post-apocalyptic
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The sun also rises on a post-apocalyptic world
"[Earthrise is] a game that is about freedom. [It is] not the usual fantasy MMO." So says George Petrov, the Technical Director for Bulgarian based Masthead Studios' post-apocalyptic, sci-fi MMO.In a recent interview, Petrov explains that the game takes place on the island of Enterra, which they hope to make one continuous area. They don't like instances so players should be able to run from one end of the world to another devoid of load screens. While they're not guaranteeing anything at this point, they hope to also have the whole of the game and it's players reside in a single world.The screenshots (not all of which are available on the official website) released so far, and which have increased in regularity over the last few weeks, shows an artistic, photorealistic world. Mastheads plans on making sure Earthrise runs on as many machines as possible by offering scalable graphics options. Petrov said they aren't proponents of the microtransaction business model, so expect a monthly subscription fee like most U.S. based MMOs.[via WarCry]
Questing around Earthrise
This weeks question for the Earthrise devs asks: what types of quests will be available? Earthrise is geared towards player cooperation and PvP, but the devs aren't neglecting the casual gamers. They still want players to be able to solo through the multiplayer environment and advance their character (notice how thy didn't say "level up") without being forced to play with a group. As such, quests will be plentiful.Quests will follow a storyline based on the conflict between the Continoma and Noir. Many of these questions will have multiple solutions, allowing players to pick their side - or change it. Some quests will be repeatable (letting players change what they've done in the past), others will not. Players can follow the storyline for as long as they want, stop and pursue any of the numerous randomly generated quests, then come back to the main storyline.
Fallen Earth gets a visual facelift
Fallen Earth is a massively game that's been in development for some time now, although that's not entirely unheard of for the massively genre. When a game has been in development for as long as Fallen Earth has, sometimes the graphics it started with just don't seem to cut it anymore. Well, this problem is something the FE team is in the process of fixing. Not only have we been given some examples of these new improvements, but we've also gotten a bit of an informational update as well.
An interview with Masthead Studios' CEO
Mark Arsenault of MPOGD.com sat down with Atanas Atanasov, CEO of Masthead Studios, and grilled him about their upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO, Earthrise. It's a very lengthy and intriguing interview chock-full of good stuff.Earthrise will offer a "true sandbox experience" and give plays unparalleled freedom, including the ability to customize almost every aspect of the character. PvP will be a very important part of the game and is tided into the lore, which has players fighting for control over pieces of a ravaged pacific island called Enterra. As such, players will be able to attack any other player (at any time) if they are in a non-secure area.As we mentioned in an article a few days ago, every item will be crafted by the players. Atanasov gives even more details about this game mechanic. Apparently players will be able to "overclock" certain items. Instead of providing static effects, players will be able to actually define the effect value of an item. Forcing that value to high ("overclocking" it) is a risk/reward scenario. Push it too high and it might fry the component completely; push it just right, and ya got yourself something truly unique.While I'm not a big crafter, this feature sounds fantastic and may lend itself to some very sweet loot that I'm sure the game's economic system will benefit from. Closed beta begins this summer with open beta occurring just prior to release.
New Earthrise screenshots dawn
After weeks of the same old handful of screenies, Masthead Studios has doled out three new Earthrise screenshots to the gang at MMORPG. The one above gives me goose bumps. I love me some post-apocalyptic ruin, and this magnificent shot brings a tear of joy to my eye. It's... magnificent.And yes... I do dream of being Mad Max, zipping around the Australian wastelands in my souped up death mobile. Thank you very much.
Huxley breaks radio silence
As we noted when we named PlanetSide our #3 Sci-Fi MMO to date, it's good to see the "MMO" try on some new (i.e., non-RPG) clothes now and again. That's why we've been keeping a close eye on Webzen's MMOFPS Huxley. Updates on Huxley have been coming in a trickle in recent months. Videos have been released now and again, and we knew it was in closed beta, but Webzen hasn't said much to the public lately. Good news: the silence was broken by an article at IGN the other day!The basic info is all there: two persistent cities supporting up to 5,000 players in a post-apocalyptic Earth setting, instanced battles with hundreds of players, and differences between the PC and XBox 360 versions of the game. There are also several new screenshots and videos. The game looks a lot like Unreal Tournament 3. Not a surprise, since it's a first-person-shooter running on Unreal Engine 3.According to the article, the PC version of Huxley will launch States-side before year's end, with the 360 version following about six months later.[Via XBox 360 Fanboy]
Earthrise, crafting, and you
"Every item in Earthrise will be crafted by its players."Wow, that's a bold statement from the devs. Apparently the game's crafting system will go far beyond tinkering with your standard weapons, armor and equipment. Players will actually be able to mix their own drugs and medicine, erect buildings, fix vehicles and even build mechanized exoskeletons. Exoskeletons + post-apocalyptic setting = winnah! Crafting can help to make or break a game (for some). I'm not one of those people. So when they say "crafting in Earthrise is a complex process that is easy to understand but ultimately difficult to master." It really better be easy or I'm just gonna forget about it, hop into my exoskeleton and go Ripley on some mutants. The Q&A really is a good read, and gives some very detailed specifics on how the whole system will pan out (theoretically). Check it out!
