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It's clear by now that no matter how bright the past may have been, Epic Games is looking to the future. With the Gears of War series a distant memory, the studio has set its sights on a cooperative shooter/action/crafting experience that seems to be taking influence from nearly every corner of the games industry. Fortnite has captured plenty of attention already, and as more information is revealed, it's evident just how wide a net the developer is intending to cast.

With the first playable class officially detailed (via Game Informer) being that of the Commando, a shoot-first mentality proved to be alive and well in the new series, even if Fortnite's visual style doesn't bring 'violent firefights' to mind. Next was the more action-oriented Ninja class, for players who wish to leap, not shoot their way out of trouble. That's all well and good for players most concerned with eliminating the monstrous Husks that will attempt to break through the titular 'Forts' - but what of those who prefer building walls to blowing them apart?

Luckily, that's where the game's Constructor class comes in. Described as the perfect playable class for "Minecraft veterans," the Constructor is capable of holding his own in combat, but make no mistake: he is most powerful and productive to the team when focusing on construction, not destruction.

Amateur builders can get to work nearly immediately, as the Constructor enters the procedurally-generated game world with a Basic Automated Sentinel Edifice - or BASE, for short. The device has been shown in prior screenshots, capable of emitting a holographic cube onto existing structure, and reducing the amount of resources that a Constructor will need to build an object within it. Little has been shown about the mechanics and systems governing the collection and use of resources, but the benefits should be clear.

Constructors are also able to launch area-of-effect attacks on invading enemies, and deploy 'Containment Units' which up the damage being dealt to Husks within its boundaries. That means that while the Constructor may be the slowest of all playable classes, he too contains the potential for both attacking and defending. After all, both Commandos and Ninjas are capable of building as well. But as other classes can upgrade existing structures to increase their durability (and visual treatment), only Constructors are capable of leveling structures to their maximum levels. In other words: they only get more valuable as the match wears on.

Epic Games has yet to offer any extensive details on the enemy behavior and types set to terrorize Fortnite players, but they've been described as accomplished enough to offer a true threat to both players and their forts. That means Constructors may spend as much time in combat as they will fixing the cracks and weaknesses exploited with every wave of enemies.

The Constructor class clearly isn't for newcomers or the faint of heart. But if gamers have looked at the colorful aesthetic and thought Fortnite would be lacking competent action, or seen the emphasis on combat and thought the crafting would be sub-par, Epic is at least trying to calm those suspicions until they're ready to show more.

What are your hopes for Fortnite? Does this emphasis on crafting and construction seem like a more frenzied alternative to Minecraft, or is Epic chasing after a market that's already been cornered? Sound off in the comments.

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Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.

Source: Game Informer