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EVE Evolved: Four great new EVE videos

Brendan Drain — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, EVE Online, Culture, Game Mechanics, Lore, PvP, Opinion, Machinima, EVE Evolved, DUST 514, Guides, Sandbox

If there's one thing the EVE Online community is well known for (apart from the occasional colossal scam or game-breaking exploit), it's producing great videos. In its nine-year history, EVE has birthed some very talented video editors who have produced everything from political propaganda and instructional videos to amazing cinematic stories and machinima. The official game trailers have always turned heads, but I'd bet a significant number of current players were first introduced to EVE through player-made works of art like Kyoko Sakoda's War Has Come or Mercenary Coalition's Lacrimosa Tortuga.

It's easy to fixate on only the best EVE videos ever made, but in reality, dozens of new videos are released every month. Some are cinematic story pieces or alliance propaganda videos designed to motivate the troops, but most are just compilations of good PvP fights. While PvP videos are unlikely to grab the universal acclaim of incredible films like Clear Skies or Future Proof, they arguably show the very core of EVE at its best: good fights, solid strategy, and pretty explosions.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at four great new EVE Online videos produced just in the past few months.

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EVE Evolved: Four great new EVE videos originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online Fanfest 2011 roundup: Day 1

Brendan Drain — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Culture, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Opinion, Hands-On, Events (Massively's Coverage)

Once per year, EVE Online developer CCP Games throws a colossal party in its home country of Iceland. EVE players from around the world fly to Iceland to meet up with other players, talk about internet spaceships and usually get completely drunk. CCP hosts a series of events, round-table discussions and presentations all about EVE, showing what the team has been up to over the past year and revealing plans for the game's ongoing development. Fanfest has typically catered to EVE's most dedicated fans, or at least those motivated enough at the prospect of an EVE convention to brace the Icelandic weather. This year, the focus is much wider, with over 3,000 players in attendance and a huge contingent of press.

Day one of the EVE Fanfest has come to a close, and the event is now in full swing. Read on for a roundup of what happened today, along with detailed explanations of a few personal highlights from today's festivities.

Continue reading EVE Online Fanfest 2011 roundup: Day 1

EVE Online Fanfest 2011 roundup: Day 1 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise devs detail The Arcology

Jef Reahard — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, News Items, Earthrise

MPOGD is back with another Earthrise developer journal, focused again on the sci-fi sandbox's seemingly substantial reservoir of lore and backstory. This time around, readers are treated to a brief history of The Arcology, a terraforming project begun by Continoma (one of Earthrise's major factions) at a point prior to the game's timeline.

As gamers log into the world of Enterra for the first time, they'll discover that The Arcology now lies ruined and overrun with mutants and other unsavory predators looking to take a bite out of unwary clones and their allies. The research compound, located in the northern Atlas mountains, originally hosted a large variety of plants, animals, and organisms from the far corners of Enterra prior to its destruction in a cataclysmic event known colloquially as the "Backlash."

Read all the grisly details over at MPOGD, and also be on the lookout for a new interview with the Masthead dev team coming soon, exclusively on Massively.

Earthrise devs detail The Arcology originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City building in Earthrise to allow autonomy for guilds

James Egan — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Economy, Game Mechanics, Guilds, New Titles, Player Housing, Politics, Earthrise

One of the games we're looking forward to playing next year is Earthrise, a post-apocalyptic MMO currently in development at Masthead Studios. At launch, Earthrise will offer guilds a wide selection of buildings and facilities that can be built within their controlled territory. Masthead Studios has bigger plans for city building and Territorial Conquest game mechanics post-launch, though. Long term goals for this aspect of guild-level gameplay include expanding options for guilds to become less beholden to the major NPC factions (and the cities of Continoma and Noir).

Specifically, Masthead Studios would like for players to establish administrative buildings, which will provide some of the conveniences and features generally found only in NPC-held cities. According to the Earthrise devs, "Administrative buildings will remove the requirement to visit cities even further by providing access to Market, Warehouses and more from inside the Guild owned territories."

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City building in Earthrise to allow autonomy for guilds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The rewards of faction loyalty in Earthrise

James Egan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Quests, PvE, Earthrise

The latest Earthrise Question of the Week is all about quests in the upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO. "Central to the PvE experience, quests in Earthrise are designed to help introduce the players to the tense cultural and political scene that shapes the two conflicting factions fighting for control over the island of Enterra," explains Moll, the game's Community Manager.

