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Hands-on with The Secret World's mission system

Jef Reahard — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, Previews, PvE, Opinion, The Secret World, Massively Hands-on, First Impressions, Guides

So The Secret World's mission system treads well off the beaten MMO path. It's pretty cool, actually, though portions of it may irritate quest-grinders who just want to blow through zones on their way to the game's equivalent of a max-level toon.

For the rest of us, there's a nifty interface, some challenging puzzles, and plenty of well-written quest text and dialogue to keep us entertained for weeks at a time.

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Hands-on with The Secret World's mission system originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World launching June 19th

Jef Reahard — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Horror, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World

Funcom has decided to push back The Secret World's launch by a couple of months. The Norwegian development firm originally intended its horror-conspiracy MMO to ship in April, but a new press release has targeted June 19th instead.

Creative director Ragnar Tørnquist says the new launch window will allow Funcom to make the title that much more compelling. "Allowing for even more time to polish the game really shows just how much faith Funcom as a company has in The Secret World, and how committed we are to making it the best it can be," he explains.

Tørnquist also hints at further beta opportunities for both fans and curiosity seekers. "The additional time will also allow us to carry out even more quality beta testing, and soon we will also be announcing several public beta events where hundreds of thousands of gamers will get to test the game prior to launch," he says.

The Secret World is a skill-based MMO set in the modern age. It mixes traditional MMO progression with a unique skill deck system and story-driven questing.

[Source: Funcom press release]

The Secret World launching June 19th originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Marvel Heroes, The Secret World, Warhammer 40k, DUST 514, TERA, EverQuest Next, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous, ArcheAge, WildStar

While I'm on board the Star Wars: The Old Republic train (at least until SOE's Star Wars: The New Republic comes out in 2014 and forces SWTOR to shut down), I can certainly sympathize with the frustration that non-fans are feeling right about now. There are few things more annoying than not being into the latest craze -- or hating it outright -- and yet being unable to escape it.

So I'm here to say to you today that, like World of Warcraft, SWTOR isn't the be-all, end-all of the MMO field. It's a part of it, but just one part, and there are many, many others in the works as we speak. Mama always told me never to put all your eggs in one basket anyway, so I'm spreading my eggcitement across many cyber-nests.

This is the bone I'm throwing to all of you this week: a list of 10 Midichlorian-free MMOs that have me -- and should have you -- extremely buzzed about their development. In putting together this list, I realized that there are so many promising prospects that I divided them into two groups. This week I'm presenting the strongest contenders that should make it to launch with a solid product, while next time I'll list promising prospects that may be more of a long shot. I'm 47% confident that I will not forget your most-anticipated title.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders

The Perfect Ten: The upcoming contenders originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands-on impressions of The Secret World

François Blondin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, Horror, Sci-fi, Events, real-world, New titles, Previews, PvP, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, The Secret World, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage, Dungeons, Crafting

Last month, Funcom held a special hands-on event for The Secret World at its Montreal, Canada offices, where we sent freelancer François Blondin to cover all the exciting details. François also got to play the game for several hours, giving us a fresh perspective on what TSW has to offer MMO gamers.

In Funcom's upcoming The Secret World, the game's three factions -- Templars, Illuminati and Dragons -- face off, compete, and collaborate (all at the same time!) amidst the nightmarish creatures being revealed throughout the world. But choose your allegiance carefully: Your faction determines your path and special bonuses for the whole game, and faction-switching won't be an option. Join me for a hands-on look at the game's current incarnation!

Gallery: The Secret World

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Hands-on impressions of The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tørnquist divulges the secrets of the Templars in new interview

Matt Daniel — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, News items, The Secret World

The Secret World's week of the Templars continues today with a new interview over at IGN. The game's head-honcho, Ragnar Tørnquist, gives fans the skinny on what drives the ancient order of the Templars. The organization's goal is simple: Eradicate evil at all costs. Of course, the Templars are rather scrupulous in regard to what qualifies as evil. For instance, they firmly believe that the use of blood magic is unclean, but that doesn't stop them from using it for themselves. Fight fire with fire and all that. For the full 411 on what the Templars are all about, head on over to the full interview.

Ragnar Tørnquist divulges the secrets of the Templars in new interview originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Week of the Templars storms The Secret World

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Galleries, Screenshots, Previews, The Secret World

Moving away from the Far East machinations of the Dragon faction, The Secret World is instead heading to the refined, cultured setting of the UK as it shines a spotlight on the Templar faction for an entire week.

The Templars are perhaps the most famous of The Secret World's three factions, with historical roots in the Crusades starting in the 12th century. While they may not maintain a low profile, the Templars do keep a tight lid on the inner workings of this secret society. Senior Producer Ragnar Tørnquist describes the organization succinctly: "Uncompromising and fiercely brutal, the Templars is an organization with a single goal: to eradicate evil no matter how long it takes them. This is a great opportunity to shed some light on this secret society."

The Week of the Templars will cover the range of artwork, videos, and interviews. To kick it off, Funcom has released six new screenshots of the Templars, including the group's base of operations and agents in action. You can take a look at them all in the gallery below.

