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Fallen Earth 1.8 patch on PTS, extensive ability changes incoming
The Fallen Earth public test server (PTS) is the place to be for sneak peeks at upcoming content, and as of right now, said new content is the 1.8 patch. Icarus Studios' Carlin has posted the version notes on the Fallen Earth forums, and a quick glance at them indicates that 1.8 is quite the meaty update. The biggest change is the forthcoming ability revamp. According to the notes, "almost all abilities have been changed, with the goal of increasing the number and viability of different player roles and play-styles. Some abilities have been removed, and some new abilities have been added." Patch 1.8 also introduces new NPCs and missions in various parts of the wasteland, UI tweaks (including new chat channels), and an adjustment to the rate at which random AP is gained. If you've never tried the PTS on for size, you can download the client and also pay a visit to the forums to get your bearings.
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?
Wasteland Diaries: New skills
Clones of the wasteland: We are heading toward uncertain times. The February State of the Game was announced last week, and there are some massive changes to Fallen Earth coming our way. The 1.4 patch changed the way we fought, and so did the 1.7 patch. This next patch, which will likely be 1.8 (if not 2.0), will probably be the biggest change to the game mechanics since launch (and 1.4 was no slouch). The uncertainty will not be allayed until we see the new system on the PTS. It's slated to hit the test server in "the middle of the month," so we may see it soon. In this post, I would like to analyze the SoTG and try to infer what kind of implications this new system will bring forth. There will be some pretty obvious changes but also some subtle changes that nobody will foresee. Although the new skills and mutations system isn't the only thing coming with the next installment, it will be the focus of this post. There is also a new area called Ruination on the way plus major economy changes and scavenger bosses, but I am more interested in the skill revamp. Fallen Earth will be a different (hopefully in a good way) game by the end of the month.
Rip out your Fallen Earth character's heart for Valentine's Day
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). The gruesome festivities include a special "My Bloody Valentine" mission which features a Heartbreaker item and a crafting recipe that will enable players to rip out, preserve, and gift their hearts to whomever they desire. The Icarus devs will be making in-game appearances throughout the day on February 14th, and the Valentine mission is repeatable. You can pick it up at various locations in all three game sectors, and you can also head to the official website for more details.
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!
Fallen Earth state of the game letter details upcoming content
It's a new month, and that means it's time for a new State of the Game letter direct from the wasteland. Fallen Earth producer Marie "Aro Sei" Croall checks in on the official forums to let us know about the next patch coming our way from the folks at Icarus. All things considered, it looks to be a pretty substantial update, and nowhere are the changes more noticeable than in the game's skill and mutation lines. We're particularly excited to see how the Dirty Tricks and Escape Artist lines work out, since the descriptions dovetail perfectly with the cutthroat atmosphere of a post-apocalyptic world on the brink. The patch will also bring a new Scavenger Boss Area that serves as a preview for the new tech going into the upcoming Alpha County release. The area, called Ruination, includes several camps and encounters that showcase new creature behaviors and destructible barrels. You'll find it on the way to The Wall that serves as the Sector 4 border. Economic tweaks are also under way, as are a number of February events. Finally, Aro Sei concludes this month's letter with the answers to a few pressing community-generated questions. Check out all the juicy info on the Fallen Earth forums.
Wasteland Diaries: Free ride
The Grand Canyon Province is where Fallen Earth is set. It is a vast place, and the public transit system is completely obliterated. Most of the towns are separated by kilometers, so walking (or running) from place to place would be sheer folly. Luckily there are alternatives to walking. If you've played Fallen Earth for any length of time, you probably know what I'm getting at. Transportation in the Grand Canyon can cost next to nothing once you get it figured out. The goal of this post will be to get a new player up and running in the wasteland. Actually, up and driving and/or riding, rather. Once you know what to do, getting around is practically free. There are a number of ways to get yourself a better ride. Some of them involve a bit of work in-game and a good deal of time (mostly while you are offline). But there are shortcuts if your goal is to be tearing up the highways of Fallen Earth on a motorcycle as soon as possible. After the cut, I'll give you a step-by-step method of providing yourself with better transportation right up until you have a bike.
