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Praecautus · 06-22-2007, 09:30 AM

The known production timeline for The Secret World

Pre-development
1997
Ragnar Tornquist has the original concept idea for the game that will become The Secret World.
Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=166

1999
The Longest Journey is wrapped up and Ragnar Tornquist is pitching ideas, including one that will eventually become The Secret World
Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=166

Pre-production
2002
Preproduction of the game that will become The Secret World began sometime in 2002, but the team were moved to Dreamfall in mid-2003
Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=335

2003
A playable demo of Cabal, which will one day become The Secret World was made ready for E3 ’03. This version was using a different engine to the current version of The Secret World
Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=335
The demo/movie was shown at E3 2003 and short description can be found here
http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/409/409639p3.html
and here
http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6028574.html?print=1
NB The demo was refered to as The Next Big Thing.
Later, in his blog Ragnar Tornquist confirms that The Next Big Thing = Cabal = The World Online = The Secret World.
NB2 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 The Secret World
Source Funcom Financial report to shareholders for the Third Quarter 2005
http://www.funcom.com/funcom/fronten...3%20report.pdf

Funcom file the name The Secret World as a trademark on Nov 14 2005.
Source US Patent and Trademark Office
http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield...tate=bmlqb.2.1

Full Production
2006
June 2006
www.darkdemonscrygaia.com is registered
www.darkdaysarecoming.com is registered
www.amaskedcryadoring.com is registered
www.agrimoddarcanesky.com is registered
www.anygodimarksacred.com is registered
www.adreamysickdragon.com is registered

Ragnar Tornquist first mentions The Secret World in his blog on June 10th
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=166

The 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 Tornquist heading the project.
Source Funcom financial report for the third quarter 2006
http://www.funcom.com/funcom/fronten...Q306report.pdf

The 2006 quarter 4 report states that the team working on The World Online has expanded to 33 people

November 2006 two screenshots of The World Online made using an early version of the graphics engine that will power TSW are leaked to wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TWOscreenshot01.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TWOscreenshot02.jpg
I do not know for sure how old these screenshots are. Ragnar Tornquist hints in his blog that they are from an old and early prototype of The Secret World.
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=294

2007
Funcom officially announces The Secret World (Formerly Cabal and The World (online)) as its next MMO. The size of the team working on The Secret World is 35 people.
Source Funcom financial report quarter 1 2007
ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/Age_of_Co...0Q1-report.pdf

Feb 2007
UK gaming magazine Edge carries an a job advert for an unknown Funcom MMO
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...Dreamfall2.jpg
The picture of the girl later turns out to be a related to The Secret World, as the same picture appears in a Funcom presentation in a section on TSW.

March 2007 Funcom is rumoured to be showing off a new MMO at the Game Developers Conference
Source Bluesnews
http://bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.p...threadid=75966
Source Ragnar Tornquist's blog
http://ragnartornquist.com/?cat=13

23 March 2007
Funcom's Annual Report for 2006 contains 1 new piece of concept art and 2 screenshots of The Secret World. The screenshots look far more advanced than the ones leaked to wikipedia.
http://www.funcom.com/funcom/fronten...ual_Report.pdf
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 targetting the Asian market, and the Beijing office will have a key role in develoment

May7-16, Funcom begins viral marketing strategy as initial advertisement for The Secret World.
The Cry Gaia website timeline for the marketing campaign
http://www.crygaia.com/portal/index....d=16&Itemid=38

May 11th Ragnar Tornquist discuss the launch of the viral marketing campaign for TSW
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=335

May 11th Funcom publish an official press release about The Secret World
http://www.funcom.com/wsp/funcom/fro...TENT&item=1004

May 16 www.darkdaysarecoming.com is updated with The Timer that appears to be counting down to Dec 21 2012.

May 16 Funcom present 2007 Quarter 1 financial presentation
ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/Age_of_Co...esentation.pdf
The presentation includes details of the viral marketing campaign, other details include
Over 100 key gaming people are informed of the launch
There are partnerships with key media
six online sites have been launched

May 21 Ragnar Tornquist heads to Beijing for meetings with the Chinese section of the The Secret World team
http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=339

June 2007
Funcom is advertising for people to work on The Secret World. Positions include
Gameplay programmer
Project Manager Art
3D programmer
Tools programmer
Location artist
Associate producer
Character artist

July 2007
The Q2 2007 report has the TSW team at 35 employees andx the game is in its first phase of full production, here. I would assume given the advertised positions that the team will be of an increased size by the next quaterly review.

