MAG (PS3) E3 2009 impressions
- June 05, 2009 00:00 AM PST
Breathe a sigh of relief, because Sid liked Zipper Interactive's 256-player take on the online shooter genre.
- News: Zipper Interactive's 256-player FPS, MAG
- News: MAG developer promises smooth 30FPS with 256 players
- Is Bigger Better? MAG - Massive Action Game Preview
We've seen this emphasis on numbers before, and it rarely ends well. But MAG (short for "Massive Action Shooter") is actually getting close to figuring out the enigma of massive player counts.
The thing is, creating a game that supports a huge player count, such as MAG's 256 player limit, demands a lot of compromises. For one, the graphics have to be dialed down given the huge number of players and the sheer size of the environments. And the network code has to be cutting edge, capable of balancing CPU load between audiovisuals and network latency. It's a difficult balance to strike, but MAG is getting close to pulling it off.
The key lies in the control scheme. I was impressed by the smooth, quick feel of MAG's controls, which are quite similar to those of Modern Warfare. You can carry a lot more gear in MAG, though, which is managed via a quick-swap inventory system that uses the L2 and R2 triggers to rapidly swap to healing injectors, rocket launchers, grenades, and more. The turning and aiming feels terrific, easily representing one of the best "feeling" FPS games on the PlayStation 3.
I played in a live 256-player match, and it felt nearly as responsive as a smaller game such as Modern Warfare. This is partly due to MAG's use of dedicated servers, provided by Zipper, which optimize the latency and prevent cheating via hacks. Other console huge-scale shooters often have a chunky, laggy feel that takes some getting used to. What I played felt tight and responsive, and I scored multiple headshots to satisfying effect. There are driveable APCs in MAG, but most of the vehicles are used as spawn points and are controlled by the computer. Taking a few potshots at an enemy helicopter, for example, will make it retreat and delay the enemy team's respawn times. MAG is strongly focused on infantry play, and here it is succeeding.
At this pre-release state, the graphics are not incredible but that's to be expected in a game of this scope. MAG does look clean and sharp, though, with an emphasis on broad lighting effects, realistic shadows, and huge draw distances to aid long-range shooting. I'm also hopeful that the team at Zipper will find further ways to optimize the visuals in the months leading up to release, but even in its current incarnation MAG looks solid. That is a huge accomplishment in and of itself -- remember, this game is designed around 256-player battles as you fight in a huge, persistent, and shifting conflict called the Shadow War.
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Comments [14]
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- Jun 06 2009 at 03:09:21:AM PST
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MAG, to me, came off as my biggest disappointment of E3. It did not demo well at all during the conference, and it really looked bad visually. It didn't help that it was shown next to the best looking game I have ever seen, in Unchartered 2. However, I did not get to play it so make of my opinion what you will, but it is not going to end well for MAG.
Why DO I THINK its destined for failure?
1. Giving up the improved visuals is not worth it just so more people can play especially if they are going to make it restrictive by the squad based design.
2. Online only takes an already small install base and makes it even smaller.
3. Modern Warfare 2
What is Sony thinking? I almost feel like Sony knows they've got a stinker on their hands and feeding it to Modern Warfare will make it a quick and less painful death.
The bottomline is this game is going to have to blow the socks of people to get people interested given the competition its up against. Mediocrity isn't going to survive like it did earlier on in the PS3's lifecycle.
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256 players, responsive controls, half decent graphics, very little lag, if any, a cool sounding premise.. sounds like the recipe for a good game to me.
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hmm..
hopefully this game turns out good so I have a reason to play(andfixitforthatmatter) my ps3.
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It plays REALLY good, Mafia -- trust me. The graphics are so-so, but I had a blast playing MAG and I am a Call of Duty diehard who is NOT easy to impress. Think COD meets Battlefield and you'll have a good idea of what MAG does. It has a ton of depth, too, in the equipment, unlockables, and ranks. Definitely one to watch.
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256 players sounds like death by stray bullets. I'll just close my eyes and fire randomly.
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MizzouMafia wrote:
MAG, to me, came off as my biggest disappointment of E3. It did not demo well at all during the conference, and it really looked bad visually. It didn't help that it was shown next to the best looking game I have ever seen, in Unchartered 2. However, I did not get to play it so make of my opinion what you will, but it is not going to end well for MAG.Why DO I THINK its destined for failure?
1. Giving up the improved visuals is not worth it just so more people can play especially if they are going to make it restrictive by the squad based design.
2. Online only takes an already small install base and makes it even smaller.
3. Modern Warfare 2
What is Sony thinking? I almost feel like Sony knows they've got a stinker on their hands and feeding it to Modern Warfare will make it a quick and less painful death.
The bottomline is this game is going to have to blow the socks of people to get people interested given the competition its up against. Mediocrity isn't going to survive like it did earlier on in the PS3's lifecycle.
except 1 thing its gonna be MASSIVE!!! and i would understand if you said you played it and said it sucked but you yourself said that you didn't play it
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256 players sounds like death by stray bullets. I'll just close my eyes and fire randomly.
I totally understand your skepticism -- during my MAG demo at E3, I kept telling the producer "I had the biggest doubts about this game, but man does it play great." Despite the 256 players, the overall game plays a lot like Modern Warfare. Those 256 players are spread out over 1 square kilometer (!!!) so it's not chaotic. I'm very much looking forward to this game....
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MizzouMafia wrote:
MAG, to me, came off as my biggest disappointment of E3. It did not demo well at all during the conference, and it really looked bad visually. It didn't help that it was shown next to the best looking game I have ever seen, in Unchartered 2. However, I did not get to play it so make of my opinion what you will, but it is not going to end well for MAG.Why DO I THINK its destined for failure?
1. Giving up the improved visuals is not worth it just so more people can play especially if they are going to make it restrictive by the squad based design.
2. Online only takes an already small install base and makes it even smaller.
3. Modern Warfare 2
What is Sony thinking? I almost feel like Sony knows they've got a stinker on their hands and feeding it to Modern Warfare will make it a quick and less painful death.
The bottomline is this game is going to have to blow the socks of people to get people interested given the competition its up against. Mediocrity isn't going to survive like it did earlier on in the PS3's lifecycle.
Simple. Modern Warfare 2 is multi-platform and so Sony does not need to worry about competing against it or with it. What MAG is doing and is trying to do is show off an experience that can only be had on the PS3... a visceral 256-player war game, and according to Sid's impressions sounds like its doing wonders at.
It may not be a Modern Warfare 2, but if you are a PS3 owner and can get Warfare 2 AND MAG, you will be a happy camper.
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a visceral 256-player war game, and according to Sid's impressions sounds like its doing wonders at.It may not be a Modern Warfare 2, but if you are a PS3 owner and can get Warfare 2 AND MAG, you will be a happy camper.
Precisely! It's not a "MW2 killer" but something more unique. I'll be playing both!
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