There are faction-specific quests unique to either Continoma or Noir, but Earthrise's game mechanics will let players defect to a rival faction to experience another walk of life on Enterra island. Switching allegiances will not be a trivial matter, however, and the consequences a player assumes for doing so will limit how often most characters defect.

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The rewards of faction loyalty in Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Neutrality and criminality in the dystopian setting of Earthrise

James Egan — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Earthrise

The developers at Masthead Studios dropped some info about their post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise today, explaining how they've designed the game to allow freedom of choice. In true sandbox style, players will not be forced to choose between the main factions of Continoma or Noir and can, in fact, remain neutral. Earthrise Community Manager Moll writes in the latest Question of the Week, "Aside from Continoma and Noir as major Factions, there are 10 smaller political groups (called Organizations), and 4 of them will be Neutral and will provide neutral players with quests that allow them to build their Reputation and unlock rewards that cater to their political standings."

Cloning, which may prove to be one of the most vital services players will require, will be independent of faction standings, Moll explains. On that topic of cloning, Earthrise fans have also wondered how criminals can gain access to the same advanced infrastructure used by the more legitimate factions. Or, for that matter, how do criminals gain access to the various resources and markets used by non-criminal players?

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Neutrality and criminality in the dystopian setting of Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise lead game designer on core concepts and game mechanics

James Egan — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Economy, Game Mechanics, Interviews, New Titles, Crafting, PvP, Politics, Earthrise

One of the independent MMOs in the works that interests Massively is Earthrise, being developed by Masthead Studios in Bulgaria. We came across an Earthrise interview at OnlineWelten by Anja Gellesch, originally in German but translated into English. Masthead's Lead Game Designer Apostol Apostolov gives a well-worded introduction to the premise of the game and its "post-post-apocalyptic" setting, but there's plenty of details to be found in the interview as well.

He discusses player choice in the game, how some will opt to join a faction while other players remain neutral in the struggle between the technocratic elite Continoma, and the shadowy resistance movement Noir. Apostolov also mentions that there are 20 different zones spread across the game's island setting of Enterra.

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Earthrise lead game designer on core concepts and game mechanics originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise shows off The Arboretum in developer journal

James Egan — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, New Titles, Earthrise

The Earthrise developers at Masthead Studios are turning out a series of blogs which explains the various zones of the post-apocalyptic setting of Enterra island. These developer journals hosted on MMORPG.com introduce us to the varied terrain and its inhabitants, while framing it all in context of Earthrise's lore. So far they've walked us through the burnt out factories of the Industrial Area, the dangers of the Cascade Mountains, and what happens when mutant ecosystems collide in The Hatchery.

Their latest dev blog focuses on "The Arboretum" which is the refuge of the Nathura Society, largely comprised of scientists who maintain neutrality in the civil war between Enterra's main factions -- Continoma and Noir. The Nathura simply want to be left alone so they can pursue their ideal of engineering a truly symbiotic relationship between humans and the natural world.

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Earthrise shows off The Arboretum in developer journal originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 08 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The interplay between faction standings and PvP in Earthrise

James Egan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, New Titles, PvP, Earthrise

Although the post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise is still in development, the game's creators at Masthead Studios take a question from the player base each week and turn it into a mini dev blog. Granted, some of the mechanics as they exist now may very well change before Earthrise launches, but it's still a nice peek into the development of the game.

The latest from Masthead Studios is "Fighting, Factions, and Guards" which explains Earthrise's system of establishing safety near the major cities and greater risk the further you venture from them.

Gallery: Earthrise

Continue reading The interplay between faction standings and PvP in Earthrise

The interplay between faction standings and PvP in Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise dev blog shows off the beauty and horror of the Cascade Mountains

James Egan — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, New Titles, Earthrise

The first MMO we're going to see from independent game developer Masthead Studios is Earthrise, a post-apocalyptic title that's bringing some new things to the table in the sci-fi/post-apocalyptic genre. If you've played games like Fallout 3, the setting of Earthrise will be quite different from what you might be expecting. The game will take place on a sprawling island called Enterra, with regions and environments ranging from lush jungles to futuristic urban centers. Of course Earthrise will have the requisite shattered city environments we'd expect of a post-apocalyptic backdrop, as well.

Masthead Studios recently explained how terrain will impact gameplay, having written about some of the game's man-made environments like the Industrial Area. Now they're ready to discuss more about Enterra's natural environment with the Cascade Mountains, the focus of the latest Masthead Studios dev blog they've written for MMORPG.com.

