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[Future PhaZe]

Personally I've never played a game thats "lied" about player count insofar as not being to interact with all players that have anything to do with your particular game.

I'm just scared based on what some of the people are posting here. Does anyone have any examples of this "lying" and exactly how it was accomplished? I hear things like 'boundaries' and what not...

 

[Elbrain]

Yeah, tis not impossible!



This what, you still on about that> they show a gameplay pic already....

It's doable with today's technology! The FUTURE IS NOW!

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Personally I've never played a game thats "lied" about player count insofar as not being to interact with all players that have anything to do with your particular game.

I'm just scared based on what some of the people are posting here. Does anyone have any examples of this "lying" and exactly how it was accomplished? I hear things like 'boundaries' and what not...

?

 

[SolidSnakex]

So you think that if all these squads of 8 decide to go to the center of the map to have "a meeting" there will be no artificial barrierer or fence between them to hinder them from seeing eachother?

Listen, I'm all for a good online shooter and all, I'm just trying to find out the meaning behind the 256 number, I don't mind if it's less than 256 on screen, but it annoys the hell out of me that the devs are flinging the 256 number around all the time without actually explaining exactly how it works.

They've got to know that if they're pushing that the game will throw 256 people onto a battlefield that people are going to put that number to the test. They can't just advertise it as that and expect people to believe it without testing it out. Hell, it's not too much to think that journalist will test out the player count whenever they get the chance to play it.

 

[Elbrain]

Personally I've never played a game thats "lied" about player count insofar as not being to interact with all players that have anything to do with your particular game.

I'm just scared based on what some of the people are posting here. Does anyone have any examples of this "lying" and exactly how it was accomplished? I hear things like 'boundaries' and what not...

QUE!?

 

[Fizzle]

there's absolutely nothing to get exited about here. that trailer was awful--if you're going to show a cg trailer, then atleast make it look good and exiting, instead of a random war shooter. and 256 players? so what? right now, there are more reasons to get excited over, like, r2's mp, then this.

If you knew how talented Zipper really were , you wouldn't say that.

"then atleast make it look good and exiting" also you obviously don't understand how trailers work.

 

[tinfoilhatman]

256 players huh? So does it come with dual gig ethernet and HDMI ports as well?

Sorry couldn't help it, everyone blindly jump on the impossible to live up to Sony hype train express woo woo!

I'll withhold my excitement until I see some gameplay and hands on impressions.

 

[Loudninja]

Why are people acting like Zipper is a bullet point dev?

 

[Wollan]

Why are people acting like Zipper is a bullet point dev?

What does this mean.

I can say they made the best online console game last gen (and has been working on MAG for the last few years).

 

[Dante]

256 players huh? So does it come with dual gig ethernet and HDMI ports as well?

Sorry couldn't help it, everyone blindly jump on the impossible to live up to Sony hype train express woo woo!

I'll withhold my excitement until I see some gameplay and hands on impressions.

Really?? We never would have guessed from your last post.

 

[KZObsessed]

One could say that COD4 supports 1,000,000 players online at the same time - In squads of 8...? It's basically technically true isn't it...?

 

[Fizzle]

One could say that COD4 supports 1,000,000 players online at the same time - In squads of 8...? It's basically technically true isn't it...?

1,000,000 people in the same match?

 

[Loudninja]

What does this mean.

I can say they made the best online console game last gen (and has been working on MAG for the last few years).

It means they just don't say things just to add another bullet point to the box.

 

[Elbrain]

256 players huh? So does it come with dual gig ethernet and HDMI ports as well?

Sorry couldn't help it, everyone blindly jump on the impossible to live up to Sony hype train express woo woo!

I'll withhold my excitement until I see some gameplay and hands on impressions.

Looks like you don't trust Zipper sir.

 

[SolidSnakex]

The backlash from "lying" about something like this will be much larger than the initial benefit of putting out there. Like I said, you can't just throw a number out like this without making sure you know you can do it. It's much like when people were doubting that Insomniac could pull off the numbers they've put out for R2. They already had the stuff up and running internally so they knew they could pull it off.

 

[Fizzle]

Why are people acting like Zipper is a bullet point dev?

Maybe a game like this takes serious effort to make. It sounds technically disturbing imo.

I wouldn't even think about what kind of servers they're using , it's certainly not like most.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Are people really having this hard a time with the concept of the game?

Maybe a game like this takes serious effort to make. It sounds technically disturbing imo.

I wouldn't even think about what kind of servers they're using , it's certainly not like most.

Technically disturbing?..WTF is happening in this thread.

Yes getting servers to support that many people is a big deal which is why they said
a lot of the development time has been spent setting up a infrastructure that can
handle it.

