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Fallen Earth News - First Impressions
Posted by Dana Massey on Oct 02, 2009 | 78 comments in our forums
Our writer has been hands-on inside Fallen Earth since launch. How's it stack up so far? Get his first impressions in advance of our full review.
Players enter the game as in most games with the Character Creation screen. The level of Character Creation is outstanding. They have really done a great job of allowing the player to customize the look and feel of your character. There have been others that have said it, but really this truly deserves extra attention, the creation generation is great. Almost every physical feature can be tweaked and tattooed to you liking. You can really lose your mind here for quite some time. Although I was a more than a little disappointed that after spending way too much too time generating my character just to find myself covered in clothes. I didn’t choose that halter top for nothing. I’m sure there will be more revealing armor as the game goes on. (Yes, yes I am that guy when it comes to designing my character, if I need to look at it for an unknown amount of hours, I better like what I see.)
;)
Read it all here.
Pretty good article, gives you the basics and touches are the games strengths and weakness. I hope the author continues to play, the game gets a lot deeper and more complex.
FE offers a huge amount of freedom ie someone pvp'd my horse...which is funny now, but at the time I was so spitting MAD about the thing I was shouting dire death if I caught the guy in the pvp zone.
I am happy to see that you choose to do a first impression and not already a review.
This game certainly isn't for everyone who wants to jump and casually play without thinking. I can agree that I feel a bit uncertain about the skill distribution, but there are some helpful hints ingame describing possible templates for possible "classes".
And yes, as you wrote, crafting has a mayor impact on the game, since you basically loot very little weapons/armor. So you either buy them from others or make them. And that which NPCs offer, is useful and not just a fasade for a shop as in some MMOs for dumping junk loot. I find it very satisfying to have crafting my own armor and wearing it afterwards. Also the fact that you can queue your crafting items and they will continue to be made when offline and give you (small) XP!
Closest I ever felt to SWG preCU/NGE. People complain about cookie cutter MMOs, well, here is one that isn't (all the way at least). Not saying it is perfect, but it certainly is different.
Nice initial impression.
I remember how lost I was when I first started this game, it has a serious learning curve compared to what the mmo scene has been putting out in the last few years. There was so much to learn and do that I did sort of overload, to a point that there were two or three days during the beta I didn't log in at all. But now, heh, its a different story. The more you learn about the mechanics and the world in general, the more alluring the game becomes. Like even in S1, I doubt many people know of the long underground tunnel that serves as a short cut through the mountains between Spider Hill and PvP area south of Trailor park. A journey that would normally talk almost 40 minutes on motorcycle, going around the mountain range, is cut down drastically. Little short cuts like that and the knowledge of where to go for a specific resources when I need it makes me feel like so much less of a noob. And there is still so much more. I'm barely halfway through the crafting trees (the market), I know very little about the mutagenics (the magic) and I have yet to cut my teeth in the Pvp (the mayhem!).
As far as the AP points and the no respecs available in FE, I don't think there is anyway around it. Those of us that are OCD about our characters will reroll a few times before we figure out what we want. It took a while to de-condition myself from having a character that could do it all. My first attempt was at a melee/pistol/crafter. While it can be done, you will still have to make many decisions later because once the mutant paths open up, you will be limited on what paths you can choose. Not to mention athletics, First aid, social ...
I don't think the AP point thing is really a "perfect build" issue but more of a "figuring out what role you want to play" type of deal.
You can play around with different build ideas at www.globaltechplanner.info
I like this crafting system. In other MMOs crafting is pointless since you get good weapons/armor very easy from mobs.
Interesting...I thought that would be another DARKFALL (Epic Fail), but maybe this is becoming a good MMO. Gonna track this with more attention.
Only thing that annoys me in Fallen Earth are the multi-faction guilds. It makes the whole lore and setting pretty meaningless when you are allowed to have for example Vistas and Techs (who would instantly kill each others) in same guild. It just makes no sense and the whole faction thing feels pretty useless...
That's enough reason for me to not buy the game after 1.5yrs of Alpha and Beta testing the game. Even though the game is great.
Do you get more than one character per server, so you could have one melee character and have another devoted entirely to crafting?
Great write up on Fallen Earth.
To me, it's my diamond in the ruff since we got way too many fantasy mmo's out there now.
I glad FE LLC, grew a set and didn't go the way of the WoW format and went their own direction.
"While I think it’s a great opportunity for players to be able to choose their own path, I am a little apprehensive about this approach. In other MMOs, you choose your class, and you knew your role. If you choose a tank, melee DPS, or ranged DPS, you essentially know where you fit in the game."
A very good article recently posted by Jaime describes your reaction to Fallen Earth perfectly and the general effect that a certain juggernaut MMO has had on peoples perceptions of new MMO's. You might find it interesting to read.
http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/feature/3576/Player-Perspectives-The-Stale-Comparison.html
I think Fallen Earths approach with a classless system looks very promising and appealing. It makes the game seem more like a roleplaying game which is what it is supposed to be. Hopefully it encourages more realistic interactions with other players, where you tend to treat people as unique individuals rather than just "someone to fill a space in your group".
Who is that guy in the dusty trenchcoat and wide brimmed hat? He has a rifle and a hunting knife. What is his specialty? Does he even have one? What is he capable of? What does he know about the world? I wonder where he has been? I could do with some protection on my current mission. I wonder if he would be up to the job? Hmmm. The only way is to ask I suppose.
