General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Microsoft Announces First Real Details About Windows 8

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:59 PM PDT

 

So, this is the new Start screen for Windows 8. It looks a lot like Windows Phone Live Tiles. And hey, that looks like an app store.

The whole point of Windows 8, which is just a codename, is to be one OS that'll run on regular computers or on tablets. So Windows 8 will run two kinds of applications: A standard Windows application ("It's Windows. Everything just runs," says Windows chief Steven Sinofsky) and an almost mobile-like app, written in HTML5 and JavaScript, which Microsoft is calling a "new platform." And of course, there's IE10 underpinning those apps. All apps can be viewed in this tile-based UI, which Josh from TIMN says is, "Very impressive. It looks super fast." You can totally see the Windows Phone influence on the interface, from the tiles to the touch keyboard, which even has a "thumbs" mode. (Sinofsky tells All Things D, "We were clearly influenced ourselves by phones.") The animations and gestures and multitasking are all pretty damn smooth looking, as you can see in this demo video.

Better still, it requires fewer resources than Windows 7, which is kind of crazy. Which all sounds great. And sort of what I expected. What sounds (and looks) a little dicey is that the awesome, modern tile UI is basically just a skin over Windows. The rest of the "classic Windows desktop" is still there, looking underneath, albeit adjusted to be more touch friendly with "fuzzy hit targeting," so regular Windows applications will work with touch or keyboard/mouse. But the two things together looks like a miscreant experience, even in Microsoft's demo. The idea of running real, full Windows apps on a tablet (or anywhere) isn't a bad one, but it looks pretty gross and weird in practice.

We'll apparently see a lot more in September at Microsoft's Build conference.

Microsoft's official list of new features shown off today:

• Fast launching of apps from a tile-based Start screen, which replaces the Windows Start menu with a customizable, scalable full-screen view of apps.

• Live tiles with notifications, showing always up-to-date information from your apps.

• Fluid, natural switching between running apps.

• Convenient ability to snap and resize an app to the side of the screen, so you can really multitask using the capabilities of Windows.

• Web-connected and Web-powered apps built using HTML5 and JavaScript that have access to the full power of the PC.

• Fully touch-optimized browsing, with all the power of hardware-accelerated Internet Explorer 10

We're following Microsoft demo, live, (so expect this post to be changed and updated with more stuff).

 

Gizmodo is the world's most fun technology website, focused on gadgets and how they make our lives better, worse, and more absurd.

The Technology Behind: 911 Police Communications and Dispatch

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:20 PM PDT

Before the advent of the rotary-dial telephone, people whose houses were burning down around them had it easy. All calls were placed with the assistance of an operator. If you needed the police, you'd pick up your phone's handset and tell the operator to get them on the line. Dead simple. Once we were empowered with the ability to dial out to other telephone users without the assistance of an operator, things got a little more complicated. The method for requesting emergency assistance varied from state to state, and in many cases, even from city to city. The minutes lost to figuring out what number to call for help often lead the victims of crime, medical and fire emergencies to a tragic end. In 1967, AT&T and the Federal Communications Commission sat down to hammer out the details of the national standard for requesting help from emergency services that we still use today—dialling 911. While dialling this simple three digit number may seem like a no-brainer to us now, when 911 was first introduced, it was a paradigm shift in emergency communications that allowed, for example, an individual in Toledo on a business trip to call for an ambulance the same way he would have back home in San Francisco. Kind of a big deal, right?

Today, 911 isn't just the gold standard of calling for help in the United States, it's also used across Canada. In Ontario, should you need the assistance of the Guelph Police Service, your 911 call will be taken, processed and dispatched by an impressive collection of personnel, equipment and software handpicked to fit the city's emergency needs. It's a communications and dispatch system that Jonathan Green, the Guelph Police Service's Information Systems Coordinator, is pretty proud of. Green and a team of in-house IT professionals are tasked with the daunting role of keeping the flow of information moving 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, ensuring that the public and Guelph's police officers have clear lines of emergency communications available to them when they are needed most.

"Most people end up dealing with the police on some of the worst days of their lives", says Green. "Making sure that we make things as easy as possible for them when they need police assistance is a priority for us." Green added that with the world getting more dangerous by the day, keeping clear lines of communications open to convey data to officers in the field is more important than ever. How do they do it? Well, due to security concerns, Green couldn't give us all the details behind how the Guelph Police Service fields incoming emergency calls, but in general, the technology behind a police communications and dispatch system will be similar no matter where you go in North America.

In most situations, when you dial 911 from a landline, the 911 dispatch center, also called a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), that answers your call is determined by your phone number. Each PSAP has a list of numbers that are pre-selected to be taken by a specific dispatch center. If you use a mobile phone to call for help, your handset transmits your call data to the nearest cellular tower, and then, based on that tower's geographic location, routes it through to the appropriate PSAP. Sometimes, a tower might reside in an area where the lines of jurisdiction are muddled. While this can result in a call being sent to the wrong PSAP, the dispatch operator who answers your call is trained to connect you with the correct PSAP as quickly as possible. Even where communications barriers exist, most PSAPs will have you covered. Hearing impaired callers are able to communicate with dispatch operators through the use of TTY software or a device like the one pictured below.

If English isn't your first language, you'll find that the majority of PSAPs can provide translation services to their clients. According to Green, the service employed by the Guelph Police Service offers communications in over 100 languages to ensure that callers receive the assistance they need. More often than not, translation services are farmed out to companies such Language Line Services. In the event that a PSAP becomes incapacitated due to a systems failure or zombie apocalypse, most municipal, state and provincial police, EMS and fire services have agreements in place with other nearby centers to cover for one another, ensuring that the flow of requests for emergency assistance can continue without interruption.

Many of the pieces of hardware used in a typical PSAP are off-the-shelf consumer-grade solutions. We're talking middle-of-the-road Dell and HP rigs rocking Windows XP here. The cutting-edge goofery you see in an average big budget Hollywood cop flick? It's all nonsense. 

"We tend to steer away from cutting-edge tech in favor of more stable solutions that have a long history of reliability", says Green. "When we do upgrade our systems with new hardware or software, we aim to do so at times of the year that have shown a trend towards less incoming calls." While the software needs of most PSAP dispatch centers will be similar in nature, the applications utilized are typically customized to meet the requirements of the region that a specific PSAP services. A handful of companies such as Amcom Software, 911 Inc. and Priority Dispatch provide the bulk of the software utilized in most 911 dispatch centers across North America.

 


Much like the hardware the applications run on, the software is frill-free, dependable, and features built-ins such as telephone/cellular location mapping, case entry fields, and built-in situation-specific question keys for dispatch operators to ask callers. Utilizing Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software, PSAPs can funnel preparatory information pertaining to an emergency call to responding officers in the field. While no two CAD systems are likely to be the same, this wiki article offers a very respectable overview of how a typical CAD system operates.

The information sent out to officers can include call history for the address being responded to, past charges for known persons involved, whether or not the call involves weapons or violence of any sort - even biohazards or the presence of a dangerous animal. Having this intelligence on hand ensures that when the police arrive on scene, they'll have all the information they need in order to deal with whatever they're walking into as safely as possible.

Speaking of dispatching information to officers in the field, let's talk about how the information gets from the PSAP and into the hands of the police on the street. If you said via radio, you get a cookie.

Despite the communications options available to emergency service workers today, radio transmission is still the primary method for shifting information from the PSAP to officers in the field, with cellular data communication to in-cruiser computer equipment coming in as a close second. Green explains that like many smaller municipalities, Guelph's emergency services all share the same radio system, albeit on different channels. In much the same way that the PSAP is backed up, a number of redundant communications systems, including a secondary radio system and cellular radio technology are installed in the back of each emergency vehicle in case they're needed.

