PlayStation LifeStyle » MAG

For MAG’s Birthday, YOU Get the Presents

Corey Schwanz — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:48:48 +0000

The PlayStation 3′s ‘massive action game’, MAG, is hitting a big milestone this week. To celebrate its first birthday, what could be better than a party where everyone is invited?

Zipper Interactive is having a party, and you’re invited! Come one, come all to MAG‘s first birthday. The online-only shooter was announced at E3 back in 2008 and after a few open and closed Betas, launched on January 26th to rather positive reviews. It’s been heavily supported over the past year with a multitude of patches, expansions, with the developer even putting in support for the PlayStation Move. MAG really has grown up a lot. But what does that mean for you?

Starting January 26th at 12AM Pacific Time, and running through to the following Sunday the 30th, all in-game queue and “Happy Hour” bonuses will be increased. How much exactly? Well, a whopping 256% boost, with the number chosen for obvious reasons. If you’ve been meaning to get the Level 60 trophies for your faction, the Zipper folks say that this would definitely be the time. Also on the 26th, the Zipper QA staff will be playing online from 10AM to 5 PM Pacific. Think you’re good at the game? Time to show off your stuff against the people who have probably played it more than anyone else!

Lastly, the two biggest game modes, Domination and Acquisition, will be going Faction Neutral for the duration of the promotion. If you’re a MAG veteran you probably know what that means, but for the uninitiated it means that the biggest game types will loose their PMC-specific nature to free-for-all. Anyone can defend any type of area they want. Let the chaos ensue!

What are you waiting for? The Shadow War awaits!

[Source]

Zipper Plans to Keep Reinforcing MAG

Cameron Teague — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 10:21:25 +0000

We are sure that one of the toughest decisions for any developer out there is to know when to stop supporting a game after its release. MAG has been a popular shooter since its release, and has experienced heavy support by developer Zipper Interactive with multiple packs of DLC, and even PlayStation Move controls patched-in.

Loss of support does not seem to be an option for MAG anytime soon as fans recently brought the question up on the SOCOM forums, and received very positive results. The answer came from Chris Roper, Community Specialist at Zipper Interactive.

There’s a point of diminishing returns with every game. For us to keep supporting something, it has to make financial sense – everyone here has to eat and pay for shelter, after all.
That said, we do still have work ongoing to support MAG. We’re not done yet.

This is great news for people still enjoying the epic battlefields in MAG. Though, with SOCOM 4 creeping up you do have to wonder just how much longer it will last.

[Source]

Play MAG for Free with PlayStation Plus

Jonathan Leack — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:38:14 +0000

If you’ve been a PlayStation Plus subscriber for the past month then you’re probably satisfied with the last month’s worth of content. Shatter was a great addition to everyone Plus member’s library, and the free DC Universe Online beta was a nice touch by Sony. This week, gamers who haven’t gotten around to playing one of the best FPS games this year will have a shot at testing the waters.

In the comments section of the announcement for MAG‘s full game trial, a PS Blog user questioned Zipper Interactive on whether or not we’ll able to continue playing the trial indefinitely. Jeremy Dunham, Senior Community Manager at Zipper, replied with the following:

Yep. As long as you’re a PS Plus member, you can play the game at no charge, with a level 8 cap.

There you have it. If you’ve been looking to try out the PlayStation 3′s exclusive first-person shooter MAG, and you’re a current or prospecting PlayStation Plus member, then you’ll be getting more than you bargained for. With a score of 9 from us earlier in the year, you’re sure to have a good time.

MAG Update in Deployment

Tyler Minarik — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 04:48:51 +0000

Good news Massive Action Game fans! Zipper Interactive has fired off yet another update for their epic shooter MAG. In update 2.10 they not only fixed a few bugs, but added a few new features to improve your experience as well.

Primarily this includes a new “multiqeue” feature that allows players to select multiple game modes to attempt to join while trying to find a game, and also avoid the game types you don’t like. The feature gives a check list allowing you to check off which modes you want, and leave the ones you don’t so you can get to the action quickly. It also includes a new XP reward bonus that increases based on how many game types you’re willing to join.

