• What kind of game is Em-8er?

  Em-8ER is a multiplayer, open world, co-op shooter that pits players against a ruthless, shape-shifting, alien army called the Tsi-Hu. The game is a simulated war where massive battles ebb and flow across the planets surface. Hundreds of players will be fighting at any given time in skirmishes involving mechs, giant monsters, and military bases. We call this genre: Massive Planetary Wargame.

• What makes Em-8ER a "Massive Planetary Wargame"?

  The heart of Em-8ER can be found in the grand invasions and counter-invasions that rage across the planet. Fought in huge Player-vs-Environment battles across large outdoor landscape; Em-8ER is a massive persistent battlefield. Zones must be captured, terraformed, and defended against a ruthless invading army of shapeshifting aliens and their massive Kaiju creatures. Players must also terraform pockets of the planet, establishing new colonies and bases to advance the state of the world and increase the technology available to players. The enemy Tsi-Hu shapeshifters will invade and attack in an attempt to destroy the players advances and progresses.

• Is Em-8ER an MMO?

  We do not consider Em-8ER a traditional MMO, but yes, it is a kind of MMO. While Em-8ER shares the most basic MMO principal of having "a big online game world with many people all playing together", most of Em-8ER's core features are akin to a skill-based, action shooter, played cooperatively in a simulated war. We call it an MMO, but we want to assure everyone of the action-oriented gameplay.

• What is Em-8ER's core gameplay?

  In the world of Em-8ER, players are explorers, soldiers, and pioneers. You take on the role of a member of a special expeditionary team known as Reapers. Reapers are tasked to “reap” a planet of its resources and establish forward bases and outposts prior to colonization. Here are some of the key features in the game:

  • As a player, you will pilot MEK suits called "Omniframes" in fast-paced gunplay and brutal melee combat. You will grapple with the Tsi-Hu in their dangerous, bladed beast forms, and use finisher moves to eliminate them.
  • You will have the opportunity to collect multiple Omniframes, load them out with your own weapons and abilities, and make your own combat style that is truly unique.
  • In Em-8er, traversal is fast, intuitive, and fun. Use your jet pack to rise into the air, enter skim mode to zoom across the terrain, and extend your wings to glide over landscapes. Players will be fast, nimble and quite often airborne.
  • While not fighting in invasions, players are out mining resources with towering MEK/A units, called T.H.M.P.R.s. T.H.M.P.R.s are autonomous mechs that you call in to fight by your side. They will help you gather resources to craft, upgrade bases, and contribute to the war effort.
  • Craft your gear! Everything is crafted by players in Em-8ER. A tier system and a simple-to-use power allocation model allows players to craft hundreds of weapons, abilities, and upgrades for their Omniframe.
  • You will need to stand strong against enemy Invasions. Em-8ER zones are constantly under threat of being overrun by the Tsi-Hu. Battles take place over huge areas, with Tsi-Hu attacking along multiple fronts.
  • Build bases! Conquer new zones and fortify them by building bases and improving them, RTS-style, with facilities and defenses that give players new options in battle, mining ,and advancement.
  • Face-off against monstrous Kaiju! The Tsi-Hu deploy giant, tech-augmented monsters called Kaiju, as their siege weapons. These giant beasts rip through bases and lay waste to entire zones. Players must band together to bring the Kaiju down.
• So this a true Shooter that requires skill then?

  Em-8ER is most definitely a shooter! Players can succeed by crafting and building frames and bases - but players who want to test themselves can use their skills to maximize their abilities. The THMPR encounter is designed to reward skill by granting rare resources for “pushing the limits”. Similarly, many weapons and abilities have an additional skill based component. Higher twitch skill, reflexes, and timing will give extra benefits to using many of these weapons and abilities.

• Are Omniframes like character classes?

  Omniframes are lightweight MEKs (Mechanically Enhanced Kinetics) that are fast and agile. They can jump-jet, skim, and glide over long distances. Omniframes are needed to battle the strong and fierce Kaiju that attack regularly. Omniframes are the only line of defense capable of protecting a human from being shredded or bitten in half. Omniframes are upgradeable and collectible. Players can have as many as they can build, outfitting them in different ways for different mission roles.

