General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Inside The Bags of Maximum PC Editors!

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 03:34 PM PDT

At our last meeting, we got to thinking: Would people be interested in seeing what's in our bags on a day-to-day basis? If so, we should take some pictures. If not, well, screw it, we're doing it anyway. Whether you wanted to know or not, here are the contents of all our bags here at Maximum PC. 

What's your daily load-out consist of? Hit the comments and let us know! 

 

Evernote Planning IPO

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 03:01 PM PDT

evernoteThe next technology darling to head for an initial public offering (IPO) could be the stellar note taking service Evernote, Reuters is reporting. Evernote CEO Phil Libin told Reuter that an IPO is inevitable, but they were not rushing into anything. Considering the trouble Groupon has had, that sounds wise.

Evernote has upwards of 14 million users, 500,000 of which pay $5 per month for premium accounts. Evernote has an app for most mobile platforms, a web interface, and a desktop client. Users can upload plain text, images, and audio to keep their lives in order. The explosion in mobile devices has been a boon for Evernote. Libin says that 70% of users sign up from an Android or iOS device.

Revenue has been growing rapidly, up 300% last year, according to Libin. The company, which has just 102 employees, is looking to use a recent $50 million investment to beef up to 400 workers in 2013. Do you think Evernote will have a successful IPO?

Google Explains Cause Of Docs Outage

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 02:47 PM PDT

docsGoogle Docs was offline for over an hour on Wednesday afternoon, leading many users to express their frustration with Google's cloud office suite. Google has now offered an explanation of the issue that led to the outage, and it can all be traced back to a memory bug on the server side. A change in the collaboration feature led to higher than expected resource usage and uncovered the bug, which had been lurking in the back end for some time.

The bug that caused this lengthy outage would not have been problematic were it not for the recent changes. Whenever a user changes a document, a server has to be updated. The bug prevented memory from being recycled when this operation was complete. The result was servers that were unable to process new requests.

By rolling back the feature change, Google engineers were able to correct the issue. Google is currently looking for similar memory leaks in other products, but Docs should be safe for the time being. It's worth noting that Microsoft's cloud services also went down this week for a few hours. A cautionary tale?

Hurt Locker P2P Lawsuits Move On To Canada

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 02:31 PM PDT

piratesBy now, US torrent users are used to the nagging worry that a copyright holder could seek damages against them. Now these mass lawsuits appear to be making the journey to Canada, where Voltage pictures is seeking the identities of users they claim have pirated the film Hurt Locker. Major ISPs have been subpoenaed, but the number of defendants is not yet available. 

Back in early 2010, Voltage Pictures, the makers of the Oscar-winning film Hurt Locker, began suing to uncover the people behind thousands of IP addresses. Voltage Pictures contends that these IPs were spotted downloading the film via torrents. In most cases, judges granted the subpoenas and ISPs had to divulge customer details. Instead of suing outright, Voltage had its legal counsel extract settlements from the defendants. 

Now the same scheme is playing out up north. A court in Montreal gave the thumbs up to Voltage and its legal counsel two weeks ago. Today is the deadline for three Canadian ISPs to hand over the records. It's unclear if the same settlement shakedown is going to happen in Canada, but we have to imagine it will. 

HP Unveils All-In-One Printer Capable Of Scanning 3D Objects

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 11:40 AM PDT

Think that HP's going to throw in the towel now that they've blown up the PC world and announced plans to spin-off or sell their personal computer group? Think again. The company just pulled the curtain off of its new HP TopShot Laserjet Pro M275 – a scanner that can scan 3D images rather than just plain-jane 2D papers. It's not anywhere near as cool as those 3D printers you've seen on YouTube, but still kind of nifty.

After you plop a 3D object down on the scanning bed and press "Scan," the M275's hinged, camera-packing arm goes into action. According to HP's explanation of the TopShot technology (PDF), the arm takes six pictures from all around the 3D object – three with a flash and three using ambient light. "These separate shots are then automatically combined into one seamless image of exceptional quality," HP says. The technique is supposed to create glare- and shadow-free images. They aren't 3D images, only super-high quality 2D images, so put those red-and-blue glasses down.

