Jackal works extra hard to annoy Mal in our final episode while basically breaking all seriousness and you join us to talk about Issue #3. We eat crow. Funcom’s updates for The Secret World are back on track  now! We talk about all [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/a-final-drink/feed/ 0 Episode 50 – A Final Drink (Release Date : 01 October 2012) - Jackal works extra hard to annoy Mal in our final episode while basically breaking all seriousness and you join us to talk about Issue #3. We eat crow. Episode 50 – A Final Drink (Release Date : 01 October 2012) Jackal works extra hard to annoy Mal in our final episode while basically breaking all seriousness and you join us to talk about Issue #3. We eat crow. Funcom's updates for The Secret World are back on track  now! We talk about all the little things added in Issue #3. Costumes! Banana Suit please?!?! Joel is now in charge? Thank god something is going right. Joel was the lead content designer and now will lead the charge to keep our content coming. He was on OceanicGamer, where he let a few things slip! I like all the little slips! Its great for the "what is it" discussions. Are puzzle raids going to be giant rubix cubes? Finally... a final drink with the Uncovered Podcast Crew. As they say goodbye to the show but not to the community, game or each other. It's been an amazing journey that we never anticipated to take us this far and last this long. It's because of the Community and how amazing The Secret World game is. We all plan to be active in the TSW community doing different things. Check out Mal's new Secret World machinima and podcast with Yett (who made an appearance on the show today!) and Zeph's still working to keep the community TSW wiki updated and growing. We loved working on these shows the last year. It's been 50 weeks solid of talking about the Secret World with you guys week after week. We're all happy we've lasted this long and its been amazing. From Jackal looking like a clown in game and out, Joel joining our in game meet and greet to PAX East (Where's Maldo?!) we have had an incredible year with everyone. The Secret World needs everyone to help get the word out about this amazing game, remember to send out your buddy keys. A special shout out to Morteia.. Keep strong! You're awesome! Thanks for everything you have done with us. We love you! Support Zeph while she live streams on the Extra Life 24 Hour Gaming Marathon and make sure you check out StandsInFire.com for Mal's new podcast and FACTIONED the new Secret World machinima. Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 47:43 http://crygaia.com/dug-deeper/ http://crygaia.com/dug-deeper/#comments Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:52:27 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7620
Episode 48 – Dug Deeper (Release Date : 24 September 2012)

As the weeks after the massive layoff slowly start to see Funcom and The Secret World start running smoothly again, we talk about an interview with Ole (¡Olé), Funcom’s new CEO, where he states the game is profitable and they have the [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/dug-deeper/feed/ 1 Episode 48 – Dug Deeper (Release Date : 24 September 2012) - As the weeks after the massive layoff slowly start to see Funcom and The Secret World start running smoothly again, we talk about an interview with Ole (¡Olé), Funcom's new CEO, Episode 48 – Dug Deeper (Release Date : 24 September 2012) As the weeks after the massive layoff slowly start to see Funcom and The Secret World start running smoothly again, we talk about an interview with Ole (¡Olé), Funcom's new CEO, where he states the game is profitable and they have the option down the road, to turn the game into a free to play game. We talk about what free to play or freemium pay structure might mean. Also, finally, Issue 2 was released and the team went and explored the new missions (*SPOILERY content may be included*), rocket launcher hyjinks and does Zeph really have bad hair now? Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. Free 2 Play ?? The supernatural massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) The Secret World may become the latest in the genre to switch to a free-to-play model, the CEO of Funcom has hinted. Ole Schreiner, head of Funcom, told GamesIndustry that the company is “quite comfortable with where we are now,” but that the team “definitely have the tools to turn The Secret World into a free-to-play game – or even a hybrid – should we decide to do that somewhere down the line,” and that it is not ruling out “a change in direction.” Schreiner gave the example of Age of Conan, which was converted to free-to-play “with significant success,” but said that The Secret World, which launched in July, “is now a profitable operation” after a re-structuring effort at the company, which involved lay-offs and other cost-cutting measures, such as reducing admin expenses. He said that it is “becoming more challenging” to develop a subscription-based MMO, as players expect more value compared to a free-to-play game, and the increasing quality and longevity of many free-to-play titles is making it “more difficult for subscription games.” The language used in the interview suggests the company has seriously looked at, and is continuing to look at, a move to free-to-play, especially as big triple-A titles like Star Wars: The Old Republic move to a hybrid model, which offers free access to core gameplay, letting users buy other parts piece-meal, and continuing to offer a subscription for those who prefer a single pass to all content. This is a model which developer Turbine has had great success with for Dungeons and Dragons Online in 2009 and Lord of the Rings Online in 2010. Of course, a switch to free-to-play involves a certain amount of re-coding, and Schreiner said that the game would likely have been a little different if that business model had been adopted from the start. This means that even if the switch occurs, we likely won't be infiltrating any virtual secret societies for free until next year at the earliest. (Source) TSW is profitable Funcom CEO Ole Shereiner recently spoke up on the MMO market and its shift in focus from the traditional subscription model to free-to-play. In an interview with GamesIndustry International, the newly appointed CEO said that The Secret World MMO is "now a profitable operation," after the recent re-structuring of internal teams. (Source) Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 38:36 http://crygaia.com/ohhhhh/ http://crygaia.com/ohhhhh/#comments Mon, 17 Sep 2012 17:02:09 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7612

