[PS Move] MAG – Version 2 Patch Out Now - Joins Greatest Hits Lineup

[DezNutz]

blog.mag.com | www.mag.com

MAG Escalation: A Closer Look

MAG Character Customization: The New Standard

MAG “Moves,” Plus Our New Beta Program

If you’re a fan of our massive 256-player first-person shooter, MAG, then today’s news should be of great interest to you.

Truth be told, we have so many tremendous revisions coming to our “ever-changing global war” that it’s almost impossible to tell you about everything we have planned in a single article… but we have to begin somewhere, and we’re starting with PlayStation Move!

That’s right, later this Autumn MAG will offer full compatibility with the PlayStation Move! This added support means that users have another way to experience the most ambitious first-person shooter out there. Pinpoint accuracy and easy access to all of the game’s mechanics ensure that players of any type — be they hardened veterans or new recruits — can enjoy a shooting experience unlike any other.

But PlayStation Move support isn’t all we’re working on. Because our upcoming content is so important to the game and its future, we want your assistance to make sure we get it right! With that notion in mind we’re pleased to announce that, one week from today on August 24, we’re inviting existing MAG owners to take part in the all-new MAG Beta program!

Raven, SVER and Valor chill on Silverback Ridge.

What are you going to play and test, you ask? How about the oft-demanded “Clan Deploy” feature that allows clan leaders to choose any game type and queue up to 128 clan members for matches as a team? Sure, that’s a great start but we’re also bringing in a brand-new Skill tree system that improves how our character customization system works — complete with new skills and new abilities. What’s more is that we’re introducing an in-game economy system that allows users to earn “Credit Points” by completing objectives, finishing missions, and killing enemies. They can then spend those points to purchase new weapons and gear.

MAG Beta testers will also have the opportunity to try out our upcoming DLC game-type, “Escalation,” well before it becomes available. The most frenetic MAG game mode yet, Escalation offers three brand-new faction-neutral maps with never-before-seen environments that pit a total of 96 players from all three PMCs against each other simultaneously. For the first time ever, Raven, Valor and SVER will be on a single map going after the same objectives at the same time. It’s complete insanity and a whole lot of fun, and we can’t wait for you to try it out. As an added bonus, we’re including nine all-new weapons that add even more firepower to your already-sweet arsenal as well.

Radiant Barrens is hot!

That’s not all, of course, as we have plenty of other surprises in store for the new MAG Beta program that we haven’t mentioned yet — like the beta’s ability to support multiple character slots so that players can check out each PMC — but some things are best left for you to discover on your own.

To participate in the new MAG beta, all you have to do is download the client software from the PlayStation Store when it becomes available next week, insert your MAG disc into the PlayStation 3, sign-in to the beta client and… BOOM! You’re good to go. Reminder: You must have the MAG disc in your PS3 in order for the new beta client to work.

Amazingly, today’s announcement only scratches the surface of what’s planned for MAG’s future. That’s why we’re updating the Official MAG Blog constantly over the next few weeks with new and more detailed information of what you can look forward to. We’re even holding a special edition of our popular Zipline Podcast this Friday that will answer your questions about our future plans with special guest, Zipper Game Director Seth Luisi (if you have a question for the podcast, post it here)!

As always, the entire team at Zipper Interactive would like to thank you, our fans, for your feedback, loyalty and enthusiasm. Your continued support is what makes MAG what it is today, and it’s what inspires us to to make it better.

Sony Computer Entertainment America presents a Zipper Interactive game.
Only On PlayStation 3.

Genre: First Person Shooter
Players: 2-256 Players Online
Extras: Dedicated Servers
Rating: ESRB Teen, PEGI 16

Released on Blu-ray Disc: OUT NOW

LAUNCH TRAILER

OVERVIEW

The year is 2025. The optimism and harmony of the 2010's were completely eradicated by 2020. A global crisis loomed. Food shortages sparked riots, currencies plummeted, fuel reserves dwindled, and oil-producing nations began to ration what remained. It is a dark future. Governments earmarked money for humanitarian efforts, overseas security, and intelligence services which, over time, found its way the coffers of a small group of Private Military Companies (PMCs). These three private armies (Valor, Raven, and S.V.E.R.) then began to recruit aggressively. Soldiers without a country, the contractors fight wars that never happened. This is the nature of the Shadow War.