"We try to stay away from using the cellular hardware in an emergency though". Says Green. "As soon as something big happens, the networks get completely clogged up. Everyone calls home at the same time to make sure their loved ones are all OK."  When asked to provide some deeper specifics concerning what equipment was used on the dispatch side of things to make the communicative magic happen, Green became mum once again, citing security. He was however more than ready to speak to what other hardware could be found in a typical police vehicle.

"We really like the Panasonic Toughbook", Green admitted. "The officers are hard on the hardware sometimes. Coffee spills, rain water; just general wear and tear can see equipment taking a lot of downtime. The water resistance and and general ruggedness keeps the hardware in the field where it belongs. Green explained that all of the in-car computers in use by the Guelph Police Service operate using mission-specific touch screen-enabled software, allowing access to dispatch and call information, criminal records, location data, and vehicle information—all the data that patrol officers need to do their job safely and effectively.

Outside of their vehicles, Guelph officers could rely on the same data relayed from dispatch to a handheld radio system or a Blackberry handset, bought off the shelf from local providers and stripped of its OS before being loaded up with—you guessed it—software that Green was unable to comment on. "Research in Motion wanted to provide us with handset hardware they'd specialized for law enforcement", said Green. "We turned it down and went with stock Blackberry phones instead. If the bad guys got to know the difference between the police and regular handsets, it really wouldn't work out well for our undercover guys."

We'll admit it, the frustrating amount of security surrounding police communications technology is well… frustrating. We'd loved to have been able to show you more of what goes on behind the scenes with police communications and dispatch systems. That said, it's comforting to know that North America's emergency communication systems is so closely guarded. After all, if it ever turns out that we need the police on what Green would describe as our "worst day", we'll want to see our local 911 system running like clock work—mysterious systems and all.

Samsung Chromebook Available Early from Gilt

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:04 PM PDT

series5The Samsung Chromebook is up for sale a bit early, but you're never going to guess where. Google is sending out email invites to select CR-48 users directing them to high-end deal site Gilt for a special pre-sale of the Samsung Series 5 ChromeOS device. The uninvited can use this link to get in on the fun, though. You need a Gilt account, but the price seems pegged at $499.

The Series 5 is the higher-end version of the first real Chromebooks. It has the customary dual-core Atom, 8.5 hour battery life, integrated 3G, and a 12.1-inch screen. When closed, it is only 0.79-inches thick. Those that buy the device on Gilt will get a special "limited edition" sleeve designed by Rickshaw.

The pricing is more or less what the Series 5 is expected to fetch at retail. If you really need to be the first to have a Chrome OS notebook, or simply must have that sleeve, hit the link above. Sale begins at 9PM PST today.

Future Tense: Websight

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 02:10 PM PDT

Marshall McLuhan once said that the medium is the massage.  

If that's true, then the Internet is a serious pummeling by an unruly mob, with an occasional mugging mixed in.    

The architects of this beating are web-designers.  The best evidence of this can be found at Vincent Flanders' website, http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/.  The theory behind Web Pages That Suck is that you can learn a lot about good design by looking at bad design.  Flanders also has two similarly-titled books on the subject and his website and his books ought to be mandatory reading for anyone designing, building, or even maintaining a website.  

 A website is like a yacht.  It's a hole in the water into which you pour time and money, except there's no water and no yacht, and no bikini-clad blonde on the foredeck.  

If you're building one of those non-existent yachts, then you know that designing it, assembling it, testing it, tweaking it, plugging in the content, can be a painful collision of art and function.  

Your website is your public face to the world.  Whether you're an individual or a business, an organization or a company, or merely a special-interest group, it demonstrates who you are.  It's an expression of your self.    

You will certainly want it to be attractive.  Depending on your goals for the site, you may also want it to be dramatic, enthusiastic, playful, sincere, inviting, and authentic.  Or … you may want it to be horrific, bizarre, sinister, and disturbing.  Whoever you want to be, however you want the world to think of you, your website is your place to create it.  

But whatever the design and appearance of a website, the primary purpose is still the delivery of content.  The users come to your site looking for specific content.  If they find it, they stay.  If they don't find it, they go somewhere else.     

Whatever the site, whether it's Amazon, Netflix, Google News, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube, IMDB, HuffingtonPost, Digg, Reddit, Slashdot, Lifehacker, Gizmo, Cracked, The Onion, or even your favorite porn portal, the most important thing about a website is its content.  

So that's:

Rule 1.  Content.  

And … the content has to be easily accessible.  

That means that the menus have to be clearly visible and logically organized.  Menus can be tabbed across the top or stacked down the side in a vertical column, or even some combination of the two:  a horizontal main menu for major categories, a vertical menu specific to each page.  

But if a page has too many menu items, it quickly becomes confusing.   The user doesn't want a vast table of contents on the top level and he doesn't want a half-vast labyrinth of submenus either.  He wants clearly defined tabs that let him drill down to the specific content he's looking for.  Three clicks or less.  If it takes more than that to find the target page, it becomes frustrating and annoying.  Especially if there's no cheese at the end of the tunnel.

So that's:

Rule 2.  Convenience.

The first graphical browser for surfing the web was Mosaic, released in 1993.  That was the transformative moment when website design became important.  It was also the moment when Pandora opened the damn box and let loose thousands of amateurs who set out to prove that they were marvelous web designers because they knew how to use all the tools dramatically.  

By the time the dot-com bubble burst, the web had been inundated with splash pages, bloated flash animations, buttons and doodads that danced and twirled, menus that bounced, popped, sparkled, dropped, exploded, and took forever to download.  All that experimentation was fun—but it got in the way of the content, it wasn't convenient, it wasn't easy.  

Fortunately, popular website design has evolved past that.  We have a comfortable standard that most sites seem to follow.  First, there's an identifying banner across the top—that's where designers usually have the most fun with artwork.  

Below that, most content-heavy sites have a horizontal tabbed menu and easy submenus.  Lighter sites, not needing as many options, can present their menu either horizontally or vertically.

Primary content is usually presented in a wide column in the center of the page.  Ancillary content, like vertical menus, additional resources, or ads, will then be presented in a narrower column, right or left.  

Content-heavy sites are more likely to go to three columns:  a wide column in the center, flanked by two sidebars.  Generally, a content-heavy site will break its content up into multiple pages rather than have you scroll down too far.  

While the above isn't the only way to design a website, it has become the commonest design and users seem to be comfortable with it, probably because of its overall resemblance to a magazine page—albeit an interactive one, with music, animation, video, and pop-ups.  

As a de facto standard, it's easy and efficient, and it provides quick access to content.  It's a good example of form-follows-function. 

And that's:

Rule 3.  Competency.

It doesn't hurt to have some sense of design and color.  But even if not, use a little common sense.  

There should be high contrast between text and background.  Light on dark is dramatic, but dark on light is easier to read.  I prefer a light colored background because pure white is like staring into a light bulb.  And the smart designer knows to avoid heavily-patterned backgrounds behind the text, because that's distracting.  Color creates emotional impact, but too much color or inappropriate colors can drive users away.  Don't put yellow text on a red background, don't put red text on a pink background.  (I've seen both of these horrors—and from people who should know better.)

The casual blogger can put together something at WordPress and be up and running almost immediately.  WordPress and Blogger are the two most popular tools because they're easy and convenient and there are a lot of attractive themes you can instantly plug in and tweak to your needs.

For those who like hand-tool their own sites, there are many more sophisticated tools.  It doesn't hurt to look around the web to see what other web designers have done, paying attention to what works and what doesn't work.  Learning from others' mistakes can be even more valuable than learning from their successes.  

