Having played Anarchy Online and Age of Conan, I can safely say that Funcom has a knack for setting their games apart from others in the MMO genre. Whether it’s the sheer depth of progression in the dystopian scifi world of AO, or the brutal combo-based combat in AoC, there has always been something about Funcom. A big part of that “something”, I believe, is the creative department. Strong writing and quest-crafting were prevalent in Age of Conan, and narrative-style storytelling will play a large role in the appropriately enigmatic title, The Secret World. So large, in fact, that we can expect to be treated with a cut-scene nearly every time we complete a quest or mission.
However, I’m not here to tease you with little pieces of game material, no sir. What we have here is a collection of raw factual information mined from the depths of the internet. Be warned, though, that much of The Secret World remains very much a secret, but this much we know for sure:
General Information:
Q: When will The Secret World be released?
A: Roughly between July 2011 and January 2012.
Q: On which platforms can we expect TSW to be released?
A: PC and Xbox 360.
Q: Will there be a beta?
A: Unknown at this time.
Q: What environments can we expect to play in?
A: Real-world locations such as New York, London and Seoul will all be explorable areas in TSW. There will be a large urban spread, too, as you will able to go shopping and meet up with others at nightclubs before venturing out into the darkness. The mysteries and conspiracies of TSW will span the globe; in addition to the aforementioned locales, Asia and Africa will be represented in-game, complete with fleshed-out storylines and lore.
Q: Can my PC run TSW?
A: Minimum/recommended system specs have not been released at this time. We can expect TSW to be roughly on par with Age of Conan, judging by screenshots and gameplay footage.
Q: Will TSW be pay-to-play?
A: It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but Funcom will more than likely follow the P2P business model at launch.
Q: Is there an IRC where we can discuss the game?
A: Yes: #thesecretworld at irc.funcom.com. Also, the official forums can be found here. Lots of good information on there.
Q: What is an ARG?
A: ARG stands for Alternate Reality Game. Much like the TV show, LOST, The Secret World imparts mysterious lore-based information around the web for resourceful fans to discover and make sense of. These sporadic writing pieces are set in the world of TSW, as was in the case of the mysterious Twitter conversation between citizens of the fictional game location of Kingsmouth. Then, all of the sudden, this town has it’s own website detailing everything from tourist activities to news and history. Looks innocent enough, doesn’t it? On top of it all, a blog entitled “Monsters of Maine” has surfaced, discovered entirely by the fan community. The blog chronicles the experiences of a man named Tyler Freeborn, who is a resident of Soloman Island, which is supposedly about ten minutes from Kingsmouth. Tyler confesses,
Outsiders aren’t welcome, not when it comes to what goes on in the dark places of Solomon Island. Which is why I’m starting this blog. I was going to do it anonymously but then I figured I had nothing to be afraid of. Worst that can happen is someone spits in my coffee at Susie’s, or my mail doesn’t get delivered. It’s time someone stepped up and said what everyone here’s thinking:
This place is batshit insane.
Q: Who is Ragnar Tørnquist?
A: The man. The myth. The legend. But really, Mr. Tørnquist is the Creative Director heading the work behind The Secret World. His mind, once described as “nothing less than a bucket of worms crawling with ideas”, has been churning the general concept behind TSW since 1997, as evidenced by this production timeline from the official forums. Tørnquist also led the creative design behind Anarchy Online and Dreamfall.
Gameplay Information:
Q: How will I control my character?
A: Controls will be handled in the general WASD fashion, with auto-targeting and active combat, as evidenced by the gameplay video above.
Q: Will there be character classes?
A: No, there will not be any clear-cut classes for players to choose from. There will, however, be a universal library of skills for players to purchase at their own discretion. Build a certain toolset of skills, and you have yourself a custom class. The system can be most likened to Guild Wars, as players can only have 7 active and 7 passive skills “active” at once. This emphasizes utility and adaptation to certain situations. If your group is in need of medical support or melee backup, you will be able to pick from your purchased skills and create a set of (seven) skills that make up your “class” for the time being. When or where these skills may be switched out remains to be seen.
Q: Will there be playable factions?
A: Yes. There will be three factions, known as “societies” in the game lore. The Illuminati, Templars, and Dragon are available for player alignment. You can take the initiation test here to determine which society you are most suited for. There is also a forum thread here that explores each faction with great depth.
Q: What about player-created guilds or clans?
A: Players will be able to band together to form “cabals”, which are – for all intensive purposes – guilds. Players can build cabal houses and decorate them with furnishings and trophies of war. Requirements for chartering a cabal are unknown at this time. Society (Illuminati/Templar/Dragon) headquarters will also be placed in areas around the game world, but will be separate from cabal housing.
Q: What do we know about PvP?
A: Player-versus-player combat will be formatted around faction affiliation, motivated by a race to collect a mysterious resource known as “anima”. In The Secret World, however, direct combat is only the surface of a much more subversive war. Players will be encouraged to commit acts such as vandalism and espionage on other factions and their respective headquarters. For instance, raising an Illuminati flag in the courtyard of a Templar HQ is much more effective for your faction’s standing than simply attacking an opposing member. Don’t worry, though, the stage is set for large-scale PvP as well, and Funcom is looking to add light RTS elements into the game, including defensive strategies and turrets. We hope that TSW’s active combat system will couple well with the strategy mechanics of the faction war. Above all else, though, we must fight to control the anima hidden deep within the Hollow Earth!
Q: What about solo vs. group content?
A: Much of the game will provide for solo questing and exploration, and skills should be fairly easy to obtain, so the casual solo player can have a brief gaming session and come away feeling accomplished. Moreover, group content will be more than provided for, centering mostly around boss fights and other larger encounters (not including large-scale PvP).
Q: What’s this about recordkeeping?
A: No, it’s not a player profession or skill. The developers at TSW are stressing that each and every one of your actions will be accounted for, ranging from PvP leaderboards to exploration and tradeskills. Your actions will affect both your own personal standing, and that of your chosen faction. It is easy to fight for yourself, but the time will come when your faction calls upon you to band together and fight for a common cause. Through your achievements and accomplishments, you will be able to attain prestigious titles that will both taunt and intimidate your opponents.
Q: Will certain races or ethnicities be associated with certain factions?
A: No, races and societies will be independent. For instance, you can be an African Templar, a Southeast Asian Illuminati, a Native American Dragon, etc. In The Secret World, race is meaningless; the Societies are only concerned with amassing the most powerful army.
Q: (From an interview with Ragnar Tørnquist) Ragnar, will magic be blue in TSW, like every other game with magic? It’s always a blue bar. What about beige? Or pink?
A: “Good question. Polka-dots, maybe? Magic isn’t just blue. Magic is all the colours of the rainbow. In fact, magic is all the colours of a DOUBLE rainbow. True fact. We’re handling magic a bit differently in The Secret World, so no, it won’t be a blue bar.”
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Links used in this article:
- Official Forum FAQ
- TSW Production Timeline
- Official Site
- In-Depth Faction Information
- TSW Resource Thread
- Formspring Interview with Ragnar Tørnquist
Excellent summary Nathan! I have linked to your article from my website because I think it is a great primer for people new to the game.
Keep up the good work :)
BWAHAHAHA!!! NEW INFORMATIONS!!!!
And it’s Mine….. ALL MINE!!!!
All hail tHE ILLUMINATI!