Eternal Crusade (WH40K MMO)

[Caim]

Another interesting thing is that while all the other classes have several weapons to pick from, the Eldar Aspect Warriors do not. So they are stuck to a single firearm for each class, meaning all members of a single class play the same unlike guys like Devastators/Havocs.

 

[Maculo]

That's kind of the plan right now. Basic Eldar and Orks were supposed to be in game half a year ago, more or less. But instead they focused on improving SM and CSM factions first, getting all their vehicles and basic classes to work (I suppose their elites won't have (m)any new mechanics and termies are planned for the first expansion 3 months after launch), and implementing all the different kinds of weapons (I may be wrong but from the more obvious stuff only melta weapons are missing right now, and they're coming soon), so when other races come they'll have a solid playtested base to copy/modify.
Eldar are coming in March, since they require quite a bit of new stuff (Hawks' wings are supposed to work differently than jetpacks, Scorpions will have infiltration, ie. stealth, Banshees will have their own movement quirks etc.) and that takes a bit of work. Orks are much more basic in that regard - besides obvious balance problems, most of their stuff can be copied from what marines already have (they have SM-equivalent classes and -for the most part- weapons) so you won't have to wait for them as long.


Orks are F2P but in a limited way. You still need the full game to play all their elites, use all their special equipment etc. But you can play for free as the basic classes at least ('Free2Waaagh' as they call it - I think it's kind of cute).
Concerning microtransactions, well... technically there are some already. Basically unique skins only - everything that you can buy will have a free equivalent obtainable by normal means in game.
And from what I've seen if you buy it now (before 25th when it goes on steam) you'll get considerable amount of currency for that store ('Rogue Trader').

Thanks for the info 27. I think you convinced me to buy the starter pack. I still have until the 25th to decide though.

 

[27]

Another interesting thing is that while all the other classes have several weapons to pick from, the Eldar Aspect Warriors do not. So they are stuck to a single firearm for each class, meaning all members of a single class play the same unlike guys like Devastators/Havocs.

Eldar classes will have acces to (some) Exarch equipment, and possibly some variants of iconic weapons that we haven't seen in tabletop (like stalker bolter - I wouldn't be surprised if we get a specialised long(er)-range variant of shuriken catapult or something like that). It's been confirmed that Dark Reapers will be able to use shuriken cannons besides their standard launchers, Banshees will get mirror swords and possibly executioners etc. And Warlocks have their spears and different powers, of course.
But in general, yeah. Eldar have more classes (7 instead of 4 for SM, CSM, and Orks) so each class is to have a bit more limited options when it comes to weapons, skills, and equipment.

 

[Gerrard]

Well 40 bucks is cheap for a one time buy game. $50-60 is norm anyway.

For a finished game, not early access one.

 

[Space Satan]

I remember Diablo III promised to release PVP mode two months after release. Good times.

 

[Mangoose]

Well 40 bucks is cheap for a one time buy game. $50-60 is norm anyway.

For a finished game, not early access one.

For closed alpha access, actually.

 

[Mangoose]

Well 40 bucks is cheap for a one time buy game. $50-60 is norm anyway.

For a finished game, not early access one.

For closed alpha access, actually.

Okay I take it back. Instead of "cheap" I should have said that it's "mildly cheaper."

In any case I'm not trying to be a plant. I'd say... if you enjoyed multiplayer Space Marine then there's a good chance you'll like this game. Like I said if they stopped at the current stage and simply went on balancing/polishing/maps/etc instead of putting in more features, I think it's most likely going to live up to the price.

However if you're wanting to play a Planetside experience, and/or playing Eldar/Ork/perhaps even Horde mode (sucked in SM) then I'd recommend waiting and seeing. I agree with Space Satan that their plans for extending the current game into Planetside status is... not a reasonable expectation.

Sadly I had the thought of the possibility that the new races could be so bad that they unbalance the current Space Marine copy-pasta mechanics.


