MAG Beta

[Animalor]

http://psnbeta.us.playstation.com/MAG/g ... oucher.php

Get your voucher for the MAG beta now.

It seems to be a cool shooter. My main gripes right now are only really long waits to get into games from the lobby.

The game plays well and seems lag free. I think I may hve picked a shitty faction though cause most the games I've played have resulted in a major loss for my faction (Raven) and wins for S.V.E.R.

You can only have 1 character and you have to choose your faction at the onset. I may re-roll my guy. You can only heal others once you've unlocked a skill that you need 2-3 levels gained to buy.

[Winnow]

Downloading now. I'll choose S.V.E.R. : )

PS 6 more minutes of my life (25 mbps pipe) were wasted downloading yet another firmware upgrade for the PS3. Wish they'd get a clue from Microsoft and offer meaningful, fast upgrades like once every six months instead of dicking around like every time I turn on the system it seems.

Never fucking mind....not done yet. New version of MAG has to be downloaded, after I just fucking downloaded it. You know....since that was my first time downloading...they could have just updated the fresh install...but no...

omfg, that was just a patch to enable me to download another 1.8 GB file. This file is as slow as a Sony exec picking up on the current trends. It's going to be awhile. My 25 Mbps means squat when paired with Sony's ass servers.

PS3 is a great machine if you're into firmware updates and game patches!

Guess I can take this time to plug my Painbringer PS3 Controller into it's 3 inch cord to power it up!

[Winnow]

An hour later, I'm in the game.

Waiting in a queue for 10 mins so far

All three factions need 128 players?

Raven 40/128
SVER 26/128
VALOR 102/128


Long wait...hmmm

Seems like this game is full of wait. Queue numbers going up slowly. Who's going to want to wait 10 mins or more for a game to start each time...after waiting for firmware upgrades, game patches, etc?

Five mins later

Raven 55/128
SVER 57/128
VALOR 122/128

2 mins later

Raven 49/128
SVER 59/128
VALOR 0/128

wtf?

[Animalor]

I'm not sure what's going on with Dominion today. I had the same problem this morning. Hop into Sabotage.. It's much faster.

[Winnow]

It's pretty fun.


3 kills, 14 deaths, 2 assista

After awhile I decided on the rocket launcher and that's probably how I got my kills, lobbing in rockets inside windows.

PS3 controller aside, it seems pretty fun. Big Maps, clear objectives.

Got experience from kills, assists, Shadow Wars Bonus and Directive Bonus. We lost the battler (I was terrorits SVER)

I was by far the weakest link in our squad. (squad = 6 team unit) Although I had the least deaths, probably due to me launching rockets from a distance.

You can view player card and message, invite friend/clan/group, etc

There appear to be lots of improvements you can put your experience and level points toward.

Worth trying for free if you have the patience to wait in the queues, patches, etc.

[Fairweather Pure]

How bad are the snipers? It seems far too easy to sit and camp with so many players in such a large area. It can already get tedious on the larger maps in MW2 (and those maps are far from large).

Do you get to rank up and unlock more gear/kits? Does it have any sort of single player mode/campaign?

[Animalor]

At the moment since it's a beta there's no SP. I suspect SP will be limited to training. I've been hit with snipers a few times but by and large the maps are made in a way that you can't climb on every single outcropping in here. There's also so much traffic on the map that there isn't really any spot that stays safe for very long.

When you gail levels, you get 1 skill point every time. Those points can be spent on new guns, addons for your current guns improvements in field support(repairs, healing etc) or new weapons (c4, mines etc). The game plays a lot like Battlefield. All the games I did play though ended up with one side usually being badly outmatched, being pushed into a corner and dominated. I'm not particularly sure if this is due to bad players, unbalanced sides or poorly built maps.

[Winnow]

hmmm, Im in group with a bunch of actual Russians. Kinda creepy hearing them chatter in Russian!

I need a mic so I can yell, WOLVERINES!

[miir]

PS3 is a great machine if you're into firmware updates and game patches!

It helps if you turn it on more often than once every 80-90 days.

[Winnow]

Well the Russians sucked! Had three of them in my squad. It must only take a bullet or two to die in this game. I can't aim for shit. Even if I get the jump on someone, they manage to kill me first. All you can do it hit theL1 button to zoom in right? There's no target locking feature is there?

[Funkmasterr]

How bad are the snipers? It seems far too easy to sit and camp with so many players in such a large area. It can already get tedious on the larger maps in MW2 (and those maps are far from large).

Do you get to rank up and unlock more gear/kits? Does it have any sort of single player mode/campaign?

You do unlock stuff as you rank up. There is also added stuff new as far as I know to shooting games. You can be a squad commander, then a commander of multiple squads and the whole army, then the whole game. You get to do these things by kicking ass, although I'm not sure on the specifics yet.

There is zero single player. Which I'm fine with, considering the depth of the multiplayer.

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

I am SVER too!

[Fairweather Pure]

I'm not hearing great things about this game. It has dropped off my radar for the time being.