Genuine roleplaying in a roleplaying game? I know I probably have my expectations set way too high. Its probably like most MMO's where people just spam the chat channel with LFG messages. Oh well I can hope.
"For those of you out there who are confident enough to shed the shackles of forced roles, Fallen Earth is for you."
It most certainly is
I thinks its 4 characters per account. Its all on one server ala EVE. Most folks do go the route of a dedicated crafter that supports the other combat toons. Even with a dedicated crafter there are still only so many things in the game you can dedicate your character to craft. If your crafter wants to concentrate on armor other crafting disciplines will tend to lag like melee weapons or medical, point being the economy should stay strong as you will have to continue to trade other players for items/componants in crafting disciplines that you are lagging in.
it is too bad the OP didnt try the crafting as it is the best part of the game IMHO... You can be every type of crafter if you put the time and energy in it.. so totally self sufficient. Also you can have multiple characters thereby having one total crafter and one advernturer. It is a very good game.. you can craft offline as well so you can make several items while hunting (as the craft queue will continue to go even if not near a crafting station) and while sleeping. It really is a good game. You definately "earn" where you get, at least crafting wise
edit... other crafts do not have to lag behind.. as all crafts are int/per...you just have to put the time in to make the items to keep them all at the max
Is it really like that? Damn that sounds really disapointing. It really bugs me in these games when they create a great backstory and have everything in place to make the world believable and immersive, and then they go and do things like that. It reminds me a bit of EQ2 and the way it forced you to pick an evil or good race and then just let everyone play together regardless. Trolls and dark elves having tea parties with dwarves and halflings.....meh.
I know people will argue that it is better to have the freedom to do what they like but if a game has something written into its lore then its game mechanics should back it up. Player freedom can be good but sometimes certain restrictions just have to be enforced. Either that or dont bother writing the lore in the first place.
Trouble is the devs will never change that now as then players will whine that they cant play with their friends.......even though they were totally ignoring the games lore in the first place. Then again I saw that the devs did change the female avatars to look more like barbie dolls which annoyed some players. Hmmm maybe it would be worth the effort of posting this suggestion on their forums.
What a horrible review. Can another staff member give this game a look?
great artical. a bit off topic but..... CANT GET THE DAM GAME! An why you ask, simpley this, gamestop. I was told on the 30th to pick it up got there and told come back in 2 days. i came back in to days i was then told, come back next wensday. I should of bought it off digital download, i fully paid for it at gamestop. Needless to say game stop will not be geting my money agian anytime soon. guess ill shop at best buy XD
Best Buy doesn't have it either as far as I can tell. The publsher hasn't shipped the boxes.
It's three bucks cheaper through newegg with free shipping and two bucks cheaper from J&R or Amazon with free shipping 44.90 ah Gogamer.com not sure about the shipping but in all cases but you're going to have to wait for theb box to get to you. Barnes & Noble says available October sixth. D2D or Steam gets you in now.
I'm dissappointed to hear there's no lore enforcement for guilds. It adds an extra dimension to guild warfare. Maybe if the game grows enough they'll have a lore enforced server. I 'm willing to give it the chance to grow.
Is it really like that? Damn that sounds really disapointing. It really bugs me in these games when they create a great backstory and have everything in place to make the world believable and immersive, and then they go and do things like that. It reminds me a bit of EQ2 and the way it forced you to pick an evil or good race and then just let everyone play together regardless. Trolls and dark elves having tea parties with dwarves and halflings.....meh.
I know people will argue that it is better to have the freedom to do what they like but if a game has something written into its lore then its game mechanics should back it up. Player freedom can be good but sometimes certain restrictions just have to be enforced. Either that or dont bother writing the lore in the first place.
Trouble is the devs will never change that now as then players will whine that they cant play with their friends.......even though they were totally ignoring the games lore in the first place. Then again I saw that the devs did change the female avatars to look more like barbie dolls which annoyed some players. Hmmm maybe it would be worth the effort of posting this suggestion on their forums.
Being around enemy faction is..er..uncomfortable. We tend to avoid each other.
One they show up on our mini maps as red dots, two they have a big red line underlining thier names. Everything about them visually screams danger, bad guy. In the neutral towns we don't go near each other if we can help it and going into a neutral town full of red dots/names; makes me at least, feel vulnerable and alone.
Thats just in the relative peace and safety of s1, the grudges become more pronouced in s2 and s3. Also s2 and s3 have roaming faction mobs, so any multi faction group where someone has to defend themselves they are screwing thier buddies faction all to hell. S3 is even worse for faction mobs roaming the countryside. No, I wouldn't say chumming around with enemy faction is easy or appealing for most players. From what I've seen and my own behavior we stick with our own kind.
I actually thought the article was poorly researched, especially with respect to this comment and especially that the reviewer did not try *any* crafting at all, since crafting is where a lot of the survival in a harsh world feeling comes from, key to the immersive gameplay.
Regarding the roles and the skeptical tone the reviewer takes, there are several things to say;
1. the game has a built in guide that allows you to choose a build (a class of sorts), such as pistoleer or a member of a particular faction, which is available to those who feel afraid they will misallocate points badly and want the guidance. That is, if you want someone to hold your hand, you can have that.
2. "you essentially know where you fit in the game"... but hang on, should you really know that before you even learn about the world and the way it works and the way you work within it? Should you have these preconceived, recognisable roles in your head? And should all developers build their games around these expectations of sameness? Your article and thought processes here discourage innovation and that is difficult to respect since that IS what the genre desperately needs.
