Kavadas
Mon 10 Nov 2008, 1135, Mon 10 Nov 2008
SniperX: First of all I would like to ask you about the idea of Earthrise, why post-nuclear Sci-Fi?
Atanas Atanasov: The Sci-fi MMO genre is clearly underdeveloped. There is a lot of room for innovation and expansion and we wanted to be part of that process. We wanted to make a game which is both fictional and holds the possibility of happening. Cloning, nanobotics and lasers are already a reality – we upgraded those concepts and connected them with the lives of the future human.
SniperX: Can you tell us about the storyline behind the Earthrise? We all know that it is after the Third World War, could you bring us more details?
Atanas Atanasov: The story of Earthrise takes place several hundred years from now on the island of Enterra. It is just after the end of the Third World War and among the only fortunate survivors were those who were part of the Continoma project, a new technology developed by a corporation bearing the same name, which provided a way to preserve the human consciousness and clone an exact replica of a person. With immortality at their fingertips, confidence of a bright future grew but there is always room for error. The leaders of Continoma used their control of the cloning process, playing God on Earth, and introduce a dictatorship on the paradise island. After growing tired of Continoma’s unyielding control, a resistance called Noir formed on the island in an effort to fight to overthrow the government and change the political regime.
Players will enter the game shortly after these events and will be tasked with deciding who will rule the island – the order in the face of Continoma or the chaos in the face of Noir. If unable to decide, there are always the neutrals and criminals who are fighting for their own interest which players can choose to side with.
SniperX: The screenshots of the game look really awesome, have you created the engine from the beginning? What requirements will Earthrise have?
Atanas Atanasov: We are developing our own engine from scratch and the screenshots are the result of three years hard work. There is much more to be done and the final game will look even better.
The minimum requirements are 2 GHz CPU, 1024 MB RAM and 256 MB VRAM video card supporting shader model v3.0.
SniperX: The game will be released on PC, but plenty new MMO games will be also released on Playstation 3 or Xbox360; do you have any plans of releasing Earthrise on other platforms?
Atanas Atanasov: We are developing Earthrise for PC and don’t have plans for the time being to release on Playstation or Xbox. The game design is made under consideration that Earthrise will be developed for PC only. If we want to expand the platforms, we will need some time and resources to do that, but our current focus is to deliver the game on time with the promised features.
SniperX: The samples of music from Earthrise are very nice, Shifts and Tides is my favorite – will we hear something similar to those samples in Earthrise? It’s definitely different from common MMO game soundtracks.
Atanas Atanasov: Thank you! From the very beginning of the Earthrise development we wanted to have a soundtrack that reflects the futuristic, post-apocalyptic feeling. Most of the music will be similar to what you have heard and we will release some new tracks for listening in the near future.
SniperX: Let us talk now more about game mechanics, what kind of PvP do you plan to implant in Earthrise? Will it be more like Free-For-All, Faction PvP or Guild-Based PvP?
Atanas Atanasov: Of all options listed above all three describe best the PvP gameplay in Earthrise. Players will be able to find Free-For-All PvP action in every low or non-secure zone on the Enterra island, with the possibility of fully or partially looting their opponent's inventory and equipment. If they decide to bring the action in highly secure zones however, it becomes a Faction PvP where the only way to get away with murder is to take on characters of opposing Factions. Finally, a sizable portion of the game world is dedicated to Guild-Based PvP (or GvG as we call it) where Guilds will strive to conquer land to build their own bases and extract valuable resources from them, while other Guilds scheme to take over their opponents. None of these mechanics are secondary to the others; they all come up together as an integral hole.
SniperX: Guys from Blizzard implanted in their title modes from FPS Games, Capture the Flag, Domination and Assault. What do you think of this move? Do you plan do same those modes to Earthrise? Or add new modes based on other FPS Games like Counter-Strike?
Atanas Atanasov: Bringing new modes of gameplay based on popular games is a great idea, but before we reach out and start implementing ideas and gameplay modes from other games and genres, we ask ourselves what would that feature do to integrity. Earthrise has a serious, realistic atmosphere and all gameplay features are designed to contribute to a cutthroat military and economic competition in a post-apocalyptic environment. Many gameplay modes from other genres are very well suited for closed environments, such as instanced locations, but would not add much in a persistent world environment. We are implementing gameplay that benefits a persistent world first, that is our priority.
SniperX: How does advancement work?
Atanas Atanasov: Players will advance through fighting whatever dangers the post-apocalyptic island poses against them, manufacturing goods to benefit themselves, their guild or the whole economy, and by diligently pursuing their offline career. Of course, one of those cannot complement the others - in fact, Earthrise will have three different pools of experience that the players can accumulate to develop their characters. Each of them will allow them to become a better fighter, a better manufacturer or attain an influential position in the corporate ladder.
