The Secret World

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The Secret World
In game screenshot #1
Developer(s) Funcom
Publisher(s) Funcom
Designer(s) Ragnar Tørnquist
Engine DreamWorld Engine (proprietary)[1]
Platform(s) Xbox 360, PC (Windows)
Release date N/A
Genre(s) Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Mode(s) Multiplayer
Media Digital distribution[2]
"The World Online" redirects here. For the fictional MMORPG in .hack franchise, see The World (.hack).

The Secret World (formerly known under the working titles Cabal and The World Online)[3] is an upcoming MMORPG from developer Funcom (makers of Anarchy Online and Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures), whose development has been officially confirmed on March 6, 2007.[1] The final title of the project was confirmed on May 11, 2007.[4]

Contents

[edit] Production

In game screenshot #2
In game screenshot #2

The pre-production of the game started in 2002, but in mid-2003, most of the working team was transferred to the development of Dreamfall.[3] The work on The Secret World was resumed after Dreamfall shipped, with many of the latter's designers (including Ragnar Tørnquist) playing key roles in the former's development.[3] TSW is currently being produced at the Funcom studios in Oslo and Beijing.[4]

The game will feature an original setting created by Funcom, with contemporary elements as well as "magic, myths, conspiracies and dark horrors".[5] After announcing the development of The Secret World, Funcom project director Jorgen Tharaldsen informed the press that the game uses the same engine as Age of Conan and "takes place on Earth in the present day".[1] Contrary to rumors, spawned by this game's second working title, it has neither anything to do with, nor is inspired by the .hack franchise.[6] Later, the producer and director Tørnquist debunked more rumors surrounding The Secret World: according to him, "there are no aliens or sci-fi elements" in it.[7] He also denied any connection of TSW to The Longest Journey series and commented that the two screenshots of the game published up to that date[5] are from a prototype version of the game and the graphics "are already looking much, much better".[7] In a later blog posting, Tørnquist has also revealed that the game can be played solo (but still online), should a player be uncomfortable or unable to play with a group.[8]

[edit] Marketing

The first promotional material appeared on May 8, 2007, when a picture was "leaked" into the internet, containing a poem, a Knights Templar seal, and several sentences in Spanish, Norwegian, French, German and Hebrew.[9] When solved, the poem led to a series of internet pages, one of them with a riddle, and, eventually, to the newly created official forum.[4]

The websites lead to a Flash page with a countdown timer that uses symbols instead of numbers. The timer will presumably reach zero on 12:00 AM on December 21, 2012, adjusted for the location of Funcom headquarters.[10] According to Maya mythology, this date will see the end of the world. However, this is not the release date of the game, which Funcom has reported as being late 2009[citation needed], but is of relevance to its plot[citation needed].

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Callaham, John (2007-03-06). GDC: New Funcom MMO Game Revealed. FiringSquad.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
  2. ^ Hagerup, Eivind (2007-03-14). Funcom drops "offline" PC games. Adventure Gamers. Retrieved on 2007-03-15.
  3. ^ a b c Tørnquist, Ragnar (2007-05-11). The Secret World is secret no more. RagnarTornquist.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  4. ^ a b c Funcom reveals The Secret World. Funcom (2007-05-11). Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  5. ^ a b Q3 Results. Funcom (2006-11-02). Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
  6. ^ Tørnquist, Ragnar (2006-06-14). And so it begins, the comments. RagnarTornquist.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-16.
  7. ^ a b Tørnquist, Ragnar (2007-03-07). The rumours of a reveal are somewhat exaggerated. RagnarTornquist.com. Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
  8. ^ Tørnquist, Ragnar (2007-08-22). Attacking my massively backlogged inbox. RagnarTornquist.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
  9. ^ Purchese, Rob (2007-05-08). Poem hides new game. Eurogamer. Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  10. ^ Dark Days Are Coming. Funcom (2008-05-28). Retrieved on 2008-05-28.

[edit] External links

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