Hello everyone,

With our developers traveling to GDC in the United States (just like last year), our time this week is understandably short, and appreciate your understanding and patience. To make up for this, I can already tell you that next Monday we'll be discussing the Interface a little bit as our developers travel back from San Francisco. Additionally, I can't wait to show you some of the things we've got put together for GDC.

But let's not get off topic already, okay? We can go speculate on GDC in Off-Topic.

That said, this week's question is based on Party/Guild System:
 It has been mentioned that players can group up into squads. What are the advantages for a group of players to form a squad? 

Players in Earthrise are encouraged to support each other in combat, and the best way to do this is to form a group. While many abilities and combat attacks require the player to directly aim at or be close to a target, players in a group can still help each other out. Currently, we have implemented a  simplified interface which does not take the player away from the combat, and at the same time allows group members to potentially support each other through the use of their abilities if they choose to do so. We find this system allows the greatest amount of flexibility in playstyle and tactics, and you should be able to support each your comrades without requiring dedicated healer characters. By not requiring a healer whose singular attention is set on helping others we believe when groups are in combat every player is not only capable of fighting, but should feel free to do so!  For example, some of these abilities we are referring to can be directly used on another player as long as there's an acceptable distance between players.

Groups also have extensive loot options that allow distribution of found items between players in many ways, from random or free for all to distributing items depending on their type and quality, and we look forward to sharing more details on how that particular distribution system works in future weeks.

There are many reasons why players should feel free to form squads and groups, and when exploring the vast world of Earthrise, you may find it to your benefit to take advantage of this opportunity whenever possible. After all, it isn't always safe out there, is it...

I personally found the healer's comment to be rather interesting, and imagine some of you inclined towards support characters may as well. What do you think?
~ m.

the healing comment is interesting not having to take your attention off the battle to micromanage health levels

everything else is pretty standard but definately looking forward to the interface and the gdc stuff keep it coming moll!

feel the same sort of thing as mel don't reaally enjoy being dependant on others but partying with people is cool.

bring on the interface and ss's though!!

I'm hoping that players can still chose to put their emphasis on group support and will be able to provide more functions than people who focus on combat  (even if its not as required as in most other mmo's)

No dedicated healing? I wonder if there will be less healing in combat than other MMOs.

Thanks for today's QOTW and for the heads up on next week's. Good luck at GDC.

If the game revolves more around preventing damage from being received than healing, it should feel a little more like a shooter. I'm happy with the change. Even though I enjoyed healing in other MMOs, I'd like to see some gameplay that isn't just more of the same under a different slide.

I sense that a person low on shields will truly be close to death, rather than just a big heal away from max power again. That's got to put a different feel to combat. This makes me recall AoC... the healers only had 2 significant healing spells, an instant heal with a long cooldown and a heal over time buff which was cone of effect. This was one of things that made AoC combat unique. I hope to see ER combat get a strong uniqueness from healing as well.

Interesting read. Now were are those interface screens?

Heh yeah, I trialed Warhammer, and that was the first game I had fun healing in.

The looting sounds like fairly basic MMOs, but like others have said, healing and fighting ftw, means if two groups come into conflict, it isn't as simple as "Target glowing squishy".


and a bit off topic, yay for a QOTW on my B-day, I feel speshal!

Can you say "remote repair battleship"? 

Ss I understand the whole thing there will be stuff like "shield-linking" or "power-connections" available for groups, where noone has to really do something else, then linking up initially.

However, there's nothing said, that "healers" won't be in the game. A dedicated support-character with shield-transfer/boosting equipment will most likely be much more effective, then the automated systems.

Take the range-statement there...

Linking each other to power up shields and energy-systems seems to be very limited in range, whereas dedicated healing-equipment allows for much more range, etc...


You can change your skillset and equipment and be no healer nomore within seconds anyways