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.
Fallen Earth partners with Alienware, offers exclusive Xenogun
Older gamers in the audience might remember Alienware as a custom-PC manufacturer known for its outlandish case designs prior to being acquired by Dell Computer in 2006. Nowadays, the company is equally (in)famous with MMO players due to the "Alienware is the best" meme that all too often rears its silly head in global chats everywhere. As of today, Fallen Earth players have another reason to get familiar with the company, as Alienware has joined forces with Icarus Studios to offer an exclusive in-game item to wasteland survivors. The item in question is called a Xenogun, and it's "a custom Alienware-branded weapon that comes with a valuable tech manual, allowing players to rework it every ten levels so they never have to leave it behind," according to a new press release. What's the catch? Well, you'll need to sign up for the Alienware Arena gaming portal, a web destination that offers competitive events and exclusive items for a variety of popular games. Read all about it on the official Fallen Earth website.
iOS art game iCarus out now, free for one week
Hey, do you feel like getting super bummed out? Don't feel weird about it -- we all get in those moods, sometimes. Usually we just curl up on the couch with our coffee-flavored ice cream and pop in A Walk to Remember, but if you're looking for something a little more non-dairy, you may want to check out indie developer Sir Realism's new iOS title, iCarus. (Not to be confused with iCarly, though we doubt anyone reading this particular blog would make that mistake.) The game could safely be labeled as "artsy," featuring absolutely zero text and a highly interpretable storyline about a father grieving the death of his son. If that sounds up your alley, you can download iCarus from the App Store for free -- but only until January 19. Check out a trailer after the jump if you need more convincing!
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.
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.
Fallen Earth state of the game letter previews economic fixes, new content
Another year dawns fresh on the wasteland, and Icarus senior game designer Marie Croall checks in on the official forums for Fallen Earth's latest State of the Game update. 2011 looks to be an exciting year for fans of new stuff, as the game will see a combat revamp, new high-level group content, and of course the new Sector 4 portions of the map. Icarus plans to release Sector 4 across four counties with the first one, Alpha, raising the level cap by five and bringing new gear, mutations, recipes, and abilities to the game. Look for it to debut on the live server in the second quarter of 2011. Why the delay? Croall explains that the team needed to address balance issues prior to rolling out new content. "There were several areas of combat that we needed to adjust before we could properly design encounters and instances as we moved forward. Additionally, our art team has been taking these past few months to make huge improvements that are necessary for the gameplay, story and setting. As important as it is to us to get the new content out, it's more important to get it out right," she says. Croall's letter also clues us in to the next patch, currently scheduled for February. In addition to skill and mutation balancing, the update will feature the new scavenger boss system (with new bosses and encounter areas) as well as the team's first crack at a round of economic fixes. Icarus is taking some of the concerns raised about Fallen Earth's economy to heart and is going to be addressing everything from supply and demand to drop rates, trading concerns, and general crafting fixes. "A thriving player driven economy should be a central part of our game and we're working very hard on getting it there," Croall writes.
One Shots: Our house in the middle of our street
As another day ends in the post-apocalyptic wastelands of Fallen Earth, many adventurers head for what's left of the cities, or the new towns, looking for a place to shelter for the night. If you're a particularly keen shot, you can even secure a spot for yourself, as we see in today's picturesque screenshot sent in to us by Scott T. He writes in to explain this scene: "Who says there is no player housing in Fallen Earth? I had a mission to go into this building, but I went into the wrong one because I wasn't really paying attention to my map. I noticed the sunset and stopped to eat some grilled giant rabbit. I then shot bandits out of the window and yelled 'get off my lawn!'" We love MMOs of all shapes and sizes, and thanks to readers like you, we have managed to keep One Shots running for 3+ years now! If you haven't sent in a screenshot of your own, what are you waiting for? Just email your image 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. It could wind up being the next one we feature here on Massively. %Gallery-85937%
Wasteland Diaries: The battle of Haietta
There are new PvP objectives in Fallen Earth. Well, the objectives are the same, but the means of achieving those objectives are now different. Conflict towns remain largely unchanged, but the taking and holding of one is now dramatically different because of a few subtle changes. No longer are the non-timed towns captured by doing repeatable missions. Timed conflict towns haven't changed at all. But the other towns had a silly mechanic: having the PvPers do PvE missions to control a town. The attackers and defenders would roam about doing missions and possibly run into one another and fight. More often than not, there was little fighting. The new system concentrates the action on a certain point -- actually, three points. The Faction Control Points (FCPs) are placed near or in the town. They are now the key to controlling the town. Of course you can still do it the old-fashioned way, but it's much quicker to control all three points at once. Controlling all three points will give the controlling faction a steady stream of faction points toward its cause. Each tower held contributes 2500 points to the controlling faction about every five minutes.If you've ever done the missions in a conflict town, you know this is a much faster method. PvP is rampant in Fallen Earth right now. Well, in Haietta, it is. After the cut, I'll give a first-hand account of what I've seen on the front lines.