Episode 47 – Ohhhhh! (Release Date : 17 September 2012)

Joel was the front man of the new Issue #2 video. It went over all the cool new toys and tricks we will be getting when Issue #2 is released. Issue #2 delayed for another week, massive bug that gave us an infinite amount [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/ohhhhh/feed/ 1 Episode 47 - Ohhhhh! (Release Date : 17 September 2012) - Joel was the front man of the new Issue #2 video. It went over all the cool new toys and tricks we will be getting when Issue #2 is released. Issue #2 delayed for another week, Episode 47 - Ohhhhh! (Release Date : 17 September 2012) Joel was the front man of the new Issue #2 video. It went over all the cool new toys and tricks we will be getting when Issue #2 is released. Issue #2 delayed for another week, massive bug that gave us an infinite amount of 10.4 quality level gear in the economy is a bad thing, mmkay! Goodbye to Martin, one of our favorite Devs. Sadly there wasn't an official announcement from Funcom to bid him farewell, but we don't know the whole story. Did Funcom's former CEO act shady and step down to sell his stocks before the price dropped? Or is this a case of a misunderstanding and the allegations are untrue? Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. Issue 2 Video Issue 2 Delayed As mentioned yesterday, there was an issue found that could have led to a severe exploit that we want to fix before "Issue #2 - Digging Deeper" is deployed to the live servers. Unfortunately, it will take us some more time to make sure the issue is removed and the new version has been thoroughly tested. We will keep on working over the weekend to fix the remaining issue and make sure that the final version will be ready for the live servers next week. As soon as all the details are available, we will announce the downtime for the update over the usual channels early next week. We are as eager to get “Issue #2” to the live servers as much as you guys probably are. But we need to make sure that the version is ready and doesn’t contain any severe issues before it’s deployed to the Live servers. We apologize for the delay and thank you for your patience and understanding. (Source) G'bye to Martin Unfortunately, I'm not with Funcom anymore... :/ (Source - Twitter Msg) Former Funcom CEO Faces Insider Trading Allegations Former Funcom Chief Trond Aas is under investigation for attempting to sell 1.5 million shares in the company immediately prior to the launch of The Secret World. Funcom's latest MMO The Secret World launched to what some might call a "mixed" critical reception, and it hasn't been a big hit with fans. The company acknowledged in its second quarter financial update that "initial sales of The Secret World have been below expectations," to the point that it was forced to lay off roughly half of its overall staff, including the game's lead designer; its share price has since tumbled from over $17 at the beginning of July to $2.23 today. That's where it gets ugly for Trond Aas. Funcom announced on July 2 - the day before The Secret World went live - that he had stepped down as CEO and would instead serve as "Strategic Advisor to the Board and Chief Strategy Officer." There's nothing wrong with that, but according to an anonymous insider "familiar with the situation," Aas actually stepped down in order to get off Funcom's "primary insider list," which would allow him to sell his shares in the company without attracting scrutiny. (Source) TSW ad..... wait that's for GW2! Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 36:28 http://crygaia.com/its-all-mals-fault/ http://crygaia.com/its-all-mals-fault/#comments Mon, 10 Sep 2012 12:04:26 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7571

Episode 46 – It’s all Mal’s fault… (Release Date : 10 September 2012)

Yes, Mal screwed up and we had to start the show over after recording about 20 minutes. We are joined this week by Casey the winner of the Midnight Squadron’s charity auction. The stinky Templars. We discussed the Looking for Group [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/its-all-mals-fault/feed/ 0 Episode 46 - It's all Mal's fault… (Release Date : 10 September 2012) - Yes, Mal screwed up and we had to start the show over after recording about 20 minutes. We are joined this week by Casey the winner of the Midnight Squadron's charity auction. Episode 46 - It's all Mal's fault… (Release Date : 10 September 2012) Yes, Mal screwed up and we had to start the show over after recording about 20 minutes. We are joined this week by Casey the winner of the Midnight Squadron's charity auction. The... Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 54:43 http://crygaia.com/the-future-is-so-bright/ http://crygaia.com/the-future-is-so-bright/#comments Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:41:13 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7548

Episode 45 – The future is so bright… (Release Date : 4 September 2012)

