New MMOs ahoy!

Brother None

This ghoul has seen it all
Orderite
Some words from MMOs and their expansions. Apocalypse Online, a free PA MMO that launched at some date (can't figure out when) but that we never covered is getting expanded:<blockquote>New awesome stuff is going on behind the curtains on Sansoft, we're working on a bigger release then ever! We are going to open a spanking ammount of 6 new zones including two major fortifications, a bunch of secret locations, tons of new cool music and alot of awesome new missions! So stick around for the release and sign up on the forums to partake in the events that will follow the startup!</blockquote>Probably a less free PA MMO will be the recently announcedEarthrise.<blockquote>Earthrise is a post apocalyptic science fiction MMORPG set in the distant future.

In the aftermath of the Third World War, mankind has managed to survive and build a new society: the prosperous city of Sal Vitas. Cloning, nanotechnology and quantum engineering are part of a new reality. Thanks to these technological advances, the human species has become immortal; each individual’s consciousness is stored in a data vault, ready to be uploaded into a cloned body as necessary. New energy sources have been discovered. There is a unified government that takes good care of those citizens who abide by its strict laws. Paradise, it appears, might really have come to Earth, and the people have embraced it.

But not everything is as perfect as it appears. By exercising full control over the cloning process, Sal Vitas' government decides who will live and who will not, playing the role of God on Earth. Insurgent forces have accused the city's rulers of crimes against humanity. Armed factions fight for resources and power within the new system. And from the waves of discontent, a rebellion has fomented and formed a shadow government: Noir.

Featuring a unique skill-based advancement system and player-driven economy, as well as extensive, meaningful player-vs.-player combat, Earthrise gives you innumerable choices to forge your destiny. Whether you're a noble soldier in the raging conflict between the Utopia and the rebellion, a criminal hiding from the law or a world-renowned engineer whose power extends into intricate trade and politics, your actions will echo throughout the game world.</blockquote>Thanks Mobius and slamelov.
 
earthrise said:
Is there magic in Earthrise?
Not in the form fantasy games use it. There will be some effects similar to magic, but they will have a more scientific origin. Of course, "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"

How many times have developers used that excuse?

Instead of fireballs from Chi it will be from a "advanced technological glove"
 
Serbaside said:
earthrise said:
Is there magic in Earthrise?
Not in the form fantasy games use it. There will be some effects similar to magic, but they will have a more scientific origin. Of course, "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"

How many times have developers used that excuse?

Instead of fireballs from Chi it will be from a "advanced technological glove"
They are not stupid, they just see it that way. You know, like the tribals in Fallout 2 talking about the warriors and their evil fire and all. Just like tribals.

In MY eyes, magic might be seen as PART of science. Of course, then it wouldn't be magic anymore, but, you know, back to the tribal's perspective and you've got magic again ;)
 
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that the overwhelming majority of present day humanity has no idea how most modern technology operates or is manufactured. Whether this is through willful ignorance or lack of educational opportunity it is true. A computer is a magic box that you just put electricity in and a faster one with more memory is better. A stealth plane is stealthy because it's black and a fighter jet is fast because it has jets. And a hoverboard would totally work if scientists would just work harder on it and the oil companies weren't holding back the technology. For them technology might as well be magic.
 
Am I the only one who can't read a thing on the Apocalypse Online site as everything is simply too dark?...
 
Earthrise it's worth a look when it's out.
This only skill progression and vast gameplay always fascinates me in mmorpg.
Only SWG 1.0 got me for 3 months, sniper and creature handler was really fun.
 
TheSHEEEP said:
Am I the only one who can't read a thing on the Apocalypse Online site as everything is simply too dark?...

No you are not. The text is dark gray on black.

This may be bad, IE-specific HTML coding, as posters on their forums say it's dark gray on white for them. I got this unreadable result on Firefox.

Has anybody who actually played the game seen problems with the graphics?
 
Sadly, Earthrise appears to be a non-starter as a Fallout

Despite the cool backstory, the game mechanics look extremely like a port of EVE to the ground. The other hyped features also suggest a similar world model, where PvP is the entire point of everything in the game, new players are primarily a source of meat for established players to abuse if they venture in to the wastelands without first indenturing themselves to other established players for protection, etc.

They even mention "blueprints", and hype that skills are gained in real-world time, just like EVE.

Bottom line is, if you like EVE it sounds like Earthrise will be your cup of tea. If you want stories, background, flavor, and something other to do than gank or be ganked, I don't have much hope.


On the good side, no *developer* has responded to the thread I posted there, only forum-goers. So it's possible they do have a design in mind to reduce the affect of the way Sturgeon's Law applies to people playing MMOs.
 
weregamer1 said:
Er... I get where you're coming from with the skill progression sounding similar to EVE Online (although even that is only a one sentence description, the actual mechanics of it are yet to be revealed), but I really don't see where you're coming from saying it's obviously going to be pretty much exactly the same. Try not to assume so much from some pretty general descriptions.

I do hope it's not like EVE though, with nothing much to do if you don't get involved a corporation that PvPs.

Edit: Oh, and kindly don't double-post. There's an edit button to the upper-right.
 
Morbus said:
Serbaside said:
earthrise said:
Is there magic in Earthrise?
Not in the form fantasy games use it. There will be some effects similar to magic, but they will have a more scientific origin. Of course, "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"

How many times have developers used that excuse?

Instead of fireballs from Chi it will be from a "advanced technological glove"
They are not stupid, they just see it that way. You know, like the tribals in Fallout 2 talking about the warriors and their evil fire and all. Just like tribals.

In MY eyes, magic might be seen as PART of science. Of course, then it wouldn't be magic anymore, but, you know, back to the tribal's perspective and you've got magic again ;)

Normally though these PA + magik settings are really all that PA at all, they usually have things like castles and flaming swords and mounts. What they're really trying to make is a fantasy MMOG but call it PA since it's the trend of the month.
 
Last time I checked... castles and mounts weren't magic... Yeah, you're probably right, they just have no imagination or a mind of their own for these things...
 
Back
Top