Escape from Tarkov is a FPS survival type game that is marketed as having ultra realistic weapons handling and combat. It seems to be a cross between Farcry, STALKER, The Division and ARMA.
EFT is only in alpha presently, but it is very polished. Ultimately, it will have several game modes including Story, Arena, PvP, PvE and offline, but right now it just seems to have PvP on a few maps and an offline mode for testing, as well. Presently, players go on "raids" which last anywhere from 40 to 100 minutes. You earn xp for various activities. Eventually, the xp will be used to level up various skills. You also get to keep the loot you find IF you survive.
You read that right... I only recently bought into the alpha and while I'm still trying to figure out how everything works, one thing I know for certain is that when you die, you lose everything you are carrying, and I mean everything. You lose your chest rig, back-pack, pouches, everything in them, weapons, gear, etc. I can see this mechanic getting very frustrating, but it is a key component of the game so its most likely here to stay. On the other hand, if you like FPS games and rogue likes, you will probably want to check this one out. Just remember, even if you disconnect before a raid is finished, it will leave your player in the match without any control and there is a strong chance you will die and get looted. This is ultra hardcore, I guess, but I'm not sure I like it.
Anyway, the guns are the real stars of the show. So far I'm very impressed by them and the level of modding that is possible. The sounds in the game are outstanding and the detail in the environments are very impressive.
Here are some random screenshots from the web. When I signed up for the alpha, I had to sign an NDA. I only glanced through it, but I thought it said I was prohibited from posting pics and video. The images below are from the web and must be sanctioned.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimagescdn.tweaktown.com%2Fnews%2F5%2F4%2F54584_04_escape-tarkov-looks-one-best-games.jpg&hash=990756d6713e7e35c93f177bec35bcd0933bfcf1)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimagescdn.tweaktown.com%2Fnews%2F5%2F4%2F54584_02_escape-tarkov-looks-one-best-games.jpg&hash=9ff7f9797d2b322b097f34abe02a151fbd7823ba)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.wccftech.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F12%2FEscape_From_Tarkov-6.jpg&hash=73f2dc61ed0f3c8e8403922708a0f8803c7ad66d)
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IPlnHe9l34E/maxresdefault.jpg)
(https://assets.vg247.com/current//2016/05/escape-from-tarkov-weapon-customisation.png)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escapefromtarkov.com%2Fuploads%2Fcontent%2Fmedia%2Fb0a546f80132a4705fc6724d11013918.jpg&hash=6d8b1d3baf49becb18fd1c89d96e0e2fe4622e33)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.escapefromtarkov.com%2Fuploads%2Fmonthly_2016_08%2FIuCKD61Tzlg.jpg.90d64465722a14ff1df9d57abcfd0f86.jpg&hash=23c000b6032c40440037ad679d38aeba071675dc)
A better name for this would be Jarhead's Super Happy Funtime.
Quote from: Gusington on February 16, 2017, 03:32:27 PM
A better name for this would be Jarhead's Super Happy Funtime.
Do they include a tube of gun lube in the package?
Note that the lose-everything-except-skils-on-death-respawn, and being vulnerable to other players (or if the server runs the gameclock constantly) at disconnect, is also a fundamental tenant of ARK: Survival Evolved.
Nice Jarhead. I like the disconnect thing for stopping people from disconnecting to avoid death. But if real life is on that also means I lose my character.
THis usually means I only load a game like this when I am sure I have time. Which means it rarely gets played.
I think naval action got it right. That is that when you leave you can wait the 5 minutes for disconnect in case you get attacked or you have the option to just leave and your ship will float for 5 minutes and if you get attacked, bad luck.
The game does look damned amazing though. Definitely going to follow it and see how it turns out.
You have to have some sort of penalty for disconnecting, otherwise it's too easy to exploit the system in a lose-everything-if-you-die type game.
Perhaps there's compromises like Naval Action, but if you're really into the hardcore aspect, I suspect this mechanic will appeal to you.
Sounds like an interesting game.
Why can't he? Can't watch a video where I'm at.
Quote from: Freyland on February 17, 2017, 05:56:46 PM
Why can't he? Can't watch a video where I'm at.
Apparently, he made a video that was in some way critical of the game and it pissed the developers off (something about a server issue). I'm sure there are two sides to the story.
Thanks.