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Earthrise dev blog shows off the beauty and horror of the Cascade Mountains originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Interview: Masthead Studios' CEO on Earthrise and freedom of choice

James Egan — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, Lore, MMO Industry, New Titles, Interviews (Massively's), Earthrise

There is a slow but steady shift in direction in the MMO industry from being dominated by fantasy titles to one where gamers have other options, namely in terms of sci-fi and post-apocalyptic games. The smaller game studios producing these titles have some big challenges ahead of them, not the least of which is whether or not MMO gamers will embrace settings and gameplay elements that depart from the fantasy MMO paradigm. One of those newcomers to the MMO scene is Masthead Studios who are developing the post-apocalyptic Earthrise.

This first title from Masthead Studios will present gamers with a futuristic, dystopian setting where two major factions struggle for control over the island of Enterra, the last refuge of humanity after the burn. Continoma are the technocratic elite; they hold the keys to genetic immortality and enforce their ordered societal views on the population they've resurrected. The game's other major faction, Noir, is a shadow government -- the resistance. Earthrise's setting and factional struggles aren't limited to simple right-and-wrong scenarios, though, and this carries over to the gameplay. Players or guilds may align with one faction or another for their own benefit, but the game's numerous sub-factions provide other options for allegiances, or even the possibility of shifting those allegiances.

We had the opportunity to see Earthrise firsthand at GDC 2009 but we've always got more questions. Fortunately, Masthead Studios was willing to oblige. We've had another chance to speak with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov about some of the core concepts and lore behind Earthrise, and how their approach to the game and the genre should allow a great deal of freedom for players.

Gallery: Earthrise

Continue reading Massively Interview: Masthead Studios' CEO on Earthrise and freedom of choice

Massively Interview: Masthead Studios' CEO on Earthrise and freedom of choice originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Masthead Studios CEO explains reputation system in Earthrise

James Egan — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, Earthrise

One of the upcoming sci-fi and post-apocalyptic MMOs that Massively is keeping an eye on is Earthrise, the first title from Masthead Studios.They've been very good with communicating with the media about the directions they're taking the game, with interviews each month painting a clearer picture of the upcoming title. The latest such interview we've come across is a brief one at German fan site Earthrise HQ, which spoke with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov about a few aspects of the game. If you've been reading up on Earthrise, the interview hits some of the topics you'd expect -- the basic concepts of the game, for instance -- but also but heads into some new areas. Atanasov mentions faction capital cities that are expanded upon over time, "using meaningful events that progress not only their visual representation but their story and functionality as well."

The interview also hits on the fact that Earthrise will have two reputation systems: Contribution and Reputation. Contribution, Atanasov says, is "the policy of Continoma to discern friend from foe by measuring each citizen's contribution to their system. The second system is Reputation. Numerous smaller organizations exist in Earthrise, each with its own agenda and plans. Players can do tasks for these organizations and grow in Reputation towards them. Organizations provide players with rare resources, monopolized designs that create new, different item combinations, as well as other rewards."

For more from the Masthead Studios CEO on Earthrise, head on over to his interview with Earthrise HQ.

Gallery: Earthrise

Masthead Studios CEO explains reputation system in Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 May 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2

James Egan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Economy, Lore, New Titles, Previews, Crafting, PvP, Interviews (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage), Earthrise

The struggle for dominance

Earthrise will be a very PvP-centric title, with open PvP and full looting adding greater risk to combat. How long will players have to loot fallen opponents (or allies)?

Atanasov says, "There will be a time limit. Right now we're planning for 30 seconds, which means that once you die nobody can pick up your inventory for that first 30 seconds. So you have the time to choose whether or not you want your inventory back," at a cost, of course.

A key game mechanic that's central to Earthrise's combat is a player's "battle rating" which is a numerical ranking of how tough you are (as presently skilled/equipped) and conversely how tough your opposition is. Your own battle rating and that of your opponents determines the experience you can gain from defeating them, or how juicy a target you are to them.

Your battle rating is determined by a few factors. The armor and weapons you equip and the abilities you've learned largely dictate battle rating. A target's battle rating will be visible to you and determines how much experience you'll get from taking down a mutant or other opponent.

The battle rating system will also give players flexibility in how quickly they advance. For example, you may be very strong but if you want greater experience gains from taking on weaker opponents you can choose to use weaker gear to match. In effect, you lower your own battle rating but earn more rewards by facing a greater challenge. The battle rating system isn't just a system that determines individual gains, it will also carry over to groups. Atanasov says, "I would say it's very unique in the MMO field. Nobody has tried it so far. I hope it will work well and will bring some new ideas to the future of MMO games."

