General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Capcom Has Change of Heart, Majorly Tones Down Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition DRM

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 09:00 PM PDT

Now this is different. A major publisher decided to cement-shoe its game with practically paralyzing DRM and... no, no, that's not the different part. See, instead of sticking its fingers in its ears, closing its eyes, and blindly charging forward, Capcom actually paid attention to its fans. Other publishers take note: this is how it's done.

"The argument that legitimate users would have a worse experience than pirates was the loudest and most convincing. We certainly don't want that to be the case and that was never our intention," wrote Capcom's Christian Svensson on his blog.

"Shortly after launch (it might even be at launch, but we'll see how submission timing and approval goes) we will roll out a small title update that will completely remove the character limitations for offline mode. That is to say, once you've updated, you will be able to use all 39 characters when not connected to the Internet to practice your combo timings, have some fun with a friend on a laptop, or whatever while offline."

Granted, from the looks of things, you still won't be able to save progress in challenges or settings, but we're checking with Capcom just to be sure. At any rate, it's incredibly encouraging that Capcom heard fans loud and clear the second they piped up – instead of, you know, sweeping the issue under the rug for a solid year like a certain other publisher. So then, we'll definitely be supporting this one at launch – even in spite of the fact that we have the fighting game skills of a used Kleenex that's really bad at fighting games. 

Sony Restores All PSN and Qriocity Services, Error Messages Persist

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:06 PM PDT

psnAfter restoring gaming service for PSN recently, Sony has now started a full scale restoration of PSN and Qriocity services. The services should be back online in the Americas, Europe, and Asia today. Although, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea will have to wait a bit longer. The PlayStation store is already poised for return with a collection of new games and demos. But not all is going to plan.

The system seems to be working intermittently in many regions. Users are getting frequent error messages reading "80710D36" when accessing the PlayStation Store. We wouldn't be surprised if this was related to everyone grabbing those free games Sony is offering as an apology. Users will also be getting a free 1 month membership in PlayStation Plus.

On the plus side, more users than ever before know what PlayStation Plus and Qriosity are now. Are you going to be lining up for those freebies, or is your PS3 already on the auction block?

Groupon Files for $750 Million IPO, Still Not Making Money

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 02:42 PM PDT

grouponHot on the heels of the successful LinkedIn IPO, Groupon has filed its S-1 paperwork with the government to have a public offering of its own. The online purveyor of deals is looking to raise $750 million. Can Groupon's 83 million subscribers get it the cash it needs? Its profits certainly won't.

As part of the IPO process, a company has to lay out their financial so potential investors can see what they're getting into. Groupon actually lost $456 million last year, and then went on to lose a further $146 million in the first quarter of 2011. CEO Andrew Mason added a personal letter to the press release to explain why he thinks Groupon is a good investment.

The company has been investing heavily in acquiring new users, Mason said. It's about the long game for him. He continued more generally saying, "We don't measure ourselves in conventional ways." But will the market see it that way? Still, their user base is large, and a fair chunk of users have actually bought a Groupon deal. How do you think this will pan out?

Intel Ships 100 Million Atom Processors

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 12:52 PM PDT

Tech companies tend to get flashy at Computex. Want an example? Fractal froze a computer chassis in a giant block of ice using water from a Swedish river, then shipped the rig – still frozen – all the way to Taipei for the show, just because. Intel's not like that though. It's more of the strong, silent type, the kind of company that lets its numbers do the talking, rather than blocks of ice. Intel's numbers caused a stir at Computex when the company announced it had shipped more than 100 million Atom processors in the last three years.

Intel spent Computex pushing the Atom's versatility and the freedom of choice, at least when they weren't busy patting themselves on the back over the processor's success. Even though netbooks spurred Atom's growth, Intel's focus seems to have shifted to tablet PCs. The company several tablets running on the Atom on display, running a variety of different operating systems. One tablet could even boot into MeeGo, Android and Windows. We'd call that showing off, but the tablet wasn't encased in a shell of Swedish ice, so we're only mildly impressed.

Google Apps To Abandon (Slightly) Older Browsers

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 12:05 PM PDT

Google Apps are awesome. Google Docs is excellent for business and school work, Google Voice lets you check if strangers' refrigerators are running worldwide, and everyone and his one-eyed sister has a Gmail account. As it turns out, Google Apps is so full of unadulterated awesome that a lot of the older Web browsers on the market just can't keep up with all the HTML5 goodness. Rather than bend over backwards to support obsolete software, Google's kicking them to the curb.

"Older browsers just don't have the chops to provide you with the same high-quality experience," Venkat Panchapakesan, Google's VP of Engineering said in a blog post on Wednesday. The official deadline is August 1st; on that day, Google Apps is going to shove Firefox 3.5, Internet Explorer 7 and Safari 3 off the train, leaving the browsers tumbling in the dust as technology speeds by without them. After that, Panchapakesan reports that Google will only support the two most recent versions of the major browsers. When a new version is released, the third-oldest version will be be dropped.

In a nutshell: it's time to upgrade to Firefox 4 if you haven't already, and if you rely on the late-night mathematics of Gmail's beer goggles feature to keep you from drunk-emailing your boss and telling him how much you hate him in the wee hours of the morning, make sure to keep your browser up to date.

Microsoft's Windows 8 Management Angers Manufacturers

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 11:08 AM PDT

After Microsoft's unveiling of Windows 8 at the D9 conference yesterday, we were a little perplexed. One OS for both PCs and mobile devices? Don't manufacturers make hundreds of different variations with gajillions of different configurations for tablets and PCs? How's it going to work? Microsoft's answer: we'll rule the hardware manufacturers with an iron fist. Okay, that was a bit of a paraphrase, but not much of one if industry reports are any indication.

"From day one we've started engineering these systems with a much closer degree of hardware-software integration than ever, and that integration starts with manufacturing and continues all the way through to the final system configuration," ComputerWorld reports Michael Angiulo, the Microsoft vice president in charge of Windows planning, hardware and ecosystem, as saying yesterday.

Huh?

Acer's CEO, Jim Wong, sums it up differently. "They're really controlling the whole thing, the whole process," he told the crowds at Computex earlier this week, a day before the Wall Street Journal ran an article claiming that Microsoft told chip-makers Intel, AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments to select one hardware manufacturer apiece to work with on Windows tablet development, in order to speed up the process.

"The industry does not belong to Microsoft, and it does not belong to Intel," Wong said. "It belongs to all participants. They cannot make the decision for all of us. That is the problem." Limiting development to certain manufacturers can give those manufacturers a big edge in the ultra-competitive PC market.

We don't know whether it's good for Microsoft to keep Windows 8 close to the chest. Closed development certainly works for Apple, after all, and to be fair, it is their operating system. We can say one thing for certain: Jim Wong's pissed.

Never Forget Anything: 16 Ways to Record, Document and Archive Your Life

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 10:23 AM PDT

Even if you haven't split any atoms or won a reality TV show lately, your life is chock full of things that are important to your personal history. Diplomas, photographs, audio or video recordings, software, cameras, receipts and documents. The stuff that's left behind tells a story of your life. Don't you wish you had some personal memorabilia from your grandparents or your great-grandparents? You know, the normal day to day items that tell a tale of how they spent their time, their money, their vacations and fascinations, which items were important enough to keep, which just turned up randomly in a box. These things serve to make their descendants feel as if they are part of something bigger.  Just think of the ways in which we now catalog, record and archive our lives – Chrome's "Dear Sophie" commercial is a prime example of how modern technology has changed the ways in which we chronicle our lives.

