Official FAQ
- What is Neocron?
- What is an RPG?
- What is s a Persistent State World?
- What do you mean by 3D?
- What's a MMORPG?
- What's a MUD?
- What does neocron have in common with other MMORPGs?
- What does it have in common with other 'First Person Shooter (FPS)' games ?
- What makes Neocron outstanding?
- What is the Neocron release date?
- Who are you guys? Where did Neocron come from?
- What kind of hardware and software will be required to play Neocron?
- Can Neocron run on NT? Does it need Direct X?
- Will Neocron support operating systems other than Windows?
- Which 3D cards will you support?
- I am not a technical wizard - could you explain what D3D is?
- Will a 3dfx card be required to play the game?
- What version of Direct X will be used?
- Can anyone tell me if Neocron will support OpenGL?
- Will the game be downloadable or will it be on CD?
- What kind of music will there be in Neocron? MIDI files, or directly off the CD?
- Has any consideration been given to the use of 3D sound in Neocron?
- Will game info be saved on servers or on our Hard drive?
- With a rough cap of between 1,000 and 1,500 people per server, are you expecting to have enough servers to meet demand?
- How much of the world will actually be on the client side?
- Will there be hot keys or programmable macros in the game?
- Do you plan to continuously update the game after its initial release?
- Will the patches be real time as you�re playing the game?
- How much will Neocron cost me in the stores?
- Will there be a monthly fee to play this game? And if so, how much?
- Is there a plan to include a manual with Neocron?
- In the final version, how will Neocron staff handle player complaints about lost stats or equipment due to bugs?
- Will the Neocron team actually play the game or will they just take input from their "playing" designers?
- How do you intend to build an online cohesive society in Neocron? What elements do you think will add to this environment?
- Are you trying to create a "realistic" world for Neocron? i.e. attempting to essentially create a living, breathing world "simulation", where non-player characters have their own daily schedules, the world has its own interactive "ecology" and there is an overall dynamic "economy".
- When will the beta test launch?
- What's the screen resolution for the game and number of colors?
- I absolutely loved the graphics in the screenshots. I have noticed, though, that most games who dedicated too much time on graphics lack good Artificial Intelligence in their creatures.
- Can we run the game at higher resolution if we have the horsepower for it?
- Does high resolution cause more lag if only using a modem? Does more information need to cross the phone lines if in high-resolution?
- How big is the game world?
- Since Neocron is only one of the reaminig three cities on earth, when will we be able to visit the other cities or the colony on Irata III?
- Will the overall size of the world get bigger, or will more things just be put in existing space as the game gets older?
- What kind of communication will there be in the game? Will we be able to send messages privately or to broadcast to the entire server?
- How exactly will communication work, i.e. when a character says something how will nearby characters see it?
- Will chat programs like ICQ or IRC be disabled during the game?
- What happens to the people who follow you around spamming you, etc.?
- The game will be server based -- can I switch servers to go meet friends on another server?
- Will people be able to switch servers and take their character with them?
- Will there be some other ways to travel than walking? Cars, Subway or Teleport?
- When traveling in the Wastelands behind the Outzone, is the player's view going to be first person the entire duration of travel, or will there be an overhead view of the map of the region?
- How will fighting work? Real time or turned based?
- Do you have an advantage when you have quick reactions in fighting?
- Do your guns fire and your knives swing automatically?
- Will someone with a better connection have an advantage over someone with a poor connection?
- How is the gameplay going to be through a 28.8 connection? I have played online RPGs and lag seems to be a big problem.
- Will there be different weather situations in Neocron?
- Are there smooth transitions between the different weather situations?
- Will there be an active economy in the game?
- Will there be different kinds of terrain in the game?
- Will there be damage from the different weathers without proper clothing?
- How many districts and other zones will there be in the game?
- Neocron is playable from different viewpoints. Has any thought been put into ensuring that no one viewpoint has an undue advantage over another?
- Is the Neocron development team doing what they can to ensure a player won't be hampered by his choice of view?
- How will we control our characters? Keyboard, mouse, joystick, or combination?
- Will there be a screen capture utility in Neocron?
- Will there be some kind of religion in Neocron?
- Can you give us hints as to the storyline? What will be one's purpose in the game?
- Is there a central plot or just mindless wandering and killing things?
- Will the history, design docs, character specs be completely written by the Neocron team? Will you accept submissions, maybe doing contests?
- When adventuring can we form parties?
- What about people who prefer to play solo? Will the solo player be "crippled" to the point of unplayability or will it just be limited in where you can go what you can do?
- If I'm in a party and we kill a mutant, is the experience shared the same way as if two people not in a party kill a monster together?
- Is there a limit to the number of players that can be in a group? If so, how many?
- Will there be underwater areas?
- Can I fight underwater?
- Will there be a notoriety system in which one can tell criminals apart and so they are punished by the law or a bounty system?
- Are there any plans for special servers just for those players who role-play "properly"?
- Will you be able to see the names of others just by looking at them?
- Any thought given to cut scenes/cinematics in the final version?
- Will there be central meeting places like Bars or conference centers to meet other people?
- Will there be player owned vendors in the game, and will they have a weight and item limit?
- How will you prevent the gaining of wealth by continually creating new characters for their starting items?
- How many characters can one person have on one account?
- Will character improvement be skill based or level based?
- How many classes are there? And what are they?
- Will there be the possibility of adding new races/classes as the game expands?
- Can a character be multi-class like a Spy Tank?
