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It's storytime as Halloween event hits The Secret World
If you'd like to take a break from beating back the Filth in Agartha, take a trip to Solomon Island and delve into The Secret World's new Halloween events. What better place to celebrate this spooky holiday than the island covered in ominous fog and where pumpkins eternally decorate homes as well as try to kill you with chainsaws? In addition to the return of The Cat God (the chain of missions where players can visit ancient Stonehenge), players can participate in the new series based on various urban legends around the island. Those who gather all 10 stories by completing all the new missions will be rewarded with an in-game book of the full collection that can be enjoyed long after the holiday is done. Of course, there are rewards awaiting adventurers other than just a tome of stories; various Halloween-themed goodies are available from loot, quest rewards, and even the item shop. Many items are exclusive to the holiday, however, so if you want to get your bee-blessed hands on them, you have to get in before the event ends on November 8th!
The Secret World mysterious box stumps community [updated]
A series of mysterious forum posts might be a new alternate reality game for The Secret World. The posts show a honeycomb cylinder with a note and SD cards inside that was sent by a fan to Funcom. The note reads, "To unlock the truths of the void, one must offset themselfs [sic] from the tenements [sic] of known reality." On the SD cards were very small files with a few letters and numbers in each. The studio made the files public, and the players have responded by investigating what appears to be a community-led ARG. If a Massively reader can crack the code, make sure to share with the entire class! [Update: This was sent in by a fan, not the developers. Made changes to the story accordingly.] [Thanks to Ehra for the tip!]
New movie to feature The Secret World
A new Swedish film opening this Friday features Funcom's modern-day MMO The Secret World. Starring Valter Skarsgård (son of Stellan Skarsgård, known for films such as Good Will Hunting, The Avengers, and Thor), IRL is a movie that revolves around the life of a teenage boy and girl who meet in the story-driven MMO, eventually deciding to meet in person. "This is a story about being a teenager in the parallel world of social media and online gaming which is increasingly challenging reality," says director Erik Leijonborg. "A world where you can hide your real identity and be appreciated for who you really are, or be exposed and mistreated." Be sure to check out the official trailer embedded after the jump. [Source: Funcom press release]
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.
The Secret World explains details on the new Augment system
There's already a lot of flexibility for players in The Secret World's ability system, but there's room for more customization. Sure, you've got your eight active and eight passive abilities, but what if you could have eight more slots to customize your behavior? That's the core idea behind the new Augment system, a marriage of new skills, loot, and abilities that allows you to turn your existing build and fine-tune it even more carefully. Augments come in four categories: Assault, Healing, Support, and Survivability, roughly analogous to the roles currently present in the game. Each active ability can have an Augment slotted into it depending on its type, and each Augment requires the leveling of a skill related to the Augment, the AP necessary to learn the new Augment, and the loot necessary to make one. Take a look at the full rundown for a more detailed explanation on how you can take your gun-wielding punch artist to the next level of mastery.
One Shots: Oh, wow
Have you ever experienced an MMO before and after a major computer upgrade? Reader Tyler has, and he's floored by it. "Up until recently, I had a very low-end computer that struggled to run The Secret World at even the lowest settings," he wrote. "The game looked terrible, and I lagged so badly it was almost unplayable, so I finally got fed and up and begged, borrowed, and stole enough for a proper gaming computer. I can now run the game smoothly at max settings, and my God, it's beautiful. My first five minutes were spent repeating the phrase, 'Oh, wow' and spamming the screenshot key. This shot is my favourite. If you look closely, you can see a slight pattern of shadow on my Templar's chest. This is the moonlight shining through her hair. Amazing." Will you be saying, "Oh, wow!" after seeing the rest of the pictures from this week's player submissions? I think you might!
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite Halloween content?
October is just about the best month ever for MMO gaming in my opinion, because that means that Halloween content is upon us. Developers seem to relish putting their utmost efforts into constructing the holiday and players certainly flock for some good ol' virtual trick-or-treating. It's hard to say what my favorite is. I was always amused by Mad King Thorn's horrible jokes in Guild Wars, I absolutely loved the Haunted Burrow in LotRO, and I spent many hours tackling the Headless Horseman in World of Warcraft. Last year's Cat God content in The Secret World was no slouch, either. So what's your favorite Halloween content and are you going to be playing it this year? 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!
The Daily Grind: What vanity pet would you like to see made?
Ever since I ran The Secret World's Issue #7 content and explored the Nursery, I've become fixated on the idea of owning a nannybot of my very own. I mean, they're ludicrous to the point of being awesome: a hulking RoboCop suit with an emoticon face (which is smiley for happy and frowny for you're-about-to-be-murder-punched). I'd love to see them made into pets, because I constantly need looking after. Assuming that you like vanity pets -- you do, right? -- then you probably have a wish list of critters or figures that you'd love to see implemented as such. Maybe there's a cool-looking animal or a mechanical doohickey or just something that would go perfect with your character. If you could make it happen with a wish, what non-combat pet would you like to see made for your MMO? 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!
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.
The Secret World disqualifies contest winner, issues revote
We have a winner! Or... not. After announcing that a Victorian-themed outfit took the top prize of The Secret World's costume contest, Funcom has disqualified the winner due to a rule violation and restarted the voting process. "As a result of further investigation following our 'Get your art in the game' contest conclusion, we have eliminated the winning entry as disqualified," the studio posted today. "It has been brought to our attention that Mirura is connected with one of our affiliates, and thus does not qualify for this contest as per our terms and conditions. We deeply regret any confusion or inconvenience this has caused. While we know that many of you really did like the fantastic design that she submitted, we must adhere to the rules to be fair to all of our contestants." The revote will include the previous nine entries for both male and female outfits as well as a new 10th entry to fill in the gap. Check them out and enter your vote, as the winning design will be included in the game.
