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Dev Discusses Upcoming Spy-MMO, The Agency

Posted by Soulskill on from the i-could-tell-you-but-then-i'd-have-to-gank-you dept.

Kheldon writes "The MMO Gamer recently sat down with Lorien Gremore, lead producer on SOE's upcoming spy-shooter MMO, The Agency. They discussed various aspects of its development, such as the 'stickiness' of session-based games, striking a balance between FPS and MMO players, and whether or not The Agency even falls under the definition of a traditional MMO at all. 'You might be in Prague, and experiencing play with a lot of different other players; you might have come in at your field office and gone out into the city, encountering many other players doing missions that you are also doing,' Gremore said. She added that the game's areas are large enough to have 'lots of different people in them, collecting intel, engaging in public combat, all of those types of things. These areas are big enough that there’s shops, there’s secret spaces, photos to be taken of suspicious objects, things like that. They’re all out there in the world. We’re really trying to create a balance, where you’re encountering a lot of social situations, chances to get into groups with other people, just by merit of the fact that you guys are doing the same sorts of things in the same sorts of places.'"

16 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. Oh, the boring grind awaits.. by BarMonger · · Score: 5, Funny

    For your next mission, I want you to collect 12 pictures of supermarkets, 14 mysterious hats and a lost 'spys briefcase'..

    Intel gathering MMO? Really?

    1. Re:Oh, the boring grind awaits.. by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 3, Funny

      To add to realism, if you're spotted taking pictures of a bus or a policeman by accident, you're arrested, lose all of your kit, and have a very intimate dialogue with a 23st trucker named Jim.

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    2. Re:Oh, the boring grind awaits.. by elrous0 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh great, now that you've mentioned OCD I have to say it out loud exactly 15 times or something terrible will happen.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  2. Ingame news by Thanshin · · Score: 4, Funny

    "John Ubuli, Fictiana's prime minister, was assassinated tonight. Apparently 12502 assassins entered the embassy simultaneously screaming 'LEEEEROY JEEenkins!'"

    1. Re:Ingame news by cjfs · · Score: 5, Funny

      "John Ubuli, Fictiana's prime minister, was assassinated tonight. Apparently 12502 assassins entered the embassy simultaneously screaming 'LEEEEROY JEEenkins!'"

      Looting was cut short when the intruders realized the zone wasn't instanced and the pm was on a 5min respawn timer.

    2. Re:Ingame news by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Prior to entering the embassy, the group had agreed that the leader would share expensive items on a fair basis. This ended up with the master taking everything for himself, with many of the other players taking their issues up with the HR department. Common phrases used in missives were "OMGWTF NINJA LOOT I AM RPRTIN U ASSHOLE!!" and "I'm never grouping with you again, and I'm telling everyone in Trade that you are a douche."

      The leader didn't seem phased; He had all of the loot. Suckers.

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    3. Re:Ingame news by elrous0 · · Score: 2, Funny

      A world filled entirely with James Bonds will be very elegant. But the world's casual clothing manufacturers will suffer greatly.

      --
      SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  3. Re:Looks full of fail by craagz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can we become a double-spy and leak intel to the bad guys? That would really create a storm in a tea cup!

    --
    My Blog | Badsh
  4. Re:Seems like a structural issue waiting to happen by QuantumG · · Score: 4, Funny

    So basically it's like meeting an American in Europe?

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  5. Re:Seems like a structural issue waiting to happen by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hey, we aren't all spies. A few of us actually do work for the state department, for real.

  6. Re:Spy MMO? by cjfs · · Score: 4, Funny

    You thought grinding xp by combat was bad, wait until you see stealth grinding.

    Follow 20 different sewer rats for 1min each without being seen.

  7. First in-game screenshot... by MRe_nl · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/96/Spy_vs_spy.gif

    --
    "Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
    1. Re:First in-game screenshot... by Ron_Fitzgerald · · Score: 2, Funny

      I knew upgrading to my voodoo3 16-bit card would pay off!

      --
      ~ Ron Fitzgerald
  8. Re:Seems like a structural issue waiting to happen by elrous0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The "Sober American" is just a myth--much like the Loch Ness monster, the modest Frenchman, and the employed Briton.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  9. Re:Seems like a structural issue waiting to happen by ubrgeek · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or people who RTFA.

    --
    Bark less. Wag more.
  10. Re:Looks full of fail by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    That's Ms. mÖnn¥pénn¥ you insensitive clod!