[Megathread] Firefall

[RoninaThorstone]

I guess you're not doing any of the plethora of ARES missions and group content which drops resources so that you don't have to thump all day? I mean, at least be honest if you're going to be critical.

That's asking a bit much of him.

---------- Post added 2013-06-18 at 08:09 PM ----------

I was directed here from the request a game thread, apparently someone might beable to hook me up with a beta code?

^ Someone get this man a key!

---------- Post added 2013-06-18 at 08:12 PM ----------

oh and the crafting in firefall is just so so terrible they dont even give you somewhere to start

Also, how hard is it to understand the current crafting system? The UI explains it all.

[Kelimbror]

Also, how hard is it to understand the current crafting system? The UI explains it all.

Yeah, it's still incredibly daunting as it's like jamming together all the crafting professions from an MMO in one UI. So I can understand how it would take some time to get used to visually, but it is explained decently. It's no different than any other crafting other than seeing it all together and having different qualities of resources.

Other than that it's pretty much the same familiar crafting principles derived from simplifying real life production of goods. You want to build an item, which requires parts, which require materials. Pretty straightforward.

[Endus]

Yeah, it's still incredibly daunting as it's like jamming together all the crafting professions from an MMO in one UI. So I can understand how it would take some time to get used to visually, but it is explained decently. It's no different than any other crafting other than seeing it all together and having different qualities of resources.

Other than that it's pretty much the same familiar crafting principles derived from simplifying real life production of goods. You want to build an item, which requires parts, which require materials. Pretty straightforward.

The current crafting system is just a placeholder, the new one's coming in a patch or two I believe. It's there so we have SOME kind of crafting system, before they've finalized the much better final one.

[Razael]

I was directed here from the request a game thread, apparently someone might beable to hook me up with a beta code?

Check your Inbox. Assuming no one sent you one yet.

---------- Post added 2013-06-19 at 01:23 AM ----------

Now that you guys mention it, i never seen Achaman say anything positive about a game, in threads i visit at least.

[Henako]

Any chance someone has a spare beta key? The game looks fantastic.

[Rooflesstoofless]

Any chance someone has a spare beta key? The game looks fantastic.

I'd help you if I could....but I haven't received any extra invites for five months now. Hopefully someone will send a special treat to your inbox soon.

[Gnarz]

i want to play ;/
they're going into open beta soon im assuming u dont need a key for that.

[Endus]

i want to play ;/

arent they going into open beta soon im assuming u dont need a key for that.

July 9th, I believe. So it's coming up soon.

[RoninaThorstone]

We need more dreads for the BC raid. Forming up now at west repulsor.

---------- Post added 2013-06-20 at 02:43 AM ----------

attempt 2 starting soon.

---------- Post added 2013-06-20 at 02:54 AM ----------

best community... ever.

*note, craft turret mode for future attempts.

---------- Post added 2013-06-20 at 03:13 AM ----------

I wonder what baneclaws shell fragments are going to be used for...

Anyways.
That was like, a god damn speed kill record.

If anyone in MMOc was on for that, gratz

[Septas]

I too was directed here from the request thread. I was wondering if there was a chance someone might have a spare beta key available? I've been hearing good things about this game, and I figure it's about time I give it a shot.

[PizzaSHARK]

no other beta is as boring as firefall is now..

[Citation Needed]

oh and the crafting in firefall is just so so terrible they dont even give you somewhere to start

I had no issues grasping the basics. Neither did the two people I invited to the beta. If you're having issues understanding how crafting works at a simple level, it's a PEBKAC error.

[Rooflesstoofless]

Been playing on the PTR.

The changes to Chosen and Tanken AI and health definitely make retaking watchtowers and doing ARES a challenge. When doing watchtowers you'll have Chosen that will b-line straight for the terminal while others will cover them so they can retake the tower from you. Forces everyone to focus fire that Chosen or use their cooldowns to knock that mob away from the terminal so they don't retake it. Also, Chosen now swarm the towers when you try to take it away from them. I'm not sure what the actual numbers are...but it feels to be about double what we have on the live servers right now. Snipers will move while charging up their sniper rifle and there is a lot more dodging, rolling, and heading for cover from both the Chosen and Tanken.

