Hi! We're Funcom! (Not-so-secretly) Ask us anything about Secret World Legends!

Hello Tilty (and the rest of the team)! Thanks for holding this AMA! I love the game and the work you are putting into it, but we are here for questions now, so here's mine:

1- Will faction deck costumes return? How about the basic ones now tied to classes? Will the ones we don't pick be obtainable?

2- How much time will we have until Whispering Tide? Recent videos seem to imply it'll be very soon, and I worry many players won't be geared enough or far into the story to experience it. Have you thought of maybe making it a recurring yearly event or part of the story? Since it's a key part of the story, it'd be nice if future players could at least experience it at some point.

3- The info on AUX weapons has been vague at best, are they completely scrapped, or any plans for them? Maybe fully fledged weapons? Maybe secondary only? (Whip and brace were so cool!)

4- Augments got removed, but will AEGIS still be in? (I think an overhaul was mentioned, but I hope it's not gone, it made Tokyo into a really unique area)

5- Have there been any changes to the flow of the story to avoid anachronisms? In TSW it's easy to miss "The Girl is Gone" at Lidiya's terminal, or even all of Issue 7 before players reach tokyo, and both are quite important. (Lidiya appears during Issue 8, and the love hotel cutscene with the TV shows the player doing Issues 6 and 7).

6- Is there a proper way to obtain the lore/legend in the Polaris container? Everywhere I look people either give you the password or talk about how the website is broken.

7- Speaking of which, if you do some kind of launch stream, will Tilty finally grab a lore to celebrate? :p

1- yes. yes. yes.

2 - We will be announcing some of the post launch release dates soon(tm), but it will be fairly soon. We do have some plans to be as inclusive as possible to allow as many players as possible to participate. We aren't planning to have this event repeatable currently, but there will be different events happening regularly throughout the year.

3 - maybe? :)

4 - Too early to answer that, we'll give you more info when we get closer to the release of Tokyo, but it's good news!

5 - A lot of the story has updated to include some of the issue content, particularly when it includes important character.

6 - Yup we'll make sure the clue is obtainable!

7 - Never!

Hello everybody.

In the "original" Secret World, I was never a fan of the walk animation, or character animations in general.

Did you manage to improve the character animations?

We have mostly concentrated on combat animations. Many of the new combat abilities have brand new animations.

We've added several sprint animations in TSW throughout the years in order to allow player to customize their character, and find something they enjoy watching, or change when they get bored.

Once we're done with combat, we plan to also improve some of the more common animations.

I think the biggest complaints my wife and I had while we played TSW was the crafting and inventory. We hated it, mostly because of the way you had to memorize recipes and the absolute cluster that item management was.

Are there any improvement plans for these two things?

This is probably one of the most drastic change in SWL. Crafting has been removed for the most part. You can upgrade your gear via a nicer interface. Missions that require crafting and recipe have been update to work better.

We also wanted to get rid of the inventory clutter. We've updated a lot of system that included the worst offenders (like glyphs and lair fragments). It should feel a lot nicer and manageable now!

Will there be an open beta? If so, what dates do you anticipating it being?

Will there be a publicized list of what cosmetics/items do and don't transfer from TSW to SWL?

Can't answer this right now, but we'll have more information about that later this week.

I can look and see if we can publicize the list. There are over 4000 different pieces of clothing getting transferred, so it might long.

1. With the introduction of levels in SWL, how has gear progression changed? Will there be levels for every equipment slot or just per character? Will there be QL restrictions to enter each zone? What is the gear progression after QL10? The same 10.x upgrades?

2. What can we expect to transfer from TSW to SWL exactly? All the information I have found on the subject has been vague so far. I'd like to know what we can expect of limited-time sub/codes/event rewards as well as store purchases moving forward.

3. I know Tokyo will come at a later date, but how will issues 6-8 quests be integrated into the game, as they are set in different level zones but have higher requirements for entry?

1. Gear progression has changed quite a lot. It scales a lot more than it did in TSW, allowing your character to become even more powerful. Gear has several bases, some with a better base stats than other and with innate procs or passive effects. All Gear can be upgraded both in level and quality by sacrificing to it other pieces of equipment you do not want.

2. Several pieces of vanity items, sprints and pets will be transferred over, this includes the CE rewards, IoTM and items coming from bags and from the item store. There are over 4000 items being transferred. Particular rewards associated with some of the most time consuming Achievements will also be transferred (like the Unseen Achievement or Loremaster). Repeating those achievements in SWL will give out new rewards.

3. I6 has been integrated to the story mission in Egypt. 7 and 8 are being reworked into the Tokyo storyline since they lead up to the portal opening event.