Content, Convenience, and Competence.  That's the goal.  

What do you think?  

What advice would you give to a website designer?

 

How to Track Your Stolen Laptop for Free

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 01:08 PM PDT

Using Prey, you'll have the upper hand over thieves

A laptop is a lot of things—it's a mobile entertainment center, a portal to the web, and a way to get work done away from home. More than anything, though, it's a freakin'-expensive piece of hardware that you absolutely do not want to lose.

Of course, the best way to keep your laptop is to not get it stolen in the first place. But if you do, you can be prepared to try and track it down. Plenty of companies are more than happy to charge you a recurring fee for this sort of protection, but you can actually get it for free. A software package called Prey allows you to remotely monitor your stolen laptop, retrieving screenshots, webcam pictures, and Wi-Fi hotspot information that you (and the police) can use to track down your property. It's open source, it's free, and we'll show you how to use it.

1. Make a Guest Account in Windows

In Windows, Prey runs as a service. Unfortunately, that means that its tracking abilities will only kick in when a thief logs into a user account on your computer. A truly sophisticated criminal would know to never do this, but we're looking to provide protection against your average thug, not Ethan Hunt.

So the thug has to be able to log into an account. You've got two options: First, you could remove the password from your primary account (which for safety reasons should never be the administrative account). That leaves your data exposed, so we recommend the second option—creating a password-unprotected guest account.

Creating a guest account is easy—just open the Start Menu, then right-click Computer and select Manage. In the Local Users and Groups tab you can right-click and create a new account (above).

2. Install Prey

Now, log in to your new guest account, and download the Prey installer from www.preyproject.com. Run the installer, and when you get to the end, choose to configure Prey now. The first thing you'll need to decide is how you want to manage Prey (below). You can choose to use the online control panel, or to set it up in stand-alone mode. There are a few drawbacks to the online control panel (you can only store 10 reports at once online, for one), but we think the convenience outweighs any limitations. Select the control panel method and you'll be asked to create an account.

The only other setting you may want to change locally is to tell your computer to automatically connect to in-range Wi-Fi hotspots. This may help Prey send you reports, even if the perp doesn't mean to connect to the Internet.

3. Get Reports

The unthinkable has happened! Your laptop has been pilfered! (Or, you just want to test out Prey). It's time to log in to the control panel and have a look around. In the control panel at Preyproject.com, there are a number of reporting options you can set, but the most important is at the top, marked Missing. If your laptop is stolen, toggle this option as soon as possible to tell Prey to start sending reports. You can also increase the frequency of sent reports, but remember that the free version of Prey stores only 10 reports at a time, so if you're not going to be able to retrieve the reports over a few hours, you might want to set a longer interval. Beyond that, all the options are pretty straightforward—they allow you to keep track of networking and geolocation information (above), so you can find your laptop, and to track webcam activity and which programs the thief uses (below), so you can identify them to the police.

So that's it—sit back, wait for the reports to start rolling in, and laugh maniacally. 

IE Continues to Lose Ground

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 12:17 PM PDT

We don't like IE6. Neither does Microsoft. In fact, the company actually maintains a site dedicated to telling the world how badly IE6 sucks and pleading for everybody to just stop using it, already. Their aim seems a bit off, though, if the numbers released today by metrics company NetApplications are any indication. IE6 is definitely losing market share, but the browser seems determined to drag its younger brothers kicking and screaming into the toilet with it.

Now, this isn't a doomsday scenario; NetApplications reports the various editions of Internet Explorer still account for over half the global browser usage, sitting at a healthy 54.27 percent. Taking a peek behind the curtain, though, reveals some troubling trends for Microsoft's baby. In July 2010, Internet Explorer enjoyed over 60.74 percent of the global share. That's more than a six percent dip in less than a year.

So where's everybody going? ComputerWorld took a look at the statistics for each version of IE, and found that while Microsoft's flagship IE9 gained an additional 1.8 percent in the past month (to a whopping 4.2 percent), people are fleeing the other versions like rats from a sinking ship – even from IE8, which comes installed in Windows 7. Chrome and Safari seem to be stealing away most of the users. Since July, their shares have jumped by 5.36 and 2.19 percent, respectively.

Windows Phone 7 App of the Week: TouchStudio

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 11:23 AM PDT

Many of the tools, features, and fundamental building blocks in Microsoft applications were originally developed by the dark wizards at Microsoft Research. From little things we take for granted like Windows Desktop Gadgets to the high end Microsoft Surface platform, Microsoft Research has their work spread through the entire Microsoft catalog of products. Windows Phone 7 has the fingerprints of Microsoft Research strewn throughout the OS, most notably showcased by the text prediction within the superb software keyboard.

TouchStudio is a scripting tool from Microsoft Research that provides a scripting environment on your Windows Phone. Now in version 1.2, TouchStudio comes pre-packaged with a number of scripts offering a variety of functions. All of these scripts can be broken apart and tweaked to your heart's content, allowing you to fully customize their functionality. Access to all manner of sensors and data types are available allowing you to accomplish anything from searching the music on your phone to measuring the inclination of your device.

The only downside to TouchStudio I can see is the requirement to launch each script from within the tool. Hopefully once Mango (the next major update to Windows Phone) is released this fall we will get support for adding tiles to the home screen.

As TouchStudio is a free download from the Zune Marketplace, there is no reason to hesitate. Give it a go today.

Only 3 Banks Fund The Majority Of Spammers

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 11:19 AM PDT

We here at Maximum PC love credit cards, cheap pharmaceuticals and nude celebs just as much as the next guy, we just don't like spam – or the suggestion of inferiority that its "Make (insert body part here) bigger!" offers hint at. Numbers indicate that spam makes up the majority of all emails sent worldwide, and email providers spend a ton of time and money combating spam so that we don't have to. A recent report offers new insight on how to hit spammers where it hurts – their wallets.

Ars Technica is reporting that a group of researchers from the University of California-San Diego, the University of California-Berkeley, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics sifted through over one billion spam URLs, and continued clicking on each page until they were prompted to buy a product. Their findings? Only 45 advertising affiliates were responsible for all the trash. They then made 120 purchases; the credit companies OK'd 76 transactions. The spammers then processed 56 of the orders and sent out products for 49 of them.

So what did the researchers find other than the fact that approximately 14 percent of spam transactions result in paying money for nothing? One very interesting tidbit; just three banks were responsible for 95 percent of all the authorized transactions. Azerigazbank in Azerbaijan, St Kitts & Nevis Anguilla National Bank in St Kitts &Nevis, and DnB Nord in Latvia were revealed as the primary money-men behind the spam scene.

We're glass-half-full types, so we look at the numbers optimistically; most banks won't deal with spammers. Too bad about those other three.

Mac Defender Bites Back 8 Hours After Apple Update

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:39 AM PDT

Let's pretend that rather than being a massively successful technology company, Apple was actually, you know, an apple. The bright, shiny red kind the old lady down the street hands out on Halloween. It looks really delicious on the outside, but deep down inside, there's a terrible secret lurking. If Apple is an apple, Mac Defender is its hidden razor. And not even half a day after Apple finally stopped twiddling its thumbs and released a patch to combat the malware, Mac Defender's authors released a new version that's already bypassing the new protections.

Apple released Security Update 2011-003 yesterday, and Ed Bott at ZDNet reports the new Mac Defender variation showed up at 9:24 P.M. Pacific time – less than eight hours after the patch. Bott says the newest variation comes with a different name, Mdinstall.pkg, but works the same as before; it still manages to install without the user ever having to put in their administrative password. And so the vicious cycle continues.

