Humanity fucked up. We created a new intelligence, empowered it, put it into orbit to watch over us. And it did, for a time. Then it decided we weren’t worth the trouble, decided to destroy us. And so the First Wave began.
Humanity fought well, we thought we had a chance. Then we lost. We lost the surface of Earth to the Machines. And now we live underground and each visit to the surface brings the threat of near instant death at the hands of uncaring machines…or humans with the same level of concern.
Where is your God now?
ARC Raiders is an online multi-player, extraction shooter game, with a plot that could be based on the above scenario.
I say “could” because the exact nature of the history of the world of Experanza is revealed by playing the game, and I am still playing it. That story is still behind told. This post is not about that. This post is about the moral system that players are developing within the game world of ARC Raiders itself.
A moral system in online extraction shooting game, you say? Indeed, that is what we are witnessing.
If you are unfamiliar with the game (or the extraction shooter genre in general), this is a very honest review of the game.
This post is about the other side of this game, the idea of *how to create a virtual environment where good moral behavior is the norm* and what that might mean for our future, as a species.
There are a number of things that ARC Raiders does to achieve this and we’ll explore a few of them below. Game design choice that *allow* the players to do bad things, but give many tools to the other players to make those decisions less palatable.
The moral aspect of the emergent gameplay is a MAJOR factor is the amount of fun one has while playing.
The fact that *you don’t know* what a certain percentage of players will do shapes the approach to each run enormously.
NOTE: I play almost *exclusively* solos. The Squads queue is much more PVP oriented, while solos is more PVE. Again, this is a design decision that allows for a certain type of gameplay to dominate to such a degree that it becomes the social norm.
While the *vast* majority of the players I have been close to have been friendly and fun (or just ignore you, which is just as good in most cases), there are, as there are in life, griefers. This happens for various reasons, as we see in life itself.
The dynamic this creates, where the ARC are the enemy but the real villains (and heroes) of the game are the other Raiders *is extremely fun, engaging, and immersive*. This is exactly what many people are looking for with their gaming time. Which is what has explained the early success of the game. Were it goes from here, as the first season wraps up next week, is always a big question, and beyond the scope of this article (we’ll cover it then, if it’s noteworthy).
The Baron Husk
Another Raider sneaks up behind me, opens fire…not realizing I’m dad-gaming with my daughter and an open mic.
Me: “Hey man, don’t be an asshole!”
My 5-year-old daughter, sitting on my lap, “Who is da asshole?”
Him: “Crap, my bad. You need a shield? Sorry about that.”
Me later, as I limp away and heal and finish looting the Baron Husk (yeah, he knew it was a super cheap shot)
Me: “Don’t say that word [youngest daughter]. That’s a da-da word.”
Her: (under her breath) “He was da asshole….”
Any one who has played the game for a decent amount of time will have stories of friendship and betrayal, camaraderie and triumph. What is *remarkable* about the game community at this point (moving into three weeks after launch) is how this ethos, this *morality* has become entrenched in the gaming community. It is *right* to be cool to fellow raiders in the solo queue. It is *wrong* to PVP. These aren’t hard and fast rules of the games engine as *it allows players to choose*.
The moral *choice* for gameplay adds an edge and variety that is hard to match.
Yet the morality *can only exist* because of choices the game designers have made. This is the real genius of this game. Not the technical side, as playing a live-action game against various people in various places as if you share the same physical space and time is not a new thing, per se (this is a PROFOUND technical achievement and was close to the pinnacle of 20th century technology, not new, still amazing).
Even the concept and implementation of proximity chat (prox chat) is not new.
And the looter shooter/extraction genre is not new.
And leveling up your character to upgrades abilities is not new.
And crafting better and better gear and all that are not new.
What is new is the spirit of the game. The Morality of Speranza is new, and that is worthy of great note.
So how was it created? We have a great deal of insight into that, thanks to a series of videos that Embark has published. They will be interspersed through this post.
Let’s start at the beginning…
We need to, unfortunately, back up a bit here and makes sure everyone understands a few things about “online multi-player” and “extraction shooter” game genres. Both of these genres, individually, are known for *EXTREMELY TOXIC MALE BEHAVIOR*. The combination of being able to *literally* take someone else’s stuff and *literally* kicking their ass has emotional connections that go the core of one’s being, the core of living, and are absolutely real when the denominator one uses for all things is one’s *time*.
Not only were your virtual items taken, but MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, your time was wasted. You only real resource in life, time, wasted by some asshole. The time you’ve worked hard to set aside to have fun and PLAY A GAME, wasted by some asshole.
Which bring us to the context of Episode 2…the switch to exactly this kind of (PVP-style) game…
It feels bad to lose. Feeds bad == bad, morally. And that is why many online-multiplayer and extraction shooters have issues because they leave players *feeling bad*. There is a “zero sum” element to them that renders morally unimportant, survival, kill-be-killed, the only options, immediately. Indeed, one is often playing below a “zero sum game” for all types of “battle royale” genre games. 100 people enter, 99 lose, 1 wins. That’s the model many have come to know. It is a terribly *brutal* moral model.
