The first bits of information about Funcom's upcoming MMO The Secret World were released at this years GDC.

http://www.massively.com/2009/04/07/gdc09-the-veil-lifts-on-the-secret-world/

4/7/2009 4:55:49 PM

of alex mac

I'm Big Business and i approved this message.

4/7/2009 4:59:43 PM

Quote :

"of alex mack"

[Edited on April 7, 2009 at 5:04 PM. Reason : ]

4/7/2009 5:04:03 PM

tomatoes tomatoes

I'm Big Business and i approved this message.

4/7/2009 5:12:49 PM

oh no I wasnt contesting your spelling. I was just agreeing with you and happened to use the correct spelling

edit: dang 13,000 posts. Just happened to look at it right then

[Edited on April 7, 2009 at 5:20 PM. Reason : ]

4/7/2009 5:19:27 PM

oh.

was it the secret world or secret life?

I'm Big Business and i approved this message.

4/7/2009 5:26:39 PM

world.

4/7/2009 5:28:47 PM

Quote :

"of alex mac"

4/7/2009 5:36:37 PM

Quote :

"of alex mack"

[Edited on April 8, 2009 at 12:00 AM. Reason : she's glowing hotness yo]

4/8/2009 12:00:07 AM

4/8/2009 12:02:41 AM

A really cool interview with Ragnar Tornquist about Funcom's newest project, The Secret World!

http://news.mmosite.com/content/2009-04-09/20090409001500103,1.shtml

Quote :

"I swear to God, no dinky swords and diseased rats -Ragnar Tornquist"

4/14/2009 4:23:15 PM

i too thought this was about alex mack

4/14/2009 4:57:42 PM

Funcom MMO, I think I'll pass, it is pretty much doomed to failure.

4/14/2009 5:00:11 PM

the thing about MMO development currently is its going to be hard to find a good enough MMO to pull people away from WoW. Hell it took many tries to pull people off EQ till around 2005'ish (around 6 years of EQ life) when WoW came around.

4/14/2009 5:11:18 PM

remember how everyone was Waiting on Warhammer?

that looks pretty neato though.

[Edited on April 14, 2009 at 5:35 PM. Reason : .]

4/14/2009 5:16:26 PM

Warhammer would have been good if:

-There was more PvE content to please the PvE players (i know the game was supposed to focus on pvp)
-The game was less graphics intensive (many players had nothing but slideshows during keep sieges)
-The game had more participation in keep sieges (i know its hard to balance something like this thats fully dependant on player participation/choice)

4/14/2009 5:44:20 PM

Quote :

"Funcom MMO, I think I'll pass, it is pretty much doomed to failure."

that is far from true.
Anarchy Online still holds a very steady player base, even after 8 years.
Age of Conan is just now coming into its own. (I agree that its release was pre-mature which is still hurting it overall)
While both of those games had very rough starts they both have shown excellent design and will be around for years to come.

4/15/2009 7:33:45 AM

funcom just needs to make a new 'the longest journey'

4/15/2009 8:29:01 AM

Quote :

"that is far from true. Anarchy Online still holds a very steady player base, even after 8 years. Age of Conan is just now coming into its own. (I agree that its release was pre-mature which is still hurting it overall) While both of those games had very rough starts they both have shown excellent design and will be around for years to come."

Anarchy Online is free to play, right? So saying it has a decent playerbase doesn't impress me to much. AO had potential but it was plagued by problems at release and it's player pop plummeted in the first few months.

AoC was ok, but yeah released way to soon. Now, Funcom had plenty of experience by this time, so this was really unacceptable. I am pretty sure EQ2, Vanguard, and several other MMOs have a larger subsription base than AoC does now, and AoC is less than a year old..

As to their design, AO was fairly unique, especially for it's time. But AoC was really lacking in game design and technology. It is a closed world, not open for starters. The character classes were hugely imbalanced and some were poorly though out. End game content was very poorly designed and implemented. Graphically it was a good looking game, but again a poor decision was made in terms of character equipment. The majority of gear between 1-70 looked almost exactly the same, this destroyed desire to progress and collect that fuels MMOs.