On the plus side, the new File Quarantine definitions supplied by the patch definitely halts the older version of Mac Defender in its tracks. File Quarantine pops when the program tries to install, clearly informing the user of its malicious intent and asking permission to move it to the trash. It's an effective fix; too bad it only worked for one afternoon.

NZXT H2 Review

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:21 AM PDT

Simple, affordable, quiet

NZXT's H2 is a simple-looking case—in fact, simplicity seems to be the overall theme—and that's not necessarily a bad thing. In the world of PC building, simple can be good.

The H2 is an ATX mid-tower, constructed of sturdy steel. The side panels (which lack windows or adornment of any kind) are lined with acoustic-dampening foam to keep your hardware quiet. It works well for the most part. We had the case running three fans, and the addition of the side and front panels made the case noticeably quieter.

The NZXT H2 has a very simple and, dare we say, classy design.

The 8.5x18.3x20.5-inch chassis comes stock with a 12cm exhaust fan and two front-mounted 12cm intake fans, which are latched into the front of the case and use electrical contact points to connect with the fan power and control switch at the top of the chassis.

Eight toolless hard drive bays are accessed by removing one or both front intake fans, and the hard drive trays slide forward out of the front of the case. The front panel features snap-off bezels over the three 5.25-inch bays for easy and toolless optical drive installation.

The inside of the H2 is workable, though it felt a bit cramped for a mid-size case. Thanks to the way the hard drive bays are designed, long videocards, such as the Radeon HD 5970, can fit in the case, though you'll need to remove one or two hard drive trays to accommodate the longest cards. The three grommeted cutouts for internal case wiring are a cool addition, though they can be slightly difficult to access due to the confined space, and the rubber grommets tend to fall out of the cutouts easily.

Not impossible to build into by any means, but a little more cramped than we like.

Up top, the H2 doesn't disappoint, featuring a drop-down SATA dock, the standard audio inputs, three USB 2.0 inputs, and a single USB 3.0 input, as well as power and reset buttons. The USB 3.0 port uses a pass-through that will work with many boards but is unsightly compared to the few cases we've tested that are now using the new internal USB 3.0 header spec. There's also a nifty three-speed fan-control switch. The H2 accommodates an additional 12cm top fan behind the SATA dock. The case doesn't come with the fan, but it's nice to have the option. If you don't want to utilize the fan port, it can be covered with a magnetic fan cover that comes with the case.

Ultimately, the H2 is a simple but solid case made more appealing by its super-low price tag. At just 100 bucks, you're getting a sturdy chassis with USB 3.0, a drop-down SATA dock, and an innovative fan configuration. Minor inclusions, like a slide-out dust filter below your PSU, and the aforementioned sound-dampening foam, are awesome additions for a case at the H2's price point—the Fractal Define R3, reviewed in the February issue, offered similar features but lacked USB 3.0 ports and fan control, and cost 10 bucks more.

$100, www.nzxt.com

MMO News

MMO News


Koramgame announces Indomitus

Posted: 31 May 2011 06:15 PM PDT

Koramgame, publisher of Call of Gods, has announced their next game, Indomitus.

Indomitus is an MMORTS based on the barbarian tribes of ancient Europe. Eight tribes (Frankish, Gothic, Gaelic, Hunnic, Vandal, Saxon, Viking, and Byzantine) will be available for choice, and players will have to fight against the Roman Empire and each other.

No beta or release dates have been announced for the game yet.

indomitus-warrior-art


Source:

Indomitus is coming, are you ready?

The release of Koramgame's newest free-to-play MMORTS, Indomitus, is looming on the horizon. Indomitus promises to stand out from the monotony of countless medieval and Roman themed browser games on the market. In addition to groundbreaking and epic MMORTS game play, Indomitus also offers an exciting, fresh new world for players to experience. Based on the barbarian invasions of ancient Europe, this savage and war-torn world is the perfect stage for the epic battles that await you.

In Indomitus, you will relive the wars and struggles of the barbarian tribes that have been forgotten by history. For centuries, the Roman Empire used all its might to push these tribes back to the dark, uncivilized corners of the world. Faced with the overwhelming Roman legions, tribe chieftains were forced to retreat ever further into the hinterlands of Europe and be forgotten. Corruption and political conflict have exposed chinks in the Roman defenses, and the barbarian tribes are ready for vengeance. Eight different tribes are preparing for the ultimate war of domination, and the fate of Europe hangs in the balance. Frankish, Gothic, Gaelic, Hunnic, Vandal, Saxon, Viking, and Byzantine tribes will struggle until only one remains standing. Only you can decide which tribe prevails.

In the twilight of Roman hegemony, the dawn of a new age of barbarians and warlords is at hand. It is your job to lead your barbarian tribe out of ignominy and unify all of Europe under your command. You will need to work together with thousands of teammates to capture enemy cities and expand your growing empire. The war will be savage and relentless as you wage city sieges with up to a thousand other players in a single battle and execute massive military strategies. Indomitus is coming, are you ready?

Excited about Indomitus? Keep an eye out for another gameplay and core content update next week!

Land of Chaos Online introduces Lacrimosa

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:29 PM PDT

Lacrimosa, the latest character to become playable in Land of Chaos Online, is now available.

Lacrimosa is one of the last remaining succubi of her kind, and has set out to get revenge on Nosferatu for destroying her family. Her stats are focused in DEX, INT, WIS, and MP.

Lords of Chaos Online is published by Alaplaya (burda:ic), which also publishes Avalon Heroes, S4 League, and Argo Online.

land_of_chaos_online_lacrimosa_screenshot_02

Land of Chaos Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

burda:ic, a leading publisher of online games worldwide, today introduced a brand-new character to RTS Action MMO LOCO – Land of Chaos Online: the sultry succubus Lacrimosa. Players who want to start luring opponents into Lacrimosa's dainty-yet-demonic clutches today can enter the battle-torn world of LOCO at http://loco.alaplaya.net/.

Succubi are known for their ability to enter dreams and turn pleasant visions into nightmares, sparking fear in a dreamer and siphoning the fear to enhance their power. Born from the corruption of the Apostles of Heaven, the humans of Hellia have feared the succubi in their region for centuries, but this all changed when Nosferatu destroyed the last of the demonic clan over 200 years ago. Since the supposed succubi extinction, humans have regarded the supernatural beings as nothing more than fables.

One member of the succubus clan, however, managed to escape Nosferatu's deadly rampage. Hiding away from the onslaught, Lacrimosa witnessed her entire family being slaughtered at the hands of the rival vampire and now, years later, she is exacting her revenge. After experimenting on countless animals and humans, Lacrimosa successfully created a powerful ally to assist her vengeful death wish but was betrayed by her creation when it escaped and told Nosferatu of Lacrimosa's whereabouts. After barely escaping a second attack by Nosferatu, Lacrimosa is now determined to finish the job herself and has entered the Land of Chaos to put an end to Nosferatu once and for all.

To learn more about Lacrimosa, check out the "Character Journal" at http://loco.alaplaya.net/pages/loco_book_character

To learn more about the battle-filled world of LOCO – Land of Chaos Online, visit the official site at: http://loco.alaplaya.net/

League of Legends Gameplay Video #2

Posted: 31 May 2011 04:38 PM PDT

To Learn More About the Game, Check out our League of Legends Page.

