The Secret World

[matakishi]

Not a miniatures game but full of some excellent scenario ideas based on the completely non-standard missions in the game. Also, chock full of wonderful atmosphere and character.
Modern day Cthulhu/conspiracy/secret order MMORPG.
I'm playing an Illuminati but that's a secret so tell no one

A pod on the beach, bad things come out of this...



Closing the Hell Gates, not quite in time...

[supervike]

I'm really becoming enthralled with Modern Day Cthulhu.  This looks pretty cool, at the very least just for ideas.

[matakishi]

You haven't lived until you've hunted Mi-Go hatchlings in Black Goat Woods (the don't call them Mi-Go but I know what they are...)
If you join let me know.

[YPU]

As much as the setting looks interesting the style of game-play really doesn't suit me. Also the weapons seem to sorely lack a feeling of impact from the footage I have seen.

But in the end my god does it look awesome.

[matakishi]

Well, obviously I can't comment on your play style preferences but it plays unlike any other MMO with the emphasis on investigation and brain work.
There is fighting of course, most people want to fight mobs. "Sanity is a 12 gauge shotgun" as we say in my long running CoC group. The weapons pack a big punch which gets bigger as your abilities and skills improve. Most of the footage I've seen is from boss fights and instanced group encounters where individual weapons are less effective of course because the emphasis is on group play dynamics. In my experience the weapons are very effective against every day problems.

[Kes]

Been tempted by this for a while, I can feel my resistance crumbling.

[YPU]

Well, obviously I can't comment on your play style preferences but it plays unlike any other MMO with the emphasis on investigation and brain work.
There is fighting of course, most people want to fight mobs. "Sanity is a 12 gauge shotgun" as we say in my long running CoC group. The weapons pack a big punch which gets bigger as your abilities and skills improve. Most of the footage I've seen is from boss fights and instanced group encounters where individual weapons are less effective of course because the emphasis is on group play dynamics. In my experience the weapons are very effective against every day problems.

From the footage I have seen the combat gets in the way of the puzzle solving, another mob of zombies taking up your time when really al you want to do is get to the next piece of the puzzle.

when I say impact I mean visual impact, which generates the feeling that the weapon has a kick on either end. If you look at many of the newest generations of MMO's enemies real away from attacks in a way that looks plausible and special powers being used tend to be more then a hand wave with an explosion on the receiving end.

Now I have to admit, I have only been looking at footage and reviews and not actually playing the game myself, which makes my perception of the game flawed I imagine. And as you say this game shouldn't be played for the combat as much as for the setting and the investigations.

[matakishi]

Enemies reel and falter when hit and the spell effects are more than just a hand wave in my experience.
As for the roaming creatures, they make you plan a route to avoid them to begin with and later they can be swept away pretty quickly once your skills increase relative to the zone's difficulty level. The xp is always welcome.
Having said that, if you don't think it's for you then that's fine. If we all liked the same things it would be a boring world
Sadly there's no 'try it and see' option.
I'll try to film some segments of normal play over the weekend which might give more of a feel for things and show off the settings a little.

[YPU]

Would love to see a video of you playing. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying the game is bad. I am saying I want to like it but currently just don't.

[matakishi]

No, I get you. I'll see what I can do, my PC steams as it displays the graphics and whines if I try to do something else at the same time Hopefully fraps won't break it.

[matakishi]

This is a better initial overview than I could write, I agree with most of it.
http://sjghostlands.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/the-secret-is-out/

[matakishi]

Well here I am in my first visit to Egypt, not very scary, unlike the other three zones I've visited so far, but I'm sure that will change. I die at the end of the short clip
No monsters in this one, just some fanatics.
Framerate is a bit choppy becaue Fraps is running to film the game. It's usually smoother when I'm just playing and not filming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x6OM9ku2Aw&feature=youtu.be

[supervike]

DAMN!

Well, I bought the game, downloaded it, patched it (which took FOREVER)  then found out I can't play it.

My PC used to be a very nice gaming machine, but I switched over to Console's with XBOX360...

So...frustration!

I'll have to try it on the laptop, or see about upgrading.

[oldskoolrebel]

DAMN!

Well, I bought the game, downloaded it, patched it (which took FOREVER)  then found out I can't play it.

My PC used to be a very nice gaming machine, but I switched over to Console's with XBOX360...

So...frustration!

I'll have to try it on the laptop, or see about upgrading

Ditto; upgrade time here I come... Although I'm pretty sure it's just the graphics card (just...). 

Although I have had the opportunity to mess around with it at a friends... And I love it... Which only makes the frustration more bitter

Cheers
Andy

[Doug ex-em4]

I enjoyed your little clip of the game - probably more than I would enjoy playing it - I'm hopeless at these games but that certainly looks attractive.

By the way, being totally out of touch with this stuff, what's a MMO

Doug