Escape From Tarkov: The Not-Stalker MMO

[1g88a]

[youtube]8R5t3a2jT4A[/youtube]
In Escape From Tarkov you play a member of one of two PMCs, the Russian Federation-based BEAR, and the western offshore United Security forces. Tarkov is a fictional city/region along the Russian border that was turned into a sort of free economic zone, attracting business interests from around the world. For reasons that remain unclear, things have gone to shit and Tarkov is now under blockade by Russia and the UN. Scavengers and warlords roam the streets as PMCs clash over whatever they can grab before trying to (heh) escape from Tarkov.

The "core loop": As a PMC, you equip yourself and choose a map (currently four implemented with expanded versions/a combined map planned) to conduct a raid on it. Players will spawn at one end of the map and have a time limit (usually like 50 minutes) to make it across the map and find an exit. Along the way, players will fight scavs/each other as they search the area for loot/weapons. When you die every item you are carrying is lost (With the notable exception of items in your secure container, which is small but larger ones [people who order larger pre-order packages gain access to larger one] will likely be made available eventually). You can try to mitigate this by paying to insure items that you wish to keep. If you die and the item isn't removed from the map by another player, the item will be returned to you automatically about a day later or so.

PMCs: When you first start the game you're asked to pick a faction for your character. Currently there is no gameplay difference between USEC/BEAR other than base uniform and the language they speak when using voice commands. Faction-specific skills are planned to be implemented, what they will exactly do however, remains unclear. BEAR/USEC is not a 'team', so if you're playing solo, anyone that's not you is likely to try to kill you. You can join a group with other players in the lobby and thus spawn together but there's no UI indicator for teammates or penalties for 'friendly fire' so its best to spawn with friends and to try to wear something distinctive.

Scavs: Every level is populated by a number of hostile NPCs, generally armed with civilian or mid-low quality equipment. Players also have the option to spawn as a scav. If you choose to spawn as a scav rather than your PMC character, you will find yourself placed somewhere on the map during an already in-progress round with a randomly selected set of scav gear (this gear is always lower than the best sets NPC scavs can spawn with). NPC scavs are neutral to you unless you attack them or another player-controlled scav. When you extract (the same way as when you're a pmc) you'll be able to transfer any items you've picked up into your inventory (so make some room before doing a scav run). You don't get a secure container as a scav, so you have to extract if you want to keep anything you find as one.

Inventory: Tarkov uses a grid-based inventory systems. You can carry two "primaries", a handgun, a vest, a backpack, a helmet, a tac-headset, and goggles on you; you also have four pocket slots. Backpacks, vests, and secure containers have multiple slots within them to allow you to store items. Your "stash" is a large grid (larger pre-order editions include a larger grid, a larger grid may also be part of player progression eventually).

KEYS: While not all keys are rare or useful, any key you wish to keep should remain in your secure container at all times. Many keys open locked doors that are important for quests or lead to rooms with valuable loot spawns.

Traders: There are several traders. When selling gear, shop around a bit, some buy items for more than others, and some won't buy certain items at all. Some weapon parts may also be worth more to one trader than they are to another, so you may want to tear apart guns and sell the pieces individually. Traders issue quests, these often carry rewards but more importantly they boost your reputation with the trader. Higher reputations are often necessary to access a trader's higher tier selections. Another requirement is having spent a certain amount of money with a merchant, but don't worry, this value also goes up when you sell items to them. Note: Peacekeeper buys and pays in dollars instead of rubles, and additionally he doesn't ask you to do quests as part of his level 2 or 3 selection requirements. Another note: Don't start Skier's first quest unless you already have a KIVER-M helmet and a set of FORT Body Armor in your inventory as his quest is time limited and the armor he is asking you to find is rather rare.

Weapons/Customization: Do you want three or more flashlights on your shotgun? Exactly how many optics can I fit on this M4? How am I supposed to tell the difference between all these 9x18mm rounds?! In short, Tarkov's a gun porn game. Currently the M4A1 is the only 5.56mm weapon in the game but there are more planned, and there is a wide variety of eastern/russian arms currently in game. The civilian AKM "VEPR"s are probably among the best low-tier weapons you can find (30 round mag, 7.62mm rounds, can take all the same upgrades as the AKM), assuming you find one that fires 7.62mm and not .366.

