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Fallen Earth releases new fan assets
A number of our readers at Massively have been playing MMOs for years, but of course this means that some people out there have had their fill of the fantasy genre. There are more genres to be explored in the coming years, one of which should please fans of games like Fallout 3: post-apocalyptic MMOs. Perhaps chief amongst these upcoming titles is Fallen Earth, a Mad Max-like take on a post-apocalyptic setting... but populated with mutants and factions of zealots. Some gamers like the idea of playing in a very different kind of setting from what we've seen in MMOs thus far, and the Fallen Earth team's latest announcement is for those post-apocalyptic fans out there. They've put out a fansite pack, with all the art assets (new screenshots, wallpapers, textures and backdrops) you'd need to build your fan site. This will lead up to their Fallen Earth Official Fan Site Program, where approved sites will be eligible for "special site promotions and early access to Fallen Earth news and updates." If you find this appealing, you can grab the zipped assets (66mb) linked in the announcement over on the official Fallen Earth site.
Fallen Earth sniper trailer shows that 'life is cheap, bullets are expensive'
Fallen Earth is an upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO that will take place in a near-future setting, one ravaged by nuclear war and viral epidemic, sparsely populated by a factionalized society of survivors. Although the game is still in beta, the Fallen Earth team has been stepping up their game trailer releases and the latest introduces us to a mercenary of sorts. The video shows us the lengths (or depths) a person will go to for a handful of irradiated squash: stabbings, beatings, and for the sake of expediency, sniper headshots. Still, in Fallen Earth, "life is cheap, bullets are expensive" and the video aims to show us more of the game's harsh setting. Stick with us after the jump for a look at the latest HD video from Fallen Earth:
Fallen Earth staging a scavenger hunt contest for beta players
The team at Fallen Earth have announced a July 11th contest for beta testers of their post-apocalyptic MMO. Given the title's setting, you'd imagine they'd give out prizes like a lawnmower-blade boomerang or a tommy rivet gun. Fallen Earth's legal department felt otherwise. They've opted for less deadly prize giveaways, but no less useful: an Nvidia GeForce GTX 260 video card, Razer Death Adder gaming mice, and of course various bits of Fallen Earth swag. Fallen Earth beta testers who take part in the July 11 stress test (12pm - 3pm EST), for 30 minutes or more, are automatically eligible to win prizes. But they can also increase their odds of winning that gear by competing in the Scavenger Challenge, with details to be announced on the Fallen Earth forums on the day of the contest. Essentially, the devs will post a list of items that can be found in-game. Each item found will count as another entry in the contest. If you're a Fallen Earth beta tester, you can find more info and contest rules on their Scavenger Challenge announcement page.
New Fallen Earth trailer is mean, lean and low on steam
"Sick of ogres, elves and pixies? So are we. Lose the tights. Bury your crystals. Quit playing with your wand. Come get the real deal. This ain't daddy's MMO. Fallen Earth." These words fill the newest Fallen Earth trailer, which is accompanied by lots of fast camera zooms and punctuated with extreme hard rock. To be fair, we're sure there are many of you out there who're definitely tired of at least some of these things. However, this trailer is low on reality and high on, well, something.It's almost like the marketing team wasn't aware of the videos and information released to this point, which showed a slower, more laid back MMO. Sure, you shoot things and there's lots of mature, post-apocalyptic content, but it seems like this trailer is aimed at creating a false assumption with players wanting a fast, twitchy run-and-gun, simple MMO that Fallen Earth just isn't.We think the game could definitely find its audience, which is why this trailer seems incredibly counter-productive. Being genuine is supremely important. Players who figure out you aren't will resent it, and those who don't will become embittered after purchasing something with false expectations. Catch the full -- yet short -- video after the break.
Fallen Earth's Lee Hammock on integrating story with the post-apocalyptic MMO
A post-apocalyptic setting can open up fantastic opportunities for storytelling. After all, it's the end of society as we know it. All our institutions are gone, our belief systems either torn away or seriously challenged. That resulting vacuum would no doubt be filled by new outlooks on the world and on life triggered by the apocalypse -- in rare cases optimistic, but more often utterly deranged. Then again, some survivors might seek to rectify the mistakes made by too many generations before the burn or plague wiped out humanity, and aim to rebuild a better world. There are so many possibilities, and these are some of the avenues that will be explored in the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth. Of course, this presents some real challenges for the game designers as well -- what is the best way to integrate these themes into the gameplay experience?Storytelling in Fallen Earth is the focus of a recent interview with lead designer Lee Hammock, who spoke with The MMO Gamer's Steven Crews about where story and gameplay will meet in the upcoming title.