League of Legends is a 3D multiplayer online battle arena MMO published by Riot Games. Gameplay wise it is remarkably similar to Warcraft III’s enormously popular custom game ‘Defense of the Ancients (DotA)’ as well as S2 Game’s Heroes of Newerth. The video above is a full match with commentary (Heads up, it’s a cool 50+ mins). Other games similar to League of Legends include Avalon Heroes and Realm of the Titans. The game has an enormous amount of variety there are over 70 playable heroes with many more in development. In addition, players can further ‘customize’ their characters through the game’s ‘mastery’ system. Anyone who has played and enjoyed DotA will almost certainly love League of Legends, as the game offers much more than it’s Warcraft III counterpart. In the videos above, I simply joined a game and played through it, ending with a not-so-goo score. To learn more about League of Legends check out the official MMOHut League of Legends page, which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Karma Online announces June closed beta

Posted: 31 May 2011 03:36 PM PDT

Joymax has announced that Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead will launch its closed beta on June 7. The beta will run until June 21.

The client is available for download as of today for those who want to get a head start on downloading and installing the game. Players who register and log in during the closed beta can also have a chance to win the Golden VT40 Bayonet.

Joymax also publishes Silkroad Online.

karma-online-pod-screen

Karma Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

KARMA ONLINE: PRISONERS OF THE DEAD LOCKS ONTO CLOSED BETA TEST DATE

With The Launch of The Official Closed Beta Homepage Today, Players Should Prepare To Get Zombie-Proofed For Closed Beta Starting June 7th

Seoul, Korea, May 31, 2011 – Joymax, a leading online game developer and publisher, announced today that Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead will open fire June 7thwhen its closed beta begins.  Those wanting to jump right into the game can download the client starting today by visiting the Karma Online: POD official website at http://www.joymax.com/karma/ so they can avoid the rush and be ready to play first thing on June 7th.

“We plan on a short but fruitful closed beta, and definitely look forward to player feedback,” said Joymax CEO, Nam-chul Kim. “It is a rare opportunity for FPS fans to dive into our complex system as they bond over taking out enemies and zombies and hopefully build strong relationships that will turn into clans as we lead into Open Beta and launch!”

The closed beta will run from June 7th to June 21st, so players will have a two full weeks to enjoy blasting both their opposing faction’s players as well as hordes of zombies waiting to prey on the weakest member of any team.  Players can use this time to experiment with different skill builds and weapons before deciding on a final set for open beta and beyond!

For a limited time, players who register with the Joymax portal at http://www.joymax.com/portal/ and log in to the KARMA beta will receive a weapons bonus for the Closed Beta Testing phase, the much-coveted Golden VT40 Bayonet, a knife that will slice even the most obstinate enemy.  Simply register and log in during the beta period to be awarded the bonus content.

Developed in conjunction with Dragonfly, and published by Joymax, KARMA
Online: Prisoners of the Dead is the newest installment in the KARMA Online series, the top online first-person shooter series in Korea.
Players go back in time to World War II, where they must choose to side with the Axis or Allied powers and join the fight for global victory – with a zombie twist.  In this virtual and historical simulation, players will be up against enemy troops as well as hundreds of the walking dead from the remains of the catastrophic battle.

To become a fan of Karma Online: Prisoners of the Dead, players can
visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/KarmaPOD or
http://twitter.com/karmapod and http://www.youtube.com/user/KarmaPOD
.  Players should also keep an eye on the Facebook and Twitter pages for download mirror options for the closed beta client.

Western patch arrives in Cross Fire

Posted: 31 May 2011 11:36 AM PDT

A new western-themed patch has been released for Z8Game’s Cross Fire.

The update adds a new elimination map, Tombstone, which features a deserted desert town. New weapons are the Rose Combat Axe, Rose Grenade, FR-F2, and Blue Smoke; along with the new Operation Set items that include Helmet A-Type, Protection Goggles, Radio Backpack, and a Compact Radio. The update also adds a new in-game messenger system.

cross-fire-dead.jpg

Cross Fire Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

CROSS FIRE KICKS THINGS UP A NOTCH WITH A WESTERN THEMED CONTENT UPDATE

Now Live, The Update Features New Weapons, A New “Tombstone” Map And A Whole Lot More

Toronto, CANADA – May 31, 2011 -G4Box Inc., a North American publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment media announced today it has launched its latest monthly content update for its online military shooter, Cross Fire.  The new patch is Western themed and offers an all-new elimination mode map, new in-game messenger system, new weapons and character items and new Cross Fire ribbons.  Players can experience all the fun at http://crossfire.z8games.com/ The new patch includes the following features:

.New Elimination Map – Tombstone
In dry, deserted desert town players must fight to be the last team standing in this dusty elimination map.  Players can pick up weapons at the start of the game and fight until ultimately one team is left standing in the dust.

.New Weapons – Rose Axe
This axe variant is more than just a thorn in your enemy’s side!  New weapons include: Rose Combat Axe (Knife) (ZP Rose Crate), Rose Grenade (ZP Rose Crate), FR-F2 (Sniper) (ZP FR-F2 Crate); Blue Smoke (GP)

.New Items – Operation Set
Available only to players of higher levels, these new items give players extra experience and a sleek new look.  Operation Set items include Helmet A-Type, Protection Goggles, Radio Backpack and Compact Radio.

.New In-Game Messenger System
Players can send a limited number of messages to communicate with their friends and clan-mates to organize matches and correspond.

“This fun western-themed patch features a massive amount of cool new content from weapons to maps, items and more,” said Jason Yang, CEO of G4Box Inc. “Cross Fire players are already burning up the forums talking about all the fun new content.”

Cross Fire is a free online military first-person shooter for Windows PCs. Players assume the role of either a Black List or Global Risk operative and compete in various modes of play including Team Death Match, the Mutant infested Mutation Mode, attack and defend Escape Mode, and the exclusive stealth-action Ghost Mode. Cross Fire includes a military ranking system, in-game friends lists, an integrated clan system, deep character customization options and social media integration via the Cross Fire website. Cross Fire is part of the Z8Games platform of free-to-play games.

Cross Fire is free-to-download-and-play. Visit the Cross Fire homepage
at: http://crossfire.z8games.com
For more information about G4BOX visit www.g4box.com.  For more information about the Z8Games lineup of games please visit www.z8games.com.

BlackShot releases Second World War update

Posted: 31 May 2011 11:06 AM PDT

BlackShot Europe has released its latest update, The Second World War.

The update adds new realism to characters, a new multi-weapon system where players can choose their weapons mid-battle, and new items from the World War II era. From June 2 through June 5, players will also get boosts to experience and points, as well as be able to find vouchers in-game for great new items.

BlackShot is published by TwoWar.

blackshot-graphic

BlackShot Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

BlackShot Europe: The Second World War Release


eFusion MMOG has announced that their latest game update for BlackShot Europe "The Second World War" has been officially released.

The update provides special items to let players experience the Second World War's atmosphere
and new exciting features. New, more realistic characters and a brand new multi-weapon-system, granting players
more versatility and flexibility in choosing their weapons, are available.
Moreover, eFusion MMOG will drop vouchers in-game, containing great items to enjoy the new features and content
in addition to a boost in experience and points for every player from June 2nd until 5th.


Perfect World signs agreement to acquire Cryptic

Posted: 30 May 2011 10:06 PM PDT

A new announcement has been released that Perfect World Entertainment, publisher of Perfect World, Jade Dynasty, Battle of the Immortals, Heroes of Three Kingdoms, and Forsaken World, has entered an agreement to acquire Cryptic Studios, publisher of Champions Online and Star Trek Online, from its parent company, Atari.

