BRIEF HISTORY OF [ EX UMBRAE ONLINE ]

[ ex Umbrae Online ] is a 64-bit PC video game of the Open-World, Hardcore-Difficulty, Massively-Multiplayer Online, First-Person Shooter, Role-Playing Game (MMOFPSRPG) genre.

It was released in 2016 by Faucet* Corporation and had been running for 6 years since then. Unlike other games that share somewhat similar aspects of its gaming experience, [ ex Umbrae Online ] was unique in that it had limited gaming slots; only 1 million gaming slots worldwide on the year that it launched. This quickly drove the demand for gaming slots to be sky-high as it garnered the attention of global professional eSports teams as well as casual players alike.

Not only that, partnering with international commercial brands for in-game digital assets - also known as digital product placements - fueled the development of brand-specific game-contents, such as the 'Sams*ng Mechs Combat Arena' and 'Appl* Battlegear Commerce Fair', where companies could promote their brands not only to the gamers, but also to those who watch their gaming streams. This also allowed Faucet to be able to support a signature feature of [ ex Umbrae Online ], the 'Cash-Out' system, where 1000 Credits, ₢, in-game can be converted into IRL 1 USD.

This led to the growth of 'true professional gamers' culture as pro-gamers could live entirely on their income by grinding monsters and completing missions for monetary rewards.

In addition, of course, that on top of the already flourishing monetised online streaming.

====================

THE STORY-SETTING OF [ EX UMBRAE ONLINE ]

The game was set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Umbrals - a hyperspatial alien species - had successfully invaded and overran the earth. Their invasion plan was simple; they docked their massive interstellar spaceship onto the earth's orbit and blocked off the light and heat coming from the Sun. Earth immediately died out of life after a few months.

However, humanity at that time was not without options; the alien invasion had came right after mankind's survival against the star-system-level, supernatural disaster; the Deviance Storm.

Not much was known about the disaster itself as surviving records about it were scarce within Thacon City region.

But it was certain that after the 'disaster', humanity had experienced rapid technological progress in power generation, food production and scientific research.

It opened many new fields of scientific advancements; human Deviant-physiobiology, psionics, etc.

And it was with these knowledge that humanity managed to clinched its one (and only) victory against the Umbrals - the decimation of the alien's orbital geostationary spaceship - at least half of it - and this had allowed sunlight to reach earth for the first time after five decades of warring. Though to be fair, sunlight would only be available during sunrises and sunsets, as about half of the alien spaceship still eclipsed the Sun from the earth's vantage point.

Currently, it was stalemate between humanity and the invading aliens.

====================

THE WORLD OF [ EX UMBRAE ONLINE ]

The launch of [ ex Umbrae Online ] provided players with the Thacon City map server, which was 600 km² wide and divided into the Outer and Inner Wards. However, only the Inner Ward was fortified with the Hyperlight Barrier, which protected the city against the Umbral aliens specifically.

Although the Inner Ward was treated as the players' safe-zone, player-kill (PK) would still occur, albeit not without the consequences. Thus, it was always recommended to travel in groups even in the Inner Ward of Thacon City.

The Inner Ward was divided into 4 districts; the largest but the most disordered one, the west-side Lower District; the elite and political, east-side Upper District, and finally two commercial districts, the north-side Commercial District governed semi-autonomously by Cuda Security Force and Tetsu Industries, and the south-side Food Processing District by Gvyas Biotech Systems.

On the other hand, the Outer Ward was the players' hunting grounds. Here, various monsters roamed as they were hunted down and their lairs-cleared, through organised missions issued by various factions in Thacon City. Although it was done so in the premise of city security, most of the times, it was for the materials 'dropped' by the monsters instead which would fetch high Credits when sold to various merchant shops in the city.

====================

THE FACTIONS IN [ EX UMBRAE ONLINE ]

There were many factions in Thacon City players could farm their Affiliation Points with. And the higher one's Affiliation is with a faction, more faction-locked content could be accessed. For example, Thacon City Administration faction offered the Soldier Academy where players could grind for Veterancy. Certain skills may also be unlocked here.

The Gvyas Biotech Systems faction on the other hand, provided players with gene-optimisation therapy as well as certain cytogenesis drugs which improves players' stats and attributes. In addition there were also hidden factions, which player may have to discover on their own.

There were four big factions in Thacon City and two medium-sized and another two smaller ones. Below is a list showing the factions according to their size in decreasing size. Hidden factions were not included.

1. Thacon City Administration :- Also known as 'the Administration', it was the largest NPC faction in Thacon City. They was the city's main governing power and had about 200,000 personnel with at least half of them were fully-trained [ Class : Soldiers ] of various specialisations and levels. The faction headquarter was located in the Inner Ward's Upper District, where the Hyperlight Generators were installed. The Soldier-Class could gain Field Veterancy here, where they could organise missions and lead a squad of their own.

2. Tetsu Industries :- The second largest NPC faction which developed most of the exosuit blueprints circulated in Thacon City. Located at the Commerce District, they had a cooperative relationship with Cuda Security Force and had their own nuclear power generator, salvaged from the ruins of Old World power plants. The Workshop as well as any armoured vehicles can be rented from here.

3. Gvyas Biotech Systems :- The third largest NPC faction where the city's main source of food is produced. Located at the Food Processing District, the faction also produced cytogenesis consumables as well as gene-therapy services. This faction even created their own biological exosuits. The Aberrant and Therian Race-Change could also be obtained here.

4. Cuda Security Force :- The fourth largest NPC faction. It was a rivaling military force to the Administration, and had even greater strength against any of their soldiers on a one-to-one basis. Their operation was mainly to hunt down monsters in the Outer Ward and take on private hire from merchants for escort and security services. The faction offered the 'Information Brokerage' and 'Contract Hire' services.

5. Aethel-Vy Cybernetics :- This quiet faction was located in the Upper District and had a close but confidential ties with the Administration. The Vyrus-Class can only be obtained here with a high enough Affiliation Points or through special requirements.

6. Engineering Troupe :- A faction situated at the Lower Districts. Curiously, this faction had a smaller and portable version of the Hyperlight Barrier blueprint, allowing them to build permanent outposts scattered around the Outer Ward. They had a neutral stance towards the Administration, and a cooperative relationship with the Druidic Order of Vosto.

7. Druidic Order of Vosto :- A faction that rose from the remnants of the first generations of Mana-Users. They lived in hidden, subterranean settlements all over the Outer Wards and had hostile relationship with the Administration and Gvyas Biotech Systems due to the massive witch-hunting done in the early days of Mana research. They had a cooperative relationship with the Engineering Troupe. The Adeptus-Class could only be obtained here.

8. The Wanderers :- A blanket term to call the surviving vagrants in the Outer Ward. They were denied access to enter the Inner Ward due to being exiled, uncontrollable, criminals, or simply too dangerous to stay in society. They would sometimes work and live inside Engineering Troupe's outposts, but most of the times they would hunt monsters outsides to trade supply with the Administration's routine patrolling soldier, who would submit the hunted monsters as their weekly quota, or with field scientists from Gvyas Biotech Systems, who collected these monster remains for research. They had no fixed affiliations with any factions but maintained a working relationships with all of them.

9. The Auction House :- An illegal but acknowledged faction in the Inner Ward. Not much was known about them except that they provided the 'Auction' service which could only be accessed through the city's network terminals. Anything could be auctioned and be bid on, including a person's life. Any won bid would have the item be sent to locations in the Outer Ward.