espionage
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Earthrise interview details mechas, game environments and tactics
Among the independent game studios out there working on something a bit different for the MMO scene is Masthead Studios in Bulgaria. The studio is developing Earthrise, a post-apocalyptic MMO with a setting that's more far future sci-fi than the near-future burned out world of a title like Fallen Earth. While the game's launch is still off on the horizon, Masthead Studios has been keeping Earthrise's fans informed about various aspects of the game, either in Question of the Week installments on their official site, or through interviews with the gaming press. The latest Earthrise interview is from GameSNAFU, who recently spoke with Atanas Atanasov, CEO of Masthead Studios.
Latest lore update for The Old Republic chronicles shadowy Imperial spies
A few of us on the Massively team are fans of the Lance Henriksen-narrated lore updates for Star Wars: The Old Republic that explain the MMO's timeline in video. The guy was Bishop, after all! So far these videos have given us a good idea of the game's backstory and have dropped some clues as to what we may see in the title. One of the more recent episodes was Return of the Mandalorians which focused on the independent warrior nomads who rose to challenge even the Jedi. While they aren't evil, war is their way of life and they thirst for conquest. According to the latest timeline update, "The Empire Changes Strategy", the Mandalorians had some help along the way from the Imperial spies who orchestrated their ascent to power. Henriksen narrates a tale of Imperial intelligence operatives pulling strings from the shadows for their Sith masters, and of the rise and fall of Mandalore himself. We think this continuation of the Star Wars: The Old Republic story is worth a look, and you can find it on the game's official site.
Hints of espionage in Earthrise
One of the interesting things that happens when you create a sandbox MMO where players can establish political systems, even empires, is that factions of those players will form and work against their opposition. In some cases, this is through large scale PvP campaigns. But another, more subtle aspect to warfare between guilds is espionage, should the game developer allow it. Fortunately for Earthrise players, Masthead Studios won't just allow espionage in their post-apocalyptic game -- they encourage it. Espionage is the focus of the latest Question of the Week asked by a member of the Earthrise community. It seems that spying will be an important aspect of conflicts between guilds, but so will visits to other guild territories for trade runs. Masthead Studios implies that there will be a pass system used to allow non-guild members access to a guild's territory: "Even though one might expect only allies and friends to the guild would be allowed to visit using a pass system, it is possible for clever spies of enemy guilds to find a way to sneak in and report to their headquarters about the development of enemy bases."
Impressions: Alpha Protocol
Who needs Mass Effect 2?I would be upset by Mass Effect 2's 2010 release were it not for Obsidian's upcoming "espionage RPG." The core mechanics of BioWare's space opera are here: shooter controls, experience points, specialized skills and branching dialogue trees with a strong emphasis on player choices. In a world about traitorous spies, these choices will certainly keep you on your toes.The many developer diaries released by Obsidian certainly took away some of the surprise of seeing Alpha Protocol in action. At the very least, I was relieved to see that the game simply works, and most importantly: looks like a lot of fun. For those that choose to go guns blazing, the many abilities you can acquire make the combat ridiculously fun. Depending on what players spend their experience points on, players will have access to a number of different abilities. Some of the skills I saw: a radar to highlight enemies (and allies), a rapid lock-on ability, bullet-time, and increased stealth -- helpful for when you want to sneak up behind someone and snap their neck.%Gallery-19776%
The Agency declassifies intel for revamped game site
One of the new titles on the way from Sony Online Entertainment is The Agency which promises to bring espionage into the world of MMOs. There were no announcements for The Agency at today's Sony press event at the E3 Expo, but we've noticed that there's new content to be found on the game's official site. A quick search of The Agency site reveals some new screenshots and wallpapers, concept art, info about both playable factions -- U.N.I.T.E. (spies) and Paragon (mercenaries) -- and a tongue-in-cheek 'evaluation quiz' for recruitment to each faction. In addition to the new art assets, they've also got their latest trailer up on the site as well. If you've been looking forward to some spies-and-mercenaries gameplay in an MMO, check out what's new on The Agency's revamped site.