From the award-winning developer, Zipper Interactive, comes the next evolution in gaming – MAG. A first-person, online-only shooter, MAG lets you experience battles with up to 256 real people across a global battlefield. Players join one of three PMCs fighting each other in a shadow war and can either become skilled operatives or rank up to eventually command their private army to victory. Featuring unprecedented online action of a scale never before devised with player controlled strategic assets such as calling in air strikes, mortar barrages and parachute insertions; the persistent Shadow War in MAG keeps players coming back for more.

Utilizing a sophisticated ranking system and chain of command model, MAG manages the large number of players by breaking them down into squads of eight players. Players climb their way up the chain of command to take control of their 8-person squad, then 32-person platoon, and ultimately a 128-person army.

FEATURES

• Unprecedented Action – For the first time ever, fight 256 real player battles in hi-def online combat for contracts around the world.
• Command Structure – Rise through the chain of command, earning the right to lead an eight-man squad, 32-man platoon, and even command a full 128-man army.
• Persistent Shadow War – Each battle victory or loss contributes to your PMCs world standing, moving it on the offensive or pulling them back to the defensive.
• Choose an army – Three distinct PMCs from which to choose from, each with their own storied history, personality, and style.
• Customization – Customize your character and begin to pursue a wide variety of combat specialties. Become an elite fighter or a general of an army.

[Slackr89]

lol, i was going to create a thread like this when i got home in 6hrs.

[brett_day]

Originally Posted by Slackr89

lol, i was going to create a thread like this when i got home in 6hrs.

why create another thread for it when it is already being discussed in detail in a couple of other threads?

[AliceT]

Since its 256 players, it deserves 256 threads!

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by brett_day

why create another thread for it when it is already being discussed in detail in a couple of other threads?

because it would be nice to have 1 thread specifically to discuss MAG, we don't want to have all the information on MAG scattered throughout 4 different threads.

New info on teh game should be placed here now. So, when we don't see this game again til next years E3, we can revive this thread to post about it again.

[darkpoet25]

From the footage I saw on G4 the other night about this game, I am really interested in knowing more now. It's crazy that 256 people will be able to play online in the game, granted it's going to be 8-player squads.

[Wreck]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

because it would be nice to have 1 thread specifically to discuss MAG, we don't want to have all the information on MAG scattered throughout 4 different threads.

New info on teh game should be placed here now. So, when we don't see this game again til next years E3, we can revive this thread to post about it again.

Yah, so long as the OP continues to edit and update his main post with news.

[Slackr89]

Originally Posted by darkpoet25

From the footage I saw on G4 the other night about this game, I am really interested in knowing more now. It's crazy that 256 people will be able to play online in the game, granted it's going to be 8-player squads.

itll be cool to see all 16 or w/e squads working together to invade the enemy city...such as we saw in the trailer

[jubei29]

I'm very intrigued to see how this is going to pan out. 256 is way to many people to work together without a few rogue kids sabotaging their own teams. I can see it now, a 256 man battle and half the team never shows up to the fight because they're fighting 100 of their own teammates over disagreements. The most epic battle within a battle in online history. lol

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by Slackr89

itll be cool to see all 16 or w/e squads working together to invade the enemy city...such as we saw in the trailer

what they should do is have a system where the 256 people are broken into 2 teams. Inside each team there are 16 groups of 8.

Each group of 8 has a specific objective that works towards defeating all 128 people on the enemy team. Completing the objective nets your group bonus points. If your team defeats the enemy (killing or capturing all 128 people) you also net bonus points.

Points are awarded individually for kills and assists.

Here is a situation and how it would play out.

