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Chaos Theory: The dark side of The Secret World's Issue 8
Last week MJ espoused her belief that The Secret World Issue 8's scenarios are a terrific addition to the game and worthy of your consideration. As much fun as she's been having, my own experiences have been middling-to-poor with Issue 8. In my opinion, this is the first Issue that's really stumbled in terms of accessibility and quality. Part of that was to be expected. Issue 8 is, let's face it, a stalling tactic so Funcom can finish up the first half of Tokyo. It's busy work for the community in the guise of a "certification" as well as an AP/SP sink for those of us who have filled out most (or all) of our skill wheel and need some other form of character growth. Mind you, while Issue 8 has stumbled, it's not a travesty. I actually appreciate the idea of a new form of group content that's repeatable, and it's exciting to get a glimpse into the mysterious Council of Venice. But I do want to look at a few failings of this update and how Funcom could improve matters.
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Chaos Theory: Surviving a second look at The Secret World's scenarios
Thanks to a pre-launch taste test, I was really looking forward to serving myself up some more of The Secret World's new scenarios when Issue #8 finally went live. I made no secret of the fact that I enjoyed that first experience, even though our dev-led group was getting its keister kicked! But it is fair to say that a single swing though a scenario couldn't provide a balanced assessment of the new feature, especially since said scenario itself wasn't balanced. So as soon as The Venetian Agenda launched, I went back for seconds... and thirds... and so on. Now that I've indulged in heaping helpings of scenarios over the past two weeks, have my thoughts about TSW's newest feature changed? Has my excitement diminished? Have I had my fill now and am I just looking forward to moving on to Tokyo, or am I still standing at that Council of Venice's console with my bowl held high saying, "Please, sir, I want some more"? To answer, let me show you my snazzy bowl! Then I'll share why I think the scenarios are more than worthwhile in spite of the naysayers.
Chaos Theory: My favorite Secret World NPCs, part 1
As a sort of companion piece to my previous column covering why I consider The Secret World to be the industry's best storyteller, I wanted to elaborate on my love for the game's characters. TSW is not a game full of forgettable muggles but a place where bizarre personalities and incredible backstories collide. There was nothing, and I mean nothing, more exciting to me than to advance through the game and meet a new NPC for the first time. So I want to share with you my favorites. I also want to mention that making this list just about wrenched me in twain because I want to list about 70% of the game's NPCs as my favorites. There are so many that are terrific for different reasons, and whether I found myself laughing with them, at them, or against them, they've been burned onto my consciousness.
Chaos Theory: Hurrying to finish The Secret World's Halloween events
Stop me if you heard this before: Halloween in The Secret World ROCKS! I know, I'm preaching to the choir, right? There just isn't any other game that really comes close to sharing the spirit of the holiday like the one that is perpetually steeped in it. And when Halloween itself finally comes around, you actually have good reason to settle in after those real-life activities and enjoy more ghostly goodness in game. Heck, you can even get gussied up in some elaborate costumes that can include a working chainsaw. Who gets that in meatspace? Last year, however, I went through the agony of living with the fact that circumstances prevented me from experiencing everything the holiday events offered. It was torture seeing that incomplete quest chain and not having a furry little void cat to console me! I want to save you all from the same kind of pain and regret, so here is a quick guide to get you on the path to completing all the festivities before they dissipate into the night on November 11th.
Chaos Theory: Nine reasons The Secret World is the industry's best storyteller
Contrary to what I sometimes see in the MMO community, I am a huge believer in games telling stories. If a game lets me create my own story, great, but even better are developers who know how to spin a good yarn and involve me in the process. That's why I've loved adventure and role-playing games throughout the decades, and it's why The Secret World has remained one of my top MMOs since it launched. I don't have a problem saying that I think The Secret World is currently the industry's best storyteller. If you want to take a cheap shot, you can insert some snide remark about rote quest text boxes in the comments, but I think that there's a lot of solid writing and storytelling across the MMO spectrum right now. It's just that TSW does it better. Why? What's going on here to make stories and characters that just stick in my head long after my brain has cycled other MMO's events to deep storage? I started writing a list and had a hard time stopping at just nine.