  Instead of confining players to “classes,” Em-8ER lets players define their own role. Players start by selecting one of the three frame-type variants: Light, Medium and Heavy. There is a common pool of crafted upgrades and components shared by all frames, as well as collections of upgrades and components that are exclusive to each frame-type. Building an Omniframe may remind players (loosely) of building a small “deck” for a collectible card game.

• Can we level up our characters in Em-8ER?

  There is no leveling in Em-8ER. Instead, advancement is more about giving the player options, rather than huge power increases. You can level up your Omniframe’s abilities, weapons, and armor as you progress - both individually and as you help advance the world state.

  Abilities and weapons are arranged in tiers. Each tier gives more options, and sometimes more powerful upgrades, to craft. Players unlock tiers by gathering resources and using them to reach higher tiers up to the maximum. The maximum is determined by how far the players have progressed in the world goal.

• Can you tell me more about crafting and resources?

  Em-8ER has a simple, yet powerful, crafting system that drives players and world goals. Everything in the game is crafted by players. From player weapons and abilities, to the building and fortification of bases and their automated defenses. Crafting requires the gathering and mining of resources.

  Gathering resources is core to the war effort and is itself an action packed mini-game of risk versus reward. Players mine with their T.H.M.P.R. MEK/A and defend it against increasing waves of enemies with the player deciding how far to push. Gathering resources is also a core activity that fuels the war effort and helps transform the world by powering terraformers. Each terraforming transition requires a large amount of resources, which are contributed by players.

• Will you tell me more about mining with the T.H.M.P.R.?

  A T.H.M.P.R. is a large, powerful, mining robot that can be used to extract resources from the environment. The T.H.M.P.R. also battles hand-to-hand with massive Kaiju enemies. Mining is not a passive activity, but a hectic battle. As the T.H.M.P.R. mines, swarms of smaller Kaiju, with their Tsi-Hu alien masters, attack in waves. The more you can withstand, the longer your T.H.M.P.R. can mine, and the rarer the resources the T.H.M.P.R. will be able to acquire. Push it too far, and you can lose both the T.H.M.P.R. and the found resources. It is an encounter designed to push and reward the skill of players.

  The T.H.M.P.R. is formidable, but it will need your keen eyes and trigger finger to aid it against the onslaught of enemies that will attack while it mines. Once you've collected as many resources as you dare, you will then have to protect your T.H.M.P.R. as it races and bounds across the landscape to return your newly acquired resources to a nearby base.

• How do Invasions work?

  Invasions are constant occurrences, with short breaks between, as long as there are sufficient players online. This splits player activity between fighting in invasions, and going to zones that are not under attack to mine for resources to fuel the war effort. A zone under invasion cannot be mined, which is why you must push back the Tsi-Hu and build your own bases to claim the land.

• What are we building bases for?

  Building bases is crucial to the goal of terraforming a zone. Players must also defend their bases from invading Kaiju. The more bases that are built - the faster zones can be terraformed. Lose bases to Kaiju, and your terraforming will slow or even revert back to an earlier phase. Bases also serve as refineries for gathered resources, defense points against invasion, and deployment zones for player Omniframes, THMPRs, and future vehicles. By contributing resources to new bases, players can activate more buildings, more defenses, and capabilities for that base.

• Do the enemies build bases too?

  Yes they do, and that's just the beginning. The Tsi-Hu are Non-Playable-Characters controlled by the server A.I. They wage war not by script, but by A.I. and simulation - like a Real Time Strategy game. The Tsi-Hu are driven by goals to capture territory, destroy human bases, and disrupt human mining activity. They choose targets based on threat and strategic value. The more bases they destroy; the stronger they get - using them as staging areas for more attacks. When Tsi-Hu destroy a base, they start to build their own structures. These serve as additional spawn points for the Tsi-Hu and, as they build up, give them the ability to spawn bigger and bigger Kaiju. If the Tsi-Hu manage to take over an entire zone, they will become very entrenched and hard to displace. That is the initial starting state of the game, as players will have to clear out Tsi-Hu from existing zones before they can move in and start terraforming.

• Tell me more about the Tsi-Hu Aliens?

  Deadly, enigmatic, and hell-bent on destroying the Reaper teams that dared to step foot on Em-8ER. Very little is known about them. They appear to phase in and out in crackles of lightning and electricity, only to continue their relentless assault.

  The Tsi-Hu fight in two forms; In a humanoid form with ranged weapons and advanced technology; and a beast-like mode where they use their bladed arms and ferocity to rip Omniframes limb from limb.

