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Terraforming & Mining
Outside of invasions, terraforming and mining are the other primary goals of the player. Em-8ER is a frozen world with volcanic activity. The atmosphere is not suitable for humans, and pockets of breathable air and life sustaining temperatures must be opened up and prepared before mining can begin.
Terraforming “pockets” are actually the zones that open up on the world map and form the battlefields where the players fight against the Tsi-Hu. Each pocket can range in size from 4-8 square kilometers. As more episodes of the game are released, more of the zones open up for players to terraform. Each episode may open up 6-8 new zones to fight over. Over time, more and more of the planet will be made available to players.
Why Terraform?
Terraforming is key to discovering and unlocking new technological crafting tiers to all players. The more zones are terraformed and closer to their final biome, the higher tiers which are unlocked and made available to players. This act as a world goal common to all players, giving them a reason to fight, found bases, defend them from being destroyed, and advancing not just their characters, but the world and story itself. They also serve to keep the game changing and interesting, as the zones themselves change as the process transforms the landscape.
Terraforming
Terraforming a zone is a lengthy process that can take weeks. Each zone must first be cleared of major Tsi-Hu forces and defended while bases are established. Players contribute resources to build up bases and to deploy giant Terraforming platforms in the sky. These platforms require a continuous supply of resources to convert the zone.
As the zone converts, it will start to change. There will be at least three stages of Terraforming. Zones will start as frozen and volcanic wastelands, and then move to a thawing stage. After thawing will be the final biome type, which will vary. Some zones are unsuitable for much more than deserts or grasslands, while others might spring into lush jungles or forests. New flora and fauna will appear to populate the zones, seeded from local remnants of bygone species and blended with stores from the Terraformer’s gene-banks.
Terraforming requires a constant stream of resources and sufficient Terraforming platforms. Players must mine and contribute resources to both build bases and power terraformers. Success depends on several factors:
Sufficient Bases - A pocket or zone must contain enough player built bases to cover the majority of the zone. Falling below the minimum can set back Terraforming efforts and will take more time to complete as atmospheric levels revert.
Resources - Each stage of terraforming requires a certain amount of resources to reach. Players can contribute to this effort individually and their contributions added to the whole for the zone.
Mining
Mining in Em-8ER is an active, frenetic activity. Players use large MEK/A called THMPRs delivered via drop-ships to mine where players have located a caches of resources. These giant autonomous robots start drilling into the mantle of the planet and collecting the resources, rare elements and even alien artifacts exposed by drilling. Mining causes disruptions that attract Tsi-Hu and their various Kaiju who begin to attack the MEK/A and players.
Players must defend their THMPR MEK/A while increasingly difficult waves of enemies attack. The longer the mining continues, more and rarer resources are recovered. However, should the enemies overrun the players and THMPR, the resources will be lost. This creates a pushing dynamic where players can push their skill envelope to obtain more rewards, but can also opt out at any time to take what they have gathered so far.
When the players determine they have mined enough, they can trigger an EMP pulse that will temporarily disrupt and phase out the attackers. Then the players must escort the THMPR back to the nearest base to deposit their resources. During the escort, further enemies may appear, which the players will have to fight back all the way to the base.
Terraforming & Mining
Outside of invasions, terraforming and mining are the other primary goals of the player. Em-8ER is a frozen world with volcanic activity. The atmosphere is not suitable for humans, and pockets of breathable air and life sustaining temperatures must be opened up and prepared before mining can begin.
Terraforming “pockets” are actually the zones that open up on the world map and form the battlefields where the players fight against the Tsi-Hu. Each pocket can range in size from 4-8 square kilometers. As more episodes of the game are released, more of the zones open up for players to terraform. Each episode may open up 6-8 new zones to fight over. Over time, more and more of the planet will be made available to players.
Why Terraform?
Terraforming is key to discovering and unlocking new technological crafting tiers to all players. The more zones are terraformed and closer to their final biome, the higher tiers which are unlocked and made available to players. This act as a world goal common to all players, giving them a reason to fight, found bases, defend them from being destroyed, and advancing not just their characters, but the world and story itself. They also serve to keep the game changing and interesting, as the zones themselves change as the process transforms the landscape.
Terraforming
Terraforming a zone is a lengthy process that can take weeks. Each zone must first be cleared of major Tsi-Hu forces and defended while bases are established. Players contribute resources to build up bases and to deploy giant Terraforming platforms in the sky. These platforms require a continuous supply of resources to convert the zone.
As the zone converts, it will start to change. There will be at least three stages of Terraforming. Zones will start as frozen and volcanic wastelands, and then move to a thawing stage. After thawing will be the final biome type, which will vary. Some zones are unsuitable for much more than deserts or grasslands, while others might spring into lush jungles or forests. New flora and fauna will appear to populate the zones, seeded from local remnants of bygone species and blended with stores from the Terraformer’s gene-banks.
Terraforming requires a constant stream of resources and sufficient Terraforming platforms. Players must mine and contribute resources to both build bases and power terraformers. Success depends on several factors:
Sufficient Bases - A pocket or zone must contain enough player built bases to cover the majority of the zone. Falling below the minimum can set back Terraforming efforts and will take more time to complete as atmospheric levels revert.
Resources - Each stage of terraforming requires a certain amount of resources to reach. Players can contribute to this effort individually and their contributions added to the whole for the zone.
Mining
Mining in Em-8ER is an active, frenetic activity. Players use large MEK/A called THMPRs delivered via drop-ships to mine where players have located a caches of resources. These giant autonomous robots start drilling into the mantle of the planet and collecting the resources, rare elements and even alien artifacts exposed by drilling. Mining causes disruptions that attract Tsi-Hu and their various Kaiju who begin to attack the MEK/A and players.
Players must defend their THMPR MEK/A while increasingly difficult waves of enemies attack. The longer the mining continues, more and rarer resources are recovered. However, should the enemies overrun the players and THMPR, the resources will be lost. This creates a pushing dynamic where players can push their skill envelope to obtain more rewards, but can also opt out at any time to take what they have gathered so far.
When the players determine they have mined enough, they can trigger an EMP pulse that will temporarily disrupt and phase out the attackers. Then the players must escort the THMPR back to the nearest base to deposit their resources. During the escort, further enemies may appear, which the players will have to fight back all the way to the base.