What follows is our take on seventeen ways to get your life archived, in order, and ready to pass on to your kids/nieces/nephews, etc. We're pretty sure there are more than sixteen ways so let us know what we've missed in a comment after the article.

Get Your Stuff Together

After reading the whole article, you'll have an idea of the kinds of things that you've already got that would be a great archival legacy. Some of it is yours,  but other parts might have been supplied by your parents and other relatives. If you've got a box of 8mm film, old negatives, war medals, deeds, wedding certificates and so on, gather them all up and figure out how much work you've got ahead of you. Some families save every bit, bobby, part and parcel from the past while others have pretty slim pickings when it comes to memory bins. Collect what you can and ask around for the rest.  You have to start somewhere, right?

Write/Record/Film Your Own Recollections

When you've got all your items in one place, describe everything you know about each one. Where did it come from? Who had it before you? Tell every detail you can think of, enlisting other members of your family if needed. This will create a kind of family saga that you will add to with your own things. Write it out, tape it or record it on video. Do it now. We'll wait. OK, now we can begin the seventeen step process.

1. Scan Negatives

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For around $100.00, you should be able to pick up a scanner that will scan 35mm negatives and slides as well as full size pictures and documents. If you've got the negatives, scan those instead of the photos themselves, since photos will obviously deteriorate over time.  Canon, HP and Epson each make decent scanners. We've used the HP G4010 with great success. If you have 2 1/4 negs or larger, check out the HP G4050. The HP software works well to make sure you get a good image on average but you can adjust the settings for individual negatives that are under or over exposed.

Numbering the negative sleeves according to scheme you are using to save the images will help you organize the negatives for the future.  Itemize everything, save it all to multiple DVDs and remember to write down everything you know about each picture, most importantly the date the photo was taken as well as who is in each one.  HP has tips here and here for basic techniques. A resolution of 300 or 600 dpi is perfect for 35mm negatives.

2.  Convert 8MM Film to Digital

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If you've got some old home movies, you're in for some fun when you try to digitize them. Bonus points if you've got a projector! Transferring 8 or Super 8 film to digital video involves a good deal of trial and error. If you don't have a whole lot of material, you can project onto a small white piece of cardboard or your old screen, if you still have it. Use your camcorder to capture the image, checking the result on a monitor. What you will have to tweak is the shutter speed of either the film projector or your camcorder, if possible. Getting rid of the flicker is what it's all about.

If you've got lots of material, consider paying someone else to do it. Prices run up from around thirty cents a foot with volume discounts. You might be able to find a basic telecine unit at a thrift store or garage sale. These use a mirror to project the image onto a ground glass screen. Capturing the image from the screen results in a very bright and perfectly square image.  Again, DVD it with as much information as you can. Do a director's commentary by adding an audio track in your editing.

3. Transfer Data from Floppy Disks

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If you've been computing for a number of years, you're sure to have some of your memories on floppies. If you can print your words out, that's great. Scan the pages then use the basic OCR software that's usually included with scanners to read the printed pages. If you've been using PCs since the start, adding a disk drive to your current computer is easy. If you have a Mac in your past, check out Transmac which will read Mac disks on your PC. It's free to use for the first 15 days. If you have other disk formats, check out some of the conversion tools here.

None of these are free but you can try them to see if they can read your files before you buy them. If all else fails, search for support groups for your old computer type. The antique computer community is pretty good about helping people out.

4. Recover Audio from Vinyl Records

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Since vinyl records deteriorate with use, now is a good time to archive both your old and new LPs to digital. With a good turntable and Audacity this is a reasonably straightforward, though time consuming, experience. Pro-Ject and Stanton make good quality USB turntables for under $500 but if you're planning to use your older unit, remember that you need a preamp between the computer and your turntable. 

A quality receiver will work well in lieu of a standalone preamp. You'd use the 'tape out'  to feed directly to your computer. Make sure you ground the turntable to the receiver to eliminate any hum. Set up Audacity to use your line-in as a recording source and monitor the input on your computer speakers or stereo speakers. Make sure you have the correct .dll files for MP3 or AAC conversions. You can adjust the volume and remove some of the scratches in Audacity as well. 

Much has been written about tweaking LPs in Audacity but the main principle is to archive the best quality recording in a lossless format, FLAC for example. Then, if you have to convert the original recording for other uses later on, either for file size or compatibility, you can relax knowing your original is safe. We prefer FLAC which creates a substantially smaller file when compared to a standard WAV file.

5. Archive Your DNA

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There are companies that will create a pretty cool piece of wall art from a graphical representation of your very own DNA, DNA 11 being just one example (althought it'll cost you roughly $200 plus shipping). While you're at it, get a little box and put some of your own DNA sources in it. Hair roots, bits of skin, blood are all good sources for it. Yes, it's gross but your roots may be important to someone down the road. We can envision a DIY kit for DNA retrieval in the near future. The little box of you might become a science experiment for your grandchildren!

6. Sing the Body Electric

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If you've got a double jointed thumb or crooked front teeth, or some other unique physical aspect, take some photos and include a description.  Some of what you record is for fun (green eyes, for example) but you should also let your descendents know if you have any ailments which might affect them. A full medical history would be a great resource but, for now, write or record as much as you can about yourself and your ancestors. Include types of cancers, heart disease, anything that you know. When genetic profiling becomes more mainstream, this information will help your children's children's children. 

7. Convert V.H.S. and Beta

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If you've got family movies on any kind of video tape, start the transfer now, again - before the tape deteriorates. VCRs are disappearing rapidly, as are 8mm and VHS/VHS-C  video camcorders.  One of the quickest and best capture tools is the Diamond One Touch Video Capture unit (which goes for under $50.00).  All you need is the audio/video source and a USB port. Play the tape, record what you want and then edit it with the Ulead software that is included or DIVX/MKV it and make a data DVD. You can also output directly to DVD.  Remember to record dates, places, names and events in a text file that you burn to the DVD.  Once you're finished archiving, you can use the capture unit in lieu of a monitor for retro computing or analog game units, anything that has a composite or S-Video out.

 


 

8. Use Google maps to Plot Your Past

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Where you've lived is part of who you are. Use Google maps and streetview plus the screen capture key to make a record of the residences in your past. Save the jpegs along with dates and descriptions of each crib. Consider this your George-Washington-slept-here moment. Make a map of your common routes and pin point places along the way using Google Street View or Google Images to annotate. Commemorate the pub crawl where you met your wife, or leave the kids a fake map to buried treasure, there are a lot of fun options here.

9. Remember the Wonder Years

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Google maps works to document schools you've attended as well, but scans of report cards and pictures of uniforms or prizes won is striking gold. Remember to put names to faces in class photos as well as any memories you have of those good old days. If you have old school uniforms, hats or jackets, be sure to take pictures of them, too.

See if you can gather up old buddies to recreate old photos of you, or get everyone to write a letter with their favorite memory.

10. Create Your Own Video Autobiography

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Grab your camcorder and wander around your house making sure to highlight important fixtures or rooms as you go. Nothing is better than a live tour of your home, full of descriptions of rooms, additions and items that are memorable.

Once you're done, see if you can edit in some of the old video material that you've captured in previous steps. Take your time and use good camera technique. This will make all the difference for future viewers. Once you've done your own place, consider adding additional locations (with permission). Maybe head over to your relatives' houses and do the same with them. Make it a family event and you'd be surprised at how much fun it can be. Don't wait until you're missing a family member, do it now and reap the benefits of having them always nearby.

11. Make a Mix Tape (on DVD)

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While you've digitized your LPs in a previous step, why not make a DVD that has all of your favorite songs on it? If you can't find the song in your collection, use Freecorder to save it from YouTube or any other online source. Again, a text file which describes why these songs are important to you is a must.

