Comments on: The Secret World: Teaser, Ragnar Speaks

By: Im OK

Im OK — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:07:51 +0000

Does this one still have a single-player mode (assuming it ever really had one to begin with)? From Wikipedia: "Tørnquist assured that the game can also be played in single-player mode, should a player be uncomfortable or unable to play with a group. According to him, the game is story-driven and there will be an overarching linear plot, as well as numerous side-quests, ranging from investigation to sabotage and hunting, since diversity of the gameplay will be another central point." Is this still the case? If so, I might actually care about this. If not, then it's just another MehMehOh, as far as I'm concerned.

By: Janto

Janto — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:42:20 +0000

Well from looking elsewhere, it looks like those who were thinking SKILL meant reflexes and so on are at least partly on the money, since he’s been talking about how the game’s aiming for an action-adventure vibe, with character advancement meaning becoming more versatile rather than more nails. Sounds quite interesting actually, provided they can manage to make interesting action-adventure environments out of the real-world hubs as well as the instanced mystery locations, and hire genuine cryptographers and puzzle designers to make the puzzle/investigation side of things a little bit more than match 3 or door/key puzzles. That’s really the most interesting part of the game – especially in an MMO, how they’re going to get around people begging for help because they’re stuck somewhere, and a constant flood of spoilers on the forums. Which would undermine the whole point of the thing

By: Drew

Drew — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 06:52:10 +0000

Holy fucking shit that looks absolutely amazing

By: Raphaël

Raphaël — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:44:54 +0000

constantine : the mmo ?

By: Marcin

Marcin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:08:21 +0000

@Larington: I’m not really dissing on the words, I’m dissing on the fact that there is nothing to show. You can *say* whatever you want, but until you got some gameplay trailers I’m not really all that interested, much less enthusiastic.

By: underdweller

underdweller — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:27:58 +0000

Not really an AoC thread is it. But the mine analysis might well consist of an instanced world, half-assed combat system, crap class design, being yet a classic grinder..
Meh, i know i sound like a prick, if you actually want my opinion, it’ll be done elswhere. Otherwise i’ll just conclude the game was found regretably lacking.

By: Stupoider

Stupoider — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:54:43 +0000

@ The Fanciest of Pants, I’m also waiting for APB. That character creation demo was great.

By: weegosan

weegosan — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:20:31 +0000

Don’t hold back on the your analysis of AoC’s core design faults there chief.

By: underdweller

underdweller — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:42:52 +0000

Some seem to consider AoC’s only sin being lack of polish and lying/lazy development. Which is ridiculous, as the game is flawed in so many ways right from the core design. It is to me an obviously compromised initial vision combined with a severe lack of touch and occasional blatant incompetence.
Compared with the very admirable Anarchy Online it was a leap back, but hopefully the spark still burns and i’ll assume the best.

By: Ubernutz

Ubernutz — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:37:52 +0000

Ragnar “Dreamfall” Tornquist = Hawt

By: Diziet Sma

Diziet Sma — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:23:32 +0000

I’ve always liked him, now it might get unhealthy. Yay skill based. If that means something even exactly the same as the way UO managed skills I’ll be happy. E.g. bored with being a mad meditating wizard, click meditation to drop, click polearm to rise. Start practising. Woosh a good fighter who can throw mad spells around but cannot recharge them quick enough except to use in emergencies. At last! I hope this works.

By: M. P.

M. P. — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 11:01:29 +0000

I don’t see why people are comparing it with WoD so much… Both have real-world settings with supernatural elements, but the way they work is vastly different. The “Secret World” in TSW doesn’t exist within the real world but sort of in parallel to it. FC have spoken of portals, secret locations etc., which probably means that you have to set off from the safety of the real world to find “adventure” (in the old pulpy sense, like 1930s fiction). The “World of Darkness” otoh exists WITHIN the real world – you can’t get away from it just by jumping through the portal back to mundane reality. Plus, in CCP’s game you’ll most likely be playing a vampire or werewolf, so you’re a MEMBER of the “secret world”, not some jumped-up human with superpowers who invades it and treats it as a dungeon-crawl. In Funcom’s game, vampires are just mobs – in CCP’s, they’re PCs and NPCs too!

Personally, I find the WoD setting much more promising for an MMO. It does sound like the “secret world” of the title will be just a place you go into to kill mobs and get loot. I’m sure Tornquist will put a great overarching storyline to it, but, as people above have said, it could be just as compelling if it were a singleplayer game. The WoD game, however, is a world in itself, with its own little silly rules that make no sense in real-world terms, but allow CCP to build lots of interesting game mechanics into it. Stuff like not being able to use your powers in Masquerade locations (or suffering a penalty if you do), or faction-based PvP, or control of territory, all that’s stuff’s built into the lore, and if CCP take advantage of them properly it’ll make for a very interesting game where you’ll really be playing against other people (instead of just with them).