Earth Eternal's history has, so far, gone through nine phases and is soon to enter the tenth phase. These are:
The Iron Realms Entertainment Era
This is the period when Earth Eternal was first conceived and built. Everything after owes itself to what took place during this time. The expansive EE Lore history, the first sixteen player races, along with the earliest builds of the game are all created during this nearly two year period.
Click here to learn more about the Iron Realms Entertainment Era.
The Sparkplay Media Era
Considered by the 'old guard' to be the 'Golden Age' of Earth Eternal. The game goes through three phases – Alpha, Closed Beta and Open Beta – during this two and a half year time period. It should be noted that, in spite of their best efforts, the game was always a big mess and SPM never could sort out the issues. The company would end up going backrupt and Earth Eternal would be put up on the auction block to pay back investors.
Click here to learn more about the Sparkplay Media Era.
The First Intermediate Era
The period when hopes still ran high for Earth Eternal despite it's first demise. Also the time when the first cracks in the surviving community appeared. The buyer of Earth Eternal is revealed during this time as well.
Click here to learn more about the First Intermediate Era.
The TurnOut Ventures Era
Considered to be the 'Dark Ages' for Earth Eternal. The EE Community is decimated during this time over various issues regarding the changes to the game in this period. The game itself is left in an unfinished revamp before being pretty much abandoned. Also of note is the fact this mess of a game was left in far worse shape at this point than during the SPM Era due to the unfinished revamps and sudden abandonment of the title.
Click here to learn more about the Turnout Ventures Era.
The Second Intermediate Era
This period is more or less the months between the end of Iki/EER and the opening up of Planet Forever. By this time, only the most hardcore (insane?) followers of Earth Eternal remain.
Click here to learn more about the Second Intermediate Era.
The 'Planet Forever' Era
While a private mod server version of the game, Planet Forever picks up where both SPM and TOV left off. The EE Community involved is small unlike the previous iterations and only one person sits at the helm. In many ways, Planet Forever is a hybrid of both SPM and TOV versions of Earth Eternal as well as a mod of the official versions and the client is a derivative of the old SPM Patch 0.8.6 client. (It should be noted that a mirror server was set up at one point that hosted the Patch 0.8.8 client although this version likely never saw much use.) This is also the longest period of server uptime to date as it remains online for just over two and a half years. Sadly, for the final eight months of this era, logins drop off to mostly nothing as the game nearly goes completely inactive following its admin's loss of interest in the game and community. It quietly closes on a sour note.
Click here to learn more about the Planet Forever Era.
The Anubian War Era
This 'Era' technically more or less includes the Eras for IceEE, EE-TSOA and the EE-VS versions of Earth Eternal, along with the side-version of Earth Eternal from which this Era, as well as it's own sub-era, gets their names. Each of these versions are full mods of the original game utilizing the EE assets and world, with the latter versions bearing a sub-title to denote that version's respective 'expansion'. More details can be found in their respective sections below.
The 'IceEE Planet Forever" Era
After the closure of Planet Forever, a new team takes over working on the game. The IceEE Planet Forever version is the first iteration of this new team's work. Technically a direct successor to the Planet Forever private mod server version of Earth Eternal, this version of the game starts out as a perfect clone of Planet Forever only to end up more or less a major departure from all previous iterations of the game and, thus, can be considered it's own full mod that utilizes Earth Eternal's assets and world.
Click here to learn more about the IceEE Era.
The 'Earth Eternal – The Scourge Of Abidan" Era
The second iteration of Earth Eternal run by the new TAW Team, this version of the game is the first major departure away from Planet Forever as it now runs on server code completely different from Planet Forever. Several additions and modifications to the game, including the opening up of the Grunes Tal region to players, are made during this period. Further, the game's original name 'Earth Eternal' is restored, along with the addition of a sub-title to denote the 'expansion' that is the subject of this era. As with IceEE, EE-TSOA is considered a full mod of the original game that utilizes the EE assets and world. The Anubian War website is brought online during this period as well and serves to bring together the community both old and new. This iteration of Earth Eternal lasts for two years and two months.
Click here to learn more about the Scourge Of Abidan Era.
The 'Earth Eternal – Valkal's Shadow" Era
The TAW team's third iteration of Earth Eternal starts off as pretty much a direct update to the EE-TSOA version, opening up the Swineland region to players and adding in even more modifications to the game. This iteration of Earth Eternal will eventually be upgraded to run on a completely different server code initially used in the separate and unreleased 'Earth Eternal - The Anubian War' version of the game. As with both IceEE and EE-TSOA, EE-VS is considered a full mod of the original game that utilizes the EE assets and world. It is also the most current version of the Earth Eternal running and has lasted for two and half years so far.
Click here to learn more about the Valkal's Shadow Era.
The 'Earth Eternal – The Anubian War" Era
This version of Earth Eternal more or less initially ran in parallel with the IceEE, EE-TSOA and EE-VS versions of Earth Eternal, but, never left development. Unlike the other versions of the game, this version of Earth Eternal was an attempt at a full remake that focused on the Second Anubian War as the central theme. Multiple attempts across the IceEE, EE-TSOA and EE-VS Eras were made to give Earth Eternal a complete makeover. This version was to include website integration and many new features not seen in the other iterations of the game. The server code running on this version of Earth Eternal would be vastly different than that which ran on both EE-TSOA and EE-VS. Sadly, the TAW team would be forced to choose which new version of Earth Eternal to focus on and Valkal's Shadow would end up the popular choice for players on the live server. This left the incomplete 'remake' of Earth Eternal, The Anubian War, shelved indefinitely. As with IceEE, EE-TSOA and EE-VS, it was a full mod of the original game that utilized the EE assets and world and, like the latter two, also bears a sub-title to denote this version's 'expansion'.
Click here to learn more about the Anubian War Era.
Developer's Note:
Bear in mind that Earth Eternal's history is still very much a 'living' History. As such, these sections are actively being added to on a regular basis as more information surfaces regarding both the past Eras along with the newest details involving the events of the newer Eras as they take place.