Consider making a couple different playlists to create a chronologically accurate soundtrack to your life. Sure, it's a little High-Fidelity style uber-geekery, but can you imagine the impact photos would have with sound? Just think about looking at a photo of your parents in their heyday, and listening to their favorite tracks – it really puts a context and a feel to the moment.

12. Immortalize Your Work History

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If you've got pay stubs and employment records, scan them and add them to the collection. Details of your job, your wages, letters of recommendation (or…reprimand as it were) as well as addresses of where you worked would be interesting, too.  Some of your jobs may not be around in the future and your recollections will be very interesting for future generations. Throw in your old nametags, training manuals, local advertisements from the business, menus, etc.

13. Commemorate Cars, Bikes and Motorcycles

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Computers and cars are linked, somehow. Those of us who are hardware addicts tend to be car addicts, too. Even if you didn't think to take photos of the cars in your life, check the Internet for pics and save them with written notes about the details. How much did the car cost? What was the gas mileage? Did you name it? Take it to the drive in? Cross country road trip that only got as far as Arizona? Repair bills and mundane things like gas receipts and traffic tickets will make for interesting conversation later on….or maybe you don't want to tell that story about rear ending that cabbie to your kids. 

14. Extra! Extra! Preserve the News!

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Regardless about how you feel about the future of print, the fact remains that much of our local and national history has been captured on the front pages of newspapers. If you've got old newspapers from special days in your past, here's a link to the Smithsonian mag that gives you the tips you need as well as links to archival tissue and folders.

Much of the other material you collect will be on paper, too, so use these tips to preserve important and irreplaceable documents. Think marriage licenses, birth certificates, etc. Scanning all of these things is important, too. Don't forget to digitize as much as you can.

15. Family Tree

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There has been a resurgence in the last decade or so in creating family trees. With online services, such as Family Search, searching for long-lost relatives can be fun and rewarding. Check around to see if any of your relatives have done a family tree in the past then add to it or start your own. Depending on your background, you just might be able to trace your roots back several hundred years or more. Some countries, China for instance, have family records that go back more than five hundred years.

Scientists have recently been able to graph the spread of humanity using Y-chromosome or mitochondrial DNA, the former is from the father, the latter from the mom. Depending on the details you are interested in discovering, 23andMe will link you up to your genetic past for $99 and a year's subscription at $9 a month. You can get tips on your ancestry as well as your current health risks. Faces of America, on PBS, uses this company for tracing the roots of their guests. Fascinating stuff that will be an invaluable part of your archive.

16. Honor Military Service

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Whether or not you yourself have served in the armed forces, someone in your family almost certainly has. Now is the time to document that history with photos of the uniforms and mementos as well as detailed notes about bases where you or your relatives might have been stationed, countries visited, training, etc.

Creating memorial cases for flags and medals can be valuable time for you, surviving family members, as well as those who have been in the service of their country. Unfortunately, many of these items are still around but don't have any history with them. Often military personnel don't really like to talk about some parts of their past, or cannot. Convincing them to relive what bits and pieces of their service they're able to will go a long way to getting a more complete history of your family's military past. Do what you can, act with respect. Your future relatives will appreciate your efforts.

Final Thoughts

Going back through the past can be a rewarding experience for you and your family. Many of these collections would work well in a stand-alone Powerpoint presentation or a browseable html page. Here's an example of ultimate archiving.   We've given you some ideas but if we've missed something or if you know of a better way to do parts of this, let us know in a comment. We're open to suggestions, criticisms and, of course, praise! 
 

Use Mom's Netflix Login, Go Directly To Jail

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 10:19 AM PDT

Log on to your Mom's Netflix account, get thrown in jail. Sounds silly, right? Not if you live in Tennessee. State lawmakers just passed a bill that makes it illegal to use somebody else's login for a paid Internet service like Netflix or Rhapsody. Did your computer automatically sign in to your buddy's premium Pandora account because he was screwing around on your PC earlier? You just crossed The Man! Say hello to Big Bubba for us.

The measure's being tacked on to Tennessee's existing theft of services legislation, adding "entertainment subscription services" to the list of banned behaviors like stealing cable or gas, the Associated Press reports. The bill allows service providers who feel they're being ripped off to press charges against offending customers and freeloaders alike. The penalty, as it so often is with laws backed by the RIAA, drastically outweighs the crime. Stealing up to $500 worth of services can be punished with an absolutely ridiculous $2,500 fine and up to one year in jail. The penalties only increase from there. Sheer craziness.

Proponents of the bill, including the RIAA, say it was designed to go after college students who pass around their account information in bulk, "but its sponsors acknowledge it could be employed against people who use a friend's or relative's subscription," the AP reports. Awesome.

Browser Extension of the Week: exfm

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 10:10 AM PDT

There's nothing better than discovering music that moves you. Too bad we have to wade through so much crud to find that one aural gem that'll keep us bopping all week long. For those of us sick of  what mainstream joints Amazon or the iTunes Store have to offer, you're going to want to know about the awesomeness that is exfm, our Browser Extension of the Week.

exfm is a browser extension for Chrome that indexes every MP3 file you stumble across during your online adventures. Running in the background as you browse the web, the extension quietly builds a library of music for you to listen to.

Sounds cool, no? Well, it gets cooler. 

To keep that library of yours growing, exfm automatically checks back with pages you've visited previously, adding any new music it finds. If that's not enough for you, the extension also boasts integration with Tumblr, Facebook, Last.fm and Twitter so that you can source music from your friends and the other folks you follow, making for an awesome playlist full of some of the finest free music in the world today.

Throw some slick pre-loaded keyboard shortcuts into the mix, as well as an optional desktop notification every time a new song starts and you've got yourself a musical tour de force that set to go toe-to-toe with just about any other music streaming application on the market today.

Be sure to check back with us again next Thursday for another awesome Browser Extension of the Week.

Check Out iBuyPower's New Laser Case Engraving Service in Action

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 08:47 AM PDT

Do you stand up at the start or end of an intense virtual battle and yell out a battle cry to let other LAN party goers know you're the top dog? If so, you can immortalize your catchphrase on your computer case through iBuyPower's new laser engraving service, provided you're buying a system from the boutique system builder. Other options include customized graphics, or you can upload your own custom design to be etched on the side panel.

"Whether it's our flame scorched Chimera systems, modern Level 10 rigs, or the new Erebus flagship system, our commitment to building the best gaming computers possible extends beyond simply incorporating the latest and greatest components," said Darren Su, Vice President of iBuyPower. "Our computers look the part and the new engraving service provides our customers with truly personalized gaming systems."

Custom graphics need to be in black and white or grayscale and can be up to 1000x1000 pixels, or you can choose from one of five pre-rendered designs. Messages can up to 35 characters, enough to accommodate "Leeeeeeeroy Jenkins!"

The process, as shown above, runs $49 for a custom message and $99 for a custom graphic, whether you choose from one of iBuyPower's designs or upload your own.

MMO News

MMO News


The Chosen accepting closed beta registrations

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 03:13 PM PDT

Snail Games USA is preparing to launch its next MMORPG, The Chosen, and is now accepting applications for the game’s closed beta, which will begin on June 13.

The Chosen is based in Chinese mythology, and features five Dynasties for players to choose from – Qin, Han, Tang, Song, and Ming – along with six player classes – Sword, Blade, Bow, Flute, Fan, and Scroll. The game will feature several special systems including advanced equipment management, a hero skill tree system with over 160 skills, and a hierarchy and award system. The game will also offer pets and mounts.

Snail Games USA also publishes Heroes of Gaia and Ministry of War.