Chaos Theory: Follow the Filth as TSW's Whispering Tide Event moves on
Remember when we mentioned that The Secret World's latest event would be a long-term one? Well, we weren't fooling; it's been a month, and The Whispering Tide Event is just now hitting its fourth phase. So what does that mean for us? It means that the slow plod towards Tokyo is showing progress, just not nearly as quickly as excited TSW fans may like. If you've already been in-game, you've noticed that the latest two phases have been very similar to the first two. In fact, they follow the same pattern: start with powering up a generator using crafting materials then move into an instance to clear out the filth. However, even though they are similar and some phases are moving slowly, there's a chance folks might miss out. And if there's one thing I don't want to see, it's others missing out! To prevent that and to keep my fellow TSW fans from floundering in the dark, here's phase two of The Whispering Tide Event guide, with tips and tricks for grabbing the lore, getting the goodies, and even preparing for forthcoming phases.
Chaos Theory: What I wish I had known when I started TSW
Getting into The Secret World can be tricky. As I said a few months ago, this game is a fusion of the MMO with the adventure game, and that requires a mental adjustment if you're going to really enjoy things. That's not where the divergence ends, of course; you have the limited questing system, the AP skill wheel, the dozen or so currencies, the travel system, and the separation of statted gear and cosmetic outfits to understand. With promotions, sales, and new issues keeping the game in the spotlight, new folks are constantly entering the game just as I did over a year ago. I look back at my first month or so in The Secret World and wince at the way I kept trying to play the game like a standard MMO and becoming frustrated when it resisted my attempts to do so. If I had to sum up that month, it would be "messy." I eventually persevered, graduated from Solomon Island, and found my footing in TSW, but it could've been a lot smoother if I had just understood a few things that I shall now pass on to you.
Chaos Theory: Exciting times in The Secret World
Do you feel it? That electric buzzing in the air of The Secret World (not to be confused with the sounds of buzzing heard by the bee-blessed)? I don't know about you, but I sure can. It's a very exciting time to be a fan of this Lovecraftian-horror-conspiracy-flavored game. Why, you ask? I am more than happy to share my reasons with you. It's exciting because things that had been slowly building up have kicked into higher gear and are gathering speed; long-anticipated things are just barely out of reach but will soon be within our grasp. We are also this close to getting Issue #8 with its scenarios, augment systems, and Venice. And there's a new issue cover with a name and date to prove it! We are also inching ever closer to getting -- for the very first time ever -- a whole new region in the game, replete with new missions, new nooks and crannies to explore, and new foes to face. Oh, and new lore! But that's not even all. We have a long-term event going on now as well as the return of a favorite very soon. So if you haven't been in The Secret World lately, now would surely be a good time to jump back in.
Chaos Theory: The Secret World's scare factor
There's a subgenre of horror video games that sometimes falls within "survival horror," where the developers design an experience where you're limited in some fashion to make you feel more vulnerable. Alone in the Dark, Silent Hill, Eternal Darkness, Amnesia -- all of these give you characters that move slowly, fight poorly, get freaked out easily, or have to cower in the shadows because they can't fight at all. This feeling of vulnerability amps up the fear because whatever is going bump in the night is much more powerful than we are. The game trains us to avoid confrontations as much as possible, which triggers a second scare technique: keeping the monsters more in your imagination than on the screen. There is nothing more terrifying than what our minds can conjure up, at least in video games, and a good dev knows this and uses it against us. Yet for all of its horror trappings, The Secret World takes a polar opposite approach. We are the super-powered, heavily-armed, nimble-footed, nigh-immortal hunters. We come, we see, and we shoot to kill. On top of that, we're almost always surrounded by other players to give us psychological and physical support. So that makes me think: Is The Secret World scary? If so, how does it accomplish this without an inherent feeling of vulnerability that's present in the other games I listed above?
Chaos Theory: The Filth is on! A guide to starting TSW's long-term event
Hot diggity dog -- it's finally here! Ever since we learned the title of A Dream to Kill last May, we've known that Issue #7 was going to to go out with a black-pulsing-slithery-tentacled bang. And The Secret World fans have been waiting with bated breath for the game's first first mega multi-month collaborative event, the culmination of which will be the introduction of Tokyo! I thought that would get your attention. Yes, there's not a Secret World fan out there who isn't looking forward to the release of Issue #9 and all the glorious new areas to explore and missions to complete; in fact, it will be the first full new zone to come to the game since launch. Wait, so why all the fervor and why am I babbling on about Tokyo when we haven't even gotten Issue #8 yet? Because the Agartha filth event (as it was known up until now) was the first step toward both of these new issues. And now that step has been taken! It's called The Whispering Tide event, and the mere fact that it has started means that Issue #7 is at an end and players must now actively work to open the Tokyo portal in Agartha. But this portal cannot be opened until the filth is pushed back and wiped clean from the World Tree. So if you want to get to Tokyo, you've got to jump in and contribute to the effort; the more players contribute, the faster it will go. And this guide is the perfect way to get started!