Ragnar released his second State of the Game where he discussed what the goals are for The Secret World and what to expect in the coming months for the game. Issue #2 will be released next week and #3 will [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/the-future-is-so-bright/feed/ 0 Episode 45 - The future is so bright... (Release Date : 4 September 2012) - Ragnar released his second State of the Game where he discussed what the goals are for The Secret World and what to expect in the coming months for the game. Episode 45 - The future is so bright... (Release Date : 4 September 2012) Ragnar released his second State of the Game where he discussed what the goals are for The Secret World and what to expect in the coming months for the game. Issue #2 will be released next week and #3 will be on track for the end of September. What will the Halloween event be? Will there be costumes? Jackal wants a wedding dress! October will bring the 10 man raid. A big feature being added around Christmas. Who wants to be a Vampire!? Not Mal but he does have some ideas about how to fix PvP. What do you think will fix FuSang? Do you play El Dorado? Tell your local Secret World CM (*cough Morteia cough*) to try and get the next Livestream with the Devs to focus on El Dorado to explain, discuss and promote this battlefield. Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. News State of The Game - August 2012 On the development side, we have two main goals right now: To continue to service our existing players with new content, features and gameplay -- along with tweaks and fixes to existing content, of course -- and to build our player base by reaching out to new players who haven't yet had the opportunity to take the game for a spin and get hooked. How do we plan on doing this? First off, we're going to stick with our monthly release schedule. Like we've said before, we feel it's important to give our paying customers new content and features every single month. Our second issue -- Digging Deeper -- has unfortunately been delayed by two weeks, due to the restructuring of the team, but issue #3 (title to be announced, but there are cats and it ties in with our Halloween event) will be released on time. Secondly, we'll be polishing, fixing and streamlining the game based on feedback from our community, in order to make The Secret World even more inviting to new players. We won't mess with the core game, but we will continue to improve the experience -- visually and mechanically -- and this will certainly benefit players both new and old. So what's ahead in upcoming issues? There's a ten-person raid in New York scheduled for October, and it's not like any raid you've ever played before. We have a bunch of auxiliary weapons on the way, and more character customisation improvements. We have a huge and exciting new feature pencilled in for Christmas, which ties into the achievement system and gives a lot more meaning to the usual 'Kill 1,000 Vampires' goals. (After all, who hasn't wondered what it would be like to have some vampiric abilities to play around with?) We're creating intermediary decks with brand new clothing rewards; we have a ton of new missions and storylines in development; and we have a huge new adventure zone scheduled for next spring, bringing players back to Tokyo's Ground Zero, to face brand new threats, meet new characters, play new missions and explore an intriguing urban environment unlike anything you've ever seen in an MMO. (Source) Expanding on both the PvE end game and PvP in the near future! In terms of PvE, we're working to improve and expand the lairs, as well as incorporate more outdoor raid-type encounters against 'world bosses'. I'm also hoping to see more challenging content being introduced across the world, to keep players on their toes and to make the world feel dynamic and unpredictable. As for PvP, there are ongoing discussions about what we're doing next, but for the short term, we're introducing a bunch of changes and tweaks that should make the PvP experience a lot more fun and dynamic. More about that very soon, I hope. (Source) Player Housing Player housing is definitely on The List. We'll just have to see when we can squeeze it in and how we prioritise it in regards to the other features on The List. ~Ragnar (Source) (Zeph) Community ShoutOuts Technoparty (Trans & Goa) What: Cabal N.O.S.² is pleased to invite you for a Technoparty ! Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 44:56 http://crygaia.com/banana-appreciation-day/ http://crygaia.com/banana-appreciation-day/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2012 06:51:30 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7534

Episode 44 – Banana Appreciation Day (Release Date : 28 August 2012)

A day late, I know! But never fear the episode is released! We discuss the less than happy news of layoffs at Funcom and the push back of Issue #2 until Sept 11th. Ragnar did let us know they were hoping to [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/banana-appreciation-day/feed/ 0 Episode 44 - Banana Appreciation Day (Release Date : 28 August 2012) - A day late, I know! But never fear the episode is released! We discuss the less than happy news of layoffs at Funcom and the push back of Issue #2 until Sept 11th. Episode 44 - Banana Appreciation Day (Release Date : 28 August 2012) A day late, I know! But never fear the episode is released! We discuss the less than happy news of layoffs at Funcom and the push back of Issue #2 until Sept 11th. Ragnar did let us know they were hoping to get everything back on track after that. A little less convinced about that being possible, Zeph and Mal are still hopeful to see the monthly content releases. Avoiding the bad news and turning to some in game hijinks, we talk about some of our favorite and... not so favorite missions. What's your favorite mission so far? What's your least favorite? Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. Funcom reduces operational costs following ‘The Secret World’ launch Published on (2012-08-22) As mentioned in the stock notice of 10 August 2012, Funcom has initiated a process to reduce operational costs following the launch of its most recent massively multiplayer online game 'The Secret World'. The process includes several initiatives such as layoffs and temporary layoffs of some employees in Montreal, Durham, Oslo and Beijing. Some of these initiatives are part of normal procedure following the launch of a major project, such as adjustments to the customer service staffing based on the number of customers in the game as well as adjustments to the production team as the project goes into a post-launch phase following years of intense development. Many of those affected on the customer service team are on temporary contracts which is common for a live service such as 'The Secret World' where customer service demand shifts based on the game's population levels. Around half of the company's personnel have been affected, with some departments being more affected than others. To make sure Funcom is in the best possible position to realize its plans for both existing games as well as future projects, the company is focusing on retaining as many as possible on the production teams. (Source) Issue #2 Release Date As you may know, this week has been a challenging one for everyone at Funcom. We initiated a process of reducing costs after the launch of The Secret World and this has naturally affected the production schedule as we work on readjusting the team and our internal development processes. As such, we have had to give ourselves a little more time to wrap up Issue #2 and the new release date for this update is September 11th, 2012. (Source) Everything should go back on track after that... or thats the plan at least... Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 45:08 http://crygaia.com/new-yorks-in-trouble/ http://crygaia.com/new-yorks-in-trouble/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 07:00:57 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7492