Continue reading GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2

GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise

James Egan — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, Previews, Interviews (Massively's), Events (Massively's Coverage), Earthrise

The futuristic game Earthrise is one of the upcoming sci-fi massively multiplayer games that we can see on the horizon. It's the first MMO developed by Sofia-based Masthead Studios and features the post-apocalyptic setting of a world divided between utopian idealism and revolution. Massively had a chance to sit down with Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov at the Game Developers Conference 2009 where he gave us a walkthrough of Earthrise, shedding some light on what this new title may bring to the MMO world.

Gallery: Earthrise

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GDC09: Massively previews Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise interview sheds light on title's sandbox gameplay

James Egan — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Guilds, Interviews, Earthrise

Fans of 'sandbox' massively multiplayer online titles where gamers can largely play how they choose to might be interested in Earthrise, a post-apocalyptic MMO in development at Masthead Studios. Although there's no solid estimate on the game's release date, Masthead Studios is getting the word out about Earthrise in preparation for beta testing. The most recent interview they've done can be found over at GameSNAFU.

Michael G. Koshgarian from GameSNAFU interviewed Masthead Studios CEO Atanas Atanasov, who dished out some info on the storyline quests for the warring Continoma and Noir factions. Of particular interest is the fact that players will be able to shift their allegiances and defect to a rival faction, but at the risk of being branded a traitor.

Continue reading Earthrise interview sheds light on title's sandbox gameplay

Earthrise interview sheds light on title's sandbox gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Latest Earthrise newsletter updates on game's progress

James Egan — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lore, News Items, Earthrise

Sofia-based Masthead Studios has released the March `09 newsletter for their upcoming post-apocalyptic MMO Earthrise. As with their previous newsletters, Issue IX points out where Earthrise has been discussed in the gaming press over the past few weeks, and shows off some of the game's concept art. This month, Masthead Studios is showing off concepts for the mutated Nathura zone.

In addition, the developers write about what they love about Earthrise and working on the title -- ranging from the game's epic scale to the extensive combat system. Issue IX also expands upon the game's lore, with the struggle between the factions of Noir and Continoma, a clash between utopian idealism and anarchy. Have a look through the latest Earthrise newsletter and see how their vision of a post-apocalyptic future is turning out.

Latest Earthrise newsletter updates on game's progress originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise lead designer on player-driven economy and crafting unique items

James Egan — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Guilds, Interviews, Lore, New Titles, Crafting, Earthrise

MMO fans of all things post-apocalyptic are probably eagerly awaiting more info on the in-development game Earthrise. Will it be a breath of fresh air into an industry overwhelmingly dominated by fantasy titles? It's still far too soon to say, but the Earthrise developers, Masthead Studios, have been doing a good job of communicating what their vision for the game is, both in terms of building up a community (pre-beta no less) and actively talking about the title with the gaming press.

The latest bits of info about Earthrise come to us through a Stratics interview with Lead Game Designer Apostol Apostolov. He starts off by succinctly explaining the lore behind the game, but his talk with Stratics also touches upon what he sees as the advantages of using a skill-based advancement system, which tips its hat to Ultima Online. Apostolov also discusses Earthrise's economy, with hints about rewards tied to the offline profession(s) a player chooses. On the subject of the players, Earthrise will have a completely player-run market which could be a boon to crafters.

Continue reading Earthrise lead designer on player-driven economy and crafting unique items

Earthrise lead designer on player-driven economy and crafting unique items originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look at hiring mercenaries in EVE Online

James Egan — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Guides, PvP

The galactic setting of EVE Online is always buzzing with conflict, somewhere. The game is very PvP-centric, although not all players have an interest in the violent side of EVE. That's all fine and good, even those who concentrate on industry (EVE's take on the crafting system) have a powerful weapon at their disposal to fend off, or spark, hostilities from other players -- their in-game currrency. The power of the Inter Stellar Kredit (ISK) makes many things possible in EVE, and there are a number of mercenary corporations active in the game that are willing to kill or die for you, for the right price.

While many players are aware that mercs can be contracted for industrial warfare, to force retractions of war declarations from aggressors, to secure territory, and complete a wide range of objectives for their clients, the protocols involved with making this happen are less transparent. That's where the Guide to Hiring Mercenaries comes in, written by Alekseyev Karrde, founder and CEO of the mercenary corp Noir.

Continue reading A look at hiring mercenaries in EVE Online

A look at hiring mercenaries in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Questing around Earthrise

Eli Shayotovich — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Forums, Game Mechanics, Interviews, New Titles, Quests, PvE, 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.

Continue reading Questing around Earthrise

Questing around Earthrise originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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