New Player Guide

May 13, 2014 | Etaew | Viewed 31,101 times |

Some tips for new players in Defiance.

Please note that this guide is something I am working on casually and being a work in progress it does not have all the content of a full guide.

Tasks

Break down individual sections to the block image format and different pages
Add Images to topics
(DONE) Add Intel from game to topics
Expand topics with real usage

Combat

Aim Mode

Right-Click to look down the sights of your weapon increasing accuracy or using an attached scope.

Dive Roll

Alt can be used to roll out of the way of an attack, it is also used to reduce the duration of Nano-Effects that have been applied to your character.

Threat Level

As more players enter an event area that supports difficulty scaling the Threat Level will increase, making enemies more numerous and difficult.

Weakspots

Several enemies have weakspots where you will deal extra damage, for example headshots on humanoids or shown as a bright orange glowing spot on an enemy such as the rear of a Hellbug Warrior.

Dealing damage to a weakspot will bypass some of the enemies armor and sometimes interrupt enemy attacks.

Health

A players health is determined by their EGO Rating and any perks or items which modify it.

Once your health has reached zero you will be downed, if your self-revive timer is not on cooldown you can self-revive in place, extract to the nearest Extraction Point or be revived by a nearby player.

There is a timer before you are automatically extracted.

Shields

A players shields are determined by the shield they have equipped, and the damage done to it determined by the type of attack. Shields must be depleted before health takes damage. Once a shield has been broken you will have to wait for the recharge time before the shield restores itself by the restore amount per second.

Self Revive

You can self-revive in place at full health and shields, knocking back any nearby enemies once every x minutes.

Armor Plates

Indicated by a yellow shield on the top-left of the screen near your health and over the heads of enemies. Each plate of armor reduces incoming damage by 10 percent. Plates can be destroyed with biological effects or bypassed with radiation. Damaged armor can be repaired at stations or by certain stims.

Ablative Armor

Ablative Armor is temporary Armor Plates that is added from perks, spikes, stims and other effects. Ablative armor always reaches the level of the highest effect applied rather than stacking. Ablative armor cannot be repaired.

Nano-Effects

Nano effects are indicated by an icon on the bottom-right of a weapon icon. They have a chance to trigger each time the weapon hits an enemy. A weapons damage type is determined by their nano-effect and they can deal different damage to health, sheilds and armor. Some nano effects can be added to a weapon by using a Magazine mod.

Bio Nano-Effect

Bioligical Nano-Effects corrode enemy armor, dealing additional damage to armor plates. Bioligical Nano-Effects place a black goo on their target (affectionately known as "poop shoes", causing them to move slower, not jump as high and do less damage with their attacks. Dive Rolling can reduce the duration of this effect.

Incendiary Nano-Effect

Incendiary weapons deal extreme damage to health, but are ineffective against shields. Additionally, incendiary Nano-Effects light the target on fire, causing additional damage over time. Dive Rolling can put the flames out early, reducing the time you are on fire.

Electric Nano-Effect

Electric Weapons deal extreme damage to shields but little damage to health. Additionally, when an enemy is affected by the Electric Nano-Effect, it will be stunned for a brief period, along with an other enemies nearby. Certain large enemies are immune to this effect. A player hit by this effect with lose their HUD for a short period of time. Dive Rolling can reduce the duration of this effect.

Radioactive Nano-Effect

Radioactive damage bypasses a portion of the armor plating on targets. When struck by the Radioactive Blast, enemies are covered in an effervescent and debilitating kinetic gel that reduces their defenses and causes them to take more damage from attacks. Dive Rolling can reduce the duration of the effect.

Syphon Nano-Effect

A portion of any damage done by a syphon effect is returned to the attacker as healing. This healing is more effective when damaging health than against shields. As the Syphon Nano-Effect activats, a purple swirl appears on the target and shooter causing life and shield energy to drain from the target and heal the shooter. Because this is an instantaneous effect, Dive Rolling cannot reduce its duration, but can help you dodge the shot in the first place.

