New Free-to-Play, FPS-Centric, MMO Hits Closed Beta

Nexon America, publisher of MapleStory, has announced the closed beta for a new free-to-play, FPS-centric, MMO. The new "Combat Arms" is planned for a full release later this summer and promises not only the ability to customize your soldier, but also your guns and equipment. "The closed beta test will run exclusively at FilePlanet.com for one week beginning May 30th. Once the game is released to the public, Combat Arms will receive regular content updates, including new weapons, gear, maps, and more free game modes."

Comments

MMO?

[bazald]

I see that there are persistent customizable characters, but how is this an MMO?

I see nothing to indicate that it is, judging from the official website: http://combatarms.nexon.net/

Re:MMO?

[spyder913]

Yeah I concur, doesn't look like it's MMO at all. This is more like Halo for free than Planetside.

Re:MMO?

[Cornflake917]

Not only am I suspicious that this isn't an MMO, I'm also worried about whether it's truly free. I think Nexon makes the types of games where you have to pay for the good items. So while this game may be technically free to play, don't be surprised if you only get a handgun and have to pay real cash to get your AK-47.

Re:MMO?

[TriezGamer]

I have little experience with MapleStory, but in Mabinogi (another of Nexon's newer titles) paid services/items are like night and day. You can't compete without paying.

That said, I find myself enjoying micro-transaction games like these far more than games with monthly fees, because I only pay for what I want and what I will use -- and many of them are one-time purchases that last forever.

Re:MMO?

[Anonymous Coward]

Not only am I suspicious that this isn't an MMO

Requirement for MMO tag. A game that can be played on the internet with hundreds to thousands of people in the same "virtual world". "virtual world" does not necessarily mean the same server as most worlds are broken down into different servers. As long as people are connected to the same world (even if there are multiple instances of the same zone), it generally can be called an MMO, whether I like it or not.

MMO does not mean RPG, though most MMO's are RPGs and apparently Combat Arms is more FPS with some RPG elements, kind of like Warcraft III was a RTS with some RPG elements.

'm also worried about whether it's truly free.

Games like Maple Story and, apparently, Combat Arms use a micro-transactions business model. Not unlike "Sword of the New World", which was originally $20 purchase but was quickly turned into "free to play". You can purchase "epic" weapons real quick or you can just take the long and tedious farming to obtain it. Usually, you are given both options.

In the short term, most people are willing to drop some beer money to buy some extra gold/credits to advance their character instead of just killing the same stuff a million and one times. In terms of WoW, just think of it as gold farming, only it's the actual company selling the services and you can also buy your PvP weapons, instead of grinding out arena/PvP and just have fun.

Is this better than Counterstrike?

[the_humeister]

Counterstrike is also an MMO (not a MMORPG), although that depends on your definition of massively multiplayer. For a really massively multiplayer FPS, how about Sony's Planetside?

Re:Is this better than Counterstrike?

[josteos]

they just did a server merge -- now they are down to one EU server and one US server. I logged back on for a few minutes after the merge and pops were pretty high. But that was most likely due to the free play period for veteran players that ended 5/21.

The game itself is still up & running, and they even managed to add some stuff last year: Galaxy Gunships & Phantasm stealth transports.

Re:Is this better than Counterstrike?

[IntergalacticWalrus]

No, 32 people by server definitely does not count as "massive".

xkcd

[j1m 5n0w]

There's an xkcd comic for every occasion.

yawn maybe?

[jollyreaper]

MMORPG's can go piss up a rope. Big multiplayer games that don't require a zillion hours to keep up with, now that I can get behind. I'm very impressed with the GTAIV multiplayer experience on xbox live. You can play it for ten hours or ten minutes and have a blast the whole time. I was surprised at how unlaggy my experience has been because I've heard some real horror stories about how microsoft oversold the service.