Episode 44 – New York’s in Trouble (Release Date : 20 August 2012)

Leck joins the cast today while Zeph is MIA. Templars are taking over the show! News this week! Funcom has a free 3-day trial going on for The Secret World, it can be a 5 day trial if you complete 30 [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/new-yorks-in-trouble/feed/ 2 Episode 44 - New York's in Trouble (Release Date : 20 August 2012) - Leck joins the cast today while Zeph is MIA. Templars are taking over the show! News this week! Funcom has a free 3-day trial going on for The Secret World, Episode 44 - New York's in Trouble (Release Date : 20 August 2012) Leck joins the cast today while Zeph is MIA. Templars are taking over the show! News this week! Funcom has a free 3-day trial going on for The Secret World, it can be a 5 day trial if you complete 30 missions in the first 3 days! *Note* This offer ended on the 19th of August! Issue #2 info was released during GamesCon this week. The  new Issue will be released on the 28th of August and includes new customizations, new missions, auxiliary weapons and new  nightmares. You heard it first, Jackal predicts the 3rd auxiliary weapon! New York raid instance coming in October and the vast Tokyo adventure area planned for release in early 2013 announced on Massively. Does anyone actually read @blackjackall twitters? Will Zeph be back next week or did Mal and Leck kill her in their attempt to take over the show for the Templars? Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. Sign up NOW for our Free Three-Day Trial! Funcom is happy to announce the launch of a new FREE three-day trial of The Secret World! Players will be able to sign up for this trial starting August 15th at 9am GMT / 5am EDT / 11am CEST and the trial will be available to all interested players. How do I sign up? In order to sign up for this free trial you will need to register in the small registration form on the right side of the home page of The Secret World Official Website. Only three days? Can I have more? Yes! Try it free for 3 days and get an extra 2 days of game time and 1200 bonus points when you complete 30 missions.* *Please note: The extra days and Bonus Points are only available to trial accounts. If you are already playing The Secret World, you are still eligible for Bonus Points if you did not earn them during the celebration weekend. If you previously earned rewards for our celebration weekend, your account will not be eligible for these bonuses. Bonus Points will expire September 30, 2012. (Source) "DIGGING DEEPER" We're very excited to announce our second monthly issue, due for release on August 28th: 'Digging Deeper'. 'Digging Deeper' is jam-packed with content, including new character customisation options, the plastic surgery and barbershop, new investigation and action missions...and last (but definitely not least) our first auxiliary weapon: the rocket launcher! New Missions! Mission Pack #2 -- part of August's issue -- adds new investigation missions, the auxiliary weapon mission, and lair action missions to the game: 'Digging Deeper' continues the story that began with The Kingsmouth Code, and sends players back to Pastor Henry Hawthorne at the Kingsmouth Congregational to dig deeper into the town's secret history and Illuminati legacy In 'Death and Axes', players learn more about Sophie's close connection with the spirit world. In Transylvania's Besieged Farmlands, the dead are restless, and Sophie is increasingly sensitive to their pain -- causing Cern some concern for her well-being, and sending players on an investigation into the terrible events that have transpired here 'Strangers from a Strange Land' introduces players to the ancient history of Solomon Island, going back to when the island was visited by Norsemen in their longboats, a thousand years ago. This investigation begins with Red (of Red's Bait & Tackle) and introduces players to a pair of famous talking ravens from Norse mythology... In Transylvania, Iele -- the guardian of the Shadowy Forest -- needs the player's help in order to revive her 'Singing Stones' and fight the growing infection that threatens this delicate magical sanctuary. And these are just some of the missions that will be made available as part of Mission Pack #2! Auxiliary Weapon Introducing a brand new weapon, featuring seven brand new abilities, wrapped in a brand new auxiliary wheel! With the addition of a third weapon and eighth ability hot-bar slot, Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 33:47 http://crygaia.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/ http://crygaia.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#comments Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:23:17 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7393

