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Wasteland Diaries: Patch 1.5
It's patch time again, and the developers of Fallen Earth have given us more great, free content. Most importantly, we have been given a fast-travel system. Also, the craftable items have been expanded, and the new equipment will rival, in fact, surpass the Death Toll and Faction gear. There are a few new ways to get faction reputation more quickly that don't involve a PvP zone. There are new, rare drops available through the "serendipity" system just waiting to be collected. There is a new weather system that includes rain, thunder and lightning, and even puddles on the ground. There is a new Blood Sport type called assault, which has several objectives rather than a single one as in Capture the Flag. Get more details on all of this neat, new stuff after the cut.
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.
Fallen Earth devs answer radioactive questions in Stratics chat
It's always nice when developers let their hair down, shaking out their majestic manes in slow-motion glory while their eyes sparkle with a thousand points of... I'm sorry, where was I? Anyway, part of the powerhouse Fallen Earth team recently sat down with Stratics' House of Commons to answer community questions about the game in a free-form chat, which was recorded and posted on Globaltech ATLAS. Icarus devs present were Tiggs (Community Director), Chris Deavellar (Art Director), Cory Farris (Senior Environment Artist) and Wes Platt (Director of Content Development). Topics included new Blood Sports maps, the day/night cycle, supercross, pop culture references and questions about the art and graphics of the game. One of the questions wondered why they couldn't add more body types into the game, which earned a revealing answer: "If we do implement new chracter [sic] types, it will require new rigging, new animation (about 1000 of them), and new boltons just for one new toon. You'll notice that games like Gears of War and Halo only have men? That's because they couldn't even afford to spend time doing a female toon. It's a LOT, LOT, LOT of work." Globaltech ATLAS has the full transcript, so feel free to pour over the entire conversation, including a few "after hours" questions!
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.
Massively has more Fallen Earth product keys for you
So we at Massively heard that you all have work, school, doctor appointments, and various time zone issues that sometimes make it impossible for you to be around at the right time. When we are giving away Fallen Earth product keys, for example. Never fear, though, because we've managed to get our hands on another 500 keys for you! Just like before, this is the full game client rather than a trial, so you'll be all set to check out patch 1.4 and join us in Embry Crossroads tomorrow night for the Blood Sports Brawl. Check out all the details on Fallen Earth's news page, and be sure to say hi to Shawn, Rubi, Sera and Edward when you arrive in-game. Our character names are Shawn, Rubi Ari, Seraphina Reymont and Knuckles McSquee -- we'll leave you to figure out who is who. Visit our product key giveaway page to get your code, then head to the Fallen Earth site to create your account and download the client. Thanks to the Fallen Earth devs for their generosity, and we'll see you all in the wasteland!
Fallen Earth announces partnership with Interactive Gaming Software
The changes at Fallen Earth just keep coming. Today brings us news that Fallen Earth has formed a distribution partnership with publisher and distributor Interactive Gaming Software. So what does this mean for Fallen Earth? In short, it means onward and upward: "As Fallen Earth grows, the need to make the game easily accessible both nationally as well as internationally has become essential," says Marketing Manager Jessica Orr. From the sound of things we're going to see the game made available to a wider audience, beginning its addition to "several new digital and retail outlets in late Q2." Speculation regarding any connection between this partnership and the recent layoffs is only natural, but all involved parties seem very optimistic about the direction things are going for the game. Making Fallen Earth available to a wider market brings the potential for many more subscriptions, so we'll be watching the population of Sector 1 with interest.
Celebrate the new Fallen Earth patch with a free product key from Massively [Updated]
If you're at all interested in Fallen Earth, you'll want to make some room in your schedule this Friday the 7th. The long-awaited patch 1.4 will launch on that day, bringing some new excitement to the Wasteland. Yes, more exciting than rummaging through a pile of junk and finding something awesome. We at Massively are celebrating by joining the Fallen Earth developers in the Blood Sports Brawl. We'll be participating in various Blood Sports matches while the dev team will be handing out some great in-game giveaways. The event will run from 8-11 p.m. EDT, with a meeting point at Embry Crossroads (waypoint 4241542 3232776). Join us...wait, what? You don't own Fallen Earth yet? All right, we will forgive you for your oversight this once. Even better, we'll help you remedy the situation. We have 500 product keys to give away, and one of them has your name on it. Yes, you! This is the full game, not simply a download of the trial, so join us in thanking the Fallen Earth crew for their generosity, and visit our giveaway page for your key. Once you've read and followed the instructions there, be sure to check out the Fallen Earth site for all the information on Friday's festivities. [Update: Wow! Those codes went quickly! We were able to grab another 500 from the Fallen Earth devs to feed your hungry post-apocalyptic appetites. Enjoy!] [Update 2: Wow again! You guys took out the other set of 500! That's it, we're out! Hope to see you all this Friday in Fallen Earth!]