HP then went and made the thing even more useful by adding printing and copying capabilities. The M275 might not be the most exciting accessory on the planet, but for people who need to take lots of high-quality pictures of 3D objects – businesses, craftsmen, and geeks who painted their entire RPG figure collection, let's say – it could end up being a useful gadget. No word on a release date other than "soon," but expect the all-in-one to set you back $400 smackers.

Thanks to TechCrunch for pointing this out!

Cool Site of the Week: SeatGeek

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 11:15 AM PDT

seatgeekThere's nothing better than finding out your favorite artist is coming to town on tour. There are few things worse than finding out that tickets for said artist's show were sold out before you ever even heard about it. The same goes for sporting events, and if you must, the touring version of Broadway musicals, both modern and classic. Today's edition of Cool Site of the Week makes it a little harder to overlook who's coming to town and a heck of a lot easier to snag tickets for when they do.

Aggregating concert, event and sporting tickets from brokers like RazorGator, Ticket City, Empire Tickets, eBay, and StubHub, SeatGeek is the only online ticket resource you'll ever need. If a seat for the show that you want to see is still available, the service will let you know about it. More than this, the site will even help you to choose the perfect seat. By using detailed seating layouts for every venue it sells tickets for, as well as their proprietary Deal Score algorithm, finding the right seats at the right show with the right blend of location and cost has never been easier.

The site even goes so far as to visualize your seats for you, so that you'll always know exactly what you're paying for. 

Be sure to check back every Friday for another edition of Maximum PC's Cool Site of the Week.

 

 

CEO Points The Finger At Intel As Nvidia Withdraws From PC Chips

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 11:05 AM PDT

It's not a big secret that Nvidia's has been slowly pulling out of the PC chipset market for a while now: a quick Google search shows results for "Nvidia exit chipset business" as far back as 2008. Some people thought that the company would get back into the swing of things after signing a patent cross-licensing agreement with Intel back in January, ending a long and bitter legal battle. Nope, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang told a group of investors this week. Nvidia's done with PC chipsets for good, and Intel's the one to blame.

"We've been exiting that business for quite a famous reason, because of a dispute with Intel. They preferred that we weren't in that business," Huang said at the Kaufman Brothers Investor Conference this week. "Although it was a large business opportunity for us, staying in it was really impossible considering their displeasure for it."

Computerworld reports that the company plans on circling the wagons around the mobile chip and graphics card segments of its business. Nvidia's Tegra line has proven a smash hit with mobile devices, and the new quad-core Kal-El is due to roll into tablets by the end of the year. The company also wants to gain more penetration with its GPUs in the server and supercomputer fields.

Nvidia still plans on working with Intel in its quest to develop more powerful graphics solutions for PC users, but has no plans on moving back into computer chipsets whatsoever. "We're going to stay out of the basic PC market, we're not going to compete with Intel," Huang said.

Bit.ly Says Web Users Move On To New Things Quickly, Old Links Die Fast

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 10:36 AM PDT

The Internet hoards are fickle, easily distractible masses – just look at the proliferation of Lolcats and the whole Rickroll phenomenon. We're not passing judgment – who doesn't like a well-played Rickroll? – we're just saying. Turns out, the popular link shortening site bit.ly thinks the same thing, only they have numbers to back it up. That awesome link you posted on Twitter? It'll see most of its clicks in less time than it takes to watch a Peter Jackson movie.

Engadget pointed us to a bit.ly blog post from earlier this week. Yeah, we're late to the party, but we didn't even know bit.ly had a blog, to be honest. The team tracked the click-life of 1,000 popular bit.ly links posted across several of the top social networks. They were looking for the links' "half-life," which bit.ly defined as "the amount of time at which this link will receive half of the clicks it will ever receive after it's reached its peak."

The results were startlingly similar; the average link shared on Twitter sees its half-life arrive in just 2.8 hours, while a Facebook link draws eyes for a little while longer, at 3.2 hours. A direct share – i.e. via email or IM – lasts 3.4 hours. On average, a bit.ly links captures the Web's attention for about three hours.

