"Welcome to the apocalypse." This is the message of the new teaser video for Fallen Earth, which is the first of several planned to inform fans about the game.

The new teaser, which can be found on YouTube, offers no glimpse at actual gameplay footage, but that's to be expected. Fallen Earth is only in the alpha test stage and is undergoing numerous tweaks. Instead, this video is all about background and setting. It explains how survivors in this post-apocalyptic world have gathered around the Hoover Dam, "the last bastion of civilization," and are fighting for dominance.

The teaster introduces us to the six factions of the game: Enforcers, Children of the Apocalypse (C.H.O.T.A.), Vistas, Techs, Lightbearers and Travelers. Ultimately, we're asked, "Where will you stand?"

If you're interested in signing up for the alpha test, here's all the information.

Does you guild want access to the Fallen Earth alpha? Well, the company wants to test the game through clans, so you may be in luck.

In addition to individual Alpha participants, Fallen Earth would like to test the game through gaming clans, a group of gamers with similar gaming habits who play online games together. Players who belong in gaming clans or guilds can sign up for the Fallen Earth test as a group.

All the information can be found here. One person will need to represent the guild and e-mail all pertinent information to the Fallen Earth team.

Type Less, Talk More with Vivox. Risk-Free Communication For Gamers.

It isn’t very often that you see a company gain such a successful lead so quickly in such a competitive space as online games.  Vivox has done just that with their voice chat technology. I was lucky enough to have a first hand look in September at Austin Game Developers Conference. They are touting the clearest and feature-rich quality audio conversation experience one can currently obtain for communication in online games.

As any online gamer knows, it is vital to communicate with your guild mates and those around you in-game as efficiently as possible.  There are typically three options immediately available in any online game.  The first is through body language and basic movements.  The second is the most common, through built-in chat windows that allow you to type in commands and directives that you wish your group to follow.

Both of the first two choices are tedious, lengthy, and often result in errors when your chat history is scrolling like crazy with others around you also trying to communicate.  How does the guild leader or those in command rise above the chaos at hand to actually lead the group into battle?  The third and final possibility is with their voice.  The problem in many previous software solutions has been poor voice clarity, difficult to set up and operate, and a high price point that only a few could afford to purchase.

Are you excited about the Fallen Earth alpha test? Do you wish you could participate? Do you like making Halloween costumes?

Those sentences may not seem like they belong together, but they do thanks to Fallen Earth's first Halloween Costume Contest. You have from today at 3 p.m. EST to Oct. 27 at 5 p.m. EST to submit your costumes, which must adhere to Fallen Earth's post-apocalytic theme.

Five winners will receive a prize package consisting of an alpha test key and a Fallen Earth T-shirt. Their costume will also be displayed on www.fallenearth.com. The full rules can be found here, and you can submit photos of your costume here. You must register with the Fallen Earth forums to participate.

We reported yesterday that Fallen Earth is content complete . Well, Fallen Earth LLC has also posted an in-depth Alpha FAQ compiled by a tester. These questions cover numerous aspects of the game, from combat to crafting to bugs.

While many of the answers won't really interest anyone not in the Alpha, such as how to reload, others give us a good feel for the post-apocalytpic nature of the game. For example, a question regarding traveling from town to town shows us that walking, horseback-riding and building vehicles will all be possible. Also, crafting will be an important aspect of the game, and the time necessary to create items can be cut down if you perform the work in the correct facility. For example, making ammunition takes less time in a ballistics workshop.

The full FAQ can be found below or here .

What would happen if a plague and nuclear holocaust destroyed most of the world's civilizations? Fallen Earth , an MMORPG that combines first-person shooters with RPGs will answer that question as six factions fight to survive around the Grand Canyon in a post-apocalyptic future.

Fallen Earth LLC has announced that the game is content complete after an accelerated development schedule during the past nine months. The team has completed thousands of new character customization options, approximately 70 towns, more than 5,000 missions, more than 50,000 lines of dialogue, and a database of approximately 6,000 items.

"The team has worked tirelessly to not only deliver an immense volume of material, but new and innovative play experiences. Quality has not been sacrificed on our path to completion," said Project Manager Colin Dwan. The game is currently in Alpha testing. For more information, keep reading or check out the press release .

Over the past six months, the Fallen Earth team has implemented new production processes which have allowed for improved product quality and a streamlined development schedule. Colin Dwan, who was promoted from Lead Engineer to Project Manager, said, “Fallen Earth has great technology and tons of content, but we needed to put a stake in the ground about all the features that were absolutely necessary to ship with. Now that we’ve finalized that long list, we’ve been able to spend all of our time making those features really fun.”