165w ago - Zipper Interactive Sr. Community Manager Jeremy Dunham has revealed that a free MAG PS3 DLC Fast Attack Pack will arrive on April 29, 2010.

To quote: Mark April 29 on your calendars now, because it's the day you're going to see our next 100% Free MAG DLC add-on! Known as the "Fast Attack" Gear Pack, our latest downloadable extra will likely cause marksmen to swoon.

Why? Two big reasons. First, we're adding three brand new Special Edition Sniper Rifles (Raven's HM 90 SE, SVER's SASR M, and Valor's MK 14 Mod 1 EBR) that include a number of performance adjustments and visual variations to our already-popular long-range weapons.

Second, you can expect to get your hands on a collection of new armor types! All three factions can now choose to equip Improved Light Armor in their loadouts for the bargain price of just 400 in-game credits.

Oh, and did we mention that the "Fast Attack" Gear Pack is free? Yes, we did, but we're saying it again anyway. Look for it to appear in the PlayStation Store the afternoon of April 29, alongside all other scheduled PSN updates.

For more MAG-related news and updates, be sure to visit the Official MAG Blog.

166w ago - Today Jeremy Dunham has detailed the latest MAG PS3 patch version 1.05, which will arrive on April 19, 2010.

To quote: Over the last few weeks, we've been prepping some behind-the-scenes updates in an effort to maximize your shooting experience circa 2025. The result of our labor is the new and improved MAG version 1.05.

To get it, all you have to do is boot up the game as you normally would and let the automatic downloader do the rest.

Once the new patch is installed, you can expect to find a number of nifty technical fixes that should minimize your chances of getting the occasional lock-up, increase the likelihood of your team getting good leaders, and improve the realism of your weapons with various gun updates.

MAG v.1.05 will be available starting Monday, April 19 at 1am Pacific/ 4am Eastern/ 9am GMT. For the full list of changes look below and for the complete history of MAG fixes and patches.

Patch v1.05 - Available April 19, 2010 | 41MB (TPPS), 40MB (DLS)

Gameplay

• Improved the automatic Leadership selection criteria to make players with microphones more likely to be selected than those without them (note: this does not prevent players without microphones from being selected as leaders)
• Adjusted automatic...

166w ago - Zipper Interactive Sr. Community Manager Jeremy Dunham has announced that beginning today new MAG PS3 strategic bonus overhead map views are available for download!

To quote: We've had a lot of requests from our diehard MAG fans to release "birds-eye view" shots of our detailed and expansive maps - and now we're pleased to say that we're giving them to you.

Starting right now, we're releasing ultra hi-res imagery of every competitive map in the game so that you can meticulously plan your attack routes, defensive maneuvers, and leadership tactics before the next time you set foot on the battlefield.

Below is a link to each Suppression, Sabotage, Acquisition, and Domination map that MAG has to offer. Download them, share them, do whatever you want with them - they're all yours. Enjoy!

[Note, to see the highest-res version of these maps, click on "All Sizes" above the image in the Flickr Page, and then choose "Original"]

166w ago - SCEE's European Product Manager Chris Weatherhead has posted up a MAG PS3 Q&A today on the PlayStation Blog, as follows:

Answers have been provided by the Game's Producer Alan Van Slyke, the Designer Jason Olander, Designer and the Senior Community Manager Jeremy Dunham.

1) How the whole MAG idea was created? It's the final product what you had in mind from the beginning or it has changed?

Alan Van Slyke, Producer: The initial idea for MAG was "battles on a scale never seen before." To have huge air insertions, mortar barrages, and platoons of players fighting for common goals. In this sense the core of the project never changed. Every feature in the game had to pass our filter of, "does this contribute to the sense of scale", and add to the core pillars of what MAG is.

The final product is very much what we had in mind from the beginning. We did strip away a little complexity to provide an experience that's approachable even to casual gamers, but were keenly aware that we needed to retain certain designs (command structure, squad cohesion, squad communication) in place to ensure that a game of this scale wouldn't devolve into complete chaos.

2) Which one was the biggest difficulty you had to face while developing...

170w ago - Zipper Interactive's Sr. Community Manager Jeremy Dunham has announced that the first MAG PS3 DLC dubbed 'Trooper Gear Pack' will be free and is coming next week!

To quote: On behalf of everyone here at Zipper Interactive, I'm pleased to announce that beginning March 25, our first official MAG downloadable add-on will be made available to players worldwide absolutely free of charge!

Dubbed the "Trooper Gear Pack," our first DLC addition to the MAG universe will offer a number of cool goodies for veterans and first timers alike. Out of everything in the pack, the most popular will likely be the oft-requested "Flashbang Grenade" that can be used to confuse, disorient or distract your enemies in a single throw.

Of course, there's more to the Trooper Gear Pack than Flashbangs. We'll also be including new special edition Light Machine Guns for each PMC.

Raven's APEX 100SE, SVER's RTK-74 Vla, and Valor's Mk 46 Mod 1 weapons will provide both a new look for your favorite LMGs and a number of performance adjustments as well.

The last element of the pack will be two additional uniforms - "Trooper Dark" and "Trooper Light."...