Gallery: The Secret World

Week of the Templars storms The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World's Dragon Week continues with new video, interview

Matt Daniel — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Lore, Previews, News items, The Secret World

Dragon Week is in full swing over at The Secret World, and today players get a double dose of Dragon with a new video and an interview with Ragnar Tørnquist. The video highlights a previous trailer's character -- referred to hereafter as Milkshake Girl -- and her initiation into the Dragon. Poor Milkshake Girl's idea of chaos prior to the Dragon was "a messy apartment," but disorderly living spaces have nothing on the Dragon concept of chaos, as the video points out.

The interview focuses entirely on, surprise, the Dragon faction and the lore behind it. Tørnquist is reluctant to give away any juicy gameplay details, however, and refuses to reveal what faction-specific abilities the Dragon will have access to. But if you're a lore junkie, read on: Tørnquist discusses the hierarchy of the Dragon, the organization's modus operandi, the central characters of the faction, and the group's relation to the Templar, Illuminati, and the Council of Venice. So head on over to IGN for the full interview, jump past the cut for the video, and remember, Dragon Week isn't over yet. Check back tomorrow to see what else Funcom has in store.

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The Secret World's Dragon Week continues with new video, interview originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World kicks off Week of the Dragon

Matt Daniel — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Screenshots, News items, The Secret World

Take a seat, Templars and Illuminati -- it's the Dragons' time to shine. Over at The Secret World's official site, Funcom has announced this week as Dragon week, meaning that as the week goes by, we'll be granted new information and assets focused on the Seoul-based secret society. The game's director, Ragnar Tørnquist, says, "Revealing new things about the Dragon is exciting for us, as the very nature of the Dragon is to stay hidden and create chaos behind the scenes to reach their ultimate goal." So it should be interesting to see what kind of tricks the organization has up its sleeves.

Whether you're a Dragon initiate looking to find out more about your chosen secret society or you're a member of the Templars or Illuminati ready to build a dossier on your opposition, keep your eyes open in the coming week as the shady secrets of the Dragon are brought to light. In the meantime, though, check out the gallery below for six new Dragon-centric screenshots.

Gallery: The Secret World

The Secret World kicks off Week of the Dragon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom talks The Secret World at NYCC

Jef Reahard — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World

MMORPG.com's got the details on Funcom's appearance at last weekend's New York City Comic Con. Ragnar Tornquist and Dag Scheve were on hand to hype The Secret World, and the duo was the main attraction on a panel that fielded fan questions and showed off some new gameplay footage.

Several of the questions from the audience related to The Secret World's progression mechanics, and Tornquist stated that despite the fact that the game has no levels, there will be plenty of activities for grind aficionados. The term horizontal progression was mentioned, as were various skills and gear (the latter of which serves as a gate between different bits of the game's content). Check out the rest of the recap, along with a video embed, at MMORPG.com.

Funcom talks The Secret World at NYCC originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World dev diary video delves into The Secret War

Matt Daniel — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Video, Game mechanics, PvP, News items, The Secret World, Dev Diaries

Time to don your tin-foil hats, conspiracy theorists. It's time once again to delve into the mysteries of The Secret World. Funcom has released a new developer diary video outlining The Secret War, which is the PvP component of the upcoming horror title.

We got our first look at the PvP aspect of the game back in August at PAX Prime. This is the first time, however, that we have video to show players just what they can expect from the three-faction paranormal brawls. The video highlights both small-scale PvP, such as the game's Stonehenge and El Dorado battlefields, and the game's large-scale, persistent PvP. For the full video, click on past the cut.

Gallery: The Secret World

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The Secret World dev diary video delves into The Secret War originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The panel is true: The Secret World preps a NYCC appearance

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Events, real-world, Previews, The Secret World, Massively Event Coverage

MMO fans traveling out to the Big Apple for the New York Comic Con next weekend have another potential "must see" on their event list: an exclusive panel of The Secret World with the devs.

The panel will take place on Friday, October 14th at 4:00 p.m. EDT in room 1A24. It's here that Funcom devs Ragnar Tørnquist and Dag Scheve will not only present an all-new live demo of the upcoming conspiracy MMO but field questions from the audience in as candid a manner as possible.

Of course, considering the game in question, we note that this could be a trap by the Old Gods to swallow the souls of all those attending and turn them into husks to do the Old Gods' bidding, but that's just the chance you'll have to take.

The panel is true: The Secret World preps a NYCC appearance originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World shares details on sharing stories

Eliot Lefebvre — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Real life, Lore, Previews, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous

While it's not the poster child for story in MMOs, The Secret World is putting a big emphasis on giving players an engaging and in-depth story to enjoy as they unravel conspiracies and search for the truth. A new developer diary by Ragnar Tornquist explains how the story is woven into every element of the game, from the simple introduction of quests right down to the mechanics of fighting enemies.

