PlayStation 3 exclusive first-person shooter MAG has been in beta since the beginning of summer, and it has been opening up to more players as time goes on. At a recent training session with the game, a Zipper Interactive representative explained that the next phase of the beta makes the game available to GameStop pre-orderers. That phase begins today.
Along with opening up the beta even further, a few new features have been added to the game. The first of these, proximity voice, is not exactly revolutionary, but in a game that relies so heavily on teamwork and communication, the ability to hear a nearby enemy's tactical communication could turn the tide of battle. Players will still hear their squadmates through the headset, but other nearby players, friend or foe, will be heard through the television speakers.
Secondly, new "Shadow War" bonuses have been put into place. As any of the three PMCs do well with particular objectives, that PMC signs contracts, which give members extra battlefield bonuses. These contracts add yet another incentive to get players to work toward team victory rather than just personal glory.
What do you think about the new features? Sound cool enough to pre-order and check out the beta?
LAUNCH GALLERY (1 IMAGES)
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
17 comments | showing # 1 to 17
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
7:40 PM on 11.09.2009
| 
As I said in the other thread, this game is seriously looking to be one of the biggest PS3 exclusives yet in terms of accessibility, concept, and scope.
I'd say give it time, but this IS a console game we're talking about, so of course everyone is treating the game like it's slayer in Halo, which defeats the point of a squad based game. But I have hope that people, or at least groups of friends can get together, and actually work as a legitimate squad.
I can definitely understand frustration with people not playing as a team, and I totally believe it happens. I'll be checking out the beta myself more in depth soon, so time will tell if things are constantly awful in the regard.
Any bluetooth headset will work with the PS3, you just have to sync it first. You can get a bluetooth for like $20 these days.
uuuhhh..... you mean something like http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=72251 ?
A good (or bad) example of people playing a team based game is any random game of COD: Modern Warfare, Unless it's friends, I see everyone doing their own thing, or mucking it up for the people that are trying to do their job in the game. This game looks very awesome, and the Clan support Zipper promised, and the three PMC factions presented all scream cool, I just hope it won't get buried by Bad Company 2, Modern Warfare 2, and the billion other "Modern Warfare" games now that COD made it the in thing to do. This is one of the games that make me want a PS3 Slim.
For the beta, it's really been a matter of luck or time. Some days every game will go awesome with great teamwork, and some days there will just be none and you'll be stuck with noobs all day. It's 50/50 right now, but I think that will improve as time goes on and as the community solidifies and such. You have to remember that many people have just got in the beta with Gamestop... (unfortunatenly many of them adolescent childrins from Halo-land) before Gamestop people came in, there had already been a core of beta people for a few months and the community was already pretty cohesive.
You don't have to have a mic to play MAG well, nor do you have to have friends to play with. I had no mic the whole time, and had no friends on my list that played MAG, but ended up with quite a few friends that I played regularly with by the end, and was almost always top 3 in the squad, etc, while winning, and while having no mic.
Sadly, the last phase of the beta ended a few days ago. Starting today, they have a new version (patch 1.4) and more importantly, the beta is exclusive to ONLY those who have pre-ordered the game from Gamestop/EBgames and gotten their code in that way. Previous testers that have not given money to Gamestop have been locked out.