Powers

Through the use of their EGO implants, ark hunters have access to various bionetic powers that allow them to succeed in highly dangerous situations. Power effects range from increased speed and invisibility to higher damage output and the ability to create convincing decoys that fool enemies. An ark hunter can use EGO units to upgrade the effectiveness of these powers, but higher levels require higher EGO Ratings to unlock.

Cloak

EGO Power that makes you invisible to enemies for a short period. Cloaking activates immediate shield regeneration. Attacking, or taking damage will end the cloak, however it will come back after a short delay. You can deactivate the cloak before its timer expires.

Overcharge

EGO Power that increases weapon damage for a s hort period. When activated, it instantly reloads your current weapon. Overcharge users can be identified by the red glow that surrounds their weapon and parts of their body when the power is active.

Blur

EGO Power that boosts your movement speed by 50 percent. While active, your melee attacks deal full damage against shields. Blur outlines the user in a blue glow.

Decoy

EGO Power that sends out a mirror image of you. Press the Power button again to swap places with the decoy. Your EGO automatically detects friendly decoys and alters their appearance so you can tell the difference between the decoy and your ally.

Perks

Perks are beneficial effects that can be unlocked and upgraded with EGO units on the EGO grid. As an Arkhunter becomes more powerful, they can equip more perks. Be sure to equip a perk after it has been unlocked, or you won't get the benefits of it.

Loadouts

Loadouts can be accessed with the L button. They determine the gear, EGO Powers, and perks that an ark hunter has equipped. More loadout slots are unlocked when the ark hunter's EGO Rating passes certain thresholds.

Advanced Weapons Systems

Advanced weapons systems can be picked up in the hidden corners of the world. Though they have limited ammunition, they also do incredible amounts of damage or have unique effects. Changing weapon or entering a vehicle will drop an advanced weapon system.

Scoring

Many events rate your performance based on score. At the end of an event or after leaving an event's area, you will be granted rewards based on the score you achieved.

Sentry Turrets

Sentry turrets pose a special challenge for ark hunters. While they can be temporarily disabled with traditional weapons, the only way to s hut them down for good is to deactivate their generator.

Alarm Systems

Some enemies will make use of alarm systems to call in reinforcements, this is represented by a exclaimation mark above their heads. Alarm systems can be disabled by interacting with them, any npcs on route to the alarm and attempt to trigger will cause a large explosion.

Movement

Player Navigation

Use W, S, D, and A to move your ark hunter, and your mouse to look around and aim your weapon.

Sprinting

Press LShift to sprint. This will enable you to run faster.

Jumping

Press Space to jump. This will allow you to overcome obstacles and avoid some attacks.

Dive Roll

Press Alt to roll out of the way of attacks. This can also be used to reduce the duration of Nano-Effects your character is suffering from.

Vehicle Controls

Press V to create your vehicle.
Press and hold W to move forward.
S will slow you down and reverse the vehicle.
Use Space to engage the handbrake.
D and A will turn your vehicle right and left.
Press LShift to get a boost of speed for a short period of time.
Use LMB to sound the horn.

Map

Fast Travel

Blue icons on the map indicate Fast Travel points. Selecting them will open up the Fast Travel option. Selecting it will immediately move you to that location but may involve a loading screen and a server phase switch.

Missions

If you have a currently active mission, you can see a summary of it on the map screen. If you choose to, from this screen you can abandon the mission, allowing you to pick up another one.

Arkfalls

Arkfalls are pieces of debris that fall from the ark belt down to Earth. They present increased challenges and rewards for ark hunters willing to face them. Some arkfalls require a large group of players to secure.

Arkbreak

Some arkfalls contain interiors which can be explored once the perimeter of the arkfall is secured. Look out for these special arkfalls, or locate special devices which can guide them down to Earth.