The Agency: New CG trailer builds excitement leading up to E3
We're at least six months away from release but it seems like hype for SOE's spy MMO, The Agency is starting to build up. Maybe it has something to do with E3 happening next week in L.A.. Do you think we'll see a polished and playable demo? Fingers crossed! Either way, you can be sure we'll bring you some juicy info after we've cornered a developer and prodded him or her with a blunt microphone.Hopefully, this news will tide you over. An exclusive CG trailer that originally premiered on X-Play just made it up to the G4TV website. There doesn't appear to be any game play footage, however, this does look as though it could be a mission introduction cinematic.Catch the video after the cut and stay tuned for exclusive Massively news about The Agency from E3 2009.
The Agency still has a pulse, fact sheet confirms
Sony Online Entertainment could have a PC and console hit on their hands if their spies and mercenaries MMO The Agency lives up to expectations. The Agency has fallen off of the media radar of late, but development is moving ahead on the title.The last word we've received on when we'll be able to get our hands on the game is that The Agency will be released in 2010. Massively has some previous coverage of The Agency but we're always looking out for more info, and that's what we found today. While we've touched upon some of this information in the past, SOE has released a brief fact sheet that explains the concepts behind The Agency and its "modern setting of bullets, bomb blasts, and betrayal." We're still hoping that there will be more info announced about the game at the E3 Expo in June, but until SOE declassifies their intel, you can check out The Agency fact sheet below the cut:
Video: Navy UAV uses hydrogen fuel cells for greener surveillance
It sure is nice to see that the military is paying attention to the environment, always on the lookout for greener ways to spy on people, foreign and domestic. Ion Tiger, for instance, is an unmanned vehicle being cooked up at the Naval Research Laboratory that incorporates a hydrogen fuel cell, offering many improvements on earlier battery powered designs -- including a greater range (up to seven times further than that of current designs), heavier payloads, smaller size, reduced noise, a low heat signature, and zero emissions. The Office of Naval Research is making much of the possible civilian potentials for this technology, pointing out that research contributes "directly to solving some of the same technology challenges faced at the national level," but we know the truth: the US military is in cahoots with Greenpeace. You heard it here first, folks. Video after the break.[Via PhysOrg]
Sony patents PSP-controlled spy car
Check it out, all you budding G. Gordon Liddys -- if the usual assortment of spy gadgets isn't doing the job, Sony's got something in the works that should be right up your alley. According to a little site called Siliconera, Sony's European arm has filed a patent for a remote-controlled car uses the PSP as an interface. This bad boy is equipped with a camera that feeds video back to the hand held and allows the user to upload the footage to a website. If that weren't all, the patent makes mention of an augmented reality racing game incorporating virtual markers and paths that the players physically create -- that is, the junk in your apartment is incorporated into on-screen game play. Innocent fun, right? Well, perhaps -- at least until Iran gets involved. They're still pretty bent by the whole squirrel thing.[Via Joystiq]
Massively interviews Wild Bill Stealey on his military MMO project
You may have heard the recent news concerning MicroProse co-founder J.W. "Wild Bill" Stealey diving into the MMO business. You may have heard that he plans to get together with some of his old crew, like Fred Schmidt and Jim Bull, to make an action-based military MMO. Yet, did you know that this is simply the tip of the iceberg when to comes to what Wild Bill and his team have in store for us?To find out more information on this newly announced project, we jumped at the chance to sit down with Wild Bill and get some more intel on his classified operation. If you were ever a big fan of the MicroProse age of military simulation games, or you're just tired of the same old fantasy MMOs, this interview may get your excitement levels up. Wild Bill Stealey has a passion for what he knows best, and it's evident in this interview. Could a massive, persistent, military PvP world be exactly what you've been waiting for? Follow along below for more on what the folks at Thriller New Media have in store for the MMO world.