Fallen Earth stress test now open to all
The Fallen Earth stress test that is being run through Fileplanet (which we reported on a few days ago) has had the "subscriber-only" restriction lifted. Because of this, those that were on the fence about paying for the beta will now only need to register for a regular Fileplanet account to get into the game -- a much easier decision to make, we're sure you'll all agree. If you do want to give the Fallen Earth stress test a go at the new bargain price of 'free', sooner is better than later, as there is a limited amount of promotional keys to be given away (you can get them here). Check out the Fallen Earth Stress Test FAQ for more information about this phase of testing.[Thanks, Aetrix.]
Fallen Earth Developer Diary: Needle Eye Research Facility
Massively is proud to host a five-part developer journal from the Fallen Earth team which will explore various levels in Fallen Earth, their storylines and how they make the player experience richer. This fifth dev journal, written by content designer Grace Hagood, leads us into the Needle Eye Research Facility, a warren full of Throwbacks and Sporekill. When the citizens of war-torn Old Kingman fled Casta Gaunt's raiders, they expected to find refuge in the farming community of Needle Eye. Fearing reprisals from the raiders, the leaders of Needle Eye closed their doors to the refugees. Shut out from the safety of town, the exiles face a host of problems: mutated monsters, fungal blight, kidnappings, and waning food supplies. Can the solutions be found in the old GlobalTech lab near the wheat fields? Are you brave enough to find out?
Fallen Earth stress test begins this Tuesday, June 23rd
A stress test for Fallen Earth will begin on Tuesday the 23rd of June, giving the masses a chance to get into the game -- that is, if they're Fileplanet subscribers. Participation is only available to Fileplanet subscribers and subscribing does cost money, so it's not exactly an "open" test, but it should let a lot more people into the game than the closed beta before it.The game client can be pre-loaded ahead of the stress test launch, and computer specification info has been provided so that you can make sure that your rig is up to scratch:Minimum Specifications: CPU: Intel P4 2.8 GHz or equivalent RAM: 1 GB for XP, 2 GB for Vista Video Card*: nVidia GeForce 6600/ATI Radeon X1300 RAM (dedicated): 256 MB Recommended: CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz or equivalent RAM: 2 GB for XP, 3 GB for Vista Video Card*: nVidia GeForce 8800GTS/ ATI Radeon 3870 RAM (dedicated): 512 MB Now the question remains for those who aren't already Fileplanet subscribers but want to try out Fallen Earth: are you willing to fork up the cash?[Thanks Brian!]
Fallen Earth Twitter screenshot exclusives coming to a close
Have you been following Fallen Earth on Twitter lately? If not, you have missed out on some exclusive screenshots the team has been featuring on their Twitter feed throughout the last week.But don't fret! They couldn't just keep them entirely secret from the rest of us. Compiled into a gallery, these new screenshots show some more of the game that is still set to launch within Q2 09, last we've heard. There are some shots of ghouls, burning cars, burning ghouls on cars and our personal favorite, a collection of a few available mounts compiled into one shot (shown above). So if you're not already, go ahead and follow the Fallen Earth team on Twitter. Who knows, they may have more of these exclusives soon!
Fallen Earth Developer Diary: New Flagstaff University
Massively is proud to host a brand new five-part developer journal from the Fallen Earth team which will explore various levels in Fallen Earth, their storylines and how they make the player experience richer. This fourth one takes us through New Flagstaff University, and was written by Wes Platt, Content Team Lead for Fallen Earth.Higher education's never been quite so deadly as it is in New Flagstaff University.The campus was established by GlobalTech in the Northfields section of the Grand Canyon Province soon after the megacorp took over the national park from the federal government. A prominent and well-funded university, NFU provided top-notch scientific research and experimentation programs. In the century since the Fall, the school-like the great city that yielded its name-has crumbled into disrepair. However, it still contains equipment that's useful for scientific tinkering.
Ten things WoW players should know from E3
Blizzard, as you probably already know, was not at E3 this year (officially, anyway -- they did have at least a few folks wandering the exhibit halls). But that doesn't mean there wasn't anything for you WoW fans: both Elizabeth Harper and I were there from WoW.com working with our sister sites Joystiq and Massively, and as WoW fans, we saw plenty of awesome games and demos that you should know about.So even if you haven't been paying attention to E3 information on other sites, here's a quick wrapup of ten different things you should know from last week's big convention if you're a WoW player. There were no big expansion announcements or hints at future Blizzard releases -- they're saving all of that for BlizzCon this year. But there were a few games to watch, a few booths to marvel at, and a few trends to notice that you'll want to be aware of even if you're spending most or all of your gaming time in Azeroth. Hit the break for the first four.
