Massive Action Game (MAG) Megathread - Move support and BETA coming!

Jan 29, 2009
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Basic battles will take place within ongoing, faction-based campaigns to encourage the player to actively play, with at least three factions being considered for inclusion; including American, European and Middle Eastern factions.

The game's E3 unveiling trailer featured large landscapes, tactics such as air strikes and parachuting, and a variety of vehicles, from tanks and APCs to airplanes. The game will boast numerous classes for players to specialize in; including medics, commandos and field demolition specialists. It has not been announced if the game will be a third person shooter, like Zipper's previous SOCOM games, or a first person shooter.

MAG: Massive Action Game is the tentative name for an upcoming MMO shooter exclusively for the PlayStation 3 in development by Zipper Interactive. The game was announced at Sony's E3 2008 press conference, and will be released sometime in 2009. Various subtitles are being considered for the game, including MAG: Shadow War, MAG: Zero, MAG: Global Assault and MAG: Final Hour.

MAGboxart.jpg

A PS3 exclusive, the game will utilize a new server architecture to support online battles with up to 256 players, with users divided into 8-player squads. Each squad will be led by a player who has advanced through the game's ranking system. Character statistics and development will also increase with frequent gameplay. The players most advanced in rank will be able to either direct the battle or participate directly in combat.

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Official Website: http://us.playstation.com/mag
 
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MAG, or Massive Action Game, was first announced last year at E3 by a pre-rendered teaser trailer. The game, due sometime within the 2009 fiscal year, will employ a new server set up that will allow for up to 256 players to engage in epic battles across large landscapes. Outside of that, though, Zipper Interactive has been silent about the title.

Earlier today, popular gaming magazine GamePro revealed their cover for April 2009. The April issue features the worldwide premiere of the G.I. Joe game, hitting just about every platform since the Atari Jaguar. PS3 enthusiasts may have something more to look forward to, though. The cover also promises some new info on MAG and Uncharted 2 as well.

The April 2009 issue should be hitting newstands relatively soon, so if you're interest in MAG has been piqued, keep those eyes peeled!

MAG is a massively multiplayer online shooter, developed by Zipper Interactive(creators of the original SOCOM games). The titles is due out in the 2009 fiscal year, exclusively on the PS3.
 
nice screenshots. I'm looking for some actual gameplay though. Still not sure about this game until i see gameplay video.

And what is it with Sony saying games due out in 2009 when they are talking fiscal year 2009 and everybody out there believes the actual year 2009. That is very lame.

I remember microsoft/xbox division bagging on Sony for revealing games soon and then the games always being delayed etc. I agree....They always get everybody's hopes up and then you have to wait even longer. Remember when 2008 was supposed to be the year of the PS3 games? There were good/great games. But, some got delayed to 2009. Then it was 2009 the year of the PS3 games and now some are delayed to 2010. They needa get it straight on this. It's pretty annoying. just my 3 cents. lol
 
Only Possible on PS3

Source: news.spong.com/article/17584/Sony_MAG_Not_Possible_on_Xbox_360

Sony: MAG Not Possible on Xbox 360

John Koller, director of hardware marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment America, has taken a swipe at the Xbox 360, saying that Sony's 256-player shoot 'em up, MAG (Massive Action Game), can only be done on the PS3.

“If you look at that competitively, it’s something that’s only possible on PS3. The processor speed, the ability of PS3 to showcase 256 players at any given time, and their actions”, he told VG247.

He explained the concept a little further, saying, “It’s basically like an iteration of SOCOM, where you’re maybe commanding the SEALs, and someone else has the Rangers, and the Green Berets, and so on”.

That, of course, makes sense. Zipper - which is developing the game - has turned out six SOCOM games.

The game was revealed at Sony's E3 conference last year, but not much has been seen of it since. It's expected to be released later this year.
 
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Sony has sent word that the official website for MAG is now online for your viewing pleasure. There isnt anything there, at least noticeable, to see but at the front page, you see a world map with a scroller. Point it towards the Russian border (we think, our geo, not good so) and it gets more orange, it even shows a screenshot or two, but we cant tell if their new or not, its a blink or you’ll miss moment.

