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Global Agenda celebrates F2P success with jetpack use in Dome City
After a substantial wait and numerous requests from the community, Hi-Rez Studios has finally granted one of the most-wanted wishes of Global Agenda players: the ability to use their jetpacks in Dome City. The addition, the studio says, comes as a token of celebration for the recent success of Global Agenda's switch to a free-to-play model as well as a nod of appreciation for the players who have helped support the game with the purchase of booster packs (which grant double XP, credits, tokens, additional loot drops, and a daily allowance of 2000 tokens). What does this mean for the players who purchase the booster packs required to unlock jetpack use within the city? Well, honestly not much except for slightly more expeditious travel around Dome City, which operates as the game's social hub between bouts of players ruthlessly murdering one another. Hi-Rez Studios COO Todd Harris does note, however, that now that aerial travel is possible in Dome City, the studio plans to release "some penthouse level content in future updates." The upcoming patch 1.43 goes live tomorrow and also includes some general bug fixes and improvements. Full details on the new feature and complete patch notes for 1.43 can be found on the official site.
Global Agenda video highlights the game's new flair
If there's one thing Hi-Rez Studios loves to do -- aside from actually developing Global Agenda, anyway -- it's making humorous videos centered around the game. And while the latest one pulls out a couple of memes whose days may have come and gone, it does serve a practical purpose as well -- showing off the new pieces of flair and several dyes that players can expect from the game with today's patch. Even if you're not on-board for the humor, you can still appreciate the new flair pieces, ranging from the somewhat silly (dinosaur heads) to some rather robotic appearances. Or you can take a look at the comparative dye animations at the end, which show exactly how the coloration affects armors in a uniform pattern. Or you can just enjoy a bit of Global Agenda humor. The video gives you a variety of options in that regard.
Global Agenda braces for the impact of patch 1.42
Dome City agents, prepare for some exciting changes coming to the third-person shooter Global Agenda. Tomorrow, May 25th, servers will be taken offline from 11 a.m. EDT to 5 p.m. EDT so the team can load up a plethora of updates for Global Agenda with patch 1.42. The patch includes changes to gameplay, flair drops, and Dome City itself. Among the gameplay changes are updates to stealth and jetpacks. Spring stealth now includes an increase in height, but most importantly, the hands-free jetpacknow kicks in after 0.2 seconds rather than 0.3 seconds. This does not sound like much on paper, but many players will welcome the difference. Patch 1.42 also introduces new flair drops from Recursive Colony bots. Drops include The Juggernaut, Android Head, and Android Soldier flair in the Dome Defense and Sonoran Raids. Speaking of flair drops, we learned that starting yesterday, players began questing for the velociraptor flair for the weekly flair challenge. Check out the announcement on the official site. Lastly, Dome City's marketplace will grow with the addition of the Rare Goods vendor. When the servers come back online, be sure to shop at this new vendor for rare dyes and pets. Check the vendor daily; Hi-Rez developers have warned that available items will change. Be sure to follow the Global Agenda server status on Twitter to learn exactly when the game is back online, and in the meantime, check out the full patch notes!
Global Agenda goes prehistoric with new in-game event
The newest Global Agenda live event proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the folks over at Hi-Rez are, in fact, certifiably insane. Or awesome. Insanely awesome? Well, that depends on how exciting the idea of wearing the severed head of an extinct creature is to you. Following on the heels of the anniversary tournament, which also rewarded players with dino-riffic headgear, the newest in-game event is rewarding players with headgear modeled after everyone's favorite winged dinosaur. That's right, you too can jaunt around the Dome with a pterodactyl head on your shoulders, presumably while hysterically flapping your arms and screeching at the top of your lungs. If this sounds appealing to you, then just stay where you are and some men in white coats will be there to take you away shortly. That, or you can log in to Global Agenda and participate in the Special Ops playlist for your shot at this prehistoric flair. Specifically, you need to win 30 missions in the Special Ops playlist to be eligible. So hoist your guns and get out there, Agents.
