Sony tackling MAG beta troubles

By Tom Bramwell Published 5 January, 2010

Offers advice on connection errors.

Sony has said it's attempting to sort out problems with the MAG open beta, which launched yesterday.

"We have seen a few connection issues today, which the team are working to resolve, so it's possible you may experience some issues connecting to games for the time being," SCEE's Elliott Martin wrote on the European PlayStation blog.

Meanwhile, over on the US version, Zipper's Jeremy Dunham told users who received a "10:4" connection error to keep trying. "You have about a one in four chance to connect to the lobby when that happens, and once you're connected the game runs fine," he wrote.

"Seriously, though, these are the growing pains associated with beta programs," he added later. "This isn't the experience the final game will have in terms of connectivity - especially since days like these better prepare us for the real deal when it comes out at the end of the month."

Sony has yet to say exactly when MAG will come out, but retailers in the UK point to 29th January. You can read more about the 256-player first-person shooter in our hands-on report from earlier in the year.

Look out for an updated one shortly.

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About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (26) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Terribly_Mauled #1 2 years ago

    Well, I didnt see this coming at all......

  • Lee_Morris #2 2 years ago

    How do we join the Eurogamer clan for this competion then?

  • Rirekon #3 2 years ago

    It's worth spending 15 minutes trying to connect if you've spent the time to download the 1.8 gig "patch" - I'm still not sold on the 256-player thing through, so far it feels like any other 32-player game given how spread out you get

  • altitude2k #4 2 years ago

    I really didn't get on with this game, although I should probably give it the benefit of the doubt given I've only played the closed beta. It seems to me that the game the devs wanted to make requires discipline from all players, ensuring tactics. Unfortunately you can't get even get that from games where 8v8 is the standard so how they ever expected to achieve anything other than chaos with 256 players is beyond me.

    And the lack of vehicles is a big mistake, in my opinion. Forget "setting yourself apart", it's just a respawn-fest at the moment and needs something to add tactics.

  • flaming.carrot #5 2 years ago

    Had a couple of connection time outs but got in after that. Although I had set my expectations quite low I was pleasantly surprised by MAG - it seems like a lot of fun so far.

  • LetsGo #6 2 years ago

    DO NOT play this game.

    You will NEVER want to go to a 16 or 32 player online FPS ever again its crazy!

  • CptSupermarket #7 2 years ago

    @altitude2k

    There ARE vehicles in MAG!

  • altitude2k #8 2 years ago

    @CptSupermarket:

    Yeah I know, but aren't they just APCs etc. rather than an array of combat vehicles? And the planes are AI controlled too, right?
    Edited by altitude2k at 05/01/10 @ 10:03

  • Lee_Morris #9 2 years ago

    So no one knows how to sign up for this competion then?

  • M_of_the_sys #10 2 years ago

    @Lee_Morris

    What competition? It's an open beat now.

    Edit: Sorry. A mate just pointed this out to me: Eurogamer goes to war.

    @ altitude2k

    The lack of vehicles is probably because they want to focus more on tactics and team play. It would be kinda rubbish if you stole the enemy vehicle just to be blown up straight away by one guy hovering around in a helicopter.
    This isn't BFBC 2. It's a different game. You have to work with your squade to complete the objectives set. If the other squads on your team do the same then it all comes together very nicely.

    I agree that it can seem like a 32 player game but it all comes together at the end in an all out 128 vs 128 battle. Can be quite hectic yes but once people get to grips with the game I think you'll find a certain level of discpline as standard. It's certainly a steep learning curve and is not a pick up and play game. COD fans won't like this. BFBC fans might but will probably stay loyal to BFBC.
    Edited by M_of_the_sys at 05/01/10 @ 11:30

  • knightmt #11 2 years ago

    There is very little chatter in the game at the moment. But once people start talking you can see the effect.
    Obviously 3/4 of the game is not open yet, I think they are focusing on the larger games with the most players. It will probably take about two weeks to iron out about 80% of network problems?

  • oreillymj #12 2 years ago

    Is there any single player element to this game. I'm not in the mood to wait for a 2Gb download, but if it's online only, then you're likely to be crushed if you wait for retail to try out the game. Anyone who's been playing the beta will have a huge advantage over the normal punters who enter the fray for the first time on the 29th not having a clue what they're meant to be doing.

    Also will be interesting to see if online only MAG does better then online only Warhawk. Warhawk finished off Incognito which was a pity as I liked the ground war elements of it, but just couldn't get the hang of dogfights. Didn't last long enough in the air to improve either.
    Edited by oreillymj at 05/01/10 @ 21:11

  • Beano #13 2 years ago

    It's online only

  • M_of_the_sys #14 2 years ago

    @knightmt

    If no one is talking then the game is dead. You really need to communicate in this game.

