Ragnar-Tornquist
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Impressions: The Secret World
During GDC, I saw Ragnar Tornquist demonstrate his upcoming Funcom MMO, The Secret World. I should note that I'm not well versed in MMOs, and my experience doesn't extend far beyond a scant few hours with the trial version of World of Warcraft (and many, many hours with Phantasy Star Online and Diablo II, if you count those). As such, I had my doubts about being the best candidate to catch an early glimpse of Funcom's latest project. After seeing the game in action and learning more about its direction, however, I started to think otherwise. As someone who typically avoids MMOs, it's interesting to see one that abandons the traditional fantasy and sci-fi trappings of the genre. As a gamer accustomed to lavish, story-driven console games, it's wonderful to see an MMO focusing on narrative (with fully voiced cutscenes, no less). No leveling, no specific character classes -- no Orcs? In short, what really struck me about The Secret World is how different it is. %Gallery-88728%
GDC10: A first glimpse at The Secret World
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/An_in_depth_look_into_the_gameplay_of_The_Secret_World'; I bet you thought we were done with news from GDC 2010, right? Well, not exactly. The embargo on our demo of The Secret World lifts today and we're oh-so eager to tell you all about what we saw. While Creative Director Ragnar Tørnquist's team at Funcom has been doing an excellent job of teasing us with just enough information to keep us excited (although they'll deny the websites are from them), there are still many aspects of the game we have yet to discover. This GDC demo doesn't even scratch the surface on what we can expect from the released game, but it gives us quite a bit more to chew on until that time comes. Follow along after the jump for our impressions of what we saw in the game's combat, in-game cinematics, storyline and a brief Q&A with Ragnar himself. Plus, be sure to check out the screenshot and concept art galleries below for some gorgeous eye candy.%Gallery-72395%%Gallery-72399%
Funcom Community Managers talk about upcoming projects
Julie and Fran of the No Prisoners, No Mercy podcast had some special guests on their most recent show, to the delight of the Funcom fans in their audience. Funcom Community Managers Glen "Famine" Swan and Oliver Kunz visited the podcast to discuss The Secret World as well as Rise of the Godslayer, the upcoming expansion for Age of Conan. The duo talked about their responsibilities within Funcom, and gave some details about what they're working on these days. Rise of the Godslayer, of course, is the big project. With five new regions, a new race, twelve new factions, and all the bells and whistles that go with them, Swan promised that the expansion won't disappoint fans. They also gave an overview of The Secret World as well as their other upcoming project, Pets vs. Monsters. It sounds like a good time was had by all -- the podcast is fun and informative, and definitely worth listening to. For even more information, keep an eye out for our interview with Ragnar Tornquist at GDC later this week as well!
Interview with The Secret World's Martin Bruusgaard
Looking forward to The Secret World? Funcom has been great lately about giving us bits of information to tide us over, and the latest news is no exception. TSWOnline.de recently chatted with Martin Bruusgaard, Lead Designer for The Secret World. Bruusgaard delved further into the game, expanding on small details we already know, such as the Lovecraftian influence of the game, and the (slowly) marauding zombies. While Lovecraft, zombies, and Kingsmouth are known elements, things don't stop there. Kingsmouth is just a tiny sample of game regions all around the world that are available to play, and zombies are just the tip of the iceberg: "We've based the population in every region on myths and urban legends in that particular country, which gives us a huge spectrum of scary monstrosities to play with." Bruusgaard has plenty more to say, both about in-game events and some promotional things we might be able to look forward to. The full interview is well worth a read. For more news on The Secret World, keep an eye out for our interview with Ragnar Tornquist at GDC this week as well!
