Everything you’re about to read is an early preview of changes being worked on by the Firefall development team. All details can, and probably will, change as development continues.
In a genre defined by immersion, the central storyline is one of the most important aspects of almost any video game. It defines the setting, influences the actions of both players and NPCs, and allows players to identify with the characters they interact with. Currently, Firefall's primary driving storyline is contained within the eight campaign missions. In the open world, most of the content (for example, ARES Jobs) is focused on specific characters or situations unrelated to the campaign story, intended to help connect you to the game’s world and the people living in it. However, with the main storyline limited to just a few missions spanning a relatively small level range, it makes it difficult to really get invested in the central narrative and its characters. In an effort to address this disconnect, we’re adding a new type of content which are internally known as core missions.
Core missions are story-driven instances designed for solo as well as squad play which help fill in the gaps between the existing campaign missions and the open world. These hand-crafted missions introduce you to many primary characters and events of Firefall's lore that you haven’t seen in game before (though some you may already be familiar with).
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These new missions are shorter than the existing campaign missions, though they are also more numerous. They will span from the end of the tutorial all the way to level 40, providing a stable narrative backbone as you progress through the game. Through them you’ll become a part of the overarching struggle between the Accord and the Chosen, giving a much clearer picture of the major events that are transpiring in the world of Firefall.
Core missions will take over as the main story-telling element of Firefall. Current campaign missions will, with some minor adjustments, fit into the storyline as large core missions. In the future, when we are ready to further expand the story, it will be done with additional core missions as our “solo” story-driven content, while additional operations will provide story-driven content designed for groups. The shorter length of the core missions (compared to the existing campaign missions) allows them to be more intimate and immersive without becoming tiresome or detracting from the dynamic nature of the open world that is such a big part of Firefall's identity. They will include new methods of developing characters and delivering story, such as cutscenes, as well as new gameplay mechanics. Some will take place in instanced sections of the open world, while others take place in locations that have been purpose-built for that mission.