- Will there be alignment in the game? And how much of an impact will it have on gameplay?
- Can we play male or female characters?
- Are there inherent differences between male and female characters?
- Will we be able to select how our character looks? I mean eyes, hair and such?
- Will clothes, armor and weapon be visible to other players?
- Can I have a shop or be a merchant like in Ultima Online?
- Will there be a set of attributes we select at the creation process that will remain the same through the game like intellect, strength and so on?
- Will I be able to put a biography on my character for when people look at me?
- Will my character age? And if he does can he die of old age?
- Can my character eat and is it actually required to survive?
- Can my character sleep?
- Will resting replenish hitpoints?
- Will I be able to wear disguises?
- Is there a maximum level my character can attain?
- What are your strategies for preventing "topping-out" with experience points?
- How many items can I wear or have equipped?
- When our characters gain experience will they change forms or change into a higher form in the class?
- What if I switch servers and some one has my name on the new server?
- Will a character take any damage from high falls into water, or does the fact that the player lands in water negate damage from any height?
- Will players be able to save their player info at any time to avoid crash losses?
- Will GM's be able to address problems caused by the game? if I lose skills/stats/items from bugs, can a GM restore me?
- Will aiming at specific parts of the body be a part of combat?
- Do classes have different languages and if there are can we have spells to translate?
- vWill there be a notoriety/alignment system?
- Will certain armor/weapons be off limits to i.e. Psi Monks?
- Will Psi Monks be able to wield weapons?
- Psi Monks have innate regeneration -- do they in Neocron and what does it do?
- Are all skills available to all classes or are some class specific?
- Can you tell us some of the skills that will be in the game?
- Do I have all the skills available to my character at the beginning or do I need to learn them?
- How do I learn new skills? From NPCs or can other players teach me?
- Do skills deteriorate when not used?
- Can I learn all skills at the beginning or do some have restrictions like being a certain level or having another skill?
- Will dual weapon combat be available?
- How will skills be raised? Will it be on a level/distribute points scale or more along the lines of practice a lot while you level?
- What miscellaneous skills will there be?
- Is swimming available to all races or is it limited?
- How are skills activated? Are they automatic or do I have to use them manually?
- If some are manually activated, how will I access them? Buttons, quick slots, hot keys, or what?
- How many types of Psi are there?
- Can you tell us some of the Psi spells?
- Will Psi be aura based or reagents?
- Do I have all the Psi spells available to my character at the beginning or do I need to learn them?
- How do I learn new Psi spells? From NPCs or can other players teach me?
- Do spells deteriorate when not used?
- Can I create new spells?
- Can I Psi-enchant weapons?
- How are area effect spells handled. Are my group members immune form my area effect spells?
- Can you elaborate on how balanced Psi and non-Psi attacks will be?
- Are you going to try to emphasize the use of the subway or the hoverbikes for long distance travel, instead of making a transport type of teleport commonly accessible?
- Concerning Psi-spell targeting, will spells automatically hit its target or will some actual aiming be required in order to hit your target with a spell?
- From how far away will I be able to cast a spell on a target?
- Will there be a limit as to the number of undead a single Psi Monk can create/control at one time, and if so, will greater experience allow you to create/control more?
- Will spells be e-scroll based or transcpriptor based?
- Do I have to learn a scribe skill to do this?
- How will I find new e-scrolls?
- How many of the Psi-spells in my transcpriptor will I have immediate access to?
- How do I memorize these Psi-spells?
- Will there be very powerful Psi-spells?
- Will Psi-spells cast instantly or have a casting time?
- Are Psi Monks going to just be traveling healers?
- How much interaction will there be with the NPCs? Will they just sell and buy stuff?
- Can you kill NPCs?
- If an NPC dies, will it be replaced by another, or will it just return?
- Will mutants all act the same during combat? Or will some retreat when hurt, or follow you until either they are dead or you are?
- Are we going to see a change in mutants and NPCs depending on time of day?
- Will NPCs treat different members of a group differently, depending upon the level of the party member or for other reasons?
- Will NPCs use Psi-spells?
- Are some of the creatures going to use Psi-spells during fights?
- Will some of the creatures/monsters be the same races and classes as our characters? I mean can I fight a human Tank NPC that is not controlled by another player?
- How many types of NPCs will there be in the game?
- Is that 50 NPC types or 50 types with palette swaps?
- Can I hire an NPC to protect my belongings for me?
- Will there be animals?
- In Neocron, will mutants travel in packs with obvious leaders and obvious goals?
- Will mutants, have their own home like i.e. an abandoned industrial installation? And if yes, will they defend their home against unwelcome tourists?
- Will there be outside GMs (in other words, GMs that don't work for Reakktor)?
- Can a player flee from CopBots if they're fast enough? If CopBots are not invincible, will they team up (call for back up) if they are being beat?
- If someone is attacked by an NPC and runs up to the Plaza or to ViaRosso to obtain help from the CopBots, will a CopBot kill the monster with one hit?
- Will CopBots "spawn" like they do in UO or will a group be able to kill off the CopBots of an area and effectively fend off the other guards when they attempt to retake the area?
- Are hoverbikes yet created as a means of travel. And if not, have you ever considered the possibility of glider travel? This also opens the option of Air-to-air combat.
- Will there be magic items in the game?
- Are some items going to be unique, where there is only one in the game?
- Are there going to be some weapons or armor that are the best in the game? Will everyone be wearing the same armor or use the same weapon because it's the best there is? Or will armor and weapons have advantages and disadvantages?
