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Over 8,000 updates and bug fixes in latest MAG beta update

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 22nd 2009 at 11:45AM }

Looks like a certain beta testing community hasn't neglected its duties as a stalwart lookout for bugs, errors and other unsavory in-game snafus. This morning, Zipper Interactive launched a patch for the MAG beta client which includes over 8,000 updates and bug fixes. The patch will be automatically downloaded and installed next time you hop into the Shadow War.

A brief synopsis of the important changes can be found after the jump. We elected to not include the full list of 8,000 updates, as it would have delayed this post until mid-April, at which point it would have been fairly useless to you.

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7-Eleven wants you to reserve MAG there

by Justin McElroy { Oct 7th 2009 at 7:00PM }

We use 7-Eleven for all sorts of purposes it wasn't intended. For instance, since our diet consists solely of pizza burritos and bags filled with two different flavors of Doritos, it's pretty much our grocery store. They're happy with our custom, but they're not satisfied. 7-Eleven wants our video game dollars really bad.

In fact, they've set it up so that the best place you can pre-order MAG is probably the same place where you buy your Slurpees. Pre-ordering at 7-Eleven will net you an exclusive recruitment kit with background info about the game's factions and a poster, the best way to tell guests that you like to get your Parliaments, tampons and video games in the same transaction.

Uncharted 2 plundering Europe October 16

by Griffin McElroy { Sep 22nd 2009 at 1:13PM }

The time is almost upon us to saunter back into ancient ruins and murder hundreds upon hundreds of mercenaries in Naughty Dog's upcoming quarter-tucked adventure, Uncharted 2. Stateside Nathan Drake enthusiasts have known the date their bread would be buttered on for quite some time (October 13) -- now, Sony's confirmed to Eurogamer that the title will be hitting European store shelves just three days later. (Whoa, don't hurt yourself. That's October 16.)

If you're on the fence about your Uncharted 2 purchase, you'll be able to check out the game -- along with MAG, Heavy Rain and God of War III -- at the Eurogamer Expo, which runs October 27–28 in Leeds and October 30–31 in London. Tickets to the event are only £6, which we're fairly certain translates to about $0.16 in real currency. What a steal!

Sony accepting applications for European MAG Beta

by Griffin McElroy { Sep 15th 2009 at 2:45PM }

PlayStation.Blog recently dropped an announcement that will send European fans of acronyms and large-scale combat through the roof. Zipper Interactive is going to be handing out 16,000 beta codes for MAG to those living in Europe over the course of the next few weeks. To apply, go to the blog's "Competition" page and fill out the appropriate info. It's first come, first serve, so ... come! Be served!

If you're not fortunate enough to live on the West-Eurasian Peninsula, take solace in the fact that Zipper's going to eventually need to enlist everyone on the planet to test out the game's enormous server load. Also, remember that we've got freedom and liberty and stuff.

PAX 2009: MAG producer explains the game's original server technology

by Griffin McElroy { Sep 9th 2009 at 6:45PM }

Making online, 256-player battles unfold without lag or disconnection issues is nothing short of pure techno-wizardry. However, according to producer Alan Van Slyke, who recently spoke with us at a PAX preview event, that's exactly what MAG will bring to the table thanks to a groundbreaking new form of server architecture.

"Before we started working on the front-end client technology, we started building the servers. We wiped the slate clean and asked 'what do we need to do to scale to these numbers to make sure it's not laggy, and make sure people can't exploit,'" Van Slyke explained. What they decided was that peer-to-peer hosting was insufficient -- instead, the MAG team created their own networking solution which would host and authenticate game data from a (presumably beefy) central server.

Van Slyke couldn't reveal the specifics of the technology (the patent for which is still pending), but promised that it would reduce latency and completely eliminate connection griefing which has plagued other multiplayer shooters in the past. In addition, he said Zipper's not worried about having its servers crushed by a day-one rush of new recruits, explaining that "we've invested a lot in our server technology and our load test harnesses and the things we can do to replicate the scalability of it to ensure that it's stable and rock solid."

Sony details MAG pre-order bonuses: where to get what

by Randy Nelson { Sep 9th 2009 at 2:00AM }

Following a weekend of 256-player mayhem at PAX '09, Sony has unloaded more details on the pre-order campaign for its "massive action game," MAG, which releases on January 26, 2010. First up are three exclusive in-game characters, each corresponding to one of the game's three PMC armies -- with custom gear -- and available via a different retailer. GameStop has the S.V.E.R. ~~soldier~~ contractor for offer while Game Crazy is offering the Raven recruit -- we're not sure why, but Sony's keeping the wraps on where you can pre-order to receive a Valor grunt.

Reserving the game via Amazon will grant you access to your very own S.V.E.R. "personal space" (read: apartment) in PlayStation Home. If you want the most alluring incentive, however, it's back to GameStop for access to the public beta of MAG beginning October 10. (Qore subscribers will be let in on September 17.) Initially, the beta servers will only be online during specific play windows, but Sony has confirmed that they'll be up-and-running 24/7 after November 9.

If you want all of the goodies, you're going to need to mount your own MPC ("massive pre-order campaign").

Hands-on: MAG's 256-man multiplayer

by Griffin McElroy { Sep 5th 2009 at 6:30PM }

I, like most people, have never participated in a 256-player virtual battle (or, due to its uncannily enormous amount of participants -- is it a war?). Though Zipper Interactive's MAG is built on incredibly strong first-person shooter foundations, incorporating fast-paced combat and a plethora of unlockable character modifications, the takeaway impression from my recent time with the game during a Sony preview event at PAX is, as you might guess, it is enormous.