Global Agenda fires up patch 1.41
Poor minor patches -- they're the little brothers of the development world. They have to wear second-hand clothes, they never get the respect of their older siblings, and they develop a deep-rooted insecurity complex that requires years of therapy to resolve. And yet -- they're still important! So it is with Global Agenda's patch 1.41, which rolls out on the live servers today. According to the patch notes, the tutorial and introductory missions have received some additional work, and Steam users can use their Steam wallets to purchase in-game items from the Global Agenda store. A couple of the bug fixes pertain to the recent Dome Defense raid, which recently went online. You can read the full patch notes over at Global Agenda, which is now free-to-play for anyone interested in some fast and furious hi-tech battles.
Global Agenda trailer invites you to Defend the Dome
Global Agenda, which is still going strong following its free-to-play transition last month, has released a new video spotlighting an endgame raid. Dome Defense raids center around the main player fortress as the good guys repel wave after wave of determined attackers. So hit the jump, get pumped up, and go defend the dome -- for the sake of humanity, for the sake of love, and for the sake of Pete!
One Shots: Segue
Starting zone week is drawing to a close, and MagnetHead has provided the perfect transition into sci-fi week with his not-so-nostalgic look back at the starting area of Global Agenda. This is a pic of the starting zone located in the 'evil' Commonwealth. It's good to know you're a bit further along than these poor husks. Thanks for all the great images of those early-on areas of your favorite games. It's fun to see how many MMOs provide a good first impression, but now it's time to go a little more high-tech. Are you loving Perpetuum? Immersed in Battlestar Galactica Online? Beta testing Black Prophecy? Let your favorite sci-fi game strut its stuff this week by sending a great screenshot to us at oneshots@massively.com. Include your your name, the name of the game, and a description of what we're seeing, and we'll post it up and give you the thanks! %Gallery-112285%
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!
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.
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!
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.
PAX East: Hi-Rez Studios unveils new Tribes: Ascend title
Way back in October of 2010, we broke the news that Atlanta-based Hi-Rez Studios would be revisiting the Tribes franchise in an upcoming online persistent-world shooter. At the time, Hi-Rez was focused on Tribes: Universe, and our interview with CEO and lead designer Erez Goren shed a bit of light on the company's followup to Global Agenda. Today at PAX East, Hi-Rez officially took the wraps off a second Tribes game, and Tribes: Ascend is set to re-introduce the venerable franchise to gamers all over the world. "Before Halo, before Modern Warfare, and before Battlefield, there was Tribes," says Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO, before going on to reveal that the new game will be available in late 2011. Hi-Rez will distribute Tribes: Ascend as a digital download and is targeting Windows PCs as well as the Xbox 360 for the initial release. Why a second Tribes title? "We've had tremendous fun play-testing and realized the potential of a multiplayer-focused title ahead of Tribes Universe. The community has been waiting for a multiplayer shooter that is the modern successor to T2. Tribes: Ascend is that game," Harris said. Massively's on the ground in Boston during the weekend of March 11-13, bringing you all the best news from PAX East 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about SWTOR or Guild Wars 2 or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!
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.
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!
Global Agenda hints at new Dome Defense mission
Just when you thought it was safe to park your agent in a secluded corner of the dome and troll the city chat, Hi-Rez Studios is hinting at a new Dome Defense mission coming soon to spy-fi shooter Global Agenda. In a series of teaser posts to its Facebook page, Hi-Rez says the mission is "not quite ready for the public test server yet," but is the nonetheless exciting enough to warrant three new screenshots. In keeping with Global Agenda's free-to-play theme, the new mission won't cost game owners a dime, and it will feature attacks from Recursive Colony bots as well as grim-faced NPC Dalton Bancroft in a support role. Check out the new screens in our gallery below and stay tuned for further info. %Gallery-35351%