- Are all items useable by all races and classes?
- Will weapons, armor and other items wear out with use? If so will we have to take them to someone who repairs them or will there be a spell to repair worn out weapons?
- Can we set up a "safe" appartment or rent a "safe" room? Or maybe safety deposit boxes in some areas of the city? Just a place to store items and treasures?
- How can other player get into my appartment when I invite them to come and party?
- Will the different guns all look the same on the player or will each have their own look?
- Will there be some sort of hoverbike combat possible like in Forsaken?
- Will we be able to interact extensively with our environment?
- Will people be able to purchase 'safety deposit' boxes or some such in order to store items and other valuables?
- Can other players hack the GoGuardian and steal my belongings?
- Will there be a "decay" rate, as in certain items only last so long? This would prevent certain people from having the "invincible" set of equipment and require them to actually go out and get it again?
- Will rivers be barriers to travel without swim skill? If so, will bridges come into play (as strategic points)?
- Will we be able to build and destroy buildings?
- Is there an upkeep associated with owning a penthouse?
- How will the money system work?
- Will I be able to log off safely even when I am not in my appartment?
- What kind of quests can I expect in Neocron? Simple quests, like go fetch something for an NPC, or more complex quests that will require either teamwork or finding clues as to how to accomplish the quests?
- Are the quests generated automatically or will there be some kind of GM introducing major quests once in a while?
- How will the quests be reset? I mean can I do the same quest over and over?
- Will quests be reserved for larger clans or will we see NPC dictated adventure for those who opt for a party-based system?
- You mention that GM's would be able to provide quests/adventures for any player at any time. However, how do you plan to actually accomplish the feat of having GM's provide quests for 1000 + players per server?
- Will there be a bulletin board in the towns that tell of quests and things that are occurring?
- Will there be raids/bands of mutants or whatever type of main monster or race? If so will they be real raids as in attacking towns and such?
- Where can I report quest problems?
- Can I create jobs and quests?
- Should I give all my quest items at the same time?
- Why does the NPC only say, "Thanks!" when I turn in a quest item?
- If the NPC asks for a Large Rock, will any rock work?
- Will there be clans/clans in the game? Game operated clans like a thieves clan or just player run clans?
- Will there be special clan functions? Like ranks or the ability to buy a clanhouse?
- Can clans have special clothes or uniforms?
- If my clan becomes very big and active, will there be special quests for it?
- What will the government be like in Neocron? Will there be company rulers (Like Lord British and Blackthorn), or could players start their own government?
- Will players be able to take over cities and the surrounding lands? How will this be handled if it is possible?
- Will clans be able to declare war and fight without interruption or penalty?
- Is there some way that newbies will be introduced in-game to other newer players to adventure together, or will everyone just be thrown into the city to fend for themselves?
- Will clans be officially recognized in some way in the game?
- Will you work along with famous, very dedicated clans or players? Perhaps honor them with a role of a villain for players to battle against, or give the clan special privileges and a clan penthouse in ViaRosso?
- Will there be a way for players to declare their own quests in game through a sort of world wide notice?
- Will there be a limit to the number of official clans on the game?
- Will player killing (PK) be allowed in the game?
- Are there negative consequences to Pkilling? Like getting arrested in cities, not being able to shop, and other similar deterrents?
- Will some areas be safe-zones or can you be killed anywhere even in shops?
- Will there be guards in the cities?
- Will there be any environments where a PK can challenge another PK player?
- Can someone I'm dueling have his or her friends heal them during the fight?
- Is there the possibility of allowing multiple people to participate in duels?
- Will Neocron GMs be biased against pkillers, and will they interfere with a player's game play?
- What are the consequences if you PK a lot? What is the SoulLight System?
- Which is the class the most interesting for player-killing?
- Will you receive experience points for killing another player?
- How will you deal with death? Is it permanent or do you just lose some stats, skills, and items?
- Is there the possibility of a character being "permanently" killed? (i.e. Permanent Death)?
- But in most paper & pencil RPGs if you get killed in combat, you're forever dead. Why isn't this going to be the case in Neocron?
- Is there a limit to the number of times you can die?
- When mutants die, will they remain as sprites or fade away slowly like in Quake?
- When you die, do you "resurrect with penalties"? Must you run off to a hospital in "ghost" mode, or what?
- Any idea how much stats you will lose when you die?
- Can you fall from great heights, and will it kill you?
- Can I log off from a fight to survive?
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Neocron is a 3D massively multiplayer online RPG (MMORPG). Another equally accurate way of describing Neocron is to call it a graphical MUD.
RPG stands for Role-Playing Game. People often debate what this really means, so we'll attempt to clarify what we mean. When you play Neocron you'll first create a character. This creation of yours can be any one of 4 classes, male or female, and you even have the opportunity to adjust your attributes (for instance, how strong you are, or how intelligent you aren't). You'll then immerse this character of yours into our virtual world and make of him or her whatever you wish. You define your role in the city of Neocron and how well you play that role it is up to you. People also often assume that RPG means an certain theme or setting. We don't necessarily agree to this and so Neocron is not a traditional RPG. Unlike most other RPGs, Neocron is set in the far distant future. It�s populated by cyberpunks, psi-monks, hackers, spies and other characters you�d expect to meet in a 27th century metropolis. However just like in a traditional RPG, there are quests and puzzles to solve aplenty, but it's up to you decide which ones, if any, to pursue. You might choose to become a Tank-Warrior and go for some evil destruction or perhaps you become a merchant making his profit selling goods from one area of the city to another. Essentially, while we've defined the setting, you create the world.