Tornquist emphasizes that the entire setting of the game is in many ways based solely upon storytelling, on myths and urban legends and half-remembered stories of youth. One of the development goals for the game is to keep players digging, investigating the story and piecing it together. According to the diary, every mission opens with a fully voiced and motion-captured cinematic, and aside from the main story missions, players can tackle these challenges in any order, allowing for players to have unique stories as they make their way through the labyrinth of half-truths. It's an interesting look behind the curtain, and it should give players looking forward to The Secret World a few more ideas to be excited about.

The Secret World shares details on sharing stories originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tørnquist discusses TSW's skill system, investigations, and more

Matt Daniel — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, News items, The Secret World

Dark days are coming, my friends. All the myths are true, and evil lurks around every corner. Thankfully, we've gotten our hands on a new PC Gamer interview with The Secret World's creative director Ragnar Tørnquist, which should help to cast some light on these grim prophecies.

It's already well-known that The Secret World won't hinge on classes and levels but instead will allow players to craft their own skill sets from a number of set categories. Ragnar expounds on this system, explaining that players will have access to something called a Base Gear Manager, which essentially provides a way for players to quickly swap between preset groups of abilities and equipment in order to adapt to the situation at hand.

While players will likely find themselves falling into the traditional MMO archetypes of tanks, healers, DPS, and so forth, Tørnquist points out that The Secret World won't be as instance-heavy as other games and will provide a plethora of open-world events that will allow players to come together as an ad hoc group to, say, keep a police station from being overrun by the forces of evil.

Perhaps most interesting, though, are the bits of information revealed about the game's unique Investigation Missions. Tørnquist provides two examples of what players can expect from the ARG-inspired missions. One involves hunting down an in-game location based on a fortune teller's visions, while the other is a bit more in-depth, requiring players to look up information on a famous painter in order to progress. He also hints that the team may put up websites regarding in-game information that players will have to hack into in order to progress the investigation.

For the full interview, which is full of interesting nuggets and anecdotes from Tørnquist himself, just click on the link below.

Ragnar Tørnquist discusses TSW's skill system, investigations, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Blow your minds': The Secret World dreams of large-scale PvP

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Horror, Sci-fi, Interviews, PvP, The Secret World

While the big news from The Secret World out of Gamescom was its April 2012 launch window, that's not all the developers had to say about this creeptastic title. Ragnar Tornquist opened up to Ten Ton Hammer about the game's epic large-scale PvP fights between the three factions of the Dragons, the Illuminati, and the Templars.

Unlike The Secret World's smaller PvP battlefields, the warzones are persistent with a much larger population. So instead of waiting for a match, experienced players can hop right into a warzone for the glory and honor of their faction. In the warzones, players can capture respawn points to help out their faction and work on their secret society ranking while doing it. Tornquist said that the first warzone is in a Chinese city, although it doesn't have a name yet.

Tornquist stated that the game should provide players with "several hundred hours" of PvE experience, not to mention the title's PvP and optional internet quests that will have the dedicated hunting through websites for arcane clues.

Funcom's project lead thinks the total sum of The Secret World will be unlike anything we've ever seen before: "When the story and the respective events are ready to show off, we are going to blow your minds."

'Blow your minds': The Secret World dreams of large-scale PvP originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World's Tornquist talks truth, pain, and non-combat gaming

Jef Reahard — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World

Rock, Paper Shotgun is back with part two of its interview with The Secret World's Ragnar Tornquist. Part one debuted yesterday and detailed a bit of the history behind the game's development as well as blurbs about factions, puzzles, and ARG thingamajigs.

Today's installment talks about everything from Tornquist's recurring real world/hidden world motifs, to the endings of Lost and Dreamfall, to unfulfilled fan expectations. As you might expect, the interview errs heavily on the side of the philosophical rather than delving into gameplay specifics.

Everything from the nature of truth, to Funcom's Secret World agenda, to the reticence of the gaming industry to evolve beyond kill-everything-that-moves is up for discussion. On this last point, Tornquist hints at the challenges inherent in designing non-combat gaming experiences. "It's difficult. You can't sacrifice fun. But then of course the idea of fun is ambiguous. Does it always have to be fun? Can't it be painful too?"

The Secret World's Tornquist talks truth, pain, and non-combat gaming originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tørnquist discusses The Secret World's history, factions, puzzles, and more

Matt Daniel — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, News items, The Secret World

Funcom's Ragnar Tørnquist, project lead of the upcoming The Secret World, sat down with John Walker over at Rock, Paper, Shotgun to chat about everything TSW. The interview is delightfully in-depth, and is actually only the first part of the entire interview, so TSW fans have something to look forward to as well.

In part one, Mr. Walker talks with Tørnquist about the history of The Secret World and how it arrived at the point it's at today. They also spend a bit of time discussing the game's three factions -- particularly the enigmatic Dragons -- and their potential motivations and interactions. And lastly, of course, they talk about the game's ARG-esque puzzles, which blur the line between game and reality for a more immersive experience. For the whole first part of the interview (which is really a must-read for fans of TSW), head on over to Rock, Paper, Shotgun.