3. I have found that part of the game, and part of the strength of FE, is that it is different enough that you must rediscover where your play style strengths are, what you actually enjoy and hence what roles you could play well. For example, with respect to combat I initially thought rifles were going to be my thing and where I was comfortable... turns out I was wrong, badly wrong. This is a strength, because it is the same process I went through with my first mmo... and everyone loves their first mmo. :)
I think I will try Fallen Earth as soon as my Aion account runs out. I don't like being pigeon holed into a class. Maybe I will get it before then if I can't control myself (giggle).
I actually thought the article was poorly researched, especially with respect to this comment and especially that the reviewer did not try *any* crafting at all, since crafting is where a lot of the survival in a harsh world feeling comes from, key to the immersive gameplay.
Regarding the roles and the skeptical tone the reviewer takes, there are several things to say;
1. the game has a built in guide that allows you to choose a build (a class of sorts), such as pistoleer or a member of a particular faction, which is available to those who feel afraid they will misallocate points badly and want the guidance. That is, if you want someone to hold your hand, you can have that.
2. "you essentially know where you fit in the game"... but hang on, should you really know that before you even learn about the world and the way it works and the way you work within it? Should you have these preconceived, recognisable roles in your head? And should all developers build their games around these expectations of sameness? Your article and thought processes here discourage innovation and that is difficult to respect since that IS what the genre desperately needs.
3. I have found that part of the game, and part of the strength of FE, is that it is different enough that you must rediscover where your play style strengths are, what you actually enjoy and hence what roles you could play well. For example, with respect to combat I initially thought rifles were going to be my thing and where I was comfortable... turns out I was wrong, badly wrong. This is a strength, because it is the same process I went through with my first mmo... and everyone loves their first mmo. :)
They chose the wrong person to preview this game. The OP doesnt seem to have any appreciation for what the game stands for or is trying to achieve. He is apprehensive about a game trying to be different which is irritating and stupid considering that so many people are craving an mmo which breaks away from the mainstream and offers something more thoughtful and complex. I think he would be more suited to previewing a simpler bog standard game like Aion which has all the usual tank, healer, dps, ranged dps and other generic stuff that would make him feel comfortable. I agree that writing a preview for a game like this without even bothering to try any crafting at all is just a complete waste of time. Oh well hopefully someone better will give the game a proper review.
Actually Chryses wrote a pretty good blog about Fallen Earth. Its much more informative than this crap.
http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/thread/253979/Trying-to-decide-on-buying-it-Possibly-some-help.html
Spot on overview.
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Faction really means diddly in this game. Players routinely switch factions in order to gain access to mutations, skills, etc. Zerg guilds will own the PvP areas and therefore the resources.
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People who play MMOs enjoy playing roles. Healer, tank, DPS, etc. In a game where you pick and choose you end up with utter chaos a la Champions Online.
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As advocated by many in this thread, people are going to have at least two characters. One that crafts and one that adventures. Where does that place any sort of economy? If everyone can make everything there is no need for a market. Especially when you factor in that equipment doesn't degrade.
Great first impression write up, and once it all kicks into place it becomes an extemley addictive and satisfying experience.
I just spent nearly three hours crafting Twin Handguns and the feeling you get from making your own stuff is awesome.
Some peeps will probably have to work at it and persevere to get the best out of this game, but I can tell you its well worth it.
I think the Mmo I've been looking for the last few years has finally arrived ! Wooooot :)
Nah Neo, spinning the wheel in s2 will screw you up badly. Worse then screwing your AP. There are only so many faction quests and points your going to get. Most of the best faction points come to you right here and they are one shots non-repeatables. You spin the wheel and nobody will give you access to the faction goods. Your neutral forever, or worse disliked by half and distrusted by the other half. Spin the wheel=screw your toon in the end. S3 is all about faction.
Equipment does degrade (hence the various armor/ballistic/weapon repair kits sold by the trainers (A lesson I learned the hardway as I managed to allow a nice hth weapon to essentially "break".) As for "playing the wheel" I like it as it helps create a real "story" for your toon (eg start life as an enforcer but eventually due to "dissatisfaction with the command" strike out as a freelancer and ally with a traveller band to accomplish your goal. As for utter chaos isn't that what life "after the fall" will be anyway?? *lol*
I thought switching factions - at least to the faction on the opposite side of the wheel from your current faction - was difficult and time consuming because you have to work your way around the wheel. Are you saying this is easy? Aside from that, I personally think the game is too young to know how faction will play out.
People do enjoy roles, it is clear what they have to do when there is a lot going on. But just as obviously people like to be individuals as well. People also like hybrid classes because of the flexibility it allows. I haven't tried grouping myself yet, but doesn't your comment reveal the same problem with your thinking as in the article? That you are expecting the same roles and same gameplay that you have been preconditioned to expect by the sameness in the mmo market?
Essentially, what you are saying is that unless developers dumb things down, so that people must choose the obvious roles when grouping, then the result is chaos? That is just a sign of a really bad group if you ask me though I agree it helps the most hopeless of PUGs work far better than they ever should. However, I don't see why people cannot elect for various "jobs", naturally the ones that suit them best, but then be more than ready to do other roles if things go pear shaped.
Regarding your last comment, I really do not get the point of making an alt particularly for crafting, but perhaps I am not far enough into the game to understand this.