Also referred to as a PSW, a Persistent State World is a virtual Internet world that you co-inhabit with thousands of other people simultaneously. It�s persistent in that the world exists independent of your presence, and in that your actions can permanently shape the world. The fact that you are existing with other real people from around the globe adds a level of immersion that must be experienced to be believed.
We realize that the term 3D is loosely used almost everywhere today. In reference to Neocron, however, we mean it quite literally. Our engine is truly 3D -- it is not a raycaster, nor does it use a pseudo-3D isometric view. I.e. you can walk completely around a house or any structure and then enter it, all the while adjusting the camera view between first person and any number of top-down or 3rd person viewpoints.
While many modern computer games support multiplayer gaming, few are designed to support well over 1,000 simultaneous players. With Neocron, you don't start the server program on a local network and invite a few of your friends over to play. Instead, you run the Neocron client program and use the Internet to connect to our World Server. Call or email your friends and tell them in what part of the city to meet you, or better yet log on and encounter hundreds of other people from all over the world and make a slew of new acquaintances.
MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons/Dimensions) are online text-based RPGs that have been around for several years. Neocron is similar to these MUDs, except it was designed from the ground up to depict our world using real-time 32bit color fully texture mapped graphics, as opposed to merely a well written paragraph. Also, while most of these MUDs are run by a couple of people as a hobby in their spare time, Neocron is a professional and commercial product -- our staff will be on hand 24 hours a day to meet your needs both as a player and as a customer.
Like in other MMORPGs, the player will generate and train an alter ego (Avatar) that will represent him. The player experiences the world of Neocron through the eyes of his virtual Avatar. Other player characters (PCs) and NPCs (Non-Player Characters) will interact with him and recognize him as a citizen of Neocron. The characteristics and properties of the Avatar will change and evolve during the course of the game. I.e. the playercan pick up tasks to gain experience, fight to train his strength, trade, work, train Psi powers and / or gamble to earn money. Anyhow the concept behind Neocron does not allow the RPG elements to become as complex and heavy as they are in some other RPGs. To us, it is very important that the player finds a fast way into the game and doesn�t waste time on learning how to play it. We try to make the player a full citizen of Neocron from the day he enters the game. I.e. Unlike other MMORPGs, in Neocron the player does have an own home (appartment) right from the start.
Neocron features a huge number of different weapons (ray, psi and projectile) and advanced weapon systems (like remote controlled drones and mines). But in most districts it is not allowed to wear open guns. A heavily armed and armoured police force keeps the peace in ViaRosso, Plaza and the Cybermall. Police Patrols in Pepper Park are rare and the Outzone has been left to its own fate. A smart citizen knows how to avoid trouble and does not visit the darker districts, but people who seek the challenge and are eager to deathmatch should definetly check out the Outzone. In PepperPark there are also some HoloMatch arcades, that allow the player to start up deathmatch levels. We here at Reakktor Media are all 'happy' deathmatchers, so we know what we are talking about when we say that we`ll have lots of cool balanced and exciting deathmatch (HoloMatch) levels.
A State-of-the-Art 3D engine and the way how we combine classic elements to a new MMORPG sub genre which we refer to as a 'scenario-game'. You do not have to play neocron in a certain way to have fun. You can be the most peaceful person in the world and you`ll enjoy neocron as much as the average 'hardcore-gamer'. Neocron is 'only' a scenario that works within certain rules. Once you learn the rules of this scenario, you`ll move through the city as if it was your hometown. With neocron, we offer an exciting scenario to live in, but what the player makes of it, is up to him. The game does not have a goal like common games have. There`ll never be a day when you can say: "Today, I finished neocron!", because it`s a life-simulation in an exciting, virtual, urban, futuristic scenario. Nothing more... nothing less.
A final release date has not been set yet. The beta test will launch autumn 2000 and the release date for the golden master will depend on how the beta test goes.
Reakktor Media, responsible for PC hits like Bermuda Syndrome (1996) and Subtrade (1993), began development of Neocron in 1998. If you want to learn more about our company, please visit our website at http://www.reakktor.com.
The Neocron client program requires a Pentium 166 (Pentium 200+ recommended), with a Direct 3D compliant 3D card and 32 megabytes of RAM. The program runs under Windows 95 or 98. We recommend a 3D card at least as fast as Voodoo2 Graphics from 3DFX. Note that this is estimate, and is subject to change as game development progresses.
Currently Neocron does not run on Windows NT systems. The game requires at least Direct X, Version 6 and runs on Win9x and Win 2000 systems.
At this time there are no plans to support computer based platforms other than Windows systems. We are considering development for Playstation II though and will keep you updated on our decision.
Neocron will use both Direct 3D and Glide. Direct 3D is a 3d API from Microsoft that allows us to support most 3D cards currently on the market as well as future cards. Glide is a 3d API from 3DFX and works with their cards (Voodoo Graphics, Voodoo 2, Voodoo 3, Banshee etc.).
Direct 3D (D3D) is part of Direct X, which is a software add-on to Windows 9x that most modern games use. Direct 3D is the part of Direct X that allows a game or other program to utilize the various 3D cards out on the market. If you would like to learn a bit more about DirectX or Direct 3D please visit the Microsoft site and read the documentation. The address is http://www.microsoft.com/directx/
A 3D card is required, however it doesn't necessarily have to be a 3dfx card (although they work fine). Your card needs to be any Direct 3D compliant card, and should be at least as fast as a 3dfx card. You may want to consult some of the many articles, both on the web and in printed magazines, that compare and contrast the features, performance, etc. of 3d cards.