Chaos Theory: Twenty-plus outfits you can get by questing in The Secret World
Just about everyone I know in The Secret World is a total fashion junkie. My cabal meets once a week to allegedly run dungeons and other difficult content, but really we're just there to show off our spectacular and creative outfits. And because statted gear is completely removed from your character's visuals, there isn't that typical pull to balance looks and numbers. Everyone is free to look the way that he wants, provided he's picked up enough costume pieces to do so. MJ did a terrific job the other week outlining the myriad of ways that you can assemble your wardrobe in The Secret World because she is a fashion junkie. And because I am also a fashion junkie, I'm going to pick up the topic and focus on just those quests that reward you with an item or two that pops into your dressing room. I'm always paranoid about overlooking a quest (or side-quest) because it might be one of the rare ones that gives you a cool article of clothing. So to help any fellow paranoid players out, here is a list of over 20 clothing items that you can get from quests.
Chaos Theory: Get your bling on with our guide to The Secret World's Gilded Rage event
One saying I grew up hearing was, "Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it!" Well in this case, I couldn't be happier that I did! After pleading the case for event encores in The Secret World, we actually have just that. Starting last Friday and lasting for two full weeks is a continuation of the Guardians of Gaia anniversary event. However, Gilded Rage is not an exact duplicate of the one enjoyed when TSW celebrated the one-year mark of its release; rather, it's an additional performance after the main event with definite similarities to the original (fighting a golem!) as well as some distinct differences (fighting A golem!). And this is the place to get the scoop on all of it! Whether you missed the event the first go-around and you want to get in on the experience (and the AP!) this time or you are driven to complete the pet collection (gotta catch 'em all!), this is the guide for you. With tips, tricks, and valuable intel, you can make the most of this golden opportunity.
Chaos Theory: Three ideas to improve TSW's replayability
In my opinion, a lot rests upon The Secret World Issue #8's shoulders. While the past few issues have offered up top-notch story arcs, I gobbled them up quick and then looked sadly at an empty plate while wishing for seconds. It's the blessing and curse of quality content that takes a lot of time to make and far, far less time to play through. So our eyes are on the promise of Issue #8's scenario system and the possibilities that it might bring. MJ did a great job of touching on the potential there, but I'd like to add that the game sorely needs a system like this because there are only so many times you can run the same missions and dungeons before getting really restless. It doesn't have to be just up to scenarios to cure the replayability blues, however. Off the top of my head, I can think of three ways that the devs (given appropriate time and resources, of course) could add more layers of fun and activity into the current framework of The Secret World.
Chaos Theory: The Secret World's most secretive faction
In a game full of mysteries, there are secrets and then there are secrets. Some things are spelled out for us pretty clearly, but others are hidden and are only glimpsed and hinted at over the course of our adventures. It's to the player who sharply observes and is diligent at hunting down lore that many of these are revealed. And so it is with the story behind The Secret World's most secretive faction. As we know, there are several major players in the Secret War: the three playable factions of the Templars, the Dragon, and the Illuminati; the sinister corporate Orochi Group; and the UN-like Council of Venice. But there's another faction that isn't completely invisible from view yet also doesn't go to great lengths to make itself known. These are the Phoenicians, the black sheep of the bunch. I was only peripherally aware of the Phoenicians through my first play-through of TSW, but now that I'm going back through it again, I find myself trying to piece together these stories and secrets. I was fascinated with the concept of a fourth (unplayable) faction that didn't quite fit in the mold as the rest of the bunch. Today I want to share what I've learned.
Chaos Theory: A guide to The Secret World's tokens and currencies
In life and in games, the overarching method of commerce involves currency. Occasionally, you might find a game (or a friend) that will work with the bartering system, but that is far from the norm around these parts. Then you have The Secret World. TSW has the best -- or worst, you could say -- of both worlds. Bet you didn't know you would take up coin collecting when you started playing, did you? With a plethora of different currencies that can be spent only at certain places for certain things, players have keep tabs on whom they can spend what with and where said whos actually are. Wondering what those Credits of Ca' d'Oro are good for? What about whether Sequins of Solomon Island can be used in Transylvania? This handy guide will help demystify coin collecting and show you the ins and outs of all those tokens filling up your wallet.
