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Firefall beta weekend schedule released [Updated]
If you've been watching Firefall from afar, salivating over news tidbits and dreaming of one day getting to actually play the game yourself, today is a very special day. Not because you get into the game today, of course, but because there's finally a schedule for when you can expect to play. No, there isn't a release date. There is, however, a beta weekend schedule! Starting on November 9th, November 30th, and December 7th, the betas will run for 48 hours. During each of those weekends, there'll be a specific theme to the testing. You'll have a chance to call down thumpers like a lunatic, wage war against indigenous wildlife, and beat back the Chosen. Get more information or sign up on the beta page on the official site. Note that not everyone who signs up is guaranteed access; the team will be sending out invites to registered players in batches throughout the beta weekends. [Update: We've clarified that not everyone who signs up is guaranteed a spot in the beta, though with the planned stress tests, your chances look pretty good!]
Watch Nathan Fillion, Wil Wheaton, and Felicia Day play Firefall
You can't beat getting some Halloween treats without having to go out in the rain knocking on doors. It's no trick -- Red 5 Studios is giving out plenty of goodies to FireFall fans this week. First up is hours of video featuring famous gamer stars checking out the upcoming shooter. Last week, the studio livestreamed FireFall Fest, an event depicting a number of celebrities -- Nathan Fillion, Wil Wheaton, and Felicia Day, to name just a few -- playing FireFall along with the community. But even if you missed an episode or two, Red 5 has saved the recordings for your viewing pleasure. Check out the highlight reels of day one and day six after the break, then head to the official site for links to watch the full two-plus-hour videos for each day. FireFall is also offering fans a special Halloween patch. Along with spooky masks and other appropriate decor, beta players will find new monsters to kill and new abilities to use. For a full list of all of the Halloween goodies, head to the patch notes.
Firefall Fest schedules celebrity livestreams
If you're missing one of your favorite celebrities next week, you might want to check with Red 5 Studios. The makers of Firefall have kidnapped, er, enticed several popular stars to check out the game via an interactive livestreaming event called Firefall Fest. Among the celebs participating are Wil Wheaton, Felicia Day, and Nathan Fillion. Red 5 has posted the schedule for the livestreams, which start on October 22nd and continue through the 27th. In addition to letting you hear what your favorite star or group has to say about the game and seeing said game in action, Red 5 is handing out daily prizes to viewers. The studio also announced that any player who purchases a Firefall Founders Pack during this week will get immediate beta access, and all founders get snag additional in-game items just by watching.
Firefall's latest dev diary highlights Chosen Warfront metagame
Last week, Red 5 Studios discussed changing Firefall's progression system. In the newest developer blog, attention turns to the upcoming Chosen Warfront feature ("warfront" being the moniker given the ongoing war between the Chosen and the Accord factions). The Chosen Warfront dynamic aims to create a deeper metagame, giving players the chance to take the fight to the Chosen solo or in groups to keep the lands safe. Designer Clancy Powell explains the feature by telling folks to think of the Chosen Warfront as a Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game, where the Chosen and the Accord will be working to control territories and resources and build up military forces by implementing different strategies for both offensive and defensive goals. Developers are currently working on a number of events, including Chosen Thumpers and Chosen Drop Pods, as well as reworking the watchtowers from the ground up. The changes won't stop here; over time, devs want to add multiple types of objectives to add more variety to the warfront dynamic. More details can be found in the full developer blog.
Firefall extrapolates on its new progression system
Hot on the heals of its blog post about dynamic events, Red 5 Studios now hopes to change up the whole progression system in its third-person shooter Firefall. The development team revamped the existing mostly linear advancement system to a more dynamic (there's that word again) skill-tree system. And now, Lead Class Designer Dave Williams has posted that the team that the team wanted to "increase the number of choices that were available to players within their progression." Williams explains that players generally pick a battleframe based on their individual playstyles. With the skill trees, a player can break that playstyle down even further. He gives the example of a Mammoth Dreadnaught vs. a Rhino Dreadnaught. The Mammoth builds heavier defenses, whereas the Rhino packs a heavier punch. MMOs and other online games are trending away from the linear progression style to a more horizontal progression style. Firefall is heading in that direction, too. Will this be enough push Firefall toward being the next great online shooter? Red 5 hopes so.
Firefall devs talk about dynamic events
Just how dynamic is Firefall? Not dynamic enough, according to Red 5 Studios. In an effort to up the dynamism of the game, the development team is introducing some changes -- specifically, dynamic world events are going to be added to the world. They're so dynamical, it's even part of the name. These new events come in two big categories: local and global. Both the local and global flavors can be world events, which are automagically activated by the game, or on-demand events, which are triggered by players. Global dynamic events are meant to reinforce the large themes of Firefall, while local events are all about what's going on in a specific region. The team is developing events to be engaging, varied, accessible, cooperative, and connected to the story of the world and regions in a meaningful way. For a look at the type of events the team is working on, hit up the official blog post.
