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MAG shutting down in January
MAG used to be a thing here at Massively. We wrote about it a fair amount way back in 2010, and some of us played a fair bit of it around that same period. Sadly, Sony has decided to shutter the PlayStation 3 shooter effective January 28, 2014. The news came via the official PlayStation Twitter feed earlier today. MAG development studio Zipper Interactive closed its doors in March of 2012.
The Firing Line: Defining the MMO shooter
Hello shooter fans, and welcome back to Massively's Firing Line. Last week's inaugural column hit the ground running with a visit to Hi-Rez Studios and a preview of the company's new Tribes: Ascend title. This week I'd like to pull back a little bit and lay the groundwork for some of the things we'll be talking about over time. When I talk about MMO shooters with friends and colleagues, one of the first things mentioned is the definition of the term. Everyone knows what a shooter is (or at least what he thinks it is), and everyone knows what an MMO is (although thanks to MOBAs and the social networking explosion, the definition of the latter grows murkier by the day). Can we all agree on the definition of an MMO shooter, though? Probably not, and to be honest, that's perfectly OK.
MAG offers extra character slots, on the cheap
If you're an altoholic playing Zipper Interactive's MAG MMOFPS, chances are you're probably a fan of the recently announced extra character slot promotion. The new service debuted yesterday, and allows players to create two new in-game avatars. For $.99 (US), you can purchase one of the two slots and take it for a 30-day trial run. After your free month is up, you can opt to subscribe the new characters or keep them for a rainy day, locked up tight in cold storage, where they'll retain any gear and advancements you may have acquired. Check out all the details on the official MAG blog.
What could the PS3 bug mean for console MMOs?
If you're a PS3 owner, you probably already know about the difficulties surrounding the PS3 Phat consoles as of late. You're probably also wondering why we are talking about this here at Massively. Well, the problems that began this weekend left many players unable to log into the Playstation Network, rendering certain games unplayable. Games like MAG. We're betting the MAG population is looking a bit sparse right now. Earlier today, Sony warned owners of the affected consoles to shut them down and leave them alone for the next 24 hours, while they work to repair the bug with the internal clock that's causing the problem. While it's great that Sony has isolated the problem and is working to repair it, it leaves us with some food for thought. MMO developers are beginning to turn an eye to the console market, and this incident highlights a potential significant weakness. PCs rely almost entirely on software and individual hardware when it comes to gaming. It's the rare MMO gamer who doesn't know how to open his or her tower and create a custom machine. Consoles don't work like that. If a bad update comes down or there is some sort of internal glitch (with the internal clock, for example), everyone who owns that particular console is going to get it because everyone has the same hardware. That, in turn, will affect everyone trying to play an MMO from their console. While this doesn't mean mass hysteria and the doom of the console MMO market, hopefully it will serve to alert MMO developers to a problem that they can address before it moves from "potential" to "actual". In the meantime, here's a little something to look at while you wait for your PS3 to come back to the land of the living.
The Digital Continuum: My Fallout MMO
There are times when I feel like being completely indulgent, and this week's The Digital Continuum is one of them. The Fallout MMO has been a long while coming and probably will continue to be "on the horizon" well into the foreseeable future. So, it's with this knowledge that I've put together a grocery list of ideas that would be in my version of the game -- things that would make me decidedly excited to play as soon as possible. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised it took me so long to write these things down.
MAG resuscitates their medic class with update, prepares to launch stats on MAG.com
Medics of the Shadow War, unite! MAG's latest patch did many favors for you, and even those who aren't of the resuscitation persuasion will find some tasty benefits in their latest version, patch 1.02. The last patch has cleaned up the field support's HUD by removing resuscitation icons from those players who can't be resuscitated, resulting in a much cleaner field of view for medics. Downed players who can be brought back to life also now carry a distance indicator icon on their body, so now you too can GPS your way to help a teammate. The same tracking system has also been given to players who have equipped explosive detectors, pointing out the location of mines. Lastly, medic icons will only be given to soldiers carrying defibulators, so those only holding a healing gun will no longer be medics. The patch has also improved server performance, resulting in reduced lag during high-end matches, and has made a change to the statistics system to prepare it for integration into MAG.com. So, if you're going to be jumping into the medic class after this patch, MAG's art director Steve Suhy has some tips for you when playing support. We've got the video embedded for your viewing pleasure right after the break.
