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The Daily Grind: Your favorite end of beta event?
Beta tests. It seems like no sooner do you turn around these days than you trip over a beta. With so many games coming out in the second half of this year, it also means we get to check out the various end of beta events! Fallen Earth's Apocalypse Parties were lower-key, involving groups like the above pictured mix of folks getting their groove on. The actual end, however, involved getting everyone to join in on a free-for-all PvP fest where the GMs made themselves and a few other people enormous. Champions Online had a huge invasion of Destroids - robotic bad guys - bent on destroying everyone and everything. We can only guess what might be coming with some of the other games set to close down their betas soon. While those are only a couple of examples, we know there have been some truly stupendous end of beta events. From huge scripted events like The Matrix Online's end of beta to smaller, more informal events held with friends, there are great memories to be had. So tell us, dear readers - what was your favorite ever end of beta event?
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.
One Shots: Calm before the storm
With Fallen Earth's beta slated to end this upcoming Tuesday, the devs have decided to throw a party to end the apocalypse (or at least this phase of it) right. As we'd bet the Fallen Earth testers are a bit busy running around helping to find bugs to send in screenshots, I thought I'd offer this one up from my recent travels in game. This was taken outside the combat starting area, inside the territory of The Children of the Apocalypse (or CHOTA). With the CHOTA being heavily tribal, it only seemed natural to add some warpaint and piercings to my combat character, Apsynth. If you're interested in Fallen Earth, be sure to try it out before the open beta closes down - or look for my upcoming First Impressions post on it. We love indie MMOs! If you're playing an indie MMO, we want to see some screenshots from you! Just email them in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a quick description. We'll post it here and tell everyone about it.%Gallery-9798%
September is a crazy month for MMOs!
September 2009 really is quite a month for new MMO releases, as Syp points out. Players will be able to dive into the worlds of Aion, Champions Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited (barring any unfortunate legal wrangling), and Fallen Earth. While we're at it, we might as well include CrimeCraft, which launched a couple days ago too. Remember the days when you might see 1-2 new MMOs per year, staggered six months apart from each other? As the genre grows, it seems unlikely that we'll see those days again. Since we're huge MMO fans at Massively, we think that's quite awesome!We're curious to know how you think the month of September will play out. Will this month be full of cut-throat competition with only one or two strong titles coming out on top? Are these MMOs even targeted to the same crowds? We actually feel each title is going after a slightly different audience, which may result in everyone being a winner. Do you plan on trying one of them? Two? All? None!? What's your gaming strategy coming up to September? Taking a quick look at Betawatch tells us that there may be a couple more MMOs launching in 2009 as well.
Fallen Earth's special pre-order ATV goes vroom vroom
Remember when we mentioned that if you pre-order Fallen Earth over at Direct2Drive that you would get a special horsey known as the Wasteland Runner? Yes, of course you remember, because we just gave you the link to the story so you would remember.But, apparently, there's a second pre-order gift in town now. A gift that goes by the title of the Fallen Earth ATV. Pre-ordering the game straight from the developer will get you this nifty vehicle that comes with more hitpoints, a larger gas tank, better fuel efficiency, more storage, and a special Fallen Earth paint job. Plus, you get the ability to tell anyone you kill that they can "stick it in your tailpipe and smoke it." Horse riders just don't get that social ability.So, if you're pre-ordering Fallen Earth, it looks like you have a decision to make. Horse or ATV? It's up to you!
Fallen Earth beats out Aion in D2D sales last week
While most other MMO news sites are pointing out the fact that Champions Online has taken the #1 spot in Direct2Drive pre-order sales, and Aion's Collector's Edition is in 3rd place, we couldn't help but notice that Fallen Earth's pre-order sales seem to fit snugly right in the middle at the #2 spot. In addition to this, Aion's Collector's Edition also secured the #2 spot for total Steam sales last week, which is quite an achievement when you consider what it was up against. So we would like to congratulate the indie Fallen Earth team on the chance to shine among the big boys, and the Aion team for showing other gamers that MMOs are alive and well. Now is the part where you tell us all about the horrible experiences you've had with Direct2Drive and/or Steam. Ready, go!
Fallen Earth to hold Apocalypse Party for end of open beta
The end is nigh, my friends. The end of Fallen Earth open beta, at least. This Saturday, August 29th, the Fallen Earth team will be celebrating the end of their stress testing with an Apocalypse Party from 3pm to 6pm EDT. There will be in-game food, drinks, entertainment and even special tokens that will provide an XP bonus. These tokens, called Beta Clone Psychoactive Shots, will grant a +15% XP bonus per hour. One token can be earned per half hour mark during the event (for a total of 7), and can be carried over to the live servers after launch.Despite this event occurring on Saturday, the open beta won't properly shut its doors until Tuesday, September 1st at midnight EDT. Then we'll all have to wait 15 days (9 days for pre-orders) to see the wasteland again. Have more questions? Check out the Fallen Earth Open Beta FAQ for complete details.