The game’s out (maybe) this year for PLAYSTATION 3, it’s developed by Zipper Interactive, the guys who created SOCOM and was revealed at the end of Sony’s press conference at E3 last July.

http://us.playstation.com/mag
 
Here I go I guess. Just typing it as I read it lol

-2 to 256 Players
-'hopes' for 30FPS when all the action is going down at all times
-Dedicated servers with new network architectures to help reduce lag
-Streamline matches to reduce need to wait.
-All audio cues (planes flying by, air raid sirens) are actual players causing it or player triggered actions. This can happen in other regions and you can hear in distance.
-PunkBuster quality cheating detection. System tests for things like rate of fire/movement/damage to keep things in check
-First Person view (better sense of scale and immersion into game)
-20 years in future, 3 major PMCs bid for war. The power struggle of these 3 dubbed Shadow War
3 Factions, only 2 announced now: Raven(high tech weapons, most trained soldiers on planet. Will appeal to Halo/Resistances fans). Sver(fierce fighters from middle east/central Asia area. Battle harden warriors)
-256 Domination mode. Attackers and defenders. Out layer of defense and inner layer. Once gone through the out layer 'hell breaks loose'. Anti-aircraft and radar are vulnerable. If your faction wins alot it gets the contract for that game mode and gets XP bonuses and perks.
-3 other game modes: Acquisition(128 player escort-style mode. Steal 2 prototype armored transports and bring to extraction zone). Sabotage(64player, control 2 points for X time then a demolition objective is revealed which must be destroyed). Suppression(64 player team deathmatch)
-Customize face, voice, armor.
-No soldier class system, but has a free-form kit creation. Can save 3 different load-outs. Depending on your choice of weapons, it can be told by looking at you so others can tell. Change your load-out to match how the battle is going.
-Snipers can get more than normal XP for killing people in designated areas of importance
-Ranking up gives access to new weapons/perks/leadership positions.
-Recognizes issues with large scale maps and the traveling.

-8 player into a squad, 4 squads into a platoon, 4 platoons into a company (US Military)
-Certain goals for each squad/platoon etc. Have 2ndary goals like blowing bridges.
-Veteran ranks can enlist into leadership roles, give orders to squad, then platoon, then the company(OIC)
-Officer only communication channel to help organize the battle


-Want to be approachable to casual yet have alot of features for the hardcore.
-Been running 256 player tests since Nov. 08 and plans to have closed/open betas.

Source: Neogaf - Corran Horn
 
those features sound exciting. i think they could have a great game on their hands if they can keep the frame rate up during the all out battles. if there is lag or major dips in FR, then no matter how awesome the features make the game, it will suck to play that way.
 
those features sound exciting. i think they could have a great game on their hands if they can keep the frame rate up during the all out battles. if there is lag or major dips in FR, then no matter how awesome the features make the game, it will suck to play that way.

I agree. If they do have it running smoothly though sounds like it will be a lot of fun. And I like the cheat buster thing they have. Looking for un normal fire rates and such.
 
Joystiq hands-on: MAG

Little has been heard about MAG, Sony's ambitious 256-person online shooter that was announced during last year's E3. In fact, other than the CG trailer shown at the conference, there has been an almost total lockdown on any information related to the game. Last week, however, all that changed during Sony's Seattle Gamers Day event.
The event was held at developer Zipper Interactive's Redmond, Washington headquarters, where studio heads Jim Bosler and Brian Soderberg took the stage to explain MAG, the technology behind it, and how the game actually works with 256 people.

With a long history of making online shooters (the developer was the first to bring an online game to the PS2 with the first SOCOM), Zipper has been working hard to make sure that players will experience a smooth and pleasant experience, even when playing against a couple hundred other people. In fact, it's been running weekly 256-player tests since late last year with SCEA folks in California in order to test the network technology -- Zipper says it's already achieved smooth gameplay.

Concept-wise, the idea behind MAG was to be able to re-create battles on the scale of Blackhawk Down, with hundreds of well trained soldiers engaging in highly coordinated battles across large areas. In order to do this, the developer has created one of the most robust command systems we've ever seen in a videogame.


When you first jump into the game, you are auto-matched into squads of eight with a dedicated squad leader. Each squad is a member of a platoon with three other squads, which also has a dedicated commander. Finally, each platoon is a member of the army with a top level commander overseeing everything. So, ultimately the goal is to have two 128-member armies battling it out with commanders issuing orders, while smaller squads and platoons engage in skirmishes while working towards the final goal of the map.


Full 2 page article here

Source: Joystiq
 
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