Hi! Thanks for the AMA, here are some Qs:

1. Will seasonal events make a return in Legends?

2. If they do, have you planned adding more celebrations throughout the year?

3. Will guilds/cabals still be society specific or is there added room for Cabals formed of multiple different societies? In The Secret World players mostly organized those through forums.

Yup we have plans for several events throughout the year, the first event being The Whispering Tide 2017 edition :)

Cabals now allow players from any faction to join.

Hi Funcom,

Question: Now that Secret Worlds Legends is getting released, any plans on releasing on consoles? Fan of the game since the ARG, but no PC that can run the game, I have deevolutioned to a console player.

If SWL does well, we'd like to! :)

Hey Funcom,

I have to say I'm actually pretty happy about Secret World Legends. I was always very interested in the story and lore, but I'm usually not one for MMO gameplay. I'm hoping this will reinvigorate me to play the game some more.

Anyway, a couple of questions:

1. If I bought a copy of the original game but I'm not also a subscriber, will I get any benefits for that in Legends?

2. Is there any way to make the game play more like a 3rd person shooter or action game? It looks like that's the direction you're going in, but it also looks like most skills are still controlled by the number keys.

1 - running out of time, but I answered this in another answer. 2 - Combat has been update to feel more action oriented, but you will need a few more keys than just the mouse buttons if you want to master your "class" :)

HI; my question is: how do i make sure that my vanity/ clothing items transfer? If I bought a uniform once is that enough? Do they have to be bought account wide? Will any of the suits that could not be bought on the store like the black morphs be available?>

The transfer will be based on you owning the individual clothing piece on at least 1 character.

Hi Tilty & gang!!

So I bought the complete edition of TSW a few months before the announcement of SWL and I was wondering about what, if anything, would be crossing over from the complete edition over to SWL and if there where any perks or goodies planned for people who've already bought the game?

Hey!

First of all thanks! :) We do have some special bonuses planned out for everyone that owned TSW, and a few extra things for those that had the complete edition. We'll be announcing what those bonuses are soon(tm)

Hi Funcom! Loved TSW, it's the only mmorpg that managed to keep me interested over years. The only issue was, that i had a hard time figuring out how things work and whether I'm undergeared or just suck :D

Do you think SWL will be easier for new players to get into?

Also: 500 orochi vs flappy. Who wins?

SWL should be easier to get into. We've improved on all tutorials and reworked the areas where players could do 'bad' choices, that caused them to be weaker than intended.

The more difficult content will be in optional end game activities like dungeons and lairs.

Kirsten Geary hands down.

As a f2p game now, are there measures in place to head off the potential aurom sellers/spammers?

Yup we've put some measure in place to try and avoid 'those guys'.

We will be monitoring this closely after launch too and try to react to their counter-attacks :) The war is on!

Any comments on the cabal system? Are there any new features? Is it multi-faction now?

Also, will folks who have been in the game prior to Legends have a flair or way that new players and old friends can help locate them? It would be awesome as a long time player to be able to offer help to someone if they needed it while running around without having to access chat.

Yup Cabal now allow members from all factions.

Not currently. There are a few clothing pieces that will be exclusive to TSW. As for helping other players, You can still create special chat channels with the purpose of helping new players :)

What are the odds of A Piece of the Road transferring over to SWL and giving us sprint 6?

Those odds aren't looking good Jeri!

The mission is still available in SWL, and it has been updated to work with the new progression and will still grant a vanity customizable sprint.

Hello. Thank you for doing this. When it comes to the "easy" weapons like pistol, you mentioned that there will be more complex gameplay for it than just the RNG mechanic we've seen. Can you elaborate on that?

Hi!

Fist build up fury with every action. Once enough fury is build up you can activate Primal Wrath, allowing you to assume for a short while a powerful DPS or Healing stance with unique abilities.

Hammer builds up rage when you damage your opponent or you get damaged. Certain abilities can consume your rage upon use, giving the ability additional effects.

We'll be releasing short videos about each weapons before launch that will describe each specialization :)

TRANSMIT - Initiate the real world integration protocol - RECEIVE - Will history become legend, and legend become myth? - DOWNLOAD - Who is the man behind the digitally rendered anima? - TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL! - Will the phone of the operator begin to buzz as well? - LIMITED TIME OFFER - Monsters in our pockets led the charge but secrets never truly die. - SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED - You don't expect it to be spelled out for you. -WITNESS - If you have to ask you won't understand.

Is this Lore? I don't see it!

