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Bring a little color to your ride in Fallen Earth
As you scour the wastelands in Fallen Earth, most likely you're taking advantage of the situation by getting yourself a vehicle. Not just any vehicle -- you want something that's flashy, functional, and durable. A fair amount of storage would help, too. Yet for all the options given to players, you've been largely restricted to the main colors of the game world for your new roadster until now. The first phase of color customization is hitting the live servers tomorrow, and it brings with it the option to pay a Garage Manager a fee and pimp your ride with a nice new paint job. Four paint and dye kits are being added to the crafting of dyes, with each one working on a different range of vehicles and offering the same selection of colors. On top of that, there are eight additional kits of higher rarity -- three of which are found out in the world, and five of which are crafted from new rare components. While our preview gallery doesn't seem to include Safety Orange, Hot Pink, or Powder Blue among its selection, you can take a look to see just how slick your Fallen Earth wheels will look after the patch. %Gallery-98329%
One Shots: Don't need nothin' but a good time
After a long, hard day of fighting off myriad things that are hell-bent on your destruction, it's time to relax! Of course, if you're lucky enough to know about it ahead of time, you can catch some great in-game events going on courtesy of Fallen Earth's numerous clans. Today's One Shots comes to us from The Deacon, who recently popped in to one such event for some beer and music -- definitely a great way to end a day. He writes in: "Every Thursday, the Invicta clan hold a community wide Bike rally at a bar in New Flagstaff, complete with a live DJ! Here is a shot of me mid-headbang, rocking out in the mosh pit just after I arrived." Have you taken part in a community-driven event recently? If so, we'd love to see some screenshots of it. Just email them in to us here at oneshots@massively.com. Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. Also, please try to make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide -- we hate not being able to use smaller ones because they don't fit in the gallery! %Gallery-85937%
Wasteland Diaries: Do-over
Have you ever fantasized about a second chance? To go back to some major turning point in your life and do things differently from there? Well, as far as I know that's impossible in real life. But we can do it in games. Rolling an alt (as it's referred to) is a rather common thing among many MMO players. Some will never do it, and others do it way too often. I fall somewhere in the middle. In Fallen Earth I have three max-level characters: one pistoleer, one rifleman and a melee-specialist. Two are PvP characters, and the other is my maxed-out crafter. Aside from sporadic PvP, that doesn't leave me with much to do but gather resources and stockpile chips. No thank you. I'd rather roll an alt. Now, in the many months I have played Fallen Earth, I have learned a great many things, which should improve my chances of survival in the wasteland during my seventh time (counting my beta characters) through. We shall see whether the knowledge I have amassed will keep me alive for any length of time. After the cut I'll chronicle my 12-hour rebirth.
Fallen Earth state of the game: silent does not mean distant
The Fallen Earth developers have released the latest state of the game, and they may have been quiet lately, but they've been hard at work behind the scenes. Upcoming changes run the gamut from cosmetic items such as color customization on vehicles to gameplay-affecting additions like respec availability. Many of the additions and changes will start small and be upgraded and expanded over time. The respec injectors, for example, will begin as a merchant item, and eventually players will be able to craft their own. They didn't stop with colors and respecs, though. We got an update on the long-awaited addition of Sector Four as well. Rather than a huge expansion, sector four will be introduced as a series of counties over the next year. PvP is going to get a bit scarier in the future -- rather than having designated PvP zones, a player can flag for PvP anywhere he or she chooses. These few things are only the beginning. Housing, an improved auction house and a better leveling curve are just a few examples of the new content coming to Fallen Earth in the near future. Check out the full state of the game for all the details.
One Shots: Like tears in rain
After a long day running through the wastelands of Fallen Earth, Sparth takes a moment to reflect, perched atop a roof. While he's unlikely to be in any fear of his lifespan ending altogether like another who once sat crouched in the rain, we're certain that there's at least a mild sense of unease. After all, the wasteland is certainly no cakewalk -- even with weapons! With that said, here's the short and sweet note that Sparth sent in to us with this lovely image showing off the recently integrated weather effects in Fallen Earth. He writes: "[Here is a picture of] my Enforcer alt in Traders Flat, the Sector 3 capital city. It was taken at night with a beautiful rainstorm." Are you tooling around in the post-apocalyptic world of Fallen Earth? If so, we'd love to see some screenshots from your adventures. Send those 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. We'll post it out here and give you the credit for sending it in. %Gallery-85937%
Fallen Earth developers want you to read their mail
It's been a little over a month since members of the Fallen Earth dev team asked for snail mail from the players, and they've gotten their wish. Typed and handwritten, serious and funny, the letters came in from quite a few fans, and the developers of Fallen Earth have posted a few of the standouts. They're definitely worth a look -- the fill-in-the-blanks letter gets extra hilarity points -- and the devs are certainly open to more. They promise to write back and maybe even include a little gift. Check out the information page for the details, put pen to paper, and watch for your letter to be posted on the Fallen Earth site!