Community Detective Issue #15: 2010's best (and worst) case files
Hi kids, it's your friendly neighborhood Community Detective and I'm back with the final issue of 2010. Next year looks to be an exciting and somewhat scary time for MMORPG communities and customer service. Not only are we staring down the barrel of four new hugely anticipated AAA titles (RIFT, TERA, Guild Wars 2, and The Old Republic), but there are also quite a few existing games that I've yet to visit in an official capacity, as well as a couple that have undergone drastic changes and merit another review (the F2P conversion in Lord of the Rings Online and sweeping server merges in Aion and EverQuest II, for example). Prior to moving forward, however, it's always fun to take a look back (particularly at this time of year). Join me after the cut for a year-end recap of 2010's most memorable case studies.
Updated: On the third day of giveaways, Icarus gave to me...
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Congratulations!] On the third day of giveaways, Icarus gave to me... three months of gameplay! On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me... two gift packages! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Today we continue Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways! During this 12-day event, you'll find presents galore, courtesy of some of the best MMOs out there. Every day until December 24th, we'll post a new contest for you to enter. We've got a huge pile of goodies to give away, so they're going to be fast and furious -- you'll have 24 hours from the time the contest is posted to enter. Don't worry, though, because we're going to do our best to accommodate everyone -- you'll simply have to leave a comment to be entered in the random drawing, and we'll be posting each contest at a different time of day. Today's holiday gifts are courtesy of Icarus Studios, the developer behind Fallen Earth. This post-apocalyptic sandbox game has been through some staff changes lately, but that hasn't prevented the team from planning some fun holiday events. The devs have included Massively in on the fun, so peek behind the cut to see what we have for you!
Fallen Earth preps new patch, roach pet
If your wasteland abode is feeling empty this holiday season, the team at Icarus Studios is here for you. Fallen Earth's 1.7.4 patch is on its way, and with it comes a pet sure to please the gross-out fan in all of us. Yes, you can now snuggle up to your very own roach, the better to help you cope with all the changes the update has in store. For starters, 1.7.4 is adding an AP spent cap, a new random AP system, world PvP updates, and a rebuilt Boneclaw. Significant combat updates are also on order, and Icarus is gifting all current characters with a Pristine Recombinant Injector (which grants a full respec) for their trouble. You can read about all the changes in detail via the testing patch notes as well as get an early look at the update by heading to the public test server.
Fallen Earth Holiday Apocalypse Challenge starts today
Want some wasteland in your Christmas stocking? Icarus Studios has just the thing, and it's called the Fallen Earth Holiday Apocalypse Challenge. Aside from managing to put the words holiday and apocalypse in the same sentence, the contest gives you a chance to win a custom PC, an iPhone 4, and various and sundry additional goodies. Enter for your chance to win (and check out the phat lewt) via the official contest website, and make sure you log in to Fallen Earth as often as possible from today through January 7th. Each day you log in earns you an additional contest entry. Also be sure to use the email address associated with your Fallen Earth game account when entering the contest. Finally, if you're not currently subscribed, Icarus has temporarily extended the game's trial to 30 days, so what are you waiting for?