4/15/2009 11:36:45 AM

Those are all 'was' statements. Mostly due to a pre-mature launch. Almost all of the things you listed have changed.
Also..I don't see how the game is lacking in design. It has delved into many new areas that MMoOs have never gone or even tried to go. Being the forerunner is never easy. While many will say that Funcom bit off more than it could chew I believe that they are learning a lot from mistakes made and this will benefit them greatly in the long run.

As for AO. It has a free to play option. A great majority still pay to play and only have free accounts to use for bank alts or org bots. A new expansion was just released in February which shows that the game is still relevant and a money maker for the company.

also..LOL at the Vanguard name drop. that game fails harder than anything Funcom has ever done.
AoC is still competing with Warhammer and I believe it will end up doing better in the long run than that piece of fail.

4/15/2009 11:50:41 AM

ttt

9/25/2011 5:31:15 PM

Open Beta sign-ups have started. Take the personality test and learn which faction suits you best.
http://thesecretworld.com/

Optionally you can choose to enroll in the upcoming facebook interactive "Secret War" which will help you to learn about your faction of choice and immerse the community in the coming conflict between them.

9/25/2011 5:41:34 PM

I'll give it a shot. Anarchy Online earns them my attention for at least a little bit.

9/25/2011 7:21:03 PM

Where's this personality test

9/26/2011 3:12:29 PM

If you click the secret war experience link the first thing it will have you do is select a faction or take the test.

9/26/2011 5:38:54 PM

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/10/13/the-secret-world-exclusive-trailer-conspire-with-the-illuminati-templar-or-dragon-societies/

Exclusive new trailer on PC Gamer

10/13/2011 3:54:54 PM

illuminati for me. I really hope this game doesnt use the same shitty engine as other funcom games.

10/14/2011 11:55:30 AM

I believe they have developed a new version of the Dreamworld engine specifically for Secret World.

10/16/2011 1:55:48 PM

TSW wins the Rising Star Award (Best Upcoming MMO) at MMORPG.com

http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm/loadFeature/5921/The-2011-MMORPGcom-Awards.html

12/20/2011 6:45:03 AM

12/20/2011 8:19:08 AM

Release date for The Secret World confirmed as June 19th, 2012
This is a push back from the original expected release in April.

http://www.funcom.com/news/the_secret_world_to_launch_june_19_2012

2/21/2012 2:27:47 PM

[Edited on March 25, 2012 at 9:39 AM. Reason : definitely buying]

3/25/2012 9:15:02 AM

http://thesecretworld.com/news/pre_order_now_access_exclusive_beta_weekends

4/4/2012 3:58:47 PM

I'm still debating. I really like the concept of the world (the design looks great, mob design is unique in a market full of generic humanoids) and the gameplay looks intuitive and potentially offers more freedom than the straight-lace classes in other MMOs. I'm worried about the longevity of the game versus something like Guild Wars 2 coming out. Considering it's been years since I cared enough to play and pay for an MMORPG (I quit WoW in early 2007), I'm still going to be picky.

I might have to bite though.

4/4/2012 4:17:06 PM

I've played in both the TSW and GW2 betas and I have some concerns with GW2. It seems like the more polished game at this moment, but the combat is kind of dull in my opinion. I'm not sure I like the new direction with skills they took either. At this very moment I am leaning towards TSW. This is subject to change of course as I see more stuff coming down the pipeline in the betas.

4/8/2012 7:25:12 AM

Age of Conan would have been a great competitor to DAoC. As it is, the game was released in an unstable state, and any novelty it had has long since worn off. Didn't something like 80% of people who purchased the game never actually pay for a month subscription at launch?

The only way an MMO succeeds is to incorporate the following:

1) Create content for both hardcore and casual gamers. This means that a quest and instance system is available for people who want to pug 95% of the time and take over a year to reach max level. It also means that low and mid-range instances are accessible with loose cooperation (i.e. - 20 man raid with 12-15 organized players from a guild and 5-8 pugs). The high-level instances that have less than 1% drop rates on the 1337 porpalz will always be dominated by dedicated guilds and lootwhores.