Edit: Then again there are Ork assets they can copy-pasta from Space Marine.

 

[27]

Thanks for the info 27. I think you convinced me to buy the starter pack. I still have until the 25th to decide though.

Hah, now I feel like a weasel...
So be aware that the game is a *real* alpha right now. Besides having only two factions out of planned four (and these are the two that are most similar to each other) and only basic classes, there's a ton of bugs, no optimisation to speak of (2 out of 3 maps in rotation are quite alright right now actually, but the latest one with full 32 players can be a slideshow even on the best computer) and balance is iffy to say the least. On the other hand they seem to fix things rather quickly, add new stuff regularly, and they communicate a great deal with weakly streams (reports on new stuff they work on and Q&A). And, of course, the game is already enjoyable.

If you're still interested, be a bro and use this little code while registering: EC-DDPI6O6BOQOK4
I may dislike the idea of referrals and how they encourage spam, but at the end of the day it's free goodies for both of us.

 

[Maculo]

Thanks for the info 27. I think you convinced me to buy the starter pack. I still have until the 25th to decide though.

Hah, now I feel like a weasel...
So be aware that the game is a *real* alpha right now. Besides having only two factions out of planned four (and these are the two that are most similar to each other) and only basic classes, there's a ton of bugs, no optimisation to speak of (2 out of 3 maps in rotation are quite alright right now actually, but the latest one with full 32 players can be a slideshow even on the best computer) and balance is iffy to say the least. On the other hand they seem to fix things rather quickly, add new stuff regularly, and they communicate a great deal with weakly streams (reports on new stuff they work on and Q&A). And, of course, the game is already enjoyable.

If you're still interested, be a bro and use this little code while registering: EC-DDPI6O6BOQOK4
I may dislike the idea of referrals and how they encourage spam, but at the end of the day it's free goodies for both of us.

Thanks for the code.

I realize alpha is alpha. Balance and optimization will be out the window.

 

[Mangoose]

Seems like Battlefield: Space Marine right now. There are only two vehicles right now, though they're decent. Well, they're also really simple ones: a regular tank (Predator) and an APC (Rhino... Just a mobile spawn point). Then again, 40k armor doesn't have many vehicles (the only other type is a lightly armored speeder that does decent damage). Instead 40k armor are mechs and heavily armored infantry that require energy weapons to damage.

They do surprisingly have several anti-vehicle infantry options though. Melee guys can damage the APCs decently because their weapons are energized. Regular rifle dudes have a "Demolitions" loadout which have "C-4." Course Heavy Weapon dudes have Lascannons and Plasma Cannons (no missile launchers though )

No idea if they'll do flight... Those were only recently introduced in 40k tabletop. And nobody really likes them. On the other hand a game with large maps and large number of players kinda requires aerial assault...

Fucking Heldrakes though.. ugh.

 

[27]

There was a third vehicle in the siege map (Vindicator I think? the one with a shield at the front and a really big cannon) - used mainly to destroy the big gate guarding the rest of the base. But due to some issues this whole 'siege' part has been disabled, attackers spawn right behind the gate and the vehicle has also been cut from the game (temporarily). All factions will have one transport vehicle, one main tank, one siege tank with a big cannon (or kannon), a bike, and another light vehicle (double-bike, buggy, or viper). The next map is supposed to be bigger and centered around tank warfrare, so maybe Vindicator will be back soon. Bikes and buggies are still a way off.
No plans for planes. It seems Swooping Hawks will be the only flying units at launch.