Level 1 ARES missions are very challenging to do solo and level 2 missions pretty much require that you have at least one other person with you and even then its pretty hairy. Haven't seen any level 3,4, or 5 missions so no idea what that is going to require. Chosen attack forces also have a number associated with them with level 3 forces being the most challenging (in terms of numbers of Chosen in that attack force).

Durability is now a 15% loss on death instead of 10%...which I'm fine with. Loot drops come with 1000 durability and have no durability pool beyond that (crafted gear has a minimum of 5000 durability).

So yeah, join an Army and play in groups after this patch hits. Going solo is doable, but definitely not as good anymore.

I like the improvements to how the game looks...seeing the water in motion is very pretty:






There is also the daily achievement reward which has you do three random 'quests' which in turn gives you a loot drop that looks very much like something from Borderlands:

The loot chest contains at least one green or better weapon or ability, resources, and crystite. There is a also a daily log-in(?) reward where you get rewarded for each consecutive day you play the game. Definitely borrowed from Asian MMOs I've played...but it seems they are going about it in a good way.

no other beta is as boring as firefall is now..

oh and the crafting in firefall is just so so terrible they dont even give you somewhere to start

What I don't get is that you are an EVE player (or were, right?) but can't figure out FF's crafting. FF is literally trying to model itself after EVE's crafting. Either way, they are completely revamping the tutorial to include crafting and get people on their feet with it. I think to complete the tutorial you need to actually craft items and get somewhat used to the UI in place. This is not to mention the additional ARES missions that are going in among other things.

There is an overarching quest chain with a story now, although not mandatory for progression of frames. They basically lead you to three smaller instances which you take items from to get into the major instance.

[Rooflesstoofless]

Latest content patch is going live. Here are the patch notes:

Patch Highlights

Added full item loot drops into the game.
Added three small playable areas (Melding Pockets) into the game: Antarctica, Diamond Head and Sargasso Sea.
Added our first five player instance, Blackwater Anomaly, to the game.
Added a new PvP gametype, Jetball, with its first map, Omnidyne-M Prototype Arena.
Updated the New Player Experience.
Added daily login rewards.
Updated daily achievements and added a rewards crate for completing the daily achievements.
Added a difficulty scaling system for the Open World.
Adjusted progression unlock resource requirements so that only groups of resources are required, not specific resources.
Added researching to crafting.
Added Stage III and Stage IV gear to crafting.
Added a player marketplace where players can buy and sell resources and certain items.
Fixed the issue causing achievement progress to reset upon logout.
Many UI improvements.
Firefall now available in French! Click the flag for France at the login for the French localized version.
Added a two-factor account protection system as well as the ability to change your registered e-mail address.
New Accounts page available at https://accounts.firefallthegame.com
Red Beans can be purchased via PayPal on the new Accounts page (more payment methods coming soon)!
Open World

Enemies and supply crates in the Open World now have a chance to drop full items of all stages as loot.
Certain enemies drop special items that can be used as consumables.
Culex: Mosquito Wings - allows the user to hover for a short duration.
Explosive Aranha: Fiery Aranha Gland - throw the gland to generate an explosive blast that damages enemies on impact.
Icy Aranha: Icy Aranha Gland - throw the gland to generate an icy blast that freezes enemies on impact.
Toxic Aranha: Toxic Aranha Gland - throw the gland to generate a poison field that damages enemies within.
Reckless Thresher: Adrenaline Gland - use the gland for a speed boost.
Chosen Drone: Hacked Chosen Drone - deploy a forcefield at your location.
Enemies in the Open World no longer drop components as loot.
Changed the daily achievements. Dailies are now compromised of three random events in the open world.
Completing daily achievements will award the player with a call-down crate that's filled with all kinds of goodies including a guaranteed item! Access your crate via your calldown menu.
Added daily login bonuses that display upon first login for the day.
Added Info Bots to accompany each station in Copacabana to describe what the station is used for (audio only).
New identification system to help differentiate what stage of gear enemies are tuned for:
Yellow: Stage I
Orange: Stage II
Purple: Stage III
Red: Stage IV
Pressing "F" to add enemies to SIN will display this change.
Applied the new difficulty levels to ARES missions and other dynamic content.
Some ARES Missions have had their spawning logic adjusted to prevent unintended ambushes with multiple players in the encounter.
ARES icons updated to reflect their tuning for player composition as well as their difficulty level.
Group Missions have a small group icon above the ARES icon in the world map.
The bar to the right of the ARES icon displays the difficulty level of the ARES mission (see the con system above)
World map Improved
Displays Zone Control & Bonuses
Displays Legend
Mouse over icons for more details about the area or task.
New world map icons for:
Crashed Thumpers
Crashed LGVs
LGV Races
Towers
Added Vouchers as a currency that are earned by depositing Crystite Resonators the respective POI's Crystite Resonator Recepticle.
Types of vouchers for the open world include:
Copacabana Voucher
Trans Hub Voucher
Thump Dump Voucher
Sunken Harbor Voucher
Vouchers can be spent at each POI's Quartermaster for items or components for the corresponding Melding Pocket's key.
Accord Air Traffic Control has authorized Dropships to increase their in-flight speeds.
Thumper names have been updated to match difficulty and recommended gear stages.
Stock Personal Thumper, Personal Thumper I, Personal Thumper II, and Personal Thumper III
Stock Squad Thumper, Squad Thumper I, Squad Thumper II, and Squad Thumper III
Upgraded the visuals of water and added new river technology.
A profanity filter has been added to character and army names.
Melding Pockets

