The embargo on Funcom's GDC 2010 demo of their upcoming MMORPG The Secret World has come and passed, and so today MMORPG.com's Jon Wood takes a look at what we learned about this game set in the real world with a few extra twists and turns.

Today is the day that they lift the veil on the press embargo placed on information about Funcom's highly anticipated upcoming MMORPG, The Secret World. The presentation, held at this year's Game Developers Conference not only showcased some actual gameplay footage, but also provided some valuable insight into how this game is designed overall.

Those following the game will be familiar with its premise, but for those who might not be too familiar, a brief recap is in order:

The Secret World is the next game from Age of Conan and Anarchy Online developers Funcom. The game is set in a world where secret societies, freaky human powers and evil horrors from the middle of the Earth are all very real things. Unlike its predecessor, The Secret World makes no use of levels of classes, instead attempting to provide players with a more real life-like experience that relies on the growth over time of skills and abilities.

Read Peeking into The Secret World.

I've been interested in this game since it was first announced.  I have to say it's looking good so far.  If everything I'm reading holds true, it just may be something great.

Here's hoping!

Acidon

I am a great fan of Funcom's games (cough.. see avatar). I always buy them 1.5 years after release, and so far have found them to be the best MMOs released.

I do understand however that everyone who looks at this and gets fooled by the hype will be severely disappointed. :D

Be warned.

The concept of the 3 factions and story really did interest me, but what's failing to really pull me into a state of anticipation is that it seems to be developing into a heavy story-centric and pve-centric mmo with, what i might assume to be, a battleground instance for pvp.  Aside from that, I get the impression that there will be no crafting, not that Im a huge crafter, but I guess it just supports the premise that this going to be a linear story-line, pve-centric, single-player style action mmo.

It'll be interesting to see how things shape up.

This looks like a lot of fun.  What really stands out to me is the fact that the game areas have a distinct mood and a corresponding mystery to them.

One of my favorite zones in WoW was Darkshire. It had a special mood to it and a really cool story.  I love zones like that, and TSW I think will have lots of them.

I can't wait for it, personally. I think it's cool that the "gear" is all optional and you can keep the look you want for your character. I also love that it's got alot of story involved in it, which is something more MMO's need to have!

Story is fine up until it limits your choices. For example - the story of LOTRO is essential, whereas the story of EVE is a backdrop.  One reason why LOTRO is a themepark game and EVE is sandbox.  Another way to put it is games give you a car to drive - if you can drive it anywhere, even off a cliff then it is sandbox, however if the car sits on tracks - no matter how many directions those tracks go - then you have themepark.

This looks sweet. Hopefully they learned From the AoC launch and keep the hardlined promises down to realistic levels. If the launch produces a game...even just a little better than what AoC is like today...then I'm there.

AoC isn't a bad game - I like it alot - now.  I agree - I hope that they have learned from the launch of AoC when it was not good.

Im interested in this game, but im afraid it will have a release like the past two Funcom releases, terrible launch, then morph into a great game over a year or two.

"Im interested in this game, but im afraid it will have a release like the past two Funcom releases, terrible launch, then morph into a great game over a year or two.  "

Then do not under any circumstances pre-order it.  If you do pre-order it do not under any circumstances whine about the launch. If you do whine about the launch - expect to be laughed at. Just saying. lol.

Although I am skeptical because this is funcom we are talking about. It looks better and better though but still think I will hold off till WoD. If it comes out and none of the usual concerns arise about Funcom my mind might easily change though.

Funcom does not have the best reputation of game deliverance. But anyway, we'll see. 

On the face of it, this is probably a type of mmorpg in which my character is leashed to a pre-scripted story that I am nothing more than a pawn within, along for the ride.  Single-player, heavily scripted and static story in a pve world of tokens that i exchange for items.

Pretty art, character models, animations and strong engine, but what about the player-centric ecosystem game-play?

Originally posted by Vypre

Funcom does not have the best reputation of game deliverance. But anyway, we'll see. 

On the face of it, this is probably a type of mmorpg in which my character is leashed to a pre-scripted story that I am nothing more than a pawn within, along for the ride.  Single-player, heavily scripted and static story in a pve world of tokens that i exchange for items.

Pretty art, character models, animations and strong engine, but what about the player-centric ecosystem game-play?

I love how you put that, and its my main skepticism behind games like AoC tutorial and the feeling I get from the upcoming SWTOR. They can't really put lasting choices into a pve story in an MMO, I mean how much can a single person change in an online game?

Of course, I have nothing against quests and the like, those 'breaks' between grinding are vital in satisfying my thirst for rewards.

Blizzard has come up with a pretty good system of allowing  the world to be changed for only those that have changed it. I forget the name they use for the system phasing or whatnot. Either way there ARE ways to make it happen.

Funcom > Cryptic and SOE

I can't understand its bad reputation.  What I will say is that I wish this game was more sandbox like but it seems like a definite step in the right direction.

I think I am going to be buying APB as my MMO of the near future, but I always keep a lookout for things like this.

I'm pulling for Funcom to do much better this time around with Ragnar Tournquist at the helm. I'm going to be keeping my expectations at a low until release.

Great writeup! I can't wait until the world premiere this thurs where we will find out more. I've been following this story closely, Funcom's been doing a good job of keeping us interested yet in suspense simultaneously. 

What I do admire is the fact that you didn't compare this game to any other, yet. 

Of what I have read from this and other websites all of the journalists that were in for the preview were impressed. The game is in its pre-alpha stage but is already shaping up to be one of Funcom's best ideas. One of the better ideas that it is implementing into TSW is the ability to wear common or fashionable clothes as a skin over the characters armor. This was a visual aesthetic  introduced late in Anarchy Onlines cycle. It created a big stir. Especially when big bruisers decided they were going to put on little silver bikinis. LOL!

I wish I saved those screenshots of my old character. He was a martial artists that walked around in a yellow leapardskin suit. I would get all sorts of comments, but many people would shout "Yo Bruce" or make a "Game of Death"comment. 

Ah, the old days.

Please guys remember this is Funcom.  My advice is not pre-order the game and look at every comment made by developers and EE as half the truth. 

Before you go praising the things you see... then also remember that exactly the same company and many of the same ppl showed you DX10 before AOC was released... but all know that the game still doesn't have a proper released DX10 version for all graphic cards.

Also remember this is the compnay that showed us Mounted combat in AOC before launch.  Something that then wasn't worked on at all but was supposed to be a big new feature in the MMO genre.

Also remember all the hype about "massive" PVP combat with "hundereds of players".  No... Im not making any of this up.  I am telling it exactly like they told us.

Just remember this is Funcom.  Many of us that are still under NDA from AOC are warning you about this company for a reason.  Remember - this is a company that does NOT lift NDA of their game even after it is released. 

This is not a troll - this is not ecessive negative talk.  This is the truth - seen from a AOCtester.

Hmmmm.  Looking very cool.

I really find the premise of the game world quite interesting.  Love the idea of  a "AAA" title game with no swords / elves or lasers / aliens.  Reminds me of an H.P. Lovecraft(ian) type setting with perhaps a dash of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen thrown in.

Been following a bit for awhile, but the more info that comes to light the more enthused I become.  And one can only hope Funcom has learned from their previous launch mistakes.  But this is the real world, soooooo...