Episode 43 – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

It’s been a quiet week for news and information this week, other than the Livestream. This week we talk about the latest interview with Dualshockers. Ragnar spoke about Orochi and Phoenicians and how we will be able to interact with them [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/feed/ 5 auction,childs play,dualshocker,funcom,interview,investors,metacritic,midnight squadron Episode 43 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - It's been a quiet week for news and information this week, other than the Livestream. This week we talk about the latest interview with Dualshockers. Ragnar spoke about Orochi and Phoenicians and how we wi... Episode 43 - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly It's been a quiet week for news and information this week, other than the Livestream. This week we talk about the latest interview with Dualshockers. Ragnar spoke about Orochi and Phoenicians and how we will be able to interact with them more meaningfully later in the game. What do you think will happen with them as the story continues? Will the Phoenicians get a Hub city? Also, Funcom released an update to their in investors. It had some good news, bad news and ugly news. The trio let you know in no uncertain terms how they feel about Metacritic and the Metascore ... stuff. For our community shoutouts we are joined by Kimi from Midnight Squadron to give us more information about the 24 hr gaming marathon and auction for Child's Play. Also be sure to go to Kingsmouth on August 18th at 5pm (eastern) for the Firework Spectacular! Message Raegen to get a invite to the right dimension. They are asking for a donation of $1 dollar for a pack of fireworks, that's a great deal people! Child's Play is an amazing charity is dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. We are pleased to announce that we have donated a 'guest spot' on the Uncovered Podcast to the Midnight Squadron auction. If you are interested make sure you head over and bid! Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. News Interview: The Secret World Creative Director Ragnar Tørnquist Talks About the Future of Funcom’s New MMORPG DS: I know it’s a little early to talk about this, but I hear a lot of players that would like, in the future, to play as members of Orochi corporation, or even as Phoenicians. Is there any chance that in the future we’ll see other playable factions, or the game is set in stone on the three-ways conflict we have now? R: There will only ever be three large secret societies to choose between in character creation…but that doesn’t mean players won’t be able to gain allegiance — or work for — other entities in the game. In fact, the conclusion (and beginning) of the game’s story mission hints at something like that. As for Orochi and the Phoenicians…well, their roles are going to become more apparent over time, and players will be able to interact with them in more meaningful ways in the future. DS: We already know that The Secret World is going to expand to other areas of the world. Can you give us any hint on the locations we’re going to visit in the near future? R: We will be making some announcements very soon — and the clues are all in the game! (Source) The Secret World - Update (Funcom Investor Relations) Funcom reported in a stock notice the 6th of July that the company intended to update the market on The Secret World today. This update is based on current sales, press and gamer feedback and early indicators of subscription levels following the free 30 days game-time included in the game client. The Good First indication of churn is more positive than for Age of Conan, and the in-game store is performing as expected. The add-on packs are performing better than expected. Also higher than expected sales are going directly through the online download stores like EA's Origin and Funcom's own storefront, generating more profitable sales for the company. (Source) The Bad ...based on the available early data, one scenario is that sales for the first 12 months following launch will be less than half of what was presented in the "Conan-like" scenario. (Source) * Conan-like scenario (Q1 Report) (Source) § 1,050,000 client sales first year § Poor retention (a bit better than Age of Conan) 280,000 average subscribers § Other assumptions as above The Ugly Following the launch of The Secret World on the 3rd of July 2012, Funcom's share price has decreased significantly. The company attributes this mostly to the aggregate review score, the "Metascore", Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 49:54 http://crygaia.com/life-the-universe-and-spoilers/ http://crygaia.com/life-the-universe-and-spoilers/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2012 11:00:57 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7291