Fallen Earth's doors clank open for more beta testers
If fantasy isn't the genre for you, and the idea of spending another day in high-tech shiny sci-fi doesn't appeal, then you're in luck. The team at Fallen Earth, LLC have thrown open the rusted-out doors and are now welcoming in any and all beta testers who would like to help them in this testing phase. Your job, should you choose to accept it? Jump on the Fallen Earth servers and go hunting for any last minute bugs so the devs can destroy them. This is assuming the sheer number of folks playing doesn't make their servers scream like a little girl and run away, mind you. With a thrashed-out, nightmarish world of strange sights and complex game-play, Fallen Earth seems ready to fulfill the desires of those who have been waiting for all manner of twisted hell to break loose in an MMO. The client and keys are now available on FilePlanet for paid subscribers and non-subscribers alike. Once you've gotten all set up, run through the tutorial, and gotten your first taste of life in this strange new world, we'll see you in-game for some great big mutated bug hunting!
Fallen Earth launch date moved up to September 15th
The Fallen Earth team has announced today that they will be pushing the launch day of their post-apocalyptic MMO up to September 15th. Originally, the launch date was to be six days earlier, but because of some concerns over server and client optimization issues, they've decided to push it back."We've seen a lot of new beta testers online recently and we've gotten insight into things that need to be tweaked," said Colin Dwan, project manager for Fallen Earth. "Our primary concern is making sure game play experience is as smooth as possible on launch day."Open beta testers will still be able to play as usual, but those who pre-ordered the game will begin on September 9th instead of the previously-announced early start date of September 4th.
Top 5 helpful hints for your first days in Fallen Earth
The Fallen Earth NDA has lifted today and we can't even express how happy we are to talk about this game. To finally have a true post-apocalyptic title built on a skill-based, classless system is a dream for those of us who remember the old days before loot and levels were king. Sure, there are still loot and levels in Fallen Earth, but the gameplay allows for so much more than that as a main focus.So we thought we'd write up this quick, handy guide that should help you have a better initial experience with the game, pointing out some of the more quirky tips that other beginner guides may not include. Follow along after the jump for the complete list, and be sure to keep your eye on Massively for more Fallen Earth guides and lists coming soon!
The Daily Grind: Are you down with the apocalypse?
Fallen Earth is getting a lot of traction recently, especially with their August 17th open beta sneaking up ever so quickly. We here at Massively have been following the game extensively, and we'll have more information for you on Fallen Earth as soon as the NDA is finally released on the game.But while we wait for that day to come, what have you guys thought about Fallen Earth so far? Now don't go breaking the NDA or anything for us. We're looking for your general thoughts on the game at large, not about any gameplay specific things. Is it your style of game, or is it something you're just not that interested in? Will you be pre-ordering and grabbing yourself one of those sweet, sweet Wasteland Runner mounts, or are you more interested in the five day head start that the pre-order customers will be getting?We're interested people here at Massively -- interested in your thoughts! Speak to us, and more importantly, speak to your fellow commenters. Discuss at will! Go!
Fallen Earth moves into open beta on August 17th
Yes, that's right, the apocalypse opens up its doors to all on August 17th. If you're really eager for the apocalypse, however, then we suggest you hurry on over to Fileplanet and sign up for an account, as they're going to be the ones handing out access to Fallen Earth. Fileplanet will be making the Fallen Earth beta accessible for download on Friday, August 14th, for all of you who want to get that download rolling early.If you're really excited for Fallen Earth's launch on September 9th, then you can also hop over to Direct2Drive and grab yourself a pre-order of the game. Pre-orders not only get guaranteed access to the beta, but they also get the exclusive in-game mount, the Wasteland Runner. The special mount has four more points of defensive skills, 2500 extra stamina, and six more pack slots over other horses.Even more importantly, pre-order customers will be getting a five day head start in the game. Yes, that's right, five days! This means the pre-order customers will be jumping into the game on September 4th, while everyone else will get to experience the Grand Canyon on the 9th.
Don't forget about the Fallen Earth Dev Hunt!
Just a friendly reminder to all of those interested in shooting some Fallen Earth developers -- the developer hunt contest is this weekend! Yes, remember that Saturday, August 8th will be filled with developer chasing action! You can even win some nice prizes, as we've said before!Plus, even if you aren't a beta tester, you still have time to actually register your interest for the contest! Go to the Fallen Earth website and fill out the registration form before tomorrow, August 6th. Once you do that, you'll be registered for the contest and good to go. But it's only open until tomorrow, so you better act fast if you want to have a taste of the apocalypse mixed with the blood of developers!
Fallen Earth dev journal: Character builds
Although classless advancement in Fallen Earth gives players more freedom to build the characters they want and level with skills of their choice, learning how to navigate a wide-open system can be a bit daunting for even the most experienced players. With a little help from the dev team and some crib note suggestions, players can learn how to make the most of the classless advancement system.In Fallen Earth, characters may advance in rank and abilities regardless of their class or faction, and they can do so steadily. For each rank a character gains, players earn 2 AP (20 AP per level). Some APs can also be gained by completing missions, and all APs are spent however the player desires. The resulting system allows players to raise the skills and stats they think are most important for the character they play.
