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Why I Play: Global Agenda
Among the Massively staff, I'm known as the obsessive competitor who plays every game in a hardcore fashion. It's no surprise that I gravitate toward high-skill, difficult games that test skill instead of the typical MMO grinds. But it should be a bit of a surprise that I don't really like competitive shooters. Shooters take a lot of the elements I really love about competition such as mindgames and positioning and marginalize them in favor of raw aiming and twitch reflexes. I'm fond of saying "You must be this tall to ride this ride" when it comes to shooters that are very twitch-based. Global Agenda is a different beast than other shooters, though. The competitive shooter market is saturated with class-based shooters whose emphasis is more on teamwork than on aiming, and Global Agenda really takes it to eleven. Aiming is still important, but it's hardly the most important skill in the game, and every class has a way of minimizing the need for aiming skill. In fact, most of the more effective builds in GA don't require aiming. The emphasis in GA is on teamwork, mobility, and good decision-making. Even though it's a shooter, I find it really easy to spend far too much of my time playing it. It's just great fun.
GDC 2012: The Firing Line talks release dates with Tribes Ascend's Todd Harris
It's been a crazy week at GDC, and though I've already gotten the skinny on both PlanetSide 2 and DUST 514, there's more on the way when it comes to online shooter news. Yesterday morning I headed over to the Hi-Rez Studios booth on the main show floor, where COO Todd Harris had some exciting news to share with fans of the firm's Tribes: Ascend title. The free-to-play shooter will officially launch on April 12th, and Hi-Rez has also released a new parody trailer that pays homage to Dead Island and shows off the perils of the dreaded "llama capture" (if you're a Tribes newb, just know that speed equals survival when it comes to flag-grabs). Join me after the cut for some Tribes-related chit-chat as well news of new content on the way for Global Agenda.
Choose My Adventure: What is this I don't even
Where am I? What's going on? How did I get here? I'm so confused! Oh, uh, hi there. I'm Matt, or as most of you probably know me, the new guy. It looks like I'm next on the chopping block for Choose My Adventure, and I am contractually obligated to say that I was in no way coerced, blackmailed, or threatened into doing this column. Now that that's out of the way, let's get on with it. A bit about my MMO history: I've played everything. All right, super. That being said, I don't always play everything a whole lot, and right now I'm what you call "between games." That's where y'all come in. Help me out of my MMO slump by forcing me at gunpoint to play a game of your choosing. It's that simple! My playstyles vary wildly, and I can easily go from carebear PvE to hardcore PvP to melodramatic RP depending on which game I'm unceremoniously thrust into. So do your worst, Massively readers. If you're interested in knowing the logic behind the games I chose for the poll, read on past the cut. Otherwise, skip straight to the voting bit and be sure to get your votes in by 11:59 p.m. EDT on October 14th. I'll see y'all again next week!
Global Agenda's Recursive Colony launches
Fans of games that tread the line between MMORPG and FPS will be pleased at this news: Today brings the launch of Global Agenda's Recursive Colony expansion, a free update and the "largest content update in the history" of the game, according to Hi-Rez Studios' official website. Chief among the new additions is a new mid- to high-level open zone with a storyline and quests meant to provide an alternate leveling experience for more RPG-minded players. The expansion also includes new daily repeatable quests, a new PvP map called Push Dust, new tutorials, quality-of-life enhancements, crafting tweaks, and a slew of pets, dyes, and other fluff. To kick off patch day and show off the highlights of the update, Hi-Rez has released a brand-new trailer with a satisfying blend of explosions, robots, and yellowy post-apocalyptic zones. Find it after the cut!
New Global Agenda Recursive Colony content playable at PAX Prime
Citizens of Dome City, we have a special public service announcement. Hi-Rez Studios announced today that Global Agenda players will have a very special opportunity at the upcoming Penny Arcade Expo. Attendees will have the opportunity to preview the new content that will be coming to Global Agenda. We don't have much in the way of details insofar as what this new content includes, however. What we do know is that it will be part of the game's upcoming patch 1.5 Recursive Colony update, which includes new Open Zone quest content as well as new instanced co-op missions. Keep an eye on Massively, and we'll be sure to keep you updated on all the Global Agenda news from PAX when it happens.
