Filed under: All Points Bulletin

All Points Bulletin closed beta has begun

by James Egan Oct 19th 2009 at 11:30AM

Filed under: Betas, MMO industry, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime

Urban crime (game) enthusiasts, rejoice! The All Points Bulletin closed beta has begun, according to reports at both Eurogamer and Kotaku. It was rumored that the beta would begin this month and it seems there are presently three windows of gameplay a week in the All Points Bulletin CBT -- Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings, says Eurogamer's Oli Welsh. Those interested in ripping up the streets as either a Criminal or an Enforcer can still apply to become an All Points Bulletin beta tester at the game's official site.

APB is in development at Realtime Worlds in Scotland, and aims to bring a new level of online interaction to multiplayer urban crime games. Check out Massively's coverage of All Points Bulletin for more on what Realtime Worlds is creating.

All Points Bulletin podcast #12 delivers community Q&A

by Kyle Horner Oct 16th 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Video, New titles, News items, All Points Bulletin

All Points Bulletin's 12th video podcast sees the conclusion of the Mark Rein walkthrough and an informative Q&A with the game's design lead, EJ Moreland. Some of the questions are things we already knew but bore repeating, like that the game is going to be PC only for its first release.

There's new information in there, too. Like the fact that a car you design cannot be stolen from you while driving it, unlike a car you steal from a pedestrian. There's also talk about player and clan housing as future additions to the game.

We think the video podcasts are a great way to clear the air of any misconceptions while simultaneously giving the community a chance to meet the people designing the game they so very much want to play. So hopefully we'll be seeing more of these in the coming weeks leading up to wider beta and eventually, launch.

Check out the video after the break.

All Points Bulletin beta kicks off next week, new gameplay footage released

by James Egan Oct 1st 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Betas, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime

All Points Bulletin from Realtime Worlds is eagerly anticipated by the GTA and Saints Row set, bringing much greater online interaction to the urban crime game genre. All Points Bulletin has been accepting beta applications and, according to Gamesindustry.biz, the beta will begin next week. They report that Realtime Worlds CEO Gary Dale mentioned the beta going live during Tech Media Invest 2009 in London. If all goes as planned, this is certainly good news for those of you who applied as beta testers.

APB video podcast 10 is also out, and shows us a continuation of the GamesCom 2009 footage from last month. In fact, this video quite literally picks up where the previous footage left off, showing off a bit of the Last.fm integration into All Points Bulletin, and how the unobtrusive heads-up display guides you to mission locations. We've got an HD embed of the video for you, so stick with us past the jump for a closer look at APB's gameplay.

UK game tax policies has Realtime Worlds considering move to Ireland

by James Egan Sep 28th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Economy, MMO industry, News items, All Points Bulletin

Realtime Worlds is becoming synonymous with Scotland's game development with their upcoming title All Points Bulletin, but there are reports the company may consider relocating to Ireland. As one of Scotland's most prominent development studios, Realtime Worlds is keenly aware that as the computer games industry grows the UK lags behind other countries in terms of tax incentives. (Edge Online has an excellent overview of the situation which details how UK firms pay tax on R&D while countries like Canada and France provide rebates for game developers.) The situation as it affects Realtime Worlds and other Dundee-based companies is that if corporate tax breaks aren't possible in Scotland, they may need to head to greener pastures. Even moreso if such pastures include a 5-year tax holiday, which was mentioned at last weekend's Global Irish Economic Forum in Dublin.

Herald Scotland quotes Colin Macdonald, Realtime Worlds Studio Manager, as saying,"If the package on offer in Ireland was attractive we'd have to give it serious consideration. [...] Dundee is a great place to be based, one of the main hubs for computer games in Britain, but at the end of the day we've got to look after our bottom line."

Latest APB trailer shoots, drives, pops and locks onto your screen

by Kyle Horner Sep 18th 2009 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Video, New titles, News items, All Points Bulletin

Before you wonder, we'll answer: The third All Points Bulletin official trailer is pretty much all gameplay footage. We say pretty much, because there is a little dancing in it and, well, you'll just have to see for yourselves.