The Secret World's secrets spilled by Funcom's Ragnar Tornquist
In an interview with IGN, Funcom's Ragnar Tornquist has shed some light on the perpetually foggy MMO, The Secret World. The interview focuses on several facets of the game, including its realistic settings, enemy design and how The Secret World compares to Funcom's most recent MMO, Age of Conan. Perhaps the most interesting part of the discussion is just how much content the company has planned for The Secret World; we believe the scientific term is "quite a bit." According to Tornquist, the team has planned "several years' worth" of content for the game. "It'll take us years and years to reveal everything about our game world," said Tornquist, "which is a good thing, because it's an MMO." He added that Funcom expects that game to last for "a very, very long time." Like, as long as the government has kept the fake moon landing covered up? [Via Massively] %Gallery-49441%
Tornquist gives more juicy details on The Secret World
To date, the development team of The Secret World has almost been a secret society unto itself. We've heard whispers and tantalizing tidbits that have piqued our curiosity, seen teaser sites, and caught the occasional tweet from the front lines. Now, the floodgates are starting to open, and more details are coming to light for those craving information. An interview with Ragnar Tornquist has just gone up on IGN and it is chock-full of tasty details about what players can expect from The Secret World. Along with the interview, there's also a pile of eerie concept art illustrating some of the many different monsters we'll see in the game -- from brain-munching zombies to mutated boss monsters. There's also some great news on how the development is going, owing in part to the work already done for Age of Conan. So if you've been hungry for more details and a sneak-peek into more of the terrible things that await us as we take steps into The Secret World, then you'll want to head over to IGN and check out the full interview. It looks like Tornquist and the team at Funcom are creating a fascinating modern-day monster of an MMO for us to enjoy.
Building The Secret World: An interview with Ragnar Tornquist
As the buzz surrounding Funcom's upcoming title The Secret World increases, we continue to hear more from the developers in the form of things like concept art and some spooky game footage. The latest dose of information is an interview with Funcom's Ragnar Tornquist. He spent some time with Gamasutra recently, and their interview tells all about building a cozy little corner of hell in Kingsmouth. The discussion ran the gamut from fantasy genre oversaturation to the creation of a game set in the real world. The extensive interview is well worth a read for anyone interested not only in The Secret World, but in the thought process behind game design as well. Tornquist explores his history as a gamer and how it helped to shape the way he is creating The Secret World. The interview covers quite a bit of ground and reveals plenty of new information about TSW. It can be found here -- enjoy!
The Secret World less secret: first in-game footage
Thanks to the video above, we now know more about Funcom's upcoming MMO The Secret World than ever before. And yet, that's still not saying much. The new trailer provides the first in-game footage, specifically showing off the town of Kingsmouth, a game location revealed last month. Of course, no sleepy New England town is complete without a dark secret, and Kingsmouth is no exception. It seems an evil fog rolled into town one day, taking most of the townsfolk with it, leaving only a handful of unlucky survivors and ... zombies. They aren't your typical, garden variety zombies, though. No, these zombies never die, as the narrator explains, "Kill one, he'll rise in the morning. There's no getting rid of them." There's no telling if the actual game will hold up at this point, but the premise thus far is certainly intriguing.
The Secret World broadcasts footage from the streets of Kingsmouth
What horrors lie in Kingsmouth when the fog comes to rest? Well that's for you to find out! Thanks to a tip from a certain Erling Ellingsen, we've been pointed to a brand new trailer for The Secret World. It seems that someone has hacked into the security cameras around Kingsmouth, giving us a look at the town's various areas. All of this is set to an unknown narrator explaining exactly how Kingsmouth turned from a small, All-American town into the black pit that it is today. It's important to note, however, that this video is only a preview of the Kingsmouth location -- it's not a gameplay trailer. Erling attached this "quotable quote" in his e-mail: "This is a part of a ramp up of the communication we're doing around The Secret World. We wanted to give gamers a very quick glimpse into the game and the universe, without giving away exactly how the game looks in motion and in all its glory. We're saving that for GDC actually." So GDC it is then! We'll be there! But, while you're all waiting for GDC, go on over to Gamespot and learn more about Kingsmouth. (Also, we saw your Lovecraft Lane street sign! We see your references!)