Episode 42 – Life, the Universe and Spoilers - We try not to talk spoilers too much on the show, but we’ve made an exception this week were we mostly do nothing BUT talk about spoilers. Trust me, we warn you… a few times… loudly… with much enthusiasm that there will be spoilers incoming. [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/life-the-universe-and-spoilers/feed/ 3 auxiliary weapons,carter,unleashed Episode 42 - Life, the Universe and Spoilers - We try not to talk spoilers too much on the show, but we've made an exception this week were we mostly do nothing BUT talk about spoilers. Trust me, we warn you... a few times... loudly... Episode 42 - Life, the Universe and Spoilers - We try not to talk spoilers too much on the show, but we've made an exception this week were we mostly do nothing BUT talk about spoilers. Trust me, we warn you... a few times... loudly... with much enthusiasm that there will be spoilers incoming. First we talk about a few tidbits and morsels that Ragnar tossed to us via Twitter and forum posts. Fan Fave Carter is getting more dialog and voice over! In what direction will her storyline travel? New characters, where will they be!? Finally, we talk -again- about auxiliary weapons, because it was almost, pretty much (maybe?) confirmed that auxiliary weapons will have their own abilities on the ability wheel, mechanics and visuals. Oh my! Zeph's pretty sure this is some game changing stuff we are talking about here and cannot handle the suspense anymore. If you haven't already donated to Midnight Squadrons 24 hr game marathon, do it.. now! Deadline is coming up! Finally, spoilers. Lovely, lovely spoilers. We talk a little bit about the storyline and a bit more about the new investigation missions that were released. A few answers and a few of our opinions. You've been warned! Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. News Interesting posts/twitter messages by Ragnar: Back in the studio yesterday to record some new dialogue, including a few bits & bobs for fan fave Carter (Tara Lynn Barr rocks). #TSW (Source) Next week, one of my all-time favourite actors is coming in to do two (three) new characters! I'm both nervous and excited. Nexcited. #TSW (Source) As for auxiliary weapons, I can't reveal too much yet (very soon now!) but we are talking about brand new weapons, both in terms of visuals, mechanics and abilities. I'm sure our lead designer will have an article out explaining just how the auxiliary weapons will work, but they're going to be great fun, and definitely worth adding to your arsenal. (Source) Community Shout-outs Midnight Squadron will be running a 24 hour gaming marathon Midnight Squadron, a cross-gaming clan since 1995, is proud to announce that from 9:00 pm EST (GMT-5), August 17, 2012 to 9:00 pm EST (GMT-5), August 18, 2012, the members of Midnight Squadron will be running a 24 hour gaming marathon to benefit the children's charity, Child's Play! (Source) Spoilers Carter Unleashed: An action mission set at the Innsmouth Academy on Solomon Island, where the player gets to know more about the exceptionally gifted student Carter. Exploring the hallway below the academy, Carter will need help controlling her powers -- before they get completely out of hand. Crime and Punishment: Bestselling horror author Sam Krieg came to Solomon Island to write his latest novel -- but there's more to it than that. Through this investigation, the player will dig into Krieg's works and the mind of an obsessed fan to learn more about the dark and hidden history of Solomon Island. Hell & Bach: Daredevil reporter Daniel Bach is working on the story of all stories, his shot at finally winning a Pulitzer. For years, he's been chasing the ghost of Theodore Wicker, only to end up trapped at the Overlook Motel outside Kingsmouth Town. But Wicker's story doesn't end here -- nor did it start here. Following the bread crumbs back in time, the player will investigate the mystery of Wicker, and learn more about what brought him to the gates of hell...and beyond. Funeral Crasher: Eleanor Franklin only has her cats and her ghosts to keep her company at her mansion in Blue Mountain -- and now the ghosts are getting restless. When the dead themselves are spooked, the living must pay heed. The 3rd Age: There have been Ages before ours, and the evidence lies beneath. In Egypt, the sand is thin, and the remnants of past Ages are beginning to spread their influence across the world. The Seven Sentinels hold the key to an investigation that begins in the present, Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 49:08 http://crygaia.com/celebrations-and-nightmares/ http://crygaia.com/celebrations-and-nightmares/#comments Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:43:53 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=7104

Episode 41 – Celebrations and Nightmares (Released: 30 July 2012)

Mal’s back with a brand new invention… no not really but he is back. This week’s show we talk about the celebration announcement from the Livestream. Tell your friends and get them to play The Secret World starting next Friday, August 3rd at 4pm [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/celebrations-and-nightmares/feed/ 1 1 month celebration,adventure zone,dev,funcom points,gatekeeper,livestream,resub Episode 41 – Celebrations and Nightmares (Released: 30 July 2012) - Mal's back with a brand new invention... no not really but he is back. This week's show we talk about the celebration announcement from the Livestream. Episode 41 – Celebrations and Nightmares (Released: 30 July 2012) Mal's back with a brand new invention... no not really but he is back. This week's show we talk about the celebration announcement from the Livestream. Tell your friends and get them to play The Secret World starting next Friday, August 3rd at 4pm GMT. Any account type will be active next weekend from your previous Beta accounts to a freshly made account before Friday.  Now that it's resub time there is a special launch offer for resubbing in 3-12 month blocks, discounted game time and Funcom points. Last Friday there was another Livestream with the Dev where tidbits of info were released and talked about. Mal was trying to get Joel to talk about Exodus since Ragnar "Dreamy-eyes" wasn't around. How do you feel about attunements, like the Gatekeeper? Mal isn't a fan while Jackal and Zeph are okay with them. Ragnar alluded to the next adventure zone? Maybe, where do you think it will be? Community Shoutouts this week J4ckk3y's Doodles is running a contest (persay) for a One Month Celebration doodle. Don't forget about the Midnight Squadron will be running a 24 hour gaming marathon. Also GridStream TSW to launch next weekend in celebration of one month live of Secret World! Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. News One month Celebrations One Month Celebrations. Next Friday, August 3rd at 4pm GMT, all accounts will be enabled to play the game for the weekend. Free fireworks. Community Events. Solve 30 in-game missions to help those in need and receive a special in-game t-shirt and 1200 bonus points. 100 best mission solvers leader board. Any type of account: Beta accounts or you can register an account before the weekend to be able to play, if you don’t already have an account. (Source) The Secret World Game time Offer A special launch game time offer for you! For a 3 month game time purchase you receive 720 bonus points (value $6) For a 6 month game time purchase you receive 2160 bonus points (value $18) For a 12 month game time purchase you receive 5760 bonus points worth $48 in the Item Store! 1 Month Subscription USD $14.99 ‡ 3 Month Subscription Normal price USD $44.97 Now Only USD $41.97 ‡ A 7% discount! 6 Month Subscription Normal price USD $89.94 Now Only USD $77.94 ‡ A 13% discount! 12 Month Subscription Normal price USD $179.88 Now Only USD $152.00 ‡ A 15% discount! Livestream with the Devs #2 They will update the music you hear in the record shop and may have community competitions. You send in your demos and it may get played for a month in the shop. They want to make the jute box interactive in The Horned God. [Question] Are there any plans regarding pets in-game? Pets are a multi-layered designed. They avoided them in the beginning. Martin, Joel, Ragnar want them but right now they are focused on the Aux weapons. No concrete plans, yet. [Question] Will there be a travel powers in-game? Not at the moment. The sprint mechanic ‘feels’ like a mount system. They are discussing a way to travel between Agartha worlds without dying. (Mal) Key map a “use” key for items, soon ™. Change they are working on that they can’t talk about yet. [Question] Are the devs looking at the mechanics of FuSang in the short-term? They are having meetings to work on things. There aren’t showing a faction imbalance. PvP players join Templars because of the rah-rah nature of Templars. They are talking about how to promote defense and giving the 2 weaker factions teaming up. A simple process for people to do that.(Mal) *Mal was trying to get Joel to talk about Exodus since Ragnar "Dreamy-eyes" wasn't around. Blog: Dungeons in The Secret World by Tor Egil Andersen Tackling Elite dungeons is no easy feat, but beyond lays the true test for the ultimate dungeon runners – The Nightmare mode. You need to be tough as nails and a master of your role to be able to take on these extreme challenges. Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 1:01:35 http://crygaia.com/mals-on-a-milkcarton/ http://crygaia.com/mals-on-a-milkcarton/#comments Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:11:10 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=6761

