global-agenda posts

Better know Global Agenda's Assault class

by Kyle Horner Nov 4th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Interviews, New titles, News items, Global Agenda

In an interview with Hi-Rez Studio's executive producer Todd Harris, Ten Ton Hammer discusses Global Agenda's Assault class at considerable length. For those looking for a simple analog, the Assault is like a meaty tank class wielding huge weaponry such as mini-guns. The interview covers such topics as ammo concerns -- as the aforementioned mini-guns chew up ammo like a man on a desert island drinks fresh water -- and several other matters that dig deep into the earth center of the class. Then again, if blowing stuff up is your preference, that's offered as well.

Much of what we've seen of the Assault class tells us that it's going to be a favorite with players who generally enjoy inflicting damage in the most terrible of ways. And really, that's a whole lot of people; those who drool at rocket launchers and chain-fed ballistics weaponry.

Tags: assault-class, global-agenda, heavy, hi-rez-studios, interview, mini-gun, mmofps, rocket, rocket-launcher, rocket-launchers, sci-fi, shooter, todd-harris

GameX 2009: The expo in photos

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 3rd 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Galleries, Massively meta, Massively Event Coverage

Did we have a good time at this year's GameX in Philadelphia? Well, if you can't tell by all of our coverage, we certainly did. But there was certainly more to the expo than just interviewing people and checking out Warhammer Online and Global Agenda running on the show floor! There were, gasp, other games there!

We got many neat photos of the various things on the show floor, from robots to steampunk to Egyptian statues, and we collected them all in one gallery for you guys to ogle. If you were interested in Bayonetta or Dante's Inferno, then also look no further, as we got some pictures of those booths in action as well.

So enjoy the photos as tomorrow we wrap up our coverage of GameX 2009. Hope you enjoyed reading/watching it as much as we enjoyed writing/recording it!

Gallery: GameX 2009: Photos from on the floor

Tags: bayonetta, dantes-inferno, expo, gamex-2009, global-agenda, images, photos, warhammer-online

GameX 2009: Our hands-on with Global Agenda

by Seraphina Brennan Nov 3rd 2009 at 2:30PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Game mechanics, PvP, PvE, MMOFPS, Global Agenda, Massively Hands-on, Massively Event Coverage

It's an MMO, it's a shooter, and we stealthily gathered enemy intelligence on it at GameX 2009. It's Hi-Rez's Global Agenda, the "spy-fi" team based shooter that has lots of people talking in excited whispers.

We sat down at Hi-Rez's gaming rigs once again for a look at the game, and this time we went beyond the PvP matches. We got to have some personal time with Global Agenda's PvE mode, getting an inside look at how secret agents deal with insane governments that utilize robots to the Nth degree.

So what can you expect from Global Agenda, both PvP and PvE-wise? If our looks into the game were any indication, you can expect lots.

Tags: beta, featured, gamex, gamex-2009, global-agenda, hands-on, hi-rez-studios, mmofps, pve, pvp, spy-fi

Demo impressions of Star Trek Online from Eurogamer Expo 2009

by James Egan Nov 2nd 2009 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Video, New titles, Quests, PvE, Star Trek Online

We recently mentioned that Star Trek Online fans would get a chance to play through a demo of the game at Eurogamer Expo last week. One of the first reports we've read about the Star Trek Online demo comes from Oli Welsh at Eurogamer who was uniquely positioned to check out the game (it was their Expo after all.) Welsh begins by writing, "Trekkies can put one fear to rest right now: Star Trek Online feels just like Star Trek." Although this might assuage a bit of the apprehension some gamers have about trying yet another Star Trek game, Welsh is up front about the fact that the demo he played through was a contained single player experience. It's too soon to say what gameplay will feel like when hundreds of other players are thrown into the mix.