AME-105 spy camera finds its way into ID badge for nefarious ends
In the past we've noted (guessed) that as the economy continues its slippery-slide to Thunderdome, incidents of corporate espionage will continue to rise. And you know what that means: more cool spy gadgets! For instance, check out this 60 Minutes-esque hidden camera from Japan. Housed inside a phony smart card / ID badge (you can see the lens in the "d" on the word "card") the AME-105 is a 1.3 megapixel video camera that records using the AVI H.263 format at 352 x 288 resolution and 15 fps. This guy has 4GB memory, so it should let you do plenty of peeping, and when you're done with your Big Brother act, the footage can be offloaded to your computer via USB. Perfect for the little whistleblower in your life, right? All this can be yours for a mere ¥13,800 (about $155).[Via Akihabara News]
EVE Online player breaks 100 million skillpoints
One of the oldest characters in EVE Online, NTRabbit, made a fairly rare appearance on the game's official forums, reflecting back on the experience of having racked up over 100 million skillpoints. In EVE, hitting nine digits in skills imparts some serious bragging rights. In fact, those skills plus his years of experience lead NTRabbit to proclaim, "I am close to, if not the, premier combat character in the game." He sheds some light on the path he's taken through New Eden, and in the process tells us what the game used to be like in the early days. For most of us newer players, it's an interesting window into how the game has evolved since EVE Online's beta in 2002. NTRabbit relates a few tales of his adventures in EVE's setting over the years, ranging from excursions deep into hostile space to find (fictional) implants that allow for dual skill training, to how he ended up as a high-ranking member of the notorious Guiding Hand Social Club -- a mercenary corp well-known for its focus on theft and espionage -- where he resides in EVE to this day. For older players, NTRabbit's post might be nostalgic, but for the rest of us, it's a look at the game as we've never really known it.
Rumors of The Agency's death have been exaggerated
Rumors abound that Sony Online Entertainment's MMO-in-development, The Agency, has been cancelled. This stems from a GameFly email sent out that the title is now removed from GameQ's, with the explanation message that "For unreleased titles, the game has been canceled by its publisher... We apologize for any disappointment this may cause. If you have any questions, please contact us." Well that's exactly what our sister site PS3 Fanboy did. Only they went right to SOE, not Gamefly, to check on The Agency's status. Andrew Yoon from PS3 Fanboy confirmed with SOE's Katie Hanson that the project is, indeed, alive. So there you have it. The Agency has not been targeted for assassination. You can check out the declassified intel over at PS3 Fanboy.
A 200 billion isk theft in EVE Online
Corp theft is a daily occurrence in EVE Online. Unlike most MMOs, stealing from other players or organizations in EVE is permissible, assuming that normal in-game methods were employed to pull it off. Simply stated, corp theft in EVE involves becoming a member of the corp and then stealing from the target corporation's hangar(s). Once a thief has access to assets, they can literally clean the corporation out to whatever extent they are able to, depending on their level of granted access. Sometimes corp theft is premeditated, other times it's a crime of opportunity. There are players who approach these heists as a profession, others may do so out of revenge. Regardless of the reasons behind theft in EVE, it's a part of the game and does help establish New Eden's setting as being a harsh, corporation-dominated galaxy where deception is a style of play. Most corp thefts that this writer is aware of inflict minor damage, often a few billion isk in losses. Generally this isn't enough to cause serious harm to any solid corporation's future, and the only real impact on the corp is emo rage and a few pages of forum drama, and the offender's name being added to Fitz VonHeise's list "The Thieves of EVE" which should be required reading for corp CEOs and Directors who are involved in recruiting players.