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The Chosen Concept Artwork

Source:

Snail Games USA today announced the start of closed beta registration for the upcoming North American release of its mythical MMORPG, The Chosen. Players can sign up now to get the first glimpse into a legendary ancient China, where The Chosen must return balance to a war-torn universe. Three kingdoms – the Light, the Dark, and the Human Worlds need nothing short of a hero to challenge the gods and end their crippling conflict once and for all. Closed beta registration for The Chosen will remain open until the testing period officially begins on June 13, 2011.

"We are delighted to bring the intriguing history and authentic Chinese mythology in The Chosen to international audiences this summer," said Rudy Huang, Director of Operations, Snail Games USA. "The closed beta is the first time US players can explore the fantasy MMORPG, and their feedback will be invaluable as we prepare for the game's official launch."

In The Chosen, players must pledge allegiance to one of five great Dynasties—Qin, Han, Tang, Song, and Ming—and travel through ancient China to battle across vividly recreated historical landmarks. The customization options are vast, beginning with the choice of six player classes—Sword, Blade, Bow, Flute, Fan, and Scroll—each with unique physical and magic attacks, as well as long- and short-range skills. The Chosen also features numerous quest and battle systems, advanced equipment options, a complex hero skill tree (with over 160 skills to master), a hierarchy to level up, and an award system where players can earn in-game prizes for their achievements, such as elite weaponry, power-ups and gear.

The ultimate goal: unite guilds, take control of the exclusive Golden Dragon mount, fit only for a heroic king, mobilize your battalion, and begin the epic battle between Dynasties to reveal The Chosen and restore order to the three kingdoms. On their quest, players can enlist the help of adorable and powerful pets, collect and mount great animals such as elephants and giant turtles to ride into the fight and join with other players to trade items and currency.

An incredible new trailer gives a glimpse at the graphics and gameplay to expect when The Chosen launches internationally this summer. See for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4dc13y_UYM.

GoGo Racer launching worldwide

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 02:13 PM PDT

GoGo Racer, a free-to-play off road kart racing game, has launched internationally, with its publisher, Radiance Digital Entertainment, looking for more publishers worldwide to bring their game to a global audience.

The game features customizable vehicles, over two dozen tracks, hundreds of items and vehicle parts, several modes (including single player, head to head, combat, team-based), medals for successful placement in a race, and “clubs” that function as in-game guilds. The developer hopes that it has a “console-like” feel on the PC.

GoGo Racer was initially published in the West by Gamers First, but has since been shut down.

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GoGo Racer Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

GoGo Racer Revs up for Worldwide Launch

GoGo Racer, the highly anticipated free-to-play kart racing MMO from Radiance Digital Entertainment, is now available from multiple operators in China and is coming soon to other territories around the world.

Shanghai, June 2, 2011 – The launch of GoGo Racer means the wait is finally over for millions of kart racing fans around the world. With stunning graphics and a highly advanced 3D physics engine, GoGo Racer is currently the only free-to-play off road kart racing game available today. The game is currently licensed to several operators in China and is now seeking new partners for other territories around the world.

GoGo Racer allows players to customize their vehicles in thousands of ways as they compete on dozens of awesome tracks in a wide variety of environments. Race winners get rewarded with car parts or modifications they can use to enhance vehicle performance. Player modes include single player, head to head, combat, and team based. Players can complete for top race times and public rankings on each track. Solo players can challenge their own best times or race to see how many special items they can collect. A sophisticated ranking system allows operators to hold tournaments and large scale competitions. Players can win medals based on successful times which can be redeemed for valuable prizes.

GoGo Racer has been 4 years in the making from developer Radiance Digital Entertainment, with the last year focused entirely on polishing, refining, and enhancing the user experience. The result is that GoGo Racer has the gameplay and feel of a console game, even though it is played on a PC. This was the original intent of Radiance CEO Monte Singman, whose past credits include dozens of big name console titles that include the Test Drive: Offroad series from THQ,  as well as numerous online and PC games.

"My idea was to bring the speed and precision of console action games onto the PC platform, while at the same time taking advantage of the inherent advantages of a PC, such as its networking capability. In addition, I wanted to make sure that the game I created can be played by people with average PCs, not just with tricked out, high end machines", said Mr. Singman. "And with GoGo Racer, I believe we have succeeded in this", he added.

Key features of GoGo Racer include:

  • Realistic physics – Karts react realistically to the surrounding environment as players collide, jump over ramps, skid, and drift.
  • High End 3D graphics rarely seen in online games.
  • 29 different tracks including city, desert, ice, space station, volcano, jungle, etc.
  • Hundreds of items that players can use to upgrade their vehicle including nitrous tanks, engine enhancements, upgraded transmission, suspension, tires; even missiles!
  • Players can band together to form clubs that compete with other clubs for prizes and bragging rights. Clubs can customize their karts with their club logo, and can also have their own private channel in chat.
  • Racing Win Bonus – After winning a race, players receive random car parts as a reward. These components can be used to create modification kits for their kart, allowing them to further tweak its performance.
  • Special techniques such as the “Landing Boost”, which allows a player to gain a powerful burst of speed when landing from a jump off a platform or ledge.

Priest arrives in Divine Souls

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 01:40 PM PDT

Divine Souls, Outspark’s action MMO, has added a new class – the Priest.

The priest is a holy warrior of the Sneakersis, and uses Soul Scythes in battle. The priest can use lightning, poison, and healing arts to help themselves and allies. It joins the Fighter, Slasher, and Mage as the fourth class in the game.

Outspark also publishes  Fists of Fu, Fiesta Online, and Wind Slayer.

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Divine Souls Gameplay Screenshot

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Divine Souls character addition: Priest Class

Outspark, the destination for social MMO gamers, has added this new character to its free-to-play (F2P) action MMO game, Divine Souls. A dashing and debonair man of mystery with a sharp wit, the priest adds new depth to the game's character cast and PvPmetagame, with curative abilities to aid and replenish allies in battle.

Priests are powerful holy warriors of the Sneakersis. Wielding ornate Soul Scythes with acrobatic agility and possessing the knowledge of the Collegium, a Priest is both a force of reckoning and revival. The Priest is a highly versatile class able to evoke both lightning and poison against their foes, while also carrying the power to mend wounds.
The Priest class will be especially compelling for players who want to try a different edge to our PvP battles.
Play Divine Souls now at: http://divinesouls.outspark.com or view the video trailer at: http://divinesouls.outspark.com/media/videos. You can also follow Divine Souls on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/outsparkdivinesouls.

Eden Eternal begins closed beta

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 12:26 PM PDT

The closed beta test for Eden Eternal has begun today.

Several events are lined up for the closed beta, including exclusive items for all closed beta players. The beta will also feature daily events and contests, free access to the Item Mall, and a special series of final day events including a costume contest and boosted experience and drop rates.

Eden Eternal is published by Aeria Games, which also publishes Dream of Mirror Online, Kitsu Saga, and Grand Fantasia.

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Eden Eternal Gameplay Screenshot

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Aeria Games Launches Closed Beta for Eden Eternal

Event Extravaganza Planned for Test Phase of new Fantasy MMORPG

SANTA CLARA, Calif.  – June 2, 2011 – Aeria Games, a leading global publisher of microtransaction-based online games, today announced the Closed Beta (CB) launch of Eden Eternal. Developed by the award-winning team behind Grand Fantasia and Kitsu Saga, Eden Eternal blends gorgeous anime-style graphics with an extensive array of exciting MMORPG elements to bring players an unrivaled online gaming experience.

Eden Eternal's most highly anticipated features include the unprecedented ability to freely swap between 15 unique character classes, an in-depth player town system complete with useful merchant NPCs, the ability to customize your wardrobe using countless dyes, and challenging dungeons for those willing to brave the world's greatest dangers for rare treasures.