Chaos Theory: Advantages of The Secret World's contemporary setting
One of the greatest aspects of The Secret World that I love is the fact that it's set in today's world. Well, OK, it's some parallel universe version of Earth where every conspiracy, cryptozoological creature, and bizarre myth is able to simultaneously exist without a majority of the population knowing, but it's still home. Contemporary settings in MMOs are few and very far between. Fantasy takes the top spot, of course, followed by science fiction, historical (think pirates and period pieces), and geek genre settings like steampunk and post-apocalyptic. But to play a game set in today's world? It's just not done, not really. Except in The Secret World. From where I'm sitting, this gives TSW several major advantages that it can and does wield over the competition. Just because the game world resembles our own (with a few more zombies and werewolves, natch) doesn't mean it is stripped of fascinating allure. Actually, it opens doors that just aren't present in your typical fantasy game and paves the way for pop culture references that -- for once -- aren't anachronistic.
Chaos Theory: The joys of build-swapping in The Secret World
Unless you've only ever played sandboxes, chances are you're used to wielding just one or two types of weapons in your games because access to others is restricted. As such, forethought often goes into what you play. Whether you decide on your death delivery system based on how cool it looks, playstyle (melee or ranged), or roleplay reasons, you're stuck with it unless you roll another alt. So it's understandable if you settle into a familiar routine of keeping to just two select weapons when playing The Secret World. However, if that's the case, then you are missing out on one of the key aspects that make TSW unique. Previously, we covered how to improve your DPS build, but we focused mainly on gear and stats, only touching on swapping out abilities. This time, we're going to zero in on the ability to swap between weapons and abilities on the fly and how it can really enhance your experience.
Chaos Theory: Nursery tales and TSW's issue #7
I look forward to a new issue in The Secret World as I do any much-anticipated book release. I can't wait to dive right into it, experience a great story, and come out of it changed somehow. We've been waiting months for a new story arc in this game, and now it's finally here. Warning, massive spoilers ahead! While MJ got an advance tour of the issue, I purposefully remained ignorant of it so that I could experience it for the first time on the live servers. The whole affair begins with Who Horrifies the Horrors? in the Besieged Farmlands in Transylvania. The one-eyed Carmen told me that something's agitating the local werewolves, and when the scary beasties that you know are terrified, then it's probably not good all around. It turns out that the werewolves aren't being agitated; they're being hunted, ripped apart, and slaughtered. The alive ones practically trample over me trying to escape the area, but I'm not going to give them a free pass just because they're scared. A little cleanup with my trusty shotgun and those mongrels won't need to worry about fear any more.
Chaos Theory: Been there, done that, got the guardian event t-shirt in The Secret World
The hardest part about writing about The Secret World's anniversary Guardians of Gaia event was stopping long enough to write! No, seriously, it was completely addicting; you kept thinking, "Oh, just one more guardian," and soon the entire day and half of the night was gone. And then the weekend. I should know because I hardly left the game this past week! (But let's keep that between us, shall we?) What could be so compelling that it kept me logged in for more hours than I'm willing to admit even to comrades at a gaming site? It all started innocently enough: I simply came to the aid of someone trying for a guardian pet reward. Quite the critter aficionado myself, I was more than happy to help, Sounds harmless enough, right? Wrong! That was only the beginning. Little did I know what I was truly in for as the event turned out to be a veritable smörgåsbord of AP, SP, and loot as well as a shining example of community cooperation. And I got a t-shirt! Unfortunately, it couldn't all be sunshine and kittens... I mean gloom and golems (this is TSW after all!). Something invariably has to go wrong, or it wouldn't be a true MMO, right? There was a definite black cloud that hung over the otherwise festive occasion. And I hope it is one that Funcom will address and dispel for any future events.%Gallery-193850%
Chaos Theory: The Secret World's Transylvania transition
A couple of weeks ago, I finished my first "playthrough" of The Secret World, having wrapped up the last quest and main storyline in Transylvania. Oh, sure, Funcom's going to push the finish line further away in the coming issues, but until that happens, this is the end of the road for the solo experience. I was so darn eager to get into Transylvania after Egypt. For me, Egypt is the weakest part of the solo game, with dull desert zones, statues you're supposed to empathize with, and a truncated main story that didn't really pay off in the end. It wasn't all bad, of course; Last Train to Cairo is six kinds of awesome, and Said and Nassir are two of the most memorable characters this game has produced. But Transylvania seemed like this juicy fruit that hovered just out of reach the entire time I was in Egypt -- and I couldn't wait to be there. I wasn't let down when I finally arrived, either. Transylvania's "old Europe" charm felt like a refreshingly distinct experience than what I'd encountered before, and I thoroughly enjoyed my journey through its three zones. Before my new Dragon alt dims my memories of my time among the bats and wolves of Romania, I wanted to jot down what I felt made this a special place to visit.