Three Melding Pockets are now available: Sargasso Sea, Diamond Head and Antarctica.
Each player must create the key for the corresponding pocket before they may access the pocket.
Melding Pockets can only be accessed when their respective Point of Interest is at Power Level 3.
Thump for Melded Crystite in each pocket to repulse the Melding for special encounters.
Each special encounter has a chance to grant its required fragment to create the key for Blackwater Anomaly.
Added missions to direct players to attuning for the Melding Pockets.
Sargasso Sea

Sargasso Sea can be reached via the Arcfolder at Thump Dump.
Item required for access: Thump Dump Arcfold Modulator.
New Creatures

Scorpion Culex
Sargasso Thresher
Toxic Varant
Diamond Head

Diamond Head can be reached via the Arcfolder at Copacabana.
Item required for access: Copacabana Arcfold Modulator.
New Creatures

Pyre Wasp
Scorcher
Ash Dragon
Antarctica

Antarctica can be reached via the Arcfolder at Sunken Harbor
Item required for access: Sunken Harbor Arcfold Modulator.
New Creatures

Glacial Aranha
Rimehunter
Wooly Brontodon
Blackwater Anomaly

Firefall’s first 5-man PvE instance, Blackwater Anomaly, is now live!
Fight the Chosen on their turf in a 40-60 minute co-op shooter experience
Experience an all new visual environment for Blackwater Marsh
Learn more about the Chosen, who they are, and what they’re up to
Queue up for Blackwater Anomaly using our new PvE Matchmaking system
To do this, form a squad with the squad leader having the key to Blackwater Anomaly
Have the squad leader use the ‘Melding Fragment Arcfolder’ in any major POI (Sunken Harbor, Copacabana, Thump Dump or Trans Hub)
Queue for Blackwater Anomaly!
Note: This feature is currently still in development and doesn’t currently handle new players entering an existing squad’s instance if they’re invited while the instance is in progress. So in the meantime, please have the squad you want to play with ready-to-go before queuing!
New Player Experience

Made some adjustments to the New Player Experience.
Added DEIMOS as a guide during Battleframe Training in the Battle Lab.
Oilspill got a new wrap for his Dropship.
Added missions and voice over for a player's first fly-in to Copacabana to explain systems in Firefall.
Uplink with SIN
Set a waypoint
Purchasing from vendors
Scanning and Thumping
Manufacturing
Unlocking equipment slots
Equipping new items
Jetball

Jetball is a new PvP gametype now available for play on the first map, Omnidyne-M Prototype Arena.
Rules:
One ball, spawns at the center of the map.
Two goals, one nearby each team's spawn area.
Work with your team to move the ball into enemy territory and score on their goal.
One point is awarded for throwing the ball through the enemy team's goal.
Three points are awarded for carrying the ball through the enemy team's goal.
It is possible to score on your own goal, and that will award the enemy team points.
There are three periods in Jetball, each lasting five minutes.
Players may only change battleframes before the game begins and in between periods.
If at the end of three periods the score is tied, the teams will play in a sudden death fourth period.
Highest score wins the game.
PvP