Game does look fun - and being a sandboxy type of game that doesn't have zombies or mutants as the big baddies isn't a bad way to go. Pity my machine can't run it (so far).
Wait...no zombies?!
Off the wish list!
Time for a proper necro!
I am not sure how I missed this game. I always thought is was another DayZ-clone zombie shooter; something that doesn't appeal to me the slightest.
But far from it! Jarhead summed it up nicely in his OP, where I want to update a few things:
- Your main character is a PMC guy, basically a Merc, but you can also play as a 'Scav' or scavenger; an armed local with random gear.
Both characters level their skills separately (even though playing as a Scav is not really playing one person).
- Dying as PMC will make you loose your equipped gear, EXCEPT stuff in your secure container (you have one equipment slot for such a container and they vary in size depending on level).
You can insure gear for a fee which raises the chances you'll get it back after a cooldown after the raid has ended, but only if your body and gear didn't get looted after you died.
-Playing as a Scav is risk free. Sure, you'll loose the random gear he came equipped with if he dies and all the extra stuff you looted is gone as well, but at least you didn't pay for it.
On the other hand, if you successfully exfiltrate you get to keep all his gear and all you looted, either for using on your PMC char or selling for much needed cash.
Its always a risk vs reward decision; you're limited in carry weight and or available inventory slots (which depend on type of pouches, bags and rigs used).
What stuff are you willing to risk loosing as a PMC? How much ammo do you think you need to bring?
Most things can be crafted, or rather need to be crafted. There is a whole player run econony packed into the game as well as a light base-builder where you develop your own hideout which will enable you to start crafting your own stuff, reduce penalty cooldowns after getting hurt and a few other things.
The game features realistic ballistics and extensive weapon modelling and customization. It's really impressive! Think you're safe behind that sofa? Not if the guy has a high caliber gun and stands close by!
Hiding behind a wooden door from a guy with a shotgun on the other side? Bad idea!
On the other hand, hitting a moving target more than 50m away becomes difficult very quickly.
The game really models realistic survival and injury chances and situations well. No Battlefield / CoD magical hits from insane distances. No pinpoint accuracy. But realistic physics and ballistics. Again, impressive stuff.
The player economy I mentioned opens up at level 10. And really adds a new layer to the game. No longer are you scrounging all items you can find, but you gameplay becomes more task oriented.
You start to get to know the maps, the often contested areas and the likely spots to get good loot. While the player market will make it easier to get you your preferred gear as long as you can pay.
This gameplay loop is very rewarding and replayable!
Maps aren't only populated with other player characters, but also AI and sometimes even bosses. No zombie or supernatural stuff though; bosses are named characters with high level gear and therefore good armor and heavy hitting firepower and are always accompanied by a few guards.
Scavs can be either AI or humanly controlled and then you have a third faction on some maps called Raiders.
Scavs are not hostile to other scavs by default and AI scavs can even be given simple orders with hand gestures. Raiders are hostile to every other faction though and are always AI.
PMC's you never know. Some are hostile (most I'd say), but all PMC's are human players.
PMC's usually start at the beginning of a match (unless you are matchmade to an ongoing server due to low population) while Scavs usually begin somewhere during the round.
The idea is that Scavs have flocked to the area after being alerted to gunfire and will try and see what they can salvage.
It typically makes Scav runs a little less risky because several PMC's might already be dead or exfilled.
The sound design is noteworthy as well. The ambient sounds are very well done as are the movement sounds. Almost all objects or surfaces cause you to make realistic sound, making your presence known to nearby entities prematurely if you are not careful.
As a player you can control how much noise you make by altering movement speed and posture.
The game has a full body awareness system, much like ArmA. You can crouch, lean, go prone, etc.
Wounds are similarly handled; your body is divided into body parts and can suffer injuries per limb causing movement effects.
You can suffer bleeding which needs to be stemmed, fractures which need to be treated with a splint and food and hydration is modelled. Not very intrusively luckily, but enough to make you have to think about it. Low Hydration, for example, will make it harder for you to recover from wounds for example.
I have been playing for three days now and its the most thrilling experiende I've had recently. What a brutal, but exciting game!
Add me in-game if you want to hook up and do some co-op runs. Same handle in game (Yskonyn).
Is this fully released or still considered in beta, thought saw somewhere where it wasn't released yet. And this is totally single player if one wants to play that way? At some point I saw MMO attached to it but wasn't sure the context.