A brief Fallen Earth update
So what's new with Fallen Earth? Well not a whole lot of new information is discussed in this article covering some information from this year's GDC. However, what little info there is packs a pretty good punch in the satisfaction gland for the post-apocalyptic Fallen Earth fan. For starters, it sounds like mounts -- in the form of ATVs -- are in for the early levels. The reason behind this choice seems to stem from the large expanses players will have to traverse -- so we're not entirely certain that low-level mounts are really all that different from no mounts with less distance to travel in-world. Unfortunately, we still can't be sure until the game comes out -- which could still be a little while even with 75% of the content already in the game. Having three to four thousand missions doesn't really tell us much, but since the lead designer of Fallen Earth Lee Hammock says the polish isn't there yet, we can assume it'll be some time before we see launch. We're still very interested in this title, simply because we're suckers for the dirty, gritty, post-apocalyptic future-scape massively games.
Masthead talks mad apocalyptic skillz
Via MMORPG we've learned that the Earthrise community has lobbed another Question of the Week at Masthead Studios. This time forum members want to know what's up with the lack of classes and the game's "one for all, all for one" skill system.According to Masthead, characters in Earthrise won't have classes or be forced down one exclusive development path. All players have the same choice of skills and abilities. This is done because they feel many MMOs have problems balancing skills and fall into a rut by forcing players into rather rigid "ultimate build" classes. In Earthrise a customizable action template will allow enhancement using a special system that lets players modify their abilities and create new ones. And while players may get a slight boost based on their build, there will also be disadvantages to their choices. Masthead puts it like this: "Think of this as the paper/rock/scissors game, where 'the best' character template will be beatable by another 'best' character template." This same system will apply to equipment and loot. Masthead goes into much more detail about the above issues, as well as talks about PvP and loot drops, and how both will be more of a player-centric experience rather than item-centric one. It all sounds fascinating, and if they can pull it off might actually create a game partially devoid of the age old grind. Only time will tell, but my own personal interest in this game has piqued tremendously over the last month as more and more info is divulged.
Earthrise to do what reality doesn't
Three new questions were asked by the Earthrise community for the devs at Masthead Studios to answer. While all three give us a bit more insight into the game, the biggest question had to do with PvP. Specifically, will players actually be able to attack people in their own faction.The short answer is: Yes. Because Earthrise's setting is a dynamic and "edgy" place the devs didn't want players to have to play by their rules. While players will be able to attack and even kill members of their own faction, it doesn't mean the act won't go without consequences. Something that appears to be missing in today's reality. Murdering -- and that's what it really boils down to -- people within your own faction is one of the most egregious acts a player can commit. Clearing your name will be very difficult, plus your actions will have consequences out in the wild by becoming a target for other criminals. Much more is revealed about the game mechanics, and the more I read about this game, the more I want to play it. If you're interested in this post apocalyptic sci-fi MMO set in the distant future, be sure to give it a read.
