It's MAG's launch day! Yaaaaay! The servers are up, the sides are being formed, and the never-ending Shadow War and contract tossing has begun. Another MMO action game has invaded the console realm and that's a good thing, even if you may not be a huge fan of MAG.
Even if MAG isn't your thing, you can still participate in today's question, dear readers! MAG prominently features three different armies -- Raven, VALOR, and S.V.E.R. Each army has its own style and way of getting things done. Raven Industries leans heavily on technology, preferring to use devices and upgrades to carry out the mission in a suave, European style. Meanwhile, across the pond, VALOR Company recruits ex-soldiers from the American military, preferring to win conflict through grit, determination, and large guns. Then, coming from the cold climate of Russia, Seryi Volk Executive Response (S.V.E.R.) is all about finishing the mission with what you have available. They cobble together their weaponry, their uniforms, and whatever they need to get the job done.
Of these three factions, which one are you joining, or would you join in MAG? Why does that army pop out at you over the other two? Take your time, think it through, and then declare your allegiance in the comment threads. Go go go!
Reader Comments (19)
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 8:16AM (Unverified) said
I'd join Raven, partly because it's from Europe, and because of the reasons outlined in various 'Massively Speaking' episodes.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 9:07AM Thac0 said
What faction has the cute blonde? Thats where I'm headed.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 9:14AM Joshua Przygocki said
Сомядdєѕ, јоїп мє їп тнє вдттІє fоя Ѕ.V.Э.Я!!!
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 9:45AM Flicktion said
Had a blast in the beta, this game is extremely fun. I'll definitely be sticking with S.E.V.R, they do have Hockey masks after all. Having much more fun with this game than I have with any MMO recently.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 9:47AM Flicktion said
T.T Damn it.
S.E.V.R, S.V.E.R, same difference.
S.E.V.R, S.V.E.R, same difference.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 9:59AM kasapina said
Raven, although SVER (братушки!) sounds a lot of fun too.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 10:01AM (Unverified) said
Can't wait to pick it up later today, silly job and having to make money...
I still want to know why Massively thinks this is an MMO. Is it the fact it's online only? Is 256 people really massive at all? Some form of persistence, even though it's pretty much just a score board? GA actually has some form of area control system in place. What I wanted to see from MAG was something similar to WWII Online (if anyone remembers that.) A map with fronts which shifted as battles and areas were won and lost.
I mean... where is the team fortress 2 news on this site, it's essentially the same logic. Rankings, classes, items, hell it even has crafting now.
I still want to know why Massively thinks this is an MMO. Is it the fact it's online only? Is 256 people really massive at all? Some form of persistence, even though it's pretty much just a score board? GA actually has some form of area control system in place. What I wanted to see from MAG was something similar to WWII Online (if anyone remembers that.) A map with fronts which shifted as battles and areas were won and lost.
I mean... where is the team fortress 2 news on this site, it's essentially the same logic. Rankings, classes, items, hell it even has crafting now.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 11:39AM Anatidae said
I am confused too. But the opposite way. How is Champions more persistent than MAG. It isn't like your actions do anything to ever change the world. In both cases your character advances through some sort of unlock/level system. Yet MAG handles 156 more people per instance than Champions does.
Of course, that is Cryptic - developing MMOs that feel more like lobbies to enter a 20-100 man instance.
Massive Multiplayer Online... These are all adjectives to something. Role Playing Game? World? First Person Shooter? Poker? You can put all sorts of things after MMO.
In fact, I find more teamwork - better PUGs - and more skilled players in Left 4 Dead 2 (which is massive in the number of people playing online at once time) than I do in most of the currently running MMOs. That I find sad and I think it leaves a big challenge for MMO developers to step it up. It sounds like MAG is going to be another example of a game where real multiplayer interaction means winning and more fun.
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Of course, that is Cryptic - developing MMOs that feel more like lobbies to enter a 20-100 man instance.
Massive Multiplayer Online... These are all adjectives to something. Role Playing Game? World? First Person Shooter? Poker? You can put all sorts of things after MMO.
In fact, I find more teamwork - better PUGs - and more skilled players in Left 4 Dead 2 (which is massive in the number of people playing online at once time) than I do in most of the currently running MMOs. That I find sad and I think it leaves a big challenge for MMO developers to step it up. It sounds like MAG is going to be another example of a game where real multiplayer interaction means winning and more fun.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 12:56PM Nottom said
This is here because Colin likes to use Massively as a personal soapbox when he's not getting enough traffic on his blog.
Nothing personal Colin (or whatever you go by now), I just often find your posts to be less than interesting and frequently off topic and this attempt to push a game that's clearly not an MMO is just another fine example.
This is not a slam of the game, by the way, fanboys. Never played it, have no interest. I prefer actual MMO's.
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Nothing personal Colin (or whatever you go by now), I just often find your posts to be less than interesting and frequently off topic and this attempt to push a game that's clearly not an MMO is just another fine example.
This is not a slam of the game, by the way, fanboys. Never played it, have no interest. I prefer actual MMO's.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 11:43AM (Unverified) said
I'm thinking Raven, but the SVER sounds cool. I don't know yet. I just picked up my copy this morning, eating breakfast, and about to pop it in.
I guess I'll decide on a whim when I get in-game :)
I guess I'll decide on a whim when I get in-game :)
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 12:49PM Nottom said
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
NOT AN MMO
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 1:25PM Devoid said
I played the beta for a while. Not a bad game at all but i have to agree with Tim
NOT AN MMO
There is about as much MMO in this game as there is MW2
NOT AN MMO
There is about as much MMO in this game as there is MW2
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 1:44PM Thac0 said
they have already stated on here that anything can be an mmo because the term means nothing to them. Someone wrote a two page article on it. Massively will talk about anything multiplayer online. They should call it "multiplayeronline.com" instead of massively.
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Posted: Jan 26th 2010 1:29PM aquastorm said
I'd say it's pretty obvious at this point that Massively is receiving some kind of advertising revenue for covering MAG so much as it's NOT an MMO not to mention it's NOT a good game. It's getting 8s at best in most reviews.... I thought it odd that Massively was covering this game so much and now I realize why..... It's all about the Benjamins folks! Money talks.. B$lls*^t walks or in this case blogs.....
Posted: Jan 27th 2010 5:02PM (Unverified) said
Yeah, covering MAG is a major advertising revenue booster! I am sure....
Furthermore, who cares that this game is not "massive" in the sense of the modern day MMO. Why must you be so confined and categorical in your thinking. Why don't you remove the +20 homosexual staff from your ass and start playing real games.
like MAG!
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Furthermore, who cares that this game is not "massive" in the sense of the modern day MMO. Why must you be so confined and categorical in your thinking. Why don't you remove the +20 homosexual staff from your ass and start playing real games.
like MAG!
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 7:10PM Seraphina Brennan said
Yes, I totally gave it a glowing review in our first impressions of the game. I scored it a perfect 10 and said you needed to go out and pick it up immediate.
Go look it up, but I'll give ya a preview: I wasn't that nice to it.
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Go look it up, but I'll give ya a preview: I wasn't that nice to it.
Posted: Jan 26th 2010 8:14PM (Unverified) said
Huh, I dunno why they didn't just go Planetside on it. Same concept, but a true MMO. PS had up to 400 per continent at once (they lowered it from its former level of 600 to reduce lag, but hey, it was 2004, the squirrels powering the servers weren't fully grown then :) ). So, well, kudos on making a modern PS, except for the whole it'ssortalikeanMMObutnotreallybutprettycloseright? thing. /shrug










