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A peek at Sector 4 of Fallen Earth
Sector 4 isn't available for players of Fallen Earth just yet, but it's impossible not to know that it's out there, the fourth piece of a building world. As it turns out, however, Sector 4 is more than just the next zone -- it's a look into what the game's world was like before everything went to hell. In a new diary from Chris "Devo" Deavellar, the aesthetics of the new zone are discussed, and he mentions that Sector 4 is the first branch away from the fairly realistic environments seen in the game up to this point. Deavellar mentions that just throwing a bunch of plant life around would have felt unsuitable for the game, but considering the newest sector highlights the insane experiments of the Globaltech company, the place needed an alien feel. Using several real-world plants such as kudzu for inspiration, the result is a world that still feels true to life in many ways... but also is filled with alien plants weeping amber fluid. Fallen Earth players should take a look at the full diary to get the smallest hint of what this newest zone will look like, a reminder of what would have been the future... before the end of the world. [Thanks to Scott for the tip!]
One Shots: Chase the morning
Life in the wastes of Fallen Earth certainly has its drawbacks. However, amongst all the bad things trying to pounce you, eat you, or wear bits of you for decorative purposes, peaceful moments like the above one can help restore your faith that somehow things will get better. This surprisingly placid Fallen Earth image comes to us from regular One Shots contributor, Shanert, who writes in: "[This is] a picture that is showing one of my first days in Midway. Some games generate a big buzz about light effects, and in some games they are simply there..." Have you been exploring parts of your favorite game that we haven't seen here? Send us pictures of combat, posed shots, landscapes, or whatever strikes your fancy! We're not picky. Email them in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what's going on. We'll post it out here and give you credit for sending it in. %Gallery-112285%
Win a developer's heart, win a date in Fallen Earth
Are you feeling lonely today? Kind of understandable -- as much as we like to say that this is the most commercial and pointless holiday ever, it's still hard not to feel a pang of loneliness, especially if you're wandering the wasteland of Fallen Earth alone. But the day's not over yet, and if you can scrounge up enough poker chips, you might just be able to buy yourself a date for the night with a developer, albeit via Skype. Yes, the development team behind Fallen Earth has decided to take the heart-ripping antics to the next level, placing the hearts of several developers on the Auction House for players to purchase. Winning a heart means winning a 10-minute date with the team member on Skype, and while you probably won't be asking what the other person is wearing, it's still a fun chance to get in on the spirit of the event. Besides, it's cheaper than roses, right?
Massively's guide to Valentine's Day festivities
Ah spring! 'Tis the time when young men and women's thoughts turn to love -- or at least scoring some nifty holiday-themed loot! This year there's quite a bit going on. Some events are old familiar ones that have stood the test of time. Others offer new twists and things to do for those who have been there, done that. If you aren't feeling the love bug biting, there's even the odd anti-Valentine's-type event, perfect for those who would rather rain destruction down on the head of anyone foolish enough to approach him with anything heart-shaped or pink. Curious as to what's going on? Check out our listing below -- and feel free to chime in if you know of a fun event others should check out! Rip out your Fallen Earth character's heart for Valentine's Day (February 11th-13th) What's better than surviving a nuclear holocaust and wandering your way across a blasted brown landscape rife with societal collapse? Why, sharing said wanderings with someone you love, of course (or at least, someone you lust after in that we've-got-to-do-this-for-the-future-of-mankind sort of way). In a novel spin on the traditional mid-February holiday, Icarus Studios is presenting Fallen Earth's Valentine's Day Massacre event, and clones everywhere can literally offer their hearts as a sign of affection (and a +3 stamina buff). Vindictus spreads the love with new update and holiday (February 1st-15th) Quirky events have quickly become one of Vindictus' staples. Right now players can participate in V-Day events for special rewards. If fishing and chocolate hunting isn't your bag, you can simply purchase a Valentine's Package at the Supply Depot for "sexy Valentine's themed Inner Armor." Cute undies, in other words. Valentine's events will end after the 15th, so players are encouraged to partake sooner rather than regret it later. Time for love in Final Fantasy XI (February 1st-15th) Valentine's Day is almost here, that special time of year when you attempt to distill the essence of a romantic relationship into chocolate form. And if you were hoping to escape from the day within Vana'diel, your efforts are rather misdirected -- Valentione's Day coincides nicely with the holiday in the real world, with just as much saccharine summation of liaisons in Final Fantasy XI.
