One of the interesting things that happens when you create a sandbox MMO where players can establish political systems, even empires, is that factions of those players will form and work against their opposition. In some cases, this is through large scale PvP campaigns. But another, more subtle aspect to warfare between guilds is espionage, should the game developer allow it. Fortunately for Earthrise players, Masthead Studios won't just allow espionage in their post-apocalyptic game -- they encourage it.
Espionage is the focus of the latest Question of the Week asked by a member of the Earthrise community. It seems that spying will be an important aspect of conflicts between guilds, but so will visits to other guild territories for trade runs. Masthead Studios implies that there will be a pass system used to allow non-guild members access to a guild's territory: "Even though one might expect only allies and friends to the guild would be allowed to visit using a pass system, it is possible for clever spies of enemy guilds to find a way to sneak in and report to their headquarters about the development of enemy bases."
This could be interesting. If Earthrise's sandbox gameplay involves, even necessitates, connections between players or organizations outside of their own guilds for economic reasons, there's always the risk that spies can be gathering intel while presumably there to conduct business.
Earthrise Community Manager Moll says, "A lot of valuable information can be gathered that way, such as the distribution of defenses such as essential upgrades that need to be destroyed first or that must be preserved in order to gain most from a territory takeover."
Masthead Studios hasn't detailed how this pass system will work, and of course there could be moles planted within guilds to undermine their efforts. Will sabotage be possible? Will deep cover spies within a guild be able to secretly issue passes to other spies?
Until these things are explained in greater depth, Moll leaves Earthrise fans with some food for thought:
"As always, we expect territory security to be first and foremost on many people's minds and imagine that some may adopt the classic strategy of Sun-tzu and 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' Will you adopt an open, free-trade approach, or close your virtual walls to anyone not immediately known to you? Which is the better approach for strategy?"