Ragnar Tørnquist discusses The Secret World's history, factions, puzzles, and more originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Secret World dev diary talks story, context

Jef Reahard — Mon, 30 May 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Video, MMO industry, New titles, News items, The Secret World, Dev Diaries

Sleuthing for more story-centric info regarding Funcom's upcoming horror-conspiracy MMORPG? Look no further than The Secret World's latest video dev diary featuring commentary from designers Ragnar Tornquist and Joel Bylos as well as lead writer Dag Scheve.

The trio highlights The Secret World's use of the real world as both location and character, with Bylos calling it "the greatest resource of all." The video shows a few new clips courtesy of the game's cinematics, but Tornquist is quick to point out that cinematics don't tell the whole tale when it comes to The Secret World's narrative. In spite of the fact that every character in the game is motion-captured and fully voiced, the story is "embedded into the world. You have to look for it, you have to search for it. The story is exploration and the story is discovery," Tornquist explains.

Funcom also seeks to challenge gamers in ways that depart from the traditional MMORPG paradigm, and Bylos says that "we're not just asking them to click a mouse button over and over again, but to think about what they do." Put on your thinking caps and click past the cut for the full video.

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Secret World dev diary talks story, context originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engaging the brain: Funcom talks about the immersiveness of story in The Secret World

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Sci-fi, Video, The Secret World, Dev Diaries

"No designer could ask for more to draw upon," The Secret World's Joel Bylos says. "This world, our world, is the greatest resource of them all."

And so begins a fascinating trip down the dark alleys of storytelling in Funcom's upcoming MMO. In a dev diary posted at MMORPG.com, The Secret World team suggests it's more interesting to set the game in our world instead of in rehashed fantasy lands. By embracing the concept of "everything is true," the writers open the door to every conspiracy theory, every urban legend, and every branch of pseudoscience known to man.

"The story is exploration. The story is discovery," Bylos promises. He says that the ultimate goal of the storytelling team is to get players to stop mindlessly clicking and to start engaging the story on a conscious level. This includes investigating events, hunting for clues and solving puzzles. No, this isn't Scooby-Doo Online (although that would be awesome).

It's also interesting to note that every character in the game has full voice-over and motion capture as a way to pull you into the story instead of jolt you out of it. Bylos also outlines the different types of missions, which include stealth and infiltration, action, investigation, and story.

[Thanks Even!]

Engaging the brain: Funcom talks about the immersiveness of story in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tornquist talks of The Secret World's progression, power and purpose

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Interviews, The Secret World

"It's simply true freedom of progression!" Ragnar Tornquist exclaims in a new interview with Gaming Nexus. After giving a broad overview of The Secret World's structure, Tornquist spends time discussing just what will make this upcoming MMO so appealing.

According to him, just because TSW is lacking levels doesn't mean that you'll soon run out of ways to advance your character: "Collecting powers and building these decks of seven actives, seven passives, is a large part of that, and it'll take players hundreds and hundreds of hours to create enough decks to tackle most of the content in the game -- and that doesn't even take into account PvP."

Because players will be locked into a faction, Funcom is working hard to keep the balance of skills similar between all three secret societies. Even so, there will be abilities unique to each side.

Interested in Funcom's use of alternate reality games (ARGs) as part of The Secret World's experience? It looks as though these will be a bigger part of the game than we previously thought: "In fact, with our investigation missions, players will have to go outside the game in order to solve intriguing puzzles based on real history, myth, legends, conspiracy theories, and they'll also need to cooperate with other players via forums or chat in order to basically solve these really deep and complex ARG style problems. Some missions are designed to take weeks to crack, even with the help of the entire community."

Ragnar Tornquist talks of The Secret World's progression, power and purpose originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global Chat: Mostly meta edition

Rubi Bayer — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Massively Meta, Global Chat, Miscellaneous

Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

It's a given that a lot goes on at Massively besides what you see on the front page. We're pretty busy behind the scenes -- and sometimes we even find time to play some of these MMO things we've heard so much talk about! This week we've turned the focus a bit inward, so follow along after the jump to take a look!

Continue reading Global Chat: Mostly meta edition

Global Chat: Mostly meta edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox: A case for player-generated content (or why MMO story is complete and utter bollocks)

Jef Reahard — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lore, MMO industry, Opinion, The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Soapbox, Miscellaneous

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I read with great interest Ragnar Tornquist's recent blog posting concerning story in The Secret World. After I got over the initial impulse to roll my eyes at yet another developer jumping on the BioWare-induced story, story, story bandwagon, I found that Tornquist had a couple of interesting points to make.

Unfortunately, he also missed an opportunity to strike a blow in favor of player-generated story content. While this is totally unsurprising coming from a man who has built his career on interactive storytelling prowess, it was nonetheless disappointing on several levels.

Yes, yes, I know, Tornquist is a wunderkind developer, you'd have his babies, and who am I to question his almighty design wisdom? Regardless, I am questioning portions of this particular blog piece, because MMOs are an exceedingly inadequate vehicle for storytelling of the kind that developers are espousing lately. That's not to say massively multiplayer titles shouldn't have a narrative component, though. Join me after the cut to find out why MMO makers ought to stick to systems and math and leave the storytelling to the folks who do it best.