The game also offers an immersive storyline that carries players through an unforgettable series of challenging quests as they work to fulfill their heroic destiny.

Aeria Games has scheduled dozens of exciting events to take place during Closed Beta:

  • Exclusive CB Rewards  – Players will be rewarded with a treasure trove of exclusive items for participating in Eden Eternal's CB. Visit the CB Rewards Page for a full list of available goodies.
  • Daily Events & Ongoing Contests – The Eden Eternal community can look forward to prize giveaways, free CB Item Mall purchases, item drop and EXP events, monster spawns, and more! Check out the CB Events Page for the complete schedule of activities.
  • Final Day Festivities – CB players can also take advantage of triple drop rate and experience bonuses, among other blowout final day events. Save your best costume for the CB group photo!

Interested players are encouraged to visit the official Eden Eternal website for game guides, fan kits and news updates: http://edeneternal.aeriagames.com.

Three Kingdoms Brawler Gameplay – First Look HD

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 12:04 PM PDT

To Learn More about the game check out ourThree Kingdoms Brawler Page.

Three Kingdoms Brawler is a 2D side-scrolling fantasy MMORPG published by The9 – A large Chinese MMORPG developer and publisher. Gameplay wise, Three Kingdoms Brawler plays a lot like Dungeon Fighter Online which is by Nexon. Both games have the same retro “beat em up” feel as well as a similar interface. Three Kingdoms Brawler is the first game published by The9 in the West. To learn more about Three Kingdoms Brawler, check out the official MMOHut Three Kingdoms Brawler page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Lucent Heart BFF Beta Preview

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 09:46 AM PDT

Lucent Heart is Gamania’s newest MMORPG, and between its "dating" features, unique Zodiac talent system, and cute anime-style graphics, it’s been stirring up quite a bit of attention. The last of Gamania’s closed beta tests – the Best Friends Forever (BFF) beta – took place at the end of May, and we were given a front stage pass to attend, including a level 45 character so we could get a glimpse at high level content.

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I Do, I Do

I began my special visit in Lucent Heart by attending the weddings of two special couples in-game. It’s an appropriate start to the atmosphere of Lucent Heart: player weddings are expensive, momentous occasions that have players eagerly asking for invitations. These two weddings were especially important as both couples – Jin & Anna, and Chikane & Himiko – are real-life couples, celebrating their relationship in game, and have become well known in the Lucent Heart community. So important, in fact, that the GMs were not only guests of honor, they helped port players into the chapel if they didn’t have an invitation.

Besides being special, expensive affairs, weddings are pretty simple. The lucky couple, along with the guests that they’ve offered invitations to, can enter a special instanced chapel at the city of their choice. Tradition – at least at these two weddings – had all the ladies line up on the bride’s side of the small area, while the gentlemen lined up along the left. An NPC minister speaks with the couple atop a raised dais, and after the couple confirms their vows to each other, they enter a special kiss emote. Everyone cheers, and then the slaughter begins. Yes, slaughter – currently, the sealing of wedding vows in the chapel also results in every attendee, including the bride and groom, becoming PvP flagged, making for quite an exciting, and often hilarious, reception.

Exploring the World

Being at a high level to start meant plenty of opportunity to explore the world, and that was my first task when I left the wedding chapel. The world of Lucent Heart is rather expansive, currently covering four continents and three cities. Most zones have an overarching theme that binds the zone together, from the charming Melody Valley, filled with notes and magic, to steaming jungles, frozen shores, and more. Each zone is also connected via magical portals, which means transitioning through the world is not seamless.

For all I loved running around Lucent Heart’s world, though, one thing became evident to me quickly: the world is not a friendly place. Even enemies in lower-level areas won’t hesitate to assault a higher- level player as they run through to a more dangerous destination. In most areas, this didn’t seem to be a problem – a little shave off the life pool is no big deal. But in other areas, with monsters closer to your level, becoming dismounted or beaten to near-death before you reach the next zone is a real possibility. It also takes a long time to travel from point A to point B, even with a basic mount on an automatic route. This makes the major cities, which serve as spawn points, extremely important.

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To Battle

I was pleased to find that at level 45, there were plenty of quests available at my level to do, and they spanned several areas. It’s certainly nice to not be pigeon holed into a single area when questing or leveling up. I split my time between two areas, both geared for my level range, and found a good variety of quests, that had objectives in and outside the zones, along with plenty geared for more than a solo adventurer. The balance feels "just right" between group and solo play – while a few quests will require a party to complete, you can also go it alone just fine most of the time. Of course, the game’s coupling system makes going with at least one other person particularly beneficial.

The class I’d chose for this adventure, Celestial Templar, is one of two advanced Warrior classes. Designed as a tank, the character uses a sword and a gun-shield to defend itself and its allies. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the character had a wide variety of skills that had me spreading out hot keys across three action bars. The Celestial Templar is an interesting mix of debuffs, defenses, and leadership skills; they have several attacks that debuff the enemy, as well as the ability to direct their parties by assigning specialists (offering specific buffs based on each party member’s role) as well as formations (which offers a group-wide buff). Several interesting cooldowns round out the Celestial Templar’s selection, and while I can’t speak for other classes at this time, any player who loves tanks will be pleased with the gameplay a Celestial Templar brings.

What really makes the game more interesting is the Zodiac system – a special "talent tree" system based on the twelve signs of the Zodiac. This system lets each player select special skills useful to their play-style and class, and also grants a special cooldown known as Zodiac Armor – which buffs the character’s stats and grants them a special skill. Certain combinations are "better" than others, but the end result is flexible enough that you don’t have to min/max your character’s choices to be great at whatever you choose to do.

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Good Vibes

I ended my stay in Lucent Heart the same way I started it – at a party. The end of the beta dance party was held in the last half-hour the server stayed online, and there were dozens of attendees, happily doing the Carmelldansen (a dance that has become a signature move for boys and girls in Lucent Heart) while suffering the lag from fireworks and special spell effects. As has been the case with almost every event, GMs were present to celebrate, chat, and answer player questions.

Hanging around in those last minutes gave me a chance to think about what was so special about Lucent Heart. I realized that the real charm the game offers goes beyond unique game systems, or the romance and fun of the Cupid System. No, the real star of the game is its community – the dynamic of players, GMs, and developers that help the game progress and give it spirit and life beyond all the mechanics. The spirit of the community is helpful and fun-loving; there’s no name-calling, no back- biting, no complaining, and no insulting to be found or heard in the community at large. The number of players that get together at every event, that chat with each other and offer each other help, speaks very well for what Lucent Heart has already built before going into open beta, and what it can continue to build in the future.

Lucent Heart’s definitely nothing shockingly new on the market – at its core, it’s another anime-style MMORPG. But what the game lacks in innovation, it more than makes up for in spirit, style, and community. This game is definitely one to watch for the future.

By, Jaime Skelton

RF Online to launch Dream Factory event

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:17 PM PDT

RF Online is launching a series of events, known as Dream Factory, starting June 16.

The first part of the event, which will run from June 16 until June 30, is called Mask Factory. Players can find Horse Head and Scream masks from Beacon monsters that appear three times daily. These masks can be upgraded to five graces, and then be exchanged to 6 graces. Each race’s representiative will also get special skills from June 16 to July 7, including reduced repair cost on MAU, increased experience points, and reduced cost on launcher missiles. More bonus experience, free gifts, and items will be available during the event as well.

RF Online is published by CCR Inc.