Post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise announced
We just began discussion earlier this month on a horror-flavoured MMO, Requiem: Bloodymare. As sci-fi, pirates, and tales of the undead begin to fill in where once only fantasy dared to tread, we're starting to see more and more new games stray from the norms of the MMO genre. Today's announcement of a new post-apocalyptic game, then, shouldn't come as too much of a surprise.Joining the in-the-works title Fallen Earth in the Mad Maxian genre, Earthrise is a title being developed by the Bulgarian studio Masthead. The game is to be set after a third world war, which finds our planet more-or-less a wasteland. Our species is on its way to the conclusion of all Darwinian evolution, but a few brave souls are fighting on to keep the light of civilization burning. A corporate-run government has created a semi-utopia, populated by clones of citizenry stored in massive genetic databases. Not all is well, of course - the government is fascist, keeping tight control over the meager resources available to the fledgling society. Rival factions are fighting for control of the hearts and minds of the cloned populace, and players will get to choose who they throw their influence behind.Also, as you can see in the above screenshot, there looks to be monsters. Not sure how they fit in, but perhaps they're mutants left in the wake of the world war? The press release from the Masthead Studios indicates they're very keen on exploring PvP and market-based gameplay as well as tradition PVE gaming. Do you think this is going to work out? Post-apocalyptic gaming is a very different animal from your standard fantasy fair. Another doomed niche product, or a breath of fresh air for the genre?[Via Warcry]
Falling back to Earth
Fallen Earth is an upcoming MMO from Icarus Studios set in the year 2154, long after a plague known as the Shiva has killed off 90 percent of the world's population. Those who remain have divided into six factions (Children of the Apocalypse, Travelers, Enforcers, Techs, Vistas, and the Lightbearers) all struggle for dominance as they try to rebuild on the ashes of a fallen earth. I geek out at all things post-apocalyptic. One of my favorite flicks is The Road Warrior (aka Mad Max 2). My favorite book is Stephen King's The Stand. Don't even get me started on the Fallout series (so yes, I am completely geeked about Fallout 3!). And I weeped a little when Auto Assault bought the farm. Now, combine all those apocalyptic bits and pieces, roll 'em all together and you got Fallen Earth. Supposedly. Hopefully. The guys at Icarus updated the FE community a few days ago and things appear to be moving along accordingly. Seventy towns have been laid out with fifty or so functional (not polished, functional). Nearly 3,000 missions have been created and upwards of 7,500 items are locked and loaded into the database. The guys answer five burning questions (like how many weapons players have access to at one time, what recipes will be available to what factions, and so on). When is it coming out? Well, when it's done of course. For all the details check out the Fallen Earth forums.
More Fallout 3 details than you can shake a nuke at
There were so many great tidbits revealed at Bethesda's Fallout 3 press event that we couldn't fit them all into the basic overview. For you obsessive fans, here are some more notes on what the game will, won't and might include: The game takes place 30 years after the events Fallout 2. The events of the much-maligned Fallout: Brotherhood and Fallout: Tactics never happened in the universe of Fallout 3. The game will feature a day/night cycle and changing weather. There will be 21 collectible bobbleheads hidden throughout the game for Easter egg lovers. The game will feature 20 licensed songs from the '40s that will be played through radio stations accessible via your on-arm PIP-Boy and radios peppered throughout the game world. There will be no drivable vehicles in the game, but you can travel between locations through subway tunnels. There are children in the game, but the team isn't sure yet if they will be killable as they were in the previous Fallout games. The game will have no multiplayer mode and no demo is currently planned. Downloadable content and player-created mods are being considered, but nothing has been finalized. The game will feature nine to 12 endings based on how you've played it. The game's version of Washington D.C. will include iconic landmarks and the general topography of the real city, but will not be a street-by-street recreation. The downtown area represents about one quarter of the in-game map. There will be fewer non-player characters in Fallout 3 than in Oblivion, owing to the game's post-apocalyptic setting. Almost all the NPCs will be killable. You'll be able to hire mercenaries to aid you as in the first Fallout game. You won't have much direct control over them. Among other statistics, the demo's loading screens contained a mysterious metric of "corpses eaten." "We're not talking about that stuff," Executive Producer Todd Howard said when asked about the stat. Also see: Joystiq First Look: Fallout 3 %Gallery-4331%
PC impressions: Hellgate London
If there's anything more prolific than booth babes on the E3 show floor, it's large men equipped with ludicrously powerful weapons and equally devastating chins, all of them hailing from post-apocalyptic wastelands. Naturally, we were delighted to see that Namco's Hellgate: London featured not only the prerequisite one-man army, but a crumbling London overrun by snarling monsters and hostile punks. Though you're welcome to create a more effeminate avatar via the game's character creation utility, there's nothing about the game's setting that's particularly interesting. In-between the dilapidated buildings and freakishly deformed mutants, I kept awaiting the next cliche' to slither out from the world's wreckage and remind me that a cliche' in its natural habitat is a very ugly thing indeed.
