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February 22nd, 2008 @ 09:32
Didn’t see this coming. Crackdown developer Realtime Worlds has shown off its next project at GDC, a “multiplayer online game” called APB that seemingly has a shot at reinventing the entire MMO “thing”.
From the sound of this gushing 1UP report, the game is a PC action title in which teams of cops and robbers - all players, natch - are matched through a system of APBs, which are issued when people commit crimes. The setting’s contemporary, from the look of it, with play being third-person, in a similar style to a powered-down Crackdown.
There’s details of a character creation system that “doesn’t just rival the celebrated detail of say, City of Heroes… It surpasses it by an order of magnitude,” and other stuff, such as being able to dynamically stream music via LastFM.
There’ll be no grinding against NPCs in the game, with play instead taking on a form similar to Counter-Strike’s structure.
Take a look at that article right now. It’s got videos and screens as well as words.
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February 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 am
sounds pretty interesting
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I’ve wanted a game exactly like this for a long time. Glad to see someone is trying it.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Sounds brilliant to me. MMO stuff without the MMO stuff. I like online games, but I don’t like signing my life over to them.
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I don’t know which will be more fun, getting a gang together and planning a job or doing the job itself.
I reckon there has to be a slight RPG element to it so that players can build up their character in specialist skill areas at the expense of being poor in others. So if one guy just likes driving, he can get driving skill perks (subtle increases in traction, handling and less chance of car theft being reported) and be the getaway driver. Likewise a cop may eschew marksmanship skills for body armour or be able to pick up APBs from a wider area.
Doing this will encourage people to group and work together. Plus, less chance of post-heist back-stabbing if you want to work together again.
February 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
Yep, I’ve been very excited about this for a while now. Been waiting for exactly something like APB for god knows how long. Why hasn’t someone make a present-day MMO before? I’ve been asking myself this for absolutely ages. It’s amazing to me that someone didn’t figure out that to make role playing a bit more appealing to the masses, you should create roles that people can identify with and really get inside; fantasy and sci-fi worlds are so contrived and set in their ways, filled with meaningless fantastical babble that most folk simply can’t be bothered to take on board. APB seems like the perfect antidote, and it’s been a long time coming.
It’s coming out on 360 as well, btw.
March 7th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
[…] we’re going to see anything like this anytime soon, then. We’ll just have to settle for APB in the […]
March 31st, 2008 at 9:47 am
[…] to this, Realtime Worlds has raised $50 million to finish off APB and buy Ferraris. Maybe just the […]
April 16th, 2008 at 7:24 am
[…] to here plenty more on APB soon. Have a look at this for details from the game’s GDC […]