One service bucks that figure, however, and maintains link traffic for a full seven hours after posting – more than twice the time of those other guys. If you want a crowd of folks clicking on your links for the longest time possible, you'll want to whip up a YouTube account.

Motorola Droid Bionic Stripped and Exposed

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 10:12 AM PDT

It took a long time for Motorola's much anticipated Droid Bionic smartphone to hit the market, and now that it's finally here, what's left to do but strip it naked and ogle all of its sexy parts? That's exactly what the folks over at iFixIt did, who learned a little bit more about the Droid Bionic in the process.

First things first: In case you're not familiar, the Droid Bionic is Verizon's new flagship smartphone. It packs a 1GHz Texas Instruments dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 4.3-inch qHD display, 16GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card, 8MP rear-facing camera with dual LED flash, front-facing camera (likely 0.3MP) for video calls, Gorilla Glass, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and support for Verizon's 4G LTE network. In fact, it's Verizon's only smartphone to offer both a dual-core processor and 4G LTE connectivity.

Digging below the spec sheet, iFixIt located the coveted 4G LTE SIM card nestled beneath the microSD card. And while the majority of users won't ever dare tear the Bionic apart, it takes the removal of 11 screws around the perimeter to get inside. Beneath it all sits a "forest of EMI shields."

One of the high points in tearing into the Bionic is Motorola evidently did away with the long ribbon cables found in some of its other devices that can make getting inside a bit tricky. Once inside, you'll find several identifying parts, including:

  • Elpida B8064B2PB-8D-F DRAM
  • SanDisk SDIN4C2-16GB flash
  • ST Ericsson CPCAP 006556001
  • Qualcomm PM8028 chip
  • Hynix memory
  • ATMEL MX%224E-CCU touchscreen controller

According to iFixIt, it's pretty easy to service the Droid Bionic for a number of reasons, including the limited number of screws and conservative amount of adhesive, which ultimately led to iFixIt rating the device a 9/10 in repairability.

Put your own smartphone to sleep and view all the naked Bionic pictures here.

Image Credit: iFixIt

Lenovo Chairman Predicts Surpassing Dell By The End Of The Year

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 10:05 AM PDT

You don't get a leg up on your competitors by just sitting around (unless you're a lemming, of course). Lenovo's staying plenty active and reaping the dividends.  The company slipped past Acer to claim the spot as the world's third-largest PC manufacturer in the second quarter thanks to a ridiculous 22.9 surge in shipments, a rarity in the otherwise sluggish PC market. Now, Lenovo Chairman Liu Chuanzhi is putting his mouth where his money is; he isn't content with the bronze medal and says Lenovo will topple Dell as the second-largest PC manufacturer in all the land by the end of the year.

Those are big words, but not quite as outlandish as they may first sound, even if Lenovo doesn't hold a top-five presence in the US. Lenovo's sitting pretty with 12.2 percent of the worldwide market share. Dell's silver-medal finish came courtesy of a 12.9 percent share – a difference of under 1 percent. On top of that, Dell only managed to increase its shipments by 2.8 percent in the second quarter, while pales next to Lenovo's 22.9 percent improvement.

PCWorld reports that Lenovo's strong figures were driven by a focus in young PC markets like Latin America, India and Africa, as well as Lenovo's dominating 31.7 percent share of the Chinese market, which recently surpassed the US in total PC shipments. Taking all that into consideration, it's starting to look like Chuanzhi's prediction could very likely come true.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO News

MMO News

Outspark announces Luvinia Online Open Beta

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 08:47 AM PDT

Outspark has announced that open beta has started for Luvinia Online.  Players will find new areas to explore, an updated level cap of 78 and many more improvements made to the game during the transition.

In addition, several give aways will be occurring with certain sites to allow players to obtain some unique mounts.  Closed beta participants will also receive various in-game rewards.

Open beta testers will also have the opportunity to win valuable real world prizes through Game Master events.