Thanks for the updated impressions. I've kept the game updated, but have not played in ages. I know it has changed a lot. I'll add this to my list of "to be played".
Just looked on Steam for it but it's not there. Assuming this is on Epic? :/
Quote from: Gusington on January 14, 2021, 10:18:39 AM
Just looked on Steam for it but it's not there. Assuming this is on Epic? :/
No. Direct from developer. They have their own launcher.
https://www.escapefromtarkov.com/ (https://www.escapefromtarkov.com/)
O SNAP
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on January 14, 2021, 09:27:14 AM
Is this fully released or still considered in beta, thought saw somewhere where it wasn't released yet. And this is totally single player if one wants to play that way? At some point I saw MMO attached to it but wasn't sure the context.
It is still in beta. Big patches cause a wipe of all progression as well, so it might definitely not yet be for everyone.
As for totally singleplayer; it used to be you didn't get any XP in offline mode, but it seems that has changed and now you do, but you don't keep any loot, so its pretty pointless other than training mapknowledge and loot locations, as well as training combat skills.
Its definitely intended as a multiplayer game.
I am very interested in this and the price is right. I just want the single player to be more prominent but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Quote from: Gusington on January 14, 2021, 01:20:26 PM
I am very interested in this and the price is right. I just want the single player to be more prominent but that doesn't look like it's going to happen.
Just listened to their last Dev Report podcast:
Single player... Not now. But, the game IS going to have a story, not clear if that can be played completely solo.
They are also planning to add offline co-op against AI, but it will be unranked and its not really offline, cause there will still be made a server session on their servers, but specifically for you and your group. That's a long term goal, though, release is their primary focus.
About the online/offline stuff: the way I understand it, is that the term 'offline' is poorly chosen, because every Raid will create a server session on their end because the randomly generated stuff aparently is serverside. So you're never ever truely offline. Offline is just limiting or effectively blocking other human players in your session.
They are striving to get the 1.0 release done this year, but COVID and its aftermath is going to be a factor.
Yesterday another bone chilling run!
I decided to take my PMC for a stealthy raid to try and get some good loot and decent experience.
The Customs map is rectangular rather than square and with PMC spawns clustered West and East, so the start of a Raid is always super congested.
I laid low for a while, but also knew that if I waited too long I would not be able to loot any of the higher value sites anymore.
There's this dorm area with good stuff and it happened to be about halfway across the map from where I was. I gambled that the PMC's in my spawn zone would first go to the Warehouse close by and I could keep ahead of most of them if I made a run straight towards the dorms.
There's always AI Scavs rummaging about over there as well, but I was able to avoid them and get a few valuables. No other PMC's around yet it seemed.
After a few momemts I hear the Scavs starting to shout. Usually a sign they spotted a PMC, so I had to get the hell out.
Right before I passed through the door to get outside again, another PMC entered the hall on the far end and shot me in the leg.
I couldn't run anymore and my wound was bleeding. I managed to limp into the shrubbery and immediately started treating my wound.
Finished just as I heard him coming out of the doorway I just exited.
I fires a few blind rounds in his direction and started to run again.
It was enough to get a headstart, but as I tried to jump on a ledge I needed to scale, my wound ripped open again! F*ck! I was being hunted, but also need to treat the wound again to not bleed out.
I went prone into some kind of checkpoint bunker and started to treat the wound again. Then listened. Nothing. Was it really safe?
After a few moments I went from prone to crouch to stick my head up and look out the window. Seems clear.
I didnt want to gamble another rip of the wound, so no more sprinting. But luckily the exfil was close by.
Made it in the end by taking it slow and silently, avoiding everyone else.
Exciting stuff!
Quote from: Yskonyn on January 14, 2021, 01:17:45 PM
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on January 14, 2021, 09:27:14 AM
Is this fully released or still considered in beta, thought saw somewhere where it wasn't released yet. And this is totally single player if one wants to play that way? At some point I saw MMO attached to it but wasn't sure the context.
It is still in beta. Big patches cause a wipe of all progression as well, so it might definitely not yet be for everyone.
As for totally singleplayer; it used to be you didn't get any XP in offline mode, but it seems that has changed and now you do, but you don't keep any loot, so its pretty pointless other than training mapknowledge and loot locations, as well as training combat skills.
Its definitely intended as a multiplayer game.
