Hello everyone,
My name is Jeremy Dunham (PSN ID: zpr_DunhamSmash), Zipper Interactive’s new Senior Community Manager, and I wanted to share some news regarding our latest MAG beta program that we’re kicking off right now. Starting today, we’ve officially moved into our next Beta phase – Beta 4. We’ve made more than 6,000 changes from our last phase to Beta 4, not the least of which include an increased level cap from 40 to 60, a retooled skill tree and experience curve, and an improved ranking system – all based on the feedback from our diligent testing crew.
We’ve also introduced two new major features to Beta 4. We’ve implemented the oft-asked about “proximity chat” feature that allows you to hear enemies communicating as you get closer, or trash talk them yourself as you punch ‘em full of lead. We’ve also introduced Shadow War bonuses. Depending on which PMCs are leading in the number of contracts owned, the entire PMC will earn different bonuses based on gametype. Leading in Sabotage adds experience points, leading in Acquisition increases leadership aura distance, and leading in Domination decreases tactical strike cooldown time.
Other new additions to Beta 4 include improvements to character hit detection and reactions, skill tuning that sees many of the existing skills amped up, refined Leadership abilities and experience points, and numerous other changes that our eagle-eyed testers have spotted over the last cycle.
Beta 4 is exclusive to GameStop pre-orders, and we’ve moved away from our limited pre-scheduled play times and are keeping the servers open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With the change in versions and the last phase now at its end, many of the testers who spent their evenings with us over these last weeks are moving on to other pastures. With that in mind, it’s with great respect that on behalf of the entire MAG team, I want to say thanks to each and every one of you who participated for your hard work, patience, and dedication. Just remember, though, you don’t have to say goodbye just yet. If you still want to participate in our current beta that ends on November 20, all you have to do is pre-order MAG at your local GameStop in the USA and EB Games in Canada to get you the exclusive code you need.
Finally, I wanted to take a moment to let you know that over at MAG.com, we’ve launched our developer blog, which will provide an ongoing behind-the-scenes look at MAG over the next few months before the game launches on January 26, 2010.
Thanks again and I’ll see you on the battlefield.
Wish I could have played it more, but your shoddy update system made me stop playing.
Is there anyway a public beta as in everyone will get a chance to download the beta on the PS Store and play it?
Thanks for all the welcome updates! Its alot more support than some companies I know…I really really like this game and cant wait for the full retail version to come out.
Same here, I’m uncertain about getting this if I don’t know if I will be able to play it or not :\
Awesome game. Thanks for the heads up.
Prox chat= FAIL!!!!!!
prox chat is a no no.
What’s wrong with proximity chat?
@#4, why wouldn’t you be able to play it?
Been in the beta for quite some time, and loving every second of it, and cannot wait to get the full version when it comes out.
pre-order benefits suck. Why has getting preorders become so important?
really? pre order in order to help catch/fix bugs in a beta? many people are un sure to purchase this game due to the fact that many including myself don’t know the mechanics or how the actual game play is going to be. I think the logical thing to do would be to release the beta to everyone interested enough to download it and check it out for themselves. after all, why the hell would I pre order something I have no idea how will turn out at the end.
So this is where you ended up after IGN!!! Congrats Jeremy!!!
Actually, proximity chat is a GREAT idea – think of how this will deter people from playing music over their mics, have their kids screaming in the background, having a side-conversation on-mic (does get kind of distracting) – though this could really blow your cover for a sniper.
Of course, I am assuming prox-chat is only for the person talking, not what the squad is hearing.
I am a little nervous about the amount of tweaking being done (and still to be done) given the release date also.
Any word if MAG is going to utilize the Cloud like Uncharted 2?
i agree, have been in the beta since it started, and i see no reason to goto one certain store months before a game comes out to make sure that i get a copy. their job is to sell games, and how can a person getone if oh, no, you didn’t tell us you wanted it 3 months ago, so sorry, we don’t have it, only the preorders…. sorry what ever happened to word of mouth, and competition, if all everyone ever see’s is goto gamestop and get this, they will be the only place left to go. sorry mag, but you are added to the list of other games that look great, but i’m not gonna go into a store that pressures preorders and overpriced used games, just to keep playing the beta, i’ll wait until the release and then consider buying it.
Thank You! Even though I hardly lpayed during the last phase due to the new games and the amount of work I have trying to understand programming in Devry. I have 2 beta codes (Got one for pre ordering Uncharted 2, got another and the Marco Polo outfit when I picked it up) for this phase so I don’t think I’ll be able to play it so I might just give it away online.
Looking foward to the developer Blogs.
So.. to clarify, those of us who have been in Beta 1 – Beta 3 are not automatically included in Beta 4, and we must pre-order to get the code for the beta download? So we should all delete the game content from our PS3 hard drives regardless, as we have to re-download the new version?
Silence~
That is correct. The new beta version is so different from the old version, you would need the new download and EB/GameStop codes to make it work properly.