• What is Em-8ER's Story and Lore?

  Em-8ER's lore is tied into the expansive, star-spanning Crixa universe, created by Mark Kern. Over time, players will discover the secrets of the planet named Em-8ER, and will uncover the mysteries of the enigmatic Tsi-Hu.

• Will there be expansions or Downloadable Content?

  Em-8ER is episodic in story, gameplay, and world. Regular updates will give the player access to new areas to terraform and fight over. These zones will include new resources, and will bring new tiers to unlock. These new zones will allow for expansion of crafting, abilities, and weapons in the game. Some updates will, if the game is successful, include releasing vehicles like aircrafts, tanks, and larger MEKs to fight against new Kaiju. The story of Em-8ER will unfold over time, expanding from first contact with the Tsi-Hu, to all-out war.

• Can I customize the way my Pilot looks?

  Em-8ER intends to sell cosmetics such as skins and accessories for players to add a personalized touch to their characters.

• Will there be trading between players?

  Yes. In our first update after launch we will introduce player trading. Our goal is to support a full trading house system.

• Will Em-8ER have PVP?

  No. Em-8ER is a PVE (Player-versus-Environment) only game for the foreseeable future. We must keep a laser-like focus on this in order to deliver an amazing experience with our small development team. All of our time and resources are spent creating the best PVE experience possible. However, we haven't ruled out a simple "Duel" function, where players can challenge each other to a one-on-one duel.

  Let it be known that we DO love PVP here at Crixa Labs. So if Em-8ER is successful, we can look more into PVP options down the road. Any future PVP mode will most likely have a vastly different set-up in terms of character options, to ensure it is appropriately balanced.

• Do the developers communicate with the community?

  We most certainly do! You'll find everyone from the newest intern, to the head of the company interacting with the community on a very regular basis. You'll also find developer blogs, open chats, and interviews with developers and community members on the forums, discord, and other future avenues. This community inspires us with its energy, passion, dedication, and constructive criticism every step of the way. Naturally, we have the best community around! We like to reward and highlight that as often as possible.

• How are you paying for Em-8ER's development?

  Em-8ER is a crowd-funded game project. We do this by setting small, manageable milestones. We then have a crowd-funding campaign for each milestone.

  Milestones are short, achievable steps and goals for the game. The community can inspect each milestone and determine if they want to see it continue by funding, or encouraging their friends to fund the next. This grows the audience and community for the game as we build trust and deliver results. So far we have successfully funded and delivered 3 milestones for Em-8ER at 460-600% of our original goals and grown to nearly 15,000 community members. It appears to be working!

  This has benefits for us, the developers, too. First, we don't end up building a game where there is not enough demand or community. Second, we also avoid wandering off course or into feature creep as we have to keep very focused on these smaller goals. Finally, we get to grow an enthusiastic, excited community over time, not based on hype, but based on what they've actually played.

  The primary goal is to have a couple of milestones to build our first playable mockup of the game. This is what devs call a "vertical slice," which is taking the core elements of gameplay and fully rendering them to see how it looks/feels. This is used to ultimately approve full development of the project. Only, in this case, it is the community instead of a publisher who will be approving our playable mock-up. We will hold a large fundraiser when we complete the mock-up in order to start everyone on a full-time production schedule.

  To check out our most recent Milestone, click here.

• What exactly will be in the playable Mock-up?

  The playable mock up will be of, what we call, a T.H.M.P.R. Encounter. The THMPR will drop down and start mining for resources while being attacked by waves of shape-shifting Tsi-Hu. Players must defend the THMPR to extract as many resources as possible while trading fire, using abilities, and jetting and gliding around the combat area.

• How many more milestones until the playable mock-up?

  So far we have had three extremely successful campaigns. Each one going over by 400 to 600 percent. The second campaign was so successful that we were able to cover two milestones with it! The third Milestone covered everything we needed to start working on the Mock up without needing any more milestones.

• How long until the game is finished?

  Game development takes time, and Em-8ER is still in the beginning stages of development. It's too early for us to offer time estimates, but we will make sure to keep you updated as we go.

  The best part about you being here so early, is that you get to give your feedback during these crucial initial stages. Also, we will have a whole lot of playable milestones that backers will get their hands on along the way.

• How can I help this project?

