We're looking for new writers to join us!

Fallen Earth's development gets a 1-up

by: Sean Colleli -
More On: Fallen Earth
There aren't many post apocalyptic MMOs out there, what with all the elves and magic and fantasy crafting worlds of war.  Icarus Studios is working to change that with Fallen Earth, and they just hit a development milestone.  They're busy improving the graphics for a richer overall appearance, and have recently remodeled several of the meshes and added new textures.  A number of new gameplay elements have been added as well, and the core MMO mechanics are now running smoothly.  All in all it looks like Fallen Earth is moving along at a good clip, although the release doesn't give a release date for a final build or a beta.  I guess it's one of those "when it's done" deals, which seems more appropriate for an MMO.

MMOG FALLEN EARTH ACHIEVES MAJOR DEVELOPMENT MILESTONE

 

CARY, NC – JUNE 19, 2008 -- Fallen Earth, a post apocalyptic MMOG in development using the Icarus Studios Tools Suite platform, today announced it is has reached the Alpha milestone and is now “feature complete.” 

 

Over the past six months, the Fallen Earth team has implemented new production processes which has allowed for improved product quality and a streamlined development schedule.   

 

Colin Dwan, who was promoted from Lead Engineer to Project Manager, said, “Fallen Earth has great technology and tons of content, but we needed to put a stake in the ground about all the features that were absolutely necessary to ship with.  Now that we’ve finalized that long list, we’ve been able to spend all of our time making those features really fun.”

 

The Fallen Earth Art Department focused on an in-depth upgrading of the game’s overall appearance, improving textures, animations, and enriching the overall “look” of the game.  Human models have been completely revamped, and newly added creatures include giant genetically engineered super soldiers and vicious killer fungi.  Volumetric fog has been added and many towns have been completely rebuilt to take advantage of new building models and ecosystem options. 

 

The Fallen Earth team has created a variety of new vehicle models from muscle cars to motorcycles to ATVs.  They have also enhanced the vehicle combat system using the same basis as player-based combat so players will be able to attack from their vehicles, be it with pistols from a motorcycle or dual-mounted machine guns from a muscle car.

 

The core functionality players expect from an MMO, such as raids, clans, auction house, and a mail system, are now up and running in Fallen Earth.  Players can combine their efforts in raids of up to four groups or thirty-two players, allowing them to tackle larger threats and compete more effectively in PvP activities.  Clans allow players to form large social groups with a number of different ranks, each with its own configurable name and permission list.  The auction house system allows players to sell goods to each other with ease, and to search the auction house for items needed for a specific recipe.   The mail system enables players to easily stay in contact and trade goods among themselves through the vigilant efforts the Franklin’s Riders, the postal service within Fallen Earth.

 

About Fallen Earth

 

Fallen Earth is a post-apocalyptic massively multiplayer online game that mixes first person shooter and role playing game style mechanics.  The game is set in 2156, one hundred years after the world is brought low by a plague known as Shiva that killed 99% of the population.  The game takes place in and around the Grand Canyon, one of the few habitable places left on Earth, which makes it a place many are willing to kill to control.  Our world is one where mankind teeters on the edge of extinction, clinging to the bones of the old world while trying to recover their lost secrets. It's a world of scavengers and desperation.  The players are those who choose to rise above the hardships of this new world and work towards a better world, or decide the old world was corrupt and all signs of it must be erased completely. 

 

 

 

For more information, players and fans can visit www.fallenearth.com.