“ What will it take to save what remains? - Tom Clancy's The Division - E3 2013 Breakdown Trailer”
Tom Clancy's The Division (referred simply to as The Division) is a tactical shooter action role-playing video game developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft.
Plot
- Main article: Story
In 2001, an operation known as "Dark Winter" was launched which was a real-world exercise that tested the emergency response to a bioterror attack on the United States. The simulation spiraled out of control within a few days, and predicted a "breakdown in essential institutions," civil disorder, and massive civilian casualties. This event came true years later in November 2015, when a virus was created that attached to bank notes (nicknamed the "Dollar Flu" due to its infection vector) circulated on Black Friday, causing, within a day, an international pandemic. Manhattan, where the gameplay is set, is where the virus originated and the effects of the viral pandemic were the worst.
“ Dark Winter has revealed how vulnerable we've become. Our lifestyle, our security, our safety depends on a delicate and unstable economy. We've created a system so complicated that we no longer understand how to control it. Oil, power, shipping, transport -- we live in a complex world, and the more complex it gets, the more fragile it becomes. The system is built on a global supply chain that gets things where they're needed -- just in time. We've created a house of cards. Remove just one, and everything falls apart. And what's fueling this system? Money. ”
Gameplay
The player plays as an agent from the Strategic Homeland Division (SHD) using a third person cover-based system securing multiple locations in New York City through main missions with optional side missions. The player will have to scavenge for their own ammo and supplies in order to survive and upgrade their character. An online connection is required. Players can either choose to play on their own or join a squad of up to 4 players.
Locations
- Main article: Locations
There are multiple locations around New York City to explore. In the Division, areas are separated into districts. There are 16 regular districts with 9 Dark Zone districts, divided by different levels of difficulty.
Weapons
- Main article: Weapons
The player will have a variety of weapons to use. Players can have a primary, secondary and sidearm equipped at the same time. Players start with a Navy MP5 N and a Military M9.
Gear
Game Scene from The Division
- Main article: Gear
Players have the ability to equip different gear in 6 unique slots.
Each of the gear has a level, rarity and ARM (Armor Rating) to it. The ARM shows how much damage will be mitigated when wearing the gear. The ARM adds up from each gear equipped. The higher the rarity, the better the base stats will be. Cosmetics have no effect on the players actual stats. Examples include outfits, skins etc.
Additionally, players are able to equip passive aesthetic accessories with no effect on armor rating, such as hats, scarfs, jackets, shirts, pants, and boots.
Players start with a Vest, Protective Mask, Knee Pads, Backpack, Gloves, and a Holster.
Clothing
- Main article: Clothing
Agents will be able to customize many different aspects of their character in The Division. Players can customize their looks after the prologue through gear and Vanity items.
Players start with Simple Pants, Simple Jacket, Simple Long-sleeve Tee, and Simple Walking Shoes.
Abilities
- Main article: Abilities
The player can obtain a variety of Skills, Talents, and Perks, enhancing their gameplay experience. These skills will help make each character unique. Skills may be changed during combat as well.
Skills
- Main article: Skills
Skills are active abilities that are used by the player and then will recharge before their next use. See Skills for a list of all possible skills and their own traits and effects.
Talents
- Main article: Talents
Talents are passive abilities that give the player a persistent bonus. Talents can be improved as the player's level increases. Up to 4 talents may be equipped, with more talent slots unlocking as the character progresses. See Talents for a list of all possible skills and their own traits and effects.
Perks
- Main article: Perks
Perks are abilities which are always active and give players benefits in certain areas when unlocked. Some perks unlock supply lines for other types of items. Certain Vendors run supply lines such as high end equipment (which is bought with Phoenix Credits), clothing (aesthetic gear), among others.
Factions
- Main article: Factions
Players will encounter different factions and groups throughout the game. Each enemy faction has different types of enemies.
- Hunters (featured in Survival, Underground and Resistance)
Dark Zone
- Main article: Dark Zone
When playing solo or in a group in Tom Clancy's the Division, players will have the opportunity to enter the "Dark Zone," areas where the virus has taken a big toll. Here the player will find other players, and can engage in PvP (Player vs Player) or PvE (Player vs Environment) combat. Players can enter the Dark Zone through certain checkpoint gateways and by climbing over specific walls near the Dark Zone. The loot in the Dark Zone is some of the best acquirable in the game due to the fact that it is abandoned JTF (Joint Task Force) military gear. Players will lose any gear they pick up in the Dark Zone if they are killed while carrying the gear before extracting it via Helicopter. The Dark Zone is designed to have up to 24 players in an instance at a time. (The player can go from the regular map to the Dark Zone with no instancing. Its located north west of the players main base of operations.)
Agents have the task of taking back New York City through different methods. This can be done through Tasks, Missions, or Encounters. These missions, once acquired, can be seen on the player's map.
