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The Secret World: The Freeform Progression System

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

One of the most compelling features coming in Funcom's The Secret World is the way that characters will progress. In a new developer diary focused on the freeform progression system, MMORPG.com has partnered with Funcom to give our readers the first details about how exactly it will work. Read on!

The swarm of abilities makes up the Ability Wheel, and organizes each of them into helpful groups. These main groups are Ranged, Melee and Magic. They divide further into Assault Rifles, Pistols, Shotguns, Blades, Hammers, Fists, Elementalism, Chaos Magic and Blood Magic. All abilities in the wheel are tied to one of these nine weapon groups, and each weapon offers a wide array of different play styles and tactics.

Read more of our exclusive developer diary, The Secret World: The Freeform Progression System.

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Comments

  • TalinTalin Member UncommonPosts: 923

    Very interesting system design, I think I'll follow this a bit more than I had been planning to.

  • NaralNaral Member UncommonPosts: 748

    This game, surprisingly to me, is shaping up to be my number one in the anticipation department. I am a bit tempered from GW2 after the cash shop reveals, for now, and am hopeful the cash shop in TSW does not turn me off. Looks cool!

     

  • arcwestarcwest Member Posts: 61

    i think im looking forward to this more than GW2

  • minttunatorminttunator Member UncommonPosts: 131

    Yeah, I have to admit that with the GW2 cash shop info slowly trickling in and not looking very good so far, TSW is definitely getting more of my attention at the moment. Although it must be noted that they will also have a cash shop, so there's a potential for failure here as well. :D

  • YalexyYalexy Member UncommonPosts: 1,058

    The setting, the lore, the skill-system and the 3-way faction PvP puts this on eon the top of my list of anticipated MMOs.

    If FC get's the performance of this game right at launch we'll have a winner.

  • BereKinBereKin Member Posts: 287

    This game surprise me more and more, it have great potential. With Archeage and GW2, The Secret World is in top three next gen mmo. Keep the good work guys.

     

     

  • nikooo0nikooo0 Member Posts: 25

    Ahhh , i read that article and it just felt so fresh, like something new, really looking forward to this!

  • emotaemota Member UncommonPosts: 413

    Originally posted by arcwest

    i think im looking forward to this more than GW2

    Feel the same way!

  • RobbgobbRobbgobb Member UncommonPosts: 674

    I remember when the project started and I have to say that I can't wait. I just hope it doesn't turn out like Chronicles of the Spellborn. This is the first MMO that I truly am wanting in a long time even if I am not a fan of horror.

  • DignaDigna Member UncommonPosts: 1,994

    Looking forward to this and more so after reading this article. Apparently not the for the 'easy' WoW-at-heart folks?

  • XychedXyched Member Posts: 24

    People can say what they will about Funcom's history of poor releases (and they'd be absolutely right), but it's tough to argue with the fact that their games have always turned out well with time. And on top of that, I've never seen a company make more immersive environments and worlds. Seriously looking forward to this game, and the fact that Funcom is behind it is only a plus for me.

  • DeserttFoxxDeserttFoxx Member UncommonPosts: 2,402

    Sounds interesting,

     

    Now tell me how you balance something like that in pvp.

    Quotations Those Who make peaceful resolutions impossible, make violent resolutions inevitable. John F. Kennedy

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  • stragen001stragen001 Member UncommonPosts: 1,720

    Since it would appear GW2 is now Pay 2 Win this has jumped to the top of my most anticipated games list :) 

    Still, TSW is going to have a cash shop too, and its being made by Funcom, so im going to be cautious....

    Cluck Cluck, Gibber Gibber, My Old Mans A Mushroom

  • pwainpwain Member UncommonPosts: 115

    As far as I know the PvP in this game is only a side feature  :(

  • ElsaboltsElsabolts Member RarePosts: 3,476

    Originally posted by Xyched

    People can say what they will about Funcom's history of poor releases (and they'd be absolutely right), but it's tough to argue with the fact that their games have always turned out well with time. And on top of that, I've never seen a company make more immersive environments and worlds. Seriously looking forward to this game, and the fact that Funcom is behind it is only a plus for me.

    Please explain to me why would one want to pay a subscription for several years for them to work the bugs out, i seem to remember 2 other launches with this problem.

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  • tkobotkobo Member Posts: 465

    So, to sum up,one of this "new" mmo's "most compelling features" is a skill deck..... ?

     

     

  • mrw0lfmrw0lf Member Posts: 2,269

    Bit fanboi'ish about this game was looking forward to it for so long but won't be playing due to the cash shop. Anyone saying 'no to GW2 but this is okay' must be mad. They have a sub and a cash shop, what can be worse than that? It's p2p2w.

    -----
    “The person who is certain, and who claims divine warrant for his certainty, belongs now to the infancy of our species.”

  • ThorkuneThorkune Member UncommonPosts: 1,969

    I am sooo looking forward to this. It has that Supernatural/Grimm feel to it. I know people bash Funcom for AoC's launch, but don't you think they want to avoid that junk this time? I think they have a genuine gem in the making.