ARC Radiers breaks that model. It does it in a few ways, and I can list some of them here, but that conversation above is the *real reason*. It feels bad to be an asshole in the game. The bad feels to *be the aggressor, not the victim*. And if feels **REALLY GOOD** to cooperate and get along. That happens waaaay more often in the game.
So much so that one might be tempted to let their guard down…which leads to bad things…which makes good things feels better. So each run includes the risk/reward of interacting with *mostly* decent people focused on playing and having a good time, and a *smaller portion* out there to cause grief either intentional or *unintentionally* (again, see the conversation above and know those aren’t actually that uncommon).
There are a number of in-game elements that *also* help alleviate the pain of losing a full kit (if you die in the game world, you lose all the items your character was carrying, this is a fundamental aspect of these shooter looter extraction games and increases the emotional connection they deliver by many orders of magnitude.)
One of the major game design features allowing for this moderation of loss is the “free loadout”. You can jump into game with basic equipment, for free, within a few seconds. There is no risk, only reward. If you extract with the free loadout, you can exchange it for a better one, and get on the train. The first ticket is always free.
Loot is, despite the game design, EXTREMELY PLENTIFUL. It does not take long to fill up your pack. This lack of any *real* scarcity in the game world makes the desire to fight for resources less. Indeed, people are more like to *share* needed resources for other players questing. As one spends time in the game world, it is revealed that there is *plenty of stuff*, so just taking it by violence again becomes a direct moral *bad* choice.
The violence itself also requires two stages. Players have a shield. The Shield can be easily recharged. Players have health, which can be healed. To “knockout” a player, their shield must be broken, their health must be damaged and *then* there is a manual *knockout* step (or more manual damage) against a FULLY DEFENSELESS opponent. This opens up the avenue for moral choice, once again. *And discussion*. There are any number of clips online about the fun and interesting interactions this provides, but the *multiple steps to lose* are a huge part of it. Indeed, one is fully able to extract, will all loot, while crawling around on one’s knees (i.e. shield was broke, health taken, but you can *still extract*).
The full effect of this is that the game feel “fairer” and more intentional. Yes, there are still dumb, bad, silly deaths, but as one gains experience with the world and other Raiders, any loss is usually directly attributed to foolish/bad gameplay (either morally or tactically). This level of “fairness” is very difficult to achieve and wonderful to experience.
Speaking of questing, let’s talk about Live Action Role Playing, or LARP’ing. Normally this is a description for folks getting dressed up, going to a park, and having mock battles with mock weapons.
However, my argument would be that Live Service Extraction games are, indeed, LARP’ing. One is sharing a photo-realistic virtual environment, in real-time, while role-playing as if they are [in situation x with goal y]. For those that enjoy it, LARP’ing is something of a pinnacle of role-play, as playing games with other people (who aren’t being assholes trying to “win”) is incredibly fun and immersive.
OUTSIDE THE ZERO SUM OF GUNPLAY
By incorporating all of these elements, ARC Raiders is able to create an environment where moral, not sociopathic, gameplay is the norm. So much so that vigilant justice is a common form of retribution against those who do, or are suspected, of violating that code.
This is all role-play, live, in-person, and quite fun.
LARP’ing: The Mushroom Incident
One of the things the game design does well is give *reasons* to risk the trip to the surface and your. The various quest/upgrade lines always give some drive to taking the surface, dealing with fellow Raiders and the always dangerous ARC. There is a pet Rooster that provides the most basic resources after each run (which can eventually be refined into all the supplies needed for a basic run). You can upgrade the Rooster to provide more resources/run. This is another mechanism that rewards players for playing *regardless of outcome*. So even when you “lose” a round, you gain knowledge, resources, and experience. Every run. This allows for a feeling of progress that is sorely needed given the (assured) lost resources during a failed run.
This tension makes for great gaming, and is a lot of fun when it comes together.
The final upgrade for the Rooster requires 12 Mushrooms (spoiler…nearly EVERY thing in the game is useful for upgrades/repairs, protip: hoard what you can, expand your stash…maybe ask around before recycling rusted gears and lightbulbs). I had already collected 11. I had been on three or four runs, just looking for shrooms. I deployed to the Dam Battlegrounds and was scouting around the Hydroponic Dome and ran into another player.
We both had full packs, took down a few ARC’s (I think a Rocketeer was hassling us and we tackled it together). I saw the exit was closing in like :60 so asked if he wanted to go it. We agreed and started sprinting for the exit, chatting along the way. I mention my need of shrooms. He gives me some advice on another map for where to look for my next run as we get ready to extract. He hits the button, climbs on the extraction zone to look for ARC’s and is like, “Hey, check it out! There’s a mushroom on that tree!”.
I look behind me and lo and behold, 10 feet away at eye level, a mushroom growing off the side of a tree. This was the first one I’d found on a tree, most were on the ground, under logs, or in other corners.