Continue reading The Soapbox: A case for player-generated content (or why MMO story is complete and utter bollocks)

The Soapbox: A case for player-generated content (or why MMO story is complete and utter bollocks) originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World readying seven years of content, new trailer released

Jef Reahard — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Trailers, Video, Lore, New titles, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous

Someone -- or something -- opened the news floodgates at The Secret World offices today, and apparently the stream was diverted directly to Eurogamer (with a tributary reaching IGN as well). There are several noteworthy pieces of info to pass along regarding Funcom's conspiracy-horror epic, starting with the fact that the Norwegian developer has already laid out seven years' worth of post-launch content updates. "We have actually begun not only design work but art work on content that's due after launch that has been planned from the get-go," game director Ragnar Tornquist tells Eurogamer.

Despite assuring GDC audiences that The Secret World "is not a console game, it's not a game that tries to be anything like that," Tornquist acknowledged that Funcom is considering options beyond the PC. While the PC version is still the current focus, he leaves open the possibility of a console port if TSW turns out to be a big success. "You really need to make a different game [for consoles]. How different that will be, it's hard to say," Tornquist explains.

Finally, IGN has gotten its hands on the newest trailer for The Secret World, and though the clip (titled Everything is True) manages to avoid showing much gameplay footage during its three-minute running time, it nonetheless delivers a considerable amount of atmosphere due a combination of effective editing, music, and titles. See for yourself after the cut.

Continue reading The Secret World readying seven years of content, new trailer released

The Secret World readying seven years of content, new trailer released originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The fourth pillar of fear: Ragnar Tørnquist dishes on story in The Secret World

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Lore, The Secret World, Dev Diaries

BioWare and ArenaNet aren't the only MMO studios to be beating on the drums of storytelling lately -- Funcom feels just as strongly that good stories not only have a place in MMOs but are essential to making memorable games.

In a new post over at The Secret World, Ragnar Tørnquist attempts to whet our appetite for a main course of storytelling. "The story in The Secret World is a giant jigsaw puzzle. That's really the only way to describe it. There are thousands of pieces scattered all over the game world, both figuratively and geographically, and as you play the game, you are actively uncovering -- unearthing -- the stories, large and small, that form the enormous tapestry of a backstory that goes back aeons."

All aspects of The Secret World are "infused with story," Tørnquist promises; the game will connect players to the world through context and meaning. He hopes that TSW's mysteries will keep players coming back to the game due to our insatiable desire to know the secrets behind them. He also hints that some of these stories will feature tough decisions and painful consequences: "Joining the ranks of the shadow-masters, it's in your best interest to play by their rules, follow their agenda, ensure that the secret world remains a secret, and if that means making compromises and allowing people to get hurt... Well. No one ever said being a hero would be easy."

These mysteries will come to light during many of the player missions, which we heard about yesterday. While we wait for the launch, Tørnquist encourages us to check out the elements of story that Funcom's released already such as fake websites and other ARG activities.

The fourth pillar of fear: Ragnar Tørnquist dishes on story in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC 2011: Funcom talks The Secret World's PvE, PvP, and ARG

Jef Reahard — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Events, real-world, MMO industry, New titles, Previews, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous

Many of you are no doubt as anxious as we are to get your hands on Funcom's new The Secret World MMORPG (with a new website!). The skill-based end-of-the-world riff has been shrouded in a good bit of mystery for a good long while, but we've finally managed to snag a few minutes of face time with the title. This year's GDC marked the first opportunity for anyone outside of Funcom's alpha team to lay eyes on the game, and we've got some pretty juicy details to pass on.

Join us after the cut for the new trailer as well as a recap of Funcom's presentation, which was spearheaded by Ragnar Tornquist and featured designers Martin Bruusgaard and Joel Bylos. Discussion topics include PvP, PvE missions, and character progression.

Gallery: The Secret World: GDC 2011

Continue reading GDC 2011: Funcom talks The Secret World's PvE, PvP, and ARG

GDC 2011: Funcom talks The Secret World's PvE, PvP, and ARG originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Exclusive Interview: The Secret World to open the flood gates of info soon

Jef Reahard — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Interviews, New titles, News items, The Secret World, Miscellaneous

Conspiracy theorists rejoice! Funcom's Lovecraftian horror MMO known as The Secret World is looking to get substantially less secretive over the next little while, and we've got a new interview with Funcom's Erling Ellingsen to prove it.

The company's Director of Communications sat down with us to talk about the plans to reveal The Secret World to, well, the world, and if you're even the slightest bit curious about the skill-based MMO headed up by legendary developer Ragnar Tornquist, you'll want to follow along with us after the cut. Ellingsen spills the beans about the title's unique marketing campaign and also hints at the fact that we'll be treated to more traditional (and game-focused) information -- including gameplay footage -- in the coming months.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive Interview: The Secret World to open the flood gates of info soon

Massively Exclusive Interview: The Secret World to open the flood gates of info soon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist and the Girdle of Anarchy: A chat with Colin Cragg

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Anarchy Online, Interviews, Free-to-play, The Game Archaeologist

When I declared September to be "Anarchy Online month" I had no idea how far it would go. I mean, sure, I expected an outpouring of fond memories from players and perhaps a statue erected in my honor, but for the UN to pass a resolution for a worldwide celebration of Funcom's brainchild is quite above and beyond.