Outspark is also the publisher of Fiesta Online and Secret of the Solstice.

luvinia-online-battle

Luvinia Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Luvinia Online Now in Open Beta

The path now opens wide, take your steps into the light

SAN FRANCISCO – September 08, 2011 – Outspark, the destination for MMO gamers, is proud to announce that Luvinia Online is now in open beta and invites players to all the events and new content now available in this highly anticipated MMORPG.

After the successful and action-packed closed beta, Luvinia Online is back with a few tweaks and updates for all players to try out now. In the open beta, players will now be able reach level 78, which means more areas to explore and content to experience. Along with the level increase, the story, font, camera, and graphics of the game have been improved during the downtime and are ready for beta testers, both veteran and new, to try out.

"Outspark is extremely grateful that our strong and loyal community of dedicated players have provided great feedback and positive reviews on the closed beta," explained Philip Yun, CEO of Outspark. "With the information that we received, we've made many constructive changes to Luvinia Online to help new players in the game, as well as polish to the overall experience for all players."

All players participating in the open beta can pick up some very special mounts in key give aways happening with select websites. Along with the new mounts, closed beta players will find in their accounts some of the rewards granted through previous in-game events and key redemptions. Open beta will give players a chance to create fresh, new characters, which will carry over into the full commercial launch of the game.

Along with all the updates and new content in the open beta, players will also have a chance to win prizes worth up to $1,000! Alongside the many weekly in-game activities present in Luvinia Online, Outspark Game Masters will be running a variety of special events during the open beta which can be found on the game forums (http://outspark.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312508).< BR>
Check out all the news and events on the new Luvinia Website (luvinia.outspark.com/community), comment on the forums (http://www.outspark.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=424), and follow Luvinia Online on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/outsparkluvinia) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/LuviniaGame)
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

Blade &amp; Soul interview talks Summoner class, customization

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Blade & Soul - combat screenshot
Blade & Soul's second Korean closed beta test is winding down, and ThisIsGame.com has cornered a couple of NCsoft devs for a quick interview about the upcoming martial arts MMORPG. Project director Jae Hyun Bae and director of system design Sung Jin Hwang talk about everything from the latest class reveal (the Summoner), to mobile platform and social networking tie-ins, to the game's extensive character customization.

Said customization is "almost unlimited. NPCs in the game are actually made by not modeling but customizing each. Blade & Soul will provide the most free customizing system ever so far," according to the devs. It's somewhat unclear as to whether this customization will take the form of character skills and abilities or physical differentiation via body types and personalization options.

It's also worth noting that some of the article's information may have been lost in translation, and if your Korean language skills are up to the task, you can read the full original text on ThisIsGame's main site.

MassivelyBlade & Soul interview talks Summoner class, customization originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP releases EVE's emergency CSM meeting minutes

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 09:30 AM PDT

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EVE Online - internet spaceship
There's no drama like internet spaceship drama, and the boohoos stemming from last summer's EVE Online Incarna expansion -- and the associated monoclegate controversy -- continue to make waves.

CCP has finally gotten around to releasing the minutes from the "emergency" Council of Stellar Management meeting that took place in Iceland from June 30th through July 1st. According to CCP Xhagen, the lengthy delay was due to the fact that "it takes time to create a document that everyone can accept. It is important to keep in mind that CSM meeting minutes are not released unless both CCP and the CSM give their approval."

The document summarizes the discussions and presents the brouhaha surrounding captain's quarters performance, the Noble Exchange, and CCP's future plans for virtual goods from the perspective of both devs and player representatives. The PDF ultimately serves as a useful summary of EVE's latest drama explosion, and you can read it in its entirety by following the link below.

MassivelyCCP releases EVE's emergency CSM meeting minutes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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March into the Gap of Rohan with LotRO's latest dev diary

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Gap of Rohan is having a Back to Isengard Sale!
Horses thunder, horns blow, and the forces of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth ride out to meet the Enemy on its own turf. It's in the Gap of Rohan, one of the newest areas featured in the upcoming Lord of the Rings Online: Rise of Isengard, that players will finally encounter the Rohirrim proper.

Turbine is excited to introduce this long-awaited nation of horse-riders to the game, and in a new developer diary, an overview of this infamous region is given. While the Gap may not be large in size, it is critical to both armies to control, as it commands one of the best crossings of the river Isen.