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RF Online Gameplay Screenshot

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Starting from June 16th, popular SF MMORPG game called 'RF Online (www.rfonline.co.kr)' offers many exciting and varied events.

This upcoming event is called <Dream Factory>. The main purpose of this event is to provide an opportunity for both new and existing users to acquire game money or items easily and quickly.

So what is a 'Dream Factory'? Dream Factory starts with the word 'factory' which has a broad sense of meaning that modernization has been added to it. So in RF Factory, a different variety of events is being made here where users can have fun and enjoy the events but at the same time they can also achieve their established goals.

From June 16th to June 30th, the first 15 day event called 'Mask Factory' will commence in game, offering a variety of unique and limited items. During the event period, the Beacon monsters will appear three times a day and they will drop Horse head masks and Scream mask items. Players can upgrade these two dropped mask items to '5 Graces' and once the upgrade has done successfully, they can then exchange the items to '6 Graces'.

Even if the users fail to upgrade, they do not have to worry. Happy Factory Event will help them restore the items to the ones before trying to upgrade the items to '5 Graces'.

Moreover, from June 16th to July 7th, special skills will be provided to each race's representative/s so that they are less pressured. Benefits for each race are different. For Bellato, they will have 50% refund when they repair their MAU, for Cora, they will have 1000% increase in their Exp. points and last but not least is the Accretia. Accretia will have a voucher where they can buy launcher missile at 30% discounted price.

There are a lot more events other than those events listed above. Secret Factory Event where it offers a week to wear Archon Armor for those users selected as race board members, 300% Exp. Points Increase Event, Attendance Check Event that requires daily attendance checkups and many other exciting events will be introduced.

Meanwhile, as many users know of, RF Online is a popular SF Action MMORPG that is based on the enmity and their resistance in its war against three races.

The three races are Bellato, Cora and Accretia and each race represents mechanism, humanism, and shamanism.

For more information about the upcoming events, please check our official RF Online website on www.Playrf.com .

In-game events extended in Pockie Ninja

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:36 PM PDT

Two special May events in Pockie Ninja have been extended into June.

The Challenge in Las Noches, which rewards the first three players on each server who reach level 160 in the Las Noches building, has been extended until June 15. Rewards for players who reach levels 70+, 75+, or 80 have been extended to June 30, with a bundle for each of these three level tiers.

Pockie Ninja is published by nGames, publisher of Fairy Story Online.

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Pockie Ninja Gameplay Screenshot

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NGames Extend Key Pockie Ninja Events

Chapter II: Revenge of Aizen update still promoting quick-levelling

Publisher NGames have announced extensions for two of Pockie Ninja’s popular events, rewarding users with in-game gifts for their progression and skill. NGames put on a “show of strength” display with humans vs. characters battle to demonstrate how powerful players can get.

Free-to-play anime-inspired MMO, Pockie Ninja has extended two of its main events by popular player demand. The “New Challenge in Las Noches” and the “Level-Up” events, both originally due to expire in May, have been extended to June 15th and June 30th respectively.

Each event rewards players with a bundle of gifts for their in-game activity.
The New Challenge in Las Noches event represents the pinnacle of Pockie Ninja’s martial arts mastery, challenging players to pass level 160 in the Las Noches building – a huge tower with increasingly difficult challenges awaiting users on every level/floor. Until June 15th, the first 3 players to reach level 160 on each server will be giving luxurious in-game gifts

Meanwhile, players will be rewarded simply for enjoying the Naruto/Bleach-inspired brawler, with prizes set to be handed out to everyone reaching level 70+ before June 30th. Mini-ninjas can bag 1 of 3 separate bundles of rewards, depending on whether they reach level 70+, 75+ or the top-end level 80.

The Mummy Online website launched

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:17 PM PDT

The website for The Mummy Online, Bigpoint’s new MMO based on the Mummy film franchise, is now live at themummy.bigpoint.com. The game’s trailer is also available on the website.

Free-to-play, The Mummy Online will be a 3D action game set in Amarna. The game will offer quests and storylines, PvP (including zones such as The Oasis, The Tombs, and the Ruins), and other features. It is scheduled for release in fall.

Bigpoint also publishes Ruined, Battlestar Galactica Online, and World of Battles.

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The Mummy Online Screenshot

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Bigpoint Inc. Releases The Mummy Online Teaser Trailer; Launches New Game Site

Action-Adventure Online Game Puts Players on Location in 1930s Egypt

San Francisco, CA – June 1, 2011 – Bigpoint Inc., the U.S.-based independent subsidiary of Bigpoint GmbH (www.bigpoint.com), the global market leader in browser-based massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs), today released a teaser trailer for its upcoming action-adventure title, The Mummy Online (http://themummy.bigpoint.com/). Developed in collaboration with Universal Partnerships & Licensing, The Mummy Online brings all of the action and adventure of the blockbuster film franchise to the free-to-play MMOG space.

"With The Mummy Online, our objective is to produce a game that looks amazing and offers several layers of gameplay to keep players engaged and coming back for more," said Arash Amini, producer, Bigpoint. "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."

Inspired by The Mummy film franchise , the high-end 3D action-adventure game will include original storylines, fast-paced battles, and opportunities to explore mysterious and exotic locals.

Game Setting – Amarna
Located at the southern tip of the Nile, Amarna is the homeland to priests and tribes who practice the dangerous art of sorcery and is the birthplace of the region's most legendary sorceress Masika. Amarna has been a battleground for centuries with pharaohs attempting to control all who held wisdom of the ancient worlds.  Filled with mysterious tombs, burial grounds, and undiscovered treasures, players will be able to travel the map across several dedicated PvP locations, including:

The Oasis: Hidden by mountains, the oasis is a lush environment to the northeast of Amarna. Ramesses – the 19th Dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh – used this site to build a pyramid at its core. Here, small bands of pygmy tribes were instructed to protect one of Ramsses most coveted magical artifacts for all eternity – the "Stones of Rancor."

The Tomb: Deep in the mountains in the northwest of Amarna, the Tomb was a burial site for the venomous serpent knives. These weapons were handed down to Masika as the instrument to bring forth Ramesses' death. To protect these sacred artifacts, deadly scarabs were placed into the Tomb's walls along with many local tribes people who were mummified and encapsulated in statues.

The Ruins: In the northeast region of Amarna, close to the Nile, this site was built on an ancient Scarab feeding ground. Many have prayed to the god Anubis for protection on this land, and to destroy any intruder who tries to claim the sacred vases containing the organs of Masika.

Under development by Bigpoint's team in San Francisco, The Mummy Online is scheduled for release this fall, with more details planned for release this summer. The new game site includes concept art, screenshots, videos, and background into the game's storyline. The teaser trailer can also be viewed on the game site: http://themummy.bigpoint.com/.

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MMO Updates


Holier than thou: Divine Souls adds the Priest

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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It figures that in a game called Divine Souls, sooner or later they would include clergy. Outspark's action RPG has expanded its class roster to include the Priest, who's an interesting mix of lethal intent and compassionate healing.

The Priest is equipped with a deadly Soul Scythe, with which he culls the heathens as he works his way through the land. That's not all he brings to battle; the Priest is also well-versed in healing, lightning and poison magics.

Outspark's Philip Yun hopes that the Priest will be embraced by the playerbase: "We've designed Divine Souls from the beginning to offer the most action-­packed and exciting combat gameplay available online. We're constantly working to improve our games and offer players more exciting characters, weapons and other premium content. The Priest class will be especially compelling for players who want to try a different edge to our PvP battles."

Hit the jump to see Divine Souls' Priest in action!

