Massively^™

Touring SOE's swanky E3 press room, we noticed a trend while chatting up various developers: the PlayStation 3. Though up to this point, console MMOs haven't been the norm, Sony seems to be pushing hard in that direction. The three major titles SOE is showing off this week -- DC Universe Online, Free Realms, and The Agency -- are all planned for release on the PlayStation 3 as well as the PC. DCUO and The Agency are both currently planned for a simultaneous PC/PS3 release (though that may change) while the Free Realms team is planning to make sure they have a smooth PC release before making the jump to PS3. Everyone we talked to seemed to recognize there are some hurdles to overcome to bring an MMO to a console market -- but they were also confident about overcoming them.

Sometimes we like to sit back and dream of what it might be like to design an MMO. We'd put together some fiendishly difficult boss battles, or plot some intensely engaging storylines ... or maybe just throw in a ton of Fury jokes. And then we snap out of it and get back to work.

Tracy Seamster is a game designer for SOE's The Agency, to which she transitioned after writing for Everquest II for some years. If you've ever wondered what the day-to-day job of a game designer might be like, you can look for the answers in this interview. Covering such topics as finding inspiration, the tools used by a designer, and the particular challenges in writing for an MMO, this interview gives a behind-the-scenes look into one of the industry's more coveted positions.

[Thanks, Beth!]

Genres are a sticky thing when it comes to gaming. On the one hand, they help us categorize and succinctly describe a hitherto unknown game. Simply referring to a game as an MMO, for instance, instantly conjures up a number of elements like a persistent world, large sharded player base, and character progression. While that sort of pigeon-holing is effective for most games out there, occasionally a game comes along that really defies our best efforts at categorization. In this blogger's mind, The Agency is a perfect example of that.

In a recent preview of the game, we're treated to details of the ways in which The Agency is both more than and less than a traditional MMO. A lot of the usual elements like persistence and character progression are there, but they're twisted in interesting new ways. None of this is especially new information per say (we spoke with the lead designer ourselves not long ago), but it's another new perspective on the game, and we can't help but gobble it up. Also out of the Eurogamer camp is a reiteration of the point made last month at ION that The Agency will not be using an RMT system for weapons, operatives, or anything else that would give one player an edge on another, which we're happy to see as well.

Take a look at the preeminent Fantasy MMOs available: World of Warcraft takes place in Azeroth. Age of Conan's setting is Hyborea. Guild Wars boasts Tyria as its location. Lord of the Rings Online has Middle-Earth, which Tolkien refers to as much as an age as a location, hinting that it could in fact be Earth's past, but the landscape as described doesn't really match anything in our reality.

And what does Earth have? Hellgate: London, The Agency, The Day, and possibly The Secret World. While there may be supernatural elements in a couple of these titles, for the most part they belong firmly in a science-grounded reality, and couldn't be considered true Fantasy settings. So what gives? With the unlimited imagination on display for all these other titles, why does Earth get short shrift? Is there any good reason for our fair Terra to be left out of the Fantasy loop?

John Smedley and the rest of Sony Online Entertainment want you to focus on reinventing the MMO. With games on their list like The Agency and Free Realms, what else would they want you to think?

While sitting down with MSNBC's Kristin Kalning, Smedley talked about the old days of MMOs, when EverQuest was the pinnacle of MMO game design, and how that has changed in recent years with the advent of World of Warcraft. But what is to be taken away from this interview is how SOE wishes to take the genre into a new direction, targeting shooter fans with The Agency and the 12-year-old crowd with Free Realms.

Appealing to both genders and creating new objectives that aren't just "kill stuff" are top priorities in how Smedley wishes to see MMOs change. He points out that it's clear that the market can expand, especially when RuneScape has more players than World of Warcraft, and how different methods can be used to capture that market.

It's clear that SOE is very interested in taking back their MMO crown, and even more clear that they're going into untouched waters to do it. However, the MSNBC article proves very insightful, and we all know that MMOs can use a little bit of a change up every now and then.