The game does an excellent job of partitioning players off into smaller, 8-man squads. Though most of your contact is with your immediate teammates, there's a constant sense that you're part of something bigger. There's nothing intangible about the cause for that feeling -- you are a cog in a much larger military machine, rewarded for spinning in accordance with your higher-ups' orders.

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You MAY have written part of this MAG trailer

by Andrew Yoon { Sep 4th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Did you partake in SCEE's MAG contest? If so, you may find your "inspirational" words in this new trailer for MAG. PSN users colingb20, Aday111, shenmue360, BioEye, playmartelli, OwNii, Dark_Jester, Bandicoot1980, MoeRonimoe and Klixx were all selected to have excerpts from their "battlefield speeches" inserted into the background of this cinematic trailer. Their prize for winning the contest? An entry into the MAG beta -- something you can purchase with an annual subscription to Qore.

September Qore heads to Skywalker Ranch, subscribers get MAG beta

by Xav de Matos { Sep 3rd 2009 at 10:00PM }

September's episode of Qore features a view from Skywalker Ranch, as the soundtrack to Naughty Dog's Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is mixed and mastered at George Lucas' famous estate. Qore also sits down with gear head Jay "Retired for 10 Seconds" Leno and talks about his involvement with PSP's long-in-development installment of Gran Turismo. But, the real meat of this month's episode is access to the upcoming MAG beta -- for gamers not lucky enough to have been invited already.

Users are automatically entered into the beta test -- set to begin later this month -- if they are Qore subscribers. If you're thirsty for large-scale online battles, users who subscribe to Qore on or before September 17 will also be invited. Sadly, purchasing September's episode alone will not net you the beta access. Even sadder, we're used to having to pay our way into these exciting bonuses.

Check out a preview for this month's episode after the break.

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MAG public beta now underway, first wave of invites sent

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 18th 2009 at 1:40PM }

Based on the hojillion tips we recently received informing us of this news, we wager that most of you probably already know this -- still, we thought we'd pass it along for those who don't check their email as religiously as the rest of us. The first wave of invites for the MAG beta have been sent out -- for all you know, there's one sitting in your inbox this very second.

See, now we know you're not reading anymore, because you're too busy checking your email. We could say something like "you have a dumb and ugly face" with no fear of retaliation. Of course, we won't do that, because your face isn't dumb, or ugly. It's precious and beautiful, like a beautiful alabaster doll's face.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

MAG deploying in North America on January 26, 2010

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 14th 2009 at 1:42PM }

The exact release date for Zipper Interactive's multi-multi-multi-man FPS MAG has been up in the air for a while now -- but a recent announcement on PlayStation.Blog has made the game's launch date decidedly cemented. It's hitting store shelves on January 26, 2010, landing atop an ever-expanding aggregate of first-quarter blockbusters. However, most of its seasonal competitors don't allow for four to the fourth power players to square off in a single battle, so we don't think it'll have any trouble holding its own.

Honestly, we'd hoped it would land a bit closer to the game's initial announced fall launch window -- but hey, at least now Zipper's got a bit of extra time to nail down an actual title for the game.

MAG Public Beta enrollment begins

by Andrew Yoon { Aug 12th 2009 at 1:30PM }

A lucky few individuals will discover this invite for the MAG beta in their inboxes. The e-mail includes a unique code used to access a closed application form. According to the beta enrollment page, Sony "will be adding people in waves." If you don't see an invite in your inbox right now, don't worry: you may be invited later. "If you do not receive an invite for the first wave you may still be invited in a following MAG Public Beta wave."

Sony has already conducted a closed beta for MAG for over a month. The expansion of the beta to the public gives us hope that maybe -- just maybe -- we'll be able to see MAG's 256-player online battles hitting the PS3 sooner rather than later.

MAG trailer requires your inspirational battlefield speech

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 7th 2009 at 10:00AM }

Do you frequently find yourself filling the role of an inspirational leader amongst your group of friends? Do you utter phrases such as "once more into the breach" and "screw your courage to the sticking-place?" You sound like a likely candidate to win a recently added contest on PlayStation.Blog -- all you need to do is write an "inspirational battlefield speech" for Zipper Interactive's upcoming plus-size shooter, MAG.

Winners may hear their speech included in an upcoming trailer for the highly anticipated title, and will receive an ambiguous "fantastic MAG prize" to boot. Unfortunately, the contest's rules hamstring entrants by prohibiting cursing and quoting other legendary leaders. You'll have to save your profanity-laden Churchillisms for your Anachronistic Civil War Re-enactment Club.

Sony, EA and Activision reveal Gamescom lineups

by JC Fletcher { Aug 5th 2009 at 9:29PM }

For those of you headed to Gamescom and wondering what you'll be waiting in line to play (or standing on tip-toes to watch as a trailer), VG247 has posted the announced lineups for three major publishers: Sony, EA and Activision. Square Enix hs also reiterated its lineup.

Sony will be showing the PSP Go, of course, along with Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, and more on PSP, and God of War III, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, MAG, and lots of other big stuff on PS3. Activision will have a pile of plastic-instrument (and skateboard) games, as well as Modern Warfare 2, Blur, and Bakugan. EA's bringing basically everything ever. Head past the break for a full list.

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Sony conducting MAG beta, you'll never get in

by Griffin McElroy { Jul 30th 2009 at 4:00PM }

With the grand scope of the battles featured in Zipper Interactive's MAG, you'd think it'd require a hefty, server-straining beta test. For now, though, it seems Sony's keeping it small -- a few people have seen their PSN friends participating in a MAG beta (as evidenced by the image above). All of these friends have something in common -- they're all on Sony's payroll.

Sony confirmed to CVG that an internal MAG beta is being conducted. Sure, this news has no bearing on you (unless Kaz Hirai signs your paychecks) -- still, it looks like we're that much closer to getting to play the game ourselves.