From Fallen Earth:

Hi all… Circatrix here, writing on behalf of the Fallen Earth Team. We are happy to bring you a sneak peek of the faction gear you’ll see in Fallen Earth™. You may have seen the character modifications we worked on back in July and August, and there have been some impressive improvements. We have also taken the non-player characters’ (NPCs) wardrobe and accessories to a new level.

Leading up to Content Complete, the art department was hard at work improving the look of the Faction NPCs. The screenshots you’ll see here show NPCs, although many of the items are available to players. We worked to build consistency in the color palette, texture and overall design of the faction gear so that NPCs would be readily recognizable for players as they approach. This becomes especially important as eighteen towns are faction settlements and many of the missions are faction-oriented.

As you may already be aware, within the game there are three pairs of diametrically-opposed factions. The factions are CHOTA and Enforcers, Vistas and Techs, and Lightbearers and Travelers. Each week, we will cover two opposing factions. This week, we look at the CHOTA and the Enforcers. If you are familiar with the Fallen Earth storyline, you know that each faction has a particular interest in how the Grand Canyon Province is ruled, and each faction’s philosophy results from the Fall.

Known as the CHOTA, the Children of the Apocalypse are a product of the Fall. When Shiva struck and nuclear holocaust ensued, they embraced chaos and destruction, preferring to destroy any semblance of the old ways. They are led by the warlord Redhand, and prefer a tribal society. Although they are some of the most powerful warriors in the Grand Canyon Province, their alliance is fractured. CHOTA are made up of several independent tribes that only rally for major causes.

The CHOTA NPCs you’ll see in the screenshots reflect the faction’s tribal and savage characteristics. The tribal influence of the CHOTA can be seen mainly in their patchwork wardrobes, some pieces of which are available for players. Leathers and various animal skins have been stitched together to create pants, shirts and armor, hearkening back to the ways of the ancient Native Americans that inhabited the area. You’ll see a skull on the right shoulder of the NPC in back, and many of the decorative elements of their wardrobes include feathers, bones, animal teeth and claws. You’ll also recognize the lucky rabbit's foot hanging from the belt of the female CHOTA warrior in front. You might assume from their wild hairstyles and colors, random tattoos and face paint that they are on the edge, but their savage nature is also evident in the variety of melee weapons they keep on hand. From a shark-toothed mace to a huge axe, CHOTA have a flair for gruesome weapons. Several pieces of forearm armor have blades and spikes, as do some helmets and shoulder armor. The NPC in back even has four severed fingers dangling from his necklace.

Opposite the CHOTA and no less deadly, the Enforcers were formed from the remaining military and police forces of the U.S. government. After the Fall, they worked to bring order and stability to the Grand Canyon Province. They are orderly and systematic, and they police the Province, offering protection for settlements in exchange for food and shelter. They are without doubt the most efficient combat force in the area. They often get their latest and greatest weapons from the Techs, and they train constantly. At times, they’ve held off groups ten times their size.

You’ll immediately think of present-day military when you see the Enforcer NPCs. All have at least one camouflage element in their wardrobes—jackets, pants or gear. Many of the boots, belts and even the beret worn by the warrior in the middle are reminiscent of current military fatigues, and two of the soldiers wear traditional supply belts. Their gear isn’t tribal like the CHOTA, but instead focuses on function to make them more effective in combat. Many of the materials resemble metal or a Kevlar-like material, and the camouflage color palette ranges from desert browns to woodland greens. More clean cut and orderly than the CHOTA, the Enforcer NPCs don’t have many piercings, tattoos or face paint. Some boots featured in the screenshots and the pants worn by the officer in the beret can also be acquired by players. Players can acquire the weapons, including the rocket launcher held by the warrior on the left, at various stages in the game. Since they were formally trained by military, police and government agents, most Enforcers rely on ranged weapons. The helmets and hats pictured—as well as the night-vision goggles worn by the soldier in the middle—can all be acquired by players. The character customization slots accommodate a helmet and goggles simultaneously.

Although we’ve prepared a few examples in the screenshots, we hope that as players ally with a particular faction that they’ll max out the character customization options we have in store. More than a dozen character customization slots, with more than fifteen options for each slot, yield thousands of combinations. We are excited to see what players do with what they’ve been given.

Check in with us next week for the next round of factions gear and screenshots. And if you haven’t submitted yet, check out our Halloween Costume Contest (http://forums.fallenearth.com/fallenearth/fecontest.php). We hope you’ll use the screenshots for some inspiration. Winners will get an alpha key and Fallen Earth t-shirt. Good luck and stay tuned for next week!