Sieges

Sieges are special events which task players with capturing and defending objectives while fighting hordes of enemies. Once the siege event is kicked off, players have a limited time to increase their score by capturing objectives and defeating enemies. Kill enemies to progress stages. Later stages have more enemies, more enemies means more points, more points mean better rewards!

Challenges

Challenges are a special kind of mission available to ark hunters. These fall into three categories: time trials, hotshots, and rampages. Ark hunters may complete challenges multiple times to earn a spot on the leaderboards.

Salvage Matrix

This EGO extension allows for the modifying of weapons and the salvaging of old components. Ark salvage is required to perform the various activities that the salvage matrix allows. Most activities require that the weapon it is being performed on is not equipped in any loadout slot.

Some actions occur instantly, but others take time to complete. As an ark hunter increases in EGO Rating, more actions can be performed at once.

Add Mod

For some ark salvage, you can instantly equip a mod into an available slot on your weapon. The mod must match the weapon type and the open slot for it to be equipped. This action happens instantly.

Add Mod Slot

If a weapon does not yet have four mod slots, a new one can be opened up. Each additional slot increase the cost of this action. Adding a mod slot takes time, so a weapon must not be equipped in order to perform this action.

Retrieve Mods

It is possible to pull all the mods out of a weapon for use on a another weapon. This destroys the weapon.

Remove Mods

An equipped mod can be removed from a weapon. This destroys the mod, but preserves the weapon, and allows a new mod to put in that slot.

Break Into Salvage

Weapon, grenades, shields and mods that are not equipped can be broken down into salvage.

Reroll Weapon Mastery

By spending arkforge, a weapon can have its mastery bonus rerolled.

Social

Social Screen

The Social screen is a hub for activities that allow you to interact with other p layers. From this screen, you can access or manage clan information, perform various friends functions, and see the people you recently played with.

Grouping

You can join up to three other ark hunters in a group. Groups offer unique benefits. Not only can group members see the location and status of other group members, but also certain EGO perks benefit all members of a group.

Friends

If you enjoyed ark hunting with someone, you can add them to your friends list. This list can be accessed on the Social menu and will tell you the online status of your friends.

Clans

Players may form large social groups called "clans". Join a clan to meet new players. You can create or join clans on the Social Screens, accessible using the Radial Menu on any Menu Screen.

Clan Progression

Any experience earned by members of a Clan while participating in an eligible activity earns points towards a Clan activity line. Each rank of an activity line gives a bonus and adds to your Clan's rating. When a Clan reaches specific ratings an extra bonus is unlocked.

Progression

Weapon Skills

Each weapon is associated with a particular weapon skill (aparently from Melee). Every time an ark hunter successfully uses a weapon, they are rewarded some skill points to the appropriate skill. As players earn skill points, their weapon skills will improve granting bonuses to all weapons associated with that skill.

Weapon Mastery

Each weapon can be mastered by using it. Once a weapon is mastered, a new effect will be unlocked.

Vehicle Skills

As an ark hunter drives the vehicles around the world, their vehicle skills will improve. This will provide them with better performance when operating vehicles of that kind.

EGO Rating

The EGO RAting is a measure of the progress of integration between the EGO and an ark hunter. Higher EGO Ratings allow the use of more perks and unlock the ability to use more powerful items. Some levels of EGO powers require a higher EGO rating to unlock.

EGO Units

EGO Units may be spent to purchase and improve perks and powers. They are earned by levelling up through earning experience.

Perks

Perks are beneficial effects that can be unlocked and upgraded with EGO Units on the EGO grid. As an Arkhunter becomes more powerful, they can equip more perks. Be sure to equip a perk after it has been unlocked, or you won't get the benefits of it.

Powers

Factions

Various groups in the New Frontier have formed factions. These factions provide vendors where ark hunters may spend reputation to earn exclusive gear. Ark hunters gain reputation with these factions by completing contracts. Contracts become available once an ark hunter reaches an EGO rating of 175.