Fallen Earth's "Three Bs of the Apocalpyse" trailer now showing
B is one of those letters that you never think of when you're doing lists. Yet the team over at Fallen Earth has put together a few reasons why B is a great letter, especially for the apocalypse. Their newest trailer for their upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO focuses in on all of the blood, beasts and... er... babes?While we're pretty sure that the game has enough blood and beasts to keep the average rabid gamer hungry, babes might be a little harder to come by. But it is the apocalypse and we guess that the human race does need babes to survive. Very important for the race to continue onwards and what not.The video is being shown over at IGN's video site if you want to take a look at it, but you do need to input your birthday to see it. Lastly, if you ask us, the last babe that they show off at around 0:20 is truly the hottest of them all. She's a bit heavy set, and her skin is a little on the grey side, but we see a heart of gold in there.
The Daily Grind: Is a fall release really such a good idea?
As many of our summer releases get pushed back to September and October, we can't help but wonder if this is such a good idea. MMO players are already notoriously picky when it comes to grabbing their attention in the long-term, but for school-age players, September and October are a time to concentrate on the new school year and new studies. Theoretically.This is one of the main points in a recent blog post by Inktomi over at MMOCrunch. In addition to explaining dissatisfaction with both Aion and Champions Online for grinding or business decisions, Inktomi brings up a good point that may hurt these upcoming games in the long run. If you had to make the decision to only play one game this fall -- due to time constraints from school or otherwise -- would any of the projected releases (Aion, CrimeCraft, Champions Online, Fallen Earth, DDO Unlimited, CitiesXL) interest you enough to be your one game?
Beat Fallen Earth developers at their own game for sweet, sweet prizes
It's not very often that you get the chance to beat developers at their own game. It's even rarer when you get the chance to beat developers at their own game and win prizes for it. If you want our advice, take the Fallen Earth team up on their current beta contest -- Dev Hunt.Beta testers are going to get the chance to hunt down the Fallen Earth developers and kill them in-game for a shot at some nice prizes, including an Nvidia GTX 260 video card, Logitech G11 keyboard, Razer DeathAdder gaming mice, and Fallen Earth swag. If you're a beta tester, all you need to do is log into the Grand Canyon Province on August 8th at 12 PM EDT (GMT-4 for those who need time conversions) and start hunting a developer that's around your level. You get points for being logged in and points if you're present when a developer dies. The event will last until 3 PM EDT.Not a beta tester? Not to worry! Fill out the registration form and you can still get in on the developer destruction! Just make sure to register before August 6th, or no developer hunting for you!
How to get in on the daily Fallen Earth team meetings
If you've been following the post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth at all, you may have noticed that the team isn't afraid to let us in on the progress of the game. We've seen videos of gameplay, held several interviews, developer diaries and the current state of their beta isn't exactly hard to get into. So you may be pleased to hear that the Fallen Earth team is taking this one step further by letting us in on their daily meetings, virtually. Project Manager Colin "Ilkor" Dwan will be providing an inside look into their daily "to do" list and morning meetings via Twitter. Apparently, this will only be going on for the next ten business days, but hopefully it can be something they'll eventually continue throughout the beta process right into launch, this coming September 9th.
Fallen Earth hosting Texas invasion in-game event
Come Saturday, July 25th, we hope those of you in the Fallen Earth beta (or looking to get in by then) have some spare time. The Fallen Earth team is planning to host an atypical stress test in the shape of an in-game event -- Texas Invasion: A Clan Challenge. Here's the hook: Players have been asked to help fortify the Grand Canyon Province and raise up arms against invading Texans. This can be done by seeking out Texan encampments, where players can scavenge for valuables, kill invaders or craft to earn points.Doing any and all of these things earn players points, and the player with the most points will earn the title Defender of the Province. Aside from sounding cool, this title also comes with a prize pack consisting of an Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 videocard, a Fallen Earth messenger bag and a Fallen Earth t-shirt. The prizes aren't solely individual, however, as clans will be tallying up points during the event. Clan points come from individual players and the most successful clan gets to claim in-game notoriety via a commemorative -- and we're assuming in-game -- monument, complete with the name and date of the event.Oh, and apparently this winning clan will also earn a week-long takeover of the Fallen Earth website. Talk about an ego boost! Check out the official announcement for further details -- such as the scheduled hours for the event and how clans not already in the beta can join up now and compete as well.
Fallen Earth set to release on September 9th
Almost as if they could read our thoughts, Fallen Earth LLC announced the game's release date just as we were wondering when said announcement would be made. The game will be made available at both retail and through digital distribution, although no mention was made of which services will be offering the game for download. Launch day is now set for September 9th and, come to think of it, really isn't too long from now. Strangely enough, this happens to coincide with The Beatles: Rock Band's release date. We're sure there isn't too much overlap between people who love post-apocalyptic games and fans of the fab four. Then again, The Beatles fanbase is pretty huge and diverse, plus we're talking about a new Rock Band game.Well, those of you who plan on getting both games could always blend them into your day. Jam on about your octopus garden and then shoot some ghouls in the face with a shotgun. Actually, that sounds like a pretty good day! Yeah, those Fallen Earth guys are onto something with this idea.
