Enplex Games recently announced another new feature heading to its space-themed MMO Population Zero: factions. Currently, there are three main factions — Void, Technocrat, and Xenobiote — with more to follow in the future.
Factions will be integral to how each player’s experience unfolds as they start life on Kepler. Every player will choose a faction, and their avatar evolves over time based on that faction’s characteristics. Some factors influenced by factions are leveling, stats, crafting systems, and even movement.
Effects of faction allegiance can be seen as soon as a colonist lands on Kepler, and eventually, the once-human colonist will lose all resemblance of its former self.
When a colonist first loses human form, it’s given a quest, and the choices made during that quest will determine the future faction alignment. Players also get the choice to remain Voids and not choose a different faction, and should they wish to switch factions at some point, that’s possible too.
Void
Void, the first stage of evolution, is described as a sort of transition between Xenobiote and Technocrat. Voids have increased durability and strength and are immune to poison. They can also find certain items the other two factions can’t, though what these items and their specific characteristics are, Emplex hasn’t said yet.
However, these benefits are balanced with some deficits: Voids can’t craft, build, or wear armor and wield weapons.
Technocrats
Emplex describes Technocrats as closer to humans in outlook and habits, though they can’t return to being human.
To become a Technocrat, one has to find a certain implantation module that helps weather the transformations that change colonists during rebirth.
Thanks to their human roots, Technocrats gain more building and crafting skills as they level up, learning how to create advanced tools and improved gear. It’s all part of the science and technology system Enplex revealed in the recent past.
However, the Technocrat’s advantages come at the expense of bonuses from the natural environment.
Xenobiote
Xenobiotes are colonists who choose to merge with all aspects of nature, flora and fauna, via a mutation system. They then take on the characteristics of the natural world and earning unique bonuses.
Unlike Technocrats, Xenobiotes use plants in crafting and ally with animals instead of killing them. This means in certain environments, Xenobiotes benefit from faster crafting and construction
Because the two main factions have such different outlooks and goals for Kepler, they will eventually clash with each other in open conflict.
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This is but the latest update announced for Population Zero.
Ever since Enplex made the game available in alpha mode for player feedback, it has received numerous new content additions, ranging from new things to do to completely new environments.
Factions take advantage of some of Population Zero‘s most ambitious elements, namely crafting and building. However, they are also part of Enplex’s overall goal to make Population Zero a new breed of MMORPG with branching gameplay paths and a wide variety of player options.