Contracts

Each Faction will put out contracts for ark hunters to complete. A list of the currently active contracts can be found on the Contracts tab of the Goals screen. Contracts come in daily and weekly varieties. If you aren't able to fully complete a Contract, you can still get partial credit for the work you have done. Contracts improve your reputation with the faction that offers them. You can use that reputation at Faction Vendors around the world to buy items at a discount from normal vendor prices.

Loadouts

Loadouts can be accessed with the L button. They determine the gear, EGO Powers, and perks that an an ark hunter has equipped. More loadout slots are unlocked when the ark hunter's EGO Rating passes certain thresholds.

Pursuits

Pursuits are lists of tasks which provide rewards once completed. All Pursuits will increase an ark hunter's EGO Rating, but many Pursuits will have additional benefits.

Experience

A variety of activities will reward an ark hunter with experience. When ark hunters reach certain threshholds of experience, they will increase their EGO Rating and gain an EGO Unit.

Clan Progression

Woot Loot

When an ark hunter first earns an EGO point or increases skill, loot will drop for everyone nearby. Stay close to others to benefit.

Respeccing

EGO Units spent on perks and EGO Powers can be reset by respeccing. The cost to respec increases based on your EGO Rating.

Gear

Synergies

Certain powerful items work together to produce Synergy effects when in proximity. Synergies come in Weapons + Weapon varieties, where both weapons must be equipped in the active loadout to gain the bonus effects, and Weapon + Mod Synergies where a weapon must be equipped with mods that have the same Synergy to gain the effects. The more mods of that Synergy a weapon has, the more powerful the effect becomes. Synergies cannot be combined, and items must be of the same Synergy type.

Weapon Mastery

Each weapon can be mastered by using it. Once a weapon is mastered, a new effect will be unlocked.

Nano-Effects

Weapons can be outfitted with nano-effects. These powerful effects can trigger any time a target is struck by the weapon. Common nano-effects include bio, incendiary, electric, radioactive and syphon.

Gear Rarity

Ark hunters can loot 5 different rarities of grenades, shields and weapons. The more rare, the more functionality the item has. Gear rarity is color-coded into the name of the gear in your inventory.

Grenades

Grenades are a special weapon which can be thrown by pressing G. Grenades are armed by their first bounce. After being armed, they wait their lifetime and detonate. Different types of grenades have different effects when they detonate, and not all cause immediate damage. When you run out of grenades more can be found on vendors or dropped from enemies.

Spikes

Spikes are deployable items that give bonuses to players near them. Equip them in your loadout and use 2 to deploy one.

Stims

Stims are usable items that give bonuses. Stims are equipped into a loadout slot. To activate a stim use 3.

Loadouts

Outfits

Ark hunters can customize their looks by acquiring various outfits while adventuring. These outfits don't affect any statistics. Change outfits from the Loadouts tab of the Character Screen.

Vehicles

Ark hunters may create a temporary vehicle at will. Press V to create yours. If your vehicle is destroyed, there will be a delay before it can be fabricated again. New vehicles may be purchased from vendors or from the Defiance Store. In some cases, ark hunters can be awarded vehicles for completing missions or pursuits.

Weapon Mods

Weapon Mods can be found by completing various missions, buying them from a vendor, or purchasing random mod chests from Lockbox Vendors. These devices provide various bonuses to weapons when attached to them. Weapon Mods are specific to a weapon type and can only go into specific slots. They can be attached to weapons through the Salvage Matrix.

Inventory Overflow

There are times when an item is acquired as part of a reward or a purchase from the store, when an ark hunter's inventory is full. In these cases, those items can be found under the Claim tab of the Defiance Store, and claimed when the ark hunter has available inventory space again.

Lockboxes

Keycodes

Keycodes can be used to purchase lock boxes found on vendors. Lock boxes are ancient arktech contains designed to conceal the contents within. No one knows what is in a lock box, but it is always valuable.