Funcom's The Secret World gets a weird website
Since it was first revealed back in 2007, there really hasn't been a lot of information released about Funcom's upcoming MMO The Secret World. We've learned a bit about its factions, enjoyed a handful of screenshots and watched a couple of nifty trailers (embedded after the break, for your convenience). Now, Funcom has opened a website for one of the game's locations, a sleepy New England town (yes, another one) by the name of Kingsmouth. The website is designed as though it were made by an actual chamber of commerce, including plenty of low resolution photos and awkwardly placed Google ads. According to Joystiq's sister site Massively, the site is also full of references to H.P. Lovecraft, which seems appropriate given the otherworldly nature of the game. There is what appears to be a handful of screenshots in the site's gallery section, and the news section also mentions planning for "Kingsmouth Day 2010," which is set to go down on Saturday, April 3. Whether or not anything will actually happen on that day is anyone's guess. %Gallery-72472%
All hail the Kingsmouth Horror: The Secret World pays homage to Lovecraft
For a while now, the community over at The Secret World has noticed things in the game that are distinctly influenced by the writings of horror master H.P. Lovecraft. From the original poster that revealed a beast that reminded many of Cthulhu to the whole idea of secret societies and monsters that exist beyond time and space. So when The Secret World community members stumbled upon a website for the fictional town of Kingsmouth, many weren't surprised. Kingsmouth, a mash-up of Lovecraft's Kingsport and Innsmouth (and, to an unnamed extent, Arkham), is the typical New England town that Lovecraft so loved to talk about. It's sleepy, it's quiet, it's community is entrenched, and there are probably more monsters than people. Lovecraftian references are abound from the aptly named Miskatonic River (see Miskatonic University) to the town's presence as a port on the coastline. Of course, with the addition of a brand new website, new puzzles are bound to pop up. The Secret World community is already pouring over the website, so jump into the discussion if you think you found something. Of course, for those of you who aren't into the whole conspiracy angle, we got the screenshots of Kingsmouth for you below. Beware though, the originals are small, as apparently the Kingsmouth locals don't know how to upload quality pictures. %Gallery-72395%
Funcom Games Canada hires new CEO and plans to expand
2009 wasn't the best year to be in the business of making games, to the point where some of us weren't expecting good news like a major publisher hiring new people -- but it's happening. And it's not a small hiring push, either, aiming in the 100-150 range. That's the latest news from Funcom, whose recently opened Canadian studio has appointed a new CEO for the division. Miguel Caron is going to be in charge of building up the staff of Funcom Games Canada, as well as overseeing the studio during the development of The Secret World -- according to Ragnar Tornquist, the Montreal-based expansion will play a key role in the game's development. Even if you aren't looking forward to The Secret World, however, it's excellent to have news of a company not facing security trouble, layoffs, or shutdowns. Although the timeframe for the expected hirings is a year and a half, that's still a lot of work being generated by Funcom, which is a boon to both their existing games and their newfound plans of focusing on the casual gaming market. Let's hope this kicks off a trend of more positive news for the industry this year. We certainly need it.
More on The Secret World's Templar and Illuminati
Looking for further information on The Secret World's equally secret Illuminati and Templar societies? We're going to go ahead and assume that you are, as they're quite interesting aspects of Funcom's upcoming third MMO. Actually, considering much of the game's story and conflict revolves around the three warring secret societies, we'd say these two Illuminati and Templar interviews are required reading for anyone who considers themselves interested in the game. We're all about picking sides in MMOs here at Massively. When it comes to The Secret World, there's a lot to consider, although something about the Illuminati is quite alluring. We're of the opinion that their high tech nature combined with their fashion sensibilities is going to be quite attractive to many a person. Oh, plus it doesn't hurt that they're the "bad boys" of the game.%Gallery-72399%
Demystifying The Secret World's enigmatic Dragon
There's definitely a certain type of player the enigmatic Dragon secret society will appeal to in The Secret World. We can say that with even greater confidence after reading Gamespot's Dragon-focused interview with Funcom's Ragnar Tornquist. They're masters of the subtle and maestros of manipulation -- also, they carry katanas and guns. The interview runs the gamut topic-wise, but many of the answers coming from Ragnar are still incredibly careful to avoid any and all spoilers. Nevertheless, there's still much to be gleaned from regarding what these guys are about and how playing them is going to be different from the other two factions within The Secret World. Our favorite nugget of new information? Lighting your katana on fire being confirmed as an in-game feature. There really isn't anything quite as satisfying as splitting a foul monster in twain with a burning chopping blade of death!%Gallery-72399%
More Age of Conan subscription incentives coming
Funcom's Erling Ellingsen recently informed Eurogamer about future Age of Conan subscription "initiatives" being planned, which are to follow the new price reduction of multi-month subscriptions . It's of particular interest that Funcom is planning further pricing specials, as they've been doing a lot to bring players back to the game ever since launch. Should their efforts pay off, it's likely that The Secret World will see a significant development boost, which is something we'd be very happy about as fans of Ragnar Tornquist. However, nobody knows yet if the current "initiatives" have been helping, as Erling wasn't able to comment on current numbers. So until some hard numbers come in -- hopefully of the positive nature -- it's anybody's guess on how the game will perform. It's possible that there's a free-to-play model in the game's future, especially since it wouldn't be the first time a Funcom game has gone that route. However, only time will tell where King Conan and his followers end up.