Episode 40 – Mal’s on a Milkcarton (Released: 23 July 2012)

While Mal takes a week off for some much needed R&R we are joined by Leck while we discuss a the upcoming TSW gear and more about the Auxiliary Weapons. What can they be? Let us know your ideas [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/mals-on-a-milkcarton/feed/ 3 auxiliary weapons,battle royale,tsw gear Episode 40 - Mal's on a Milkcarton (Released: 23 July 2012) - While Mal takes a week off for some much needed R&R we are joined by Leck while we discuss a the upcoming TSW gear and more about the Auxiliary Weapons. What can they be? Episode 40 - Mal's on a Milkcarton (Released: 23 July 2012) While Mal takes a week off for some much needed R&R we are joined by Leck while we discuss a the upcoming TSW gear and more about the Auxiliary Weapons. What can they be? Let us know your ideas in the comments below! We also talk about our new Battle Royale article series to discover the favorite NPC in game. Each month a different regions NPCs will be nominated and voted on at the end of the month we will declare a winner for that region. We will have 4 months of voting, Solomon Island, Egypt, Transylvania and a Wild Card for all the NPCs not in one of the previous regions (ie: Dungeons and Social hubs). Starting next week in Solomon Island! We talk about our favorites and... not so favorites in Solomon Island. Let us know what yours are next week! Our community shoutouts this week go to the Midnight Squadron who are running a 24 hour gaming marathon for Child's Play charity. Be sure to donate and help them reach their goal! This is also your final week to get a hold of a free digital copy of the game from Gamersbook! Don't miss out if you haven't got a copy yet. Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. News TSW Gear It’s coming! We’re looking into it! RT @KristineGreaves: Where's my real Innsmouth hoodie? (Source) More on Auxiliary Weapons from Ragnar The first auxiliary weapon is coming soon, and that will add more options to your decks. Without saying TOO much...you will be able to augment existing decks, and diversify without compromising the way you currently play. Of course, the first auxiliary weapon is just the FIRST auxiliary weapon, and if that one doesn't light your fire, the next one might. Or the next one. Yep, we have a whole bunch planned (I just looked at the final list of the first five auxiliary weapons twenty minutes ago, and I'm very excited!) and that's just the start. The combat system will continue to grow and evolve on an ongoing basis -- it won't remain what it is today for very long -- and the content will do the same. (Source) Livestream recording FOUND! NPC Battle Royale Each week for the next few months NPCs from different zones will be battling it out for the top spot as your favorite in-game NPC. (More Info) Community Shoutouts Midnight Squadron will be running a 24 hour gaming marathon Midnight Squadron, a cross-gaming clan since 1995, is proud to announce that from 9:00 pm EST (GMT-5), August 17, 2012 to 9:00 pm EST (GMT-5), August 18, 2012, the members of Midnight Squadron will be running a 24 hour gaming marathon to benefit the children's charity, Child's Play! (Source) Gamersbook TSW Give-away To celebrate the recent release of The Secret World, Gamersbook, Funcom and Electronic Arts have partnered up to organize another The Secret World giveaway event. This time, we are going to reward our community members with 3 X The Secret World Digital Retail Units. Giveaway Schedule: July 2012 Sunday 15 - 1 Key, Sunday 22 - 1 Key, Sunday 29 - 1 Key Together with The Secret World copy, winners will also be rewarded with the following in-game items: (Source)   Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 33:08 http://crygaia.com/united-states-of-bananas/ http://crygaia.com/united-states-of-bananas/#comments Mon, 16 Jul 2012 09:12:17 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=6680