What the trailer does with profound effectiveness is make you want to play the game much sooner than Spring 2010. We're not sure if it's the infectious song and its singer requesting that you give him both daft and punk, or if it's because there's a point in the video where three cars leap from stacked freight containers, onto a building and over into a street. Actually, it's probably the delicious combination of those two things.

Check out the video after the break.

All Points Bulletin video podcast a first look at gameplay

by James Egan Sep 14th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Podcasts, Video, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime

It's no secret that some of us at Massively are looking forward to playing All Points Bulletin, an urban crime title on the way from Realtime Worlds. We learned a bit more about the game at PAX 2009 but we're always hoping to find out more. Fortunately, the company released a new video podcast today filmed at GamesCom 2009 in Cologne that many of our readers have been waiting for -- one with actual gameplay.

The series of videos released prior to this focused on the extensive customization options All Points Bulletin will offer. Although we see quite a bit of gameface from the audience in this latest video podcast, we also see a bit more of that attention to detail emphasized in the previous video footage playing out in the mean streets of the waterfront district. Among other things, the footage shows some very detailed gun animations w. shell ejects and, unsurprisingly, a lot of polish on the look of the vehicles. The user interface is also rather unobtrusive, particularly with the clear compass to guide players.

Interested in checking it out? We've got an HD video embed of APB Video Podcast 9: Viva Cologne for you after the jump.

PAX 2009: Massively's first look at gameplay in All Points Bulletin

by Kyle Horner Sep 7th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: New titles, News items, All Points Bulletin, Massively Event Coverage

All Points Bulletin was representing at PAX and while the game wasn't playable I did manage to see a very cool PAX-only gameplay video presentation. Epic Games' Mark Rein and Realtime Worlds' community officer Chris Collins – you know, that dashing gentlemen in all those cool video podcasts – played a bunch of the game and edited it into a nicely narrated sample of what playing the game is like.

What I ended up seeing was a game that by all accounts looks very ready for launch, so I wasn't surprised to be told beta was "a few weeks" away and not months. And while that date is still a little ways off, most other attendees who saw the video seemed to agree that launch day couldn't come soon enough.

PAX 2009: Massively's first look at gameplay in All Points Bulletin part 2

by Kyle Horner Sep 7th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: New titles, News items, All Points Bulletin, Massively Event Coverage

No subscription for All Points Bulletin

by Kyle Horner Aug 17th 2009 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Business models, New titles, News items, All Points Bulletin

This particular chunk of info came from the game's official FAQ, which was recently updated. Well, it sounds like a reasonable price.

Sure, we could say more about the news. We could discuss how Guild Wars seems to have done amazingly well with their business model, and that it's surprising that nobody else has followed in their footsteps until now. Also, we could say how almost every aspect of this game breaks the standard MMO mold and that it's incredibly refreshing.

These are all things we could say, but that really don't need to be said, because if you're reading this now we assume you're just as excited for Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin as we are -- and really, that's all that needs to be said.

All Points Bulletin website gets overhaul, beta sign up

by Kyle Horner Aug 14th 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Betas, New titles, News items, All Points Bulletin

It's that time of year again. That time when all the upcoming MMO sites transition from their spring-summer duds into their fall-winter looks. For All Points Bulletin, that means a sleek new website that has us slobbering onto our keyboards. It's really hard to type with this mess, so we'll keep it short and sweet.

Beta sign-ups, they're open!

We're sure you probably stopped reading right after "beta sign-ups" so we're going to end it here, just as we promised. Although, not before we feed the birds with you.

The next APB behind the scenes video podcast is online

by Seraphina Brennan Aug 12th 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: At a glance, Podcasts, Video, Culture, Game mechanics, All Points Bulletin, Crime

The APB developers over at Realtime Worlds are continuing their behind the scenes video podcast series in episode 8, "Spoiler Alert." No, no, they're not talking about storyline spoilers or people who scream "Ozymandias did it!" when they come out of Watchmen. (Yes, I'm that evil.) They're talking about car spoilers.