The second part of Ten Ton Hammer's interview with Kevin O'Hara, Senior World Designer for The Agency, focuses on the game's mission design and eventual end-game. We find out that there will be a main story to the game that will be continued through a major line of missions, but you can expect plenty of side missions similar to pretty much any other MMO as well. Following what was said in the first interview, these missions will take place in a variety of settings, both large open areas and smaller enclosed spaces.

As for the end-game, O'Hara expects that there will be a few choices for players of The Agency. The PvP in the game will have rankings and leaderboards for people to ascend, and a lot of re playability is being built into the missions via the scoring system -- people will want to replay old missions and try to do better, to receive more rewards. But how about raiding? Obviously you won't be suiting up with 40 friends to take out a dragon, but O'Hara says that the raiding will likely be in the form of a large-scale mission that requires a lot of people and co-ordination.

Every bit of news from The Agency gets us increasingly more excited about the possibilities that this spy MMO will bring to the table. In part one of a recent interview with Kevin O'Hara, Senior World Designer for The Agency, we learn even more about the environments, levels and combat mechanics of SOE's upcoming game.

One point of this interview that stuck out in our minds the most is the mention of an open vs. linear environment. This seems to be a big draw for many MMOs these days, where players are requesting more and more vast areas to explore, trying to escape the funneled experiences we get with more linear storylines. Thankfully, The Agency seems to tackle this concern by allowing more options in your questing experience, while still allowing a "cool-down" area to prep for the next encounter. The overall faster-paced feel of the game promises to set it apart from the traditional MMOs we know today.

Not everyone is cut out to be a spy. There's the code name -- are you more of a Falcon or a Wolf? Are those too urbane? Maybe DA FIXER is more your style? And then there's the outfit. Tuxedos -- rent or buy? Evening gowns -- daring or coy? Cars -- black sports cars or camo-painted APCs? You just can't walk into the business unprepared.

SOE is here to help. Their upcoming spy-themed MMO, The Agency, lets you indulge your inner cloak and dagger -- how much of cloak and how much of dagger, well, that's up to you. Urbane and sophisticated, making risky plays in Baccarat and seducing the young, rich and beautiful? If you like your ID numbers short with a few zeros in front, well, the United Nations Intelligence and Tactical Experts -- UNITE -- is likely your sort of organization. If the authorities can follow the line of half-destroyed buildings and flaming car wrecks straight to your slightly-dented tank, you should think about talking to the Paramilitary Global Operations Network -- ParaGON.

To make your task a little easier, SOE has tossed together a video that should make it easier for you to decide whether people should know you as "The Saint" or "BAMF". Creeping, sneaking, assassinating and blowing-up goodness after the break.

Who'd win in a cage match between SOE's upcoming MMOs, spy-themed The Agency and family-friendly Free Realms? On one side, you have all the guns, explosives, and "M"-ratings. On the other side, you have cartoon-inspired graphics, Real Money Trading, and loads of fun from-7-to-70 minigames. And right in the middle of them both, there'd be John "Smed" Smedley keeping score. These are the kinds of things that come to mind while reading the latest interview with Smed. He talks, again, about the new MMOs and the innovations they bring to the genre, in a pleasantly relaxed tone. Absent are mad, loud proclamations to Funcom, EA Mythic and Blizzard describing how, in great detail SOE MMOs will KICK THEIR MMO'S BUTT.

He may not see his games in direct competition with the others, but players do. They want to know HOW the games will kick butt, WHERE they will do it, how PAINFUL it will be, and where they can get a front row seat. In this ION interview, Smed talks about how children who play Free Realms can be given an allowance in the game to limit the amount they spend on in-game goods. If you get your friends to try Free Realms, hey, you can find some shiny nickels in your account to perhaps buy that lovely outfit you've been eying. With The Agency, on the other hand, you want boom? They will have boom. You want bleed? Bleed will happen. SOE is committed to getting an "M" rating for the game, even if they need to have an NPC cuss to do it. We want passion and we get bullet points. We want butt-kicking and get fireside chats. Smed, please tell us how The Agency is going to slam Age of Conan to the ground. Tell us how Free Realms will make players around the world go "Maple What?". We want to believe!