Hydration/Energy: You can eat and drink but unless you're out on a raid for a really long while its not going to get low enough to matter.

Health: Damage is location based (Head, chest, stomach, limbs). Each body part has its own HP value, when it is brought to zero it can no longer be healed and the part becomes non-functional (heads and chests being brought past zero by violence are fatal). Trashed body parts that take additional damage will have the damage spread to other parts. Taking damage carries a chance (correlated with the amount of damage but offset by skills afaik) of the body part suffering a status effect. Broken (or 0 HP) arms reduce accuracy/recoil handling, broken (or 0 HP) legs reduce movement speed and prevent jumping. Fractures can be treated by splints/Grizzly First Aid Kits. Broke/Destroyed stomachs inflict massive hydration/energy loss until fixed, potentially fatal. Bleeding can occur on all bodyparts and must be treated by a bandage or a medkit that is rated to heal bleeding (every medkit aside from the AI-2. Bleeding can also occur if you run/jump a lot with an untreated fracture due to the stress on the body. Bleeding inflicts damage to all bodyparts overtime until it is stopped. Painkillers and other drugs may help mitigate some of the negative effects that damaged limbs inflict.

[DrPillzRedux]

Escape from Dork-ov: Matchmaking failed simulator

[1g88a]

Escape from Dork-ov: Matchmaking failed simulator

[youtube]Pok0ZN92VOg[/youtube]

[Anonmare]

is be of best you stayings inside Tovarish

[cedarbridge]

Last I heard this was literally Russian hacker central.

[DemonFiren]

Finally, an American political simulator.

[cedarbridge]

Now that I think about it. If this whole thing is just timed gauntlets, how is this an MMO?

[1g88a]

Now that I think about it. If this whole thing is just timed gauntlets, how is this an MMO?

The same way that World of Tanks is a MMO (no clue). They do plan on adding a combined map after they've implemented all of the others but that'll probably work like a regular raid just with a much larger player count/time limit. There are also plans for a player auction/flea market system so you can try to make the most out of the weapons you find/modify.

[Malkevin]

Now that I think about it. If this whole thing is just timed gauntlets, how is this an MMO?

Because Battlefield and Guild Wars and other persistent stat games wanted to big themselves up by pretending to be MMOs

[dezzmont]

I wouldn't mind running in a crew. I am pretty broke right now but I generally just do factory runs and make 500k in a night if that happens.

Mainly could use a crew to bang out tasks if anyone is down.

[DrPillzRedux]

Very good game if you're into more realistic, tactical shooters. The only map I like right now is Factory though since it's chaotic as fuck and only has one chokepoint. Customs is the next most popular map but it's unfun due to 3/4 chokepoints where people can just sit and wait for you to roll up then gun you down.

Unfortunately for me the game doesn't support ultrawide so I have to set my ratio to 16:9 through Nvidia. All the game does is stretches 16:9. Apparently you used to be able to ini edit it but not anymore. I also have huge issue with the skills system. It's dumb and unnecessary. Someone who plays hundreds of hours shouldn't get a pure +% on good things and -% on bad things buffs. Gear and your own tactics should be the only part of the equation. Also which edition you buy deciding how much space you have to store shit outside of missions is pure pay-to-win. You can't have shit if you buy the standard edition. If you shell out $140 dollars ($104 on sale) you get max storage from the get go. You can unlock more space by playing but it takes a long, long, long time. The best pouch in the game (container you never drop when you die and anything in it you keep) is also locked to the $140 edition.

I also wish there was a mode without loot, where everyone spawned with the same kit, akin to a standard team deathmatch mode or something just for no shits given fun. This game has absolutely incredible gunplay and sound, and I feel having it in loot only is a huge mistake.

[youtube]boimjy7FaAg[/youtube]

Current highest gear kit

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I walked in the stairwell and this guy surprised me, sprayed into his head, he slid down the wall, and my guy freaked the fuck out. Hence the blur.

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Went into factory with only a hatchet, ended up taking some guys SMG and killing 16 people.

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Was looting a safe in the double door office room. This guy slowly opens one to make me look at it, then breaches through the other. I gun him down before he can raise his gun. I later used that strategy on someone else and got some sweet loot.

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