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Rise and Shiny recap: CrimeCraft
The first thing I want to do when hearing about a game's poor quality is try it myself. I've found that unless the complaints specify performance issues, the real problem is that the gameplay just didn't mesh well with the person issuing the complaint. Often, those folks talk in general specifics like "Everyone hates the skillsets" or "No one liked that last patch." Gamers are great at declaring what "everyone" likes or dislikes, as though they have access to information that not even the developers themselves have. A good rule of thumb is that the more a player mentions "everyone," the more he is probably wrong. CrimeCraft is one of these games, but for different reasons. As I asked around about the game, most people I heard from simply complained about its resemblance to the original All Points Bulletin. And since APB had issues, surely CrimeCraft must as well. Players also commented on how they heard it was busted or that didn't play well at all or that it was just a really bad game. So I had to dig in. What did I find? Click past the cut and I'll tell you.
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!
The MMO Report: ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL edition
Why is G4's Casey Schreiner hiding behind his notes in this week's MMO Report? Maybe it's that his insurance won't cover the liability of his stunning smile -- or that he simply forgot his contacts. Casey jumps on top of two of the most sensationalistic stories from the past week. The first is the saga of the World of Warcraft player who made it to max level without killing anything or completing any quests. Casey salutes her by saying, "If there was a Nobel Peace Prize for pointless dedication toward arbitrary obsessive-compulsive goals, you'd be a shoo-in. Grats." He's also intrigued about the possibility -- not probability -- of a Mass Effect MMO. "But you guys haven't still put out your first over-hyped MMO based an incredibly popular intellectual property. One disappointment at a time, gentlemen." The MMO Report also covers The Secret World's seven-year plan, The Old Republic's advanced class preview, Global Agenda's F2P move, and another dip into Uncle Casey's mailbag. You can watch Casey's mind unravel during six captivating minutes after the jump!
Global Agenda patch 1.4 goes live today
It's patch day for Global Agenda, and Hi-Rez Studios is re-working several aspects of its massively multiplayer third-person shooter. Version 1.4 kicks off the new Free Agent branding, and players can now experience all 50 levels, as well as every bit of the game's content, for no charge. The long-awaited Dome Defense Raid makes its first appearance in today's patch, and agents level 40 and above can team up to protect Dome City against a nasty invasion of Recursive Colony bots. Global Agenda's Demolition PvP mode is also undergoing a makeover. The game type has been re-dubbed Acquisition, and teams will now need to cross the map and pick up their robot from the opposing team's base, then return it to their own. Additionally, the robots have been upgraded with a new sprint ability and a heat ray weapon. Finally, agents will notice that their skill points have been reset, as the game's skill trees have been tweaked to address balance issues and encourage specialization. Head to the official Global Agenda website to learn more and download the game.
Choose My Adventure: Into the cave I go!
Hello Massively Readers, and thank you MJ for passing the torch! It's been an enjoyable ride following her in her Xyson adventures, and I hope I can do the same for whatever game is chosen. And that brings me to the list -- what would you like to see me play? I made sure to include some of the bridesmaids from previous polls, as well as a few that were mentioned and not listed. So what's it going to be, Massively readers? Will Pirates of the Burning Sea finally get its comeuppance, or will I sport a jet pack and buzz around in Global Agenda? Are you curious about whether MYST Online has the same frustratingly difficult but gorgeous puzzles as the original, or would you prefer that I return to my roots and spend some time on the EverQuest progression server? And, of course, there's my long-lost uncle whom I never got to know -- EverQuest II Extended. Maybe you'd prefer to see an EQII vet head to free-to-play land. Whatever the game, I'm looking forward to your help choosing my path, and if you are also playing, I hope to get to know some of you during my adventures. Make sure to get your votes in by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, April 17th!
The Anvil of Crom: Would F2P solve the population problem?
Howdy folks, and welcome back to another installment of The Anvil of Crom. This week I'll be taking a short break from reporting on my CMA activities. I took a bit of an impromptu vacation last week and as a result didn't get to play Oakarm much at all. He's still hanging out in his mid-30s, looking for dungeon groups, and training me on those pesky melee combos, so look for more on that tangent in the weeks to come. Today I'd like to indulge in some speculation regarding a potentially free-to-play Age of Conan. I know, I know, I've talked about this on multiple occasions before, but a recent conversation I had with a buddy (and former AoC subscriber) got me to thinking seriously about the pros and cons. Hi-Rez Studios' recent announcement of its Global Agenda F2P re-configuration also factored into my choice of column topics this week since I made extensive use of GA as an example last time. Anyhow, hop over the cut and let's chat about it.