The developers also share some behind-the-scenes info about the "tricks" used to simulate large armies fighting alongside player characters -- all while still running on your average computer. We have several new action screenshots of combat in the Gap of Rohan for you below, and the full dev diary can be watched after the jump!

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Core Gallery

Continue reading March into the Gap of Rohan with LotRO's latest dev diary

MassivelyMarch into the Gap of Rohan with LotRO's latest dev diary originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rusty Hearts celebrates the PAX experience with a testimonial video

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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Matt hearts Rusty Hearts
You could sit here and read our opinions of Perfect World Entertainment's Rusty Hearts all day long, but it's not until you see the faces of those who just played the game, talking about how much they loved it, that you realize it might be something worth checking out.

PWE recorded video testimonials from PAX attendees who just finished playing their game demo, showing off some true-to-life opinions of the game, while still riding high on the adrenaline from that famous Rusty Hearts action combat. "Rusty Hearts cuts all the bull crap out," one attendee claims, while several others are particularly excited about the game's gothic art style.

If you'd like to check the game out for yourself, it's set to hit open beta on September 13th, and don't miss the PAX video right after the cut.

Continue reading Rusty Hearts celebrates the PAX experience with a testimonial video

MassivelyRusty Hearts celebrates the PAX experience with a testimonial video originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bonus round: RuneScape kicks off a weekend of extra XP gain

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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RuneScape
RuneScape players, it's time to put your key in the ignition and slam the pedal to the floor -- you have a full weekend of bonus XP ahead of you! The weekend kicked off at 7:00 a.m. EDT this morning, and will continue until the same time on Monday, September 12th.

During this weekend event, RuneScape subscribers -- not free players -- will enjoy a hearty bonus to their training activities rate. The bonus multiplier begins at 2.7 times the normal rate and decreases in percentage every half-hour played after that, until it hits 1.1 times the normal rate of XP gain, at which point it will remain until the bonus weekend is over.

This bonus rate will not be used up if a player is logged out or in the game's lobby, and does not affect quest XP, XP rewards at the end of activities, assist XP, the circus, and XP that is awarded via items. Because of the unique nature of the Summoning skill, Summoning will be locked in at a 1.1 bonus rate for the duration of the event.

MassivelyBonus round: RuneScape kicks off a weekend of extra XP gain originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Which MMO do you think is underappreciated?

Posted: 09 Sep 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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Fire Pegasus - Free Realms
Here at Massively, we try to expose you to as many MMOs (and often non-MMOs) as possible, allowing you to get that first glimpse through our eyes yet encouraging you to go out and play more if you like what you see. With so many MMOs on the market today, it's very easy to skip right by one that might have become your holy grail somewhere down the line.

Plus, the majority of games launch, lose that initial rush of tourists, and settle into a comfortable niche for as long as they can. But these games often fall by the wayside as the new shinies rise to prominence. These "forgotten" games aren't necessarily bad; they're just old news. For me, it's Free Realms. Every time I jump into that game, I think about how it does so many things right but is quickly written off as a "kids" game.

So I want to know what you think! What game would you say is the most underappreciated by other MMO players?

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: Which MMO do you think is underappreciated? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The baddies of City of Heroes' First Ward

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 08:00 PM PDT

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City of Heroes screenshot
City of Heroes' villains are some of the most memorable across the genre, so it's no wonder superhero fans are anxious to see whom (or what) they'll be fighting once CoH goes free-to-play later this year. To that end, Paragon Studios' art lead, Gilbert Martinez, has penned a dev diary over on PC Gamer that details four of the villain groups players will encounter in the upcoming First Ward zone.

First up are the mystics of the Carnival of Light, the perfect counterpoint to the existing Carnival of Shadows. These new Carnies are much better dressed and seek to "restore the balance of good and evil" in Praetoria. They're followed by the Direct Urban Strike Team (D.U.S.T.) units, elite PPD members with rugged armor and enormous plasma rifles that are surely not compensating for anything. If you're into tentacles, you'll love the failed Seer experiments known as the Awakened. And finally, the dreadful, harpy-like Talons of Vengeance embrace "themes of vengeance, magic, and the embodiment of the apocalypse."