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.
Wasteland Diaries: Blood Sports and PvP
I took it upon myself this week to log into the Fallen Earth Public Test Server and check out some Blood Sports. I was not disappointed. It was reminiscent of Quake 2 Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. Regretfully, there is no BFG or rocket-jumping, yet. I didn't get a chance to play Survival. All in all, I think it will be a great success, as there is nothing to lose and rewards to be had for simply participating. I think it will re-invent the "casual PvPer", which has all but vanished from Fallen Earth because of the steep learning curve. But, there is room for improvement. It is very convenient to queue yourself up for a match anywhere in the world, and jump right into the action. But on the test server it can be tough to get enough people in the proper level range to trigger a match. It shouldn't be a problem when Blood Sports goes live on May 7th, given the population on the live server versus the population on the test server. The 1.4 patch will undoubtedly breathe life into Fallen Earth PvP. There are several reasons why I think this and after the break I will explain.
Massively's interview with the new Fallen Earth lead developers
There have been some big changes in the wasteland lately: Fallen Earth has gotten some exciting new content, with even more on the way in the form of Blood Sports. The changes aren't just in game, though. While the departure of Lee Hammock left some sad faces behind, the current Fallen Earth team is more than enough to inspire confidence in the future of the game. The majority of the player focus at the moment is on patches 1.4 and 1.5. The addition of both new PvE and PvP content -- along with changes to game mechanics -- is keeping everyone busy checking things out and wondering what's to come. With that in mind, Massively has some answers for you. We recently spent some time talking with two of the new Fallen Earth leads -- Director of Content Development Wes Platt and Senior Game Designer Marie Croall -- about what's in store for the game. Follow along after the jump to see what they had to say.
Fallen Earth pushes Patch 1.4 onto the test server
It's an exciting time living in the wastelands of Fallen Earth these days. Not only have clones been graced with a new dueling system and the first stage of a town revamp, there's now the opportunity to have a mangy flea-covered slobbering creature follow you around placidly. (Which isn't all that unusual if you're friends with a CHOTA, but bear with us.) There are still bigger things on the horizon, however, and Patch 1.4 promises to bring even more PvP and other violent goodness. While it isn't live quite yet, it has gone live on the game's public test server. Aside from the PvP matchups of Blood Sport, the update promises new mounts such as the Blight Wolf, new crafting recipes, and expanded war between clans. To help facilitate testing (which is implied to be on deck for "the next couple of weeks"), the official forums are posting both specific systems to be tested and large-scale testing events. While this doesn't mean we'll certainly be seeing Fallen Earth's next major content patch in a couple weeks, it's certainly a strong argument in that direction... and if you can't wait another minute, you can hop on the test server and see it now.
Fallen Earth lets the dogs out
Oi, you there! Yeah, you, you grubby Wastelander! Bored of hiking the Grand Canyon all by your lonesome? There's hope for you yet -- the Fallen Earth team has announced that they've released companion pets into the game ahead of schedule. The dogs -- Wasteland Mutts -- were spotted on the test servers, yet did not make the journey to yesterday's 1.3.11 patch. While players feared that the new pet system was being held back for more testing, apparently everything is A-OK, and the Mutts are now available at feed and fuel merchants throughout Sectors 1-3. Even better, Icarus let out the word that the pets will be cheaper than anticipated, costing players about 500 chips for a new best friend. While the Mutts are welcome news indeed, Icarus wants us to know that Fallen Earth won't be a dogs-only club: "Don't get too attached," they teased. "We hear other variants still exist in Deadfall!"