The Firing Line: On Firefall forum censorship
The Massively tip line is a curious creature. It's cantankerous, unpredictable, and just as likely to bite your leg as it is to rub itself against your shins and let loose with a rumble of contentment. Despite the low signal-to-noise ratio, we do get useful info from our tipsters, often in the form of breaking news, obscure and interesting tidbits, and ideas for further coverage. This week's Firing Line falls under that last category, as we received word from one tipster that something is rotten in the state of Firefall.
New Firefall milestone focused on PvE
Red 5 has posted a new announcement on its website concerning Firefall's latest project milestone, and this one features a laser focus on PvE content. The posting details a bit of Red 5's internal structure before going on to talk up what exactly each team is doing. The Chosen Warfront group is working on "new, dynamic encounters with the Chosen to make the war a part of the daily life of New Eden's residents." Translation: They're expanding on patrols and incursions to give PvE battles more of a random, life-like feel. There are also specific teams devoted to creatures, player rewards, core combat, exploration, matchmaking, and more. Check it out on the Firefall website.
Firefall reveals founder's packages, special deals available at PAX
Earlier today Red 5 Studios posted a portion of its Firefall monetization model on the game's official website. While we've heard a lot about combat revamps and various other gameplay details in recent weeks, one thing we've never really known is how the sci-fi shooter will sell itself. This week's PAX convention will see the studio begin selling its founder's packages, complete with special attendee discounts. The packages start at $15 and offer an assortment of "convenience and cosmetic items." Check out the Firefall website for further details, and don't forget to watch the founder's package video after the jump.
Gamescom 2012: Talking Firefall with David Williams
Firefall has undergone quite a few changes over time just like most betas. As the size of the testing base slowly grows to massive proportions, more and more input fuels the ideas-machine at Red 5 Studios as it improves an already-impressive game. The immense booth at this year's Gamescom was testament to the amount of ambition the developers have for this free-to-play MMOTPS, and the sheer number of convention-goers in, up, and around the booth revealed no shortage of interest in the game. We were led into a small, air-conditioned room in the undercrofts of this behemoth of a booth so that we could have an intimate chat with Firefall's Lead Class Designer, David Williams, away from the noise of the show floor crowd.
Firefall scoops up dozens of former BioWare and 38 Studios devs
While some other studios are laying off and downsizing, Red 5 is bucking the trend by recruiting top talent to add to the team working on Firefall. The free-to-play MMOFPS has updated with a massive summer patch that overhauls combat, removes traditional levels, and adds new crafting functionality. BioWare's and 38 Studios' loss is Red 5's gain; the staff has jumped from 60 to over 100 as recruiters snatch up talent the other companies let go. Although a deluge of layoffs is bad for the gaming industry as a whole, lead class designer Dave Williams said, "The timing of 38 Studios and Star Wars dumping all their staff at the same time is really good for us. We've found some incredibly talented people who are really happy. It's allowed us to build up the team quickly." Players wishing to participate in Firefall's beta and experience the game can sign up via the official site.
The Firing Line: This is not a PlanetSide 2 NDA violation edition
For the record, I really, really wanted to write about PlanetSide 2 for this week's Firing Line. Alas, NDAs or some such. Blargle, bollocks, and boo-hiss on all of that. Anyhow, there is more to the MMO shooter space than Sony Online Entertainment's sci-fi sequel, right? Guys? Yeah, OK, as intros go, this one is pretty weak. But like I said, I'd rather be talking about that time when I [edited] a Terran Republic [edited] outside of [edited] but it was [edited] [edited] [edited] Mosquito. That's not all, as we also [edited] and then [edited] [edited] by some [edited]. Oh, right. We can't talk about that just yet, so join me after the cut for this week's most interesting non-PlanetSide 2 shooter news.
Firefall's new eSports Toolkit allows better viewing of matches
Red 5 Studios knows that it's not always just about playing Firefall -- it's also about watching matches. Whether you want to check out your friends as they battle in the upcoming free-to-play shooter or you want to get a good look at your competition, the new eSports Toolkit will allow spectators to see the action as it unfolds. It also gives shoutcasters various tools to enhance their broadcasts. Spectators will be able to watch matches in observer mode in which viewers can utilize an assortment of static cameras, follow players, or even check out the whole map and get a bird's-eye view. Viewers have the added bonus of being able to pause, rewind, fast-forward, and even watch the action in slow motion. Shoutcasters enjoy extra features in the broadcast mode, which will allow for free-flight across the map, the ability to access and display player stats, and the ability to switch between multiple camera views to highlight the best action. Together, these features will improve the spectator's overall experience. The eSports Toolkit will be featured at the Firefall beta tournament at Gamescom 2012. For a preview of the different modes, check out the video after the break. [Source: Red 5 Studios press release]
Red 5 putting 'e-sports toolkit' in Firefall to encourage shoutcasting, e-sports interest
Red 5 Studios has revealed what it's calling the "e-sports toolkit" for its upcoming free-to-play shooter Firefall, with two new modes for broadcasters and commentators to keep an eye on the action. There will be a standard observer mode, with the ability to watch a match from the top down or from a certain player's perspective, open to anyone that wants to use it. And then specially-approved broadcasters will get more options, like the ability to fly around the map, or watch different cameras from the game at the same time. In an interview with PC Gamer, Red 5's "e-sports maven" (and former Fragdoll) Morgan Romine talks about how the developer is doing everything it can to make e-sports a priority, including tweaking classes and even the game's core attributes like movement speed. The goal, says Romine, is "to have an FPS that has the long term viability of a Counter-Strike," so Red 5 is really aiming to make observing and shoutcasting its matches accessible, and is planning e-sports events later on this year at GamesCom, PAX, and other big gamer gatherings. Of course, just having access to more cameras won't immediately make you the next Phreak or Day[9]. But better tools are always more helpful, and Red 5 hopes that by making these tools available, more players will get engaged with its upcoming title.
New Red 5 dev diary details Firefall's extreme makeover
What's going on with Firefall lately? Only the biggest patch in the title's history, according to Red 5's James Macauley. "We wanted to make the game more competitive, more skill-based. We wanted to reward you for your level of mastery," Macauley explains. Core combat has been completely overhauled, and everything from run speed to jump height, jump jets, weapons, and abilities were tweaked. The dev team even added the new Biotech class. Player progression was also adjusted via the removal of traditional levels in favor of battleframe tiers. The changes are designed to put advancement choices in the hands of players rather than force everyone along the same pre-determined path. Firefall's extreme makeover also includes new crafting functionality and a 3-D battleframe garage instead of the old paperdoll loadout screen. More changes are detailed in the full dev diary video, which you can view after the cut. [Thanks to Cory for the tip!]
Firefall tournament to be held at Gamescom, sponsored by ESL
Red 5 Studios will be holding a Firefall beta tournament at Gamescom next week, so if you're in the neighborhood you could jump in and play in the ESL-sponsored tournament for a total of £10,000 in winnings.Qualifying matches will be held on Thursday and Friday, August 16 and 17, after which semi-finals and finals will be held on Saturday with a final 5v5 Team Deathmatch. Players will be able to register on Red 5's own website, so stay tuned for that.Red 5 just recently hit 500,000 registered beta users, so it can't be long now until we see an open beta and a full public release for the long-awaited free-to-play shooter.
Firefall beta tournament to debut at gamescom
What do Firefall, 10,000 euros, and Gamescom have in common? Europe's first Firefall beta tournament! Red 5 Studios is partnering with Electronic Sports League (ESL) to bring attendees of gamescom 2012 the opportunity to participate in this tournament and battle it out for a grand prize of 10,000 euros. Registration and the tournament qualifiers will start on Thursday, the 16th of August, at the ESL Arena and continue through the 17th. On Saturday the 18th, the qualifying players will compete for the prize money on the ESL stage in front of spectators. Fans who are anticipating the free-to-play shooter but are unable to attend can watch the finals streamed live at www.esl.tv. [Source: Red 5 Studios press release]
Firefall's Dreadnaught gets a serious beta tune-up
Red 5 Studios Designer Justin Hanson is hard at work on making Firefall's combat the best it can be, and he's openly discussing the changes that the team's been making to the Dreadnaught battleframe (read: class). The Dreadnaught is a close-range fighter with impeccable durability, giving him the survival edge in any given battle. The team recognized that players were stacking accuracy modules to make him a good ranged fighter, so the devs tweaked the machine gun to make it semi-inaccurate at all ranges. The class now requires skill and planning to get within range, whereupon it can start mopping the floor with the competition. Dreadnaughts now have an option to replace their machine guns with thermal machine guns. These offer more accuracy at range the hotter they get, but its rate of fire is slower and it can overheat and shut down. Hanson goes on to relay some of the other weapon and skill changes that are meant to tighten the Dreadnaught's focus and make it an interesting class for talented players.
Firefall ramps up for its summer milestone
The upcoming milestone update to Firefall is a big one that revamps several core areas of the game based on player feedback. That includes multiple frames seeing a large-scale revisions. Designers Justin Hanson and John Deshazer elaborate upon some of the changes wrought upon the Engineer in the newest video, explaining that the class had some serious problems before -- it wasn't mobile and generally wasn't considered desirable within group composition because of its limited utility. Meeting the new and more functional Engineer will turn that impression around. Engineers have gotten a new weapon that ramps up in damage as it scores repeated hits on a single target. They've also been granted a number of better build items, such as mini-turrets that can be tossed in odd locations and instant-build forcefields. And that's just a sample of what the milestone is improving in the game, something detailed in two recent development blogs outlining the philosophy behind the changes and what players can expect after the dust clears.
New Firefall dev diary discusses special effects
When asked what you do, do you get to answer "I blow sh** up for a living"? The folks in special effects do, and that's the best part about working in the gaming industry according to Adam Kupratis, visual FX artist for Red 5 Studios. In Firefall's latest dev diary, Adam and colleague Marc McCall, technical artist, sit back and talk about developing the special effects in the game. The team emphasizes that they aim to make Firefall very visually different than other games. Amid the technical discussion, the video also offers footage demonstrating some of the different effects. You can check them out after the break.