So really, it's been a wild ride thus far. That's what we game archaeologists prepared for when we attended MMO U (go Fightin' N00bs!) and dusted off old copies of Neverwinter Nights. Be flexible, be enthusiastic, and always be ready for an older title to sweep you off your feet -- these are the sage words of my instructors.

Because of this, I didn't find myself tongue-tied when Anarchy Online's Colin Cragg agreed to an interview. I might have blushed and stared at my feet so that I wouldn't become lost in his wizened, sage eyes, but I marched forward nonetheless. So what did AO's head honcho have to say about working on a mature MMO? Click the link and wonder no longer!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist and the Girdle of Anarchy: A chat with Colin Cragg

The Game Archaeologist and the Girdle of Anarchy: A chat with Colin Cragg originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Secret World video sends you back... to the future! [Updated]

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Video, Previews, The Secret World

If you've been wondering why we haven't heard much about The Secret World lately, it's because the Illuminati control every word that the media says. Well, that, and Funcom's been working on a groovy video to show off their newly-revealed London hub.

London is the headquarters of the Templars, and new players associated with that faction will be sent there straight away. Executive Producer Ragnar Tørnquist explains that London is a bit unique of the three starter hubs in that it's the oldest, most steeped in legend, and where members of all three factions come to fight and frolic.

Funcom also discussed a special aspect of the new player experience. A mysterious figure known as The Fallen King sends them into a vision of their future, where players can get a taste of advanced combat right off the bat. Combat and grouping mechanics are a key part of The Secret World, which is why Funcom wants players to start learning earlier rather than later.

You can watch the full seven-and-a-half minute trailer after the jump!

[Editor's Note: Reader Agent Brutal tipped us off to a glorious batch of TSW screenshots posted to AgentLethal.com -- we've included them here as well!]

Gallery: The Secret World Gamescom Gallery

Continue reading New Secret World video sends you back... to the future! [Updated]

New Secret World video sends you back... to the future! [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World reveals London: "Biggest hub in the game"

Rubi Bayer — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, News items, The Secret World

The team behind The Secret World has revealed more information on one of the game's key areas, and Lead Developer Ragnar Tornquist says it's the "biggest hub in the game."

London is home base for the Templar faction, and while members will have access to more areas than others, it looks to be a fascinating area for all players to explore. On the surface there are some entertaining -- albeit dangerous -- events to participate in, such as dance competitions and fight clubs, but as you explore you'll find something a bit darker.

In keeping with the basic story, the barrier between this world and the next is thin in London, and inter-faction bickering can become the least of your worries pretty quickly.

Check out the full story on IGN.

[via IGN]

The Secret World reveals London: "Biggest hub in the game" originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final round of The Secret World questions revealed

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, News items, The Secret World

Funcom has been making fans of The Secret World very happy lately, thanks to the community Q&A with Ragnar Tournquist. Senior Assistant Community Manager Glen "Famine" Swan rounded up a list of questions asked by fans, got answers, and released the list by thirds on the TSW forums.

The third and final round of questions went out on the forums yesterday and they were met with an enthusiastic response from fans. These questions addressed bosses, GM involvement, transitions between zones, plans for the future and more. However, the answer that sparked the most discussion was the one surrounding the concept of corpse running -- it sounds like it's definitely going to be a part of the game.

Check out the full blog post for the final Q&A session.

Final round of The Secret World questions revealed originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ragnar Tornquist reveals more of The Secret World

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Interviews, New titles, News items, The Secret World

The tantalizing bits of information continue to flow this week from the horror-laden streets of The Secret World for those souls interested in this dark MMO full of secret societies and mythical monsters. In the second installment of the community Q and A with the game's Director, Ragnar Tornquist, players are treated to another tasty batch of information on both PvP and PvE elements, as well as things like normal MMO-style classes (tip: better change your thinking about classes now) and how gear will work in the world.

While there are many things that are still only being hinted at due to the complex (and still in-development) plans for the game, it's still an interesting glimpse into just what the development team is looking towards building into The Secret World. If your questions weren't answered this week, don't worry -- there's still another installment coming next Wednesday that will offer even more tasty tidbits of information on this anticipated MMO. In the meantime, you can check out our first look from GDC and spend some time sharpening up those puzzle-solving and zombie-killing skills. You're going to need them.

Ragnar Tornquist reveals more of The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World Q&A with Ragnar Tornquist

Jef Reahard — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Interviews, New titles, News items, The Secret World

Funcom Senior Assistant Community Manager Glen "Famine" Swan has dropped a gem of a post on the official forums for the forthcoming MMORPG known as The Secret World. The development team has been collecting questions from the community for some time, and the answers are being rolled out in a series of Q&A-style posts.