You probably get this question constantly and no I'm not going to ask about socks :)

Are we close to a date that the NDA will be dropped as the large amount of gaming site articles have been released.

Player limit caps within the combat zones are at a certain level, what is the cap and do the social hubs have the same limit?

We'll be talking about the future beta phases and NDA dropping really soon.

Combat zones have a player cap of around 10 players, Hubs is set to be around 500.

When is the Release date expected? I did some Videos on AO years back would like to also makes some videos on Secret World in the future. Funcom has always been one my favorite MMO companies.

SWL will release on the 26th of June on the Funcom platform and 31st of July on Steam

Can you tell us a bit more about the writing process that goes into a game like TSW/SWL?

One of the things that I've always wanted to know is how the writers for TSW/SWL go about researching, writing, and world-building the universe that the game takes place in. It's easily my favorite game universe with some of the most intriguing and well-written stories I've ever seen in this media. I'd love to know more about the process of taking bits and pieces of world mythology and weaving it into the narrative you've got going so far.

Also, food for thought: if Funcom ever (or hired a 3rd party to) put out a table-top RPG rulebook for TSW/SWL, with at least some of the lore available and how to create our own, I'd pick that up immediately. (Yes, I know other systems can do it, but something official would be awesome)

Happy to see SWL launching soon!

A lot of research for sure :) Including finding things we wish we had never seen! But it's a worthy sacrifice.

We can maybe talk about this on a stream sometimes. I need more time!

1. Will there be any special editions of the game (deluxe/ultimate edition etc)?

2. Eyebrow colors in the character creator. What can you tell us?

1. More info about this soon(tm) promise.

2. We're trying to make it work! it's being a bit resilient...

Hi to all, Will there be subtitles in other languages for TSWL? If the answer is no, Why not? Will the regional block on Steam be removed?

Thanks for not giving up on the game. ;)

the game will still be subtitled in German and French.

The region block on Steam will be removed!

Will there be different levels of sprint speed as there are currently in TSW? Will the Master Planner achievement for master planning all the non-AEGIS dungeons and the uniform reward carry over, or will it be obtainable in SWL?

There will be 6 level of sprints available. Same as in TSW.

The combat system having changed quite a lot, we needed to update the master planner achievements also. We'll talk more about that soon (tm)

What is the biggest problem you have at work?

People refusing to speak French...

Any chance pets will carry over? Will we see some new ones?

yup! Same as clothing, some of the pets will be transferred over.

Do you have any sort of information you can share about Season 2?

Information... yes! That I can share... No... (not yet!)

Will there be a welcoming relationship between SWL and the various fan sites? Speaking of will there be a release of a press kit or fan site kit released for them to use for their sites?

We're always welcoming! There will be a press kit!

Any chance your level design team can go and put jump pads or jump pad adjacent effects where one would expect to have the ability to enjoy the effects? i.e canyon/gorges that call to daredevils and adherents of l'appel du vide, skateparks and nearby skateboard ramp assets that have long needed pyrotechnics, grounded helicopters, lighthouses with elevators that induce loss of time, etc

The chatboard bot makes a valid point. "Users, please be wary of proof. You are welcome to ask for more proof if you find it insufficient." Tilty please prove your identity by taking a picture of you hugging the lore pillow.

We've added some jump pads in certain new spots :)

What lore pillow?

Since you are from Norway, how often do you listen to the great music of the band A-Ha ?

The SWL team is actually in North Carolina (USA), but yes all the time.

I've enjoyed the game for a long while and I am a Lifetime Member. With the changes and such I'm looking at coming back to the game. What are your plans for Lifetime Members? Does it continue as it has with the free points or is there something else planned?

Welcome back!

Grandmasters from TSW will get to be Patrons for life in SWL. We'll announce what Patron Benefits are soon(tm)!

So I love the story and universe behind Secret World, but I'm really not keen on grinding it out again to get my character back ready again for future content.

Since Legends isn't an MMO like TSW, has there been any thought put into a sort of "easy mode" for people who just want to experience the story but not have to think too hard about the mechanics?

There has been several changes to the story, so definitely a few things to discover this time around.

We tried to ensure that the game will be simple enough for players that just want to enjoy the ride and discover the story. We're keeping the more difficult dungeons for end game dungeons and lairs.

We have even added a 'story mode' for the dungeons, that allows you to do them with small groups while leveling, focusing mainly on the story.

Hi Titti! Would I have to buy a new copy of the game? Also, would you consider bringing this game to Nintendo Switch?

The game will be F2P.

I'm not sure about the Nintendo Switch although now I really want a Ur-Draug Amiibo.