Global Agenda patch 1.44 goes live tomorrow
Hi-Rez Studios has some goodies in store for Dome City-dwellers, as Global Agenda's patch 1.44 arrives tomorrow. It's a rather small patch, and it includes such details as the closing of Carter's Seasonal Accessories (with a new fashion store known as Burning Fashion opening up in its stead) and the grand-opening of Skyward Jetpacks for those who want to zip around in style. The largest new additions with the update come in the form of two new maps opening up for players. The PvP Control map Magmarock graduates from beta to live status, becoming accessible for Mercenary PvP players, while a new PvP Payload map known as Haulin' Acid is added to the Beta Maps queue. For the full notes and more information on the patch, head on over to Global Agenda's official site.
Choose My Adventure: Should have played it by now edition
I admit it: I stick with my games for a long time. When I step into an MMO, I make it home for a while, and it takes a lot of effort for me to move along. That's part of the reason the games I'm actively playing are generally on the older side -- I've already got a history there. Unfortunately, it also means that there are a lot of games, new and old, that I just haven't had the time to play just yet. So to kick off my tenure on Choose My Adventure, I'm going to kick that straight to the curb with a poll I'd like to call the Should Have Played It By Now Edition. But which game I'll spend the next several weeks playing isn't up to me; that task lies in your hands, folks. So what's it going to be? Should I stop being the only person in the world who hasn't played RIFT? Will I dive into the free-to-play domain of Runes of Magic? Should I break my usual conventions and take a shot at Global Agenda or get some solid aggression out of my system with Warhammer Online? All of these are games I've only had a little playtime with at best, and in most cases, I haven't even touched them. So click on past the break and let me know what I'll be playing, and I'll see you back here in a week to find out more about my next destination. (But make sure to vote by 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 19th!)
Global Agenda celebrates F2P success with jetpack use in Dome City
After a substantial wait and numerous requests from the community, Hi-Rez Studios has finally granted one of the most-wanted wishes of Global Agenda players: the ability to use their jetpacks in Dome City. The addition, the studio says, comes as a token of celebration for the recent success of Global Agenda's switch to a free-to-play model as well as a nod of appreciation for the players who have helped support the game with the purchase of booster packs (which grant double XP, credits, tokens, additional loot drops, and a daily allowance of 2000 tokens). What does this mean for the players who purchase the booster packs required to unlock jetpack use within the city? Well, honestly not much except for slightly more expeditious travel around Dome City, which operates as the game's social hub between bouts of players ruthlessly murdering one another. Hi-Rez Studios COO Todd Harris does note, however, that now that aerial travel is possible in Dome City, the studio plans to release "some penthouse level content in future updates." The upcoming patch 1.43 goes live tomorrow and also includes some general bug fixes and improvements. Full details on the new feature and complete patch notes for 1.43 can be found on the official site.
Global Agenda video highlights the game's new flair
If there's one thing Hi-Rez Studios loves to do -- aside from actually developing Global Agenda, anyway -- it's making humorous videos centered around the game. And while the latest one pulls out a couple of memes whose days may have come and gone, it does serve a practical purpose as well -- showing off the new pieces of flair and several dyes that players can expect from the game with today's patch. Even if you're not on-board for the humor, you can still appreciate the new flair pieces, ranging from the somewhat silly (dinosaur heads) to some rather robotic appearances. Or you can take a look at the comparative dye animations at the end, which show exactly how the coloration affects armors in a uniform pattern. Or you can just enjoy a bit of Global Agenda humor. The video gives you a variety of options in that regard.
MV Guide: May 23 - 29, 2011
MV Guide is a weekly rundown of the MMO gaming events planned on Massively's Livestream channel. Every week, the Massively staff logs in to play various MMOs live and in person, and we'd love for you to drop by the channel and visit. We have a combination of regular weekly games and new surprises, so you'll find a variety of games to take a look at. During Livestream events, you can participate in the live chat to learn about the game, ask questions, and spend some time with Massively staff and readers. (Of course, Livestream events are subject to the whims of outside forces like server-side gremlins once in a while.) Follow along after the jump to see what's scheduled for this week!