He writes about the demo's transitions between locations via warp jumps, keyboard navigation of star ships (standard WASD, with additional throttle control), and the pacing of ship combat. Welsh also walks the reader from the bridge of a Federation vessel down to the surface of a planet where Klingon opponents await. Fans of the game should read Eurogamer's hands on with Star Trek Online and may also be interested in the video footage of STO gameplay from Limited Edition, shot at this year's Eurogamer Expo (starting at 02:40. They've also captured gameplay of Global Agenda as well.) We've got a video embed of that for you after the jump.

Tags: combat, cryptic, cryptic-studios, demo, eurogamer, eurogamer-expo, eurogamer-expo-2009, federation, gameplay, global-agenda, hands-on, john-nicholson, klingon, limited-edition, new-titles, oli-welsh, pve, quests, sci-fi, shuttler, star-trek, star-trek-online, sto, video

GameX 2009: Inside Global Agenda's PvE and AvA persistent content battles

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 30th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Business models, Game mechanics, Interviews, MMO industry, PvE, MMOFPS, Global Agenda, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

As we've said before, we got to see many, many people at GameX 2009 this year. But one of the main reasons we went to the expo was to catch up once again with the team from Hi-Rez Studios and ask them some more questions on their "spy-fi" MMOFPS, Global Agenda.

On the top of our burning question list was what exactly made Global Agenda into an MMO, so we set out to ask associate producer Michal Adam all about what made their AvA and persistent world battles so special. Along the way, we also inquired as to what their PvE content will hold, and what rewards players could expect to find from participating in Global Agenda: Conquest.

For our full video interview with Michal, look no further than after the break!

Tags: alliance-vs-alliance, ava, featured, gamex, gamex-2009, global-agenda, michal-adam, mmofps, persistent-world, pve, pvp, spy-fi

GameX coverage begins tomorrow!

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 22nd 2009 at 8:00PM

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, Massively Event Coverage

GameX, the Northeastern video game industry summit and expo, is starting tomorrow! As we said earlier this week, we'll be there, getting face time with guests, visiting Mythic Entertainment and Hi-Rez Studios, and getting you information on some of your favorite titles.

In addition to our coverage here on the site, we'll be updating our Twitter account with things we see at the expo and pictures! Now instead of running to us every five minutes for your Massively fix, you can get updates, pictures, and more from us in the form of tweets! If you're not currently following @massively, or if you're not on Twitter, now is the time to both sign up and add us to your follow list!

Tags: ea, electronic-arts, escapist, escapist-magazine, game-expo, gamex, gamex-2009, global-agenda, hi-rez, hi-rez-studios, mythic, mythic-entertainment, philadelphia, social-media, social-networking, the-guild, twitter, war, warhammer-online, yahtzee-croshaw

Hi-Rez announces pricing structure for Global Agenda

by Shawn Schuster Oct 20th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Business models, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Spy, Global Agenda

Good news for you Global Agenda fans out there, as Hi-Rez Studios announced their pricing structure today for the upcoming spy-fi MMO. In a phone call this morning to Executive Producer Todd Harris, we learned that the game will have a few options, depending on your playing style. If you'd like to play Global Agenda as a multi-player, hub-based shooter, all you need to do is buy the box. There will be no subscription fees at all.

If you'd like to take part in large-scale Alliance vs. Alliance battles throughout a persistent world, then the subscription model would be for you. This sub model also opens up other features, like the Auction House, mail system and more. This is what any MMO player would want, while the subscription-free option would cater more towards your average Call of Duty fan. Keep reading after the jump for complete details on Global Agenda's payment model, feature comparison and details and their newest projected launch window.

Tags: breaking, breakingnews, business-plan, free-to-play, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, pricing, subscription

Massively.com jams at GameX in Philadelphia this weekend

by Seraphina Brennan Oct 19th 2009 at 6:00PM

Filed under: Events, real-world, Interviews, MMO industry, Massively Event Coverage

This weekend is GameX in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Massively.com is going to be on hand to grab some interviews with the members of the MMO community and perhaps a few more interviews from some notable non-MMO individuals as well.

