Information from email sent out October 8th, 2020.
Update! Next Demo and Current Tasks.
We had an impromptu Chief Chat last week (don't worry, no raffles were held if you missed it) where we discussed the next demo and what we're working towards.
Our next big goal is to get our database backend up and running and to connect it to some custom Unreal Engine code for saving and retreiving data. What all this means is that players will be able to save their progress as they play through the pre-alpha mockups, just like a real MMO.
What kind of progress, you ask?
The next demo will feature resources! This means resources spawning in the demo map, and players being able to SCAN and MINE those resources. Like the old Firefall Scan-Hammer, Em8ER features a resource scanning "ping" that reaches out from a spike the Omniframe slams into the ground with it's fist and returns the location of nearby resources. Resources will have rarity as well as quality, and spawn completely dynamically. You will be able to call down a THMPR mining Mek-A and have it start retrieving those resources! Your progress will be saved, and you will be able to pull up a report of what resources you have mined and their qualities!
This means we are getting much closer to Kickstarter.
After resources, adding actual enemy activity that fights against you is the one of the final steps to finishing the playable mockup. What you can expect after this is addition of enemy waves, back and forth combat, and the mini-boss encounter with the mini-Kaiju vs THMPR battle.
What happens after the demo is functionally complete?
In addition to the playable mockup, the Kickstarter trailer must be created. This includes scenes of the game not yet completed, but mocked up in Unreal Engine. Scenes such as Kaiju Prime(s) to hunt (HUGE), base-building, and simulated invasion with many, many Tsi-Hu will be featured. We've already been working on assets for this trailer, such as Crodus and our character creator, and this is what we've been working on in addition to the demos. You can also expect a full graphics, "Beauty-Pass" on all assets for the demo which will be unveiled right when the Kickstarter begins.
How's the music coming along? I heard Aero will be a voice in the game?
Michael Bross, the original composer from Firefall, will be composing for Em-8ER. Michael will be spinning his composing skills back up as we near the encounter stage of the demo. He is excited and ready to hop in! Also, voice actress Laura Post (voice of Aero in Firefall) is also ready to lend some lines to the demo. Not only will she be providing an exclusive OP-AI voice pack to eligible backers, but we are also creating a special role for her in the game so you will get to hear a lot more from her!
How much longer will newcomer packs be available?
Newcomer Packs will be on sale until 30 days before the Kickstarter, then they are gone forever. We will give plenty of advance notice of when this is coming, but for now they are still available, and PayPal has been added as an officially supported payment method for packs (but not for subscriptions).
What's happening with the Em-8ER novel and New Skins?
This month's skin is an assault rifle for the medium Omniframe, which you can see (and signup for) via our monthly patron program here! If you sign up now, you will get BOTH the assult skin as well as the new, very special and unique skin by CuteSexyRobutts that will debut on the 15th with a NEW LORE DROP.
Lore Drop!?!
It has been some time since our last Lore Drop, but this new skin was so special we decided to write one up! Nethril is a new team member who is both editing our novel and tabletop rules, as well as contributing to the writing and lore of Em-8ER. He's written a blurb and a short story to go along with the new skin to be revealed on the 15th! The Lore Drop will be availble to everyone, and will be posted to the forums. Also, a new chapter from the novel is ready to be released on the 15th along with this new skin for Montly Patrons. This chapter will add lore behind one of our previous skins, the red-headed engineer, Darla!
Support our development! Lots of stuff in the works!
We need your support. As we near the home stretch for the playable mockup, we are doing more, overdelivering, and getting an absolutely amazing trailer together for Kickstarter! Thanks to your generious support we have upgraded our demo to full on 100 player multiplayer (it was going to be single player only!), launched servers across the world, created a database back-end for persistent gameplay, fully licensed a professional sound engine, created concepts for light, medium and heavy frames (to be revealed soon!), greatly improved our character models (Firefall vs our newly re-textured V2 Geesuit models to be revealed soon!), and much more! This is what we need to stay competitive in today's tough market for Kickstarters, but we are ready thanks to your help!
Become a Newcomer today while you still can!
We have over 25,000 Em-8ER community members, but only a fraction of you are playing the game! We have had many generous patrons who have made these demos possible. If you haven't become a montly patron or newcomer backer, please check out the exclusive rewards that will only be available to pre-KS backers here! They are upgradable at any time, so you can purchase at an entry level and upgrade when you feel like it. These packs will not be available later! If you've wanted to snag a founder's special edition dropship, now is the time! Get immediate access to our server and dev builds today. Monthly patrons can also subscribe here and get access to: - Monthly rare skins - Developer builds (one version older than Newcomer backers) - Draft Tabletop rules for Gatestriders, the Space Opera RPG - Draft chapters of the Em-8ER novel series - Updates to the vision book that describe the upcoming gameplay systems for Em-8ER! - Exclusive access to a private area of the forums
Thanks again and see you in the next demo! We'll be scanning and mining and more, oh my!