The deal hasn’t closed yet, but this leaves an interesting opening for Cryptic Studios to continue to produce free-to-play MMOs with Perfect World’s guidance. It may also mean that Star Trek Online may transition to free-to-play as well, assuming the acquisition goes through without problems.

champions-online-super-heroes

Champions Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Perfect World and Atari Announce Agreement for the Acquisition of Cryptic Studios

BEIJING, May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Perfect World Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: PWRD) (“Perfect World”), a leading online game developer and operator based in China, and Atari, S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris: ATA) (“Atari”), today announced that they have entered into an agreement whereby Perfect World would acquire 100% equity interest in Cryptic Studios, Inc. (“Cryptic Studios”), a California-based online game developer from Atari, the sole shareholder of Cryptic Studios. Under the stock purchase agreement, Perfect World will pay an aggregate purchase price of approximately EUR35.0 million in cash, subject to working capital and other adjustments as provided in the agreement. The consummation of the transactions contemplated in the agreement is subject to satisfaction of closing conditions.

“We are very pleased to sign the agreement to acquire Cryptic Studios,” commented Mr. Michael Chi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Perfect World. “This strategic acquisition will add attractive game titles to our portfolio, which will help us further penetrate into the U.S. and global online game markets.  More importantly, Cryptic Studios’ highly reputable development team and its technology platform will further strengthen our well-established R&D capabilities.  We deem this as another noteworthy achievement of our global expansion efforts.”

“With the acquisition by Perfect World, Cryptic has found a strong platform for continued expansion into free to play business model and growth in the global marketplace,” said Jim Wilson, CEO of Atari. “The divestiture of Cryptic is in line with Atari’s continued focus on key owned and third-party strategic franchises and expansion into emerging game platforms.”

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Get your Steampunk on with a free City of Heroes booster pack from Massively!

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:30 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , ,

The newest booster pack from City of Heroes arrives in the NCsoft store today, sending steampunk fans into a Victorian-style tizzy.

If you are one of those fans, we've got a little something to make both your character and your wallet very happy: free Steampunk Packs! The packs include new auras and emotes, more than 60 new costume pieces, and Steam Jump travel tower -- essentially a Victorian-style jetpack.

With so many new toys, the options seem endless, so we're going to ask you to get creative. We've got 15 of these packs to give away, and all you have to do to enter is leave a comment telling us what sort of steampunk ensemble you'll put together for your character. Will she or he make use of a few handy accessories or go full-on, head-to-toe steampunk? Will you roll a new character to fit the look from the ground up or revamp a current one? Will your toon play in-character with his or her look or just enjoy the accessories?

Tell us your plans for this pack before noon EDT tomorrow, June 2nd, and we'll draw 15 of the best ideas to win one of these packs. Make sure you check our contest rules and watch the video below for another look at what's in the pack. Good luck!

OFFICIAL RULES

Continue reading Get your Steampunk on with a free City of Heroes booster pack from Massively!

MassivelyGet your Steampunk on with a free City of Heroes booster pack from Massively! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mad Catz creates new studio to make flight sim MMOs

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , ,

In 2012, you will know that an angry feline can fly! Or so hopes Mad Catz Interactive, which has just announced the formation of an internal studio dedicated to making MMO flight simulators. Dubbed "ThunderHawk Studios," this new team is already hard at work on a title slated for next year.

Mad Catz President Darren Richardson sees this as another step on the road to gaming greatness: "The addition of flight simulation games should leverage the market share leadership and global distribution enjoyed by our flight simulation hardware products. The formation of ThunderHawk Studios is an important milestone as we pursue our longer term goal of expanding our participation in developing, publishing and distributing games."

Mad Catz is well-known for developing gaming peripherals and other interface hardware for titles like Modern Warfare 2 and Street Fighter IV.

MassivelyMad Catz creates new studio to make flight sim MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Frogster hints at expansive new TERA update

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , ,

TERA's Korean client is getting a big update, and the game's European publisher has issued a press release that details quite a few changes coming to the action fantasy MMORPG. Frogster's press release doesn't mention a date, nor does it mention why the EU publisher is reporting on the Korean client of a title that has yet to launch in Europe (nor why En Masse, the North American publisher, is silent).

In terms of the update itself, it boasts a level cap increase from 50 to 58, 10 new zones, a large new city, and four new dungeons. Guild masters may also declare war on opposing guilds and ignite no-holds barred conflicts that last for seven days, and there's also an interesting new skill customization feature that allows for players to choose which abilities to connect via combos. You can learn more about TERA at the game's official website.

MassivelyFrogster hints at expansive new TERA update originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Perfect World releases Rusty Hearts E3 trailer

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

We've known for a couple of weeks that Perfect World Entertainment's anime-infused Rusty Hearts MMO is coming to this year's E3. Now we've got video evidence, as PWE has released a new trailer showing off two of the game's spikey-haired warriors and ample evidence of the title's action-centric nature.

PWE describes Rusty Hearts as its ultimate hack 'n' slash dungeon crawler, and after seeing the manga-inspired trailer we're... unsure what to make of the title thus far. Gameplay footage is pretty scarce, but there's atmosphere in spades (along with English voice dubs and an electric guitar-driven soundtrack). We do know that players will take control of pre-existing mercenary characters for both dungeon-crawling excursions and PvP arena battles.

Stay tuned to our E3 coverage next week for more info, and while you're waiting, check out the trailer after the cut.

Continue reading Perfect World releases Rusty Hearts E3 trailer

MassivelyPerfect World releases Rusty Hearts E3 trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Richard Garriott's Portalarium project gets more funding

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 08:30 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

Portalarium, the social networking startup founded by Richard "Lord British" Garriott, is picking up a bit of momentum thanks to a round of new funding. London-based m8 has contributed an undisclosed amount of capital to Garriott's Austin, Texas studio, which thus far has published two Facebook gambling games (Port Casino Poker and Port Casino Blackjack).

Total funding for Portalarium stands at $3.6 million, and the company plans to release CenterPort sometime in 2012. CenterPort is a graphically advanced social networking app that "will be the virtual world social hub for the OpenLife ecosystem, a broad yet fully integrated meta-community" according to the studio's website.

Garriott, most famous for his seminal Ultima series which culminated in the release of Ultima Online in 1997, launched Portalarium in September 2009.

MassivelyRichard Garriott's Portalarium project gets more funding originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Age of Empires Online launching August 16th

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

There are just a couple of months yet until you can conquer the world from the comfort of your bedroom, but that's no excuse to let your hygiene slip. Microsoft Game Studios announced that Age of Empires Online will be released on August 16th with two initial civilizations: the Greeks and Egyptians.

As the latest in the long-running civilization sim franchise, Age of Empires Online will allow players to build up persistent towns, establish trade between other players, work on crafting and quests, and even go to war when needed.

While the initial core gameplay will be available for free, Microsoft hopes that players will get so hooked that they'll gladly purchase Age of Empires Online "Premium Content Packs" to enhance their experience. These packs will include new civilizations and game modes. 1UP reports that in addition to the typical digital download, Microsoft will be shipping out retail boxes in order to snag a larger audience -- although these boxes will merely contain instructions how to download the game.

MassivelyAge of Empires Online launching August 16th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bigpoint unleashes new Mummy Online site and trailer

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , ,

It's been almost a year since Bigpoint announced The Mummy Online, and we were starting to suspect that the project had been sealed back up in a tomb... forever. We even listed it as one of our top MMOs that went MIA in 2010. But it turns out that Bigpoint was just running quiet as it whipped up a whole new site and trailer for us to enjoy.

The Mummy Online is a continuation of the hit film series, which seeks to meld high adventure with historical horror. Bigpoint's Arash Amini feels that there's a lot of material for the team to mine: "Working with such a rich franchise not only enables us to leverage an incredible story; it also lends itself to further exploration and development perfectly suited for an online game that can evolve over time."

This free-to-play browser title is set at the southern tip of the Nile, where tombs, burial grounds, oases, and ruins wait for the intrepid grave robber. It looks to have fast-paced action (with guns!) in a 3-D isometric viewpoint. Bigpoint's hoping to get The Mummy Online to release by this fall, but in the meantime you can check out the lore and screenshots on the official site as well as the teaser trailer below.