Added a "Battle Arena Vendor" in Copacabana that currently sells PvP Titles.
PvP Titles can be bought with Battle Arena Vouchers.
Battle Arena Vouchers are earned through playing PvP.
PvP ability ordering has been fixed, abilities should no longer change their order randomly.
Combat

Female models are now 5% larger.
The delay between landing and jumping has been removed.
Running over a Trailblaze now refreshes its duration.
Accord Biotech Sprayer has been reduced in damage and healing.
Healing Pillar Max Targets Craftable stat has been increased and now goes from 3 to 7 to 5 to 11 targets.
PvP run speed has been reduced by 1m/s across all battleframes.
Range on Accord Chemical Sprayer adjusted from 8m to 6m.
Duration of Accord Chemical Sprayer has been adjusted from 18 seconds to 12 seconds.
Created new sound effects for air-sprinting.
Progression

Changed the resources required for progression unlocks.
Mass unlocks require any resource from the Mineral group.
Power unlocks require any resource from the Gas group.
CPU unlocks require any resource from the Organics group.
XP costs are now associated with unlocks for all equipment slots on new battleframes.
Existing players with the battleframes unlocked will not have to unlock their equipment slots.
Abilities and secondary weapons are unavailable until they are unlocked.
Primary weapons, plating, passives, servos and jumpjets cannot be upgraded until unlocked with XP.
Jump jet effects now change as players upgrade their CPU technology.
Completing all 10 level constraint unlocks on an advanced frame will unlock that frame's special warpaint in the Garage.
Characters with already-existing fully progressed frames will get these warpaints shortly after the patch.
Crafting

Stages III and IV gear are now available to be crafted.
Players must now perform research to unlock the ability to craft gear and some items at the cost of time and crystite. The higher the stage, the more Crystite and time required.
Only gear recipes for unlocked battleframes may be researched.
Basic recipes unlock all Stage I items for the specified Battleframe or Shared Component.
ex. Researching Basic Biotech unlocks the ability to craft BioNeedler I, Healing Wave I, Poison Trail I, Triage I, Accord Chemical Sprayer I, and Siphon Plating I.
Stage II, III and IV recipes are unlocked individually.
Mission items do not need to be researched (ex. Melding Pocket keys, or the Melding Anomaly Neutralizer).
Updated the Crafting UI with tabs for easier navigation.
The Refine tab holds all the refining, blending and processing.
The Build tab is where items are crafted.
The Research tab is where you can research new crafting recipes.
Updated the Melding Anomaly Neutralizer subcomponents to have broader resource input requirements.
ex. DNA Biochip requires 7500 Inert Gas instead of Nitrine; 2500 Enzymes instead of Regenics.
Updated the Melding Anomaly Neutralizer recipe to be a bit more straightforward crafting Trimmed DNA Solutions, Filtered DNA Samples, and DNA Plasmatic Fractions.
Corrected some errors with various Nanoprints - players please keep reporting those issues!
Player Marketplace

Players can now trade certain items and equipment on the Player Marketplace!
Access the Player Marketplace from the Nav Wheel or by using the hotkey Alt+M.
UI

Updated the rewards screen for completing missions in the open world.
Updated the Achievement screen.
Updated the Private Lobby screen.
Improved the interface for depositing Crystite Resonators at Crystite Resonator Recepticles - now with a sliding bar!
Titles can be set in the garage, above your character name
All Founders have been given the Founder title
Setting your character title should update your forum title as well
Inventory tooltips display more correct stats.
Inventory comparison tooltips should behave more reliably.
Inventory comparison tooltips now compare constraints.
Game Client Performance

Improved performance and memory usage.
Screen Space Emissive LIghting quality improvements.
Twitch.TV streaming quality improvements.
Note: 32-bit operating systems are temporarily limited to High video settings due to an issue causing out of memory problems that has yet to have been identified.
Account

Added two-factor hardware fingerprinting for player accounts.
When you log in for the first time on a new piece of hardware, you will be prompted to authenticate with a six digit code.
The link to get the code is sent to the registered account's e-mail address.
Google Authenticator may also be used to generate your code. The link provided in e-mail also has a QR scanner for this.
Added a first implementation Account page on the website https://accounts.firefallthegame.com where you can:
Purchase Red Beans. *You can now use PayPal to purchase Red Beans! More payment methods coming soon!*
Change your account's e-mail address.
Change your account's password.
Bugfixes