Over the weekend, we'll be catching up with the two MMO companies in attendance -- Hi-Rez Studios and Mythic Entertainment. Hi-Rez will be showing off Global Agenda, continuing their convention tour around the US, and we'll be there to get our excited hands on the game for another round of futuristic shooting.

Mythic Entertainment will be bringing the WAR and the WAAGGGGH, showing off Warhammer Online to the unwashed masses. We'll be there as well, taking a look at all of the new changes that have come in Patch 1.3.2 and getting some talk time with the team.

So stay tuned for this weekend's coverage of the expo, including interviews, game coverage, photos, and more!

Tags: breaking, ea, electronic-arts, exclusive, gamex-2009, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, interviews, mythic-entertainment, war, warhammer-online

Global Agenda wants to give beta keys to you!

by Seraphina Brennan Sep 30th 2009 at 4:30PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Contests, New titles, News items, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

Another day, another set of beta keys for some lucky Massively readers. The guys at Hi-Rez Studios have 10 more beta keys that they want to give you guys so you can get in and play some Global Agenda.

If you're interested in jumping into this "spy-fi" MMO shooter, then listen up because things are going to be a bit different this time. We're not doing the "post a comment and pray" style of giveaway for these keys. Hi-Rez has worked this contest straight into their closed beta registration system, and we're going to tell you exactly how to enter right after the break.

Also, this contest is only good until tomorrow. That's right, you need to update your closed beta registration with our special code by tomorrow, Thursday, October 1st. For full instructions, hit the "continue reading" button and jump with us after the break.

Tags: beta-keys, breaking, closed-beta, contest, giveaway, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, mmofps, spy-fi

Redefining MMOs: The Shooter Invasion

by James Egan Sep 18th 2009 at 4:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, MMO industry, PvP, Opinion, Massively meta, Consoles, Crime, MMOFPS, Redefining MMOs

The MMO industry is always changing, and if we're going to stay ahead of the curve, we need to re-evaluate some of our views and ingrained notions from time to time. The Redefining MMOs series at Massively is our look at the state of massively multiplayer online games as it is today, and where we see it going. This week we're going to look at how shooters have invaded the MMO space, give you a run-down of some promising MMO shooters on the horizon, and finally tackle the question of whether or not they should be covered here at Massively.

Something we're seeing more and more is a blurring of the lines between formerly distinct game genres -- this is especially true of shooters and MMOs. There are a number of shooters on the horizon that fit the bill as MMOs (although not RPGs), but such games are a radical departure from the DikuMUD pedigree shared by most MMORPG titles we cover at Massively. These shooter-MMO hybrids may have quests, levels, and classes, but they cast few illusions about being true RPGs. They're shooters through and through, but have persistent settings or are massively multiplayer -- traits which catch our attention.

Tags: all-points-bulletin, consoles, crime, dust-514, featured, first-person-shooter, fps, game-mechanics, global-agenda, huxley, mag, mmo-industry, mmofps, opinion, planetside, pvp, redefining-mmos, sci-fi, shooters, the-agency, third-person-shooter

DragonCon 2009: Interview with Global Agenda

by Shawn Schuster Sep 8th 2009 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Video, Events, real-world, Interviews, MMO industry, New titles, Spy, Global Agenda, Massively Interviews, Massively Event Coverage

At Dragon*Con this year, we had the chance to grab a quick video interview with Stew Chisam, VP of Game Operations at Hi-Rez Studios. Following two successful closed beta weekends, and some wonderful demos at Dragon*Con and PAX, Stew was happy to tell us how things are going in the progression of Global Agenda.

As promised on our last tour of the Hi-Rez Studios HQ, we're following the studio -- and the game -- as they progress through to launch. Follow along after the jump to see what Stew has to say about player feedback, projected launch and the overwhelming following they've seen at Dragon*Con.

