The second part of our Q&A with MAG developer Zipper Interactive

The SOCOM games are know for their use of realistic military tech. Has the large scale of MAG allowed you to bring in even more of that kind of stuff?

It has, though we’ve pushed a bit closer to hyper reality. The weapons, vehicles, and gear you see in game are mostly real world items. But what you see in MAG is a distilled, combined arms experience, based on real world tactics. Anti-aircraft Artillery (AAA) has to be taken out before cluster bombs can be called in. Planting a charge on a bridge is a great way to slow advancing Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs). Something as simple as a static tank trap can really hamper an assault…until a C4 pack blows it to hell. MAG’s scale has let us sprinkle the environment with these types of objects, each of which becomes a tertiary objective that players and squad leaders have to consider in their assaults.

The tech involved in larger scale battles is presumably more complex than the squad-based equivalent. Has it been a challenge to incorporate that into gameplay without it bogging things down or becoming too difficult for the player?

It’s been a bit of a challenge, but by focusing on creating an environment full of options, we’ve given players a ton of ways to play. Just like many war movies, when you enter a battle you have to choose what to do first. Do you rush the objective? Do you concentrate fire on an enemy bunker? Do you take the flank, blowing gates and tank traps to clear a path for your APC? Each of these choices creates a small scale, squad based experience. The culmination of all of these choices affect the overall outcome of the battle. But just like scenes in a war movie, defending a bridge or blowing up a bunker is a unique battle in and of itself. If you’re not making headway, pull back and change tactics. You’ve got lots of choices.

How is the game structured? Is it lobby-game-lobby-game-lobby-game like most online games? Or do battles flow into each other somehow as part of a campaign?

MAG games are similar to the lobby-game system we’re familiar with. However, after each game players are put back into the matching system. This keeps new games kicking off, keeps our squads and platoons balanced, and gives folks a change to change loadouts, buy new skills, invite friends, etc. between battles. It also lets players see the results of their battles on their faction’s overall strength in the ongoing Shadow War.

Does MAG use any kind of persistent world?

Because MAG is a shooter first and foremost, there isn’t a persistent world one would expect in an MMO. We wanted engagements to be quick, with all of our players focused on combat rather than finding combat. However, the Shadow War is the persistent tournament in our game. In the Shadow War, all three factions are constantly competing to win security contracts from world governments. Each game mode is an individual tournament, with winners being declared on a regular basis. Winning a contract isn’t just for bragging rights, as with the contract come rewards for the victorious team ranging from experience bonuses to upgraded gear, weapons, and vehicles.

Is it a challenge to balance the rewards you’re giving the player – to ensure that he has incentives to be a useful team player while still earning personal rewards and progression?

This has actually been something we focused on early, and as such it seems to be playing out well so far. Our incentives are all based on letting players play how they want, but giving them added experience bonuses for doing these things in support of the squad. For example, a sniper type player may just want to shoot people in the face from 200 yards away. He can do this all day and have fun. But, if he shoots guys that are next to a bunker the squad is trying to assault, he’ll get significant bonus experience. In addition, many of our upgraded gear items provide passive bonuses not just to the soldier, but to his squad.

It’s been revealed that one of the classes in MAG will be a demolition specialist. Will this be for specific, set targets? Or can this class (and other classes with explosives) destroy scenery, thereby altering the layout of the map in an improvised way?

We don’t have traditional classes in MAG. We follow more of a loose system of skills, which the player can mix and match as he sees fit. If you spend most of your skill points in demolitions, we will identify you as a demo expert, but that’s because you chose those skills, not because you chose that class. This gives players more freedom like one would expect from real soldiers. You could be a recon specialist who cross trains in medical skills, or a heavy weapons expert who is well trained in electronic warfare. It’s up to you to play how you see fit, with certain tradeoffs of course…

In our experience, the biggest drawback of online games can sometimes be the other players. It’s frustrating seeing great game ideas going to waste because too many people just will not play properly, but some developers seem to have figured out ways to make their online games self-policing. What features are you planning for MAG in this regard?

First and foremost, our rewards systems are all built on encouraging players to play “the right way.” Kills yield experience, but getting kills by your objective will yield even more for example. But of course we also include plenty of tools such as group matchmaking, mute, kick, etc. to let players choose who they play with and ignore those that are less than desirable.

Other issues that can potentially put off curious newcomers relate to accessibility and balancing. How will MAG address this kind of issue?

Even the newest player will start out with an effective rifle, some good old fashioned frag grenades, and a good set of body armor. As players grow in skills they do become more effective in battle, but more so they become more specialized. So a new player coming in and being a general soldier will be well equipped to compete.

But more than just gear and weapons, each player is always matched into a squad with 7 other players of varied skill levels. So while you may be new, you won’t be alone. Just like in a real military situation, those guys need you to succeed as much as you need them. And they’ve got tools to help you. All it takes is a buddy bringing you back from the brink with a well timed shot of anti-coagulant to get you two working together!