Fixed an issue that would clear achievement progress upon logout.
Fixed a bug where Poison Trail was using Stage II stats for Stage I.
Fixed an issue where Energy Wall would not be destroyed at 0 hp.
Fixed an issue where Laser HMG bullets weren't traveling fast enough.
Fixed an issue causing floating ironsights with the Burst Rifle.
Fixed an issue causing the Melding "Trollnado"
Fixed an issue where Charge (Rhino) would not increase the user's max sprint speed.
Fixed an issue where Fortify was not correctly increasing the rate of fire of turrets.
Fixed an issue where advancing CPU technology would not award the player with increased energy for the specified battleframe.
Fixed an issue where the army UI would vanish when clicking on the header window.

[RoninaThorstone]

Antarctica can be reached via the Arcfolder at Sunken Harbor
Sargasso Sea can be reached via the Arcfolder at Thump Dump.
Diamond Head can be reached via the Arcfolder at Copacabana.
Firefall’s first 5-man PvE instance, Blackwater Anomaly, is now live!
Jetball is a new PvP gametype now available for play on the first map, Omnidyne-M Prototype Arena.

3 new zones, first instance, new pvp map, and the final two tiers of crafting?
Well, I didn't think that would happen before July 9th...

---------- Post added 2013-06-28 at 11:13 AM ----------

Omg...

The feeling of having to get keyed / attuned for a place. I missed it so much. SO MUCH. /cry

---------- Post added 2013-06-28 at 08:01 PM ----------



(looks like the manga character is going to be central to the full length trailer...)

---------- Post added 2013-06-28 at 08:26 PM ----------



34 minutes in, shadow of colossus firefall edition?

---------- Post added 2013-06-29 at 12:45 AM ----------

So...
Um...

Chosen gear?
<_<

I have chosen gear.

[Hulari]

Latest content patch is going live. Here are the patch notes:

Added daily login rewards.
Updated daily achievements and added a rewards crate for completing the daily achievements.

Whyyyyyyy?

I'm fed up with MMOs going down a "daily" path and I don't see why it's necessary. I don't want to have to log in to a game every day to be rewarded. >_<

[Rooflesstoofless]

Whyyyyyyy?

I'm fed up with MMOs going down a "daily" path and I don't see why it's necessary. I don't want to have to log in to a game every day to be rewarded. >_<

The rewards aren't that amazing. I think on day four you get 1000 green resources or something (and less stuff for days 1 thru 3). You can farm ARES missions for an hour with friends and make way more than that.

[RoninaThorstone]

The rewards aren't that amazing. I think on day four you get 1000 green resources or something (and less stuff for days 1 thru 3). You can farm ARES missions for an hour with friends and make way more than that.

^

1 Ares mission tends to give more than that (and better quality). It's not really a reward. More an illusion of a reward.

[Kelimbror]

1 Ares mission tends to give more than that (and better quality). It's not really a reward. More an illusion of a reward.

Yep...in this game it serves a couple of purposes.
1) Reward you for what you are doing already.
2) Motivate you to do different content/go somewhere different.

Neither of those are bad things we should be complaining about in any game.

[Endus]

Whyyyyyyy?

I'm fed up with MMOs going down a "daily" path and I don't see why it's necessary. I don't want to have to log in to a game every day to be rewarded. >_<

It makes less sense with WoW than it does for games with cash shops, TBH. WoW gets the same income regardless of how much you play. F2P cash shop games want you to play, because the more time you spend playing, the more likely you are to hit the cash shop. Something like this rewards people slightly to encourage them, but it's a small reward and easily ignorable if you don't want to bother, rather than so good it becomes a necessity.

[RoninaThorstone]

Been practicing tanking (with my wife healing).

We are 2 manning group oranges with relative ease. Goes even faster when we have a DPS with us.

I think the best group comp is:
Tank - Mammoth (using dread gun for alt fire shield)
Healer - dragonfly (using alt fire as primary heal)
Support - Electron (restock station is AMAZING for dragonfly due to its ammo problem. Back up group shield is great too)
AOE DPS - Firecat (Duh)
Single target DPS - Tie between rhino and accord recon (gun)
*Nighthawk and Raptor are very handy dps because of their ability to pen shields and drop the engineer pets. Nighthawk also can help rez due to stealth