Oh-nine, one
First post of the new year, well into the new year; an entire 5% of 2009, in fact. What have you done with your five percent? What do you plan on doing with the remaining ninety-five percent?
Personally, I’m going to invest most of the next four weeks (or 8%) into The Secret World. We’ve recently made some Big Changes to the game and those need to be worked through. Direction is required. Funnily enough, that’s my job.
So what’s changing? It’s a bit too early to talk about details. Rest assured that little of what you’ve seen so far will change dramatically: it’s the stuff we haven’t shown (or, indeed, made yet) that’s gone back to the drawing board. The story and the setting is the same as it’s been since the early 00’s. The locations, the conspiracies and mysteries, the vast history, intriguing characters and fantastical creatures, the light and the darkness – it’s all there. The gameplay is going through a redesign – for the better, let me assure you – and we’re revisiting content produced in the past two years to lift it up to a whole new level. Not necessarily graphically, because the game already looks amazing, but to link everything thematically, to emphasise the importance of the story, to add contrast and drama and spectacle, to create a world that people will want to experience and live in. Permanently.
We want The Secret World to stand out and be remembered – obviously. To not be just another MMORPG, a WoW clone, of which there are already too many. We’re going to play up the strengths of our universe and differentiate ourselves in both the setting and the gameplay – and particularly in how players can become exactly who they want to be, their secret selves, both visually and in terms of powers. Everyday adventurers and superheroes; guardians of the secret world; champions of Gaia. Warriors. Explorers. Cryptologists. Cryptozoologists. Mystics. Magi. Demonologists. Storytellers. Historians. Travellers. Lovers.
And just because we’re not talking much about the game at this point doesn’t mean there’s no game, or that we’re going to take longer than planned to finish the game – it just means that we want to wait a little longer before we reveal our deepest, darkest secrets to you (yes, even you, faithful followers, although you will be the first to know – the reveal will, hopefully, begin here). Another year? No, certainly not. 2009 will be the year where you learn about the secret world and begin to D2D (though I did warn you about that part) and play a role in unravelling the vast conspiracies that span oceans of time and space.
Oh yes, it’s going to be a fun year. All ninety-five percent of it.
What about Dreamfall Chapters?
@IncognitoSV: Good question. I’ll update everyone on Dreamfall Chapters – and The Longest Journey – in an upcoming post.
Intriguing. =)
Also, I love the new layout.
Well, I wish you a lot of luck and inexhaustible isnpiration. By the way, if I could help with my crazy ideas, I would be glad to do it
Heh, It’s already more than two years I’m waiting. But if the secrets are \that\ deep then I guess I can wait just a bit longer, or no more than ninety-five percent.
@Ragnar
You just made my day! I’m looking forward to that post. Also, love the new layout.
I’m gonna, you know, be a pessimist and think that post’ll read “Dreamfall Chapters and other The Longest Journey related games and indeed material” is postponed indefinitely until the market wants them again.”
We’re not the market, folks. The Xbox kids are.
I love news, this layout. After this post I want to play TSW and hear more news on you-all-know-what…
Short waiting is such a sweet thing. I am happy!
Sweet. Thanks for the update Ragnar. I’m looking forward to bringing crygaia out of mothballs.
I shouldn’t go online when getting ready for work, now I’ll be late.
But it was worth it, gave me lots to think about. XD
Ragnar: So what’s the significance of Herne the Hunter? Been reading ‘The Dark is Rising’ recently? Or seen ‘The Seeker’, and wondering where he was?
New layout is nice and clean. I like the addition of the gallery, too. Have you had your windscreen fixed yet?
TSW is looking more and more interesting. I might even decite to check it out, once it’s out.
I like the layout. It’s very well arranged, and personally I never did care much for the fancy stuff. I’d like to direct your attention to the W3C-validator links at the buttom here, though. It seems that the XHTML isn’t as valid as it likes to pretend :p
Nice layout, and nice post that got me hyped and intrigued again. Its okay for me now to wait for Dreamfall Chapters. As long as this will be as good as you say.
Maybe Ill finally update my rig then, when this comes out.
I liked the 10 free days of conan, but I knew that playing at an average of 15fps was not going to cut it later on in the game.
The incident in oslo was… Ridiculous… To put it mildly, however the police did an impressive job.