Wasteland Diaries: Serendipity tour
There are three new serendipity drops in Fallen Earth, one per sector. While few have been found, even fewer have been reported. The old serendipity mobs usually spawn in the same general vicinity, making them easier to harvest. That almost takes the luck factor right out of the equation. But the new mobs can spawn in different locations, possibly even at random. This adds a bit more chance to these encounters and makes them a bit more, well... serendipitous. The old serendipity mobs in Fallen Earth have been around for quite a while now, and it's entirely possible that some of them remain to be found. Many that aren't publicly acknowledged could still be closely guarded secrets only known to certain clans or persons. But I have gathered a good deal of information on the mobs and their locations, and I would like to give you a tour of the serendipity encounters that I was able to dig up. After the cut, we will start in the southern edge of Sector 1 and work our way to Deadfall. Follow along!
One Shots: Here comes the sun
As the axiom goes, all work and no play makes one a very dull person. But what they didn't cover is those of us whose work is to play! When the day is done, we all enjoy geeking out in various worlds. Today's One Shots comes in from our fearless leader, Shawn Schuster, who was recently spending time in Fallen Earth and writes in: "Just when you thought Fallen Earth sunsets couldn't get any more beautiful, they go and improve the lighting and glow effects. This is my character Ampersand taking a breather with his clanmates in the Rothium Ridge area of Deadfall." It's easy to take part in One Shots. All you have to do is send in your screenshots to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in. Couldn't be easier! %Gallery-112285%
Fallen Earth serves up a Valentine's Day celebration wasteland-style
People always say that Valentine's Day is just an excuse to sell chocolates and greeting cards, but in Fallen Earth it goes beyond just that. No, the post-apocalyptic game remembers that the core of the holiday should involve giving your heart to someone you love. And since you're not going to be purchasing a heart-shaped box of candy and you've got plenty of spare clones left, you might as well make "giving your heart" a bit more literal, yes? Valentine's Day will see a new mission dubbed "My Bloody Valentine" added to the game for one day only. Successfully completing said mission will give characters a chance to craft their sweethearts a blood-pumping organ complete with a nice +3 Stamina boost. (Although it's not precisely "crafting" when you rip it out of your chest.) So if you're in Fallen Earth during the holiday, let your significant other know the lengths you'll go for a romantic gift.
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.
Wasteland Diaries: Hardcore mode
So during your wait for Sector 4, have you conquered it all in Fallen Earth? You've overcome every obstacle and achieved every achievement? You've amassed wealth beyond dreams and have become a king among men in the wastes? Maybe not, but let's assume you have. What do you do now? Well, I've got some terrific news for you. Fallen Earth has a hardcore mode. It's a realism mod of sorts. But the catch is: Nothing is changed on the server side. All modifications will be made client-side (and they will be made legally). This mode will take a large amount of self-discipline. It will be very easy to cheat. Many of the rules that will be imposed on you will also be enforced by you. In order for it to be considered truly hardcore, apocalyptic-realism, you can't cheat. Even Fallout: New Vegas has a hardcore mode. Of course, I played it in hardcore mode and still found it too easy. I had to impose rules on myself to keep it challenging (like no V.A.T.S. allowed). I also found that the ability to save right before a big decision or fight also alleviates some of the difficulty. Of course, I could impose further restrictions on myself to make the game more difficult. With that in mind, after the cut, I'll show you how to do just that with Fallen Earth.
Wasteland Diaries: Choose your weapon
The new Fallen Earth combat system is sweet. I really don't have much to complain about. But there is a serious lack of balance between the weapon types (I almost said classes). I like the fact that when I shoot someone in the head with a shotgun, I see results -- not the kind you'd expect to see in an ultra-realistic tactical FPS, but very tangible results for an RPG. The focus on weapon damage (aka white damage) has made the combat system more intuitive and user-friendly. But it has also (despite a decent increase in everyone's health) made combat much more decisive. Making a shooter with firearms and melee weapons is a daunting balancing act. If you make the firearms too powerful, nobody will use the melee weapons. There will always be those who use the under-powered weapons, but in the competitive world of PvP, most PvPers will opt with the most powerful ones. The pendulum of balance has been swinging since Fallen Earth launched in September 2009, but more often than not, one weapon type has come out on top every time. In fact, one weapon is very popular and has been since launch. Oddly enough, that weapon isn't even a 180 weapon; it's a 164. That's right, you can be dual-wielding the most deadly weapons in the game at level 45. Most of you seasoned vets know what weapon I'm talking about, and after the cut I'll confirm your suspicions. If you are a new player, you should also read on.