MAG 1.02 patch cleared for duty, to deploy tonight
Medics, it's been a long, hard road in MAG -- hopefully until now. The PlayStation Blog reports that a new patch -- version 1.02, the first of many coming down the pipe -- will be available for download on your console war station tonight at 1 a.m. PST / 4 a.m. EST. The central theme is medical improvements -- specifically, the elimination of the onscreen medic icon from anyone who has a Medical Kit. Now, only those who have the Resuscitation Kit will have the cross. Also, the only soldiers who will see icons over downed players waiting for a resuscitation are those that can actually resuscitate them, which should help get some of that clutter off the screen. Finally, Zipper has added distance counters for those fallen comrades, giving medics a better idea of how far away those in need are. If you're looking for more intel on starting out (or just some general tips on being a badass), hit up the PS Blog.
First Impressions: MAG
It's a technical marvel, really, to be able to shoot at 256 people at once. Very few games have been able to get this many players into one enclosed space, and even fewer have been able to do it without having everything lock down in lag. But Zipper Interactive's MAG is taking the bull by the horns and is following in the footsteps of games like PlanetSide to deliver a true "war" experience to the PS3. With the impending release of MAG to the shelves of stores everywhere, my editor wanted me to get down to the front lines of combat and find out what the fuss was all about. To that end, I've joined up with Shadow Raven Industries to get a taste of the combat that MAG has to offer. Follow after the break, and let's break down how this "Massive Action Game" plays out.
MAG in open beta until January 10th
It's last minute, we know, but if you're a PS3 owner then you might want to scoot over to the PlayStation Store and download the MAG open beta client. The system's MMOFPS will be online until the 10th, when they take the game off the store and prep it for the official January 26th launch. Beware you have room on your hard drive and time to leave your PS3 on to download, however, as you'll be looking forward to a 2 GB download. A headset is nice to have too, so you can communicate with your squadmates (they'll appreciate it,) but it's not required to play the game. So this weekend enjoy conducting a war with 255 other people on the battlefield with you. Try not to get shot too much!
Newest MAG trailer airdrops televisions into battle
There's nothing quite like seeing thousands of home theater setups falling from the sky, as evidenced above by the latest trailer for PS3-exclusive MAG. Aside from reminding us of the not-quite-an-MMOs impending release date, the video shows off a variety of different gameplay types, and asks if we have it in us to earn our fellow players' trust. We suggest that those of you looking to enroll with the toughest, most ragtag group of rumblers this side of the Colorado sign up right here. Can you earn our trust? (Hint: You earn our trust by leaving friendly comments ... and maybe sending us booze. Maybe.)
Wishes do come true, Planetside 2
"X game sounds a lot like Planetside. I wish they'd make a sequel to that game." is something we've heard over the years as similar-yet-different titles have been announced and released. Well who says wishes don't come true? As it turns out, SOE is planning to "expand the Planetside universe with another game" and is asking players of the original for their input via survey. Rock Paper Shotgun picked up the scent of impending sequelosity, which is a word we've just made up that describes a sequel revelation of such ferocity that it slaps your jaw to the ground.There are a lot of games, such as MAG, that are attempting a Planetside-ish experience. However, nothing new has really attempted the scope of the game, so hearing that another is on the way infuses us with a intoxicating blend of hope and curiosity.
Hands-on: MAG's 256-man multiplayer
I, like most people, have never participated in a 256-player virtual battle (or, due to its uncannily enormous amount of participants -- is it a war?). Though Zipper Interactive's MAG is built on incredibly strong first-person shooter foundations, incorporating fast-paced combat and a plethora of unlockable character modifications, the takeaway impression from my recent time with the game during a Sony preview event at PAX is, as you might guess, it is enormous.The game does an excellent job of partitioning players off into smaller, 8-man squads. Though most of your contact is with your immediate teammates, there's a constant sense that you're part of something bigger. There's nothing intangible about the cause for that feeling -- you are a cog in a much larger military machine, rewarded for spinning in accordance with your higher-ups' orders.
Retailers say not to expect MAG until early 2010
Various US retailers have changed their estimated release date for upcoming PS3-exclusive shooter MAG. The general rule of thumb is that if a single retailer has a funky listing, it's usually an error -- but when two or more retailers have MAG listed as releasing in January, something begins to smell fishy. Of note is the fact that both GameFly and GameStop are listing different January dates.While Sony hasn't "made any announcements in regard to a date for MAG" and is "assuming that the retailers are speculating in an effort to start preorders," we were told by a Sony rep at E3 that MAG would be part of the company's Christmas lineup. Without it, we're looking at Ratchet and Uncharted having the entire Christmas stage to themselves. Another interesting thing to note is that European retailers Play and Game have the game listed for a November release. In short, we have no idea when this game is coming out, but at least we're not the only ones.