Neocron will require Direct X 6 or higher
Neocron will use Glide (the native 3dfx API) and Direct 3D (Microsoft API that most modern 3d cards support). We will not support OpenGL (nothing against it, just with both Glide and D3D, there's no real need).
It will be on both: CD-ROM and download. Unlike other MMORPGs, our client software will be available for free.
Neocron uses MIDI and Audio CD. You can actually assign any Audio CD and track via a config file to match your music preferences.
Yes -- Neocron supports 3D sound using Direct Sound 3D. We support both EAX and A3D.
Servers. We are very sensitive to the fact that hackers exist, and are implementing several plans to guard against them.
Yes, while this may or may not mean more servers, we feel it's worth it to keep the server based lag down and to preserve a sense of community on each server.
Basically, like any other game, your graphics and world is on the client side, but your critical data like characters are on the server side. Static information that isn�t going to change is on the client side. And that typically is most of your graphics -- you don�t want to be downloading those.
Yes.
Absolutely. The world of Neocron will be a constantly evolving and expanding universe.
It will check your version when you log in -- if we�re doing a major change it will force you to log out.
Nothing. Neocron is given away for free. Thus we can make it available via download or on CD-ROM. If you order a CD-ROM we`ll charge $19.95 for the disk, the printed manual and p&p.
At launch, we will have three pricing plans,
1 Month - $9.95
3 Months - $24.95
6 Months - $49.95
If you order the CD-ROM, you�ll get a full manual and a map of the city. If you download it, the download comes with a manual and a map in pdf format.
On an individual basis.
When we assembled the team we made sure many of the artists, programmers, and world builders were into this genre. The entire team's input counts and they've all contributed to this game quite a bit. Accordingly, we wouldn't be a bit surprised to see most all of them play the game quite often. This is a game we've all wanted to make and PLAY for many years.
We think the focus we have on this not just being a player vs. player game but rather also a very cooperative game will help build a sense of community. Allowing people to group, to talk to other party members, and to talk to people regardless of where they are will help this. And the ability to split experience amongst a group will add to this as well. Also, keeping the server population down will enable people to recognize names more easily.
Yes, but only where it really adds to gameplay. Neocron is not an experiment or a simulation, and our focus is on making the game world fun. Our emphasis is on adventure and exploration, and making sure the game mechanics are fair and enjoyable. Game balance definitely takes precedence over any attempt at creating a super realistic virtual world.
We�ll most likely launch the beta test late summer 2000. If you want to apply for beta test, then please sign up for the newsletter by clicking here. Betatesters will be chosen from the community.
640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 16bit and 32bit color when supported by your 3D hardware.
Well that might be true for some games, but it�s not for Neocron. We�ve invested a lot of work in the AI related systems.
Yes.
The resolution you run Neocron in has nothing to do with internet lag -- the exact same amount of information is being passed between your client and the server.
The city of Neocron is pretty big. It should take a long time to walk from one end to the other.
The world will grow and grow. At some point in the future you may be able to travel to the other cities on earth.
The world will get bigger.
You'll be able to do the following:
- Say things to people in your general area.
- Shout things across the zone you are in.
- Tell someone a message privately (no matter how far he�s away).
- Say things such that only people grouped with you can hear.
- Say things such that only people in your clan (if you are in a clan) can hear.
If a character says something, any other players nearby see it displayed in the input/output window (Hypercom) on the screen.
Neocron runs in full screen mode and doesn't allow task switching in order to deter the use of third party software that interferes with Neocron gameplay.
You type /ignore <character name> at the Hypercom and then you don't see his spam anymore.
Yes.
There are no short term plans to allow charcters to be moved from server to server.
You can travel by hoverbike and by subway. There will also be a few other more exotic ways to travel through the city of Neocron.
Travelling long distances in the Wastelands is exactly the same as walking around in the city or any other terrain. The views themselves are the same throughout the game -- you can choose from first person or from several third person viewpoints. As for the time it takes to walk from one zone to another, depending on the distance, it could take a while.
Real time.
Well the emphasis is definitely on the player�s character�s stats, not the player himself. But quick reactions help a weak character to fight a superior opponent. Weapons and Psi-skills have levels and sometimes maybe speeds, characters have attributes and skills. These plus reaction are the main components of combat.
No. Actually fighting works a lot like you know it from other FPS games.
In some situations it does. A normal or even a high speed connection might be helpful during the action parts of the game.
We don't think most of the lag people are experiencing on these games is because they are using a 28.8. It's usually either server based lagged or their ISP�s, or somewhere in the internet between them and the servers. We are designing the game such that we aren't sending out more data than a 28.8 can handle. Also, we are doing several things to reduce lag, including using very mature network code, as well as keeping the number of people down per server, to reduce server lag.
Yes. There will be all kinds of weather.
Yes. Like in real life you�ll have a lot of weather changing and the weather changes smoothly.
Yes, there is an economy in Neocron, primarily player-driven. Price will change according to supply and demand. If an item is offered more often then bought the price will go down.
Yes, there�s downtown and there are some wastelands surrounding the city.
No.
Neocron is launching with 4 big city districts plus the wastelands (which are all divided into different zones). There are over 70 zones total in which to adventure.