    @oreillymj

    It's online only. If you're knew to the game, you need only tell your team mates this and the squad leader will tell you what he needs you to do. From my experience, people have been very friendly and helpful on the game. It's a bonus if you can get into the Eurogamer team. I wish I could but am connectionless at home at the moment. :(

  • DaveTHX #15 2 years ago

    @oreillymj

    "Anyone who's been playing he beta will have a huge advantage over the normal punters who enter the fray for the first time on the 29th not having a clue what they're meant to be doing."

    If any newcomers were to jump straight into one of the main game modes, then that's likely to happen. However there is a Training game mode that is only made up of members of your chosen faction so hopefully that will get new players up to speed. I wasn't able to try it out myself as it were unavailable during the closed beta.

  • chrisola #16 2 years ago

    There are no connection issues, people just aren't playing! Sorry Sony. (i'll get my coat!)

    I played the first beta briefly and thought the graphics were fairly dull, and it took ages to connect to a game. Although i've never been a fan of these huge on-line shooters so i can't say if it's any good in that respect, however i do like FPS games and the shooting system seemed OK.

    Strikes me as a game that will be poo in public mode and amazing when you get a clan vs clan organised game going. It'd be geat at LAN's if you can do private local network games.

  • onezeonx #17 2 years ago

    Played 2 games earlier and the second game I was doing amazing...then got kicked from the freaking server!!

    It's actually quite a good fun game that's deeper than the likes of MW2 etc

    sure most will just say it's crap cos it's "cool" to follow but I was shocked how good this game could be
    need to sort bloody servers out tho as I turned it off after I got kicked seething :D

  • Murton #18 2 years ago

    Gonna grab the beta later on today to see what it's like. I've been looking forward to this for a long time, I really hope it meets my expectations.

    As for the learning curve, that training mode just alleviated any fears of "beta beaters" for me. I've been playing FPS long enough to be competitive in just about any game but there'll always be a major advantage to the man who knows how to control the aircraft, how to drive the vehicles properly and what weapon is best in a given situation. The training mode offers a way for new players who already have the base skillset to learn the more advanced elements of the game. Would I be right in assuming that you can revisit the training mode at any time? If so this would open up an opportunity for experienced members of a given faction to drill noobs with their own experience and better their faction as a result as well as giving the game that all important social feel.

  • onezeonx #19 2 years ago

    Oh I tried the beta months ago and it was crap....tried the updated one and now think I'll get the full game!

    So anyone who has written the game off i'd try the new beta as it's alot better than the one a few months back

  • M_of_the_sys #20 2 years ago

    @onezeonx

    What differences did you notice? What made you suddenly like it?

  • FenderMaster #21 2 years ago

    Played the November beta and really didn't care for it.... due to the colour scheme, I could never tell where my opponents or teammates were, and spent half the time either shooting my team mates before realising they were with me, or getting sniped from miles away from opponents I couldn't see, or even tell from which direction I was being shot at... I was just bewildered, constantly getting shot, by players to the point that I started to feel like Zeus was just smiting me with random lightning bolts from the heavens, and there was nothing i could do about it.

    This is not one for the casual fps player, hardcore only need apply...

    I'll stick to Battlefield 1943 thanks!

  • onezeonx #22 2 years ago

    @sys

    Just the while feel felt more polished.

    But from the hour I've played of the new one the guns and overall shooting feels more solid and bullets seem more powerful than before.
    Also the framerate is alot better imo as before it could slow down and take my attention away from actually enjoying the game.

    I can give more detailed improvements over time but as I say I've only had an hour or so on the new build and it's clear it's better than the original beta I played (and deleted) a few months ago

    Edited by onezeonx at 05/01/10 @ 15:24

  • M_of_the_sys #23 2 years ago

    @onezeonx

    Cheers. I only asked as I won't be able to try the open beta out for a while.
    People do seem to be saying that the framerate is better.

  • knightmt #24 2 years ago

    @M_of_the_sys

    Last time I played this before christmas the banter was excellent but the players where of a much higher level.
    They should really package a microphone with this, I have a blutooth headset that is sony but cannot find the instructions, will look them up. When people realize the numbers are much more effective in coop then they might get a headset?
    The shooting has improved massively and you can now feel a lot more kick on the guns.

  • oddshrub #25 2 years ago

    I tried it today and I had no problems once I figured out how to join a game. :p It just might be the best FPS I've played since starsiege tribes. I think I'll buy it, but I have to admit I would have preferred to play it with keyboard/mouse.

  • sonmi451 #26 2 years ago

    I had a very quick go this morning and it all worked fine for me and looked good.

    Do the tutorials work though? They didn't seem to be locked, however I couldn't get them to run.