He's wrong on playing/spinning the wheel. It was a goofball tactic in beta/pre-launch but you will mess yourself up doing it now.
If you go vista mission
1000 Vista, 500 CHOTA, 500 lightbearer
-2000 tech, -1000 enforcer, -1000 travellor
You try to switch these number and get some enforcer faction
500 Enforcer, 200 tech
-2000 CHOTA, -1000 vista, -500 lightbearer, -500 travellor
So by our calculations your are -500 enforcer,-1800 tech, -1500 CHOTA, 0 Vista, 0 Lightbearer,-1500 Travellor
The more you betray a faction the worse the faction point hit gets.
See it really will screw you up. Worse then the AP.
http://thebookofeli.warnerbros.com/
Looks like a awesome FE inspiration. It looks like a travellor family going after a lightbearer on a crusade from the trailors.
I would like to propose an idea around the multi faction guild thing.
Like most aspects of this game it would seem just because you can have opposite faction members in the same clan/guild/whatever you want to call it doesn't neccarily mean that it's a good idea to just go ahead and do it. Sure as a Vista I could very well hang out with a bunch of techs but everything I do with them is going to absolutly ruin my faction with the Vista and allies. If I have poor faction with Vista I won't be able to get myself most of the stuff I went Vista for in the first place. On the positive side the game has friendly fire so I guess I could always accidently on purpose shoot my Tech friends in the back while they were engaged in hunting down Vista mobs but something tells me if I do that I won't have many tech friends left.
So sure you have the freedom to do such a thing but there are game mechanics in place that mean there are consequences for those choices which is pretty much how it should be.
Good article
But, to much freedom for your character? COMMUNIST!!
I really can't wait to try this. I'm very intrigued by the crafting system and the leveling. I hate class roles.
This is really starting to sound like pre-NGE SWG. As such, I may actually give it a shot even though I'm already running two accounts in another MMO (EVE). I loved SWG back in the day despite its many flaws (class imbalances being my most hated one).
You seem mighty certain about something that you don't really know. Ok the game have been out for close to a month now.
Routinely, utter chaos, nonworking market. Nobody is forcing you to play nor enjoy every game that is avaible, you do realise that?
I didnt like this review. Not creative, boring, obv author spent little time playing and wtf, didnt even try crafting which is major part of FE?
The game itself is very fun and addictive.
factions are bad full stop.
i tested FE for some time and got mixed feelings. for a former fps hardcore player combat was quite ok, bit clunky but getting used to it wasnt a problem really, crafting is huge, maybe even bit too much for me. gfx is all right, we have to understand its a post-apocaliptic settings so no glittering and stuff. i guess i expected more fallout style gfx so im bit dissapointed. what i dont like is factions, and especially the start of the game(not the tutorial which is great). it's not user-friendly and many people might pass. i felt very lost in the world and had to get over it. many people won't.
still good overview and it covers what i think about this game in many aspects.
Great review, Joe is a good spin doctor that could make anything sound like a good thing without actually lying. Unfortunately, this impression article is the best thing Fallen Earth has to offer IMO. I played for about 5 hours before cancelling my sub and returning to Aion... what a waste of time and money. The controls absolutely break this game for me and make it completely unplayable. It is unique, it does sport excellent graphics and good sound, with a storyline that grabbed me and made me want to play. I can't say anything about PvP or crafting since I did none, but PvE was uninspired, and at once boring and frustrating. I'm told the game has a steep learning curve that for many is worth sticking with and not giving up on, but it's my least favorite MMO to come along in... well, ever.
good review!
for a great game,i'm loving this game,been since swg cu since I have enjoyed a game as much.
You found PvE uninspiring in Fallen Earth so you went back to Aion where the PvE is....ermm.....yeah you get the point I think.
Ok, so some of the selling points, IMO, of this game are the factions, crafting, and character customization.
Factions, while you indeed do have to work hard in order to spin the wheel (which I never did, I picked two factions and worked them) it is indeed a viable strategy. You only need 2000? positive faction in order to gain access to their mutations. Keeping one faction and going for their highest quality skill is 36k or 360k, I forget. So, while it may take time, so will staying with your primary faction.
Crafting I would think would be done by people that want to supply people and make a profit. If everyone supplies themselves, where is the purpose of the dedicated crafter? You really don't need two characters to enjoy combat and crafting. In the end though, you may want the best of both worlds and would play both. (I think at end game I was wearing 135 skill use gear as a crafter, as an adventurer you would be wearing ~166 skill use, a significant difference)
Character roll is hard to create when the options presented to you are Dps, Dps, or Dps. Sure there is Group Tactics, Social, and First Aid but are they character defining? roll defining? Luckily the game isn't really at a point where a well built group is really necessary. Unfortunately for those that enjoy playing a specific type, they may be left in the cold.
Kinda odd that he did no crafting at all. I think that's a large part of the game.
The character creation process is actually rather shallow. You can't even change your body shape and size. Compare it to AION, SWG, Champions, CoX, EQ2, or Vanguard. Compared to WoW, okay the character creation system is better, but WoW's is as shallow as it gets.
The game has a two day learning curve pretty much. After those two days and about 4-7 levels, you understand the skills and AP system. It's really shallow actually, because there are only about 3 viable builds, compared to a class-based system where there are at least 8 classes and different ways to play each class. You have Rifles, Pistols, and Melee with a smattering of mutations and/or first aid for some extras. You take some defensive skills no matter what. I just don't think this game is that special, especially if you label it as a sandbox. The game is no UO or SWG, it's actually a rather shallow quest grinder like other games, with a few different features and stability issues.
