The MAG beta dropped recently, to just about some of the mixed responses I've seen in my life. Being an online-only game the community is vital which is why the feedback and opinions have been flooding in. There's the good and the bad by the fistfuls, but I'll take the time to detail my own personal opinions.
The Good!
I'll start with the new game mode, Escalation. In particular, the maps. Just wow. These maps are superbly designed - leaps and bounds different that anything else in MAG. Barren, open, rolling hills dotted with buildings that aesthetically remind one of BF2142 - they're a lot of fun, and with the game mode being so chaotic it's hard to know where anything is coming from. Though the gameplay of Escalation is a little shaky, it's still fun and I'm sure it'll settle down once people get a grasp of it.
Now the weapons. I've given all decent time, trying out the (beastly) Kinmark, Sentinel, KP21, Gotha and Tamsen. Overall impression is that they are a welcome addition to the game, and once straightened out by the beta I'll be sure to pick 'em up. I've taken a particular interest in the sniper rifles - instantly falling in love with the Kinmark. The Sentinel however... I dunno, it just feels flimsy and small. I'll give it more time, and next play around I'll try to use SVER's Rhubarb-o or whatever it's called. The new MMGs are superb, their slow rate of fire and appalling hip-fire accuracy mean they actually take skill to use: they certainly aren't n00bish run-n-gun weapons. As for the assault rifles, well, I'm not as ecstatic about them as I am the snipers but I'd still pick one up over one of the older rifles, especially the Gotha. I definitely think Raven got the better deal with beta weaponry.
And finally the new skill tree system. I thought MAG had great customisation as it was - this new tree takes it even further. The sheer amount of abilities to work on is astounding, and the fact you can choose the degree to which you perfect a skill makes for an even more personalised experience than before. It's execution is flawless - forcing players to make hard decisions and restrict the areas they specialise in - no more jacks-of-all-trades. Myself personally, I can no longer have all the sniper abilities, medical abilities, CQC abilities, athleticism abilities and electronics abilities like I used to - when compared to the old system we grew used to you have to make sacrifices, perhaps disadvantaging yourself in some aspect to gain advantage in another. Some may be angry about this but I take it as a challenge. Now, as a sniper, if I'm bested in a knife fight by a commando I can at least acknowledge that hey, it's his speciality, not mine.
The Bad...
First up - I love the implemention of the sprint abilities and the improved knife damage. Together though it's just getting ridiculous. You have people zipping across rooms and knifing you in the foot, killing you before your brain has even managed to register that they exist. I like the speed upgrades to an extent, and the knifes definitely needed altering, but if both were to be toned down a bit then they'd be perfect.
Next up is the Supply Depot addition. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea. What I have an issue with are the level requirements and the costs of some of these things. Some of the requirements need to be a lot less harsh - this game is was difficult for newcomers as it was. If some of the costs and level requirements were lowered, even slightly just to make them a little less steep, I'd be all for the Supply Depot. Plus some of the items need better descriptions, some of the less-experienced players will have no idea what they're buying.
And finally the re-spec point system to accompany the new skill tree. Not only is it now 5000 no matter what, re-spec points don't stack. Once you reach 5000, that's it - it stops, and if you want to re-spec again you have to have gathered another 5000. Zipper need to make prices and costs in the beta a little less dire, it's totally ridiculous what newbies are having to put up with.
All in all I'm looking forward to where the beta is going. It's got a different feel to the retail version, a little more polished as an FPS, and for MAG it's a change for the good.
Their only album Gain Control really is a shining example of New Zealand talent. They had a brief moment of small-scale national popularity, infrequently appearing on pop and rock music programming here (internationally I bet they're unheard of). Their music of course was not suited for the ears of our public, whose airwaves consist of either the pop garbage big enough in the UK and USA to sell here or our own poor talent. The music of Stylus was hard to categorize and still remains so: a sort of funk rock, punk, indie-esque, hip-hoppish body with catchy choruses and subtle dark tones bordering metal, which leads them to only really be captured under the term "alternative rock" (though that does them no justice). Despite varying their music and constantly mixing it up the music manages to retain a sense of consistency that separates them from being identified as progressive or experimental. I know that a member went on to play bass for 
One thing I've managed to get plenty of is MAG. After playing it for 250+ hours I realised how close I am to my first Playstation platinum trophy, so the last few days have been grinding in an attempt to get a large portion of the in-game medals and ribbons out of the way: for repairing. Sweet Jesus, I have huge respect for the players who by will grasp their repair kit in hand and zap the magical welding flashy stick every day. Seriously, I've never been so bored, frustrated and distressed whilst gaming. Especially whilst getting the harder medals - though I did find a great method of obtaining the AAA repair medal. For those who play Valor, first platoon defending Domination. Sneak past enemy lines, repair the AAA, then hide in the red shack by the attacker's bridge or in the bushes surrounding it. I managed to get 8 repairs into one match this way, repairing it, hiding, and watching from the bushes as squad after squad of pissed-off soldiers stormed by grumbling about the magical self-repairing AAA. It's also great to top it off by blowing up the bridge to further delay their assault when the AAA is back up & fending them back. During my repairing stint I must say I've also formulated the perfect Field Support/Commando loadout. Shotgun, silenced Pistol, Sensor Jammer, Medical Kit and Repair Kit with improved light armor. Flawless for the whole support business. Now onto LMG and AR ribbons!
Another thing I've done with my time off is to arrive to a shocking verdict on an issue with my music listening habits: I'm going to stop using last.fm. I've been scrobbling to last.fm for about a year and a half now and I keep finding myself in positions of musical desensitization, ie. I just can't enjoy listening to music at times. I traced the issue to it's source by accident one day when I pondered playing my iPod on shuffle but I dismissed it because I thought "no, it might play something like Collective Soul and I don't want people to think I really actually to them". Then it hit me, the amount of times I've not listened to an artist because I want more plays for another or because it wouldn't look good on my profile. I, like most people, would like to claim that they don't care what others think about them. But I'd be lying to myself, it's just who I am as a person. I tend to often think about people's impressions of me and I try my best to avoid situations of being observed. But that's what last.fm was doing: throwing out me and my private listening habits on public display. And though it was self-inflicted and seemingly harmless, it's harmed the way I enjoy music.