Another notable feature of the update is the ability to take in-game photos at 720p quality. This is accomplished by bringing up the XMB and finding the proper icon in the photos section. It may still be hard to get action shots desired since its not the fastest method of access, but it is still a cool addition to an already stellar game. Listed below are a few other note worthy changes made to the game:

Implemented “Multiqueue” functionality to allow users to queue up for multiple game modes simultaneously
Added “Multiqueue” XP bonus modifier that increases as more modes are selected
Increased XP to CP-earned ratio to 1.5 CP for every 1 XP
Reduced price of Medical Kits to 500 CP from 800 CP
Teammates can no longer prevent you from repairing vehicles and objectives when in your line of sight
Shortened cooldown times between leadership FRAGOs to 2 seconds from 10 seconds
Added “friendly fire” modifier so that allies never receive more than 50% damage when hit by a friendly vehicle
Improved item-swap speed
Decreased effectiveness of “Marksman Recoil Stability” and “Marksman Steady Aim” skills
Improved effectiveness of First Aid Kit and Medical Kit skills, “Self Heal Speed” and “Heal Recharge Rate”
Increased effectiveness of “Improved Smoke Screen Rate” skill

For full patch notes, head over to page 2.

[Source]

MAG “Still Amongst The Most Played Online PS3 Games”

Sebastian Moss — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 02:38:47 +0000

With the multiplayer juggernaut Call of Duty: Black Ops having released only days ago, and a slew of other games with online sections having come out in the 10 months since the PlayStation 3 exclusive shooter MAG‘s début, it would be easy to presume that MAG had faded away into obscurity and that only a small portion of PS3 owners actually played the game. However, according to developer Zipper’s Senior Community Manager, the title is still drawing in huge crowds.

With the game supporting a record breaking 256 players in one match, having a thriving community is vitally important to a game with such a large scale. Luckily, Jeremy Dunham, Senior Community Manager for Zipper Interactive has revealed that the game is still one of the largest on the PS3.

On a thread on the official MAG forum, about the game would need to be “revived” after Black Ops release, Dunham responded to a comment that suggested Socom: Confrontation had a bigger online community than MAG:

“This is incorrect — MAG has more concurrent players than SOCOM: Confrontation worldwide on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This has been true for every month since MAG’s release on January 26.
Obviously we don’t hit the same numbers we had in our first few months in terms of concurrent and daily users, but we’re still amongst the most played online PS3 games out there”

With the MAG: Escalation downloadable content having recently released, the game is set to go from strength to strength and cement itself as a major online force on the PlayStation 3.

MAG Escalation DLC Trailer Revealed

Kishen Patel — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:07:12 +0000

The robust 256-player online first-person shooter by Zipper Interactive has experienced more than a fair share of advancement that only continues to evolve as the life of the game progresses. Latest to the MAG universe was an all-new game time made available as downloadable content on the PlayStation Store.

Complete with three maps for each PMC’s region, the MAG Escalation DLC package pits all three factions together to compete for supremacy in 96 player battles. As showcased in the trailer below, the add-on also packs nine new weapons for players to purchase from the supply depot, added in MAG update version 2.0. Still not convinced, check out the official trailer for the new content below:

The MAG Escalation Mission Pack DLC is available on the PlayStation Store for just $9.99. For three new maps, nine new weapons, and an all-new 96 player game mode allowing for all three factions to take it out against each other,this DLC package is sure to provide players with hours upon hours of tactical entertainment. But wait, there’s more:

If you were lucky enough to receive this PSN message (shown above), the DLC package is only $7.99–a 20% discount off of the retail price. Now that is what I call fan support! Did anyone else receive this message? Any plans to purchase this pack? Tell us in the comments section below.

MAG v2.02 Patch Incoming

Matt Baker — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 22:09:10 +0000

Developer Zipper Interactive has made several notable changes to their shooter MAG, which will become available to players via the shooter’s version 2.02 patch.

As detailed by the MAG Blog, the patch details for the 256 players PS3 shooter is below:

Gameplay

Modified FRAGO bonuses so that they are applied more evenly for players located on the upper floors of multi-storied buildings
Fixed problem that prevented PlayStation Move users from controlling their character while parachuting
Updated PlayStation Move “Aim” tuning values

Technical

Fixed various game crash scenarios

The patch which will be dropping down today will weigh in at 35MB.

