Zipper: Mag Could Have Supported Even MORE Than 256 Players If We Wanted It To

Speaking over on the official MAG blog, Zipper Interactive's Mike Nicolino and Nate Klee have reveled that, if they wanted to, MAG could support an even greater number of players than the 256 it currently does. It's an interesting claim, especially considering MAG's prodigious concurrent player number is probably its most lauded quality.

Of course, though possible, such a hike in player count would not be without its drawbacks.

Nate claims:

We built a technology that can support a huge number of players — we picked 256 because of gameplay balance, how we divide squads up, etc. But with our infrastructure, we can increase the number of players to beyond even 256 if we wanted to. There are trade-offs that would have to be made, of course, but the technology supports even more players if the need was there.

The interview is chock full of interesting titbits, including the guys' thoughts on working on the PS3. Along with the usual "it's really powerful" statement, the two developers also reiterate the hackneyed and somewhat bold claim that "only on PS3″ really has some meaning in this case. Nate continues:

That's why MAG only runs on the PS3 [...] – because the system's SPUs are so powerful that they give us the technical capability to simultaneously run 256 players in the way we do.

Speaking of 256 players, it's especially interesting to hear the moment the team knew the whole concept was even possible – when they could do it with beachballs.

Nate describes the moment:

After we had the technology working, the next task was transforming these beach balls into people and spending a lot of time on game performance.

Not sure about you, but there's something about 256 beachballs bouncing around a map trying to kill one another that's quite amusing.

MAG launches next month.

http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/12/17/mag-could-support-more-than-256-players-zipper/

Zipper hurry up and get this game over with, then give me Socom 4 please:D

They should've worked more on the gameplay and graphs.Becuz thats where the game is weak at

What would be the point? You never actually see all 256 players at once...atleast not the 3 modes I played. This game has a fake sense of scale.

I will pick it up but not at launch.

Just like Polyphony can release GT5 whenever they want to?

Game couldve had 500 players. it would still be very meh.

and the game could look even more like last gen as well.

High amounts of players does not equal a better game. It already has 256 players and it's a piece of crap. This is coming from Beta experience.

It is such an empty number anyway. From playing the beta, it never really felt like you were involved in some grand scale conflict like it did in Battlefield on the PC. While you could roam around, I never saw more than 6 players on screen at once. Maybe 10 if I got lucky. It felt far more compartmentalized.Vandalvideo

It is such an empty number anyway. From playing the beta, it never really felt like you were involved in some grand scale conflict like it did in Battlefield on the PC. While you could roam around, I never saw more than 6 players on screen at once. Maybe 10 if I got lucky. It felt far more compartmentalized.Vandalvideo

this game actually would be better on the 360 since they actually have a ton of gamers always ready to play online, for the PS3, well not so much.

Maybe they should worry about making a decent game first instead of how many players they can shove in?

It is such an empty number anyway. From playing the beta, it never really felt like you were involved in some grand scale conflict like it did in Battlefield on the PC. While you could roam around, I never saw more than 6 players on screen at once. Maybe 10 if I got lucky. It felt far more compartmentalized.Vandalvideo

this game actually would be better on the 360 since they actually have a ton of gamers always ready to play online, for the PS3, well not so much.

PrimusGears

o wow what an accomplishment.

guess what operation flashpoint from 2001 supported unlimited number of players it was only limited by bandwidth

Blah blah blah.. the game runs and looks terrible. Probably ~20 fps. Considering they had to give up so much graphic fidelity and ruin what could've been smooth gameplay, as far as I'm concerned MAG doesn't even properly support 256. It's a butchered experience.

game looks terrible enough already no need to subject more players to its average looking gameplay. There is a reason why BF2 probably the best MP shooter ever made only had 64 on the PC, and its not cause it lacked the Cell's super duper SPU's.

this game could be fun if...

there were 256 in a map with absolutely nothing in it except for a mountain in the middle wich you have to climb to the top to win while beating the crap out everyone other people with a 5 foot stick.

*drools*

[QUOTE="PrimusGears"]

this game actually would be better on the 360 since they actually have a ton of gamers always ready to play online, for the PS3, well not so much.

djsifer01

How come you never see the 256 people??? Are the maps too big or something? It doesnt make any sense.