Enjoy the new enemies (and their awesome high-detail graphics) at PC Gamer.

MassivelyThe baddies of City of Heroes' First Ward originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE's services disrupted by massive California blackout [Updated]

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:34 PM PDT

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SOE
A massive power outage that is affecting southern California this evening has severely hampered Sony Online Entertainment's services. The outage, which began during the late afternoon, has cut power to millions in San Diego, southern Orange County, and Palm Springs, as well as sections of Mexico across the border.

Because of this interruption, some of SOE's MMOs and websites have gone offline, as SOE's servers are located in San Diego. The company sent a brief note over Twitter and Facebook saying that players might not want to hold their breath at regaining these services tonight: "The San Diego power outage could persist throughout the night affecting login servers, forums, and websites. We appreciate everyone's patience as the City attempts to restore power."

According to authorities, power is expected to be restored by Friday.

[Update: Some of SOE's services, such as EverQuest II, Pirates of the Burning Sea, and Clone Wars Adventures, appear to be back up and running.]

Update #2: SOE tweeted the following on Friday morning: "We appreciate everyone's patience during the recent power outage. Power has been restored and all services should be back online."]

[Source: Twitter]

MassivelySOE's services disrupted by massive California blackout [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MMO Report: In-game marriage is for losers edition

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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The MMO Report - Casey Schreiner
This week's MMO Report finds Casey Schreiner in a celebratory mood, and why not? After all, G4TV's massively multiplayer-focused video blog has been entertaining work-bound slackers for four years now, and it's his birthday tomorrow.

The show hits all the MMO news highlights for the past week including DC Universe Online's new content pack, Minecraft's new adventuring trailer, The Secret World's sub-plus-cash-shop business model reveal, and Star Trek Online's foregone conclusion of a free-to-play announcement. Casey has a bit of fun with fans of the F2P model, saying that STO is "answering the call of thousands of underpaid comics and collectible store employees who can't afford 15 bucks a month."

If that's not enough for you, consider that Casey also spends a bit of time talking about the merits of in-game marriage, and more specifically, why so many of MapleStory's pairings end in annulment. Seriously. Check it out after the break.

Continue reading The MMO Report: In-game marriage is for losers edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: In-game marriage is for losers edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the Mask: The best defense isn't a good offense

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Champions Online Screenshot
Blocking is one of the elements that separates Champions Online from just another MMO. Along with combat movement, blocking turns CO from another game of "1, 2, then 4 until dead" into a dynamic action experience.

Blocking reduces incoming damage by a ton, even with no investment in upgrading it. It also gives you sizable energy boosts for every attack you block, which gives you comeback potential. Many players block only charged attacks, and even more simply never block. While it's important to block charged attacks, blocking isn't just for the few times when those happen.

Continue reading Behind the Mask: The best defense isn't a good offense

MassivelyBehind the Mask: The best defense isn't a good offense originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Guild Counsel: Dealing with 'Mr. Wiggly'

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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Mr. Wiggly from The Guild
So there you were, ticking those last few points of health off the raid mob, preparing to celebrate a major victory, when all of a sudden someone triggers a massive AoE and the raid wipes. Even worse, you and everyone else on the raid instantly know who it is because it's the same person who mem-blurred the boss the week before and accidentally ported his group out the raid before that. In fact, it's beginning to seem like the raid should stop fighting NPCs and start taking on this guy because he's a much bigger threat.

The easy answer is to ream him out, boot him, and refuse to ever rez him again, but it's not that simple because he is extremely nice, is married to the guild leader, is helpful and contributes immensely when not raiding, or is a combination of all three. That's right, in this week's Guild Counsel, we'll look at what to do with the nightmare of having a Mr. Wiggly in your guild.