Continue reading Holier than thou: Divine Souls adds the Priest

MassivelyHolier than thou: Divine Souls adds the Priest originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prius Online open beta starts today

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Set your alarm clocks for 5:00 p.m. EDT, Prius fans, as today marks the start of the title's open beta. gPotato has issued a press release detailing what players can expect during the final testing phase. First up is a level cap increase from 25 to 50, followed by the introduction of second classes for all races, and finally the new female Ayin race.

New dungeons are coming too, as are the bounty system and the ability to summon Gigas at level 30. Explorer types will be happy to note the lifting of various regional access restrictions, and PvP fiends can check out the two new unions in the Coliseum Battle System as well as take part in week-long guild battles.

You can learn more about Prius, and download the client, via the official website. Be sure and check out our in-depth coverage from this year's GDC as well.

MassivelyPrius Online open beta starts today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Eden Eternal's closed beta kicks off -- and we've got keys! Keys! Keys!

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Are you lacking a heroic destiny in your life? Then Eden Eternal has something to sell to you: purpose! Saddle up on your most trustworthy llama and get thee to the beta, ASAP.

As of today, the colorful MMO has moved into closed beta, and Aeria Games is celebrating by throwing a party to end all parties. Beta participants will enjoy exclusive rewards depending on how far they progress in the beta. These rewards include titles, a spiffy hat, and a magical alpaca pet. There will also be a host of daily events and ongoing contests in the Eden Eternal closed beta.

Of course, there's no reason making that pouty face if you didn't get in already -- we're here to help you out! Massively has 10,000 beta keys for the taking, so if you're interested all you have to do is snag one on our giveaway page, then sign up and redeem it on Eden Eternal's beta page!

Demand for the beta is strong; just a few days ago we reported that Eden Eternal already had racked up over 100,000 applicants looking to give this game a go. You can check out several new screenshots below and a trailer highlighting the player towns feature after the jump!

Gallery: Eden Eternal

Continue reading Eden Eternal's closed beta kicks off -- and we've got keys! Keys! Keys!

MassivelyEden Eternal's closed beta kicks off -- and we've got keys! Keys! Keys! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom profiles Age of Conan's Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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By now, everyone's aware that Funcom is getting ready to unleash the world of Hyboria on the free-to-play scene. What you may not know is that in addition to the hybrid payment model, the Age of Conan Unrated update is going to be be bringing new content to the game as well.

Said content comes in the form of two new solo dungeons located in the lands of Khitai. Both instances are repeatable and designed to scale to a player's level (between 40 and 80), providing an alternative to the Tarantia Villas 40 to 80 experience that formerly filled in the gaps in AoC's mid-level curve. Funcom has told us that the new instances -- The Breach and The Forgotten City -- will be freely available to subscribers and available to Unrated F2P players for a small fee.

Join us after the break for Funcom's take on the game mechanics, the storylines, and the locations themselves. While you're at it, check out the new dungeon images in our Age of Conan gallery below.

Continue reading Funcom profiles Age of Conan's Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances

MassivelyFuncom profiles Age of Conan's Forgotten City and The Breach solo instances originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Does steampunk taint fantasy MMOs?

Posted: 02 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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With the recent news that Guild Wars 2 is including a technologically savvy Engineer class, purists have come out in force to bring back up the long-running argument of steampunk themes in fantasy MMOs. To put it succinctly, some people are all right with it, and some consider it the most insidious plot to ruin lives since Enron.

I've heard this argument before, in many other places: World of Warcraft, RIFT, Warhammer Online, and Allods Online (to cite a few examples) all have elements of steampunk in an otherwise straight-forward fantasy setting, and some folks just don't care for it. Steampunk, to them, represents a jarring juxtaposition between the old and (semi-)new, and even suggests that the world is becoming outdated even as we play it.

So I'm curious today to know what you think. Yes, you, the person with the mismatching socks -- do you think steampunk elements taint fantasy MMOs, or can they coexist peacefully?

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: Does steampunk taint fantasy MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WoW-a-thon for Dragon*Con MMO track staffer

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 08:00 PM PDT

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Many people, when they think of online gaming, think of 13-year-olds on Xbox Live shouting expletives and teabagging your freshly killed corpse, but those of us who have spent enough time in the community know that there's much more to it than just that. Kevin Stallard, of Dragon*Con MMO track fame, is setting out to prove just that.

Kevin's close friend and Dragon*Con staffer Jay Sturrock was recently diagnosed with cancer, and anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer or known someone who has can tell you that treatment is not only emotionally exhausting, but financially taxing as well. With this in mind, Kevin is looking to put his World of Warcraft habit to a good cause. On July 9th, Kevin will be holding a 24-hour "WoW-a-thon" at Battle & Brew Gaming Pub in Marietta, GA. Throughout the course of this gaming marathon, Kevin invites fellow gamers to join him either at the pub or in Azeroth and, if they're able, to pledge some money toward covering Jay's medical bills from the treatment. Can't make it to the event itself but still want to help? No problem, just keep an eye on the official event page where PayPal information will soon be posted. We wish Kevin and Jay the best and hope the Massively community will pitch in for this noble cause.

MassivelyWoW-a-thon for Dragon*Con MMO track staffer originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Champions Online kicks off its new weekly comic series

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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Are you ready to get a little bit more Champions Online action in now that the future of the game is more secure? Then you're in luck, as the game has just kicked off the first in its series of weekly comic issues. But these aren't just something for players to read -- no, these are comic issues for players to play through for themselves, watching a story unfold while blasting through new challenges.

Similar in format to the featured episodes of Star Trek Online, the first series is titled Aftershocks and kicks off with an UNTIL base going dark. The first installment should take about half an hour to play through, with further installments coming in subsequent weeks to finish out the story. Champions Online players can start enjoying this ongoing arc with any character over level 11 and are encouraged to visit the official page for more information on the new format.

MassivelyChampions Online kicks off its new weekly comic series originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newest producer's letter for City of Heroes talks about updating old content

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Pretty much every time the development team at Paragon Studios answers player questions, there's a question that comes up about updating older content in City of Heroes. And usually the answer is a pretty standard one, a promise that updates will be looked at but aren't on any sort of specific timetable. It's a bit generic as answers go -- but the newest producer's letter for the game goes into more detail about why content gets updated, why it doesn't necessarily get updated, and the fact that there will be updates to legacy content in the future.

The usual rationale for fewer updates is the amount of work involved in updating this content, but the letter explains in more detail that it's not enough for content just to be old. In order to be ripe for a reworking, the task force or zone has to be underutilized to begin with, which gives a good reason for development to try to revitalize the content. City of Heroes players will be happy to note that the letter also promises revamps coming to the early leveling areas in the near future -- while it doesn't specify the details, more information will be forthcoming in the coming weeks.

MassivelyNewest producer's letter for City of Heroes talks about updating old content originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EverQuest II releases the Children of War!

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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Hot on the heels of EverQuest II's Destiny of Velious expansion, Sony Online Entertainment has launched the 60th major update to the game: Children of War. As we reported yesterday, the massive patch continues the story of Rallos Zek as he commands an army of giants that threatens Velious and perhaps all of Norrath. In celebration of Update 60's launch, the team has uploaded a new trailer that outlines the latest EQII gameplay features, including four new dungeons, four new raids, two new heritage quests, and new battleground Velious maps.

Check out the trailer after the cut, then jump over to the official EverQuest II website site for all the latest information on Game Update 60: Children of War!

Continue reading EverQuest II releases the Children of War!

MassivelyEverQuest II releases the Children of War! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Episode 150

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Massively Speaking Episode 150 returns this week with a recording of our live show, streamed yesterday on Ustream. Unfortunately, the video itself didn't save Rubi's part (although she was seen and heard during the live stream), but the back-up audio was saved for you regular audio podcast listeners.