Buy Fallen Earth and get double the apocalypse
How do you double the end of the world? It seems kind of final. But there's apparently a way to do just that -- specifically, by purchasing a copy of Fallen Earth from the official store before January 13th. No, it doesn't make the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the game any more apocalyptic, but it does mean that you can get a free copy for a friend to buddy up alongside you for the low price of just $14.99. The limited-time offer drops the price of each copy below eight dollars while simultaneously giving players a free month of game time. And the recipient of the free copy receives all the same perks, including the special in-game item (either an ATV or a very fetching hat). So if you've been itching to try out Fallen Earth and want to have someone at your back while you explore the wasteland, now is the perfect opportunity.
Wasteland Diaries: Tester-day
I spent an entire day on the Fallen Earth Public Test Server (PTS). I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with what I saw. The development team over at Fallen Earth, LLC is making some sweeping changes to the game. I wasn't just impressed by the new artwork and the smoother game mechanics; I was also impressed with the amount of communication the Fallen Earth dev team is giving to its testers. And why not? We pay the devs to test their product. While there is a lot of new stuff to check out, I spent the majority of a day trying to digest as much of this new content as I possibly could, and I didn't really even scratch the surface. I spent a good eight hours on the server, though about four of those hours were devoted to testing the combat system. I did a few bug reports, but aside from grenades being totally broken, most everything seemed to be in order. After the break I'll give you some first-hand accounts of what I've discovered. You could just read the patch notes, but it just isn't the same.
One Shots: Live to ride
Every day in the wastelands of Fallen Earth is a challenge to survive. Sure, you're a clone, and even if you get your face eaten it simply means that you'll respawn in the nearest cloning facility. However, there's something about getting taken down by a bunch of mutant chickens that look like someone stapled rubbery mannequin hands to them. Not the kind of tale you want to tell at the local bar, you know? Well, amidst those moments of challenge, there's a barren beauty to be found in the lands of the Grand Canyon, such as the beauty we see in the image today from Muttonchops of the Plague clan. He writes in to explain the scene: "I was riding through Toro Bend back to Trumbull after getting badly pummeled by some nasty mutants. I couldn't help admiring the new lighting effects just added to the game since the last patch, so I had to send in a pic of the sunrise over the wasteland." One Shots needs your images of MMOs from off the beaten path! If you find yourself wandering a landscape we don't often see here, we'd love to hear from you. Just email in your screenshots to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in! %Gallery-85937%
More jobs cut from Fallen Earth
It's always heartbreaking to hear of a company's being required to lay off staff, especially so when it's in a game one really enjoys. Fallen Earth, long a favorite with a handful of the staff members here at Massively, has just laid off three very well-known and well-loved members of its team. The impacted members who have been laid off today are Producer Dave "Archangel" Haydysch, Marketing Director Jessica "Circatrix" Orr, and Director of Content Development Wes "Canticle" Platt. We reached out to the team over at Fallen Earth, LLC/Icarus Studios for an official statement about the layoffs, considering we saw the last round of layoffs and restructuring in April this year. While there are no greatly illuminating details to the reply, today's announcement, coupled with the prior layoffs, doesn't generally bode well for this gritty indie MMO. For those curious about the team's reply, we've posted it behind the break.
Fallen Earth takes part in NaNoWriMo
November, for those of you unfamiliar with the concept, is National Novel Writing Month and host to an annual challenge -- write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. It's a tall order that not everyone can manage, but the Fallen Earth development team contains at least one hopeful. Director of Content Development Wes Platt is working on his novel, and he's looking to the game's players to help make it a collaborative effort every step of the way. With an official thread on the forums, Platt is both posting his progress as he goes and taking suggestions from players as to where the story should head next. He also has posted his NaNoWriMo profile page so that players also taking part in the contest can track his progress and cheer him along. Fallen Earth fans would do well to take part in the crafting of the story -- it's not just the first novel for the game, but a novel written in a month's time.
Wasteland Diaries: What's next?
