The Secret World

Gilga

Gilga

New Member
I apologize if there's a live thread or chapter that I've missed here ... but is anyone playing The Secret World? I've been on since this past weekend of early access, and am liking it so far.

What's good:
* MMO that's not in a fantasy-world setting. I, for one, am grateful for a break from elves and goblins
* It being a Funcom game I expected it to be very broken, but so far it's all very smooth and functional.
* the questing, while not radically different than the MMO norm, is a bit more "puzzle-ey." Also, they have labeled the quests by difficulty. Of course it's like "hard" vs. "very hard" ... when "hard" really means "could be completed with eyes closed" but anyhow.

What's different ... not sure if it's good yet
* No classes and no leveling. Basically you still get XP for doing quests and killing stuff, but XP gives you skill and ability points which you use to unlock or upgrade skills which then has you customize your character. The main areas as "melee" "ranged" and "magic" (not so creative) ... but what it means is you could be a shotgun-wielding elemental magic user, or a fist weapon plus hammer juggernaut, or whatever.
* There's both a $15 fee and a TON of in-game, real-money purchasables of cosmetics for your character. If overall that means their funding model is supporting by big spenders, more power to them, but I've never seen a game with so much for real-money sale from day one
* Still not sure how much the game is "supernatural" vs. "horror." So far, it feels like they went with stealing tropes from everything paranormal: think x-files plus walking dead plus twin peaks plus supernatural plus buffy and so on. Which could be good, if there's enough variety in it to stay interesting. So far, I've killed an awful loot of zombies
* Not sure exactly where they're going to take the religious undercurrents in the game. So far, it's not too bad ... I'm playing a templar and there was an early quest where the code was the "first hymn sung in church" so you had to go in the church and find that number off the hymn board. While Pachelbel's canon is playing in the background. It was kind of nice. But they could take church stuff in bad ways as well.

What's bad
* Lots of NPC voice acting, and it's pretty over-the-top voice acting
* the exteriors look a lot better than the interiors
* the game is pretty demanding ... usually MMOs are no problem but for TSW my frame rate drops to ~20 if I have the graphics detail above low. But it's still pretty with low on 1900x1200 resolution, for the most part.

Anyhow, anyone else have any thoughts?
 
I am currently playing and I love it so far. I have been with Funcom through some of their rougher MMO launches and two things I can say about them is that 1) they are NOT cookie cutter MMO's, and 2). They throw their backs into their games and support them and update them into GREAT MMO's. They do however, have a history of delivering low content games at launch. Give them time and I think we have gold here. I went so far as to get the lifetime sub because I know this game is something really special.

Loving the HP Lovecraft twist and conspiracy theories that are wound up into a modern setting. The cash shop seems to be primarily cosmetic and not P2W. Sometimes it feels like I am playing a Resident Evil MMO. Definitely not a game to play around the children. Mature rating with strong language and some sexual situations that are more implied than graphic. Much horrific imagery.

The ability wheel is really slick and a welcome change from class-based MMO's. You can mix and match pretty much any skills as long as you unlock them.

I am really liking TSW and GW2 as deviations from a market flooded by WoW clones. It's about time someone raised the bar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASSUwluKoUc
 
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I've been following the game since 2009 and did look forward to the game but I don't have the computer to run it. So I'm no longer paying attention to it. Maybe next year when I have the funds to build a new PC.
 
I could barely make it through the first hour of the first beta weekend. Awful, I thought. :p

Too bad, cause it looks like a neat premise.
 
Anyone still playing?
This game dropped the sub and the base price is $30 (can find as cheap as $19 right now)

I am thinking of trying it again if Steam puts it on Xmas sale.
 
TSW is worth EVERY penny of $30. Especially with no sub fees.

Definitely not a game for kids....and maybe not for some adults. Think "Stephen King/H.P. Lovecraft/Walking Dead"
It is NOT a cookie-cutter MMO at all. Funcom deviates from old molds. Quests consist of finding clues in pictures, children's map drawings, environment, artifacts, puzzles, etc. One of my favorite quests was finding an old dilapidated tree house in a haunted forest that belonged to a boy's club called "the League of Monster Slayers" back in the 1950's. It was set up like a bunch of kids who lived a long time ago who pretended they were monster hunters and had a fort, but as you go along the quest and discover their story, you see that they knew the monsters they hunted were real. I won't go into further details...
 
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PS: Arcadia is the realm to roll your toons on....most populated and has best opportunities for grouping
 
The game JUST dropped in price to $29.99 from $49.99. $20 might be as low as it goes for Christmas
 
This game is too occultic for my liking. I never felt at ease playing it.
Doesn't help that you have to fiddle with pentagrams etc.

I played it for a while and then one day I just couldn't anymore and I uninstalled it...and it wasn't because it wasn't fun. Just something else hard to put into physical words, like my spirit just doesn't want me to play it anymore. When that happens, I've learnt over the years to listen to my spirit on certain things.
I dunno guys, I would advise to let this one go. Something's not right about it.

Cheers.
 
So this game is phenomenal, it has the best questing I have ever seen in any MMO, period. The voice acting is the best in the industry and the story is fantastic, immersive and fun. I have never played an MMO where I dread passing up a side quest because I love everyone I do. All the attention to details in the investigation quest series blow my mind.

Granted this is an adult game with explicit language and topics, it's an extreme Lovecraftian macabre setting with b-grade campy feel and comedy gold through-out.

I did the 2nd dungeon last night and the mechanics were close to perfect, engaging and challenging but not bang your head tough. The setting was great and I think everyone got loot they wanted.

LOVE this game...
 
We have 6 from Toj playing regularly:
Augcliffe
Ewoksrule
Impending
Keerosene
Gator-Missile
Gray

The first 3 are on most every night and the other 3 are on about 2-3 times a week. Not a lot yet, but enough to run a full dungeon as a group. I highly recommend the game if you are OK with a mature storyline and language. It is really well done. I think there are more that have the game but we have not connected yet.
 
I tried this game in beta and immediately thought, not only would I not pay a sub for this game, I wouldn't play it for free. I was not impressed at all. Honestly though, I didn't give it a fair shake and 2 weeks ago a friend of mine wouldn't shut-up about how good it was, so I picked it up on Amazon for under $20 bucks and I have not stopped playing it since. This may be one of the best MMORPG's I've ever played. I've been trying to think of a game that has better writing, voice acting and questing and I can't. The missions are engaging and compelling and beautifully done. The combat also is done very well. If you play it for what it is and don't go in with any preconceived notions as to what it is going to be, you'll enjoy it.

Also, I'd disagree with the OP. The voice acting is one of the best parts of this game. This is definitely a game that requires a patient attitude. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
 
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I didn't know so many of us are playing! My main is a Illuminati on Arcadia named "Snurg" I also have a Templar on Arcadia named Jakooki, and will be moving a Dragon toon to Arcadia. Snurg is my main and is only in QL5/6 gear atm. LOVE Polaris and Inferno/Hell Raised! I also have a lifetime sub, so I won't be quitting anytime.

What guild are you guys in and server/faction?
What time do most people play?
 
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