TheSecretWorld:News

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This article or section is a Work In Progress.


It may not contain complete or up-to-date information about the topic it pertains to. Use discretion when using information from articles that are not complete.

Information from Praecautus' thread on the official forums:

Contents

[edit] Pre-development

  • 1997: Ragnar Tørnquist has the original concept idea for the game that will become The Secret World (TSW). Source
  • 1999: The Longest Journey is completed and Ragnar Tørnquist is pitching ideas, including one that will eventually become TSW. Source


[edit] Pre-production

  • 2002: Preproduction of the game that will become TSW began sometime in 2002, but the team were moved to Dreamfall in mid-2003. Source
  • 2003: A playable demo of Cabal, which will one day become TSW, was made ready for E3 ’03. This version was using a different engine from the current version of TSW (Source). The demo/movie was shown at E3 2003 and short description can be found here and here. The demo was refered to as The Next Big Thing. Later, in his blog, Ragnar Tørnquist confirms that The Next Big Thing = Cabal = The World Online = TSW. We know the engine will have changed since this early demo, there may also have been gameplay/story changes as well.
  • 2005: Funcom announces in the Quarter 3 2005 Financial Statement that Funcom has initiated development of a new MMO known as The World. The World will become TSW (Source). Funcom files the name The Secret World as a trademark on Nov 14 2005.


[edit] Full Production

[edit] 2006

  • A number of domain names are registered: www.darkdemonscrygaia.com, www.darkdaysarecoming.com, www.amaskedcryadoring.com, www.agrimoddarcanesky.com, www.anygodimarksacred.com, www.adreamysickdragon.com. Ragnar Tørnquist first mentions The Secret World in his blog on June 10th. Funcom's third quarterly report for 2006 states that “The World Online was approved for entry into the first phase of full production”. The team is known to be composed of 20 people with Ragnar Tørnquist heading the project (Source). The quarter 4 report states that the team working on The World Online has expanded to 33 people.
  • November: Two screenshots of The World Online made using an early version of the graphics engine that will power TSW are leaked to Wikipedia (Image 1, Image 2). The age of these screenshots is unknown. Ragnar Tørnquist hints in his blog that they are from an old and early prototype of TSW. Source

[edit] 2007

  • Funcom officially announces The Secret World (formerly Cabal and The World Online) as its next MMO. The size of the team working on TSW is 35 people. Funcom 2007 Q1 report.
  • February: UK gaming magazine Edge carries an a job advert for an unknown Funcom MMO. The picture of the girl later turns out to be related to TSW, as the same picture appears in a Funcom presentation in a section on TSW.
  • March: Funcom is rumoured to be showing off a new MMO at the Game Developers Conference (Source 1, Source 2). Funcom's Annual Report for 2006 contains 1 new piece of concept art and 2 screenshots of TSW. The screenshots look far more advanced than the ones leaked to wikipedia (Source). Funcom also discuss how TSW production will ramp up as AoC approaches release. Funcom will transfer the AoC team to work on TSW until the team reaches full size in approximately 2008. In addition to traditional markets (US + Europe), TSW will be targeting the Asian market, and the Beijing office will have a key role in development.
  • May 7-16: Funcom begins viral marketing strategy as initial advertisement for TSW. The Cry Gaia website timeline for the marketing campaign can be found here.
  • May 11: Ragnar Tørnquist discuss the launch of the viral marketing campaign for TSW (Source). Funcom publish an official press release about TSW.
  • May 16: www.darkdaysarecoming.com is updated with The Timer that appears to be counting down to Dec 21 2012. Funcom presents their 2007 Quarter 1 financial presentation. The presentation includes details of the viral marketing campaign, other details include:
  1. Over 100 key gaming people are informed of the launch
  2. There are partnerships with key media
  3. Six online sites have been launched
  • May 21: Ragnar Tørnquist heads to Beijing for meetings with the Chinese section of the TSW team. Source
  • June: Funcom advertises for people to work on TSW. Positions include:
  1. Gameplay Programmer
  2. Project Manager Art
  3. 3D Programmer
  4. Tools Programmer
  5. Location Artist
  6. Associate Producer
  7. Character Artist
  • July: The Q2 2007 report has the TSW team at 35 employees and the game is in its first phase of full production. I would assume given the advertised positions that the team will be of an increased size by the next quaterly review.
  • October: Some small snippets of info concerning TSW are mentioned on Ragnar's blog. A new piece of TSW concept art is accidentally leaked on Ragnar's blog. Funcom advertising for:
  1. Senior Character Artist (Oslo)
  2. Concept Artist (Beijing)
  3. Environment Artist (Beijing)
  4. Lead Graphics Artist (Beijing)

[edit] 2009

  • April 4-6: Funcom launches a second viral marketing campaign and releases a cinematic teaser for TSW.
  1. Positive feedback from journalists and gamers
  2. Reveal video viewed by est. 1.000.000 gamers
  3. Game tracking positively against competition
  4. Higher interest in TSW than in AOC at same stage in development
  • August: Q2 2009 Financial Report released by Funcom. Gives a status on the current progress of The Secret World stating:
  1. 100 people working on project
  2. In alpha stages of development of various aspects of the game
  • September 1: Funcom opens a new studio in Montreal, Canada. Several "key personnel" are relocated to the new offices. (Source)
  • September 29: It is announced that Funcom will be laying off 20% of its work force and as a result would likely push back the release of The Secret World by a few months. (Source)
  • November: Third Quarter Financial report is released. The report briefly mentions the Quest for the Flag event. It also notes that 200,000 people signed up for the secret societies, and that 90 people are currently working on the project. It states the next milestone as March 1 and comments on a vertical slice with core systems and game play in place.
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