Your adventure

I read my blog and discovered that I wrote about nearly everything – threads, classes, inventory, interface, algorithms, landing pads for gay Martians etc.
Except for the game itself, for the experience you are going to get in the game.
Something simple like – “this game is about collecting treasures and beating monsters!”.

Okay. Let’s try to do this and then copy it to “About Fallen” page with “understanding post”.
First of all, small task for me: Describe Fallen gameplay experience in a three sentences.

Game take plays in the big system of catacombs bellow the earth surface – “The Frontier”.
You take a role of “free hunter” character that explores these catacombs, fighting necromutants and blight plants, collecting ancient artifacts and avoiding traps.
Your goal is to collect and “sell” decent number of ancient artifacts to get the top rank and win the game.

That’s it!
Now a bit more detailed explanation, but about the gameplay only, avoiding “In the Year of 465564 the Kingdom of Bubblemurder was…”.
It is okay to be inside the game Fallenpedia or ingame books, but if you risk writing it in the description, then take care about the readers and provide them with “free pillow” coupons.

First Feature: All world in game simultaneously.
You travel through the huge catacombs, but it isn’t the global map and portions of small maps within.
It is big map that computer keeps in the memory. 
Different things happen here and there.
Of course, player is Avatar, but he isn’t the only active person in the game.
You walk over the catacombs, find mutants fighting guards etc.
We don’t plan to create the real world simulator; It is absurd plan for one lifetime.
But, events driven world is great alternative, isn’t it?
Event driven, you ask? Rather simple, game would have few dozens of ‘blocks’, like move monster unit there, spawn creature here, activate traps in this region, increase/ decrease ‘heat’ in this place etc.
This events? would be announced to player, if it would be passing by and they would play collisions.
Simple example: Spawn Monster in region N, Move adventurers group from A to N.
We got the collision. Then, game increased ‘heat’ in region N. Poor adventurers or not poor.
Frankly, it is a bit more complicate and simpler in the same time, but, this description gives some understanding of the process.

Game take plays in the big system of catacombs bellow the earth surface – “The Frontier”.
That’s right. Player starts in the underground settlement, connected to the catacombs network.
The map isn’t to be really huge for the first release, to keep all features close, instead of scattered all around the monstrous map. As long we expand the game, we would expand the map. Classic method.
Map has this list of features:
Settlement. 1-2 per map. You start at the one of them. It would serve as relatively safe place to rest, exchange artifact for fame and purchase equipment. Also, you can talk with NPC.
Catacombs main tunnels. This is wilderness of the Fallen.
'Dungeons' locations with tombs to explore and rob!
Custom locations. Place to some random stuff to occur.


You take a role of “free hunter” character that explores these catacombs, fighting necromutants and blight plants, collecting ancient artifacts and avoiding traps.
Player wouldn’t get classic quests during the game, instead of this you can zoom out using mouse wheel and check “popup” tasks nearby.
Possible tasks list:
Classic, defeat enemy group.
Explore location.
Defeat powerful enemy.
Need item.
Check great shop offer.
Protect creature.
Don’t disturb, I am on adventure ^_^.
Collect resources.
etc
Yes, this is representations of the event to the player.

Your goal is to collect and “sell” decent number of ancient artifacts to get the top rank and win the game.
This is your long-term goal. Fallen would be a winnable game, even being a sandbox.
I plan at least three ways to acquire artifacts. You can find them by yourself, rob other adventurers or purchase on the black market.
All of them has their own drawbacks.  You can guess them for yourself. ^_^
And yes, achieve multiple major goals and win Fallen!