Game Director Ragnar Tornquist fields the questions for this first installment, and talks about a wide range of topics including social events, open versus linear game design, and magical variety in the game world. "There's going to be tons of variety in terms of what kind of magic players can learn and how they can use it - both in terms of visuals and gameplay - and that also goes for the magic weapons players get to wield. But it's still magic of our world, not a world of elves and dwarves and dragons (well, um, sort of), and it'll feel as such. There's voodoo, illusionism, demonology - magics that belong in the darkest corners of Earth, not in some high fantasy world," Tornquist says.

Check out the full session over at the official forums.

The Secret World Q&A with Ragnar Tornquist originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: A first glimpse at The Secret World

Shawn Schuster — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Puzzle, Galleries, Screenshots, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, Opinion, The Secret World, Crime, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

I bet you thought we were done with news from GDC 2010, right? Well, not exactly. The embargo on our demo of The Secret World lifts today and we're oh-so eager to tell you all about what we saw.

While Creative Director Ragnar Tørnquist's team at Funcom has been doing an excellent job of teasing us with just enough information to keep us excited (although they'll deny the websites are from them), there are still many aspects of the game we have yet to discover. This GDC demo doesn't even scratch the surface on what we can expect from the released game, but it gives us quite a bit more to chew on until that time comes.

Follow along after the jump for our impressions of what we saw in the game's combat, in-game cinematics, storyline and a brief Q&A with Ragnar himself. Plus, be sure to check out the screenshot and concept art galleries below for some gorgeous eye candy.

Gallery: The Secret World

Gallery: The Secret World Art

Continue reading GDC10: A first glimpse at The Secret World

GDC10: A first glimpse at The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom Community Managers talk about upcoming projects

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Age of Conan, Expansions, Interviews, News items, The Secret World, Pets vs Monsters

Julie and Fran of the No Prisoners, No Mercy podcast had some special guests on their most recent show, to the delight of the Funcom fans in their audience.

Funcom Community Managers Glen "Famine" Swan and Oliver Kunz visited the podcast to discuss The Secret World as well as Rise of the Godslayer, the upcoming expansion for Age of Conan. The duo talked about their responsibilities within Funcom, and gave some details about what they're working on these days.

Rise of the Godslayer, of course, is the big project. With five new regions, a new race, twelve new factions, and all the bells and whistles that go with them, Swan promised that the expansion won't disappoint fans. They also gave an overview of The Secret World as well as their other upcoming project, Pets vs. Monsters.

It sounds like a good time was had by all -- the podcast is fun and informative, and definitely worth listening to. For even more information, keep an eye out for our interview with Ragnar Tornquist at GDC later this week as well!

Funcom Community Managers talk about upcoming projects originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview with The Secret World's Martin Bruusgaard

Rubi Bayer — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Interviews, News items, The Secret World

Looking forward to The Secret World? Funcom has been great lately about giving us bits of information to tide us over, and the latest news is no exception. TSWOnline.de recently chatted with Martin Bruusgaard, Lead Designer for The Secret World.

Bruusgaard delved further into the game, expanding on small details we already know, such as the Lovecraftian influence of the game, and the (slowly) marauding zombies. While Lovecraft, zombies, and Kingsmouth are known elements, things don't stop there. Kingsmouth is just a tiny sample of game regions all around the world that are available to play, and zombies are just the tip of the iceberg: "We've based the population in every region on myths and urban legends in that particular country, which gives us a huge spectrum of scary monstrosities to play with."

Bruusgaard has plenty more to say, both about in-game events and some promotional things we might be able to look forward to. The full interview is well worth a read.

For more news on The Secret World, keep an eye out for our interview with Ragnar Tornquist at GDC this week as well!

Interview with The Secret World's Martin Bruusgaard originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tornquist gives more juicy details on The Secret World

Krystalle Voecks — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, News items, The Secret World

To date, the development team of The Secret World has almost been a secret society unto itself. We've heard whispers and tantalizing tidbits that have piqued our curiosity, seen teaser sites, and caught the occasional tweet from the front lines. Now, the floodgates are starting to open, and more details are coming to light for those craving information.

An interview with Ragnar Tornquist has just gone up on IGN and it is chock-full of tasty details about what players can expect from The Secret World. Along with the interview, there's also a pile of eerie concept art illustrating some of the many different monsters we'll see in the game -- from brain-munching zombies to mutated boss monsters. There's also some great news on how the development is going, owing in part to the work already done for Age of Conan.

So if you've been hungry for more details and a sneak-peek into more of the terrible things that await us as we take steps into The Secret World, then you'll want to head over to IGN and check out the full interview. It looks like Tornquist and the team at Funcom are creating a fascinating modern-day monster of an MMO for us to enjoy.

Tornquist gives more juicy details on The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Building The Secret World: An interview with Ragnar Tornquist

Rubi Bayer — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, The Secret World

As the buzz surrounding Funcom's upcoming title The Secret World increases, we continue to hear more from the developers in the form of things like concept art and some spooky game footage.