  • terrantterrant Member Posts: 1,683

    Well, the ability wheel looks interesting now that they fleshed it out a bit. 

     

    I'm not gonna argue about the GW2 cash shop comments here...there's enough threads for that already. But I will say comparing the two games is apples and oranges.

     

    What I DON'T like is the fact that TSW is keeping a "holy trinity" model. They clearly state that most serious challenges will require a tank and healer. Now, if I can swap specs on the fly in combat, that's as bad a thing. The team can play however they need to accomplish a task. But they aren't making it clear about when or how often you can swap builds. 

  • BlackbrrdBlackbrrd Member Posts: 811

    Regarding the build swapping, you can do it any time you are out of combat. That's what the dev said on the official TSW forums a few days ago.

    Regarding TSW and the holy trinity, AoC's classes are much more hybrid than games like WoW. In other words, a healer is more than a heal dispenser and a tank more than a damage soaker.

    I bet there are going to be bossfights where a group can improvise and get away with nearly no tanking, others with little healing etc. Since you can change builds between fights, you can finetune builds depending on the fight if needed or wanted.

  • solarinesolarine Member Posts: 1,203

    I'm going to play both this and GW2. That said, I dislike the fact that both will have a cash shop.

    GW2 is a B2P, so that's somewhat more understandable... but the gem system is iffy. I don't understand how it's OK that you can practically buy in-game money with real money.  

    TSW is P2P... So if its cash shop has a similar system to the gem system, it's gonna be an even bigger turn-off. I can accept  cosmetic stuff and account services, but company-sanctioned RMT is a downer.

     

    About Funcom. Yeah, they kind of suck at launch. And yeah, their support is not very good. Still, I find their MMOs are always at least a breath of fresh air, if not ultimately better than most (to me, at least AO was back then).

  • KaocanKaocan Member UncommonPosts: 1,270

    Originally posted by pwain

    As far as I know the PvP in this game is only a side feature  :(

    Not exactly correct - the PvP will be a main part of the game....but not at launch. They have turned down what parts of PvP will be in game when it launches. I do not know the why behind this, but I suspect we will find that out soon enough. It will still have the 3 faction PvP, still have the capturable minigames, and still have at least one persistant goal capture orianted PvP free for all zone. They have stated they plan on double that at least with persistant goal capture type zones around the world. Big plan, might be why they are holding it back at launch. 

    Personaly I never have a problem with holding back some content and releasing as the game goes on in free patch/updates. Help keep the game fresh as time goes by. The only time it becaomes an issue is when they launnch with not enough, and dont keep enough coming as time goes by. Demand and supply need to work themselves out right.

    (DISCLAIMER - The use of the word YOU in the above post is not directed at any one person in particular, but towards those who fall into the category itself - there is no personal attack here, neither intentional nor implied.)

  • ariestearieste Member UncommonPosts: 3,309

    Originally posted by Elsabolts

     

    Please explain to me why would one want to pay a subscription for several years for them to work the bugs out, i seem to remember 2 other launches with this problem.


     

    Because it's still better to play a fun game with bugs than a fully polished game that's boring as shit.  I got 3+ years out of "buggy" AO and 6 month out of "buggy" AoC.  I didn't get more than 2 months play out of either TOR or Rift which were nearly flawless in terms of launch.

     

    It's the quality of the game concept, story and system designt aht matters to me.  Unless it's unplayable, I don't particularly care if they need to work out a few things. 

    "I’d rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."

    - Raph Koster

    Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
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  • ariestearieste Member UncommonPosts: 3,309

    Originally posted by mrw0lf

    It's p2p2w.


     

    It's not.  The cash show in TSW is supposed to be similar to the cash shop in the paid version of EQ2.   You can buy cosmetic items that make you prettier, but there is absolutely nothing that gives you a power advantage over a player that hasn't paid.  So while it is P2P, it is NOT P2W, more like P2LG (pay to look good).  

    "I’d rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity."

    - Raph Koster

    Tried: AO,EQ,EQ2,DAoC,SWG,AA,SB,HZ,CoX,PS,GA,TR,IV,GnH,EVE, PP,DnL,WAR,MxO,SWG,FE,VG,AoC,DDO,LoTRO,Rift,TOR,Aion,Tera,TSW,GW2,DCUO,CO,STO
    Favourites: AO,SWG,EVE,TR,LoTRO,TSW,EQ2, Firefall
    Currently Playing: ESO

  • GorillaGorilla Member UncommonPosts: 2,235

    Originally posted by stragen001

    Since it would appear GW2 is now Pay 2 Win this has jumped to the top of my most anticipated games list :) 

    Still, TSW is going to have a cash shop too, and its being made by Funcom, so im going to be cautious....

    I guess it depends what you mean by 'Pay 2 Win'? Seems pretty clear that as of now it is absolutely not. Remains to be seen how FC approach their cash shop, in the past they have not been too offensive.

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