E3 2009: Fallen Earth lead designer says 'We're not the Fallout MMO'
It's a post-apocalyptic world. Civilization has completely collapsed. You find yourself scavenging for food and supplies on a barren American frontier. And the thing you're looking for? Clean water. Just watch out for giant mutants along the way. No, I didn't just describe a Fallout game. Well, actually I did, but I'm also loosely describing the plot of Fallen Earth. Developed by North Carolina-based studio Fallen Earth LLC, the MMO shooter takes place during the near future in America's Grand Canyon and allows players to switch between third- and first-person views. The game promises over 600 hours of play, extensive character customization, no fixed classes but six factions, and plenty of everything that good MMOs have to offer: an epic, immersive story, voice-over in missions as well as tons of equipment, weapons, vehicles, crafting and PvP. However, besides all that, there was one main idea that lead designer Lee Hammock wanted me to take away from our demo session at E3: Fallen Earth is not the Fallout MMO. See his explanation why.
Fallen Earth Developer Diary: Exploring the Cult of the Dead lair
Massively is proud to host a brand new five-part developer journal from the Fallen Earth team which will explore various levels in Fallen Earth, their storylines and how they make the player experience richer. This third dev journal from Grace Hagood leads us into Sunset Cemetery, the lair of The Cult of the Dead. There is no peace for the dead at Sunset Cemetery. Vile cultists have desecrated the graves, while their vampiric masters lurk in the dank mausoleums. Beware, stranger, or you may join the mouldering corpses there.Sunset Cemetery, also known as the Cult of the Dead lair, is a small instance available to players in the Northfields area of Fallen Earth. Unlike the massive Old Kingman Prison instance or the sprawling Hoffa Bunker level, the Cult of the Dead lair provides a linear experience. The tone of the story and instance design represents a departure from earlier gameplay.
Keep up with the Fallen Earth team at E3 via dev-blog
The members of the Fallen Earth team that will be attending E3 have decided to share their experiences with those playing along at home, and will do so through their newish blog at IGN. Alec Masters, Ilkor, and Circatrix will post during the expo, and not just about their game -- there will be "behind-the-scenes notes on their personal experiences, meetings and parties and pics of the LA scenery" so you should get a pretty decent impression of what it's like to attend, from the development side of the fence.Circatrix has started an E3 diary on the blog, before the event has actually kicked off, and unsurprisingly things are already extremely busy in the Fallen Earth camp. It sounds like there will be time for some fun stuff over the next few days too though, so keep checking the blog if you're a fan of the game -- and if that's just not enough insider Fallen Earth coverage for you, the team will also be updating a Twitter feed from the show floor.
Fallen Earth Developer Diary: Exploring Hoffa Bunker
Massively is proud to host a brand new five-part developer journal from the Fallen Earth team which will explore various levels in Fallen Earth, their storylines and how they make the player experience richer. This second one takes us through Hoffa Bunker, and was written by Wes Platt, Content Team Lead for Fallen Earth. In the rugged hills of Toro Bend, far north in the Plateau region of the Grand Canyon Province, slouches a fenced town called Trailer Park. It's comprised of big-rig trailers and cargo containers left over from before the Fall. The inhabitants are mostly castoffs who can't fit in anywhere else – and in a mad world after the apocalypse, that's saying a lot.Billy Bob Swayhill, a shopkeeper in town, talks a great deal. However, not much of it makes much sense. Beyond preaching the glory of soup, Swayhill mostly rants about the treasures waiting to be found in the Hoffa Bunker. He claims that's the final resting place of the treasures owned by Jimmy Hoffa, an assassinated President of the United States, who managed to get his hands on Al Capone's cash, the gold from Fort Knox, and Andy Warhol's soup supply.
