MAG Blog Discussion

[zpr_Roper]

As we mentioned at the end of last year, some changes are coming to Zipline beginning with this week's episode. The most significant change is that we're moving away from the strict Q&A formula and moving more towards a topic-driven roundtable discussion.

This week's topic will be: Existing franchises vs. new franchises. Our special guest will be Zipper President Brian Soderberg.

What we're looking for from you guys is your thoughts on the topic. In this case, do you think it's great that we keep working on SOCOM titles? Were you glad to see us work on something new like MAG? What do you think about the industry's reliance on sequels year after year?

You're free to ask questions, but try to keep them related to the topic.

[xWaR--MuLisHa_]

When is SVER dom map going to be playable without freezing?

Are we getting new maps for existing modes?

Are the guns going to be nerfed again?

Is there going to be more DLC?

Are we getting clan wars?

Will the current maps get new things added on/removed?

[nitroz76]

Are there any other titles that Zipper has in the works or plans to have in the works?

And is there a way I can buy socom before it is released to the public?

[Almighty-Koz]

i think sequals are ok as long as you dont run them into the ground ie. CoD

[RSPetree]

I'm glad to see you guys taking the Sodom series back from slant six, I believe that you creating a sequel to Sodom was a necessity.

Honestly though, I was so excited to see a new title like mag. Mag broke that proverbial mode. You guys took a chance with mag. I wish I saw more game developers do that. Video games are art, and developers and designers need to Pressure studios to allow for more creativity, more unique titles.

Frankly the current trend of sequel, sequel, sequel is becoming stale. Sure certain things are changed in game, but the base game model is the same and after a few hours of play, you realize you paid 60 dollars for a glorified dlc.

Good luck in 2011 zipper! Were all very proud of the work you have done.

Oh... One more thing. Fix the freezing the clans of mag miss Dom

[CoKaTiZe_StEvE]

Question:
I heard MAG has always been a beta, and that is the only reason you guys spend so much time
trying to fix it. True?

[Mekurukito]

I think it's all well and good to work on other games, but the fact is that 2.0 has been out for months and you can't figure out the freezing problem, which has essentially killed off your flagship game mode and possibly people's ps3's. My ps3 has just gotten the YLOD, and before that, I had lost roughly 250 GB of files on my ps3 hard drive, which is directly attributed to your freezing problem that you "cannot pinpoint or replicate".

If you make a MAG 2, there sure as hell better be some things you learned making this game that you're going to be taking to that game. Mainly, the fact that people do not want to play the same maps for over a year (Sabo, Acq, Dom) without new maps for those modes, and the fact that you catered a large-scale game of this magnitude to casual players who would play for 30 minutes and take it back to Gamestop.

[LeitherY]

Given my time on the MAG forums, it should come as no surprise that I have a vested interest in seeing MAG continue, and think that MAG's production was a great idea from Zipper on the whole. 

From a strictly multiplayer standpoint (again, something I've inherited from MAG among other games), I think that the reliance of the gaming industry on sequels for continued profit is not only inevitable, but is also not necessarily a bad or cheapening process. Certain franchises like Uncharted, Killzone, and Little Big Planet display a ridiculous amount of improvement from one game to their sequels, and sequels are a chance for major revision of excellent concepts that might not have translated so smoothly from paper to real life. 

As a talking point: I would totally buy MAG2. I would buy MAG2 twice if it meant that Zipper could take the excellent concepts behind MAG and put a more critical eye to certain areas of design that might have been lacking in the original MAG. 

[mgz2009]

I has a question

AFter the Sucess of MAG do you ever think there will be a sequel? Eg MAG 2 or any similar FPS in a Large scale?

Its interesting that you have always made 3rd Person FPS's and as this was your First Major Venture in an unknown territory do you think you now have the knowledge to produce another?

Or Incorporate it into SOCOM in anyway.

Also another Question Sorry

Would you also be incorporating Clan war's If you made another 1st Person Tactical FPS.

Or Incorporating it into MAG as it is presently shouted for in force by the community.

(Recent clan battles have shown a huge demand from the players for Clan battles).

Sorry about the 2 questions

Thanks mgz2009

[savior59]

MAG 2 would be amazing, just a few changes like:

-More weapons for begginers

-More Maps

-2 Drop Ships dropping off players and 4 helicopters coming in

These changes (and obviously many more changes) could improve player count drastically, players wouldnt be bored of playing on the same 3 maps, begginers can have a huge choice, and more vehicles adds a more "massive" effect into the game.