industry news
InstantAction Enters Open Beta
Posted by Mike Fahey at 4:20 AM on March 11, 2008
First announced back in September of last year, InstantAction.com is a web-based video game network created by GarageGames and IAC, featuring multiplayer action of all shapes and sizes with no downloads involved - basically workplace poison. Well now they've released said poison into the water supply, inviting the entire world to sign up for the site's open beta. Games currently playable on the site include Marble Blast Online, Cyclomites, Think Tanks, and Screw Jumper, with the Tribes-like Fallen Empire: Legions on its way. Having spent a bit of time in the closed beta myself, all I can say is beware...the completely death of productivity lies within.
INSTANTACTION OPEN TO GAMERSThe Next Big Thing in Web Gaming is Here;
Sign Up and Play at www.instantaction.com
EUGENE, OREGON - MARCH 10, 2008 - InstantAction today invited gamers across the globe to enter its public beta. Offering fully 3D, console-like games in a web browser, InstantAction is launching with four games available to the public today.
"Initial feedback on InstantAction from gamers has been very positive and we are ready to pull the covers off and let everyone take a look," said Josh Williams, CEO of GarageGames. "Even though it's early, and there is a lot more to add and improve, InstantAction is already impressive. Now with the community's help, we're going to work on making it truly mind blowing."
With the public beta, four games - MarbleBlast Online, Screw Jumper, Think Tanks and Wideload Shorts' Cyclomite - are already playable. More games will be added in the coming weeks, including the much anticipated FPS, Fallen Empire: Legions.
Early comments from beta testers have filled the InstantAction feedback boards. Regarding MarbleBlast Online, one tester said of his first experience with the title, "This game is surprisingly a lot of fun to play." While another tester praised Wideload Shorts' Cyclomite proclaiming "Cyclomite is my new favorite addiction on InstantAction.com. It's good, crazy fun."
Social gaming is a core part of the InstantAction experience. Gamers can host parties and invite their friends to jump into a game via a URL link which can be sent via email or IM. Gamers can also seamlessly switch games and move their party with them.
"This is only the beginning. New games and features will be added each month," added Williams.

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
LordMagnusMastah
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I've been in the closed beta for a bit before this came out, and I have to say that I really like the way this is heading. Not a huge fan of ThinkTanks myself, although I do find myself playing that alot more lately. I think I may be addicted once Fallen Empires comes out for it in the near future, though. :D
LordMagnusMastah
konchy
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
registration went smoothly with not problems for me though
konchy
konchy
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Doesn't work for me. All I get t do is watch that Loading button flashing away.Seems to load forever infinitely. using firefox
konchy
BlindedFTW
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Tank game sucks, marbles is OK and no one plays the jumper game.
BlindedFTW
cybereality
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
This could be promising, I've been waiting a while for some browser based 3d games. Many plugins have come and gone (WildTangent, Anark, etc.) and some still clinging onto life (I'm looking at you Shockwave3d) but they never seem to hit the main stream like Flash. It will be interesting to see what comes of this.
cybereality
xiphos
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I've been playing on the site now for a while. The games are.. meh.. Think Tanks is majorly laggy, and the controls suck. Marbleblast Online is ok.
Fallen Legion does look promising though. And I agree with everyone else, no Linux/MacOS support sucks. But I betting the company is hoping for Inter-Office players (since most office environments only run on Windows Platforms). I'm also suspecting that there won't be Mac/Linux support because they fear cheating will occur (as if Windows is safer). I've seen a lot of Free 2 Play games go this route (ie: War Rock, Solider Front, etc). Funny how there are still cheaters on those games.
xiphos
Fyren
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I am making a prediction that "Empires" will induce massive employee cuts at your local business industries.
Tribes+web+no installation=Glimpse of the heavens.
Fyren
Jackjoe500
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
@Jesterhead369:
Same here
Jackjoe500
LORDofDANCE
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Does anyone have the web filter, Webwasher, at work? It blocks pretty much everything and I have no idea how to get around it.
LORDofDANCE
LORDofDANCE
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Does anybody else have webwasher at work? I
LORDofDANCE
Taifuu
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I've been following Legions for quite some time, got into the closed beta and poked around for a while, the concept is golden but it's missing heavy-hitting games so far. I think, or hope rather, that Legions will live up to the hype. I'll be there playing the first day, that's for sure.
Taifuu
Jesterhead369
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
jesus. i try to register and it tells me i have an unacceptable character in the Username field. only problem was that it was FINE. and available. looks good and all but if you're gonna give me problems during registration, i'm not holding high hopes.
