Survarium: answers to your most frequent questions! feature

General questions

Q: When is the game going to be released?
A: We plan to launch the game at the end of 2013.
Q: What does Survarium mean?
A: Survarium means “survival zone”.
Q: What kind of game is it?
A: Survarium is a free2play online shooter set in the near future on Earth. The game will be distributed free-of-charge by the Internet. Players will be required to download the game client and install it on their computer.
Q: Why are you going for the MMO-direction?
A: This is a more up-to-date game format offering a number of advantages:

• Adding new content and evolving the game has never been easier.
• Piracy protection.
• It enables the developers to establish direct contact with the players, which has a positive result on the game’s development.

Q: Will the game require constant Internet connection?
A: Yes. All game activity will be processed on server.
Q: What game modes are planned?
A: We plan to introduce two play modes: PVP (team-based combat) and PVE (cooperative-missions play-through).
Q: Will there be singleplayer mode?
A: No.
Q: How frequently will you release the Developer diaries?
A: On a regular basis, as we progress in the development. Approximately once every 2-3 months.
Q: Where and how will the communication and discussion of game ideas happen?
A: At the official game web-site. We will launch a portal with description of ideas and voting.
At the moment we have the following social media resources available to keep track of the news and communication: Facebook and Twitter, VKontakte, Survarium blog onTumblr. The official forum is on our plan list, but will most likely appear alongside the game’s main web-site.
Q: Will we see the reputation system? Influenced not only by kills, but also for helping out others in need?
A: Yes. Reputation will be present in the game.
Q: Will the in-game weapons be based on the existing prototypes or fictional ones?
A: The main focus will be on the real prototypes.
Q: Will there be women in Survarium?
A: The game will allow you to play both as male or female character.
Q: When can we expect the first game trailer or screenshots?
A: As soon as we are ready to present them. We cannot give an exact date.

Story

Q: The basis of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.’s atmosphere is the story and setting. What will become of the story? A typical MMO offers practically no story component, which is the concern.
A: Missions on cooperative playthrough (PVE) will be linked by a deep storyline.
Q: What’s the basis of the story in Survarium?
A: The game focuses on a mass- scale ecological catastrophe on Earth, the reasons behind it are vaguely known. Impassable woods advance onto cities from every side, maddened animals and birds attack industrial complexes, military structures, warehouses and power plants. Towns are cut off from each other, there are no water supplies, no electricity, gas and communication is lost. Countries collapse, anarchy spreads throughout the world. Now force dictates who to survive. In the meantime, new species of greenery and animals purposely destroy human civilization. Strange plants and mushrooms grow through concrete and steel. Scientists all over the world haplessly try to cope with the anomaly sprawling across the Earth with terrifying speed.

Gameplay

Q: How far will Survarium continue the traditions of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?
A: Survarium will introduce a number of characteristic components, such as survival, anomalies, factions, mutants etc. Yet, all of those elements are going to be new, not as they were in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Q: Will there be in-game factions similar to those in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.?
A: Survarium will feature factions similar to the ones you already know from our previous games, but they are going to be new ones.
Q: How many factions are planned for the game? Will it be possible to join them?
A: There are nine factions on our plan list. Not all of them will be available to the players.
Q: Will it be possible to create my own clan in the game?
A: Yes, you will be able to form your own clan.
Q: How important will real money be in the game?
A: Real money will not be vitally important for the game, but will enable some extra features – faster leveling-up process, unique equipment, access to more detailed statistics. All the playthrough-needed content will be available in the game free-of-charge.
Q: What’s the role of experience points?
A: Our realistic approach has not changed. The skills of the player will still be more important than the skills of the character.
Q: How big will the game world be?
A: Do not expect us to deliver a seamless game world. The game will be session-based with separate locations. The size of individual locations is currently a matter we are researching in game balance.
Q: Do you plan to make entire continents the ‘Zone’ in Survarium?
A: According to our game’s story the ecological catastrophe has grasped the entire planet. So there are practically no safe living areas or places remaining. Therefore, part of the game’s locations will be dedicated to Europe, America and Asia. But it is a matter of future implementations…
Q: What are your plans on locations are at the moment? If they are based on real prototypes, will they preserve their real names in-game too?
A: We prefer to have our locations based on real prototypes. Where possible, we’ll be preserving their real names too.
Q: Will there be vehicles in the game?
A: Currently we do not plan such a feature.
Q: Will the game have RPG elements?
A: Yes.
Q: Is it possible to implement the A-Life system in Survarium?
A: No.

Sound

Q: What kind of music will there be in the game?
A: Dark Ambient.

Technical questions

Q: How technologically up-to-date will the new engine be?
A: The engine will be cutting edge technology, including support for DirectX 11.
Q: What’s the approximate Internet connection speed required to play the game?
A: We target 64 kbit download and 32 kbit upload speed.
Q: Do you plan to release the game not only on PC, but on consoles (PS3, Xbox360) too?
A: Not as of now.

Mod-making

Q: Will it be possible to create mods based on the game?
A: Survarium will support modification, but that which does not affect the game balance. For example, changes of the game interface. We are considering the idea of creating an in-game mod browser.