News: Massively Interviews Matt Higby

[Hamma]

http://www.planetside-universe.com/n...higby-2780.htm

[Pyreal]

Nice

[EVILoHOMER]

The game looks amazing so you guys deserve it! The first game from SOE since 2004 that has looked like it could be the next big thing so I hope it does well. SOE used to have a reputation for innovating in the genre and taking massive risks.... Everquest (not under the SOE name), Star Wars Galaxies, Planetside, Making a sequel to an MMO with EQ2 and buying Vanguard. Even DCUO was trying something different and bringing it to both PC and PS3, though it was crap due to a poor UI and lack of content.

I just hope SOE has swept the shady past of the NGE and other things away and really pulls of Planetside 2. When I heard PS2 was coming I thought it would be a dumbed down F2P instanced based game like every other "MMO"FPS these days. I really didn't expect SOE to not only make something worthy of PS but something that can give Crysis/Battlefield 3 a run for it's money in the graphics department. The engine possibly has the best lighting I've seen in a game, the night tracers look amazing, though I fully expect them to be toned down in the final game due to the amount of people playing.

The only thing I'm worried about is not getting into beta Would really be sad to be on these forums hearing about how many people are in beta lol.

Really makes me have high hopes for how seamless and open EQ3 could be and seeing what this engine can do with PS2, I'm so excited to see what SOE does with EQ3.

[Shogun]

higby is everywhere at once!

i am starting to think soe actually has invented the respawner and they are exploiting it to hell by cloning devs even when they are still alive

oh and soe HAS LEARNED

quote: Sony Online Entertainment has begun carpet-bombing media outlets with publicity relating to its upcoming PlanetSide 2 MMOFPS.

[RedKnights]

It's nice to hear they're "bombarding the media outlets"

[Rainfur]

Nice!

[DayOne]

I like that Higby has stopped saying that this game is an "ongoing challenge" but now refers to it as an "accomplishment". I hope I'm not wrong in assuming how close to beta this game really is!

[Thomas]

Bright days ahead

[Shogun]

i like his rts bug reference. it is so true!
because i was bit by the nasty mmofps bug and it itches so bad! need to scratch it with a massive new mmofps! it´s so cruel that nothing else worked to do this for such a long time!

[Stardouser]

Do you think MMOFPS titles are somewhat niche, then, and if so, do you think PS2 has enough crossover appeal to broaden the market in some sense?

Nine years ago, PlanetSide shipped to a world that wasn't quite ready yet. Hardware requirements, broadband saturation and comfort-level with subscription models all contributed to the game remaining relatively niche. As cliché as it sounds, it really was a game that was in many ways ahead of its time.

As a genre, MMOFPS is a breakout just waiting to happen. Most action gamers crave an epic, larger than life experience, and being able to be part of the type of battles that are uniquely possible in an MMOFPS is about as epic as it gets. When the world sees what we've accomplished with PlanetSide 2, I fully expect to see MMOFPS become a new industry buzzword, just like MMORPG was when people saw that promise in the original EverQuest.

For the past few years, I have been trying to convince anyone that will listen that Battlefield gameplay mixed with a WW2 Online map for a persistent MMOFPS would be AWESOME. And I always found that there are 4 main objections, some of which are false and some which aren't:
1. Hardware won't run it. We know this isn't true...I know we can't have DICE's "Destruction" in an MMOFPS but that's not essential anyway.
2. It's too chaotic with so many players, what if the server crashes or we all lag. There are multiple ways to handle this. PS2 is handling it with continents, WW2OL is one huge megacontinent and they have spawn limitations per base area(and travel time discourages 20000 people from going to the same spot). Some people also just don't realize that MMORPGs are the same thing (in a way) and they are run off server clusters.
3. I don't want to pay $14.99/month. I never dreamed free 2 play would be the answer, but here you go. But yes, many people wouldn't even listen to my idea because they just knew it would be a monthly fee.
4. When does the round end and I get to see myself on top of the KDR? Do we really need to keep catering to this? KDR play won't stop until we stop catering to it.

All in all, looks like Planetside 2 is going to be the Spearhead of the MMOFPS Invasion!

[Shogun]

Originally Posted by Stardouser

For the past few years, I have been trying to convince anyone that will listen that Battlefield gameplay mixed with a WW2 Online map for a persistent MMOFPS would be AWESOME. And I always found that there are 4 main objections, some of which are false and some which aren't:
1. Hardware won't run it. We know this isn't true...I know we can't have DICE's "Destruction" in an MMOFPS but that's not essential anyway.
2. It's too chaotic with so many players, what if the server crashes or we all lag. There are multiple ways to handle this. PS2 is handling it with continents, WW2OL is one huge megacontinent and they have spawn limitations per base area(and travel time discourages 20000 people from going to the same spot). Some people also just don't realize that MMORPGs are the same thing (in a way) and they are run off server clusters.
3. I don't want to pay $14.99/month. I never dreamed free 2 play would be the answer, but here you go. But yes, many people wouldn't even listen to my idea because they just knew it would be a monthly fee.
4. When does the round end and I get to see myself on top of the KDR? Do we really need to keep catering to this? KDR play won't stop until we stop catering to it.

All in all, looks like Planetside 2 is going to be the Spearhead of the MMOFPS Invasion!

you are so right!
back in 2003 i couldn´t get too many friends try planetside because they wouldn´t even consider to pay a monthly fee for a game. this problem is solved now! and it was the main concern! the graphics or performance problems were peanuts hey, 300 players in one battle!

if ps1 was free to play (and hackerproof) i am still sure it would have evolved to the most played and successful game. and i really hope ps2 will be that spearhead ps1 should have been! it´s the only real mmofps AND it´s the first real AAA free to play game! it´s compared to halo, bf and cod all the time... but all of those games were sold for big money! ps2 will even be of better quality and be free!

[Gonefshn]

Planetside 2 is going to have a massive audience I have no doubt. I am also sure it's success will spawn many more true open world MMOFPS games from other developers.

I doubt this game will dethrone a huge game like WoW But I've got no worries they know what they are doing and will pull out a game with a dedicated audience for years and years to come!

[EVILoHOMER]

PS came at a time where people weren't ready to subscribe yet and it took WoW to open peoples minds to it. However we've gone back the the point where people aren't willing to subscribe and moved to F2P so it's great SOE realised this and is going F2P.

[CrossFire]

Great Article.

Also, I'd like to say that Hamma: you've done a great job keeping up with the influx in media coverage. Keep up the good work and can't wait to frag with you.

[Hmr85]

That was a great read. I have no doubt that PS2 is going to finally kick start the MMOFPS genre due to it being highly successful.