Global Agenda fires up patch 1.41
Poor minor patches -- they're the little brothers of the development world. They have to wear second-hand clothes, they never get the respect of their older siblings, and they develop a deep-rooted insecurity complex that requires years of therapy to resolve. And yet -- they're still important! So it is with Global Agenda's patch 1.41, which rolls out on the live servers today. According to the patch notes, the tutorial and introductory missions have received some additional work, and Steam users can use their Steam wallets to purchase in-game items from the Global Agenda store. A couple of the bug fixes pertain to the recent Dome Defense raid, which recently went online. You can read the full patch notes over at Global Agenda, which is now free-to-play for anyone interested in some fast and furious hi-tech battles.
Global Agenda trailer invites you to Defend the Dome
Global Agenda, which is still going strong following its free-to-play transition last month, has released a new video spotlighting an endgame raid. Dome Defense raids center around the main player fortress as the good guys repel wave after wave of determined attackers. So hit the jump, get pumped up, and go defend the dome -- for the sake of humanity, for the sake of love, and for the sake of Pete!
Global Agenda: Free Agent reloaded and ready
It's a big week for Hi-Rez, as Global Agenda's pushed out update 1.4 and is now available to play for free! Rechristened Global Agenda: Free Agent, the new client is available with no up-front cost, although the studio hopes that enough players will be enthralled with the game enough to want to plunk down $20 to be upgraded to Elite Agent status for extra goodies. Already paid for Global Agenda in the past? Good news -- you're automatically an Elite Agent. Time to update those business cards! Hi-Rez's Todd Harris is fairly psyched about the switch: "Today Hi-Rez Studios delivers exceptional class-based shooter combat for free. To a free-to-play audience tired of click and wait fantasy MMOs, or unbalanced pay to win shooters, we think that the advanced sci-fi visuals and balanced combat of Global Agenda: Free Agent will be very refreshing. We've seen a very positive response from our announcement and have invested in server capacity to handle the increased demand." With the financial barrier abolished, there's no excuse not to check out this spiffy MMOFPS today. Head on over to Global Agenda and let us know what you think!
Updated: Global Agenda adopting free-to-play model
A lot of players predicted this day would come, and now it has -- well, almost. Global Agenda will be adopting the free-to-play model later this month, allowing fans to play all current content and levels at no charge. The game has essentially been free since launch, but this new setup firmly establishes Global Agenda's position in the free-to-play camp. Of course, free-to-play never means that the developer has decided to stop making a profit, so how does this business model work in Global Agenda? While regular content, play, and progression are unlimited, features such as auction house access, in-game mail, and the ability to create Agencies have all been labeled Elite Agent features. Players can upgrade to Elite Agent status for a one-time cost of $19.99 to receive access to those features plus other bonuses like extra XP, gear, and loot. Any player who has already purchased the game will automatically be upgraded to Elite Agent status at no cost. Check out the full announcement on the Global Agenda site for more information. [UPDATE] For even more details and a few laughs, follow along after the jump for a new video from Hi-Rez!
Registration opens for Global Agenda's anniversary tournament
Are you a bad enough dude to take on all comers in a Global Agenda tournament? Do you want to have a totally sweet Tyrannosaurus on your head? The two are entirely linked -- the registration for the game's anniversary 4v4 tournament has just begun, and the prize for the winning team will be a new piece of flair in the style of the aforementioned dinosaur head. It's going to be a rough road to the top, but there's incentive to take part in the tourney even if you don't think you'll quite rock the top spot. Every team member who participates through the Group stage of the tournament will receive a Trike flair, and the top four teams in the event will all receive three Cyber Punk dyes as a consolation prize. Obviously you'll need a team of four people to take part, so now's the perfect time to round up three of your Global Agenda buddies and go for the gold. Or for the hat shaped like a multi-ton killing machine with possible tendencies toward scavenging, which is a bit more exciting than a gold medal anyway.