Wasteland Diaries: Capstones
Capstones in Fallen Earth are powerful abilities that can be learned at level 45. In the literal sense. a capstone is the final stone placed in the top of a wall. In the figurative sense, it is an important achievement. Either way, it is a final step; something that will be realized at the end. Well, now that the level cap is 50, capstones aren't max level abilities anymore. If our level progression continues to 150 (as was the original plan), eventually we will be able to achieve about half of the capstone abilities without even trying. So, let's enjoy them while they aren't a dime-a-dozen, shall we? After the cut I'll give a brief summary of each capstone and its requirements. It's important to know what each capstone does before building a character, as some builds will benefit greatly from certain capstones. In many cases, Fallen Earth's capstones are goals for certain builds, and the theme of the build works hand-in-hand with its capstone.
Fallen Earth companion app released on Blackberry
Fallen Earth has been pushing its mobile app with quite a bit of vigor ever since it was released on both the iPhone and the Droid a few weeks ago. And it's with good cause -- the app allows for players to take care of a number of more tedious play elements while on the go, freeing up in-game time for more exciting endeavors. While the functionality of the software hasn't been expanded, the user base certainly has, as the mobile companion is now available for Blackberry phones and devices as well. Available via Blackberry App World for $2.99, the ported release offers all the functionality of the original Fallen Earth application. That means players can browse the auction house, check in on the world map, keep track of crafting, and interact with both friends and clan members. For a full picture of the features, players are encouraged to check out the official release and FAQ for the prior versions, which apply equally for the latest release. Whether you're wandering as much as your favorite clone or just want to browse auctions at work, the expanded potential user base is a good thing for the game's players.
Wasteland Diaries: Building character
When making a character in Fallen Earth, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While I still have three of my four respec injectors, newly created characters will not get a respec. So it is very important to determine what you want your character to be before you start spending AP. Fallen Earth is a "classless" system, but most builds are differentiated mainly by their choice of weapon mastery, and these could be construed as the three classes. While choice of weapon type will be the cornerstone of the build, there are still a great many questions you will want to have answers to before you start to improve your stats. But your first consideration should be what type of character you want to play. You will want one that suits your playstyle, but isn't completely gimped. My goal with this post will be to help make sure you have a plan before you start your build. Even though you can probably just assign AP at random and still make a viable (at least for PvE) build, you probably want your character to be the best that he or she can be, right? Now, I am not a character-building expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I have some experience with it. After the cut, I'll give you the tools and knowledge you need to build a solid PvE or PvP character. You will need to make the tough decisions yourself.
One Shots: Packing heat
It's an interesting question: If you were in the post-apocalyptic wastelands of Fallen Earth, headed off into the unknown, just what would you take with you? For us, it would involve lots of food, lots of firepower, and something that could get us away from danger quickly -- with extra fuel! That said, if you're regular One Shots contributor Twarsong, your packing list would go a little something like this: "Everything needed to ride off into the sunset: Shotgun... check! Dress Sabre... check! Nightstick and Ice Axe... double check! GA-8 Sidearms... check! Motorbike... check!" Have you ever grabbed a fun screenshot and thought up a silly story for it? If so, we'd love to see that. Just email it in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a brief tale to go along with the picture. We'll post it out here for everyone to enjoy, and give you the credit. Easy, no? %Gallery-85937%
One Shots: What not to wear
We've made no secret that Fallen Earth is a staff favorite here at Massively. With strange, mutated monsters threatening you at every turn, and factions that take great relish in trying to wipe each other off the map, the post-apocalyptic Grand Canyon is a dangerous -- yet fun -- place to be. We especially like how Icarus Studios have added a touch of humor to the wastes by creating fashion ensembles such as the gear pictured above. After all, who else but a wasteland warrior would have the cojones to wear what amounts to a very large target on his chest? Twarsong tells us a bit more about this fellow he ran into during his travels: "The Coalition Archives of Fallen Earth tell of a warrior race whose prowess in battle was unmatched. I'd imagine they would have nothing but pride and respect for their Children Of The Apocalypse progeny. Just the other day, a C.H.O.T.A. bloodied my nose in a bunker bar. I was surprised when he yelled, "It is a good day to die!" I wasn't surprised that he was ready to kill over a spilled Old Kingman iced tea... that is to be expected of a C.H.O.T.A. I was surprised that that he was so well read of our historical archives!" Have you found some interesting or wild gear in your favorite game? Perhaps you'd like to tell us about your favorite class or race? If so, snap a picture of it and email it in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT 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! %Gallery-85937%