I'd like to see that in a medieval style game, but actually with 200 players on screen charging at each other, man that'd be funny.bobbetybob

zip it zipper

Like I said before when people bashed 5 vs. 5 games, quantity doesn't instantly make for quality. The # has nothing to do with it. Either it's a good game or it's not. Having 256 or more players isn't "epic", sorry, it's just dumb. Create a balanced shooter, not a halfassed wannabe MMO.

Like I said before when people bashed 5 vs. 5 games, quantity doesn't instantly make for quality. The # has nothing to do with it. Either it's a good game or it's not. Having 256 or more players isn't "epic", sorry, it's just dumb. Create a balanced shooter, not a halfassed wannabe MMO.

BioShockOwnz

If they could get it to work and create the scale of a huge battle of 256 players, then it would be epic. It has a lot of potential, just judging from the beta it fell flat.

this game actually would be better on the 360 since they actually have a ton of gamers always ready to play online, for the PS3, well not so much.

PrimusGears

No. There has never been an issue of not enough players. The problem is all 256 cannot fight at the same time because consoles cannot handle that much at once.

wow! imagine over 300 people playing a really lousy game at the same time!!!

Im kidding, but seriously, do you think this game will sustain a community to support what they are attempting to offer?

Yea the game could have 256000 players and it will still look like crap....

[QUOTE="djsifer01"][QUOTE="PrimusGears"]

this game actually would be better on the 360 since they actually have a ton of gamers always ready to play online, for the PS3, well not so much.

StealthMonkey4

I guess you must of missed the 'mature' PSN users in Home that type racial slurs and fbombs instead of speaking it. Face there is just about as much immuturity on PSN as XBL if not more...

wow! imagine over 300 people playing a really lousy game at the same time!!!

Im kidding, but seriously, do you think this game will sustain a community to support what they are attempting to offer?

TheEroica

Yes 1 player and 299 others going in 300 differant directions, unless they can communicate via sign language,,,,

[QUOTE="StealthMonkey4"][QUOTE="djsifer01"]This is the only reason i think the game may fail, the 360 community is much larger and stronger than PSN. I just dont see a game like this being a success on the PSN.MizFitAwesome

I guess you must of missed the 'mature' PSN users in Home that type racial slurs and fbombs instead of speaking it. Face there is just about as much immuturity on PSN as XBL if not more...

LOL, PSN home users are a bunch of pervs, racists etc

[QUOTE="StealthMonkey4"][QUOTE="djsifer01"]This is the only reason i think the game may fail, the 360 community is much larger and stronger than PSN. I just dont see a game like this being a success on the PSN.MizFitAwesome

I guess you must of missed the 'mature' PSN users in Home that type racial slurs and fbombs instead of speaking it. Face there is just about as much immuturity on PSN as XBL if not more...

Home is like the scum hole of the PS3 community. When playing normal games online, the players tend to be more mature, in my experiences.

[QUOTE="MizFitAwesome"]

[QUOTE="StealthMonkey4"] The PS3 community, in my experiences, is more mature and experienced so it would be better to play with a group of PS3 gamers. Also, as long as there's enough people to make a match (which there will be) it doesn't really matter how many players there are.StealthMonkey4

I guess you must of missed the 'mature' PSN users in Home that type racial slurs and fbombs instead of speaking it. Face there is just about as much immuturity on PSN as XBL if not more...

Home is like the scum hole of the PS3 community. When playing normal games online, the players tend to be more mature, in my experiences.

So none of the Home users are playing PS3 games online? Right...

it runs surprisingly smooth, those that are saying otherwise are liars. i myself am still not sure about this game, i really thought it was meh, it has potential and could be great, i wont get at launch but may pick up after a month or so. its missing something, not sure what though.InfiniteBlak

[QUOTE="InfiniteBlak"]it runs surprisingly smooth, those that are saying otherwise are liars. i myself am still not sure about this game, i really thought it was meh, it has potential and could be great, i wont get at launch but may pick up after a month or so. its missing something, not sure what though.MyopicCanadian

[QUOTE="MyopicCanadian"][QUOTE="InfiniteBlak"]it runs surprisingly smooth, those that are saying otherwise are liars. i myself am still not sure about this game, i really thought it was meh, it has potential and could be great, i wont get at launch but may pick up after a month or so. its missing something, not sure what though.InfiniteBlak