[Funkmasterr]

The one thing that has bugged me from the beginning with this game, is sacrificing graphics to do the other shit they want to do. This is almost never an acceptable compromise for me, particularly not in FPS games. 256 player fights is pretty bad ass, but with games like MW2 out there (which I don't even play that much as it is) it's gonna be hard for me to get into this game hardcore. I think I'll still give it a shot though.

[Fairweather Pure]

MAG is also going up against Battlefiled Bad Company 2, which isn't helping it's case IMO. I haven't read a single preference for MAG from anyone that has played the 2 of them.

On the plus side, BF:BC2 is sounding fantastic!

[Funkmasterr]

MAG is also going up against Battlefiled Bad Company 2, which isn't helping it's case IMO. I haven't read a single preference for MAG from anyone that has played the 2 of them.

On the plus side, BF:BC2 is sounding fantastic!

I can tell you for sure MAG interests me more. Visuals aside, MAG is only multiplayer and the ranking/reward system is much more fleshed out. Bad Company developers wasted their resources tacking a single player campaign on instead of putting all that effort into what people buy those games for (the multiplayer). That being said, there is a chance I'll end up playing both of them, and probably almost a equal chance that I'll end up playing neither.

[Fairweather Pure]

The destructable terrain in BC is worth the price of admission. It's also really hard to go back to games without it after getting used to it.

The other thing that bothers me about MAG is that it really rewards teamwork. I have no friends on PS3. Playing with 200+ randoms kind of sounds like torture to me.

[Funkmasterr]

The destructable terrain in BC is worth the price of admission. It's also really hard to go back to games without it after getting used to it.

The other thing that bothers me about MAG is that it really rewards teamwork. I have no friends on PS3. Playing with 200+ randoms kind of sounds like torture to me.

I don't have too many friends on the PS3 either, and generally I would share your skepticism. However, because you are so highly rewarded for teamwork in this game people will actually play as a team.. As opposed to CoD where you go into a team deathmatch game and everyone plays it like it's a free for all.

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

The destructable terrain in BC is worth the price of admission. It's also really hard to go back to games without it after getting used to it.

The other thing that bothers me about MAG is that it really rewards teamwork. I have no friends on PS3. Playing with 200+ randoms kind of sounds like torture to me.

You can play w me!

Im KWONRYU on PSN!

[Animalor]

I played about 10 hours of MAG in the last beta. People were telling me to get out of Domination until I had ranked up in some of the lesser modes (Sabotage was it?). Oh and the people that bothered to use headsets were pretty much exactly like the random public game asshole on Xbox Live.

My experiences were mostly always the same though. Everyone on the squads(regardless of level) would go lone wolf, leaders that set objectives would set then once at the beginning of the game and then not do anything else for the rest of it.

There is definite potential of all (or even most) players are working together towards the common goal but seems to me that in an online game, if the team is over 4 people, that becomes very unlikely.

[Aslanna]

Online only = a pass from me. I signed up for the beta I think but never bothered to get it.

[Fairweather Pure]

Online only = a pass from me.

Amen. Look at Chromohounds. After the servers were disconnected, all you have is a coaster. Fuck that.

[Animalor]

RIP Chromehounds =( I spent sooo much time playing that game. Loved it.

[Kwonryu DragonFist]

Lvl 5 in MAg now and soon able to revive players.

It's hella fun and much better than i first thought!

I'm ok with online-only.

Barracks: Unlocking Skills and Items

Newly created characters start off with a limited number of weapons, attachments, and gear items available to them. With each new level, you are awarded a skill point which enables you to unlock various items and skills in the Barracks area of the Main Menu.

Skills take 1 point to unlock, weapon attachments and gear items take 2, and weapons take 3 points.


Skill Categories:

Assault

This skill category unlocks items and skills related to assault rifles, improved assault rifles, and battle rifles (collectively called assault rifles).



· Tier 1

o Assault Rifle: Reload Speed – cuts down the time it takes to reload assault rifles

o Assault Rifle: Foregrip – unlocks foregrips for assault rifles

o Assault Rifle: Reflex Sight – unlocks the red dot sight attachment for assault rifles

· Tier 2

o Improved Assault Rifle – unlocks improved assault rifles

o Assault Rifle: Improved Stability – reduces recoil when firing assault rifles

o Assault Rifle: Bipod – unlocks bipod attachments for assault rifles

· Tier 3

o Assault Rifle: Steady Aim – reduces the amount of barrel wander while using a sight mounted on assault rifles

o Assault Rifle: ACOG Sight – unlocks the ACOG scope attachment for assault rifles

· Tier 4

o Battle Rifle – unlocks battle rifles

o Assault Rifle: Suppressor – unlocks the suppressor attachment for assault rifles

· Tier 5

o Grenade Launcher – unlocks the grenade launcher attachment for assault rifles

o Grenade Launcher Reload Speed – makes if quicker to reload grenade launchers



Personal Defense

The Personal Defense category unlocks items and skills related to backup weapons and knives.