I agree with most of the article. I really like the game so far, but it has some glaring faults as well. That said, I'm only level 10 at the moment, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Pros
The post-apocalyptic setting is amazing. It's really immersive, as the game world truly looks how it would a few hundred years after societal collapse. The character models also fit really well with the game. I like to turn off floating names when running around, and everything looks like it belongs in the universe. Huge pro here, for me.
The classless system is really refreshing. I love that I can pick and choose skills, including melee, first aid, and mutations, to customize my character the way I want. The article is correct that this can be daunting, however. Luckily, the game gives you suggestions for where to put points if you want to focus on a certain skill or join a certain faction, so if you like a little direction you can have it.
(The pros are short and sweet, but have a lot of weight behind them. Even though they don't have a lot of text backing them up, I consider them huge pros and they very much make the game worthwhile.)
Cons
The biggest con for me (and likely a pro for many) is the quest system. This game has loads of questlines for each starting city that can take you from level 1 to level 10 without ever having nothing to do (haven't made it to tier 2 yet, so can't comment on that part). While I consider delivery and collection quests every bit as much of a grind as a good dungeon crawl for experience, that's not my gripe with the system. The problem is the mini-map, which gives you a nice helpful "x", marking the spot of your next quest destination. Is this helpful? You bet. Does it allow you to finish questlines more quickly? Absolutely. Does it remove the need to use your brain to finish a quest? Sadly, yes. I know this is becoming the norm for new MMOs, but please - please - do not give me dozens of simple collection and delivery quests coupled with a little arrow telling me EXACTLY what to do, where to go, etc. I have a brain, let me use it!
Another problem is the combat system, which can feel very clunky at times. Trying to use a pistol or rifle in early levels will put you at a disadvantage as most enemies use melee and make targeting very difficult when they run to point blank range. I've tried rifle and melee, and enjoyed the rifle more, but definitely struggled as well. That being said, more enemies are supposed to use ranged weapons at higher levels (again, can't personally comment on this), making an actual shoot-out more likely.
Finally, the graphics aren't quite up to today's standards (although the art direction is stellar), yet somehow the computer requirements are quite high. While I've had no serious problems with lag set at high (not highest) settings, I know many people have struggled in this area. Be sure to check system requirements before buying!
Conclusion
I am very satisfied with my purchase of Fallen Earth. I love the setting and truly haven't felt this immersed since the original EQ (although they're very different games). The art direction and character models blend together seemlessly, creating a really believable atmosphere. I also love the classless system that allows me to create the character I want. There are no respecs, however, so a little planning ahead of time goes a long way.
The combat system definitely needs some work, at low levels at least, and the graphics are none too impressive despite relatively high system requirements. The quest system is by far the worst part of the game, but fortunately you aren't really forced to do the quests (although some will grant advancement points, which you will definitely want). Again, I'm sure many will appreciate never being lost as the game will pinpoint the precise location you should be at all times, but I find the system infuriating.
Anyway, that's my little review. I can definitely recommend the game if you're looking for something new. Sort of a blend of a sand-box character system, with a themepark questing model, all wrapped up in a Fallout-inspired package. It's worth checking out.
I agree, that irked me too. While most won't admit it, the game screems conflict as its purpose for playing. Factions are warring with each other; it's the whole premise of the game, yet people approach the game like it's Saga of Ryzom or something. People are more content to explore, craft, and grind out the multitude of quests than to actually take part of what the game is preparing you for: The Faction Wars (my own term).
A nice, balanced and well written review. :)
I do think though you are too harsh on the quest lines. Firstly, they are of a higher quality than I am used to. There are the odd collect these or kill 10 of those, but so far I've found them to be refreshingly sparse. There was one in Terrance I think it was, where you had to kill creepers for valuables they might drop and the drop rate was lowish... too nakedly grindy for me so I didn't do it. This does seem to be the exception rather than the rule in my experience so far.
About the quest tracker. Normally I'd agree with you, but I am in favour of it as a balance to the sense of being at a loss as to generally know what to do and where to go and where to specialise and how to manage combat, etc. I am already using my brain a lot in other aspects of the gameplay, so in my case the quest helper probably saved me from getting completely frustrated and giving up. And I imagine that might be the case for quite a few players, especially those not having played a sandboxy game previously.
In fact I'd say the developers have been rather clever here in balancing that open world feeling of "what the heck do I do now" with a very friendly quest system.
That's how I feel anyhoo. :)
I am sorry that you enjoy the auto-attack auto-target mechanism for combat. I hear WoW is doing well, maybe you should check that out.
factions are bad full stop.
Thanks for your deep and well thought out input. Its good when people add explanations to their statements. Keep up the good work.
Factions are good in online games because they provide players with reasons for conflict.......and conflict is good because then players have a reason to unite with others against a common foe. Having factions in online games also provide a good source of roleplaying reasons.
I agree, that irked me too. While most won't admit it, the game screems conflict as its purpose for playing. Factions are warring with each other; it's the whole premise of the game, yet people approach the game like it's Saga of Ryzom or something. People are more content to explore, craft, and grind out the multitude of quests than to actually take part of what the game is preparing you for: The Faction Wars (my own term).
I totally agree. From reading the information on the Fallen Earth website its clear that this games main focus is about the conflict and alliances between all the factions due to their differing viewpoints. Surely this provides a great opportunity for roleplaying a character in a harsh world? I cant understand why anyone would want to ignore all of that.
That's the thing, factions don't contribute much except role-play reasons. You get a few unique skills and equipment looks but other than that, it's all RP stuff.
The game also appears like it would be PvP centric due to this faction conflict, not true.
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The great thing is the game can become what it will due to the way the players choose to play it. It might develop in ways the devs didn't intend.
You know, you actually CAN use your brain. Just select another mission and voila! The red mark will not help you any more and you can figure out everything for yourself. You also can completely disable the mission tracker.
I wanted to touch on one thing. The OP talking about risking being the "jack of all trades, master of none".
This may have rung true in beta, however, the devs put in a "sort-of" cookie cutter drop down list in the AP window which allows choosing a specific role. Choosing one will pretty much show you what skills to put points in to. For instance, you want to go CHOTA, you choose it from the list and it will mark the sliders appropriately. Personally i am going CHOTA, but not following the devs point allocation suggestions verbatim. But for those who like to be hand held to a point, check out the skill suggestion mechanism.
You found PvE uninspiring in Fallen Earth so you went back to Aion where the PvE is....ermm.....yeah you get the point I think.
Yeah but ... Yeah but... you get to FLY! And there are lots of flashy lights going on .. mmm glitter .. mmm myspace.com .. mmm shiny things
Well that just some guilds, and those guilds most likely will fail when comes to pvp.
For example, if the guild allow Tech, Enforcers and Lightbearers and fight a city that controlled by CHOTA. Every guards they killed in the city will also hurt Travelers and Vista factions (which Tech and Lightbearers wont like)
My guild in FE is pure Travelers, so we can kill all the LB, Enforcers and Vistas without any problem.
With regards to a lot of PVP unbalancing on class systems. A lot of MMO's feel too paper scissors stones you know what type of battle to expect on face value. Skill based feels the right way to go as anyone can have a few tricks up their sleeves.
It might be a little rough around the edges, but Fallen Earth is really starting to grow on me.
More sandbox than themepark is a good thing in this case, and for some reason I don't mind the slow pace at all. I have played for around 20 hours now and am still not level 10 but I don't care, the gameworld is believable, the quest stories are well done by and large and the crafting is deep.
This one will be niche for sure, but in a good way for my tastes
The skill system and level combo reminds me of Anarchy Online a lot, swap the muatgenics for implants and anyone who loved the depth of AO will fall in love with Fallen Earth easily.
This game is going to make a name for itself. Nice article, good read and you should try crafting
Perhaps I should give it a go? I've heard the client is rather large, however. I'd need a DVD or something 'cause the internet infrastructure is sub-par.
Yeah but ... Yeah but... you get to FLY! And there are lots of flashy lights going on .. mmm glitter .. mmm myspace.com .. mmm shiny things
Wait you say it has severely restricted flying AND flashy lights AND gliiter AND shiny things too? I knew about the severely restricted flying but I never considered the lights, glitter and shiny things. Hmmm actually I see Ravenclaws point now. Thats quite a list of features Aion is offering. How can Fallen Earth even begin to compete with that?
This game reminds me very much of the Fallout series. Both are set in post-apocalyptic America, and some of the characters and creatures even look the same as Fallout. I think this is basically an MMORPG of the Fallout series.
Fallen Earth Combat feels more like initial NGE's no auto target. A FPS MMO is a horrid idea imo with all the lag. SWG learned this and returned auto target.
It's crafting is ok, but when you make a saber, it is EXACTLY like every other saber crafted. SWG has a much better crafting system with rescource quality and many factors changing what the final product is.
Fallen Earth when I was in alpha-beta was insane on CPU use. It will totally eat your cpu unless you have a high end gaming system, and the graphics do not look good enough in my opinion to warrant such preformance hits. My comp runs Conan with settings max, or near max (dx9) and FE gave me a constant 10 FPS NO MATTER what settings I changed. No shadows all low=10fps. All settings max high res =10 fps. FE simply did not like my comp.
SWG has actually improved a ton since they broke it with NGE. Class balance is better now then ever. All classes can be effective, and many old mixes from pre cu can be mimicked with expertise. There are many options.
I was disappointed with Fallen Earth. It's combat is meh.....It's also very laggy. Lag + FPS = bad
SWG is still my MMO (with EVE on the side). It has improved MUCH more then forum warriors give credit. SWG is still the best sandbox out there. Many ways it is really better then pre cu now (and I am a initial NGE hater like the rest). No longer is combat about who has the uber mind dot. Every class can be effective. Crafting is the best out of any MMO hands down. SWG also has more non-combat options then others. Entertainers. crafters. Player cities. Shoot just decorating your house can be fun.
Oh boy. You played the alpha-beta. Please do not post about it- it is over. Last week´s patch helped a lot on CPU usage, it is not getting over 60% on my laptops P8400 with only 2,26 Ghz. Play the game now, and post your experiences after, but do not judge based on alpha.
BTW I am getting 30-60 FPS outside of towns and in insances (V-Sync ON), and about 25-35 in towns. Only the major towns in S1 are lagging.
Fallen Earth Combat feels more like initial NGE's no auto target. A FPS MMO is a horrid idea imo with all the lag. SWG learned this and returned auto target.