Jesterhead369
fridayalex
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
MarbleBlast was ok for the hour i played it. ThinkTank was a waste of time. When the game wasn't lagging it felt you had no control over the tank. Also everything work in firefox.
fridayalex
Atheist Jew
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
@Xerxes3rd: Uh Legions is about as faithful gameplay-wise as you can get to Tribes. Have you seen gameplay vids? It's Tribes. Except it's not.
Atheist Jew
Xerxes3rd
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I absolutely adored Tribes 2; in fact, I still have it installed an play it occasionally. Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to Fallen Empire: Legions. Please, please, GarageGames, put a jetpack into Legions!
Xerxes3rd
Ignatius
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
@TrekVogel:
Oh gee, I'm sorry. How about we all form a petition and MAKE developers waste time and money on a platform that has about 5% of the computer world by storm. That'll go over well.
Ignatius
Emulated
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I tried this over the weekend... all the games were pretty mundane but very pretty for a browser-based game
Emulated
Bluecell
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
"no downloads involved" isn't entirely accurate as I was just prompted to download and install their activeX control.
Bluecell
TrekVogel
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Why only windows? You have all kinds of advantages when making web games and what do they do? They still tie it to Windows! Then you might as well make it a download since browsers were not designed for gaming and you're not taking advantage of the feaures it does have.
I'm not rebooting my Mac just to play some web games. If it runs well in Parallels I see myself using it every now and then but I highly doubt Parallels video performance will be good enough.
TrekVogel
Jaysius
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Any spyware present?
Jaysius
ajay42
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
(i just thought about it and realized it might be because i do not keep my firefox updated since everytime they introduce an 'update' it always causes some kind of FAIL somewhere else on my machine. last time it was goddamn Google tool bar which took forever to get off and which conflicted with Steam)
ajay42
Stefanten
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Marble Blast is great. That game is worth signing up for.
Stefanten
ajay42
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Mine keeps on saying I need to install the app and restart firefox and I've done so about 5 times and it keeps saying it again. I don't really feel like putting any more effort than that into it.
ajay42
edgefusion
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
If you're going to make a browser only game at least make sure it's compatible with more than just IE and Firefox and one operating system. I declare this fail.
edgefusion
pylon_trooper
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Bring on Fallen Legions.
pylon_trooper
arepeegee
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
@ajay42: Hmm... I just played some Marble Blast and ThinkTanks without any problems and I'm using Firefox.
arepeegee
JamesKilton
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Wow, terrible user flow. I sign in, get the confirmation email, that all seems to go well. Then I log in, and get the "incompatibility page".
This page tells me to go to the forums to discuss, and refuses to log me in.
One problem:
You need to be logged in to view the forums.
I love the proverbial middle-finger to all non-Windows users. And come on, it's Flash!
JamesKilton
ajay42
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Doesn't seem to like Firefox very much...
ajay42
Priboi
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
fuck, i went through all the registration process and it tells me that my operative system is not supported!
so if anyone is using Linux or MacOS BEWARE!
Priboi
Atheist Jew
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I've been in on the beta for a bit now as well although the only reason I'm interested in it at all is for the new Tribes clone.
I got to play Legions for about half an hour at the GDC this year. If you're a fan of Tribes, you should really start building shrines to the deities at Garage Games for producing a game which so fantastically embodies the core gameplay mechanics of the franchise.
Atheist Jew
Dauragon C. Mikado
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
god dammit. I really need a new computer. It can't even run this completely basic assortment of games.
Dauragon C. Mikado
poser85
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Awful...
poser85
Ignatius
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Huh. The post got deleted. O.o;
Ignatius
skaldicpoet9
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Well, I have been playing on the closed beta for a sec now and all I can say is that, while the concept is gold, the implementation seems a little basic. The games that are currently available make me feel like I am just playing a really big, fleshed out flash game. I hope that the arrival of Fallen Empire gives the site a little more variety. I am definitely hoping that this is successful, I just don't know if it will be possible if the current selection of games reflects the future of the site.
skaldicpoet9
FlimFlaminus
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I got an invite to the closed beta and didn't try it. Looks like I should have. I was disappointed that it didn't list the Fallen Empire so I guess I just let it go. I'm going to have to check it out now.
FlimFlaminus
Dauragon C. Mikado
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
hmm, I should check it out then. This will hold me over until battlefield heroes :D
Dauragon C. Mikado
Witzbold
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
I am so there!
Witzbold
Ignatius
Posted 10:37 PM 19/3/08
Might as well try it.
Ignatius