It's pretty hard to look down a hall or a tunnel or a street in the top down view. Also, there's a lot of information and detail in the background textures that you might miss if you're not in 1st person mode. By their natures, different views have different advantages and disadvantages. However 1st person is always a good choice. Most parts of the game have been optimized for 1st person view.
No. The different views are a bonus. If the player wants to make sure that he does not choose a wrong camera mode, then he should stick to 1st person perspective.
Keyboard and mouse.
Yes � you can configure a key and when you press it a .bmp file will be written to your Neocron directory.
Well there is the Crahn sect and there are some old chapels in the city, but the religion itself wont influence the game in any way.
There's no set storyline... just a vast history and background to the world. The players will make the stories by interacting with the world.
There is a rich history, plenty of quests, and also the ability to mindlessly wander and kill things -- it's up to the player to determine how involved he wants to get.
The history of the world before you players arrive will be written, but after that, you players will be making the history and events in the world. You are welcome to chronicle those events, and we would like submissions as well of those events. Perhaps we will post certain ones on the web page and such, once the game has been released.
Yes. In fact, you are encouraged to form parties.
It will be a bit limited in where you can go and what you can do (especially in more difficult areas), but definitely not 'crippled' -- there are classes in Neocron (Private Eye class comes to mind) that do fine as a solo character.
Yes, but both characters can achieve individual experience points. Consider this: a tank class guy makes the kill, but a psi monk has been healing him � both get experience points for their individual skills.
There is no limit to the number of players in a group.
Yes. Some zones are entirely underwater.
Yes.
Yes, however we would hesitate to call it a notoriety system, because it works very differently than other systems you might be familiar with.
Probably not. The debate as to what exactly role-playing means is eternal, with few who agree with each other. Also, servers are very expensive, so we're not sure how many we will set up and under what conditions.
Yes. It is an option that when you look or better focus someone his name will be displayed.
We will �only� have in-engine cinematics to reduce the size of the client software and to speed up the download. Maybe there�ll be another pre-rendered sequence in the beginning of the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM versions, to introduce the game, similar to most games.
Yes.
We think a significant portion of the economy will be people who buy, sell, and trade in the city and in the Wastelands. We don't feel we need to make them merchants 'officially' for them to be able to do this, nor do they require any additional abilities. Basically, anyone can be a merchant or a vendor.
Your account does only allow one character at a time.
One.
Both skill and level based.
There are 4 classes: Psi Monk, Tank, Private Eye and Spy.
Absolutely. We look forward to adding quite a bit to the game.
Not really, but the Private Eye class is an allround class.
Yes, our faction system is very complex.
Yes.
At this time, choosing male or female only affects your appearance, and not necessarily your gameplay (other than the way you personally choose to role-play).
There are eight faces per class and gender from which to choose.
Some.
Yes, you can have your own shop, but there is no 'merchant' class or official occupation per se, because we don't feel this is necessary. Any player at any time is welcome to sell or trade items, and there will be in-game features to accommodate players who like to do this often. There are several trade skills in the game, however.
Yes, to a point. There will be attributes like strength, stamina, intelligence, dexterity, and agility -- however, these can increase or decrease with special items (like implants or BioBoosts).
Yes.
No.
Yes, your character can and will need to eat. However, eating and drinking is not tedious, and one cannot actually starve to death.
There are ways to rest in the game, but you don't need to sleep.
Yes, but i.e. having a Psi Monk as a friend is more efficient.
Yes, i.e. The Psi Monk has a cloak skill and some classes can alter what they wear, which will change their outer appearance.
Currently, the maximum level is 99, but this may be subject to change as the game expands.
At this point experience caps aren't planned, however it will become harder and harder to make levels, so it should take some time to reach higher levels.
There are 9 body locations in which to wear items like armor and implants, as well as a general inventory in which you can hold more. In general how much you can carry is controlled by your strength. It is measured in metric kilograms.
There will be titles based on level and accomplishments.
The person who was on that server first will get to keep the name, you will have to assign a new name.
Unlike falling on ground, falling into water generally causes no damage to your character.
Probably not, however the servers save character data whenever anything significant changes about them such that the chance of a server crash causing losses is slim (note that this is a very different than saving the entire game state every so often like other games do, which can lead to severe crash losses).
GMs will be able to fix problems resulting from bugs if that bug is verifiable, and we feel it is important that we are able to verify the vast majority of bugs and address (i.e. fix) how they wrongly affect the game and gameplay.
The hitzones are divided into head and �rest of the body� zones. However there is more to combat than just dumb firing at your opponent. There are many combat related skills that can come into play during combat.
There will be no different languages, other than the ones being spoken by the players (coming from �real� different countries)..
There is a sophisticated alignment system, in which the game keeps track of hundreds of factions and how these factions feel, both positively and negatively, about your character. Your actions also adjust your standings.
There are some class restrictions to items.
Yes, they will be able to wield weapons such as simple guns.
Yes, Psi Monks heal (get their hit points back) more quickly than do other races.
Some skills are available to all classes, for instance swimming. Some, however, are available to only certain races and classes.
We can name a few (psi, hack, shoot, aim, steal) -- please see the skills listing on the web site for a complete listing.
You start with some, you earn others as your character progresses.
To learn new skills, you must find a trainer.
No.
Some skills will have restrictions, and some skills are not learnable until higher levels.
No. You can actually switch weapons during combat, but not use them simultaneously.