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!
Massively's April Fools' Day [adjective] roundup
The favorite day of the year for anyone named April has [verb ending in ed] the internet, making some web surfers [emotion] and others [emotion]. In [adjective] Massively fashion, we felt it best to gather all this news [adverb]. After all, what would an event be without a [adjective] Massively roundup? World of Warcraft [past tense verb] not just one internet prank but four for the [plural noun] of BattleNet. Turbine invited its [plural noun] to be the broccoli for [adjective] race in Dungeons and Dragons Online. The [plural title] of Star Wars: The Old Republic did not want to leave the Wookiee [plural noun] from playing their [adjective] game, so they created a Shyriiwook interface for all those [adjective] people. However, the prank that takes the [food] has to be ArenaNet's new Guild Wars 2 class, the Commando; Anet created [adjective] videos complete with jiggle physics and placed helicopters into the current Guild Wars game. After the cut, we have [past tense verb] all the [adjective] pranks in this year's batch of favorite MMOs. Now you won't have to [verb] around the internet to find them yourself! But if you do [verb] something not on our list, let us know in the comments.
New Global Agenda video teases Dome Defense
As far as cryptic trailers go, both gaming companies and Hollywood have produced their fair share over the years. Today, Hi-Rez Studios offers up its own take on the time-honored tradition of teasing your audience with a new video designed to amp up the excitement for Global Agenda's forthcoming 1.4 release. The clip is subtitled Dome Defense, and hints at something big and nasty blowing the doors off the agent refuge known as Dome City in the game's far-future setting. The video doesn't actually show any gameplay, instead opting for atmospheric shots of familiar (and bombed-out) locales from around the game's central hub before concluding with a bit of a sensory rush. We expect that 1.4 will bring us the long-awaited Dome Defense mission, which features an attack by Recursive Colony bots and the opportunity to fight alongside the legendary Dalton Bancroft. Check out all the destruction, terror, and mayhem after the cut.
Train Global Agenda newbs for $200 in prize money
Hi-Rez Studios' Global Agenda is that rare MMO that manages to combine player skill, team tactics, and accessibility, all in one spiffy spy-fi package. While newer players have ample time to learn the ins and outs of squad-based combat over the course of the game's 50 levels, competent agents are few and far between when it comes to high-level merc PvP. To the rescue comes Hi-Rez's new Agent Training contest, in which skilled Global Agenda vets may compete for $200 in prize money for producing the best instructional video in both the objective-based PvP and boss fight PvE categories. The contest kicks off today, and entries (which are limited to a maximum of two minutes running time) will be accepted through April 15th. Winners in both categories will take home the prize money, and the victors will be announced on April 29th. There are a few other requirements (including voiceover and resolution guidelines), which you can read about on the official Global Agenda website.
Hi-Rez puts Global Agenda on sale, 100% of proceeds going to disaster victims
Lots of game companies are stepping up to offer financial support to the victims of the recent disasters that have devastated Japan. Atlanta-based Hi-Rez Studios is going one better, as the indie MMO developer has placed its flagship title on sale for the weekend and is donating 100% of the resulting proceeds to Red Cross relief efforts. That's right, we said 100%, and from March 18th through March 20th, purchasing Global Agenda from the Hi-Rez online store will not only net you the premier MMO shooter at a $20.00 discount but send much-needed funds to our friends in the Pacific. Global Agenda is completely free-to-play after the initial client purchase, and Hi-Rez offers booster packs to speed your in-game advancement and credit/token acquisition.
The Soapbox: Classism and the oxymoron of the casual MMO
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Seeing as how it's becoming something of a Massively tradition to offer rebuttals to my Soapbox articles, I figured it was time to turn the tables. A few weeks ago, our own Bree Royce penned a piece about class warfare in MMORPGs. Though it contained a number of valuable insights, I feel it struck the wrong chord when it comes to discussing the reasons "hardcore" MMO players dislike the pervasive trend towards accessibility. While the thrust of Bree's article dealt with classism and my response started out with a similar focus, this week's column has since morphed into more of a pseudo-rant on the casual vs. hardcore debate. Yes, the terms are malleable, and yes, this debate is eternal, but it's eternal because it matters (inasmuch as anything related to entertainment can matter). Join me after the cut for a traditionalist's take on MMOs and discover why they aren't "casual" games -- and why this has very little to do with social class.
The Daily Grind: What is the next MMO innovation?
