MMO Report: Global Agenda

Believe it not a lot of people think the world of MMO’s is very small. While it is true most people can only name off a few MMO’s the number of MMO’s out there and currently in production is huge. So I will be showcasing some of the MMO’s currently online as well as those in development.

Global Agenda is a massively-multiplayer online third-person shooter video game in development by Hi-Rez Studios. It uses the Unreal engine and is unique because it offers a onetime fee and monthly subscription option. What this means is you can purchase the game and play it on your PC alone and with others that have purchased the game or you can add a monthly subscription to gain access to additional features.

Now the game itself has a Planetside slash Tribes feel. Known as a TPS or third person shooter your main task is advancing your agency (guild) and improving your character. You do this by leveling up; gearing your character and killing other NPC’s and rival agencies.

In the wake of severe global disaster, the political face of 22nd century earth has changed and player-created factions scheme against each other for power. Traditional full-scale wars are a thing of the past, factions must rely on covert agencies, teams of elite special operatives able to seize and defend key facilities. The future of humanity is their battleground, where knowledge is power, technology is a race, and everyone has an agenda.

Now unlike some of the complaints in the PVP aspect of games like World of Warcraft, Global Agenda makes it so your FPS skills determine victory or loss. Even if someone is higher level than you and may have better gear your movement and aiming skills can easily win the day. The game is mainly meant for team play, but you can solo, sniping players from rooftops or striking from the shadows on weakened players. You have four classes to choose from the assault, recon, medic, and robotics. All will have customizable skill trees and their own weapons.

The game is 90% combat, but Hi-Rez also added options such as crafting, an auction house and multiple causal and combat related clothing that you can also modify and dye. There are also social areas where you can congregate kind of like the clubs in City of Heroes.

As for the pricing here is the breakdown of their model and what you receive:

Global Agenda (one time purchase – $49.99 MSRP) includes:

• Creation of up to eight different agent characters
• Character visual customization
• Access to all combat weapons and devices
• Cooperative Player vs. Environment missions against the Commonwealth NPC faction, AI-controlled enemies, and Boss Fights
• Matchmade Player vs. Player missions with five different game types and over 20 unique maps
• Character progression through 30 levels
• Achievement and unlocks system for individual characters
• Player Inventory for suits, flair, dyes, upgrades, and loot
• Virtual Reality practice fighting area
• Vendors and accumulation of in-game currency
• Text chat with multiple channels
• Built in voice chat during missions
• Ability to join an established player-created agency
• All play is on our single-shard, hosted server environment to ensure convenient and consistent gaming experience.
• Ability to sign up for one free month of subscription at registration (credit card required, can be cancelled at any time)

Global Agenda: Conquest ($12.99 per month, $11.49/mo for 3 month, $9.99/mo for 6 month) includes:

• Access to Alliance vs. Alliance (AvA) World Domination gameplay
• A massive scale campaign between player created agencies and alliances over scarce territory and resources on a persistent world map.
• Attack and Defend Territories in zones that match your agency’s schedule
• Agency and Alliance Management – Create and maintain persistent player groups and officer ranks
• Creation and Upgrading of Facilities – Control production and output
• Base Raids – involving up to 60 players per side; coordinated between 6 different strike teams within linked territory instances
• Agency Achievement System, Leveling, and Recognition
• Auction House with bidding and buyouts
• Mail System
• Upgrade Text and Voice chat to support multiple channels and strike teams
• Player Crafting with blueprints
• Additional character customization options including elite character suits, dye colors, and seasonal flair
• Ongoing Co-Op content at max character level
• Ongoing AvA content, multiplayer PvP content, and new social areas

The game has been in closed beta for a while, but just recently Hi-Rez studios announced its released date to be February 1^st 2010. Though I have not personally played the game, from what I read and have seen in the videos it looks pretty fun. Unfortunately, the problem with these types of games is that if you pay monthly for them you end up asking yourself why after a few months. With Planetside the combat and game-play started out as awesome, but when you look at other FPS games with no monthly fee you may feel it just isn’t worth the price. Perhaps that is why Hi-Rez went with the hybrid approach by offering a onetime purchase option for their game.

Overall Global Agenda looks beautiful and the combat system has a fast paced excitement feel. By adding a role playing element and social aspects they may have a winning formula on their hands. We have already seen many companies inquiring about creating their own MMO either from scratch or based on an existing property and the hybrid format for choosing a onetime fee or monthly subscription could be the blueprint for many future MMO’s.

With this the model for success does not have to be 15 million subscribers. A small loyal player-base is all that is needed. With GA be successful? I guess we will have our answer early next year.

To learn more about Global Agenda check out their website.