Its good to know that regularly checking this site for something new pays off xD
That shot of the closed down pub in Brixton looks quite a lot like the concept art we saw of The Magician’s Knob…
The picture and link to Herne – ahh, the badass final boss of the Elysium Catacombs in Anarchy Online
http://static.ao-universe.com/website/images/guides/sl/162/herne.jpg
Anyway, thanks for making my day! Can’t wait to see what the 95% has in store for us. And does that list of Champions of Gaia bear a deeper meaning, like a list of possible classes or professions? If that is the case, I’ll cry in joy, finally a game with so many “non-combat” classes!
@Argontus: No, those aren’t classes or professions…although I’d love to play a game where I could be a lover. I’d slay with my smooth charm and sharp wit rather than my sword. Or you know, with my ’sword’. Yes. Infinite potential there.
I choked on my endless sneezes (thanks to the endless snows) when I saw your updates.
Question about TSW: can people who have absolutely no experiences with MMO (speaking for myself) be able to play it? I was going to try AoC but hearing how brutal and hard it is and an official game guide that is rated useless by many people, turned me down.
another ?: How is the downhill profit of AoC affecting TSW?
last ?: any updates for your previous ‘Late Show’ ?
never got the pics in your posts.
@charmed23: No previous experience required, but there will be plenty of thrilling stuff for seasoned veterans to dig their (teeth? claws? talons?) into. Anyone expecting WoW – or, indeed, Age of Conan – will be (pleasantly) surprised.
@Ragnar
Ah, I see. Well, I still hope there’s more to the game than killing zombies
And yes, a lover would be an interesting class. I could imagine all the “* draws his big, battle-worn dagger from the depths of his pants” emoting amongst the roleplayers.
Lover should be a romantic class (as Romeo, Braveheart), who can put his life for his sweetheart. As alternative – lover can be a coward class with a lot of special forces in charming/confusing other npc or monsters – this lover behaves like Gigolo. Like “Dark Jedi of Love”.
“Roll D12 for Charm Attack”?
“Your Libido has been upgraded. You are now a Level 12 Studmuffin.”
Quote:”Trying not to get TOO excited about what we’re working on, but failing miserably.”
Smiling through tears ^ ^
‘ ‘
Oh, crap! And I thought I still had 2 to 3 years to set up my guild! *tongue in cheek* Of course, it’s good news
I don’t know if it’s been said before, but… I am so grateful that there’s no “puffed up” marketing going on. I mean the kind of marketing that announces things before it’s ready or even conceived. You know, *that* kind of marketing and PR that always comes back to bite you in the proverbial arse.
Also, I’m glad to see that stuff is send back to the drawing board, instead of sticking to it “because we already finished” or whatnot. It’s giving me (and possibly others) an indication that the game will be well thought-through, in terms of playability and story context.
Always a Good Thing© ^_^
Mr. Tornquist, I know so incredibly little about this game. I’ve done little but admire the tantalizing teaser promotions and occasionally check around for new updates. Yet, despite the nature of this game being scarcely more than vague contours shaped by cryptic suggestions, the passion of your words make me incessantly crave this title. Are you a witch?
The game sounds intriguing. Reminds me a little of Neverwhere. Speaking of which there’s a really interesting photographer who explores underground spaces and abandoned buildings, and takes snaps of them. You’ll find his work here: http://www.undercity.org
The guy’s name is Steve Duncan and he’s got a presentation happening in New York (I think) on the 27th Jan. His work is incredible and maybe you’ll gain some more inspiration from checking it out.
I want to marry you Ragnar!
Joke aside, I am seriously getting hyped all over again!
Another thing:
“Players can become exactly who they want to be, their secret selves, both visually and in terms of powers. Everyday adventurers and superheroes; guardians of the secret world; champions of Gaia. Warriors. Explorers. Cryptologists. Cryptozoologists. Mystics. Magi. Demonologists. Storytellers. Historians. Travellers. Lovers.”
I truly hope this means sandbox…and no actual classes or at least extremely flexible, open ended class system at least…please!
^That would be cool, wouldn’t it?
Well, I’m waiting on the edge of my seat Mr. Tornquist, though I know it’ll be great with you as director! Good luck!
Well, the year is 50% over. How did your first 50% go (as planned, I hope) and how do you see the last half of the year going? Any new reveals we can look forward to?