Your skills go up as you use them, but they can only go up so much per level, and certain skills won't be available to the player until he reaches certain experience levels.
There will be many skills, many related to combat, but then also non-combat related skills as well. Please see the skill listing on the web site for a complete listing.
All classes start out with swimming as a sub skill.
Some skills trigger automatically, while others are activated manually.
In your interface you will have 10 quick slots for combat related skills and/or objects.
There are 2 circles of Psi (aggressive and passive). Each circle includes many different Psi spells.
We can list some at this time: move, cloak, freeze, remote control, healing, energy ball and other offensive spells.
The Psi system is primarily aura (like mana) based, however some Psi spells require components.
As a Psi monk you start with some simple spells, you earn others as your character progresses.
You can find or purchase Psi spell e-scrolls, and then decode that e-scroll into your Psi transcpriptor.
No.
No.
With the proper skill, yes.
No, they are not immune from offensive area spells cast by a caster in their group.
The idea behind having a class system is that the different classes will have advantages and disadvantages. If we do our jobs and balance these classes, then none of them will have inherent advantages over the other. A Psi Monk might beat a warrior under certain conditions, and vice versa.
Teleport Psi-spells exist, but they will be very high level and hard to come by.
It depends on the actual skill. Some will automatically target, however that doesn't necessarily mean they successfully hit the target.
The effect of long distance spell casting is directly related to the type of spell (in other words, it depends on the spell).
Yes, a limit. The higher the level the more powerful the undead -- not necessarily the quantity here, but rather the quality.
Both. You will obtain new spells by finding Psi-e-scrolls. Once you have a e-scroll you must scribe it into your Psi-spell transcpriptor. Once the spell is successfully scribed, the e-scroll will disappear. It is then permanently scribed into you spell transcpriptor.
No. You "scribe" it into your transcpriptor by simply dragging the e-scroll to an open slot in your transcpriptor. This process takes some time to complete. You can be interrupted while doing this.
By killing monsters, finding treasure, and completing quests.
You can have access to 8 of your spells at one time. These spells are "memorized" into your interface slots.
By dragging the spell from your spell transcpriptor to an open slot on your screen.
Yes, although they will be very hard to come by and very hard to cast. Some may require that you complete long quests just to cast them.
Different spells will have different casting times, which can also be affected by your skill in that Psi art.
No. Psi Monks are pretty formidable fighters and can wear armor and fire guns.
They'll do a lot more than that, including providing in-game information and quests.
Yes, most of them. That's fairly integral to the game.
The NPC may or may not return right away, nor will he necessarily be in the same place.
The latter, depending upon the intelligence and type of the mutant with whom you are fighting.
It all depends on the NPC. For instance, we can assign a mutant dog to only appear during the evening.
Again, it really depends on their intelligence. Certain NPCs will go after Psi-spell casters, certain NPCs will go after who hit them the hardest last, certain NPCs like an animal will attack whatever is closest since they don�t know any better, certain ones will flee at certain times, certain ones will fight to the death � it all depends on the NPC.
Some, yes.
Some, yes.
Yes.
There are currently over 50 types of NPCs -- see the mutant guide for a partial listing.
That's over 50 different polygonal figures. Most of these have multiple texture sets, creating hundreds of different NPCs.
No. That�s something you would have to hire a PC for.
Yes.
The more intelligent the monster, the more intelligently it will act. We are putting a lot of effort into our NPC AI system.
Yes.
Yes. We will have a Guide program of volunteer GMs.
It is possible that you could flee successfully from a guard, and yes, they will team up on you.
That would depend on how powerful the attacking NPC is and how powerful that particular CopBot is.
The details of how NPCs spawn or repopulate is not something we can go into details on, other than to say it is very flexible and will depend on the zone and situation you are in.
Yes, the hoverbikes have been added. Air to air combat and glider riding won't be in the game.
No, there�s no such thing as magic in Neocron. The only thing coming close to it is Psi power.
Yes, we call them artifacts. Some of them will be awarded to characters who do remarkable things and some are just spread in the city and can be found by the player.
'Best' will be very subjective and relative to what the player wants for his character. It will also be situational. If one item gives you fire protection, it may be useless in battle to protect you against projectile weapons.
Some are, some aren't. The use of the most weapons and items depends on your skill though.
No.
An appartment is always safe. It�s impossible to break into other people�s appartments. Also there are safety deposit boxes (such as the GoGuardian) that can be accessed on multiple locations.
The appartment is protected by an alphanumerical pin code. You can give the pin to your friends and change it after the party is over.
Most items have different appearances, both in the 3D world and as icons in the inventory screens.
No, the emphasis in Neocron is on that of interacting with your character and other characters, not on vehicles.
We are very happy with how interactive the world is, and just how many places you can go.
One can store items and money at the GoGuardian. The GoGuardian is accessible from various places and things that have been put into the GG in one place, can be taken out of it at another place. The GoGuardian stores the atomical matrix of each object and can copy it to other locations like a 3D fax machine.
No. Just like the appartment, the GoGuardian is safe.
No.
Swim is a very basic skill which every character has right from the start. However, there will be bridges.
No.
Yes. Not only are penthouses extremely expensive, but there will be a periodic fee that clans and players must pay, lest they lose ownership of their houses and halls.
There will be cash and plastic money. When you want to put cash (which you may find during your adventure) on your bank account, you need to go to a bank and do so. If you don�t put your money on a bank account but carry it around with you, then you will lose it when you die.