The latest dose of information is an interview with Funcom's Ragnar Tornquist. He spent some time with Gamasutra recently, and their interview tells all about building a cozy little corner of hell in Kingsmouth. The discussion ran the gamut from fantasy genre oversaturation to the creation of a game set in the real world.

The extensive interview is well worth a read for anyone interested not only in The Secret World, but in the thought process behind game design as well. Tornquist explores his history as a gamer and how it helped to shape the way he is creating The Secret World.

The interview covers quite a bit of ground and reveals plenty of new information about TSW. It can be found here -- enjoy!

Building The Secret World: An interview with Ragnar Tornquist originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Secret World broadcasts footage from the streets of Kingsmouth

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Horror, Trailers, Video, Interviews, News items, The Secret World

What horrors lie in Kingsmouth when the fog comes to rest? Well that's for you to find out!

Thanks to a tip from a certain Erling Ellingsen, we've been pointed to a brand new trailer for The Secret World. It seems that someone has hacked into the security cameras around Kingsmouth, giving us a look at the town's various areas. All of this is set to an unknown narrator explaining exactly how Kingsmouth turned from a small, All-American town into the black pit that it is today.

It's important to note, however, that this video is only a preview of the Kingsmouth location -- it's not a gameplay trailer. Erling attached this "quotable quote" in his e-mail: "This is a part of a ramp up of the communication we're doing around The Secret World. We wanted to give gamers a very quick glimpse into the game and the universe, without giving away exactly how the game looks in motion and in all its glory. We're saving that for GDC actually."

So GDC it is then! We'll be there! But, while you're all waiting for GDC, go on over to Gamespot and learn more about Kingsmouth. (Also, we saw your Lovecraft Lane street sign! We see your references!)

The Secret World broadcasts footage from the streets of Kingsmouth originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All hail the Kingsmouth Horror: The Secret World pays homage to Lovecraft

Seraphina Brennan — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Horror, Culture, News items, The Secret World

For a while now, the community over at The Secret World has noticed things in the game that are distinctly influenced by the writings of horror master H.P. Lovecraft. From the original poster that revealed a beast that reminded many of Cthulhu to the whole idea of secret societies and monsters that exist beyond time and space. So when The Secret World community members stumbled upon a website for the fictional town of Kingsmouth, many weren't surprised.

Kingsmouth, a mash-up of Lovecraft's Kingsport and Innsmouth (and, to an unnamed extent, Arkham), is the typical New England town that Lovecraft so loved to talk about. It's sleepy, it's quiet, it's community is entrenched, and there are probably more monsters than people. Lovecraftian references are abound from the aptly named Miskatonic River (see Miskatonic University) to the town's presence as a port on the coastline.

Of course, with the addition of a brand new website, new puzzles are bound to pop up. The Secret World community is already pouring over the website, so jump into the discussion if you think you found something. Of course, for those of you who aren't into the whole conspiracy angle, we got the screenshots of Kingsmouth for you below. Beware though, the originals are small, as apparently the Kingsmouth locals don't know how to upload quality pictures.

Gallery: The Secret World

All hail the Kingsmouth Horror: The Secret World pays homage to Lovecraft originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom Games Canada hires new CEO and plans to expand

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, News items, The Secret World

2009 wasn't the best year to be in the business of making games, to the point where some of us weren't expecting good news like a major publisher hiring new people -- but it's happening. And it's not a small hiring push, either, aiming in the 100-150 range. That's the latest news from Funcom, whose recently opened Canadian studio has appointed a new CEO for the division.

Miguel Caron is going to be in charge of building up the staff of Funcom Games Canada, as well as overseeing the studio during the development of The Secret World -- according to Ragnar Tornquist, the Montreal-based expansion will play a key role in the game's development. Even if you aren't looking forward to The Secret World, however, it's excellent to have news of a company not facing security trouble, layoffs, or shutdowns.

Although the timeframe for the expected hirings is a year and a half, that's still a lot of work being generated by Funcom, which is a boon to both their existing games and their newfound plans of focusing on the casual gaming market. Let's hope this kicks off a trend of more positive news for the industry this year. We certainly need it.

Funcom Games Canada hires new CEO and plans to expand originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More on The Secret World's Templar and Illuminati

Kyle Horner — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, New titles, News items, The Secret World

Looking for further information on The Secret World's equally secret Illuminati and Templar societies? We're going to go ahead and assume that you are, as they're quite interesting aspects of Funcom's upcoming third MMO. Actually, considering much of the game's story and conflict revolves around the three warring secret societies, we'd say these two Illuminati and Templar interviews are required reading for anyone who considers themselves interested in the game.

We're all about picking sides in MMOs here at Massively. When it comes to The Secret World, there's a lot to consider, although something about the Illuminati is quite alluring. We're of the opinion that their high tech nature combined with their fashion sensibilities is going to be quite attractive to many a person. Oh, plus it doesn't hurt that they're the "bad boys" of the game.

Gallery: The Secret World Art

More on The Secret World's Templar and Illuminati originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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