It's crafting is ok, but when you make a saber, it is EXACTLY like every other saber crafted. SWG has a much better crafting system with rescource quality and many factors changing what the final product is.
Fallen Earth when I was in alpha-beta was insane on CPU use. It will totally eat your cpu unless you have a high end gaming system, and the graphics do not look good enough in my opinion to warrant such preformance hits. My comp runs Conan with settings max, or near max (dx9) and FE gave me a constant 10 FPS NO MATTER what settings I changed. No shadows all low=10fps. All settings max high res =10 fps. FE simply did not like my comp.
SWG has actually improved a ton since they broke it with NGE. Class balance is better now then ever. All classes can be effective, and many old mixes from pre cu can be mimicked with expertise. There are many options.
I was disappointed with Fallen Earth. It's combat is meh.....It's also very laggy. Lag + FPS = bad
SWG is still my MMO (with EVE on the side). It has improved MUCH more then forum warriors give credit. SWG is still the best sandbox out there. Many ways it is really better then pre cu now (and I am a initial NGE hater like the rest). No longer is combat about who has the uber mind dot. Every class can be effective. Crafting is the best out of any MMO hands down. SWG also has more non-combat options then others. Entertainers. crafters. Player cities. Shoot just decorating your house can be fun.
No.
The NGE was a hack job on top of a framework that did not, and never was designed for a FPS like combat system. This is why the NGE combat sucked, and still to this day, is a hackjob full of bugs. The reasion SWG gave back targeting, because the NGE hack job combat was a failure.
The fallen earth system was designed from the ground up, day one, to be this, and it works just fine. Your FPS issues are from beta, the game has come very far from then.
Apparently you will be classified as a WoW type of gamer, that isn't a insult, its the truth.
Most players that dropped a lot of time in WoW or its CLONES will not understand or like Fallen Earth at all.
Fallen Earth game mechanics will attract mmo gamers that are into skill based and sandbox sytle gaming and not so much themepark.
Don't kick yourself, not everyone has to like FE and thats why we got hundreds of other mmo titles and styles to choose from.
But I will bet you get more of the younger kids in themeparks than you will sandbox, since we do live in a console game era.
Todays kids that are born in the late 80's, 90s+ kids just love simplicity in their games.
However I am not trying to be bias on age since we even got players 40+ that think WoW is the ultimate game they ever played and have never tried another mmo in their life (more like parents of kids around this age can get hooked on WoW as well, due to its simplicity).
This game sound interesting, i'll be sure to give it a try soon. I love the theme, and the concepts, plus being able to craft while away is a major bonus.
I wish my computer had the guts to handle this game... I'm looking forward to playing it sometime! I actually just got done watching the series "Jeremiah" seasons 1 & 2 (not the best but it was pretty good, along similar concepts)
Agree this game is a complete failure, as i'm an open worlds and sandbox games fan, i bought this game immediatly. It's one of the worst video game I bought i my life.
Facts: FE is not a sandbox game but a very mediocre THEME PARK , quest based mmo. If people think it's the new UO or SWG, they are completely WRONG (I was too, so i bought the game). FE is a cheap mmo and a theme park mmo. Quests are repetitive and boring, UI is horrible, graphisms are outdated... but price is high...
If you 're looking for GOOD craft take SWG or Vanguard.
If you're looking for nice quests take EQ2 or Lotro.
But forget FE.
It seems viable in theory, but since I've never seen it actually work well in an MMO, I'm inclined to agree. FE's horrid combat certainly supports the argument against it. I feel like maybe if they were more creative with it, they could come up with some sort of compromise, but the devs seem to feel its fine the way it is.
This is why FE doesn't even come close to comparing to a game like SWG, and why I don't consider it a truly craft-centric game. Yes, crafting is a big part of it, but it's so monotonously simple. You make the same stuff every other crafter makes. No customization, variation of stats, not based on differences of skill, or materials, or even just craft window options. Plus, it's not really viable to just play a specialized crafter, since you can't specialize, you'd be wasting a ton of AP, and crafting isn't an activity in itself, just something the game does in the background while you grind mobs/quests.
It's nothing like SWG, IMHO.
Oddly nuff, as a gammer who tends to solo alot in mmorpg's I'am finding the classless system employed in this game to be the show stopper for me. I luv the crafting system, not huge fan of the hours spent looting, And it does have that old school SWG game feel.. But Already I'am finding it a bore.. Again goes back to the classless system. I never relized how much I need to have a definded role in a group setting.. I find grouping in this game next to useless really.. If I got a tuff quest, simple hold on to it till I am overpowered later.. As for ranged combat.. With lag its at best annoying.. I'd liked to see them employ the old SWG combat query system they used.. But thats just me.. Yeah defently on the fence about renewing for this game.. Simply put without a role to fill in terms of developing a toon, I find it all pointless...
Solid first impression Joe, very well done. You probably haven't played many open classes MMO in your experience but for those that have, it's a much more fun system and don't worry, you'll still see the cookie cutter pure damage template and etc. A little bit like EVE, my character is a pure DPS machine with maxed out flight skills.
Played the open beta. Couldn't get past the stupidity of having to continually shoot someone with a gun to kill them. It's a gun...it puts holes in people, but I have to keep shooting and shooting to kill anything, even with headshots.
This will be a problem with Sci-Fi MMOs - they have to deal with the realism aspect somehow.