Yes. However to avoid using log off as an unfair escape from a battle, the log off process will take around 30 seconds. Which means that you can log off immediately, but your avatar remains in Neocron for another 30 seconds before it disappears.
Both.
Both. Actually there is a terminal system that allows you to always read the latest news about jobs and quests. Big quest will be announced by CityAdmin.
You can repeat quests to some extent, however they are level based.
There will be plenty of quests for all sorts of people, whether individual, or in parties, or members of large clans. As for GM run quests, we don't have infinite time and resources, so these will be limited, but not necessarily limited only to clans.
Certainly our GMs will not be providing custom quests at all times of the day for all players. However, they will quite often do so, meaning they will create dynamic custom quests. If you the player are in the right place at the right time, you may encounter a GM instead of an AI controlled NPC.
Yes.
Yes.
Email us at [email protected]. This email is for quest problems only, no hints will be given out. Use this address to report anything from bugs to spelling errors that occurred while following or completing quests. When reporting bugs, please include the following information (when applicable)(the more, the better): What server this occurred on, your character�s name/level/class, your character�s dialogs and the NPC�s responses, the NPC�s exact response when turning in quest items (for each item, if more than one), your email address so that we may contact you if we need more information, the exact names of any items used and screenshots of what happened (if possible). Please be aware, we may not reply to your email. We may have gotten dozens of emails reporting the same problem, and just don�t find the time to reply to them all.
Yes, you can use the Jobterm to post jobs and quests. You can set out money or an object for the completion of the job.
YES. Do NOT give an NPC a quest item, then go adventuring for a few hours and come back with another quest item. NPCs do not remember who gave them what item, and reward the player that turned in the last item to complete a quest. If you give 3 quest items to an NPC, and another player gives the 4th, then that player will get credit for completing the quest that you worked so hard on. When doing a quest, store items at the GoGuardian until you have gathered them all, and then give them to the NPC.
When give an NPC an item and he/she gives the generic "Thank You" text, this means that the item was NOT a quest item OR the NPC ALREADY has this quest item and is waiting for the others to complete a quest.
NO. "Large Rocks" are NOT the same as "Giant Rocks"... a "Black Rock" is NOT the same as a "Rock"... yet, people often make this mistake. Writing down the exact item(s) needed by an NPC for a quest is good idea.
Both.
Yes.
There are no short term plans to support this.
Yes, sometimes we will introduce quests for very active clans.
There is a police/military dictatorship going on in Neocron. Citizens cannot neither have democratical elections nor can they be ellected. The law is kept by the CopBots who are judge and policeman in one person.
I assume one would take over an area by enforcing your rule upon it, by threat of violence or something else. A group could certainly kill NPCs in an area, and all PK players, and in that way 'take over' a section of the world.
It depends where they choose to conduct their battles. A clan war in the streets of Plaza or ViaRosso will definitely not be tolerated by the CopBots.
We're creating a game with an emphasis on cooperation and group play, however we don't feel we can force new players or otherwise to interact with others. We can only provide the tools to make it easier for them to do so (the fact that you can 'tell' to a person anywhere in the world, 'gsay' to people in your group, sharing experience with people in your group, etc).
Yes -- you will see the clan name displayed underneath the player name.
Yes.
Yes, through in-game bulletin boards at CityCom.
Most likely, yes.
Yes.
Yes. PK in ViaRosso or Plaza will result in being banned from these districts or be shot by a CopBot.
Consider ViaRosso and Plaza as safe areas.
Yes, there are CopBots on guard at Plaza and ViaRosso.
Yes. The Outzone and the Wastelands (a part of the Outzone) are ideal for deathmatching.
Yes. It`ll take a little time though and during the process of healing, both characters are in danger.
Yes. Since it is realtime deathmatch as there is no limit as to how many people deathmatch each other.
They will not interfere with a player�s game play, but GMs use very powerful avatars.
We implemented the SoulLight system that works like a reputation system. If you kill a lot of players, your SoulLight becomes darker and darker. The CopBots and skilled Psi monks can scan your SoulLight. When you kill �too� many people, you will be banned from ViaRosso and Plaza. You can still enter these districts, but the CopBots will open fire at you as soon as they have scanned your SoulLight.
That's rather subjective, and we encourage everyone, when you play the game, to try them all out and come to your own conclusions and preferences.
No. If you want to PK somebody, go ahead, and if you win, loot him. But you won't receive experience, nor will your skills go up in PK combat. This is to avoid inherent potential abuse -- for example, two players sparring with one another to increase their skills.
It is not permanent, however there are serious penalties. You will want to seriously avoid death, but if you do make an error, it doesn't mean that your character you've worked hard on for six months is gone.
We feel that part of the allure of Neocron is the pride you take in building up a character over time. And given the fact that nastiness can happen in an online environment... like your ISP croaks, your modem dies, or whatever, that permanent death just isn't yet viable in this genre.
Because you can't control every aspect of the game environment like in paper & pencil RPGs. You might unavoidably go link dead.
No official limit, but given the penalties, you won't want to do it often.
Corpses deteriorate over time.
You do come back with penalties -- but not as a ghost, nor where you died. You can chose a clone regenerator that has been activated by you prior where you can respawn.
You don't lose stats - you lose experience, the amount of which depends on what level your character is.
You can fall, and you will take damage, and that damage can kill you.
If you log off, your character will still be in the game for a few minutes. He will try to defend himself, but I'd say it's certainly a high risk to log off during combat.
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