Update! Next Demo and Current Tasks.
We had an impromptu Chief Chat last week (don't worry, no raffles were held if you missed it) where we discussed the next demo and what we're working towards.
Our next big goal is to get our database backend up and running and to connect it to some custom Unreal Engine code for saving and retreiving data. What all this means is that players will be able to save their progress as they play through the pre-alpha mockups, just like a real MMO.
What kind of progress, you ask?
The next demo will feature resources! This means resources spawning in the demo map, and players being able to SCAN and MINE those resources. Like the old Firefall Scan-Hammer, Em8ER features a resource scanning "ping" that reaches out from a spike the Omniframe slams into the ground with it's fist and returns the location of nearby resources. Resources will have rarity as well as quality, and spawn completely dynamically. You will be able to call down a THMPR mining Mek-A and have it start retrieving those resources! Your progress will be saved, and you will be able to pull up a report of what resources you have mined and their qualities!
This means we are getting much closer to Kickstarter.
After resources, adding actual enemy activity that fights against you is the one of the final steps to finishing the playable mockup. What you can expect after this is addition of enemy waves, back and forth combat, and the mini-boss encounter with the mini-Kaiju vs THMPR battle.
What happens after the demo is functionally complete?
In addition to the playable mockup, the Kickstarter trailer must be created. This includes scenes of the game not yet completed, but mocked up in Unreal Engine. Scenes such as Kaiju Prime(s) to hunt (HUGE), base-building, and simulated invasion with many, many Tsi-Hu will be featured. We've already been working on assets for this trailer, such as Crodus and our character creator, and this is what we've been working on in addition to the demos. You can also expect a full graphics, "Beauty-Pass" on all assets for the demo which will be unveiled right when the Kickstarter begins.
How's the music coming along? I heard Aero will be a voice in the game?
Michael Bross, the original composer from Firefall, will be composing for Em-8ER. Michael will be spinning his composing skills back up as we near the encounter stage of the demo. He is excited and ready to hop in! Also, voice actress Laura Post (voice of Aero in Firefall) is also ready to lend some lines to the demo. Not only will she be providing an exclusive OP-AI voice pack to eligible backers, but we are also creating a special role for her in the game so you will get to hear a lot more from her!
How much longer will newcomer packs be available?
Newcomer Packs will be on sale until 30 days before the Kickstarter, then they are gone forever. We will give plenty of advance notice of when this is coming, but for now they are still available, and PayPal has been added as an officially supported payment method for packs (but not for subscriptions).
What's happening with the Em-8ER novel and New Skins?
This month's skin is an assault rifle for the medium Omniframe, which you can see (and signup for) via our monthly patron program here! If you sign up now, you will get BOTH the assult skin as well as the new, very special and unique skin by CuteSexyRobutts that will debut on the 15th with a NEW LORE DROP.
Lore Drop!?!
It has been some time since our last Lore Drop, but this new skin was so special we decided to write one up! Nethril is a new team member who is both editing our novel and tabletop rules, as well as contributing to the writing and lore of Em-8ER. He's written a blurb and a short story to go along with the new skin to be revealed on the 15th! The Lore Drop will be availble to everyone, and will be posted to the forums. Also, a new chapter from the novel is ready to be released on the 15th along with this new skin for Montly Patrons. This chapter will add lore behind one of our previous skins, the red-headed engineer, Darla!
Support our development! Lots of stuff in the works!
We need your support. As we near the home stretch for the playable mockup, we are doing more, overdelivering, and getting an absolutely amazing trailer together for Kickstarter! Thanks to your generious support we have upgraded our demo to full on 100 player multiplayer (it was going to be single player only!), launched servers across the world, created a database back-end for persistent gameplay, fully licensed a professional sound engine, created concepts for light, medium and heavy frames (to be revealed soon!), greatly improved our character models (Firefall vs our newly re-textured V2 Geesuit models to be revealed soon!), and much more! This is what we need to stay competitive in today's tough market for Kickstarters, but we are ready thanks to your help!
Become a Newcomer today while you still can!
We have over 25,000 Em-8ER community members, but only a fraction of you are playing the game! We have had many generous patrons who have made these demos possible. If you haven't become a montly patron or newcomer backer, please check out the exclusive rewards that will only be available to pre-KS backers here! They are upgradable at any time, so you can purchase at an entry level and upgrade when you feel like it. These packs will not be available later! If you've wanted to snag a founder's special edition dropship, now is the time! Get immediate access to our server and dev builds today. Monthly patrons can also subscribe here and get access to: - Monthly rare skins - Developer builds (one version older than Newcomer backers) - Draft Tabletop rules for Gatestriders, the Space Opera RPG - Draft chapters of the Em-8ER novel series - Updates to the vision book that describe the upcoming gameplay systems for Em-8ER! - Exclusive access to a private area of the forums
Thanks again and see you in the next demo! We'll be scanning and mining and more, oh my!