Everyone knows how many World of Warcraft clones there are out there, right? "This is just WoW in space." "This is just WoW with tanks." "This is just WoW covered in chocolate." Just after WoW took the MMO world by storm, every gaming company decided that the WoW formula was the only way to make money in the industry. Now, however, we have started to see a move in other directions. But which innovation will come out on top? Some developers have really started to go back to the basics of sandbox gameplay -- like Wurm Online or Minecraft -- or have taken a console approach, like Global Agenda or DC Universe Online. So what do you think will be the next big innovation in MMOs? Will worlds get wider with more depth like EVE times 10? Perhaps they will be come more character-driven and linear like Star Wars: The Old Republic? It's possible that a first-person shooter will be the next MMO wave, isn't it? What do you think developers will make the next big thing? What do you want it to be? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
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.
Get in on Global Agenda's Make Your Mark challenge
Ready to make your mark on Dome City? Sure, you can troll up the the /city chat or become (in)famous for your mad sniping skillz, but we're talking about literally leaving your mark on Global Agenda for all to see, and for all time. Hi-Rez's Make Your Mark challenge is in full swing, and you'll need to win 50 Merc PvP (or Raid PvE) missions in the month of February to qualify. Fifty victories nets you a limited edition Matrix dye, while the top 500 players (in terms of total victories for qualifying mission types) will have their avatar names permanently inscribed on the VR Arena wall. The top 25 players will see their name in lights inside Dome City itself, not simply at the central news vendor but rather on one of the permanent vid screens. Head to AgendaStats to check your progress, and grab your favorite caffeinated beverage, as February is fading fast.
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.
The Game Archaeologist goes PlanetSide: The highlights
Unlike fantasy, the sci-fi genre has had a rocky relationship with MMORPGs. While studios have tried just as hard to make and promote them, there seems to be a curse that hovers over most of these games. From the canceled (Earth & Beyond, The Matrix Online, Tabula Rasa) to the radically retinkered (Star Wars Galaxies) to the relatively niche (Anarchy Online, Star Trek Online), sci-fi struggles to be seen as relevant and embraced as its bigger brother. That isn't to say that these games or the genre is worthless, just that it's a harder sell to both investors and players to throw players into the future than the mythical past. Fortunately, the industry hasn't given up on these games, and some of these titles -- such as EVE Online -- have proven that they're worth pursuing. And if science fiction is a difficult sell, first-person shooters are doubly difficult in the MMO space. After all, it's not as though the world is suffering a shortage of FPS titles that can be played without a monthly subscription. To convince players to part with a monthly payment, the studio has to make a powerful, compelling case as to why its MMOFPS is worthy of that premium price. Enter PlanetSide, circa 2003. While sci-fi MMOs, multi-faction PvP and online shooters had been done separately at that point, PlanetSide stepped up to the plate to combine all three into a persistent war on an alien planet. Due to popular demand, this month we'll be setting our sights to the far reaches of the galaxy and beyond as we explore one of the more unique MMOs in existence. Today let's take a look at what made PlanetSide a unique twinkle in SOE's eyes by counting down the highlights of this futuristic war.
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: Year one retrospective and interview
What a difference a year makes, eh? Round about February of 2010, Hi-Rez Studios was an unknown indie developer gearing up to unleash a newfangled "spy-fi" shooter on an unsuspecting populace. Fast forward 12 months and Global Agenda has morphed from a relatively standard Team Fortress-style kill-'em-all to an actual MMO. Killing is still the order of the day, as few MMOs are so completely focused on fast-paced bloodletting, but Global Agenda has added an impressive amount of bulk over the past year, with more on the way. Hi-Rez also managed to successfully change the game's business model in 2010 and ultimately ended up molding Global Agenda into one of our favorite MMOs. Suit up, grab your crescent jetpacks, and fly past the cut for a few reasons why as well as a look at the game's evolution to date. There's even an interview with Hi-Rez's Todd Harris on page two!
The Daily Grind: How often do you respec your characters?
Ah respecs. My DC Universe Online character had barely strapped on his spandex underoos before I felt the need to head to the Watchtower and redo his power and skill sets. Such is the nature of a new MMO and a relatively complex character development system. It's not just new titles either. I've lost many a gold coin to the respec gods in Age of Conan, and thankfully Global Agenda's neural re-mappings are free of charge. Whether it's gameplay changes, new strategies that compel us to alter our approach, or a forum post that illustrates just how wrong we've been doing it, respecs are an inescapable fact of MMO life. The more adventurous among us may not even need a reason other than the fun to be had in experimenting with different builds, skills, and abilities. For today's Daily Grind, we want to know about your respec habits. Do you revamp your avatars at the drop of a hat or do you prefer to tough it out and make do with a preferred build? In short, how often do you respec your characters? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