  During our crowd-funding fund-raisers on Indiegogo, there are opportunities to pledge money towards this project. The rewards are fun, interactive, and tend to help you get a deeper sense of what we are doing behind the scenes. Another way to help that is just as important is to help us spread the word! We need this community to grow quite a bit to reach our goals of completing Em-8ER. Your'e involvement will make all the difference!

• Are there ways to give money in between fundraisers?

  Absolutely For a limited time, there are now Newcomer Backer Packs to be found on https://my.em8er.com/perks/campaign/5 site. You'll find a variety of packages with some really cool stuff that you can only get between now and the kickstarter. Once we get to the kickstarter these packages, and certain things that come with them, may be gone forever. So get it now while you still can!

• How much will it cost to play EM-8ER? Is there a subscription fee?

  There is no mandatory subscription fee. Em-8ER will be purchased up front for a price we will announce at a later date.

• Will there be a cash shop to buy things with real money?

  Definitely! We will offer things like cosmetic, convenience, utility, and vanity items through our in-game store. You can expect to see skins, decals, paint jobs, pets, etc. There will be no buying power, meaning money won't make you stronger than someone else. Em-8ER will absolutely not be pay-to-win.

• Which engine are you using to develop the game?

  Due to the high versatility and great support it has, Em-8ER is being developed in Unreal Engine 4. It is one of the worlds most popular suites of integrated tools for game developers to design and build games, simulations, and visualizations.

• How many people are currently working on Em-8ER?

  We are currently a team of about 12 working part-time on Em-8ER's playable mockup in preparation for launching a full-time game company. We have years of experience making massive worlds and intense shooters. Some of the games we have worked on include: Firefall, Call Of Duty AW, Gears of War 4, World of Warcraft, resistance 3, Starcraft, Killzone3, Diablo 2, and Nostalrius.

• What platforms will Em-8ER be coming to?

  PC. We may consider other platforms if and when it makes sense.

• What will the PC specs be to run Em-8ER?

  We haven't announced specs yet, however we'll be focusing on a wide range of hardware. In fact, check out a video we made showing how the art build of em-8er runs on a 250 dollar PC.

  Link to “Em-8ER Running on a $250 PC!”

• How many Players in a zone? What kind of servers will Em-8ER use?

  Information like that will be announced at a later date. Right now our test servers are running 100 players per zone. We hope to increase this number for launch.

• I would like to do a Let's Play/Stream of your game. What do I have to do?

  You may stream/create videos right away. We grant a limited license to stream/create Em-8ER videos for the purpose of discussing or helping promote the game. This includes all test builds up to and including the Playable Mockup for the Kickstarter. Show it off! Spread the word!

• Is Em-8ER connected to a game called Firefall?

  There is no official connection between Em-8er and Firefall. Many years ago, Firefall was a team-based action shooter in development under the leadership of Mark Kern (AKA Grummz). Due to various circumstances, that game did not become what it was originally meant to be. Em-8ER is the spiritual successor to the core principals that Firefall began with. Here, we have taken all of the lessons learned, and the experience gained, to go after the stuff that works, and leave out the stuff that doesn't. We have every intention to give our Firefall fans the game they deserve.

• Is there any compensation for the old Firefall backers?

  With the firefall forums no longer available, we can no longer do the required actions to verify accounts. Previously we had a whole program just for that! Please see here

  Note: Firefall founder credits can only be used in the Em-8ER virtual store.

• I’m interested in knowing more about Em-8ER. Where can I find more information?

  The best place to find all existing information is at the main website, http://em8er.com/. You can also find updates, share your feedback, and express your excitement about the game on the forums (http://forums.em8er.com). Don't forget to register and join the Discord live chat server if you want a chance to talk with the creator himself, Mark Kern (AKA Grummz), and the game developers in real time. Here is an invitation link to the EM-8ER Discord server where you can chat with other members of the community. (https://discord.gg/em-8er).

• What kind of voice system will EM-8ER have?

  It will have a discord integration system. Stay tuned for details!

• Will there be trading/economy in Em-8ER?

  Absolutely! ... Details TBD

• Will Em-8er be on consoles?

  It is not currently in the plans, but we are make sure UI will work for consoles too if that ever becomes and option.

F.A.Q. Contributors

Earth_Soldier
Terib.Shadow
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Dracomon
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