People
- Main article: People
In The Division, agents will encounter many different NPC's (Non Player Characters). Some NPC's play a bigger role in the story than others. These people can help or hinder the Agent(s). Some passerby NPCs may give vanity items or gear in return for supplies i.e. Canned food, water, and medkits.
Loot
- Main article: Rarity
There is a rarity based loot system within the game. Loot can be found when enemies are killed or in many locations all over New York City. However, not all enemies will drop loot when killed. Tougher characters will usually drop better quality loot. Loot ranking is as follows:
- Worn
- Standard
- Specialized
- Superior
- High-End
- Gear Set
- Exotic
The higher the rarity, the better the item's statistics (and typically perks) are.
Crafting
- Main article: Category: Crafting
The player will have the ability to craft items in The Division; crafting various weapons and equipment for themselves or other fellow agents, like attachments for their weapon systems. The pre-requisite for crafting is obtaining a blueprint of the item the player wants to craft. The main materials for crafting are weapon parts, tools, fabric, and electronics. Players are now able to trade items with each other within the groups they obtained an item with, within an hour window.
Social Hubs
Tom Clancy's The Division will have certain areas in New York City where players can interact with each other. These are safe zones where no weapons or skills can be used. They are referred to as "Hubs." Chelsea Pier is one of the explore-able Hubs at the beginning of the player's campaign into New York City. All safe houses outside the Dark Zone can be possible hubs, and once they are visited, the player is able to fast travel to them from that point on.
Clans and Guilds
Clans/guilds will be available in the game. There will be a dedicated website for clan management. It has also been announced that there will be no maximum limit to the number of players that can be in one clan.
So far no official clan page has been announced. Here are some unofficial places to find and create clans:
- https://www.battlestandards.com/
- http://divisionclans.com/
- https://thedivision.the100.io/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/thedivisionclans
Dynamic Choices
New York City will be at the player's discretion to restore, or otherwise, in Tom Clancy's The Division. The player will be able see the impact of their choices in-game. Agents will have the task of restoring areas of the city where communication, law enforcement, power, and water are failing, restoring them and making them fully operational again. Good luck!
Base of Operations
- Main article: Base of Operations
Players will have their own space within the city. The Base of Operations will include a medical wing, a security wing, a technology wing, and a trade station. Upgrading the player's base of operations will unlock skills and talents for use in the game, each determined by which wing is upgraded.
ECHO
The ECHO is a heads up display for the player's menu access and investigation tool within the game. The options for the menu are:
| 00% Medical Wing Supplies 00 | 00% Tech Wing Supplies 00 | 00% Security Wing Supplies 00 |
| Intel | Group Management | Map |
| Abilities | Inventory | News |
| Ubisoft Club | Store | Settings |
Updates/DLC
The Season Pass will give access to three major expansions.
- Underground
- Survival
- Last Stand
Updates
- 1.1 Incursions
- 1.2. Conflict
- 1.3. Underground
- 1.5. Survival
- 1.6. Last Stand
- 1.8. Resistance
Patch Notes
- Patch 1.01
- Patch 1.02
Tom Clancy's The Division Season Pass Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWpXYddj6YA
Uplay
- Main article: Uplay
The Division players can connect their game to Uplay, through which they can unlock special bonuses in-game. Some redeemable rewards are only available through Uplay such as the Broker Outfit and a special weapon skin among more items.
Soundtrack
- Main article: Soundtrack
The music is composed by Ola Strandh. Other game soundtracks that he has composed are World in Conflict, Ground Control 1 and Ground Control 2.
Development
Tom Clancy's The Division was being developed as an eighth generation console exclusive, coming out to the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Massive Entertainment is using the new Snowdrop engine to develop The Division.
On May 15, 2014, it was announced that The Division would be delayed to 2015 according to an anonymous source inside Massive Entertainment's studio. "The game engine works well, it's not done, but works well. The actual game development has barely started, however," said the anonymous insider.
In 2015, a Ubisoft conference call confirmed that The Division was slated for a 2015 release, but it was delayed yet again.
At E3 2015, it was stated that Beta testing for Xbox One players would begin in December. A closed Alpha Test took place from December 9, 2015 to December 12. This was exclusively for the Xbox One console. The Closed Beta test took place January 28 through February 1, 2016 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
The release date for Tom Clancy's The Division was March 8, 2016.
Gallery
Live Action Short Series
Tom Clancy's The Division Agent Origins (Escape)
Tom Clancy’s The Division Agent Origins (Pursuit)
Tom Clancy's The Division Agent Origins (Ashes)
Tom Clancy’s The Division Agent Origins (Conspiracies)
External links
- Uplay Shop
- Steam
- PlayStation Store (Standard)
- PlayStation Store (Gold Edition)
- Xbox Live Store (Standard)
- Xbox Live Store (Gold Edition)