September producer's letter announces return of the Cat God to The Secret World
At the close of every month, Joel Bylos pens a producer's letter to all The Secret World fans reviewing the activities of the previous four weeks and outlining what's still to come. For September, Bylos updated players on the progress of both Issue #8 (scenarios are being balanced for solo, duo, and groups as well as nightmare versions) and the much-anticipated Issue #9 (when visiting Tokyo, bring your origami skills!). Bylos also invited players to jump in and participate in the current Whispering Tide event and reminded them that many more phases of the event are yet to come. On top of that, he announced that the Cat God event from last Halloween will be back, so everyone who missed out on completing that line will have a chance this year. Additionally, a new series of missions called Stories from Solomon Island will be available where players will investigate the legitimacy of the islands' various urban legends. This series brings players back to the stories of Tyler Freeborn and the Groundskeeper at Innsmouth Academy.
One Shots: A lack of depth perception
I don't know about you, but when I pick my mounts, I like to pick something that can manage depth perception. Reader Paul may be keen on this mount, but all I can think of is that his character's probably being led into a lot of bottomless pits, cacti, and stone walls. But who needs practicality when you've got awesome looks? Paul has nothing but the best to say about this Final Fantasy XIV creature: "It is simply because its the best mount I have ever come across in my entire career of mmo's. Also going by the census data that was released at the Tokyo Game Show, Roegadyn are somewhat of a rare race in the game, so I thought I would fly the flag for them too." We've got many more eyes for you in this week's One Shots after the jump. Enough, perhaps, to lend one to unfortunate souls like Paul who are perpetually in danger every time they take their ride out to the 7-11.
The Secret World slashes price 50% on Steam and Amazon [Updated]
How many of you have heard (or said!) this before: "I'll play The Secret World as soon as it goes on sale." Well everyone who has uttered this, get ready to join the Illuminati, the Dragons, or the Templars because that day is today! Steam is offering TSW for 50% off as part of its daily deals. Until Saturday the 28th at 1:00 p.m. EDT, folks can get the conspiracy-laden game for just $14.99. This one-time price includes full access to the main game as well as Issues #1 through 4. As a bonus, it's the perfect time for players to get in on the beginning of TSW's first multi-month event, The Whispering Tide, and be a part of ushering in the Tokyo expansion. But remember: While this event is long-term, the sale is not, so act fast if you want in on the action. Want a sneak peek before you decide? Then watch Massively TV tonight at 7:00 p.m. EDT for a two-hour stream of the event and more. [Updated to include 50% off sale for digital download on Amazon.] [Thanks to Balsbigbrother1 for the tip!]
Jukebox Heroes: The Secret World's radio songs
With its contemporary setting, The Secret World has the opportunity to include not only an original score but regular songs as well. Funcom's handled this by broadcasting rock, techno, and other genre tunes over the many in-game radios, much as how Grand Theft Auto fans can tune into different stations to hear a wide variety of tracks. Not so long ago, the studio even held a contest for fans and artists to submit additional tunes to be included in the game, ending up with 11 new tracks that you might hear while clothes shopping, hanging out at a club, or perusing records at a store. Some are pretty darn good, too. So let's dispense with the traditional format of this column today and take a listen to what Radio TSW has to offer us. Alas, there will be no "Thriller." We checked.
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!
Filth invades Agartha in The Secret World's collaborative event
You knew it was coming, and you've waited for it -- the day when the filth would infiltrate Agartha itself and a new cooperative long-term event would begin in The Secret World. Well, that day is today! Starting now, players will have to work together to fend off the Filth, unlocking new content and rewards as they go; the more each player contributes, the more rewards and success the entire community will have. The Whispering Tide event will escalate as the months go by, and the culmination of the event will pit the community against a brutal foe whose defeat will open the Tokyo portal and herald the release of the much anticipated Issue #9. [Source: Funcom press release]
One Shots: Ms. Rasa 2217
Sometimes some of you readers are actually crazy enough to respond to my weekly screenshot challenges for who knows what reason. Reader Joe got all excited when I put out a call for "pin-up" pictures and sent me a trio of his characters from the near-future (and dead past). I thought this one was the most striking. "Here's Tabula Rasa proving that you don't need to show a lot of skin to look good in armor," Joe wrote. "That's right, Jyo, you work that incendiary injector gun!" Will our kids learn about Tabula Rasa on the History channel some day? I can only imagine. Other amazing player shots await you in this week's column!
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.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite Secret World build?
I logged into The Secret World for the first time in a long time over the weekend. Yeah, the Gilded Rage event brought me back, because there's nothing like a little double AP to sweeten the deal, amirite? Anyway, I was getting reacquainted with the game's skill system and trying to decide on a serviceable build for duoing or maybe some occasional dungeon runs. And then I thought, hey, this would make a good Daily Grind. So there you go. What's your favorite TSW build and why? 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!
The Secret World's bonus weekend features double AP, Gilded Rage event
If you're searching for something MMO-related to do this weekend and you're tired of the usual fantasy level grind, Funcom is putting on a promotion in The Secret World that's worth a look. First of all, the firm is offering double AP from Friday through Sunday. There's also the Gilded Rage event, which is a continuation of the year-one anniversary shenanigans that involves the hunt for a Golden Golem and plenty of "unique rewards." Gilded Rage also begins Friday but unlike double AP, it runs for a full two weeks! Finally, Funcom is offering 30% bonuses on cash shop point purchases as well as free membership months for recruiting your friends. [Source: Funcom newsletter]