The sheer volume of people joining this game says it all. I was running around Oilville (sp.?) and you'd think the rolling stones were in town. You can see the population growing day to day. This game is red hot and for good reasons. It's innovative.
I don't see the problem with cross faction guilds. If you want to make a guild exclusive to a faction, then do it! I don't agree with complaining about something you have full control over. If someone wants to make a free for all guild full of "warm bodies," then what concern is it of yours?
Lastly, When you find yourself on a "killing X number of X mob" quests, and there are a half a dozen other players in the area, GROUP UP PEOPLE! Everyone gets the quests done quicker and you might actually meet someone and have the feeling your playing a MMO.
When new players join a game like this they tend to give crafting a try. If it's something they enjoy, they get into it. If not, they just stop. Star Wars Galaxies was heavily crafting based back in the day, and while there were quite a lot of crafters, there were few that were any good at it. Most didn't even bother with it. The people who really take the time to master it and create connections with other players who tend to focus on resource gathering, will end up being the best. In SWG there were always a handful of people who made the best items, and they were well known. This game has the same potential.
I'm personally hoping that when they figure out player housing, they will create a vendor system so people can open up shops.
Reading all those comments you'd start to think this game has been out couple of years but that obviously isn't the case. I would think you'd at least give developers some slack and see how it progresses . Comparisons with other MMO's - which have been out for years and were nowhere near polished in terms of balance or design at release either - aren't very relaistic.Even a comparison with Aion falls flat as that one has been released in Asia a year ago , so it isn't a new release as such .
Amazing. Isn't it. I mean, its totally different that slashing at something for 10 minutes with a sword.
Amazing. Isn't it. I mean, its totally different that slashing at something for 10 minutes with a sword.
Or nailing them every 3 seconds with Fireball rank 3 for the entire 20 minute fight :P
This is one of the things I never figured out about MMO's and the communities that play them.
WHY let me repeat WHY do MMO players feel it is a must to horseshoe themselves into a "template" of what is "good" or "acceptable".
Reading this in the first impression peice is actually the only thing I read that made me WANT to play it. The ability to go down my own path, without being told or lead into a set path.
I forsee this going like FFXI soon where people are like "nah you dont have such and such skill combined with this and that so you aren't coming, you template is jacked up!".
This ruins games, I am sure the dev made the skill training this way for a reason. To try and prevent the above scenario. Which sadly enough, is exactly what it will lead to.
This is one of the things I never figured out about MMO's and the communities that play them.
WHY let me repeat WHY do MMO players feel it is a must to horseshoe themselves into a "template" of what is "good" or "acceptable".
Reading this in the first impression peice is actually the only thing I read that made me WANT to play it. The ability to go down my own path, without being told or lead into a set path.
I forsee this going like FFXI soon where people are like "nah you dont have such and such skill combined with this and that so you aren't coming, you template is jacked up!".
This ruins games, I am sure the dev made the skill training this way for a reason. To try and prevent the above scenario. Which sadly enough, is exactly what it will lead to.
Because video games are played as a form of entertainment.
Also, the guides are there as, guides, not a must.
Nice Article.
I am not really in to the "post Apocalyptic" setting, however I was delignted to learn about Fallen Earth's character progression system.
I think it is great when the Industry revisits this initial approach of a Skill based System, like UO, (and I am not referring to the Twitch part) rather than a class based system, like EQ.
We have had some many games with Class based systems that culminated to WoW perfecting the EQ formula to its fullest i really do not think anyone can outdo it without changing the approach, and using an even older than EQ paradigm is maybe the solution, UO is still going after 12 years lets not forget.
Because video games are played as a form of entertainment.
Also, the guides are there as, guides, not a must.
Yeah, but I believe it's a bit more fulfilling when you are actually engaged with your entertainment, instead of being mindlessly connected to the 'fireball' hotkey. If you want to completely turn your brain off while being entertained, well, there's stuff like action movies or pop music or whatever. Which isn't bad at all - I just think that videogames, due to their interactive medium, should be quite engaging.
But you're right about guides being just that. I guess I just wanted to post. Sorry :P
I have been playing FE since about the beginning of October. I bought my copy directly from the FE website so I could start with the LE ATV. I have to say that this is the first game I have ever played that sucked me into it so completely that I actually took a week off from work just to explore the game. I keep finding new little surprises that I never would have thought about with the FPS combat system. I finally got my character to a level where I could use a rifle. I will say that while it is great to be able to snipe a mob from a long distance. Be sure that your target is not near any other potential targets. Unlike other MMOs, a missed shot in this one can hit other mobs and if you start to panic you could end up with 3, 4, or even 5 mobs all chasing you down, and some of those mobs also carry ranged weapons. You also need to be ready to switch weapons during combat. I didn't realize at first that while you are using a ranged weapon, you have a reduced melee defense. When mobs reach melee range, if they have a significant amount of life left, be ready to switch to a melee weapon. Even if you suck at melee, it is better than getting trashed in 2 to 3 hits.
Well, my impression on the crafting is that I like it. I like that if you find items and don't have a use for them, you can "salvage" them and recover some of the components that are used to craft the item. While you can and sometimes must find a workshop for your crafting, most of it can be done in the field with the proper kit. You also do not have to stand around and wait for the completion of your crafting in most cases. You can also que up to 20 items to craft that will continue after you have logged off.
IMO This game is a breath of fresh air that I have been waiting a long time for. I would recommend this game to any and all my friends.