 

[Elbrain]

Maybe a game like this takes serious effort to make. It sounds technically disturbing imo.

I wouldn't even think about what kind of servers they're using , it's certainly not like most.

Well if you think about it and look that they have probably been doing nothing but this game since the PS3 came out that would be 2 years almost. Now if they were doing the game before that hmmmm It looks like they can pull it off if they are willing to put in the time.

 

[AlxRymnd914]

Are people really having this hard a time with the concept of the game?

256 players huh? So does it come with dual gig ethernet and HDMI ports as well?

Sorry couldn't help it, everyone blindly jump on the impossible to live up to Sony hype train express woo woo!

Yes.

 

[minimoke]

256 players huh? So does it come with dual gig ethernet and HDMI ports as well?

Sorry couldn't help it, everyone blindly jump on the impossible to live up to Sony hype train express woo woo!

I'll withhold my excitement until I see some gameplay and hands on impressions.

Unless MAG is going to support peer-to-peer hosting, local bandwidth is probably not going to be an issue. It will almost certainly come down to server performance i.e. Managing the data and context of 256 players at 30 frames per second.

 

[Accident]

I guess im going to need a bigger friend list?

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

READ

Though it’s early to talk in depth about MAG, we can definitely quell some fears we’ve already heard from you about how MAG will need to compromise on gameplay to support its size. Well, it may be massive but it is an action shooter at its core. You can run around and shoot enemies, throw grenades, and drive vehicles just like any other shooter except with MAG you’ll do it with up to 256 players. The team at Zipper was one of the pioneers of online gaming on consoles with the SOCOM franchise and they’ve used this knowledge to create a brand new server architecture to make an original game like MAG possible.

 

[Elbrain]

Unless MAG is going to support peer-to-peer hosting, local bandwidth is probably not going to be an issue. It will almost certainly come down to server performance i.e. Managing the data and context of 256 players at 30 frames per second.

Here is the thing guys, Planetside worked Technologically. Now if you want to say if they game sucks that is a different matter. When did Planetside come out? In 2003 and here are the system requirements for the game that are recommend.

Recommended:
Windows 98/2000/ME/XP
Pentium III 1.6 GHz or greater
512 MB RAM
Direct3D compliant video card with 64MB+ RAM
DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card
Broadband Internet connection
3.5 GB hard drive space
DirectX 8.1 or greater

Technology has improved dammit and not only that it has it improved for the hardware they are going to be using it to play but the servers as well. The company that is doing this game isn't a bunch of armatures, the game is being developed by a good MP company that knows what they are doing. I have faith in the Zipper to make this game work.

 

[Loudninja]

READ

You think they will read now? its not reading what got them to this point right now.

 

[Fizzle]

Well if you think about it and look that they have probably been doing nothing but this game since the PS3 came out that would be 2 years almost. Now if they were doing the game before that hmmmm It looks like they can pull it off if they are willing to put in the time.

It sounds like a "dream" game tbh. You're right though, they have had a lot of time to plan such a game. I reckon this could be an advantage to PSN. The whole "do online yourself" cost opens a very open online platform.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

You think they will read now? its not reading what got them to this point right now.

One can always hope.

 

[Sinnoch]

1st, after the Haze and Resistance 2 screenshots you'd think people would learn to not put much weight into screens anymore. Anything that's not gameplay video is worthless.

2nd, am I the only one that actually remembers how the SOCOM games actually looked and ran? Zipper DOES NOT have a great track record here - I have no idea where the enthusiasm for this dev's technical ability is coming from.

 

[Elbrain]

1st, after the Haze and Resistance 2 screenshots you'd think people would learn to not put much weight into screens anymore. Anything that's not gameplay video is worthless.

2nd, am I the only one that actually remembers how the SOCOM games actually looked and ran? Zipper DOES NOT have a great track record here - I have no idea where the enthusiasm for this dev's technical ability is coming from.

??

What are you talking about man Socom 1 and 2 were fine. For what they were doing on the PS2 in it's early like cycle with those 2 game it was very nice. Now for 3 and 4 didn't really play them.

As for the Haze and Resistance 2 shots. Well there is no defending Haze but R2 even on the 1up yours pool party podcast Bryan said they are adding stuff and will look better.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

1st, after the Haze and Resistance 2 screenshots you'd think people would learn to not put much weight into screens anymore. Anything that's not gameplay video is worthless.

2nd, am I the only one that actually remembers how the SOCOM games actually looked and ran? Zipper DOES NOT have a great track record here - I have no idea where the enthusiasm for this dev's technical ability is coming from.