Team 1 is in a fortress surrounded by a great wall.

Some groups in Team 1 are up on the wall as Snipers, other groups in Team 1 set up traps outside the fortress. The snipers job is to protect the trap setters by killing off groups from Team 2 whose job is to elimate the trap setters . The Team 1 fortress has a door to it. There is 2 groups of parachuters in Team 2, who will try to land inside the Fortress. 1 group is riflemen whose job is to protect the explosives experts who are trying to advnce to the door to blow it up, so the Fortress can be breached by another group in Team 2. Thats how I kind of picture it being set up. Of course there will be different teams too, who do different things, that is just a taste of it. If 1 team is eliminated it puts a group of people at a huge disadvantage. For example if the doors can not be blown up, Team 2 would have to fire from the outside, as Team 1 got the advantage of a wall and height.

[Slackr89]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

what they should do is have a system where the 256 people are broken into 2 teams. Inside each team there are 16 groups of 8.

Each group of 8 has a specific objective that works towards defeating all 128 people on the enemy team. Completing the objective nets your group bonus points. If your team defeats the enemy (killing or capturing all 128 people) you also net bonus points.

Points are awarded individually for kills and assists.

ya, i hope thats what there doing. with each team trying to defend their city/posts on the map

[silversnake]

Originally Posted by stockstar1138

what they should do is have a system where the 256 people are broken into 2 teams. Inside each team there are 16 groups of 8.

Each group of 8 has a specific objective that works towards defeating all 128 people on the enemy team. Completing the objective nets your group bonus points. If your team defeats the enemy (killing or capturing all 128 people) you also net bonus points.

Points are awarded individually for kills and assists.

ya. it's going to be like a huge CTF map just no flags, different objectives. 256 is very intriguing, i wonder if they were will be some type of MMO involved with that many people

[Bageara]

Found this little bit, but not much info about MAG around at this point
It will be split into 8 player squads though
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=183550

[ground chuck]

idea is good, i dunno if the server is going to be able to handle 256 players all at once.

[daisuke149]

Originally Posted by ground chuck

idea is good, i dunno if the server is going to be able to handle 256 players all at once.

silly you.

the servers will be CELL based IBM servers. with alot of spu's easily handle it duh!

[DezNutz]

All I know is they got the right developers working on this title, and they have been working on this title for over two years now... so I am VERY intrigued.

Zipper has developed their own code/engine for many of the specality items they need for this game.. you do remeber Socom servers held 256 player per server right? well now that server is dedicated to each game.. basically same setup. The lag and gameplay is big question, I really like the fact they break em down to teams of 8... I am guessing each with their own mic channel.. and with individual missions, I am guessing to hope to keep the odds of more than 32 in any one area limited, which would work well with the developed Socom lag code they already had..

[Icemage]

Originally Posted by DezNutz

All I know is they got the right developers working on this title, and they have been working on this title for over two years now... so I am VERY intrigued.

Three years, actually. Development on MAG started in 2005.

[CptGreedle]

MAG looks really exciting! But how will this all be handled? Is it 2 teams split into squads, is it a many sides, or are there many options for battles?
How long will it take to find 255 other people to play against?
Will each team/side be commanded by a single commander who orchestrates the strategy? Or will this all be controlled by set goals and missions arranged by a computer?
How big will squads be? Will they have clans?
How much character customization will there be? Male and female characters? Different voices? Uniforms?
How will you choose your weapons?
How many characters can you have (since they said the character can develop)?
What weapons will there be? What skills?


These are all questions I eagerly await answers to.. that and of course "What will the game play graphics look like?".

[coralfangs]

The replay value is huge on this if they implement the squad objectives well.

[Aaron]

Saw this in a comment on Digg:

Finally, my dream.

All I want is one map. No trees. No rivers. No holes. No sniper rifles, just close range weapons. An open area with a few small hills on each end.

128 people one one end. 128 people on the other.

It's time for ****ing Braveheart

Couldn't agree more.