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but present loadout system is only temporary. In the next big patch (which is still supposed to go live this week) they will switch to a point-buy system, where you make your own loadouts by 'buying' equipment pieces until their worth is 1000 (or less) - so theoretically you'll be able to take melta bombs with stalker bolter, or repair kit with plasma gun (unless such combinations will exceed the available limit, of course). Default loadouts will still stay available, at least for alpha. This way they won't have to exactly balance every weapon with each other, but -let's say- a normal chainsword will be 400pts. while a power axe 600pts., thus allowing to take less grenades and other consumables (and later: armour and weapon mods, which will also cost those points).
Also, first available elite classes will be 'veteran' units, which will differ from basic classes only in one respect - they'll have a higher equipment limit so they'll be able to take more stuff at the same time. Of course ork kommandos, eldar rangers etc. will also be elite, but will come a bit later (unless they'll have their models ready by the time they introduce the elite class system, I guess - not sure how long that's going to take).

 

[Aothan]

when shall the Eldar arise ?

 

[Mangoose]

No walkers? Aw.

Bikes tho... Should I be Wazdakka or should I be Doomrider?

 

[27]

when shall the Eldar arise ?

So far they've shown only a Dire Avenger model in action (with SM animations) and some clips from motion capture sessions. They're aiming to show more Eldar assets in the next six weeks and hopefully put them in game with basic stuff (all seven basic classes and all three major vehicles - including Fire Prism) in March.

No walkers? Aw.

Bikes tho... Should I be Wazdakka or should I be Doomrider?

Not at launch. As far as I remember the first major expansion after launch (one every 3 months) will be terminators and equivalent units (ie. wraithguards aaand... don't remember what orks will get), and the second is supposed to add dreadnoughts and the like. But that would be half a year after launch (which is tentatively end of this year, afaik, so we're talking about plans for the next 18 months) so that's a very uncertain timescale and many things can change.

 

[Aothan]

Fire Prism would be interesting, is there any chance one of the vehicles would happen to be a Wraithlord ?

okay I see the rest of the message now, ah so Wraithlords will come much later ?

 

[Mangoose]

Lol I'm slowly remembering my 40k knowledge... Would be fucking hilarious if Ork Rokkit jumpers have a chance to blow up when jumping.

 

[27]

Fire Prism would be interesting, is there any chance one of the vehicles would happen to be a Wraithlord ?

okay I see the rest of the message now, ah so Wraithlords will come much later ?

Yes, quite a bit later.
The Eldar vehicles at launch will be: Wave Serpent (transport), Fire Prism (main tank), and Warp Hunter (siege tank).

Lol I'm slowly remembering my 40k knowledge... Would be fucking hilarious if Ork Rokkit jumpers have a chance to blow up when jumping.

Plasma weapons right now can overheat and blow up hurting the wielder so maybe rokkit packs will get a similar mechanic?

 

[Mangoose]

Muahaha hovering transport... crouch under and use as cover Tau-style

 

[Mangoose]

I had a dream I was playing Eternal Crusade and there was a Dreadnought in it

But really they already have all the assets from Space Marine for Dreadnought. I suppose they'll go Terminators first though because they'd need to go ground up for Wraithguards (which would be interesting if they need a... magic user forget the name.. to lead them). For the Orks I believe the equivalent are Meganobz.

Man this is exciting for a 40k fan. Even if the game is mediocre (though IMO it'll be above average for the Space Marine mechanics) I will play it fo sho.

 

[Excidium II]

I forgot this still existed.

 

[Mangoose]

I forgot this still existed.

Bout to go into Early Access.

 

[Mangoose]

Power Fist added. Beats the shit out of vehicles lolol

Edit: Seriously this game like Space Marine, except ... modified? Basically same weapons. (And some more... well.. no Melta gun) Now there are multiple fire modes. You can burst with Stalker or Semi-auto, stuff like that. Optimization is the main problem, it's still fast paced like Space Marine so running at 20fps like I do gets you fucked in close range, especially in melee.

 

[Space Satan]

Gone to Steam
http://store.steampowered.com/app/375230/?snr=1_4_4__106

 

[Gerrard]

>early access alpha with next to no content
>50 Euro

L
O
L

Good luck.

 

[Space Satan]

Good news everyone