Episode 39 – United States of Bananas (Release Date : 16 July 2012)

United States of Bananas. In the State of the Game article by Ragnar earlier this week it was announced that they will be releasing fresh and new content free to our subscribers on a monthly basis and the first [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/united-states-of-bananas/feed/ 8 alex saba,ankh,chronicle,dungeons,gamersbook,hell fallen,making of a monster,marketplace,midnight squadron,nightmare mode,sdcc,unleashed Episode 39 - United States of Bananas (Release Date : 16 July 2012) - United States of Bananas. In the State of the Game article by Ragnar earlier this week it was announced that they will be releasing fresh and new content free to our subscribers on ... Episode 39 - United States of Bananas (Release Date : 16 July 2012) United States of Bananas. In the State of the Game article by Ragnar earlier this week it was announced that they will be releasing fresh and new content free to our subscribers on ... Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 54:01 http://crygaia.com/sneaky-funcom-launch/ http://crygaia.com/sneaky-funcom-launch/#comments Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:22:42 +0000 Zephyrus http://crygaia.com/?p=6610

Episode 38 – Sneaky Funcom Launch (Release Date : 09 July 2012)

Sneaky Funcom Launch Funcom launched 12 hours early with very little problems! They released a launch trailer that Mal A’menz loved and Zephyrus didn’t so much. Did you enjoy it? Did Amazon sell out of copies of The Secret World? Yes, yes [...]]]> http://crygaia.com/sneaky-funcom-launch/feed/ 2 Episode 38 - Sneaky Funcom Launch (Release Date : 09 July 2012) - Sneaky Funcom Launch Funcom launched 12 hours early with very little problems! They released a launch trailer that Mal A'menz loved and Zephyrus didn't so much. Did you enjoy it? Episode 38 - Sneaky Funcom Launch (Release Date : 09 July 2012) Sneaky Funcom Launch Funcom launched 12 hours early with very little problems! They released a launch trailer that Mal A'menz loved and Zephyrus didn't so much. Did you enjoy it? Did Amazon sell out of copies of The Secret World? Yes, yes they did. Who will you send your buddy key too!? Don't forget to spread the word of how great this game is! What is metacritic and why is it causing a sky is falling moment? TenTonHammer has a great pros vs cons reviewthat we talk about. Martin talks about a different path for end game play. Which end game path will you choose. Make sure you check out the new forums and let us know you have been listening to the show. Community shoutouts this week are our Cabal Spotlight a Templar Cabal, Asylum and Guild Launch Teams With Funcom for ‘Top Site Contest’. Download the episode on iTunes or follow the RSS feed. New Launch Trailer Amazon Sold out?? We don't know who sent out the tweet about this first, but it prompted us to take a look and we found that Amazon only has 7 copies left (at the time of the recording). (Source) If you are having a problem finding a box copy of TSW you can get a digital copy only at http://thesecretworld.com/buy Buddy Key This buddy key is good to allow one of your friends to join you for 24 hours in The Secret World. Once you have sent your buddy key out, your friend will receive an email with a key attached. All they have to do is follow the instructions in the email and they'll be ready to fight with you against the encroaching darkness! (Source) Launch Servers Filling up Several of the first dimensions available at launch are filling up fast! Players are encouraged to create their new characters on one of the dimensions listed below. Please keep in mind though that no matter where you create your character, the single-server technology of The Secret World allows you to play with any character from any other dimension. Cabals are also able to recruit their members from across every dimension. So if you are looking for a home for your new character, here are the suggested dimensions: Grim Daemon (Source) TenTonHammer Review PROS: Unique setting and story--we haven't had a good horror-themed triple-A MMO yet, and this one delivers. Missions that provide a great deal of variety and depth without hand-holding Dungeons that are relatively free of trash mobs, and instead provide challenging and exciting boss encounters Vivid and atmospheric graphics and impressive music and sound CONS: In a game where it's not only possible but easy to accidentally create a bad build, there's no respec ability. If you find your build isn't viable for the kind of game you want to play, you'll have to replay a lot of content (or play a lot of PvP) to build up a new build. No resurrection mechanic, which takes a huge benefit of social play out of the mix. Group or Dungeon finder missing in action at launch PvP currently feels imbalanced, and too daunting for the new player with fewer Ability and Skill Points to participate in (Source) The Secret World: Launch-Day Interview With Funcom's CTO & Lead Designer GeForce: Without doubt, the most important elements of massively multiplayer online games are the starting zones, from which a player’s opinions of the game are generally formed regardless of what lies ahead, and the end-game, which keeps players engaged and subscribed. Unfortunately, many MMOs start poorly and feature little in the way of end-game content at launch. How is Funcom avoiding this issue, and what post-launch plans are in place to keep the most active, and arguably most important players engaged? MARTIN BRUUSGAARD: End game is a different monster to tackle. I think one of the biggest faults of MMOs today is that they create content for the players to consume, and when it's consumed, players never visit it again. Zephyrus, Mal A'menz, Black Jackal no 1:00:29