MAG Dev Dairy Shows Off Move Support

Matt Baker — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 22:05:52 +0000

Not fully convinced in PlayStation Move compatibility with Zipper Interactive’s MAG? Maybe this developer diary showcasing the motion controls for the shooter will cast away your doubts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The already-live MAG 2.0 patch brings in a slew of new additions and improvements, one of which included Move support.

MAG Getting Magnificent Price

Kishen Patel — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 20:28:27 +0000

Released in January of this year, Zipper Interactive’s Massive Action Game took the PlayStation Network by storm with the promise of 256-player online battles. Without a doubt, MAG in the present day is a drastically different experience than its original release which is only evolving further. As the evolution is confirmed to continue, next week PS3 gamers will have no excuse to discount this shooter from their gaming library.

Next week, MAG will official join the ranks of the “Greatest Hits” lineup of PS3 games. With the attractive $29.99 price point, avid online shooter fans will definitely want to pick this massive and multiplayer (but not massively multiplayer) game up. With PlayStation Move support coming in a matter of weeks along with game changing tweaks, such as a revamped skill-tree and increased level cap to name a few, there is no excuse not to give this first-person shooter a chance.

MAG will officially become a “Greatest Hits” title on September 28, 2010. If you do not already own this title in your collection, will you be picking it up at this lowered price-point? Tell us in the comments below.

MAG 2.0 Announced, Features Move Support

Matt Baker — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 22:03:53 +0000

No, unfortunately Zipper Interactive has not announced MAG’s sequel, rather a ‘massive’ patch. The developer has announced MAG 2.0: a new patch for the PlayStation 3 exclusive shooter which adds a variety of goodies including PlayStation Move support.

Zipper Interactive’s Jeremy Dunham stated the following on the game’s official site:

“All the feedback and suggestions you’ve made from countless hours spent playing our new MAG Beta program will pay off in the retail version of MAG in a very big way. We’re calling it MAG 2.0 for a reason and it’s because of the sheer number of fantastic new additions.”

The features being added in the update includes:

PlayStation Move support
An increased level cap that goes to level 70
A revamped Skill Tree that allows for the deepest character customization and specialization ever found in a first-person shooter
A brand-new in-game economy that lets you earn credits to spend on weapons and items from the also-new “Supply Depot”
Our useful “Clan Deploy” feature that enables clan leaders and officers to queue up to 128 of their fellow clan members into a single game
A “MAG News” page that brings players up to date on all the latest happenings the moment they log in
A multitude of updates that refine existing weapons, maps, and vehicles
Important bug fixes and other enhancements that streamline the overall experience

Zipper said they’ll give specefics as to what else will be included in the MAG 2.0 patch as it approaches its release.

Massive MAG PlayStation Move FPS Gameplay Footage

Anthony Severino — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:39:56 +0000

As if MAG, the truly massive action game from Zipper Interactive wasn’t intense enough, the freshly released MAG beta is PlayStation Move compatible making it the first FPS on the market to support the upcoming motion controller. So… just how accurate is the PlayStation Move when using it to aim in a fast-paced FPS. We’ve got the very first gameplay footage right here.

Using the Dualshock 3 controller’s analog stick for movement and using the PlayStation Move to aim, shoot, etc. looks a little something like this:

Click here to view the embedded video.

MAG To Get Even More Massive

Joseph Peterson — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:51:21 +0000

For those that were worried, Zipper Interactive is definitely still supporting the online only game MAG. Many users feared that since Zipper was announced as the SOCOM 4 developer that MAG may be left in the dust, but that is anything but the case. The MAG universe is still going strong as ever, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon for the PlayStation 3 exclusive. Zipper is even finally delivering something that players have been asking for since the launch of the game.

The feature being referred to is of course the ability to have more than one character slot, when previously users had to completely leave a faction. While the slots will cost players, many will be willing to pay for this ability. Here is what the MAG Blog had to say:

“From August 31 onwards, two additional slots will appear on the character log-in screen with links to the PlayStation Store. For $0.99 per additional slot, you can click the space of your choice and unlock the extra character.
Your new subscription will last for 30 days from the day you purchased it, giving you a full month to try out your extra warrior. And don’t worry if you don’t renew one month, and decide to come back later – even if you don’t use your additional characters from month to month, he is never actually deleted – just asleep until you come back to claim him again in a future subscription.”