Tags: beta, closed-beta, dragoncon-2009, exclusive, featured, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, interview, stew-chisam, video

Global Agenda interview breaks down PvP game mechanics

by James Egan Aug 31st 2009 at 7:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Interviews, New titles, PvP, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

A game we've had our eyes on from Hi-Rez Studios is Global Agenda, a cross between a class-based shooter and an MMO. Given its first person shooter roots, the game is heavily PvP-oriented. This match-based combat is the focus of an interview by Jon Wood at MMORPG.com with Global Agenda Executive Producer Todd Harris.

Harris relates that PvP in Global Agenda happens both in small squads and "AvA" (agency vs. agency), where players will participate in a "massive meta-game to control land and resources involving hundreds of territory locations and tens of thousands of player agents."

Tags: agency-vs-agency, ava, combat, executive-producer, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, interviews, jon-wood, mmofps, mmorpg.com, new-titles, pvp, sci-fi, shooter, spy-fi, todd-harris

Hi-Rez Studios to host all-night Global Agenda LAN party at Dragon*Con

by James Egan Aug 30th 2009 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, real-world, MMO industry, News items, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

Are you interested in checking out the sci-fi MMOFPS Global Agenda, but didn't get accepted into beta? The team at Hi-Rez Studios has good news for anyone who's going to be in Atlanta during Dragon*Con 2009. They're going to have an all-night LAN party for Global Agenda which anyone can crash, ~~even if you don't have a Dragon*Con pass.~~ Hi-Rez Studios bills this as an "all-you-can play, hands-on experience with the upcoming game, Global Agenda. There will be PvE missions, PvP death matches, and your chance to get an inside look" at the game.

Interested? You can check out the details on the Global Agenda site, but the gist of their announcement is that the LAN party will be held on Friday September 4th in the Digital Gaming Area of the Hilton. The Hi-Rez event will be on the 3rd floor, conference rooms 309-312. There's no cost of admission, food and drinks will be provided so gluttony is encouraged, ~~and again you won't even need a Dragon*Con pass to get in~~. This sounds like a great chance to play the game well in advance of launch.

UPDATE: LAN party attendees will, in fact, need a Dragon*Con pass to enter the Digital Gaming Area.

Tags: atlanta, betas, dragon-con, dragon-con-2009, events, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, lan-party, mmo-industry, mmofps, sci-fi, spy-fi

Second Global Agenda closed beta test weekend begins today

by James Egan Aug 21st 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, PvP, News items, PvE, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

One of the upcoming games Massively is watching closely is Global Agenda, an amalgam of a sci-fi MMO and a shooter. Global Agenda's creators, Hi-Rez Studios, launched the first phase of closed beta testing roughly a month ago, with new players hammering their servers over the course of four days. The next round of closed beta testing begins today, August 21st, at 3pm EST (12pm PDT, 8pm GMT) and will last through 6am EST (3am PDT, 11am GMT) on Sunday, August 23rd.

Where the first test was focused on the early levels of gameplay, Hi-Rez Studios will now focus on higher level gameplay. While we couldn't say exactly what that entails, it's a safe bet that gamers will have access to a wider array of devices and skills. On the topic of skills, our understanding is that this next round of beta testing will throw the alpha and beta testers in the same room for the first time... which should be brutal.

Tags: betas, cbt, closed-beta, global-agenda, hi-rez-studios, mmo-industry, mmofps, new-titles, pve, pvp, sci-fi, spy-fi

Global Agenda announces North American tour

by James Egan Aug 11th 2009 at 3:00PM

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, MMOFPS, Global Agenda

The team at Hi-Rez Studios announced they're taking Global Agenda on the road for a North American tour. It'll be a chance for fans, or anyone curious about the shooter-MMO hybrid, to get some hands-on time with Global Agenda and meet the developers from Hi-Rez Studios. The Global Agenda tour kicks off this week at QuakeCon in Dallas and will hit the major gaming events through January. The tour dates announced thus far are: