For a game that's still in closed beta, the team at Masthead Studios has been communicating with Earthrise fans quite regularly about the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO. Their "Question of the Week" forum always dishes out new info about Earthrise. This week is no different and the devs explain how PvE gameplay can give Earthrise players a competitive edge in PvP.
Players will be able to progress through storyline quest chains, alternately focusing on combat, crafting, and exploration. Although Earthrise will have a player-driven economy, Masthead Studios writes, "At its foundation, however, it is dependent on the constant supply of resources that are directly connected to PvE gameplay. Many of the missions will be built around the constant competition around resources."
Completing missions for a given faction will give players access to certain rewards (in addition to money), largely through the Reputation a player establishes with that faction.
It seems that crafting will be tied in with PvE content as well, as certain crafted items can be handed in to the NPC factions in exchange for rewards. Likewise, those factions will provide players with unique items tied to that faction that will make the player more competitive in PvP. Masthead Studios says, "Eventually, availability of high tier weapons and armor is tied directly to a player's PvE content, as better armed players have an edge in combat. Even if both sides have access to the same arsenal, those items crafted with limited, monopolized Designs made available by Organizations will have additional advantage."
You can find out more about the interplay of PvE with PvP in Earthrise, as well as the reaction from the game's fans, over on their official forums.