Ask Massively: This is why I will get eaten by wolves edition
That picture, right there, is why I will be eaten by wolves. My first reaction is not to run in terror or fire a shotgun; it is to lean over and slap my thighs and ask with deathly urgency who is a good boy. I can only assume this instinct has been inserted by some malicious part of nature that decided "fight or flight" would be much more entertaining if some of the primates also had a "stand there cooing at a vicious predator before being eaten." In other news, it's been way too long since we had an animal picture heading up this column. For this week's edition of Ask Massively, we will not actually be discussing wolves. Instead, we'll be talking pack sizes -- er, group sizes. Also, we'll be taking a look at defeating World of Warcraft and what to do afterward. As always, you can ask more question in the comment field or by mailing them along to ask@massively.com.
Infiltrate and destroy: Global Agenda Q&A runs a gauntlet of player queries
"We just did five new hats -- that should keep them busy for a while," Global Agenda Executive Producer Todd Harris cheekily says before launching into a rapid-fire community Q&A video session. In this 10-minute back-and-forth, Harris and the other members of the Hi-Rez crew tackle a multitude of subjects from marriage proposals to jet packs. One of the biggest upcoming goals for the team is to balance existing (and underperforming) devices in the game, which Harris says will be at the center of patch 1.4, while new device creation will be held back for 1.5. For those worried about performance in certain regions, west coast servers are scheduled to be added to help with both that area and Australia. The team also has plans to improve the Demolition game type for the future. Global Agenda recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, so it's great to see the team continue to be this involved and passionate with both the game and the community. You can watch the full Q&A after the jump.
Global Agenda's "Friends with Benefits" promotion returns with an upgrade
Hi-Rez Studios is surfing a perfect wave of holiday sales for Global Agenda, and the team is pushing hard to expand the community for this MMO sci-fi shooter. Because of this, GA's "Friends with Benefits" promotion has returned as a way to incentivize both regular players to recruit their friends and new players to join up. Executive Producer Todd Harris sees this as the ideal way to promote the game: "As our veterans already realize, Global Agenda is most fun when played with friends, and our "Friends With Benefits" (FWB) program supports further community growth through word of mouth." If a current Global Agenda player refers a friend with a special coupon code, the friend can purchase the game for 50% off -- this is an increase from the 30% deal the studio offered last year. This deal is only good for those who buy the game through Global Agenda's own store, which lists the product at $19.99. For each friend who takes the bait, the recruiter earns a series of rewards, including "flair" items and prestige pets.
Steam offering discounts on MMOs for the holidays
You never get everything you want over the holiday. That's inevitable. That's also why Steam, the digital distribution service that's become all but ubiquitous, always takes the chance to offer steep discounts for players once the holiday season starts up in earnest. This year has already seen the rollout of some big sales, with Final Fantasy XI, Aion, and Global Agenda all available for discounted prices -- prices in excess of 50% off. Final Fantasy XI's complete collection is being offered for $4.99 up through January 3rd. Aion is available for just $10 (a 75% reduction and the steepest discount of the lot) through January 2nd, and Global Agenda can be picked up for a $15 outlay with no subscription fee. It's a wide enough range of games that nearly anyone will find something worth picking up, and on the off chance you don't see your dream game listed, keep your eye on Steam over the next few days. It's better to give than receive, yes, but it's even better to do both.
Updated: On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me...
[UPDATE: All winners have been selected and contacted. Congratulations!] On the second day of giveaways, Hi-Rez gave to me... two gift packages! On the first day of giveaways, Turbine gave to me... a lifetime VIP! Today we continue Massively's 12 Days of Giveaways! During this 12-day event, you'll find presents galore, courtesy of some of the best MMOs out there. Every day until December 24th, we'll post a new contest for you to enter. We've got a huge pile of goodies to give away, so they're going to be fast and furious -- you'll have 24 hours from the time the contest is posted to enter. Don't worry, though, because we're going to do our best to accommodate everyone -- you'll simply have to leave a comment to be entered in the random drawing, and we'll be posting each contest at a different time of day. Welcome to day two! Today is all about high-tech armor, jetpacks, and agency vs. agency battles as we look to see how Global Agenda is celebrating the season. You've heard that great minds think alike, right? It holds true in this case, as Hi-Rez is giving players a chance to earn the "12 Drops of Christmas" in Global Agenda. The developers have included us in the fun by offering two Massively readers one of these special drops, well before anyone else in game has access, as well as some bonus gifts! Peek behind the cut to see what they are!