MMO Roundup: Last week on Massively
Sometimes you'd like to know that there are other MMOs out there, right? Our sister site Massively can provide you with everything you need to know about all MMOs, including WoW! Check out this roundup of the latest news from the wider MMO world. Choose my Adventure: Massively styleToday, we're proud to introduce a brand new weekly column here at Massively called Choose my Adventure, lovingly stolen from our siblings at WoWInsider (now WoW.com). The concept is simple: we create a brand new character in an MMO and document its adventure in a special image gallery and a weekly journal post -- but with a catch. Next World of Warcraft patch announced: Call of the CrusadeBlizzard has announced that the next major content patch in the works for World of Warcraft is Patch 3.2: Call of the Crusade. Patch 3.2 will expand upon the features of Wrath of the Lich King, and Blizzard lists a few highlights: Latest LotRO test realm patch notes releasedThere's something really exciting about a new set of patch notes, especially when it's for a fantasy MMO like Lord of the Rings Online. Turbine have just released the latest patch notes for the Bullroarer test server for volume 2 of book eight. These notes will hit live servers -- barring the usual changes, updates and revisions -- in June. A few reasons to cage the nerdrageThere's so much anger in the consumer market these days. It seems like when a new product comes up, there has to be this bandwagon of people who roll in and start nerdraging over the product. Oh, APB isn't up your alley? Better nerdrage about that! You don't like Warhammer Online? Rev that nerdrage engine nice and loud so your neighbors can hear it.
Developer Diary: Exploring Levels in Fallen Earth
Starting today, Massively is proudly hosting a brand new developer journal from the Fallen Earth team. This five-part series will explore various levels in Fallen Earth, their storylines and how they make the player experience richer. This first one takes us through Kingman Prison, and was written by Grace Hagood.From high on a hilltop, gray prison walls cast a bleak shadow over the town of Old Kingman. Designed to keep society safe, Old Kingman Prison's purpose has been perverted. The tyrannical Casta Gaunt has captured the stronghold, and now leads his raiders from the safety of its cell blocks and guard towers.Old Kingman Prison is the first major instance available to players in Fallen Earth. The level offers a compelling end to one of the early overarching plotlines in the game, and provides interesting group gameplay through a structured series of encounters. When we created the prison instance, we agreed on a few rules for our design. We wanted players to contribute directly to furthering the plot. We wanted the instance to be easily accessible. And of course, it had to look great and have enjoyable fights.
Fallen Earth site redesign shows off new content
The Fallen Earth website got a facelift today, but the changes aren't purely cosmetic. The site features some new screenshots and a trailer page, a timeline of events leading up to the game's setting, as well as more backstory and details on the various factions. They've also detailed more of Fallen Earth's skills and abilities, explaining the ten mutation paths (grouped by Augmentation, Restoration, and Destruction) and which factions have an affinity with them. If you're a fan of the post-apocalyptic game genre and are looking forward to seeing how an MMO can approach this setting, there's plenty of info about Fallen Earth to be found on the revamped game site.
Fallen Earth dev blog explains game's post-apocalyptic religious zealotry
Fallen Earth is a massively multiplayer online game currently in development where, in the wake of nuclear and viral armageddon, humanity's survivors are left to fend for themselves in the wasteland. The scenario painted by Fallen Earth's lore is that the world's established religions have largely burned away or decayed along with most of the human race. What's left are sects whose experiences and hardships in watching the world die are reflected in their belief systems, extreme views that come in various flavors of post-apocalyptic zealotry. As Fallen Earth subscribers, the players will align themselves with certain belief systems when creating their characters, affecting their outlook on the aftermath. In a WarCry exclusive, Fallen Earth writer Grace Hagood explains the game's religious and pseudo-religious elements, and some of the fanaticism embodied by these groups. She writes, "Let's face it: religion is a touchy subject. A lot of game designers would rather steer clear of including religion in their work. However, a game like Fallen Earth, set in a future based on extrapolations of current society, can't ignore the reality of religious extremism. What we can do, though, is use our particular (and sometimes peculiar) filters to present religious fanaticism in a post-apocalyptic framework."
Get acquainted with Fallen Earth
Jessica Orr -- product manager on Fallen Earth -- was recently interviewed by Tracey John over at MTV Multiplayer. Brand new game information wasn't the focus, and instead the interview covers everything a new person should know about the upcoming post-apocalyptic third/first person MMORPG. Still it's a good interview for anyone interested in the game.One other thing the interview addresses is the increasing count of shooter MMOs and Jessica's thoughts on competing in a market where this genre is quickly becoming popular. Her answer is exactly our opinion on the game thus far, that it fills a specific niche currently not found elsewhere: post-apocalyptic, classless, FPS/RPG hybrid. We'd also mention its open sandbox design and non-futuristic focus, as in you won't find laser beams and plasma rifles at higher levels.What's even better is that, as she says, the Fallen Earth team looks to be doing everything they can to make the most of their position.
