We last checked in with Derek Smart’s upcoming free-to-play MMO, Line of Defense, during this year’s GDC in San Francisco. I honestly came away a bit surprised at how well the game was coming along and more importantly, that Derek Smart was building a game I could actually understand at a glance!

Just a short couple of months later, we had a chance to check out the game once again during this year’s E3. Since I had already seen the game before, Derek spared me the spiel and we instead focused mainly on the bits that had changed since I last saw the game.

Before we get to that, though, let’s recap what Line of Defense actually is. Line of Defense is an MMOFPS (or TPS, if you like) featuring vast maps (for up to 256 players) dotted with controllable (and destructible!) territory. Vehicles are available as well, including air vehicles, and players can even jump into space and participate in space battles. While the game is certainly more accessible than most games Derek Smart tends to work on, it’s still a bit hardcore in some ways. Players will have to select their armaments carefully, for example, as carrying a portable anti-air may limit you from putting on a jetpack. Derek also isn’t bothering to herd players into the action. You’re probably going to get lost for a little bit while starting out in Line of Defense, and you may even get blown up a couple of times before you get acclimated and find out where the main fight is taking place.

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Boy do I have a prize for all of you. Well, one of you. Last year Derek Smart partnered with DC Entertainment to create two comic books. The first, based on Alganon, was only distributed at Comic Con. The second, based in the upcoming MMO Line of Defense, was distributed only at E3 convention this month. The former was released in a digital form, the latter will not be released digitally to the best of my knowledge.

But you have an opportunity to get your hands on both. In that strange paper format, no less.

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Line of Defense’s Derek Smart sat down with us to tell about his MMOFPS. There appears to be three big MMOFPS games in-development currently and in a market that is very bare for this genre, one of these titles is bound to stand out. Derek Smart made it very clear what their title will and won’t be, he was very blunt and didn’t shy away from what his game offers.

Line of Defense is about skill and the game will reward players who excel on all facets of the game. If you are looking for an MMOFPS that’s main focus is the hardcore shooter fan, then learn more below with Derek Smart kicking you in the mouth with some knowledge.

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Defend the line with this F2P game from 3000AD Studios

I met Derek Smart, CEO and Lead Developer of 3000AD, Inc., on the last day of E3. In a one-on-one showing of his new game, Line of Defense, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw and what was explained to me. Let’s first start off with what kind of game it is.

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In between the hectic appointments at last week’s E3, I was able to drop by the Westin Bonaventure hotel and meet with lead developer and founder of 3000AD, Derek Smart. During the half an hour meeting, I was able to learn about the premise and primary gameplay concepts behind the upcoming and free-to-play massively multiplayer online game, Line of Defense. Derek began by discussing some of his earlier game projects, which he described as often quite complex for players. His most recent release of All Aspect Warfare focused on providing gameplay that was accessible, in addition to combining past concepts of flight and first-person shooter combat. With Line of Defense, Derek’s development cycle has come full circle with a game that encompasses aspects of planet and space combat.

In Line of Defense, players select from two sides in a battle for resources and territories on the planet of Lyrius and in various space-based locations. Lyrius features four bases that vary in landscape from snow-covered mountains to blazing deserts. Each base contains an assortment of important structures that are either used to gather resources or produce in-game assets, such as weapons and vehicles. These key areas of interest act as both gathering and combat areas for players that enter the game world. The four bases function as separate instances, each allowing for 256 players. The game’s other nine areas range from spans of space to orbital bases and an abandoned carrier.

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