Learn to command and control in latest MAG dev diary
The PlayStation Blog's "MAG Monday" series concludes today with a video on the command and control features that can be found in the game. Check out the video after the break to hear various members of the development team discussing the features, including those which will allow you to command your squadmates to perform certain strategic actions. MAG's due out later this year, so expect to hear even more about the game as its release nears.
MAG dev diary takes a look into the Shadow War
By now, you must have heard about MAG -- an ambitious 256-player online shooter. We've seen it in action and have even tried it out for ourselves, but what's it all about, and what's this Shadow War we keep hearing of? Luckily, this developer video diary (posted after the break) gives us a look into the storyline of MAG and its fictional Shadow War backdrop and answers all those questions.We get a closer look at the maps, weapons and characters seen in the game, while Zipper details the various PMC groups vying for power in the Shadow War. The clip also shows off some all-new gameplay footage, so make sure you don't miss it.
Joystiq interview: Zipper Interactive's Russ Phillips on MAG
(click to massive size) Last week we had the honor of being some of the first people outside Sony to try out MAG, Zipper Interactive's first game on the PS3. While you can find out a lot of information from our hands-on report, we wanted a bit more insight into one of the most ambitious shooters to come along in recent memory. Russ Phillips, art director for MAG, was kind enough to answer some of the questions that came up during our extended demo of the game. Hit the jump for the full interview.With competitive shooters these days, one of the things that really drives the community is online integration. The ability to log on, see your character and his stats, see how your clan is doing, etc. Is that something that you guys are looking at integrating into MAG?Definitely! We want you to be able to follow your character, build a career with him, and be able to get on any time of the day -- especially to follow your Faction's progress and what is actually going on in the 'Shadow War' so we'll have websites dedicated to providing this information. I think any player that has played a game like this will want to know where they sit and and where their faction sits. So yeah, we've given a lot of thought to that.%Gallery-51370%
First MAG footage shown in new trailer
You've already read our hands-on impressions of MAG -- if not, why not? -- and now you can see it in action in the video above. Included is almost a minute and a half of footage, which will no doubt quench your thirst for some insight into the title. Surprise surprise, it's looking great.
Joystiq hands-on: MAG
Little has been heard about MAG, Sony's ambitious 256-person online shooter that was announced during last year's E3. In fact, other than the CG trailer shown at the conference, there has been an almost total lockdown on any information related to the game. Last week, however, all that changed during Sony's Seattle Gamers Day event. The event was held at developer Zipper Interactive's Redmond, Washington headquarters, where studio heads Jim Bosler and Brian Soderberg took the stage to explain MAG, the technology behind it, and how the game actually works with 256 people. With a long history of making online shooters (the developer was the first to bring an online game to the PS2 with the first SOCOM), Zipper has been working hard to make sure that players will experience a smooth and pleasant experience, even when playing against a couple hundred other people. In fact, it's been running weekly 256-player tests since late last year with SCEA folks in California in order to test the network technology -- Zipper says it's already achieved smooth gameplay. Concept-wise, the idea behind MAG was to be able to re-create battles on the scale of Blackhawk Down, with hundreds of well trained soldiers engaging in highly coordinated battles across large areas. In order to do this, the developer has created one of the most robust command systems we've ever seen in a videogame.%Gallery-51370%
Official MAG site launches, hides secrets
Looks like Sony is slowly starting to promote its upcoming Zipper-developed follow-up to the SOCOM franchise. MAG, or Massive Action Game, promises online multiplayer action for up to 256 players. The official website for MAG has just launched, and it's definitely hiding some secrets. Look around the map for a few hotspots. Pinpoint a certain location and you might get a very small glimpse into the upcoming game. If you find any cool tricks with the site, definitely let us know in the comments section.[Via PS3center.net]
Rumor: MAG screenshots leaked onto Flickr
The pickin's have been mighty slim regarding details and sneak peeks for Sony and Zipper Interactive's upcoming 256-man shooter, MAG: Massive Action Game (the only official screenshot we've seen thus far is posted above), so we thought we'd bring your attention to some screenshots that would normally fall below our threshold of dubiousness. Flickr user 1337guyzorz recently posted 28 supposed images involving the title, including a number of in-game screencaps and a few character models.The images are fairly attractive, though they may leave the viewer with a number of unanswered questions. Namely, where did they come from? Are they leaked from a Sony FTP server? An exclusive from some gaming journalism outlet? Summoned by some sort of ominous pact with a screenshot demon? More importantly, are they even real? They certainly seem massive, and the pictures contain elements of action, and, well, it looks like a game. The shoe seems to fit -- but where did the shoe come from? We may never know.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