This week the crew goes out to the Scottish Modified Car Show, all in order to point out how much customization is available for cars in the game. From decals, to new parts, to color, all of the cars in APB will have some extreme customization options that will allow players to really express themselves. Well, express themselves more past shooting one another over and over while slinging taunts.

The full video is available for your viewing pleasure at MMORPG.com.

Redefining MMOs: Breaking the Mould

by Lesley Smith Aug 6th 2009 at 9:30AM

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Aion, EVE Online, EverQuest II, Business models, Classes, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Leveling, PvE, Opinion, Browser, Virtual worlds, All Points Bulletin, Crime, Final Fantasy XIV, Cities XL, Redefining MMOs

Just think about that title for a second. Of all the games genres you've played, isn't it MMOs that feel most like carbon copies of one another? Level systems, the character creation process and class archetypes are nearly universal, with hundreds of games sharing the same characteristics. Don't you sometimes wish that MMO developers would step back and reassess the genre they have collectively created? This week, as part of Massively's "Redefining MMOs" series, it's my turn to muse on a topic and I've chosen to look as whether it's time the MMO mould (or mold, as my American editors would say) should be broken and re-examined.

Many aspects of MMOs, such as classes, levelling, raids and bosses, endure simply because they work. After all, if it ain't broke why fix it? But sometimes it feels like you need a breath of fresh air, to step back and smell the roses. This is especially the case when carbon copy MMOs start being rolled out. In the last few months I've tried MMO after MMO and can literally play each one blindfolded. Mages are mages, warriors are warriors and clerics by any other name are still priests. While the archetypes of these classes -- the healer, the tank, the caster, the melee damage-dealer and the pet-toting badass -- differ slightly between genres and titles, they are part of a formula that seems to define the MMO genre.

Skip past the cut to read the rest of the article

All Points Bulletin video shows off fashion for the discerning thug

by James Egan Jul 26th 2009 at 12:00PM

Filed under: Podcasts, Video, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime

The team at Realtime Worlds has put out the 7th video podcast for their urban crime title All Points Bulletin, continuing their theme of focusing on customization options in the game. They've already shown us how we'll be able to embed symbols into everything from our clothing and vehicles or even our own skin.

This latest video podcast shows some of the fashion influences from their local city of Dundee, where they visit Arkive clothing, while showing a little more footage of the style that you can give your Criminal and Enforcer thugs in All Points Bulletin. Stick with us after the jump for the HD video embed.

Rumor: All Points Bulletin to launch in March 2010

by James Egan Jul 23rd 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Launches, MMO industry, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime, Humor

Fans of urban crime games like Grand Theft Auto should have something to look forward to in 2010, with the release of All Points Bulletin from Realtime Worlds. It's an MMO-like game where you'll be able to go on rampages through city streets with hundreds of other players, either as criminals or the vigilantes who hunt them. We learned at E3 2009 that All Points Bulletin is slated for an "early 2010" release, in partnership with Electronic Arts, but now rumor has it that APB will release in March.

UK gaming site MCV reports, "The hotly-tipped APB by Scottish developer Realtime Worlds will arrive at retail in March, MCV can reveal." EA is still sticking with "early 2010", however, according to our parent site Joystiq. If we get any solid confirmation of the All Points Bulletin release date, we'll definitely give this a mention.

Dave Jones: All Points Bulletin shelf life 5 to 10 years

by James Egan Jul 22nd 2009 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Interviews, New titles, All Points Bulletin, Crime

The crime-focused title All Points Bulletin is one of the upcoming games we've taken a fairly keen interest in here at Massively. While we're still hoping for more gameplay footage in the video podcasts that APB developer Realtime Worlds has been releasing since E3 2009, but there's been a fair amount of general info revealed about the game in recent interviews.

Although APB's design is a departure from some of the game mechanics found in massively multiplayer online games, Realtime Worlds is banking that their urban crime title will have the longevity of a solid MMO. Dave Jones, Creative Director on All Points Bulletin, says they could be looking at five to ten years of life in the game.