Fallen Earth patch 1.5 drops tomorrow
If you enjoy the post-apocalyptic environment that Fallen Earth offers, you can't help but look forward to each new patch as it comes along. Patch 1.5 promises to bring fast travel systems for higher-level characters, a new Blood Sports combat type, and the new "serendipity" system to generate more varied and interesting equipment drops for players. They're all enticing additions, and as a result it should be welcome news that the patch is slated to go live tomorrow. Naturally, this comes with a bit of extra downtime for the servers -- in this case, between 6 AM to 11 AM EST. There's also a warning that any clones in the Deadfall region tomorrow might want to keep their eyes open for Outsider activity or other suspicious goings-on. Take a look at the full patch notes if you're logged in to the Fallen Earth forums, and get ready for tomorrow's patch and all the associated festivities.
Wasteland Diaries: Rifleman's lament
Every MMO seems to have a build or class triad. The rock, paper and scissors system. Or tank, healer and DPS (damage per second). Armor, infantry and artillery. However you look at it, it seems like most MMOs are balanced using this rule of three. In Fallen Earth the triad consists of three weapon skills that define the basic builds. Though it is a classless system, characters are usually designed around their weapon proficiencies. Fallen Earth currently has a rock, scissors and rock-eating scissor-smasher. Prior to version 1.4, the flavor-of-the-month build was melee. Pistol builds have now taken the top spot. This, of course, is debatable, but not many can argue against the ineffectuality of the rifleman in Fallen Earth. Pistoleers have never been the weakest of the three; in fact (at least since open beta) they have been very viable and well-rounded builds. They are arguably, now, at the top of the heap and the balance has been shuffled leaving riflemen still at the bottom. The unbalancing has also caused an unbalancing of the factions as the pistol-using factions are clustered on one side of the faction wheel. For the most part, dual-wielding has always been much better than two-handed weapons, and that still holds true with melee weapons as well as firearms. But the rift between pistols and rifles has grown while the rift between melee and rifles has shrunk. One thing gets fixed while something else gets thrown out of whack. The next step is to balance the game. Continue reading after the break for a more in-depth analysis.
One Shots: They do look like ants from here
As if you couldn't tell, we love to get out and into the community in different MMOs. Thus far, we've invaded Guild Wars, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Global Agenda, and (as you probably guessed from the above screenshot) Fallen Earth. While today's One Shots doesn't offer much in the way of scenery, it does highlight one of the moments we had a lot of fun with -- our first-ever in-game developer chat and dance party! Apparently we weren't the only ones who had a ton of fun that night, as Nickelpat recently found this old screenshot of that event, taken from atop a giant storm drain nearby. He writes in: "It's not from the latest Fallen Earth/Massively bash (which I also attended and came out 6 items richer) but it is the first Fallen Earth/Massively/Post Apoc Radio bash. It was a Halloween Dancy Party and it was great fun. I hope to see more of this in the future. -- Your clone friend, Torey Scott" From big to small, we love all MMOs. If you'd like to send in a screenshot of your favorite place to spend time, we want to hear from you. All you have to do is email your image to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing. We'll post it on the site and give you credit. Couldn't be easier! %Gallery-85937%
Forecast for Fallen Earth calls for fast travel, rare spawns and harsh weather
It may be the end of the world, but that's no excuse to stop striving for perfection in a Fallen Earth. Using the recent, successful Blood Sports patch as a springboard, Icarus have their eyes fixed on the horizon as they share up-and-coming content in a new State of the Game address. Dev "Archangel" highlights the three big improvements headed to Fallen Earth in the near future: rare spawns, a limited travel system, and weather. Once in place, the Serendipity system will spawn rare mobs with unique loot for the fortunate traveler who travels off the beaten path. The fast travel system, a much-demanded feature, will become available to players level 20 and higher after completing a quest chain. You can hop between major towns using bus stops at specific locations. Finally, atmospheric lighting and the addition of weather to the game -- in the form of rain, thunder, and lightning -- may not be banner features, but they've always been warmly welcomed in other MMOs, and there's no reason to think that'll be different in Fallen Earth. There's a lot more to this State of the Game, including crafting improvements and the formation of T.E.M.P.S. (we won't spoil the surprise), so head on over to the site for the full report -- but not before you hit the jump for an awesome new Fallen Earth trailer from IGN.