Thanks, until single player probably not something for me, but does lookinteresting.
This game has a firm grip on me.
Getting started is brutal, but I am getting my mapknowledge up to snuff and am beginning to know how to efficiently deal with AI Scavs, know where stuff for quests is located and also where the typical hot zones are on two maps now.
I've looted a few nice weapons. Some I just dismantled for parts which sell well, others I've kept for my own use.
Also learned that ammo type is really important. The same weapon can be significantly more lethal with certain types over others.
The health system also is super unique.
Different types of medical kit will allow you to treat different types of wounds, bleeds and fractures. If you don't carry the correct stuff you will need to either hope for loot or exfil quickly. Depending on where you are on the map this will pose different problems.
And thats the thing that keeps me coming back. There are litteraly layers upon layers of what looks like a simple arena shooter with some sim elements at first.
The tactical considerations are so varied and dynamic that you often have to drastically change your plan on the fly. It's brutal, but so much fun!
Jarhead, start playing man. It's definitely something you will enjoy. And while you're at it, be sure to add me in game. Perhaps we can manage to run together some day. :bd:
It does look and sound great. Once SP is in, I'm in.
Quote from: Yskonyn on January 18, 2021, 03:05:25 PM
Jarhead, start playing man. It's definitely something you will enjoy. And while you're at it, be sure to add me in game. Perhaps we can manage to run together some day. :bd:
Let me know if you received my friend request.
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 18, 2021, 04:44:09 PM
Quote from: Yskonyn on January 18, 2021, 03:05:25 PM
Jarhead, start playing man. It's definitely something you will enjoy. And while you're at it, be sure to add me in game. Perhaps we can manage to run together some day. :bd:
Let me know if you received my friend request.
Received and accepted!
Ive played it, but i dont like how it literally punishes you. If you die on a scav run you have to wait 20 minutes, but you want to dive back in with PMC and get ganked quick, then you either have to use health or continue waiting.
Its pretty unfortunate, but that system just kills the game for it. What a shame.
Quote from: Hofstadter on January 20, 2021, 05:57:57 AM
Ive played it, but i dont like how it literally punishes you. If you die on a scav run you have to wait 20 minutes, but you want to dive back in with PMC and get ganked quick, then you either have to use health or continue waiting.
Its pretty unfortunate, but that system just kills the game for it. What a shame.
Good to see you. Been awhile. Hope all is ok.
Quote from: Hofstadter on January 20, 2021, 05:57:57 AM
Ive played it, but i dont like how it literally punishes you. If you die on a scav run you have to wait 20 minutes, but you want to dive back in with PMC and get ganked quick, then you either have to use health or continue waiting.
Its pretty unfortunate, but that system just kills the game for it. What a shame.
Hey man, long time no see.
Certain Hideout upgrades reduce your Scav cooldown timer by 40%, so if you prioritise those you'll be quicker into the game again.
But I do agree that the game makes it quite a bit harder for new or low level players in relation to higher level ones. Flea Market also went from lvl 5 unlock to 10, making the early grind quite a bit harsher.
Still, being intelligent about how you move and fight (or avoid) in a Raid is very important. This is no normal shooter like CoD or Battlefield or even PUBG.
For example, a really bad habit I've developed by playing many other shooters is strafing while aiming down sight. If you do this in Tarkov your bullits will fly all over the place due to sway. Its really hard to unlearn for a lot of people, including myself.
On the other hand, progress means something in this game. That exfil with hard earned loot is so sweet. The defeat of other player characters so rewarding, BECAUSE the game makes you work hard for it.
That one gun is so desirable BECAUSE you know its expensive.
I don't want a meaningless grind to max level like in BF or CoD with some toys sprinkled along the way.
Everything you rock in EFT has meaning. Even more so because you can loose it all in a split second.
Its high risk, high reward play. Not for everyone for sure, but for now at least, it's my entertainment drug.
And yes, I am still only level 4 with about 15 hrs playtime. I get wrecked every day. Roflstomped 1 out of 2 Raids. But it's so damn glorious! \m/ :D
I like the game's difficulty, makes different from other shooters.
The hardcore mechanics, like losing everything on death, can feel punishing at first, but they also add a layer of tension and stakes that you don't get in a lot of other shooters. The weapon handling and modding are next-level, making it a dream for fans of realistic gunplay.