allowing players to pick their side - or change it. Some quests will be repeatable (letting players change what they've done in the past), others will not. Players can follow the storyline for as long as they want, stop and pursue any of the numerous randomly generated quests, then come back to the main storyline.