Fallen Earth launches the new achievement system
While they're not universally loved, achievements in a game add a sense of accomplishment to almost everything, even if it's just as simple as being one step closer to the "Kill 1000 rats" benchmark. Fallen Earth didn't suffer from lack of an achievement system at launch, but it certainly stands to benefit from the addition of one. And with the system now live, if the other elements of the recent patch 1.4 aren't enough for you, you can start hunting down the most obscure accomplishments the game cares to list. As further detailed on Curse, the system is split into five general categories. Crafter and Explorer both are self-evident in terms of how they're earned. Mercenary achievements require players to get into the hard reality of the PvP scene and take down some opponents, Survivalist achievements measure use of abilities and reputation with factions, and Wastelander achievements come with exploring the plotline of the game. There are more details available, but we're betting that most Fallen Earth players are already well on their way to getting their new marks of survival in the wasteland.
Fallen Earth's Marie Croall takes on player questions
Curious about the folks behind the meticulously-assembled wastelands of Fallen Earth? Despite the recent layoffs, there are still a lot of personalities involved with the game's development, and it's always good to know as much as possible about the team behind your favorite games. This week, Senior Game Designer Marie Croall takes the opportunity to answer player questions on the forums, answering a bevvy of largely personal questions with a few game questions added to the mix. Although veteran Fallen Earth players might not find a huge amount of information on upcoming patches, there's something to be said for learning things about the designers other than when they'll give you a pony. If you're staunchly part of the "ponies only" crew, however, there's still hope. Questions will be collected and answered from the main thread all week, which means that if you have something more you want to know, you've got the chance to ask it. Head on over to the official forums and get typing!
Fallen Earth team responds to layoff concerns
Icarus dropped quite a bombshell on the gaming world late last week with the restructuring of the Fallen Earth team. Restructuring in this case led to the layoff of the vast majority of the staff, leaving the Fallen Earth community shocked and wondering what this meant for the game. The rumors flew fast and furious as some claimed to know for certain that 80% of the team had been let go, others predicted with certainty that this was simply a prelude to the end of Fallen Earth, and so on. We at Massively were just as curious as anyone, so we went straight to the source. Fallen Earth Marketing Manager Jessica "Circatrix" Orr took some time out of her busy schedule to let us know where matters stand, so follow along after the jump to see what she had to say.
One Shots: A (glitchy) public service announcement
While there are undoubtedly bugs and glitches galore out there in the MMO landscape -- and many of them are funny -- we don't often see them used as a form of public service announcement. That is, until today when we opened up the Massively One Shots mailbox and came across this image snapped in Fallen Earth by Joe H. who notes, "I took advantage of the fact that you can walk right through other players' mounts and vehicles to make this PSA screenshot." (If you can't read the text in the image above, just click the image to see the embiggened gallery version.) If you've found something funny in your world, or used a glitch to silly effect, why not grab a screenshot of it and email it in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com. Be sure to include your name, the name of the game, and a brief description. Also, please make sure your image is at least 1024 pixels wide and has as little visible UI as is possible. Your image could be the next one featured here on One Shots! %Gallery-85937%
Fallen Earth devs planning to get their Tweet on
While The Bearded One is no longer on the Fallen Earth team, it appears that the new team in charge of continuing to make the post-apocalyptic wastes awesome are wasting no time in getting in touch with their players. How so, you wonder? Well, it appears that they are planning a mass-invasion of Twitter on Thursday at 3pm (GMT -4) to tweet it up with the playerbase. (For those who aren't following them yet, you can catch their official account over at @FallenEarth.) Anyone interested in following the chat only needs to set up a filter on their favorite Twitter client looking for the hashtag #FEchat, or pop over to Twitter's search site and search for that hashtag. Of course, it's not half as much fun if you can't participate, so the Fallen Earth developers will be soliciting questions from everyone. Sure, the 140-character restriction may make for some short answers, but there's something to be said for being able to tune in to a dev chat via text message or mobile Twitter client.
