Fallen Earth's evil marsupial mastermind and celebrated mascot, Captain Pouches, took over this week's QotW feature as the development team packed back from AGDC. Pouches used the opportunity to answers several fan questions about black market items, the federal government and towns before the Fall:
I've managed to chase away Hurricane Ike from hitting our destination (Austin, for those just coming into the loop here) head on. The flight was dull and uneventful. The airport staff insisted that no, I cannot bring assault weapons and grenades in my carry-on luggage, let alone what they told me when I insisted they put the tank in the cargo hold. Nevertheless, we were on our way. Lee kept rocking back and forth in his seat, raving about how there was a fanged monkey on the wing. I dunno, I think he was having pizza withdrawal.
But I digress. Here are your insipid questions, citizens.
Q: Any chance of "black market" sub-professions within each tradeskill--like "Medicine" providing a way to make drugs (which may give short-term boosts for major debuffs, or just make the screen all wonky, or whatever) that Lightbearers would see as "sinful"? Or the ability to make specialized weapon modifications that Enforcers might think should be exclusive to their military?
A: Medicine actually makes a wide array of drugs and cocktails that you might find to your liking. Since there is no lasting law in the Fallen Earth (save mine, of course), it's not as though these are classified as any less acceptable than bathtub moonshine. Lightbearers might, as you expect, have an issue with people who spend their time hopped up on Marathon or Rage, but that's more from their perspective on keeping a clear mind. Many of the other tradeskills do have faction-specific bits and pieces that you can learn, provided your faction rating is high enough to learn the recipe/schematic/formula.
Q: Is the Federal government still around to tell us what to do? do we still have to pay taxes?
A: You pay no taxes, save to me when the day of my world conquest comes. As to whether the US Government or any of its subsidiary branches or aspects survive, you can keep your eyes open and your gun loaded for when you find out.
Q: The towns that are in game were they towns before the fall, or did someone found them afterwards?
A: Many of the towns were existing settlements from before the Fall, built to act as suburban communities for GlobalTech employees (as is the case for many of the towns in Northfields). Some were constructed more recently or around abandoned structures, as was the case with places such as Boneclaw, Spantown, or Post 23. Still others are a mishmash of old and new.