I grab the mushroom, another Raider slides into the extraction zone and we’re both like “no, wait, wait!” Mind you, the timer is now *out* for the extraction zone, so it can’t be recalled after it leaves (protip: if you hit the button with a second left the elevator will come, and you can extract on your knees with :00 on the clock safely if in zone and doors are closing as the big bombs drops). So he waits a second, we all get in and extract back to Speranza safely.
I upgrade my Rooster (Level 5 now) and turn to edit this review.
The Leaper Dodge
So I’m in Blue Gate, doing some questing, when I spot a Leaper in the distance. I have my Hullcracker, so I think I’m ready to try and take one down. My first two shots hit solid and it jumps for me. I do my dodge roll back toward the open doorway I was planning on hiding behind, mis-judge the roll, get stuck outside, and the Leaper lands on my head. I have a nice shield, so I am able to take the initial shot, but am now stuck underneath the metal beast as it stomps me to my knees.
Luckily for me, I remember that I have the MK3 (Survivor) augment. This is a special piece of equipment that allows one to stabilize their health indefinitely (by not moving). So I sit and wait and start yelling for help on the proximity chat. I’ve started the round early (each round lasts maximum of 30 minutes, but can be as short as 15-17) and there are about 22 minutes left, so I wait…and yell.
A few minutes pass and someone else sees the injured Leaper and engages. It goes down with a couple shot and I yell for help. They come over to check me out, but don’t have defibrilator handy (an equipment item that revives a “downed” Raider). So they head off to ask around. Less than a minute later they return with another Raider who has one, he revives me, and we all head off on our separate ways.
This kind of emergent moral gameplay is *extremely rare* in these types of games, yet for citizens of Speranza, it’s become something of a norm. Buying into the idea that humanity has been driven underground a rogue AI, *what is the moral path*?
Is it to shoot people in the back and take their stuff (despite said stuff being available for a very slight bit of more work)? Or is it work together and help other folks achieve their goals and you pursue your own?
The answer is clear, and SO MUCH FUN when it comes together.
Yet the threat of people being people is always there. The edge remains sharp, defining the decent.
The AI is *good*
One of the game design aspects that appears to be essential to getting players to work together is an enemy that inspires fear. In this regard, the folks at Embark put in the work and got things right. While the number of enemy types is quite limited, their behavior is not. They very much take on the role of hunter “killer” robots, doing all sorts of creative maneuvers to get the drop on players. From coordinated flanking, calling in back-ups, or just flat out being creative, the enemy AI has got some sauce. I once had a Hornet with only three engines working do a sideways barrel roll through the doorway into a small geodesic building, stabilize, target me, and then fire all within a couple seconds. This is all emergent, physics based behavior.
This provides a level of constant threat that is both familiar and alien at the same time. The AI enemies require a certain set of tactics to engage successfully, the human opponents/allies another. The mix is intoxicatingly fun.
This bring us to Episode 3 of the inside story, which is focused on exactly that. While adding PVP added the *most dangerous enemy known to man (other people)*, this only works with an actual thread from the computers themselves.
The Streamer Disincentive
Sadly, there is a force for evil in the world of Speranza (and indeed our own). Streamers. While the normal mode of enjoying games is playing them directly, when the graphic fidelity and complexity of competitive games made *watching someone play* often more fun than playing itself (and also something one can do from any device anywhere), it introduced the wrong kind of incentive for live-service games. This breaks directly through the 4th Wall, often involving a target audience *not playing the game*.
This culminated is a ridiculously silly “streamer wars” as two popular streamers declared war on each other’s followers, designated by wearing a particular “skin” in the game. While fun for those small crowds, the overall effect on the actual gameplay in minimal.
The Angel
This one I actually got on tape.
So how do we wrap up a review like this? How do we encapsulate some of what has been achieved by the team at Embark? Well, since the time I started writing this, the game was named Multiplayer Game of the Year…and that’s despite only coming on on Halloween.
See ya topside, Raiders.
Note/street cred:
My character, always running casual.
Update:
This is a fun article about the same dynamic that has developed.
Arc Raiders has managed to find itself in a sweet spot for PvPvE where a shared hatred of arcs and greed for their loot binds strangers together, resulting in some truly brilliant cooperative plays. Something that the devs weren’t 100% sure they’d see.
“Anytime you push a game out into the world and see the community play it, the way that they engage with it is often surprising,” Robert Sammelin, art director at Embark, told PC Gamer in an interview this week. “I think internally we were hoping that we would strike this balance of having people almost apprehensive on how they’re going to interact with other people, that there is this tension, this underpinning of threat, but also the greater exterior threat with the arcs would perhaps invite these sorts of cooperative scenarios.
And then we see the breakdown…
“We got some figures on how many people have been downed by another player, and they were surprisingly low,” Sammelin says. “But there’s also quite a different experience in playing with a squad or solo. I think that also opens up for a very different experience, depending on how you choose to engage with the game.”
And this has absolutely been my experience, even more so as the first season wraps up (*knocks on wood* gears up the for the cold).
Robot Pirate Ninja 