Continue reading The Guild Counsel: Dealing with 'Mr. Wiggly'

MassivelyThe Guild Counsel: Dealing with 'Mr. Wiggly' originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turbine unveils LotRO expansion point costs

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Lord of the Rings Online - Rise of Isengard key art
Those of you who didn't get around to pre-ordering Lord of the Rings Online's Rise of Isengard expansion earlier this summer will probably want to mosey over to the game's official forums. Turbine has revealed the point costs for all of the new content, and due to the variety of items on offer, it may take you a few minutes to piece together what you want (and what it'll cost you).

The short version is that the expansion quests and deeds will set you back 3,250 Turbine points, while the new Draigoch raid will cost an additional 1,250 TP. There's also a bindable item called Derudh's Stone that grants a permanent 25% XP bonus on monster kills through level 64, and it is priced at 995 TP. Finally, the new Update 5 instances, currently slated for a December release, will run you 1,495 TP.

There's more info, and a load of comments and discussion, at the official LotRO boards.

MassivelyTurbine unveils LotRO expansion point costs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Answer your beta-related questions, Star Wars: The Old Republic does

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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Screenshot -- Star Wars: The Old Republic
In light of the Star Wars: The Old Republic's beta testing weekends' recent inception, Stephen Reid stopped by the SWTOR official forums to drop a couple of FAQs on the masses. The first deals with the ongoing beta testing, beta weekends, and early access for pre-order customers. The second hones in on the first beta test weekend, which took place last weekend.

The beta FAQ begins by outlining the differences between early game access, beta weekends, guild testing, and the normal beta testing. Early game access, of course, is access to the launch version of the game prior to the official launch date; this privilege is given to those who pre-order the game. Beta testing weekends are exactly what they sound like, and Reid notes that the team is aiming for one more test weekend this month, which will host more players than the last test. Game and guild testing are both the normal, ongoing beta test, with the latter differentiated only by the invitation process for guilds rather than individuals.

The post goes on to remind players that, even with the advent of the beta testing weekends, the NDA is still in effect, and that a player's participation in one beta test weekend does not guarantee her selection for subsequent weekends.

And lastly, we'd be remiss to omit this small detail for our European players: Game testing for European players is "imminent," says the post, and these tests will include localized French and German versions of the game. Beta weekends for European players will begin around the same time.

Now then, the beta weekend FAQ. The post declares the intent of the first beta weekend to have been a "small-scale simulation of a launch scenario." The post also discusses the successes and failures of the test and notes that almost every goal set by the team was met or exceeded. However, there were a few hitches with the invite process, which the team has since fixed.

For the full details, hop on your speeder bike and head on over to the official forum posts.

MassivelyAnswer your beta-related questions, Star Wars: The Old Republic does originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Function over form

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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Fallen Earth screenshot
Today's screenshot comes to us from Fallen Earth, courtesy of our very own Justin Olivetti:
While being able to craft 95% of the armor you'll wear in Fallen Earth is a major attraction of the game, early on you'll have to suffer through outfit pieces that don't quite go well together (although some may argue that's in step with the game's setting). Probably the worst aspect of the armor system is that there's no way to turn off helmet graphics unless you simply take it off.
It's ugly armor week all week on One Shots, so whether you have an eye-searing color scheme, a set of armor pieces that clash like crazy, or something that you just put together for a laugh, we want to see.

Next week we'll be revisiting starting zones, so if you want to get a jump on things, grab a screenshot of your favorite starting zone and send it in to oneshots@massively.com and we'll feature it in next week's One Shots!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Function over form originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 Charr plushies on sale now, but you can win one free from Massively!

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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Rawr, I scary!
Guild Wars 2 fans attending PAX may have noticed an extra attendee roaming the show floor: the fiercely cute Charr plushie. According to the tag on his backside, he goes by the name Charrlie, and it seemed like every ArenaNet devotee at PAX wanted to nab one for his or her very own.

The ArenaNet crew handed out several as prizes during a panel and some trivia contests on stage, and promised fans that the plushies would be for sale at some time in the future. That time has arrived a little sooner than most fans expected -- as of right now, the little guys can be purchased in the Penny Arcade store for $34.99.