R2 looks excellent so Im not really getting where your going with this.
Second all the Socom games have looked really solid when they came out especially when judged
with other games available.

 

[Doel]

Well if you think about it and look that they have probably been doing nothing but this game since the PS3 came out that would be 2 years almost. Now if they were doing the game before that hmmmm It looks like they can pull it off if they are willing to put in the time.

They have been working on MAG, at least conceptually, since late 2005. That's when they shipped SOCOM 3, and Combined Assault that released a year later was basically an expansion done by a B-team within the developer.

 

[NullPointer]

Did they ever actually say 256 players at once anywhere? Not to cut them too much slack but the latest video only says 256 players in the chain of command.

I was seriously into Planetside there for a while (heh - had to go Terran because of my colorblindness) and would love to see a console incarnation of it's gameplay. And like most everyone else here I have no idea how they plan to do it, but I expect serious smoke and mirrors.

And if they do end up placing false barriers or separating battles to different continents, or other abstractions into the game to avoid all 256 players on the screen at once, then I wish they would've used a different setting than near-future warfare. At least once you go sci-fi, you can explain away a lot of abstractions through crazy technology and back-story.

Here's to hoping its good, and that it comes out sooner rather than later.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Did they ever actually say 256 players at once anywhere? Not to cut them too much slack but the latest video only says 256 players in the chain of command.

I was seriously into Planetside there for a while (heh - had to go Terran because of my colorblindness) and would love to see a console incarnation of it's gameplay. And like most everyone else here I have no idea how they plan to do it, but I expect serious smoke and mirrors.

And if they do end up placing false barriers or separating battles to different continents, or other abstractions into the game to avoid all 256 players on the screen at once, then I wish they would've used a different setting than near-future warfare. At least once you go sci-fi, you can explain away a lot of abstractions through crazy technology and back-story.

Here's to hoping its good, and that it comes out sooner rather than later.

I fricken give up.

 

[Pimpwerx]

256 players huh? So does it come with dual gig ethernet and HDMI ports as well?

Sorry couldn't help it, everyone blindly jump on the impossible to live up to Sony hype train express woo woo!

I'll withhold my excitement until I see some gameplay and hands on impressions.

Dedicated servers. Warhawk does 32 player on rather large-scale maps without a hitch. Tracking player location will be server-side, and all they'll have to spit to you is data relevant to nearby enemies. It's probably why they haven't shown flying vehicles. Flying vehicles mean you can pretty much be anywhere on a map within a matter of seconds. Without them, they can spread respawn points out around a map to keep the action decently dispersed. I don't see what's so crazy about it. Besides, didn't tribes already do 128 player clusterfucks? PEACE.

 

[NullPointer]

I fricken give up.

Thanks for clearing things up ;P

But saying 256 player battles can end up meaning many different things.

 

[Dante]

1st, after the Haze and Resistance 2 screenshots you'd think people would learn to not put much weight into screens anymore. Anything that's not gameplay video is worthless.

2nd, am I the only one that actually remembers how the SOCOM games actually looked and ran? Zipper DOES NOT have a great track record here - I have no idea where the enthusiasm for this dev's technical ability is coming from.

Ha!

 

[wayward archer]

Here is the thing guys, Planetside worked Technologically. Now if you want to say if they game sucks that is a different matter. When did Planetside come out? In 2003 and here are the system requirements for the game that are recommend.

If you had 250 players near a single base in Planetside I promise you the game did not run well.

Not saying Zipper can't do it... but to date nobody has really done it, except maybe EVE online, and even then 200 players in one battle can mean a 15-60+ second delay in pushing a button and seeing a response.

 

[Elbrain]

Ha!

No man that shit is FAKEZ! It's All Sony bullshots and CG I TELLZ YAHZ! :lol

 

[Kittonwy]

They have been working on MAG, at least conceptually, since late 2005. That's when they shipped SOCOM 3, and Combined Assault that released a year later was basically an expansion done by a B-team within the developer.

You mean SOCOM: MAG, say it with me now.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Thanks for clearing things up ;P

But saying 256 player battles can end up meaning many different things.

One last time.
The whole emphasis the whole pitch the whole tag for this game is 256 players.

The following quotes from the developers:

Though it’s early to talk in depth about MAG, we can definitely quell some fears we’ve already heard from you about how MAG will need to compromise on gameplay to support its size. Well, it may be massive but it is an action shooter at its core. You can run around and shoot enemies, throw grenades, and drive vehicles just like any other shooter except with MAG you’ll do it with up to 256 players. The team at Zipper was one of the pioneers of online gaming on consoles with the SOCOM franchise and they’ve used this knowledge to create a brand new server architecture to make an original game like MAG possible.