The topics this week include Perfect World's acquisition of Cryptic Studios, GamersFirst's collaboration with Fallen Earth, Fallout Online's rocky future, CCP's new in-game currency and item shop, Chinese prisoners forced to play WoW, and Square Enix's newest MMO, yet to be officially announced.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to shawn@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air!

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Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Massively Speaking is the official podcast of Massively.com. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Shawn Schuster and Community Manager Rubi Bayer, Massively Speaking takes on the week's biggest news and dev interviews with plenty of opinion, rants, and laughs thrown in for good measure. Join us every Wednesday afternoon to listen in and see what we'll say next!

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 150

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 150 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose My Adventure: Dirty fightin' and treasure huntin'

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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My pirate life continued this past week in Pirates of the Burning Sea, and thanks to your feedback, I took on some new swashbuckling skills. Based on the poll results, Dirty Fighting came out as the winning choice, and I happily retrained at my port.

I also popped over to Treasure Aisle, the in-game cash shop. I had some Station Cash burning a hole in my pirate chest, and since I had so much fun on my last treasure hunt, I decided to purchase a new map case and try my luck once more at finding the giant red X.

In this week's Choose My Adventure, I'll tell you how my respec went and whether I found any treasure. In addition, I'll give you a sneak peek at some new bling for my pirate ship!

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Dirty fightin' and treasure huntin'

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: Dirty fightin' and treasure huntin' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: You meddling kids!

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Who says your mount has to be a living, breathing animal? Mount week continues on One Shots, and we're breaking the fantasy streak with a bang today, thanks to APB: Reloaded player Ryan:
A lot of hard work went into this van from the cartoon Scooby Doo. I haven't seen another one like it -- just A-Team vans -- and it usually gets complimented.
We know there are a lot of great mounts out there, but we've got to admit that an honest-to-goodness Mystery Machine is pretty awesome. Think you've got something even cooler from another game? Prove it by sending a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name and the name of the game, then 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: You meddling kids! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: TERA Korean servers merging [Updated]

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 01:30 PM PDT

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Bluehole Studio's TERA action MMORPG is gearing up for its second round of Korean server merges since launch according to a blurb at MMO Culture. The fantasy title, which is currently being prepared for a North American release by En Masse Entertainment, is scheduled to trim its list of 35 shards to 15 this week.

Despite more upbeat news of fresh content in the offing, the merges come amid reports of lower-than-expected financial performance according to publisher NHN Korea. TERA launched in Korea last February and is gearing up for a Japanese beta on July 1st. No North American or European beta dates have been announced.

[Update]: TERA's main Korean website does provide both official confirmation of server merges as well as time projections.

MassivelyRumor: TERA Korean servers merging [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding?

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Grinding is an interesting thing. I've thought about it a lot lately in an effort to come to grips with the fact that I just don't play MMOs like my friends do. Oh, don't get me wrong; I can log in and blow away five hours of my life on a title, just like I did last night with the newly relaunched APB: Reloaded. Holy moly, I can play that game forever, especially if I have a friend with me. I can also spend countless hours in other games, exploring and generally acting like some kind of virtual hippie, never touching a sword or destroying a foe. A lot of the time, combat just feels repetitive.

Exploring for hours and driving a car into mailboxes over and over really shouldn't count as grinding though, should it? Grinding is, in my opinion, defined by the repetition of the exact same action (or close to it) for a long time, usually in the pursuit of a single goal. The thing is, the grind has been around since the dawn of graphical MMOs. Hasn't it?

But what started the grind? Was the desire for grind already there? Is the playerbase just better-suited for grinding? Click past the cut and let's chat about it. Grab some tea.

Continue reading Free for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding?

MassivelyFree for All: Which came first, the grind or the grinding? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Consumerism at its finest

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 12:30 PM PDT

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As of today, the Steampunk Pack should be live in City of Heroes. If anyone needs me for the remainder of the evening, I'll probably be logged in and furiously punking some steam or whatever you would call it when one surrounds oneself with clockwork gizmos and dripping oil slicks. Suffice to say that I like this pack a lot even sight unseen -- I've been excited as heck about it since the announcement, and I'm more than ready to purchase this one the day it goes live.

It's nice to see that the art department at Paragon Studios is putting a little more emphasis on launching specific theme packs for character costumes -- if you don't have any characters to use the concept, you can pass, but if you do, it's money well-spent. At the same time, I have to admit that I'd like to continue branching pretty far afield from the traditional superhero genre just to keep producing new packs. And hey, that's worth a column, especially as my head fills with visions of new costume pieces with steam and rivets.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Consumerism at its finest

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: Consumerism at its finest originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ArcheAge PvP, dungeoneering discussed

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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Ready for some more ArcheAge CBT3 impressions? If so, AAportal has your hookup in the form of a new article that examines the recently concluded beta event. While Massively poked around the world of ArcheAge in wide-eyed newb wonder last week, AAportal had been there before, and its new posting compares the team's impressions of CBT3 with the earlier CBT2 event.

In addition to investigating interface, character customization, and world changes, AAportal notes that it was able to send a full team of level 20 characters delving into the deeps of one of ArcheAge's dungeons. Explorers will be pleased to know that the dungeon was a labyrinthine experience that left the adventurers unsure as to whether or not they'd managed to see it all.

Also on the discussion table is world PvP, and here AAportal reports that player skill trumps zergs quite handily. The game's physics apparently play a big role as well, and the article illustrates the differences between a knock-back ability in World of Warcraft (which happens the same way every time regardless of terrain) and an ArcheAge knock-back that is affected by the character's surroundings. Finally, the article concludes that ArcheAge is not a very solo-friendly game as it currently stands, with coordinated groups required for premium content like ship battles and dungeons runs. Check out all the details at AAportal.net.

MassivelyArcheAge PvP, dungeoneering discussed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enter at Your Own Rift: Rethinking server transfers

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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Last week's big RIFT news was that free server transfers were on the way with the next major game update. Players who have been stuck on lower population servers have been clamoring for the ability to join up with higher population servers, and now they'll finally have the ability to do just that.

But any time things like free transfers and server mergers are brought up, the immediate conclusion is that it's a sign that a game is losing players, and as a result, is failing. Free transfers are usually only seen as an act of desperation, and they usually come on the heels of drastic server mergers, as we've seen in games like Vanguard, Warhammer Online, and Age of Conan. But if a game is believed (by the masses) to be doing OK, transfers are seen as a service that comes with a price, as in games like World of Warcraft or EverQuest II.

So how do we interpret the news of free weekly transfers in RIFT? Read on for a look at why it's actually great for the game and why they're more than just a shrewd marketing campaign.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Rethinking server transfers

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Rethinking server transfers originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise goes on sale, looks ahead to expansion [Updated]

Posted: 01 Jun 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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Big things are afoot in Earthrise, which is now going worldwide as publisher Iceberg Interactive has launched the English language version in all territories. To tempt players into giving it a try, Iceberg's digital launch will be offered at a hefty 40% discount, bringing the title to $29.99.

Even bigger than that is the news of Earthrise's first free expansion: Territorial Warfare. This content update promises to double the size of the current game world and will let players take over territory, build bases, and fight against opposing forces. These bases can even provide players with resources to further expand their power.

The price drop and expansion will apply to European boxed copies as well. The boxed versions also include a map and poster.

Masthead Studios has been pursuing aggressive updates and fixes to the game as of late, and with the expansion there should be plenty of additional content for players to enjoy.

[Updated: Changed the price to reflect US sales price.]

MassivelyEarthrise goes on sale, looks ahead to expansion [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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