There isn't yet a known release date for the next Fallen Earth patch. The 1.7.1 patch will make some fundamental changes to the combat system. These changes will be far-reaching, but they will not alter gameplay drastically. Mainly, we will see an increase in damage dealt across the board. This will make combat in Fallen Earth seem a bit more dangerous than it is now. PvE just doesn't quicken my pulse like it did when I was a new player in Sector 1. The patch will also address this. It will also add the faction control points. The main focus of the patch is the combat re-vamp and the control points. The Armor Use skill and the Dodge skill have been redesigned, and the way that damage mitigation works is a bit different in version 1.7.1. The faction control points will give the clones a reason to fight, and the victorious faction will reap far-reaching rewards. I'll go into more detail about these tidbits and more after the break, so without any further ado, let's move on.
One Shots: A regular day in the wastelands
The funny thing about the wastelands of Fallen Earth is that a clone never really knows what he or she will run into. Take today's One Shots sent in to us by Twarsong for example. When he first arrived here, he sent us this picturesque image along with the following note: "As the world pulls itself from the edge of destruction, it was a significant moment to come across new construction in the Grand Canyon Province. I hope the lands beyond are enduring The Fall just as tenaciously." However, after Twarsong spent a little while at this locale, he realized those signs of life weren't the ones he'd initially thought they were: "Closer inspection revealed this to be an abandoned construction site now inhabited by giant, mutated ants, scorpions and stinkbugs. I am sure I heard the scream of all three queens from deep within the hotel's recesses." We love to know what you're up to. If you haven't sent in an image for some time, snap one this weekend! Email it in to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing (or two). We'll post it out here for everyone to check out and give you the credit for sending it in. %Gallery-85937%
Wasteland Diaries: PvP for dummies
PvP in Fallen Earth is different. It's not much like an MMORPG, and it's not much like an FPS (first-person shooter, for the uninitiated). It's a hybrid, and it can take some getting used to. But isn't that what PvE is for? To train us to PvP? I would like to think that, but many players of MMOs refuse to ever fight their fellow players. Considering I get most of my combat joy out of fighting other players, I find this online conscientious objector mentality beyond my ability to understand. But there are also those who will always PvP, and then there are the undecided. If you're wondering whether or not to try out some Fallen Earth PvP action, this article is for you. I have never understood why, in a game that has such paltry death penalties, so few engage in PvP. The fine folks at Fallen Earth, LLC have even been nice enough to put kid gloves on us when we PvP in Blood Sports. There is literally no penalty whatsoever for dying in a Blood Sports match. You respawn fully buffed and ready to get some. My goal in this article is to convince some of the players who are undecided on PvP to try it out. I'll give you the low-down on what to expect, and at the end I'll give you some tips from the pros. So, without any further ado, let's move on.
The countdown to Fallen Earth's one-year anniversary is on!
One year ago, the post-apocalyptic wasteland entered this world a screaming, healthy baby MMO. It's been a year of highs and lows for Fallen Earth, as Icarus Studios weathered staff cuts while pumping out fixes, patches and a whole new zone. Also, monkeys. Lots and lots of monkeys. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Fallen Earth is inviting players to spend the next week counting down to the launchiversary with eight days of events, giveaways and parties. This will all culminate in a huge in-game celebration, which Icarus Studios is asking players to screenshot the heck out of in exchange for prizes. The company is also excited to announce two changes to its popular Fallen Earth mobile phone app. The basic app is now free of charge (available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices), but Icarus is also offering "premium services" for the one-time charge of $9.99. These special services include starting crafting projects, buying and selling on the auction house, and using the in-game mail system. You can read all of the details on the Mobile App FAQ.
One Shots: Fallen Earth fashionista
While anyone who has listened to Massively Speaking can tell you that Shawn just loves Fallen Earth, what you may not be aware of is just how hardcore he is about aesthetics. Indeed, it would appear that our fearless leader happens to be a post-apocalyptic fashion fiend -- and the rougher-looking the fashion, the better! Today's One Shots also gives us a view of the higher sectors of Fallen Earth for those who haven't traveled there as yet. Shawn explains: "Whenever we see Fallen Earth screenshots, they're always from the desolate brown desert wasteland in Sector 1, but I wanted to show that there's much more to the game than that. This was taken in the swampy region near Docuer's Court in Sector 3, filled with Cypress trees and swamp moss. I'm also sporting my brand new MOPP 7 mask I grabbed as a quest reward from the recent Quarantined Monkeytown instance. The stats might suck, but its looks make it worth wearing." Have you been to a place we haven't seen as yet? Why not snap a screenshot and send it in to us! We love to see what you're doing. Email those screenshots to us here at oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in. %Gallery-85937%