October 2007
Some small snippets of info concerning TSW are mentioned on Ragnar's blog. The thread discussing them is here

A new piece of TSW concept art is accidentally leaked on Ragnar's blog. The thread discussing it is here

Funcom are advertising for
Senior Character Artist (Oslo)
Concept Artist (Beijing)
Environment Artist (Beijing)
Lead Graphics Artist (Beijing)

06-22-2007, 09:30 AM	#2
Praecautus Philosopher	The known production timeline for The Secret World Pre-development 1997 Ragnar Tornquist has the original concept idea for the game that will become The Secret World. Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=166 1999 The Longest Journey is wrapped up and Ragnar Tornquist is pitching ideas, including one that will eventually become The Secret World Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=166 Pre-production 2002 Preproduction of the game that will become The Secret World began sometime in 2002, but the team were moved to Dreamfall in mid-2003 Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=335 2003 A playable demo of Cabal, which will one day become The Secret World was made ready for E3 ’03. This version was using a different engine to the current version of The Secret World Source Ragnar Tornquist’s blog http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=335 The demo/movie was shown at E3 2003 and short description can be found here http://rpgvault.ign.com/articles/409/409639p3.html and here http://uk.gamespot.com/news/6028574.html?print=1 NB The demo was refered to as The Next Big Thing. Later, in his blog Ragnar Tornquist confirms that The Next Big Thing = Cabal = The World Online = The Secret World. NB2 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 The Secret World Source Funcom Financial report to shareholders for the Third Quarter 2005 http://www.funcom.com/funcom/fronten...3%20report.pdf Funcom file the name The Secret World as a trademark on Nov 14 2005. Source US Patent and Trademark Office http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield...tate=bmlqb.2.1 Full Production 2006 June 2006 www.darkdemonscrygaia.com is registered www.darkdaysarecoming.com is registered www.amaskedcryadoring.com is registered www.agrimoddarcanesky.com is registered www.anygodimarksacred.com is registered www.adreamysickdragon.com is registered Ragnar Tornquist first mentions The Secret World in his blog on June 10th http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=166 The 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 Tornquist heading the project. Source Funcom financial report for the third quarter 2006 http://www.funcom.com/funcom/fronten...Q306report.pdf The 2006 quarter 4 report states that the team working on The World Online has expanded to 33 people November 2006 two screenshots of The World Online made using an early version of the graphics engine that will power TSW are leaked to wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TWOscreenshot01.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:TWOscreenshot02.jpg I do not know for sure how old these screenshots are. Ragnar Tornquist hints in his blog that they are from an old and early prototype of The Secret World. http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=294 2007 Funcom officially announces The Secret World (Formerly Cabal and The World (online)) as its next MMO. The size of the team working on The Secret World is 35 people. Source Funcom financial report quarter 1 2007 ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/Age_of_Co...0Q1-report.pdf Feb 2007 UK gaming magazine Edge carries an a job advert for an unknown Funcom MMO http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...Dreamfall2.jpg The picture of the girl later turns out to be a related to The Secret World, as the same picture appears in a Funcom presentation in a section on TSW. March 2007 Funcom is rumoured to be showing off a new MMO at the Game Developers Conference Source Bluesnews http://bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.p...threadid=75966 Source Ragnar Tornquist's blog http://ragnartornquist.com/?cat=13 23 March 2007 Funcom's Annual Report for 2006 contains 1 new piece of concept art and 2 screenshots of The Secret World. The screenshots look far more advanced than the ones leaked to wikipedia. http://www.funcom.com/funcom/fronten...ual_Report.pdf 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 targetting the Asian market, and the Beijing office will have a key role in develoment May7-16, Funcom begins viral marketing strategy as initial advertisement for The Secret World. The Cry Gaia website timeline for the marketing campaign http://www.crygaia.com/portal/index....d=16&Itemid=38 May 11th Ragnar Tornquist discuss the launch of the viral marketing campaign for TSW http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=335 May 11th Funcom publish an official press release about The Secret World http://www.funcom.com/wsp/funcom/fro...TENT&item=1004 May 16 www.darkdaysarecoming.com is updated with The Timer that appears to be counting down to Dec 21 2012. May 16 Funcom present 2007 Quarter 1 financial presentation ftp://ftp.funcom.com/media/Age_of_Co...esentation.pdf The presentation includes details of the viral marketing campaign, other details include Over 100 key gaming people are informed of the launch There are partnerships with key media six online sites have been launched May 21 Ragnar Tornquist heads to Beijing for meetings with the Chinese section of the The Secret World team http://ragnartornquist.com/?p=339 June 2007 Funcom is advertising for people to work on The Secret World. Positions include Gameplay programmer Project Manager Art 3D programmer Tools programmer Location artist Associate producer Character artist July 2007 The Q2 2007 report has the TSW team at 35 employees andx the game is in its first phase of full production, here. I would assume given the advertised positions that the team will be of an increased size by the next quaterly review. October 2007 Some small snippets of info concerning TSW are mentioned on Ragnar's blog. The thread discussing them is here A new piece of TSW concept art is accidentally leaked on Ragnar's blog. The thread discussing it is here Funcom are advertising for Senior Character Artist (Oslo) Concept Artist (Beijing) Environment Artist (Beijing) Lead Graphics Artist (Beijing) __________________ Peregrinnus Praecautus Be on your guard pilgrim The Secret World production time line http://www.darkdemonscrygaia.com/showthread.php?t=1007 Last edited by Praecautus; 10-11-2007 at 09:23 AM.