Levels of Lockboxes

Lockbox Vendors sell several tiers of Lockboxes. As the tier gets higher, the number of items you receive and chance of getting higher rarity items increases, but so does the cost. Lockboxes can only be unlocked through the use of keycodes.

Vehicles

Stunting

When your vehicle is off the ground, you can try to perform various stunts, using the vehicle movement controls. There are even pursuits related to how far you can jump and how many spins you can do before landing on the ground. Be sure to pick a safe place to land though, or you might not get credit for the stunt.

Runners

The nimblest of the vehicles in Defiance, Runners excel at off road driving. They are balanced in speed between haulers and rollers. Due to their small size, they don't hit for as much damage or have as many hit points as either Rollers or Haulers.

Rollers

Rollers are car sized vehicles that usually can carry a passenger. They are the fastest vehicle son the road, but not as good at off-roading as Runners. They are a good balance of speed, health and damaging capability.

Haulers

Haulers are larger trucks that move slower than other vehicles, but tend to hit harder and have more hit points than t heir smaller counterpoints.

Cerberus

The Cerberus can be found on competitive multiplayer maps, and in Shadow War. It sports a main turret that can be mounted from the rear of the vehicle, and a passenger side rocket system. The main turret rotates through a full 360 degree range, but the rocket system has a limited forward firing arc.

Co-op Maps

General Information

Co-op maps are available under the matchmaking menu. These scenarios challenge 4 players to complete objectives in a confined, co-operative environment.

Matchmaking

The Matchmaking screen is used to get into Co-op Maps, Competitive Maps and Shadow War. These same functions can be performed on the Quick Menu in-game. Once queued, you don't have to remain on the Matchmaking screen. In-game notifications will let you know when your match is ready for you to join. If you are part of a group, your whole group will joint he match or map together. If you are taking part in a scored event you will be rewarded early based on your score.

Unlocking

Increasing your EGO rating will unlock maps under matchmaking for you to select. If the group leader has the map unlocked, he can take the entire group into it, even if other members do not yet have it unlocked.

Competitive Multiplayer

Matchmaking

The Matchmaking screen is used to get into Co-op Maps, Competitive Maps and Shadow War. These same functions can be performed on the Quick Menu in-game. Once queued, you don't have to remain on the Matchmaking screen. In-game notifications will let you know when your match is ready for you to join. If you are part of a group, your whole group will joint he match or map together. If you are taking part in a scored event you will be rewarded early based on your score.

Competitive Multiplayer Maps

From the Matchmaking menu, you may access a list of available PvP maps. In these events, ark hunters are pitted against each other in tests of skill and endurance.

Shadow War

Shadow War operations occur when Echelon identifiers high-priority targets in the area. These open-world battles pit teams against eachoother to control points of interest.

Quick Menu

The quick menu can be accessed in-game by pressing Ctrl. The Quick Menu can be accessed in-game by pressing Ctrl. Once in, there are nested options that are context sensitive. Simply click on an option to open up the next level of the tree and make your selection.

Pending Invitations - group invites, clan invites, friend invites, map invites
Matchmaking - join Competitive Multiplayer, Co-operative Multiplayer and Shadow Wars
Find Player - inspect, add to friend, add to group, invite to clan.
Defiance Store - a link to the Defiance Store
Area - a list of ark hunters in the area, with associated quick commands

TODO

Keybinds

Chat commands

Maps and waypoints

Frequently Asked Questions

I created a character but I can no longer find them

Check in the launcher that you have the correct Region selected. There are EU and US servers and your character is tied to one of them.

Why does everyone look the same?

During large population events the amount of memory the game uses is limited, so the same low quality model is re-used for all characters. PC users have the option to increase this by adjusting the Proxy Memory slider in the options.

How can I make the game look better?

SweetFX is a tool for PC users which adds shaders and post processing to the game to make the game look better.

Wordscape Game

Defiance 2050 - HUD, UI elements for new players