2) Not release the game until it is done (this requires massive funding). UO was done, but it was designed for 4000 players, so it's no wonder they had initial problems when 30,000 people showed up the first month. WoW wasn't released until it was finished, even though countless MMOs came out before it.

3) Have a multi-layered PvP system that rewards skill for one portion and grinding for another portion (think about arenas and Alterac Valley farming in WoW). It would also be nice if the PvP system came with generic equipment that auto-equipped when you joined the instance, so the major factor was skill rather than gear. Leave the gear advantage to open-world PvP. Go ahead and call me a care bear, but I'd rather play in a consensual PvP system where people actually wanted to compete rather than slaughtering noobs who will just teleport to another instance after a death or two. The glory days of slaughtering a miner and getting insta-rich died a long time ago and they aren't coming back. Too many websites provide player guides which weren't available in the early days of UO.

4) Make it very easy for guilds to quickly form together. I think FFXI suffered in the American market because of the minimal guild structure.

5) Have some popular license behind it. SW:TOR is a decent game with a well-known license. This is why it performs decently in terms of market share. Star Wars Galaxies was a shitty game with a well-known license, which is why it lasted for awhile and then died a quick death.

6) Make the cool shit attainable while keeping the OMGWTFBBQ shit extremely limited. Anyone who played SWG wanted to be a Jedi. NO ONE who has had sex, done drugs, been employed, not dropped out of school, or has their own place was going to go through those unclear and ridiculous requirements to maybe become a Jedi. On the other hand, for most of Vanilla WoW the Hand of Ragnaros and Thunderfury had very limited distribution (yes, I had both). Stop all the anti-ebay/IGE/etc. hate. If someone wants to spend real $ on a game then let them. When you try to police something that can't be policed then you just make it more difficult for the less-knowledgeable players to advance in that manner. The gap continues to widen, and those who get left behind cancel their subscriptions.

7) Housing Housing Housing. I would go PvP for hours in Moonglow. My girlfriend would decorate her house for hours.

WoW numbers are declining. It's no longer the behemoth that it once was, and it can be toppled. Let's not kid ourselves, though. WoW is king and unless a company is willing to invest $500 million to upwards of a billion dollars, it's unlikely that any MMO will be as successful.

WoW had a ton of content that casual people could do over time. One of the best features was that you could log in for 30 mins to an hour, do a quest or something that advanced your character (even if it was minimal advancement) and then log off.

I raided 4-5 days a week for 5 years, so my game play consisted of getting better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters so i could get better gear so i could kill harder monsters.

4/8/2012 1:41:28 PM

http://secretwar.thesecretworld.com/

The Secret War (browser based social experience) has launched. Fun social game with tons of unlockable content for The Secret World.

4/20/2012 12:30:55 PM

What are the hardware requirements for this?

Will it run off my iPad?

4/20/2012 12:43:29 PM

http://www.thesecretworld.com/news/the_secret_world_beta_weekend_3_hell_raised

Beta weekend in full swing! Probably pretty easy to get a key from one of the partner sites. There is another weekend planned to start June 22nd.

6/16/2012 9:27:46 AM

15k/s download for 12.9gb of game..

6/16/2012 5:56:54 PM

looks like that was a proxy issue. seems windows doesnt have a global proxy setting so every app grabs the IE settings

6/16/2012 8:44:57 PM

The world seems amazing, but it's suffering from the same problem I have with most of these games: The movement/controls seem clunky as shit. Your toon is just sliding all around and movement isn't precise.

6/17/2012 4:07:14 PM

who else played the beta? how is this game?

6/27/2012 10:02:03 PM

Major bump.

I played during their one month open weekend celebration, and have subsequently purchased the game. It's definitely a very fun game, and while I'm not sure it lived up to some of the hype, it's innovative in a lot of ways and, for me at least, it represents a niche MMO market and something that really appeals to me. The setting is obviously modern, and the factions have three different takes on it. I've played through all the early faction "exposition," and they all have interesting qualities.