Continue reading Bigpoint unleashes new Mummy Online site and trailer

MassivelyBigpoint unleashes new Mummy Online site and trailer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: Has an MMO made you sentimental?

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

It's a fact of life around the Massively offices that one can often find members of the staff engaging in sentimental gestures from time to time. Whether it be Shawn singing softly to his Tabula Rasa box or Larry lighting a candle to hold vigil for Darth Vader, we are no strangers to the pull of nostalgia and fond attachments.

So we totally understand that MMOs can make one quite sentimental from time to time. I was reminded of this while reading a recent post at Contains Moderate Peril, where the author took part of a final parade across Lord of the Rings Online in Europe before the service was transferred from Codemasters to Turbine.

While end-of-the-world events are often steeped in sentimentality, they don't have to be the only times where such expressions emerge. Has an MMO ever made you sentimental, and if so, will you share with the rest of the class? It's OK, we won't share it with your significant other, promise.

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Has an MMO made you sentimental? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Black Panther prowls into Super Hero Squad Online

Posted: 31 May 2011 07:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

Roar! Black Panther leaps into Super Hero Squad Online with a set of new screenshots and a new trailer. So if you'd prefer the agile, cat-like martial arts of the King of Wakanda over the brute-force style of Gladiator Hulk, you're in luck. Players can hop into the shoes of T'Challa and show their claws starting now!

Black Panther joins the other recent additions to SHSO, standing toe-to-toe with Thor and Gladiator Hulk in the newly introduced Asgard. For the new screenshots of everyone's favorite African ruler/super-hero, you can check out the SHSO gallery below. After you're done ogling, jump past the cut for Black Panther's new trailer.

Continue reading Black Panther prowls into Super Hero Squad Online

MassivelyBlack Panther prowls into Super Hero Squad Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Game Archaeologist sees The Shadow of Yserbius

Posted: 31 May 2011 06:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

Really, I blame my parents for not being filthy rich. If they were, we could've afforded the $130/month unlimited subscription fee to the ImagiNation Network (INN) back in the early '90s. Just think! All of the gaming, the socializing, and the roleplaying that you could handle -- for such a low price! I mean, sure, there were hourly options, but who'd want to play for a mere five hours a month?

So instead of becoming part of a growing online community, I had to be content with my SNES and copy of Chrono Trigger -- hard times, indeed. Sometimes I think how my life would've been different if we had subscribed to Sierra's colorful online world, because I would've had a chance to get in on one of the first graphical MMOs: The Shadow of Yserbius.

It was a step forward in graphic quality from the text-only MUDs of the day but perhaps a step backward from the complexity that many MUDs brought to the table. Still, for a few shining years, it entranced thousands who lined up to delve dungeons deeply alongside their friends (and a couple of complete strangers with odor disorders).

Today we're going to take a quick peek at one of the first MMOs that stepped into the realm of lush color and animations and see what made The Shadow of Yserbius so enduring.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist sees The Shadow of Yserbius

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist sees The Shadow of Yserbius originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Order & Chaos Online rakes in $1 million in first 20 days

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:30 PM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

Gameloft's iOS MMORPG Order and Chaos is reporting gains of over $1 million in revenue during its first 20 days of availability. The game itself has drawn many comparisons to World of Warcraft (even by our own Beau Hindman) but brings the genre to iOS-enabled devices for added mobility. Order & Chaos runs on a subscription model, with three months included in the $6.99 application purchase cost.

Gameloft's senior VP of publishing Gonzague de Vallois is clearly content with the game's success. "We are pleased to know that our customers have embraced our innovative business model, and we are anxious to further enrich the gaming experience with this first update, which is eagerly anticipated by our fans," he says. The aforementioned update is said to include new quest content and server transfer services, amongst other features. The game is available on the Apple Store, and more information can be found on the official forums.

MassivelyOrder & Chaos Online rakes in $1 million in first 20 days originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: The hybrid

Posted: 31 May 2011 05:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

As many of you know, BioWare revealed the Trooper progression video for last week's Friday update. This surprised me because I was expecting a light update -- after all, E3 is next week, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to have a major presence at the expo. During the video, we witnessed many of the different Trooper abilities. The AoE of the gatling-like blaster, the heals from remote droids, the root from the carbonite grenade, and all the other abilities attest to the range of roles the Trooper can play in a group.

The Trooper is not the only class that can possibly fill every role of the group dynamic. In fact, we know four of the eight classes have the choice of being full DPS, healer, or tank: Trooper, Consular, Bounty Hunter, and Inquisitor. There is much debate on what this means for group dynamics and boss fights as well. Although most of the community would agree that having these hybrid classes isn't going to stop anyone from buying or playing the game, they might have an impact on the staying power of the MMO.

For me, it boils down to a couple of different schools of thought. On the Galactic Underground, an internet radio show, the hosts and the IRC audience spoke about the differences between a hard and soft trinity gameplay and which they preferred. For me, how the hybrid works depends on whether the game is set up with a hard or soft trinity. The definition of hard and soft trinity is a bit subjective. After the break, I will outline what I mean by hard and soft trinity and detail how I think the hybrid classes fit in Star Wars: The Old Republic...

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: The hybrid

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: The hybrid originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Age of Conan merging U.S. servers today, EU tomorrow

Posted: 31 May 2011 04:30 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , ,

It's server merge time in Hyboria. Age of Conan's launcher indicates that the U.S. servers are offline for up to 24 hours while the American PvP shards (Cimmeria and Tyranny) are consolidated. Tomorrow will see the European servers undergo a similar process, with Crom, Hyrkania, and Ishtar merging into a single PvE mashup and Fury, Aquilonia, and Stygia joining forces as the remaining PvP shard.

Funcom has thrown up a server merge FAQ for your reading pleasure during the downtime, and in it you'll find details on everything from duplicate character names to duplicate guild names to the fate of guild-controlled battlekeeps. "Since build spots for battlekeeps are limited on each server, all build spots will be cleared and guilds will be reimbursed the resources for their battlekeep. This is to make sure that the guild gets the needed resources again and every guild gets the same chance," says the FAQ.

Read up on all the details at the official AoC forums.

MassivelyAge of Conan merging U.S. servers today, EU tomorrow originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Community Detective Issue #23: Perpetuum

Posted: 31 May 2011 04:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , ,

Welcome to the Perpetuum edition of Community Detective. Avatar Creations' mech-based sandbox MMORPG launched back in November, and despite being relatively new to the market, it has already had time to release a free expansion and a 15-day free trial as well as build itself a small but dedicated fanbase.

I spent the last couple of weeks tooling around the game's tutorials and early mission content as well as observing Perpetuum's community and customer service offerings. Due to the size of the community and the bare-bones approach to customer service, this week's issue of Community Detective departs from my standard data-centric format in favor of some general impressions. Join me after the cut to see what's happening on the planet Nia.

Continue reading Community Detective Issue #23: Perpetuum

MassivelyCommunity Detective Issue #23: Perpetuum originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EVE Online Incursion patch 1.6 is live

Posted: 31 May 2011 03:30 PM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

EVE Online's Incursion patch 1.6 has now been deployed! It's a small patch that brings a few bug fixes as well as the introduction of CarbonUI, the "new UI rendering framework." According to CCP, "CarbonUI is an evolution of the existing UI framework, with a completely new rendering layer." What does this mean for players? "[CarbonUI] gives the EVE UI designers and UI programmers a range of new possibilities for creating exciting user interfaces in EVE going forward." Check out more on this new addition to the game at the EVE Online dev blog.