SniperX: Plenty of players started RP in MMO games, what tools will you give players who want to create RP Events?
Atanas Atanasov: Probably the best motivation for roleplaying in Earthrise is the sandbox environment where players are free to choose their character's destiny and direction - whether it is military, economic or political - with their own actions, not just follow a carrot-on-a-stick promise of heroism through straighforward PvE questing. When facing real decisions and real consequences, players tend to immerse deeper with their virtual identity. That is not to say we won't offer RP events after launch, but it means that the best RP is where players can define themselves with their actions and gain influence and power above others, and our PvP and GvG gameplay is all about that.
SniperX: Most MMO games force players to increase the level of their character; will Earthrise also demand that players increase their level to become great craftsman? Or will it allow players to skip the fight and do crafting only if he prefers it that way?
Atanas Atanasov: Crafting skills are different from fighting skills and there are no player levels in Earthrise. Players will not feel the necessity to fight if they don’t want to fight. Those who like crafting can do that in the secure areas where they can trade with resources, craft and sell their finished product on the market.
SniperX: Are you planning to create Instance Raids? Or maybe something new for the end-game content?
Atanas Atanasov: We have some great ideas for our end-game content, but it is too early to give away most of that. We would like to address an issue with Instancing and note that Earthrise is a persistent world and our priority is to offer players more world-shattering opponents to face and overcome in a group, rather than multiple closed environments where only a couple of players are allowed at once.
SniperX: How big will the world be?
Atanas Atanasov: The world will be bigger than most popular MMOs, but not as big as to feel empty. We want to create a lively environment with numerous exciting locations to visit. I also think that the world size isn’t nearly as important as what you can do there.
SniperX: I know you hate that question, but I promise this will be last question for now, when will we be able to play in Earthrise?
Atanas Atanasov: I don’t hate the question because it is the most important question of all and needs to be answered. We plan to enter beta in Autumn this year. The more we advance into development the more players will be able to beta test Earthrise. The game should be completed some time next year, but it will not be Q1. Please, be patient, we are all players and know how it feels to wait for a game that has caught your attention, but we don’t want to deliver an unfinished product.
Original Link (http://mmozin.pl/zin/numery/EZinNr1/earthriseinterview.html)
Atanas Atanasov: The Sci-fi MMO genre is clearly underdeveloped. There is a lot of room for innovation and expansion and we wanted to be part of that process. We wanted to make a game which is both fictional and holds the possibility of happening. Cloning, nanobotics and lasers are already a reality – we upgraded those concepts and connected them with the lives of the future human.
SniperX: Can you tell us about the storyline behind the Earthrise? We all know that it is after the Third World War, could you bring us more details?
Atanas Atanasov: The story of Earthrise takes place several hundred years from now on the island of Enterra. It is just after the end of the Third World War and among the only fortunate survivors were those who were part of the Continoma project, a new technology developed by a corporation bearing the same name, which provided a way to preserve the human consciousness and clone an exact replica of a person. With immortality at their fingertips, confidence of a bright future grew but there is always room for error. The leaders of Continoma used their control of the cloning process, playing God on Earth, and introduce a dictatorship on the paradise island. After growing tired of Continoma’s unyielding control, a resistance called Noir formed on the island in an effort to fight to overthrow the government and change the political regime.
Players will enter the game shortly after these events and will be tasked with deciding who will rule the island – the order in the face of Continoma or the chaos in the face of Noir. If unable to decide, there are always the neutrals and criminals who are fighting for their own interest which players can choose to side with.
SniperX: The screenshots of the game look really awesome, have you created the engine from the beginning? What requirements will Earthrise have?
Atanas Atanasov: We are developing our own engine from scratch and the screenshots are the result of three years hard work. There is much more to be done and the final game will look even better.
The minimum requirements are 2 GHz CPU, 1024 MB RAM and 256 MB VRAM video card supporting shader model v3.0.
SniperX: The game will be released on PC, but plenty new MMO games will be also released on Playstation 3 or Xbox360; do you have any plans of releasing Earthrise on other platforms?
Atanas Atanasov: We are developing Earthrise for PC and don’t have plans for the time being to release on Playstation or Xbox. The game design is made under consideration that Earthrise will be developed for PC only. If we want to expand the platforms, we will need some time and resources to do that, but our current focus is to deliver the game on time with the promised features.
SniperX: The samples of music from Earthrise are very nice, Shifts and Tides is my favorite – will we hear something similar to those samples in Earthrise? It’s definitely different from common MMO game soundtracks.
