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The Agency: E3 Hands On Impressions
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
MMORPG.com writer Alan Smithee had some hands-on time with SOE's spy-based MMORPG, The Agency at their booth at E3.
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At E3, we were able to get a new look at SOE's upcoming shooter MMO The Agency. The regular PvE experience was not on display; instead we got to see and play PvP multiplayer for the first time. The demo takes place in the Black Abbey, a three-point assault map, set in a monastery in Venice. Each of the three main areas (a courtyard, library, and a submarine drydock) are captureable and serve as respawn points. One side's goal is to detonate the sub (it's rigged with explosives) and "sink" the monastery; the other side tries to protect it.
Combat is fluid and fast and better than I expected - there was no noticeable lag, even when the screen was filled with multiple players and particle effects. The game feels indistinguishable from a regular shooter, with very few MMO conventions in evidence. Headshots are automatic crits. Players use WASD and a mouse to move and shoot, and Ctrl to get into cover... and that's about it. The cover system is handled very well, allowing players to duck and hide behind objects when under heavy fire, while still allowing them to peek/lean out and take the occasional potshot.
Read E3 Hands On Impressions.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
Hearing lots about PvP and Agency V Agency, but what about PvE? can a Solo Spy play this game or must you be in an Agency to compete?
It seems to me to be a spy version of APB, and tbh that bored me after 5 hours due to the repetition of missions and constant ganking fo superior foes..
Still, I cant wait to hear more about this
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ab/Norsefire-logo.png
Why is Sony calling this an MMO? I ask because I haven't been following the game. It sounds like it will be a Global Agenda-style MMO.
Also, what's with Alan Smithee? Is the writer disowning his preview??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Smithee
The second line of the article explains why. "The regular PvE experience was not on display; instead we got to see and play PvP multiplayer for the first time." There is PvE. Youtube some videoes from prior E3's. PVP is merely a way to play if you want.
I get the feeling this is the game that APB wishes it was. I would be interested to know about the PvE, while being a snipper and head shoting players is great if there is a lack of PvE it could get boring fast. Specially if they they are hoping to get a subscription.
Great article, can't wait for this game to release.
I agree with hinkhouse. This sounds just like Global Agenda. GA is YAWYW. In GA each class has weapons they equip to gain abilities. You only have so many slots so you have to decide what weapons to take into each mission.
GA-type, heavily instanced, static map & encounter third-person shooter? I hope they have no subscription to match.
I cant help but feel reading this that this is Global Agenda, just less future-y
I have a feeling this is going to suck hard. This game has been hyped for over three years. Something went wrong somewhere.
this game has been completely off my radar, but having read this article, I think it may make a nice changing to the usual fantasy offering.
It's been hyped by players who have little to no knowledge of the game. Same as War, AoC and now Swtor is.
Sounds exactly like Huxley / GA.
But is there melee? Any martial arts or melee weapons?
Stopped reading after "SOE".
hm had no interest in this game at all but the whole "lootable skills" is very interesting to me... i'll start paying more attention to this game.
I am a bit curious if there is anything to do besides shooting things....should be more to a spy game than just shooting sh&#
Will keep an eye on it.
What went wrong is its being handled by SOE
This game sounds like a clone of Global Agenda with its world domination and agency-pvp.
They surely have to add something unique to keep me interested.
From the sounds of it this game is so ripped off from Global Agenda it's not even funny. Why not just use GA's source code while they are at it?
It sounds OK, mainly that equipment can give you some slight alterations of your character's ability set. I could see people going to this that are tired of GA and want something similar but more leveling loot but I doubt this will affect APB.
I really hope some PC’s sat next to each other on a LAN could handle the graphics; otherwise the rest of the world on an internet connection is going to have a hard time.
A few of the things that I've seen regarding The Agency that I don't see too much talk of anymore like the optional use of real life text messaging, "underlings", or the once mentioned real time crafting process. Information past the anouncement has seemed rather sparse. I wonder if they scrapped these features or if they just aren't talking about them.
Seems to have just the right about of "meh". Just cannot get excited about this game.
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Alan Smithee is simply a pseudonym for David Manning...
Hmmm.... I think I will pass on this one. Class based shooter... booo.... YAWYW doesn't really apply here because with it being a class based game and equipment giving abilities it would imply gear being limited to certain classes or a specific class.
Also levels? Really? In a shooter? That kind of goes against the YAWYW ideal as well. I mean it sounds more like GA where you are which class you pick and you can make "Some" adjustments by equipping different pieces of gear.
And I'm not sure about all of this anyways as it sounds more like a PvE game where you can do a Champions Online or Global Agenda type of PvP. You queue up
With SOE announcing DCUO to be $14.99 a month I kind of expect the same from this and I expect an item mall in both and I don't really expect either to be worth it. So ..... sadly I will pass.
I do appreciate the attempt at doing something somewhat different, but it would be nice if you guys went all out instead of just reskinning the fantasy model. Get xp, get levels, get gear, queue up for some PvP................... thats just not in the shooter spirit.
In any case, I wish this game and the devs well. It's just not for me, if you need me I will be in APB lol.