New details emerge about The Agency

The Agency HQ fansite had a chance to interview a group of developers from SOE Seattle who are working on upcoming MMOFPS/RPG title, The Agency. If you don't know much about this cross-platform game, check out our past coverage and the excellent primer up on Wikipedia. That said, the game is still in development and things may change.

Questions asked during the interview were thought up by fans from the HQ forums, so you know they're going to be insightful. SOE's answers alluded to signature "class" abilities and counters, planned progression motivators with the "you are what you wear" system, a more intensive resource management system (e.g., ammo) than you'll find in most FPS games, and the MacGyvering, er, crafting system based on schematics and resources (e.g., chemicals and minerals).

Perhaps most interesting was their example of how role dynamics can play out in the various group-oriented missions. The tank/combat player will try drawing enemy fire while the stealth/special-ops type will try finding an advantageous position (e.g., sniper's nest) to lay support fire down. Meanwhile the tactical/support will try disabling the area defences (e.g., turrets) and the field medic will give support as needed.. The game will also support those of the soloing persuasion.