Ragnar Tørnquist on what sets The Secret World apart
One of the games we've seen a lot of reader interest in at Massively is The Secret World, in development at Funcom. One of the key people behind the upcoming horror MMO is Ragnar Tørnquist, Producer and Director of The Secret World. Tørnquist recently sat down for an interview with Vladimir "Evoker" Georgiev from UGDB.com to discuss what will set The Secret World apart from other MMOs we've played. One of the refreshing aspects of the game is there are no levels or classes in TSW. Tørnquist tells UGDB, "Our goal is to make sure that players can sit down and play this game and enjoy themselves from the very beginning. You don't start out fighting rats with a rusty sword. You get cool firearms, black magic, occult weapons from the outset -- and you're fighting demons and the undead, not wild boar or petty criminals."
PAX 2009: Dark mysteries of The Secret World
So, you may have heard: Funcom is taking famous myths, urban legends, pop culture, history and even things like the Rota Fortunae and blending it all into a game called The Secret World. We sat down with lead designer Martin Brusgaar and creative director Ragnar Tornquist at PAX 2009 to discuss the game and a few of its many secrets.The Secret World has a vibe unlike any other MMO or really game currently out there. Its premise is simple -- all the legends, myths and more are true. Atlantis is rising, vampires roam the night, 2012 is the beginning of a new fourth age and so on. The world is a dark, scary and magical place. Although, it's more of the first two than anything else.%Gallery-72395%
PAX 2009: Dark mysteries of The Secret World part 2
The level-less progression system is designed around your standing with the secret society of your choice, and their headquarters is were you'll receive better magic, equipment and more. Venders and what Ragnar referred to as "inventors" can be found here, too. Also, the headquarters operate as a social hub, particularly for Cabals -- TSW's version of guilds -- who call the city of their societies' headquarters home.
Door to 'The Secret World' opens slightly with factions, beta access
Of the MMOs coming our way, the one that the most Joystiq staffers seem to be captivated by is Ragnar Tørnquist's The Secret World, and, until now, it's been the one that we've known the least about. But a little more light is finally being shed on the modern-day MMO with its three factions -- Illuminati, Templars and the Dragon -- being unveiled; a mere sampling of the info to come during PAX, apparently.You can see which of the groups you fit into by taking the quiz here. It's fun, but much more importantly, you'll also be securing yourself a chance at beta access. For you lucky thousands at PAX, Funcom is apparently offering some Secret World-based swag at its booth, so you may want to make that one of your first stops on the show floor today.%Gallery-49441%
New The Secret World info at PAX to be 'biggest thing yet'
It looks like GamesCom won't be getting all the late summer glory this year, as PAX now has two large MMO events tied around its massive people-crushing finger. The first is of course the Star Wars: The Old Republic public demo in the main hall, but the second seems no less grand.Funcom's Erling Ellingsen has told VG247 that the reveal for The Secret World at PAX will be "the biggest thing on TSW yet." which is certainly a statement that delivers a lot of excitement. However, beyond the confirmation of new details being revealed in Seattle, WA on September 4th through the 6th, Erling's lips were sealed.Rest assured that Massively will be speaking with Funcom, potentially with a high amount of fervor. So if you're looking for that new info come the first weekend of September, it should be awaiting your acumen right here.