The patch announcement article also notifies players about a known issue with T3 ships that players have previously viewed: "These ships have engaged their reverse thrusters causing them fly backwards. Clearing your cache will reset their on-board computer and cause them to fly in the correct direction again." Flying in the proper direction is often a very useful ability, so players are encouraged to take action immediately. For the full notes, as well as a link to the patch discussion thread, hit the full article on the official site.

MassivelyEVE Online Incursion patch 1.6 is live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fallen Earth gets cozy with GamersFirst [Updated]

Posted: 31 May 2011 03:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , ,

In a recent USTREAM announcement, the developers at Icarus studios explained that the post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth is on the move. GamersFirst, which is well-known for having purchased and resurrected third-person shooter MMO All Points Bulletin, is taking the sandbox MMO under its wing. The full video has not been posted as of yet, but we are prodding GamersFirst and Icarus for more information. Will this mean that Fallen Earth is moving to a free-to-play model? Or is GamersFirst just helping the indie studio gain industry exposure?

The Fallen Earth website is currently down and is due back online at 11 p.m. EDT. Hopefully, when the site comes back online everything will be revealed. Massively will stay on top of this story, and we will relay it all back to you as soon as more comes to light, so stay tuned!

[Update: As of 8 p.m. EDT, the Fallen Earth team is once again broadcasting live over USTREAM and answering questions about the game and the transition. We've also got the video from earlier in the day. Check out the embeds after the cut!]

Continue reading Fallen Earth gets cozy with GamersFirst [Updated]

MassivelyFallen Earth gets cozy with GamersFirst [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

One Shots: Flying the friendly skies

Posted: 31 May 2011 02:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , ,

Mount week continues on One Shots thanks to Ardwulf, who's been enjoying a griffin's-eye view of the world of Vanguard:
The fantastic Griffin mounts are still the most awesome flying mounts in any game I've seen, thanks in part to the beuatiful terrain you can fly over.
The developers of so many games have a great time with the mount system, letting their creativity shine and giving their quirky sense of humor free rein. This is the week to show off your greatest, funniest, or most hard-earned mount. Send us a screenshot at oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, and tell us a little about what your awesome ride is and how you came by it. We'll show it off here on One Shots for everyone to admire!

MassivelyOne Shots: Flying the friendly skies originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: Grinding skill instead of gear

Posted: 31 May 2011 01:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , ,

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

One of the most troubling things I see in gamers these days is their incessant pursuit of loot. If you happen to play World of Warcraft, you know that getting into a pick-up raid involves a lot of people waving around GearScore like it's an actual measurement of player ability. Ever tried to get into an Ultra-Max Security group in Global Agenda? I hope you've got top-quality token gear and are level 50 because the time you spent getting those things matters a lot more than actually having any sort of skills.

As a tournament fighting-game player, I take offense to this. You don't need to have an epic'd-out Chun Li to win in Street Fighter. In online games, gear is important, but it isn't the first thing you should be pursuing.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Grinding skill instead of gear

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Grinding skill instead of gear originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

EverQuest II game update 60 goes live today, adds new dungeons, raids, and more

Posted: 31 May 2011 12:30 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , ,

Perhaps one of the largest game updates in years hits EverQuest II today in the form of game update 60. The update brings a fairly large laundry-list of new content to the game. Notable additions are new level 90 dungeon and raid zones in the form of the Crystal Caverns (making its return from Velious in EverQuest) and the Fortress of Drunder, which itself holds three new group dungeons, a new x2 raid zone, and not just one (or two!) but three new x4 raid zones.

On top of those big chunks of endgame content, the update adds some new solo content and balance changes for EQII players. These include new shard-rewarding solo quests, new Othmir tradeskill quests, some sweeping changes to the Berserker class, and PvP mechanic changes.

An interesting bullet-point on the EQ2 Wire article is, "Was it Tested?" The article notes that, due to the fact that the two-and-a-half week testing window for the update coincided with a double experience week, many players rolled new characters rather than test the new high-end content. As a result, some of the high-level content, particularly the new group and raid dungeons, may not have been adequately tested. For the full details on this new game update, check out the full article.

MassivelyEverQuest II game update 60 goes live today, adds new dungeons, raids, and more originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Clear Skies 3 machinima undocks to excited EVE fans

Posted: 31 May 2011 12:00 PM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

Three years ago, the EVE Online community stood in awe of the incredible EVE machinima Clear Skies, directed by Ian Chisholm and written by Ian Chisholm and Richie Powles. Featuring a combination of space footage filmed in EVE and scenes inside ships composed using the source SDK (Not Garry's mod), the 40-minute masterpiece delivered an impressive blend of action, story and British humour. The film spawned a cult following both inside and outside the EVE community, going on to win the award for best long-format film at 2008's annual Machinima awards.

Fans cried out for more, and around a year later our patience was rewarded with Clear Skies II. It was somehow bigger, better and more polished than the first film, with a wide range of new voices and some old favourites making a return. We once again followed the adventures of captain John Rourke of the Minmatar battleship Clear Skies and loved every minute of it. The film was a huge hit with fans, but with the story wrapped up in a somewhat neat package and Ian expressing a desire to take a break from production, we weren't sure if a third film would ever see the light of day. Fans of the series were excited to find out this week that Clear Skies III has now officially undocked.

Skip past the cut to watch the Clear Skies III trailer and find out about the third film in this incredible series.

Continue reading Clear Skies 3 machinima undocks to excited EVE fans

MassivelyClear Skies 3 machinima undocks to excited EVE fans originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MMObility: Travians and socializing on any device

Posted: 31 May 2011 11:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

Last week I told you a little bit about Travians, a neat little mobile- and browser-based game brought to us by the same good people who brought us Travian. (Notice the singular title of Travian, the island-based MMORTS.) I was intrigued as soon as I saw it mainly because it looked like it was doing something different: creating a mostly non-combat experience that is so very rare in today's market. I had also a lot of experience with Travian before, and despite not enjoying some of the aspects of the game, I enjoyed playing with friends. I hoped that Travians would allow a player to insert a single avatar into the greater world of Travian islands, and that's sort of what you do.

If you have played The Sims before, you'll have a basic idea about the what you have to do in Travians. You must point your little person to the bathroom, aim him toward a food source, and even tuck him into bed. Your character won't die or wet the floor if you don't perform successfully, but he will lose some ability to gain experience and other points. If you have enjoyed a conversation while in an online game, found yourself crafting away an evening, or spent a great deal of time decorating your virtual home, you'll have a basic idea about the optional activities in Travians.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you more!

Continue reading MMObility: Travians and socializing on any device

MassivelyMMObility: Travians and socializing on any device originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Divorce Online highlights cases caused by "gaming addiction"

Posted: 31 May 2011 10:30 AM PDT

Filed under: , , ,

Divorce Online, a do-it-yourself website that facilitates the filing of separation proceedings sans lawyers, says that a significant percentage of its "unreasonable behavior" petitions stem from cases of gaming addiction.

The website highlights the fact that out of the 200 women who filed petitions between January and April of 2011, 15 percent featured complaints relating to spousal neglect in favor of titles like World of Warcraft and the Call of Duty series.

Despite the fact that gaming addiction is not currently considered an actual addiction by the medical community, Game Politics notes Divorce Online's use of author Ryan Van Cleave in its press release. "A lot of the problem spouses encounter with video game addiction is that the non-gamer doesn't appreciate that it's an addiction. This means it's not a choice to spend so much time in a virtual environment versus time with the spouse and family. It's a compulsion," he says.

MassivelyDivorce Online highlights cases caused by "gaming addiction" originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Total Pageviews

statcounter

View My Stats