EVE's spies and metagamers
EVE Online is one of the few MMOs where players in guilds (corporations and alliances) have some valid concerns about spies from rival groups infiltrating their ranks. The concept of being a spy or saboteur is a profession of sorts that arose in the game. There aren't any game mechanics that necessarily enable spying or make it into a viable profession, nor are there any rules that prohibit most of these activities. Wes from EVE Tribune recently wrote a piece called "Metagaming", dealing with how espionage can impact rival corporations and alliances in EVE. Wes asks, "Why is everyone so paranoid about spies and metagaming?" then goes on to explain how espionage in EVE works, categorizing spies by their modus operandi:
The 7 Deadly Sins of EVE Online
EVE Online is by design a darker game than most other MMOs, which means certain actions unthinkable in other games are allowed in EVE's setting of New Eden. It's a game that rewards cunning and brutally punishes stupidity. Players can assume many roles in New Eden, but the villains in a story are often the most interesting. In EVE, you get to be one. While there are many wrongs a pilot in New Eden can commit, these are seven of the worst. Some players specialize in one of these 'sins,' while others manage to indulge in all seven. Come explore the darker side of EVE >> %Gallery-29722%
A look at EVE Online's sweeping alliance warfare
A few weeks ago, Jim Rossignol kicked off a series of EVE Online focused articles with his look at the basics of combat in the game. But small-scale PvP doesn't suit all players in EVE. Some get hungry for more power. They join up with like-minded pilots and form corporations. Those corporations band together in alliances and wage war with one another over territories and the riches the others hold. Rossignol's "Alliance War" is a look at the large scale fleet battles characteristic of the constant struggle between 0.0 alliances, as well as the struggle itself. Rossignol states what he views as the impetus for alliance warfare and how it's evolved over the years he's played. In the beginning, holding choice regions of space was important to players because of the high-bounty NPCs and choicest ores to be mined from the asteroid belts in claimed territories. Then, conquerable stations and outposts were the goals driving alliance machinations. Now, Rossignol says, it's mostly about controlling moons and the vast streams of revenue they represent.
DS Fanboy Review: Undercover: Dual Motives
The revival of adventure games on the DS is great news for gamers, but it can make things tough for developers like Austrian outfit Sproing, whose Undercover: Dual Motives will be competing with prestigious genre stablemates such as Ace Attorney, Hotel Dusk, and Professor Layton and the Curious Village. With the likes of Gyakuten Kenji, Jake Hunter, and more Layton on the horizon, the competition isn't about to get any easier.In other words, we DS-owning adventure fans are a spoilt bunch, which means it takes something special to impress us. And, as hard as it tries, Undercover: Dual Motives isn't it.%Gallery-19663%
News Corp hired hacker to pirate DISH Network access cards
DISH Network and News Corp's satellite subsidiary NDS Group in California have been involved in an industrial espionage lawsuit for years now, but there was some big drama in court today: a hacker by the name of Christopher Tarnovsky (who used the handle "Big Gun," among others) testified that NDS hired him to create a device called "the stinger" that could reprogram DISH Network access cards. DISH lawyers say the plan was to flood the market with hacked cards, which would cost the satellite company $900M in revenue and repair costs. Unsurprisingly, NDS (which supplies DirecTV, among others), says that it hired Tarovsky only to reverse-engineer DISH's cards for competitive reasons, and Tarnovsky himself says that he believes "someone is trying to set him up." Sure, sure -- but no one's explaining why he was mailed mobile electronics from Canada with $20K in cash stashed inside, or why he was officially on the payroll of HarperCollins, a totally different NewCorp subsidiary, for more than 10 years. Sketchy sketchy -- and we thought satellite hacking was dead. Read - Reuters article about Tarnovsky's testimony Read - 2002 article about Tarnovsky and NDS
Get your stealth on with Global Agenda
Or, maybe not. Global Agenda is an upcoming title by Hi-Rez Studios that calls itself 'spy-fi'; puzzle that one out, go ahead, we'll wait. Purportedly espousing a game system of tactical espionage, the gameplay video available seems more like Halo than Splinter Cell. Not that there's anything wrong with that.Using the Unreal Engine 3, everything looks nice and moves smoothly. Other features of the game include racing for advanced technology before other players receive it; capturing and holding strategic locations; and special tech like stealth suits, holographic disguises, and remote control robots. This shows promise, and we'll keep our ear to the ground -- or at least, our sonic wavelength remote analyzer.