Lead Game Designer Lee Hammock leaving Fallen Earth
Fans of Fallen Earth found a startling announcement on the game's site this afternoon, revealing the news that Lead Game Designer Lee Hammock will be leaving the Fallen Earth team: "Though we will miss Lee, this is an exciting opportunity for him to work on a new property that is near and dear to his heart and we are thrilled and blessed to have worked with him over the past four years in shaping the story of Fallen Earth." The (ex) Beard Man is leaving Icarus to join Gargantuan Studios as their Story Designer, and don't be surprised if the Gargantuan name sounds a bit familiar. They're the ones behind the upcoming Marvel Universe Online MMO, scheduled for release in 2012. (Editor's Note: Gazillion Entertainment's community director, Stephen Reid, would like us to clarify that the Marvel Universe MMO currently has no set release date at this time.) The Fallen Earth team will continue their push toward Sector Four in Lee's absence, and we join everyone at Icarus in wishing him the best in his new venture. You can read the full announcement on the official site.
PAX East 2010: A closer look at the Fallen Earth iPhone app
Just a few short weeks ago, the Massively staff descended on GDC in San Francisco, sending back all sorts of new information from MMO-land. One of the most exciting things we came across that week was from Icarus Studios. The minds behind Fallen Earth have been working in every direction on their game: joining Facebook, planning for a Mac client, and joining the ever-growing list of games that will be adding an iPhone app. We brought you a detailed overview of the app from GDC back then, and we were lucky enough to spend some more time with Dave Haydysch, Fallen Earth's Project Manager, at PAX last week. We got a look at the upcoming content for Fallen Earth as well as a closer peek at the iPhone app. We've got some brand new images of the app, and the guys over at Lagwar got something even better: video! Check out the gallery below, and follow along after the jump for the video. We think you'll agree with us that this app can't get here fast enough! %Gallery-89297%
Wasteland Diaries: Wasteland travel guide
Fallen Earth takes place in a vast wasteland. There are a lot of distances involved that you definitely don't want to traverse on foot. That's where mounts come in. "Mounts" are a bit of a misnomer however, because Fallen Earth also has vehicles. I like to refer to them collectively as "go-fasters." But, whatever you call them, they are a necessity. Each mount is classified by its type: either cargo, combat or alternate fuel. Each fulfills its particular role better than the other types at a sacrifice in the other roles. Read on to learn more about pros and cons of each type.
Fallen Earth client now available via torrent
Icarus Studios and Fallen Earth have announced a nice surprise for fans frustrated with slow downloads. As a convenience to their users, there is now a Fallen Earth torrent file for faster downloads of their game client. If you're unfamiliar with how it works, it's pretty simple. Just download the torrent file, provided in this handy link or in the announcement on the official site, then double-click the icon on your PC to begin the full download. Once everything is downloaded, you'll start the installation process. Again, pretty simple, and the Fallen Earth team has kindly provided step by step instructions with the announcement. One last reminder from the Fallen Earth guys: "This is new, so if you encounter any issues, just let us know and we will try to respond quickly!"
Fallen Earth loses and promptly recreates fan page
Apparently, it's possible to misplace a fan page. No, really. We were a little dubious about it at first ourselves -- after all, how can you lose part of the worldwide series of tubes -- but if Fallen Earth has managed to do it, then it can be apparently done. The official site has broken word that while attempting to update the game's fan page on Facebook, the page apparently... vanished. Never to be seen again. Which might come as a shock to the many people who are fans of the game on the popular social networking site. Fortunately, the minor hiccup is being taken with a good sense of humor by the staff, as evidenced by the first official post on the recreated fan page. What exactly happened to the original page? No one is certain, although perhaps it'll show up in a few months with a large beard and a drug problem... but hopefully not. In any case, if you're one of the many who has found something to enjoy about Fallen Earth, point yourself toward the newly recreated fan page to reconnect with the game's official Facebook feed.
Checking up on Fallen Earth: One month later
It's been a little over a month since Fallen Earth launched, and we think it's safe to say that quite a bit has changed since then -- but what, exactly? For those who may have found themselves unhappy with the game's state at launch, this article is for you. For those of you who may have tried the game during a beta stage or stress test event, and come across some technical issues that made the game completely unplayable, this article is for you, too. We want to continue our tradition of revisiting games after launch, and this time it's Fallen Earth's turn. So we're going to spend the first half of the article discussing the facts, and what the community has to say about the last month's changes to the game, and the second half will be spent giving my own impressions of what I've experienced in the first month. Follow along, won't you?
