Hello,

  I'm Otter, one of the GameMasters for Face of Manind. I've seen the question asked alot "What if FoM?". Honestly there is no simple way to answer that question. I suppose the simplist thing I can say is "Face of Mankind is what you put into it.". Put effort and dedication in and you will be rewarded with credits, rank, power, and respect. To answer a few other general questions:

Is FoM like Counter Strike?

-No. The primary difference being that FoM has rules. These rules are built and maintained by the players (we, the staff like to leave it that way) and if you run afoul of those rules you may be punished. This isn't your mother's Red Versus Blue kind of game. Forget about one shot kills. We are talking galactic wars, colonial subterfuge, and mass economic warfare.

What is the point of it all?

-The point is to exist. We have no classes (those are for wimps). You make your character, choose your faction and are immediately thrown into the conflict at hand. There are no predetermined wars, no stupid storyline you must follow. Don't like your faction? Leave it! Don't like your commander? Kill him and go rogue (Though being sent to DeMorgan's Castle Prison isn't too much fun).

You say there are no classes, what can I do then?

-I'm glad you asked! You can drug deal with The Brotherhood. Patrol Earth with the Law Enforcement Department. Become the Hammer and crush the foes of The Dominion with the Federal Defense Corps. Take contracts for hits or defense as a feared Mercenary. Join The Guardians and help root out corruption and fight for human rights. Or join one of the three Corporations and become one of their elite military men or make millions off the misfortunes of others. 

What kind of factions are there?

-Face of Mankind is divided into 3 faction types: Clans, Global Dominion, Coprorations. The Clans are The Guardians of Mankind, Mercenaries of the Blood, The Brotherhood of the Shadows. The Global Dominion is made up of the Law Enforcement Department and the Federal Defense Marines. The three corporations are Vortex Incorporated, The EuroCore, and The Colonization and Mining Guild.

What does each faction do?

-Now here is one of the things that make our game truly unique. Every faction isn't scripted. We've had Dominion civil wars. We've had the Dominion and the Clans unite. It is up the players how they want their faction to act.

What is the hardest part of Face of Mankind?

-I'd have to say the hardest part is logging off and learning. If you are new to the game I highly suggest you ask in faction chat for the training department (Every faction except the Mercenaries have training units available for you). These instructors are very knowledgable in everything about the game and will help you in anyway they can. Best of all they are players, just like you! Get to know your faction and get plugged in to the community. Once you've gotten to know everyone you'll see what the absolute hardest part is, logging off. Colonial takeovers, defenses, market wars, politics, elections, government, murder! Who wants to sleep when you've got all that to worry about?

So if Face of Mankind sounds like something you'd enjoy hop on over to FoMPortal.com and sign up for our Free Accounts, then make a forum account and get t know your fellow Fommers. I'm always available to answer questions on the forums so feel free to drop me a message or come see me in game!

-[GM] Otter

The short translation:

The dev ( as in single ) won't provide any real content and you are completely dependent on other players to have something to do in the game. It would be a sandbox game except the dev can't be assed to even provide sand. If you enjoy being told what to do by "higher ranking" players, a majority of which were elitist pricks when the game was running the first time, before it shut down due to having a *surprise!* dismal population and almost non-existant cash flow, then this is the game for all you sado-masochist out there.

My advice: Go to a construction site and pay someone to let you watch them hang drywall. You'll get more entertainment for your money and time.

Could splash some paint on your wall and then watch it dry .... would be even cheaper :p

The negativity here is startling! Well, actually no it isn't :)

Anyways, you judge based off of the old game. Give the new one a try before you go off and bash it. I'll also say that CB was a very poor representation of how the actual game performs.

Originally posted by Zorvan01

The short translation:

The dev ( as in single ) won't provide any real content and you are completely dependent on other players to have something to do in the game. It would be a sandbox game except the dev can't be assed to even provide sand. If you enjoy being told what to do by "higher ranking" players, a majority of which were elitist pricks when the game was running the first time, before it shut down due to having a *surprise!* dismal population and almost non-existant cash flow, then this is the game for all you sado-masochist out there.

My advice: Go to a construction site and pay someone to let you watch them hang drywall. You'll get more entertainment for your money and time.

Extremely accurate, pretty much sums up my feelings on the game to the letter.

Originally posted by Ottertastic

The negativity here is startling! Well, actually no it isn't :)

 

Anyways, you judge based off of the old game. Give the new one a try before you go off and bash it. I'll also say that CB was a very poor representation of how the actual game performs.

Errrr mmmm .... ok then :p   lol

Originally posted by Ottertastic

The negativity here is startling! Well, actually no it isn't :)

 

Anyways, you judge based off of the old game. Give the new one a try before you go off and bash it. I'll also say that CB was a very poor representation of how the actual game performs.

So you're saying high level charcatres aren't killing new players as soon as they spawn, before they even know what the controls are or how to play? Because unless you can say this is not and cannot happen in the "current" game, then it is the same as the "old" game: gankfest for asshats.

Originally posted by Zorvan01

So you're saying high level charcatres aren't killing new players as soon as they spawn, before they even know what the controls are or how to play? Because unless you can say this is not and cannot happen in the "current" game, then it is the same as the "old" game: gankfest for asshats.

Exactly!

Unless some measure has been implemented to counteract the ganking of freshly rolled characters, then it will be the exact same griefers paradise that it always was and nothing more. Getting ganked when you are brand new, have no weapon, and have zero idea what to do is far from my definition of fun.

All FoM provides, is a place for developed characters to prey on new characters. Period.