Atanas Atanasov: Thank you! From the very beginning of the Earthrise development we wanted to have a soundtrack that reflects the futuristic, post-apocalyptic feeling. Most of the music will be similar to what you have heard and we will release some new tracks for listening in the near future.
SniperX: Let us talk now more about game mechanics, what kind of PvP do you plan to implant in Earthrise? Will it be more like Free-For-All, Faction PvP or Guild-Based PvP?
Atanas Atanasov: Of all options listed above all three describe best the PvP gameplay in Earthrise. Players will be able to find Free-For-All PvP action in every low or non-secure zone on the Enterra island, with the possibility of fully or partially looting their opponent's inventory and equipment. If they decide to bring the action in highly secure zones however, it becomes a Faction PvP where the only way to get away with murder is to take on characters of opposing Factions. Finally, a sizable portion of the game world is dedicated to Guild-Based PvP (or GvG as we call it) where Guilds will strive to conquer land to build their own bases and extract valuable resources from them, while other Guilds scheme to take over their opponents. None of these mechanics are secondary to the others; they all come up together as an integral hole.
SniperX: Guys from Blizzard implanted in their title modes from FPS Games, Capture the Flag, Domination and Assault. What do you think of this move? Do you plan do same those modes to Earthrise? Or add new modes based on other FPS Games like Counter-Strike?
Atanas Atanasov: Bringing new modes of gameplay based on popular games is a great idea, but before we reach out and start implementing ideas and gameplay modes from other games and genres, we ask ourselves what would that feature do to integrity. Earthrise has a serious, realistic atmosphere and all gameplay features are designed to contribute to a cutthroat military and economic competition in a post-apocalyptic environment. Many gameplay modes from other genres are very well suited for closed environments, such as instanced locations, but would not add much in a persistent world environment. We are implementing gameplay that benefits a persistent world first, that is our priority.
SniperX: How does advancement work?
Atanas Atanasov: Players will advance through fighting whatever dangers the post-apocalyptic island poses against them, manufacturing goods to benefit themselves, their guild or the whole economy, and by diligently pursuing their offline career. Of course, one of those cannot complement the others - in fact, Earthrise will have three different pools of experience that the players can accumulate to develop their characters. Each of them will allow them to become a better fighter, a better manufacturer or attain an influential position in the corporate ladder.
SniperX: Plenty of players started RP in MMO games, what tools will you give players who want to create RP Events?
Atanas Atanasov: Probably the best motivation for roleplaying in Earthrise is the sandbox environment where players are free to choose their character's destiny and direction - whether it is military, economic or political - with their own actions, not just follow a carrot-on-a-stick promise of heroism through straighforward PvE questing. When facing real decisions and real consequences, players tend to immerse deeper with their virtual identity. That is not to say we won't offer RP events after launch, but it means that the best RP is where players can define themselves with their actions and gain influence and power above others, and our PvP and GvG gameplay is all about that.
SniperX: Most MMO games force players to increase the level of their character; will Earthrise also demand that players increase their level to become great craftsman? Or will it allow players to skip the fight and do crafting only if he prefers it that way?
Atanas Atanasov: Crafting skills are different from fighting skills and there are no player levels in Earthrise. Players will not feel the necessity to fight if they don’t want to fight. Those who like crafting can do that in the secure areas where they can trade with resources, craft and sell their finished product on the market.
SniperX: Are you planning to create Instance Raids? Or maybe something new for the end-game content?
Atanas Atanasov: We have some great ideas for our end-game content, but it is too early to give away most of that. We would like to address an issue with Instancing and note that Earthrise is a persistent world and our priority is to offer players more world-shattering opponents to face and overcome in a group, rather than multiple closed environments where only a couple of players are allowed at once.
SniperX: How big will the world be?
Atanas Atanasov: The world will be bigger than most popular MMOs, but not as big as to feel empty. We want to create a lively environment with numerous exciting locations to visit. I also think that the world size isn’t nearly as important as what you can do there.
SniperX: I know you hate that question, but I promise this will be last question for now, when will we be able to play in Earthrise?
Atanas Atanasov: I don’t hate the question because it is the most important question of all and needs to be answered. We plan to enter beta in Autumn this year. The more we advance into development the more players will be able to beta test Earthrise. The game should be completed some time next year, but it will not be Q1. Please, be patient, we are all players and know how it feels to wait for a game that has caught your attention, but we don’t want to deliver an unfinished product.
Original Link (http://mmozin.pl/zin/numery/EZinNr1/earthriseinterview.html)