Even better, we've got one here at Massively to share with a lucky reader! All you need to do is leave a comment telling us why you should be the winner. Tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. EDT, we'll go through the entries, choose the best one, and mail Charrlie the Charr to the winner right away.

Be sure to read our contest rules, hit that comment button, and good luck!

OFFICIAL RULES

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 Charr plushies on sale now, but you can win one free from Massively! originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask Massively: Some games I apparently just keep buying edition

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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I'm still not sure how I feel about the female protagonist's new music. But the important thing is that Lotus Juice is working.
During my week-long ordeal without power (or, you know, any of the other conveniences of the present century), Ms. Lady and I finally decided to spring for a PSP. It's a system that I've long been looking forward to owning, mostly so that I can pay for games that I already I own. Seriously. Sure, it's either an enhanced version (Persona 3 Portable) or old favorites that I can play on the go (Xenogears), but I'm still paying money to own games already in my collection.

And yes, I'm looking forward to buying a Vita just to buy a remake of Persona 4. This is apparently what I do now.

Moving along from my tendency to re-buy what I already own, it's time for this week's edition of Ask Massively. We're going pretty meta this time around, much like last week, talking all about avatars and cross-site issues. As always, questions can be left in the comments or sent to ask@massively.com for inclusion in a future edition.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Some games I apparently just keep buying edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: Some games I apparently just keep buying edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Captain's Log: Setting a new course

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:30 AM PDT

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Star Trek Online logo
Hello, computer (and players)! Leave your credit cards, er, I mean, Latinum, at the turbolift door -- Star Trek Online has changed course for a new destination... Planet Free-to-Play. As we reported late last week (thanks again to tipster The First Avenger and @Altexist), it was announced during a Perfect World Entertainment earnings call that STO would be adopting a new subscription model before year's end. Little did we know that the plan to make a full-scale announcement had already been in the works and was set to have been released this week, the first inkling of which we saw this past Tuesday.

The press release and new F2P information page that Cryptic has launched on STO's home page contains a lot of information that explains the different benefits that paying and non-paying players will experience. As it did with Champions Online, the development team is planning on being as transparent as possible, listening to feedback, and making adjustments based on closed beta experiences of the new hybrid model. This week's Captain's Log is going to explore some of these benefits, shed some positive light on some worries, share with you exclusive answers to some questions we sent into PR, and let you know some of my overall personal thoughts -- so without further ado, make it so!

Ensign, warp 10! Let's help our readers decide whether they are going to be Silver or Gold members...

Continue reading Captain's Log: Setting a new course

MassivelyCaptain's Log: Setting a new course originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beta and bucks: John Smedley discusses PlanetSide 2's future

Posted: 08 Sep 2011 11:00 AM PDT

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PlanetSide 2
In an interview with Chinese site 17173.com, SOE's John Smedley shared some revealing details about PlanetSide 2, including the fact that the upcoming MMO shooter will be free.

MMOsite carried the English version of the story early this morning, but there were a few points that were lost in translation. So we contacted Smedley for clarification, and he said that while he had previously mentioned that the game will be "some form of free-to-play," SOE is not prepared to announce specifics just yet, but we should "expect something that will be very player friendly." He mentioned that a Blizzard-style auction house won't be a part of that plan but that he was fond of what League of Legends had done with its system.

It's also his opinion that Star Wars: The Old Republic will be the last large-scale MMO with a subscription fee. "The game looks great," Smedley commented, "and I will be playing myself. BioWare is doing an awesome job."

Smedley also made mention of PlanetSide 2's beta schedule. SOE is aiming to begin wider testing of the title later this year or early next year in North America, but the company doesn't know for sure just yet.

PlanetSide 2 is aiming to be bigger and better than the original, with battlefields holding up to 2,000 players at the same time, a flexible skill system that allows players to fine-tune their troops and engage in crafting, and a struggle to control territory between three factions. Interestingly enough, Smedley said that the factions might not always be at each other's throats; the PlanetSide 2 team has plans to launch PvE world events such as alien invasions where all players will put aside their differences to combat a shared threat.

MassivelyBeta and bucks: John Smedley discusses PlanetSide 2's future originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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