Again for emphasis:
You can run around and shoot enemies, throw grenades, and drive vehicles just like any other shooter except with MAG you’ll do it with up to 256 players.

YOU WILL DO IT WITH 256 PLAYERS​

MORE:

MAG is promising multiplayer battles of up to 256 participants, broken down into 8-member units aligned to one of two sides.

“For MAG they were all about scale,” Orange said. “That was the word they were going for. Massive (as in the scale of the level). With 256 players, they don’t want it to be a clusterfuck of deathmatch. They want vast levels where troops can approach from all angles.”

At that scale, you can be an independent operator assigned to one unit, knowing none of the others on your side, or you can gather up to seven of your friends and jump in as a squad, with other participants added in if your unit totals less than eight. Obviously, it’s not obligating you to find 127 of your closest friends if you want to see the largest scale of combat MAG will offer.

AGAIN:
With 256 players, they don’t want it to be a clusterfuck of deathmatch. They want vast levels where troops can approach from all angles.”

They are handling the huge amount of players by SCALE not invisible walls for gods sake.

 

[Elbrain]

EVERYTHING IN BOLD BRUCE!

If not people wont fucking get it!

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

EVERYTHING IN BOLD BRUCE!

If not people wont fucking get it!

honestly wtf is wrong with people.

 

[Elbrain]

honestly wtf is wrong with people.

I think they don't want to believe that they can do it so they throw in their crazy things and keep ignoring what you posted from devs just to get people riled up.

 

[NullPointer]

...

They are handling the huge amount of players by SCALE not invisible walls for gods sake.

Hey, I never said I knew how they were going to do it. But I won't believe 256 players will be viewable by a player all at the same time until I see the devs state it or see some actual gameplay.

Using scale alone doesn't solve the problem. What happens if a bunch of people get together and decide to make it a clusterfuck? What will happen if all 256 players decide to meet up in the same place?

Scale just makes that kind of scenario less likely, it doesn't explain whether a PS3 user will have a good experience under those conditions, or if those conditions are even possible.

But hey, I want to believe. I just can't.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I think they don't want to believe that they can do it so they throw in their crazy things and keep ignoring what you posted from devs just to get people riled up.

Its working man I feel like im going nuts.

 

[Elbrain]

Its working man I feel like im going nuts.

*Batman voice from Begins* Well they rattle your cage!

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Hey, I never said I knew how they were going to do it. But I won't believe 256 players will be viewable by a player all at the same time until I see the devs state it or see some actual gameplay.

Using scale alone doesn't solve the problem. What happens if a bunch of people get together and decide to make it a clusterfuck? What will happen if all 256 players decide to meet up in the same place?

Scale just makes that kind of scenario less likely, it doesn't explain whether a PS3 user will have a good experience under those conditions, or if those conditions are even possible.

But hey, I want to believe. I just can't.

The scale once again is to give people room to breathe as you have noticed above the Devs are pimping
the hell out of 256 player number thats their goal bro and its apparently already up and running.

*Batman voice from Begins* Well they rattle your cage!

:lol truly.

 

[Loudninja]

Hey, I never said I knew how they were going to do it. But I won't believe 256 players will be viewable by a player all at the same time until I see the devs state it or see some actual gameplay.

Using scale alone doesn't solve the problem. What happens if a bunch of people get together and decide to make it a clusterfuck? What will happen if all 256 players decide to meet up in the same place?

Scale just makes that kind of scenario less likely, it doesn't explain whether a PS3 user will have a good experience under those conditions, or if those conditions are even possible.

But hey, I want to believe. I just can't.

After all that, you still say th same thing? wow....they already tested it, so yeah it works.

 

[Sol..]

If you had 250 players near a single base in Planetside I promise you the game did not run well.

lol I was in beta, BEFORE the caps, when there were WELL over 250 players at a single base.

It ran like ass. HOWEVER, Planetside had a AGGRESSIVE LOD system. So it was possible to place myself away from the cluster fuck and stay in the fight. I had a cheap ass emachines then too...so for people with a computer worth more than 300 bucks it had to have been better.

 

[Sinnoch]

honestly wtf is wrong with people.

I think most people know what they're claiming to be able to do, its just that they (including myself) don't think they'll pull it off.

I've played Planetside and World of Warcraft. I've been in world pvp situations in WoW where two huge groups squared off against one another (I miss the TM/SS pvp days). WoW isn't even a shooter and it was a laggy mess on broadband with less than 200 people in an area. I don't see a shooter working very well is all.

 

[Kittonwy]

*Batman voice from Begins* Well they rattle your cage!