The game's structure as far as characters and building stats is fun and has plenty of room for being unique (while also having a lot of hand-holding for those who don't want to fudge it up). I'm playing how I want to play it (currently building a "solo" type character using Assault Rifles and Fist Weapons, which is high DPS and passive healing).

I love the modern sci-fi fantasy with the horror thriller twist. The horror aspects of this game make it for me. The first game region you end up in is taken straight from a Lovecraft horror novel, and while they are very forward in the influence (one of the main streets is named Lovecraft), they really do make it their own with unique enemy designs, a catchy storyline, and some fantastic environments.

I will say a couple things: I decided to play because I have other friends playing, but also because this is an opportunity to participate in a game's early days--which I rarely seem to do with MMORPGs. I always come late and nothing seems to really be developing. With this, they really are pushing the game forward at a fast pace (on Aug 28th there's a major revamp to New York City, a new raid, and some new game features). Some have argued the game doesn't seem like it has enough content for a major release--right now it's three faction cities (New York City, London, Seoul), three major world zones (New England, Eygpt, Transylvania) and each world zone has three regions (New England: Kingsmouth Town, The Savage Coast, Blue Mountain--that's as far as I am, oops).

This game will definitely go free to play. It's a FUNCOM game, and the MMO market is pushing in that direction. They were definitely prepared in advanced for it, and while that might leave a bitter taste for some, I decided it was worth it for me.



EDIT: Forgot to say one thing I thought I liked about this game. I do like that it allows for a lot of movement as you play. There is an "active dodge" mechanic that you WILL use and USE FREQUENTLY because mobs have AoE type attacks (that are very cool, not just hitting you or shooting you). Most characters are going to be mobile, even mid-to-long range attackers (only a few abilities require channeling without motion), though healers might be a bit more stationary as expected. VERY interesting combinations of attacks and skills.

[Edited on August 20, 2012 at 7:24 PM. Reason : f]

8/20/2012 7:21:24 PM

So, if I get this game, how do I connect with you (meaning pick the right server, friend requests, etc)?

8/21/2012 12:16:34 PM

Intresting mechanic they have, friends and parties can form cross-server. So if you're on a different server and you want to quest with me or anyone else, you can "meetup" through the group and you're temporarily in the other person's server for as long as you're in the group.

More about TSW:

They have this fun gameplay format where it's not as much handholding as say WoW. You have fetch quests where you have to run and kill something, or timed events where you have to kill waves of enemies, or do more complicated goals, but another major quest format are "mysteries" which are basically puzzles. They give you a goal and point you in the right direction, but from there you have to decipher clues to find the next step. It's a lot of riddles, hidden messages in graphic posters, following environmental clues, et cetera. Some are more apparent than others, but some are really difficult (there's a LOT of latin in this game).

And by the way, anyone who is thinking about this game over something like Guild Wars 2--if GW2 is something you like, then I can honestly say you should probably shoot for that. TSW is not as polished or sprawling as GW2 must surely be, and TSW still has a $15 monthly fee--obviously GW2 will not. As I said before, I chose TSW over GW2 (or any other current or soon-to-be Pay-for-Game Free-to-Play) because it has modern scifi and horror elements--which for me is a big break from the high fantasy games.

8/21/2012 12:56:26 PM

Yeah, the environment makes me want to try this. I don't really want to play another game with elves in it for the rest of my life. Signed up for the trial but probably won't mess with it for a few days.

8/21/2012 1:04:29 PM

downloading...jesus fuck 14GB...about an hour left at this rate

8/21/2012 8:44:09 PM

http://kotaku.com/5937080/the-secret-world-developer-lays-off-around-half-its-staff

game's days are numbered. gamestop has it on sale for $25

8/23/2012 6:28:42 PM

the game is buy to play now (like guild wars). it's a pretty good game. i picked it up on amazon for $15. very good escapism and engrossing story telling. everything feels relevant rather than mindless farm/slaughter quests. i've done all my playing with a partner but i think the game lends itself well to a single player experience as well.

1/12/2013 7:08:54 PM