· Tier 1

o Side-arm: Reload Speed – cuts down the time it takes to reload side-arms

o Side-arm: Swap Speed – reduces the time it takes to swap to your backup weapon

· Tier 2

o PDW – unlocks the Personal Defense Weapon (PDW) for use as a backup weapon

o Side-arm: Refire Time – increases the fire rate for side-arms

· Tier 3

o Side-arm: Suppressor – unlocks the suppressor attachment for side-arms

o Knives: Improved Swipe Speed – reduces the time between knife attacks

· Tier 4

o Knives: Expanded Reach – increases the range that knife attacks hit a target



Athleticism

This category affects base damage resistance and other physical attributes of a character.



· Tier 1

o Impact Damage Resistance – reduces the amount of damage taken from falling and vehicle collisions

o Improved Sprint Recovery – recovers stamina faster after sprinting

· Tier 2

o Improved Shot Detection – increases the range at which you detect enemy fire

o Increased Endurance – increases the time you can sprint

· Tier 3

o Explosives Resistance – reduces the amount of damage taken from explosions (grenades, mines, rockets, etc.)

o Advanced Paratrooper – gives you more control of your parachute when dropping into a mission area

· Tier 4

o Chemical Damage Resistance – reduces the amount of damage taken from chemical weapons, like gas grenades

o Improved Stealth – reduces the range that enemies can detect you based on sound and masks you from motion sensors even while running

· Tier 5

o Increased Health – gives you more health



Close Quarters

The Close Quarters category unlocks items and skills related to shotguns and submachine guns.



· Tier 1

o SMG – unlocks the submachine gun

o Shotgun – unlocks the pump-action shotgun

· Tier 2

o Close Quarters: Foregrip – unlocks the foregrip attachment used on shotguns

· Tier 3

o Shotgun: Improved Stability – reduces the amount of recoil when firing shotguns

o Close Quarters: Reflex Sight – unlocks the reflex site attachment for both shotguns and SMG’s

· Tier 4

o Shotgun: Reload Speed – increases the rate at which you reload your shotgun

o Close Quarters: Suppressor – unlocks the suppressor attachment for SMG’s



Electronics

This category unlocks electronics-based gear items. See the Gear section earlier in this guide for gear descriptions.



· Tier 1

· Gear: Acoustic Locator – unlocks the acoustic locator gear item

· Tier 2

· Gear: Explosives Detector – unlocks the explosives detector gear item

· Tier 3

· Gear: Satellite/UAV Jammer – unlocks the satellite/uav jammer gear item

· Tier 4

· Gear: Motion Sensor - unlocks the motion sensor gear item



Marksman

The Marksman category unlocks items and skills related to sniper rifles.



· Tier 1

o Sniper: Reload Speed – increases the rate you reload sniper rifles

o Sniper: Low Power Scope – unlocks the low power scope

o Assault Rifle: Foregrip – unlocks the foregrip attachment for the designated marksman rifle

· Tier 2

o Sniper Rifle – unlocks the sniper rifle

o Sniper: Bipod – unlocks the bipod attachment

· Tier 3

o Sniper: High Power Scope – unlocks the high power scope

o Sniper: Steady Aim – reduces barrel wander while looking through a scope

· Tier 4

o Improved Sniper Rifle – unlocks the improved sniper rifle

o Sniper: Suppressor – unlocks the suppressor attachment used on designated marksman rifles and sniper rifles

· Tier 5

o Sniper: Variable Power Scope – unlocks the variable power scope



Heavy

This category unlocks items and skills related to machine guns and rocket launchers.



· Tier 1

o Machine Gun: Reload Speed – reduces the time it takes to reload machine guns

o Machine Gun: Foregrip – unlocks the foregrip attachment for machine guns

o Machine Gun: Reflex Site – unlocks the reflex site for light machine guns

· Tier 2

o Machine Gun: Improved Stability – reduces the amount of recoil when firing machine guns

o Medium Machine Gun – unlocks the medium machine gun

o Machine Gun: Bipod – unlocks the bipod attachment for machine guns

· Tier 3

o Rocket Launcher: Reload Speed – reduces the amount of time it takes to reload rocket launchers

o Guided Rocket Launcher – unlocks the guided rocket launcher



Explosives

The explosives category unlocks items and skills related to explosives. See the Gear section earlier in this guide for gear descriptions



· Tier 1

o Mine: Anti-personnel Mine – unlocks anti-personnel mines

o Advanced Grenades – increases the range you can throw grenades

· Tier 2

o Mine: Anti-tank Mine – unlocks anti-tank mines

o Advanced Explosives – reduces the time it takes to plant charges at objectives as well as disarm enemy charges

· Tier 3

o Poison Gas Grenade – unlocks the poison gas grenades



Support

This category unlocks items and skills related to healing teammates and repairing team assets. See the Gear section earlier in this guide for gear descriptions.



· Tier 1

o Gear: Medical Kit – unlocks the medical kit gear item

o Improved Repairing – increases the rate at which you repair vehicles and destroyed mission assets

· Tier 2

o Resuscitation – allows you to revive incapacitated teammates with the medkit

o Improved Healing – increases the amount that you heal teammates with the medkit

· Tier 3

o Improved Resuscitation – revives incapacitated teammates with more health