I mean seriously, even the GM acts condescending and sarcastic as soon as one of us posting in this thread says anything negative about the game. That in itself is a pretty clear message on the state of FoM.

Originally posted by Zorvan01

Originally posted by Ottertastic

The negativity here is startling! Well, actually no it isn't :)

 

Anyways, you judge based off of the old game. Give the new one a try before you go off and bash it. I'll also say that CB was a very poor representation of how the actual game performs.

 

So you're saying high level charcatres aren't killing new players as soon as they spawn, before they even know what the controls are or how to play? Because unless you can say this is not and cannot happen in the "current" game, then it is the same as the "old" game: gankfest for asshats.

What? High level character? FoM has not levels at all (just ranks) so not sure what your getting at. Someone who is rank one can be just as good as rank 7 and yes there are ganker and yes you get killed by your enemies regardless of how long you played the game. However in no way do you get killed constantly and if you do, you need to learn how to socialize and talk to you faction to see where it is save to go and where not. I never had a problem with being killed directly when I logged in, unless I gone to a planet owned by one of the my enemies....and hell even then I on a regular basis do not get shot. 

so....one should not play this game?  Im looking for a new mmo.  I'm tired of the Elfs, I want a good sci-fi mmo what about ER?

Originally posted by stump1973

so....one should not play this game?  Im looking for a new mmo.  I'm tired of the Elfs, I want a good sci-fi mmo what about ER?

Just give a try in OB. You might like it or you might not. This game is not and will never be for the masses. 

Originally posted by stump1973

so....one should not play this game?  Im looking for a new mmo.  I'm tired of the Elfs, I want a good sci-fi mmo what about ER?

FoM is a complete waste of time.

ER? If you are referring to Earthrise then you have quite the long wait on your hands, as the game won't be released for quite some time yet.

Open Beta Announcement

The time has come. We are finally releasing Face of Mankind for open testing by all interested parties in our Open Beta phase, to be officially opened on the 5th of December, 2009. ......

Is that still on target? How about some screenshots - All I see is some wonky promo trailer.

 Yeah, OB is tomorrow, let me try and explain things a bit better.

I am in the LED Tactical Department (or LTD for short), we are basically the small elite SWAT unit of the Law Enforcement Department (police).  Everything in the game is player controlled, politics, the economy, combat, you name it.

Their are no SKILLS or levels, ranks are granted by higher ranked people.

For example, in order to become a police officer, you have to join the Law Enforcement Department, then you need to contact someone from the Dominion Police Institute (trains you and whatnot), they will let you know what you can and cannot do, regulations, guidelines, combat procedures, ranks, commands, and whatnot.  If you pass the DPI exam, you are then a full fledged LED officer, able to then join one of the many departments in the LED, me, for example, am in the SWAT unit basically.

Their is a prison, called DeMorgans Castle (DMC for short) and the officers to protect the prison with their own specialized staff.  Their are departments for earth, too.  Their is an Internal Affairs Department, External Affairs, etc.

That is just one faction, the other factions have it set up differently.  And by the way, mostly the new people go around killing each other.  But then they just get killed by other people, no veteran player really ganks unless their at war with the faction your in,  each faction has a ventrilo, a section on the forums and whatnot.  Tomorrow just come and play, theirs going to be alot of us on, and its going to be a pretty fun day.

So what is the benefit and the game mechanics of arresting someone vs. just killing them? What laws are you enforcing and how? The concept sounds well and good, but, for example - How would SWAT be used? You're telling me that regular MMO guys playing cops wouldn't rush teh building hungry for some action, but would ratehr say "whoa, lets call SWAT, this is way too dangerous".?

Laws are written and enforced by the Global Dominion (LED/FDC Players). Some laws they have issued in the past are: No unholstering of weapons on Earth colonies, No use of armor on Earth, and an immediate arrest if the player is found to have drugs on them. Nearly every faction have departments built for special operations but any department is not necessarily permanent. The developers have not hard coded any of those into the game, so some factions may only create them in times of desperation. I also highly suggest picking up a microphone and downloading Ventrilo, as most of the factions use it.

Yes, the game can seem very unwelcoming to new players but to help augment this we've created a new and shiny tutorial for Open Beta that should really help everyone out. As someone else pointed out, the gankers are usually other new players who refuse to read or follow their faction's styles (Which are also chosen by players). This is a game of skill, not of levels and loot. To play FoM means having to use your own skills to best your opponents. To totally ripoff from a movie, "No one can be told what FoM is, you have to experience it for yourself". Since Open Beta starts tomorrow you'll have that chance :)

Logged in for the first time 10 minutes ago and instantly got ganked.

Bah, i hate gankers...uninstalling.

Originally posted by caill

Logged in for the first time 10 minutes ago and instantly got ganked.

 

Bah, i hate gankers...uninstalling.

Go back to wow nub

Originally posted by mmogamer3

Originally posted by caill

Logged in for the first time 10 minutes ago and instantly got ganked.

 

Bah, i hate gankers...uninstalling.

 

Go back to wow nub

Lol!

Never played wow in my life.  Bye sweetie.

Ganking is not my idea of fun. That's it.

Originally posted by caill

Originally posted by mmogamer3

Originally posted by caill

Logged in for the first time 10 minutes ago and instantly got ganked.

 

Bah, i hate gankers...uninstalling.

 

Go back to wow nub

 

Lol!

Never played wow in my life.  Bye sweetie.

 

Ganking is not my idea of fun. That's it.

l2pvp