How many of you plan on trying this new feature out, and is this how you wanted to see it implemented?

[Source]

MAG to be Patched with Move Functionality and New Beta Scheme

Adam G — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:01:12 +0000

PlayStation fans going into gamescom expecting a slew of new Move enabled games may have come away feeling a little bit disappointed. It’s been a year since that gamescom montage video and we still don’t have a clue about what that flashlight game is all about! But there was one announcement that will please fans of a certain action game… a Massive Action Game.

The Official MAG Blog has confirmed that the game will be receiving Move support this Autumn. It’s a logical step given that Zipper’s other strategy shooter Socom 4 will have Move support incorporated from the get-go. No other news about the Move functionality was released.

Also announced on the MAG Blog was a new beta program in which every existing owner will be invited to test out all of the goodies that are in store for the game, from the small things like new weapons and gear, all the way to the new maps and three-way game modes. The MAG beta client will be available from the PlayStation Store next week.

Credit to VG247 for the screengrab.

SonyStyle Offering Free Game With PS3 Purchase

Kishen Patel — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:27:57 +0000

With an attractive price point of $299, a slimmed-down design, and loaded with a decent-sized hard disk drive, the 120 gigabyte PlayStation 3 SKU is easily an attractive purchase for anyone considering a to dive into the wonderful world of PlayStation 3 gaming. If this is not enough for the consumer on the fence, then the official Sony retail website, SonyStyle, has the perfect deal for the first-time PS3 buyer.

Currently through August 21, buying a 120 GB PlayStation 3 from SonyStyle.com will earn the buyer one free PS3 title. The offer basically gives visitors to the site a list of six critically acclaimed first-party titles to ship with the unit at no extra charge. The choices include MAG, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, White Knight Chronicles, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, Heavy Rain, and last but certainly not least, ModNation Racers. With a solid list of titles such as the six offered towards the deal, it is difficult to recommend just one game to go with the new PS3. Thankfully, however, the variety of titles available is diverse enough to have something for any future owners of the system since there is everything from an RPG to the racers and the online shooter to the game of the year winner.

Still undecided? Be sure to check out our opinion for each titles in our reviews section for a more informed decision. Be sure to stay connected to PlayStation LifeStyle for more news on deals like this and more.

[Source]

MAG to Receive a Massive Action Patch This August

The Great Thomasio — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:42:41 +0000

Since MAG hit earlier this year, it is one of the few games that keeps on giving to those who joined in on the Shadow War. Everything from free DLC to paid DLC, to various patches, the MAG team over at Zipper Interactive has shown some massive support for their 256-player fragfest. Awesome news for all you MAGers out there: Zipper Interactive has just announced patch v.1.07 and you’re in for quite a tasty treat of updates and fixes with their latest update.

Hitting during the first week of August, patch v.1.07 will implement the following:

A double XP ”Happy Hour” is being introduced. For the first hour of every 24-hours you play the game will reward you with double XP. How sweet is that?!
Suppression mode will be following in the footsteps of Sabotage mode by becoming ‘faction neutral’.
Improved coding for downloading patches to decrease the overall time.
Flores Basin (Raven) and Alyeska Terminus (Valor) Domination maps are receiving makeovers to fix exploits and add news obstacles to spice things up a bit.
Remember how everyone complained that MAG’s graphics are ‘ugly’ however at times it’s pushing 256-players on screen at once? Zipper Interactive is making improvements to the lighting engine to give everything a more realistic look and feel. Sweeet.
Miscellaneous ‘fixes and updates’ to improve the overall MAG experience.

If you’ve been wondering if you should journey to your local MAG ‘recruitment station’ (aka your favorite game store) to join the battle , check out our review for MAG.

For those of you who (still) own MAG, do you still represent your faction on a weekly basis or have you resigned from the Shadow War? If so, will the latest update recruit you back to the battlefield?