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The Secret World: Dungeon Making Process
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
MMORPG.com has partnered with Funcom to bring our readers an inside look at how dungeons are created for The Secret World. Penned by Senior Designer Brent Ellison, it's a fascinating behind the scenes look for one of the most keenly anticipated games for 2012. Read on!
Dungeons in The Secret World are challenging and intense, an opportunity for players to test their builds, skills and teamwork to the utmost. They serve as very focused content, in sharp contrast to the wide sandboxes of the playfields. In a dungeon, players live and die by the strength of their team and their ability to strategize to meet the odds.
Read more of Brent Ellison's The Secret World: Dungeon Making Process.
Comments
Interesting read.
Looking forward to open beta.
How's store-creating process coming?
greedy bunch...
So your upset that there will be a store in game where you can purchase clothes outfits?
They give no stat bonus. And most can acquired in game anyway.
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You really don't want to know.
The game is not recommended for cheap skates.
Despite Funcom's up and down, polarizing reputation, I've always thought they have made great dungeon experiences. Whether it be 6mans, single player instances, or raids, I've always thought they have provided top notch dungeons to crawl through.
Sounds like they will be just as engaging before.
I'm not creative enough to have a signature
funcom may have a bad rep when it comes to a few things..one thing you cant accusse them of is trying to do different..has for the CS..all the games are getting them,so in that respect its no diferent than all the other mmo's..i personally think lotro's is the best deal fort a f2p type game with CS..but hopefully they wont sell a multi coloured mount for $40 like blizz do..but you never know lol.i love conan as well..i,ve been subbed to it thru thick and thin and TSW will be no different..has for dungeons..they have done some of the best i,ve seen.gt love the sanctum.
IMHO, AoC still has the best dungeons in the MMO market, so I'm not concerned in this subject...
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You are looking at one of the reasons MMO have got no where in ten years, "Funcom's proprietary world design tool - 'Genesis'”. All started from scratch what chance is there of MMO’s building on the greatness of past software? They should take a leaf out of the smartphone developers book and steal each others code.
yet they have, in most people opinions, the best graphics of the current MMORPGs, and are introducing Dynamic Lighting mechanics in TSW.
MMM... hopefully they will work on the dynamics of a functioning game first. That would be a nice change for funcom in general. That and some basic content , like any at all, after you leave the starting area would also be advisable.
I would really like to see this game do well , not for any love of funcom mind you. But because the idea behind it sounds (SOUNDS) so good.
As for needing a dev journal on the tools about creation etc...isn't there better places for that than here? Like gamasutra etc. Not to mention the fact that maybe it would be better to make a GOOD game first then release how you made things in it that were sucessfull....
I mean to all the budding coders etc out there.. sure great article. But again there are far more appropriate places to talk about that stuff where people would actaully care about a mediocre game companies tools of creation etc. And lets be honest. In the Company landscape of games, Funcom is low rent.
All my opine anyway. But I wouldn't touch this game until I have read at least 150 players actual after release reviews. Like about 2 months after release reviews not day one garbage. Dev journals , frauded beta garbage reviews, company mouthbreather talking points .....don't believe anything from these people. Read players reviews after the game is out. Let someone else waste their money first.
Very nice article! I love reading about the development of these large scale projects and seeing some of the tools used by the dev teams.
Every article I read tells me these guys really get it. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see if it all comes out the way it's supposed to.
I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals.
~Albert Einstein
I've never played a funcom game but I hear they suck... mostly... Anyway, I'll be in there maybe not at day one but probably day 2 or 3, because this is a no elves zone and I like those secret societies intrigues, horror. I'm hoping for a different chalenge and this articles tells me this game might have it... I'm also a big lovecraft fan.
I've played games from other companies, I was a big GW fan. I played WAR and liked it but didn't feel like going all the way through it... I tried and hated WoW (didn't even do my full 10 days trial because the toonish graphics made me puke) I also tried EQ2 which I think is kind of OK but being part of the Sony universe is something I don't agree with. EA is a lesser evil I guess.
I played smaller titles too but it didn't work too well for me, City of heroes... blah.
I thought SWTOR would appeal to me but the screenshots look toonish and reports of burnouts going through level cap in 2 days have kept me from giving away my money... it's also toonish...
That leaves only GW2 and TSW to look out for. I won't play diablo3... lets be realistic there is no actual RPG element in there, I'd rather keep playing Skyrim which has no MMO rather than no RPG if you get my drift... I hear ther is such a thing called Archage, Not much is know about that but Sandboxes are always good news.
I could read stuff like this all day.
If they release an article - or even better, video - demonstrating the process of creating the environments themselves (the actual landscapes, dungeons, etc), I'll be in heaven.
and the cash shop selling asphalt..." - Mimzel on F2P/Cash Shops
Funcom had a video of the devs placing objects and building the AOC world afew years ago.
In my opinion Funcom lack Quality Control, just look at the fiasco with AOC again at the moment, They move 1 step forward and two back, they never seem to learn.
Why would anyone believe that things will be any different with TSW, for the engine that TSW will use is the same as AOC khitai and if you have played that then you will know of the numerous bugs that still run rampant after all this time.
Funcom has some great idea's but they need to learn how to deliever them. My fingers are crossed for TSW but i think we will be in for more of the same.
When do you think that'll be?
Like 69Cuda said its not about graphics its about how good a game they can make. Recently I was put of SWtOR by the graphics, but I gave it a go and am loving it. Torquist(?) has a reputation for doing a great story, but not sure how much of the SW story: the themes, quests, personnel story are his.
Of course a MMO is not all about great story; the combat, PvP and roleplay tools need to be of a high order. As to the cash shop, those of you who have seen cash shops before will know that they may start out with only items that do not effect gameplay, but give it six months and they end up full of gameplay altering items.
I am sure we will get a clearer view of the game closer to launch.
Speaking of dungeons experience. I hope Funcom could someday, hopefully in that game, re-use one of the major feature of Anarchy Online, the mission (dungeon) generator. Having dungeons, completly random, made only for you or your group is awesome. That doesnt mean we cant have world dungeons like this wreck.
Moderately interesting read since I am interested in playing the game. However, one of the things slightly bothering me is the seemingly total focus on the horror element. The three faction concept is being used to give diversity in avatar design since all skills are available, and for PVP centric players. Mainly are the bosses, all which seem horror only or gigantic amorphos tentacled creatures from HP Lovecraft. I did see a gigantic robot at one screenshot so maybe they are going a little ways from the spikey amoeboids. Still, it would be great to have adventures against Nazi refugees operating from their 'redoubt' in Antarctica, or secret operations in Area 51 or a great number of 'all things are true' situations, not necessarily pure horror or Lovecraft. Variety is the spice of life.
As for the Cash Shop, well. it is difficult for any company not to take advantage of any idea or process that produces profit. How it will be implemented in TSW is unsure for now. And yes, things can and do change over time. Still, if the CS is for clothing and accessories that don't affect gameplay then I am fine with that for now. The idea that I can make my avatar 'look' exactly like I want is a powerful inducement to get this game. I can only assume there will be some sort of appearance tab in game. Be nice if the CS are in actual 'department stores' in the game itself. Need a changing room of course.
As for now, I am playing and subbed to SWTOR and having fun. I intend to try out GW2 and, unless something unpleasant shows up, I will get TSW with high hopes. Good luck to both Funcom and me....lets have fun!
Really thanks for the article. It is huge the ammount of work behind any videogame development, specially if talking about an MMORPG.
Can't wait to try the game!
I like to read up on any articles relating to game development. Although I won't be playing this game, ever, a couple insights were taken. Decent read.