The more of The Agency we see, the more interested we get. G4's X-Play recently showed off two new videos featuring more in-depth looks at gameplay than we've gotten to see previously. In speaking with Director of Development Matt Wilson and Designer Hal Milton, we get to see glimpses of various elements, such as cool spy gadgets a la James Bond's Q, and how the Operatives can help you in your missions.

We've got both videos after the jump, and you'll find them in larger resolutions on G4's site.

[Thanks, Steven!]

While attending the SOE open house event last night after all the ION 08 panels were finished, we got the chance to sit down with The Agency's lead designer Hal Milton. He talked about the game at length, which of course meant our ears and eyes were firmly directed in his direction.

The first thing we feel is important to mention before getting into some new juicy details, is the recent news about downloadable content for the spy-fueled action MMO. You see there's been some confusion and in speaking to Hal he expressed his desire to clear things up. Players will in fact be able to purchase things with their hard earned money in The Agency, however, these items will not be weapons or equipment. To be clear: From what Hal told us, nothing that gives one player an instant leg-up over another will be for sale.

With that out of the way, lets get on to the new information.

Our mission: infiltrate SOE's Seattle studio, obtain intel on The Agency, regale the awesomely hyperactive lead designer Hal Milton with questions from left field. Operatives were dispatched, urban primitive ladies were photographed, and foyer introductions were presided over by a really cool gun. Stay tuned for more news about living the life of an elite agent, and check out the gallery for tour photos featuring concept art from The Agency, giant robots, and a not-so-secret reveal.

When you think of Sony Online Entertainment, what comes to mind? I'm sure that Everquest, Everquest 2, Star Wars Galaxies and Planetside are some of the titles which most people think about. From what I've recently seen in John Smedley's keynote at ION 08 that's all going to be changing in the near future. While he did tease the audience with a hint that, "There's more Everquest in our future." Smedley left the topic of EQ at that. I've certainly had my thoughts on what the next Everquest experience should or could be like, but it's just my own personal wish.

So why are we going to be looking at SOE in a different light in the near future? Two games are the reason why: Free Realms and The Agency.

Earlier today Sony Online Entertainment and Live Gamer released a joint statement announcing their intentions to collaborate on player-to-player RMT auction services for future titles. Both Free Realms and The Agency, in development at the moment, will offer this moderated transactional element at launch. In past SOE titles, such as EverQuest II, RMT services have been non-existant or highly limited. With these new games, all players will have the opportunity to engage in in-game item trading for real money.

To clarify what the company has in store we contacted Mr. John Smedley, CEO of SOE. In our brief conversation about the announcement we touched on how this might affect the games' interactions with the PlayStation 3. We also talked about SOE's hopes for a farmer free playing environment, and what this might mean for the future of the company's relationship with Live Gamer. Mr. Smedley went even further, giving us a few sneak preview comments hinting at topics he'll be discussing in his keynote address today at ION 2008. Will a Pokemon-esque card battle system will be coming to Free Realms? Read on to find out.

Gamasutra carries word that Sony Online Entertainment has announced their intentions to offer RMT services for both Free Realms and The Agency when they're released. These services will be offered through the third party company Live Gamer, likely in a similar arrangement to the company's current model on the EverQuest 2 title. This news comes just a day after the announcement that Live Gamer will be working with Petrogryph Games on their upcoming free to play MMO.

Both The Agency and Free Realms have been recognized as possible RMT/Free to play titles since they were announced by SOE last year. The Agency will feature a card-based system which puts human assets at the players fingertips. Called Operatives, this living loot will most likely be tradeable via Live Gamer's managed RMT service. Similarly, Free Realms will offer purchasing options to players in the form of outfits, pets, and special items. Tradeable items might include collection compontents. Tentative plans also call for Free Realms to offer 'event tickets' to free players that would allow them to participate in subscriber-only services.

The full release is after the break. Stay with us for future coverage of this announcement, as we've contacted both SOE and Live Gamer for comment.